The Teluxene.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2950, 30 July 1878, Page 2

The Teluxene.

A New and Wonderful Russian Development of the Telephone.

The profound sensation caused by tb» I remarkable discovery of the telephone has not yet subsided, when men's minds are completely astounded by the reports of a discovery by which the transmission of light and heat is accomplished that utterly confounds the human comprehension. The results of experiments obtained by. Professor Dlaimir, of Moscow, at Novo Novogorod, are such as. simply to confound and put to naught all reasonable calculations of human experience so far as regards the present expressed results of electricity, and open such a field for human investigation as perfectly appals the scientific mind by the contemplation of the results that may accrue jfrom even the superficial experiments already undertaken. In the middle of : last summer (corresponding to our July) private electric discoveries. were announced to the Czar, made by a youth only twenty-four years of age, who had i already passed the extremely high standard of St. Peter's College at_ Moscow requisite to confer the Russian honor of Professor, that seemed almost incredible for so young a man. Before Professor Bell had practically introduced the wonderful discovery of the telephone Dlaimir had already studied the theory of the transmission of the human voice. Confident that present results would be obtained, his scientific researches soared infinitely beyond all even dreamt of results. Satisfied of the transmission of gound the least sensitive of electric agents presented no obstacles that would not be overcome very shortly; his mind resolved itself on the far. more intricate problem of the transmission of light and heat by electricity. Theresults attained by Professor Dlaimir are absolutely astounding, and to non-professional minds incredible. . A series of experiments resulted in -the extraordinary discovery that the remarkable natural agents could' by electricity be transmitted,: and a possible alteration effected in the natural" conditions of pur hemisphere that could be applied to most unheard and unthoughtof purposes. Briefly we may. state .that Professor Dlaimir's experiments resulted in the Russian Government placing: at his disposal the telegraph; wires, lately erected between Novo* Novogorod and Moroski, distant about 800 miles from each other. Under Professor Dlajmir's direction a series of steel polished discs were constructed st Novogorod. TheWe were very slightly concave,, backed with powerful lenses, with a coating of quicksilver and another ingredient, the secret of which is not at present discloced. The discs were eight in number, forty feet from the ground, and so placed tnat_ the light'and heat were reflected from each on the remrining seven, and in a downward direction, so that five still more powerful discs concentrated the rays and increased their volume at the rate of one in three. Below these discs again were three more, placed with a different anguI lar tendency, that again reproduced the 1 rays, from the last discs with threefold power, arid so strongly as to prevent the human eye from gazing on the broad surface of the discs, the light and heat being so intense. It must be borne in mind that these large discs were built in the form "of a funnel, else the heat and light would have been, so great as to prevent observations of the' experiments and advantage being practically taken to render them of scientific account. The rays concentrated in the three last discs were passed into a funnel-shaped polished steel tube,: similarly backed, but of far more strength and power, and the accumulated electrical power in the shape of light and heat wai to be transmitted through an electric wire to any distance required. Months passed before any composition was discovered by Professor Dlaimir of a quality to stand the electric concentrated heat, and when on the point of abandoning the experiment in despair, a complete accident discovered to him the fact that a solution of a particular acid in certain proportions with carbonate of soda absolutely rendered the electric wire impervious to the influence of heat or light. This solution simply required to have the wire immersed in it for 24 hours, to impart to it all the qualities requisite for transmitting the electric fluid in the shape of light and heat, without being melted by the fervency of the heat engendered. It was at this time the .Russian Government stepped in to the assistance of Professor Dlaimir, and offered the use of the newly erected telegraph line for the purpose of experiments, and already startling results have been achieved. An electric light has been conveyed, through the wire properly* prepared, for a distance of 800 miles, throwing a light over a mile.in distance from end of wire! At the end the light is received in a disc worked by machinery, which regulates the light and heat, and throws them in any direction, and on any particular object that may be required. The light bo far has extended a distance clearly discernible of 35 miles, with a corresponding heat. The results with natural light and heat have not been so successful, but a light and heat equal to that developed at twilight have been obtained at Moroski, at least three hours after daylight had ceased. In the neighbourhood of the station at Moroski experiments are already being tried as to the value of the light and heat generated in developing tropical productions, but at present with very partial success. The success of Professor Dlaimir's discovery has, however, been so pronounced that the Caar has granted tbe full use of the Novogorod line and a bonus of 4000 roubles per year to develop his scientific researches. The scientific world in Europe is moved to its centre with the news of this latest electric discovery, and theorists are already speculating on the altered aspect of climate when the electric light and heat may be introduced ; and the discovery of the North Pole it already looked npon as a foregone conclusion, but many scientific minds are troubled over results that may yet be unthought of from such an unexpected discovery, and that mny yet prove the latest' scientific discovery to bo a curse

rather than a blessing. In the meantime honors have fallen thickly on the youthful Professor, whose name is now ringing through Europe, and the highest civil honors have been accorded him, not alone in Russia, but also in France and Germany, and England will shortly accord her brightest honors to a foreign scientist whose daring genius will yet throw light on subjects at present undreamt of, and scarcely yet dared to be penetrated by the most ambitious scientific minds. At the time of the last mail leaving England the Professor had arrived on his way to Birmingham to superintend the making of gigantic discs on a new and improved pattern that is expected to develop the electric power in a iranner not even dreamed of by him when first initiating his ambitious researches, and which Messrs Frost and Co., of Birminghan, the eminent scientific instrument makers, have been entrusted by him with the arduous task of perfecting on so gigantic and novel a pattern. Interest of no small kind is tring taken by the' scientific world in their completion. We shall anxiously await further news of the latest remarkable discovery in transmitting electric power, and hasten to acquaint our readers with the result. ■ "" ■. -