New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-07-18

first produced by the ounce it Is not won erfu that we
Ca a. vet answer this question only imperfect
via rcspect 10 the properties OF the new metal yefy
lttie IA AZ present known. No METAL except gold. Is
better AZ n.a5 fr purposes u ornaments ii Is believed
10 be speeialy suited for telegraphio purposes and
struck y the fact that 1t Il but little heavier than heart
ofoak. While Ii certain conditions az 70 purity, &c,
IL believed 70 he strong and tenacious as steel some
one hes suggest ts, when II shah bc cheap enough
We shall build shipsofwar OF IL but the only app
cation Of Il which has n vet actually been made - one
dependent on the extreme richness 10 actno Of the
light given forth by the fame with which Is burns
In atmospheric air. The light is richer in ac'inic
power than any other artificial light known-is so
ch indeed in chemical RAYS that the ITSELF when
unobscgred by fog cloud exceeds only BY thirty -four
times the chemical power OF magnesium fame having
the sae APPARENT diameter as that which the sun pre-
senis. The result 10 that by the light produced by tia
combustion OF magnesium wire. such as Is now beng
sOid CO three pence loot we are able TO obtain In any
weather. and at any hour OF the day or night much
better photographs than be obtained in this
country ~ sunlight except on such clear and sunny
days occur in this climate but very rarely Indeed
Magnesium will thus render henceforth Independents
Of the for Photographic purposes and will more
over. enable TO obtain Photographic pictures VI
plsoes-snch the Interiors Of caves and mines the
passages In the interior Of the Egyptian PYRAMIDS ana
the lke-into which sunlight never enters nor can
enter.
But it IL rot In actinic power alone that the inagne-
SUM Light exceeds all other artihea hBnIS yet pro
duced. For the purposes of artificial Illumination
generally II is without rival. Very thn magnesium
wiro viii give Of in burning IS much hght OF very
powerful eleCtr1c amp, out inc
tta the electric light is soft and difusve, and does
not in the least dazzle or pain the eyes, 1t is moreover
Of the puFes white so that all coors even TO the most
delicate tints are in II perfectly IN sunlight
while a magnesium lamp has over both the electric
lamp and the ordinary gas night the advantage tnat ~
can be carried about a. readily as q candle. A stu
greater advantageous, indeed, OF immense import
anrr-whicb the magnesium light has alike over gas
and over any kind either Of lamps or Of candles con
siss IN the circumstance that magnesium. In under
going combustion gives of no deeteri9us vapors nor
srda If nd
bun ing as gas. candles, and oil do. into aqueous
yspor and eareonio acid. with a greater or
less admixture Of sulphureted hydrogen. and
hesth-injuring compounds, the only prodset OF the
combustion OF magnesium Is harmless soHd the oite
Of magnesium, msgnesa- All this points TO the
maqr ssium light being likely TO come extensively into
dome tic use while its great braney would seem TO
render eminenty adapted FOR use IN ight houses i!
either Of these two applications Of ti for even now
while the manufacture OF magnesium is not vet three
months old. the light from magnesium Is but little more
costly quantity for quantity, than THAI from composite
candles seeing that twOanda half ounces Of magnesium
viii give forth during combustion as much light as
fecnts ponds Of the best stearin
Srch is a rapid outline Of what has as yet been done
toward bringing into common use two OF the three
moot abundant metals in nature-metals which VIII
probably day exceed all others in the variety and
import Of their Applications. With calcium. the
other Of tie three metals IN question. we are almost I'M
acquainted In the metallic form. Combined with oxy-
gen and carbon il exists in nature certainly in greater
quantity than magnesium, and probably Ia greater
quantity than alumnigin; but 1t has never yet Deeh
eliminated By more thAn few grains at time. The
largest pieces of ever recently obtained
by Mr. Sonstadt none of them weighing more than ~
grains and it has probably never been seen pure at all
Much the might BIO said OF both baTium and stron
tium which two metals although they cannot be com
pared for abundance with either calcium. aluminium or
magnesium ye exist in quite as great quantity as some
OF the metals in common use and III quite quant!
enough to permit Of their being Of much Importance In
the arts In future .
The extraction Of these metals Of the earths from
the compounds Of them with oxygen and other bodies
which exist everywhere in such vast profuson Is the
object OF new branch Of the art Of metaurey. which
last decade and which promises TO rapidly attain i'm
menss proportions. OF the principles and processes
which distinguish this branch (Which very little
In with the other branche OF the metalnTglo
art and Of what has vet to be done in order st further
to cheaper the metals TO which it is applied. we may
probably speak in another article.-tCor. London Me
chanicsI Magazine.