The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1903-01-27
A NEW LIGHT.

ing OF the benefits of the new light and
the dire effect of the present light, the
man who has perfected the invention,
Charles p. Steinmetz, says:
The mercury arc contains all colors
except red. and as result the green
of the foliage Of lawns appears in the
light of the mercury arc" more fresh
and vivid than in daylight, while, With
the ordinary methods of lighting by
arc or incandescent lamps, foliage,
lawns and plants in general always ap-
pear dry and faded, since the red and
yellow rays of the ordinary illumni-
nants intensity the red and yellow in
the color Of plants, and so make them
look poorly. The mercury arc" Is
much more pentrating than any other
light, so that any place Illuminated by
It, when seen from a distance, appears
much nearer. The vivid green of the
conservatory can be seen from distanc-
es where the light of nearby incan-
descent and arc lights is not visible
any more. This green light is the only
harmless light Careful investigations
made in my laboratory and extending
over some yeaKs have shown conclus-
lively that the harmful effects of light
are due exclusively to the red and or
ange rays, and light is more harm
full the wider it is in red rays. This
is the reason why working under arti-
fetal light is more trying TO the eyes
than daylight. 1t is not the lower in
tensity of the artificial light, but its
richness in the harmful red rays
Therefore, electric light is less harm
full than gas or a lamp being white,
and the white daylight the least HARM
full, while the mercury arc" light,
which is entirely devoid of red rays.
is absolutely harmless. and person
can look straight into one Of the "mer-
curry arcs of enormous brilliancy with
out being blinded by it.
The mercury arc lamp consists of a
glas tube. either vertical or slightly in
clined to horizontal. In the lower end
is cup containing mercury, and at the
upper end a graphite button. The cur
rent reaches the mercury by three plat
mum wires, sealed in glass, and passes
through the green arc flame to the gra-
phite button, and out again through |
other platinum wires, also sealed in !
glass. There is vacuum in the tube.
The difficulty experienced in using
the mercury arc light was in start
ing il. DIR. Arons accomplished this
by sending a light voltage shock
through the tube, but this was rather
awkard for practical application, and
therefore delayed the introduction of
this beautiful light into practical serv-
ice. DR.. Weintraug of Schenectady has
discovered an ingenious method of
starting his light without higher volt
age, by means Of a small auxiliary arc,
which also makes the light stable.
A mercury light can be run only with /
one continuous current-that is, cur
rent going always in the same direc-
ton as is lsad on railway circuits. For
ordinary lighting an alternating cur
rent is used
But while an alternating current can.
not be ised in the ordinory mercury
arc lamp, the lamp can be modified
SO as TO operate an alternating current,
and, in this case, it has the valuable
feature Of converting alternating into
continuous currents. Such mercury
arc lamps can therefore be used, and
have been used for some time, for
converting alternating into continuous
current This feature Is Of considerable
Importance, since an alternating cur
rent Is easier to generate and to dis
tribute, and is the only form of cur
rent which can be transmitted over
any distance. A continuous current is
however, for many classes
OF work, as for electro-chemical work,
storage battery charge,
aud therefore for electric carriages,
automobiles, etc. on the electric rail-
way continuous current is also used ex-
Therefore, the property of
the mercury 10 convert an alternating
current into direct current is inn
portant 1t is possible that within a
short time the General
Electric company's residential grounds
win be lighted with mercury arc lights,
on the streets and in the groves Of ,
rees abounding there, giving the same {
effect as observed now in the q
conservatory
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NJ de Blowltz, Paris correspondent