i879*] 
Electric Lighting . 
159 
at right angles to the axis of the core, and extend to some 
distance beyond its surface. The problem thus presented is 
to wind around the soft iron a conductor that shall be broad 
enough to grasp a large proportion of this outspread force, 
and yet shall follow its course as nearly as possible by 
standing out at right angles to the axis of the armature. 
This he proposed to effect by using a core of square section, 
and winding round it a broad ribbon of sheet copper, insu- 
lated on both sides by cementing on its surfaces a layer of 
silk ribbon. This armature to be laid with one edge against 
one side of the core, and carried on thus to the angle ; then 
turned over so that its opposite edge should be presented to 
the next side of the core ; this side to be followed in like 
manner, the ribbon similarly turned again at the next corner, 
and so on till the core becomes fully enclosed or armed with 
the continuous ribbon, which would thus encircle the core 
with its edges outwards, and nearly at right angles to the 
axis, in spite of its width, which might be increased to any 
extent found by experiment to be desirable. 
At this stage my direCt co-operation and confidential 
communication with Mr. Starr ceased, as I remained in 
London while he went to Birmingham in order to get his 
machinery constructed, and to apply it at the works of 
Messrs. Elkington, who had then recently introduced 
the principle of dynamo-eleCtric motive-power, electro- 
plating, &c., and were, I believe, using Woolrich’s appa- 
ratus, the patent for which was dated August 1, 1842, and 
enrolled February 1, 1843. 
I am unable to state the results of his efforts in Birming- 
ham. I only heard the murmurs of the capitalists, who 
loudly complained of expenditure without results. They 
had dreamed the same dream that Mr. Edison has recently 
re-dreamed, and has told the world so loudly. They sup- 
posed that the mechanically excited current might be carried 
along great lengths of wire, and the carbons interposed 
where required, and that the same electricity would flow on 
and do the duty of illumination over and over again, as a 
river may fall over a succession of weirs and turn water- 
wheels at each. Mr. Starr knew better ; his scepticism was 
misinterpreted ; he was taunted with failure and non-fulfil- 
ment of the anticipations he had raised, and with the fruit- 
less expenditure of large sums of other people’s money. 
He was a high-minded, honourable, and very sensitive man, 
suffering already from overworked brain before he went to 
Birmingham. There he worked again still harder, with 
further vexation and disappointment, until one morning he 
