Edison's New Light

Whatever may be the facts in regard to Nikola Tesla's reported invention of a new system of electric lighting, there seems to be no doubt that Edison has got hold of a really practical improvement in electric lighting that is as great an advance over the present incandescent lamp as that was over coal gas. The new light is produced by the introduction of electricity into a partial vacuum within a globe composed of glass in which the crystals of a certain mineral have been fused so as to form an interior coating looking like frosting. The diagram herewith shown gives the form of the new lamp. It will be seen that there is no carbon loop. The electric current, entering at the points A and B, sets in motion the molecules of air within the globe, which are driven against the mineral-coated surface and deflected, as shown by the dotted lines, the molecules agitated at A taking the course D, E, F, G, and those agitated by the current entering at B taking the opposite direction. This produces a perfectly white light, much more powerful than the present incandescent lamp. The only difficulty in the way of the success of the new light is in the cracking of the crystals. Edison expects to overcome this very soon, when the public will be afforded a much cheaper and more powerful electric light than at present in bulbs which will be practically indestructible. The new light is the outcome of Edison's experiments with the X rays that have lately excited so much attention.