degrees; the fan was then set to work and quickly reduced it to eighty degrees. This rise, and reduction of temperature by the fan, went on for three weeks, when the hay was dry and in firstrate condition. A field of clover and two or three stacks of oats were treated in the same way, which under ordinary conditions would have been quite spoiled. Mr Streeter speaks very highly of the action of the little machine, the cost of which is only twelve pounds. in Paris by M. Mangin, a member of the Académie d'Aérostation. He filled a small balloon with pure hydrogen, which is lighter, and therefore has greater ascending powers than ordinary coalgas, and hung in its centre, in the midst of the gas, a Swan incandescent lamp. The balloon, which was made of a translucent material, was well illuminated, and could be seen from some distance. Moreover, by interrupting the current in connection with the lamp, the Morse alphabet could be easily spelt out in the form of long and short flashes. This experiment is, we fancy, more remarkable for its ingenuity than for its practical value. The double wire for carrying and returning the current must be of a certain thickness, and its weight would of course limit the altitude of the machine. Professor Graham Bell, the father of Telephony, lately read a paper before the American Association for the Advancement of Science, on the electrical experiments which were made with a view to discover the whereabouts of the bullet in President Garfield's body. He pointed out that the induction balance, in conjunction with a telephone, would indicate by a peculiar splutter- A recent Report by M. Girard, director of the ing sound the presence of a leaden bullet five municipal laboratory of Paris, shows that the art inches away from it. In the case of the wounded of adulteration is carried on there with great skill President, this peculiar noise became evident when-indeed we may look upon it as a fine art and a the instrument passed over a particular region; but, curiously enough, this did not indicate the position of the assassin's bullet, but was produced by a steel spring in the mattress under the patient's bed. The apparatus has been much improved, and now Professor Bell is of opinion that the exact position of a bullet in any part of the human body can be noted without the least difficulty. Sir John Lubbock, whose industry is scarcely excelled by the bees he studies so carefully, has submitted to the Linnean Society some further observations referring to those insects. These observations relate more especially to their appreciation of sound, with a view to determine whether there 19 any real value in the popular idea that bees are influenced when swarming by the sound of clanging kettles, &c. Since the time of Aristotle, this notion has prevailed, and although experienced apiarists have little faith in it, Sir John Lubbock, without committing himself to any decided opinion, believes that the insects may hear overtones of sounds which are beyond our range of hearing. In his experiments, he trained bees to come for honey to a musical-box which was kept going for several hours a day for a fortnight. It was placed during the time on a lawn close to a window; afterwards it was removed to the house, and, while still playing, was placed out of sight, although only a few yards from where it formerly stood. The bees failed to find it; but they readily came to it for the honey, when shown to them; proving that so far as regards sounds audible to us, they exhibit little appreciation of them. Some years ago, Mr Douglas Galton, F.R.S., contrived a whistle the note of which could be altered at will until a pitch was reached quite inaudible by any human ear. But that a sound really existed was proved by the effect on a sensitive flame, whenever this apparently dumb whistle was blown in its vicinity. By this instrument it might be possible to determine whether Sir John Lubbock's surmise regarding the bees' appreciation of overtones is correct. It is just possible that there may not be sounds pervading all nature, which, though inaudible to mankind, delight the more humble denizens of the globe. A new signalling experiment has been made scientific pursuit combined. Currant jelly, without a particle of currant juice in it, is manufactured from a kind of sea-weed, coloured with fuchsine, and flavoured with a mixture of acetic ether, tartaric and other acids. Other favourite compounds supposed to be produced from natural fruits, have their flavours made up from still more doubtful chemical combinations. Flour is largely adulterated with mineral agents, sometimes of a poisonous nature, plaster of Paris and sulphate of baryta being common; and the staff of life itself when thus injured is often insufficiently baked, so that its weight may be increased. According to the Vienna Agricultural Gazette, it has recently been discovered that meerschaum pipes of excellent quality, susceptible of the highest polish, and even more readily colourable than the genuine spiuma di mare, may be made of potatoes. The familiar tuber, it seems, is well qualified to compete with the substance known to commerce as meerschaum clay.' Its latent virtues in this direction are developed by the following treatment. Having been carefully peeled, and its 'eyes' extracted, the potato is boiled unintermittently for thirty-six hours in a mixture of sulphuric acid and water, after which it must be squeezed in a press until every drop of natural or acquired moisture is extracted from it. The residuum of this simple process is a hard block of delicate creamy white hue, every whit as suitable for the manufacture of ornamental and artistically executed pipe-heads as the finest clay. The potato, moreover, dealt with in the manner above described, promises to prove a formidable rival to