l62 



SCIENTIFIC NEV\^S. 



[Feb. 17, l5 



of ^apet% Hecttirei^, etu 



THE ROYAL INSTITUTION. 

 On the 3rd inst. a discourse was given by Mr. Frank 

 Crisp, on " Ancient Microscopes." In the library, on 

 specially placed stages in the theatre, and on the lecture 

 table, were some 600 microscopes of early dates, while 

 on the tables of the library were shown many early 

 books containing figures of microscopes. Among the 

 works were- Robert Hook, 1665, Adams with a plate of 

 a solar microscope, Pierre Lyonet with a plate of a dis- 

 secting microscope, and a practical work by Adams, a 

 maker, dated 1747. The collection of microscopes which 

 Mr. Crisp has for so long taken such unstinted pains to 

 collect, was unfortunately without any labels, so that 

 their dates were not known to visitors. The first 

 reference made by Mr. Crisp was to one of the latest 

 productions of Powell and Lealand, as a type of our 

 present perfection. Turning from this to the odd 

 shapes of the early works, Mr. Crisp said he meant in 

 his title by the word " ancient " any microscope made 

 earlier than 100 years ago. We now look for clearness 

 of vision, stability, and absence of all needless adorn- 

 ment. It is interesting to see from what our present 

 work has been evolved. One striking point is that 

 though we now make only of brass, the " ancients " 

 made of wood, ivory, tortoiseshell, and papier mache. 

 But they also excessively ornamented their microscopes. 

 To illustrate this there was held up an elaborate stand 

 for a really weak microscope made for Cardinal Lam- 

 bartin, afterwards Pope Benedict XIV., where the silk 

 linings and the large space for the papal insignia made 

 the whole affair ludicrous in the eyes of a man of 

 science. After others, belonging to Popes and distin- 

 guished people had been shown, a strange green coloured 

 one made for George III. was held up. But, it was re- 

 marked, no good recorded work had come from any of 

 these. They were like toys. In tracing stability for a 

 microscope it was shown how long it took to acquire this. 

 Some were placed on the table which a puff of breath blew 

 over. At length there seemed to be acquired stability 

 to such an excess that adjustment was difficult. It ap- 

 peared to us now strange that it took so long for the 

 right use of a mirror to be understood. The old way of 

 getting a focus was really " barbarous." Some draw- 

 ings of old microscopes were shown on the screen, odd 

 pictures with tubes 5 feet long, and men standing on 

 ■hillocks to use them. The explanation was that where 

 an eye was at first used to indicate the point of observation 

 subsequent draughtsmen put in the entire human figure, 

 and so lengthened tubes for artistic effect. On the 

 whole, however, we have to be thankful for what the 

 ■ancients did, as from their work has come our modern 

 powerful instrument. 



INSTITUTION OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS. 

 At the meeting on the 3rd inst. Mr. William Geipel read 

 a paper on " The Position and Prospects of Electricity as 

 Applied to Engineering." The author confines his 

 remarks to those branches of electric engineering which 

 involve the employment of considerable power and are 

 in some way connected with the use of dynamo 

 machines. 



In the near future the electric transmission and dis- 



tribution of power will probably occupy more attention 

 and call forth more outlay of capital than any other 

 branch of electric engineering. Owing to its simplicity, 

 the ease with which an electric motor can be applied to 

 any purpose requiring power, and its high efficiency, it 

 is certainly an approach to an ideally perfect system of 

 transmission. 



Were it not for the cost of the dynamos and motors, 

 electricity would supersede to a great extent the use of 

 belts and shafting. 'In large works, where high speeds 

 are required and the demand for power is variable, the 

 efficiency of belts and shafting is very low indeed. As 

 much as 25 per cent, of the power may be absorbed by 

 the shafting when the full number of machines are in 

 use ; and in such a case with half the machines in use 

 the loss of power rises to nearly 50 per cent., while in 

 the extreme of driving only a single machine even 99 per 

 cent, may be lost. With electricity, on the other hand, 

 no power is being used in keeping the transmitting 

 medium in motion, the conductor being stationary ; the 

 loss takes place only whilst power is actually being used 

 by the motors, each of which drives its own machine. 

 In fact, the percentage of power lost in the transmitting 

 medium becomes smaller as the amount of power trans- 

 mitted is reduced, which is exactly the converse of what 

 happens with belting and shafting. 



The depreciation of the electric conductors is com- 

 paratively small; but whether the saving of renewing belts 

 and of lubricating shafting would not be counterbalanced 

 by the wear and tear of motors, is a question to be 

 settled by individual experience. The advantage, how- 

 ever, of getting rid of shafting, thereby obviating the 

 necessity for additional stability in the building and 

 doing away with constant lubrication, and the further 

 advantages of saving the space and light absorbed by 

 belts, and of the ease with which the conductor can be 

 shifted to suit any desired alterations in position of 

 machines, are also very important matters. 



The distribufion of power by electricity from a central 

 station to small users will, in the author's opinion, form 

 in many towns a larger business than the lighting. Both 

 can be done from the same mains and generators, just as 

 is the case with gas ; it is merely a question of economy 

 and convenience as to whether gas or electricity should 

 be used. 



An electric motor can be started and stopped at will 

 with the greatest ease ; it requires the smallest amount 

 of attention, occupies the minimum of space, and can be 

 placed in almost any position. 



As small steam-engines are being superseded by gas- 

 engines wherever the outlay for the latter can be afforded, 

 the competition in regard to small powers lies between 

 gas and electricity, and steam may be left out of the 

 question. 



In Geneva, within a radius of a mile and a quarter, 

 there are no fewer than 175 electric motors at work, 

 varying from | to 70 hp., supplying power to small 

 workshops and for other purposes, the electric power 

 being obtained from dynamos and turbines, which are 

 driven by water power derived from the Rhone. The 

 installation is paying its way, and is about to be largely 

 increased. At the Falls of Niagara plant is being put 

 down to distribute power obtained from the falls to 

 neighbouring towns, including Buffalo, which is 20 miles 

 distant ; the amount of power is stated at 15,000 hp., of 

 which 10,000 hp. is contracted for at -£^ per horse-power 

 per annum for power and lighting purposes in Buffalo. 



