INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS. AT darkness, and absolute quietude, and even decay, when fixed in stonework, as was usually the case, On examining all the facts, and seeking some dura If this phenomenon of decay were more closely examined, the process would be found to resemble, in many respects, a slow combustion. The ultimate results of combustion and decay were strikingly similar; the union with oxygen was slowly effected, Cast iron when exposed to the action of sea and the residue was more or less diluted with water slowly decomposed, the iron being dissolved, foreign substances; but whether their bodies were leaving behind a graphite or plumbago. The burnt, or decayed, the remains in the ashes were action was, however, superficial, and very slow. substantially identical. Decay might thus, to a It could be preserved by painting, where accessible great extent, be looked upon as a decomposition, for that purpose, and by any protection which preresulting from the slow chemical combination of vented continual renewal of the surrounding oxygen with the matters decomposed. Now, if medium, as when enclosed by brickwork or masonry. slow combustion were the cause of decay, and that In fresh water it suffered no such deterioration, particular state called dampness were so important and under ordinary circumstances its an accessory, the inquiry naturally suggested itself, bility in a pure atmosphere appeared unlimited. what connection existed between those agencies, or In the case of zinc, although the bright metal in what way could damp promote the absorption of oxidized even more rapidly than iron, yet the oxygen? In the case of organic substances, the oxide adhered with such tenacity to the metal, presence of vegetation in the form of fungus, or that it afforded an efficient protection against the mould, was an invariable characteristic of decay, continuation of the process. To this property the and the decomposing effect of all vegetable growth metal owed its great durability, more especially as was beyond question. It might be said, that the its oxide was insoluble in water. In the presence vegetable growth alluded to was the effect rather of any solvent of the oxide, this metal was so than the cause of decay. Doubtless the spores of speedily destroyed as to be practically useless, microscopic fungi followed the law of all other unless protected by paint. The destruction of seeds in vegetating only under the peculiar condi- zinc in smoky districts was, however, principally tions of soil, light, and moisture, which were due to galvanic action. A similar action proadapted to their growth; dampness, and partial duced the rusting away at the base of iron railings, to the virtue of a coating of silicious sand, dredged RESEARCHES ON DI-METHYL.* BY WM. H. DARLING. HE synthesis of carbon compounds forms Tperups the most important and interesting branch of modern chemical enquiry. The most recent developments of these synthetical processes are the now well-ascertained facts of the dependence of the chemical properties of the molecule, upon the position of the individual atoms of which that molecule is built up. Any isomeric modifications of the saturated monovalent compounds containing one or two atoms of carbon can only be explained by the existence of a difference between the four combining powers of each carbon atom, whilst in the tri-carbon and higher series isomerism indicates the difference in the power of combination existing between the end and the middle carbon atoms of Communicated to the Literary and Philosophical the hydride of ethyl H obtained from ethyl compounds, the existence of a difference in the until it separated into two layers, the upper one di-methyl. Having commenced the examination THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION. REPARATIONS are being actively carried on four combining powers of a carbon atom was ren-cury, and the specific gravity at Odeg. C. as 0-8095; PRFor the approaching meeting of the British I The alcohol thus prepared had very little odour, No 1. 0-2834grm. of liquid gave 0.5357grm. of Association at Norwich next August. The drill hall, where the opening address and other lectures will be delivered, is well reported of as to acoustic properties, while the Old St. Andrew's Hall will, in itself, be an attraction for the soirées. The reception rooms offer the unusual conveniences of separate rooms for business correspondence and for ladies. To geologists the crags of Norfolk and Suffolk promise ample scope both for work in section room and for outdoor practice under good local guidance. Archæologists will find peculiar attractions in the fact of the International Prehistoric Society holding one of its meetings in this country at the same time and place. The Economic section is to be offered papers on the state o agriculture by Mr. C. S. Read, M.P., and on th condition of labourers by Mr. Corrance, M.P Canon Girdlestone, and others; while the drainag of the fens and Norfolk rivers is to be treated by Sir Willoughby Jones and Mr. Harding, of Lynn The fisheries of the coast, and pheasant breedin The numbers are not all that could be desired or over-feeding, will stir up questions of nationag when compared with the calculated; this is owing importance in other directions. The number oil to the difficulty in