The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-06-27
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

-Knoblaugh proves that there is a
constant ratio between the intensity
of tho fuorescence and the existing
light, even when the intensity of tho
latter is altered in the ratio of l tu
6.400.
j. Berkenbine, the iron ore expert,
estimates the production of iron ore in
1898 at $4,000, 900 long tons The total
production in this country last year
was 11,s79, 67o long tons, against H.
5s7,620 in 1898. Twepty-four states
produce ore, Michigan standing first.
Bangkok, in Siam, has more than
doubled it commerce in a single year;
SIT vessels entered and cleared in 1898,
as compared with 2s5 in 1899, while the
increase in tonnage was PIT, $50 tons, or
1872 per cent. The value of the imports
was S11 POS, 300 in gold and that of the
exports s22,2s5.570, mainly rice.
From the fact that the ammonia In
the air is the main cause OF dried flow
ers losing their colors, Herr Nienhaus
concluded that the tendency might be
arrested by preserving the specimens
between sheets of paper which had
previously been saturated with solu-
ton of one per cent of oxalic acid in
water. By this method even the most
delicate-tinted peoples are found to re-
tain their colors.
1t is said that certain Swedish
copper mine has been worked without
interruption for 800 years and is esti-
m,Ssed to have had total yield in
eight centuries of 1900, 900 tons, worth
at the average value of !e2s per ton
more than e32, 900, 900. A record of its
production shows that the output was
1886 metric tons in 1888, reaching a
maximum of 3,455 tons in 1850, and
slowly decreasing since 1890, being 271
tons in 1891.
M. Andres project for reaching the
north pole by balloon is being exam
ined by committee of the French
academic des sciences. Four import
ant conditions must be satisfied: First,
an ascensional power of 5000 pounds,
to carry three observers, their instru.
ments, ballast and provisions for four
months; second, balloon that shall
continue impermeable for four months;
third, conveniences for filling and
starting it in the arctic regions, and,
finally, some means of directing it
Nordenskjold thinks Andre can carry
out his plan.
"A physician points out that several
fallacies are common with regard to
the weight of the human body. The
man who congratulates himself on his
gain of several pounds in weight over
a given period may have no cause for
rejoicing, for he may be under delu-
sion. Very few persons, says the in
vestigator, have any correct idea of
their own weight. As matter of fact,
the weight of the body is continually
changing, owing to innumerable infu-
ences. On a warm day after break
fast man will lose more than third
of a pound per hour Seventy per cent
of the body contains water, and its
weight varies constantly. The infer
ence to be drawn from the loss or gain
of pound or two may be mistrusted.
Fluctuations of a few ounces are a sign
that the body is in healthy state.
An experiment of some importance
Is reported, made with view to deter
mine, if possible, the origin of natural
gas, irrespective of theories hitherto
prevalent. For this purpose dried sea.
weed was stepped in water which had
been freed from air, and on the third
day gas appeared, continuing to be
evolved in diminishing quantities until
the tenth day, when SOB cubic cent?
meters had been collected. The evolu-
ton had evidently ceased, though after
standing two years and a half thirty
cubic centimeters more of gas collected
in the apparatus; the second gas diff
fered from the first, consisting, it is re-
corded, almost entirely of methane-
the chief constituent of natural gas
from which it is inferred that this slow
secondary decomposition of vegetable
matter has some relation to the origin
of natural gas.-Boston Journal of
Commerce.