In the year 1880 Edward Henry Gordon took out the English patent No. 41,826. Gordon had constructed an electric lamp based on the fact that when a current of sufficient electromotive force was passed over the space between two balls of platinum or platinum iridium, the balls were rendered glowing white. These balls were suspended by thin platinum wire, or the supports were of platinum, serving also to carry the current. For the production of overspringing sparks, it is well known that a great difference of potential is necessary, so Gordon was obliged to have recourse to induction coils, which he intended to excite by means of magneto-electric machines, or alternating current dynamos. In his patent he describes how this idea should be carried out, and he actually did feed two lamps of 50 c.p., or one of 100 c.p. The apparatus is described as follows:—“The primary consists of a bundle of iron wire 1·3 inch diameter, and 18 inches long. Three layers of insulated wire 0·08 inch in diameter are wound on it. The secondary is wound on an insulating tube, and consists of about two-thirds of a mile of wire 0·0075 inch diameter, covered four times with silk. It is wound in 60 discs.” “There are three binding screws, one at each end and one in the centre, so that the whole coil, or either half separately, can be used for one lamp.” [Illustration: FIG. 15.] We do not find in Gordon’s patent the slightest indication which would justify us in ascribing to him the invention of a system of distribution by transformers as known at the present day, but, on the contrary, it is clearly shown that the fundamental conditions of such a system of distribution were unknown to him, for he laid the chief weight upon connecting the induction coils in series, and on the production of high electromotive force necessary for his lamp. Over and above this, he was of opinion, as he stated prominently, that the more advantageous kind of dynamo was one such as that of de Meritens, having many coils of thin wire, which were connected to separately insulated leads.