Page images
PDF
EPUB
[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small]

66

1848. Ibrahim (adopted son), Sept.; dies 9 or 10 Nov. 1848. Abbas (his son), 10 Nov.; dies 14 July, 1854. 1854. Saïd (brother), 14 July; dies 18 Jan. 1863.

1862. Ismail (nephew), 18 Jan. (born 31 Dec. 1830); deposed by the sultan at the request of England, France, and oth er powers, 26 June, 1879.

1879. Mechmet Tewtik, born 10 Nov., 1852, invested with the Star of India by the prince of Wales, 25 Oct. 1875; proclaimed 26 June, invested 14 Aug. Heir: Abbas, born 14 July, 1874.

Egyptian Era, etc. The old Egyptian year was identical with the era of Nabonassar, beginning 26 Feb. 747 B.C., and consisted of 365 days only. It was reformed 30 B.C., at which period the commencement of the year had arrived, by continually receding to 29 Aug., which was determined to be in future the first day of the year. To reduce to the Christian era, subtract 746 years 125 days. The canicular or heliacal period of the Egyptians and Ethiopians (1460 years) began when Sirius, or the dog-star, emerged from the rays of the sun, on 20 July, 2785 B.C., and extended to 1325 B.C. This year comprised 12 months of 30 days, with 5 supplementary days.

Egyptian Hall, Piccadilly, erected in 1812 by G. F. Robinson for Bullock's natural-history collections, which were sold in 1819; since used for exhibitions, concerts,

etc.

Ehrenbreitstein (Honour's broad stone), a strong Prussian fortress on the Rhine, formerly belonged to the electors of Treves. It was often besieged. It surrendered to the French general Jourdain, 24 Jan. 1799. The fortifications were destroyed on its evacuation, 9 Feb. 1801, at the peace of Luneville. The works have been restored since 1814.

Eider, a river separating Schleswig from Holstein, was passed by the Austrians and Prussians, 4 Feb. 1864. Eidograph, see Pantograph.

Eikōn Basilikē (“The Portraiture of His Sacred Majesty in his Solitudes and Sufferings "), a book of devotion formerly attributed to king Charles I., but now generally believed to have been written partially, if not wholly, by bishop Gauden, and possibly approved by the king; it was published in 1648, and sold quickly.

Eisenach Declaration, see Germany, 1859.
Eisteddfod, see Bards.
Elam, see Persia.

El Arisch (Egypt), captured by the French under Reynier, 18 Feb. 1799. A convention was signed here between the grand-vizier and Kleber for the evacuation of Egypt by the French, 28 Jan. 1800. He beat the Turks at Heliopolis on 20 March, and was assassinated on 14 June following.

Elba, ISLE OF (on the coast of Tuscany), taken by admiral Nelson in 1796, but abandoned 1797. Elba was conferred upon Napoleon (with the title of emperor) on his relinquishing the throne of France, 5 April, 1814. He secretly embarked hence, with about 1200 men in hired feluccas, on the night of 25 Feb. 1815, landed in

Provence, 1 March, and soon after recovered the crown; see France, 1815. Elba was resumed by the grand-duke of Tuscany, July, 1815.

Elchingen, Bavaria. Here Ney beat the Austrians, 14 Oct. 1805, and was made duke of Elchingen.

Elcho Shield, see under Volunteers.

Elders (in Greek, πрeoẞúrεро1), in the early church equivalent with έinкоπо, or bishops (see 1 Tim, iii. and Titus i.), who afterwards became a distinct and superior order. Elders in the Presbyterian churches are lay

men.

Elders' Widows Fund, established by the East India Company in 1820, to provide for widows and orphans of some of its servants, was closed in 1860. In 1878 an act was passed to transfer the surplus money to the provident fund, etc.

Eldon's Act, see Bankrupts.

El Dorado (the "Gilded Man"). When the Spaniards had conquered Mexico and Peru, they began to look for new sources of wealth; and, having heard of a golden city ruled by a king or priest smeared in oil and rolled in gold-dust (which report was founded on a merely annual custom of the Indians), they organized various expeditions into the interior of South America, which were accompanied with disasters and crimes, about 1560. Raleigh's expeditions in search of gold in 1596 and 1617 led to his fall.

Eleasa, Palestine. Here Judas Maccabæus was defeated and slain by Bacchides and Alcimus and the Syrians, about 161 B.C. (1 Macc. ix.).

ure.

