REPLIES TO QUERIES. societies. Doubtless there are many things to be said in their favour, but I would very seriously ask why it is that most of them are so very anxious to obtain borrowers rather than investors? My exIn their answers, Correspondents are re-perience is this-I wanted £100 to make up the purspectfully requested to mention, in each instance, chase of a house. I applied, and of course got the the title and number the of query asked. money, but the expenses connected with it ran it up to £114. This was to be repaid by monthly instalments of 19s. 4d., but when my first year's instalments charged for interest on the balance of the year, and were paid and the account sent me, I found £5 odd added to it, and, as far as I was able to judge, it was charged on interest as well as principal-compound interest. Now, on the first application I made I was distinctly told that the repayment covered principal, premium, and interest, and I find it also as distinctly stated in the tables of repayment. Is this fair-I was going to say honest-thus to lead the unwary astray? By this it will seen that, instead of paying off nearly £12 yearly, it was reduced to less than £7. Now, this would go on for a number of years, and the interest on the balance of each year would make the repayments much smaller than ever I thought they would be. I unfortunately got a little behind with these repayments, when lo and behold! one day a gentleman came, went to the tenants, served them with a notice not to pay the rents to me, but to the society, who had taken possession. Not one word of this was mentioned in the rules. I made some other payments, but could not pick up the lost ground, when, to my utter astonishment, Mr. Billsticker made his appearance, and plastered the walls with a notice that Mr. would sell them on a certain day. By a friend's help, however, this was stopped. Not one word of notice was sent to me before the bills were stuck up. I began to see the thing now in its true light, and was determined to take it out of their hands, which I did for £92. This was only £8 less than the original sum borrowed, but had I continued to pay the interest of the balance of each year it would have amounted to five times that sum, which appears to be ignored when the full amount happens to be paid off. Now for the best thing of all. When the amount was paid a charge was made by the lawyers employed by the society of no less a sum than £9 12s., which added to the first costs, £14, makes upwards of £23 for law costs alone, leaving out a picking they had out of me at the time the house was put up for sale. If my experience of building societies is that of others-and it appears to be the sooner a different state of things is brought about the better for all intending borrowers and for-A VICTIM. 33573.]-Gasholder.-I believe the best material to put between the laps of gasholders when riveting up is thin canvas, dipped in white lead and oil, of about the consistency of whitewash. Painting with hot tar when finished is usually sufficient.-J. T. M. [33594.]-Lathe Cranks. Will you be kind enough to insert my experience in answer to " A., Liverpool," who differs with me and my answer to "Saladin ?" Having at one time some lignum vitæ balls, 8in. and 16in. diam., to turn for the proprietor of an American Bowling Saloon, I tried to do them in what I considered my strongest and easiestrunning lathe-No. 1. It was a failure. After fagging away for some hours I was used up. I got belp-to no purpose. This was single crank, 2in. throw. I would not give in. I made a start with one I have-a double throw No. 2, which is in. less in throw-and I did the 2 dozen balls with the greatest ease single-handed. Query: Power-where lost, and where gained ?-JACK OF ALL TRADES. [33607.]-Pedigree (U.Q.).—Mr. J. M. Bacon states that he has a "mass of information from Herald's College and many office records," &c., and yet he asks," What possible fields can be searched ?" Has he thoroughly exhausted the material he has in hand? He says he wishes to "unite broken links of a long pedigree." I presume, therefore, that he has several partial pedigrees-i.e., ones of, say, three or four generations each, the connection between them being missing. I have had some little experience in matters of this kind, and was brought up amongst people thoroughly versed in them, and I can only compare a problem of this sort to certain mathematical problems-for no rule can be given for its solation, but it needs a peculiar knack or instinct to guide the investigator to the sources likely to afford the desired information. Without knowing the particulars of the case, such as the social position of the family, the locality of its estates (if any), the dates of the events about which information is wanted, the families of known connection with it, and the families traditionally believed to be connected with it-without this and similar information it would be simply impossible to give Mr. Bacon Any suggestions as to his investigations, except those of a very general kind. Thus he might take the last-named personage in any of his partial pedigrees, and search for his will; in this he may find mention of his descendants or connections, and probably of their exact relation to him. Again, be could search the baptismal registers of the parish in which such a person lived, with a view to discover the names of his wife and children. Sponsors are often relations of the child, and their names may afford a clue to other fields for search. Tombstones, title-deeds, heralds' visitations, county histories, and State papers, may be added to the list of sources of information given in his query. The special [33925.-Building Societies.-Much misappreinstinct, however, which I have mentioned above is hension exists in the public mind as to the price of a house purchased through the medium of a building almost a condition sine quâ non of success in such society, if we should not say that much deception is practised by the managers of such societies upon the [33646.]-Cutaneous Eruptions.-The follow-public. First, building societies, like loan societies, ing mixture is very useful in all cutaneons erup- make it a practice to state the whole of the money tions:-Ipecacuanha wine, 4drs. : flowers of sulphur, advanced, as existing during the full period of the 2drs.; tincture of cardamum, loz.; mix. One tea- repayments, whereas the real endurance of the whole spoonful to be taken three times a day in a loan is very little over one-half of the period, and wineglassful of water.