AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 425 



each other in the retort, and nearly one-third more oil is obtained than by 

 the present process. The danger from the incondensible gases is also pre- 

 vented by his plan. Patent for distillation of coal oil, N. B. Hatch, of 

 Lawrenceville, Penn. 



LIGHT HEALTHY. 



Experiments conducted by Sir James Wylie, late Physician to the Em- 

 peror of Russia, in the Hospital of St. Petersburgh, proved that the num- 

 ber of patients cured in rooms properly lighted, was four to one more than 

 in the dark rooms. This produced reformation in lighting the hospitals 

 of Russia, with most beneficial results, in all the places visited by the cho- 

 lera. Patients on the shaded sides of streets, &c., died in greater number 

 than those on the sunny side. Persons are more healthy on southerly than 

 on northerly slopes of mountains, and they are better developed. Those 

 in secluded valleys are subject to deformities and peculiar diseases, more 

 than on the high, open ground. Plants suffer as well as animals. It is 

 thought that scrofula prevails in the valleys, &c. 



AMERICAN AND ENGLISH IRON COMPARED. 

 A distinguished railroad engineer of Chili, South America, writes, on 

 the 14th of last October, (1858,) — "I trust to be able to interest some of 

 my friends to send orders for iron to the States, instead of to England, 

 where we are pretty sure to get poor iron. The whole of the iron sent out 

 to me for railroad repairs on a road in Peru, which I built, and which iron 

 came from the company in England that owned the road, (that is, the iron 

 was ordered by them in England,) was not fit for the purpose. The fact 

 is, I have been suffering from the effects of trash, sent to me from England. 

 I am heartily sick of it, and will now see what can be done in the States." 



FROM LONDON TO AMERICA, 



By iron stearners, now building on the Tyne, in 110 hours — foiir days 



and fourteen hours. 



The Atlantic Royal Mail Steam Navigation Company say that, and are 

 building three powerful iron steamers to do it, at New-Castle-upon-Tyne- 

 They are 330 feet long by 38 feet beam. Three oscillating cylinders of 

 75 inches diameter, each 2,200 horse power. Minimum speed, 20 miles per 

 hour or more. 



WHO INVENTED THE SCREW PROPELLER? 



The London Artisan, of Jan. 1st, 1859, has a deposition of Francis 

 Pettit Smith, stating that he applied a portion of the Archimedean screw 

 to propel a model boat in 1835 ; has been constantly employed by govern- 

 ment, from 1840 to 1851, in fitting screw propellers; has a 'pension of 

 £200, or $1,000, for his long gratuitous exertions connected with the intro- 

 duction of them into the naval service. 



Telegraph companies are treating with Turkey to make lines in Europe, 

 Asia, and on the coasts. 



