1881.] 



President's Address. 



53 



of illumination (such as perhaps the glow of platinum on the point 

 of fusion) must eventually be adopted for electric lights. 



I have described the more important of the results of the delibera- 

 tions of the Congress. Perhaps, however, the most important of all 

 (with the exception of the choice of electrical units) will prove to 

 have been the impetus given to electrical science by the inter- 

 change of ideas that took place among the leading physicists of all 

 nations, and the light that was thrown on the various problems which 

 came under discussion in the meetings of the Congress. 



I cannot conclude this imperfect sketch of this important Congress 

 better than by quoting the eloquent words of M. Dumas at the con- 

 clusion of its sittings : — " Greek mythology, in its happy personifica- 

 tion of the forces of nature, placed the winds and the waves under 

 the direction of divinities of the second rank ; it made the celestial 

 representative of light its god of poetry and of the arts ; and by an 

 admirable forethought, it reserved lightning for Jupiter. Science 

 and industry have long since laid their hands on the forces which air 

 and water have placed at the disposition of man. Steam, animated 

 by fire, has enabled him to overcome many obstacles and to rule the 

 waves. Light has no longer any secrets from science, and the arts are 

 daily multiplying its marvellous applications. But there remained 

 one labour to accomplish ; namely, to wrest lightning itself from the 

 hands of the ruler of the gods, and to bend it to the needs of humanitv. 

 This is the feat which the nineteenth century has now accomplished, 

 and of which this Congress is the evidence and the witness. This 

 feat will mark an epoch ever memorable in history; and, amid the 

 turmoil of politics and of questions which agitate the human mind, it 

 will be recognised as the characteristic feature of our era. The 

 nineteenth century will be the century of electricity." 



After the Congress, one of the most remarkable events during the 

 present year has undoubtedly been the Electrical Exhibition in 

 Paris. I do not of course purpose to describe it, as many 

 of our Fellows visited it ; and full descriptions have reached us 

 through various channels. One point, however, must have struck 

 those who examined any considerable number of the objects ; and 

 this I mention, not as in any way disparaging them, but rather as 

 illustrating the stage to which electrical science has attained ; namely, 

 that while the assemblage of instruments and appliances was in every 

 way remarkable, and while very great ingenuity and skill had been 

 expended on their contrivance and construction, yet the amount of 

 novelty in the principles involved was comparatively small. Of new 

 combinations, improved methods, and adaptations in detail there was 

 abundance. Some of them even removed former inventions from the 

 category of curiosities to that of instruments for practical employ- 

 ment ; or enlarged their sphere of utility from that of the laboratory 



