The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1880-04-17
Compiled for the CARpoN ADVOCATE.
POPULAR SCI ENCE NOTES.

No little anxiety is being manifested in
this country to see that grand example of
Egyptian monumental art, "Cloopatra's
Needle," which was presented some time ago
to the United States, by the Khedivo Of
Egypt. The work oftaking down and trans
porting the great OJellsk to this country is
under the supervision Of Lieutenant Com
mander Corning, Of the U. s. Navy, who is
backed by the splendid lberalty of Mr.. II
II. Vanderbilt Of New York who has agreed
to bear the entire expense of the undertake
ing, which it is calculated will reach near
100000. This Obelisk is from Alexandra,
is 70 feet in height and is ieet I inches by
feet inches at the base. It is Of pink
granite, supposed to have been taken from
the queries Of Syene ana from the Greek
inscriptions upon it,, it was erected and dedi-
Gated to King Thuthmes III, in the days Of
Moses. II no accident occurs "Cleopatra's
Needle" will arrive in New York, in the
early part of Summer and be erected in
some suitable place in that city,when doubt
less, thousands Of persons will be attracted
thither to see the great curiosity and behold
its hieroglyphics, which were probably seen
and read by the Jews at the time of Moses.
or when the Savior was taken by his parents
to Egypt as place of refuge from Her ,d's
rage.
Mr.. J. Ballantine IIannoy OF GLASGOW,
Scotland, Fellow of the Oh smical Society OF
London, is meeting win great success in the
manufacture ofa. a.dfcial diamonds. A writer
from the Mineral Department of the British
Museu'.i declares that specimens of this
| gen yleman's work have been thoroughly
tested and found fully equal in every respect
to the genuine. Like the diamond, they
are nearly inert in polarized light, and their
hardness is such that they easily score deer
grooves in q polished surface Of sapphire
which the diamond alone can do. Many
other chemists and experts have thoroughly
tested specimens and give a like report, that
they are so near the genuine as to make il
almost impossible to detect the.dillerence.
The American exhibits at the Internal
ional Fish Exhibition, to be held at Berlin
beginning April Goth, will be numerous and
valuable. The Commissioner 20 respresen
the United States sailed from New York OF
the 2Oth of last month with Prof. G. Brown
Goode, Curator of the National Museum, a
, the head. The exhibits in possession of tn,
Commission it is said, camprised fully jOt
specimens, having an aggregate bulk Of II,
t tons.
An International Exhibition Of Steam
thrashing machinery will be held at Peru
giO, in Umbria, Italy, beginning July l
1880, under an arrangement of the Italian
Minister Of Agriculture, Industry and Com
merce. Four prizes of gold, silver, ant
bronze, each Of great value,wll be bestowed
, by the government. Application should b.
made before May 3lst, to Signor Alessandr
Raspi, Secretary of the Agrarian Committee
at Umbria, Italty.
"A thorough examination Of the charac
ter and resources of the Alaska seal and fish
cries has been directed by the Commissions
of Fisheries, and Mr.. Tareton II. Beau ha
been appointed to superintend the compan,
selected for the purpose. The party will sal
on the United States Coast Survey Schoone
Turkan, from San Francisco, some tim
next month.
The annual shipments of Palm oil iron
that portion of the west coast Of Afric
e which lies south of the ryer Volta,it is SAT-
t will amount in value to $500 900, its prin
) cipal use being in the manufacture Of soaps
perlumery, candles and other similar artiC
les. 1t is highly valued among the native
as food taking the place Of butter) and
s extensively used for fuel and lighting.