-C. C. HAWKS. consequently the rate of interest paid by the bor rower is nearly double the rate stated to be charged. Secondly, borrowers are led to believe that they will get back some 5 or 6 per cent. of the interest they pay upon virtue of their shares. Note how definitely this mis-statement is put forth by Geo. Wright in reply 33925, page 126, whereas the borrower gets a return not upon the amount he borrows but upon his shares, a very different thing. And, thirdly, the borrower is usually fogged between the actual money he pays for the house and what part he is to consider as rent for the 14 years. Notice how this confusion is made to exist between the £700 of "Fiddler," and the £372 of "Justitia" (33925). At the same time Geo. Wright represents a man who buys a house through a building society as being his own landlord the whole of the 14 years-that is to say, that the house is the " man's "at the commencement of the transaction; consequently the whole of the amount he pays during the 14 years is the price of house, and no part rent. In point of fact the fogging about this last part is the principal misrepresentation upon which societies work. They advertise "How to Purchase a House Rent Free,' to Become One's Own Landlord," &c., and yet imme""How diately upon application they deal with the borrower, in the advice they give him, as a rentpayer the whole of the 14 years. Fiddler," on the other hand, treats building societies to a little of their own "stingo," and represents the man as no rent payer, and yet counts up the ground rent, repairs, &c, as part of the price of the house, whereas, if the house be the man's at the commencement, these items form no part of its price. The actual facts of the case, only supposed, by "Fiddler," are these:-A man buys a house valued at £450, for which he pays £90 + £360 + £151 128. = £701 12s., the £151 12s. being interest upon £360 lent him by the building society. I must confess that I have never seen so [33925.]-Building Societies.-This is the last I intend saying about the subject. "Justitia" takes my figures on page 152, and shows how the house costs only £372. But if the society lends me £350 then it only costs me £25. The talk about the rent is an illusion. Am I to pay rent and the cost of the house besides? Because, if so, I object to do so. I think that building societies would be of great use if they could enable a man to purchase a house without paying more than the rent. No doubt this was the original idea, but the individual must do it him. self, or otherwise it don't pay.-FIDDLER. s work.-W. J. B. R. 33651.J-Yeomanry Cavalry (UQ).-All that "Young Sab" need provide to enter the yeomanry as a private is a horse above fifteen hands, not necessarily his own, and the only qualification required that he should be a pretty good rider. It is capital training for a young horse.-TROOPER. [33800.]-Pure White Flexible Enamel. There are many things called enamel now, but enamel proper is a petrified silicate. Perhaps "Dandie Dinmont" will state what he wants it for. I supposed that he wanted it for the painting of zinc, tin, or iron baths. I gave him my experience as the best to stand. There are many things used called enamel which I should call japan.-JACK OF ALL TRADES. [83802.]-Watchmakers' Societies.-Some time ago I replied to "Watchmaker" in connection with "Schools of Horology," and I cannot say how one part of his query escaped my notice-namely, Where would be best to apply for men who are really competent, and what certificates should they have guaranteeing them proficient ?" The term competent connected with watch repairing embraces capabilities of no ordinary kind; such persons are difficult to find. However, my course to obtain a competent assistant would be, in the first instance, to write to the Secretary of the British Horological Institute, Northampton-square, Clerkenwell, London, detailing the services I required, and describing the kind of work upon which such assistant would be employed. And as the council of that institute are composed of practical horologists success might attend the application. I cannot sug; gest any other course to "Watchmaker."-SECONDS' PRACTICAL WATCHMAKER. [33925.-Building Societies.-I am glad that Some one has taken up the matter of building humble an interest as this in any document of an actual transaction, those I have seen having an interest of 9 or 10 per cent., called by the borrowers 4 or 5 per cent. The real conditions of building societies are these: Fourteen years is a long period to borrow money for. Compound interest at 5 per cent. doubles itself in that time, and this may be consi dered as little over what building societies have to charge. Consequently a £200 house purchased Now, if an intending purchaser can pick up entirely through a society would cost £400, or nearly. house advantageously at a public sale for £200, it may be worth his while to pay the £400. or nearly. But if, on the other hand, he has to instigate purchase from a passive possessor, he may find that the house he gets for £400, or nearly, would not, at the expiration of 14 years, realise more than £120, were he compelled to realise upon it. In short building societies are good servants, but bad masters.-R. B. CAVE. .. a [33988 1-8peed of Trains.-Your correspondent, Kernel," is quite correct in his view of the case. The speed being as 3 to 5, the express must while the goods runs twice the length of the train run 3 times the length of the train or 264 yards, or 176 yards, in order to pass each other. .Speed of express 264: 18 :: 880: 60 or 3 m. p. min. goods 176 18: 5863: 60 or The goods starts 30 minutes before the express, therefore her distance ahead when express starts = 30 minutes x mile = 10 miles. Since the express gains 1 on every 2 run by goods we require to find how far the goods must run for the express to gain 10 miles: .. As 1: 10 miles :: 2 : 20 miles, goods runs after express starts; add 10 miles goods runs before express started = 30 miles from York at time the express overtakes the goods. Proof: Express, 30 miles + mile per minute = 60 minutes express takes to overtake the goods + 8h. 30m. = 9h. 30m. time of day of overtaking; goods, 30 miles mile per minute = 90 minutes 1h. 30m. + 8h. = 9h. 30m. time of day of being overtaken. The time at which they actually pass or get clear of each other is 18 seconds later, or 9h. 30m. 18s., and they first get opposite each other-that is, the front end of express opposite the tail end of gools-18 seconds earlier, or 9h. 29m. 428. Total time during which any part of one train is opposite any part of the other train = 18 x 2 = 36 seconds. Total distance being 80 miles, the express at mile per minute takes 160 minutes = 2h. 40m. for the run, or 11h. 10m. due at Newcastle, and the goods at mile per minute = 240 minutes 4h. for the run, or 12h. noon due at the same place.