Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-01-09
FIFE YEARS SCIENTIFIC PROGRESS.


AS one recalls the scientific events and
announcements Of the year 1897, he finds
Il dif1cut to match in Importance these
four: The development of a speed of IS
knots by the British torpedo-boat destroyer
Tllbinia, the transmission of telegraph
messages without wires to a DISTANCE OF
ten to fifteen miles, the discovery OF the
bacillus of yellow fever and the testimony
which the buried city Of Nippur offers re-
garding the existence of a high state OF
civilization in Mesopotamia between SIX
thousand and seven thousand years before
That which makes the Turbinia's aehiev-
ment especially significant is that 1t was
rendered possible by the use of a new type
of marine engine, the steam turbine. Mr.
Parsons the inventor of the latter, may
possibly be too sanguine when ne predicts
speeds not merely of forty, but or nifty,
knot an hour; but he has unquestionably
opened up q new era in steam engineer
ing. Marconi's methods are not likely to
is already apparent that his system pos
sesses a high practical value. II pre-
sents exceptional advantages for conlmti-
nioation between fixed station and
moving one dixie a ship, or two moving
stations, and for secret service. SanareI-
IFS brilliant performance not only reveals
the true nature of the disease to which
the southern part OF this country is PEE
cuharly subject, but it also paves the way
to 5ne preRaaIon St. qfT ana muen
piorations will not help US to travel faster.
nor will they prolong human life. They
have a bearing on the question Of the
would be foolish to ignore.
Less significant, no doubt, but hardly
less Interesting than the incidents just re-
ferred to, are the Toronto meeting of the
British scientists, which gave people on
this side of the Atlantic a rare opportunity
to meet several Of the most distinguished
inVestiga tors of the present day, and at
the same time happily advertised to Eu~
rope Americas scientific activities; the
roll
has already demonstrated its superiority
in power, as we'll as size, to every other re-
tractor in the. world; the successful trials
of Lakes submarine boat, which Is de-
signed to run along the ocean bottonhi the
transportation to this port of Peary's big
lneteorite and the attestation of the best
authorities In Europe TO Its genuinenesS:
the departure of the Belgian expedition
to explore the south polar region; the
commencement and rapid progress In Lon
don of work on the greatest underground
electric road in the world, and the alleged
conversion OF silver into gold by mechani-
cal pressure. Inasmuch as that modern
convenient to- permit disintereSted ex-
perts to witness and tell the public about
his opera tons, his story must still be re-
ceived with courteous scepticism. But Ii
is not impossible that we shall hear some-
thing interesting from him even vet.
Rontgen rays which were first discov-
cred about two years ago, have received
new application Ito the French customs
servieel during the last twelve months
eolors, of which sensational reports were
heard last spring did not justify the
hopes which were entertained in regard 70
1t at that time. Acetylene, too has failed
TO make Roadway in popular favor. The
horseless carriage, on the other hand. has
apparently come to stay; success has att
tended the efforts to reduce the weight OF
storage batteries in proportion to the
charge which they will hold, and alternate
ing currents show a ds1nite tendency to
come into more extensive use both for
power and ighting.--New York Tribune