Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1871-05-20
SCIENTIFIC NOTES.

HECLA AND VEsUyIUs 1t is long
way from Hecla, in Iceland, to Etna,
in sunny Sicily. Yet scientific men
tell us there is little doubt that these
two volcanoes are connected by q
tunnel or natural subterranean pas
sage of communication. There are
good reasons for this belief. The
great internal eGrth-pulse beats sim.
ultaneously in each. Ema is never
disqnieted, but Hecla symyathizes,
and Hecla never shows symptoms Of
eruption without some throbbings
in Etna. Ancient and gigantic twins
are they, standing for ages widely
separated, but holding mysterious
communication through an unex-
planned labyrinth, fiery artery,
through which their hot blood flows
and mingles.
THE Color OF TIE MooN.--The
dark side of the moon is visible to
US when the moon is not full, receiv-
ing its light by reflection from the
earth. In total solar eclipse, when
large portion Of the earth, lying
directly under the moon, is obscured,
change in color Of the latter might
be expected These expectations
have been realized. As early as TIA
Lambers observed the remarkable
phenomenon, that the ordinary ash
colored moonlight of tho dark side OF
the moon in its first and second
quarters was changed into an olive
green, tin ged with yellow. In pom
dering upon the cause of this singu-
lar appearance, he found it referable
to the position of the moon, then sit
uated vertically over the Atlantic
Ocean, and receiving upon its right
side reflected light from the green
forests of South America.
DESTRUCTION OF MoTHs.--It is said
that moths in furniture may be des-
troyed by placing the furniture in
warm, close room, and frequently
sprinkling the under side of the seats,
ETC., with carbolic acid. The warmth
Of the room matches the eggs, and the
Larvae are Immediately killed by the
fumes OF the acid.
CHEMICAL SOLUTION FOR WATERING
STREETs.-For several years expert.
ments with chemical solutions for
watering streets have been employed
in various English cities with con-
siderable success. 4 mixed solution
Of common salt and chloride of lime
has been used to a considerable ex-
tent. These salts attract moisture
sufficient to keep the street dust from
becoming absolutely dry unless neg
lected. A very small quantity is
said to answer the purpose, and not
only TO keep the dust we'll laid, but
also to act as an antiseptic, cleaning
the streets of foul odors. The chlo-
ralum of Prof Gamgee is now pro-
posed as a substitute for the chemi-
Gals hitherto employed, being more
deliquescent, and, it is claimed, su-
perior as an antiseptic to the salts
hitherto used.
TELEGRAPH WIRE As AN ARTICLE
OF CoMMERCE.-Some idea of the ex-
tent to which the art of telegraphy
has been carried may be gathered
from the following statistics. The
telegraph wire exported from Eng
land in 1869 exceeded in value IT,
100000 sterling. In 1859, the value
exported was E750000 sterling and
iu all. between the years 1866 and
1870, the British exports of such wire
have been over Gj,000,000 sterling.
ARTIFICIAL SPIEGELEIsEN. - The
peculiar iron ore known as spiegelei-
sen produces a quality of iron per.
hapS harder than any other known.
An English inventor has Just patent
ed process whereby a quality of
iron rivaling spiegeleisen in hardness
and other qualities can, it is claimed,
be artitcially made. He charges CO.
pola or analogous furnace with man
ganese and iron mixed with more or
less coke, charcoal, or other caroona-
ceOus matter, placing the manganese
between the coke, or other fuel and
the metal, so that this latter in melt.
ing passes rich with carbon through
the manganese, and becomes gradu-
ally and regularly impregnated there
with, issuing from the furnace with
the appearance and possessing the
properties of "spicgeleisen."
| BLEACHING PowDER.-The process
ty which a large portion of the
bleaching powder now made in Eng
land is produced, is known as "Wel-
don's Process" In this process, sui
phuric acid is made to act upon COM
mon salt, by which muriatic acid is
set free. The muriatic acid is then
caused tC act upon black oxide of
manganese, by which certain
amount of chlorine is set free, This
free chlorine is made to act upon
Stacked lime to form the chloride Of
lime, or bleaching powder. \ por.
ton of the chlorine, however, COM
bines with the manganese, and forms
with ii chloride OF manganese. This
manganese is recovered in the form
of the black oxide again, by treating
ii with milk of lime This process
has proved so economical that the
Improvement is now being rapidly
adopted. 1t effects an important
saving in very extensive industry.
NEW DEoDoRIzER.-Spongy iron is
recommended by Voclcker as a deod-
oriher of great power exceeding in
its absorbing power even animal
charcoal. II water from the common
sewers be passed through this sub
stance, it will be 50 completely puri-
fled as TO keep sweet and colorless
for months. Spongy iron is prepared
by heating finely pulverized charcoal
in n close furnace. 1t is thought
that water filters made of this sub.
stance will possess superior advanta-
ges.
--------s~- o-@s--------
4 New Industry.