Eleatic Sect, founded at Elea, in Sicily, by Xenophanes of Colophon, about 535 B.C., whither he had been banished on account of his wild theory of God and natHe supposed that the stars were extinguished every morning and rekindled at night; that eclipses were occasioned by a partial extinction of the sun; that there were several suns and moons for the convenience of the different climates of the earth, etc.-Strabo. Zeno (about 364) was an Eleatic.

Elections Petitions. The laws respecting them were consolidated in 1828, 1839, and 1844. An act passed in 1848 was amended in 1865. By the act of 1868, three new judges were appointed, and three to be selected from all the judges to try election cases; justices Willes and Blackburn and baron Martin were first appointed, Nov. 1868.

Elector Palatine, see Palatinate.

Electors for members of parliament for counties were obliged to have forty shillings a year in land, 8 Hen. VI. 1429. Among the acts relating to electors are the following: Act depriving excise and custom-house officers and contractors with government of their votes, 1782; see Customs. Act to regulate polling, 1828. Great changes were made by the Reform acts of 1832, 1867, and 1868. County Elections act, 1836; see Bribery. The forty-shilling freeholders in Ireland lost their privilege in 1829. By Dodson's act, passed in 1861, university electors are permitted to vote by sending balloting papers. Hours of polling in metropolitan boroughs extended (from 8 A.M. to 8 P.M.) by act passed 25 Feb.

1878.

ony,

Electors or GERMANY. In the reign of Conrad I., king of Germany (912-918), the dukes and counts, from being merely officers, became gradually independent of the sovereign, and subsequently elected him. In 919 they confirmed the nomination of Henry I., duke of Saxby Conrad as his successor. In the thirteenth century seven princes (the archbishops of Mentz, Treves, and Cologne, the king of Bohemia, the electors of Brandenburg and Saxony, and the elector Palatine) assumed the exclusive privilege of nominating the emperor.Robertson. An eighth elector (Bavaria) was made in 1648, and a ninth (Hanover) in 1692. The number was reduced to eight in 1777 (by the elector palatine acquiring Bavaria), and increased to ten at the peace of Luneville in 1801. On the dissolution of the German empire,

the crown of Austria was made hereditary, 1804-6); see Germany.

Electors, UNITED STATES. By a provision of the constitution (Art. II., Sec. 1), the president and vicepresident are chosen every four years by electors. These are appointed by each state "in such manner as the legislature thereof may direct," their number for the said state being equal to the whole number of representatives and senators to which the state may be entitled in congress. The electors meet in their respec

tive states and vote by ballot for two persons, of whom one at least shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves. The result, duly certified, is then transmitted to the president of the United States senate, who, upon the meeting of congress in December, in the presence of both houses, opens the certificates, and the votes are counted. The person having the greatest number of votes is declared president, "if such number be a majority of the whole number of electors appointed; and if there be more than one who have such majority, and have an equal number of votes," then the house of representatives chooses one of them for president, the votes being taken by states. After this vote, the person having the greatest number of electoral votes is declared vice-president. If the house in such a case should not before 4 March following choose a president, then the former vice-president becomes acting president. In case there is no majority of electoral votes for vice-president, he is, in like manner, chosen by the senate.

Electric Clock; see p. 239.

Electricity (from the Greek йλεкTρog, electrum, amber). The electrical properties of rubbed amber are said to have been known to Thales, 600 B.C.; and Pliny, 70 A.D.; see Magnetism.

FRICTIONAL OR STATIC ELECTRICITY.

[blocks in formation]

.. 1834

Wheatstone calculated the velocity of electricity, on the double-fluid theory, to be 288,000 miles a second; on the single-fluid theory, 576,000 miles a second. Armstrong discovered, and Faraday explained, the elec tricity of high-pressure steam, which produces the hydro-electric machine..

ELECTRIC MACHINES.-Otto von Guericke obtained sparks by rubbing a globe of sulphur, about 1647; Newton, Boyle, and others used glass, about 1675; Hawksbee improved the machine, about 1709; Bose introduced a metallic conductor, 1733; Winckler contrived the cushion for the rubber, 1741; Gordon employed a glass cylinder, 1742; for which a plate was substituted about 1770; Canton introduced amalgam for the rubber, 1751; Van Marum constructed an electric machine at Haarlem, said to have been the most powerful ever made, 1785; Dr. H. M. Noad set up at the Panopticon, Leicester square, London, a very powerful electric machine and Leyden battery [in possession of Mr. Edwin Clark, 1862]..

