The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-09-10

So-called bronze" medals have been
mostly struck in pure copper. This has
been given a thin coating of oxide by
heating in contact with iron oxide, or
by the Japanese wet process, in which
| is used q boiling solution having cop
per sulphate and variety of verdigris
as the main constituents. The latter
process gives a patina of a variety of
beautiful shades of brown. Sir W. c.
Roberts Austen notes that European
minis are now discarding pure "copper"
and are returning to an alloy much like
| that of the ancient Romans. The Ro-
man alloy, as shown by coins Of Ha-
drian and Trajan, consisted of about 81
per cent of copper and Of zinc, with
some lead, tin, iron or silver, and traces
of anthony. ts
A German method OF platinizing
porcelain Is given Importance by the
need of platinum apparatus and the
high cost of the metal. BY fusing a
locating Of platinum salts on the porce-
lain dish a thin deposit of platinum is
formed and the vessel so covered is
claimed to be quite as durable as solid
platinum, and cheaper.
It is affirmed that no nation is in
creasing SO rapidly in height and
weigh. as the British. In fifty years
the average height has risen from
5 feet z1s inches to feet 81 inches.
The average height of the criminal class
is but 5sfeet 5 As inches.
The new range-finder of Professor G.
Forbes is designed to meet the require
ments of infantry in the field. 1t con-
sists of a field-glass, to be carried in the
usual way, and a folding aluminium
base, which Is six feet long when ex
tended and three feet three inches when
folded, weighs less than three pounds,
and can be strapped upon the back.
The base Is a square tube, each half of
which has at each end a doubiy reflect
ing glass prism. The rays of light from
a distant object strike the outer pair of
these four prisms, are reflected at right
angles along each tube, and at the two
middle prisms into the two telescopes
Of the binocplar. The angle between
these rays is determined by two wires.
that In one telescope being fixed. while
that in the other Is moved abys mi
crometer screw until the two aSires are
seen as one at the same times that the
object is seen distinctly. From the
angle the distance Is obtainedS and may
be easily estimated to Within sixty
yards for 5000 yards and fifteen yards
for 1900 yards.
A beautiful carnation worn by a gem
tleman at a dinner party not long ago
was noticed to be leaving red streaks
on the wearer's shirt-front and vest.
Investigation showed the astonishing
fact that the ''ffower" was made fl ON
slices of turnip neatly cut and dyed
with acid magenta, the stem and leaves
being of twisted cloth dyed dark green,
while the bloom was very fine starch
powder, and the support was a conceal
ed iron wire. The wonderfully natural
perfume was given by "oeillet," syn
thetic amber colored oil. No poisonous
substance was found In this clever
product, although harmful dyes might
be used.
This list of the movements of the
is given by NJ Flammarion: "a rota-
ton, having period OF "a hours; (2)
revolution, period 1854 days; 90 pre-
cession, period 25,765 years; az luni-
solar gravitation, period % days: (5)
mutation, period 49, years; (6) varia-
ton of obliquity of ecliptic, about Al
seconds of arc in 100 years; CD varia-
ton of eccentricity of orbit; (S) change
of line of apsides, period about 21.0O0
years; (9) planetary perturbations; Q0)
change of center of gravity of whole
solar system; C11) general translation
Of solar system in space; Q21 latitude
variation with several degrees of pc
riodicity.
The total destruction of Russian
house in six months is an alarming ex-
ample of the ravages of a fungus-Me-
rulius lacrymano-in Europe. With ia
vorable 1ampness and other conditions.
this fungus spreads in white threads
over the surface of wood and pene-
trates its pores in all directions, and
the growth may continue for years, re-
ducing the wood to powder. Alkaline
liquids favor the termination of the
spores. Although the effects may be so
serious, Professor Henry of the Nancy
School of Forestry does not find it adj
Tvisable to discard wood for iron, but.
recommends more careful seasoning or
timber as preventive, and better ven
tilation of cellars and the drying of af-
fected places as a means of checking
the evil, with removal of every par
ticle of infected wood when necessary.
The meager results from silkworm
culture in Germany are attributed to
the severity of the climate, which. how
ever, does not affect the worm directly
so much as it does the food. Attempts
are being made to find substitute FOR
the mulberry leaf, and at Sprockhovel
thirty-two kinds of plants have been
tried. each being fed with greater or