The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-12-18
LORD KELVIN PASSES AWAY
RANKED AS ENGLAND'S MOST
DISTINGUISHED SCIENTIST.


Special Cable Despatch 10 THE SUN.
LONDON, Dec. 17.-LOrd Kelvin. the
noted scientist, died to-day. He had been
i'll for several weeks. AfFew days ago he
showed signs of Improvement and his re-
covery was hoped for. On Monday, how
ever, he had a relapse. and from that
time the physicians IN attendance con-
>sidered his death only a question OK hours.
He was well OF in his eighty-Fourth year.
Lord Kelvin William Thomson) has for
years been regarded as the foremost sci
enlist of Great Britain. While his achieve
ments as a physicist have been many n
varied it is for his work in the field Of cleo
tricity that he will perhaps be longest re-
membered. Beginning with his work as
chief electrical adviser at the installation Of
the first Atlantis cables, there are few
departments in the science of electricity
that do not bear the impress Of his mind.
In 1887 he was knighted for his work in con-
nection with the Atlantic cable, and in 1892
he was created Baron Kelvin.
William Thomson was born at Belfast,
Ireland. June 20, 1924. He was the son of
James Thomson. professor of mathematics
at Glasgow University. He was educated
at Glasgow University and at st. Peters
College. Cambridge University, OF which
he was for many years subsequently a
fellow. Very early in life he exhibited the
ability hat has since made him famous,
and at the age Of % he became professor
of natural philosophy at the University OF
Glasgow, a chair which he filed until 1899.
Some of Lord Kelvin's work "A a physicist.
though most important. was Of a character
that did not bring him into prominence.
Such work included. for example, specula-
tive matters relating to the age Of the earth
and the nature Of atoms. Another line
which his investigations followed related TO
the precise amount Of mechanical power
which was the equivalent Of a given guam
tity of neat. This inquiry was regarded
as Of immense practical value. but II has
attracted little attention excepting among
scientists.
He was electrician for the Atlantic cable
when the abortive attempt was made to
lay IL in lS57-5S and again in lS65-68. He
also acted as electrician for the French
line ia 1882, for the brazilian and River Plate
in 1873. the West lndian IN 1873 and the Com
merCial in 1879. After his early WORK on the
cables nc became acknowl lodged as Eng
lands greatest electrician, ana for a long
time every important electrical proposition
that came up was referred to MIN for an
opinion. He was the designer Of one of the
earliest practical alternating current dyna-
mfb anu W mem IleIt W ~ HINl Ahlh VI hNilkluk
the water power Of Niagara for the develop
ment Of electrical energy IL was Sir William
Thomson who was mate chairman of the
advisory board that took the matter under
consideration.
The laying Of the OCEAN cable was not
his only work in connection with this form
OF enterprise. lie devoted much time to
the invention OF devices for improving
marine ~telegraphy and first show Ell how
IL was possible TO overcome "A sluggIshness
- eua.,ypRtaa.1n NEhtnh vgaa a.. srranaN M
almost 90 oblterate signals. He invented
an important device Tor recording cable
messages, called the siph0n recorder, and
one of his inventions was a telegraph key
for use in connection with this sort OF work.
Many instruments for measuring the
strength of electrical currents were also
his inventions.
Ii was over a quarter Of a century x
that Lord Kelvin invented a method Of
mounting the mariners COmpass 50 as 10
improve the effectiveness al this instrll-
ment greatly. A machine for computing
the time OF nigh tides Was also devised 10y
MIN. as well IA n c-OntrlvanCC Tor measuring
great Sea depths.
lessor Of the University of Glasgow was
celebrated viii "A jubilee. At thIt time
sir William lhOmECn. az he then was.
in reply to congratulations from the cable
companies replied thar they had beaten
Ariel by half a miTuJc.' TN the sane
occasion he made this modest statement
"One word Charactarpzes the most strenu-
ous Of the Efforts for the advancement Of
science that ! have made perseverinRly in
the last hfty-five years, tina word is failure.
| know no more of electrical or magnetic
force. or of the relation between ether.
electricity and pOnderable matter. or OF
chemical affinity. than ] knew and tried
to teach to my students fifty years age in
my first, session as professor"
Lord Kelvin made several visits to this
country, the last one being in 1902. At that
time he. was everywhere greeted with
great enthusiasm and received the degree
Of Ill. y. from Yale University. At about
the same time. while being entertained AZ a
dinner at DelmOnicO's. he said hat New
York was the foremOs city in the world
in electric lighting, and added:
Il was about to say in the universe. but |
cannot without some reservation. because
I am not sure what they are doing in Mars
He was president Of the Royal Society
and Of about every important scientific
society in the British Empire at one time
or another. He vas a member Of "A majority
of those Of the entire world and received
honOrs and decorations from nearly every
Government on earth. His titles and
honors and the letters that he was entitled
to affix to his name take twelve lines Of
who's Who" for their recital. In 1874 he |
became chancellor Of Glasgow University.
He was the author Of innumerable scien-
tific treatises. papers and other publica-
tons, including a work on natural phi
losophy, in collaboration with ErOf. r. q. |
TAFT. His first wife was Miss Margaret
Crum. whom he married in 1852. After
her death. in 1870. he married Miss Frances
Blandy, daughter Of Charles r. Blandy of
N adeira, the wedding taking place in 1874.
He leaves no heir 20 his titles. He accu-
INFLATED a large fortune through his patents
and fees for scientific services. A considera-
BILE part Of it is invested in Industrial enter
prises in the United States. He had "A !
house in London and a country seat in
Ayrshire, Scotland. He belonged TO a
number Of clubs and in spite Of his abstruse
work in science he was very much a man of
the world. with well developed business