The record-union., 1891-05-17
MECHANIC ARTS.
News in Mechanical and Electri-
Cal Science Fields.
New Uses for Electricity-Discove
Scientific and Mechanical Progress.

- AhS pSheIdl Ie16pnOnG company OF
sweden has 6,254 separate telephones in
use in Stockholm, city whose inhabi-
tants number 240. 200.
After exhaustive experiments the
FRENCH postotf1ce has decided to substi-
tute copper-coated steel wire in place of
the ordinary iron wire for telegraphic
| and telephone service.
Electric motors have been applied to
upward of 140 different uses, and the
number is still increasing. The sizes of
the motors include those ofsfrom a mere
!ractlon l aod OF horse power up to one OF
o,o0o-norse power, which is in operation
near London
1t is authoritatively stated that the
electrical underground railway in Lon
Qon has proved that Il speed of twenty
TOUR miles an hour is practicable. There
are bills before the House of Commons
from many other British cities for rapid
transit railways on the same plan.
AT meeting of the Asiatic Society of
bengal, at Calcutta, not long since, a
piece OF cable was exhibited showing the
India rubber covering pierced by blade
OF grass. The contact of the grass with
the copper core had been so perfect that
the efficiency of the cable had been de-
stroyed. The species Of the grass was not
determined.
new departure in steam yacht build
ing is eXemplified in the steel steam Yacht
now IN course of construction for j. M.
Foroes at the Atlantic Works, Boston,
which is to be fitted with a centerboard.
Inns is The first steam yacht so fitted.
Inc centerboard is expected to serve two
purposes-to steady the yacht in a sea-
way, and to keep her from making lee
way when under canvas.
The LondOn-Paris Telephone Line was
opened for public service on the second
OF April. The line has been built by and
Is the joint property Of the British and
French Governments. The total length
OF the line is 297 miles, of which nearly 30
are overhead, the submarine cable across
the Channel being a miles long and
there IS an underground cable about four
miles long at the Paris end.
Cement made from the dust of ordinary
hard-burnt bricks, pulverized for the
purpose and mixed with lime and sand,
Is used IN Spanish countries as Substi-
tute for hydraulic cement. 1t is asserted
on the authority OF an engineer who
during six years residence in Cuba-had
ample opportunity for testing it, that it is
superior to ROsendale cement for culyerts.
drains, tanks, cisterns and roofs.
The railway cars of the future must
have their weight reduced while their
strength is retained. This is the opinion
OF Chauncey Depew, as reported in the
New York SIN. OF inventions in this
line he is reported as saying: 1.-The steel
car is perhaps the most important of
these, and would not be in the least sur
prised TO see steel passenger and sleeping
cars run on our fast lines in America in a
few years.
In the erection Of the new Equitable
building, in Berlin, the authorities re-
FUSED 10 allow hosting machinery to be
used. Every brick in the Superstructure
was carried up on the backs of women,
In America, II women were put to such
work, the thunder of public Indignation
aroused by the sight would almost shake
down the structure. Is Germany, famed
for her learning still so materially, so
far behind US in civilization?
An exhibition which may have i'm
portant results is that to be held at
Palermo from November 1st next until
May 81, 1892. A special feature is to be
engines or motors not exceeding five
horse power effective, but perfectly safe
for use in small workshops or dwelling-
houses. Steam engines will be excluded,
unless they offer great advantages. Par
tlcularS can be obtained from the Exec
utive Committee of the exhibition,
Palermo, Italy.
The "Dynograph'' is the name of an
improved apparatus or car fitted with
various registering appliances which,
drawn over railway, detects and re-
cords every imperfection in the track.
The slightest spreading Of the rails, un-
evenness of surface, any defect in the
bedding of the ties, faults in the Joints
or looseness Of the rails on the ties is
automatically detected and recorded, so
that both the precise points where re-
pairs are needed and the nature of the
repairs are detected and registered.
A new and promising fuel solidified
from petroleum has been produced. In
dian ERgii1eerIag says that experiments
have been made at the RangOon oil re-
tfnery with view of obtaining cheap
and solid fuel from petroleum, and a
very good rasult was obtained by heating
the oil and dissolving three per cent
common soap. The product is found
hard to ignite, burns slowly, causes
barely any smoke, and produces great
heat. 1t is claimed to be clean and con-
venient fuel and superior to all other fuel
obtained from mineral oil.
In recent lecture by Gisbert Kapp.
before the British Society of Arts. in
comparing the effects of stored power. it
is shown that compressed air machinery
had an average efficiency of 2G.75 per
cent, and it weighed 800 pounds per
horse power per hour; whereas with sec
Ondary batteries total efficiency of IS
per cent. was possible with a weight of
only JOG pounds per horse power per
hour. Therefore, as far as general effi-
cheney goes in the case of self-propelled
vehicles, secondary batteries were twice
as effective with one-third of the weight
An idea Of the great interest taken in
the application of electricity in the pro-
pulsion Of railway cars is clearly shown
III the recent action ofcertain well-known
railway officials in New Hampshire, who
have contributed, it is reported, ST., 900 to
a fund to be used III defraying the expenses
of carving out a series of eXpelimnutS
in the hope of finding u suitable motor to
displace the steam locomotives now in
use on the short brances of the Concord
and Montreal Railroad. AS seldom more
than one ear is attached to the locomotive
on the short branches the cost of opera
ton is proportionately high, and it is in
the hope Of materially reducing the
operating expenses that this fund has
been set aside.