the elephant's tusk. As potatoes are plentiful all over the world, and are likely to remain so, whilst elephants are, comparatively speaking, rarities, mankind at large may be fairly congratulated upon the discovery of a substitute for ivory which can be produced in unlimited quantities and at an almost nominal cost, taking into consideration the difference of price between a pound of potatoes and a pound of elephant's tusk. From official returns, it appears that in India, during 1881, no fewer than 18,670 human beings were killed by snakes, and 2759 by wild animals;' whilst 43,609 head of cattle were in like manner destroyed. As a set-off to this terrible loss, we learn that 254,968 snakes and 15,274 'wild Journal animals' were destroyed, and upwards of ten thousand pounds paid by the Indian government for their destruction. In a country such as India, where deadly snakes abound, and where the natives are in the habit of going with bare feet and limbs, the annual sacrifice of human life must continue to be more or less appalling. it is calculated that since the establishment of the first saw-mill about two thousand five hundred million feet have been cut. Yet in spite of this great tax upon them, we are told that the forest remains for the most part in virgin condition, except for a short distance from the banks of the streams and estuaries. AN AMERICAN CONFIDENCE TRICK. Much has been said and written about the simplicity on land of poor Jack-tar. Now, let mé relate a true story, in which I, second-mate of the Ocean Queen-we will say-played a conspicuous part. A method of curing herring and other kinds of fish has been introduced by Mr George Leach, of Hull. Mr Leach's plan consists in the application of machinery to the curing of fish, and particularly to the bloatering' of herrings, in place of the slow and otherwise unsatisfactory processes by manual labour. The mechanism employed is contained in three towers or chambers, rising to a height of We had had a tough passage from the Cape, got twenty-four feet, through which the fish, either stranded, and hove-to once or twice; then came spitted or placed back downward on wirework heavy seas and high winds that bore us out of our grills, are passed, and undergo successively the course; hence all hands were glad enough when process of drying, smoking, and cooling. Mr we got into port, New York City. It was the Leach estimates that such an establishment would first time I had set foot in Yankeeland, so perbe able to bloater seventy-one barrels, or forty-haps it is a bit excusable if my first impression seven thousand herrings, or cure six and a half was a curious and lasting one. The boatswaintons, or eighteen thousand six hundred finnan a very good fellow, open-hearted as any of his haddocks, every ten hours; and that two hundred and fifteen thousand sprats, carried on creeper nets, instead of spits or grills, could be dealt with in the same time; also, that by his system a barrel of herring-equal to six hundred fish-can be bloatered at a cost of sixpence, as against one shilling and ninepence, the present cost. OCCASIONAL NOTES. A WONDERFUL TIMBER REGION. QUOTING from The Colonies and India, we learn that in the Far West, in a lovely country which once belonged to England, but was afterwards ceded to the United States, there grows the finest body of timber in the world. Fir and pine, and oak and cedar, of unsurpassed quality and practically unlimited in quantity, clothe the mountains, overhang the rivers, and shadow the plains of the Puget Sound district in Washington Territory. On a moderate estimate it is calculated that this region will yield the enormous and unimaginable quantity of one hundred and sixty thousand million feet of valuable timber. The trees attain a remarkable development both of height and beauty. The yellow fir is frequently found growing to a height of two hundred and fifty feet; the white cedar to one hundred feet, with a girth of over sixty feet; the white oak to seventy feet in height; whilst ordinary sized specimens of the sugar-pine yield from six to eight thousand feet of lumber each. For long after its discovery, this marvellous store of timber remained undisturbed, its primeval quietness unbroken by the sound of the woodman's axe. But in 1851 a saw-mill was built on Puget Sound, and thenceforward continually increasing inroads were made upon the forest, until to-day no fewer than fifteen such mills are at work upon it. The largest of these has a cutting capacity of two hundred thousand feet per diem. During the year 1881 the export of lumber from Puget Sound amounted to nearly one hundred and seventy-four million one hundred and seventy-six thousand seven hundred feet, valued at nearly two million dollars; and kind-and myself were walking down one of the principal thoroughfares of the city, when our glances at one and the same time alighted upon a kid glove lying in the street. One of us-I forget which-picked it up, and with an ejaculation-from both-discovered a lady's gold ring set with stones fixed in one of the fingers. In the flush of astonishment at our good luck, before even we had decided upon what to do, a gentleman tapped us on the shoulder and in a few words informed us that he had been an eye-witness of the discovery, and could, if we so desired, give us information respecting its value and best method of its most profitable disposal, he having been, he said, 'at one time in the trade.' We listened, and were willing to consent to the new-comer's taking one-third the profit in exchange for the 'valuable information.' Hereupon, the latter, stating as his reason his having business that called him up-country that very day, magnanimously proposed to sacrifice his share for, Say, five pounds down; an' I guess it's no bad bargain ye're makin',' he added with