-KILGETTY. following from "Bradshaw," for October, 1848:[34043.]-G. W. Express in 1848.-I give the Miles. Paddington dep. = = 53 Didcot arr. and dep. 9.50 a.m. 10.47 11.5 branch] Bridgewater arr. & dep. 1.10 Taunton arr, and dep... 1.35 193 Exeter arr. 2.15 The up train left Exeter at 6.30 a.m. and reached Paddington at 11, stopping at the same places and at Reading. I shall be glad to give any further information which I can to "N. Z." The next "Bradshaw" which I possess is for March, 1854, when the G. W. time was considerably slower. The line was not open to Birmingham in 1848.-G. large enough and strong enough, provided it is well [34063.]-Model Portable Engine.-Boiler is made, for a cylinder lin. by lin. Of course a larger cylinder might easily be worked; but it would look out of proportion on a model portable. EGREE. [34067.1-Injection.-See the lectures of Dr. Richardson, now being published.-THEO. [34078.1-Coke for Chilling.-I don't think "Staem will get any better coke than that made in Wales. The less sulphur and silicon the better.— PEDRO. Pressure of business has prevented my reply earlier. [34141.]-Clock.-To "TELESCOPE TELE."When the clock has been wound fully up the coils become close together, and in consequence of the tral with respect to such hook, the closely coiled eye upon the barrel-arbour hook not being centurns of the spring are forced against the barrelcover, or the bottom, and the remaining small portion of free-acting spring is insufficient to overcome the friction. Thus the spring binds either upon the bottom or the cover of the barrel.-SECONDS' PRAC TICAL WATCHMAKER. [34148.]-Photographic Platinum Prints.-If your correspondent had taken the trouble to carefully read the two reports on the platinotype process he could scarcely fail to see why Mr. Willis's description "differs slightly" from that of Captain Abney's. He would see that, as the result of "recent experiments," the process has been vastly improved. These improvements (patented) were fully described in the British Journal of Photography, Vol. XXV., No. 690.-W. MANSFIELD. 66 been "Havoc." You say there is not one named the "Hacock," but is there one named the "Havoc P" If so, what class and number ?-TAMERLANE. [34208.]-Dynamo-Electric Machine.-To MR. LANCASTER-If you remember, it was only a model which I wished to make-say, one which would electro-plate, or give an electric arc equal to 12 medium bichromate cells, and which might be wrought by a small engine of about a boy's strength. -TYRO. [34212.]-Pumping Water.-To balance sets, 467 fathoms and 333 would be in equilibrium, but if we take of the weight of water for friction the answer would be as follows: -A. L. K. High set 45.71 fathoms = 45 71 Fs. rods 10,686 141b. 80 Total 38,770 361b. Total 38767 78 [34221.]-Hay Fever.-I thank "F. W. H." for his offer of information concerning the hay fever, but I do not feel justified in troubling him, for, living in the heart of the metropolis, I am hardly likely ever to encounter a phase of disease said to have its origin from the odour of newly-mown hay. I have thus never met with it in a 30 years' expe rience of most of the disorders to which the human frame is subject, and only knew of it from the different notices in the press. From the original statement of Professor Helmholtz, with the addition of that by C. F. Tootal in "ours," I should certainly look upon it as a species first of spasmodic asthma, merging into and ending in inflammatory catarrh or bronchitis, as shown by the remarkable exudations in the mucous membranes of the throat and nostrils. This I am justified in by "F. W. H.'s" experience. From the giddiness complained of now, I think the membranes of the brain are-as they necessarily must be-equally affected. If not, then his unpleasant feelings arise from the lack of thermal energy, the existence and action of which counteract the effect of any sudden changes of temperature and purity of the atmosphere upon the solids and fluids of the frame, and more particularly of the cerebral organs, where there is any previous "lesion or exudation. But which of these two causes it may be I could only judge by personal intercourse. The simple lack of "energy," however, is alone the cause of a number of complicated symptoms, which nearly altogether disappear with the restoration of that primary principle of cure. For this reason I always like to restore this energy first, and then see what is functionally wrong. It often leaves nothing further to be done, besides obviating a deal of consequentially injurious treatment.-INCOG. of the two small magnets should have its north pole, [34263.]-Folding Screen. - Height, 5ft. 6in.; [34271.]-Du Bois Reymond Coil.-I am happy to be able to assist "Pi Squared" by practical experience, as I have made one of this form of apparatus; and an awful bother it was. I will give directions as far as I can:-Firstly, then, the coil 2. FIG. I 5 the end, opposite to that with the hinge for the lower leaf of the slide, is an upright 3in. high, and rounded at the top, the radius of the arch being 1in., the guides for the traveller being cut off in from the end, and this upright fixed firmly by screws, glue, &c. At thin end it is in, thick, and thus leaves a clear inch of the end of the base-board. Now for the coils. To begin with the secondary, the ends are rings of 1in. mahogany, 3in. in diameter, the centre hole being in. in diameter. They are fixed 24in. apart on a cardboard tube, and wound with copper wire, silk-covered, and insulated by paraffin and tissue-paper, as all other coils are. No. 28 wire I used. The two ends are brought out to two screws on the traveller, a space in. long being left on its front for the purpose. The ceil is fixed by two screws, through from below, up into the ends, so that it is flush at the back, and close up to the vertical end piece, and fin. from the fore end of traveller. The primary has two ends of its own about 1in. in diameter, so as to slip easily in and out of the tube of the secondary. The ends are in. thick, the hole for the iron core being also of the same size-in. The tube for this, to contain the core, is of paper, well paraffined, and the wire is No. 18, I think. This coil is fixed by screws and glue to the centre of the upright, so that when the secondary is pushed up it does not catch it at any part, but slides as easily as when it is not there. The two ends of the wire go through the board to the contact-breaker, and are left a good length. I think this is clear, as there is really no difference from any other shocking apparatus except the provision for the movement of the coils. The contact-breaker is seen in Fig. 2. 