THE PEDOMETER.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2154, 20 January 1881, Page 3

THE PEDOMETER.

Among the many curiosities —scientific and other—which Mr Justice Gillies brought with him on his return from Europe and America may be mentioned one which has been very seldom seen by the settlers of New Zealand. We ("New Zealand Herald") allude to the pedometer. Originally this was a French invention, and was for some time only a scientific curiosity. Though then very imperfect, thero was the germ of a useful idea in the invention. Latterly, however, tho instrument has been considerably improved, and now, with proper adjustment, it faithfully and correctly records the distance walked by the wearer. It is in the shape of a rather small mediumsized watoh, glazed front and baok. The dial on the front is furnished with a single hand or index pointer, and the outer circle of the dial is marked off i i quarter-mile spaces,

like minute marks on a watch dial. Of course each complete mile is marked and numbered. To where the guard of a watch is usually attaohed is fixed a lengthened hook, which, when it is intended to wear the instrument, is placed over the edge of the vest pocket. The pedometer thus hangs in the pocket as: a watch would rest on the bottom of it. When the wearer walks, and the mechanism adjusted to his length of step, the mechanism is set in motion, and as each quarter of a mile is traversed, the index faithfully records the distance thus gone over. The principle of the movement appears to be a nicely poised and weighted lever, which moves up and down with every step the wearer takes. A small screw ia supplied for shortening or lengthening the arc through which the weighted end of the lever moves, thus accommodating the motion of the mechanism to the length of the wearer's step. This adjustment is made by walking several times over a measured quarter of a mile until it is found that the distance traversed and the distance marked agree. This done, the same wearer may walk fast or slow, along a level or undulating roadway, and the little instrument suspended in his vest pocket will correctly record the distance traversed, for it has been found by carefully - conducted experiments that a person walking along makes little or no alteration in the length of bis pace whether ho walk fast or slow. The little instrument is well worthy of examination, and if they were generally worn we doubt not the silent record would show that men of active business habits cover a far greater mileaze each day than they have any conception of. Another curiosity Mr Justice Gillies has brought with him the local booksellers might make common enough. A method has r< cently been adopted of electro-plating quill pens with a fine anticorrosive steel. The quill pen points are sharpened or pointed at each end, so that each has two writing points, and may be used as an ordinary steel pen. They are very flexible, durable, and for some time at least the newness of them would no doubt secure a considerable demand if they were available for purchase in our stationers' shops.