Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1877-01-03
MECHANICAL AND SCIENTIFIC.

1t is said that the gu,.-Weed S0r-
gcssnn tdccifermm, common i'll tropic-
cal seas, is potent for the reduction of
obesity. The same virtue is also as
cribed to the various species Of Fuc,ts,
or sea-weed, found on the New Eng
land coast. A fluid extract Of the
weed is sold by druggists but an IN
fusion, or " tea, made from the plant,
IS preferable.
interesting to sportsmen is the re-
cent invention in England of suDstl-
tute for powder in powder-paper -
paper impregnated with mixture Of
potassic chlorate, nitrate, prusslate, and
chromate, powdered wood-charcoal,
and little starch. The powder-paper
il rolled into the shape of a cartridge
of any required length or diameter.
The manufacture involves no dan
ger, it is said; no explosion can
take place except by way of con
tact with fire. The powder-paper
leaves no greasy residuum On the inside
of the gun; it also produces less
smoke, gives a less recoil, and is less
impaired by humidity than gunpowder.
With equal charges, by weight, of gun
powder and powder paper, the pene-
trating power of the latter is 5-l6
greater than that of the former
A NJ. Menier, Of Bordeaux, has
invented a new contrlvance for the
steering of balloons. The mechanism
is placed behind the car, and by a
clever arrangement of the network
acts upon a belt which encircles the
body OF the balloon, extending about
four or five degrees above and below "A
horizontal plane through its center
its equator, 50 to say. The rudder is
plane. and can be used as sail. The
balloons are said to move obliquely up
ward and downward and also side
wise, according to the position of the
rudder. The sideway motion is very
likely facilitated by changing the posi-
ton of ballast. One circumstance,
which may be of special practical use,
is that a balloon provided with this
new apparatus, when falling to the
ground, can be made to touch the
earth's surface very obliquely, and
thus avoid any sudden shock, and at
the same time facilitate a safe anchor
ing. Mature.
Mr.. Russell, the Government
astronomer at sidney, reports that
during heavy storm of wind which
occurred in that part of Australia on
Sunday, September 10, the wind, in "a
gust lasting one OF two minutes, at
tanned the extraordinary rate of
velocity of 1913 miles per hour, as as
certained by Robinson's cup memo-
meter; and that during TIE twelve
minutes from eighteen minutes past
twelve to half past twelve n. H., TWEEN
ty-tWo and hall miles of wind passed
the observatory, being ut the rate of
liz miles per hour. This eXtraordi-
nary recorded velocity may be regarded
as a new contribution TO meteorologi-
cal observation. and we look with
much interest to the description which
will doubtless be given of the method
by which it was determined. 1t
scarcely admits of a doubt that the
maximum velocity or force of the
wind that occurs in great storms is
frequently much understated. -EI-
change.
The chief results arrived ut by a
Belgian astronomer. after a discussion
of 1920 observations made ON 230
days on seventy different stars. are as
follows: The intensity of scintillation
(measured by a special apparatus. the
Scintillometer,) increases invariably
with the occurrence or approach of
rainy weather, and with the increase
of yapor in the air ON one side, and
the increase of pressure and decrease
of temperature on the other; the in
Auence of the two former factors being
far more sensible than the combined
influence of the two latter The scin-
tillation, which is on an average
stronger during the winter than dur
ing the summer, increases with the ar
rival of moist weather at all seasons.
1t increases also not only on rainy
DAYS. bat one or two days before. de-
creasiug Immediately after the ram has
ceased. Moreover the intensity of
sclntillation increases during strong
winds, and with the approach of bar
ometric depreSsions, or homrasQues.
the increase being most pronounced
when the depression passes near to the
observer. Ii then largely exceeds the
average increase corresponding TO rainy
days; and the influence of great move
mcutS in the atmosphere totally
counteuctS the contrary influence of a
lowering pressure.
Birds and telegram Wires.