1853.] 



SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE. 



189 



that the system therein propounded stands self-condemned. A total 

 length of 12,138 yards of sewers is included in the estimate, divided 

 into tliree classes in the following proportions : — 1st. 500 yards valued 

 at 5(ls. Od ; 2nd. 3,168 yards at 27s. 6d.; aud Srd 8,470 yards at 223. 

 6d. Now, of the third class, (of course the smallest in area,) some is 

 to be inserted in immediate pro.ximity to the Bay, and some as far 

 north as Geixard Street — in both positions, on lines uorth and south ;- 

 ■whilst of the second class, some again will be in direct communication 

 with the Bay, and some on Church Street as far north as Carlton 

 Street — in both localities again directiug north aud south ! Both these 

 classes of sewers (and in them is comprised the whole system, for the 

 Ist class is in couuection with a creek, and therefore, a special pro- 

 vision) are further indicated as running east and west .as well as north 

 and south ; so tlmt no matter in what section of the City, whether near 

 the Queeu's Wharf or the Windmill, Front Street or the Concession 

 Line, at a high level or a low, far or near the outlet, sewers will be 

 found having the same sectional area, the same depth and the same 

 direction, if the estimate of cost be any index to their capacity and 

 depth. I he alternative is unsatisfactory, for either the system or the 

 estimate is radically wrong — the system, if but two classes of sewers 

 are contemplated — the estimate, if inoie than two are to be provided ; 

 nay, ilie latter in any event for depth, is of the esseuce of the cost, aud it 

 must vary with the position. Is it to be credited by any one pro- 

 fessing to common thought and observation, that two classes of 

 Sewers wiU suffice for the drainage of this City in .an efKcieut and 

 economical manner? Is it not appaieut at a glance that if only two 

 are adopted (and especially varying so slightly in cost and area) some 

 will be unnecessarily large and extensive, whilst others will be too 

 small to perform their allotted duty? Experience has proved that a 

 drain of an excessive area is almost as damaging in its results as one 

 of deficient capacity, aud certainly either in one or other respect error 

 must be constantly repeated when the resources are within such narrow 

 limit The Reports of various Commissioners (as "the Health of 

 Towns," " the Metropolitan Sanatory," and "the Supply of Water,") 

 are clear and unanimous upon this point, aud yet notwithstanding their 

 teaching we continue to pursue all the errors which they condemn, and 

 to disregai-d all the amendments they suggest, as though the people of 

 Great Britain, to whom these Commissioners addressed themselves, 

 claimed a patent right to the results of their investigations. 



Another item in this Report, namely, that of "Culverts," demands 

 comment It occurs twenty-eight times, representing 282 Culverts, all 

 entered at £6. Now, if by the term " Culverts," it is intended to des- 

 cribe vertical shafts or conductors ftir the surface drainage, their cost 

 mnst_vary with their depth, which is dependent on the depth of the 

 sewers to which they are to be attached, and the estimates inustaccord- 

 ingly be erroneous. But the details of cost are not of so much import- 

 ance as tlie principles of construction, and we refer to them here only 

 to show that custom is no security for economy. In the matter of ver- 

 .tical drains for instance, the old — aud we wish we could say the 

 exploded — system of the open shaft with its uncheckad aud offensive 

 vapours arising from the sewer beneath, and bearing with them miasma 

 and disease, might be economically superseded by a trapped conduc- 

 tor, even if the more modern system of independent surface drainage 

 sliould be thought too extravagant a luxury. 



But again, in the item of Bridges, we find eleven stone Bridges, con- 

 veniently estimated at £120 each, although eleven differeut localities 

 are named for them ! Are they all to be of the same lieight, depth, 

 •width, span and thickness? Are our street levels so very regular, is 

 our SOU so universally stable, are our sti'eams so nicely balanced in 

 content and velocity — that one style and in.auner of construction will 

 meet every contingency? Or is it that we are satisfied to stick a "regu- 

 lation pattern " at a " regulation price " anywhere and everywhere — 

 fit or unfit, costly or economical in relation to the duty to be fulfilled? 

