Volume 35 (1877) (426 pages)

July 28, 1877.] MINING AND SCIENTIFIC PRESS. a7 nel, which, at this point, has, between the rimrock indications on the surface, a width of about 3,500 feet, the gold-bearing pertion of the channel at the hettom heing from 400 to 500 feot wide, and lying about 460 feet beneath the surface. In having recourse to a shnft for prospecting these subterranean repositories, the trouble heretofore has heeu that ita bottom might bappen to eome upon the bigh rim rock, leaving the miner in douht as to whieh side of tho center of the echanuel it might he on—a peint thnt he would have to determiue by drifting. If it were iutended to hoist the grnvel through it, a shaft so situated could uot wel! he made to answer the purpose, If a tunnel were to he run, then such shaft, being otf its lino, could not ho made availahle fer ventilation. If the first hole put down with the artosian boror proves to be not in tho conter or in tho gold-hearing portion of the chaunel, another or, if necessary, several others cau he sunk ina line neross tho channel, uutil tho central point is determined, ond which being tixed, the shaft is thore put down, the objeet of this boring being to ascertain exactly where tho shaft. if it is intended to hoist dirt through it, ehould be sunk or, if a tunnel is to ho put in, tho precise point to which it should bo run. fn sinking, this eompany hnvo thus far nvernged ahout I$ feet per day, working eight-hour shifts, witb threo men iueach. They nro now down about 200 feet, the work having heen comparatively slow, tho material penetratod eopslsting mostly of n hard volcauic lava, with mnoy flinty houlders embedded iu it, a sure indivation, however, of the presenco of a burted river hstow. Mr. E. S. Thurston, a thoroughly eompetent mining engiueer, who has charge of the work, expects that he will soon reseh the heavy suh-stratum of pipe clay, when Mueh more rapid progress will he made, the drill boiug advanced from 50 to 60 feet every 24 hours. as soon as the proper point for the shaft has been determined, and this may be accomplished hy the first hole hored, the work of putting down the shnft will he commenced and _proseeuted with all practicahle expedition, it being Mr, Thurston’s intention to have this structure eompleted and his gangways opened ready for takiug out gravel during the course of the eoming winter. This shaft will have three eompartments, two for hoisting and one for pumping. For hoisting purposes, a steam engine, having eapacity to do all necessary pumping and bring to the surface 500 carloads of gravel per day, will he provided. Prospective Yield. The Pliocene claim heing on the same channel with that of the Bald Mountain company, one of the most productive in Sierra county, may he expected to yield as well as the latter, as only a single claim intsrvenes hetween them. A short distance ahove them the old channel has heen eut hy a deep ravine, revealing the lower stratum of the old river hed in all its richness, and establishing almost conclusively that the Pliocene eompany will have the same in their gronnd, Should such prove to be the cage, it would hring to the;company such reward as they well deserve for introducing a mode of prospecting these aneient river hsds that promises such eubstantial advantages over those heretofore employed. The Telephone. One of the inventor’s triumphs which will ever he associated with the coming of the Centennial year, is the transmission of sound hy means of electricity. Long ago the telegraph learned to print and afterwards to indicate letters, words aud ideas by means of the clatter of mechanism, but it is only about one year since the cnrrent of electricity first learued to carry ‘the cadence of the human voice and the harmonies of music. This great step in the appli‘eation of the electric current to the eervice of mankind was demonstrated to be possihle hy Pref. Graham Bell, a native of Scotland, but a resideut of this country. His father, Prof. A. M. Bell, and he himself have hecome known widely as instructors of deaf mutes in a manner of speech, It is related that in one instance Prof. Grahain Bell enahled a girl who had never produced an articulate sound to pronounce words distinctly after having her under his tuition for the ehort space of two months. ‘‘If I can make a deaf mute talk,” the now famous inventor is reported to have said, ‘‘I can make iron talk.” Whether he has made iron talk or not may he questioned; and yet it must talk, for it can listen and repeat what is whispered into its ear with the facility of an accomplished gossip. Laat year, when Prof. Bell first hrought out his telephone, we made a note of it, and we have also mentioned the improvements which he has introdueed from time to time, until it now