The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1873-01-10
SCIENTIFIC NOTES.

ARTIFICIAL VoLCANoEs.-M Hoch-
steller has made, at Vienna, an expert
ment which initiates on a small scale
the eruption of volcanoes. 1t is based
on the property possessed by sulphur
when melted under the vapor of water
having a pressure of three atmospheres,
to absorb a certain quantity of water,
which afterward escapes in the form of
vapors during the cooling. In opera
ting on a quintaI of sulphur, super
fetal crust formed, an opening being
made in which pieces of sulphur emer-
ged, accompanied by explosions and
puffs of vapor. At the end of an hour
it formed a cone, having a diameter of
from 80 to so centimeters at the base,
and about 8 centimeters in height, ex-
actly resembling the volcanic cone re
sulting from the successive accumula-
tions of lava streams.
Curious PHENoMENoN IN MoRoCCo.-
1t is well known that there exist no vol
canoes on the continent - Africa, al
though many are found in the adjacent
islands of Ascension, Teneriffe, Ian
zerote, etc That fact gives additional
interest to a discovery just made of a
burning cave in Morocco, not far from
the town of Fee. The pit in question
is designated under the name of BENZ
guazeval It's orifice is about ten feet
above the ground, and twelve feet wide;
the sheets of fame issue internationally,
but what is remarkable, always in a
horizontal direction, as if driven by n
bellows through q retort. There is no
eruption of stone or lava, but the fire is
driven with such force to the orifce
that it is accompanied with loud hiss
ing noise, while the current is sufficient
ly strong to blow away anything placed
near the opening. The researches made
to discover the origin of the pheno-
menon have led to no result; but the
hypothesis generally admitted is that
there exists beds of coal in the noun
tain, on the side of which this cavern
is situated, and that the fuel having be-
come ignited, the cor stion is main
tanned by the draf Rair, and will
continue so long as the flames shall
find any thing to feed on.
Swimming APPARATUS. - Frederick
Barnett, of Paris, has just patented a
novel yet simple apparatus for swim
mers. The invention consists of supply
ing to man an imitation of the appara-
tus peculiar to the frog. For the hands
he has large membranous fin, which
is held to its place by loops passing
over his fingers and a strap around the
waist. The surface presented to the
water by these fins is so large as to add
greatly to the effectiveness of the strokes
of the arm, but not so large as to ex-
haust the muscular power. Their effect
is to very much reduce the effort usual
ly required in swimming. But the
greatest ingenuity is displayed in the
form and fitness of the fins for the legs,
which are attached to the ankles, and
are so formed that they act upon the
water, both in the movement of bring
ing the legs and throwing them back.
They act so finely in treading water, as
swimmers call it, that one can walk, il
not ON the water; at least in it. The
difference between swimming with this
apparatus and without it is very much
like the difference between rowing q
boat with the handle and a blade of an
oar. The old swimmer has no trouble
in using the fins at first trial, and is
surprised to find with what strength he
could swim without exhaustion. He
easily swims twice as fast with the APP.
paratus as without it and with it he
can sustain himself for hours upon the
water, or swim for many miles.