Volume 31 (1875) (428 pages)

5 tember 11,1875, } MINING AND SCIENTIFIC PRESS 163 . §cientiFic PRocress. Transits of Venus Behind the Sun. The observations of the traasit of Vanus made ia varioas parta of the world last Decemhave addnced, amnng other important data, ne fuct both novel aud unexpected. This is, t with the pnworful glasses with which the vers were provided, the diso of Venus aprs clearly defined in hiack npon the chroaphere which eurrouuds the sun before the -coutact aud after the last. Betweeu the and eecond contact and also between the ird and foarth, whilo the edges of the snu ) aad planet were appareatly overlapped, the Black dise of the latter uot merely atood nnt in ag contrast on the white disc of the solar hotosphore, but the onter portiou of the laaet was etill plainly visible on the reddish ekpronnd of the chromosphere. Moreover, n the black disc had entered to at least the stance of its radius onthe solar surface, the terior eegment became surronnded with a in lamiuons halo, suppoaed to be dne to the fraction of solar light in the atmosphere of euns, . Tho practical object iu which the observatiou of the phenomena may result is the renlering possible of observations of transite of Vouus when the planet passes behind, a8 well as hen it crossss hefore, the suu. For if the ery weak reddish light of the chromosphere, hich forms the coroaa about the sun, con: trasts aeusibly with the black of the plauet in ajanctiou, the brillianoy of the planet in oposition and iu full phaee, will afford even a ter contrast. It is true that the apparent ameter of Veuusis uearly six times less in ppositiou thanin conjuuction; bnt it is cerly sufficieut to render the planet visible as It crosses the chromosphere, and this even wheu a portion of the solar disc comes into the . field of the telescope. The accuracy of the . data obtaiued by these observatious would be about six times less than that of observationa similar to those of laat Decembsr, owing to the . greatly iuoreased distauce of the planet from 6 earth in the former case. But for the /Same reasou, the passages behiud wonld be more frequent, for they take place for opposiioas six times further from the orbital node. This freqnency, M. Philippe Bretou (to whom a6 oredit of the foregoing euggestions ie due) ks would compensate for tbe lack of accu; ,and he further points out that the com‘parisou of observations of transits before and traasita behind might add to the precision of the measures which we uow possess of the elemeuts nf both sun and planet. . The next transit behiud the sun will take . place iu 1878, and will be followed by four Othere at intervals of eight years, the last ocj curring in December, 1910. After that year, ) two centnriee will elapse before auother seriee of eight or uiue passagea will take place, among which series two traneits will take place before the sun. If therefore, there be auything nseful, which seems probable, to be gained by observing these back transits, prepuratione for the next . ove ahould uot long he delayed. Four of the proessut series, those of 1846, 1854, 1862 aud 1870, have already passed. They might have beeu ntilized for perfecting the observations for the trausit hefore the euu of 1874, just in. deed as the one of 1878 may yet be with refer‘nce to the transit of 1882.—Scientific American. More Appuicationa or Sattoynio Acip.— The followiug, which will be both new and iu‘teresting to many, ia communicated to the harmaceutische Zictung by Niemer, a pharmaiat of Munster. Italso afforde further proof of thevalne and importance of this new eubatance, It is too well known that the preserva. tion of receutly expressed lime juice is a great diffioulty to pharmacists. According to two experiments, 0,25 of a gramme of salicylic acid ill prevent the development of fungi in three ponnds of fresh lime juice, the latter being in a half-filled flask. A trial made under aimilar Conditious, but without the salicylic acid, reSulted in the formation of mould in ten dsys, it was also found that cream which refueed to / churn could readily be made to do so by the ‘Addition of a vary amall quantity of this acid. Antran PuxospHorescencs.—Mr, Phipson ‘ecsntly read a paper before the British Science “Association, iu which he desoribed the discovery of a luminous principle which he called “noctilucine.’’ He describes it as a fluid orEF: ‘nic snbstance containing nitrogen, which in Inminons animals is produced by a special or. ganas fast ae the animal requires it. Dr. . Phipson has for mauy yeara mado animal phoe‘Phorescence a epecial study. Government Ain To Menicat Screncr.