The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-03-16

not appear to have employed the acid
test. Whether the crystals are real
diamonds or not, they cost much more
than natural diamonds. A gem SO small
as would be worth only dollar in the
market takes about $25 to make 1t.
Major Sharrat says that the prevailing
ignorance of the proper way to burn il
Illuminating gas results in great injury
to health and comfort as well as in heavy
pecuniary loss. He estimates that of all
the gas which passes through meter,
from 80 to 80 per cent. is wasted The
principal causes Of this enormous waste
are bad burners, excessive pressure, and
unsuitable arrangements Of gas globes
and fittings. 70 insure the best results
with the greatest economy it is essential
to burn gas under low or very moderate
pressure, with the aid of good burners
and efficient regulators.
A scientific explanation is asked by
Mr.. s. ]. Capper of certain facts OBJ
served by him during the time the Lake
of Constance was frozen over last winter
An occurrence which happened only
twice during the past one hundred and
eighty-ive wears. When the air was
perfectly still and the frost intense, the
ice broke away in the middle of the lake,
and, crashing upon that near tine shore,
piled itself up in great heaps. Every
twelve hours there was for
ward and backward movement of
ice fields Can this be due to true IT,
dial movement Again, near the shore,
there were large white spots seen in the
ice, some Of them having diameter Of
two or three yards. When these white
spots were pierced, gas escaped, which,
when ignited, produced fame from
two to six feet in height.
Prof. A. H. Sayce pleads very earnest
ly for scientific alphabet. He says:
"Writing should represent clearly, terse-
ly, and as nearly as possible the mdivid-
ual sounds of words, and, unless it does
this, it has not advanced much beyond
those infantile stages Of growth through
which we have watched it struggling to
pass" One symbol should be framed for
each principal sound of language, 80
that any new word can be correctly pro-
nounced at once. An alphabet which
does not enable us to do this is, in his
opinion, irrational and inadequate. An
adequate alphabet would not disturb the
science of etymology, because that deals
with sounds, not with letters. "If" he
concludes, "the history Of writing has
taught us anything, it is that writing is
perfectable, and that what was done in
old days by those whose civilization we
are apt to consider inferior to our own
can be done also by ourselves"
The Nature contains very sensible
remark about milk, which may well ar
rest the attention Of consumers. In ev-
cry grievance that tarises on the score Of
bad or tainted milk, let us at least learn
to distrust the last place it has been in
rather than the first, and ask ourselves
whether it is not possible that SUBJ
stance which has already gone so far out
of its way to serve us may not have been
finally "put upon" in manner for which
our own end Of the transaction is alone
responsible. Let it be borne in mind
that our care Of the milk we purchase
is more important than that which pre-
cedes it, for two obvious reasons-hrst,
that we receive it at a late period Of its
life, when it has already suffered from
previous ill-usage, and is, therefore, more
susceptible of injury; and, secondly, that
we receive it in small quantities, and
thereby expose proportionately larger
surface to contamination.
In many public aquaria, says the Jour
nal of Science, unchanged sea-water is
employed,and such water has been found
by experience to be fit for an almost in
definite period for maintaining marine
animals in health. The principle adopt
ed is to keep the bulk of the water in un-
derground reservoirs and to constantly
pump from them fresh supply into the
show-tanks, the delivery of the water be-
ing made through series Of fine jets.
The great object Of constant supply de-
livered in such manner is to force air
along with fresh, cool water, into the
tanks containing the animals. By that
means the water is maintained of an al
most constant temperature, and even if
temporarily rendered cloudy by the pres.
ence Of decaying fragments Of food, &C.,
the rapid oxidation resulting from the
air forced in along with the fresh water
from the jets soon renders the water
quite clear. Some water which had been
used for eight years in a large aquarium
appeared to be quite suitable for the re-
quirements Of the animals and was
bright and clear.