Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-02
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.


From recent discussion by the Brit
ish Astronomical Society 1t APP
pears that the cause Of much
observed phenomenon IL still a mystery.
The new theory was offered by Mr. Ce-
ell J. Dolmngc that the apparent en-
largcment OF the moon II an cHcct OF
the Hky's curvature. which II not mo-
ticed at the zenith but apparently In
creases toward the horizon. This re-
called the many other suggestions or
recent years. A Belgian astronomer
has sought 70 prove that me cause -
physiological, ana that OFFSETS over
head always seem smaller than those
at the same distance on a level; another
Idea IL that the cause ~ atmospheric.
still another. that the Illusion In mental
About the only thing really proven IL
that measurement with the sextant
shows the moons disc to have the same
size at the horizon as at tho zenith,
except for the slight influence OF re-
fraction.
German experiments suggest defec-
tive water cages US the cause OF many
If not most mysterious boiler ex-
plosions Using u magnetic Indicator.
q. Rcmschel obtained an alarm OF low
water while the ordinary glass gage
showed four inches above the medium
level. a defect In the tightness OF the
steam pipe leading to the top cock was
found and when this was rcmcdied the
water level In the glass fell six Inches.
II has been assumed that the depth
OF unyarying temperature In the soil
increases from one foot at the equator
to seventy odd feet ut the poles, yet a
shaft In northern Siberia. has reached
depth OF 1900 feet without getting
through the frost. A western mining
engineer explains that this may not
dsprove the theory. US the deep frecz-
Ing may be a result OF annual accumuln
lions OF sediment ON unthawed ground.
coffee berries are coated with sugar
by an English grocer. the cheaper ma
terlal Increasing the weight Ave to ton
per cent. In Germany the berry IN 10
closely initiated by prepared maisc
that detection OF the fraui is difficult,
even ON close Inspection.
The full power OF belfry bells IL felt
only through the use OF great Masses
Of metal and II In estimated that the
normal ia" Of $40 simple vibrations.
which IN found In the center u the
keyboard OF the piano. can be given
only by a bell feet In diameter and
weighing about 1000 pounds while tho
deep do" OF % vibrations from the
a2-f foot organ pipe would require a bell
1916 feet In diameter and Weighing H.
1000 pounds. The Harrington cy-
lIndricai bells, with which experiments
have been made In England during
several years. are claimed to give very
satisfactory rcaults with much less
metal. Any note required IL given by
q tube OF constant diameter and thick
ness. the various tones and scml-toncs
differing only In length. and the possi-
bility OF obtaining notes with mathc-
matical precision Ia an advantage OF
great Importance In the tuning OF
chimes. The range In less than that
Of ordinary bells increasing with the
1--WE diametors thus far produced from
half u mile to three miles, These tubes
have maximum length OF 10 feet and
the saving IN metal II illustrated by
the statement that q tubular bell Of
2A inches diameter, with q range Of
half mile, weighs only i,dO pounds,
while one OF the ordinary bells OF the
same range weighs $1,000, the differ
ence In cost being that between 1890
and $4,000
A very few exceptions to the rule that
animals live with their backs toward
tho sky and away from the earth are