The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-08-06

In somo experiments In the metallurey Of
bismuth by Mr. Matthey Of the Royal Society,
London. in which large quantities OF blsmuth
containing arsenic were melted II was found
that on the surface OF the metal being exposed
to the air. arsenieal fumes appeared and that
the arsenic came on In dense white fumes An
alloy Of bismuth containing 9.15 per cent Of
lG% th vas sSos is ne eonsn
sspsIstiSn takes DlsSss When When raised .I e
the bismuth was found to be- absolutely free
400 or 800 kiiosrammss d bismuth containing
anthony. II was noticed that peculiar, oily
flm formed On the surface Of the alloy. which.
monY:. by continuing tho operation and re-
formeh. the f m cited metal beoame bright and
was then found to be psrieetly free fr9m 1pti-
As "a MeSH Sq
Of anthony was meltod, and the temperature
observed at which tho anthony separated.
G. tho whole OF the an ony separated. leaving
the bismuth free fromany trace ofthis metal
Tho multiplication Of deadly weapons, rival
ling each other In effective capacity. still goes
on. one OF the most recent being wire quick
firing six-inch gun. Just adopted for the Brit
ish naval service. after having successfully
passed exhaustive trials Of the extreme regu-
!ation tests. 1t is a long gun OF about
an elongated shot of one hundred pounds
distance some seven thousand Yards.
fnG at VII The s slest distance e 6 four ms
action is stated to be so rapid that, fired with
cordite at long range. 1t has three or four
contains several miles of wire, 1t having been
found TINT a gun made w of this wire is
stronger than when m n i, o. homo;
the first shock OF tho elastic force Of cordte
or gunpowder better than iron or steel.
From the fact that an astronomer may sit In
his study and. with micrometer. examine q
Photographic plate securing in this way an
exactness OF detail unattanable by direct
telescope observations. 1t is claimed that half
OF tho astronomical observations will hence
forth be carried on without look Ing at he
or iinary telescopes. and. in the Danish Uni
versity observatory there is said to no a mea-
two years labor has been spent, and. in it's COM
plcte state. gives to Denmark the fame ofbeing
in 'e esarre 81 Pro TRce whose
reputation for, measurements in rhotoGraphic
Among the most Interesting researches In
this line are those by DR.: Wolf IN Heidelbsrg
wa9 BY means Of TenSn Hde ap,anat an
cal telescope. was enabled 10 discover i've now
plenetoids in tho space OF a fey months. be-
show the m selves as small streaks on the plate.
and tho length OF the streak represents their
Some recent improvements In tho con-
struction Of spinning and doubling machinery
announced in England comprise an improved
bobbin platform consisting Of a square tube.
provided at either extremity with trunnions.
the latter being supported in journals which
are elevated and depressed in the usual m tanner
bins. The platform or tube is furnished with
a serios OF snort spindles or studs. each series
being at right angles to the nxis Of tho plat
cal, coincidinG with the axis of its correspond
ing spindle and flyer: these short spindles
mechanism is such as to allow OF the lattcr
rotating with the least resistance whom the
Is beS Thpi who one one series OF
other series OF full bobbins is ready for being
dropped of nother has been cleared Of bob
bobbins by the attendant. in readiness for the
tube being partially rotated; an operation
fllled with yarn from the TOP spindle and fyer.
The whole movement is mechanically perfect.
and characterized by great facility.
The invention lately Of a crank which does
away with the necessity OF dead point is an
achievement duo to French genius. and is
certainly unique in its way The crank pin
works in slot cut in steel disk. fastened to
tho end Of the, shaft; and is pressed upon by
a spring. tho latter being so adjusted that
firmly in place H. however. the crank be
Of dead point when the full pressure Of
dor tho spring is comrressed. the crank pin
slides 10 the groove so as to assume an ,angu-
lar position to tho shaft and the latter begins
to revolve. Under this arrangement.the pres
sure Of the steam in tho cylinder while the en-
CINE is In motion being less than ia the boiler
pressure against the spring Is relieved. and
the crank pin flies back to its usual position
The tension Of the spring is. OF course ad-
Important progress Is believed to have been
made in solving the problem Of storing heat.
one Of tho latest suggestions in this line being
that by Mr.. Halpin. a London engineer. who
proposes to use boilers and engines, but to
sest % S IL n
ers is raised to two hundred and ffty pounds
pressure it Is conducted to cylindrical reser-
and stored there Tor use when wanted: in this
way com paFatively small boiler plant can be
tifty pounds pressure ali through the twenty H
%ssss may ID 4 .i%%s
the steam generated BY the release Of pres
sure IruIn tHlb wafer. anu Iue wives TO % ar
ranged in such manner that the steam shall
work At l3O pounds pressure. In favor Of this
eight feet in diameter and thirty feet long. con-
at $50 pounds pressure would supply $3.50
these data being the result of Investigations
made with great care by Prof. Irwin.
The statement Is made that the weight ofthe
rail used on the American roads has been in
creasing steadily during the last twenty years.
and this notwithstandi ding the abundance OF
timber available for ties. the fact In question
being duo solely. 1t appears. to the increas sing
weight OF rolling stock. cars Of every descrip-
ton being much. heavier. than they were
formerly and their capacity greater. Tho
figures given show that twenty years ago the
maximum capacity OF a freight ear was
from twenty thousand to twenty four thousand
pounds. white at present 1t is from sixty thou
sand to eighty thousand. some cars. in fact.
having been constructed with freght-carry-
ing capacity OF one hundred thousand pounds.
In regard 10 engines. one Of thirty tons was
some years ago regarded as OF fair size. but
they. are now bull OF sixty, seventy. and eighty
tons weight. Until the last ten or twelve
years or SO. the average weight Of rails was
flfty-six pounds to the yard.