The Blandford and Wimbourne Telegram. — 1885-02-13 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

ELECTRICITY AND THE TELEGRAPH.  A lecture on the above subject was given, in connection with the Town Society, at the Burdon Assemblysroom on Tuesday evening by Professor Forbes, F.R.S.E. The professor, who was somewhat Indisposed, illustrated his lecture by experiments, and for about an hour attracted the careful attention of a rather large audienca. He commenced by saying that he wished to draw attention to the progress of electricity. It was applied to arts of peace, as well as to arts of war, acd none of the probable applications struck the attention of the public inure than the likelihood that some day they would have their houses lighted by electricity, During the past year he and other scientific men paid a vielt to America, and whilst there he studied the progress science had made. In nearly every town the streets were lighted by electricity, and on returning to England the dismal lights in the streets of L Haden were unlit asautly noticeable. It had also bcon proposed to drive their locomotives by electricity, and in New York steps were being taken to adopt the scheme, several r ailway companies being about to lay down electric railways for competition between themselves. It was also used for torpedoes, and in some towne there were electric clocks. Electricity was also used in the telephone, and in the Sandwich Isles this means of c )mmunication was very much in use. He exhibited a four needle instrument, and said it was the fir 4 which ever caught a murderer. Just after one had been set up a murder was committed in Liverpool. The murderer took passage for London, the instrument was brought into use, and the murderer was caught, consequently the instrument was somewhat historical. The clerks found that two needles were only necessary, aid since then a one nee Ile instrument had been adapted, and was much in use on the railways. He explained the A. 8.0. instrument of Freestone, which he said did not require a battery. In America they used an instrument of a very different kind, called the " Sounder," preferring to read by the ear rather than by the eye, and so increase the quickness by which the message could be written out. It was astonishing to go into one of the offices and hear the roaring of the instruments, and it seemed hardly creditable that the clerks could make out their own messages. But he must say that it was found that the system very materially affected their brains. Retorting to ii4d taegrapby, hQ raid it did fist  require a large instrument. The difficulties of the operatrr were very slight, and it was astonishing with what rapidity the poles could be laid, lie followed the Russian army during the Turko-llassian War, and said it was only by means of the telegraph that the Turkish army was routed in Asia, the generals being able to communicate with each other. The enbmarine telegraphy was due to the indomitable pluck of the English nation. The cable from Dover to Calais wee carried out in lsM, and was still carrying messages between the two countries. lie remarked that the supposed long time occupied in eending messagee VMS not due to the elownees of the electricity, but to the clerks who transmitted the sentencee from one oftioe to another. Electricity was said to travel 28$000 mile' a second, and could be sent round the world ten times in the Apace of one vac md. It had been discovered that it was possible to s nd two messages, in opposite directions, on the Rama wire, and in America now four messages could be sent on one wire, two in one direction and two in the other. In conclusion he said he thought he had shown that every intelligent person should try to take some interest in the subject and try to understand something about it. All branches of electricity were of great interest, and would be found an enormous pleasure to tha students. Dr. MOORHEAD proposed a vote of thank to the Professor, which he briefly acknowledged,