Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-01-28
DAILY EVENING STAR.
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE,


The WEArHER-.Sfate of the IReymo uastsr.
The thermometer at the Star Office at IL. M.
to-day, was down to 26, six degrees below
freezing point
SMITHSONIAN 1SsTITUTIoy.-The lecture of
Dr. Smith yesterday evening" was on certain
compounds of carbon The lecturer prefaced
bis discourse by remarking. that in the present
lecture. he should quit the subject of carbonic
acid. although he should have occasion to adj
vert 10 it, when he came to treat in future
lecture on combustion.
The first compound descr. bed was that
of carbonie oxide, the lecturer explaining the
difference between it and carbonic acid, the
latter containing two atoms Of oxygen, while
the oxide contains but one The usual methods
of making the above named compound or gas
were then explained, the theory of which con-
sists in depriving carbOnic acid of one atom of
oxygen. 50 that it becomes changed into the
oxide. This compound, carbonic oxide. was
inaanmable. and most persons there present
were familiar with the appearance that it
presented during combustion. The blue fame
that is seen lowering over fire of anthracite
coal is caused by this gas, althou Oh many
enormously attribute this appearance to the
sulphur This gas is highly poisonous, and in
confederation, the opinion of Dumas. the cele
brated French chemist was cited. who saws
IL
than carbonie acid. The lecturer consid-
sidered this fact of Importance, as it had been
proposed to apply this compound to the pur-
poses of illumination. and III there should be
any escape of the gas. the consequences might
be most fatal, as its presence could not be de-
tected from the fact of its being inodorous.
Large quantities were obtained in the pro-
cess of melting iron at the furnaces, and the
chemistry of its formation was explained
h lrhu Of rbo~ L.
ject, and the process Of its manufacture men
toned; namely, by heating coal in a species of
rstort, and throwing upon it pieces of sulphur,
by which colorless liquid, known as the BIZ
sulphuret Of carbon was obtained. Its prn-
cipsl use was in the INFLAMMATION of India
rubber.
Cyanogen was next brought under notice.
the lecturer remarking, that it was singular
tina: two bodies SO inert as carbon and nitro
gen, should form so active a poison as the
above. This compound was the base of prus-
sic acid, and equally poisonous
The compounds of carbon with hydrogen
were then passed under review, the principal
Of which were enumerated; namely. carburet-
ted hydrogen, ole6ant gas, &C., the lecturer
observing that many OF these bodies are iden-
teal not only in being formed of the same sub
stances, but also in having the Same properties
Carburetted hydrogen was largely treated
upou duu d Sfcdt many experiments perform
ed TO illustrate its properties, as we'll as those
of its kindred gases. This gas is formed in
stagnant waters, and is found in the salt work ks
of western New York, as we'll as in some parts
of Virginia In this last named State at one
Salt spring, the gas was used for long time
to boil the brine from which the salt was ex
tracted, but the supply had since failed II
was also very abundant in Persia, where BY
placing q reed in the earth in many parts an
abundant supply of this gas was obtained and
applied to culinary purposes. 10 this natural
phenomenon he attributed the origin of the
Fire Worshippers and their religion 1t is
said that in some parts they still preserve in
temples, fire supplied by this means, which
had burnt from time immemorial.
Beginners in chemistry were warned TO be
careful in their experiments that air was not
mixed with any hydrogen gas, that they might
be collecting, as In applying a fame to it. the
result would be an explosion. This was men,
toned because the making of hydrogen gas
was q favorite experiment with beginners He
had himself been careful, in all the expert
ments that he had given, to take care that the
vessel was we'll filed with hydrogen, and all
the atmospheric air expelled, before applying
light. An amusing anecdote was related by
the lecturer, of scientific protector, who re-
lying upon the knowledge that he had brought
from down East, undertook to supply a village
in Ohio with illuminating gas. This he pro-
posed to collect from a large pond in the
neigh borhOod, which offered an abundant sup
ply of carburetted hydrogen But wishing
to experimentalize upon its qualities previous
to making a tender for the job. the protector
placed barrel over the spot from where the
gas proceeded in the most abundance Fear
full lest the gas should elevate his barrel some
what like balloon, he thought of placing a
weight upon il, and as the most convenient
article seated himself on the the top with n
box of lucifers in his hand Having Knocked
hole through the barrel he set light to the
gas as it issued forth, to see how it would burn,
but being mixed with air, the gas exploded and
hurled the unlucky protector into the pond
Laughter The subjects of explosions in
mines, and the Safety Lamp of Sir Humphrey
Dsyy were ably described, as also the chemis-
try of gunpowder, as one Of the compounds of
carbap, explained, the carbon being the pro-
peilAg agent.
The substitutes for gunpowder, such as chic
rate OF potash and Illuminating mercury were
likewise touched upon, the lecturer conclud-
ing by the remark that he had intended to
make some observations upon the chemical
properties of gun cotton, as a substitute for
gunpowder, which he would defer until bis
next lecture. 1t was incidentally mentioned
that one grain of Illuminating mercury is as
powerful as one ounce of powder, but its force
would be expended mostly in shattering the
gun, while the ball or bullet would be propelled
only to q short distance. The immense size OF
the cannon at the mouth Of the Dardanelles
likewise formed the subject Of remark, and al
fusion was made to the fatal explosion on board
the Princeton some years since. The Greeks
were acquainted with the composition of gun
powder, but not with its modern use for casting
projectiles.
NAVY YARD.-A few days back we gave q
description of the principal machinery used in
the Ordnance Department, adjoining the room
in which they are placed there is smaller
apartment, in which are kept many useful
little instruments, appendages for this branch
Of the establishment, and which indicate, per-
haps, more than anything else its high scien-
tifc character. One of these is straight edge,
in the construction of which no pains have
been spared to obtain, as far as possible, a
completely perfect instrument. It's necessity
may be judged from the fact, that until its
fabrication there was not perfect straight
edge in the building and, therefore, in work
where extreme precision was required such u
guide was of incalculab bic value. The trouble
Of obtaining this perfection was very great,
and would never have been undertaken by a
private individual, showing that in certain
cases, science can only depend upon govern
ment institutions for support, as individuals
rarely afford the cost and time that many of its
Instruments require in their construction.
Another instrument in which the same delicacy
aperfection has been attained, il in the work
manship of pair of scales, which, although of
large size for weighing great quantities, are
50 nicely balanced, that the slightest current
OF air blowing upon the surface Of either scale