The Hydro-electric machine, by Armstrong, was con

structed...

Holtz's induction machine.

The ELECTROPHORUS, a useful apparatus for obtaining frictional electricity, was invented by Volta in 1775, and improved by him in...

C. F. Varley's "reciprocal electrophorus "invented.
Sir William Thomson's "electric replenisher" described,
Mr. App's great inductorium, or induction coil, giving

1840

1855

1840 1865

1782 1862

Jan. 1868

the largest sparks ever seen, exhibited at the Royal Polytechnic Institution.. .29 March, 1869 ELECTROSCOPE and ELECTROMETER, as the terms signify, are apparatus for ascertaining the presence and quantity of electrical excitation. Pith-balls were employed in various ways as electroscopes by Gilbert, Canton, and others. Dr. Milner invented an electrometer similar to Peltier's, 1783. The gold-leaf electrometer was invented by rev. A. Bennet, 1789, and improved by Singer, about 1810; Lane's discharging electrometer is dated 1767; Henley's 1772; Bohnenberger's electroscope, 1820; Peltier's induction electrometer....about 1848 GALVANISM, OR VOLTAIC ELECTRICITY, ELECTROLYSIS, AND ELECTRO-MAGNETISM.

(See Electro-physiology, p. 240.) Sulzer noticed a peculiar sensation in the tongue when silver and lead were brought into contact with it and each other..

[blocks in formation]

1762

Otto von Guericke constructed the first electric machine (a globe of sulphur).... about 1647 1676

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors]

Boyle published his electrical experiments. Stephen Gray, aided by Wheeler, discovered that the human body conducts electricity, that electricity acts at a distance (motion in light bodies being produced by frictional electricity at a distance of 666 feet), the fact of electric induction, and other phenomena.. ..1720-36 Dufay originated his dual theory of two electric fluids: one vitreous, from rubbed glass, etc., the other resinous, from rubbed amber, resin, etc.; and showed that two bodies similarly electrified repel each other, and attract bodies oppositely electrified... ....about 1733

[blocks in formation]

Transfer of acids and alkalies by Hisinger and Berzelius, 1803 Behrens formed a dry pile of 80 pairs of zinc, copper,

and gilt paper..

1805

By means of a large voltaic battery in the Royal Institution, London, Davy decomposed the alkali potash, and evolved the metal potassium (soda and other substances soon after).

..6 Oct. 1807 Zamboni constructed a dry pile of paper disks, coated with tin on one side and peroxide of manganese on the other.

Children's battery fused platinum, etc.

1809

[ocr errors]
[merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Faraday read the first series of his "Experimental Researches on Electricity" at the Royal Society..21 Nov. 1831 Faraday demonstrated the nature of electro-chemical decomposition, and the principle that the quantity and intensity of electric action of a galvanic battery depend on the size and number of plates employed. Wheatstone invented his electro-magnetic chronoscope.. 1840 Copper-zinc Couple (which see) constructed by Dr. J. H. Gladstone and Mr. A. Tribe.. Batteries: Bichromate of potash battery,—a modification of Dr. Leeson's; very powerful; now much used. (Gaston Plante's lead battery, powerful, 1860.) Chloride of silver battery (14,400 cells)-results of its dis

1872

1878

charge published by Drs. Warren de La Rue and Hugo Müller. Powerful results exhibited at Royal Institution, London.... .21 Jan. 1881 Dr. Byrne's pneumatic battery (air blown in), very ef fective, announced.. ELECTRIC ACCUMULATOR, a modification by M. Faure of Gaston Plante's powerful lead battery of 1860, was exhibited at Paris, May, 1881. In June a box, one cubic foot in size, containing four cells, enclosing thin sheets of lead surrounded with felt saturated with dilute acid, etc., was conveyed from Paris to London. Sir William Thomson found it to possess the electric energy of one million foot pounds; and said, in a letter to the Times of 9 June, 1881, This solves the problem of storing electricity in a manner and in a state useful for many important applications". ..6 June, 1881 ELECTRO-MAGNETISM began with Oersted's discovery of the action of the electric current on the magnetic needle, 1819; proved by Ampère, who exhibited the action of the voltaic pile upon the magnetic needle, and of terrestrial magnetism upon the voltaic current; he also arranged the conducting wire in the form of a helix or spiral, invented a galvanometer, and imitated the magnet by a spiral galvanic wire.... Arago magnetized a needle by the electric current, and attracted iron filings by the connecting wire of a galvanic battery.

