Various Memoirs. 387 
Experiments with reference to firing mines by electricity.— 
This subject which has received much attention, is to become of 
practical value through the efforts of Colonel Verdié and Captain 
Savare of the Engineer Corps, who propose to substitute in place 
of Bunsen’s battery for firing the powder, the machine of Ruhm- 
korff,y or that of Clarke. An interesting’ report on the subject 
made to the Academy by Marshal Vaillant, Minister of War and 
member of the Institute, announces the result as accomplished. 
But as the process for the purposes of war must be rendered fa- 
miliar by practice to be of value, M. Vaillant does not consider ~ 
that the time for using the process has yet come. He has ordered 
renewed trials, and to contribute toward it on his side, he has 
given the necessary orders that each School of Engineers shall 
have a Ruhmkorff’s apparatus at its disposal. ‘The processes 
employed by M. Verdié and M. Savare differ somewhat, each in 
points of importance, but there is no space to describe them here. 
Various Memoirs.—For want of space, we can only allude to 
the following papers :—An Electric thermometer, fitted for a boiler 
or an apartment kept at a constant temperature, by M. Maisrre.— 
Researches on the influence of Chloroform on the Sensitive Plant, 
y M. Lecierc, showing that it is impressed by it perhaps like 
- animals.— Treatise on the relation which exists between the elec- 
tro-motive force of the muscular current and that of different 
sources of dynamical electricity, by Ju.es Reenavutp. 
In the science of Optics there have been several papers, among 
which we mention, 7'he determination of the envissive powers of 
bodies for light, by MM. pe ua Provosrave and Desains; these 
experimenters have operated with incandescent bodies ; platinum 
is more emissive than gold; and the emissive power of gold is 
10 times more feeble than that of oxyd of copper. 
Chemistry has as usual been richly represented. In the ‘first 
place, M. Bior announces to the Academy the publication of the 
posthumous work of Laurent, entitled “ Méthode de Chimie,” 
and read on the occasion, the note with which he accompanies 
the. work, and in which, under the form of advice to the reader, 
he points out the special end which Laurent proposed in his great 
work. A translation of this note is published in the latter part 
of this volume.—M. Revor, superintendent of the Laboratory at 
the School of Mines, has brought forward new methods of treat- 
ing ores of copper.—M. Frimy has communicated the results of 
, an investigation carried on in connection 
with M. Valenciennes, the zoologist.—M. DessaiGnes is study- 
ing the products of the transfoymation of creatine.—M. C. Mon- 
T 
+ This Journal, Jan., 1853. 
