point, and the resulting intense heat maintained the plaster in a
moderately conducting state until the whole carbon was consumed. Here,
then, was literally an electric "candle," which could be operated
without the costly and unsteady lamps, and fortunately its birthplace
was Paris--then the center of philosophical research; from that period
the future of electric lighting was assured.

When we reflect that owing to the greater disruptive energy of the
positive terminal, the carbon so connected to an ordinary dynamo
machine is consumed very much faster than the negative--sometimes in
the ratio of 3 to 1--it will be clear that some other means of
consuming the Jablochkoff candle had to be used, since the arc would
cease to exist in a very short time by reason of the unequal
consumption of the carbons, and the subsequent increase of the
intervening space beyond the limit of the current tension.

This difficulty M. Gramme overcame with characteristic ingenuity by
adding to the ordinary system a "distributer" capable of delivering
plus and minus currents alternately, thus equalizing the consumption,
besides being able to supply a large number of candles on the multiple
circuit system, each circuit supporting four or five lamps. Thus it
will be seen that a result was attained which at least gave such men
as Siemens, Gramme, and their peers, if such there be, confidence in
the future and a courage which quickly placed the new science safely
beyond the limits of the laboratory. I will not occupy your time by
stating the apparent reasons why the Jablochkoff candle has not fully
sustained its brilliant promise--it will, perhaps, be sufficient to
state that it is now superseded practically, though it must always
occupy an honorable place in scientific annals.