New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-05-23


gives a section of what is claimed to he simple
rbcap and effective apparatus devised by Brosus of
K6nipsberg for rendering doors self-cosing. Among
the advantages claimed are cheapneSs because IT
forms part of the hinge. absence of any projecting
part visible on the outside possibility OF opening the
door to an angle of lSO, equal effectiveness ana GER
taintv in closing a half-Opeuod OF fHlly-opened
door and a construction OF small number of sep
sra parts that il cannot get out of order Full de-
tails can only be obtained OF the inventor.
Removal OF BvPRs FROM WOOI~-The United
States Economist for Nov. 90 contains cOmmunica-
ton from Mr. Thomas Crossley i'll reference to an
improved method of removing the burTs from wool,
which he CLAIMS as constituting a very great ad-
vance in the manipulation of this staple Not only
is the wool made perfectly clean by the process but
il is also beached perfectly white. however yellow
may have been its previous condition; and, thus
prepared, it will receive any desired color in
shorter time and at less expense than usual in con-
sequence Of the uniform condition in which it is
left by the treatment.
BY Mr. Crossev's process the wool is first simply
secured and washed clean in the ordinary manner,
and. after removing the water by means of the
hydTOeXTaCtOT IL l. spread upon racks, TO thick
ness of four 10 six inches, and submitted TO gas
generated from combination OF materials which
serves 10 decompOSe thoroughly the claw OF beard
of the bur, other vegetable matter, or scut,
mixed with The wool so that all the buIrs, grass
seeds and other foreign substances when submitted
10 action of the buTTpicer, AZ once removed,
and the wool is left IN a soft and elastic condition.
The labor and material required to produce this
result tritling the spreading Of the wool to re-
ceve the gas being about the only addition to that
usually required,
OBSERVATIONS on EARTH CCRRENTs.-The sub
iect of earth currents las received considerable elu
cidaton in discussion that is recorded in Tile Jour
nal Ofte Society of Telegraph Engineers. Mr. Winter,
telegraph engineer at Madras. has established two
telegraph lines. each two miles long, running
spectively in the meridian and at right angles
thereto both starting from his Office at ArcOnum,
near Madras. The current from each wire was OBJ
served on the same tangent galvanometer, and OBJ
servations weretaken hourly during December, 1871,
when his bad health and press of work compelled
their abandonment for time. Apparatus for the
measurement Of the two elements of these earth cur
need not be OF an expensive character and 1T
is greatly 10 he desired that such observations
should be made in various portions of the world.
Mr Winter believes the absolute magnetism of the
earth to be much more constant than is generally
imagined, and that the supposed variation in its
elements is due, in great measure, to the
great action Of the earth stream upon the magnet
and magnetometerS. From his observations in
December 1871, he finds the general direction of the
earth current TO be from the SOUTH being most east
erly at p m, aud most westerly at M strongest
at p. H., and weakest at a. III. Mr.. James Graves
has presented 20 the same Society paper of very
great value on the same subject. Mr.. Graves was
stationed. Ia ISL at Nalentia during the period of
nearly three months, when both the cables of the
AnglO-Anerican Telegraph Company were disabled
Daring tins interval of 20 days he embraced the
opportunity OF recording, every half hour the
nature and strength of the earth currents that were
manifested upon these wires; one cable being about
$50 and the other l,330 nautical miles in length
The record for the two cables was practically the
same The recorded reflections OF the galvanometer
needles have been reduced to relative values terms
nf one battery cell as unit of force. He shows that
there are two maxima of force positive and
two negative; the first maximum positive at
3 or a. m the first negative at Z or 8 a. m, the
second and larger maximum positive about y OF
o. H.. and the second maximum negative at OF
o. IN. The maximum observed at any Time. was
equal 70 IL cells during aurora at ~ ?. H., APrI
g. Great meteorological changes, AS well as sudden
changes of WIND are. he finds, generally accOHPa-
med by an earth current of unusual force. Inc
currents repeatedly reverse from plus TO minus, ana
rice versa during the display of auroras precisely as
when a short cable or land wire Is used. Whenever
an earthquake is experienced In any part OF the
globe, the telegraph lines are more than usually
taausaeed ~ sSg1 sSIIsala aaS ~ ugsY.. -