AN ELECTRICAL TOWER.

Waikato Times, Volume III, Issue 157, 10 May 1873, Page 3

AN ELECTRICAL TOWER.

Mr William H. Ward, of Auburn, N. V., has suggested an electrical tower for accumulating natural electricity for telegrpph purposes. The structure, which is to bo placed on hij/h mountain peaks or other elevated stations, is to be made in thiee sections. The lower portion is a mere shell containing a door. Above this, and irt-ulatcd from it by a diaphragm, is the middle part in which are opening, or windows, having slats |pivoted in them, so that, by means of raising or lowering rods suitably connected to such shutters, the openings may be shut or opened. A projecting roof extends over the windows, serving to protect them from the weather, and also for receiving the aerial electrictity which may bo drawn from it by wires for land line purposes. Above this roof is another insulating diaphragm. The highest portion of the tower is surmounted by a bent ventilating tube and vane, so arranged and connected with the rods acting upon the shutters that the revolution of the vane by the wind will open the windward and close the leeward slats. The wind therefore assists in driving an aeriel current of electnoity into the insulated middle portion of the tower, which current passes upwardly through the upper portion of the tower and out through the ventilator, thus forming a draft by means of which the electrical current is forced out at the vane. Insulated wires loading from the lop portion of the .tower allow a supply of electricity to do drawn therefrom. By the use of the aerial electricity which surrounds the earth m the upper strata of the atmosphoro, the inventor considers that artificial batteries may be entirely dispensed with, and a circuit formed merely by connecting the aerial cnrreDt with the earth's current. For instance, to bring Buenos Ayres, in South America, in direct connection with iS'ew York the following plan would be pursued : one electrical tower is erected on Pike's Peak or any other suitablo lugli mountain in North America, and anolher similar tower on some suitable peak of the Andes in South America. The former would, by means of land lines, be connected directly with Denver, which place is ogam connected with all the prominent cities of the States. In a similar manner the southern tower is connected by land lines with prominent cities -via Quito. New York telegraphs to the tower on Pike's PeiJj, and the operator having connected" the land lino with the fieri *l current, the signals are transmitted through the aerial current to the town in South America, and thence — the land lines being suitably connected— to Quito and Buenos Ayres.

International Pronunciation Table. — Tn nix of the chief languages of Europe, there are at least 45 distinguishable sounds, expressed by letters or combinations of letters, 19 vowel sounds, and 26 consonant sounds ; of these sounds the English use 40, the Germans 39, the French 35, the Portuguese 3'A, and the Italians and Spaniards but 32 each. The English alphabet giving only 5 vowels and 18 consonants for the expression of its 40 sounds, auxiliary symbols have to be foimed in order to maik the 17 unrepresented sounds. The various sounds of the vawel A, for instance, cannot be gathered by a foreigner, though acquired by imitation in tho gradual use of the language by cluldien. To render all these 45 sounds intelligible for international study, Colonel ]Jenry Clinton haa compile I an elaborate and ingenious table and kf-y, with symbols for ench sound, and examples m the si\ chief continental languages. " Ma> Proposes," &c. — The newest — A worthj old woman, who was in grrat trouble, recently said to a friend of mine— "Ah! -well, well, bu-, it can't be helped. Man appoints and God disappoints-, as the Filing is." A recently deceased judge pos«esi-rd remarkable talents ns a punster, '"l'ray, nij loid," said alailj, " can jou tell me •what sort of a bird the bulbnl i* °" " Tt is the malo of the coo-coo, I suppose," replied tho humorous judge.