A DISCOVERY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1398, 7 June 1883, Page 3

A DISCOVERY.

A discovery how to generate electricity by the act of combustion has been made (The Times states) by Dr Brand, of La JRochelle. This discovery which is yet only in its infancy, will probably lead to many developments. Dr Brand has an electro-generative torch or candle which yields a current of electricity in the act of burning. It is pragared by making a paste of coal dust MR! qiolasses and moulding it into a sticKp. which serves as the inflammable wick of a Candle. This rod is then covered with asbestos in a thin sjieefc, and dipped into fused nitrate of potasji until il good thicjc coatjng of tjie pfa|e adheres", (The wick bejng ignitpd }t bjpEi away,/and. a current' of electricity is drawn from the candle by wires inserted into the nitrate and the coaly wick. Though the current is comparatively feeble, and not as yet of much practical value, the discovery is important as. showing the possibility of electro-generative fuels. It is pointed out that if we had a fireplace so constructed that on burning any ordinary fuel in it so as to give heat it would at the same time, develop an electric current sufficient to ring electric bells or charge an accumulator, and thus give light also. Dr Brand is understood to have this aim in view, and jjis researches are basetl on the discovery ofßpcqnerei, the great French physicist Tjfljb jkjiiijd tl]at red-hot carbon plunged into nitrate of potash forms an electric battery,