Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-08-22
They Can't Do So Now
Wonderful Mechanical and Chemical
Secrets that are Lost Arts
TO the MOdernS.
Flrx'bie Glass, Luminous Painting,
and Marvellous Machinery Pro-
duced by Old Time Artisans.

Notwithstanding the great advance in
Inventions and manufactures OF the pres
ent century in most respects, there are
many wonderful ar.s and sciences in
which the ancients have never been eouaI-
ed and the secrets of which have long
since persisted. The chemistry of the
most ancient period had reached point
which modern chemists have never ap-
preached.
In the letters of the Catholic priests
who first visited China, which were pub
lished in France 200 years ago, they re-
late that they were shown glass, trans
parent and colorless, which was filed with
liquid made by the Chinese, which to the
observers appeared to be as clear as
water. This liquid was poured into the
glass; then, looking through it, it seemed
TO be filed with fishes.
This was not owing to any popularity
OF the fluid, but TO the glass itself. The
Chinese confessed that they did not make
them, but that they were the plumber of
some foreign conquest many centuries
before.
Wendell Phillips, in his lecture on the
"Lost Arts" in speaking of malleable
glass, tells of Roman who, in the age of
Tiberius, had been banished, and returned
TO Rome, bringing wonderful cup.
This cup he dashed upon the marble
pavement aud it was crushed bat not
broken by the fall. Although somewhat
dented, with hammer he easily bent
it into shape again. 1t was brilliant,
trans parent, bat not brittle. He further
states that the Romans obtained their
chemistry from the Arabians, and they
It into aJpht caoturiac oro
In the books of that age there is kind
of glass spoken of that, If. supported by
one END, by its own weight in a days
time would dwindle down to a fine line,
so that it could be curved around ones
wrist like bracelet.
The art of luminous painting was
known to the Japanese 900 years ago, and
an extract from one of their old writer's
has been translated as follows:
One Su Ngoh many years ago had
picture of an OK. Every day the OK left
the picture frame to Craze and returned
to sleep within it at night. This picture
came into the possession of the En-
peror Tai Tsung of tho Sung dynasty
Ca. D. 976-998), who showed it to his
courtiers and asked them for an expla-
nation, which none of them, however,
could give.
at last certain Buddhist priest said
that the Japanese found some naoreoes
substance within the flesh of certain
kind of oyster they picked up when
the rocks were barred at low tide, and
tnat they ground this into color material
and then painted the pictures with it
which were invisible by day and luminous
by night.
The secret was that during the day the
figure of the OK vas not visible and it was
therefore said that it left the frame to go
grazing.
Many instances of remarkable uaechan-
ical ingenuity are related by various
ancient authors. In the year 1878, the
twentieth of Queen Eiizabeth's reign, one
Mark Scaliot, a blacksmith, made a lock
consisting of eight pieces of iron, steel
and brass, with hollow key to it, that
altogether weighed but one grain of gold.
He also made gold chain, com posed of
forty-three links, which he fastened to
the look and the key. In the presence of
the queen he put the chain about the
neck OF a flea, which drew it with ease;
after which he put the look and key, flea
and chain into pair of scales, and
6hey altos ether weighed but one grain and
a half.
Myrmecides, an ancient carver, was also
so proficient in microscopic mechanism
that he made au ivory chariot with four
wheels, and as many heruessed horses, in
so small compass that fly migh5 have
hidden them under her wings. The same
artisan made a ship with all Ter decks,
nasts, yards, rigging, and sails which
took up scarcely more room than the
chariot.
Inc silver sphere, ga most noble and in
genious performance" which was pre-
scented to Soloman the magnificent by his
imperial majesty Ferdinand, is mention
ed by Paulu5 Jovius as showing and keep
ing time with the motions of the celestial
bodies in their various CONGREGATIONS. 1t
was carried to COnstantinople by twelve
men and there put together by the artist
that made it.
An artificer named Cornelius Van Dreb
BILE once made an instrument like an
organ that, being set in the open air
under warm sun, would play airs of it
self without the keys being touched, but
would noo play in the shade. For this
reason il is supposed that it was Enclosed
air rarifed by the sun that caused the
harmony.
made ship, with all things pertaining
to it, to move as if sailed upon q table.
"All hands were aIoft, a woman made
good music on a iute, and a little puppy
cried il midship, ali of which variety"
quantity says an cd author, "xas very
pleasant and diverting."
ProclUs, whose fame in mathematics
equaled that of Archimedes, is said 10
have made burning glasses in the reign
Of AnastasiQs Dicorus of such wonderful
efficacy that at a great distance he burned
and destroyed the Mysian and Thracian
feet Of ships that had blockaded Byzan-
tium.
The Damascus blades as marveis OF per-
feet steel have long bean famous, and even
those used in the crusades are as perfect
today as they were eight centuries ago.
One op exhibition in London could be
put into scabbard almost as crooked as
q corkscrew and bent every way without
breaking. The point of this sword could
be made to touch the hilt.
The poets have celebrated the perfec-
ton of the oriental steel, and many
famous writers have surg IT'S praises.
Scott, in his "TaliA man." describes a
meeting between Richard Coe1r de Lion
and Saladin. Saladin asks Richard TO
show him the wonderful strength for
which he is noted, and the Norman mon
arch responds by severing bar of iron,
which lies on the floor OF the tent. Saia-
lin says: 81 cannot do that" but ne
axes an elder down pillow from couch,
md drawing his keen blade across IT, 1t
.alIs IN two pieces. At this Richard says:
This is the black art-it Is magic;
you cannot cut that which has no resist
.nce."
Saladin. TO show him that such Is not