MR EDISON'S "SPANCTROPHONE."

Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1033, 6 February 1879, Page 2

MR EDISON'S "SPANCTROPHONE."

We remember meeting Mr Edison, some years ago, when he was m«>Bb deeply absorbed m his experiments relating to the conductibility of sound through various mediums, and had a long and interesting conversation with him upon that subject. Wo ein versed upou that well-known fact that tho same medium of transmission has different properties at different times. Wo both cited instances m which a man forty-throe years old, though using his utmost strength of lunga and voice, could not shout loucl enough at half-past six m the morning to awaken a boy vivo years old, just on the other side of a lath aud plaster partition, whilo at eleven o'clock that night, the same boy would hear a low whittle i:*i tho strett, through throo doors aud two flights of stairs, and would spring instantly out of a sound sleep, m response to it. It was a beliel of Mr Edison's at that time that sound could bo mado to travel as rapidly as feeling, and, to test the matter, he had invented a delicate machine called the Bpanctrophono, which he was just about trying when wo met him. We wore groatly interested m the machine, mid readily agreed to assist m the experiment. By the aid of Mr Edison aud a small coin, wo ontioed, into the laboratory, a boy about seven yeais old. Aftor uiauy limes reassuring him, and promising him solemnly that ho would not bo hurt, wo got tho machine attached to him, unci tho great inyeutor laid tho b.oy across hiij fenuoo, i-u tho itioafc uj^roYed old*

Nevis, Dainty, Pohukura, Otupai, Danebury, Mufti, Lady Ellen, Lara, Merlin, Sinking Fund, Laertes Lady Eliz-ibeth, Pinfire, Repo, PuU^awerowere, Xantippe, Grey Momus, fkaia. NAPIER, Tuesday. SALE OF AUCKLAND STOCK. Mr VV. Miller reports the sale of all the Lincoln ranus imported from Auckland on Friday and Saturday last ai the Spit ytwcLs, at tho following pricea : — Mr Joseph May's, 13 to Mr E Bishop, at £12 10a, £10 10s, £10. £9 10d, £d, £6' 5s each ; also, 'l-i faißii, same buyer, at £3 each ; 25 <o Mr J. W. Wilson, at £12 10s, £8, £<i 10s, £6 ss, £5 15s, £5 10., £5 ss, and £4s each ; 5 to Mr Powdrell, at £8, £5 10a. £4 10s, and £4 ss; to Mrs Pocock; at £4 and £3 8s to Mr Peddie ; ,t £4 and £3 ss, average £4 14 > etch, At ssra Maclean and Co. (per Major Jackson) ; 12 to Wr Bishop, ab £11 10s, £7, £5 15s. £5, and £4 10s ; 2 to Mr V. McLean, at £17 «v t £5 ; 5 to Mi* Chambers, a- £5 10s, £5, an**i £4 ; 41 to Mr Scale, at £3 10-1 each ; average £4 8* each. Under the peculiar circumstances ami tbe hurrud notice of this sale, the pr.ces realised were as g od as coaul be expected. DUNEDIN, Tuesday. One hundred Chinese have been employed on the Tapanui railway The Europeans shew a disjiosi'ion t • resonr. The folio *vinaf gent-. rai entries tor tho Dunedin races were made on Sa urd«y night: — Hurdle Race: Loyal tv, Laertes, Shillelagh, Larrikin, Ta Wh- tv, Danebury, Agent, Eversley, Da esmaii, Kddare, Novel Race : Exile, Jack the Flab, Larrikin Miose, Nuin-4, Rosomai-y, Sweede, Dumtroou, Tommy. Steeplechase : Loyalty, To Whetu, Ag^nt, Everßle> , Dalesman, Kildaro, Footscray Handisap : Chancellor, York, Vampire, Fishhook, Natator, Venu-j Transib, Templeton, Titania, Sinking Fund, Pata, Maroro, Lara, Baiardo, Dundee, Fallacy, Sapphire, Laertes, Sir James, King Philip, Cloth of Gold, Dead Heat, Nemo, Foul Play, Oberon, Atlantic. Flyiug Handicap : Chancellor, York, Vampire, Fishhook, Natator, Venus Tinnsit, Undine, Templeton, Maritana, Sinking Fund, Maro, Blue Peter, Laertes, Boidicea, Sapphiio, Benjicoo, Foul Play, Deoue, Oberon, und Atlantic.