A NEW LIGHT.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XI, Issue 645, 12 January 1859, Page 3

A NEW LIGHT.

- Amidst the grandeur' of illumination that took place at Cherbourgthere ;was nothing1 that told more i effectively than a little episode on Tuesday night just as the Euiperor was quitting the -Royal yacht.; Orders: were suddenly'received" on board thel)iadem> that .if [possible ;{the/Emperor's; barge 'should be; lighted to the shore by one of the, Horn -Major.Fitz^turesque and; beautiful gondola stood out, the single i bright spot upon the dark waters, and. the most enthusiastic cheers,broke forth at this unexpected and splendid effect. Qn the following evening the Hon. Major Fitzmaurice put on the full power of ten--lights on board the Diadem, which, to use the expression of a naval officer who witnessed the scene; at half a mile distant, madelier look like a floating; aurora ■, borealis. • ; On board, the; Bretagne, where the. "Royal banquet took place, which was upwards of; 600, yards, from the' Diadem, persons could see to read distinctly on her quarter-deck; and. as the ; Emperor returned to' the shore after the fireworks,' were^over,: these lights made the imperial bees and. eagle bn; the summit of the gondola stand out in bold relief when at a thousand yards distance from • the> light. 'The whole proceeding was long and loudly;cheered: as the crowning event of the night's illuminations^ .The various vessels in the harbours were also, distinctly visible by means of; this light during the nights of Wednesday and' Thursday. The Hon. Major Fitzmaurice's life-light was also on Saturday night exhibited to, and tested by, Admiral Sir George. Seymour in company with his Flag-Lieutenant and Captain Moorsom, R.K, of H.M.S. Diadem, arid several other gentlemen on board/the, gunboat Bullfinch,- up and down the harbour at Portsmouth and round to Spithead. And : on Wednesday the 1 lth, it was experimented with by Captain Seymour, R.N., commander on board H.M.S.■ Victory, with his fellow-officers, and Mr,;Hay, Professor of Chemistry in the Government Dockyard, Plymouth, and, elicited the admiration of: these gentlemen, objects being rendered distinctly visible at Gospor t and Portsmouth to wns, ior upwards of a mile : on the r river. By a variety of tests, it seems clearly to be proved that the portability, power, arid practicability of this economical light are beyond anything of the kind ever before; invented. The - superiority -of this powerful light: over the ordinary oil, spirit, gas, or electric light appears: to be very great., Its cliief advantages, as set forth by the inventor, consist in its ..cheapness and ease of management. Not being encumbered with apparatus, it may be fixed anywhere, or carried about in the hand, or in a carpet bag, while burning any length of time, in any weather; its rays (which can be" modified: to any power from that of a candle or' to exceed the electric light) can be diffused all rourid, or directed w.hite or colored on to any moving.or fixed object. One of the life protecting lights will render objects visible two miles, or show a signal of any colour twenty milesloff of the most vivid description.— lllustrated News, Aug. 2h Taking Likenesses,at Midnight.—A most valuable and interesting discovery:was made known and put into practice at midnight, on Tuesday, by the Hon. Major Fitzmaurice, with-.the.hew "Life Light." The Messrs.-Findlayson,- photographic artists, were requested to test the merits of the light, in regard to photography, and the trial was made with the greatest satisfaction. Groupings of the members and friends of the Major's family, as also of inanimate objects, were beautifully photographed on glass, in the short space of twenty seconds. The trials were repeated several times, but with still better results at each.succeeding operation.— lbid, August 28. t . „ The. above extracts indicate the existence ot a new means of supplying light; powerful, economical, portable, and in many other points of an excellence far surpassing any at present in use. Our attention has been called to the subject by a gentleman of nautical experience in this province, who points to the probable utility of this light for our harbour, for the service of the steamers now beginning ito frequent our port, as also for our increasing fleets of coasters,,-, The. question of obtaining it is doubtless worth attention.-1,,; t i: .