The Irish standard., 1903-06-06
IMPORTANT INVENTIONS.


Peter Cooper Hewitt, whose dis
coveries in the field of electricity
promise so much in a practical way, is
son of the late Abram S. Hewitt,
former mayor of New York city, and
grandson of Peter Cooper, the mill
lionaire philanthropist. Although
wealthy, he is great worker. The
discoveries lately made are the result
of seven years of most close applica-
ton to work and most careful ex-
perimenting. While it may be said
that he has made three inventions in
electrical development yet, all three
are the results of one discovery. His
first invention will result in great
improvement i'll electric lighting. The
present incandescent lamp is the in
vention of Thomas A. Edison. and
while it is the best method of light
ing known to the world, it is also the
most expensive. OF the power used
to operate the present incandescent
electric light, ninety-seven per cent
is wasted and only three per cent util-
lied. This, Of course, is a great
waste. Hewitt realized that the
wasted power was used in generating
heat rather than light, and expert
ments were directed along the line
of discovering some gas through
which an electric current could be
passed where light would be created
without generating heat. He found
this gas in mercury vapor. The new
electric lamp consists of a long
glass tube from which all air has been
extracted and in which there is
placed some mercury. An electric
current passed through this tube
creates an intense light of pale
blue green color. The light, although
intense, is soft and does not dazzle
the eye. The color of the light is due
to the fact that no real rays are pro-
duced by the mercury. The other
rays, orange, yellow, blue, green and
violet, are present, and the blending
of these rays produces the pale blue
green color of Hewitt's lamp. The
light has peculiar effect on the ap-
pearances of people and clothing, as
every particle of red in clothing or
furniture is obscured under the light,
and everything takes on the color of
the light. The inventor has not yet
discovered device to remedy this de-
feet. The new lamp Utilities practical
ly all the power and makes electric
lighting the cheapest lighting known.
The second invention consists of an
electrical converter by which alternat-
ing currents of electricity can be
changed to direct currents. 1t has
been known that alternating currents
could be transmitted for long dis
tances over wires, but the direct cur
rent is needed for power purposes,
such as running street car. This
new invention will enable us to gen.
crate alternating currents of cleo
tricity by water power, transmit it to
the place where needed and then con-
vert it into the direct current needed
for practical use. The third inven-
ton consists in an electrical inter-
rupter. This is THE device which
Marconi has been in search of to per-
feet his wireless telegraphy. Marconi
has demonstrated beyond all question
that messages can be sent without
Wire to almost any distance OH land
or sea. But there was nothing to pre-
vent these messages being received by
any one with a receiving apparatus.
TO make Marconi's invention of prac-
teal use. something was needed to i'll
sure the fact that the message would
he received only by the one for whom
it was intended. Hewitt's new inven-
ton has. it is believed, solved this
problem We can scarcely appreci-
ate at this time the immense practi-
cal advantage of these discoveries. 1t
is wonderful how science steps in to
solve the problems of the day. AS
the relations of men in society be-
come more complex and the opportun-
tiles for gaining a livelihood seem to
decrease because of the increasing
number of people. science steps in
with some discovery or Invention
which cheapens the cost of living and
adjusts matters to normal condition.