The Washington times., 1904-12-25

~ n one point, and one point only,
hinges the establishment of a
theory that will necessitate a
complete revision of the laws
OF physical science. When the result is
obtained that the leading physicists of
the world are striving for there will
become plain to the understanding of
man the marvellous story of the birth
and death of matter; the creation of
the world and its destruction through
natural phenomena. We will understand
mat In the passing of the planet we in
habit and the preliminary blotting out
OF animal life there will be accomplished
what may only be an infinitesimal
cycle Of eternity; a mere revolution of
the mighty hand OF time
We are trembling on the brink of a
discovery which may lead to the trans
mutation of metals The experiments
now being made with radium might
lead to just such a transmutation as
the old alchemists were trying for when
they hoped to convert iron into gold. A
year ago scientists would have laughed
at the idea of changing one metal into
another, but radium is changed into
heliuna.
The eulanations from radiun if col
lected in a glass tube and its spectrum
examined, show lines with which we
are not acquainted, but in the course of
few days these unknown lines are re-
placed by those of helium. What is this
first gas?
Between the time of this writing and
the few hours that viii pass before it
appears in print, the cable and tele-
graph wires of the world may flash the
intelligence throughout civilization that
the last link is forged and the explapa-
ton of the origin of matter made GER
tain.
Destruction Of Matter.
The time-honored theory Of the inde-
structibility of matter has been shat
tered in the past few months and the
proofs that decay in the constituent
particles that go to make up the world
IS now IN process is brought out in a
manner that defes contradiction Every
school boy knows that the discovery of
the atomic theory of matter completely
changed the doctrines of the scientific
world. Since that time the history of
chemistry has been the history of the
atomic theory.
The atom has been accepted as the
smallest and ipdivIsibie particle of
matter. How it was formed and what il
is have puzzled the finest minds of the
nineteenth century. Now we learn that
the atom is diyisible, is made UP of
smaller particles of matter that have
received the name of electrons, that
these electrons are charged with mega
tive electricity Yet awhile the positive
electron has not been isolated, but who
can predict 10 what such a consumna-
ton would lead2 1t IS not too much to
hope that such knowledge would enable
man TO transmute one substance into
another
The Eleetron Theory.
Divested OF technical phraseology and
stated in its simplest terms, the cleo
tron theory is quite simple 1t is ac-
cepted that the foundation of all that is
material is the ether upon which the
celestial planets and the earth are
formed The best conception of an
electron is an infinitesimally small
whirlpool of ether revolving In the
ether. just as a small whirlpool OF
water passes before the eye when it is
gazing on a running body of water
Electricity is generated by motion, and
the Whirling ether or electron in the
same way generates electricity The
electrons that have been isolated are
negatively charged. They respond to
the positively charged magnets. So far
no eIectrons have responded 10 tests
that would indicate they Were positively
charged. But the aggregations of mega
tive eIectrons in the shape OF the alpha
particles of radium do so respond The
isolation of electrons possessed OF such
properties is the consummation to be
wished.
Those who refuse to accept the cleo
tron theory. without declaring just what
- matter. say that what we have called