stands a marvel of inventive success, if one ‘considers the simplicity to which the machiue has been brought in the short time since its first announcement. Although it is now a gratifying triumph, it cannot he donhted that tbere are still directions of improvemeut in tbe adaptation of the machine to all conditions through which sound must pass. It is, however, uow 30 erfect as to warrant the public interest which it awakens and the tests of utility which are heing placed upon it with a view to its industrial int -uduction. About two weeks ago the tolephone was hrought to the coast hy Geo. 8. Ladd, President of tho California Electrical Works, and was exhibited toa private cempany, composed of journalists and others, and representatives of the Press were present. We secured freim Mr. S. D. Field, Seerctary, a drawing of tbe instru. nent, from which the accompanying engraving was pcos It shows nhent one-holf the actual size of the instrumeut. This sketch, we think, gives a bettor idea of the mechanism of the telephone than any we have scen elsewhere. Speaking gonerally, firat, the telephone consists of threo parts; a horso-shoe magnet, around the polee of which nre coils of iusulated wire, with soft iron cores; in front of these is n diaphragm of thin iron, capable of vibration; iu trout of this is a fuunel-shaped mouth-piece, hy which sound is converged npon the vibrating diaphragm, Theso and the necessary framework to hold thom in proper position comprise the chief parts of tho instrument. Descrihing the telephoue more aceurately, with reference to tho engraving: {1s the mouth-piece, throngh which vibrntione of voice are projected against the diaphragm, C. C isa diaphragm of Russia shcet-iron, cireular and about four inchee in diameter. Dis a soft iron core, polarized hy the magnet, H; N marking the north pole of the magnet. & is n helix or coil of wire, No. 32 gauge, with about 20 ohms resistance. G is the wire to the lino of telegraph extsnding to another telephone. /'is the wire to the earth. 2B, J, K, are parts of the wooden frame by which the parts of the instruments are held in juxtaposition. de will be noticed that our engraving ehows the coil upon one pole of the magnet. Tho An English Decision in Favor of the Dynamite Patents. We give helow au important decision in a patent suit, bofore an English Court, in favor o what is known here as giant powder. The euit was brought by the British Dynamite Company, (limited,) against Krebs, The following is the decision, which we take from the London Mining Journal of June 23d: This wasa patent euit relating to explosive suhstancos, of interest in its subject imatter, {from the extraordinary physical qualities that have been discovered apper @ uing to explosive suhstances, especially nitroplyzerino, nnd also as illustrating the quicksands an inveutor has to steer througb in taking ont and substantiating a patent. Tbe plaintitfs, when the bill was lirat filed, were the British Dynamite Comauy, then tho owners of pateuts taken out by Mr. Newton of inventions communicated to him from ahroad hy M. Nuhel. That company had since assigned their business to n new company —Nohel’s Explosive Company—who were made co-plaintiffs. ‘his suit retated to a patent taken out in 1867 for dynamite. The detendents are manufacturers, at Cologne, of lithofracteur, and their agents in Englaud, who have sold that material in this country nnd also taken steps to set up a inauufactory at Purfleet, in Hssex. Nitroglycerine was discovered in the year 1547, whicb, as is well known, is a very strong, hut highly dangerous explosive. It was of no practical uso, not only hecause of the great dauger {both in storing and carrying the suhstauce, ‘which was liahle to explosion from very slight , eoncussion, hut also hecause the nature of the LZ 7 a PROF. GRAHAM BELL’S TELEPHONE. other pole is similarly crested. The whole apparatus is enclosed ina walnut hox five inchcs square and ten inches long, with the mouthpiece projecting through one end of the hox. The following is a condensed statement of the working of the telephone asnoted hy Mr. Field: A person speakiug through the mouth-piece A, throws the diaphragm C into vibration; said vihrations heing of greater or lesser intensity as the tones of the voice are higher or lower. The diaphragm C, in vibrating, approaches nearer the soft iron core D, thus drawing a higher magnetic energy within the coil #, from the magnet H, The effect of this change of magnetic condition in the core D is to mduce currents of electricity in the helix or coil, Z; these currents varying precisely as the tones of the voice in speaking. The effects of these currents flowing over the line into an otherwise quiescent telephone, at the other end of the eonnecting wire, is