Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-11-15

Facts foncerning the Ni.siIant, Probably
the Oldest Vessel y feat.

A Baltimore correspondent of the
New York Sun writes: a remarkable
vessel. a fore and aft schooner of about
50 tons register burden, called the Nigi-
liant, is now and has been regularly rum
ning fir IN Santa Cruz to st. Thomas and
VIC versa. rs a passenger, freight, and
mail pacnrt for upward of four score
years. lie NigiIant it is said, was
bu 1t in Baltim.rc, Md, during the very
first wears of our national Independence,
making her upward of 10 years old.
She was of the Baltimore clipper class,
so famed many years for speed, and
must have been wonder and beauty
when launched.
The vessel is probably the oldest known
vessel afloat. But do not picture to
yourself from the description of the
venerable NlgiIant II ricketv, Creaking,
working tub. with double gang at pumps
to keep her free in any kind OF seaWay;
a vessel with great seams, with oakum
working out with every pitch into u
head sea. No! Size is the tight2st,
stanchest, and soundest craft you can
possibly imaginA. Pumps are seldom
used except to free her of water that
has been dashed into the washup to keep
the vessel sweet | have found less
creak in her than in a fine Blngur
schooner two months old that | made Il
voyage in. She has always had the lest
care and attention that can possibly be
given We sell If Il bolt is defective it
is backed out ana replaced with new
one; if knee beam, rib, or stanchion
shows a sign of rot ii i, strengthened or
replac ced; if plank, guardboard. keel,
keelson, stem, or stern posts needs 1t, 1t
is strengthened or made new, always
rigidly preserving her original form and
model Only the best material is used
in making her repairs and repIacin =.
She is to-day, with her century and more
years age, better vessel than those
cheap soft wool thrown together craft
from Nova Scotia, just launched, tlat
one frequently sees. L venture to say
that her present owner, Mr. Pentheny,
would not change the Vigilant to-day
for any brand new vessel Of the same
size b tilt in Nova SEQ ia, independent of
her historical value to him. She was
built in the DAYS when they only turned
off good vessels Some Years ago there
was a vessel called the Gen raj Golf,
whose ace exceeded that of the Vigilant,
the senior of all vessels. Generations
have come and passed out since her keel
was laid, and generations may yet come
and 90 before she ceases running if her
good luck continues.
Photographing IA Flying Rifle Bullet.
Photographs of the interior of the gun
are taken by means of the electric light,
and the information obtained by these
means is most valuable, and is mani
festlv more satisfactory than that given
by the method Of taking impres sions of
the bore in soft rll Der. Photography
has also been made Use of in studying
the moti,n of the projectile. In the
case of large guns instant aneOus views
of the shot during its flight have been
successfully taken by means of a camera
provided with a quick acting shutter.
This method is not applicable, however,
to small arms. A rifle bullet is a very
small object and the camera must be
set very near its path in order to obtain
picture of sufficient size to be of use;
but the nearer the instrument is placed
to the moving object to be photographed
the more rapid is the motion of the
image over the plate, and no "instan-
taneous" OF quick acting shutter could
possibly be made to operate with suffi-
cient rapid Y, or at the proper instant,
to give sharply defined picture.
The desired end is accomplished how
A. NJ,
camera is provided with an extremely
sensitive plate and placed in a dark
room, through which the Lu,let is made
to pass. Tie instant the bullet is in
front of the camera it breaks an electric
circuit, producing spark which illumi-
mates the bullet for an instant, and its
image is impressed upon the sensitive
plate. The duration of the electric
spark is almost infinitesimal, and since
the plate is affected only during the
continuance of the spark, a we'll defined
photograph of an object moving at a
greater velocity than that of sound is
obtained. Such pictures show the con-
densation of the air in front of the bull
let, the vacuum behind iT, and the ed
dies and currents produced in the sur
rounding atmosphere by its motion; and
they afford information which is of
value in determining the best shape to
be given to the projectile in order to re-
duce to minimum the resistance which
the air opposes to its flight, and so in
crease its range and effect Scribner.
Fell From Grass Slope.
The latest "Alpine accident" would
be more properly called an accident in