—By "8 Vote of 138 to 27, the Englich House of Commova recently granted two thousand ‘pounde sterliug for medical researohee. Our own govBroment, we believe, has uever yet contributed 4 doilar in aid of medioal science, the first and most important iu which muu ie engaged. Millions have been spent in other soientific Teaearohes. Why is this so? The Solar Atmosphere, Prof, 8. P. Laugley rsad a paper at the late Mseting ofths Americau Association for the Advancement of Science, in which he said that ithad long been nhserved that the snn is not everywhere eqnally bright, aud that especially the edge is less lumtncusthan the centsr. It is evident that this dimination of light must be dné to some absorbiug medinm, alace a selfInminons globe would appear evorywhers equally brilliant, s0 as to present to lhe eye the appearance of a flat disc. If the enn bas an atmosphere exteraal to its lamiaona photosphere this atmosphero will preseut an ohstaole to the emiesinn of the solar rays, eveuif they they are not directly vivible. The obetacle will be greater in proportion to the iucreasing angle at which the raye leave the eurface of the sua. ‘The atmosphere, however, cannot be seen with the speotroscope. Laplace has calculated that only oae-twelfth of the solar emission of rayareach ns. If true, this would be of great importance. But more recent astrouomers have made new observations withont corroborating the atatement of the illustrions Freachmau, aud witbaut agreeing among themselves. M, Secchi, for instance, caloulates that the absorption uear the edgo is fifteen times greater than that stated by Arago, The essayist made hnndreds of observations, aud invented and explained a uew aud somewhat complicated instrumeut to assist him. The reeult was the discovery that tbe blaokest part of the snu was only eo by contrast —in fact was fonnd to be very brilliaut, . and from 5,000 to 10,000 times strouger than the light of the fnll moon. His conclusion is the approximate truth that the solar atmosphere absorbs abont one-half of the solar rays, aud that all auimal life on the earth must be extinguished should that absorption be iucreaséd or diminished in any respectable degree. Weshould be deetroyed either by heat or by cold. Ae weare not aware why this danger shonld ocenr, aatrouomy is equally unaware why it should be hronght about. The easay and the essayiat’e instrameuts excited much interest. OricIn or THE D1amMonn,—The Scientijic American speoulatea as td the origin of the diamond as follows: ‘The diamond has probably proceeded, like mineral coal and oil, from the slow decomposition of vegetable material, or even from auimal matters, either soarce affording the reqnisite carbon; but it has beeu formed under those conditione as to heat that has produced the metamorphism of argillaceous aud arenaceous schists and auriferoue qnartz veius, since it is found exclusively iugold regions, or in the eands derived from gold-bearing rocka. The schiets that were altered at the time may have previously beea shales impreguated with petrolenm nr other carbonaceous substauces (hydrocarburets) of organic origin. Chancourtois obeervee that the formation from a hydrocarbunretted vapor or gas ie analogous to that of eulphur from hydroanlphuretted emanations. In the oxidation of the latter by the hamid process, the hydrogen becomes oxidized, and ouly a part of the sulphurons acid, the rest remaining as sulphur. So in the humid oxidation of a carburetted hydrogen, the hydrogen is oxidized, part of the carbon becomes carbonic acid, and the rest remaine as carbon and may form crystallized diamoud. Anauyata or A Homan Bony.—Dr. Laucaster, of Londou, receutly analyzed a man, and presentsd the reeulte of his investigation in palpable form to his audience during a late ohemical lectnre. The body operated npon weighed 1584 ibs. The lecturer exhibited upon the platform 23:1 ibs. carbon, 2-2 tbs. lime, 22°3 ozs. phosphorus, and ubont 1 oz. each sodium, iron, notassinm, maguesium and silicon. He apologized for not exhibiting 5,595 cnbic feet of oxygon, weigbing 121 ths., 105,900 cubic feet of hydrogen, weighing 15-4 ihs., and 52 cubio feet of nitrogen, likewise obtained from the body on account of their great bulk. All of these elements combine into the following: 121 tbs. water, 16°5 ibs. gelatin, 132 tbs. fat, 8-8 fs. fibrin and albnmen, 7°7 ibs. phosphate of lime and otber mineral substanoes. Fauiino op European River Levets.—Accurate observatione during the last fifty years have shown that the water level of the rivers Elhe and Oder has fallen aeventeeu inches, thatof the Rhine twenty-four, of the Vietula twenty-six, and that ofthe Danuhe as much as fifty-five inchee at Orsova. And there is a similar decrease iu the water supply from apringsin Germany. The caneeof this deciine is attributable to the prevent reckleas cutting down of forests, as also to the artificial drainage.now so gsnerally adopted by farmers. Tae Most Briwatant Anttricran Lioxt.— ‘Fill a emall vessel of earthenware or metal with perfectly dry saltpeter or niter, press down a cavity into its earface, and iu this oavity place a piece of phosphorus; igaite thia, and the heat given off melts a sufficient quautity of the uiter to evolve oxygen enough to combine with the phosphorna, and the effect isto prodtoe the most magnificent whits light which chemistry can afford.—Photographic News. New Onservatory st Virnna.