burning so volatile a liquid, and foreigners already promises to be unusually large to the small quantities taken. Dumas and Boullay-Padre Secchi from Rome, and Baron Maedler state that in order to obtain agreeing results from Dorpath will be greeted by the English upwards of a grm. of liquid was necessary: in one combustion 1.742grms. were used; with ether a still greater quantity was required. Calculated from the dered probable. The subsequent researches of calculating by means of his co-efficient of expansion C No. 1. No. 2. .51-65.. H 12.99. .13.02. .13.04 0 35.45.. The alcohol still remaining in the carbonate of potash and in the dilute solution was separated by distillation; this distillate was oxidized by a mixture of bichromate of potash and sulphuric acid, when the characteristic odour of aldehyde was recognized, the oxidation was continued until it had disappeared, on distilling to dryness an acid distillate was obtained, this was neutralizedwith pure carbonate of soda, and yielded on evaporation needle-shaped crystals of acetate of soda; the mother liquor was distilled to dryness with sulphuric acid, the distillate neutralized with pure carbonate of silver, filtered and boiled; on cooling, it yielded colourless transparent flat needles, which, after drying over sulphuric acid, gave on analysis the following numbers. No 1. 04142grm. of salt gave 0-2668grm. of No. 2. 0-5095grm. of salt gave 0-3274grm. of metallic silver. No. 3. 0.3650grm. of salt gave, after drying at 100deg. C. in a water bath for one hour, 0-2349grm. of metallic silver. Adams, Challis, Glaisher, and others. Physiologists will not be sorry to see their section animated by Dr. Broca, from Paris, perhaps, also, by Dr. Vogt, from Geneva; and geographers will find old friends in Valdemar Schmidt from Denmark, and Vambery from Pesth. Other Swiss, Dutch, French, and German names are being daily added to the claims on Norwich hospitality. We are glad to hear that, while the local committee are hoping to welcome the Association cordially and handsomely, they are endeavouring to show that other towns and cities besides the great centres of trade and wealth can entertain the Association without being burdened by the expensive splendour incurred at Birmingham, Nottingham, and Liverpool, while the hospitality put at the service of the committee by the Lord-Lieutenant and certain ladies and gentlemen in the county, and by the boroughs of Lynn and Yarmouth, offer, should the weather be at all propitious, very pleasurable trips at the close of the proceedings to Cromer, Holkham, Hunstanton, and Lynn, as well as Yarmouth and Thetford. Taking all these matters into account, we may hope for a highly successful meeting. CIVIL AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERS' No. 4. 0-2483grm. of salt gave, after drying at HE annual general meeting of this society. was held at the Whittington Club, on the 24th ult., when the council's report, statement of accounts and other matters, were presented and considered The election of the council and officers for the next This gas, treated with an equal volume of chlorine, was exposed to the diffused sun-light, after allowing time for the two gases to mix until nearly colour less, and completed by means of direct sun-light when quite colourless. The bottle was opened under warm water: the hydrochloric acid was absorbed equal to half the capacity of the bottle. The remainder of the gaseous contents not absorbed were displaced by warm water into a receiver, in which a few pieces of stick potash were placed, surrounded by a freezing mixture of salt and ice-a Calculated from the formula of acetate of silver session then took place. The following gentlemen colourless, volatile liquid was condensed.* 100 C2H2O grammes of chloride were prepared by the repe- Åg tition of this process. This first product was sepa- That portion of the mixed chlorides which disrated by distillation into two parts, one which distilled above 30deg. C. was fractionated, when twotilled below 30deg. C., and the other above 30deg. thirds of the total volume distilled over between C. On still further fractionating the first distil-57deg.-59deg. C. The specific gravity was found late, a portion was obtained boiling at 11-13deg. to be 1.198 at 6:5deg. C. Regnault found the sp. gr. C., whose sp. gr. was 0.9253 at Odeg. C. Pierre to be 1·174 at 17deg. C. and the boiling point to be found the specific gravity of ethyl chlorine to be 64deg. C.* Submitted to analysis the following 0-9241 at the same temperature. The chloride numbers were obtained. boiling below 30deg. C. gave, on heating in sealed tubes with acetate of potash and glacial acetic acid to a temperature of 130deg.-140deg. C. for three In order to prepare the alcohol, the acetate was of mono-chlorinated ethyl chloride is 71.73. Hence heated with crystals of baryta hydrate in sealed the mono-chlorinated ethyl chloride was formed tubes for one or two hours, to a temperature of in quantity by the action of excess of chlorine on 120deg. C.; after cooling it was distilled, and the distillate treated with dry carbonate of potash If the gas or the chlorine was not pure, being mixed with air, very little or no liquid was condensed, being carried off by the current. The same was observed by Mr. Schorlemmer. This will probably account for Frankland's observation that no liquid was condensed at 18dog, C. Beilstein has shown that mono-chlorinated ethyl chloride, and chloride of ethyleden, obtained by action on aldehyde with perchloride of phosphorus, are identical, the boiling point of the latter as observed by Wurtz is 5859, and the specific gravity as determined by Geuther is 1-189 at 4 3deg. C.; these numbers agree with those I found. Beilstein remarks that the higher boiling point as observed by Regnault would result from the presence of higher chlorinated products. were elected to serve:-Mr. Benjamin Haughton, THE SCIENTIFIC WONDER.