to reproduce synchronous vihratious inthe diaphragm of the distant telephone and consequently similar articulate sounds, At the trials which have been made with the telephones whieh have heen introduced by the California Electrical Works, this power to transmit sound by electricity has been well proved, Conversation has heen eo accurately transmitted that listeners could distinguish the voice and inflection of those they knew. Tunes whistled have heen carried note for note. Experiments have been made at cousiderablo distances and have succeeded, so far as the operators could control the condition of the wires, etc.; for example, some words were made out in n circuit from San Francisco to Oakland hy way of San Jose. These results are very satisfactory, cousidering that our local electricians have but little practice in the use of the apparatus, As this instrument has come to us it will douhtless he turned to account hy those who desire speedy and facile communication between distant points. Tue Board of Supervisors have elected as Water Commissioners, Isaac Friedlander and A. ©. Merril. The Board then adopted a resolution introduced hy Supervisor Strother, requiring the two Commissiouers to subscrihe to an oath that they did not hold any of the Spring Valley Water Company’s stock, were in no way interested in such stock, and were not related hy blood or marriage to any person who was interested in such stock. The order appointing Messrs. Friedlander and Merril Water Commiseionere was then passed to print. explosion was too rapid, and produced an effect not suitable for hlasting purposes, or otherwise as a suhstitute for gunpowder, which has heen called a hursting etfect. In 1863 a patcnt was taken ont of an invention by M. Nohel for an improved gunpowder, hy mixing nitroglycerine and analogous suhstances, such as the nitrates of ethyle and nethyle with gunpowder, or with eulphur and carbon aloue. Some of the nitroglycerine or other substauces eupplying, in the latter case, the place of saltpeter in ordinary gunpowder. The ohject of this patent was to temper or regulate the explosive force of the fulminating suhstance. The patent, on which the plaintiffs relied, and which they complained was heing infringed hy tbe manufacture of lithofracteur, was taken out in 1867. The actual words of the specifivation are important in their legal hearing, and they well describe the peculiarities of this new compound. That iustrument stated as follows: ‘‘ This invention relates to the use of nitroglyeerine in an altered condition, which renders it far more practical and safe for use. The altered condition of the nitroglycerine is effected by causing it to he ahsorhed in porous, un-explosive substances, such ae charcoal, silica, paper, or similar materials, wherehy it is converted into a powder which I call dynamite, or Nobel’s safety powder. By this absorption of the nitroglycerine in some porous substances, it acquires the property of heing in a high degree insensihle to shocks, and it can be burned over fire without exploding. The aforesaid safety-powder or dynamite is exploded tirst, when nuder very close and resisting confinement hy means of aspark or any mode of ignition used for firing ordinary gunpowder; second, without or during conlinement hy means of a special fulminating cap coutaining a strong charge of fulminate, which is adapted to the end of a fuse; third, hy meaus of an additional charge of ordinary gunpowder the explosion of the latter will cause the dynamite to go off even when it is only partially confined.” For additional safety the porous snhstance was tohe washed hefore use iu an absorbent with an alkaline substance. The inventor claimed the mode of manufacturing the safety powder, as also the mode of firing the same by special ignition. Dynamite as actually made hy the plaintiffs consists of a remarkable siliceous substance, known as kieselguhr and nitro. glycerine. Kieselguhr is an iniusorial earth, cumposed of silica in a poroue state, being formed of the minute shelle of diatomacez; it is eapahle of taking up three timee its own weight of the nitroglycerine without danger of exudation, The dynamite of the plaintitis consist of 75% of nitroglycerine, and 25% of kieselguhr. The lithofractenr of the defendeuts consists of 53% of glycerine, 21 parts of kieselyuhr aud the remaining 24 parts of other ahsorbents, chiefly eharceal, bran, sawdust, sulpbur, nitrate of haryta and other suhstances which have beeu called semi-explosives. The defendants admitted the uscfulness of the plaintiffs’ mnnnfaeture, though they pnt in evidence to show thunt lithofracteur was n preferahle material, in respect— first, that it aid not produce the same disagree. ablo effuvium ou account of more perfect composition, and