The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1884-08-08
Jhe 9eu1otsat.
FRIDAY..........mAUGUsTs, 1884
POPuLAR SCIENCE.

Statistics published since the lato
earthquake in England show that o
total.of 255 shocks have been recorded
In tho British Isles, tho severeat having
occurred on November Ii, 1918.
A plaa for lessOning tho violence Of
storms has boon submitted to tho
French Academy of Sciences 10y NJ.
Minard, who proposes to use great
number of lightning rods elevated on
telegraph posts aud connected with the
iron tracks Of railways.
Recent investigations have brought
TO light several remarkable deep-sea
fishes living in depths Of upwards of .
mile. These deep-sea fishes arc fro
quCntly provided with eyes at different
parts Of their bodies--for example along
the sides and back-as we'll M In the
head and such eyes also produce light,
acting the part OF bnll's-eye lanterns.
Something like 1000 comets are sup
posed to have been seen since records
began, the greater number of which
were invisible without telescope. Oh
these 9S5 have had their orbits deter
mined. Prof. II. II. Tucker, Jr., ol
Lehigh University studying these, 6nd'
indications that more comets come IN
from the hemisphere from which tho
sun is moving than from that towards
which IL is moving-that ID, more turn
and follow after than fly to meet their
solar chief. This is explained by the
Statement that by the time comets at =
great distance have yielded TO the at
traction, not strongly felt until the suu
is directly opposite them, the Sun has
passed on and tboy can only fall into
his train.
Tungkt ite Of soda, according TO the
Textile Record, is about the most ser
viceable substancs yet made use OF for
rendering fabrics Grcproof. In the
most effective process for the accom-
plishment Of this object. the material Ia
dissolved ia Eve times its weight Of
lukewarm water, and, on the solution
being mixed with a very small portion
OF phosphate soda. II is then ready 10
DO used for saturating Tissues. After
being thoroughly stepped in this, the
goods are wrung out and dried at y
moderate heat, and may lhon be ironed
and treated in the usual manner. They
arc thus made capable Of resisting the
action Of heat for long time, aud, II
igni.ed, they merely Amsulder without
bursting into flame.
NJ. Regnsrd, French Psychologist,
has made some very interesting expert
meats on the effects on lifo Of a high
water-pressure. The experiments were
carried out BY means Of watet-press,
giving pressure of 1000 atmospheres,
that Is TO say, such pressure as would
exist a; point 10000 metres below
the surface of tho sea. Yeast subject
cd 10 this pressure for an hodr fell into
a state Of sleep or latent life, and on
being withdrawn from the press il was
only after an hour that active life re-
turnsd and the yeast operated as fer
ment. vegetable algae, and seeds Of
the garden cress, also fell into sleep and
only recovered slowly. The same may
be said of leeches at q pressure Of GOO
atmospheres, mollnscs and infusoria.
The leeches, indeed, only awoke some
hours afterwards Fishes deprived oi
their swimming bladders were submit
ted to pressure Of 100 atmosphere
with impunity at 200 atmosphere
they fell into tho same sleepy state, ,bu
quickly recovered at 800 atmosphsres
they died at 400 they became rigid,
and remained 30 even when putrefac-
tion set in. This tigidity was accom-
panied By increase of weight, as was
proved by fixing and weighing the
limbs Of frogs.
Throughout the western isles of Scot
land timber is rare and precious ar
ticle, most frequently the gift of the
ocean. A good log of driftwood is a
prize. 1t may have been tree, tenn
pest-torn from its home, tossed by the
waves and waited to and fro by many a
current ere it drift to these far isles, OF
it may be the Easts Of some wrecked
vessels, whatever its story it is treasure
trove, and though encrusted with bar
nacles or riddled by Pholades it can all
be turned to account. The large tim
bers become rafters, precious heir
! looms, for young couple cannot wed
till they have accumulated enough to
support their thatch, and should they
have occasion to "fit,". only part of
their bothy that commands any pccu-
mary compensation is the roof, not the
work only, but also the heavy thatch
saturated with thick, greasy peat-reek
in other words with thick coating Of
soot) which forms valuable manure.