The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-03-25
INVENTIONS AND DISCOVERIES.

MSehtaOnS ana discoveries crOWQ 50 fapia
ly upon each other, in this age Of active and
scientific investigation and industry, thai
CHAMBERS, in his admirable miscellany. fur
nishes his readers with monthly records
more varied and interesting in discoveries
and inventions, than q whole century could
have furnished during the middle ages
From many of these, during the month Of
February, 1854, we make the following col
lection:
Regular nurseries for fish have been estabs
lished at SToNEMoNrFIELD. on the TAY, where
100000 salmon eggs are duly fecundated by
an artificial process, and are now going
through the stages towards Matching in the
Spring.
AS it has been estimated by scientific gen.
tlement belonging to the FRENCH and Eng
LIsH service, that the supply of PERUVIAN
guano does not exceed 5000 600 tons, and will
all be consumed in about eight years, speci-
mems of bats guano have been sent over
from PENANG, and has been pronounced. as
no doubt it is, equal to the Peruvian in fer.
tliizing qualities. Vast deposites of this gu
ano are said to be scattered about the INDIAN
ARCHIPELAGO, and we expect the Pyramids
OF Egypt and the Mammoth Cave would
yleia vast quantities of this novel fertilizer.
i1eather-wing bats are hereafter to be cons;-
dered very respectable and excellent little
animals
Monsieur BoBIERRE, a chemist at N.vrrs
asserts that bronze is much more lasting
than copper for the sheeting of ships: and
another Frenchman, NJ NIcKLEs, is success
FULLY engaged in magnetizing the driving
wheels of railroad cars He asserts that mag.
netism increases "the bite'' of the wheels and
he expects, like our friend FRENCH, to ac-
complish wonders in the way of ascending
mountains, without grading. What pity it
Is now, that magnetism is so very popu-
lar no one has ever been able to disco
yer the "LoADsToNE MOUNTAIN" spoken of
by that veracious traveller, "SINBAD, the Sal
lor.' We should like to hear of the locomo.
tive driving wheels, ''taking firmer bite"
upon the temporary track over the Blue
Ridge, than they have recently been doing.
The MAGNETIC BITE" of NJ. N1cKLEs would
be useful when they get the Pacific Railroad
to the Rocky Mountains, &C. i
The project for an atmospheric convey
ance tube between NEW York and BosToN.
has advanced into the company stage with a
prospect of being carried out. The tube
when completed will be two hundred miles in
length, and small parcels are to be sent by it
the whole distance, in about fifteen minutes.
Travelling at such speed small packages of
glass will enjoy all the horrors of an occa-
sional smash. The wear and tear of wrap
ping paper will be considerable, we expect,
in that long tube a..s5 Tg'- A
Another magnificent AMERICAN invention
is great tunnelling machine, which is made
OF iron, works by steam, and weighs seventy
five tons. The cutters are steel dikes and
bore an opening secenteen feet in diameter
through the very hardest rock, at the rate of
three feet an hour. We hope Col. CRozEr
will have two of these machines at work as
soon as they can be procured. They will
greatly facilitate his anxiously anticipated
resurrection in the Valley of Virginia.
FEBRUARY, among a multitude of other
strange things, has given birth to an improv-
ed safety lamp and diving bell, capable of
holding ten persons, in which men can re
main under the water in security and health
just as long as they please.