West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1890-04-10
SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL


At thirty-two Of the worlds observa-
tories Photographic apparatus Is now
used for meteorological observations.
Thomas l.. Clingman, OF North Caro-
lina. 1--- Stat the essence Of tobacco,
applied according to his directions, will
cure nearly every human disease.
Statistics Of rabies In dogs show q pro
portion Of three 20 one Of males affected
over sluts. Some veterinarians hold the
opinion that the disease occurs spontane-
ously only in the male, but this Is not
absolutely proved.
The development Of the beet-sugar
industryin France has made wonderful
strides within the past three years, and
the yield for this year promises 20 exceed
the cane product of the world by more
than !, 900, 900 tons.
DIR. Siemens, who IS one OF the high
est authorities Ia Europe on matters cleo
trical, says that high-pressurc current
conductors should be placed under
ground and that insultod wires for street
lighting should run up inside Of hollow
lamp posts.
The dynamite gun and torpedo thrower
designed by Lieutenant Graydon, late of
the United States Navy, is In course of
construction at Birmingham, England.
The gun is OF fifteen inches calibre, and
is expected go throw GOO pounds Of dy-
Mantle three-miles.
new maregraphical observatory for
the study of the tides his been built
short distance east of Marseilles, France.
The instrument traces the curves of rise
and fall In the tide by means of dia-
mond point on travelling band OF paper
coated with black varnish. The point IS
actuatcd by float which rides with the
sea.
Luminous paint absorbs light during
the day and gives e forth at night. The
ceiling of an English car painted with
the composition lights the vehicle at
night. England had the only factory
and charged So pound for the paint,
but new factory in Triesch, Austria, is
selling 1t for fifty cents pound. 1t is
made of roasted oyster shells and sulphur.
Copper wire conductors that have been
in use for twenty years for carrying strong
electric currents have been lately examined
and the copper has been found extremely
brittle. Experiments with both hard and
annealed copper with direct and alternat-
ing currents prove that the elasticity of
the conductors has declined, especially
when strong alternating currents were
used
Burial reform in England contemplatcs
the prohibition of leaden and other solidly
constructed collins, the effect of which is
thought to rctard complete decomposi-
ton, and so prolon2 the period during
which the dead are not only esthetically
Objectionable, but are an indisputable
source of danger to the living. II pro-
posed to use wickerwork or papier mache
receptacles.
In making their calculations for the
sixtecn-inch guns to be built for our coast
defcnses, our army officers are quite con
fident of overcoming the defects de-
veloped in such guns built abroad. The
cracks that have developed in foreign
guns between the jacket and hoops Of the
gun are believed to be due TO errors In
calculating the force of the explosion and
the elastic limits of the metal.
Iron bolts exposed TO the action Of rain
water in bridges over the Thames have,
in twenty-five years, been eaten away
from an original diameter of FIVE eighths
to one of five-sIxteenths of an inch, which
is a reduction in area of cross section of
seventy-tive per cent. President Cochrane,
of the British Institution of Mechanical
Engineers, thinks this largely due to sui
phurous acid, as well as carbonic acid,
washed out of the air by rain.
Some interesting figures have appeared
in connection with the petroleum indus
try. The present annual production is
about 1000, 100000 gallons, of which
about one-half is produced in the United
States. The Caspian region of Baku pro-
duces about 400, 900, 900 gallons, and
many Of the wells have had to be closed be-
cause the oil could not be taken away.
Gallicia produces about 36, 900, 600, Bur
nah about 1000, 900 and Canada about
$4,000, 900 gallons.