also that it produced a better fracture for working quarries and mines. They de-nied the novelty of the iuventien, in that they alleged that tbe patent of 1863 was au anticipation of the ono under which the plaintiff claimed; they also asserted that the patent was void as heing too vaguely expressed, and not sufficiently clear to have enahled nn ordinary workman to have made the article patented without experiment. They contended that lithofracteur was not within the deseription; in addition to these ohjectione which the patentecs had to surmount, during the hearing an objec. tion was raised by his lordship that the claims inight be too wide as extending to the mode of ignition as well as the material. his point was brought out in evidence given hy some of the scientilic witnesses, which showed that Nohel had in 1864 published a remarkable discovery as to the mode of explosion of some substances produced hy a shock instead of a flash, a discovery which has led to the use for explosive pur. poses of a fulminating cap, asit is called, iu op. position to the less powerful ordinary percussion cap. ‘Tho trial occupied some days, the greater part of the time heing occupied in the exainination of chemists and other skilled witnesses. Mr. Aston, Q. C., Mr. Edward Cutler and Mr. Chester appeared for the plaintiffs; Mr. Cotton, Q. C., Mr. Nalder and Mr. Macrory for the defendants. Specimens of the compounds were produced, bunt it was not eonsidered that they were so perfectly safe that they might be made exhibits or retained in court, though both suhstanccs are licensed under the explosives act, 1875. Mr. Justice Fry delivered an exhaustive judgment, in which he said that most of the usual objections had been taken against the patentee. It was conceded, however, that the invention was useful, and that the lithofracteur had been sold in this country by the defendants. He would deal with the questions of novelty and sufficiency of description. The object of the earlier invention had heen quite different from that vested in the plaintiffs. The former had been merely to produce a hetter explosive, as such to moderate and control the explosive force. That of the latter was to effect safety in storage and carriage. Ho was of the opinion that the invention was not anticipated. Again, on the evidence he was satisfied thnt the description was such that any moderately intelligent workman could at the time of the patent have produced from it a dynamite—a good and useful dynamite, thongh not so valuable as that made now with kieselgnhr. But on the question of infringement, he must hold that the defendants did, notwithstanding that they introduced other matters into their manufacture, to some extent make use of the plaintiffs’ inveution; tbey did use a non-explosive compound for the purpose of ahsorhing and changing the nature of the nitroglycerine, hy which it was rendered safe from the danger of being exploded hy a slight concussion. With the alleged superiority of the defendants’ lithofracteur and its freedom froin disagreeable effects he had nothing todo. He had further to deal with a question that had heen raised ou the claim to the mode of ignition. On this he had been satistied hy the evidence that this mode of ignition hy fnlmiuation was novel as applied to dynamite; hut even had it not been, upon a reasonahle construction of the speciticatiou, he should hold the reference in the claim was merely for tho purpose of illustration. The plaintitis, therefore, were entitled to an injunction and to hnve au account of profits. If this hecame necessary, application could he made for a transfer of the cause that the account might he taken in Chambers. General News Items. Tue Second Regiment Infantry, United States army, under the command of Col. Whcatou, sailed for Portland, en route for the Indian war, in the Oregon steamship, City of Chester. A new enterprise in the skating line is being juaugurated in this city in the shape of a covered ring, 100 hy 250 feet, the floor of which is to be artificial ice, and on which steel skates are to be used. Srx mills of the American Powder Company at Acton, Massachusetts, exploded in succession on the 24th iust. Carelessness was the cause. One man was killed and nearly a dozen others harely escaped. Loss, $10,000. ARRIVALS at Castle Garden are becoming noticeahly fewer, The authorities state thnt the number js even smaller than that of last year. The decrease is owing to had reports of the state of husiness sent from this country to Europe. Tus object of the Newsboys’ Union, which was permanently organized last week, is to protect those lads who sell papers for a livelihood from the inroads of those who do so for pocket money, and to provide for the maintenance of the eick and for mutual improvement.

