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Nature's Miracles Volume 3: Electricity and Magnetism

<h2>CHAPTER XXIX.</h2> <h3>THE NEW ERA.</h3> When we consider the number of new products for whose existence we are indebted to electricity, and the number of old products that have heretofore existed experimentally, in the laboratory of the chemist only, that have now been brought into play as useful agents in the various arts and industries, we begin to realize that this is truly an electrical age and the dawning of a new era. How many, many things there are, familiar to the children of to-day, that were not even imagined by the children of twenty-five to fifty years ago. Fifty years ago the only useful purpose to which electricity was put was that of transmitting news from city to city by the Morse telegraphic code. It will be fifty-seven years the first of April, 1901, since the first telegraph-line was thrown open to the public. Less than thirty years ago but little advance had been made in the use of electrical appliances beyond the perfection of certain private-line instruments, and a means for multiple transmission. About twenty years ago there were evidences of the beginning of a new era in electrical development. At no time in the history of the world has wonder succeeded wonder with such rapidity, producing such astounding results that have revolutionized all our modes of doing business and all of the operations of commercial and domestic life, as during the last two decades. We set our watches by time furnished by electricity from one central point of observation. We read the tape from hour to hour, upon which is recorded the commercial pulse of the world, as it throbs in the marts of trade, by means of this same speedy messenger. We enter a street-car that is lighted and heated, and at the same time propelled by the same wonderful agent. In our homes and on our streets night is turned into day by a light that outrivals all other illuminants. When we wish to speak to a friend who may be a mile or a thousand miles away we step to the end of a wire that comes within the walls of our dwelling and we talk to him as though face to face, and means are at hand by which we may write a letter to that same friend and deliver it to him in our own handwriting and over our own signatures, so quickly that it will appear before him in full form and completeness as soon as the last period is made at the end of the last line. One sees, and hears, and lives more in a single day in this age of electricity and steam than he did in twelve months sixty years ago. And yet there are those who cry out against modern inventions and modern civilization, and are constantly quoting the days of their grandfathers and great-grandfathers when "life was simple" and there was "time to rest." "Why are we tormented with this thought-stimulating age?" they say. "Why are our emotions called into action by modern music and modern art? Why are we called upon to help the downtrodden and oppressed, and to help to elevate mankind to a higher level? Why cannot we be left alone in peace and quiet, to live in the easiest way?" If this be good philosophy, then the swine, if he were a reasoning being, ought to be ranked among the greatest of philosophers—when he seeks a wallow in the sunshine and sleeps away his useless existence. If he is useful it is because some other being of a higher order uses him to help along his own existence. The man in these days who does not "keep up with the procession" is soon trodden under foot and some other man uses him as a stepping-stone to elevate himself. Yet this is a selfish motive, after all. The world is now rapidly advancing in light, in knowledge, in power to use the infinite gifts that the Creator has hidden in nature; but hidden only to stimulate and reward our seeking. Every man can help in this grand progress,—if not by research and positive thought-power, at least by grateful acceptance and realization of what is gained. Look forward! As Emerson puts it: "To make habitually a new estimate—that is elevation." <hr style="width: 65%;" /> <h2>INDEX.