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office； calculated the economy of the system。 The interest in this question； however； died away after the close of the Smoke Abatement Exhibition； and the experiments of Mr。 Aiken； of Edinburgh； showed how futile was the hope that gas fires would prevent fogs altogether。 They might indeed ameliorate the noxious character of a fog by checking the discharge of soot into the atmosphere； but Mr。 Aiken's experiments showed that particles of gas were in themselves capable of condensing the moisture of the air upon them。 The great scheme of Siemens for making London a smokeless city； by manufacturing gas at the coal…pit and leading it in pipes from street to street； would not have rendered it altogether a fogless one； though the coke and gas fires would certainly have reduced the quantity of soot launched into the air。 Siemens's scheme was rejected by a Committee of the House of Lords on the somewhat mistaken ground that if the plan were as profitable as Siemens supposed； it would have been put in practice long ago by private enterprise。
》From the problem of heating a room； the mind of Siemens also passed to the maintenance of solar fires； and occupied itself with the supply of fuel to the sun。 Some physicists have attributed the continuance of solar heat to the contraction of the solar mass； and others to the impact of cometary matter。 Imbued with the idea of regeneration； and seeking in nature for that thrift of power which he； as an inventor； had always aimed at； Siemens suggested a hypothesis on which the sun conserves its heat by a circulation of its fuel in space。 The elements dissociated in the intense heat of the glowing orb rush into the cooler regions of space； and recombine to stream again towards the sun； where the self…same process is renewed。 The hypothesis was a daring one； and evoked a great deal of discussion； to which the author replied with interest； afterwards reprinting the controversy in a volume； ON THE CONSERVATION OF SOLAR ENERGY。 Whether true or notand time will probably decidethe solar hypothesis of Siemens revealed its author in a new light。 Hitherto he had been the ingenious inventor； the enterprising man of business； the successful engineer； but now he took a prominent place in the ranks of pure science and speculative philosophy。 The remarkable breadth of his mind and the abundance of his energies were also illustrated by the active part he played in public matters connected with the progress of science。 His munificent gifts in the cause of education； as much as his achievements in science； had brought him a popular reputation of the best kind； and his public utterances in connection with smoke abatement； the electric light。 Electric railways； and other topics of current interest； had rapidly brought him into a foremost place among English scientific men。 During the last years of his life； Siemens advanced from the shade of mere professional celebrity into the strong light of public fame。
President of the British Association in 1882； and knighted in 1883； Siemens was a member of numerous learned societies both at home and abroad。 In 1854 he became a Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers； and in 1862 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society。 He was twice President of the Society of Telegraph Engineers and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers； besides being a Member of Council of the Institution of Civil Engineers； and a Vice…President of the Royal Institution。 The Society of Arts； as we have already seen； was the first to honour him in the country of his adoption； by awarding him a gold medal for his regenerative condenser in 1850； and in 1883 he became its chairman。 Many honours were conferred upon him in the course of his careerthe Telford prize in 1853； gold medals at the various great Exhibitions； including that of Paris in 1881； and a GRAND PRIX at the earlier Paris Exhibition of 1867 for his regenerative furnace。 In 1874 he received the Royal Albert Medal for his researches on heat； and in 1875 the Bessemer medal of the Iron and Steel Institute。 Moreover； a few days before his death； the Council of the Institution of Civil Engineers awarded him the Howard Quinquennial prize for his improvements in the manufacture of iron and steel。 At the request of his widow； it took the form of a bronze copy of the 'Mourners；' a piece of statuary by J。 G。 Lough； originally exhibited at the Great Exhibition of 1851； in the Crystal Palace。 In 1869 the University of Oxford conferred upon him the high distinction of D。C。L。 （Doctor of Civil Law）； and besides being a member of several foreign societies； he was a Dignitario of the Brazilian Order of the Rose； and Chevalier of the Legion of Honour。
Rich in honours and the appreciation of his contemporaries； in the prime of his working power and influence for good； and at the very climax of his career； Sir William Siemens was called away。 The news of his death came with a shock of surprise； for hardly any one knew he had been ill。 He died on the evening of Monday； November 19； 1883； at nine o'clock。 A fortnight before； while returning from a managers' meeting of the Royal Institution； in company with his friend Sir Frederick Bramwell； he tripped upon the kerbstone of the pavement； after crossing Hamilton Place； Piccadilly； and fell heavily to the ground； with his left arm under him。 Though a good deal shaken by the fall； he attended at his office in Queen Anne's Gate； Westminster； the next and for several following days； but the exertion proved too much for him； and almost for the first time in his busy life he was compelled to lay up。 On his last visit to the office he was engaged most of the time in dictating to his private secretary a large portion of the address which he intended to deliver as Chairman of the Council of the Society of Arts。 This was on Thursday； November 8； and the following Saturday he awoke early in the morning with an acute pain about the heart and a sense of coldness in the lower limbs。 Hot baths and friction removed the pain； from which he did not suffer much afterwards。 A slight congestion of the left lung was also relieved； and Sir William had so far recovered that he could leave his room。 On Saturday； the 17th； he was to have gone for a change of air to his country seat at Sherwood； but on Wednesday； the 14th； he appears to have caught a chill which affected his lungs； for that night he was seized with a shortness of breath and a difficulty in breathing。 Though not actually confined to bed； he never left his room again。 On the last day； and within four hours of his death； we are told； his two medical attendants； after consultation； spoke so hopefully of the future； that no one was prepared for the sudden end which was then so near。 In the evening； while he was sitting in an arm…chair； very quiet and calm； a change suddenly came over his face； and he died like one who falls asleep。 Heart disease of long standing； aggravated by the fall； was the immediate cause； but the opinion has been expressed by one who knew him well； that Siemens 'literally immolated himself on the shrine of labour。' At any rate he did not spare himself； and his intense devotion to his work proved fatal。
Every day was