The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1893-02-03
SCIENTIFIC A1souI-LAuz.



Some examples Of the. marvellous /
influence that traces ~ foreign sub /
stance may exert upon chemical change
have been collected by writer ina
Scie,,cs. Mir. II. B. Baker proved III
1857 and 1883 that carbon. sulphur q"
phosphorus may he strongly heated ia,
dry oxygen without taking fire,
although vigorous combustIOn takes
place IL tie slightest moisture be pres
emit. Oar household nrrs Woald prob
aBly BE impossible iu tie absence of
aqueous yapOr. "A trace uf moisture
is necessary "a other combinations, as
dry chlorine ana dry metallic sudium
dO Hot unite, aud a mixturs of carbon
nioHOxide and oxygen, o. OF ethyie,le
and oxygen can only lie eXpl0ueI ~ lleI,
Slightly moist. MF. w. II. Velry has
lately shown that the violent action VI
nitric acid on many metals is due L..
lsiIgist iIHpuFity. Copper, silver, IneF-
cary or bismutll may be Immersed la
the strongest pure nitric acid for =
uOHsidsTiibls time without sHect. bat
the addition Of a trace uf nitrous Gcid-.
even 50 small us one or tyu pytrts li5
tsB gil9Usaud-causes tile metal 70 l5,--
rapidly dissolved. Pure zinc viii no
dissolve ia pure hydrosIIloFie or sui
IIluFic Hcid, while tie reRcUfju is
quickly set up In the PFeseuce Cd. me-
! t'liiio salt. Prof. Roberts = glstsl has
told us-that "a Csppsr cable wall carry
twice rs many messages now as 'wDald
Ehe impure copper OF thlrty-6ye years
ago, aud Sir William Thompson has
declared that the presence Of ole
I tisOusHHdth part of bismuth 0uld de
/ stFUy The commercial success 81 tile e0g,-
per. Sir Vivian IIussey has added
that Oue-thOUsaHdth part OF antiunUny
will convert the best copper into the
worst e0uceivaJjes Very slight vsiria
tons ia TIE proportion OF eiirt,Ou
change the character aHd value Of
steel. and trace OF bismuth OF ls:l,i
would ruRlisr gold useless for coinaga
eB account OF brittlsness-
SOUNDING THE ATaI JsE.HEHE.
Beyond 28,O9e feet absvs sea-lsveI,
tie height reae!led by Glaisher iu IsCs
4-'Fi+ ANS NV CT AIFaA t-JlG 70 At-aH lsstttf
the air Various problems conserving
( the region farther away-sueh Hs she
teHipsrrt Ure, the pressure, tile quantity
If moisture, the composition OF tie atr,
etc-i'ave attracted the attention cd
physicists, and have at last led 10 tuu
experiments Of NJ. IEsrmite, who, dur
IUg the last few months mas bsen send
ing up pilot balloons carrying register
ing apparatus These balloons are
very light, with eapecitg OF about
l0o 20 205 cubic fee. EIJpE ut dis
isiHoss from Paris Ringing aP7 % goo
miles ths balloons have neHrly HI.
been returned by thesT tB,lsrs as re-
qUestsd on card a9ttsclsetL4to each,
ami one. has -brodfht down .rscbrJIs
FTaIs 3 baighE Of 80, zoe tset. Tie
tustrunlsISis used are very light ana
simple With larger ball5Qus aiis.
systematic exploration, il Is hoped Lnat
tiia- secrets Of tiis mir llp ~ as beast
80, 600 Feet mag l1s made rs sslulil i.tr &,
1ss as these OF tie dsepast and darkest
depths Of the sea are gradually I,scO-n-
ling.
A speaking watch Is a Gsuevl ii.sVs-i-
~. IL is 0f orJiHary sIse, a5sd a l,l.uu-
Ograptio alsis is 50 arranged ala: the
tinse viii IL Distinctly spoken evsry
quarter hour.
1lsTszzosJr or An ASCENT slIsyE uts-