The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1908-06-20
Correspondence Baltimore County linton.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

Correspondence Baltimore County linton.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.
The New Sponge Diving-x-Rays With
out Burns-Asbeetoe Shingles-better
Colored Glaes-Novel Mosquito Killer
A Gas Jet Compressor-A Divining Roo
for Pipes-Electric Wind Recorder
Gaelight from Tanks.
The submarine boat has taken industrial form
in the new vessel for the sponge fishery of the
Kerkenah Islands, of the coast Of Tunis. the
greatest sponge-gathering centre. A crude at
tempt at bottom navigation for sponges was
made some years ago by Vicar-General Raoul,
of Carthage, and he organized the local society
that has followed up the problem, and has had
the present vessel built. This boat is simpler
and smaller than those designed for naval use.
It is 16K feet long, 81 feet in diameter. has dis
placement of only tons and buoyaucy Of 800
pounds and carries two men. The only opening
is the turret at the top. Filling three water
ballast tanks causes the vessel to sink and it is
raised, and small movements of ascent and de-
scent are controlled. by manipulating the COM
pressed air valve. Two steel oars, with water
tight spherical joints, make 1t easy for the crew
to paddle about. wheel at the forward end
facilitates moving along on the bottom, and
movable arm with water-tight spherical joint Is
provided for gathering sponges, with large
basket to hold them. Electric lamps are fed by
a storage battery.
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The special x-ray tube worked out for medical
use by DR.. A. @. Geyser has been tried in more
than 5000 applications of to 30 minutes each,
and there has been no case of burning of the
skin. The tube is of lead-glass, and small flint
glass window-just large enough to cover the
nd fro ofrnon ia mi y norffou that
permits the active radiations to pass
Great pressure is used in manufacturing the
new shingles of asbestos-fber and Portland ce-
ment. and they absorb only per cent. Of their
.a-s ss~aslaa osys-
talization on exposure on roofs make them alb
solutely impermeable.
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An improved ornamental gass-more trans
parent than the old and designed to reflect and
transmit light of substantially the same color
has been developed by Fritz Publ and August
Wagner, of Berlin. The gold or silver panes in
mosaic work have been made by pouring melted
glass upon metal film and then causing thin
sheet of glass to adhere to the film by heating,
the product being glass rejecting gold or sill
yer light but almost opaque. the feeble light
transmitted being of dirty yellow or gray color.
In the new process the metal is made to thor
oughly coalesce with the glass. The film is ap-
piled to the first layer of glass mechanically or
by chemical or electrolytic method, and melted
glass is then poured on to form the second layer,
giving perfect union and great transparency.
The panes have beautiful golden or silvery lus-
ire by reflected light, while the transmitted rays
are more or less colored and give pleasing an
tique effect. Mosaics may be made up with both
the new glass and the old, and the new material
Tod don a7ff anti
lamp chimneys and other uses.
az
Cactus. instead of petroleum, is the mosquito
exterminator that is being tested by the SANTA
~ authorities of Gaboon. French Africa. The
thick, pulpy leaves are cut up and macerated in
water, and the sticky paste 80 formed is spread
over stagnant pools, giving the isolating layer
that destroys the mosquito Larvae by preventing
them from coming up to breathe. The paste re-
tains its place for weeks and months, while the
petroleum quickly dries up and disappears in
the fierce heat of tropical sun.
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A simple new device aims to add further power
and efficiency to the incandescent gaslight. The
little apparatus is operated by electric current
generated by the waste heat os the lamp, and
acts by COMPRISING the gas at the burner in
stead of depending upon the uncertain high
pressure from a distant station. 1t is claimed
that thorough test has demonstrated the useful
ness of this novel compressor.
"a
A simple compass-1nder, costing II cents, has
enabled a Western pipe layer to locate a 12-inch
cast iron pipe buried about feet in stiff adobe
soil. and has saved several days of labor in dig
ging. As described by A. e. Wright, the finder
was a magnetized knitting needle fastened to q
strand of ten silk fbers, miners dip-needle
having been discarded as not sufficiently sensi-
tive. The fibers were glued around the balanc-
ing point and the needle was so balanced as to
dip normally about 20 degrees in order that the
two ends might be attracted to the pipe unequal
ly. The needle was mounted in cigar box, with
r1a hra q ass 9 YOU ~ ala
was moved across the supposed line of the pipe,
readings being taken every two feet, and in this
way the location was determined very accurate
ly. The detection was twice as great over a
bell as over the mid-length of pipe.
~
novel wind indicator, designed for clubs,
hotels and other buildings where people congre-
gate, gives the direction of the wind at any time
of day or night from one or more places within
the building. A contact piece revolving with
the makes contact at 16 points in the revo-
luton. At each contact wire forms circuit
with one of the 16 lamps arranged in the circle
of the indoor indicator, and while the circuit
from any one of the contacts is complete the
lamp of the corresponding point of the compass
is lighted. An electric battery of two volts is
sufficient.
AZ
Blangas,. the liquid Illuminating gas of Prof.
Blan. seems to be gaining favor in Germany
where it is made. Burned four hours day a
22-pound cylinder supplies 5O-candle-power
gas burner four months. Flexible copper tubes
only about as large as an electric light wire, con-
meet the burners with the reservoirs.