1926 AND 1927

Shannon News, 19 March 1926, Page 4

1926 AND 1927

A PROFESSOR'S FORECASTS. Professor A. M. Low f the distinguished scientist and inventor, looked out injto 1926 and gave the 'DailyNews' fourteen points embodying his views of development and progress in new year. "My forecast, he said, is as folknow. "People will realise how little they konw. "The general public will take, an Increased interest in things scientific. "We shall have much better wireless reproduction, telephony from improved selectivity by means of short waves and beam transmission, and long-disianco wireless tele, phony as a matter of course. "There will be a great increaise in the speed of travel and of thought. We think more quickly every year We have" to. "There will be a higher degree of comfort in all walks of life.

"There will be long-distance aircraft travel under comfortable conditions. "In the medical direction there will be all kinds of developments in knowledge of the internal secreting glands. i. "There will be a higher degree of economy in the use of fuel. We shall probably use coal more scientifically. "We shall be stricter about silence in cities and travel. "There will be far less domesticity We shall be glad to have food sent in. "By synthetic chemical methods there will be an increase in artificial material for clothing, building ,etc. "Roads will be' improved, and front-wheel brakes compulsory. "There will b e less waste in lighting methods. "Peoplei will not indulge in quite so many foolish amusements. "Finally," Professor Low added. "J hope people will be a little tired of too much dancing." The Liverpool 'Post,' too, senjt a representative to see Professor A. M. Low, and that paper states: Some startling prophecies on the state of the world in general on New Year's Day, 1976, were given to a representative by Professor A. M. Low t the scientist, whose recent book, 'The Future,' suggested that the mantle of H. G. Wells has fallen upon his shoulders;

"Probably in 197 6," he said to the Liverpool 'Post/ representative, "the present-day typ e of ship will be replaced by giant hydroplanes, which, instead of travelling through the water, will skim along the surface, thus attaining her speeds. Before that time .however, jthey will continue on present-day lines, growing larger each year, and will be entirely controlled by wireless during fog. The competition of the aeroplane will eventually force them to achieve higher speeds, the hydroplane type of construction probably being the beat way to ensure, this. "Air travel will also eliminate the discomfort of sea voyages—a very important point, because th e larger place then taken by women in life will make comfoi't a much moro important factor than at present. Every passenger will; be in touch wi|th his own home by wireless and cinema which will keep him continually informed of progress throughout the world. "The aeroplane by 1976 will, .of course, be used by those who wish to cross the Atlantic in a hurry, but I am doubtful if by 1976, it will have ousted the ship completely, for as the aeroplane becomes a serious rival to shipping, ship designers will devise some means of securing advantages over the aeroplane. "With regard to clothes and tex< tiles, ■it is likely that fifty years hence the place of cotton and wool will have been taken by some cheaper and raor e durable form of vegetable fibre. Nor will such groat quantities of 'it be uied, since clothes -will be of a stirnple and serviceable pattern. "Obsolescent vehicles like trams will be replaced by underground trainls everywhere, which will ba comfortable and equipped with television, and ther e will also be large underground shops along the routes. Indeed, the underground resources avjU. be used much more, and all unsightly factories will be built beneajfch the surface.

"There will be no factory chimneys* belching forth smoke, since low temperature carbonisation and the use of electricity will make manufacture ciean. Similarly th e factory hands will be more polished and better educated, and the rough work that they do to-day will then be done by machinery, i 'Home life will disappear, and we shall practically live in restaurants and hotels. But fifty yearls hence Is a very short time to scienc© ,and still more startling: changes will take place in the years to follow."