The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-13

sons at first thought to overcome the diff
fieuIty by the crude plan OF using separate
nounced that he has succeeded in applying
to the steam turbine a system OF DutLeIny
reversing steam valves by which the ste an
may be made to act on the Dlaues Vi enS
motor in either direction.
A remarkable fabric now being made IN
Brussels is flexible, transparent ana I'M
pervious to water It's surface, like that OF
glass, can be washed with a wet sponge.
The material is made by patented process
which consists of filling the mesneS OF a
wide-meshed fabric. such as musnn, WIN
soluable by exposure to light, and then CIV
ing both sides several coats OF boiled nm
seed OIL or fat varnish The fabric Is orn ,Ia-
mented by printing, and is designed espe-
ctally for portieres, window shades, UNI
brellas and similar uses.
The theory that gold nuggets have been
deposited from a solution around nucleus
has been a subject of investigation by Prof
A. Liversidge, the Australian mineralogist.
He finds that etched sections Of nuggets
show more or less capitalization, often
large and well-defned crystals, sometimes
with inclusions of quartz and other tmpuri-
ties but never concentric layers. Gold that
mad been fused had a similar crystalline
structure. He does not think this necessar-
lily proves that native gold has been In
melted condition, but believes that 1t has
Deen deposited from solution. and usually in
VEINS and cavities although POSSIBLY
around~a nucleus.
Recent Investigations of NJ Camille Flam-
marion, the versatile French astronomer,
have been applied to problems in plant
growth. Cultivating plants under red,
green. blue and colorless glasses he has
found not only that the growth is wonder
fully stimulated under red glass while the
development of woody fiber is greatest I'M
der clear glass, but that the color and
shape Of leaves, flowers and fruits are
oIten affected by the color of the Tight.
Lilies that were pink in ordinary light be-
came white under green glass. The size.
shape and color of geranium and coleus
ieaves varied greatly in light of different
colors as we'll as in that of varying in
tenslty, temperature proving to have little
influence. A German reviewer of these ex-
perlments finds that all plants may be di-
yided into three principal groups. In the
nrst, the influence of light on the nutrtive
process IN the cell causes the coiors of lear
and Hover in the second, the color is in
huenced by the direct effects of sunlight,
ana IN the third, the coloring of certain
parts Is not dependent on light.
Precise measurement of the velocities of
projectiles-whch now reach half a mile
per second-requires ingenuity. The ordi-
nary chronograph consists of a shutter sus-
pended by an electromagnetic, the shutter
being dropped as the cannon bah breaks
the first of a series of wires, and given a
knife cut at the point reached in its fall as
each of the other wires is broken. The
velocity is calculated from the knife marks
and the known speed of falling bodies. A
new and more delicate chronograph-the in
Veation of Prof. Gushing Crehore, of, Dart
mouth College, and Lieutenant Owen
Squier, U. S. A.-depends upon the modern
discovery known as the Faraday effect a
tube of carbon biSulphide between the two
Nlcol prisms of a polariScope allowing the
ray of light usually intercepted by the
crossed prisms to pass when a strong mag
netic field is produced. The magnetic field
is given by a coil of wire surrounding the
tube. The recording apparatus includes, be-
SldeS the polariScOpe and tube, a camera
with a revolving sensitive plate and fall
ing shutter vAth two apertures, one opening
admitting the polarized light and the other
q ray from the vibrating prong of a tuning
FORK. The vibration rate is known and the
doJS formed on the sensitive plate constitute
the time scale for the projectile record The
proJectile breaks the magEetizing circuit
eXtinguiShing the light-as it cuts the first
wire, restores the circuit by a simple de-
vice as 1t reaches the second wire, breaks
1t again at the third, and so on, four cir
cults giving record of eight time intervals
by suitable placing of the wires any portion
Of the projectile'S path may be studied. A
striking observation already made is that
the prOJectile increases its velocity for two
or three yards after leaving the cannon,
slowing down to muZzle velocity in about
twenty-five yards. A modified apparatus
makes it possible to follow the balls course
inside the cannon. The quickness of the
measurements is marvellous, ten points hav-
ing been taken in thirty inches, the time
interval being 1-2GG0 of q second.