July 28, 1877.] MINING AND SCIENTIFIC PRESS. a7 nel, which, at this point, has, between the rimrock indications on the surface, a width of about 3,500 feet, the gold-bearing pertion of the channel at the hettom heing from 400 to 500 feot wide, and lying about 460 feet beneath the surface. In having recourse to a shnft for prospecting these subterranean repositories, the trouble heretofore has heeu that ita bottom might bappen to eome upon the bigh rim rock, leaving the miner in douht as to whieh side of tho center of the echanuel it might he on—a peint thnt he would have to determiue by drifting. If it were iutended to hoist the grnvel through it, a shaft so situated could uot wel! he made to answer the purpose, If a tunnel were to he run, then such shaft, being otf its lino, could not ho made availahle fer ventilation. If the first hole put down with the artosian boror proves to be not in tho conter or in tho gold-hearing portion of the chaunel, another or, if necessary, several others cau he sunk ina line neross tho channel, uutil tho central point is determined, ond which being tixed, the shaft is thore put down, the objeet of this boring being to ascertain exactly where tho shaft. if it is intended to hoist dirt through it, ehould be sunk or, if a tunnel is to ho put in, tho precise point to which it should bo run. fn sinking, this eompany hnvo thus far nvernged ahout I$ feet per day, working eight-hour shifts, witb threo men iueach. They nro now down about 200 feet, the work having heen comparatively slow, tho material penetratod eopslsting mostly of n hard volcauic lava, with mnoy flinty houlders embedded iu it, a sure indivation, however, of the presenco of a burted river hstow. Mr. E. S. Thurston, a thoroughly eompetent mining engiueer, who has charge of the work, expects that he will soon reseh the heavy suh-stratum of pipe clay, when Mueh more rapid progress will he made, the drill boiug advanced from 50 to 60 feet every 24 hours. as soon as the proper point for the shaft has been determined, and this may be accomplished hy the first hole hored, the work of putting down the shnft will he commenced and _proseeuted with all practicahle expedition, it being Mr, Thurston’s intention to have this structure eompleted and his gangways opened ready for takiug out gravel during the course of the eoming winter. This shaft will have three eompartments, two for hoisting and one for pumping. For hoisting purposes, a steam engine, having eapacity to do all necessary pumping and bring to the surface 500 carloads of gravel per day, will he provided. Prospective Yield. The Pliocene claim heing on the same channel with that of the Bald Mountain company, one of the most productive in Sierra county, may he expected to yield as well as the latter, as only a single claim intsrvenes hetween them. A short distance ahove them the old channel has heen eut hy a deep ravine, revealing the lower stratum of the old river hed in all its richness, and establishing almost conclusively that the Pliocene eompany will have the same in their gronnd, Should such prove to be the cage, it would hring to the;company such reward as they well deserve for introducing a mode of prospecting these aneient river hsds that promises such eubstantial advantages over those heretofore employed. The Telephone. One of the inventor’s triumphs which will ever he associated with the coming of the Centennial year, is the transmission of sound hy means of electricity. Long ago the telegraph learned to print and afterwards to indicate letters, words aud ideas by means of the clatter of mechanism, but it is only about one year since the cnrrent of electricity first learued to carry ‘the cadence of the human voice and the harmonies of music. This great step in the appli‘eation of the electric current to the eervice of mankind was demonstrated to be possihle hy Pref. Graham Bell, a native of Scotland, but a resideut of this country. His father, Prof. A. M. Bell, and he himself have hecome known widely as instructors of deaf mutes in a manner of speech, It is related that in one instance Prof. Grahain Bell enahled a girl who had never produced an articulate sound to pronounce words distinctly after having her under his tuition for the ehort space of two months. ‘‘If I can make a deaf mute talk,” the now famous inventor is reported to have said, ‘‘I can make iron talk.” Whether he has made iron talk or not may he questioned; and yet it must talk, for it can listen and repeat what is whispered into its ear with the facility of an accomplished gossip. Laat year, when Prof. Bell first hrought out his telephone, we made a note of it, and we have also mentioned the improvements which he has introdueed from time to time, until it now stands a marvel