Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-02

greatest of all mysteries in physics.
Light travels hundred and ninety thousand miles
second We presume that it is transmitted by v1bra-
tons of ether. Electricity at exactly the same
speed What does this suggest? Plainly, it suggests
that the medium transmits both. In other words,
we may fairly that electricity is transmitted by
ether. The experiments of Hertz and other eminent
physicists all show intimate relations existing between
electricity and light Indeed it is not going too far to
say that electricity yet annex large part OF the
domain of optics.
Is it not reasonable to imagine that within much less
than century from the present time we shall discover
whereby produce light by setting ether IN
motion? Wireless apparatus transmits messages over
great distances by causing vibrations OF ether why
should we it moving for the making OF artificial
daylight? When this problem is solved, we shall have
excellent counterfeit of daylight at our ready dis
posal We turn it on and flood dwelling with 1t,
great building in an instant Perhaps 1t may not
be cheap enough to illuminate city; though some
cities such Cleveland and Detroit have already tired
to produce imitation moonlight by uplifting powerful
arc lights on lofty poles.
Let us consider another possibility When two differ
ent metals are sodered together and heat is applied to
the point of joining, electricity is produced That IS
to saw the heat is converted into electricity direct,
without the intervention of steam engine Different
pairs of metals may be used for the purpose but the two
best yielding the greatest amount OF electricity IN pro-
portion to the heat consumed bsmuth and antimony
1t appears then that we have here the germ of
practical solution of much vexed problem Physicists
and engineers all the world have been racking
their brains to find means whereby electricity could
be obtained directly from heat This accompshes the
feat-the trouble being that it works only on very
small scale Nevertheless it is possible by this
taking number of pairs of metals, to make battery
and get current enough current, that IS 10 say LOT
small installation.
How shall we find a way to accomplish the same
suit economically large scale, making electricity IN
great quantities from heat direct at low cost? 1t is
the biggest of all questions from the viewpoint OF the
electric engineer. If knew what heat was and what
electricity was might be comparatively to discover
means for transforming one into the other; but
don't know either of these things Our understanding
of the matter is that both forms OF notion / he
problem is convert heat motion into electric motion.
The Homes Future
WE are bound to solve it some day, perhaps before
w very long Our descendants century from
will surely have worked it out If could enjoy the
privilege of walking into of their houses and looking
about u.s. we might at least thing that would at
attention as novelty In It's simplest torn,
it might be nothing but of pot hanging in corner
of the Kitchen with alcohol burner beneath it. and
couple of wires emerging from some kind of fluid inside
The of the house might thereupon explain that
this simple apparatus produced all the electricity
uuired for illuminating the dwelling, for the cooking,
and for running the family sewing machine Made
somewhat larger and with suitable mod1hcatons, 1t
would heat the house Provided with such an outfit,
the householder is independent of the coal merchant
and the gas company All the conditions of living are
revolutionizsd by the cheap and practical electric
furnace. The Electrical Age has at length arrived
Be it understood that electric furnace, conven-
iently placed in kitchen cellar, Eliminates and warns
the entire dwelling and heats the apparatus used tor
cooking purposes An ordinary servant, matter how
ignorant clumsy, is able to take of it. B1ddy
does all that the great installations and high priced
electrical engineers able nowadays to do She simply
starts fire. which produces electricity for every kind of
employment. Wires pass from the central station the
furnace every in the house,-to the chandeliers,
to the fans for summer use) and to the radiators.
Even the machinery in the laundry is run by the cur
rent There electric bills, and bills for gas.
The cost is nominal.
Indeed the of the outfit and the expense of keep
ing it in operation will be small that even the hum
blest home and the poorest family will have an independ
electric plant But think of the revolution accom-
plished in matters industrial by such discovery! No
steam plants dy namos. Electric motors will
displace all other motors perhaps for flying ma
chimes In factories the great engines and huge boilers