1 is a piece of brass lin. long, at least in. thick, with at one end a hole bored and tapped for a fin. screw, in which works a thumbscrew, about lin. long, and platinum-pointed. The other end of 1 is also tapped, and fixed to the top of the support by means of a small binding screw being screwed into the wood. Through this hole a piece of wood is cut out, so as to allow the piece of brass to be flush with the top. B is the column for supporting the hammer, C; it is of brass, and has two holes bored near the base, and fitted with thumb-screws, so as to form binding screws, one above the other. The end of the hammer spring is fixed by another thumb-screw, working into a hole bored vertically down from the head, and clamping the spring tight (Fig. 3). It is of in. brass, and 34in. long. The lower end has a nut working on it to fix it into the stand (base-board), which must be securely done. The magnet is either single or double. Mine is of in., turned smooth, and also screwed and nutted at one end. It is covered with No. 10 wire in the usual way-two layers or so will do; the ends come out below the board, and must be as far apart as possible. The spring and hammer are of the usual kind. The wire for the iron bundle is also, as usual, about 20 gauge, well softened. The central pillar is Helmholtz's modifica tion, and is simply a pillar about 24in. high, screwed and nutted into the board, and with a screw fitted as in the other pillar, for battery wires. The top is also drilled and tapped for in. at least down, and slit with a saw. Into this a screw works (Fig. 4), similar to the one in the other pillar, but with the addition upon its upper surface of a little knob about in, high, which is drilled for a piece of platinum wire. This screw must have a range of movement of nearly in. up, and fit tightly in the head of the pillar, as this is the object of the slit in the head. By this means, when all is right, the points of the two screws, D and E, can be made to approach each other independently. Both sides of the hammer spring are platinised. The ends of the primary are attached, the one to D, the other to the one end of the electro-magnet; the other end of the electromagnet is attached to E. For its action see Fig. 5. There the battery wires, X and Z, go, one to the screw in B, the other in E. The platinum screw of E being screwed down as low as possible, the cur rent goes to the spring, C, up the screw, and fixes D to the primary coil, F; from this to the magnet, pulls down the hammer, and breaks circuit between C and D. But it has been found in practice that this arrangement gives a great number of shocks, of which those caused by the opening of the current are much more powerful than the closing one; and it is to remove this that Helmholtz introduced his modification. This is also shown in (5) by means of [34245.]-Dance Music.-Several contributors the dotted line. have kindly been at the trouble of replying to my A wire goes from the pillar, B, query, and I beg to tender them my thanks for so using the upper binding screw, to the binding screw doing; but as their replies do not quite agree I am by which D is fixed to the upright, and the platinum point of E is screwed up so as just to touch the still involved in difficulty. Am I right in supposing lower surface of C, when it rests upon the magnet. All that 8 bars more or less are of little consequence, the rest is the same as before-no other connections provided that each figure consists of a number of are required. The current passes in by X to strains" of 8 bars each, and each "strain" complete pillar, B, and divides, part going by the spring. C in itself? I have frequently endeavoured to count the bars of published sets, but, what with repetition to the point of D, the other by the wire K to marks and da capo's, I never succeeded in making in its action does not differ from other medical coils screw L, and so by wire M to the primary, F, and, different sets agree. If not trespassing too much on (that is, as Reymond left it), except that the running to magnet, pulls it down, as seen by the primary' is quite distinct from the secondary, and is dotted line. By this means the current runs from X your space, might I ask for a little further enlighten-stationary, whilst the secondary is movable. To. by B, C, and E to Z, which so weakens the current [34248.]-Flutes in D.-If a flute were made in marine proceed as follows is double, the theory, as it is in class-books-I think it be make (the dimensions are from the primary to A that the spring flies ap. This is the key of C on the same principle as the D concert according to my own). The base-board expanded dark in some things. A full description will the flute, the holes would be too far apart-especially the 18in. 2ong, and folds under, no tin, thick, ex anhed found in a book once much quoted and abused by lower ones-to be conveniently stopped by the fingers. gany. On the top of this are two guide-bars. The "Handbook to the Physiological Laboratory," To a beginner on the flute who has previously played faner sides of these are bevelled; size, liu, at top. Prof. Sanderson. To insure success, every leaks of the piano the keys are puzzling; but this soon wears of these are size attention must be taken to prevent breaks and leak are the for the secondary, 4in. long, one kind or another. When made for sale they are [34260.-Reflecting Galvanometer. - Kindly these tisk, travelere fled to its onderbreadth at very expensive as much as £5 5s. being asked all allow me to correct an error in the engraving. One base, zin,; at top, 1lin. At a distance of ljin, from a London house, while 10s. to 15s. ought to cover all. [34222.] Blast Furnace Slags. — I believe "Percy" gives the following as an analysis of Northamptonshire ore slag Silica Alumina I cannot give the analysis of the Lincolnshire ore slag, but shall be glad if "F. W. S.," or some other reader or correspondent of the ENGLISH MECHANIC, will kindly furnish me with a specimen.-HUGH CLEMENTS. [34232.]-Husband's Liabilities.-To "SPERANS." It is four years and a few months since B married C.-TIM BOBBIN. [34243.]-Blackening of Tools.