Demoine courier., 1855-02-08

Compiled for the Journal of Commerce.
ART, SCIENCE AND MECHANICS.

n9S 0VhHANVAI nNU NAA|OhhAIvANCe
Anew stone water filter has been in.
trOduced in Boston, which is said 10
possess great value. The fllering cham
Der is large. and filled with charcoal and
aguarrz sand. and the water chamber
sufficiently large for the convenient sup.
ply Of . large quantity Of water for a
family. Smoky rain water has been
passed through it, and the Cochi,ua,e
~~ater when i. was the most disagreeable,
and both were rendered pure and taste
less. II IL Of American constructions;
and has been pronounced by several
eminent chemists who have tested II, the
best filter in use.
Al. De!asde, Of Paris, has brought,
forwardan invention, which consists in
certain processes for producing a new
metallic alloy. similar TO silve in appear
arce, and in,eni.d to supersede il in va
rious applications. Tin forms The base
OF the composition; and to prepare II. the
inventor ~calcines i, two or three times
with sal,pe,fe, and reduces The calcined
par, to powder, which is melted down
with crucible. When in a fluid state
it is purified by being mixed with char
.c"al powder, the clear part being drawn
off iuto another crucibie ready for use.
The strength Of corrugated sheets of
thin iron was admirably exhibited at ibe
Crystal Palace. in This city, last year.
Two sheets OF the same metal were
resled al The ends on blocks a foo: high;
:. Que sheet was sni60lh. but the other was
corrugated or w~rinkled. as II i, had been
laid upon the side OF a wooden housa and
pounded Unit. it fitted closely to the clap
bsards. The FIRST sheet. with only It's
lawn weight. hung down until its middle
luuehsi The Il ,or, while the other wiki Sol
pounds OF iro en- il, did mol bend hairs
breadth, aud fell, under the pressure Of
the spectators body just like a block of
g%rani'e. Corrugated metal is much Used
IN he IVES. indies.
Mr.. Perkins. the son VI a gentleman
.ho some years ago invented and exhibit
sil in London. a steam gun, has publish
cd through the papers, the following
a.ler. lie says, 81 ain prepared 10 under
take to supply the government with a
s,eam-gnn capable Of throwing a ball of
a ton weight a distance Of five miles,
II such a gun were fixed in Brunne!'s
large ship OF 10000 tons. | venture to
say tina, Sebastopol would be- destroyed
wilhcu. losing a man."
Psaier mache is The name sivne to ar
L.eies manufactured of the pulp of paper.
or OF old paper ground up iu,o a pulp.
bleached ii necessary, and moulded into
various forms. This article has lately
been used upon an extensive scale foi
the manufacture of mouldings, rozs,tes,
and other architectural ornaments; p;las.
tiers. capitals. and even figures as large as
. life. have been made Of il. Ii is lighter,
: more durable. and less brittle aud liable
10 damage thar plaster. and admils of
being colored, gifted, or other wise orna-
men,ed. Another article goes under the
same name, which is more like pas'e.
board, consisting Of sheets Of paper past.
ed or glued and powerfully put together,
50 a. 10 acquire when dry the hardness
OF board. and yet to admit. while moist.
Of curvature and Texture.
AT Copperas Hill, Stafford W.. there
10 annually manufactured three million
pounds of copperas. Thirty men are
employed in making co2peras, aud TWEEN
~ in raising the copper ore.
A Hartford (Ct) letter writer says
tina. the owners Of Sharp's Rifle Com
pany are now awaiting the result Of a
Tial Of . breech loading rife, which took
place before The .Agent OF the French
Government. This rifle 10 Of compare
lively recent invention, and 10 quite sim
|, pie and perfect. The caps are inserted
Tees al . time, and az each one 10 thrown
hammer 80 il decends. The arm
schsrged with incredible rapid.
An
khe many valuable uses. in art
mes, 10 which bee,-root can
10 that Of making pas,eboard.
factory has jus. been established
ance.
The Lake Superior Journal states that
some very fine specimens Of magnetic
iron have been discovered on the shores
Of that lake. and ,ha. samples of it are
10 be tssted in the manufacture Of steel.
II the test shows This iron to be what
shs accounts Of i. represent, this discov,
cry will be importan, and valuable. So
important 10 . superior quality of mag
netic iron, that several Of the manufac
turirE houses in England are said to have
sen. scientific men to this country and
the Cansdas to test the iron ores, with .
view TO discoveries Of il.
A mineral known a. gas coal. found
a Torbonshill. North Britain. il used
BY > Mr.. Young, Of Ba,hgate. for the
a~anufaetsre iherefrom Of what 10 called
Pssa6ine oil. and. from the Developments
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