Evening star., 1900-10-27

always been a delicate question. Explo-
sions and fires, the result of sweating
overproductions of gas, accidents due
directly to the use of the petroleum essence.
The experts insist that their eXtra-strong
bidons constructed for automobiles consti-
tute the long-dreamed-of carburator that
shall have no disadvantages. Going fur
ther they apply the compressed gas to sta
tionary motors for the operation of pumps,
dynamos, threshing machines, mills and all
the rest. Cheaper gas unfit for illuminat-
ing purposes-cOunt on the Partisan for
ing to this-is packed for these industrial
applications of the invention, 50 that the
suburbanite-and all France is suburbanite
is to find one of his inferiorities abolished.
An American gas expert, in Europe a
trip OF discovery summed up his opinion of
the invention as We stood looking in the
show window of the Rue Auber: There's
something that would have been a magnifi-
cent money maker twenty-five years agov'
he said. And it may be a good thing here
still, given the minute and economical
character of the French farmer, villa pro-
prietor and small town dweller"
Full of Promise.
1t is long way, scientifically, from the
practical and commercial gas box of the
Rue Auber to the physiological and lumi-
nous metallic lamps called eternal, that
show In the Palais de rOptique of the ex-
position. These are full of a vague prom
ise for the future that is absolutely star
Ting. Indeed, 1 have not yet recovered
from the surprise and interest Of the latter
which seems to my unlearned reasoning to
present as new principle almost as the X
rays themselves. Both these new lights are
phosphorescent in their nature. The phys
biological light is frankly So being essen
tally nothing more than a broad-bellied
bottle filed with a LIQUID in which live
move and have their being myriads of little
phosphorescent animalcules or microbes"
as the Paris populace has learned to call
them-for all Paris runs to see the little
jokers." But 1t is no joke 1t is a cold
reality-and a business reality, they say
they sell you an experimental lamp for
Wbst ~ cents. sss DC bottle tie holding half pint of
sealed Take 1t to a dark room and from
the round belly of this bottle shines a
ghostiy blue -White-green kind of moon
light, the softest kind of light for the eyes
agreeable if uncanny. Shake the bottle
very gently, or merely turn 1t upside down
s ana the phosphoreseence glows with in
tating like light that Is alive.
The ETERNAL, Light.
Now, this is phosphorescence as we know
1t in the firefy and the glowworm Bu;
what shall be said of the so-called phos-
phorescence Of the "eternar light exhibited
IN the same Palais de rOptique? l have
one or the experimental tubes beside me
at the moment, mere toy it must be con-
fessed, trlf1e that cost 70 cents. 1t is
nermetfcaly closed glass tube about fou1
Inches long and, say, a quarter of an inch
in diameter. Inside of it, running its whole
| length, is thin stick of glass having nine
little circular glass shelves or projections
that almost but not quite touch the inside
surface OF the tube. Running loose in the
tube, unconfned, is a small quantity about
half thimbleful, of mercury. While the
whole scientific theory of this thing is kept
secret, one is informed that the glass
stick and shelves inside the tube are
"uraniumized'' or composed of glass mixed
with uranium. What is obvious even to the
unscientific eye Is the certain fact that
70
from any gas, electric or magnetic current
any prosperous or phosphorescent sub
stance. 1t is all there under your eye.
Agitate it In dark room and Immediately
this gltterlng becomes a bright phoSphor-
escent light not sufficient to read by in the
case OF small models, it must be admitted
but bright enough to aid in finding a
keyhole or seeing the hour on the face of
watch. Cease to agitate it, the light ceases
As l have said, the inventors maintain a
certain silence on the subject. A vague talk
Is given about the property metallic ura-
mum has for giving out rays called the
rayons Becquerel, while the discovery OF
two other metals derived from uranium
polonium and pechbende-is merely men,
toned in passing. They possess, respect
lively, 400 and 800 times the ray-produciug
power of uranium, and wonderful things
are expected from them in the near future
At the present moment the visitor must be
content with having this mysterious toy put
into his hands and being told unat it pro-
duces light by reason of the action of mer-
curry on uranium in a vacuum and that it
Is eternal"
In Practical Use.
1 have practical experience of the real
light-giving qualities of the microbes" The
sealed half-pint bottle of phosphorescent
liquid bought for two francs at the Palais
de POptique reposes on a table at my bed
| side night after night. Waking in the COM
plete darkness, l turn my head and perceive
10 fajp Mt ai ,.1,la oh rlr rip0 NOT
sufficient to make the bottle itself visible
On lifting the bottle gently, however, and
turning it upside down two or three times
| the whole bulb glows with beautiful and
very penetrating moonlight" by which it
| Is possible to read page of clear type. And
| 1t is only an ''experimentap bottle.
The management seriously proposes to
compete in the open market shortly with a
| reading lamp that is to be the best for the
eyes yet devised.
THE best light for reading" says NJ. Ra-
| phael Dubois. professor Of experimental
! physiology in the University of Lyons, the
inventor, win be that which contains the
| maximum quantity of rays Of medium wave
| lengths united to the minimum quantity of
they are obtained practically and economi-
cally. That which approaches this ideal
| the nearest, at the present hour, is certainly
the physiological or living light obtained by
the cultivation of the photo-b bacteria
These little fellows give out prac ctically no
heat or chemical rays. Prof. Dubois has
succeeded in lighting up large room "to
the intensity Of brilliant moonlight" with
them, in which one could read, play cards
and move about at ease. The photo-bacteria
have to be fed, certainly but one feeding
lasts them several months. The greatest
difficulty is that of keeping their food and
the water In which they live perfectly ster-
ilized. Otherwise the microbes Of putrefac-
ton terminate the experiment. But these
are experimental difficulties.
The American gas expert with whom 1
visited the establishment which manufac-
lures the gas boxes made no secret of the
object of his European trip. He was seek
ing here and there and everywhere cheap
inc andescent gas burner-cheap enough to
be given away to consumers.
Americas Needs.
"The gas problem of the United States"
he said. "is rapidly coming to be this: On
the one hand gas companies. obliged to
compete with the electric light, have every
interest to encourage the use Of incandes-
cent burners. On the other hand, the rapid