FAMOUS IRISHMEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19195, 8 December 1925, Page 12

FAMOUS IRISHMEN.

GREAT SCIENTISTS.

A REMARKABLE RECORD. MEN OF MANY j PARTS. "Sursum Gorda" writes:—ln the issue of the Herald dated December 2, there is an interesting reference to "Britain's Contribution," in the realms of science and industry. Some brief outlines are given of a book written by Lord Riddell in which he extols English and Scottish enterprising genius, but no mention is made of anything pertaining to the Irish. Has there been a dearth of any kind of genius in Ireland, and is the world under no obligation to her alleged musical and military, sacred and scientific, political and industrial, social and liteiary achievements ?

One would not like lo accuse Lord Riddell of any inordinate attachment to the pharisees of history who fail to give Ireland her due. Nevertheless one leels he gives, some cause lor complaint. Scotland deservedly holds an honoured place for Lord Riddell, but lie does violence to the claims of national pride in others by ascribing too much to her. John Boyd Dunlop, who discovered the pneumatic tyre which bears his name, was an Irishman, but he is annexed as "another Scot" by Lord Riddell. The inventor of the "Bessemer" steel process was William Kelly, a typical Irishman, but even this 'is claimed for Bessemer, as an' Englishman, Sir J. J. Thompson is referred to in terms of praise as "half English," but not even this meed of honour is meeted out on behalf of Ireland, whether of pure or hybrid stock. All the various walks of life have been more or less adorned by Irishmen, and they have often been pre-eminent in their, special spheres. The Hon. Robert Boyle is known as "The Father of Chemistry." Sir Hans Sloane, who was president of the Royal Society, in succcsison to Sir Isaac Newton, was the norniqal founder of the British Museum and a library of £50,000. John Armstrong, F.R.S.. was the founder of Woohvich Arsenal, and Sir W. R. Hamilton was awarded the Royal Society's gold medal for an important theory of a genera! method of dynamics. Sir Charles Parsons, F.R.S., the inventor of the steam turbine, Morse, the inventor of the telegraph, John P. Holland, the inventor of the submarine torpedo, and McCorm-ick, the inventor of the universal reaping and mowing machine, were of Irish blood and brawn.

It was the famous biologist, G. J. Romanes, who declared that the most brilliant galaxy of men ever assembled at one place, were to be found at Cambridge at the latter half of the 19th century, and two of these were the famous Irish scientists, Sir G. G. Stokes and Sir William. Kelvin. Stokes was the discoverer of the refrangibility of light. After the celebration of his jubilee as professor of mathematics at Cambridge University, .he was referred to as "The greatest scientist of the age,"- and as "The Modern Newton," and given other titles of esteem.

Kelvin is known as the "Napoleon of Science in the 19th Century," and the record of his achievements is unsurpassed. To him the world is indebted for the theory of the speed of electric signalling through submarine cables, and the establishment of electric telegraphs to the most distant parts of our planet. He investigated all the causes of the disturbance of the mariner's compass, and showed how to allow for them. He made great improvements in the art of deep-sea sounding, and has shown how to predict the rise and fail of the tide in any given place. He revolutionised the instruments for electrical measurements, and made the modern electroscopes and electrometers what they are. He discovered balances for ■ weighing electric currents, and for measuring electric power and energy. Think of Ireland's amazing scientific output since Tyndall down through Sullivan, Reynolds, Fitzgerald, Macallister, Larrnor. Hull and Sir Robert Ball, the late leading astronomer of the world. Even Marconi, of wireless telegraphy fame, is half an. Irishman, inasmuch as his mother was an Irishwoman, being a Miss O'Brien prior to h'er marriage. In the industrial world there have been no more prominent men during recent years than the late Lord Pirrie, of Hariand unci Wolfe, of shipbuilding fame. Sir Thomas Lip ton. and Henry Ford, of Irish birth and lineage. A supreme example in journalism was the late Lord Northeliffe, and two present-day ones are J. L. Garvin, of the Observer, and T. P. O'Connor, '"father of the House of Commons." Among preachers, teachers, scholars, philanthropists, historians, artists, authors, lawyers and doctors, Irishmen have been on the crest of the wave.