Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-27
SCIENCE NOTES.

The ideal electrical conductor is one
which would combine the tensile strength
of steel and the conductivity and rust
resisting qualities of steel The first eff
fort to obtain this combination was at
tempted by electrically placing a copper
coating on steel wire. but the coating in
this instance was SO soft as to be unable
10 withstand the amount of abrasion to
which it was subjected in use. Later
steel billet was placed in a sleeve Of cop
per and the two metals drawn out to-
gether into wire. The objection to the
latter process was that the contact be-
tween the two metals not complete
and oxidation of the steel took place and
the copper was faxed off. By a process
recently perfected by J. Ferreol Monnet
homogeneous union between the two met
ais is brought about by applying a thick
coat of copper to the outside Of a billet
of steel. while both are heated to a high
temperature. thus really welding the cop
per TO the steel. The heat drives out all
air and allows the plastic copper to mix
with the softened surface Of the billet
most intimately. After cooling. the coat
ed billet is reheated and run through rolls
to reduce it to rods and finally TO wire of
any size. The copper and steel draw down
equally and the softer metal has the same
thickness throughout The rolling and
dra wing harden the copper so that ii be-
ton to resist wear. and it is stated that
SO perfect is the union of the metals, even
before rolling, that efforts TO break the
copper away with hammer on tongue
made by saving radally into the edge of
transverse section or disk cut from
coated billet have been unsuccessful.
A project is under considerat ton which
contempateS the Improvement of the Riv-
er Rhone, SO that the city of Lyons will
he n0StiOn "A q
it once held as an inland port. and the es-
Enlistment Of a great power plant to
supply the city of Paris. At present. al
though the river is navigable in direc-
ton from Lyons to the sea, it is only nav
igable upstream far as Seyssei. so that
water communication with the Lake of
Geneva Is impractical BILE. 4 Paris COM
pany has made proposals to the French
rage across the Rhone below Belegrade,
forming above stream a reach of four
teen miles to the lake. and downstream a
waterfall which it is estimated would
yield 100000 horsepower for transmission
to Paris. The company further offers to
construct the necessary facilities to ena-
BILE vessels to pass through the dam. In
this way navigation would be opened d.
rect with Geneva.
The United States derelict destroyer
Seneca is rapidly nearly completion at
Newport News and the novel craft will
soon be placed in commission. Her par
tcular function will be to keep the water
of the Atlantic coast clear of derelcts,
which include all kinds of floating men,
aces to shipping. The headquarters of
the Seneca will probably be at Tompkins-
vile. Staten Island. Arrangements will
be made by which any incoming or out
going ship. upon locating a derelict, may
communicate the fact by wireless teleg-
raphy. 1t is to be hoped that the success
of this venture, concerning which there
cannot be any doubt, will lead the other
maritime nations of the world to build
similar vessels for safeguarding those
routes Of travel which lie within their
several jurisdictions.