New-York tribune., 1878-11-23
SCIENCE FOR THE PEOPLE.

SCIENCE FOR THE PEOPLE.
ELECTRIC ILLUMIYATION.-PrOfessO YOU
mans does not believe that tie problem OF adapting the
electric light for household has yet been soeu' OF
from anything that actually appears that Hls any
nearer solution than 1t twenty years ago. Inc
difficulty with the electric light he SAYS, (which mas
hitherto dered resolution standing the enors OF
expermen,ers for generation. is that 1t can only be
realized under an intensity OF action that becomes 1ar
too expensive for common use, where only smaii
amount OF illumination is required. A brilliant nght
can be got from the electric current by the incande
cencc of carbon metallic particles, wnlch VIII hoou
great spaces with a vivid Illumination much cheaper
than be done in any other way but NOBODY has ye
been able 10 divide and distribute this intense hght so
as TO utilize it in small amounts wherever wanted. at
cost that can compete with the ordinary sources OF i
minatIon" And he adds: It may be well to remind
the sauguine believers In this unquestlonably most
desirable improvement, OF the analogous eh-
cicment there was some thirty or iOrv years
ago, in regard to electricity as motive power
A new source OF mechanical energy had heen
discovered in eectrOmag agnetism. which was deyeoped
10y appropriate machinery SO as 10 DC capge vi t
all kinds of work. There was the accomplished ihct
anG buzzsaws were driven through tWO-hcn me- p,ahT' ne ne
fore astonlshed audiences ner,y pJ ~ , @
cellar connected with the workinS-inachine oy con,
ducting wires The steam engine was suit ~ % & n ~
seemed To be on the eyeo new epoch III tue US. w
motive powers. The new motor however, could not ne
made work. and hopes were crushed investments
lost, and the excitement died away"
A COFFIN TORPEDo.-Says The Scientific
american III consequence OF the increasing humoer
graveyard dissertations, the genius OF the inventor
melted to devise means for their defeat Among
the most recent patents s one for c0ihn torpedo
which consists OF canister containing powder, balls,
and firing trigger, arranged, that on placing tue
torpedo within the coffin. and finally closing The lid,
should any attempt be made TO open the coln the tor
pedo will be instantly exploded noise like thunder
ensue. and deadly balls will fly in all directions Had
the remains OF the late millionaire, Mr.. stewart been
protected bv means this invention the ncighbOrhood
In that part OF city where his body rested would nave
been alarmed while the robbers themselves would doubt
less suffered sudden death as the penalty OF their
rash and sacrilegious attempt
ATLANTIC Dust SHOwERs.-lIerr Hellmann
has just nshed thorough examination OF the fine dnst,
usually red. which falls vessels many miles at sea,
when passing along the coast OF Africa. about
the latitude Of the Cape Verde Islands. The
following are some Of the facts brought out
Most Of the dusfals occur in the Of the Atlantic
between 90 and 1Go north South Of % north they are
extremely rare the furlhest south hitherto was In
90 So north 2Go west The furthest both
in $50 - west both about 800 miles from Cape Verde.
Dustfas often occur simultaneously at very dii-
fereut points OF the "Dunklo Meef," or Dark Sea
las Ehrenberg calls iO in one case they were 80 miles
apart They also often last for several days Surfaces
OF very different size, up to 100000 square miles, may
receive dustfas There IL yearly period in the fire.
quency Of the falls II that near the African coast
most In Winter; further west In the early Spring
The direction OF the wind during dusttas from the
and frequent northnorthcast TO northeast.
The dustalls observed very rregulJTly distributed
OF sxythrer taken at random. there eight falls Of
sand aud three OF sand dust Sometimes sand and dust
fall simultaneously The dustals with great extent est
In
forty sxtydve instances the color Of the dust
red Sometimes there is no coordton. The dry mist OF
the Dark Sea is In casual connection with the dust
falls Herr Hclmann concludes from the facts that the
dust material comes principally from Africa and from
the western Sahara. The possibility Of occasional NIX
fure particles from South America II not excluded.
The distribution Of the dustflls both In space and ~
tim" Ohey follow the movements ~ the iiadc winds
supports the hl pothcsT Hs ato does the ac that the
failing material is cOarser IN the east than In the west
The SATELLITES OF MARs.-Writing to Tie
London Tunes. Mr. Richard 4. Proctor points out that
Kcper wa. the first person suggest the probability OF
moons accompanying Mars. In letter TO his friend
in 1910 Kepler says: e am so far from
the existence OF the four circum plan
els that long for telescope to anticipate yOn II pOssi
BILE, In discovering two round Mars the proportion
to require sir eight round Saturn and perhaps
one each round Mercury and Venus" IL from this
suggestion doubt says Mr. Proctor that Yoltare and
Swift borrowed their guesscs which, however they pre-
sent in such way that some supposed they had really
the satellites, idea utterly inconsistent win
possibilities, even If kcper's original suggestion be
overlooked.
PAPIER-MACHE IN TIE ARTs.-The use of
papier-mache the practical and Ornamental arts says
The Manufacturer and Euildcr. has multiplied greatly
within few years past In - improved character and
It is applied by the cahinctmakor aud
uphostcrer, with really surprising effect, To the
riched cOrnices OF bookcases and cabincts-to their
holdings and corners and to the centre ornaments Of
a.. -.
scroll lcgs OF perablcs and similar pieces OF furniture
in the French style OF manufacture; TO ornamental
brackets for clocks, busts. vases, etc, TO the
decorative borders OF rooms hung with paper or
other material; 10 the ornamental parts Of pic.
ture and mirror frames, however curved and
detailed In their pattern; and In almost INFINITE
variety 10 cOrnlces for windows. ceilings, etc With
regard to the mode OF fixing paper mache, In cabinet
work the simplest plan is said TO he the most eectua
namely to treat II 1t woOd-that Il, fasenlngu
by OF brads. needlcpOnts, or glue. IL IS cut
with a chise and may be bent by steam or heat
paned and cleaned up with sandpaper 10 the smoothest
face and 10 the finest arrs IL required The larger OBJ
iects such MS brackets canOpIes etc. can be made e
tber with wood core or wholly Of the papermache in
either case two three keep them I'm place. and
when fixed the work can be painted and grained with
OF this material found TO be better adapted receive
the gold than is that OF any other substance and the
same is also true In slvering.
BARN Door OwLs.-Mr. Alfred Ellis, of
England, has been carefully protecting
the white barn owl upon his estates. lie has at
tracod the birds by building rough stone towers In ap
pearance as much like ruin may be putting up
hollow IN the and covering them with IVY
and sometimes combining pair OF owls therein for
weeks in order accustOm them TO these abodes
His efforts have been very successful the owls have
bred freely and almost any evening the birds may be
seen leaving their safe retreats 10 take their nightly
n ght in search OF mice, beetles etc. Rabbits abound
there but they take notice OF the owl as she flee
silently over the meadows seeking food and they show
. alurr, thnu ,rnuld 1rnrnh ,IrnI LIZ H. lL-I