The Progress of Science

Manawatu Standard, Volume 3, Issue 67, 12 February 1883, Page 2

The Progress of Science

SBEINa PEOPLE AT A DISTANCE.

Daring, the course' ,of. sjeeture at Phillips town W - Tuesday 'evening the [ReT.v;H., J. mC -Qilfeer^ i( -)Baysi the Press said, that sinpe^the day when Galileo ' adapted ' tne telescope to scientific purpose! veryqmar^ellpus.had been the advancement, in^tiiat dir^&ion. They Had probably he^rAof jtlMjiaan who on first looking through a "telescope at *; distance church, „ exclaimed,, Wonderful. I can even hej&£l!tii&, .organ playing 1 ' That .'.'' ; w*b\ $f JVqpiarse imagination on the man's part. "But since then it had Lbeen .discovered how by the, use of a simple instrument, and, an electric current to convey vibratiom of sound] from place to place,. ,4SL telephone" enabled us to speak 1 'with a friend at a' distance. Would they be astonished if he .were, to tell them that it WBs ,now proved to be ; pissible te convey. in i similar miiiner viDtiations of Kght y to 'not only : speak ; with^your ;di3tarit friend, but actually :to sea 'him The electroscope,' the, nSme qt;'the instument which enabled us to flo this, was the very latest scientific discovery, and to Dr Gu'drah, of. Victoria^ belonged the proud distinction. The trial ot thi» wonderful instrument took place at Melbourne on the 31st Optbber. last m the presence of some forty scientific and public men, and was a great success. '-• Sitting m a dark room they saw projected on a large disc of white burnished metal the racecourse at Flemington, with its myriad hosts of living actiye beings. Each minute detail stood cut with perfect fidelity to the original, and as they sat looking at the wonderful picture through binoqnlar glasses it was difficult to imagine^hat they wtre not actually upon the course itself and moving among those whose actions the} oould so completely scan*