The first electro-magnet..

Induction of electric currents discovered by Faraday announced..

1820

[ocr errors]
[merged small][merged small][ocr errors]

Becquerel invented an electro-magnetic balance. Faraday discovered the electro-magnetic rotative force developed in a magnet by voltaic electricity, 1831; experiments on the induction of a voltaic current, etc..1834-5 Sturgeon made a bar of soft iron magnetic by surround

ing it with coils of wire, and sending an electric current through the wire..

1837

Induction coil made by prof. G. C. Page, of Salem, Mass..
Joseph Henry announced his discovery of secondary cur-
rents...
...2 Nov. 1838
Breguet used electro-magnetic force to manufacture
mathematical instruments..
....about 1854
MAGNETO ELECTRICITY (the converse of Oersted's discov
ery of electro-magnetism) discovered by Faraday, who
produced an electric spark by suddenly separating a
coiled keeper from a permanent magnet; and found
that an electric current existed in a copper disk rotated
between the poles of a magnet...

The Magneto-electric machine arose out of Faraday's dis-
covery, and was first made at Paris by Pixii, 1832; and
in London by Saxton..
"Faraday as a Discoverer," by prof. Tyndall, published,

Magneto-electricity applied to electro-plating by Wool-
wich...

1831

1833

[blocks in formation]

1840

Gutta-percha suggested as an insulator by Faraday..... 1847 Prof. Charles Wheatstone drew plans of a projected submarine telegraph between Dover and Calais.. Mr. John Watkins Brett (on behalf of his brother, Jacob Brett, the inventor and patentee), submitted a similar plan to Louis Philippe without success..

1847 He obtained permission from Louis Napoleon to make a trial, 1847; took place.. ..28 Aug. 1850

The connecting wires (27 miles long) were placed on the government pier in Dover harbor, and in the Goliath steamer were coiled about 30 miles in length of telegraphic wire, enclosed in a covering of gutta-percha, half an inch in diameter. The Goliath started from Dover, unrolling the telegraphic wire as it proceeded, and allowing it to drop to the bed of the sea. In the evening the steamer arrived on the French coast, and the wire was run up the cliff at cape Grisnez to its terminal station, and messages were sent to and fro between England and the French coast. But the wire, in settling into the sea-bottom, crossed a rocky ridge, and snapped in two, and thus the enterprise for that time failed.

New arrangements were soon made, and on a scale of greater magnitude; and the telegraph was opened; the opening and closing prices of the funds in Paris were known on the London stock exchange within business hours, and guns were fired at Dover by communication from Calais... 13 Nov. 1851 Duplex Telegraphy-two messages transmitted along a single wire at the same time in opposite directions first accomplished by Dr. Gintl, Austrian, 1853; by Messrs. Siemens, 1857; in the same direction, by Stark, of Vienna, 1855; apparatus perfected by Stearns, an American; applied to British telegraphs.... Quadruplex Telegraphy-four messages along one wire; successful experiments between London and Liverpool...... .25 Sept. 1877

1873

Communications complete between Dover and Ostend and between Portpatrick and Donaghadee.......May, 1853 Holyhead and Howth...

March, 1868

Paris and Bastia....

London and Constantinople..

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

Ruhmkorff's magneto-electric induction coil constructed, Siemens's armature produced.. H. Wilde's description of his machine (a powerful generator of dynamic electricity, by means of permanent magnets) and the magneto-electric machine (constructed in 1865) sent to the Royal Society by prof. Faraday and reported.. ...26 April, 1866 The light (resembling bright moonlight) exhibited on the top of Burlington House.. .2 March, 1867 Principle of accumulation by successive action discovered by Wilde, 1865, by mutual action (by which permanent steel magnets are dispensed with); independently by Wheatstone and Siemens.. 1866 Mr. W. Groves's electro-induction balance.. 1879 Proposed International Electrical Congress at Paris with exhibition. ..1 Aug.-15 Nov. 1881 Dynamo-magneto-electric machines, by Wheatstone and Siemens, described at the Royal Society, 14 Feb.; by Ladd.. .14 March, 1867 Trial of Siemens's dynamo-magneto-electric light in the torpedo service at Sheerness reported successful, 18 Dec. 1871 Two of Siemens's machines ordered for the Lizards, announced

Gramme's magneto-electric machine described..

