New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-06
ELECTRICITY IN THE SKY.
THE ATMOSPHERE A COLOSSAL STORAGE
BATTERY.

DUSTRIALLY?

biities has not been discussed much the
others, but perhaps is equally feasible. At any
rate, 1t exertS no little fascination upon one who
considers it for the first time.
The idea is by no means new, but It is brought
to public attention afresh just now by letter
from Washington to THE Boston Transcript"
This communication mentions the study which
Dr. Alexander MCAdie Of the United States
Weather Bureau, has given to the matter for
several years past While other kite flyers have
been sending up barometers. hygrometers and
thermometers. Dr. McAdie has been initiating
Franklin by drawing down electricity from the
skies and measuring at the earth's surface the
amount of energy received there. And for years
it has seemed credible to this meteorological eX-
pert that way might be found to harness the
agent under investigation.
1t is a mistake to suppose that electricity caa
be obtained from the skies only during a thun-
der storm To be sure, the development Of at
mospheric electricity is more rapid and its ex-
hbtion of violence more startling at such times
Than in fine weather but even when the heavens
are cloudless there is stil a permanent store OF
this form of force in the upper air.
There is a bit of apparatus in all electrical
laboratories called condenser. In its simplest
form it consists Of a glass plate with tinfoil on
each side. If one sheet of foil be charged with
positive electricity a corresponding charge Of
negative electricity will develop in the other
Now. the earth's atmospheric shell is great
condenser. The earth itself is negatively electri-
fed. The lower layer Of air serves as the nsu-
latirg glass which separates the two pieces of
foil and the upper air is positively electrified.
I.yen at an elevation of fifty hundred feet
It is possible to discover a difference between
the conditions prevailing there and at the earth's
surface. But if the conducting wire which
brings down the current be carried still higher
by a balloon or kite the difference is greater
The electrician expresses this state Of things by
saying that he finds at this or that height po-
tcrtia of so many hundred or thousand VOLS
The voltage of electricity signifies the pressure
or strain. or It's tendency to penetrate all bar
ricrs and establish an equilibrium. This is not
the same as the quantity of a current, which is
EXPRESSED in amperes. Sometimes the electrician
deals with a current having low voltage and
large quantity, and sometimes he handles high
voltage with a small quantity. Both factors
need 10 be considered in order to obtain an accu-
rate idea of the real energy represented
simultaneous observations in Washington at
the Signal Office and on the top of the WASH
jDg.on Monument showed that at the former
which is much lower than the latter, the voltage
varied from 216 TO 24G inside Of ten minutes
while on the monument it ranged from so 10
900 volts during the same period. During
thunderstorm a potential of 4,oOO or oooo may
be noticed and on the Eifel Tower. LoVo leet
hich voltages Of 5000 have been recorded. II a
kite is flown during thunderstorm the httIe
electricity which is thus drawn OH eXhlplts a
moderate potential. But 1t Is estimated thdt
when a first class fash occurs and large cIoud
discharges itself to the earth the voltage goes
awav ND into the millions. The quantity or
energy is small but the pressure is something
fearful to contemplate. The duration of the at
tendant flash is prolonged by the oscilatory nat
IRE of the discharge, but the time consumed py
tho massage of the current in one direction only
&c an exceedingly small fraction of a second.
,r,vo nractical questions are raised by the prop
ori,ior 70 capture atmospheric electricity and
onDloy It indusrially. In the first place can
enough of il be obtained TO make the venture
1avo And secondly, how is the electricity 10 DC
handled In order to apply 1t 10 its WORK III
ACADIA finds that when he has kite up IN the
air and when he uses piano wire Tor hl'e
citing he can bring down enough electricity "
r-rduce a stream Of sparks when he presents
bis kpuckles to the lower end OF the WIRE Al
,i-pes these sparks powerful that 1t is
-is,,,. 70 handle the wire, but the amount OF
energy actually obtained under these clrcuih-
stances is believed by some experts 70 De ra'her
small. ..o
.r orn reminded Of the attempts TO utlIlZe wave
,.or .rd tide power whenever | think or TINS
,oroeition" said Joseph Wetzler, who Is at the
h.ad II the Electrical Engineer Correspondence