Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-01-22
Scientific Notes.

The Electrical ReujcU says that the
uselessness of the lightning-rOd Is be
coming so generally understood that the
agents find their vocation trying one.
Fewer and fewer rods are manufactured
each wear. and "the day will come when
a lghtning-rod on house will be re-
garded in the same light as d horseshoe
over a mans door"
A new tanning agent has been OBJ
tanned by digestng coal dust with caustlc
soda at boil, aud noutrallzing the re-
sulting liquor with hydrochloric acid.
The inventor calls it pyrofuscine, and
considers that while the new process IS
more complicated than theusual tanning
processes, II is 50 per cent. cheaper than
the bark process aud 20 to 30 per cent.
cheaper than the alum process.
A vessel in use in the Upper Thames
owes its motive power to the explosive
force of petroleum. The boat is started
by lighting lamp, and the lamp must
be extinguished to stop the engine. The
fuel costs less than coal, while the omis
sion of the boiler saves much space and
theexDense OF fireman and working en-
gineer The craft is of American origin.
4 novel and ingenious application Of
electricity permitting the services OF
walters to be dispensed with has lately
been introduced into some of the Paris
dining-rooms. The new waiter con-
sists Of a small electric tram-car run
ming on rails fitted to the dining-room
table and leading TO the kitchen. The
current is supplied from accumulators,
and by means OF q switch located near
each guest the car is under complete
control, and plates, dishes. &c., are
brought and removed with silence and
rapidly.
At the time of the death of Herr
Krupp he had in hand for some time a
gun for the Italian Government which
has lust been finished. The gun, which
weighs 11S tons, is - feet long and its
calibre nearly Is inches. 1t is riiied
and throws a steel projectilc weighing
nearly ton, with a charge of six hun
dredweight OF powder. The shot can
penetrate n steel srmor plate SO inches
thick at the mouth of the gun or %
inches at distance of a mile. It Is not
believed that any armored ship IN the
world can endure the fire from such a
gun.
Intellectual progress is sometimes at
tended with strange manifestations. A
Young lady in the City of Mexico,
Senorita Matilda Montaga, having been
the first OF her sex to devote herself TO
medical studies, the young men OF the
city we're struck with such admiration OF
her courage that they got up bull
fight in her honor lately. 1t was real
fight. as the fact that two Of the toreros
were seriously hurt proved. The receipts
were devoted to the purchase of books
and instruments for the outfit of the
lady.
Some Of the difficulties with which the
curator OF a museum in tropical climates
has 10 contend are described in the last
report OF the Colombo Museum. 1t Is
stated that napth8line is not so powerful
a protection against the effects of climate
as was anticipated. 1t seems to ward of
the attacks of mites. but Is powerless
against the fungus by which the museum
has recently been attacked. Not only
have the specimens been attacked, bnt
the wood OF the teak cases and the glass
have been covered by the fungus. Nap
thaine, benzine, cyanide OF potassium,
carbohc acid, and other substances have
all been tried in vain. The only thing
found to check its growth has been o.
tronela oil.
Euston station, in London. England,
is lighted 10y a new light which Is be-
lievsd to possess many advantages. Or
binary coal gas, nuxed in about the pro-
norton Of one to eight OF common air, IS
supplied under the usual gas-servlcc
pressure 30 burners over which are placed
caps of platinum wire gauZe. The mix
lure. when lighted, burns without flame
around the cap, which is raised to bril-
liant whitehead by the combustion. The
light is perfectly steady, there being DC
flame, and is not affected by wind OF
rain. More than twice as much light, 1t
is SAID. is obtained with given con-
sumption OF gas as 10y tie old system.
Twenty burners replace fifty of the old
kind and light a platform 800 feet in
length.