1878 1875

1747

1816

APPLICATIONS-ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH. The transmission of electricity by an insulated wire was shown by Watson and others.. Telegraphic arrangements were devised by Lesarge, 1744; Betancourt, 1787; Cavallo, 1795; Salva, 1796; Soemmering, exhibited 29 Aug. 1809; Ronalds.. Ampère invents his telegraphic arrangement, employing the magnetic needle and coil, and the galvanic battery, 1820 F. Ronalds publishes an account of his electric telegraph (died, aged 85, 8 Aug. 1873)... Prof. Wheatstone constructs an electro-magnetic apparatus, by which 30 signals are conveyed through nearly four miles of wire..

[blocks in formation]

Marsala, Sicily, and La Calle, Algeria..

June, 1854 Nov.

[ocr errors]
[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

Over-house electric telegraphs (first erected at Paris) set up between their premises in the City and West End by Messrs. Waterlow, in 1857, extended throughout London House's printing telegraph, 1846; Bain's electro-chemical telegraph, 1846; Hughes's system, 1855; the American combination system (of the preceding), which can convey 2000 words an hour, adopted by the American telegraph company..... ...Jan. 1859 Wheatstone's automatic printing telegraph patented.... 1860 It was stated that there are in work 15,000 miles of elec tric telegraph wire in Great Britain; 80,000 on the continent of Europe; and 48,000 in America; and altogether about 150,000 miles laid down in the world. July, 1862 Bonelli's typo-electric telegraph, made known and company established, 1860; and tried between Liverpool and Manchester, 1863; promised revival.........June, 1864 An electric telegraph" conference, at which 16 states (not Great Britain) were represented, met at Paris, March, 1865 The Telegraph act (see Telegraph) passed.......... 13 July, 1868 It enabled H. M.'s postmaster-general to acquire, work, and maintain electric telegraphs; postal telegraphy began.. ..5 Feb. 1872 Messages rise from 6,000,000 to 20,000,000 a year.... The shilling telegraph" said not to pay... July, Society of Telegraph Engineers established......28 Feb. 1872 Result of the Derby" race sent to Calcutta in five minutes. 24 May, 1871 Statue of Morse at New York uncovered........10 June, Fourth international telegraph conference opened at Rome under the auspices of the Italian government..18 Dec. The fifth international telegraph conference opened at St. Petersburg.. .1 June, 1875 A new international telegraphic convention came into operation... ...1 Jan. 1876 Direct line between New Zealand and London, completed 18 Feb.; communication between lord mayor and mayors of Wellington and Dunedin........ .23 Feb.

ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH.-The project of the Atlantic cable

[merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors]

was originally conceived in 1853, when the magnetic telegraph had been in operation but ten years. The original projectors were American capitalists, embracing Peter Cooper, Cyrus W. Field, Moses Taylor, Marshal O. Roberts, and others, including prof. Morse. This company succeeded in building the line from St. John's across Newfoundland, and under the Gulf of St. Lawrence to the mainland. They have obtained subsidies from the British and United States governments. These have since expired.

ou....

[ocr errors]

46

2500 miles of wire were manufactured, and tested in March, 1857. The laying it down commenced at Valentia, in Ireland, .5 Aug. The vessels employed were the Niagara and Susquehanna (American vessels), and the Leopard and Agamemnon (British vessels). After sailing a few miles the cable snapped. This was soon repaired; but on 11 Aug., after 300 miles of wire had been paid out, it snapped again (and the vessels returned to Plymouth)... .11 Aug. A second attempt to lay the cable failed through a violent storm... .20-21 June, 1858 The third voyage was successful. The junction between the two continents was completed by the laying down of 2050 miles of wire from Valentia, in Ireland, to Newfoundland. The first two messages, on 5 Aug., were from the queen of England to the president of the United States, and his reply.. ......5 Aug. This event caused great rejoicing in both countries; but, unfortunately, the insulation of the wire gradually became more faulty, and the power of transmitting intelligence utterly ceased on.. ..4 Sept.

