The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-28
xorrg On sCf1rcr AND rrDUs4aY.

ths arrival a Astoria Of . magnificent ocean log raft
which scaled between elk million and seven million
feet Of lumber; n raft which, II made OF sawed lum-
Der, would contain about twelve million or thirteen
million feet. II was 900 feetlong, with beam Of nifty
three feet and drew twenty feet six inches. OF cigar
shape Il was protected by a heavy plank buikhsad
at each end, held In place by four steel cables Of one
and onesfourth inch diameter. II was toved by q
hawser slxteen inches In circumference and $50
fathoms long, connecting with = chain ssventy.hve
fathoms in length ut the end OF the raft, this chain
being connected with another chain running through
the whole length Of the raft. in this way pulling the
raft together wherever the strain came on the haS.
ser, thus tightening the raft moro securely whom on
the ocean.
One Of the technical nioetes required 10 be OBJ.
ssrvedin boiler work for United States naval use Ia the
prohibition Of blue working without subsequent an.
healing. The fact IL interesting ~ explanatory ofthis
rule, that what 10 known - q critical temperature In
the working Of both iron and steel IL at the so.callsd
blue heat, this being from tbOo 10 6ooe T., and II 10
here that iron and steel arc much more brittle whom
cold or At rednesn. On iron, however. this heat does
not seem to leave any bad effect, though II the piece
be worked in such q range OF temperature 1t will re-
tain the brittleness after cooling and show . great
loss Of ductillty ~ measured by the bending test,
and the poorer the iron the more susceptible It IL to
the blue heat. The danger 10 steel ct this fatal blue
IA more pronounced than in iron. but II exists to .
greater or less extent In all iron Of whatever grade
is also moro noticeable In . descending than in an ~.
bending heat, and 10 especially marked In work hhv-
ing aharp corners, which has BEEN worked ~ the
blue heat.
The name leather has long since passed from the
exclusive vocabulary pertaining TO animal skins and
hides In their prepared state. Recently. says the
EeitodTucker ZeitHno, a.German inventor has brought
TO public notice an improved kind Of asbestos
material and the method OF its manufacture. The
asbestos IL ct hrnt divided into very nne nbres Of the
greatest possible length. then immersed In an india
rubber solution. the whole being then thoroughly
intermiIed until every hbre 10 coated with the solu-
ton; the 6olvent-for instance, petroleum benxine-
IL thereupon evaporated. ~ this treatment che a..
bestos hbres cohere perfectly. and the mass may
then be pressed into any desired form, or may be
rolled. The inventor calls the manufactured product
asbestos leather. and IL 10 said 70 resemble leather
very closely in its peculiarities and structure and in
it, industrial adaptation.
The use Of crude or refined petroleum by enginsers
10 by some chemical experts condemned on the
ground Of there always being danger from corrosion
in the use Of such . substance. this being due to the
refining which neoessitates the use OF ~sulphurio
acid and the formation Of what's called oil scale. This
IL owing TO the fact that when oils are introduced
they rise and hoat on the top OF the water and pit
and weaken tho boiler, and the water, whom improg-
mated with sediments and mud, bot1s and bubbles
up through the oil scum on top, and. the water be-
coming vaporiEed, It ltberates the particles OF mud
and scales contained, these falling back upon the
layer Of oil upon the top Of the water. Such being
the case, the layer of oil becomes after . while 90 Inn
pregnAted with mineral substances that II ginkl TO
the bottom Of the boiler. forming an incrustation of
oil scale, this being moro injurious than q lime of
magnesium scale.
Quite an industry In now carried on in the produo-
ton Of green gutta percha from the leaves of the
caoutchouo tree. o product which 10 said to possess
not only all the advantages of the article procured
by inciaion into the stem, but even to excel 1t in dur.
ability. thus promising to enter largely into use in.
d~ustriAlly and commercially in o hitherto unknown
way. It in not only readily prepared. but is also
cheap. and does not require the expensive purlhca.
ton which has hitherto increased the price OF the
substance some 10 to 20 per cent. tits highly plastic.
very strong, can be divided into the thinnest leaves.
and receives the most delicate and. Mt the same
time, most distinct Impressions by moulding and
pressing. In addition to these advantages there II
the important one of perfectly withstanding the &C.
ton of water and the strongest acids. and even in q
worn and broken-up condition is still worth one.
fourth its cost Of production.
Some importance Ia attached to o method recently
brought forward by I. W. Oliver. u London inventor
for producing betting or driving bands that an
waterproof. will not be affected by oils or ordinary
acids or by any variations Of temperature to which
they would ordinarily be exposed, will not stretch IN
use, or slip. and possess due fexibility for working
around pulleys. These characteristics are obtained
by impregnating q suitable textile material Of which
the belt Is to be composed with liquid celluloid, this
material being duck or canvas; tho latter is impreg
mated with o thin solution of celluloid, applied IL
both the surfaces. so that there is a distinct penetra'
ton or saturation. The fabric thus prepared is then
If treated in large webs or sheets-cuti into strips OF
the desired length, and the requisite number of such
strips, IL more than one, cemented together; q strip
slightly wider than double the width OF these strips
and similarly impregnated. may now BIO folded over
the core formed by the strip or strips. with it's edges
abutting or scarfed in the middle OF the face which
ia TO be the inner face or side OF the belt, then ce,
mented to the inclosed strips. In o bolt 90 made
the various characteristics above named are. 1t ID
asserted, all secured.
Al article in Stdhl uHd Eisen, by +. ". Luermann,
sets forth the progress made in Germany in manu-
featuring bricks from granulated blast furnace alag.
Credit is given to Eugene IAngen's ingenious plan
for producing granulated elag. or alag gravel. for
brick making, by passing the fluid Stag through
water. This process causes disintegrahon. Silica is
separated in q soluble condition, In which it easily
haEdens in the air and combines just as easily with
oaustic lime. The single grains Of the Stag gravel when
compressed tightly, are bound by the soluble silica,
and, when ground to o fine dust. so that the particles
come into closer contact with each other. the binding
by the silica therein Is suficient for the production OF
good building bricks. Bricks from ground Stag. how
ever. require a longer time for hardening than those
produced from graduated Stag. By mixing granu'
lated Stag with dust from alag which has crumbled in
the air 1t is found that good bricks can be produced
without any addition of lime. but the hardening
process is mewha slow. Hardening takes place
quickest in from six to eight days with bricks to
which about 10 per cent. Of burned and slaked lime
has been added.
A vi with n Question.