The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-01-27
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

Aotomobile Economy in France "A
Climbing Electric locomotive AZ
ter Coal, whntP-A Military ster-
eoseops = Summarizing and Skull
observation-disclosures for BOT,
Roms's water = Keeping the Dead
Unchanged welding BY Alumin-
UNI Observation-Disclosures.
Reviewing the results Of French ex-
perience with automobiles, N. G. Fore
ester concludes that the steam engine
best meets the requirements where
there are sudden demands for power,
as on steep grades and In starts an up
ward inclines, while an internal COM
bustion motor Is satisfactory on fairly
level roads and has much less weight
Motors Of both classes have shown in=
creased economy since the early tests
OF 1897, with the prospect Of further
Improvement Details Of the trials Of
light vehicles cannot be easily sum-
marked, but the cost Of running cab
may be placed at 1926 franco per day
by horse, 1871 francs by gasoline and
1S,4s francs by electricity, while the
corresponding figures for a delivery
wagon are 1872, 1880 and 1850 francs.
Interest, depreciation and the malnte-
nance Of electric accumulators are In
cluded.
The most powerful rack-wheel ma
chine yet constructed Is said to be the
new electric locomotive for the steep
est portion Of the Jungfrau Mountain
railroad. The motors are placed under
the passenger car, the truck Of which
has two driving axles between two
bearing axles. Two motors, each OF 1876
horse power, at 800 revolutions per min
ute. drive the toothed wheels through
duplicate gearing, and II required can
be worked up 70 900 horse power. The
current is conveyed overhead at ten-
sion Of 500 volts.
In the worlds use of power Prof.
Lunge recognizes three great periods
that Of wood, that Of coal and that Of
solar energy. We are now in the Sec
ond period, but the Inevitable failure Of
the coal supply must bring US to the
third within a few centuries at host.
Mechanical industries must then de-
pend upon the vast energy Of the SUMS
rays, partly transformed into water
power.
Vast numbers Of small fiSh are de-
stroyed on the British coast by anglers
as well as by steam travellers. Mr.. F.
g. Ahalo points out that the water
waste canont be avoided, but that most
OF the understood FISH caught by an
glers could be saved II the law COM
PEELED their prompt return to the water.
Neglect Of military optics seems to
be among the causes assigned for the de-
feats Of the British army in South At
RIGA. The great range at which action
Is now begun has made necessary not
only the use Of range finders. but also
better equipment Of field glasses for
studying the enemy's position and To-
eating entertainments. The scientific
Germans have now supplied every bat
terry Of their artillery with kind Of
ng-dlstance stereoscope, called the
scissors telescope" whose object is to
give relief to the images of the field
glass, thus bringing to view slight
ridges and depresslons that are liable
10 escape detection. The apparatus
opens vertically, like a pair Of scissors.
and the object glasses may be thus
brought as much as five feet apar..
separating the planes OF an object five
miles away as much as ordinary vision
would do at quarter Of a mile. 1t may
be noted further that this wide separ-
alton OF the lenses makes 1t possible
for the operator to use one or both
tubes of his glass while he Is himself
shielded in a trench or behind tree.
A remarkable cure OF confirmed
stammering in a boy OF thirteen has
been brought to the attention of the
Paris Academy Of Medicine by Prof.
Jonnesco. Of Bucharest. His theory be-
Ing that the defect is often due to a
hattening OF the left side Of the head.
preventing development Of the skull
over the part OF the brain to which
Broca assigned speech. his operation
consisted in cutting tissues to relieve
the dura mater at this point. His sue
cess leads to the inquiry whether the
mystifying trepannings by surgeons of
the later stone age may not have been
performed to relieve stammering.
Thurlngian peasants, according to q
consular report, protect seed potatoes
against rot by spreading them out In a
sunny place, with frequent turnings.
until they become thoroughly green.
They are then placed in a cellar until
February, when they are removed to
a partially warmed room until planting |
time. The potatoes not only keep well.
but do not sprout until planted, larger
and better crop resulting.
A history Of Rome's water works has
been preserved in two books by From
linus water commissioner in Of A. D.
A recent translation shows that nine
had been built, and that the
daily consumption was about thirty
eight gallons per person, although cy-
give this as 200 gallons, or
three times that OF American cities.
The great preservatIve powers of for
malln have met with little favor In
museums The substance is Of special
however. for hardening and
keeping fabby animals, such as jelly
hsh and It is convenient to the field
collector on account of its small bulk.
MS the commercial fiuid requires dllu-
tion with twenty-five times Its volume
Of water before use. while specimens
y, = -0,oa IL a. ,,,UCh NtOaAH AhnH /