The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-07-06
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In moderately hard soil twenty feet well may be
sunk In about two hours.-FaN NAL G0<ette.
At the last meeting OF the Royal Geographical So
eiety or London paper was read ION pr0posed
q. Neumayer, late dire ;tor OF the Melbourne Obser
vatory. In this memoir the author described plan
Wearly M me was M o. p VI hy
expedition to enter at Port Denison, on the east
coast TO proceed In south westerly direction to the
centre OF the continent near the Finke river or Stu
art, and thence to traverse the unknown western
portion by an angular course to Swan river. The
expedition was to consist OF twenty-five men, in
Guiding seven professional gentlemen to attend to
ne various branches of science, and was to be con-
Quoted on the system Of establishing successive
depots, temporary headauarters at intervals Of
Two hundred or three hundred miles, whence the
Various aeeops could be explored N
f2l,oS5 and occupy three and half years
in limits It's completion Part Of the cost, he hoped.
tralian colonies supplying the rest. After the read
Ing OF the paper Professor owen advocated DR..
Neumayers scheme In an eloquent speech on natural
history grounds anticipating great TO our
knowledge of the peculiar fauna OF Australia from
thought It not unlikely that some OF the colossal
marsupial animals known In fossil state from
recent formations might still be living in the un-
known interior.
The old argument ''nothing like leather" has Just
been brought forward IN an amusing form by Mr.. g.
of improvements in armor plates of complicated
and expensive section, In order to be able to present
a smooth face to the enemy; He maintains am; not
valuable in marine warfare, but that they
would also be applicable in the battle,
armor-plated locomotives, in comparison with
caponieres or turrets, he asks:-"What army, be it
ones, could Withstand the attack of an enemy whose
advance is assisted by judciOusly distributed num-
Der OF armor-plaed fighting locomotives or traction
engines. each one OF which Is scattering death and
destruction along its road while at the same time it
is perfectly unassailabe to any hostile forceW But
this Is not the only novelty due to.Mr Gunther for
he also proposes cigar shaped steam rams, and the
building OF high armor-pated watch towers in
acknowledgements communication with each other
the distance between them forming base line by
which the exact distance OF the enemy could be
determined trigonometricaly. The towers are also
to serve as aerOnaucal stations the central balloon
connected with the bomb balloons being anchored 70
the top OF them.
curious phenomenon, common in Africa, but ex-
cessivcly rare in Europe, was recently observed At
Aumale, France. The day had been very warm and
stormy, when few moments before sunset the
armament towards the west assumed the appear
ance similar to that OF the aurora borealis Then
singular panorama presented itself in the clouds to
the Spectators first, dense forest, with high
mountains, having lake surrounded by trees; then
after n few seconds valley and wooded incline,
crossed by avenues, which proved to be perfect
reflection OF property situated about four miles
distance, and not visible from that spot The paths
were distinctly marked and the sand shone quite
cred by snow to which the OF the sun lent quite
a fairy tout ensemble. Two rainbows: intersectng
the phenomenon lasted fully twenty minutes.
The Austrian government has at last resolved that
the SO long projected expedition into Central ASIA
shall leave Trise about the end OF next August. The
diplomatic direction OF the mission Is conhded TO
Mr. Scherzer, to whom great credit is given for sta
tstical and commercial work on the voyage or cir
cumnavigatiOn OF the NOvara.
M. Darson, engineer Of the Gas Company OF Paris,
has been for some time engaged IN the study of tho
board iron ships from atmOspherical influences. It
appears that copper raIl so placed as to divide nc
ship in two equal proportions Is sufficient for this
purpose.
An Interesting discovery has Just been made in
Belgium. Three days back portion OF the flooring
OF the stables the military school OF Namur gave
way beneath the feet OF the horses, precptatng
them into chasm about ten feet deep. On the rub
1sh oemg cearsn away
branching or In various directions and which proved
to be the vaults Of the former abbey OF Saint jacques
OF Caudenburg. An exploration In the direction OF
the Kings palace brought to light the place OF burial
OF the clergy, and In more remote corner was found
q mausOleum bearing the date 1881, and q Latin In
scrptOn showing that the monument had been
raised to the memory OF the Archduke Francis In
FAINT son Of the Emperor Macmillan and Marie do
BourgOgne. The leaden CONN containing the body
was at the foot OF the mausoleum, which was or
white marble and surmounted with child sleeping.
the head on pillow, and with q lion ut the feet.
Many members OF the medical profession In South
amptOn, England, have formed committee for the
purpose Of STIMULATING higher remuneration for at
tendance clubs In order to enforce their demands
they agree to refuse to attend clubs that will not pay
the required fees to Ill Ofces rendered vacant BY
unions are now the order Of the day, but profess
sional cooperation Is quite new. Should strike
occur what will the sick dor
At q recent meeting OF the Academy OF Sciences
In Paris M L. Savage sent In paper on question
OF some Importance, viz:-Whether ether exercises
any action on tOdides by setting iodine at liberty
He shows that although ether will readily combine
with the latter base when free II will not decOmpOso
Its combination, conrgry to M Houzeaus assertion.
paper was received from M. E. Robert on the
question whether there really exist such enormous
cephaopoda tmolusks which, on q small scale.
are represented by the cutie nsh), as would be
able TO enhance a man. and even whale. In the
folds OF their tentaces He quotes Plny, who GER
tainly describes q mOnstr0us creature Of this size
which used to get out OF the sea at Carteia, and
which II required many men, armed with trfdents, to
kill. Again, N. vaencennes had seen gigantic
tentacle OF the size OF barrel float In the
the Mauritius, and latterly M. Robert himself had
seen In a Japanese book certain very well executed
wood cuts representing the capture OF large "pup
OF the same description. In short. he thinks the
matter ought to be inquired into. NJ. Saix sent In q
paper the artificial production OF black, col0rless
and coOred diamonds. II q current OF chlorine be
made to pass through cast iron when In state or
fusion perchorde or iron Is formed which disap-
pears by evaporation, leaving the carbon OF the metal
at liberty in q crystaized State. N. Saix does not
say whether he has tried the experiment himself.