TWO HOURS IN THE FAIRYLAND OF SCIENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 32, 7 February 1891, Page 2

TWO HOURS IN THE FAIRYLAND OF SCIENCE.

How true ib is thab science makes Utopia only half a dream, for from out the limitless expanse of her wonderland crowd upon us marvel after marvel, until we are impelled to exclaim— What cannot art and industry perform When science plans the progress Of their toil. In the perfected phonoerapb, which the genius of Edison has given to tne world, we have an instrument which will photograph the voice, and reproduce its bone, inflection, and even volume, years after the veil of the tomb has closed over the earthly casement in which were incepted the thoughts that, being given voice to, were caught up so faithfully and retained so exactly that for the voice so immortalised there can be no death, so long as it is desired to preserve the little cylinders upon which tbe wave motions of sound have imprinted, with the guiding band of science, their hieroglyghics. And all this because of the genius and industry of a man who has worshipped at the shrine of science which makes "old knowledge pale before the new." The Geelong public last evening had an opportunity of entering the garden in the fairyland of science where the magic, the marvellous phonograph flourishes and enchants the visitor. Complete arrangement had been made by the Messrs McMahon for the exhibition of tha wonderful voice and sound-reproducing instrument ab the Exhibition Theatre. The simple and lucid explanation which Professor Archibald, M.A., save to the audience concerning the phonograph was deeply interesting as well as most instructive, and the excellent illustrations with which he illumined his lecturette served admirably the purpose intended, for there is nothing after all so readily grasped as an object ivaouu. xno uuu_UCS *r«H MHO. Cll_u btro phonograph had really no limits ; it will

reproduce the perfect sound of whatever it receives. The limelight illustrations of the wave motions of sound as they travel to the ear or recording diaphragm of the phonograph served to show whab goes into the phonograph to insciibo upon the revolving wax cylinder the curious gyratory characters which represent the vibrations of the undulating sound waves, 4,000 of which latter are sot in motion per second by the playing of a piano, and 38,000 per second by an * ear-piercing screech.' An illustration of the vibratory characters, which the needle, set in motion by the sound, impinges upon the wax, was given, and it was mentioned, as indicating the minuteness of the recording furrows, that in the lateral progressive movement of the needle along tho surface of a revolving six-inch cylinder an actual distance of 250 feec is travelled by the message. Though the mechanism of the instrument is delicate and the construction complex—it has over 300 parts — ib is so arranged that it will nob readily be injured. Professor Archibald has travelled 50,000 miles with one, and on only one occasion has a mishap occurred. Instrumental and vocal music—solos, duets, quartets, quintets, etc. —can be recorded on the perfected phonograph with startling completeness and precision. Evidence of the capabilities of the instrument were given lasb and the audience gave most demonstrative tokens of appreciation. There was first a cornet solo which had been played into the instrument in London by Arthur Smith, of the Coldstream Guards, in which the rapidity of the registering power of the instrument was excellently tested. Then signals from a coach horn played by the same artiste, and which has been reproduced from the same cylinder already over 500 times. A banjo solo was rendered as played into the instrument at Liverpool last October by Vane, the champion of the world, and a banjo duet was also given. Then a duet, cornet and flute, which had been taken in ivreiuourne. .__, wuu_ K iiu-uticr was Che reproduction of the tones of a penny

whistle, the original naving been taken long ago in London. This was followed by a clarionet solo by Lyons, of the Victorian Orchestra. An interesting performance was that of a duet, piano and flute, which had been taken en the cylinder in Edison's laboratory, the applause that greeted bhe original performance when the assistants at the laboratory cheered and clapped their hands being reproduced quite as a matter of course at the close of tho instrumental duet. A song taken in October lasb when Bingley Shaw sang in Nottingham was given ; also one by J. L. Toole, as well as his query ab the conclusion *' How will that do ?" A laughing song, with banjo accompaniment; Killaloo, and the number " Two Lovely Black Eyes " were also given, as well as a duet by Snazelle and Loitch, with the catch phrase *' Ain't it sickening ?" Then one of the features of the programme was given, when the following communication, spoken in London in March last by Mr Gladstone, was reproduced :— *'10, St. James' Square, London. My dear Lord Carrington, — I gladly avail myself of this opportunity to assure you with how mnch pleasure I hear of you and of your career as Governor in New South Wales. I am also alike honoured and gratified in being the first person to make a communication bhrough the phonograph to Australasia, as worthily represented by tbe great colony at whose head you have been placed. In the phonograph is a new bond of amity between Australasia and the United Kingdon, and I regard each addition to these free and friendly ties as an inspired benefit and a fresh guarantee for the endurance of a connection alike honourable and beneficial on that side of the water and on this. I am, my dear Lord Carrington. very faithfully, W. E. Gladstone." At the conclusion of the applause which this evoked, a number M persona went on to obe&tageand t ejpjoyed Moreelearly'the sensation *©f the reproduction ot this speech, and various other numbers.— * Geelong Times.*