Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-02-14
SCIENTIFIC GOSSIP:

MI. Maclear mas found out Tor himself
that the crystals he obtained are not dia-
monds after ALL
The great building for the exhibition at
Dusseldorf, which is to be opened this
year, is nearly finished. Every branch of
German art and industry, manufactures
and commerce will be represented in the
exhibits.
One of the most compact magneto-elec-
tric machines yet devised has lately been
built on the German principle by NJ. Maui
Diet for Prof. Stefan, of Vienna. Its dis
tinctive features are the form of the soft
iron cheeks which hold the rotating arma-
ture and the circular, instead of the elon-
gated horseshoe, shape of the permanent
steel magnets. g.
Red printing-ink. according to the Engi-
neer, may be made in this way: Boil
hnseed-oil until smoke is given off. Set
the oil then on fire and allow it to burn
until it can be drawn out into strings half
an inch long. Add one pound of resin for
each quart of oil, and one half pound of
dry, brown soap cut into slices. The soap
must be put in cautiously, as the water in
the soap causes violent commotion.
Lastly, the oil is ground up with sufficient
pigment on stone by means of muller.
Vermilion, red lead, carmine, Indian red,
Venetian red, and the lakes are all suitable
for printing inks.
A paper by M. Bequerel was read re-
Gently before the French Academy of Sci
ences on the temperature of snow-covered
ground. The authors maintain that snow
of itself does not protect from frost the
bodies covered with it. 1t acts, indeed,
as a screen preventing radiation, and gives
water, at o. c., which filters through the
ground; but below that temperature it
undergoes, like other bodies, variations of
temperature which may be transmitted.
If, however, straw or similar substances
had been laid on the ground before the
snow fell, there would be greater prob
ability that organic bodies in the earth
would remain uninjured by subsequent
frosts.
M. A. Guebhard says that if the gray
pellicle formed on the surface of impure
mercury is carefully swept away, surface
is obtained the brightness of which is for
the moment as great as, and the mobility
less than, those of pure mercury. The
moisture of the breath produces upon such
a surface magnificent systems of colored
bands. More striking results are obtained
ON substituting for the breath the vapors
of certain volatile substances, such as the
common essence of petroleum. Collodion
diluted with ether gives pellicles which
may be detached from the mercury after
the color and thickness are regulated.
Three points on the coast of the Mediter-
ranean have been proposed for the CON-
mencement of the line of railroad across
the Desert of Sahara. Morocco, Algeria
and Tunis have each special recommended
tions, but there is perfect unanimity Of
opinion regarding the expediency of max
ing the route, from whatever place it is to
be started, strike Insalah, town which
commands the whole line of traffic between
the North and Timbuctoo. 1t is situated
on the verge of the desert at the southern
boundary OF the French possessions in
Northern Africa, and it is healthy and well
supplied with water. The inhabitants have
advanced far beyond the nomadic stage of
civilization, and they are DESTROYS of more
intimate communication with still more
civilized society.
Joseph w. Swan, of Gateshead, England,
publishes in the Nature of January ID
letter, of which the following is the essen
tial portion: Fifteen years ago 1 used
charred paper and card in the construction
of an electric lamp, on the incandescent
principle. | used it, too, in the shape of
horseshoe, precisely as you say Mr.. Edison
is now using it. did not then succeed in
obtaining the durability which l was In
search OF, but / have since made many ex-
perlments on the subject, and within the
last six months have, believe, completely
conquered the difficulty which led to pre-
vious failure, and | am now able to pro-
duce perfectly durable electric lamp by
means of incandecent carbon" What is
mainly remarkable about this letter is the
strange fact that it was allowed publication
unsupported by any references substanti-
ating the claims made by Mr.. Swan.
From lately published returns it appears
that the growth of the wooden trade in
France has been large and rapid In 1851
there were only $50, 900 wooden spindles
in that country, but now they num-
Der 2,270, COO, thus distributed among
the departments Nord has l, $50.
900; Marine, 100000; Somme, l25,-
600; Ardennes, 1906 Aisne, l40, 600 1
others, 275, 600. The value of the wooden
yarns exported amounted to 80, 200, 900
francs; of manufactured goods, AGA, 200, 600
francs; OF combed wool, 80, 9OO, 900 francs
of wooden waste, SO, 700, 900 francs, making
a grand total of 564, 900, 600 francs About
l47, 632, 900 francs were paid for wages an
nuaIly. But there is considerable dissatis-
faction in the trade. The principal cause of
complaint is alleged overproduction. What
ever may be the real cause, the growth of
the. industry cannot be said to be healthy
when it is seen that in Nord alone AZ Of
the 90 factories in that department chang
ed hands, and % were sold for the benefit
of creditors, at loss of GA per cent, dur
ing the last five years.