New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-04-29

Inc following article emOOules sLatcLHcuts Win
regard to the recent wonderful discovery in Europe
Of method of Smelling Copper Ores by Electri-
city, Of which only vague and unreliable reports
had previously reached US. We will thank any
friend who has the particulars of this dscov cry
hand 10 communicate them for our columns;
From a Lsndon Paper
THE DISCOVERIES OF 1916
We apprehend that there can be no doubt that
the year 1916 will be memorable to the end oftime
for the remarkable extensions. or new applications
of human knowle edge, which will come before fu.
ture historians rendering illustrious its narrow
limits Most evident is 1t that we are now living
in the days predicted by the Hebrew prophet -
when " many shall run 10 and fro and kJl0lcledge
shall be increased"
l. Foremost among these may be placed the use
of ether, inhaled for facilitating surgical opera.
tons Like all other appliances OF this kind, it
meets with failures and even with fatal results ia
a few cases. But for fatal result and five fail.
ures we have five hundred instances of vast bene-
it, in many OF which beyond all doubt, lives have
been saved which would otherwise have been lost.
Without describing it as intallibe, or in all
safe or to be relied on there can be no doubt that
this discovery has conferred vast benefits on man
kind
p The substitution of new explosive material
the gun-cotton-in place OF gunpowder, is
other remarkable event The extent of its utility
is not vet ascertained. Whether 1t will be largely
adopted in warfare is stl point on which no de-
cided opinion has been formed But of its great
utility in all blasting and mining operations not the
slightest doubt can exist. IL Is both cheaper and
more powerful than gunpowder; and the absence
OF smoke gives It decisive advantage. There
can remain question, that IN all works of this
description, the new agent will rapidly supersede
the old one.
3. The third discovery OF 1876 is perhaps even of
greater importance than either OF the former. We
allude 10 the lately patented process for smelling
copper by means OF electricity. The effect OF this
change will be quite prodigious. 1t produces, in
less than two days what the old process required
three weeks 10 effect And the saving OF fuel IS
50 vast, that in Swansea alone the smelters esti-
mate their annual saving in Goals at no less than
tve hundred thousand pounds. Hence 1t IS clear
that the price OF copper must be so enormously re-
duced 70 bring into use foy variety of purposes
from which its cost at present excludes II.
The facility and cheapness Of the process, too,
will enable the ore TO be largely smeted on the
spot. The Cornish mine propretors are anxousy
expecting the moment when they can bring the
ore which lay in the mine yesterday into a state
70 be sent 70 market tomorrow and this at the
very moath Of the mine. In Australia also, the
operation OF this discovery will be OF the utmost
Importance Ten thousand tons Of copper ore were
sent from Australia TO England last year 70 be
smelted at Swansea; and the result was only 1900
tons OF copper. But Australia IN future will smet
her own copper, by sc hours process saving a.
this useless freight OF the 5400 tons Of refuse and
saving also the cost of the old and expensive pro-
cess In very few years Australia will send TO
market more copper than Is now produced by all
the restot the world But If future penny pieces
are 10 bear any proportion 10 the reduced cost and
value OF the metal, they must be made Of the size
OF dinner-plates.