CATHOLICS IN ELECTRICAL WORLD

New Zealand Tablet, 1 February 1917, Page 55

CATHOLICS IN ELECTRICAL WORLD

The Electrical Exposition, which marks the week of December 2-9 all over the country (says an American serves to bring the attention of the general to the progress made in electrical science, and the marvellous uses to which it may be put in every phase of life. Electrical week is an occasion of more than ordin- , ary interest to Catholics, who recall that the most illustrious names in the history of the science of electricity belong to devoted sons of Mother Church. These great men, whose researches and experiments did so much to discover and develop electric energy, made it serve in a multiplicity of ways the various wants of mankind. A partial list of Catholic scientists who have won ~ a distinguished place on the roll of honor of electricity are—Ampere, Andre Marie, born in France, 1775, was the founder of the science of electro-dynamics. Beccaria, Giovanni Battista, born in Italy, 1716, won fame by his original research in electricity. Becquerel, Antoine Caesar, born in France, 1788, was founder of electro-chemistry. Coulomb, Charles Augustin do, born in France, 1736, invented the torsion-balance electrometer, and established the fundamental laws of static electricity. The two-fluid theory of electricity is called after him, the Coulombian theory. - Dirwisch, Procopius, a Premonstratensian monk of Preuditz in Bohemia, about the middle of the eighteenth century, demonstrated the identity of electrical phenomena with lightning by sending up a lightning conductor, by which, during thunder storms, he obtained sparks from the clouds. Foucalt, Jean Bernard Leon, born in France, 1819, gave the first practical electric arc lamp to the world in 1844. Galvani, Luigi, born in Bologna, Italy, 1737, is one of the most honored pioneers of the science of electricity. He was buried in the habit of the Third Order of St; Francis. Gordon, Andrew, born in Scotland, 1712, was the first to use a cylinder of glass to produce frictional electricity. Also invented electric chimes. He was a Benedictine monk. Gramme, Zenobe Theophile, born in Belgium, 1826, invented the Gramme dynamo, which gives the motive force to work machinery and run cars. Nobili, Leopoldo, born in Italy, 1784, was the inventor of the Thermo-electric pile. Nollet, Jean Antoine, born in France, 1700, was the first to observe an electric spark drawn from a human body. Plante, Gaston, a scientist of Brussels, Belgium, made the first storage battery in 1859. Volta, Alessandro, born in Italy in 1745, invented the first complete galvanic battery. So identified with the history of electricity are some of these names, that they have become assimilated by the common terminology of the science, and we speak of an ampere, a coulomb, galvanism, a volt as readily as of a wire, a conductor, or a dynamo, and we never think of using capital initials. And yet, even at this late day, says the Catholic Telegraph , in an illuminating editorial on the subject, when people generally are supposed to be blessed with the enlightenment, which should come with free and universal education, it is often said by persons outside the Catholic fold that the Church has always tried to keep her children in ignorance, in order that she might hold them in subjection and work them to her will. This charge has been refuted, completely exploded time j*. and again; nevertheless, it is often repeated by secV. tarians and is given credence by persons, whose training prejudices them against the Church, and who have no inclination, and feel no obligation to investigate charges against Catholics or Catholicism. How un-

founded is this; slanderous accusation may be seen at a glance , by any observant person; who, will, take note of the parochial schools, the ■ colleges, the- academies, the universities, which are flourishing and always have flourished under the fostering care of the Church.