LORD KELVIN.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 23, 8 June 1907, Page 23

LORD KELVIN.

“The Napoleon of Natural Philosophy” is the term which must accurately describes Lord Kehin, the white haired old scientist who has worked strenuously in the cause of truth tiw-r sixty years (says “Cassell's Magazine”). Th® scene of h?s labours has hern Glasgow I niversity, at which he obtained a professors chair at the early age of twentytwo; but his fame is world wide with inventions that have entered intimately into the life of every civilised nation. In his coat-tail pocket, he carries a little green book, in which, while waiting for a train or riding in a carriage, he works out his problems. Lord Kelvin displays, mod of his characteristics at the lecture table. The hoard before him is littered with egg", sugar, salt, shoemaker’s ua.x, piano wire billiard balls, treacle, jrw.s-harp*-. am. whisky, of all which he use* to drivr home the meaning of “ parallclopipiilal partitionings ” or til rakaidekaht dro ual cells.” One of his experiments, a favourite with his devoted students. i< to determine (he velocity of a bullet by tiring it into the wooden bob of a pendulum. and noticing the displacement. Armed with the old rille with which, when a volunteer, he use.l to practise. Lord Kelvin drops on one knee, takes aim, and tiros, and is back again at the blackboard before the smoke has cleared away, while the studmils cheer and applaud. Proml as his students are of him, they are not above playing a joke on the old professor. One of his experiments is to demonstrate by means of raw and hard-boiled eggs the solidify of the earth’s core. Boiled eggs, when set spinning on a- table, rise <m theii ends; unboiled eggs, owing io the fluidity of the interior, fail to rise. Once a wag gish student supplied two raw’ eggs for the experiment, and awaited the profes sional downfall. “None of them boiled.” said land Kelvin, and immediately proccddcd with (he next business. Soon after the laying of the Atlantic cable Lord Kelvin was puzzling his brains to- devise some means of interpreting clearly and easily -the delicate fluctuations of the electric current. The ordinary apparatus was useless lor Hie purpose. Line x pec (edly one day hi.* eyeglass ilropped otl’ and swung in front of the magnet. reflecting all its movements by a tiny beam ol light. Lord Kelvin noted the fact, and quickly devised Hie mirror instrument, by which the nios* <lelieal,e movements of the vhriric cur rent are conveyed to the eye of the tel® graphist. Accustomed as he is to deal wit.ii mathematical calculations of stupendous magnitude, Lord Kelvin is sound inns unable to do a simple arithmetical sum, to reckon his change correctly or accomplish some of the simple things that the ordinary mortal limN quite easy. AVhon the late Duke of Argyll was taken ill at a public meeting, and carried from the platform to a pri vate room below, it was necessary’ to light a lire. Lord Ke’vtn volunteered for the duty, but insleml of proceeding in tin* usual way, he amazed ami amused the <-ompany by trying to kindle a bundle of firewood at one <>l the gas bu rners.