The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-06-04
scaeuti0c Notes.

As to the periodicity OF the maximum
and minimum OF sun-spots, Professor
Young, Of Princeton, discards the hypo-
thesis which ascribed II TO planetary inilu-
euce, and deems II more probable that the
cause Is solar that the forces in the sun
accumulate, and, as IL were, boil over nj
recurring periods with the same irregular
regularity as the spouting Of geyser.
Copies in bronze have been made for the
subscribers TO the fund TO cover the cost OF
the gold medal to be presented to PROBES
sor Hoffman, in commemoration OF MS
visit to the United States. The SOUVENIR
has on one sida q very good bas-relief pro-
.sl-s.> lss,fessor Holman, and on the other
.be Inscription, ITO A. w. Hofmann. from
friends and admirers in the United
States OF America, October, 1885,"
The cement used In patching the uppers
of fine shoes Is generally made by dissoi''
ing gutta percha In chloroform until the
mixture Is about as thick as syrup. Scrape
and pare clean around the hole 10 De COW
cred, and thin carefully with long cham
fer the edges OF the bit OF leather 10 be APP
piled. Only little Of the cement is need
ed, but the surfaces must be pressed close
together. The parts will adhere firmly In
ew minutes.
Resin IL easily removed from violin bows
nv rubbing them carefully with a piece OF
flannel saturated with paraffine-oil. The
yarnish will remain intact, but the hair
must not be touched. The process ought
not TO occupy more than few minutes.
Vino of the surplus oil with clean, soft,
dry rag. A simple application OF soap and
water should remove all the scales from the
hairs. but IL this Is not enough the bows
had better be rehalred.
The popularity OF the Cruto mean
descent lamp is that the carbon is depos-
tied upon a very slender filament OF plati-
num serving first as q core and ultimately
forming compound possessing the en-
durance OF the carbon and the conductivity
of the platinum. Selected CrutO lamps
are said to have given 17-candle power
with an expenditure OF only 81 volt
amperes, while not less than go volt
amperes are required for most other 16- to
20-candle power lamps.
1.-THE Moniteur Undesirable gives the COM
position OF an artificial gutta-percba as fol-
lows: Fifty parts by weight Of copal and
rs to Is OF sulphur, with Is to 80 OF tur-
pentine, or IS to so Of petroleum; mix
well: heat to 1909 c., until completely dis
solved; let cool to $50; add solution OF
3 parts caseine in weak ammonia and lit
tie mythyiene; reheat to 1900 until OF
weak consistency; then boil with 10 to
20 per cent. solution OF tannin and about
Is parts OF ammonia. After several hours
boiling wash and cool.
Here Is nice problem, says the English
Mechanic, for those who are skilled in cal
culating chances "Cuthbert Bede"
writes that lately, while playing whist, his
hand consisted Of seven hearts and six dia-
monds, and his partner had seven diamonds
and six hearts. Consequently their oppo-
nents had all the spades and clubs, but.
singularly, they were d" similarly divided"
What Is the probability" OF such a dis
tribution OF the cards occurring, In the
ordinary manner, with the regulation
amount OF shutting, &c.i
Perhaps not one Of the events recorded
In Scripture has given rise to more fruit
less controversy than the alleged act OF
Joshua commanding the sun and the moon
"to stand STILL" In the memorable rout Of
the five kings, and that these bodies Obeyed
him. Did this miracle occur in the way
the ordinary translation reads and as the
most OF the orthodox believe It, did? An
able writer In the Church Quarterly Revie,o
endeavprs, with high dsgree OF proba-
bility. to maintain that what the Israeltish
eader prayed for was not that the
sun and the moon might "stand STILL"
but that they might abe silent y
that Is to say, "cease to shine ~
dom shemesh, as the Hebrew text has it.
A storm Of hail-stones was the principal
cause Of the defeat OF the allied kings.
Joshua, finding that the storm and dark
ness by which 1t was accompanied did
more toward the overthrow Of the enemy
THAI his own troops, naturally prayed that
the darkness might continue until the
utter ruin of the foe was accomplished.
The formidable astronomical objections to
the miracle are thus at once removed by a
simple pathological discovery.