of inventive success, if one ‘considers the simplicity to which the machiue has been brought in the short time since its first announcement. Although it is now a gratifying triumph, it cannot he donhted that tbere are still directions of improvemeut in tbe adaptation of the machine to all conditions through which sound must pass. It is, however, uow 30 erfect as to warrant the public interest which it awakens and the tests of utility which are heing placed upon it with a view to its industrial int -uduction. About two weeks ago the tolephone was hrought to the coast hy Geo. 8. Ladd, President of tho California Electrical Works, and was exhibited toa private cempany, composed of journalists and others, and representatives of the Press were present. We secured freim Mr. S. D. Field, Seerctary, a drawing of tbe instru. nent, from which the accompanying engraving was pcos It shows nhent one-holf the actual size of the instrumeut. This sketch, we think, gives a bettor idea of the mechanism of the telephone than any we have scen elsewhere. Speaking gonerally, firat, the telephone consists of threo parts; a horso-shoe magnet, around the polee of which nre coils of iusulated wire, with soft iron cores; in front of these is n diaphragm of thin iron, capable of vibration; iu trout of this is a fuunel-shaped mouth-piece, hy which sound is converged npon the vibrating diaphragm, Theso and the necessary framework to hold thom in proper position comprise the chief parts of tho instrument. Descrihing the telephoue more aceurately, with reference to tho engraving: {1s the mouth-piece, throngh which vibrntione of voice are projected against the diaphragm, C. C isa diaphragm of Russia shcet-iron, cireular and about four inchee in diameter. Dis a soft iron core, polarized hy the magnet, H; N marking the north pole of the magnet. & is n helix or coil of wire, No. 32 gauge, with about 20 ohms resistance. G is the wire to the lino of telegraph extsnding to another telephone. /'is the wire to the earth. 2B, J, K, are parts of the wooden frame by which the parts of the instruments are held in juxtaposition. de will be noticed that our engraving ehows the coil upon one pole of the magnet. Tho An English Decision in Favor of the Dynamite Patents. We give helow au important decision in a patent suit, bofore an English Court, in favor o what is known here as giant powder. The euit was brought by the British Dynamite Company, (limited,) against Krebs, The following is the decision, which we take from the London Mining Journal of June 23d: This wasa patent euit relating to explosive suhstancos, of interest in its subject imatter, {from the extraordinary physical qualities that have been discovered apper @ uing to explosive suhstances, especially nitroplyzerino, nnd also as illustrating the quicksands an inveutor has to steer througb in taking ont and substantiating a patent. Tbe plaintitfs, when the bill was lirat filed, were the British Dynamite Comauy, then tho owners of pateuts taken out by Mr. Newton of inventions communicated to him from ahroad hy M. Nuhel. That company had since assigned their business to n new company —Nohel’s Explosive Company—who were made co-plaintiffs. ‘his suit retated to a patent taken out in 1867 for dynamite. The detendents are manufacturers, at Cologne, of lithofracteur, and their agents in Englaud, who have sold that material in this country nnd also taken steps to set up a inauufactory at Purfleet, in Hssex. Nitroglycerine was discovered in the year 1547, whicb, as is well known, is a very strong, hut highly dangerous explosive. It was of no practical uso, not only hecause of the great dauger {both in storing and carrying the suhstauce, ‘which was liahle to explosion from very slight , eoncussion, hut also hecause the nature of the LZ 7 a PROF. GRAHAM BELL’S TELEPHONE. other pole is similarly crested. The whole apparatus is enclosed ina walnut hox five inchcs square and ten inches long, with the mouthpiece projecting through one end of the hox. The following is a condensed statement of the working of the telephone asnoted hy Mr. Field: A person speakiug through the mouth-piece A, throws the diaphragm C into vibration; said vihrations heing of greater or lesser intensity as the tones of the voice are higher or lower. The diaphragm C, in vibrating, approaches nearer the soft iron core D, thus drawing a higher magnetic energy within the coil #, from the