 We fear the latter is the system, for on no other would an equality 

 of estimate be justified, as on no other could the peculiarities of 

 some of the structures be explained, — as for instance those of the Church 



Street Bridge, where the crown of the arch is some feet above the 

 gi adient of the road, and the drain holes ingeniously inserted in the 

 crown of the arch 1 



But onr limits will not permit us to enlarge. There are'other points 

 demanding comment to which we may hereafter return,— as the mac- 

 adamising aud plaukmg of our stieets and side walks, the water sup- 

 ply, and other brandies of public expenditure involving the cleanliness, 

 health and comfort of our city. For the present we must content our- 

 selves by the mere expression of our belief that the Report of the 

 Board of Works, recommending so large an outlay in so loose aud 

 slovenly a manner, and indicating such utter iuefllciency of system,wiU 

 not be acceptable to those in whose service it is made. 



SCIENTIFIC IjSTELLIGENCE. 



An Entomologic»l Cariosity. 



In the interesting lectures on Entomology, recently delivered in this 

 City by Dr. Goadby, which have attracted so much attention, the 

 leaiTied lecturer on one occasion alluded to that pestilent insect mention- 

 ed by the celebrated traveller, Bruce, whose statements have very 

 frequently been called in question, aud he much maligned, but which 

 have generally been found subsequently to be perfectly veracious. He 

 mentions au insect called the Zim, ;.t whose approach the iuhabitauts 

 of whole districts take to flight, and retreat to far distant regions, 

 where the pest has not yetarrived. The description is so extraordinary 

 that mauy persons are inclined to doubt the truth ofit The following 

 extract from the proceedings of the Entomological Society, of February 

 7lh, will show that South Afi'ica lejoiccs in an insect fuUy equal to 

 the Zim : — 



"Dr. Quain communicated through Mr. Spence, an account from 

 William Oswell, Esq., of a fly (ff/osswiia MonHarm,) called "Tsetse" 

 by the natives, (and resembling the Zim of Bruce,) in South Africa, 

 the bite of which was fatal to all domestic animals, except the goat, 

 but innoxious to man aud the wild animals. On oue occasion the 

 writer lost foity-seven out of fifty -seven head of cattle, the bite of three 

 or four being suflicient to cause the death of an ox ; the poor animals 

 swelling at the eyes and throat, gradually wasting away, refusing food, 

 and dying in from twelve to fourteen days." 



0.\ THE Causes which render Bread Stale. — It has been generally 

 considered that fresh bread loses water when pasting into the stale stale, 

 and that this is the sole cause of the metamorphosis. Boussiugault 

 shows that this change is effected even when the bread is kept in a 

 damp cellar, the hardest and most brittle crust becoming tough and 

 flexible. 



A loaf kept in a warm, dry room for six days, at the end of which 

 time it was perfectly stale, had lost only 0.0 1 per cent, from which it 

 is quite clear that the staleuess could not have arisen from a loss of 

 water. By heating it for some time, up to 158^ Fahrenheit, it became 

 quite fresh, having lost 3J^ per cent, of water. . 



Various other experiments vreie iustitu'ed which showed the same 

 result ; in a tin plate cyliuder closed with a stopper, the author com- 

 pletely restored stale bread to the fresh state in tlie course of an hour, 

 by atemperatureof 122 ~ — 140 - Fahrenheit, produced by a water bath. 



The staleness of bread results, therefore, from a change in its 

 molecular condition, altered by the application of heat, and not from 

 a hiss of water. — Camples Jiendim, p. 588.. 



Tellukiusi. — It is said that this metal has lately been obtained in 

 lar:?e quantities during the working of the gold ores of Transylvania, 

 aud, although hitherto so rare, will shortly be brought into the market 

 by the pound. 



Remedy for the Stisos of Bees.— M. Gamprecht recommends rub- 

 bing the stung place with the freshly-expressed juice of the honey -suckle 

 {Loniccra Caprifolium.) The expressed juice may be kept in closely- 

 stoppered bottles for this purpose. 



' On Winiwaiier and Gersheim's Patent " Gnnprimcrs," and Com- 

 position/or Fire-arms," by Mr. Winiwarter, of Vienna. — The various 

 applications included in Gersheim's patent all more or less depend on 

 the nature and properties of their new composition powders; which, 

 at the same time that they m.ay be employed to replace gunpowder as 

 a propelling power, may also be used instead of fulminating powder, 

 as a means of inflaming or firing. These patent explosive compositions 

 consist of various well known explosive substances : namely chlorate 

 of potash, fulmiuatiug mercury, fulminating ziuc, amorphous phospho- 

 riKS, and binoxide of lead. But to each of these diffei'ent mixtures, a 

 solution of gun-cotton or collodion is added as a cement ; and the ap- 

 plication of this substance is the chief peculiarity of the invention. 



