Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-10-28
SCIE NCE.

} THE ANERoID BARoMETER.-Dr, Stew
art of the Kew Observatory has made a
series of experiments with this barometer.
under different pressures, and concludes
that on taking this barometer up mou n
tain $4,000 feet high. it would indicate the
true hight within 300 feet. There are, how
ever. serious objections to the metallic
barometer, not fully set forth by Mr.. Stew
art, which should prevent its use for strict
ly scientific purposes.
ALABAsTER.-Immense beds of pure
white aIabaster have lately been discoy-
cred by Mr.. Frederick Kelly in the vicinity
of the great rock-salt deposit on the Island
of st. Domingo. This variety of gypsum
it a hydrated sulphate of lime, with two
atoms Of water. 1t is largely used as a
coating for walls and ceilings. Specimens
of the st. Domingo alabaster have been ex-
amined by several builders of New York
and pronounced of superior quality.
Coal IN New GRANApA.-Valuable beds
of coal have been discovered in the State
of Bolivar, in the highlands bordering the
River Sinu, about one hundred miles south
of the city of Carthegena. The coal is
found in five distinct veins, each from three
to five feet in thickness. 1t is bituminous,
and similar in quality to the coal of Rich
mond, Va. These veins were lately ex-
amined by Prof. r. P. Stevens, of the
American Institute. who will soon report
upon their economical value for generating
steam.
MAGNETIsM.-In discussion on this sub
ject before the British Association, Sir
William Thomson took exception to the re-
mark that magnetism, Like electricity, dis
tributes itself upon the surface of bodies.
The same statement had been made by au-
thors of repute, but it only added proof of
the fact that in many popular books there
were statements not merely false in theory,
but false as being in direct opposition to
facts published many years ago. Harlow,
in experimenting with bars of iron found,
| long ago, that the magnetic influence was
not discoverable. His experiments were
not carefully made, yet he rashly stepped
to the conclusion that magnetism resides at
the surface; and, although it was soon
proved incorrect by q celebrated mathema-
tician, this statement has been the fruitful
parent OF many fallacies.
BULLET PRoBE.-Mr. Sylvande Wilde has
invented an instrument for extracting bull
lets in wounds, which has been aptly called
a sensitive artificial finger, tor its action
depends on the actual presence of the bull
let sought for. 1t consists of two insulated
steel wires, which are connected with an
electro magnet and bell, so arranged that
the electric circuit will pass through the
two wires whenever they are connected by
contact with the same piece of metal, which
will form part of the conductor. The
points of the probe are sheathed in a slid
ing tube when introduced into the wound
and are not uncovered until the supposed
bullet is felt. The forceps have curved
points, aud are not pallets or spoons. When
the ends of the probe are uncovered, on
touching the bullet, the latter completes
an electric circuit, which sets in motion
magnet, and by its attraction compels the
torceps to grasp the bullet; it is then ready
to be drawn out.
PROCESS FOR PRODUCING HYDRoGEN.-M.
Heurtebise describes In late mum Der OF
L'InUentiOn an economical method of OBJ
tanning hydrogen gas. He places char
coal in a retort and raises it to red heat;
then passes over it stream of carbonic acid,
each molecule of which absorbs two atoms OF
oxygen, thus forming carbonic oxide. Into
another red hot retorJ he passes a current
of steam and the gaseous contents of the
first retort, and the products in the second
retOrt, resulting from the decomposition of
steam, are carbonic acid and hydrogen
gases, which are separated, and the car
bonic acid is again used in the first retort
The interesting process described as new in
the French journal. has been long used in
America, particularly by those experiment
ers who have aimed at mixing more hydro
gen with the large class of hydrocarbons
which are very rich in carbon, and there
fore liable, from imperfect combustion, to
give off fine particles of uncohsumed car
bon in the form of smoke.
UcHATIUs STEEL.-The process of NJ.
Uchatius, an officer in the Austrian service,
for making steel by mixing granulated iron
and iron ore in proper proportions in
crucible, was patented here many years
ago by an American, and we believe be-
fore any similar plan had been tried in
Europe. The process was never carried
into practical operation for commercial
purposes in this country; however, large
company was formed in France, more than
ten years ago, for making steel under the
Uchatius patents, but it failed to produce
steel of uniform quality. The cause of its
failure is now known to be the employ
ment of improper ores. In Sweden this
kind of steel has been made with great
success by mixing the very pure and rich
magnetic ores of the Bisburg mines with
granulated pig iron made from the same
ore, and adding little manganese or man
ganese ore. This steel is remarkable for its
tenacity and uniformity of grain. 1t is |
used exclusively by the Royal Mint at
Stockholm for dies of coming presses, pol |
ished rolls and other similar articles re- |
quirng great strength, closeness and regu-
larity of grain.
THE CoLoRs OF SOAP BUBBLEs.-At the |
late meeting of the British Association for
the Advancement of Science, Sir David |
DIc"SlCI Icau paper ou IulS suUJeCG;
which it appears that he had been led to
make some new investigations as to the
cause of colors of soap bubbles, after he
had repeated the beautiful experiments of
Prof. Plateau ION the Equilibrium of
Liquid Mass without Gravity" In these
cases the colorS of soap bubbles were pre-
sented to him upon soap films, plane. con-
veX and cCncave; but the changes of form
which they underwent and their motions
upon the film itself, were Incompatible
with the common theory of their forma-
ton. After describing various phe-
nomena emitted by the ordinary soap
bubble, and also with the bubble
having its film toughened by a mix
ture of glycerine, Sir David remarked
that his experiments were sufficient to es-
tablish the almost incredible truth that the
cOlors of the soap bubble are not produced
by the thickness of the film. but. by the
secretion from it of new substance flow
ing over the film and expanding, under the
influence OF gravity and molecular forces,
into colored groups of various shapes and
returning spontaneously, when not re-
turned forcibly, into the parent films.
At the conclusion of the paper, Sir Will
liam Thomson remarked that the mechani-
cal questions involved in the seemingly
simple operation of blowing soap-bubbles
were the greatest enigmas to scientific
men. The extraordinary expansion and
adhesion combined in the vapor spheres
were well worthy of the fullest investiga-
ton.
An Unique Petition.