New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-06-14
WONDERFUL 1UTOW4TA.
Secret of Their Mechanism Died zc'th
the InUentOr.

'eFew persons in the mechanical world nave not
heard of the automatons Of the famous Neu'H"'
mechanician of the eighteenth century says
u,riter in ..-Thc Scientific American. Most people
would not know where 10 find autonldloh9 VI
Jaquet-Droz- They said TO De IN russia ~
England and scattered here and there t-'rousu''
the world. But the most remarkaoie Oh IN"
masterpieces are IN the possession OF MI He '
Martin, OF Dresden. where they are the adhii' 49,
of all those who happen to visit Oresoeh anu
able to examine tkem. According to the lnIo' ia
ton kindly furnished by Mr. Martln. the d
donations are in good condition and WORE aS WI
as at the time when Jaquet-Droz exhiplted ."eii
to the sovereigns of France. Spain ana Enslanu'
though they must be put In oper@toh -
hand
'One of this wonderful mans clocks went LOT q
very long tine without being rewound rms KIM
Of perpetual movement was produced Dy oiiA7
metals expanding and contracting at the Same
temperature. Another clock without being toucheu.
answered the question. What time is it, IL must
be presumed that the breath of the questoner was
sufficient by a delicate combination. to put 'he
mechanism In movement. Still another eNnioi'7
the hours the minutes and the seconds. the centre
of the dial Indicating the OF the sun through
the zodiac and the four seasons and the different
phases of the in perfect accord with ITS eVo-
luton The dial lighted at the time OF the run
moon. and the stars appeared and disappeared dt
the required intervals. This artificial armament
was covered with clouds if the weather was I'M
pleasant or lighted if it clear As soon as the
hour was struck a chime was heard IL PiaSeu
nine different melodies. to which an echo reSpoiu0N
A lady seated in a balcony. holding DOCK IN heI
hand sccompanied the music with gesture and
look from time to time took d pinch OF snun' anu
bowed to those who opened the glass door Oh the
clock When the Ginning ended a canary
standing on the hand of child. whose gestures
expressed admiration. sang eight different airs A
shepherd came in his turn and played on the mute
and two children danced around Suddenly one
OF the children threw himself on the floor in order
to make the other lose his balance. and then
tho at0rS mir
panon with his finger Near the shepherd a lamb
bIeated from time to time, and dog approached
his master to caress him and to watch over Il
basket Of apples. If any one touched the frult'
he would bark until it put back in its place
He presented one of his clocks to King Ferdl-
nand VI who was so delighted that he refunded
the expenses of the journey and paid in addition 9o
louis dor. The King assembled his courtiers In
order to show them his acquisition. Among the
autonatons was a clock with a shepherd playing
on his flute. and dog guarding a basket OF frult
The dog said Jaquet-Droz, is as faithful as ne IS
well behaved. Let your majesty put him 10 the
proof by touching of the fruits in the basket
The King endeavored to take an apple, but the dog
Immediately threw himself his hand barking
so naturally that hound present in the room re-
sponded with all his strength The courhers
thought that sorcery work and fed precip1-
lately making the sign Of the cross The King and
the Minister of Marine the only ones TO re-
main.
1.-THE latter asked the shepherd what time II was
9
srnilingly that he probably did not understand
Spanish and begged his excellency TO address him
in French The question was repeated IN tnaI
language. and the shepherd replied Immediately
The minister frightened. and he, too. hurried
away. In consequence Of this seance the Neucndtei
artist. fearing that he might be arrested by the
Inquisition and burned as a sorcerer, begged ina
King to invite the Grand Inquistor TO be present
Jaouet-Droz took the clock apart in his presence,
piece by piece, showing him all the springs and ex-
fpio to HI he of
the Inauisitor understood little nothing of the
matter; nevertheless he announced the fact pub
liclv that he discovered no magic, and that the
mechanism was moved entirely by natural means
exceeded everything which had EYER 9een uscisn
the Draughtsnan and the Writer, s g9gng
pieces of music with dexterity. without any per
touching the instrument Inc DTaIgnsSl1 e
eli sEetching them Correctly and then shading
examine his work the better corrected some de5eft
hg1 peg gone thf to Wersaes exhbed his
to the King. The Draughtsman, to the anazeImen5
French king with a laurel wreath on his head
Went oyer to naH and ne Soon f
hands of the au2maton were actively at IoIk b oH5
they beheld not the image of the King OF France
Y m6rn e OF course the PORTRAITS not i'm
ished productions. but presented general resen-
Of ct pro wss not trd hGg
by the inexhaustible genius of this artist Let one
dess without d contact with any person He would
dip his pen in the iukstand and write, without &c
tafion slowly it is true. but distinctly and correct
Iy Each word occupied d suitable place AT the
desired distance from the preceding; when a ilne
was finished. ne commenced a new one. IeavlnS
between them the necessary space; The movements
of the eyes and of the and hands were adj
r1irably initiated The Writer might even be m
terrupted He stopped in the middle OF WORD, II
asked and wrote another
tThe means used by Jaquet-Droz for securing
this result have remained unknown The courtierS.
scientists and the skilful mechanlclanS nave
vanIy sought penetrate the mystery II IS
needless to saw that the Writer performed only in
the presence of Jaquet-Droz. which involves the
idea of some action exercised by this artist. IL
has been supposed that he made use of a magnet
concealed in his shoes clothing. This idea was
suggested by his habit of walking back and tortn
and turning sometimes to side and sometimes
70 the while the autOmatOn was writing:
ti1us being able to attract the hook toward
he wheel the aid of magnet and cause II
to return by the same The lords of the court
endea yored by means of other magnets OF great
power concealed in their clothing, to disturb the
working of the apparatus by their attitudes and
movements but in VAIN The automaton Wrote
with the same accuracy. The Writer is still In
existence 1t continues to write provided the hT2k
and wheel are kept in action by the hand the
notiye force used by the artist is a secret which
unfortunately has been buried with him