The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-12-18
LORD KELVIN, MOST NOTED
SCIENTIST OF AGE, DIES

that took the matter under considera-
ton.
The laying of the ocean cable was
not his only work in connection with
this form of enterprise. He devoted
much time to the invention of devices
for improving marine telegraphy and
first showed how it was possible to
| overcome a s~luggishness in transmits
sion which was so great as almost to
obliterate signals.
He invented an important device for
recording cable messages, called 1.-THE
siphol recorder" and one Of his inven-
lions 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.
1t was over a quarter of a century
ago that Lord Kelvin invented a
method of mounting the mariners
compass so as to improve the effective
ness of this instrument greatly. A
machine for computing the time Of
high tides was also devised by him. as
well as a contrivance for measuring
great sea depths.
In 1896 his fiftieth anniversary as a
RACiCoooA "a AtlC y oAl VI 1Acl9SCh
was celebrated with a jubilee. At that
time Sir William Thomson, as he then
was, in reply to congratulations from
the cable companies replied that they
had beaten Ariel by half a minute"
On the same occasion he made this
modest statement:
zone word characterizes the most
strenuous of the efforts for the adj
xya rcapa~~t 4F afa.,a1 k1.ot r Ioxo raoAo
perseveringly in the last ffty-five
years, that word is failure. l know no
more of electrical or magnetic force, or
of the relation between ether, electricity
and ponderable matter, or Of chemical
affinity, than 1 knew and tried to teach
to my students fifty years ago in my
first session as professor"
Lord Kelvin made several visits to
the United States, the last being in
1902. At that time he was everywhere
greeted with great enthusiasm and ne
ceived the degree of LII. ID. from Yale
University. About the same time, while
being entertained at q dinner at Del
monico's, he said that New York was
the foremost city in the world in cleo
trio lighting. and added.
81 was about to say in the universe.
but I cannot without some reservation.
because I am not sure what they are
doing in Mars"
He was president of the Royal So
clety and of about every important
scientific society in the British empire
at one time or another. He was a menu
Der of a majority of those of the entire
world and received honors n decora-
tons from nearly every government on
earth. His titles and honors and the
letters that he was entitled to afiix to
his name take twelve lines of Who's
Who" for their recital. In 1904 he be-
came chancellor Of Glasgow University.
He was the author of innumerable
scientific treatises, papers and other
publications, including a work on nat
ural philosophy, in collaboration with
Professor p. G. TAFT.
His first wife was Miss Margaret
Crum, whom he married in 1852. At
ter her death in 1870 he married Miss
Frances Blandy. daughter of Charles
r. Blandy. of Madeira, the wedding
taking place in 1874. Lady Kelvin re-
Gently recovered from a dangerous ill
ness.
Lord Kelvin accumulated a large
fortune through his patents and fees
for scientific services. A considerable
part of it is invested in industrial
enterprises in the United States. He
had a house in London and a country
seat in Ayrshire, Scotland. He be-
longed to a number of clubs and in
spite of his abstruse work in science
he was very much a man of the world.
with w~ellrdevelopeG business instincts.