66

66

1860

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

1866

A new company was formed... The Great Eastern steamer, engaged to lay down 2300 miles of wire, with 25,000 tons burden, sailed for Valentia, Ireland, from the Thames, commanded by capt. Anderson, accompanied by prof. Wm. Thomson and Mr. Cromwell F. Varley, to superintend the paying out the cable... .15 July, 1865 After connecting the wire with the land, the Great Eastern sailed from Valentia... 23 July, Telegraphic communication with the vessel (interrupted by two faults, due to defective insulation, caused by pieces of metal pressed into the gutta-percha coating, which were immediately repaired) finally ceased on 2 Aug. The apparatus for raising the wire proving insufficient, the vessel returned, and arrived at the Medway.... .19 Aug. Atlantic Telegraph Company reconstituted as the AngloAmerican Telegraph Company limited. . March, The Great Eastern, with a new cable, sailed from the Medway, 30 June; the shore end at Valentia was spliced with the main cable, and the Great Eastern sailed, 13 July; 1200 miles of cable had been laid, 22 July; the cable was completely laid at Heart's Content, Newfoundland, and a message sent to lord Stanley, 27 July; message from the queen to president of the United States sent, 28 July, "From the queen, Osborne, to the president of the United States, Washington. The queen congratulates the president on the successful completion of an undertaking which she hopes may serve as an additional bond of union between the United States and England." To which he replied... .30 July, The lost cable of 1865 recovered, 2 Sept. ; and its laying completed at Newfoundland.. .8 Sept. The Great Eastern arrived at Liverpool... ....19 Sept. Messrs. Samuel Canning, Daniel Gooch, and capt. Anderson knighted.... Oct. [It was stated (in Sept. 1866) that the engineer of the cable passed signals through 3700 miles of wire by means of a battery formed in a lady's thimble.] The United States congress voted a gold medal to Cyrus Field, for his exertions connected with Atlantic telegraphs.. .7 March, 1867 At a dinner given to Cyrus Field at Willis's Rooms, London, telegraphic messages were exchanged between the company and lord Monck, viceroy of Canada, and president Johnson. ...1 July, 1868 French Atlantic Telegraph Company formed; French government grant concession for 20 years, from 1 Sept. 1869, to Julius Reuter and baron Emile d'Erlangen, 8 July, Anglo-Danish telegraph (Newbiggin to Copenhagen) completed.. 31 Aug. European end of the French Atlantic cable laid at Brest, 17 June; the American end at Duxbury, Massachusetts, 23 July, 1869 Reported union between the Anglo-American and French Atlantic telegraph companies.. .Jan. 1870

sals to lay the "Direct United States Company's" cable, 16 May; laid shore-end in Nova Scotia, 31 May; in New Hampshire, 8 June; connected with Newfoundland.. ..July, 1874

[ocr errors]

66

The sixth Anglo-American telegraph laid by the Great Eastern... Aug.-Sept. E. A. Cowper's Writing telegraph: quick plain writing (36 miles), exhibited at Royal Institution, etc.... May, 1879 The Sixth International telegraph conference opened in London. 18 June, South African line laid between Mozambique and Natal, 23 Aug.; connected with Cape Town; telegrams sent by the queen to sir Bartle Frere and others, 25 Dec.; opened to the public... .29 Dec. The new French Transatlantic Cable to be laid from Brest to St. Pierre by the Faraday, sailed June; connected with Halifax, Oct. 1879; line from Paris to New York opened.... ...1 June, 1880 International Congress of Electricians to be opened at Paris, 15 Sept.; exhibition on...

[ocr errors]

11 Aug. 1881

ELECTRIC CLOCK, etc. Prof. Wheatstone invented an electromagnetic telegraph clock in 1840. Clocks worked by electricity, invented by Mr. Alexander Bain, Mr. Shepherd, and others, appeared in the exhibition of 1851. An electric clock, with four dials, illuminated at night, was set up for some time in front of the office of the electric telegraph company, in the Strand, London, July, 1852. A time-ball was set up by Mr. French, in Cornhill, in 1856. In 1860, Mr. C. V. Walker so connected the clock of the Greenwich observatory with that of the Southeastern station, London, that they could be controlled by electricity.

ELECTRIC LIGHT.

Humphry Davy produced electric light with carbon points.. Apparatus for regulating the electric light were devised in 1846, and shown by W. Staite's patents, 1846, 1849; Staite (at Sunderland, 25 Oct. 1847), and Petrie in 1848; by Foucault soon after.

Jules Duboscq's Electric Lamp (the most perfect of the kind) appeared at the Paris exhibition in 1855; and was first employed by prof. Tyndall, at the Royal Institution, London, for illustrating lectures on light and colors...

The works of new Westminster bridge were illuminated by Watson's electric light..

The Magneto- Electric light (the most brilliant artificial light yet produced), devised by prof. Holmes, successfully tried at the South Foreland lighthouse, Dover,

1802

1856

1858

1858 and 1859

The French government ordered eight light-houses to be illuminated by electric light...

