The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1905-06-03

cpathy- Following the Fishes-M Machine
Logic-Sex In Taste - An Impossible
Gem.
In their determinations of the effect Of ex-
treme cold on the tenacity and ductility Of iron
and its alloys. Sir James Dewar and Mr.. r. A.
Hadneld have tested about 500 specimens, in
Guiding practically pure iron. various steels,
and alloys with silicon, aluminium. tungsten,
chromium copper, nicheland manganese. After
cooling in liquid air. pure iron was very brittle
though much harder. The effect on mild steel
was much the same, but other alloys had their
teuacity increased. and nickel alloy especially
was not only toughened but had Its ductiity in
creased. It was concluded that while carbon
improves iron for practical purposes. nickel is
the greatest safeguard against weakening. One
of the anomalies occasionally appearing in al
Toys, even at ordinary temperatures, was noted
ia the case Of iron, nickel and manganese,-in
which the manganese. IL present alone. would
make the alloy brittle atalI times while the triple
alloy Is 50 very tough and ductile that 1t seems
to reverse all the known laws of iron alloys.
Sc
simple method of nature printing is sup
piled BY the ''physiotype'' of an English inven-
tor. Impressions are made on white paper of
ferns. leaves. feathers, sections of wood. or
chemical action of fine powder that is busted
over the paper The designs may be transferred
to photographic stones or aluminium plates, for
reproducing any number of copies.
One of the most remarkable opals in existence
Is supposed to be fossil fragment of the cIniol-
fasaurus. which once lived In Australia. reach
ing length of 20 feet. The specimen, lately
brought to New York, weighs 1,l5O carets.
Sc
Submerged bells. of which thirty are included
In the new system for the st. Lawrence river
and the coasts Of New Brunswick and Nova
Scotia, have been used for signalling up to dis
tances Of four to eight miles. These bells are
mounted about rs feet under water, suspended
either from lightships or from buoys near light
houses. and large hammers are made by hydraul-
10 power to give signals in foggy weather. Yes
sells require simple receiver, one on each side
OF the hull below the water-line giving means
of determining the direction of the sound. One
form Of receiver consists of water-illed cylin-
der closed by diaphragm whose vibrations act
upon a microphone transmitter. and the latter
reproduces the sounds in telephones in any pert
Of the vessel Each lighthouse and lightshp
having its own code of signals, the mariner learns
his exact locality and is warned of dangerous
places.
-
Ramic or Rhea FIBER to which attention is be-
ing given already in Japan, China and India,
should prove an important product for Ameri-
cas- possessions in the Far East, 1t is expected
TO find many uses if it can be produced at reason
able cost, as, according to a recent statement by
Thomas Barraclough, it is the longest of all tex
tile nbers. is the strongest fiber known, and re-
sists atmospheric influences better than any
other fiber. Its strength is nearly three times
that of hemp, four times that of flax, more than
seven times that Of silk and eight times that of
cotton.
remarkable therapeutic effect of metals is
mystifying the Paris Academy of Medicine. In
fnitesimal doses yield an influence declared by
Albert Robin to be magical. suggesting the ac-
ton Of organic ferments, but not to be explained
by theories hitherto known.
~
The novel hre-helmet under trial in Manches-
ter, Eng, is equipped with incandescent electric
lamps, has an air current directed upon eyes and
nose to protect them from smoke, and has tele-
phone to keep the fireman in communication
with those outside.
-
To determine the number of fish in the sea and
how they locate their settlements are obviously
problems not easy to settle. The study has been
begun for the benefit of the fisheries in the Irish
sea. The first experiments are made to learn
the extent and nature of the migrations of soles
and plaice, and how great an effect fishing has in
reducing the marine life over given section of
the sea. About 1000 fshes-mostly plaice and
soes-are returned to the water after being
marked with brass labels held by silver wire
Rewards are offered for the marked fishes that
may be captured-particuIars concerning loca-
ton, etc.. to be given-and the investigating
commission expects to hear again from about Is
per cent. of these specimens.
~
Addition and other mathematical processes
are performed by labor-saving machines, and we
are next to have mechanical reasoning. The
logic machine of Prof. @. H. Richer, of the Uni
versity of California, is an improvement on that
of Stanley Jevons, the English logcian. In the
"circle notation" of logicians. all premises have
separate symbols, and conclusions are produced
by q combination of these symbols and on press
ing the keys of the new Notwithstanding
like an adding machine-a manipulation of cir
ces and electric lights throws into relief all for
mulas that are possible answers to logical ques-
tions The proper keys have no chance Of error.
80
Man has been proven by NJ. Vaschide to be
more sensitive than woman to a salt taste, and
in less degree to bitter taste, while the two
sexes are about equally sensitive to acid and
sweet tastes. Witha better developed olfactory
sense, however, woman is better able to distin-
guish havors.
The successful producer Of rubies. by artificial
means. Prof: Verneuil, has concluded that it is
not possible to make artificial emeralds by any
process of fusing the essential constituents, and
we can expect this peerless gem onlyas supplied
by nature.