Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1892-02-13
POPULAR SCIENCE.

A ton of coal yields nearly ten thou
mnd feet Of gas.
Poor sewerage is credited with the in-
creased death rate in San Francisco, Cal.
General Schoield has ordered that all
recruits entering the United States Army
must be yaccinated.
The standard gold coin of England
consists Of twenty-five parts pure gold
and two parts of copper.
A French scientist, NJ. Dronier, has
invented a new magnesium lamp which
burns for regular periods of twenty four
hours without extinction.
Paper properly treated with chemicals
and then subjected to great pressure is
being used for flooring material and for
general use in building as a fire resisting
substance.
A peculiar feature of strawberry color
ing is that whilst the berries in the open
air ripen from the stem, extending to
the point, those grown under glass ripen
at the point first.
A great Improvement in machine bear
ings is made from compressed wood pulp
combined with graphite. No fabrication
is necessary, and the amount of friction
is greatly diminished.
Photography of speech, or rather of
The fleetiug expressions aal movements
Of the human countenance during speech
IS the latest OF the many triumphs of the
instantaneous process.
A race was won at Liverpool, England,
recently by horse that had undergone
the operation of tracheotomy to cure
roaring. The fact that he had a silver
tube in his throat did not seem to impede
ais speed.
February, in 1890, will not contain
twenty-Dine days, although it will be leap
year. February, in 1900, also contained
only twenty eight days. There is slight
error in the Gregorian calendar, but it
will only amount to one day in 1925
gears.
A new material is being male by an
English company which resembles leather
and India rubber, aud will be made into
boots and shoes, waterproof clothing and
other similar products. 1t is known as
blandyte, but the composition is not
made public.
The difference in the length of the
cables In the East River Bridge, Brook
Ign, n. Y, whea the thermometer re-
gisters zero and when it registers 100 de-
grees above, is two feet four inches.
The difference in the rope which hauls
the cars is seven feet six inches.
It now requires but thirteen pounds OF
water converted into steam with pres
sure of IT'S to 300 pounds in the boiler
to secure one horse power with a triple
expansion engine. BY the use of one
third more coal the pressure in the boiler
and the horse power can be doubled.
Recent statistics show that France has
SIS learned societies, of which 1875 have
been officially recognized as of national
Importance. OF the total number, nine.
tytive are historical and social; ninety
five agricultural and horticultural; fifty
seven medical aud pharmaceutical; forty
five scientific; forty-one artistic; thirty
seven geographical; and the rest miscel-
laneous, including Photographic, Stats
teal and ballooning associations.
So-callrd luminous clouds, which ap-
pear after the ordinary twilight gIows
have faded, have been observed on sum
mer nights since 1885, aud have been
supposed to have some connection with
the Krakatoa volcanic eruption. They
are often seen in tae same place on sew
eral successive nights, moving at height
of more than fifty miles. Tney have
been noticed III both hemispheres, but
are now believed to be breaking up, and
a thorough, systematic observation in
every part of the world is urged before
they have disappeared altogether.