</h2> Acetylene gas at Niagara, 230. Alexandria, temple with loadstone, 20. Amber—elektron, 6. Ampère, theory of magnetism, 25. unit of electrical current, 85. galvanometer, 93. Aluminum at Niagara, 223. Arabians, magnetic needle, 21. Arago, germ of electromagnet, 93. Aristotle mentions torpedo, 6. refers to magnet, 20. Atmospheric electricity, Ch. VIII, 77. Atoms and molecules, 39. of substances differ in weight, 42. relations to heat, 42. Aurora Borealis, 35. Bain chemical telegraph register, 101. Barlow on galvanism in telegraphy, 93. Bell, Alexander Graham, radiophone, 171. Bleaching-powder at Niagara, 218. Branly invents the coherer, 179. Cables, submarine. See Submarine Cables. Calcium-carbide at Niagara, 228. Capacity of a circuit, 118, 119. Caustic soda, 221. Chinese, magnetic needle, 21. Chlorine and sodium, 219. Circuit-breaker at Niagara, 199. Closed circuit and current, 122. Coherer (wireless telegraphy), 179. Columbus, compass variations, 22, 34. Condenser in resistance-coil, 118. in Morse relays, 131. Conductors and non-conductors of electricity, 47. relation to electric light, 50. different resistances, 74, 83. Cooke, needle telegraph, 108. Crookes, Prof., X-ray, 121. Cuneus and the Leyden jar, 8. Curiosities, Ch. XX, 171. Daniell battery, 85. Differential magnet, 115. Dinocares and the loadstone, 20. Dolbear, Amos E., wireless telegraphy, 178. Dupay discovers positive and negative electricity, 8. Duplex telegraphy, 114. Dynamo-electric machines, 67. invented by Faraday, 14, 69. usual construction, 70. at Niagara, 192. Double transmission, 115. Earth electric currents, in telegraphy, 99, 116, 182. Earth magnetism, 32. effects of, on iron, 35. Aurora, 35. telegraph-lines, 36. from sun's heat, 75. Edison, Thomas, railway telegraphy, 131. electromotograph, 175. Electric currents, Ch. VI, 49. not currents but atomic motion, 54. induction of, 56. guarded against, 169. at Niagara, 193. Electric generators, Ch. VII, 62. frictional, 49. galvanic batteries, 62. storage-batteries, 64. dynamos, 67, 192. metal heating, 74. Electricity, science of, 6. achievements of, 16. eras in science of, 18. theory of, Ch. V, 39. not a fluid, a form of energy, 40. static and dynamic, 46. measurement of, Ch. IX, 83. Electric light, cause of, 50. Electric machines, 49. frictional, 51. galvanic or chemical, 51. mechanical, 70. Electromagnet invented by Faraday, 14. commercial value, 23. theory of (soft iron), 26. permanent (steel), 28. condition of use, 30. the earth a, 32. germ of, 93. differential, 115. Electromotograph, 175. Ellsworth, Miss, sends first telegraphic message, 96. Ether, lines of force, 31. nature of, 40. Ether, impressed by atomic motion, 56. inducing electric action, 56. Farad, unit of capacity, 118. Faraday, Michael, 14. Farmer, Moses G., double transmission, 114. Field, Cyrus W., lays first Atlantic cable, 156. Field of a magnet, 31. Fitzgerald, Niagara Falls chemist, 210. Franklin catches the lightning, 8. identity of lightning and electricity, 10. kite experiment, 11. electric firing-telegraph, 88. Frode, history of Iceland, 21. Gadenhalen uses magnetic needle 868 A.D., 21. Galileo's seed-thought, 89. Galvani, Luigi, and galvanism, 12. Galvanic batteries, 62. author's experience, 65. Galvanometer, 75, 93. Gilbert, Dr., frictional electricity, 7. Gintl, double transmission, 114. Gray, Elisha, constructs voltaic pile, 65. electrically transmits music, 91. experiments on transmission of music, articulate speech, and multiple messages, 123. files telephone caveat, 135. musical experiments, 136. speech receivers, 139. boys' telephone, 141. first telephone specification on record, 143. dial-telegraph, 161. automatic-printing telegraph, 163. telautograph, 165. electric musical receiver, 175. Gray, Stephen, electrician, 8. Grier, John A., quoted, 67. Guyot of Provence mentions mariner's compass, 21. Halske, double transmission, 114. Harmonic telegraphy, 120. receivers, 125. relay, 130. Hawksbee, Francis, electrician, 7. Heat, a mode of motion, 40. related to atoms, 42. begins and ends in matter, 44. electrical and mechanical energy the same, 46. Henry, Joseph, first practical telegrapher, 90. constructs long-distance line, 94. produces induction, 177. Heraclea and the loadstone, 20. Hertz experiments in ether-waves, 178. Homer refers to loadstone, 20. Horse-power, 214. House, Royal E., printing telegraph, 108, 110. Hughes, David E., printing telegraph, 108, 112. Induction, 56. guarded against, 169. produced by Henry, 177. Keeper of a magnet, 31. Kelvin, Lord (Sir W. Thompson), cable message receiver, 158. "Kick," in telegraphy, 115, 118. Kleist and the Leyden jar, 8. "Let her buzz," 3. Leyden jar invented, 8. Lightning, electricity; Franklin, 8. restoration of equilibrium, 78. Lightning-rods, 80. dangerous conductors, 81. Loadstone, 20, 21. Maury, Lieut., deep-sea soundings, 155. Magnes, Magnesia, 20. Magnet, electro. See Electromagnet. Magnetic earth poles, 23, 32. Magnetic lines of force, 31, 34, 60. Magnetic needle, 21. variation of, 22. dip of, 