Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1871-09-23
CURIOUS AND SCIENTIFIC


The recent meeting Of the French
Academy have been largely occupied
with communication relative TO mil
itary science, the production Of con
densed food of various sorts, and
ErOstatiOn.
Brown University has iustrCCcivCd
the largest Holtz electric machine in
the world. 1t produces electricity
by induction instead Of friction, has
q thirty-inch plate, and is capable of
producing afiftecn-inCh spark while
the largest friction machine can pro-
duce but thrcc-inch spark under
the same circumstances as this will
one Of twelve inch.
The water vine n very curious
West Indian plant, is described by
Mr.. Charles Kingsley, in writing of
his late visit to the West Indies.
This vine, when cut, first above and
then below, yields q draught of pure
water, which has been collected by
the roots and is on Its way upward
so fast that "if the first cut was made
below the sap 1t would be out Of
reach before another cut could be
made above"
Ifa large emerald be held so as to
reflect the light, it seems to be silver
ed at the back. If its plane is then
brought to a certain angle with The
ray of light, it seems to lose its green
color and reflects objects like COM
mon looking-glass. 1t is the only
gem capable OF this change. Nero is
said to have watched the cOmba's of
his gladiators by means of their re-
Election in an immense emerald in
his possession.
Fish have a great tcnacity Of life.
II is believed the carp has attained
the age OF 100 years and the pike
still greater age. A pike was caught
in lake in South Germany, in l479,
OH which was found a ring hearing
this inscription: II am the fish which
was first of all put into this lake by
the hands of the Governor of the
Universe, Frederick ii, the 9TH OF Oc-
tobcr, 1890" 1t weighed $50, pounds
and was nineteen feet long.
A Lyons, Mass, physician has been
experimenting with different alco-
holic mixtures upon chickens. He
SAYS that chickens which imbi6cd
rcd wine continued in perfect health;
those which took white wine were
rather low in their minds, and show
cd symptoms Of liver complaint; tho
alcohol drinkers sink RAPIDLY, and all
died; and the ones that had absintlc
given them pcrishcd on the spot
Thus it seems prudent for the chick
en- population to limit itself to dict
of ClarCt aud water.
The fact seems well established
that certain articles, such as old wear.
ing apparel, well dried wood, &C.,
are capable of generating sufficient
heat TO induce combustion without
the application Of fire. We think
that not few of the numerous fires,
supposed to be the work ofan inccn-
diary" arc caused by, perhaps rag
which has been used with bcnzinc by
the frugal housewife to clean coat,
or by the heat which is known to be-
generated from articles of silk, cot
ton, &c, shut up in close room.
One ofthc most interesting qucs'
tions now discussed by astronomers,
is that which concerns the possibility
ole the existence ofa central sun.
The vast extent of the range of
influence exercised by the law of
gravitation has suggested the great
probability that in tho assemblagc of
stars with which our system is con-
nected, there is a centre of gravity
around which they rcvolve. As in
the solar system such principle, is
found to exist, the inquiry naturally
propounds itself, why it should not
also exist over the broadcst limit of
the universe, and why, too, there
should not be the same point ofcemlrG
around which every cluster aud
nebua may revolve.
The chronopher is the name of the
instrument " hich supplies all Eng
land with the correct time. II is in di-
rect communication with the Green
wich Observatory and with sixteen
of the principal cities of the Kingdom,
and precisely at 10 o'clock A. NJ. the
hour is flashed not only to those sta
tions, but to every post-oflicc in the
country, so that all time is regulated
to the twentieth part of a second.
Time guns are fired daily at l p. NJ,
at Newcastle and Shields, by batter
les connected with the chronophcr,
and all the prominent watch-makcrs
in London receive the exact second
every hour from the same instrument.
Under such strict regulations the
I uninformity Of time all over the
kingdom is as nearly perfect as it
. can be made.