112 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



made in defiance of all obstacles within the last forty years. The 

 immense fall, for example, which has taken place in the cost of all 

 articles of food and clothing that enter into the consumption of the 

 working and middle, as also of the higher classes, is in its effect 

 equivalent to a social change of the most important kind. The London 

 AtheiiEeum furnishes the following differences in the cost of commodi- 

 ties in England in the year 1810, and in the year 1851. The price of 

 a hat in 1810 was 20 shillings, and in 1851, it had fallen to 7 shillings 

 or if a laborer's weekly wages had been paid for in hats, he would 

 have had three times as great a supply in the present year as he had 

 forty years ago. A gown cost 21 shillings in 1810 and only 6 

 shillings in 1851. Calico was 2 shillings and 9 pence a yard against 

 6 pence at present. Tea was 8 shillings per pound against 4 shillings 

 now. Brown sugar was 10 pence now 4 pence. Salt was 18 

 shillings per bushel, and has now fallen to 1 shilling. A bushel of 

 flour was 20 shillings in 1810, and 5 shillings in 1851. In reply to 

 these facts it may be said that this rate of money wages has fallen with 

 money prices. This assertion is difficult of proof. In some few cases 

 money wages has declined, but as a general result, they have not 

 declined in the same ratio as money prices. Therefore the condition 

 of the people is materially improved, inasmuch as the real or commodity 

 price of the labor of the English working classes is probably as much 

 as one-half, or three-fourths better than it was in 1810. 



MISCELLANEOUS NOVELTIES. 



Diptliera Bonnets. This name has been applied to a new style of 

 bonnets, brought out during the past year in Paris, which are manu- 

 factured from the well known polished or " patent leather." 



Improved Slates. A manufacturer in Wurtemburgh has invented 

 a mode of applying a surface coating to sheet-iron, which enables it to 

 take freely the mark of a slate pencil. It is said to be much lighter, 

 and much less liable to injury, than a common slate. 



New Enamel for Cards. Zinc white, instead of the lead salt, is 

 now used Avith creat success for the enameling of cards. 



O O 



Improvement in Purifying Gas. Peat charcoal has been substituted 

 with economy and success in some of the English gas works instead of 

 the lime ordinarily used. 



The London Athcnajum states, that an architect of that city, has 

 found that the ordinary window-sashes may be made of glass, instead 

 of wood or iron as at present ; and from the greater beauty of the 

 material, it is obvious that sashes of red, blue or green glass --accord- 

 ing to the taste of the glaizer or according to the other decorations of 

 the window would add considerably to the brilliant effects of a fine 

 shop front. 