22. action of, 33. Magnetism, history of, 20. and electricity mutually dependent, 24. theories of, 24. in iron and steel, 25. in the earth, 32, 36. and sun-spots, 37. Magnetization, limit of, 31. Marconi, wireless telegraphy, 178-180. Measurement of electricity, 83. ampère, unit of, 85. method of, 86. Mercury luminous by shaking, 7. Micro-farad, unit of capacity, 119. Molecules of iron and steel natural magnets, 25. and atoms, 39. Morse, S. F. B., devises code of telegraphic signals, 95. induces Congress to construct line, 96. transmits battery current through water, 177. Motion universal, 38. causes sound, heat, light, and electricity, 39. Multiple transmission, Ch. XIII, 114. duplex, 116. quadruplex, 118. Multiple transmission, musical, 120. Musical message receivers, 125, 139. Musical tones transmitted, 91, 92, 120, 136. Muschenbroeck, Prof., and the Leyden jar, 8. Newton, Sir Isaac, electrician, 8. Niagara Falls Power, Chs. XXII to XXVIII, 186 to 233. Introduction—rock, water, power, 186. Appliances: tunnel, power-house, 190. shaft, dynamos, 192. current, 193. governor, 194. water-head, 195. crane, 196. circuit-breaker, 199. transformer, 200. electromotive force, 204. Electrical Products—Carborundum, 209. materials, 210. furnaces, 211. electric current, 213. horse-power, 214. method of work, 215. Bleaching-powder, 218. chlorine and sodium, 219. method of work, 220. caustic soda, 221. Aluminum, 223. crucibles and methods, 224. magnetic effects, 226. Calcium carbide, 228. process, 229. acetylene gas, 230. Other products, 232. Oersted, galvanic current on magnetic needle, 93. Ohm, G. S., resistance unit, 74. Patents—Caveat and application, 135. Planté, storage-battery plates, 64. Pliny mentions electrical properties of amber, 67. loadstone, 20. Preece, double transmission, 114. Prescott, Geo. B., quoted, 104, 106, 163, 174. Ptolemy Philadelphus and loadstones, 20. Pythagoras refers to natural magnets, 20. Radiophone, 171. Railway train telegraphy, 131. Richman, Prof., killed, 12. Reiss, metallic telephone transmitters, 122. Resistance, unit of, 74. -coil, 118. Siemens, double transmission, 114. Selenium in radiophone, 172. Shephard, Charles S., induction-coil, 122. Stager, Gen. Anson, telegrapher, 110. Stearns, Joseph B., cures the "kick" in double transmission, 115. Storage-battery, 24. Strada, loadstone telegraph, 88. Submarine cables, Ch. XVII, 154. first lines, 154-5. Maury's deep-sea soundings, 155. first Atlantic, 156. retardations, 157. receiver, 158. Sun-spots and magnetic storms, 37. Telautograph, Ch. XIX, 165. Telegraph: heliostat, 68. semaphore, 68. loadstone, 88. Franklin's electric firing, 88. electrically dropped balls, 88. electric transmission of musical tones, 91. of signals, 94. Morse register, 95. first line, 97. description, 98. reading by various senses, 100. Bain, chemical recorder, 101. Cooke needle, 108. Wheatstone needle, 108. House printing, 108, 110. Hughes printing, 108, 112. automatic systems, 109, 112. multiple transmission, 114. musical transmission, 120. musical receivers, 125. Way duplex, 129. from moving railway trains, 131. repeater, 150. short-line dials, 159. printing, 163. wireless, Ch. XXI, 176. Telegraphic messages, receiving, 103. Telephone, Chs. XV, XVI, 134, 145. author's first experiment, 91. experiments, 123. caveat, 135. speech receivers, 139. boys' telephone, 141. first specification of, on record, 143. how telephone talks, 145. simple construction, 146. two methods of transmission: magneto and varied resistance, 142, 149. limit of transmission, 153. central station, 164. affected by heat-lightning, 183. Telephote, 173. Thales of Miletus first described electrical properties of amber, 6. Theophrastus mentions amber, 6. Thermo-electric pile, 75. Torpedo, the, 6. Transformers at Niagara, 200. Transmission, multiple, Ch. XIII, 114. Trowbridge, Prof., telephones through the earth, 188. Tunnel at Niagara, 190. Tyndall, and Gray's experiments, 92. Unrest of the universe, 38. Volt, unit of electrical pressure, 85. Volta, Alessandro, and the voltaic pile, 13. Watt, James, 86. unit of electrical power, 86. Way duplex system, Ch. XIV, 129. Wheatstone transmits musical tones mechanically, 92. needle telegraph, 108. dial-telegraph, 159. Wireless telegraphy, Ch. XXI, 176. signaling by ether-waves, 176. Morse and Henry, 177. Trowbridge, Dolbear, Hertz, 178. Branly, Marconi, 179. Marconi's system, 180. by earth-currents, 182. Wolimer, King of Goths, a natural battery, 7. <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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