Obituary of David Brooks

THE LATE DAVID BROOKS.

We regret to record a telegram which brings us the sad information that David Brooks died last Saturday. It is but a few days since we received a characteristic letter from our late friend, which only showed signs of advancing age in the calligraphy. The interest shown in electrical matters was as keen as ever, and we hoped that Brooks might have been spared to do more work. There never was a time in the history of electricity which brought more closely together and helped to form firmer friendship than the 1881 exhibition at Paris. It was our privilege to know David Brooks before this date, but, if possible, we got to know him better, and to cement firmer the friendship that already existed, by daily contact about the exhibition. David Brooks, although one of the old school, kept a young heart, a mind active and keenly intelligent. He did not rest on his oars, nor believe the older men had solved every problem connected with his favourite subject. Still less inclined was he to take the dictum laid down by some of the younger men, who pooh-poohed his old-fashioned views, and at that time generally voted his views of insulation somewhat unpractical and unsuited for the purposes of electrical engineering. Brooks had gone through the mill in matters telegraphic, and having, in the face of great difficulties, brought his ideas to a successful issue, he gave little heed to adverse opinions as regarded the newer developments. It is, however, more of the man than of his doings that we wish to refer to here. The late David Brooks was born on January 26, 1820, so that at the time of his death he was but little over 71— an age which more than completes the scriptural threescore years and ten—but one when many of our scientific men and those engaged in public work are considered to have only reached maturity. Mr. Brooks was one of the most genial and kind- hearted men that we have ever met. He had a rich vein of humour, was filled with anecdotes, and had the happy knack of seldom or never telling the same tale twice to the same audience. The greater part of his life was spent in telegraphic work, but in 1878 he was appointed by General Grant United States Commissioner to the Vienna Exposition. The American report on that exhibition is, in our estimation, one of the best reports that was ever made upon any exhibition. Subsequent to that time Mr. Brooks threw himself with ardour into the development of his system of oil insulation. He devised plans for its use in telegraphy, in telephony, and in electric lighting. An experimental line was laid down by Mr. Brooks for our postal telegraphs, if we remember rightly, in 1880 or 1881. At any rate, an exhibit was in the 1881 exhibition. Mr. Brooks was partial to London. He was also partial to a good dinner and to good music, and many a jovial evening was spent with a small party at those restaurants where music enlivens the dinner. He managed frequently to get favourite pieces played either in addition to the ordinary programme or as a change. Since 1881 he has visited Europe several times ; the last time we believe was about two years ago, for the purpose of initiating Messrs. Johnson and Phillips into the mysteries of his system of insulation. Recent experiments of Kapp in England, and Brown at Oerlikon, have shown that this system possesses many advantages that will surely cause its adoption under suitable conditions. A short series of papers had just been commenced in our American contemporary and namesake and in this paper on Brooks's system.

We are quite sure that the many friends of the late David Brooks will agree in the expression of our heartiest sympathy with his family in the loss they have sustained.