The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1907-12-18
LORD KELVIN
IS DEAD AFTER
LONG ILLNESS

London. Dec lS.--Lord Kelvin. the noted
scientist, died yesterday. lie had been vi
for several weeks. A few days ago ne
showed signs OF Improvement and his re-
covery was hoped for.
on Monday however. he had relapse,
and from that time the physicians In at
tendance considered his death only n
question Of hours.
Lord Kelvin. whose wife only recently
recovered from a dangerous illness. snt-
fered fortnight ago chill which ag-
Eravated his condition. He lost conscious
ness yesterday afternoon and passed away
peacefully.
UntiI the time of his fatal seizure Lord
Kelvin preserved remarkable vigor os
body and mind. lie leaves no heir. and
Ills title becomes extinct
His first wife. married in 1852. was Mar
garet. daughter OF Walter Crum ot Thorn
lie Bank. She died In 1870. In 1874 he mar
ried Frances. daughter OF Charles H.
Blandy OF Madeira
Lord Kelvin william Thomson) has for
years been regarded as she foremost SET
enlist OF Great Britain. While his achieve
ments as a physicist have been many and
varied IL Is for his work In the field OF
electricity that he will perhaps be longest
remembered. Beginning with his work as
chief electrical adviser at the installation
OF the first Atlantic cables. there are few
departments I'm the science OF electricity
that do not bear the impress Of his mind.
In 1861 he was knlghted for his work IN
connection with the Atlantic cable, and IN
1892 he was created Baron Kelvin
William Thomson was born at Beltast
ireland, June 2s. 1894 lie was the son
OF James Thomson, professor OF mathe-
matics at Glasgow university He was
educated at Glasgow university and at
St. Peters college. Cambridge university
OF which he was for many years subse-
quently fellow Very early In life ne eX-
hfbited the ability that has since made
him famous. and at the age OF z he be-
came professor OF natural philosophy at
the University OF Glasgow. a chair which
he filled until 1899
Some OF Lord Kelvins work as a physi-
cist, though most important. was OF
character that did not bring him into
prominence Such work included. for ex-
ample, speculative matters relating 10 the
age OF the earth and the nature OF atoms.
Another line which his Investigations fol-
lowed relstiv to the precise amount OF
mechanical power which was the eauiva-
lent OF a given quantity OF heat. This I'M
quiry was regarded as OF immense practi-
cal value. but II has attracted little at
tention excepting among scientists.
He was the designer OF the one OF the
earliest practical alternating current dy-
namos. and when first there was talk OF
utilizing the water power Of Niagara
Falls for the development OF electrical en-
ergy. II was Sir William Thomson who
was made chairman OF the advisory board
that took the matter under considefa-
tion.
He devoted much time to the invention
OF devices for improving marine teleg-
raphy and first showed how IL was pos
sible TO overcome sluggishness I'm trans
mission which was so great as to almost
obliterate signals. lie invented an impor-
tant device for recording cable messages,
called 'the siphon 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 quarter OF century ago
that Lord Kelvin invented n method OF
mounting the mariners compass so os TO
improve the effectiveness OF this instru-
ment greatly. machine for computing
the time OF high tides was also devised
by him, as we'll as a contrivance for
measuring great sea depths.
In 1896 his 50th anniversary profess
eor OF the University OF Glasgow was
celebrated with a jubilee. AT that time
Sir William Thompson, as he then was,
IN reply 10 congratulations from the ca
BILE companies replied that They had
beaten Ariel by half minute"
He was president OF the Royal society
nnd OF about every important scientific
society in the British Empire at one time
or another.
lie was the author OF innumerable sci-
entlfic treatises papers and other publi-
cations. including work on natural phi
losophy In collaboration with Prof T. c.
TAFT.