The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-06-27
orE ox so1ENoE AND INDUSTRY.

NAL subdivision of time. for universal adoption. q
plan which differs o what from that which mas
hitherto engaged the attention OF scieutists. It IL
proposed to have the day DIVIDED into ten hours.
the hour into one hundred minutes. and the min.
ut-s int one hundred seconds. making one thou.
sand minutes. or one hundred thousand seconds per
day. The hour hand always points in the direction
of the sun; consequently. as the day begins and
ends ut midnight the hour hand points downward.
as also do ,he minute hand and second hands. at the
exact time of the change OF Gay, or 10 O'Clock
thence 1t rises with the sun ia Its apparent motion
around tho earth. oints TO the zenith at noon. after
which II descends until IL reaches its extreme lower
point again at midnight. Thus the hour hand
makes but one revolution around the dial each days
II 10 then the nEnre X on the dial at which the hour
hand commences and ends each day. tho minute
hand each hour. and the second hama each minute.
The time thus Indicated by n decimal c,ock ia al
ways positive timo, and \ at ndard time 10 there
fore provided for the eutire Rloos; that 10, It IL
proposed TO divide the terrestrial globe ito ono
thouaand degrees of longitude. corresponding with
the one thousand minutes OF tho day. ana. by group.
ing them into twenty aections OF dfty degrees each,
establish standard time universally.
Some idea OF tho progress in marine engineering
during the last few decades may DO gathered from
the fact that in 1870 q pound OF coal propelled a
displacement weight of 0.b75 ton eight Enota. but
the earning weight was only one. tenth OF this. az
Wv W Cout. u u ultpthCt1Hent represented u
machinery and fuel. 40 per cent. tho hull, and 10
per cent. or 0.057 ton, the cargo; in 1850. with iron
vessels and the screw propeller, n displacement
weight OF o.o ton was propelled nine knots by the
pound OF coal. but the proportion OF cargo
had risen to 81 per cent. or DIG ton: in
1850. with high boiler pressure and tho sur.
face condenser. o.s2 ton displacement was pro.
PEELED ten knots. and the cargo WIS ~ per cent. or
).27 ton; in 1850. in the freight steamer. g. rons dis.
placement was propelled ten Knots. with still 30 per
cent. or LOS tons OF cargo; In 1898. there were
two classes OF freivbt boats. the tramp propell.
ing thirty four displacement tons eight and q half
knots. with so per cent. or two tons of cargo.
white at tho aame time tho huge CARO- steamers Of
the North Atlantic were driving a displacement of
8.1S tons twelve knots. with IS Der cent. or 1T
tons OF CARTOON the express passenger steamers,
TOO. the cargo weight being down TO o.og ton per
pound of coal.
In an article In Timber. London, on the value of
teak for structural and mechanical purposes. the
olatm 10 put forth that such wood 70 really the most
durable timber known, anc OF special Importance
TO shipbuiiders. being very hard. yet light, easily
worked. and, though noroua. strong and lasting.
It 10 soon seasoned. shrtnts but little. and on &C.
count OF its oily natur" doea not InJure iron. In
southeastern Asia It Is not only considered tho best
material for ship construction. but for house car.
pentry aud other work where strength and other
lasting qualities are required. II 10 rarely attacked
by ante of the white species. and its rare durability
renders It specially valuable in c climate Ike that
OF India, where the elements causing decay are so
numerous and powerful. where dampness brings on
rapid decomposition, AMI where the white ant de.
vours without scruple. In the operation uf cutting
this wood 10 frequently girdied one or two years
before IL 10 fei'ed. and. thus exposed to the WIND.
the action Of the GUN. and 10 the pumping capacity
OF The leaves. IL seasons rapidly, and 10 drier and
lighter than timber felied green.
II 10 now the general conclusion Of scientists that
light Is simply the result OF vibrations or waves
which occur in an hypothetical substance known as
the ether-a .ubstanoe supposed TO permeate all
space and all objects AMI to be co-extensive with
the universe. According to this theory. when the
ether 10 caused to vibrate at a certain rate II gives
rise TO the sensation OF liRht. in proportion to the rate
OF vibration. or. In other words. the wave length.
In this way. chemists assert. the various coIors are
produced. red having the longest wave lensth and
violet the shortest wave length OF any OF the colors
that is. there are more waves or vibrations In q
given time In the case OF violet than IN tho case OF
rcd light. Briefly. In relation TO this peculiar pho.
uomenon. the theory Is that coiored bodies owe
their color to tho fact that they exert q sel~cr,ve
action on the waves or rays of liRnt which fall upon
them, allowing some to pass on and 81 give the ef-
feet of color. while others are absorbed or do.
stroyed.
A new building material Is proposed by a Boston
inVentos-nam' not RiVen-one or the prominen' ad-
rantASes o. winch FOR building pnrposes 10 its IRE
proof quality. 1t 10 described In the Herald OF that
city as a combination OF puiverized stone. coal Gin.
aer'. sawdu''' or DINER substances. with magnesia.
ana Two chemicals "hich are not made known. It ia
run INTO mou''s "h-n In a sem'''iquid state and hard.
ens In twenty. four hours. there De ng no burning,
az win clay products. the SET being a chemical
one. various substances may be used as tho base
OF the compound. fuiverlzed marble chips , teld Q
| product to all appeArapcea like natural martha
with inc Crystalline formation and texture Of that
stone; ana "hen poured on plate Eiass a good pol.
Ism Is oota'iied WITHOUT further treatment. ana BY
the use OF pohshed orass moulds different snap
may be obtained For nreproofng blocks "a
bricka- coal cinnerS ground quite nne. with a 20"
amount OF sA"dust. are enlpl"yed; theso tresooi'
ing block" ae claimed to be one.third iiRhr 'nH
those OF terra Gotta OF the same size. whip.neo"''
Is reduced to nearly one half that or ~ 'Aeer'
anu inc nc" material oeinR iiRlt"r. tHs'.e'
franc of the building lighter. thu reducing the
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