—A uew observatory has lately been erected at Vionua, on a scale corresponding withthe moderu requiremeuts of astronomy, whioh are so different from what they were a century ago, Gr 3: MM ECHANICAL 4 ROGRESS. Trial of the Walking Locomotive, We hayo already alluded to the singularly devised French machine, termed a walkiug locomotive, designed for use on railroads iustead of ths original locomotive and also in place nf the ordinary road engine, lts propulsion is producad by ths rising and falling of six artienlated feet, which strike the ground or rails something like the feet of a qnadrapod. These feot are arranged iu two groupe: three support the fore part of the machine aud the other three the after part. The two middle foetare counected together hy a horizontal ehatt; tho four others are indspendeut, and etrike the ground succeesively in ench a manner that while the middle feet move at a moderate pace the others have a highly accelerated motion. Each of these groupe of three feet are aflixsd to a siogletrnnk. The force of the eteam is applied la ench a way as to drive these feet toward the gronud. Au exporimental trialof thie ciagular machiue made by the Eastern railway company, at Parie, bas demouetrated that whan the ‘‘feet”’ are shod with eoles of india rnbber weighing two and one-eighth pounds, an adherence to the rails or road is ootained eqaal to three-fourths of the weight of the machiue itself. In the ordinary locomotive thieaaherence does not p0 beyoudoneFifth of the weight of the machine; it may be added, that this adherence is, iu point of fact, variable; on wet or damp rails it ia uot more than one-half; but in the newly invented locomotive of M. Hermann, thestate of the rails or ground will alwaye have au influeuce, as iu the case of the machinee in actual use, but it will always be greatly auperior. The experiments made thns far prove that this uew machine will drag on ordinary roade or on rails a train four timee as heavy as the ordinary traing; the cost of this augmented train will not, it is said, vary materially from that of the ordinary machines with the usual trains wheu nsed ou eqnal grades, but the increased adhering power of the locomotive will permit of the omployment of a lighter built machiue for the usual traius a8 well as the power to surmount steeper gradea than are usual ou the railways of the present construction. Thie new syetem eularges very greatly the capacitiee of all locomotives for ordiuary roads, and will allow of passing through grounds where roads have not been conetruoted, and np grades of one foot in ten, which are by any of the actual inventions imposeible to surmouut. It ia expected, saye the Ironmonger, an English journal, that a committee of the French Academy will soon report fully upon the practical value of this inyentiou, and if it haeiu point of fact all the above-mentioned advantagee in their opinion, also if its constructiou, which is it appears rather complicated, is easy to keep in good order, and also if the cost of the maohines and repaire are not too excessive to prevent ite coming into geueral ues, it would seem, at least, that there is a very remarkable progrese about to be realized in the application of eteam power to small local railwaye, and those paaeing throngh hilly and mountainous districts of the great main routes of travel and traffic. TeMpPeren Steeu Brusaes.—M. Dumas-Gardeus, of Paris, has introduced a novelty into the metal trade, bruehes formed of tempered steel wire. They are made in numerous forma —for cleaniug tuhes, sheathing of ships, iron bridges, slnice gates aud all kinds of iron conetruction; they are also made, like the old metallio brushes, cireular for polishing and scratchiug metals, for stous aud marble, for smoothing flooriug and deoks of ships, and for an infioite variety of purposes. The same maker has produced a new scraper, for the special purpose of cleaning locomotive tube boilera; it is a Spiral brush, but in which the stesl wire is replaced by pieces of steel spring; itis aaid to he very effective, and, at the same timo, durable. Harnenine Fine Toors.—It is said that the engravere aud watch makers of Germany hardeu their toolein sealing wax. The tool is heated to whitsness and plunged into the wax, withdrawn after au instaut, aud pluuged in again, the process being repeated uatil the eteel is too cold to enter the wax. The steel iasaid to become, after this process, almost ae hard aa the diamond, and when tonched with a little oil or turpentine the tools are oxcellent for eugraving, and also for piercing the hardest metals. Englieh engravere often use soap or white wax for the same purpose. New Apericarion or Tin—Sream Borters.— Messrs. Barret & Rawlings have patented an improved method or means for preserving the interior parts of steam boilers. This iuvention consiste in substituting a special kind of metal--pure tin—for condenser tubes, tube plates, air-pump bnekets, foot and hsad valves, guarde, and all internal construotioue of marine and other boilers, which will entirely destroy the action that now takes place thereiu by reasou of the feed water comiug in contaot with the preseut metal surfaces of suoh boilers. And the special kind of metal uow proposed to he used as aforesaid in the conetruction of snch boilers will, by destroying the galvanic action, prevent the destruction of such boilers, Wooden Rails. The superlutendeut of the Muacy Crsek railroad, Penn., is about to try the experimsnt