Readnara
The Progress of Invention in the Nineteenth Century. — Edward W. Byrn

The Progress of Invention in the Nineteenth Century.

Edward W. Byrn

  • History
  • Book language: English
  • 398 pages

A historical survey of nineteenth-century invention, with attention to steam power, electricity, and related technologies. Edward W. Byrn traces broad currents of progress and shows how inventions reshaped daily life. It is worth listening to as an accessible introduction to the history of technology.

Listen to the opening

Listen to the first 5 pages without signing up Listen to the whole book free

Already have an account? Sign in and listen

Free with a free account. The book is read by an AI-generated voice; the text follows along.

Embed on your site

For teachers and schools: paste the code into your site or blog.

Cover of the original edition (Project Gutenberg, public domain).

Text source: gutenberg.org · The work is in the public domain.

Opening of the book

Please see the Transcriber’s Notes at the end of

this document.

Electrical power generator

STEAM AND ELECTRICITY.

The 70,000 Horse-Power Station of the Metropolitan Street Railway, New York.

THE PROGRESS

OF

INVENTION

IN THE

NINETEENTH CENTURY

BY

EDWARD W. BYRN, A.M.

““Δός που στω, και την γην κινἡσω.””

(Give me where to stand, and I’ll move the earth.)

—Archimedes.

MUNN & CO., PǼœƯƗǪƒŧǡǪ

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN OFFICE

361 BROADWAY, NEW YORK 1900

CLjǙΏǡƗƄƒǵŧŠ, 1900, œΏ MǼƿƿ & CLj.

——

EƿǵŧǡŧŠ ĵǵ SǵĵǵƗLjƿŧǡ’Ǫ HĵƯƯ

——

LLjƿŠLjƿ, EƿƄƯĵƿŠ

——

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Printed in the United States of America by

The Manufacturers’ and Publishers’ Printing Company,

New York City.

PREFACE.

For a work of such scope as this, the first word of the author should be an apology for what is doubtless the too ambitious effort of a single writer. A quarter of a century in the high tide of the arts and sciences, an ardent interest in all things that make for scientific progress, and the aid and encouragement of many friends in and about the Patent

Office, furnish the explanation. The work cannot claim the authority of a text-book, the fullness of a history, nor the exactness of a technical treatise. It is simply a cursory view of the century in the field of invention, intended to present the broader bird’s-eye view of progress achieved. In substantiation of the main facts reliance has been placed chiefly upon patents, which for historic development are believed to be the best of all authorities, because they carry the responsibility of the National Government as to dates, and the attested signature and oath of the inventor as to subject matter. Many difficulties and embarrassments have been encountered in the work.

Keep listening free

Contents

  1. THE PROGRESS OF INVENTION IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY
  2. PREFACE.
  3. TABLE OF CONTENTS.
  4. CHAPTER I. The Perspective View.
  5. CHAPTER II. Chronology of Leading Inventions of the Nineteenth Century.
  6. CHAPTER III. The Electric Telegraph.
  7. CHAPTER IV. The Atlantic Cable.
  8. CHAPTER V. The Dynamo and Its Applications.
  9. CHAPTER VI. The Electric Motor.
  10. CHAPTER VII. The Electric Light.
  11. CHAPTER VIII. The Telephone.
  12. CHAPTER IX. Electricity—Miscellaneous.
  13. CHAPTER X. The Steam Engine.
  14. CHAPTER XI. The Steam Railway.
  15. CHAPTER XII. Steam Navigation.
  16. CHAPTER XIII. Printing.
  17. CHAPTER XIV. The Typewriter.
  18. CHAPTER XV. The Sewing Machine.
  19. CHAPTER XVI. The Reaper.
  20. CHAPTER XVII. Vulcanized Rubber.
  21. CHAPTER XVIII. Chemistry.
  22. CHAPTER XIX. Food and Drink.
  23. CHAPTER XX. Medicine, Surgery, Sanitation.
  24. CHAPTER XXI. The Bicycle and Automobile.
  25. CHAPTER XXII. The Phonograph.
  26. CHAPTER XXIII. Optics.
  27. CHAPTER XXIV. Photography.
  28. CHAPTER XXV. The Roentgen or X-Rays.
  29. CHAPTER XXVI. Gas Lighting.
  30. CHAPTER XXVII. Civil Engineering.

and 11 more chapters

You may also like