The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1881-06-22
SCIENTIFIC.

The Hotchkiss revolving gun already
adopted IN the french and other great
navies, has been ordered for use lately
In the German navy, the ships to s.be
armed with this weapon in such q man
ner that every point surrounding each
vessel may be protected by the fire of
al least two guns at a minimum range
Of " metres"
It has generally been supposed that
when earbolic acid is mixed with chlor-
q OF lime the former is liable to be
destroyed by the latter, with loss of ac-
tvity on the part of both, when applied
LOT ~disinfecting purposes. Diamin finds,
however, that q mixture of these two
substances possesses notable greater
ariiseptic energy than either Of them
has separately.
A common process for discovering
the presence of vegetable fibre in WOOL
en- goods is to take half a dozen sticks
OF caustic potash and put them into a
gill of water, which boil. Put the
sample into the boiling solution, and
let it remain for about twenty minutes,
in which time all the animal matter will
be dissolved. and that of vegetable
will remain intact.
~StAH hhS mai aid
Academy of sciences DIR. Theobold
showed q species of a beetle (6oi1o
ce7us fdrctus) whfsh was observed by
him TO move a small tray. He gave
the following interesting figures; Weight
Of beetle, ? grains; weight moved. 90
ounces-2.6 $40 grains. or 1920 times
the weight of the beetle. A man weigh
ing $50 pounds, endowed with the
strength ofthis insect. should, therefore,
be able to move $4,000 pounds. OF
nearly 100 tons.
The so-called Spence's metal, SAYS
Prof. j. w. Mallet, in the American
Chemical Journal. q fused mixture of
iron pyrites or other metallic sulphides
with excess Of sulphur. seems worthy
OF some attention. especially for making
the joints Of water-pipes, etc., although
the claims put forward on its first an
nouncement were rather extravagant.
Its melting point il reported IS low as
100 degrees centigrade. 1t has O con-
siderable amount Of cohesive strength,
1t resists exposure to air and water,
and it costs very little.
1t has not beenl supposed that sewage
gas could exert any corruding influence
on metals. yet Investigations show that
holes are actually worn in lead and
zinc pipes by such gases. From all
that appears. the gas which proceeds
from the drain is the most dangerous
Observation-Disclosures Of this character
exercising their daily influence both by
pertorating the pipes which contain
them and then issuing through these
apertures TO mingle with the respired
air. Substantial iron pipes, well ven-
tilated and joined in the most perfect
manner possible are considered the best
protection.
There Is q instrument going into
use in England for the purpose Of re-
ceiving Greenwich time signals at tele-
graph stations. etc. Hitherto, the pas
sage of the time signal current along
the lines gave nc other indication Of its
presence than o detection Of tho
needles of ordinary instruments and o
corresponding movement OF the arma-
ture Of the Morse ink-writer, and
sounder. at 10 A. NJ, and the eye had
to BIO kept constantly IN the instrument
10 learn the exact time. In the now in
strument there Is an arrangement
which rings . bell and at once arrests
attention when the first part of the tim,
signal is transmitted.
A patent has been obtained in Ger
many to produce fannie acid in tho
form Of crystalline needles. For this
purpose q spirit. or ether solution Of
fannin is evaporated in o copper vessel.
Of in vacuo. till . sample. when cold.
San be broken without adhering to the
ingers. This mass is brought into q
vessel provided with q double bottom
Tor tho admission OF steam, and con-
tanning . number of holes through
which the warm and therefore soft tan.
Mo acid goes, and az the apparatus il
Eve metres high it forms . thin thread.
This falls through the warm apparatus
on Q wooden or metallic cylinder, kept
In quick motion. from which the thread
Il taken and broken into small bits.