magnet H, The effect of this change of magnetic condition in the core D is to mduce currents of electricity in the helix or coil, Z; these currents varying precisely as the tones of the voice in speaking. The effects of these currents flowing over the line into an otherwise quiescent telephone, at the other end of the eonnecting wire, is to reproduce synchronous vihratious inthe diaphragm of the distant telephone and consequently similar articulate sounds, At the trials which have been made with the telephones whieh have heen introduced by the California Electrical Works, this power to transmit sound by electricity has been well proved, Conversation has heen eo accurately transmitted that listeners could distinguish the voice and inflection of those they knew. Tunes whistled have heen carried note for note. Experiments have been made at cousiderablo distances and have succeeded, so far as the operators could control the condition of the wires, etc.; for example, some words were made out in n circuit from San Francisco to Oakland hy way of San Jose. These results are very satisfactory, cousidering that our local electricians have but little practice in the use of the apparatus, As this instrument has come to us it will douhtless he turned to account hy those who desire speedy and facile communication between distant points. Tue Board of Supervisors have elected as Water Commissioners, Isaac Friedlander and A. ©. Merril. The Board then adopted a resolution introduced hy Supervisor Strother, requiring the two Commissiouers to subscrihe to an oath that they did not hold any of the Spring Valley Water Company’s stock, were in no way interested in such stock, and were not related hy blood or marriage to any person who was interested in such stock. The order appointing Messrs. Friedlander and Merril Water Commiseionere was then passed to print. explosion was too rapid, and produced an effect not suitable for hlasting purposes, or otherwise as a suhstitute for gunpowder, which has heen called a hursting etfect. In 1863 a patcnt was taken ont of an invention by M. Nohel for an improved gunpowder, hy mixing nitroglycerine and analogous suhstances, such as the nitrates of ethyle and nethyle with gunpowder, or with eulphur and carbon aloue. Some of the nitroglycerine or other substauces eupplying, in the latter case, the place of saltpeter in ordinary gunpowder. The ohject of this patent was to temper or regulate the explosive force of the fulminating suhstance. The patent, on which the plaintiffs relied, and which they complained was heing infringed hy tbe manufacture of lithofracteur, was taken out in 1867. The actual words of the specifivation are important in their legal hearing, and they well describe the peculiarities of this new compound. That iustrument stated as follows: ‘‘ This invention relates to the use of nitroglyeerine in an altered condition, which renders it far more practical and safe for use. The altered condition of the nitroglycerine is effected by causing it to he ahsorhed in porous, un-explosive substances, such ae charcoal, silica, paper, or similar materials, wherehy it is converted into a powder which I call dynamite, or Nobel’s safety powder. By this absorption of the nitroglycerine in some porous substances, it acquires the property of heing in a high degree insensihle to shocks, and it can be burned over fire without exploding. The aforesaid safety-powder or dynamite is exploded tirst, when nuder very close and resisting confinement hy means of aspark or any mode of ignition used for firing ordinary gunpowder; second, without or during conlinement hy means of a special fulminating cap coutaining a strong charge of fulminate, which is adapted to the end of a fuse; third, hy meaus of an additional charge of ordinary gunpowder the explosion of the latter will cause the dynamite to go off even when it is only partially confined.” For additional safety the porous snhstance was tohe washed hefore use iu an absorbent with an alkaline substance. The inventor claimed the mode of manufacturing the safety powder, as also the mode of firing the same by special ignition. Dynamite as actually made hy the plaintiffs consists of a remarkable siliceous substance, known as kieselguhr and nitro. glycerine. Kieselguhr is an iniusorial earth, cumposed of silica in a poroue state, being formed of the minute shelle of diatomacez; it is eapahle of taking up three timee its own weight of the nitroglycerine without danger of exudation, The dynamite of the plaintitis consist of 75% of nitroglycerine, and 25% of kieselguhr. The lithofractenr of the defendeuts consists of 53% of glycerine, 21 parts of kieselyuhr aud the remaining 24 parts of other ahsorbents, chiefly eharceal, bran, sawdust, sulpbur, nitrate of haryta and other suhstances which have beeu called semi-explosives. The defendants admitted the uscfulness of the plaintiffs’ mnnnfaeture, though they pnt in evidence to show thunt lithofracteur was n preferahle material, in respect— first, that it aid not produce the same disagree. ablo effuvium ou account of more perfect composition, and also that it