of laying woodeu rails nn that portion of the road betweeu Hnghesville and Rivoli, or two miles beyond. With a view to testiug the feaaibility of woodsn rails, the saperinteadsnt receutly had ssvan hnadred feet of track laid on acurve jnst heyond Muucy cresk, and to the surprise of all ithas besn found to answer the parpose much bettar thau was anticipated. The rails are of sugar maple, 7x4 inchea, aud about 12 feet in length. The tios are laid down in the ordinary way, uotched, aud the raile “let iatn them" about four inches. They are then keyed firmly with wooden wedgea driven nn the sides, whioh makes the traok very solid and firm, The locomotive aud heavy cara have been paseed over this experimoutal track at different rates of epeed, aud it has been fouud to work admirably, and gives every assurance of success, The cost of laying wooden rails, mauufaotured out of thie hard material, that becomee almoat aa solid 2e boue when aeasoned, is $450 psr mile, while iron costs $4,000. No irou spikee are required, as the rails are secured by woodeu wedges, aud the cost of track-layiny is about the same as puttiag down iron. Woodeu rails have alrssdy beeu tried iu different localities, and, we believe, have heen invariably fouud to work well. Enameten loon Cemixo.—A ceiling made of thin plates of irou, enameled, hae juet been put up in its place iu the central refreshmout room of the South Keusiugton Museum, London, and is probably the first experiment of the kind. The decorations of thia room were designed to reeist all dirt and impnrities incideut to a public room where food is eaten by an average of 10,000 persons a week. The walle aud coluinne are of majo.ica, the floor is paved, and the ceilinga are of irou enameled. The whole givee an impression of perfect cleauliness, and every part might be washed down by a firy engine weekly, if uecessary. The enameled plates are painted with charming aud vigorous arabesques, the work ishighly effective and the experimeat aucceesful. In cases where it ie necessary to keep a oeiling clean and to wash it frequently, this material promises to answer perfectly, aud the artistio work will last for centuries, as the design is burot into the enamel. Bninors.—Bridges have absorbed an immense amount of capital within the last ten years, by the extension of railroade creating a direct demaud from the openiug up of new territories to immigrants. It ie estimated that the bridges built in the United States since the war have cost $150,000,000. The West has built the greater numbsr of large and coetly bridges, those over tho Missouri alone at St. Charles, Booneville, Kansas City, Lsaveuworth, Atchison, St. Joseph, and Omaha, costing $11,000,000. The Ohio is bridged eight times bslow Pittaburgh, at the cost of $16,000,000. The Mississippi is bridged at St. Lonis, Hannibal, Keokuk, Burlington, Cliutou, Duhugne, Winona, La Crosse, St, Paul aud other places, ata cost of $25,000,000, the half of thie haying been expended on the bridge at St. Louis. Philadelphia has during the same time built or completed bridges for mere local aocommodutione alone, costing about $4,000,000. TriaL or THE Russian Crrcutar Iron Crap. —It will be interesting to many of onr readers to learn that the first of the Russian circular iron clads, the Novgord, has recently made pagaagee iu the Black sea, which, to say the least, fully justify the imperial goverument in having adoptsad this form of vessel as one well adapted for providing very powerful naval defenses for certain purposes. She makes a fair speed, and answers her helm perfectly. By her peculiar build she draws less water than any other ship which can be built of her size thickness of armor and armament. She is 100 feet in diameter, perfectly cireulur and measures 2,500 tous. As an experiment sheis pronounced a psrfect success, It is claimed that her mauner of build is far more perfect for fighting than the ordiuary shaped iron clads. PrrroLeuM rx TuENInc Harn Metars.—M. L. Bechstein reports that it was reqnired to turu with the greatest posaible precision a piece of work twenty-six centimetres in diameter, composed of a very hard alloy of seven parta of copper, four parts of zinc, and one part of tin. Every ordinary mode was tried withont success, wheu M. Bechstein had the idea of tryiog the effect of petroleum constantly applied to the cutting tools, and the alloy was then turned with abont the same ease ay steel tempered to etraw oolor; the latter, says M. Bechstein, turns with the greatest ease when the cutters are kept mojetened with a mixture of petroleum and tnrpsntiue. New Inoxrpzapte Wurre Mrraz.—According to M. Marlio, an iuoxidizable white metal may be made of iron ten parts, nickel thirty-three parts, brass twenty-five parts, ‘tin twenty parts, and zinc ten parts, The alloy is cast and cut in pieces, and the latter are tempersd at white hsat in a mixture of sulphuric acid sixty parts, oue witric acid ten parts, muriatie acid five parts, and water twenty-five parts. A Wixn Tunprxe has been patented in Denmark, It is eaid to work in a much lighter breeze thau the ordinary style of wiud mill, aud to be well suited to a varioty of iudustrial 1865. °

