512 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND. INDUSTRY. 



for the purpose being constructed in a suitable lamp. The 

 gas is derived from the atmosphere, either by chemical or 

 mechanical means. The liquid consists of a hydrocarbon, 

 which costs but little, burns economically, and can be em- 

 ployed only in this particular direction. The combustion is 

 maintained in a lamp fitted with a wick, into the flame of 

 which the oxygen penetrates in a horizontal direction. The 

 flame is thus made to assume the form of a star, and any 

 heating of the wick-holder is thereby prevented. The quan- 

 tity of gas consumed is about 5-J- cubic feet per hour. Fed 

 with air containing 53 per cent, of oxygen only, a light is 

 obtained in this lamp equal in brilliancy to that from pure 

 oxygen, and equivalent to ninety or one hundred candles, or 

 ten times that of an ordinary gas jet. This lamp is said to 

 possess the important quality of perfect security, no explosion 

 being in any way possible. Among the applications of this 

 lamp, it is stated to be extremely well adapted to photograph- 

 ic purposes. 1 A, 1870, July 8, 21. 



HEATING CABS BY SAND. 



An ingenious method of heating railway carriages in Swe- 

 den consists in the use of sand made hot in an oven and placed 

 in a double casing of sheet-iron, the space between the inner 

 and outer casing being filled with cork shavings. The ad- 

 vantages over the hot-water apparatus, and more especially 

 over ordinary stoves, will readily suggest themselves to every 

 one, particularly in view of the entire immunity against dan- 

 ger from fire in case of an accident. The sand retains its heat 

 for a long time, and does not require changing for many hours. 

 3 A, February 4, 1870, 94. 



NON-CONDUCTING HANDLES OF TEA-TOTS. 



The interposition of two non-conducting portions in the 

 metallic handle of a tea-pot, as is well known, prevents a con- 

 siderable degree of inconvenience in handling it when filled 

 with boiling-hot liquid. Another method of accomplishing 

 the same result, recently suggested, is based upon the ab- 

 sorption of the heat conducted toward the handle by a mate- 

 rial having a large capacity for heat, and which, consequently, 

 will take up the heat which the metal of the handle is able 

 to conduct without being itself raised to a high temperature. 



