New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-06-25
APPLIED SCIENCE.

APPLIEU DtIEAOL.
A NEW Jrcur-Accortling 70 The Aheaeum Mr..
Spiller has succeeded in producing light far better
than that FROM nitro-oxido and the bisulphide OF
carbon. and free from lis dangers. This Is aceon-
plished by dropping small pieces % Birthstone lhuo
fused saitpetie IA IA glass lu1e.
ACID OF THE GASTRIC JUICE.-Dr. Eohartoau has
Lately asceriued that the acidity Of the gastric juice
is due TO llyrochlOIic acid and not 10 rdctle ACID
This question has bceA the s,tjcct OF much discus
son between rival eIpcrlmehteFs. According 10
Prof. WntL wheh lacuf aCid IA met Wlth Ill INC
stomach i, is the result of an impaired digestiOh'
RuyFuI AND SOLAR SPors.-In the monthly
notices of the Meteorological Society of MauI1ius,
Mr. Mcdrum of that island concludes that, whether
We take the annual rainfall for tie largest poss lie
portion of tie globe for short periods or for small
portion Of the globe for longer period, We arrive at
the same result, yiz an increase Of rain at or near
the cpOCl5 Of maximum SIN spots, ana decrease
of raff nj or near the eDochS cf minimum sur Spus
The exceptions this law are few and triiing ana
disappear from TIE RESULTS the inquiry Is made 10
cover extended portions ot tie eaI1hs surface
and longer interval OF time.
RESEARCHES On TIE SECRETION or lioNEY.-Dr.
Reiehenau has been engaged in an inquiry as to
whether honey aud other industrial products OF the
bees arc obtained directly from the food of the i'll
|
He has not completed his research but, OF three
albumnoid, heterogeneous substances found in the
honey one coaguable by heat docs not occur i'll the
Juice Of the flowers he infers that II Is true sccre-
tiou by the bee, which becomes mixed with the nee
tar. Honey l.. therefore, strictly uItfOgenOus body
and not ii nply IA carbohydrate. In puIliled bees
wax nitrogen was found 10 the extent OF O.J9I per
| cent.
| IrDyIGIrr ANEW Observation-Disclosures describes
the mineral named in honor of Ernst Ludwig a.
finely fbrous. with the lber in general parallel, and
consequently of silky luster, III fresh pieces. The
color Of one modification is dark green whilst that
of the second appears almost black, with trace of
violet. 1t is very tough the hbers are separated
with great difficulty. In some cases the length OF
the ibers reaches three inches, but rs rule they are
shorter and change their direction Mt short inter
| walls lts hardness is about . specific gravity,
1907 to 30Jl OF the dark variety, 4.0lG; streak,
dark green. On heating III the AIR 1t turns red. Ac-
corlng to analysis The main constituents may he
assumed to be a borate of masne5a, OF the formula
2MgO. BE- O3, and All iron compound, te v, fe2 %.
SEARCHING IrvEN-The following is recommended
by "A German journal Make liquid paste With
good fine wheat starch aud cold water, and thcl STIR
in boiling water until stiff paste is formed. and i'm
mediately add white wax, or stearin say about one
ounce Of wax to pound of starch (the exact proper
lions. however in any case can only be determined
Inv experienceJ If it is desirable that the linen
| should be very stiff, powdered gum arabic may be
added to the cold water with which the starch is
mixed. The strained starch should be thoroughly
rubbed into the articles after they have been wei
wTung out. after which they should then he placed
between dry cloths and passed through the mangie,
and then rubbed Oh an ironne-board III one dlrec-
ton Win soft rag to GS III rooa adpy NH Of
hot iron and considerable pressure. The sticking of
the iron may be prevented by drawing il while hot
over WAX. and wiping it with rag dipped III salt.
VARIATIONS OF SHIPS CoMrAssrs.-Sir William
| Thomson communicates to the British Association
fox the Advancement Of Science Investigation Of
perturbations OF the compass produced by the roll
ing of the shiI-the so-called heelng error which
| has been studied by AIRY and Smith. This heelng
error NAV be defined as the angle between the drec
toms for the ship upright and the ship inclined, of the
result and of the horizontal magnetic forces of earth
and ship at the position OF the compass definition
that would be rigorous for a compass supported
point in the ordinary manner, if this bearing-pont
W. 10 carried by the ship uniformly in straight line
is sufficiently approximate when the compass Is
p,aced in the ships axis OF rolling. The p;rturba-
lion produced in the compass 10y this rolling viii be
solely that due to the variation OF the horizontal
component of the ships magnetic force. such POI
| stion o. the compass would have one great adyan-
tage viz: that the application of proper magnetic
coirectols adjusted by trial. to do away with the
rolling error, would also perfectly correct the heeg
error.
EARTH CURRENTS IN TELEGRAPH LNEs.-A Mr.
Schwendlcr, who III sos was entrusted with the in
PRODUCTION of sy tem Of testing telegraph lines in
India, took that opportunity to do his work so
thoroughly as to all the data necessary for
the cumulative determination of the electromOtIve
force in the line. Over 10000 determinations have
been made during the past six years, and he deduces
from these the conclusion that all tho lines in India
are affected by natural currents of electricity.
These currents are, it were, a negative copper
current lowing from the east to the west. HE
strength Of the natural current is very variable
even on tho same line The direction is also yara-
bic but far more constant than the strength. The
variations in strength and direction, on parallel
lines of telegraph. very Uniform. The prevail
ing direction Of the current is generally also the di-
recton If the ina xmum current. He considers him
self now fully justified in establishing an improve
ment of the system for the purpose of investigating
these currents and ms propositions having been
| urged strongly upon the attention OF the Indian
| Government have been fivOrably received by it.
NOVEL PHENOMENA DUmSo THE FORGINo OF
METALLIC BARs.-At the forging Of the bar OF
ridium-platinum alloy for the standard meter, Mr..
'rresca states that there were sometimes produced
upon the lateral faces Of the piece under the
, action Of tho hammer strcaks Of light having