5 tember 11,1875, } MINING AND SCIENTIFIC PRESS 163 . §cientiFic PRocress. Transits of Venus Behind the Sun. The observations of the traasit of Vanus made ia varioas parta of the world last Decemhave addnced, amnng other important data, ne fuct both novel aud unexpected. This is, t with the pnworful glasses with which the vers were provided, the diso of Venus aprs clearly defined in hiack npon the chroaphere which eurrouuds the sun before the -coutact aud after the last. Betweeu the and eecond contact and also between the ird and foarth, whilo the edges of the snu ) aad planet were appareatly overlapped, the Black dise of the latter uot merely atood nnt in ag contrast on the white disc of the solar hotosphore, but the onter portiou of the laaet was etill plainly visible on the reddish ekpronnd of the chromosphere. Moreover, n the black disc had entered to at least the stance of its radius onthe solar surface, the terior eegment became surronnded with a in lamiuons halo, suppoaed to be dne to the fraction of solar light in the atmosphere of euns, . Tho practical object iu which the observatiou of the phenomena may result is the renlering possible of observations of transite of Vouus when the planet passes behind, a8 well as hen it crossss hefore, the suu. For if the ery weak reddish light of the chromosphere, hich forms the coroaa about the sun, con: trasts aeusibly with the black of the plauet in ajanctiou, the brillianoy of the planet in oposition and iu full phaee, will afford even a ter contrast. It is true that the apparent ameter of Veuusis uearly six times less in ppositiou thanin conjuuction; bnt it is cerly sufficieut to render the planet visible as It crosses the chromosphere, and this even wheu a portion of the solar disc comes into the . field of the telescope. The accuracy of the . data obtaiued by these observatious would be about six times less than that of observationa similar to those of laat Decembsr, owing to the . greatly iuoreased distauce of the planet from 6 earth in the former case. But for the /Same reasou, the passages behiud wonld be more frequent, for they take place for opposiioas six times further from the orbital node. This freqnency, M. Philippe Bretou (to whom a6 oredit of the foregoing euggestions ie due) ks would compensate for tbe lack of accu; ,and he further points out that the com‘parisou of observations of transits before and traasita behind might add to the precision of the measures which we uow possess of the elemeuts nf both sun and planet. . The next transit behiud the sun will take . place iu 1878, and will be followed by four Othere at intervals of eight years, the last ocj curring in December, 1910. After that year, ) two centnriee will elapse before auother seriee of eight or uiue passagea will take place, among which series two traneits will take place before the sun. If therefore, there be auything nseful, which seems probable, to be gained by observing these back transits, prepuratione for the next . ove ahould uot long he delayed. Four of the proessut series, those of 1846, 1854, 1862 aud 1870, have already passed. They might have beeu ntilized for perfecting the observations for the trausit hefore the euu of 1874, just in. deed as the one of 1878 may yet be with refer‘nce to the transit of 1882.—Scientific American. More Appuicationa or Sattoynio Acip.— The followiug, which will be both new and iu‘teresting to many, ia communicated to the harmaceutische Zictung by Niemer, a pharmaiat of Munster. Italso afforde further proof of thevalne and importance of this new eubatance, It is too well known that the preserva. tion of receutly expressed lime juice is a great diffioulty to pharmacists. According to two experiments, 0,25 of a gramme of salicylic acid ill prevent the development of fungi in three ponnds of fresh lime juice, the latter being in a half-filled flask. A trial made under aimilar Conditious, but without the salicylic acid, reSulted in the formation of mould in ten dsys, it was also found that cream which refueed to / churn could readily be made to do so by the ‘Addition of a vary amall quantity of this acid. Antran PuxospHorescencs.—Mr, Phipson ‘ecsntly read a paper before the British Science “Association, iu which he desoribed the discovery of a luminous principle which he called “noctilucine.’’ He describes it as a fluid orEF: ‘nic snbstance containing nitrogen, which in Inminons animals is produced by a special or. ganas fast ae the animal requires it. Dr. . Phipson has for mauy yeara mado animal phoe‘Phorescence a epecial study. Government Ain To Menicat Screncr.