The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-08-23

shown. Four-horned sheep are known
% be of great antiquity.
In 300 years S55 West Indian hurri-
:anes have been recorded OF those of
he last century, SO occurred in the
Month of July.
The air-regenerating apparatus of
Messrs. Desgrez and BalthaZard makes
air as it is needed, keeping up the sup
ply in close sphere without connec-
ion with any outside source. 1t de-
oends upon binoxide of sodium, which,
IN being thrown In small quantities
into water, disengages sufficient oxy-
gen for breathing, and at the same.
time forms soda that takes UP the car
oonic acid of the air expired. In the
first experiments animals We're kept
alive for hours in close vessels The
apparatus now takes the form of
circular aluminium box, Weighing about
tWenJy-SiX pounds, which the diver,
fireman or miner carries upon his back
and this is connected by tubes with
the closed helmet worn upon the
head A little steel box within the
aluminium container carries the binox-
ide of sodium on ten superposed
shelves. At regular intervals the
shelves are tilted in turn by clockwork
and each charge of binoxide falls into
| a steel box containing water. The
oxygen generated is cooled to normal
temperature by passage through a
suitable refrigerator, the air being
kept in circulation by u tiny electric
fan. The volume of air enclosed is
about 300 cubic inches, and six ounces
| of binoxide revivifies 1t for one hour.
With a larger quantity of the chemical,
| life can be sustained for two, three or
more hours g.
| A striking Illustration of the value 3of
X-rays in detective work has been
! furnished by the postoff1ce at Buenos
| Ayres. jewelers. have found that
smuggling in registered letters from
Europe, was very safe, as the govern
ment officials could not legally open
such letters upon suspicion, and it was
| finally resolved to investigate the evil
without violating the law. The x-rays
promptly revealed watches, chains,
rings and other valuables in astonlsh-
ing quantity. This evidence was suffi-
cient for court order to open the
property has been conf1scated in a
single week.
| OF Ireland's 20,S0S.271 acres, DIR. r. T.
Cooper finds fourth to be unproduc-
tive, but capable of tree-bearing. Yet
in the year ending June, 1900, only 629
acres were planted with trees, while
| 1,451 acres We're cleared of timber. A
scientific restoration of forest is urged
as remedy for much of Ireland's dis
treSS
| Artificial ivory, it is stated, was for
| merly made by injecting whitewood
with cloride of lime under great pres
sure, but French manufacturers now
use mostly material prepared from
| the bones of sheep and the waste pieces
of deer and kid skin. The bones are
macerated and bleached in chloride OF
| lime for a fortnight, then heated by
steam with the skin until fluid mass
| is formed, when a little alum is add
| ed The product is filtered dried In
! air, and hardened in a bath of alum.
| the white, tough plates resulting being
more easily worked than natural ivory.
=
| A curious phenomenon has been re-
| ported by men on outpost duty three
| miles from a military station in the
Transvaal. On still silent nights, such
as come often in the high veldt, dis
| tinct "purring" was heard as the sta
TONS searchlight was turned toward
| them, the sound increasing until the
| light ray passed directly overhead. The
observers were inclined to attribute the
sound to light waves impinging against
| the air