Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-07-24
{ 23-24-25
ing Edward during the royal visit

ny: 23-N-25
King Edward during the royal visit
to India.
Ordinary powder produces smoke
when fired because of the quantity OF
fine particles formed from the break
ing up of the saltpeter and from some
of the charcoal which is not complete
ly burned. To get rid Of smoke, so
long a handicap in the use of guns.
it was necessary to produce a SUBJ
stance that would explode without
| leaving any solid residue This was
| accomplished by the use of guncotton
or nitrocellulose, from which the most
satisfactory smokeless powder is made.
| The substance is a chemical compound,
not a mixture like gunpowder, and is
made by treating cotton with a mix
ture of nitric and sulphuric acids.
When exploded it is all converted into
gases. Burning is not necessary to
cause an explosion, a mere shock or
jar being sufficient. 1t is too violent
an explosive to use in small arms or
in cannon, but guncotton can be made
into less forceful forms, suitable for
use in guns, and most brands of
smokeless powder are made in this
way.
From the bed of the Muskegon river,
| in western Michigan, men are bringing
up the logs, millions Of feet of them. that
| were crowded into the muddy bottom a
generation ago, when the lumbermen
We're stripping the forests of the region.
with little regard to waste. The man
who bought the rights to the logs has
recovered $1,000 Of them in the last two
years. as sound as the day they were
cut; and that is known to be only
! small part of those that are awaiting
| salvage.
| The Standard Oil Co. of New York is
| installing the machinery (American) in
| its new candle factory. situated near it's
timing plant, at Tien-Tsin. The new
plant when completed will have 80 cam
die machines and will have daily
capacity of about 100000 candles; but
provision has been made for extensions
should the trade later require an in
creased output. The stearin and wax
| used in the manufacture Of candles will
be imported chiefly from the United
| States.
John Fowler, who has been in the con-
sular service of this country in China
for the last quarter Of a century, will
henceforth be stationed at Rimouski,
Quebec. He is native of new Hamp-
shire. and entered the government serv-
Ice IN 1879. serving in a clerical capacity.
In 1890 he was appointed consul at Ming
pc. Promotions followed, and in turn he
. served at Chefoo and Foochow. For dis
81 {rhN II
rated by the emperor Of China, and from
Japan he received the Order of the Sa-
cred Treasure, as we'll as a nation 8
thanks for his services in the China
Japan war. He has written extensively
on Oriental subjects, and Is q member Of
various scientific bodies.
Recruits are now drilling on what is
declared to be the finest expanse of
grass in the heart Of London-that tn
the gardens Of Gray's inn. In these
gardens stands remarkable tree. a
catalpa, which was brought from the
United States by Sir Walter Raleigh in
1898, and was planted at Gray's inn by
Lord Francis Bacon, then a resident
there. A shoot was later taken from
the parent tree, this shoot producing an
even finer tree than the Raleigh speci-
men. From this second tree a shoot was
also taken, this shoot being shipped to
the United States and planted in Phila-
delphia. where it is now fourishins
tree. The grandson Of the Raleigh tree
has thus come back to the home OF its
fathers.
Owing to the scarcity OF paper which
the scribes of old were confronted with,
they established the custom Of making
several inscriptions on tine same paper.
In the examinations of these inscriptions
considerable difficulty is often exper-
| enced In deciphering the earlier tnscr,p.
lions made on the parchment. This was
Facilitated at first by photography. nv
which the impression was obtained OF
lines which were not to be seen by the
unaided eye; then later better resu,%.
were obtained by the use Of the ultra
violet rays. These methods have been
outclassed by the very latest process
iiuorescent Photography. which Is based
on the fact that parchment f1uoresca.
under the influence Of the ultra-vio,et
rays while the written characters re-
main almost entirely dark. This fluore.-
cent photography gives on the averava
50 per cent better results IN ~. 20
cipner1ng OF old texts than either or.
oinary photography or ultraviolet pho.
Biography. p'''-
turing the last few weeks the a,r.,
TOTS OF the Edinburgh Tramwav. -.
nave neen receiving applications ,-or,
women. some Of them IN ,ra...