PAINE'S ELECTRO-MAGNETIC ENGINE 27 



the distance. (See Joule, and also Tyndall, in the London, Edinburgh 

 and Dublin Philosophical Magazine for 1850.) And, in the second 

 place, approach of the poles would not necessarily increase the effi- 

 ciency; in this kind of machine there is a distance of maximum effi- 

 ciency; and if the magnets revolve at a distance greater than this, the 

 attraction becomes too small; and if at a less distance, the times of 

 magnetizing and demagnetizing the magnets become too great, and the 

 machine goes too slowly. The distance in this machine is, undoubtedly, 

 within the limit, for Mr. Paine prides himself upon its smallness, and 

 so further reduction, could it take place, can act in no other manner 

 than the opposite of that claimed. But it is my opinion that all the 

 force brought to bear on the magnets could not move them one two- 

 hundredth of an inch, when attached to such a frame. 



As to Mr. Paine's disregard for the conservation of force, I have 

 little to say. His assertions are made directly in the face of this 

 principle, and yet he has never adduced one experiment, or even a plaus- 

 ible reason, to prove what he says. He takes you into a building where 

 shafts are revolving by the vulgar power of steam, and directs you to 

 look while he evokes power from nothing. You must not touch any- 

 thing; you must not enter the room below; you must not be there while 

 the engine next door is at rest; but you must simply look, and by that 

 renowned maxim of fools, that " seeing is believing/' you must believe 

 that the whole structure of science has fallen, and that above its ruins 

 nothing remains but Mr. Paine and his wonderful electro-magnetic 



machine. 



HENRY A. EOWLAND, C. E. 



Newark, N. J. 



