Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-09-29

Destructive EFFECT OF SALT ON AXLEs.
The London papers give accounts of several ac-
cidents on railways ocCaSoned by the fracture
of the aXles of salt cars. 1t appears that be-
tween the sound portion remaining and the
outside of the fractured axle the surfaces were
quite smooth, presenting the appearance of
having been severed by sharp instrument
This peculiar effect is thought to have been
caused by the gradual action of the brine on the
metal, the heat at the boss tavoling the eyolu-
ton of chlorine from the brine, and then COM
bining with the iron 10 form q soluble chloride
of iron. From the position of the defect it was
not discovered by any ordinary inspection; and,
whatever may be the scientific explanation of
the peculiar destructive action which thus goes
on in the aXleS of salt cars, the fact must be re-
garded as a very serious one, especially in view
of the statement made that on one railway
alone no less than seven aXleS of salt cars were
broken while running in a period OF less than
three months, and this out of a total number of
about five hundred wagons, showing an enor-
mOusy large proportion, as compared with the
fracture Of aXles of any other description of
rolling stock To diminish this liability, the
plan has been proposed that, in addition to re-
quiring such cars to be provided with well con-
structed aXles of good quality, it also be in-
sisted that the date of their commencing TO run
be stamped upon the aXles, and that a reasona-
BILE number Of years be prescribed as the maxi
mum of their being used.--Lrofl Age.
BAMBoozLING ROYAL GAMEsTER.-At the
| beginning of the century, the prince Regent was
| the guest of the great duke of Bedford at New
| market, One night in company with many gay
aud dissolute comrades, the prince repaired after
dinner TO the public gambling rooms, then no
less accessible TO all corners than the kursaas
| of Hombourg or the conyersazton-hauS of
Baden-Baden is to-day. The prince played long
and deep at the fascinating game of French
hazard; and not until the pure rays of morning
boI fnr hou bnpu tbrouOb bp ~
light above his head did he rise from his seat,
with flushed cheek and an angry brow. Ac-
customed to heavy losses, the prince had on
this particular night been SO numerically
''plucked, that some suspicion Of foul play
flashed across his COuded and excited brain.
Selling the dice with which he had been play
ing, and turning TO the proprietor, the royal
gambler said: "You shall have check to-mor-
row ,morning for what | have lost if on eX-
animation find that you have won it fairly
Deep was the dismay with which the
fashionable "hell-keeper' heard the threat OF
his formidable victim. The dice, which had
long been his fraudulent instruments of rob
berry, were, he knew well, heavily plugged with
lead. Disgrace and punishment stared him in
the face. But with quick-witted readiness he
noticed that poor kinsman of the duke Of
Bedford, guest under the same roof which
sheltered the prince, still fingered in the gam
bling room. Calling this "geutleman" aside
the gambling house keeper offered to give him a
large sum if he would enter the princes bed
room and substitute an honest pait of dice for
the ''loaded" or "cogged" cubes of ivory which
the prince had carried off The bribe was ac-
cepted; and as the royal roue slept the heavy
sleep of exhaustion, the exchange was effected
On the following day, after having caused the
dice to be sawn in two, the prince gave iCstruc-
tions that the debt be discharged; and this very
sum was included in the balance sheet Of his LA
bilities, which the prince subsequently laid be.
fore the house of commons Telegraph