National Republican., 1883-07-10

or foggy weather from an ordinary light to
the most penetrating beam that has ever been
thrown from u Lighthouse tower The light
requires no attention, and the changes in its
intensity with the character of the weather
arc made in the simplest manner without
labor or trouble on the part of the lighthouse
keepers.
For q period Of forty-four years none Of
the men employed in German ultramarine
factory had been observed TO suffer from con-
sumption, The immunity of the employees is
attributed to the constant production of sui
phurous acid by the burning of sulphur in the
course of the making Of the ultramarino.
At a meeting of tho Linnean society, Lon
don, last month, Mr. G. Murray exhibited
specimens of dace killed by the fungus dis
ease (SdprOlcgnid fcrdr) the result of inocula-
tion, He asserted that this was the first re-
corded experimental proof of the possibility
that this disease could be communicated to
fishes.
The projected ship canal across the Florida
peninsula, will make tho passage from New
York. to New Orleans shorter by 500 miles,
and save to vessels all the dangers and dis
asters of rounding the peninsula. 1t will be
63 miles long, and its early consummation is
certainty. Money aud brains will for
ward it,
IL is mistake to suppose that tho crum-
bling of brick is due solely to great varia-
tions of temperature. NJ. Parive traces tho
disintegration to microscopic organism.
Atmospheric action will, of course, readily
second The destructive effects of that pioneer
penetratcr of all but tho most compact and
well-burned bricks.
An old flue of the royal mint, London, a
short time since pulled down, was found
lined with soot. II had served for years as
an outlet for the smoke from the furnaces in
which the bullion was fused. This the di-
rector of repairs thought it worth while to
have analyzed, and the rcsuluwas yield of
four pounds of pure gold. In fusing it is the
practice to bes rev the surface of the liquid
metal with powdered charcoal to hinder evap-
grafton, but at the fierce heat required some
always takes place.
The burning of the Ignite beds of Colorado,
Wyoming, Montana, and Dakota, Mr. Charles
A. White says, was caused by spontaneous
combustion, contact at exposed places with
prairie fires, or human agency. The weight
of the evidence goes to support the theory
that in the great majority of cases, the fires
have occurred in purely natural way, or
spontaneously, like those which are often seen
in progress in the piles of refuse coal that col
lect about the mouths of coal mines. A lacge
part ofsuch burnings oflignite is very ancient,
moro so, perhaps, than the introduction of
artificial fire upon this continent.
From statistics recently published 1t ap-
pears that there are in tho world no fewer
than 3,9S5 paper mills, producing every year
$4,000 tons of paper from all kinds of sub
stances, including rags, straw, and alfalfa
About one-half is printed upon and of these
100000 tons of paper nearly 100000 tons arc
used by newspapers. The various govern
ments consume in official business 100000
tons schools, 10000 tons commerce, 120,-
coo tons industry, 10000 tons and private
correspondence another 10000 tons. Includ-
ing women and children the paper trade en-
ploys 1872 900 hands.
The ex pertinent of Bottomley. says Mr..
Trowbridge which apparently illustrates the
fact that inc reased pressure lowers the frcez-
ing point of water, is we'll known. A wire
weighted at both ends is thrown over cake
of ice and cuts through it, Tho ice melts be-
peath the wire and freezes above it. Prof.
Nuthrie, at meeting of the Physical society,
held in London, gives his reasons for belev-
ing that the wire conducts heat from the at
mosphere to the ice, aud that the experiment
does not illustrate the well-5nown fact that
increased pressure lowers the freezing point
A silk wire or string weighted to the same
amount as metallic wire will not cut
through a block of ice.
Some time since it was ammo unced that in
Italy aGhemist was about perfe citing pro-
cess for soidifying wine-mak ing q sort of
gum product-and that another at Marseilles
had almost perfected a process for solidifying
or crystdlfzings brandy, the original taste and
flavor of either being preserved. Both pro-
ceSses are now announced as being perfected,
and if so, wine and brandy drinkers can carry
a stock with them and take their "nips" at
will A pellet or two of the wine or brandy
crystal with Croton solution, and one would
have his beverage. , The only objection to
a., "a s..I,N H. tI..L I.
ferred to could not take his "brandy straight"
The following analysis by Schwartz tends
TO show that American barley is richer in
starch, and therefore in extract, than Euro
pean barley Moisture, 1871; starch, 66.O5;
albuminoids 11.11; sah, 1898, and phosphoric
acid, 0953. The percentages of starch al
bNminoids, ash, and phosphoric acid are cal
culated on the perfectly dry barley. Tho fol-
lowing comparative analysis of American and
European barley by the same authority have
been given by contemporary: Moisture
American, 1877 European, 1911. Starch
American, 66.0o; European, GALA. Album-
noids-American, 11.d1; European, 11.2l.
Ash-American, 4,23; European, nil. Phos-
phoric acid--American, 0.953; European,
0995.
Many lovers of the beautiful are great adj
mirers of the colors like that Of the rainbow
sometimes seen on glassware, and wonder how
they are produced. The story goes that the
workmen of n Bohemian manufacturer wish
ing to celebrate his rehnum hsnse, kindled
some Bengal lights in the smHlqalung ovens
What pieces of glIssware We're theme became
iridescent. This accidental discovery was
taken due advanntare of whfm its effects were
Desired NhiIe thu glass is hot, and before it
is put in the amnsaling furnace, vapor is
passed over it, T1is vapor is the product of
a mixture of proto-chloride of tin, carbonate
of baryta, and carbonate of strontan. After
the annealEng process tho cOlors can some
times be removed by vigorous rubbing.
About yearag French vessel, the steam
ship Provence, had Just started ON her voyage
from the Dardauelles, loaded with valuable
cargo, when she was run into aud sunk. The
vessel was insured for 100000 and her cargo
for another 10000. She now lies on hard
sandy bottom, within one quarter of a mile of
the shore, with 100 feet Of water above her
deck, and is declared to be perfect every
where, excepting only the rent made in her
side by the collision. The size of hole is
feet by 90 inches from main deck. Notwith-
srandng the fact that 75 per cent. of her in
surance value win be paid to any one who
will float this vessel, the attempts to get any
one to undertake it have hitherto failed
Here is an opportunity for American en-
quarter of million the
prize.
futter has been caused in scientific cir
cle5 by the announcement in the Union Medi-
Gale of June 2 of the discovery, on piercing
new gallery in u coal mine at Bully-Grenay
(Pas-de- Calais, of series of very remarkable
bodies of a man, two women, and three chill
1ra Rpa1a than npt ri fed nitssaa nj