PROCEEDINGS OF THE POLYTECHNIC ASSOCIATION. 8Y1 



American Institute Polytechnic Association, 



March 21, 1867. 

 Prof. S. D. Tillman in the chair ; T. D, Stetson, Esq., Sec'}* 

 The chairman opened the proceedings with the following scien- 

 tific memoranda : 



The Fenian Fire. 

 This modern "Greek lire" consists of phosphorus dissolved in 

 bisulphate of carbon, the vapor of which, when mixed with air and 

 ignited, inflames so rapidly as to cause slight explosions. The 

 compound is not new, an enterprising Yankee having made shells 

 containing this liquid, with which he proposed to defend the Ameri- 

 can flag during the late rebellion. 



The HoxoDROGRAni. 

 This is a new apparatus, invented by M. Carrodi, of France, for 

 tracing a ship's course. By means of wheel work inside the bin- 

 nacle, a long strip of photographic paper is unrolled horizontally 

 with a given velocity. The card of the compass is pierced at the 

 point usually marked "North Pole.'' In the hole is placed a 

 small object glass, through which light passes, and on striking the 

 moving photographic paper, the actinic impression is made in the 

 form of a line, which varies in direction precisely with that of 

 the vessel, thus furnishing a daily diagram of the ship's course. 



New Hydrocarbons. 

 When cannel coal is distilled, and the product is treated with 

 acid, the oils belono-injjc to the marsh ujas and benzol scries are 

 separated, and a black, tarry mass remains. From this mass a 

 brown liquid, having an ofiensive smell, may be distilled at a tem- 

 perature between 300° and 400°. Schorlemmer, by repeatedly 

 distilling this liquid with caustic alkali and with sodium, has 

 obtained a new series of hydrocarbons, which difier from the homo 

 logues of olefiant gas by the addition of two atoms of carbon. 

 Taking the weight of an atom of carbon at 12 and hydrogen at 

 one, the new bodies are represented by C12 H20 ; Cu H24 ; 

 C16 H28. The old nomenclature provides no names for these 

 compounds. Their components are expressed respectively by 

 yerleil, yorl^ul and yearloil. 



Substitute for Tobacco. 

 Dried artichoke has been recommended to those who wish to give 

 up the use of tobacco. The substitute is said to be pleasant to the 

 taste, and entirely harmless. This plnnt must not be confounded 