produced a better fracture for working quarries and mines. They de-nied the novelty of the iuventien, in that they alleged that tbe patent of 1863 was au anticipation of the ono under which the plaintiff claimed; they also asserted that the patent was void as heing too vaguely expressed, and not sufficiently clear to have enahled nn ordinary workman to have made the article patented without experiment. They contended that lithofracteur was not within the deseription; in addition to these ohjectione which the patentecs had to surmount, during the hearing an objec. tion was raised by his lordship that the claims inight be too wide as extending to the mode of ignition as well as the material. his point was brought out in evidence given hy some of the scientilic witnesses, which showed that Nohel had in 1864 published a remarkable discovery as to the mode of explosion of some substances produced hy a shock instead of a flash, a discovery which has led to the use for explosive pur. poses of a fulminating cap, asit is called, iu op. position to the less powerful ordinary percussion cap. ‘Tho trial occupied some days, the greater part of the time heing occupied in the exainination of chemists and other skilled witnesses. Mr. Aston, Q. C., Mr. Edward Cutler and Mr. Chester appeared for the plaintiffs; Mr. Cotton, Q. C., Mr. Nalder and Mr. Macrory for the defendants. Specimens of the compounds were produced, bunt it was not eonsidered that they were so perfectly safe that they might be made exhibits or retained in court, though both suhstanccs are licensed under the explosives act, 1875. Mr. Justice Fry delivered an exhaustive judgment, in which he said that most of the usual objections had been taken against the patentee. It was conceded, however, that the invention was useful, and that the lithofracteur had been sold in this country by the defendants. He would deal with the questions of novelty and sufficiency of description. The object of the earlier invention had heen quite different from that vested in the plaintiffs. The former had been merely to produce a hetter explosive, as such to moderate and control the explosive force. That of the latter was to effect safety in storage and carriage. Ho was of the opinion that the invention was not anticipated. Again, on the evidence he was satisfied thnt the description was such that any moderately intelligent workman could at the time of the patent have produced from it a dynamite—a good and useful dynamite, thongh not so valuable as that made now with kieselgnhr. But on the question of infringement, he must hold that the defendants did, notwithstanding that they introduced other matters into their manufacture, to some extent make use of the plaintiffs’ inveution; tbey did use a non-explosive compound for the purpose of ahsorhing and changing the nature of the nitroglycerine, hy which it was rendered safe from the danger of being exploded hy a slight concussion. With the alleged superiority of the defendants’ lithofracteur and its freedom froin disagreeable effects he had nothing todo. He had further to deal with a question that had heen raised ou the claim to the mode of ignition. On this he had been satistied hy the evidence that this mode of ignition hy fnlmiuation was novel as applied to dynamite; hut even had it not been, upon a reasonahle construction of the speciticatiou, he should hold the reference in the claim was merely for tho purpose of illustration. The plaintitis, therefore, were entitled to an injunction and to hnve au account of profits. If this hecame necessary, application could he made for a transfer of the cause that the account might he taken in Chambers. General News Items. Tue Second Regiment Infantry, United States army, under the command of Col. Whcatou, sailed for Portland, en route for the Indian war, in the Oregon steamship, City of Chester. A new enterprise in the skating line is being juaugurated in this city in the shape of a covered ring, 100 hy 250 feet, the floor of which is to be artificial ice, and on which steel skates are to be used. Srx mills of the American Powder Company at Acton, Massachusetts, exploded in succession on the 24th iust. Carelessness was the cause. One man was killed and nearly a dozen others harely escaped. Loss, $10,000. ARRIVALS at Castle Garden are becoming noticeahly fewer, The authorities state thnt the number js even smaller than that of last year. The decrease is owing to had reports of the state of husiness sent from this country to Europe. Tus object of the Newsboys’ Union, which was permanently organized last week, is to protect those lads who sell papers for a livelihood from the inroads of those who do so for pocket money, and to provide for the maintenance of the eick and for mutual improvement.