The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-10-09
WASHINGTON CITY, SATURDAY, OCTOBER ., 1855
SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE.

NJ - n w y
A New WnIE MErAL--A alloy, which docs not
appear TO tarnsh more readily than ordinary white metal
and which is considerably cheaper has just been disooy
cred by Mr. w Sharnan and il is Thought probable that
it WILL TO great extent spersede acvarous Brittania
metals in The alloy consists of tin, l6spars
lead, or parts Zinc s parts aud differs only ffonl
all similar compounds record from the much larger
percentage Of zinc 1t contains In this process OF manu-
facture the zinc Is first melted at as low heat as posi-
Bile, the tin Is next added, and finally the lead Tho
whole is we'll stirred up with green wood pole to insure
perfect mixture, and 10 prevent oxidation, for which lat
ter purpose coating of borax and the addition of little
resin will be found useful The whole operation must be
conducted quickly possible, and excess Of heat
avoided. The propcrtions may be modified required
zinc giving less ductilty and more tin giving
hexiby and better color For teapos, and articles
of like character the alloy composed Of l6 parts tin
parts zinc and parts lead Is preferable These alloys
being easily usble, must be taken in the selection
of the solder. The new alloy be rolled and spun
and w therefore, be easy Of application to large va
rcty OF purposes.
How no srop BrooD Take the fine dust OF tea or the
scrapings of the inside of tanned leather, and bind it
close upon the wound and blood viii soon cease to flow
These articles at all times accessible and easy to be
obtained After the blood has ceased TO flow, laudanum
may be adyantageousy applied to the wound Due re-
gard to these instructions will save agitation of mind
and running for the surgeon, who would probably make
no better prescription If present. g
NEw METHOD OF CoysrRucrISu BoIIERs. "A method Of
constructing boilers, to collect aud remove the sed
ment deposited from impure water has been brought to
public notice. The boiler is formed with narrow water
space division or pocket extending from the under side
Of the boiler the furnace down to and through the line
Of furnace bars The water space opens at Its upper wide
end into the bottom Of the boiler which has row Of
openings In its she'll at thnt part to form the commun
cation The boiler itself is set slightly out of the hor
zonl line, the furnace end being somewhat lower than
the reverse end Hence the impurities of various sorts
contained in the water continually directed towards
the front surface end where it falls from the boiler
into the bottom of the water-space or pocket
CrMssr ron Roors An excellent cement for seams in
the roofs of houses in any other exposed place. is
made by mixing equal proportions by weight Of white
lead, dry white sand and much oil as-will make it
into the consistency OF putty The cement becomes IN
few weeks as hard as stone.
A HARD AND DuRABLE SoAp--A patent has been grant
ed in England for improvement in the manufacture Of
SOAP by the addition Of suphate of lime to the usual in
gradients employed it its manufacture. The sulphate
may be added to the soap in dry powder, in admx
urc with any of the ingredients employed in the
manufacture Of soap The proportions of the sulphate
which 1t is best to employ vary according to the article
manipulated upon and the quality Of the soap to be pro-
duced Thus, about twelve ounces of dry sulphate is
sufficient for one ton Of best soap Whereas In
highly quored soap six eight pounds may be used
with advantage Soap made with the addition of sui
phate of lime becomes hardened Keeps dry and is not
liable to shrink while in water its durability is increased
and it does not waste away before its cleansing
properties are brought into action
LAYING SUBMARINE CABLEs. Captain S. Samucls, of
Brooklyn, ~ r., has invented method OF laying sub
marine cables, by passing them from tho ship or other
vessel from which they to be paid out through an
opening in the bottom convenient and practic
BILE midway between stem and stern where the least motion
is produced by the pitching Of the vessel By this
the liability to break the cabo is very much reduced If
not entirely obyatcd at certain point ia the centre
Of vessels length there is comparatively little motion
produced by pitching that the excessive and uneven
strain jerk which much tends torupture cables when
paid out from the stern here avoided the danger being
and
and complicated mechanism of brakes and payngout de-
vices smplied and reduced This idea has often been
proposed but Captain Samues has been able to show the
priority of his invention and has consequently obtained
patent.
New LIonT--A new species Of inflarninable mine
raj, termed illuminating clay has been discovered by
Mr.. Frederic II. southworth. Mr.. southworth is an
American resident of Rio Jancrio. Hc has tested the
properties Of this clay and applied the same TO the max
ing Of gas He reports that it gives cubic feet Of gas to
the pound, whilc coal gives but 81 cubic feet to the
pound The article of the color Of clay, and otherwise
looks like coal in its pure state it will bum like wax
when held in the fame Of match 1t is said to be found
in large deposits the banks of nayigabc rivers in Bra
z and the discoycrcr anticipates that it will be used by
all gas companies in Brazil and become an article of
portation. The Brazilian government have taken the
matter under consideration Mr. Souhworh has applied
for patent for the privilege Of making from this
tcral in Brazil
How RAIN is FoRaED--ITo understand the philosophy
Of this phenomena essential to the very existence of
plants and animals few facts derived from observation
and long train Of experiments must be remembered
With the atmosphere everywhere Mt all times at the full
temperature, we should never have rain, hail, or
The water absorbed by it in evaporation from the
sea and the earth surface would descend in imper-
ccpbe yapor ceased to be absorbed by the air when
1t fully saturated The absorbing power of the
atmosphere, and consequently its capabty to retain hui
midity is proportonably greater in warm than cold air
The air the surface OF the earth is than it is
in the region of the clouds The higher ascend from
Iarx ind fba ,,hara f,a
perpetual snow very high mountain in the hottest
climate Now, when, from continued evaporation, the
air is highly saturated with vapor though it be invisible
il it's temperature is suddenly reduced by cold currents
descending from above, rushing from high 10 low
latitude its capacity to retain moisture is diminished,
clouds formed and the result is rain Air condcnscs
it cooIs, and like sponge filed with water and
pressed pours the water which its diminished capa
city cannot hold. How singular yet how simple, is such
arrangement for watering the Garth Scientific .4ma
can.