New-York tribune., 1874-05-18
APPLIED SCIENCE.

Ii with n mixture of anhydrous boraclc acld, guln
and water When dry ii is exposed to tempera-
ture at which the boraco acid fuses and imparts to
.bose porons of the glass the usual luster and thus
Sxes the drawing. BY mixing various metallic oxides
with the boracic acid designs III color may DC pro-
duced.
MODIFICATION OF KLINKERFUEs's GALvANIc. GAS
lJGITER.-The essential feature of this improve
ment by Baron Oldersbausen of Vienna consists in
the EMPLOYMENT of sudden increase Of pressure,
gradual increase having effect, and in the attaeh
mcnt of second burner, beneath the principal one,
which is ignted by the heated platinum SPIRAL anu
is automatically extingushed, after " afs ns are en-
The principal burner. Mercury auu llo.t1 % 1nr;ncnal
ployed for extinguishing che accessory au ~ ana
flames. Although ingenious anu I ;ntroduetion
for street lamps
NEW PROCESS FOR NICKEL PLATING.-Martln anu
pelamotte use organic acids with the salts OF nlckei
instead of the mineral acids usually employed.
The hath is prepared by dissolving 1858 grains OF
ejtric acid 1j4S grains Of sal ammOniac or suphate
of ammonia and 1.549 grains of nitrate OF ammo
MIA i'm 63 pints of water, heating the solution TO
l7to gradually saturating it with freshly preclp-
tated hydrated oxide of nickel, and then allow
ing it TO cool One pint of ammonia is next added
and the whole diluted with water TO lo5 plnts'
Into this solution (which contains about SS5 grams
OF nickel TO the pin when cold 543 grains of car
filtered after ttng. The liquid is deep blue and
of about 10 Baume and, under the innnehce Oh tue
JTIe nnsit Of nrkc The Temperature of the bath
during use must be retained az about -. Al
dition of cauStic potash or SODA renders heavier
deposits possible.
AsPHYxIATING BURGLARs.-The manufacturers OF
vaults and safes for the preservation of valuables,
and also those whose profession II Is to enter them
for the purpose of plunder, continue TO develop
vast amount of ingenuity. Almost as soon as we
have the triumphant announcement of absolute Sc
curity as the result of some combination or con-
sructon, we find that the device has been success
fully evaded. All the arrangements of chilled iron
and other modes of protection seem to be of no value
against the efforts Of experienced CTacksmen," and
attention now appears to be directed toward the
addition of defensive weapons that shall MAIN or
otherwise injurc the intruder. One OF the most re-
cent devices of this kind consists in what is called
the Chemical Armor for Bank Vaults which is so
adjusted that should the interior of the safe be
penetrated bv violence, sundry glass Vlals 1Illcd
with suphuriC acid necessarily broken ana their
contents discharged into powdered carbonate OF
lime resulting IN the instantaneous production OF
carbonic acid gas enough 10 asplyNlaIe regiment
What mode of defense Will be adopted by the oppO-
site side should this device be carried out TO any eA
tent remains to be seen.
ECONOMICAL Use or FEATHEGs-M. de la
Blanchere calls attention to the economical value of
feathers. which are generally considered as the
refuse of the farm, especially those obtained IN
ylucking ducks chickens and turkeys, and those of
wild fowl and other birds killed as game. lie re-
marks that by trimming these especially the larger
ones off the stump. which may be thrown away the
plumes will serve an excellent purpose; and they
are now being worked up in Paris large scale, in
thcmanufacture of feather cloth or blanket, which
possesses the essential quality Of being exceedingly
light while az the same time very warm. The
Yumes thus separated from the stalk are to be
placed in bag, closed tightly and then subjected to
rubbing between the hands, as Ill washing clothes.
In few minutes the fbers are separated from each
other and form "a perfectly homogeneous and very
hight down. This can be sold or worked mp directly
into cOverllds, and other household objects, by
In Paris this down sells readily for 81 pound,
and the price Is continually increasing. According
to de la Banchere the feathers of an ordinary
chicken viii produce down worth AT least % cents.
sum which IL is of course very desirable 70 save
Df course something must be allowed Tor the tline
occupied III separating the pumes.
BrACH-iINIyG FOR GOLD IN CAuFoRNIA.-A
communication has lately been made by Mr.. A. W.
Chase TO the California Academy of Science In
reference TO beach-mining as presented at Gold
Bluffs klamath County, California. Many years
ago a party of gold miners. encamping on this
beach found the sand filled with particles of the
precious metal. and. much excited at the prospect,
they made preparations to follow up the placer on a
large scale: but. unfortunately, before they could
get to work. heavy brought in mass OF
gravel which covered the gold deposit. More re-
Gently, however, the work has been resumed, and
by carefully watching the best opportunities, a con-
siderable amount Of aurferous sand is secured from
time 10 time. According TO Mr. Chase, the gold
comes really from stratfed bed of gravel, sand,
stone and Ignite which forms the vertical bluffs Of
the coast aud it is only after these bluffs have been
broken down by the action of the waves that the
gold is found the beach. At present, the mining
consists in watching carefully, after high sea, for
a fresh exposure Of aurferous sand, collecting this
in bags aud carrying il on the backs of mules to
the works.
The washing is done with the assistance of copper
vessels first coated with little silver before the
uucksilveI is applied the gold being in PARTICLES so
extremely small that il requires tins special measure
Tor its extraction.
Dnring Mr. Chase's visit gold OF the value of
$1,000 Was obtained from the washinGS III SIX or
seven days with TWO machines; and Sl1OJ were Sc
cured the succeeding week. Nh Chase thinks the
suggestion that coarseI gold VIII he i0llu AT Ois-
tance from the mine at low water. and beyond the
line of the suf 10 he uufOunded, and that from his
own observations. the gold follows the first two or
three lines OF breakers and Will never he found II
paying quantities beyond.
Prof Dana. in discussing specimens OF the sand,
remarks that the red grains IN the and are gafnets
He thinks il probable that the deposit dates partly
from the close Of the glacial thai H. the time of
the melting of the ice the early part of the Cham
plain period. when floods and gravel dispositions
were the order of the day and partly from the lat
teT part Of the Champlain period, when the waters
were cOmpaIatively quiet
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