THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



283 



"The most beautiful experiment we ever 

 witnessed was the loud sound and brilliant 

 flash from the galvanic spark, when produced 

 near a certain point in his great magnet. Each 

 snap was as a pistol; and when he produced 

 the same spark at a little distance from this 

 point, it made no noise at all. This recent 

 discovery he stated to have a practical bearing 

 upon the construction of an electro-magnetic 

 engine. Truly, a great power is here; and 

 where is the limit of it ^ 



" He then exhibited his engine, of between 

 four and five horse power, operated by a bat- 

 tery contained within a space of three cubic 

 feet. It looked very unlike a magnetic ma- 

 chine. It was a reciprocating engine of two 

 feet stroke, and the whole engine and battery 

 weighed about one ton. When the power was 

 thrown on by the motion of a lever, the engine 

 started off magnificently, making one hundred 

 and fourteen strokes per minute; though, when 

 it drove a circular saw ten inches in diameter, 

 sawing up boards an inch and a quarter thick 

 into laths, the engine made but about eighty 

 strokes per minute. There was great anxiety 

 on the part of the spectators to obtain speci- 

 mens of these laths, to preserve as trophies 

 of this great mechanical triumph. The force 

 operating upon his magnetic cylinder through- 

 out the whole motion of two feet, was stated 

 to be six hundred pounds when the engine 

 was moving very slowly, but he had not been 

 able to ascertain what the force was when the 

 engine was running at a working speed, though 

 it was considerably less. The most important 

 and interesting point, however, is the expense 

 of the power. Professor Page stated that he 

 had reduced the cost so far, that it was less 

 than steam under many and most conditions, 

 though not so low as the cheapest steam en- 

 gines. With all the imperfections of the en- 

 gine, the consumption of three pounds of zinc 

 per day would produce one horse power. The 

 larger his engines, (contrary to what has been 

 known before,) the greater the economy. Pro- 

 fessor Page was himself surprised at the re- 

 sult. There were yet practical difficulties to 

 be overcome; the battery had yet to be im- 

 proved ; and it remained yet to try the experi- 

 ment on a grander scale, to make a power of 

 of one hundred horse, or more. 



" Truly the age is fraught wiih wonders; 

 and we can now look forward with certainty 

 to the time when coal will be put to better use 

 than to bum, scald and destroy." 



Yes; the age truly will be fraught with 

 wonders when steam shall have been super- 

 seded! But we are yet in doubt. We want 

 to see more of this mysterious agent. The 

 subject has again been brought before the Se- 

 nate of the United States and a proposition 

 submitted for testing the practicability and 

 cost of propelling a man of war or merchant 

 ship. Dr. P. says, " With the same size of 



battery, and much less cost, I am enabled now 

 to exert a force of six hundred pounds where 

 little more than a year ago I obtained a force 

 of only fifty pounds. With a consumption of 

 two and a half pounds of zinc, I now produce 

 one horse power for twenty-four hours. This 

 is nearly as cheap as the cheapest steam en- 

 gine in the world, and much cheaper than 

 steam under some conditions." The cost of 

 zinc is stated at eight cents per pound. The 

 advantages claimed by Dr. P. are numerous. 

 He says his machine occupies but little space 

 compared with a steam engine, instantly com- 

 municates its whole power, avoids all danger 

 from fire, does not have to stop to take in 

 wood and water, may enter cities without en- 

 dangering or annoying any one, &c. Let these 

 advantages be proved, and who shall foretell 

 the revolution in all motive powerl 



There are not a few of our readers whose 

 estates are such as to require the use of much 

 motive power beyond that employed at the 

 wagon tongue and at the beam of the plough. 

 In those situations, we cannot, in our day and 

 generation, dream of seeing other than animal 

 power employed. But in various other opera- 

 tions of the large farm, the want of more force 

 and cheaper force to give motion to machinery 

 has been long felt. If the proprietor be fortu- 

 nate (or unfortunate, because grinding the 

 grist is not what it used to be,) enough to have 

 a mill, and water power to be used for other 

 purposes at will, it is in one place only, and 

 cannot be moved. It cannot be advantageously 

 employed in threshing grain, shelling corn, 

 cutting up forage, packing hay, grinding ap- 

 ples, pumping water, or in any of the minor 

 operations which require motive power. The 

 stationary saw mills of the country are be- 

 coming more and more inconvenient every 

 year, as timber grows less abundant; and the 

 portable saw is ere long destined to supply 

 their place to a very great extent. Suppose, 

 now, the machines of Dr. Page are found 

 practicable for common use, will it not become 

 the interest of every large farmer to possess 

 and use one of theml We should think so, 

 undoubtedly. The subject of portable steam 

 engines for farm purposes is attracting much 

 attention among the Agricultural Societies 

 northward. The Maryland Society offers a 

 premium of one hundred dollars for the best 

 exhibited at their fair on the 24th October, and 



