Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1903-05-08
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VI NJ ANo
Ss41l1VentiOn|


Ever since telescopes were invented
astronomers have been troubled In
their observations by the unsteadiness
of the air. Prof. s. p. Langley has
lately pointed out surprising method
of getting round the difficulty. He has
shown, experimentally. that IL the air
in long telescope tube Is vigorously
agitated. quiet image Of stars and
other objects will be produced. Photo.
graphs Of telescope images taken In
this manner appear to justify Prof.
Langley's conclusion.
In Brussels, Malines and other Bel
gian towns, a novel method OF not
only getting rid Of smoke. but turning
1t into use. has recently been employ
ed. The smoke Is driven by ventil-
ating fan into a filter filled with porous
material. over which continuous
stream OF petroleum. benzine. alcohol
or some liquid hydrocarbon flows. The
result Is that the smoke Is entirely sup
pressed. while the filter yields gas
of great calorlfic power. which can
be used for heating purposes and for
driving gas-engines. The filtering ma
terial itself also becomes a good com.
bustible.
The members of the Royal Society
of Edinburgh were Interested, at
recent meeting. In the announcement
by Messrs. A. e. Shipley and Edwin
tus. heretofore overlooked or neglect
ed, at the base of the mosquitoes
wings, whereby the characteristic
humming Of that insect may be pro-
duced. The species examined was the
anopheles maculipennis. and the ap-
paratus consists Of slightly movable
bar provided with a series Of we'll
marked teeth, which, as the wings are
raised and lowered. rasp across series
paratus is described as very complex,
but the music produced. as everybody
knows. is extremely effective.
Mr.. Marconi believes that at some
future time-he will not fix date for
it-wireless telegraphy will become
available for domestic and Office use.
thus performing the functions now al
AollCo " lHC LCiCpuOhS. A1C udS eAi-
ready made experiments which con-
vince him that it will be possible, with
the aid of small models. or miniatures.
of his sending apparatus, as now erect
ed on a gigantic scale at Poldhu and
elsewhere, to transmit messages from
the interor of rooms which can be
received in other rooms In the same
city. or in neighboring towns. The
walls of the houses will form no OBJ
stacle, but one of the chief problems
will be that Of proper attuning Of the
instruments to prevent interference of
waves. and to secure privacy for the
messages.
In the new Simplon tunnel under the
Alps, which will be by far the great
est tunnel In the world, having
length of fourteen miles. and which,
it is now reported. will be completed
in July, 1905, the quantity Of water
flowing out of the southern end, from
the many veins encountered in the
heart of the mountain, amounts to
$4,000 gallons per minute. and fur
nishes sufficient power to compress the
air by which the drills are worked,
and to refrigerate the tunnel. The
necessity of refrigeration may be judg-
d from the fact that the heat in the
deeper parts Of the tunnel rises as
high as 40 degree Fahrenheit when
not artificially reduced. Life would
be impossible in the tunnel. where
1000 workmen labor. If successful
system of refrigeration had not been
devised. When a continuous hole
through the mountain has been made.
the temperature can more easily be
kept down. Two-thirds Of the work
was completed last July. and the great
est obstacles have now been overcome.