-Have you seen it ? It magnifies 32,000 times. Price thirty-two stamps (post free), with book of full instructions. To be had only from A. McCulloch, Philosophical Instrument Maker, 18, Blucher-street, Birmingham. N.B. For further particulars, see Advertisement in this paper, page 1, column 2, headed "Scientific Wonder."[ADVT.] being the case, the question naturally arises | purpose. It is the invention of Mr. J. L. Norton whether means cannot be devised for preserving (the inventor of the tube well), but Messrs. them in such a condition as to be available for Milburn and Co., of Rushton-street, New Northfodder at any time. Our answer to the question is road, are the sole proprietors. We recently ina reference to the accompanying engraving, which spected the machine at Messrs. Milburn's works, illustrates a very useful apparatus for this very and are so satisfied with its results that we propose to place full particulars before our readers. We will first describe the apparatus, which has for its object the drying of brewers' grains, spent hops, IMPROVED FULLING MACHINE. In the third place, M. Gessner makes the trough (in which several beaters work side by side) of the same width as the cloth to be fulled, so that the latter may be fulled not only throughout its entire length, but also its entire width. The double advantage of this is that it entirely does away with the false longitudinal folds which are so very prejudicial to the stuff. This process also accelerates the operation of fulling. This invention further consists in using two beaters placed opposite one another attached together and united by a single eccentric and acting alternately and each in an opposite trough. This arrangement constitutes a double fulling action, which besides the advantages offered by the single fulling stock, offers several others that are peculiar to it. Lastly, the cover of the trough can be either opened or shut like a valve or trap. This cover when it is closed tends to keep the material warm and to effect amore complete and uniform fulling, but when it is open it admits of the cloth being introduced in and withdrawn from the trough easily and regularly. corn, seed, and other similar substances. Fig. 1ot T subject of the annexed illustration is the inven brewers. a With regard to the value of the products to feeders, we cannot do our agricultural friends a better service than by giving them the results of an analysis made by Mr. A. Sibson, F.C.S. We would premise that comparative analyses and actual experiments prove these desiccated grains to be equal in nutritive qualities, weight for weight, to good oats, and similar in their ultimate composition to linseed cake, while, in each case, the price is little more than one-half. Mr. Sibson's analysis shows the large proportion of flesh and fat-producing elements which they contain:- The trough has also the peculiarity of being furnished with an upper movable part or hinged cover P, which by its own weight presses on the cloth firmly and closes the trough during the fulling operation, and yields to the pressure of the beaters and of the cloth. This cover may be opened while the beaters are working to allow of the cloth being easily put into or taken out of the trough. The trough A is equal in width to the entire width of the cloth, and six beaters are employed, whereas the usual number is only two. In consequence of this arrangement the fulling operation is more regular, and is effected with greater equality. When there are more than two beaters the inequality of the motive power is better distributed and the machine works more smoothly than when the usual number only are employed. Two beaters arranged in front spring K. This spring K is composed of two parts, of one another are united by a peculiarly constructed each of which holds one of the beaters B that are placed face to face. A screw K' unites the two parts of the spring in such a way that an eccentric L fixed two beaters belonging to the two opposite troughs. It is by the help of this screw K that the spring and the beaters B which are attached to it can be adapted accurately to the eccentric L. The two beaters may also be coupled together by any other suitable means. On the driving shaft M is a flywheel N and the fast and loose pulleys O, which transmit motion to the apparatus, This novel fulling mill may be advantageously applied to the fulling of cloths of all kinds, of purely woollen fabrics, or mixed cotton, leather, or other fabrics. The machine can also be used as awashing machine for linen. on the movable shaft M works at the same time AMONG the Assyrian tablets at the British Museum have been discovered records of earthquakes. These are not supposed, says the "Athenæum," to have been recorded for any