874 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XIY. No. 362. 



He described engines, pumps, etc., in much 

 detail, and adds, " But there was one thing 

 that I did not like about it ; they had the 

 end of their discharge pipe about ten feet 

 above the water, so that they had to over- 

 come a pressure of about five pounds to the 

 square inch to raise the water so high, and 

 yet they let it go after they got it there, 

 whereas if they had attached a pipe to the 

 end of the discharge pipe and let it hang 

 down into the water, the pressure of water 

 on that pipe would just have balanced the 

 five pounds to the square inch in the other, 

 so that they could have used larger pumps 

 with the same engines and thus have got 

 more water out in a given time." 



The facilities for learning physics, in his 

 day, at the Eensselaer Polytechnic Institute 

 were none of the best, a fact which is made 

 the subject of keen criticism in his home 

 correspondence, but he made the most of 

 whatever was available and created oppor- 

 tunity where it was lacking. The use of a 

 turning-lathe and a few tools being allowed, 

 he spent all of his leisure in designing and 

 constructing physical apparatus of various 

 kinds with which he experimented con- 

 tinually. All of his spare money goes into 

 this and he is always wishing he had more. 

 While he pays without grumbling his share 

 of the expense of a class supper, he cannot 

 help declaring that ' it is an awful price for 

 one night's pleasure ; why, it would buy 

 another galvanic battery.' During these 

 early years his pastime was the study of 

 magnetism and electricity, and his lack of 

 money for the purchase of insulated wire 

 for electromagnetic apparatus led him to 

 the invention of a method of winding naked 

 copper wire, which was later patented by 

 some one else and made much of. Within 

 six months of his entering the Institute he 

 had made a delicate balance, a galvanom- 

 eter and an electrometer, besides a small in- 

 duction coil and several minor pieces. A 

 few weeks later he announces the finishing 



of a E/uhmkorff coil of considerable power, 

 a source of much delight to him and to his 

 friends. 



In December, 1866, he began the construc- 

 tion of a small but elaborately designed 

 steam engine which ran perfectly when 

 completed and furnished power for his ex- 

 periments. A year later he is full of en- 

 thusiasm over an investigation which he 

 wishes to undertake to explain the pro- 

 duction of electricity when water comes in 

 contact with red-hot iron, which he at- 

 tributes to the decomposition of a part of 

 the water. Along with all this and much 

 more he maintains a good standing in 

 his regular work in the Institute, in some 

 of which he is naturally the leader. He 

 occasionally writes : * I am head of my 

 class in mathematics,' or *I lead the class 

 in natural philosophy,' but official records 

 show that he was now and then ' con- 

 ditioned ' in subjects in which he had no 

 special interest. As early as 1868, before 

 his twentieth birthday, he decided that he 

 must devote his life to science. While not 

 doubting his ability ' to make an excellent 

 engineer,' as he declares, he decides against 

 engineering, saying : " You know that from 

 a child I have been extremely fond of experi- 

 ment ; this liking, instead of decreasing, has 

 gradually grown upon me until it has become 

 a part of my nature, and it would be folly for 

 me to attempt to give it up ; and I don't 

 see any reason why I should wish it unless 

 it be avarice, for I never expect to be a rich 

 man. I intend to devote myself hereafter 

 to science. If she gives me wealth I will 

 receive it as coming from a friend, but if not, 

 I will not murmur." 



He realized that his opportunity for the 

 pursuit of science was in becominga teacher, 

 but no opening in this direction presenting 

 itself, he spent the first year after gradua- 

 tion in the field as a civil engineer. This 

 was followed by a not very inspiring expe- 

 rience as instructor in natural science in 



