STEAM-POWER LOST IN ELECTRICITY. 165 



disappear in the condensation of this discharge 

 1,146 of heat. This passes off with the speed of 

 light to the upper regions of the sky. 1 



1 These facts should impress on engineers the importance of employ- 

 ing all available means of preventing the radiation of heat from boilers 

 and cylinders, by non-conducting materials and steam-jacketing. And 

 especially should their attention be called to the possible loss of effective 

 power in working steam expansively, by "cut-off valves" acting at mi- 

 nute portions of the stroke. 



If the whole power of steam of seventy-five pounds pressure is instan- 

 taneously diffused into electric vibrations and currents, by suddenly 

 expanding into the open air, it becomes a critical question how far this 

 expansive system can be carried advantageously, and without loss* by the 

 conversion into electric currents of the heat of expanding steam. The 

 sudden disappearance of the vibratory action of heat from steamy vapors 

 in the sky on a sultry summer-day affords a parallel to the experiment 

 described. The steam rises rapidly from the surface of the oceans to 

 the upper sky, and, being there relieved from compression, expands like 

 the compressed steam discharged from a steam-boiler. 



This experiment shows the Protean forms in which the vibration of 

 heat is diffused, not only through the metallic conduction of cylinders, 

 pipes, and shaftings connected with steam-boilers and engines, but also 

 throughout all space. We thus catch a glimpse of the modes in which 

 the force of the planets is diffused through the universal electric ether, 

 and learn what an important part this ether plays in transmitting and 

 modifying their mighty power. 



