398 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



same gentleman for measuring the rate of travel in carriages 

 or wagons, indicating, as before, the time and rate of move- 

 ment, and the stoppages made in the journey. This appa- 

 ratus is contained in a small iron box fastened to the wagon, 

 and provided with a glass door in front, through which the 

 paper is visible. The advantages of the application of such 

 an apparatus as a check upon the improper use of carriages 

 by servants, or for determining the rate and distance traveled 

 in a livery vehicle, will readily suggest themselves. 14 (7, 

 CXCIX.,152. 



JACKET FOR STEAM BOILERS. 



The practice of insulating steam boilers with a loose jacket 

 of wood or tin, and filling in the cavity between the two sur- 

 faces with plaster of Paris, is now coming into use extensive- 

 ly, and w T ith marked results. Independent of economy of 

 fuel, the radiation of the heat is greatly reduced, and conse- 

 quently applied more directly to the formation of steam, 

 while there is much less inconvenience and annoyance to the 

 fireman from the heat. When the gypsum has hardened, the 

 exterior casing may be removed if it is considered expedient. 

 Quite recently cork has been used for a somewhat similar 

 purpose, especially for coating tubes for conducting hot air 

 or water, and for locomotives. 6 (7, January 20, 28. 



REMOVING DEPOSITS IN STEAM BOILERS. 



Every day adds to the number of methods recommended 

 as efficient for removing deposits in steam boilers. One of 

 the latest of these has been invented by Mr. Weiss, of Basle, 

 and is called by him Litho-reactive, and is claimed to possess 

 the property of extracting old deposits and preventing the 

 formation of new ones, converting into soap the grease com- 

 ing from the condenser, and finally neutralizing all the acids. 

 The formula for the preparation is as follows : Five parts of 

 molasses or beet sirup, fifteen parts of milk of lime, three 

 parts of water, and eighty-four parts of soda-lye of thirty-four 

 degrees Beaume. The compound is said to precipitate at 

 once all the bicarbonates, the sulphates, and the silica, to con- 

 vert the grease into soap, and neutralize all the acids, remov- 

 ing all old deposits of whatever kind and however thick, and 

 at the same time not attacking either iron or copper. It acts 