—By "8 Vote of 138 to 27, the Englich House of Commova recently granted two thousand ‘pounde sterliug for medical researohee. Our own govBroment, we believe, has uever yet contributed 4 doilar in aid of medioal science, the first and most important iu which muu ie engaged. Millions have been spent in other soientific Teaearohes. Why is this so? The Solar Atmosphere, Prof, 8. P. Laugley rsad a paper at the late Mseting ofths Americau Association for the Advancement of Science, in which he said that ithad long been nhserved that the snn is not everywhere eqnally bright, aud that especially the edge is less lumtncusthan the centsr. It is evident that this dimination of light must be dné to some absorbiug medinm, alace a selfInminons globe would appear evorywhers equally brilliant, s0 as to present to lhe eye the appearance of a flat disc. If the enn bas an atmosphere exteraal to its lamiaona photosphere this atmosphero will preseut an ohstaole to the emiesinn of the solar rays, eveuif they they are not directly vivible. The obetacle will be greater in proportion to the iucreasing angle at which the raye leave the eurface of the sua. ‘The atmosphere, however, cannot be seen with the speotroscope. Laplace has calculated that only oae-twelfth of the solar emission of rayareach ns. If true, this would be of great importance. But more recent astrouomers have made new observations withont corroborating the atatement of the illustrions Freachmau, aud witbaut agreeing among themselves. M, Secchi, for instance, caloulates that the absorption uear the edgo is fifteen times greater than that stated by Arago, The essayist made hnndreds of observations, aud invented and explained a uew aud somewhat complicated instrumeut to assist him. The reeult was the discovery that tbe blaokest part of the snu was only eo by contrast —in fact was fonnd to be very brilliaut, . and from 5,000 to 10,000 times strouger than the light of the fnll moon. His conclusion is the approximate truth that the solar atmosphere absorbs abont one-half of the solar rays, aud that all auimal life on the earth must be extinguished should that absorption be iucreaséd or diminished in any respectable degree. Weshould be deetroyed either by heat or by cold. Ae weare not aware why this danger shonld ocenr, aatrouomy is equally unaware why it should be hronght about. The easay and the essayiat’e instrameuts excited much interest. OricIn or THE D1amMonn,—The Scientijic American speoulatea as td the origin of the diamond as follows: ‘The diamond has probably proceeded, like mineral coal and oil, from the slow decomposition of vegetable material, or even from auimal matters, either soarce affording the reqnisite carbon; but it has beeu formed under those conditione as to heat that has produced the metamorphism of argillaceous aud arenaceous schists and auriferoue qnartz veius, since it is found exclusively iugold regions, or in the eands derived from gold-bearing rocka. The schiets that were altered at the time may have previously beea shales impreguated with petrolenm nr other carbonaceous substauces (hydrocarburets) of organic origin. Chancourtois obeervee that the formation from a hydrocarbunretted vapor or gas ie analogous to that of eulphur from hydroanlphuretted emanations. In the oxidation of the latter by the hamid process, the hydrogen becomes oxidized, and ouly a part of the sulphurons acid, the rest remaining as sulphur. So in the humid oxidation of a carburetted hydrogen, the hydrogen is oxidized, part of the carbon becomes carbonic acid, and the rest remaine as carbon and may form crystallized diamoud. Anauyata or A Homan Bony.—Dr. Laucaster, of Londou, receutly analyzed a man, and presentsd the reeulte of his investigation in palpable form to his audience during a late ohemical lectnre. The body operated npon weighed 1584 ibs. The lecturer exhibited upon the platform 23:1 ibs. carbon, 2-2 tbs. lime, 22°3 ozs. phosphorus, and ubont 1 oz. each sodium, iron, notassinm, maguesium and silicon. He apologized for not exhibiting 5,595 cnbic feet of oxygon, weigbing 121 ths., 105,900 cubic feet of hydrogen, weighing 15-4 ihs., and 52 cubio feet of nitrogen, likewise obtained from the body on account of their great bulk. All of these elements combine into the following: 121 tbs. water, 16°5 ibs. gelatin, 132 tbs. fat, 8-8 fs. fibrin and albnmen, 7°7 ibs. phosphate of lime and otber mineral substanoes. Fauiino op European River Levets.—Accurate observatione during the last fifty years have shown that the water level of the rivers Elhe and Oder has fallen aeventeeu inches, thatof the Rhine twenty-four, of the Vietula twenty-six, and that ofthe Danuhe as much as fifty-five inchee at Orsova. And there is a similar decrease iu the water supply from apringsin Germany. The caneeof this deciine is attributable to the prevent reckleas cutting down of forests, as also to the artificial drainage.now so gsnerally adopted by farmers. Tae Most Briwatant Anttricran Lioxt.— ‘Fill a emall vessel of earthenware or metal with perfectly dry saltpeter or niter, press down a cavity into its earface, and iu this oavity place a piece of phosphorus; igaite thia, and the heat given off melts a sufficient quautity of the uiter to evolve oxygen enough to combine with the phosphorna, and the effect isto prodtoe the most magnificent whits light which chemistry can afford.—Photographic News. New Onservatory st Virnna.—A uew observatory has lately been erected at Vionua, on a scale corresponding withthe moderu requiremeuts of astronomy, whioh are so different from what they were a century ago, Gr 3: MM ECHANICAL 4 ROGRESS. Trial of the Walking Locomotive, We hayo already alluded to the singularly devised French machine, termed a walkiug locomotive, designed for use on railroads iustead of ths original locomotive and also in place nf the ordinary road engine, lts propulsion is producad by ths rising and falling of six artienlated feet, which strike the ground or rails something like the feet of a qnadrapod. These feot are arranged iu two groupe: three support the fore part of the machine aud the other three the after part. The two middle foetare counected together hy a horizontal ehatt; tho four

