The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-05-11
sCINrIa.LATIeNs OF sGIENGE.

4 70 per cent. ot mercury.
: 1t is exnected that coal mines worked
by modern machinery will soon be
opened in the Province Of Nganhiong,
China.
Prof. Virehow has charge of the de-
tails of the exhibition of German pre-
historic anthropology which is to be
held in Berlin next August.
Sulphide of mercury, whether black
and amorphous or red and crystalline, is
attacked by chlorine according to the
temperature and concentration OF the
acid employed.
Kessler disputes the accuracy of the
atomic weight Of antimony as given bv
Schneider and Cooke. He considers
tn the, correct atomic weight of that
body is 1928.
Since the recent completion Of the ex-
plosive, factory at St. Petersburg, the
Russian Government is independent of
Belgium or Great Britain for the sup
ply Vi torpedoes for the use Of the Navy.
In opposition to Rideut it is main-
tanned by L. T. Wright that ozone is not
formed by the combustion of coal gas
He saws that the substance which gives
the blue color with iodide of potassium
and starch is probably nitrous acid, for
when coal gas and air are carefully freed
from ammonia, no blue color is pro-
duced.
Tholozan, in q paper read before the
| French Academy of Sciences on "The
Plague in Modern Times" concluded
that, like other evils whose secret is I'M
known, it appears at one or several
points, reaches its height, diminishes and
C es, and all this apparently quite, or
nearly quite, uncomfortable by any sani-
tary measures.
A riheman who was at the battle of
Ulundi collected enorgh of the bullets
fir d at the British by the Zulus at that
place to make a CRATE, fender, fire-irons,
&C., of them. This novel conversion of
deadly missiles into model of peace
| full fireplace, which is said to have been
done with taste and skill, has been pre-
senled to the museum of the Natal So.
ciety.
! Workers with telegraph apparatus
have often observed q sticking action
between two metal contacts, such as the
tongue of relay, across which current
of electricity is passing. Mr.. Stroh be-
ieves that welding is the true cause of
this adhesion, and the appearance. of
the surfaces under the miscroscope
confirms this view. The edges look as
though thev had been fused. The best
conductors give the lowest adhesive
force.
A meteorite discovered in 1873 in Gle
burne County, Ala, and supposed to
have been rich specimen OF bog-lron
ore, has been preserved from the furnace
through the efforts of Ex-Governor w.
H. Smith, of Wedowee, and Mr.. W. S.
Hidden. 1t is Of the iron-niekle alloy
variety, and contains small percentages
of copper, phosphorus and carbon. The
Whlnann station figures are well
marked. The specimen, which is trianu.
lar in form, weighs about 323 pounds.
4 R. B. Watson has prepared paper on
the mollusca of the Challenger Expedi
ton, describing and comparing thirty.
five species. He makes the generaliza
ton that temperature even more thar
mere depth seems an important condi
ton in moiluscan life, while both prov,
barriers to distribution. Where neither
depth nor temperature intervenes ther'
, is no limit to distribution. He has no
, been able to trace any special, lastin,
. and progressive change in the species.
e A week or two ago the British war YES
e sells, the Minotaur and the Agincour
t while at Gibraltar, tried the effect of th
a electric light as a meansof examining b
(nieht the nature Of land batteries an
general coast defenses. The result was
succ, 49, Every nook and corner Of til
rock could be explored as the light wa
slowly directed over its surface. But
n was very obvious that during the exam
h nation the vessels themselves becan
l. excellent marks for the guns of al, e
W emy.
~ Some of the finest prehistoric renal
y y in Italy have lately been dug up
:. :. Professor Prosdocismi in an ancient Gem
y terv lately discovered near the town
- - Este. The Romans had, long years ae
Il ! rihed some Of the tombs, but manly
- - the places of interment were found
~ ~ be undisturbed, and they contain
i some valuable stores of pottery q
W. W. bronzes. The ornamentation, as well
~ ~ the modelling Of the pottery, IS cons
~ - cred to be very fine. Great inter
no ne has been excited by the figures on
NJ bronzes. ....
e, A simple and interesting experime
Of in magnetism has been introduced
lie Professor Thompson. A thin plate
tn hardened steel is written upon with
,as magnetized iron style, and the path t
rs versed by the style is thus magnetic
til In order to read what had been writt'
iron filings are sprinkled on the pla
and the plate is then placed in vel
cal position, when, of course. all
filings fall offexcept those which hapl
to fall ON the part Of the plate mag
n, \, tized by the style, leaving the writ