The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1901-07-25
|3NSSCienCe7
s. s ssss9ilventiOn

III the operation OF dredging naviga-
BILE channels at the mouths of the Nor
uya and Shoalhaven Rivers in New
South Wales, it was discovered that the
mud contained gold dust An automatic
gold-saver was then attached to the
dumping machinery. and it is estimated
that enough gold will thus be obtained
to defray the expenses of keeping the
channels open.
The whole of the west coast of
France suffers greatly from the fury of
the waves, which make continual en-.
croachments ON the land. In some dis
trlets the shore recedes as much as n
! Is more resisting limestone formation,
the recession is only foot a year. Even
the browning granite cliffs of Brittany
are gradually being undermined by the
breakers and topping into the sea.
China still easily leads the world in
the production of raw silk, Europe
ranking next with about half the pro-
duction of China, and Japan making a
close third. In 1890 the exports from
China were 16,9S6,443 pounds, and
from Japan 1905, 1893 pounds. The en-.
tire production of Europe was only
S,S29,075 pounds. divided as follows:
Italy, G,S14,070 pounds; France, 1,234,-
b76 pounds; Austria Hungary, COS, 40
pounds; and Spain. 1850 pounds.
The most sensational and important
event In the history of mining in this
country, perhaps. was the discovery of
gold in California in 1913. This was
followed a few years later by similar
developments In South Africa and
Australia. Just prior to the middle of
the century the worlds production of
this metal was only $30,0O0,000. In
1853 It was S160.0o0,000. OF this
amount California contributed S60,-
100000. In 1899 the United States and
South Africa each produced between
S70,O00.000 and $73,OO0,OOo, and Aus
tralla's yield was about $TS,Oo0.000.
The greater part of the earth's crust.
the water and the air, consists OF but
few elements. Oxygen forms one-half
by weight. silicon quarter; aluminium,
iron, calcium, magnesium. sodium and
potassium combined form % per cent,
leaving about per cent for all the 9th
er elements. Chemical compounds rare
ly contain many elements. Various
groupings Of the same elements pro.
duee new substances. Carbon signal
lies itself by peculiar adapta5illty of
| Elasticity. II forms nuclei for aggre-
cation, and these nuclei are bonded to-
gether to form complicated molecules.
Some interesting facts concerning the
I comparative number OF particles of
dust and bacteria in the air were COM
munleated to the Royal Institution re-
Gently by DR.. Allan Macfadyen. Using
| Athens dust-counter, he found In an
open suburb Of London 10000 dust par
tlcles in every cubic centimeter Of air,
while I'm the heart OF the great town
the number OF particles. In the same
volume of air, was 100000. In the open
air OF London there was on the aver
age. only one micro organism TO every
$4,000 particles of dust, and In the
air of room amongst ISL. 100000 dust
particles only one organism could be
detected. These facts, DIR. Macfadyen
said, illustrate the poverty of the air
In heterogeneous even when II Is
very dusty. Their continued existence
is rendered difficult through the lnnu.
ence OF desiccatlon and sunlight. Dry
ing up is one Of natures favorite meth
DDS of getting rid OF bacteria.