all good temper and much good-will; then commencing to give evidence of his knowledge and past experieighteen carat gold, the purity of the 'first-water' ence 'in the trade,' by drawing attention to the stones, &c. Five pounds down! We were flush of coin, and inclined to be more than generous. My mate was ready at once to agree to the arrangement; but for myself I felt a sudden uneasiness, a faint sort of suspicion, and when called upon for my consent, expressed my disinclination. The boatswain grew somewhat warm; but I was determined and obdurate. I would not assent. Rather would I have nothing whatever to do with it, I said. Very well, then; he would. The bargain was struck. The money passed hands. The stranger smilingly bade us good-day, wishing us many pleasant voyages and many more such strokes of luck, and was gone; leaving my mate and self, the former minus five pounds of his hard earnings, but in possession of an old kid glove, a piece of Brummagem jewellery, worth-as he afterwards learnt to his sad experience-sixpence, and a mind full to distraction of 'valuable information!' A NEW TORPEDO-BOAT. at work twenty minutes, the crested waves, which were dashing with great fury against the piers, became greatly assuaged, and the entrance was rendered safe. The experiments were considered successful. NEW GUARD-RAIL FOR FISHING-BOATS AND OTHER VESSELS. There can be no doubt that the low gunwales of our fishing-boats, whilst affording the greatest facilities for working their nets, are at the same time a fruitful source of danger in stormy weather. It has lately been sought to remedy this defect by various devices, the great points to be aimed at being the construction of a movable guard-rail of sufficient height and strength to afford protection, and yet of such a character as to admit of being raised and lowered, in whole or in part, with ease and rapidity. A new guardrail, with this object, has been designed by Mr John Gunn, of Golspie. The rail is hinged and folding, and lies in a groove along the gunwale when not in actual use, and is then so entirely out of the way as not in the slightest degree to embarrass the working of the nets. The rail may be used in sections. It consists of a row of standards about two feet in height and about two feet apart, with a continuous top-rail. The cost of fitting a first-class boat-say of forty feet keel-with the safety-rail will, we understand, be from ten to twelve pounds. The latest engine of torpedo-warfare, and one that is not unlikely to entirely supersede our English torpedo-boats, is Nordenfeldt's new submarine boat, which was recently launched at Harlswick in Sweden. This terrible adjunct of our modern destructive warfare is fitted with engines indicating one hundred horse-power, and will, it is said, easily attain a speed of fifteen miles an hour above, and thirteen miles below, the surface of the water. The vessel is sunk to the required depth by the admission of water into tanks; but it is only intended to be submerged to the depth of a foot or so when about to attack an enemy's ship. When the work of destruction is complete, the boat re-emerges from the water by the operation of special automatic machinery. The hull itself, which is constructed of Swedish steel, of a minimum thickness of half an inch, is of the cigar pattern, and is only with difficulty visible even when floating on the surface. The length is sixty-four feet, and the diameter about eight, the engine-room being seven and a half feet in height; and the gross weight of the whole vessel when fully manned and equipped is sixty tons. A sort of glass bell-shaped helmet rises from the centre of the boat, and into this the captain puts his head when under water, thus commanding an all-round view and enabling him to direct the general movements of the craft. In case of accidents, the hull is divided into water-tight compartments; and extra pumpingmachinery is provided, to be used in the event of any portion of the automatic apparatus failing to raise the vessel to the surface. The crew consists of three men, and the armament of four torpedoes, two being of the 'fish' pattern, and two of the ordinary spar or pole species. Against such an insidious foe as this Nordenfeldt boat, it is obvious that the ordinary wire-netting for the defence of ironclads from the hitherto employed torpedo-boats, will be useless; and unless further means of defence are now provided, warfare with our present huge vessels promises In our next Part will be presented the opening more than ever to become a thing of the past. OIL ON THE WATER. On the 4th of December, Captain Brice, one of the inspectors of the Board of Trade, was in Aberdeen, watching experiments for the purpose of rendering the passage of vessels over the bar safe in stormy weather, by pumping oil upon the water. A heavy south-westerly gale was blowing. Just before the experiments commenced, the ship Canoid of Peterhead had a narrow escape, while making for the harbour entrance. Since experiments were first made, some alterations have been effected in the pipes, adding greatly to the efficiency of the system. Seal-oil was used. After the pumps had been Volume XIX. of the Fourth Series of CHAMBERS'S JOURNAL is now completed, price Nine Shillings. A Title-page and Index, price One Penny, have been prepared, and may be ordered through any bookseller. An elegant cloth case for binding the whole of the numbers for 1882 is also ready. Back numbers to complete sets may at all times be had. chapters of a Novel of powerful interest, entitled ONE FALSE, BOTH FAIR In the next Part of the Journal will also be given, amongst other offerings of varied interest, the first portion of a Story, entitled FOR HIMSELF ALONE. END OF NINETEENTH VOLUME. Printed and Published by W. and R. Chambers, All Rights Reserved. |