The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1902-11-27
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

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Luminous Paint.
Submarine photography is not like
ly to become a popular pastime. But
it is introducing us to unknown re-
gions, and NJ. Louis Boutan, who be-
gan by Investigating the animal life
of the waters, has become an enthus-
iastic sea-bottom camerist. Some of
his remarkable photographs of sub
marine scenery have been recently
published. He uses a hand camera,
which is enclosed in tight copper
box having plate-glass window, and
is mounted on cast iron tripod.
Suitable mechanism is provided to
expose and change the plates. The
pressure of the water, inconveniently
great even at twenty or thirty feet,
was an early difficulty, but this was
cOunteracted by means of rubber
ball, holding about a gallon, from
which air was forced through tube
into the box as the pressure increased.
Light fades rapidly in sinking below
the surface, daylight exposures being
impractica5lea at depth of 25 feet. Mag
nesium powder is burned in oxygen
in suitable glass globe, and by this
powerful illumination instantaneous
exposures are made with interesting
results.
That certain substances adheres so
tenaciously to glass as to bring away
scales was observed long ago by Prof.
Cailletet. For etching he applies two
coats of thin glue, and after twenty
four hours places the article on
kitchen range at not over 1867 F. The
glue will detach itself with numerous
flakes of glass. The designs may be
varied by adding various salts, the
best results being had from glue con-
tanning alum.
The electric target of Capt. Chas.
Chevallier, of the French Army, is a
series of metal segments. When
projectile strikes a segment an cleo
trio circuit is completed by one or
more spring-supported rods at the
back, and the exact spot struck is
signalled upon an annunciator.
About 80 earthquakes yearly dis
turb the world throughout its mass.
Prof John Milne notes that between
Jan. /, 1899, and Jan. 1, 1902 the
world shaking earthquakes numbered
1876, of which 25 originated west and
south of Alaska, IA west of Central
America, 16 west of the Antilles, 10
west of the Andes, 30 east of North
Japan, Al south and east Java, II
north of Mauritius, % on the east side
and on the west side of the North
Atlantic, 3 in the North Atlantic and
IA in the Balkan, Cau casian and Him
alayan regions. These sources-all
submarine but the last three-are
near the base of the steepest textures,
with boundary ridges mostly lined
with volcanic peaks. Both on land
and under sea, the great earthquakes
seem to attend deepening of the
burrows and an elevation of the flank
ing ridges; and the elevation may re-
open long sealed volcanoes, as in the
eruptions in the Antilles in 1893, 171S,
1866, 1897, 1902, 1912, 1886 and 1902.
The small earthquakes-of which TO-
900 year are recorded-have no SEN
sible connection with volcanoes.
The new image transmitting appar-
atus of Belgian engineer includes
two synchronous motors, each the
size of an egg, which are mounted at
the two stations, and are driven by
the same current at the same speed
of 500 revolutions a second. On each
armature is a small lens which in
every so revolutions oscillates five de-
grees from the axis. The transmit
ting lens thus sees over circle of
ten degrees, and the variations of
light and shade in the spiral path are
instantly transmitted through a Sc
lenium cell to the same points ON the
receiver, and are thrown on screen
by the second lens. The entire spiral
being passed passed ten times a sec
ond, the image on the screen appears
continuous.
The smallest vertebrates hitherto
known have been several fishes of the
Southern States, the shortest about
an inch long. A new goby-named
MiStichthyS Luz0nenSiS-is reported
from lake of Southern Luzon, and
averages only about half an inch in
length Caught in great numbers by
the natives, this tiny species is a food
fish of some Importance.
Various metallic substances are pull
verified in the electric furnace by
heating to volatilization and then
forcing into a collecting chamber by
jet of air Or inert gas. Among use
full powders produced are those of
bronze, tin and aluminium; of lith-
arge, or lead oxide; and of chrome
steels, used as abrasives. Variations