The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1892-02-23
POWER FIR SMALL BOATS.

POWER FuR SMALL BOATS.
The novel feature of new electric
boat, the idea Of a French engineer,
is a sea-wa:er battery. The zinc and
copper plates are under the boat, and
can be raised or loweren by pulleys,
serving as kind of keel while at the
same time driving a propeller by
means of Il motor.
THE MAGIC OF MODERN SCIENCE.
In a paper on The Ignis Features
of Photo raphy," Mr.. F. Adolphe
mentions the following as among the
specialties which lie modern men OF
science are seeking rs a means where
by their results may he indirectly
turned into gold. |. The artificial
production OF the diamond from car
bon, which means the crystalliz ,tion
of carbon. 2. A prevention or cure
for epilepsy and consumption. ). The
complete combustion Of corl, Of which
but , per cent is now available. 4.
Photography in natural colors. D.
the direct utilization of solar heat,
and the BIB and flood. 6. The prOduc-
ton OF "attar Of roses" from VIZ l.
less sub: ance.. Even the alchemist's
original dream of dir, ct and genuine
iransmutation is being revived, for
the indications are increasing that the
the present clements are not the SIM
PIE substances they have been sup
posed, and should gold prove to be a
compound its artificial production
would be hut a question of time.
JAPANESE LACQUERTNG IN EUROPE.
The juice of the lacquer tree (Rnus
vernicifera) is the natural varnish
upon which depends the famous
lacquer work of the japanese. Spe'
cimens OF this tree were brought from
Japan 16 years ago and planted in the
botanical garden at Frankfort, WI re
they have fiourished and have yielded
seeds from which thrifty young tree;
have sprung. This place now has 81
healthy trees so feet high. To de
t,rmine whether the juice is affected
by its changed conditions, Prof. Rein
has sent samples to the japanese ar:
lists for trial, and is having compara
tive analyses made by eminent chem
lists. Ii the reports are favorable. II
is expected that the lacquer tree vii
be quite extensively planted in Ger
many, and that Eur peans will be
instructed in the lscquer;ng of Woo
by some worker from Japan.
WEIGHT OF LIGHT.
Prof. Oliver J. Lpdge calculate!
that the impact of ligh:-waves from
the sun produces a pressure on the
moons surface Of about l 1000 tons
In a total eclipse of tie moon thi:
force is withdrawn, but since the tota
attraction of the sun on the moon i
to be estimated in millions of tons
this slight apparent dIminu ion give
no spprecisb!e effect. Upon very
small body, however, the pressure o
solar light m ght be equal to or ever
greater taan the attraction of gravl-
tation. Such body need not be in
finitely minute, but of size compar
able with that of grain of dust. L
is conceivable that the dropping OF
of comets tails on their approach t.
the sun is due to this action.
REMAINS OF BIRD GIANTS.
Bones recently found in New Zea
land are estimated to represent 5O'
specimens of the moa. This immens
wingless bird, now extinct, seems T.
have been hunted and eaten by tn
early inhabitants of New Zealand, anc
is believed TO have stood at least ter
feet high. Madagascar had anothe
giant wingless bird, whose eggs-1'
or IL inches in diameter. three time
the size of those of the ostrich-hav,
been discovered.