The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-06-03
SCIENCE INDUSTRIES.

Among the latest converts TO automo-
bilism is the Marquis OF Salisbury. whose
choice has fallen on one OF the newly
imported larger type OF touring steam
ears of American construction.
The Berlin -Zossetn high speed electric
railway experiments on a straight two
rail track have not been satisfactory. Tine
speed attained was not LIS. but 100 miles
an hour and that only for a short time.
The effect on the track was so destructive
that higher speeds were not attempted
one OF the industries of Ireland which
has recently received a fresh stimulus II
the manufacture OF poplin. kind OF
goods In which silk and wool are 30 COM
bined that the silk constitutes the sur
faces and the wool the interior part Inc
silk comes from China, but II Ia al dyeo
In Dublin. because they aver In the irish
capital that there is some quality In the
Dublin water which lnsures brilliancc
and permanence OF color that has not
been attained elsewhere.
Several methods OF applying electricity
TO hasten the growth and development or
vegetation have been tested In Germany.
One plan Is simply TO electrify the air
about the growing plants by passing
current through system Of barbed wires
from tho point OF which the electricity
Is discharged. Another way is to submit
the seeds to an electric current before
they are planted or sown. Both or these
methods are said to have given favorable
results. bat the best plan yet tried is that
of passing a feeble current OF electricity
through the soil.
Among the atest Inventions Of a Freren
chemist is a method OF compressinb sea-
air into tabloids. Those, therefore. VINO
wish for q change OF air will N future
only have TO 60 to the nearest druggists
and by a bottle OF Maargate tabloids or
half a dozen Riviera pastilles. So long
as tho drugs are properly dispensed, the
invention will be welcome. IL would vo
unpleasant to ask for Cournemonth pas
titles and to receive instead the Cologne
(not Eau de Cologne) variety. The latter
form has 70 distinct smells.
The Northern OF France railway makes
use Of a system OF audible signals to IN
dicate when the distant signal Is at eau
ton. Between the rails Ia placed an To
sulated brass plank, about feet inches
long. This Is 80 arranged that when the
distant is at caution a wire brush fitteo
TO the engine passes In contact with the
plank and operates a whistle In the cap.
This requires the fitting OF each distaru
signal with the necessary batteries ana
their upkeep as well az the engines them
selves; but they do not seem TO find this
very much, and are quite satisfied WIN
the system.
Radium IN one OF the many substances
which emit rays analogous to Roentsen
rays and the eye can even perceive
luminous effect from them by interposing
an opaque screen between II and the
radium. M. laval, In a paper to the
Academic de Medicine, Paris. describes
experiments made with radium and the
blind which 20 to prove that when these
have "a sound retina they have great
sensibility to this luminous effect OF
radium.
PETROLEUM briquettes are French In
l-I LA~
been carefully guarded. All that h known
is that, as the name implies. this new
fuel is chiefly made of petroleum, sofidi-
fed under enormous pressure. Some OF
the advantages are: They weigh one-half
as much as COAL leave but trace Of
residue: do not melt, run, explode, or ao-
sorb moisture; Keep their qualities for
any length of urne; produce twice ss
much as coal; can be used in any fur
mace; and are easiy handled. A boat
using this fuel can get up steam In ono
fourth or one-third the time required oy
coal, and would show ne smeke-a great
point In naval matters.
A Hungarian chemist has discovered
that some of the salt lakes In Tran
sylvania present the peculiarity Of a layer
Of warm. OF even hot, salt water between
two bodies of colder water. Thus In the
Medoc lake the surfooe temperature m
summer In about 70 degrees, but at a
depth OF little more than four feet the
temperature becomes Is2 degrees, but os-
clines again to GO degrees at the bottom.
The surface water is fresh. but the warm
water beneath is intensely saline. and the
explanation Of the difference Of tsmpera-
tureis that, since the spoctfS" heat Of salt
turc is less than that Of fresh watsr
tll,i alt water is more easily heated Iy
the sun, and having risen TO q higher
temperature than that OF the overiyins
fresh water. retains It's heat because the
fresh water prevents It's escape by raAi-
alton. IL IL suggested that some use
might be found for these natural rsssr-
..oix. or acct,rnia tnra nr a,aax hsaA