others are indspendeut, and etrike the ground succeesively in ench a manner that while the middle feet move at a moderate pace the others have a highly accelerated motion. Each of these groupe of three feet are aflixsd to a siogletrnnk. The force of the eteam is applied la ench a way as to drive these feet toward the gronud. Au exporimental trialof thie ciagular machiue made by the Eastern railway company, at Parie, bas demouetrated that whan the ‘‘feet”’ are shod with eoles of india rnbber weighing two and one-eighth pounds, an adherence to the rails or road is ootained eqaal to three-fourths of the weight of the machiue itself. In the ordinary locomotive thieaaherence does not p0 beyoudoneFifth of the weight of the machine; it may be added, that this adherence is, iu point of fact, variable; on wet or damp rails it ia uot more than one-half; but in the newly invented locomotive of M. Hermann, thestate of the rails or ground will alwaye have au influeuce, as iu the case of the machinee in actual use, but it will always be greatly auperior. The experiments made thns far prove that this uew machine will drag on ordinary roade or on rails a train four timee as heavy as the ordinary traing; the cost of this augmented train will not, it is said, vary materially from that of the ordinary machines with the usual trains wheu nsed ou eqnal grades, but the increased adhering power of the locomotive will permit of the omployment of a lighter built machiue for the usual traius a8 well as the power to surmount steeper gradea than are usual ou the railways of the present construction. Thie new syetem eularges very greatly the capacitiee of all locomotives for ordiuary roads, and will allow of passing through grounds where roads have not been conetruoted, and np grades of one foot in ten, which are by any of the actual inventions imposeible to surmouut. It ia expected, saye the Ironmonger, an English journal, that a committee of the French Academy will soon report fully upon the practical value of this inyentiou, and if it haeiu point of fact all the above-mentioned advantagee in their opinion, also if its constructiou, which is it appears rather complicated, is easy to keep in good order, and also if the cost of the maohines and repaire are not too excessive to prevent ite coming into geueral ues, it would seem, at least, that there is a very remarkable progrese about to be realized in the application of eteam power to small local railwaye, and those paaeing throngh hilly and mountainous districts of the great main routes of travel and traffic. TeMpPeren Steeu Brusaes.—M. Dumas-Gardeus, of Paris, has introduced a novelty into the metal trade, bruehes formed of tempered steel wire. They are made in numerous forma —for cleaniug tuhes, sheathing of ships, iron bridges, slnice gates aud all kinds of iron conetruction; they are also made, like the old metallio brushes, cireular for polishing and scratchiug metals, for stous aud marble, for smoothing flooriug and deoks of ships, and for an infioite variety of purposes. The same maker has produced a new scraper, for the special purpose of cleaning locomotive tube boilera; it is a Spiral brush, but in which the stesl wire is replaced by pieces of steel spring; itis aaid to he very effective, and, at the same timo, durable. Harnenine Fine Toors.—It is said that the engravere aud watch makers of Germany hardeu their toolein sealing wax. The tool is heated to whitsness and plunged into the wax, withdrawn after au instaut, aud pluuged in again, the process being repeated uatil the eteel is too cold to enter the wax. The steel iasaid to become, after this process, almost ae hard aa the diamond, and when tonched with a little oil or turpentine the tools are oxcellent for eugraving, and also for piercing the hardest metals. Englieh engravere often use soap or white wax for the same purpose. New Apericarion or Tin—Sream Borters.— Messrs. Barret & Rawlings have patented an improved method or means for preserving the interior parts of steam boilers. This iuvention consiste in substituting a special kind of metal--pure tin—for condenser tubes, tube plates, air-pump bnekets, foot and hsad valves, guarde, and all internal construotioue of marine and other boilers, which will entirely destroy the action that now takes place thereiu by reasou of the feed water comiug in contaot with the preseut metal surfaces of suoh boilers. And the special kind of metal uow proposed to he used as aforesaid in the conetruction of snch boilers will, by destroying the galvanic action, prevent the destruction of such boilers, Wooden Rails. The superlutendeut of the Muacy Crsek railroad, Penn., is about to try the experimsnt of laying