The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-05-28
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

The new light at Eddystone will he
visible in clear weather for seventeen
and half miles; it is to be 1873 feet
above high water. 1t will be in fnII
working order by March, 1882.
The Chief of the Paris Fire BRIGADE
has recommended that the LIGHTING Of
large warehouses by electricity be made
compulsory, in order to prevent a re-.
currence of such disaster as the do
struction by fire of the Printemps estab-
lishment.
The waste of material in coal min
ing is enormous. 1t is estimated that
only two-thirds of the coal in workable
veins is taken out; there is a further loss
OF 20 per cent. in the preparation and
delivery. The Reading Railroad Com
pany has spent 100000 in the attemnt
to utilize waste coal by burning it in
locomotives constructed for the purpose.
"A new process of tanning is extern
sively used in Germany. Bark iswhollv
dispensed with, and inorganic COM
pounds take its place. The new process
requires from four to six weeks for its
completion, and the particular feature
is described to be the action of chronic
acid, for the generation of which a num-
Der OF substances, soluble in water, are
brought together so as to effect the de-
composition of bichromate of potash.
1t has long been known that sui
phur cools hot bearing, but the reason
why Is doubtful. Won Heron states
that the fine metal dust formed when a
Journal runs hot, and which strongly
acts upon both journal and BEARING.
forms the sulphidef WON -UIo-' sess ! ~ . @,
This compound, which grows soft and
greasy, does not cause any appreciate
amount of friction. Sulphur and grease
in combination are in regular use on
board the steamers of the North Ger
man Lloyds.
An easy method for showingwhether
butter is adulterated with beef fat has
been submitted by Hager. He saturates
a cotton wick with suspected sample,
which is first melted. He then lights
the wick and permits it to burn for
about two minutes. At the end of that
time, when the wick is extinguished, an
odor like that given off by tallow can
die, when its flame is blown out, is read
lily perceived if the butter is artificial.
Although some of the underground
telegraph wires in Germany have been
in use for five years, they have costnoth-
ing for maintenance, and are not likely
to need any repairs for years to come.
There are now 5000 miles of such wires
employed. The plan adopted consists
IN enclosing seven or more separately
insulated conductors with coil of moist
hemp, surrounded by complete sheath
IF iron wire, which again is covered with
a layer of hemp-yarn impregnated with
a protecting compound.
The American Meteorological So
ciety proposes, as the span of territory
from Newfoundland to Oregon is 60 de-
grees, four hours of time, that a stand
ard time for the country be obtained by
taking meridian in the middle of the
continent, 80 degrees west of Green
wich, and proceeding to the east and
west by steps of one hour each. In other
words, the continent would be laid out
in four parallel north and south strips,
each Is degrees, one hour, wide, in each
of which and for the whole of which
standard time would be based on the
meridian in the middle of this strip.