Proceedings of the Folytechnic Association: 879 



tlie true theoiT of electricity Avill ro.-ult from the principle tliat 

 electricity is not a motion, l)nt :i chan!j:e of the quantitative and 

 dynamic equilibrium of the ether which constitutes the atoms of the 

 substances, and that the propa^-ation of such a chany;c is bruu-^ht 

 about by the moving- of the ether from one atom to another ; tliis 

 motion shakes, disturbs the ether of the aton\s, and thus produces 

 licat/' 



iNEXnAUSTIBLE IMaInUEES. 



In the Atlantic Ocean, a little west of the Azores, there exists a 

 space seven times larger than all Germany, accordinij; to Humboldt, 

 completely covered with a dense mass of vegetation, the so-called 

 Sargassa sea. M. J. Laviniere has proposed to the French Agricul- 

 tural Society to make these floating meadows subservient to the pur- 

 poses of agriculture. He suggests that the ships occupied during 

 the summer cod-lishing should, in other seasons, be enqiloyed in con- 

 veying these weeds to the Azores, where they can be pressed and 

 dried, and after having valuable salts extracted from them, they 

 could be carried to the French coast. It is calculated tliat the float- 

 ing meadows produce annually vegetable matter suflicient to manure 

 not less than 1,800,000,000 acres. 



Portable Gas Machine. 



Mr. L. D. Tousley exhil)ited anew apparatus for a portable gas 

 machine. He claimed that gas could Ijc nuide by it not to exceed 

 seventy-five cents per thousand feet, and a much better light than 

 that of ordinary gas. This machine is so arranged tliat portions of 

 the benzine or liquid hydrocarbon employed -in the manuficture 

 were exposed in succession to currents of air, which by absorbing the 

 hydrocarbon, are rendered inflammahle. and pass through suit;ible 

 pipes to the burners. The novelty in this machine is tliat no gas 

 holder is used, as the gas is made ju>t as it is consumed, and no iaster. 

 Tliis insures safety. It is also simple and dural)lc. Tliere is con- 

 nected with the machine what is called a safety can ; it is a i-eservoir 

 for the naphtha. Perfect control is had over the material and, there- 

 fore, the machine is absolutely safe in every house. 



Dr. J. P. Pich remarked that there has not yet been nnide any 

 device which rendered tlie use of na{ili[ha safe. This benzine is the 

 lighter product of the oil, tliereibre, it must be condensed: nnd it is 

 not practical)le to carry the gas througli along range of ])ipe with- 

 out the pipe becoming cold and tlie gas condensed; hence the light 



