The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1901-03-21
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

A parasite has been brought from
Africa to prey upon the minute insect
which causes the olive scale, and fun
goua disease contagious among grass
hoppers and fatal to them has been i'm
ported from Natal and taken to Colora-
do and Mississippi, where it has al
ready destroyed swarms Of locusts.
The observatory Of Mendon, France,
reports the discovery of a singular
cloud obscuring for some time GER
tain crater on the moon. The matter
has aroused worldwide interest among
astronomers. The only explanation Of
the cloud seems to be that the VOL
cano is in a state Of mild activity, and
that there is some sort Of atmosphere
round the moon. II the phenomenon
is verified it will upset important the
cries as to conditions upon our satel-
ite.
The first electricity station in the
Congo district is to be started at a
Roman Catholic mission on the river
Lubia. The head Of the mission is
now taking out with him from Belgium
a dynamo, turbine, lamps, cables,
wires, etc. He proposes to obtain the
necessary power from the waterfall,
some % feet high. The dynamo will
light $50 lamps and it is proposed to
light up the mission and the adjacent
village with 100 incandescent lamps
and three arc lamps.
The French government has decid-
ed to establish their own service tf
submarine cable communications. This
decision has been arrived at as re-
suit Of the Transvaal and Chinese
campaigns. when the majority Of the
messages from France had to be dis
patched over lines under British con-
troll. Even the communications that
pass between the home government
and the various ministers abroad have
to pass through English hands. 1t IS
proposed to establish four cable lines
interconnecting the colonies and the
home country.
The latest invention in connection
with wireless telegraphy is an appara-
tus designed to warn ships Of their ap-
proach to danger in times of fog or in
places where a simpler system of sig
mailing is not practicable. The invea-
ton consists essentially of toothed
revolving wheel, which operates
Morse key in such manner as to spell
the name Of the station. The wheal
may be rotated either by clockwork or
by a small electric motor, and may be
adjusted to send the signals automati-
caily every minute or two. In this
way all ships coming within range ct
the instrument may be notified Of the
fact by the ringing of a bell and the
reception of message giving the name
of the place, provided they are fitted
with apparatus for detecting the elec-
trio waves.
An ingenious idea has been taken
up in the German army and small
globes Of silk, called balloon targets.
are to be substituted for the wooden
dummies hitherto used to. represent
men in shelter trenches and behind
cover. The wooden dummies remain
standing after being struck and may
be hit several dimes while firing lasts,
so that the subsequent count gives no
accurate idea Of the effect Of the firing.
With the balloon targets the result is
seen at once, the silk globe collapsing
Immediately on being struck. In the
exercises in which these are used they
are placed at irregular intervals, in
groups, in line, and to represent indi-
viduals, and when moving target is
used its upper edge is not Of uniform
height. The targets are not exposed
until the troops are called on to open
fire. Instructions are given as to ad-
vancing by rushes, firing at every hall,
and also for the final charge with the
bayonet The firers will see the immc-
diate effect of their shots and will
learn to observe the gaps made in the
cnemy's line. and to concentrate their
fire on the groups which remain.