-There are only three ways I know of that will last any time:-1st, treat them the same as gun-barrels; 2nd, subject them to superheated steam when red hot; 3rd, subject them to a dull red heat in charcoal dust or oak sawdust. A forge is not necessary; you can smoke them without a forge.-JACK OF ALL TRADES. ment P-C. A. E. off with practice.-Y. L. KI In fact, it is far better, if possible, to make your en apparatas of this kind, as they certainly pile on the agony, even to the very batteries and binding screws, if they think you are a medical man. Fig. 1 In Fig. 2, A is the lows side view complete. magnet; B, spring pillar; 2, clamp nut for spring; 3. screw for battery wire; 4, ditto for auxiliary wire to 5; D, screw of contact-breaker-end of primary goes to it; E, auxiliary pillar and screw; 6, battery Screw. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of pillar B and screw 2; Fig. 4, ditto of pillar E and screw. The other figures are described above.-MEDICAL BOVER. 34976.-8toring Casks.—If “Puzzled" will get some fresh-burnt lime and make a wash of it, hot and fresh, about the consistence of milk, and oroughly rinse his casks, turning them up upon a mack to drain and dry before storing, he will be all right. I have heard it said that a portion of salt (about a handful to a gallon) is an improvement, the casks always remaining damp, but not mildewing or musting.-JACK OF ALL TRADES. 84279]-Planetary Distances.-To "F.R.A.S." -I have a slight misgiving about the correctness of your reply (page 119) to this query. Would you kindly glance at the subject again, and confirm it with an example from Neptune's logs? I have the idea that it is the mean distance of the earth from Fun, and not the mean distance of earth from planet that has to be taken into account in conjunction with the logs given. There should be a word of explanation of the column of the logs referred to, also of the logs of the planet's radius vector on the same pages of the N. A. I am away from home while writing, and have not the N. Almanack within reach, but I am almost certain there is not a word Agid about either among the explanations at end of volume.-KYEPISH. to prevent the foot slipping. A piece of this glass [34321.]-Gold Solution. - To Os.-I have 34296]-Magnetism.-Mr. Crowther's difficulty nsists in his not realising the fact that the innence exerted by a current upon the iron core is Bet direct but inductive, and there is no more loss of power in the current consequent upon its having inweed magnetism in the core than there is in a perDanent magnet while it is exerting its power on [34326.]-Snails. - Sprinkle near their haunts res of iron in its neighbourhood. Let the current bran about in. thick, and about the size of a cheese3 through, say, 100 yards of wire in a straight plate. At night all the slugs and snails near will Lee, and note its strength by a galvanometer. Now meet around it to feast. This is a positive fact, as the same wire be wound round an iron core to I have eradicated them in my conservatory, greenorm an electro-magnet; the galvanometer will in-houses, gardens, &c., by this means, catching enorrate no decrease of power in the current. Still, mous numbers at night. After the pests are caught, his is no argument for perpetual motion, as Mr. send a stream of carbolic and water into every ather imagines, for it is very evident that a crevice near.-M. R. C. S. reto-electric machine could not produce suffi[34327.)-Renewing Tarpaulins.-See reply Mix with lamp or ent force to drive itself, however the wires were anged. The resistance of the wire and other leak- 34308-"Painting Oilcloth." ges would effectually prevent this, and of course, vegetable black.-JACK OF ALL TRADES. [34331.]-Screen.-Use two or three coats of multiplying the length of wire you multiply the stance, and therefore the loss of power.-WM. Young's crystal size and white hard varnish. If you are ever so careful they will be a slight cream [34293.]-Metal Gauge.-Some years ago I saw colour.-JACK OF ALL TRADES. a shop two steel blades, riveted together at one d. so that the two edges met, and the other ends weted with a distance piece about in. apart, and wticed that when size of wire was wanted this was LD. erred to. It was about 22in. long as near as I old guess.-JACK OF ALL TRADES. (34302.)-Magnetised Watch.-" North British casnic " I hope will pardon my apparent neglect. sve read of acts of demagnetising such, but never Lad a case which had been effected. I have tried be remedies set forth-namely, by means of another agnet, but always failed, after wasting a deal of time. world state, if the balance, pendulum-spring, roller, dance-staff, lever-fork mainspring, and chain are netised, replace them by others. But seldom happens that all I have enumerated are affected. ould the roller and lever-fork be merely slightly aguetised they may be demagnetised by making n red-hot, after which the usual process of dening, tempering, and polishing; but the ance, balance-staff, mainspring, chain, and penlam-spring must be replaced by others.-SECONDS' PRACTICAL WATCHMAKER. [3305.]-Flexible Composition.-To 3lb. of glue put llb. of treacle.-JACK OF ALL TRADES, Silvering Glass (34307.] Grinding and Epecula-Fras. W. B.'s" query on page 106 seems exhibit surprise (why so?) that the "Hints," rablished by several of our leading optieians, should be (only) on the use and adjustment" of their retors, while he seeks practical "constructive details." I cannot say what particular glass Prof. Thompson means. But a very hard and dark crown Vies can be obtained at any of the large glass warehouses, with diagonal gutters pressed and moulded into its surface, intended, I believe, for skylights for foot traffic over, the gutters being intended "there" [34349.]-Casting Cast Malleable Iron.-This is a mixture of the best brands with hematite in various proportions. I am not aware that it requires more heat than ordinary cast (from my experience less). It is rendered malleable by a long process of annealing.-JACK OF ALL TRADES. [34350.]-Boring out Cylinder of Portable Engine.-For the boring out cylinder in its place, in absence of a proper boring bar or machine, the following sketch will assist you, and make a good job of it:-A is a boring head, tin. less than cylinder bore; B, a piece of 3in. shafting, with a feather way ent along the whole length; C C, two cast brackets, keyed on to carry screw; D, two cog-wheels, about 14 pitch, one 15 teeth fast upon centre, and about 25 and keyed in with a key of parallel hoop iron or [34353.]-Table of Segments.