Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-02-26
SOME SCIENTIFIC NOTES.

The phenomenon of phosphorescent fresh
meat has been observed in France. Some
outlets of raw pork shone so brightly IN the
dark that il was possible by the aid OF the
light thus furnished to tell the time by the
watch The meat did not otherwise differ
in appearance or odor from common meat.
The phosphorescence disappeared on the
sixth or seventh day. Entire freshness
seemed to be a condition of the luminosity,
so that when the meat began to smell Its
brightness ceased.
a mysterious star, called the Pilgrim.
which was observed in 945, 1864 and l5l2,
is expected by astronomers to appear be-
fore long. 1t was described in 1877 as
brighter than Jupiter, and "such was Its
briIliancy that persons were able to detect
it at noon in a clear sky, and at night when
the sky was so overcast as to hide all other
stars" 1t appears it will probably be
visible for several weeks in the constella-
ton of Cassiopeia.
One of the advantages pertaining to the
new method of engraving by electricity
an electric spark pen having been invented
for the purpose in Paris-is that the artist
does all parts of the work, and with no
more trouble than if working with an ordi-
nary pencil, and can even operate IN
dark room, without any other light than
the glare from the induction spark. Ii a
sheet of thin paper be attached to plate
of copper or zinc, it is said that an engrav-
ing NAV be made with extraordinary facli-
ity by this device.
McNeal, a civil engineer of London, In
L.. ,laI hn nj
horses and the tires of wagons when new,
and after they were worn out on the mac
adam roads, and while the tires of wagons
in travelling 6,04S miles lost Boy pounds,
the shoes of the horses lost 300 pounds.
The saving in the lives OF horses In favor
of wood he finds is five to two, and the
saving in the wear and setting OF shoes is
at least one. half or, in other words, 1t
costs twice as much to keep horses shod on
stone pavements as it does on wood.
A weathercock, storm-signal apparatus,
an thermometer and Fasoldt indicator,
gift from New York State Engineer Sey-
mour, has been placed IN POSITION on Gov
ernor Seymour's house at Deertield, near
Utica. The thermometer makes / 200 rev.
olutions to the mile, and each revolution Is
| recorded in the house by the Fasoldt move
ment the instant the twelve-hundredth
revolution is made. These improvements,
with the telephone, give the Governor con-
siderable additional comfort at his home,
| to which his ll-health confines hun.
The observatory in the neighborhood of
Nice, which is being erected at the expense
of NJ. Bischoffsheim, is rapidly approach
ing completion. The great equatorial tele-
scope is to be one of the largest in the
world-perhaps the largest-as 1t will have
an object glass three feet in diameter and
focal length of upwards of fifty feet.
| The construction of this monster telescope
has been intrusted to MM Paul and Pros
per Henry, of Paris, and the total cost OF
the observatory will be more than $500, 600
In American money.
Theprocess of dephosphorizing iron, known
in England as the Gilchrist- Thomas pro-
cess. seems to be meeting with favor both IN
that country and on the continent. In
England eight firms are now using it. In
! Germany the process is said to be gaming
ground rapidly, and several new works
specially constructed for carrying 1t on are
soon to be in operation. At three works IN
Austria the process is also carried on, and
in France licenses have been taken out by
five firms. besides that of Nj. Schneider, at
Creusot, where the new process has been
employed for some time with success. Bel
GUM has its proportion of converters at
work on the process, and it will shortly be
introduced into Russia. According to
Jacob Reese, of Pittsburg, who claims
priority of invention in all its essential ele-
ments, the dephosphorizing process is like
| ly to work revolution in the iron trade,
and will ultimately enable the United
States to become the greatest exporter OF
iron and steel in the world.