Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-11-14
SCIENTIFIC NOTES.

Asbestos paint has been used with sue
cess in painting the Jablochkoff candles The
arc is made much steadier and the candles
last longer.
A new and possibly valuable property
has been discovered by DR.. Tommasi in
anthracine. When it is exposed to the
heat of the sun in benzole it becomes
turbid and deposits crystals, which have
received the name of parantnracene.
Germany has 500 mills for the manufact-
ure of wood. pulp. Such degree of per-
lection has been attained in the treatment
that even for the better qualities of paper
the wood.pulp is substituted for pulp made
from rags. It constitutes IS per cent. of
the paper stock used throughou. Germany.
Two advantages are possessed by the
electric furnace, and it is difficult to un-
derestimate them. The temperature which
can be produced is limited only by the re-
fractory nature of the crucible, and the
heat is developed first in the substances to
| be melted without traversing what contains
them.
NJ. Lsssan has written to the Russian
Geographical Society that he has fin
ished the exploration of the On
gouz river, which was known only
in it's upper parts. On account of the
dryness Of the season the journey was
very difficult. The channel of the river
was very ill-defined, and the expedition
often lost its way.
The deepest sea-sounding ever made,
says the Scientific american, was made in
the Pacific Ocean. near the entrance to
| Behring's Sea. Bottom was struck at
1855 fathoms. The cast was made from
the United States Scholarship Tuscarora.
The shallowest water in the middle of the
Atlantic, 73l fathoms, shows the subsistence
of mountains 10, $50 feet.
NJ. J. Delauny still holds to his theory
ON the probable cause of earthquakes, in
spite of the objections of M. Fay. He
lays down his views in the following prop
osition "Most cosmic and terrestrial
meteorological phenomena, and especially
the great seismic disturbances, seem to &C.
cur when the great planets pass through
certain longitudes, notably those of l35
and 265', or whereabouts.
The common method of copying draw
ings by contact with the blue process, oil
sensitive silver paper, which requires ar
exposure of from ten to fifteen minutes tt
half an hour, seems likely to be superseded
to some extent by the introduction of i'm
proved gelatine bromide of silver paper
At first the gelatine paper was difficult tt
prepare, and the results were not good al
a rule. Now, however, they are turned
out uniformly coated and in large sheets.
Three new metallic alloys have been re
Gently introduced, which seem fitted tt
serve as substitutes for bronze, imitation
gold and imitation silver. Delta, bronze
made by Alexander Dick, of London, is {
compound of iron, zinc and copper, the
proportions of the ingredients being varied
according to the color it is sought to OBJ
tain, and has the advantages of extraordi
nary tenacity and fexibility. 1t can bs
beaten and forged, and drawn when cold
takes perfect polish, and, exposed to the
air, is less liable to tarnish than brass
Aphthite is "gold which does moi
change, and is composed of 500 parts o.
copper, 25 of platinum and 10 of tungsten
Its shade of color may be changed by vary
ing the proportions of its constituent met
als. Sidersphthite is similar silver
metal, and is composed of Go parts of iron
% of nickel, of tungsten 5 of aluminium
and 5 of copper. These alloys are capable
of resisting hydrosulphuric acid, and are
not attacked by organic acids, and are only
slightly attacked by inorganic acids.