Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1876-11-15
MECHANICAL AND SCIENTIFIC.

"A new system of steam propul.
sion for canals, the boat being moved
by the discharge of a current of steam
from pipe under the keel, has been
tried in England.
According to the Paris correspop-
dent of Sttlimans Journal. Nj. Audrey,
VINO has been 80 successful in electro
plating with copper the cast-iron mon
| ulnental fountains in the place de la
Cohcorde, makes his new copper paint
from the porous copper deposited by
the galyanlc battery, mixed with var
nlsh. The solvent of this varnish is
the light and refined petroleum, or
what is known as benzine. The COP
per used is the very purest, and is east
ly pulverized, after which treatment it
Is mixed with the benzine varnish. and
applied TO either iron, brass, plaster,
or wood. When this copper, in the
condition named, is mixed with oils. 1t
acquires green, antique hue.
"A German technical journal gives
an account of NJ. Sainte Marie's new
preliminary treatment of hides in tan.
ming, the design of which is to mate
rally shorten the time required for
that process; the result being, in the
first place, to afford a soft, pliable
material, and, in the second. to render
the hides more suitable for the recep-
ton of dyes. BY this method the
hides, after being freed from hair and
flesh by caustic alkalies, are immersed
In an aqueous solution of ammonia,
IN the proportion of six to eleven
pounds to from 500 to 1000 quarts of
water, or in q solution of eleven
pounds OF sulphate of ammonia and
twenty-five pounds sulphate of soda
to the quantity of water named.
The combustion of iron in air is a
chemical phenomenon now made COM
paratlvely easy to the eXperimenter.
The most practical method is to take a
straight bar magnet Of some power,
and sprinkle iron filings on one of its
poles. These filings arrange them
selves III accordance with the lines of
magnetic force, and, however closely
they may appear to 10 placed, of course
no two of the metallic tilaments are
parallel, and consequently q certain
portion of air is enclosed as in a metal
nc sponge. The flame of any ordinary
spirit lamp or gas-burner readily ig-
mites the tinely-divided iron, and it
continues to burn most brilliantly for
a considerable length of time, the COM
bustlon being, apparently, as natural
and easy as that of any ordinary sub
stance, and the light normal, though
vivid. Y. sun.
The British Iron and Steel insti- |
tute have had under examination an
constructed revolving
furnace for pudding iron, the intro
duction of which, as a substitute for
the arrangements and methods ordi-
narily in vogue, will. it is claimed, be
attended by important advantages.
Small coal, or slack, is, as it appears. |
utilized as fuel, and is introduced with |
a current of air in such a way as To |
insure perfect combustion, and the
consequent absence of smoke, an in
tense us well as regular temperature |
being thus obtained. A great econ
omy of fuel is stated to result from |
the use of such an apparatus, together
with great rapidity of action, so that
with furnace twelve feet in length
and six III diameter, the inventor
states that he has succeeded in pud-
ding pig iron in an hour and a quar-
ter from the time it was cold.