New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-08-08
SCIENTIFIC NOTES.

Nrw UYCRosCopE-An instrument Tor IN
s,cstiue decided change in the relative quantity OF
,n.sture I'm the atmosphere Is now used in PARIS con-
sistine OF strips OF paper which have been ppeS III
cobalt salt solution, containing common sa' hin. in
arabic. In dry weather this prepared Palei N ' "
wet IL Ia rose red r.
RrGF1ArIoN.-The curious phenomenon OF
reeeatlon can be exhibited by placing BLOCK OF ice on
netting OF fine wire. The ice viii be meteu ny '"e
wire and passing down through IT, VIII become
frozep ln a mass again below the wire. simple VIZ
can similar manner, be drawn SONY , Vim fpv
block Of ice, which untes again behind inc "iic' "'
showing no sign of having been cut at ah'
EFFECT OF ALCOHOL on FowLs.-Ihe Mann
publishes account OF the experiments MADE Dy uo
tor of Montpelier TO ascertain the effects OF Wlne'
brandy and sbsinthe On fowls Those birds took very
readily 20 the regime and ended by absorbing daily SIX
subie oermeters OF alcohol from 10 TO u OF VINE
The result was they lost osh rapidly especially LOS
iauor was sudicent 10 Kin them; those treated Win
brandy resisted fOur months and nall ana tnPSo W.
wine months. An extraordinary eect OF Ia' Prd,s
hosm MAS the immense development OF the male pIIo
erests, which increased 70 four tunes 'hen N''"A '
and assumed a brighter hue.
TIE RED RIVER RAFr.-The London En0'-
,,e says that the immense raft which has so long OBJ
structed the Red River appears TO move up stream IN
stead Of down. the motion being az the rate OF about two
miles a year The explanation Of this retrograde move
mont is that the logs Of the lower end OF the rait are
continually broken away and carried on by the Moods ana
frcshes, while the other END Is conihuy RECEIVING au
dtions. Thus the raft, always falling away at one end
aud
and is calculated that il moved since its forma
lion about 400 miles. In 1885, when the raft was IA
the Government bat, after working at 1t for ~ years,
the work was abandoned as mpractcabe, aud was con-
nnod TO opening some OF the ateia chhheis ~ DO W
facilitate navigation
NEw ERECTING PRIsM.-Mr. Joseph Zent-
mayer recently exhibited, at the Franklin Institute,
Philadelphia. single glass prism, which erecs the
image completely, and IN such way that the incident
and emerging rays are parallel, which, II Is said, was
u1taI In Nyifl
e.oscope il was shown to interfere very little with the
definition and, although the light was twice retraeted
and reflected It's loss much less than one WOuu
pect The prism is placed right above the objective ana
Inc microscope NAV be used in any inclined position
Tie protection OF the front Of this prism Is square, ana
that OF the profile an soscees triangle Ine ases az
the base of the triangle 2o9 for crown glass OF re-
necting index Of 1853, in order 10 OBTAIN the greatest
enterng the prism either side of the central ray be
come inverted IN their passage through IT. me uPPa
emergos as the lower ray ana te ioNe laS Us tS
upper one pair Of such prSms might DC used also Ior
gu erecting bnocuar microscope
NEW Process FOR MAKING CARBONATE OF
sopA-Mr James Young Of Scotland, VINO. long since,
acquired fortune and reputation by his process for dst
hing oil from camel coal using process for
manufacturing carbonate OF soda on large scale The
reaction in his process not new, but the manner
ID which he proposes and and over the
ammonia required Is novel, and If as economical as
claimed II viii effect revolution in the manufacture Of
oil article OF commerce which Great Britain has fur
cal reactions in Mr. YOung5 process take place in two
large revolving cylinders, which may be designated as
and b. In the cylinder 4 a charge OF common salt is
placed and a quantity OF water thrown over IT, Am
nonia il then added, and the cylinder IS
set in rotation, while large quantities OF car
bonie acid are injected Tie change chec ted
d. the introducuoQ Of carbQnic ac9 Is the for
Inat0n OF hcarhOnate Of soda; the chlorine OF the
common salt which mas been displaced by carDouic acd,
untes with the ammonia present, forming chloride OF
Ammonium or sal ammOulGc. The liquid sal ammOnldc
IS then drawn of and the white powder found at the
bottom the yinder is the DiCaTbOnate OF soda, COM
monty known among LOusekeepeTs as baking powder.
Ills powder is placed IN the cylinder b. when is lnide
To- rcvOve rapidly over fire, while lets OF steam are IN
jected until enough carbOnC acid u thrown on 70 change
The bicarbouatc into pure carbonate OF soda Inc
secondary product, sal ammOnlac, Il mixed Win hne
ana exposed TO high temperature, when me cniOHne
mites with the ue, and leaves the ammonia Tree TO be
used again IN the aforementioned reaction. The carDOne
acid driven on the bcarbOnaie Is also saved and
used again. az there viii be some waste or ma
teria II is claimed that the economies or TINS plan
great That soda be produced az cheaper rate
than by the Old French process, 10y which common sat
is first transformed into sulpatc Of soda ana afterward
into carbonate Inc actual cost Of carbonate or soda
ON the Young process said 10 Ue only OnelOuIth OF
that made - tine old method.