Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-08-05
Scientific MISCELLANY.

Geodetic Survey, is now in Port
land, taking observations for ascer-
tanning the variation of the compass
at different points on the Coast.
These are to be made annually in
Oregon, Washington and Idaho, for
a series of years.
Prof. Swift, has verified the dis
covery of another comet, in the con.
steilation of Auriga, made July 14th
by Prof. J. NJ. Schaebc 'e, of Ann
Arbor, Mich. This new comet is
apparently coming directly toward
the earth, and, for a telescope COM
ct, is very bright; indeed, it can
readily be seen with good opera
glass. 1t is quite remarkable that it
should be in just the spot where the
present large comet was first seen
by the naked eye in this latitude,
and it shows that the two bodies
must have crossed each others paths.
This makes the fourth comet dis
covered within ten weeks, circurl-
stance heretofore unknown in his
tory.
The electric motor will probably
be the next achievement of this cleo
trical age. In theory it is already all
assured success, but so was the Keely
motor, and the coloric aud gas en-
gines have practically demonstrated
their claim to be ranked with success
full inventions, but without any
points of superiority which would
entitle them to the cheap, reliable,
universal power, steam. A firm in
London are making preparations,
however, to test electricity as a mo.
tive power for railways, and they
lave already asked permission to lay
rails and test its capability, at the
approaching International Exhibition
at Paris. A track sufficiently long
will cost $50, 900, but it is hoped that
travel by the new system will indem-
rify all outlay. Before it can be
pronounced q success it must rival
steam in power, reliability and cheap
ness. When these conditions are
secured, we will not only receive
news by electricity, but print it by
that subtle power, our wheat will be
converted into -four by lightning,
and whisked across the continent Or
sent beyond the main by the same
mysterious agency.
The wound of the President will
result in some practical benefit to
the surgical profession, if half the
reports detailed of successful verifi-
cation of theories, are true. The
opportunity has been afforded, with
in the past few days, of testing the
induction balance, devised by Prof.
Huges, of London, and improved by
Prof. Bell, the America electrician,
for detecting the presel o of metals.
The instrument consists ct two short
glass cylinders, aroun which are
wound two parallel coils of fine in
sulated copper wire. One coil of
each pair is included in q battery
circuit in which there is clock mi
crophone, and the other pair is in q
closed, circuit with receiving tele-
phone. The induction set up in the
latter circuit is precisely balanced
by the current of the other, so that
when the ear is applied to the re-
ceiving telephone, no sound is
heard. But let one of the glass CYL
inders be brought in the proximity
of metal and this equilibrium is dis
turbed, and the clock on the micro
phone is heard to tick audibly in
proportion to the nearness of the
disturbing cause. The instrument,
in the Presidents case, fully estab-
Gshed its claim as an important ad-
junct to medical science. l.. ......