heroes of the telegraph-第37节
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of telegraph wires coming from all parts of the Union were focussed at one end of the room。 An ash… covered forge； a cabinet organ； a rusty stove with an old pivot chair； a bench well stained with oils and acids； completed the equipment of this curious den； into which the sunlight filtered through the chemical jars and fell in coloured patches along the dusty floor。
The moving spirit of this haunt by day and night is well described as an overgrown school…boy。 He is a man of a slim； but wiry figure； about five feet ten inches in height。 His face at this period was juvenile and beardless。 The nose and chin were shapely and prominent； the mouth firm； the forehead wide and full above； but not very high。 It was shaded by dark chestnut hair； just silvered with grey。 His most remarkable features were his eyes； which are blue…grey and deeply set； with an intense and piercing expression。 When his attention was not aroused； he seemed to retire into himself； as though his mind had drifted far away； and came back slowly to the present。 He was pale with nightwork； and his thoughtful eyes had an old look in serious moments。 But his smile was boyish and pleasant； and his manner a trifle shy。
There was nothing of the dandy about Edison； He boasted no jewelled fingers or superfine raiment。 An easy coat soiled with chemicals； a battered wide…awake； and boots guiltless of polish； were good enough for this inspired workman。 An old silver watch； sophisticated with magnetism； and keeping an eccentric time peculiar to it； was his only ornament。 On social occasions； of course； he adopted a more conventional costume。 Visitors to the laboratory often found him in his shirt…sleeves； with dishevelled hair and grimy hands。
The writer of 'A Night with Edison' has described him as bending like a wizard over the smoky fumes of some lurid lamps arranged on a brick furnace； as if he were summoning the powers of darkness。
'It is much after midnight now；' says this author。 'The machinery below has ceased to rumble； and the tired hands have gone to their homes。 A hasty lunch has been sent up。 We are at the thermoscope。 Suddenly a telegraph instrument begins to click。 The inventor strikes a grotesque attitude； a herring in one hand and a biscuit in the other； and with a voice a little muffled with a mouthful of both； translates aloud； slowly； the sound intelligible to him alone： 〃London。News of death of Lord John Russell premature。〃 〃John Blanchard； whose failure was announced yesterday； has suicided （no； that was a bad one） SUCCEEDED！ in adjusting his affairs； and will continue in business。〃'
His tastes are simple and his habits are plain。 On one occasion； when invited to a dinner at Delmonico's restaurant； he contented himself with a slice of pie and a cup of tea。 Another time he is said to have declined a public dinner with the remark that 100；000 dollars would not tempt him to sit through two hours of 'personal glorification。' He dislikes notoriety； thinking that a man is to be 'measured by what he does； not by what is said about him。' But he likes to talk about his inventions and show them to visitors at Menlo Park。 In disposition he is sociable； affectionate； and generous； giving himself no airs； and treating all alike。 His humour is native； and peculiar to himself； so there is some excuse for the newspaper reporters who take his jokes about the capabilities of Nature AU SERIEUX； and publish them for gospel。
His assistants are selected for their skill and physical endurance。 The chief at Menlo Park was Mr。 Charles Batchelor； a Scotchman； who had a certain interest in the inventions； but the others； including mathematicians； chemists； electricians； secretary； bookkeeper； and mechanics； were paid a salary。 They were devoted to Edison； who； though he worked them hard at times； was an indulgent master； and sometimes joined them in a general holiday。 All of them spoke in the highest terms of the inventor and the man。
The Menlo establishment was unique in the world。 It was founded for the sole purpose of applying the properties of matter to the production of new inventions。 For love of science or the hope of gain； men had experimented before； and worked out their inventions in the laboratories of colleges and manufactories。 But Edison seems to have been the first to organise a staff of trained assistants to hunt up useful facts in books； old and modern； and discover fresh ones by experiment； in order to develop his ideas or suggest new ones； together with skilled workmen to embody them in the fittest manner； and all with the avowed object of taking out patents； and introducing the novel apparatus as a commercial speculation。 He did not manufacture his machines for sale； he simply created the models； and left their multiplication to other people。 There are different ways of looking at Nature：
'To some she is the goddess great； To some the milch…cow of the field； Their business is to calculate The butter she will yield。'
The institution has proved a remarkable success。 From it has emanated a series of marvellous inventions which have carried the name of Edison throughout the whole civilised world。 Expense was disregarded in making the laboratory as efficient as possible； the very best equipment was provided； the ablest assistants employed； and the profit has been immense。 Edison is a millionaire； the royalties from his patents alone are said to equal the salary of a Prime Minister。
Although Edison was the master spirit of the band； it must not be forgotten that his assistants were sometimes co…inventors with himself。 No doubt he often supplied the germinal ideas； while his assistants only carried them out。 But occasionally the suggestion was nothing more than this： 'I want something that will do so…and…so。 I believe it will be a good thing； and can be done。' The assistant was on his mettle； and either failed or triumphed。 The results of the experiments and researches were all chronicled in a book； for the new facts； if not then required； might become serviceable at a future time。 If a rare material was wanted； it was procured at any cost。
With such facilities； an invention is rapidly matured。 Sometimes the idea was conceived in the morning； and a working model was constructed by the evening。 One day； we are told； a discovery was made at 4 P。M。； and Edison telegraphed it to his patent agent； who immediately drew up the specification； and at nine o'clock next morning cabled it to London。 Before the inventor was out of bed； he received an intimation that his patent had been already deposited in the British Patent Office。 Of course； the difference of time was in his favour。
When Edison arrived at the laboratory in the morning； he read his letters； and then overlooked his employees； witnessing their results and offering his suggestions； but it often happened that he became totally engrossed with one experiment or invention。 His work was frequently interrupted by curious visitors； who wished to see the laboratory and the man。 Although he had chosen that out…of…the…way place to avoid disturbance； they were never denied： and he often took a pleasure in showing his models； or explaining the work on which he was engaged。 There was no affectation of mystery； no attempt at keeping his experiments a secret。 Even the laboratory notes were open to inspection。 Menlo Park became a kind of Mecca to the scientific pilgrim； the newspapers and magazines despatched reporters to the scene； excursion parties came by rail； and country farmers in their buggies； till at last an enterprising Yankee even opened a refreshment room。
The first of Edison's greater inventions in Menlo Park was the 'loud… speaking telephone。' Professor Graham Bell had introduced his magneto… electric telephone； but its effect was feeble。 It is； we believe； a maxim in biology that a similarity between the extremities of a creature is an infallible sign of its inferiority； and that in proportion as it rises in the scale of being； its head is found to differ from its tail。 Now； in the Bell apparatus； the transmitter and the receiver were alike； and hence Clerk Maxwell hinted that it would never be good for much until they became differentiated from each other。 Consciously or unconsciously Edison accomplished the feat。 With the hardihood of genius； he attempted to devise a telephone which would speak out loud enough to be heard in any corner of a large hall。
In the telephone of Bell； the voice of the speaker is the motive power which generates the current in the line。 The vibrations of the sound may be said to transform themselves into electrical undulations。 Hence the current is very weak； and the reproduction of the voice is relatively faint。 Edison adopted the principle of making the vibrations of the voice control the intensity of a current which was independently supplied to the line by a voltaic battery。 The plan of Bell； in short； may be compared to a man who employs his strength to pump a quantity of water into a pipe； and that of Edison to one who uses his to open a sluice； through which a stream of water flows from a capacious dam into the pipe。 Edison was acquainted with two experimental facts on which to base
