A CENTURY OF ELECTRICITY. CHAPTER I. FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY. UNDER date of April 29, 1749, Benjamin Franklin, of Philadelphia, wrote to Peter Collinson, of London, as follows: CHAGRINED a little that we have hitherto been able to produce nothing in this way of ufe to mankind; and the hot weather coming on, when electrical experiments are not fo agreeable, it is proposed to put an end to them for this feason, somewhat humorously, in a party of pleasure on the banks of Skuylkil. Spirits, at the fame time, are to be fired by a spark fent from fide to fide through the river, without any other conductor than the water; an experiment which we fome time since performed, to the amazement of many. A turkey is to be killed for our dinner by the electrical Shock, and roasted by the electrical jack, before a fire kindled by the electrified bottle; when the healths of all the famous electricians in England, Holland, France, and Germany are to be drank in electrified bumpers,1 under the discharge of guns from the electrical battery. On the Fourth of July, 1885, at a few minutes past 5 o'clock, P. M., the President of the United States, at the Executive Mansion in Washington, received the following message, dated at the dinner-table in London, 10.10 P. M.," of the same day : -- TO HIS EXCELLENCY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, Washington. A party of American citizens and of English friends of the United States have assembled at my table to celebrate the declaration of American independence, and to meet Mr. Phelps, the American minister, at dinner. We have just drunk your health, and wish you a long, happy, and prosperous life and a successful administration of your high office. After giving the names of the distinguished gentlemen present, the message concludes: On this memorable anniversary we all return heartfelt thanks to the Almighty God for the blessings he has vouchsafed to the American government and people. CYRUS W. FIELD. The following answer reached its destination before the dinner was ended: 1"An electrified bumper is a small thin glass tumbler, near filled with wine and electrified as the bottle. This when brought to the lips gives a shock, if the party be close shaved, and does not breathe on the liquor."- FRANKLIN. EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, D. C., July 4. TO CYRUS W. FIELD, Esq., London, England. I receive with heartfelt gratitude the kind sentiments expressed by you and your assembled guests. I am exceedingly pleased to know that the hearts of our citizens now in your company turn homeward with patriotic warmth while they celebrate the anniversary of American independence, and that, as they return thanks for all that God has done for us, they are joined by kind friends, who, though illustrating the greatness of another nation, can heartily rejoice in the success and prosperity of our government and people. GROVER CLeveland. When Franklin stretched his slender wire across the Schuylkill, the "Fourth of July " had no special significance, and, although chagrined that he had as yet been unable to bring anything out of his experiments of use to mankind, he was probably as far from anticipating the possibility of such an interchange of congratulations during the progress of a dinner as he was from foreseeing the events which gave rise to such an occasion. Curiously enough, he was destined to play an important part in the stirring events of the succeeding half-century events which, in the language of John Bright, made the day whose anniversary was thus celebrated, "a day of France, and Germany are to be drank in electrified bumpers,1 under the discharge of guns from the electrical battery. On the Fourth of July, 1885, at a few minutes past 5 o'clock, P. M., the President of the United States, at the Executive Mansion in Washington, received the following message, dated at the dinner-table in London, 10.10 P. M.," of the same day : TO HIS EXCELLENCY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, Washington. A party of American citizens and of English friends of the United States have assembled at my table to celebrate the declaration of American independence, and to meet Mr. Phelps, the American minister, at dinner. We have just drunk your health, and wish you a long, happy, and prosperous life and a successful administration of your high office. After giving the names of the distinguished gentlemen present, the message concludes: On this memorable anniversary we all return heartfelt thanks to the Almighty God for the blessings he has vouchsafed to the American government and people. CYRUS W. FIELD. The following answer reached its destination before the dinner was ended: 1 "An electrified bumper is a small thin glass tumbler, near filled with wine and electrified as the bottle. This when brought to the lips gives a shock, if the party be close shaved, and does not breathe on the liquor."- FRANKLIN. EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, D. C., July 4. TO CYRUS W. FIELD, Esq., London, England. I receive with heartfelt gratitude the kind sentiments expressed by you and your assembled guests. I am exceedingly pleased to know that the hearts of our citizens now in your company turn homeward with patriotic warmth while they celebrate the anniversary of American independence, and that, as they return thanks for all that God has done for us, they are joined by kind friends, who, though illustrating the greatness of another nation, can heartily rejoice in the success and prosperity of our government and people. GROVER CLEVELAND. When Franklin stretched his slender wire across the Schuylkill, the "Fourth of July " had no special significance, and, although chagrined that he had as yet been unable to bring anything out of his experiments of use to mankind, he was probably as far from anticipating the possibility of such an interchange of congratulations during the progress of a dinner as he was from foreseeing the events which gave rise to such an occasion. Curiously enough, he was destined to play an important part in the stirring events of the succeeding half-century-events which, in the language of John Bright, made the day whose anniversary was thus celebrated, "a day of |