The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-04-19
NOTES ON SCIENCE AND IND USTRT.

stand the cakes in a cold place until 1t Is time
to serve.
NOTES ON SCIENCE AND IND USTRT.
In n new and improved construction of gas
engine brought forward by +. +. Odds of Lam
sing. Mich, n simple movement has been sue
c~sssfully introduced which Is said to accom-
plish all that can be done by cams, lateral
shafts, and gearing, besides insuring the
prompt opening and closing Of the valves. This
melton is secured by n plain eccentric on the
main shaft, which reciprDcate5 the alternating
wheel operating the exhaust and compression
valve. By throwing out tho pawl which oper-
atcs the alternating wheel, compression Is
omitted. and the engine can be turned to any
point without the resistance of compression.
When gasoline is used as a source of power.
the liquid is supplied to the engine from q tank
located outside the building containing the en-
CINE, or. in case of small engines, the tank Is
located in the engine base, and by n simple de-
vice the gasoline is supplied to the engine as
The arrangement is such as to insure absolute
safety. "A very sensitive governor being en-
plUyed. which maintains a close regulation. An
electric or hot tube igniter can he employed.
1t is we'll known that the French lighthouse
service has succeeded in maintaining a rotary
motion Of u revolving apparatus for at least
two months without the care Of n keeper. In
u contribution to the Scientific Imericdn on
this subject by +. l.. Corthcll, engineer, the
method applied BY the French was one that
had previously been used IN 'lirhtninc lights
to obtain permanent oCCulting lights, in which
the occultations are produced by a system of
screens supported on n revolving mercury
tioat, but the rotation had been performed by
n clockwork movement. 1t was necessary to
adopt some other rotating power. In the new
method OF rotation without ClOCkwork, the
shaft itself which guides the float forms the
axis of the armRturc OF an electric motor, this
armnIure consisting of n gramme ring con-
tanning sixty four hobbins. The current from
one cell enters the armature by means Of two
brushes. which have an arrangement for nd
justinE the pressure. and tn" inductor CON
sists of two permanent MAGNETS separated
from the arlnature ny a slight air gap. The
current comes from two. battery cells called
''B'oo,' filled with II 'oliiifed liquid. set up in
series, aud with II capacity of $50 ampere
hours. The apparatus may continue to re-
v%Glye for iiye months Wdtnout The Intervention
two or three months is well.
IN II paper published in the .Astronnmischc
Nrrhrith iCn, DR.. see shows how. by n very
ready method, determination may he made Of
the absolute dimensions Of the orbits of bright
and rapidly revolving binary stars by single
spcctro.cUpic measures of the motions in the
line of sight of the component stars, and from
lI' tIllC'ISIOllS una tlHeT Known uata or inc
orbits the actual masses of the stars and their
distances from the earth can he easily calcu-
lated. But perhaps the most important result
claimed FOR this method Is the means it fur
niNlcs of testing the question whether the
Newtonian law of graVitation apple, to stellar
systems "a well us to the solar system. Dir. SEQ
shows the manner In which may be calculated
tie motion n the line of sight il all parts Of the
binary, orbit, these calculations being based
upon the law of graNitatton AMI n single spec,
tr",Scopic measure. II such measures be contin-
ued upon q number OF nairs. while the stars com
plct" their revolutions, aud the COMPUTED and
observed motions, in the line Of sight agree
throughout. within reasonable limits Of error,
y will he strong proof OF the universally Of the
NcwtoEian law.
The means by which wiad may he measured
by IT'S sound Is a novelty In modern scientific
research to which the attention of the National
Academy of Sciences las bcea drawn by Prof.
laruS. lie asserts that the wlistling of tho
wInd as II crosses n wire varies with the veloc-
ity. and that this can be computed from the
pitch of tho note observed in case OF a given
Of wire and for u given air tempera-
turr, \ special micromcter attachment can be
made to convey the sound, isolated from other
moi rs, to. tho observer at a distance. Thus,
every gust and variation of the wind can be
direction Of tho gist can I've lad iy means Of
the sounds obtained from three wires placed at
right angles to ono another.
A process for converting petroleum into a
hard mass, and thus render il suitable for en-
rs fuel on board large Occn n-g0ing
craft, Inns been brought forward hy VI. DIIumy, |
n rrtH'A naval engineer. Tho published state
us"nis relating to this iuvcrtiun show, among
other things, that the prepared material Is af.
fect"d neither by heat nor cold. ard is abso-
lutely smokelcss and odorlcss. The cakes,
when set on fire. burn only ON the surface and
TlNHA IA n IA 1AnE 1. 1A4t -. 80 -t. .--. 1G.N
and make not more than from two to
three ner cent. of ashes; they can be made In
any size or shape, and can be stored anywhere
danger, ms they cannot eyauoratc or
'aHao an explosion. Further representations
how that n ,man-of- war having 1000 tons Of
Iis -~"Illilirl oil on hoard could sail around
months. one ton Of This material is estimated
IS ne same ne thirty tons. OF coal, and tho
''nount or cost IS calculated inH French scicn-
.'lr %jpprnal AZ not more than $40 Ier ton: AMI
:, r. considered, therefore, hy the promoters
q 5n polim rIIg' Of h lr"t ~ H. p"nn,"cinr Of stCo!
ut 81 Would melt IL ton of metal,
An interesting distinction, though not gen
rally understood, Is madc in tho qualities Of
tos hy those who are engaged In the in.
Iustrial handling II that article. Though,
lroadly speaking, this substance Is a slllcato
4 nlagnesia, In some cases limo III ,plnres tho
base; in rare cases alumiua takes the
lace nf magGesia, ana what is called blue
Is Il siliCato of iron, iron I'm this case
the maguesil. TIL, hlue asbestos
n LIruus siIicate uf iron posses,rs many times
he strength OF true asbestos, a thread ofit
100 pounds; hut by reason ~ IL con
aiming from thirty 10 forty per cent; OF pro-
lor is IL a good non,conductor of heat. heEce
loes not possess the valuable properties of true
lemHnIa LnAI ara AlWaEa CONSTANT In Aahaatna