.. April, 1861 M. Serrin, of Paris, exhibited his improved electric lamp. 1862 Electric Candle, invented by Paul Jablochkoff (an electric current passed through two carbons side by side with a slip of kaolin between them, produces a steady, soft, noiseless light; the carbons burn like wax); reported to the Academy of Sciences, Paris, by M. Dénayrouze, Oct. 1876 The electric light successfully employed for photography by Mr. H. Van der Weyde..

[ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors]

Telegraph between Bombay and Suez completed.. Telegraph between Adelaide and Port Darwin, Australia, completed.. .22 Aug. 1872 Message from the mayor of Adelaide received by the lord mayor of London, and replied to.. .21 Oct. The fourth Atlantic telegraph cable laid by the Great Eastern, from Valentia, Ireland, to Heart's Content, Newfoundland.... .8 June-3 July, 1873 The Brazil telegraph cable completely laid......22 Sept. Faraday, a great electric-cable ship, built for Siemens Brothers, launched at Newcastle (see Steam), 17 Feb.;

[ocr errors]

At the Magasin du Louvre, S electric lights replaced 100 Carcel gas burners; as manageable as coal gas supply; tried at West India docks... ...15 June, 1877 Tyndall's experiments at South Foreland, demonstrate superiority of Siemens's dynamo-electric machine, Aug. 1876-July,

Gramme's machine (light equal to 758 candles)..
Serrin's and Jablochkoff's lights improved by Rapieff, a
Russian; taken up by Mr. E. J. Reed, M. P.; a small
magneto-electric machine, worked by steam; conduct-
ing wires replace the gasworks and pipes. ...July, 1878
Mr. Stayton reports that the light is much dearer than
gas, and not suitable for street lighting in London. Sept.
Electric light tried at Westminster palace.....28 March,
Two of Siemens's dynamo-magneto-electric machines or-
dered for the Lizards light houses...

The Gaiety theatre lit by light from Lontin's machine
and modification of Jablochkoff's...
. Aug.
Hippolyte Fontaine's treatise on Electric Lighting, 1877;
translated by Paget Biggs, published..

46

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

66

Mr. T. E. Edison announces at New York his discovery of a method of producing a great number of lights and much mechanical power from a Ritchie inductive coil, a dynamo-electric machine, which he terms " telemachon," which may be worked by water-power or steam; this causes a panic among gas companies in London, and depression in value of shares..Sept., Oct. Edison's plans of subdividing lights filed at patent office, 23 Oct. 66 National Electric Light Company forming... Nov. C Richard Werdermann's electric light subdivided; a number of jets lit simultaneously; shown by British telegraph company.. .2 Nov. Electric light used for large workshops at Woolwich, etc., Nov. throughout the country..

66

66

[merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

"

[ocr errors]

66

Jablochkoff candle tried at Westgate-on-Sea, by Mr. E. F. Davis, 2-26 Dec.; light successful; difficulty in practice; given up.... .Dec. Formation of nitric acid in the air by electric light; announced by Mr. T. Wills, 13 Dec. 1878; of hydrocyanic or prussic acid by prof. J. Dewar. ..autumn, 1879 Machines of Farmer & Wallace, Lontin, De Meritens, Browning, Carré, and others in use in London.. Light given up at Billingsgate market, about....30 Jan. Siemens's light successful at the Albert Hall.....13 Feb. Edison obtains beautiful light from platinum which fuses; used 600 horse-power to obtain 20,000 lights at one station; failure announced, March; his patent registered... ..23 April, 1879 Exhibition of lights at Royal Albert Hall opened by the prince of Wales... .7 May, M. Jamin's electric candle exhibited at Academy of Sciences, Paris.... .about 17 March, A dynamo magneto-electric machine patented by lord Elphinstone and C. W. Vincent....

[ocr errors]