-The only rule AEBA and acba be two similar segments, cut from = versed sine of a similar segment in the table, whose [34354.]-Organ Bellows and Pipes.-Make glued up under pressure; wind will blow through the valves of two thicknesses of white unstrained sheep brown sheep-skins; make a rectangular shaped pallet, 8in. long by 3in. wide; bore three holes under, each 13, leaving in. between each; do not fasten the pallets at any point, or they will be liable to carl in hot weather; punch a hole near each end, through which insert screws into middle board; the screw should have a leather washer, to prevent the pallets being blown off the screw beads; let the washer, so that the pallet will be quite loose; 15 in pallets have a quarter of an inch liberty between number will do. Height of C C stop diapason mouth not more than one-fourth; keep cap about 1-16th below top of block; do not nick much, rather cut off wind at the first.-TAYLOR. The Adalbert [34356.]- Mining Question. shaft, in Bohemia, is the deepest shaft in the world, being 1,093 yards in depth. The Maria shaft, also in Bohemia, 984 yards in depth. Next comes the Gilly shaft, in Belgium, with the depth of 933 yards; but the total depth reached at this colliery by boring and sinking combined is 1,181 yards. I am sorry that I cannot give full particulars of the underground temperature at all the above shafts: but at the Gilly mine, at a depth of 1,163 yards, the The usual increase of temperature was 78° F. temperature is 1° F. in every 60 or 70 feet.-Row. LAND GASCOYNE, [34360.]-Watch Jobbing.-A translation of C. is now Saunier's "Treatise on Modern Horology being published in monthly parts, price 18. 6d., by Mr. Tripplin. It is a splendid work, and should bo read by every watchmaker. I expect you have got do with it is to send it to a trade jobber for new your verge out of upright. The best thing you can jewel hole, the cost of which will not be very great.W. G. H. A. "ASHER."[34360.]-Watch Jobbing.-To "Claudius Saunier's" translation has been issued some time. The first number appeared February, 1878, and can be obtained from J. Tripplin, 5, Bartlett's buildings, Holborn-circus, Loudon, E.C., price botch" the cock would occupy some space scarcely 1s. 6d., carriage 3d. extra. To instruct you how to to be spared. Why not have sent the cock to some trade repairer, or to a watch jeweller? Don't repeat the inadvertence. You shall be informed in a few annexed rough sketch shows the leading end of one of these engines, with framing outside the bogie. This, I think, is their only outward peculiarity. These engines are now running the G. N. through trains between Retford and Manchester, in first rate style.-WILLESDEN. [34365.]-Fly Book.-I find nothing so good as having plenty of ordinary small envelopes, keeping a few flies of one sort in each, twisted up in the ordinary manner, and having their names written on the outside. Before adopting this plan I was much troubled in the way you mention. - DANDIE DINMOND. [34368.]-Cobaltic Protoxide. - Dissolve the CoO3 in boiling sulphuric acid, and add KHo in excess, whereupon a precipitate of cobaltous hydrate comes down, and may be washed and dried. Air should be excluded as much as possible.-WM. JOHN GREY. from a tumefactive deposit in the abdomen of some [34376.]-Blowpipe.-I see several replies to this [34377.]-Night-Light.-The following paragraph, relating to illuminated timepieces, is copied from the Horological Journal for October, 1878, and may be of service to "Lux "-"The dial is impregnated with chloride of barium, which has the property of absorbing light, and is luminous in the dark. A necessary condition is that the timepiece should be freely exposed to the action of light, having taken in a good stock of which during the day, it is sufficiently luminous at night to enable one to read the time.-BETELGEUX. [34386.]-Steam Saws for Cutting TreesSend to Messrs. Allen Ransome, Chelsea, for full particulars. Don't blow them to pieces.-E. R. DALE, [31387.]-Organ Specification.-The great organ should have a 12th between the principal and 15th to bind the tone together, or the 15th will predominate. The first octave from the deepest founda octave must be broken by a fifth sounding stop; tion stop should not be broken, but the second then the 15th and mixtures may be introduced, and may then be voiced bright and telling without standforming a bright open diapason, which, when coming out from the diapason work. The gamba should run throughout CC to G, and be of good scale, bined with the mellow open, gives a rich, grand tone, and free from sympathy. I would suggest which is a much more convenient plan than having that the dulciana be grooved to stopt diapason bass, a stopt diapason knob to govern. This stop- better have a good mixture; and where there is only one reed I would say have a horn; it is quite as nice as a solo stop, adds greatly to the breadth and splendour in the full organ, and stands in tune. See following specification; leave out flute in swell, and substitute a good mixture: it will brighten up the swell; the flute in a swell is not of much use in a church or chapel organ, as it does not add to the general effect: GREAT ORGAN CC TO G. 1. Open diapason (metal, not zinc) 8 feet CC to G 7. Twelfth and fifteenth (metal) 3 ... ... CC to G 8ft. ten.CC to G 4 feet 4 23 CC to G 2 CC to G SWELL ORGAN CC TO G. 1. Double diapason (wood & metal) 16 feet CC to G 4. Viol di amore (or vox angelica)* 8 S. TAYLOR. 8 CC to G 99 C to G CC to G CC to G CC to G 16 feet CCC to F 16ft, tone CCC to F COUPLERS. * Grooved to No. 3. [34379.]-Photographic.-I shall have pleasure [34369.]-Splitting of Engravings.-I have split the thinnest paper by the following process:Get some highly-calendered linen (Irish we used to call it; some call it union), and with some moderate stiff gum water, into which a little sugar or sugar candy has been put, go over your linen so as not to disturb the glaze, but very evenly, and let dry in a cool place; take your print and soak well in warm water until the paper is quite soft, or the water has entered the body of the paper, which you may soon [34384.]-Blowing up Trees.-If "One in a judge by holding it up to the light; take out and Fix" will bore a hole 14in. in diameter about 2ft. press between a fold of blotting paper, to remove sur into the bottom of the tree, insert half a pound of plus moisture, that the gum may not enter the body dynamite, or even less with detonator, and about of paper, then transfer to and between the gummed 3ft. of time-fase attached, fill the hole with loose faces of your linen, and either place in a heavy book sand, without any ramming, you will effectually or under a press or both. When dry you will, by shatter a tree 4ft. in diameter. The cost will be tearing apart, find what you desire. You will not about 28. You must, however, exercise the very want telling how to remove them.