Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1891-09-24

! hibition of his skill with the boone
rang, for the plain and sufficient reason
that there is no skill about it. The
| popular belief that the boomerang in
an experts hand may be made to
strike an object with unfailing precis-
ion, travelling in a curveand returning
by a circuitous flight to the thrower's
feet, is pure nonsense.
When traveller says he has seen a
boomerang thrown so as to circle
about a tree and strike an object be-
hind it, he lies; that is all there is to
it. At close range the boomerang
can be thrown with effect, but no
more accurately than a stone. l
have seen q black fellow administer
the coup de grace to wounded kan
CARGO with his boomerang, usingit as a
club.
In certain Australian tribes the
form of the boomerang is such that it
could not possibly bemade to describe
a complete curve, being a curve on the
inner side and sharp-edged perfect
right angle on the outer. When the
black fellow is at war or on the chase
his killing weapons are his spears-a
long, heavy shaft, with jagged point
for war, and a light, throwing javelin
for hunting purposes.
Watch Making in France,
1t appears from report made by
the Besancon Chamber OF Commerce
on the operations OF the French watch
industry, that the anticipations form
ed in 1889 of an improving course of
business were fully realized in 1890.
Out OF 4O4, 436 watches OF French
manufacture delivered for consump-
ton in 1S9O-of which about 80 per
cent. were gold and 20 per cent. silver
no fewer than 4O1 ,439 We're passed
by the Besancon Control Office. For
eign watches to the number of 49,
Oil were passed, as follows: At Pom
tarlier, 22,557; Montbeliard, 1O,9S6;
Bellegarde, $3.50: Paris 2,O31; Besan-
con, 9O2; and all other offices, 576.
OF the total foreign watches, S,515
were gold and 1896 silver. AS
$3.50 out OF the 2,743 gold watches
passed by the Paris Control Office
were of Besancon origin, it thus appears
that the extraordinary number of
4O4,OS9 out OF 4O4,436 watches,
partly consisting OF precious metals
manufactured in France last year,
stand to the credit of Besancon. A
comparison of the French watches
with the foreign article shows that
Besancon supplied 9O.7O per cent OF
the general consumption in 1890,
against 1881 per cent. in 1889, and
85.45 per cent. in 1S9S.-London
Times.
Testing Diamonds in the Dark
Stories OF diamonds shining in the
dark have always been familiar, but
few persons have ever seen this mys-
FERROUS light of the king of gems.
Lately Mr.. George f. Kunze, the New
York expert in precious stones, has
discovered not only that diamonds
really do shine in the dark, but that
this property may be used as a test to
the genuineness of a diamond.
In order to make the gem shine it
must be rubbed on wood cloth or
metal. Some diamonds exhibit light
after having been exposed in the sun
shine, or to a strong electric illumina-
ton, and since all are not thus affect
ed, it was formerly supposed that the
property belonged only to particular
diamonds.
Mr.. Kunz, however, finds that all
diamonds, OF every grade as to color,
possess this phosphorescent power,
while other kinds OF precious stones
lack it.
1t is acc ordingly possible to tell
whether a gem is really a diamond or
not by observing whether it can be
made to emit light in the dark. The
cause Of the phosphorescence of the
diamond remains to be explained.
Preparation of Blue Prints.
In a communication to the Engi-
neering News, F. H. Latimer states
that he has found that adding oxalic
acid to the ordinary blue print mix
ture materially lessened the necessary
time OF exposure. The solutions used
were: IL Ammonia citrate OF iron,
100 grains; water, one fluid ounce to
which are added few drops OF strong
ammonia solution till the odor is
quite perceptibe. ~ Potassium
ferricyanide, los grains; water, one
fluid ounce. ~ Saturated solution
of oxalic acid. Equal quantities of
the first two solutions were mixed to-
gether, and to ten parts of this mix
ture from one to three parts of the
0xalic solution are added inst hefora