THE ELECTRIC LIGHT. 667 
must bear my testimony," he says, "to the perfect open- 
ness, candor, and honor of Professor Holmes. He has 
answered every question, concealed no weak point, ex- 
plained every applied principle, given every reason for a 
change either in this or that direction, during several 
periods of close questioning, in a manner that was very 
agreeable to me, whose duty it was to search for real faults 
or possible objections, in respect both of the present time 
and the future."* 
Soon afterward the Elder Brethren of the Trinity 
House had the intelligent courage to establish the 
machines of Holmes permanently at Dungeness. where 
the magneto-electric light continued to shine for many 
years. 
The magneto-electric machine of the Alliance Company 
soon succeeded to that of Holmes, being in various ways a 
very marked improvement on the latter. Its currents 
were stronger and its light was brighter than those of its 
predecessor. In it, moreover, the commutator, the flash- 
ing and destruction of which were sources of irregularity 
and deterioration in the machine of Holmes, was, at the 
suggestion of M. Masson,f entirely abandoned; alternating 
currents instead of the direct current being employed. M. 
Serrm modified his excellent lamp with the express view 
of enabling it to cope with alternating currents. During 
the International Exhibition of 1862, where the machine 
was shown, M. Berlioz offered to dispose of the invention 
to the Elder Brethren of the Trinity House. They refer- 
red the matter to Faraday, and he replied as follows: "I 
am not aware that the Trinity House authorities have 
advanced so far as to be able to decide whether they will 
require more magneto-electric machines, or whether, if 
they should require them, they see reason to suppose the 
means of their supply in this country, from the source 
already open to them, "would not be sufficient. Therefore 
I do not see that at present they want to purchase a 
machine." Faraday was obviously swayed by the desire to 
protect the interests of Holmes, who had borne the burden, 
and heat which fall upon the pioneer. The Alliance 
* Holmes' first offer of his machine to the Trinity House bears 
date February 2, 1857. 
f Du Moucel, " 1'Electricite," August, 1878, p. 150. 