scientific purposes, but as annals of omen and augury, each earthquake recited being accompanied by an enumeration of the events supposed to have occurred in consequence. CORN HARVESTING IN WET WEATHER. HE present season is suggestive of anything but has been tried this w; but a cipell Park, her London, depends in no way upon a rainy sky on a given day for its importance. It is in the times of peace that war experiments are rife. It seems that Mr. G. Gibbs, who resides at Gilwell Park, has just succeeded, amongst twenty competitors, in winning the prize offered by the Society of Arts for the best practical essay on the question how to harvest corn in wet seasons; and on the occasion referred to, he invited a party, including Mr. Wren Hoskyns, Mr. Sewell Read, M.P., Mr. Caird, Mr. Arthur Helps, Mr. Hall Dare, Mr. Brandreth Gibbs, the Duke of Sutherland, the Hon. E. Coke, Sir C. Fowel Buxton, and several others, to witness the apparatus at work. The contrivance is said to be simply and economically adapted to the purpose intended. We are indebted to the "Gardeners Chronicle" for an outline of it. The hot breath of a steam engine diverted from its ordinary exit is driven, by means of a blower, into the cavity underneath an artificial floor of sheet iron, which floor is crocketed (as an architect would say) with hollow upright cones or funnels, open at the apex, and placed at such intervals as to allow the wet sheaves to be stooked upon them, as close as may be, to receive the drying blast up through their centres, from the funnels on which they stand. Of course the chamber is closed as soon as the sheaves are thus disposed within it; and the heat inside is soon considerable, absorbing every particle of moisture, and allowing the stooking process to be quickly repeated upon another waggon or cartload of sheaves-that is, wet-fresh from the field. For the treatment of damp or half-made hay a simpler plan is adopted, the hay being merely shaken before the drying blast from the engine, the effect of which in rapidly driving off every particle of moisture caused some surprise among those present. Our experienced contemporary speaks cautiously of the invention, but does not hesitate to say that this steam blast must lead to some surprising result. That a pressure of only 71b. or 81b., when employed for nothing else, could generate such a hurricane, was in itself like a new accomplishment of the steam engine, which for the time became, it says, a perfect Cave of Eolus. INUNDATION OF THE SOANE RIVER. AMONGST the important and interesting reports that have lately been published on the inundation of the Soane River, is that by Mr. M'Namara, the district engineer of the Shahabad Roads, and which has been abstracted into the "Calcutta Engineers' Journal." It farnishes complete and valuable information regarding the height of the and the amount of damage occasioned, and means to flood attained, the extent of the country inundated, be provided for their prevention. The results of Mr. M'Namara's investigations, as embodied in the report, not only extended to the inundation of last year, but to those which occurred in the years 1848 and 1864, when the amount of the destruction of property occasioned had been much greater. With respect to the height of the flood attained, we learn that careful levels had been taken at the spot, showing the flood rise of 1848, to the highest floods levels of 1864 and 1867. The flood of 1848 was 3-48 higher than the flood of 1864, which latter was 44in. higher than that of 1867. The flood of 1864 attained the height of 20ft. 7in. on the gauge at the Soane Bridge, and the overflow was the greatest on record. Its corresponding height last year was higher than that of 1864 by 5in. It extended over the pergunnahs Barrehgaon and Arrah, and covering in all an area of about 391 square miles. The sectional area of the valley, at the village of Beheyarrah, where the overflow had taken place, of houses damaged amounted to 534, and their amonated to 23,000 square feet. The total number value is estimated at 7,242 rupees. The damage done to the crops between Ruzar and Arrah roads, and the Ganges, is estimated at 1,11,090 rupees. It is to be regretted that there is not, in the report, a satisfactory classification of the statistical details of the loss occasioned by each year's inundation, but this, we believe, is due to the want of a trustworthy statistical agency, to the formation of which Mr. M'Namara urgently directs the consideration of Government. It is a matter of great satisfaction to learn that no loss of human life has been occasioned by these unexpected and dangerous floods. Having devoted a good deal of attention to hygienic laws, we are, therefore, led to anticipate that the frequent. occurrence of these inundations in the districts under review might give rise to the outbreak of epidemic diseases in those localities should no prompt and sufficient measures be devised to prevent their recurrence. In conclusion, Mr. M'Namara directs tho attention of the Public Works Department to questions affecting the sufficiency and insufficiency of the water-way along the railway line of embankment, the stability of existing bridges and viaducts, the construction of embankments, and the planting of spurs along the banks of the river, and such other matters as are deemed advisable. |