woodeu rails nn that portion of the road betweeu Hnghesville and Rivoli, or two miles beyond. With a view to testiug the feaaibility of woodsn rails, the saperinteadsnt receutly had ssvan hnadred feet of track laid on acurve jnst heyond Muucy cresk, and to the surprise of all ithas besn found to answer the parpose much bettar thau was anticipated. The rails are of sugar maple, 7x4 inchea, aud about 12 feet in length. The tios are laid down in the ordinary way, uotched, aud the raile “let iatn them" about four inches. They are then keyed firmly with wooden wedgea driven nn the sides, whioh makes the traok very solid and firm, The locomotive aud heavy cara have been paseed over this experimoutal track at different rates of epeed, aud it has been fouud to work admirably, and gives every assurance of success, The cost of laying wooden rails, mauufaotured out of thie hard material, that becomee almoat aa solid 2e boue when aeasoned, is $450 psr mile, while iron costs $4,000. No irou spikee are required, as the rails are secured by woodeu wedges, aud the cost of track-layiny is about the same as puttiag down iron. Woodeu rails have alrssdy beeu tried iu different localities, and, we believe, have heen invariably fouud to work well. Enameten loon Cemixo.—A ceiling made of thin plates of irou, enameled, hae juet been put up in its place iu the central refreshmout room of the South Keusiugton Museum, London, and is probably the first experiment of the kind. The decorations of thia room were designed to reeist all dirt and impnrities incideut to a public room where food is eaten by an average of 10,000 persons a week. The walle aud coluinne are of majo.ica, the floor is paved, and the ceilinga are of irou enameled. The whole givee an impression of perfect cleauliness, and every part might be washed down by a firy engine weekly, if uecessary. The enameled plates are painted with charming aud vigorous arabesques, the work ishighly effective and the experimeat aucceesful. In cases where it ie necessary to keep a oeiling clean and to wash it frequently, this material promises to answer perfectly, aud the artistio work will last for centuries, as the design is burot into the enamel. Bninors.—Bridges have absorbed an immense amount of capital within the last ten years, by the extension of railroade creating a direct demaud from the openiug up of new territories to immigrants. It ie estimated that the bridges built in the United States since the war have cost $150,000,000. The West has built the greater numbsr of large and coetly bridges, those over tho Missouri alone at St. Charles, Booneville, Kansas City, Lsaveuworth, Atchison, St. Joseph, and Omaha, costing $11,000,000. The Ohio is bridged eight times bslow Pittaburgh, at the cost of $16,000,000. The Mississippi is bridged at St. Lonis, Hannibal, Keokuk, Burlington, Cliutou, Duhugne, Winona, La Crosse, St, Paul aud other places, ata cost of $25,000,000, the half of thie haying been expended on the bridge at St. Louis. Philadelphia has during the same time built or completed bridges for mere local aocommodutione alone, costing about $4,000,000. TriaL or THE Russian Crrcutar Iron Crap. —It will be interesting to many of onr readers to learn that the first of the Russian circular iron clads, the Novgord, has recently made pagaagee iu the Black sea, which, to say the least, fully justify the imperial goverument in having adoptsad this form of vessel as one well adapted for providing very powerful naval defenses for certain purposes. She makes a fair speed, and answers her helm perfectly. By her peculiar build she draws less water than any other ship which can be built of her size thickness of armor and armament. She is 100 feet in diameter, perfectly cireulur and measures 2,500 tous. As an experiment sheis pronounced a psrfect success, It is claimed that her mauner of build is far more perfect for fighting than the ordiuary shaped iron clads. PrrroLeuM rx TuENInc Harn Metars.—M. L. Bechstein reports that it was reqnired to turu with the greatest posaible precision a piece of work twenty-six centimetres in diameter, composed of a very hard alloy of seven parta of copper, four parts of zinc, and one part of tin. Every ordinary mode was tried withont success, wheu M. Bechstein had the idea of tryiog the effect of petroleum constantly applied to the cutting tools, and the alloy was then turned with abont the same ease ay steel tempered to etraw oolor; the latter, says M. Bechstein, turns with the greatest ease when the cutters are kept mojetened with a mixture of petroleum and tnrpsntiue. New Inoxrpzapte Wurre Mrraz.—According to M. Marlio, an iuoxidizable white metal may be made of iron ten parts, nickel thirty-three parts, brass twenty-five parts, ‘tin twenty parts, and zinc ten parts, The alloy is cast and cut in pieces, and the latter are tempersd at white hsat in a mixture of sulphuric acid sixty parts, oue witric acid ten parts, muriatie acid five parts, and water twenty-five parts. A Wixn Tunprxe has been patented in Denmark, It is eaid to work in a much lighter breeze thau the ordinary style of wiud mill, aud to be well suited to a varioty of iudustrial 1865. °