The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1880-03-28
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ANoAACl-
Commander r. Z. Harris recounts n
strange experience on the Malabar
coast. On q clear starlit evening q bank
Of light was observed upon the horizon,
which gradually approached until the
vessel became completely enyeloPed In
a great mass Of luminous matter. The
light appeared TO advance In waves,
many degrees above the waters surface,
like . highly luminous mist, and OBJ
scured by its intensity the distant hori-
ron. III the sea could be converted
into 4 huge mirror" says Mr.. Harris,
',and thousands Of powerful electric
lights were made 10 throw their rays
across Il, II would convey no adequate
idea Of this strange, yet grand phenom-
enon." The singular spectacle gradu-
ally faded, although quite brilliant after
half an hour had elapsed. Mr.. Harris
believes the light TO have BEEN due to
the exciting influence of electro-mag-
netie currents upon some organic ami
nal or vegetable substance In the at
mosphere. IL seems 10 have borne u
strong resemblance 10 the aurora Of
polar ATTITUDES.
In Germany large quantities Of glu-
cose, or grape sugar" are made from
old linen rags. The rags are converted
into dexorine by treatment with sui
phuric acid. This Is washed by a lime
solution, when the addition Of stronger
suiphuric acid changes the dextrine in
TO glucose. The process Is economical.
but popular taste revolts against the
use Of sweets from old rags, eve
though the product Is chemically iden-
teal with the best grape sugar. As
consequence the interference Of the
German government with this industry
Is anticipated.
A Munich professor thinks it proba-
bic that the molecules OF marsh gas
may attain sufficient velocity TO carry
them beyond the sphere Of the earth's
attraction. and that the exhalations Of
our marshes may thus contribute TO
form cometary bodies.
The earth turns upon Its axis with u
surface velocity Of Owe n thousand
miles ut the equator, while mt the poles
the rate Is reduced TO zero. A scien-
tihc gunner states that, under special
circumstances, heavy guns with long
ranges have to be corrected for the diff
ferent rate Of rotation Of the earth at
the place from which one Is fired, and
ut the point where the shot falls, which
dill eren may cause N much rs two
yards detection TO one side or the other
In firing north or south. The earth's
rotation is thus lactually made visible.
The c~haltodon, a beautiful fish OF
Japan, is endowed with n sort Of gun to
aid 1t in securing its prey. Seeing a fly
light heal the surface Of the water, the
fish gently approaches, and, aiming its
beak, forcibly blows n drop OF water ut
the unsuspecting insect, knocking 1t
from its porch into the water, where II
is easily seized.
The Amazon river Is said 10 be de-
creasing In volume from some unknown
cause, giving rise TO some anxiety
among inhabitants along its banks.
A physician Of the French Navy
claims TO have discovered that coffee
produces n remarkable curative effect
In early stages o. typhoid fever. He
gives adults two or three tablespoonfuls
Of strong, black coffee every two hours,
alternating with one or two teaspoon
fuls of clarct or burgundy wine. A lit
tie lemonade or citrate Of magnesia Is
administered daily, and quinine after a
time.
A London engineer has called atten-
tion to a u Of danger on the loco
motive which he thinks may be even
more important than that arising from
color blindness. This Is the dazzling
effect produced by the glowing white
light Of the engine FIRE, a brief glance
into which renders the eyes for n time
unable to recognize the colors Of the
signal lamps.
Two German brothers according to
the late George Henry Lewes always
had sensations Of color excited by sound;
and both were accustomed to designate
particular tones by colors. The shrill
wemanly tone Of some mems voices
they called yellow; the rasping voices
Of others were to them brown. A Ger
man scientist investigated the singular
case, and found that each tone had n
correspondingcolor to each Of the broth
ers. Thus to one the tone ID" appear
ed u mingling Of dark-blue with brown
ish violet; to the other, n chestnut
brown with bright streaks. When they
heard the tone .'e'' they conceived re-
spectively u dark-blue and n peculiar
yellow: while .'g'' was orange and
o~range-yellow slightly tinged with blue.
A remarkable occurrence Is reported
to have taken place recently In the
grand duchy Of Nassau. A fishpond
was struck by lightning n night dur
ing a severe storm. The next morn
ing the fish were found dead on the sur
face Of the water. Their appearance
was exactly that Of cooked fish. No
mark OF injury could be seen, and
their swimming bladders were full Of