-JACK OF ALL greatest caution, and on no account attempt to use nitro-glycerine, as with it you would certainly have an explosion, but with some little uncertainty as to time and place. Dynamite is dangerous, and unless you have had some previous experience in its use I would strongly advise you to have nothing to do with it.-T. B. [34375.]—Emphysema of the Lungs.-The very general disorder of excretory functions to which this term is more frequently applied is one [34385.]-Steam Launch-If you wish to disnot so much amenable to preventive measures as to pense with exhaust-up funnel I shall be glad to desound and judicious treatment to relieve the lungs scribe the method by which a friend cured this of the load of mucus or phlegm" which is apt to nuisance, and was compensated for loss of blast by accumulate in those organs while passing upwards a small vacuum. If you prefer to retain exhaust-up from the true seat of the affection to the throat for chimneys try some of the noise quieting" exhaust elimination. I have met with it in a great many nozzles advertised in some of the engineering instances, and I am myself indebted to it for relief journals.-CUIDADOSO. CG" in the great organ list means the fourth [84387.J Organ Specification. If Tenor space in the bass you should have your stops much further down, or the bass will scarcely be audible. Short stops are very undesirable. An extra reed would improve the swell considerably. The pedal organ is much too small, and should, at any rate, have a principal.-WM. JOHN GREY. [34388.]-Oysters.-Mr. C. Harding need have no trouble about keeping his oysters alive. Let him pack them in a bowl or tub, sprinkling a little ooarse all in get a large piece of coarse old woollen or other oatmeal among them as he packs. When they are cloth, and fold several times, keeping it of such size that it will cover the top of the tub completely-the more folds the better; then saturate it with water, spread it over the top of the tub, and throw a handful of table salt over it; keep this cloth continually wet, but do not allow water to stand among the oysters; throw in a handful of fresh oatmeal occasionally, and Mr. Harding will not only keep his oysters fresh, but they will actually fatten. I have kept them this way for months, whilst cruising in the tropical Pacific.-CUIDADOSO. myself, and merely copy the following process from [34390.]-Schlipp's Salt--I never made this salt Miller:"The easiest plan consists in thoroughly mixing 18 parts of finely-powdered antimonions sulphide, 12 of dried sodic carbonate, 13 of quick. lime, and 3 of sulphur. The mixture is ground ap with water and placed in a well-closed bottle, which is completely filled with water. It is allowed to digest, with frequent agitation, for 24 hours, the clear liquid is filtered off, and allowed to evaporate spontaneously in a closed vessel over sulphuric acid." Will Mr. Newton kindly say how he finds this method answer and oblige ?-WM. JOHN GREY. [34391.J-Organ at the Pavilion, Brighton. I am not quite certain that the following is the speci fication wanted by "Contra Gamba." It was given me as the specification of the organ at the Concert Hall, Brighton. But no doubt it will interest our numerous organ correspondents. This instrument has four complete manuals, CC to A (58 notes)viz., great, swell, choir, and solo organs-also an independent pedal organ CCC to F (30 notes). The great organ and manual couplers are played by means of the pneumatic action; the bellows supply three pressures of wind. The case is of Italian design, introducing ornamental wrought-ironwork and 16 feet metal pipes arranged in two towers, a double tier of 8 feet pipes and projecting trumpets forming the centre front. Dimensions: 37 feet high, 25 feet wide, 16 feet deep. The necessary atmospheric temperature for tuning and maintaining band pitch is secured by the introduction of a selfregalating high pressure hot-water apparatus (Perkins' patent) placed beneath the organ specially for this purpose. The organ was built by Bryceson Bros., Stanhope-street, Euston-road, London:GREAT ORGAN. Pipes. Ft. 1. Bourdon and double diapason (wood and metal) 2. Great open diapason (metal)... 3. Violin open diapason (metal).. 4. Hohl flöte (wood and metal) 5. Salcional (wood and metal) 6. Principal (metal) 7. Wald flote (wood) 8. Twelfth (metal)... 9. Fifteenth (metal) 10. Mixture (19, 22) (metal) 11. Trumpet (metal) 12. Clarion (metal) SWELL ORGAN. 16 8 58 58 58 58 8 58 58 4 1. Bourdon and double diapason (wood 10. Double trumpet (metal) 4 3 2 8 4 16 matter of fact, it would not be desirable to "harden " [34398.1-Anti-Corrosive Alloy.-Seven parts [34402.]-Phonograph.-1. The cylinder may be from tin. to in. thick. I have lately made one from a piece of brass tube tin. thick, instead of a casting. The depth of the groove does not exceed 1-40in. 2. It is certainly more convenient to have the ends turned flush with the tube. 3. In covering the cylinder the ends of the tinfoil should overlap about in.-SHELFORD BIDWELL. 46 powerful enough. That I used is a horse-shoe of lin. round iron. with about 200 turns of No. 16 wire excited by two Grove's cells, with 5in. × 3in. platinums. One ordinary Daniell cell would not give sufficient current. There are other modes of magnetising given in recent replies-e.g., 32038 in Vol. XXVI. The object in all is to bring every part of the steel under the influence of a powerful magnetic field.-J. BROWN, Belfast, [34411.]-Hens and Eggs.-The hens are probably suffering from a severe cold in the head. Sponge their nostrils with vinegar with a little pepper in it. Keep them above all dry and warm.ANGLO-DANE. [34412.]-Boiling Oil for Dressing Tarpaulins. -Much depends on your oil, the quantity you wish to boil, your boiler, furnaces, &c. Suppose you want to boil about 12 cwt. in an ordinary fixed boiler you will have to keep it at about 420° Fahrenheit for about 8 hours. As soon as the oil is a little over 300° work in 4lb. Turkey amber, 101b. red lead, and 141b. litharge; this is a good old-fashioned recipe. Some manufacturers are now boiling oil in very large quantities by means of superheated air. It is claimed for this process that it will make the oil dry with half the usual amount of driers. A Mr. George Hadfield, of Paris, has recently obtained a patent for oxidising" oil. He bas the latter pumped up boiling to a height of 18ft.. and poured through a sieve at the top. It descends of course, in a finely divided state, and is allowed free access to the air. Some large manufacturers in this country are using this process.