The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-03-06
NOTES ON SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

what injurious. 1t appears that Herr Wulfr
tho inspector OF buildings in Hamburg. some
time ago became Interested in the matter Of
floor construction by reason OF the burning Of
square. which were successfully placed on four
fanmnblc materials. these being then set on
IRE md Kept burning until the sample ii'or was
careful experiments. 1t was founI that II floor
| Of two thickncsses Of one and onn-ilfth inch
onSd ut rgt SnGes was hurried
tle same constrnstion. with ASBESTOS paper
than that without tho asbestos: with the ordi-
nary ro9ing iclt, the floor burned in one hour
Wulir comes to the conclusion that al the va
| rious materials introducc between ho9rs arc.
| Tho comparative liability to rust Of iron and
| soft Bcssomer steel has been made tho subject
| OF somo very close and definite tests lately Mt
one of tho Virginia iron and steel plants. with
an interesting result A piece of iron plate
and a similar piece OF Steel both clean and
| bright. were placed in a mixture Of yellow
| loan and sand. with which had been thor
ouRhly Incorporated somo carbonate ot soda.
nitrate OF soda. ammonium chloride, and chlo-
was Kept moist. At the, end OF ,tirty.two
shG and % % tS
to have 1874 ror cent. OF its weight and the
steel ~ per cont The pieces were again put
| OF twenty eight days tho iron WAS found to
| have lost to the extent Of Just 200 per cent. Of
| n difference which must be considered Of de-
cided Importance in certain classes OF work.
Observations made by Prof. +. H. Bicelow
have led him to conclude that the permanent
magnetic condition OF tho earth may be chiefly
| due to the orbital motion OF the earth through
the radiant field OF sunlight. That is. tho ro-
tation OF the earth on its axis causes n modit-
cation OF tho direction Of the axis Of polariza-
ton. by diminishing tho angle between the
two axes. and. as the result Of tho annual mo.
about the axis Of flgure or il tho ,magnetiza:
ton has already become sot In tho body OF
the earth may cause succession {, sion, OF sec y
west. as is shown to be the case In the history
nsS and tn d a
solar radients IS said to Be in Harmeny with
sna H Hsss S 4e e BsUEW be
tho application OF similar considerations TO
thf Yet be
accounted for.
In the treatment Of fabrics to be colored. ex
perts now declare alzarino red and alizarine
orange to be tho two fastest colors Of their
class that can be produced to stand light.
Another point emphasized is the inutility OF
putting together fast and fugitive dye In
one combination: in case Of compound shade
from fustic. alzarine red. and logwood.
chrome merchant the 9gwo3d
d eea 1es and the 0a red yoow he's
comes prominent. Alizarine blue. MS com
art dye tS stand sS but G the light Shades
show that an active destructive action has
been going on; 1t Is concluded not to BIO as fast
n c indigo fp livht hut still n good color FuStic
is the fnstest Of all the wood colors and tho
fastest Of all yellow dyes Of any sort; SAMPLES
of wool dyed with pure fustt extract on chrome
different sections. inland md shore. retained q
deep color. but no fresh bloom.
A novel kind of toy heat motor is described.
the device depending on the fact. for its ac
ton. that nickel is magnetic at ordinary tenn
peraturcs. but becomes suddenly non-mag-
netic at Temperature Of BOO. Cont A slip Of
nickel is attached to a disk Of copper sus-
pended by two strings. so that it is capable OF
side Of the hanging metals is a magnet. with
which tho piece 81 h nGke is ordinarily Una b
placing gas flame or spirit lamp UNDER
meath tho nickel. SO as to warm it it becomes
SO heated as to lose its magnetism; or power
lum thus making swing. As is easily under
stood the nickel; by its passage through the
below the critical point. and on returning is
held again by the magnet. only to fall of again
as before and SO on with c4nslderaGln rcgu-
It is not often that new lens is announced
as among the rewards of scientific investiga-
tion. but n recent achievement in this line is a
lens which will throw tho rays Of electric light
in nnnular concentration thus making use of
its vast Illuminating power in q direction to
be most available. 1t dispensos with the use
~ had MIR nd
trates the light ad miraby in an annular hori-
2ontal zone; but in case 1t is, desired to pro-
augmented strength or power. tho inner or
concavo portion can conveniently have anal,
It's s% "r. more or less The lens in Hues.
ton will thus. it would seem. accomplish
what is impracticable with any shade or re-
Hector. and must answer an important pur-
pose for Illuminating to the best advantage.
The heaviest modern ordnance. the English
11O-ton gun. has failed to fulfil its initial or
experimental promise in moro serious hand
ling or application. for reasons now under
going careful investigation. With charge
OF nearly one thousand pounds best prismatc
gunpowdcr and n cylindrical steel shot OF tho
enormous weight of 1900 pounds it was
found at tho final test that this prodiGous shot
steel faced iron-"f twenty inches thickness.
then through an iron backing some 1--WE inches
S ah vS Of sse elevs
feet Of hard concrete. and tire. feot into
brick wall. IT was concluded. of course. that
no existing fortress, much less armored yes
sci. could Withstand such shot, but
the difficulty of SEX. handling has PROV
ell so. Formidable, a factor that the most
sanguine expectations rs to tho efficiency OF
such vast ordnance in practical service seem
doomed to disappointment.
Cnst-ir car wheels arc now put to such
test by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company as
would soon to insure absolute immunity from
defects liable to produce accidents. For each
hfy o! such wheels which have been shipped.
or are ready to shin. ono wheel Is taken ut
random by tho railroad comrany's inspector.
either at the railroad companys shops or ut
the wheel mnnufactnrcr 3. ~ tho ease may be.
and subjected to the following test: The
wheel |, LACED llnngn downward on an anvil
masonry two feet down; and having
wido for Tho wheel to rest upon. This ar
rangcment bcin: effected. the wheel Is struck
falling, from 9 height Of !. fcnt. SHOULD II.
blows or less. the nfty wheels represented 10y