66

A committee of the house of commons appointed "to consider whether it is desirable to authorize municipal corporations or other local authorities to adopt any schemes for lighting by electricity" (Dr. Lyon Playfair, chairman), reports: "The energy of one-horse power may be converted into gaslight, and yields a luminosity equal to 12-candle power. But the same amount of energy transformed into electric light produces 1,600candle power. . . . Scientific witnesses considered that in the future the electric current might be extensively used to transmit power as well as light to considerable distances, so that the power applied to mechanical purposes during the day might be made available for light during the night. There seems to be no reason to doubt that the electric light has established itself for light-house illumination, and is fitted to illumine large symmetrical places, such as squares, public halls, railway stations, and workshops. . . . Compared with gas, the economy for equal illumination does not yet appear to be conclusively established. . Gas companies, in the opinion of your committee, have no special claims to be considered as the future distributors of electric light. Your committee, however, do not consider that the time has yet arrived to give general powers to private electric companies to break up the streets, unless by consent of the local authorities."-Times.. ...19 June, Electric light placed on Thames Embankment, in British .Dec. Museum, at Victoria Station, etc... System of C. F. Brush (American), exhibited in London, said to be simple and trustworthy.... .23 Dec. Dr. C. William Siemens reports to Royal Society that electric light acts like solar light on vegetation. 2 March, 1880 Electric lights set up for trial on Thames Embankment, north side (Jablochkoff system), 13 Dec. 1878; Waterloo Bridge, 10 Oct. 1879; continued.. .. April, Mr. J. W. Swan exhibits his system of dividing light, etc., at Newcastle-on-Tyne (afterwards in London)..20 Oct. Trial of three systems in London: Lontin's, Southwark bridge, etc.; Brush, Blackfriars bridge, etc.; Siemens's, Guildhall, etc...

ELECTRIC LOOM. M. Bonelli, of Turin, in 1854, devised a plan of employing magnets and electro-magnets in weaving, thereby superseding the tedious and costly Jacquard system of cards. His loom was set up in London in 1859, and lectured upon at the Royal Institution by prof. Faraday.. Electric Pen (for copying, etc.), invented by Mr. T. Edison, an American; an electric writing company was established; active in....

66

[ocr errors]

64

[ocr errors]
[merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Elegy. Elegiac verse (consisting of a hexameter and pentameter alternately) was the first variation from the hexameter or epic measure, used by Tyrtæus and other early poets. The elegies of Ovid and Catullus are celebrated. Gray's "Elegy, written in a Country Churchyard," was published in 1749.

Elementary Education Act, 33 & 34 Vict. c. 75, passed 9 Aug. 1870; amended in 1872. Clause 25, which authorizes payments to support denominational schools, much objected to by dissenters; bill to repeal it rejected by the commons (373-128), 10 June, 1874. Another act (for agricultural districts, etc.), brought in by lord Sandon, 18 May, 1876; royal assent, 15 Aug. 1876.

Elements were formerly reckoned as four: earth, air, fire, and water. Lavoisier enunciated the principle that all bodies which cannot be proved to be compounded are elements, and to be treated as such; see table below, and separate articles. The chemical elements now are stated to be about 77 (1881).*

LIST OF 63 ELEMENTS, 1872 (Odling).
Gold.......
Silver.

Phosphorus..

...31 March, 1881

Mercury Copper

[blocks in formation]

.8 June, 1860

[blocks in formation]

1877-8

1669.

[blocks in formation]

Lamp-lighting by Electricity.-Mr. St. George Lane Fox's invention tried at Fulham, and reported successful, autumn, 1877; doubtful..

1841-2

ELECTROPHONE, invented by Dr. Strethill Wright, for producing sound by electric currents of high tension: one laid before the Royal Scottish Society of Arts (see Telephone). .25 April, 1864 ELECTRO-TINT. Mr. Palmer, of Newgate street, London, patented inventions by which engravings may not only be copied from other engraved plates, but the engraving itself actually produced, by electrical agency, and one process he termed glyphography.. ELECTROTYPE OR DEPOSIT. Mr. Spencer, in England, and professor Jacobi, in Russia, made the first successful experiments in this art in 1837 and 1838. Since then, Mr. A. Smee and others have perfected the processes. In 1840, Mr. Rob. Murray applied black-lead to nonmetallic bodies as a conducting surface. In 1840, Mr. Ruolz and Mr. Elkington applied it to gilding and silverplating. Since 1850, printing-types and wood-cuts, and casts from them, have been electrotyped with copper, and the process is now largely adopted in the arts. Messrs. C. Wheatstone and F. A. Abel experiment on the application of electricity to military purposes.........

1861

Hydrogen.

1771. Fluor-ine

1772. Nitrogen.

1774.

Chlorine (doubtful; see

Chlorine.

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

* Mr. Joseph Norman Lockyer, in a paper read at the Royal Society, 12 Dec. 1878, expressed doubts of the elementary character of some of the following substances based on his spectroscopic experiments. His views were not supported by the researches of professors Dewar and Liveing, 1880-1, see Chlorine.

« PreviousContinue »