-DANDIE DINMONT. = [34403]-Microscopic Sections. There are 8 several ways of obviating the difficulties of which "Section" complains. The plan which I have adopted for some time is to immerse the wood to be cut in ordinary methylated spirit till it is completely saturated. Lay it on a bit of blotting-paper, to absorb the superfluous spirit; then. by means of a needle stuck in it, place it in the well of the section cutter filled with melted paraffin and lard, in the proportion of four of the former to one of the latter. The right moment for putting it in is when the mixture is beginning to set round the edge of the [31414.]-Cubic Contents.-There are several tube. When quite cold cat with a knife kept ways of finding the cubic contents and superficial moistened with the same spirit, and float off into areas of spheres, cylinders, and cones. But I think water. In a short time the sections will absorb "W. J. F." will find the following formulæ about water, and sink to the bottom, whilst the paraffin as easy as any :-Volume of sphere = 4 x square floats at the top, and may be readily poured off. of radius x third of radius; volume of cylinder Should any adherent paraffin remain, by substituting square of radius x perpendicular; volume of oil of cloves for turpentine to render the sections conex square of radius x third of perpenclear, it will at once be dissolved. Another method, dicular; area of surface of sphere = 4 x square answering equally well, is to soak the wood in thick of radius; area of surface of cylinder = 2 x radius solution of gum arabic, and allow it to dry in the x perpendicular + (2 x square of radius); area air, or coagulate it by immersion in spirit. This of of surface of conex radius x sloping height course leaves a thin coating all over, which, when +(x square of radius). Another way of getting the section is made and placed in water, dissolves, the volume of a cylinder is to multiply the square of and sets any remaining paraffin free. The former its base by 785, and multiply the result by the method answers well for wood with smooth bark; height.-A. G. the latter is better where there are many inequalities. as in maple. From its solvent properties I should always recommend the oil of clove, which is sure to remove the objectionable fringe. I have made some thousands of sections, and by these means have found no trouble.-MICROTOME. and metal) 58 2. Open diapason (metal)... 58 8 3. Viola (wood and metal) 58 8 8 5. Principal (metal) 58 4 6. Echo flute (metal) 58 4 7. Flageolet (metal) 58 8. Twelfth and fifteenth (metal) [34403.]-Microscopic Sections.-I have never [34404.]-Phonograph.-See p. 157, Vol. XXVII. [34405.1-Composition of Human Body.-Has "Auld Reekie" any idea of the number of "chemical substances" in the human body? Some of the larger treatises on physiology may possibly give him the information he requires.-MEDICAL PRACTI TIONER. = = [34406.]-Calculations Wanted.-1. A_gramme 15 x 7854 NO NAME. [31393]-Brass Instruments.-As a " cornet " [34414.]-Cubic Contents.-To find the solidity of a cylinder, multiply the area of the base by its height, and the product will be the solid content. This is also the rule for finding the solidity of a prism. Take for example, the figure of a prism, in order to clearly understand the above rule. Conceive a plane to pass through each of the lineal measuring units parallel to the ends, and the ends to be similarly divided by planes passing through each lineal measuring unit parallel to the sides; then it is evident that the part cut off will be divided by the plane into as many cubes as there are squares in each end. But, the magnitude of the whole prism : the magnitude of the part whose height is the lineal measuring unit: the height of the whole prism: 1; therefore the solid content of the whole is equal to that of the part repeated as often as there are lineal measuring units in the height-that is, equal to the base the height. To find the surface of a cylinder, multiply the circumference by the length, and the product will be the convex surface, to which add the area of the two ends, and the sum will be the surface of the entire solid. The envelope of a cylinder is a parallelogram, whose sides are the height and circumference of the cylinder; therefore the area of such a parallelogram is equal to the convex surface of the cylinder, to which the area of the two ends being added, the sum will be the entire surface of the solid.-To find the solidity of a sphere (rule 1st), multiply the cube of the diameter by 5236, and the product will be the content; (rule 2nd) multiply the diameter by the circumference of the sphere, and multiply the product by 1-6 part of the diameter; the result will give the solidity. It is demonstrated in solid geometry that a sphere is of its circumscribed cylinder. But the diameter of the base of the cylinder and its altitude are each equal to the diameter of the sphere, .. (d being the diameter) d2 × 7854 is area of base, which being multiplied by height of cylinder will give its solidity content of that is, d2 x 7854 x d = d3 x 7854 = the cylinder, the two-thirds of which will be the solidity of the sphere-that is, d3 x 7854 × 3 = d3 the given rales. To find the surface of a sphere, x 5236 content of sphere. Hence the reason of multiply the diameter of the sphere by its circumference, and the product will be its convex surface. book, that the surface of a sphere is equal to that of You will find it proved in "Lardner's Euclid," 4th the circumscribed cylinder. But the cylindrical surface is equal to the circumference of its base, which is equal to that of the sphere, multiplied by its altitude, which is equal to a diameter of the sphere. Therefore the surface of a sphere is equal to the circumference x diameter.-To find the solidity of a cone, multiply the area of the base by one-third of the height, and the product will be the solidity. It is proved in solid geometry that every cone is the third part of a cylinder, having the same base and height. But the solidity of a cylinder is found by multiplying the area of its base by its altitude; therefore the solidity of a cone is found by multiplying the area of its base by one-third of its altitude. To find the surface of a cone, multiply |