Achievements of Young Men

New Zealand Tablet, Volume 07, Issue 45, 7 November 1907, Page 33

Achievements of Young Men

Last week we were informed by cable that Mr. Edison had perfected a compact electric storage battery of almost unlimited capacity, cheapening and revolutionising transport. He declares that horses are destined to disappear from the streets excepting for pleasure. He adcls_ that everyone owning a horse will soon be able To aiiord an automobile. And a few days prior to "that it was reported that Mr. Marconi had successfully established, on a commercial basis, wireless telegraphy between Ireland and Canada. Both of these scientists became distinguished at an early age. Edison was only 32 when he invented the incandescent light, arm Marconi was*, only 20 when he began to experiment with wireless telegraphy, and had not reached his twenty-fiffih year when he succeeded in sending a message across the English Channel. At 28 he established a trial system of wireless telegraphic communication across th"c Atlantic.

Many other inventions and discoveries are due to comparatively speaking, young men. Sir Humphrey Davy was 315 or 37 when he invented the safety lamp. . FairbanKs patented the Fairbanks scales when 39 Huygens invented the pendulum clock when 27, and Hoe the lightning printing press when 35. Morton was but 27 when he gave ether for a surgical operation in the " Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Koch was 39 when he discovered the bacillus of tuberculosis.

Morse was 41 when he designed an electric telegraph. Sprague was but 30 years of age when he introduced the overhead trolley on the road in Kiohmond, Va. Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin when 27, and Elias Howe the sewing machine at 26.

James Watts was but_ 25 years old when he constructed a moael high-pressure steam engine, anu was 33 when he took out a patent on his separate condenser for steam engines. It should be borne in mind however, that Watt's inventions in connection with Uie Newcomen engine constitute his claim for distinction • Newcomen, rather than Walt is, therefore, en timed to the credit of inventing the steam engine. Stephenson was 33 when his travelling locomotive appeared. Fulton was 38 when he invented the steamboat and 42 when his boat went from New York to Albany on the Hudson River. Alexander Graham Bell was 29 when the telephone appeared.

Some of the greatest musical composers produced their besl works at an early age. Mozart died when he was 35. Beethoven gave the world his second symphony when in his 32nd year. Verdi did a good F™ of 'his work as a young man. tfalfe produced The Boiiemitan Girl ' when 35, atid Flotow was the same age when he gave us 'Martha.' Wagner was out *tJ vC-^Vt.™ P roduced . 30 at the birth of c,t h , e , 171 i lg + Dut * man - and 32 when ' Tannhauser' was first performed, and 37 when he gave us