Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1907-02-12

Investigations on the electric arc and
also upon sand ripples The award
comes with particular meaning to her,
for it is not only the first time that
the Royal society has granted a medal
to woman for her unaided Efforts
Nine. Curie's medal was received for
work done in collaboration with NJ
Curie-but there is a touch of revenge
in her present success. For four
years she was refused the election to
fellowship solely because she was
married
The whole of Mrs. Ayrton's investi
cations and researches with regard to
the electric arc she gathered into a
volume. which was published in 1902.
She is, as is we'll known, the only
woman member of the Institute OF
Electrical Engineers. But the Hughes
awarded her not only for these re-
searches, but for experimental investi.
cations on sand ripples.
81 happened to be at Margate with
my husband" explained Mrs. Ayrton,
and there ! first became interested in
the sand ripples and tried to find out
how they were caused, partly by OBJ
servation but much more by expert.
ment. You see. it is impossible TO
make the sea do exactly what you
want; and, further, in observing rip
pies on the shore one must look down
on them, and it is essential in watch
ing such processes to see them in pro
file. So | had proper glass troughs
made, and | found out exactly how
ripples were caused"
You see, sand ripples may seem at
first a small subject, but any explana-
ton involves all the principles under
lying the motion of water and of
bodies oscillating in the water. | am
still engaged in these researches, and
am occupied with two papers dealing
with two different parts Of the sub
iect
Ones aim in scientific research of
this character" said Mrs. Ayrton, in
answer to an inquiry as to this aspect
of her work, lis to find out what I'M
derlies certain phenomena, but ! feel
sure that in the end II will be of prac-
tical use in dealing with coast erosion
or quicksands. At present our knowl-
edge of the motion of water is slight,
/ made the suggestion-and | still be-
lieve it to be true--that the Goodwin
sands are really huge ripples There
is a narrow spit of land near the Good
wins, and il seems possible that If the
configuration of the shore could be
altered and the trend of the water
changed the Goodwins might disap-
pear"
On the interesting character of
scientific research Mrs Ayrton was
enthusiastic
There is nothing so fascinating, so
absorbing" she said You think and
think about certain phenomena till
you think out possible solution. and
then YOU experiment to see if it is cor
rect and as you experiment your
attention is drawn to fresh phenomena
and experiments must be started
afresh to account for these in turn.
And believe" remarked Mrs
Ayrton, that women are really well
adapted for this work. They often
have leisure; they have a great habit
of putting two and two together-men
deny that. but it is true-and they
have quite as good powers of observa-
ton as men, and great patience. For
scientific research you must have in
tuition. kind of train imagination,
that leads you to form theory about
what you see. from which you can ex-
pertinent, and think women have
that intuitive power; the power, as it
were. of spreading out facts in their
minds and drawing the threads to-
gether, and coming to logical conclu-
sion. That is very different" con-
cluded Mrs. Ayrton. with a smile.
from being able to lay out these oon-
necting thresds fe- some one sias to