The morning call., 1893-04-16

zssM%E master; in July of that
N.&$S% ,<>>$M ~ year major and addi-
s. B. ROlabrd tonal aid-de-camp, and
a few days later colonel. He was lleuten-
ant-colOnel of volunteers and was inspector
general of General Dix's division from May
1 to 10, 1861. During the war he served as
quartermaster at Harrisburg, Pa, from
May TO June, 1861. He was in the field at
HagerSi own, Nd. with PattersOn's column
up 10 August. 1861; was at Fredereksb burg,
Nd, up to March, 1852; chief quarter
master of the division commanded by
Major-General Banks up to June, 1862;
chlet quartermaster of the Second Army
Corps General Pope commanding, up 10
October, 1862, participating in the cam
paign Of Northern Virginia and sub
SeQuently the Maryland campaign. Then
he was assigned to duty In New York City
and was engaged in fitting out Banks ex-
pedttion, which he accompanied to Ships
Island, Miss. He was then made chief
quartermaster of the gulf division, remain
ing there until July, 1865 participating in
tile siege of Port Hudson. La. He then be-
came quartermasteT of New Orleans. and
lew days after was made chief quarteTmas-
ter OF the department of Louisiana, which
position lie held until March, 1866 He was
hOnorably mustered out of the volunteer ser
vice Nav 81, 1866. On the 29th of July of
that year he was appointed lieutenant-colo-
mel and department quartermaster, and was
ordered 10 report for duty at Washington.
In March, 1865, he was made brevet-major,
Heutenant-eOlOnel and brigadier-general for
faithful and meritOrious service during the
war. He was relieved from duty at Wash
inston 10 February, 1867, and assigned as
chlet quartermaster of the department OF
Dakota, where he remained until April.
1872; he was then transferred chief quar-
iermaster OF the department OF Texas. re-
naming there until August 1875. In Oeto-
Der, 1915, be was chief qnartermaster
of the military division of Missouri,
and on May 6, 1873. was made
chief quartermaster Of tbe Military Division
Of the Pacific and Department Of California,
arriving IN San Francisco October Is. 1879
After that he was ordered back 10 Wash
lngtOn and was placed on duty in the Office
OF the artermasteT-geheral. In January.
1891. lie was colonel and assistant quarter
master general. He was relieved from duty
at Washington In April. 1882. and placed in
charge as department quartermaster of the
department at Philadel lphia, Pa, where he
remained until July, 1888. Then the Presi-
dent appointed him QuaTtermaster-geneTa
with the rank OF rigsdieT-general. and he
was ordered to Washington, where he re-
mained until relieved by operation of law
June 16. 1890, when he went on the retired
list. During his term of service he did
much TO improve the condition of the en-
listed men, supplying them with comforts
which soldiers could scarcely have dreamed
ot quarter of century before.
L H.
ElecirC-plating is the art of coating the
baser metals with silver or gold by the gal
yanic current. Articles that are 20 be
plated are generally made of brass, bronze,
copper or nickel-slYer. The best electro
plated goods are of nickel silver. When
britannia metal, iron, zinc or lead are
eleetro-plated with silver, they must first
be eIectro-coppered, as silver does not ad-
here to the bare surface of these metals.
Great care is taken in cleaning the articles
previous to electro plating, for any sur
face impuIity would spoil the success
OF the operation. They are first
boiled In eaustic potash TO remove
any adheriag grease; they are then
immersed in dilute nitric acid to dissolve
any rust or oxide that may be formed on
the surface, and they are lastly secured
with fine sand. Before being Pot into the
silveriDg bath they are washed with
nitrate Of mercury, which leaves
thin him OF mercury on them, which acts
as 3 cement betwe en- the article and the
silver. The bath in which the electro-plat-
ing takes place Is large trough of eerthen-
ware, or other non-conducting substance.
Il contains a weak solution of cyanide Of
silver of potassium. A plate Of silver forms
the positive eleetrode; and the articles to be
plated, hung By pieces OF wire TO metal
rod lying across the trough, constitute tie
negative electrode. When the plate Is con-
nected with the copper or positive pole of a
one or more celled battery, according 70 the
strength required, and the rod Is Joined
with tile zinc or negative pole, chemical
decomposition Immediately ensues in the
bath, the silver of the cyanide begins to
deposit itself Oh the suspended objects, and
the cyanogen. liberated at the plate, dis
Ives II, reforming the cyanide OF silver.
According. then. as the solution Is weakened
by the loss of the metal going TO form the
elecirn-coating. it is strengthened by
the cyanide Of silver formed at the plate.
The thickness of the plate depends on the
time OF its Immersion. The electric current
thus acts as the carrier of the metal of the
plate TO the object immersed. In this way
silver becomes perfectly plastic, and
workman can by this means, without me-
chanical exertion, convert a piece Of silver
Of any shape, however Irregular, Into uni
form plate, which covers but In DO way
defaces objects OF the most eompli-
Gated and delicate form. When The plated
objects are taken from the bath they
appear dull and white; the dulness Is first
removed by small circular brush of brass
wire. driven by lathe, and the fin al polish
IS given by furnishing. (9 By the ordi-
nary process of electro-plating msnufac-
tured iron and steel goods can be
covered over with protective coating
AZ other metals, notably copper and nickel.
Similarly, by various processes, silver and
gold coaiiDgs can be laid on. especially by
means of mercuriai solutions of the precious
metals water gildiDg), the mercury being
silver made more adherent by Furnishing.
the process being repeated several times if
necessary. Pyrosilyer goods ara prepared
by heating the silvered steel, whereby the
silver sinks, as it were, into the metal. Sue
cessive coatings are then applied and
burnt" In until the sinking ceases. In
this way coating is obtained that is not
readily detachable by wear and tear.
ALIENS AND REAL EsTATE-A. 81. c..
City. According to the laws of the State Of
Illinois mo nonresident alien shall be able
10 acquire title to or to taking or holding
any lands or real estbte in this State by de-
scent, devise. purchase or otherwise, except
that the heirs OF aliens who may have ac-
Quired lands under the provisions of this act
may take such lands by devise or descent to
hold the same for three years and no
longer, II such alien at the time OF acquir-
ing such land is of the age of 21. and il not
p, Tor the term Of five years, from the
time OF acquiring such land, and il at the
end OF that time herein limited such land
acquired bT such alien has not been sold TO
6ona-fde purchaser for value, or such
alien heir has not become an actual resi-
dent OF this State, the same shall be
eseheated TO this State; provided that
minor alien actually residing in the United
States may acquire title 10 lands in this
oiate oy purchase and bold the same for the
term OF six years, after he might, under
the naturalization laws of the United
States, have declared his intention to be-
come citizen of the United States il he
has not, at the end OF six years, made such
declaration to become a citizen OF the
United States, such land shall be escheated
TO this State" ~ In California the law is
that 'any person. whether citizen or alien,
may take, hold and dispose of property.
real or personal. within this State II a
nonresident alien takes by succession he
must appear and claim within five years
from the time of succession OF be barred" :"
~ Every State in the union has a special
law in regard to aliens holding land, and
the majority of them are to the effect that
they NAV. "a Only those who are citizens
or have declared their intention to become
such can take up public lands.
NAIL-CUTTING - J. W., Colusa, Cal.
There is great deal Of superstition about
the cutting of finger nails. Among the