806 Transactions of the American Institute. 



Rutherford and De la Rue, supplemented by his own observations. 

 This model was first worked out in wax, and subsequently cast in 

 plaster. It conveys such an accurate idea of the moon's surface as 

 physical maps or globes in relief do for the earth's. To enable the 

 observer to see the mountains and valleys, their size in proportion to 

 the diameters of the model has been exaggerated six times — the same 

 as is necessary with models of the earth's surface — inasmuch, as if 

 made to a true seale, the highest of the mountains would be shown 

 only by an elevation of the one-thirtieth of an inch. Mr. Boyle read 

 the introductory portion of an exhaustive paper on lunar observa- 

 tions, in which he brought forward a theory, original with himself, 

 that the great basins that have been ascertained to constitute at 

 least one-fifth of the moon's surface, are produced by the action of a 

 liquid — probably water — instead of by volcanic agencies, as is com- 

 monly believed. 



Tlie paper alluded to will be given in full in the report of the 



Improved Telegraph Wire. 

 Dr. I. F. Boynton, of Syracuse, New York, said he was the first 

 man ever autliorized by Professor Morse, to use his telegraph when 

 it was first introduced in this country. He lectured on the electric 

 telegraph in the principal cities, in order to induce people to invest 

 in the enterprize ; and illustrated his remarks by sliowing the work- 

 ing of the telegraph itself. Of the number of metals that conduct 

 electricity silver is the best, but it is very costly, and for this reason 

 cannot be used. Next in conducting power is copper, which is a 

 weak metal and stretches very much. Now, what is wanted is a 

 good, strong and cheap conductor. If made of soft iron it will 

 stretch; and if constructed of steel it will be a poor conductor of 

 electricity. The alloying of other metals with copper, to harden it, 

 seriously affects its conducting power. It has been found that if two 

 per cent of antimony is mixed with copper, it will render it a non- 

 conductor. If a wire could be had as strong as steel and as good a 

 conductor as copper, we would then have a very thin wire which 

 would ofifer but little resistance to the winds and aftbrd but a small 

 surface forjce to hold to during the winter. For electrical purposes 

 copper is seven and a half times better than iron, but its weakness is 

 a great objection, and to make it strong it would have to be made too 

 large for practical purposes. 



