The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-06
QUAINT OLIVER HEAvYsIDEs.
He Is the Most Eccentric Scientist In
the World.

the World.
| For pure eecentricity of character Oliver
Heavysides, the great English mathemati-
clan, stands without a peer. Not only his
actions, but his very nature as eccentric.
Some men are eccentric for mercenary
reasons, because of the advertising which
results therefrom, and other men are &c
centric, or at least considered so, simply
because their methods are not the conven-
tional one approved of by society, but Oil
yer Heavysides is eccentric to the i'm
nermost core of his character. On the
other hand, he is by no means a quack;
he is legitimate, and is recognized as a
great savant by Lord Kelvin, Mascart
and men of that class. He has been called
the intellectual successor of Maxwell
and his achievements in the science of adj
vanced mathematics seem 10 bear out the
justice of this appellation.
No one even sees Oliver Heavysides. at
least, no one can be found who has seen
him for some time. He holds himself
much like a yelled prophet, and his COM
munications have the spirit of the letters
of Junius. He is no Junius. however. He
is living person. 1t is said that he was
once in the employ of the British tele-
graph system, where he worked under
the leadership of William Henry Preece.
But they say in scientific circles that Mr..
Preece once brought out new theory, or
made some statement concerning the per-
Torrance of some electrical phenomenon,
A..
scientific publication which so utterly
ridiculed or at least, dscredited the theo-
ry of Preece, that the latter exhibited
his resentment by causing the retirement
of his critic from governmental service.
This may be simply an idle tale which has
grown out of the peculiar actions OF
Heavysides, but at any rate he has not
been visible to the general public since his
retirement from the government service.
once when Sir John Pindar was running
the London Electrician he received a COM
munication from a comparatively UNI
known man, which not only arrested his
attention, but caused him to think that
here at last must be a genius in the
world of mathematics The communica-
ton was published and caused some lit
tie comment in the scientific world. 1t at
once stamped It's author as a man well
worthy in the consideration of scientists.
and the paper began receiving commune
cations asking for Information concerning
this new light. Sir John Pindar was un-
able to answer these correspondents. He
did not himself know who the new writer
was. The original communication had
been sent through the mail, but no address
accompanied the manuscript, except that
the editor was asked, in case the manu-
script was rejected, to please send Il 10
certain grocery store" in a nearby
district. And In case il was accepted he
vas asked TO kindly leave whatever renu-
meration there would be due, at the same
place. The editor Of the Electrician sent
the said remuneration" to the grocery
store, 50 named and the practice has been
in vogue ever since. In all the years that
Heayysides has been writing for the Elec-
trician he has never been IN the Office Of
the paper None Of the STAFF know him BY