SCIENTIFIC GOSSIP.

Press, Volume XLV, Issue 7143, 3 September 1888, Page 3

SCIENTIFIC GOSSIP.

j-:JJ A Jxmdon gentlemanu who had just rej chived a phdbograpb frbra Edison, wrote i thus to the TimcJi :—At 2 o'clock this i afternoon, at the address below, I had the honour to receive from Mr Edison his " pre. fected phonograph," which, on the i authority of Mr Edison's own statement i in his own familiar voice, communicated i to mc by the phonograph itself, '• is the first instrument of his latest model that has been seen outside of his laboratory or has left his hands," aud is consequently J the first to reach thia country. At tire minutes past 2 o'clock precisely I aud my J family were enjoying the at once unprecedented and astounding experience of listening to Mr Edisou's own familiar vxd uniniamkeable tones here lit Eugluad—

more than 3000 miles from the place wherr he had spoken, and exactly ten days after, the voice having meanwhilevoyaged across the Atlantic Ocean. "Hisfirstpbonogram, , as Mr Edison calls it, tells mc, amone other things, that this instrument contains many modifications of those which a few weeks ago were exhibited at the Electrical Club in New York, and so widely reported by the press. In the several long phonogramic communications to mc (no single word of which had to be repeated in order to be clearly and easily understood by every person present, including a child of seven years old), Mr Edison mentions that he will send mc phonograms by every mail leaving New York, and requests mc to correspond with him exclusively through the medium of the ponograph, humourously remarking in this connection upon the advantages he will himself derive from the substitution .of phonograms for a stylo of writing not always too legible. Next to the phonogram from Mr Edison himself, and before all others of the interesting contents of the " phonogramie cabinet" sent mc is an exquisite poem entitled " The Phonograph's Salutation,*' composed of the well-known and gifted American poet and preacher, the Rev. Horatio Nelson Powers, D.D., of Piermont on the Hudson. This poem makes the phonograph tell its own story of what it Is and what it does, in a style and with a power that must add not a little to the already high reputation of its author. It was spoken by him into the phonograph, so that we cannot fail to read it as ho would have it read—a privilege of no small importance to both the poet and thoso who hear him. Perhaps the highest jusfci. fleation of the phonograph's description of its own power in its "Salutation" is found in the fact that to several of my family who are familiar with the rev. doctorte style of oratory, from haviup sat .under his preaching in former years, the voice of the author is perfectly recognisable, oven by my youugest child of 7 years, who had not heard the voice since ho was 5 years old. Besides the above, Mr Edison has sent for our amusement numerous musical records of great interest and beauty; pianofortes, cornet and other instruments, solos, duets &c, many of which, he tells mc, have been frequently repeated, some several hundred times. A wild scheme is under consideration in Mexico for tunnelling the volcano of Popocatepetl through the wall of the crater, in order to get at the immense sulphur deposits with which it is supposed the inside of the mountain is stored. A narrow gauge railway is to conuect the tunnel with a neighbouring town, from which a railway runs to the national capital. Nothing is said about any prospecting operations being carried on; In any case the result of the undertaking is likely to be a surprise —a pleasurable oner let it be hoped. An improved method of distributing oil on the waters has been patented in Germany. It consists of a rocket, to which is attached a cylinder filled with oil. It la said that the rocket can be fired with accuracy from the ship, and that when it explodes the oil is scattered just where it is wanted. Several interesting experiments have recently been made between Bremen and New York. In one the rocket was (lred to a distance of 1500 ft, and less distances. By the explosion of fivo rockets, at a distance of from 1200 to 1500 feet from the ship, a space of 1500 to 2000 square feet of water was covered with oil, and the waves were at once smoothed. The rocket was iired 900 ft against a gale. The importance of the invention to deep water sailors consists in the certainty of explosion of the rocket at a sufficient distance to leave the vessel in calm water during a gale. The Invention is said to have been purchased by the North German LloycL _____