The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1908-08-15
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.
Workshop Northern Lights orecasting
EARTHQUAKES and Explosions-The Pow
er Station Engine-Voice Writing-Gas
Engines for Canals--Snarp Electrotypes
Our White Coal--Blood Tells.
To produce the aurora borealis artificially has
been recently found to be possible, and now P.
Willard has performed the experiment before
the French Physical Society and described the
method. A large vacuum flask being placed be-
tween the poles Of an electromagnet. G stream
of kathode rays is shot into the flask in direc-
ton oblique to the magnetic field. The rays
take the form Of a luminous spiral. and near
each pole of the magnet the spiral is nearly re-
versed, taking backward course. On account
of the axis of the spirals being slightly inclined
to that of the field, they give rise toa spheroidal
surface with an axis coinciding with that of
the field, and with piece cut out at each pole.
In the natural phenomena of the skies. it would
appear that the earth is enclosed in the mostly
invisible spheroid of rays, and that we see the
aurora at the edge of one Of the polar openings,
where the spirals approach closest and are
brightest and deepest.
-.
Working since 1877 on the theory that danger
Gus gas emission in mines follows unusual re-
lease of PRESSURE Francis Laur believes that
mine explosions can be foreseen and guarded
against like storms. On Jan. 2S, 1907, long
continued period Of high barometer over Europe
was followed by sudden fall of pressure last
ing two days, and with this fall came simulta-
neous explosions in the REDEEM mine in Germany,
the LEVIN in France. and the Charlestown in
England. Numerous mines in France and Bel
1n1
Of disaster by stopping work or taking extra
precautions in dangerous workings.
~
The modern power station is product of the
coincident development of the highspeed dyna-
mo and alternator and of the new steam engine.
In lectures to the London Royal Institution,
Gerald Storey has been reviewing the remark
able progress of the steam turbine, and he
points out that no reciprocating engine of large
size is now being put down either in England or
on the Continent. The first practical steam
turbine was the one of 10 horsepower built by
Parsons in 1884. Several turbo-alternators of
100 horsepower were supplied in 1888, and were
used for electric lighting stations. The COM
pound steam turbine was adapted to work with
a condenser in 1892 The first condensing tur-
bine was Of $50 horsepower. driving 1OO-kilo
watt alternator 800 revolutions minute, and
mark new era. Return from the radial flow to
the parallel flow type was made in 1884, with i'm
provements in detail that increased efficiency
and lessened cost. Large sizes were made, tubo-
generators were supplied to Germany, and in
late years tie demand for the Parsons steam
turbine has increased by bounds. until about q.
100000 horsepower on land are used and ordered.
For the marine steam turbine first used on a
passenger. vessel in 1901, rapid progress Is at
hand, as well.
Speech having been registered by telephone
impressions so as to be intelligible the different
words being distinguishable by sight, d. Char
bonnet, the French engineer who perfected the
apparatus, is seeking practical means of max
ing telephone receiver give an automatic re-
port of itself on travelling film or sensitized
band. taking down any message that may come
in the absence Of the proprietor of the Office.
."s
For propelling canal barges, r. w. Thorn, of
Southport, Eng, woulduse internal combustion
engines fed with coal gas carried compressed in
cylinders. Tests have shown numerous advan-
tages, and the engines and storage cylinders are
only half as heavy as steam engines of like pow
Grand occupy much less space.
40
The new electrotyping process of Sherard
Cowper-Coles claims greater rapidity and in
creased sharpness of duplication. By the usual
method, wax impression of the type-form is
taken in a special press the wax mold-frst coat
ed with graphite-receives deposit of copper
of suitable thickness in an electrolytic BATH and
the copper is stripped from the wax and backed
with soft metal. Fine detail is lost through the
filing up with wax of minute lines and dots.
The improved way consists in taking the i'm
preston upon the backing, which is made up of
a sheet of pure soft lead riveted to another lead
sheet with sheet of rubber between and then
applying the copper facing directly by the cleo
troly &c. thods The soft lead squeezed into
ness to retain the finest detail, like that of a
copper half-tone plate.
srs
Summarizing the worlds water-powers, q
French authority finds total of II, 5000 horse
power available for Russia, 4,5OO, 900 for France
100000 for Italy, 100000 for Japan, 900 600 for
Norway, 10000 for Sweden, 100000 for Germany
and an undetermined horse power for other
countries For the United States 1900, 600 horse
power is credited as utilizable. France already
uses 10000 horsepower; Norway, large part
Of its total; Switzerland, 100000; Germany. 1OO,-
GOO; Russia. $1,000; Great Britain. 1000; Japan
10000; India. $1,000; and Italy 10000.
sss
Testing animal origins or kinships by similari-
ties OF blood analyses. as suggested by Prof
Nuttall, the English biologist, is bringing novel
ideas into zoology. 1t shows that the hippopot-
anus is pig and the wairus horse, and con
firms the long recognized relationship between
birds and reptiles. But it does not connect man
with monkeys and traces only slight kinshir
with the anthropoids.