302 



SCIENCE. 



[Vol. XVII. No. 434 



nearly the whole of the observations cannot be satisfactorily pro- 

 ceeded with. This arose from the manifest disturbing influence 

 of high winds upon the readings of the barometer at the top of 

 the Ben. Since the two observatories are only about four miles 

 apart in horizontal distance they are virtually one observatory as 

 regards geographical distribution of pressure; and as the observa- 

 tory at the top was peculiarly exposed to high winds, the violence 

 of many of which those living on the lower levels could really 

 form no conception, while the low-level observatory at Fort Wil- 

 liam was much sheltered from winds, the two presented condi- 

 tions for an exact determination of the question of the influence 

 of winds on the barometer, from data which had not hitherto 

 been available. 



The observations at the top were made on Beaufort's wind- 

 scale, ranging from 0, representing the calms, to 12, the greatest 

 hurricane likely to occur. These observations had been carefully 

 compared in connection with the registi-ations of a modification of 

 Robinson's anemometer, which had been specially constructed by 

 Professor Chryslal to meet the exigencies of observing at the top 

 of the Ben. An elaborate comparison had been communicated by 

 Mr. Omond to a meeting of the Royal Society some time ago, in a 

 paper in which he had arrived at the equivalent in miles per hour 

 for each degree of Beaufort's scale. 



The next step followed in the present inquiry was to reduce the 

 observation at both observatories to sea-level, and thereafter to 

 enter the differences between the two barometers in columns 

 headed 0, 1, 2, etc., of Beaufort's scale. This had been done for 

 the six months ending January last; and as it was desirable to 

 increase the number of observations at the higher velocities in or- 

 der to obtain good averages, the observations made five times 

 daily at Fort William from the beginning of 1885 were compared 

 with those made at the same hours at the top of the Ben, when 

 the wind was at 5 and other velocities up to 11. From these re- 

 sults monthly averages of deviations of the two barometers were 

 deduced, with the result that in all cases a reduced barometer for 

 the top of the hill read lower than that at Fort William, and the 

 amount is proportioned to the force of the wind. Thus, in calm 

 weather the Ben Nevis barometer was only one one-thousandth of 

 an inch lower than that of Fort William, and as the velocity of 

 the wind increased, the depression gradually became greater up 

 to force 4, when it was fourteen one-thousandths lower. From 

 this point it more rapidly increased, till at force 7 the depression 

 was half the tenth of an inch; at force 9, fully the tenth of an 

 inch; and at force 11, a tendii and a half of an inch. These difi'er- 

 ences, being exhibited in a diagram, showed a remarkable curve 

 of depression corresponding with increased velocity of wind. 



The results, Dr. Buchan pointed out, might be put to important 

 uses in meteorology, particularly in endeavoring to establish the 

 relation between the barometric gradient and wind velocity in 

 storms. Hitherto this relation had been attempted to be estab- 

 lished from the results as observed, though, it had to be confessed, 

 with not very satisfactory results. Now, however, by applying 

 corrections in accordance with what had been arrived at, this im- 

 portant practical question in meteorology could be attacked with 

 good hopes of success. Dr. Buchan further pointed out, that, as 

 regarded the mean distribution of pressure over the British Isles, 

 the lower pressure hitherto determined at places on the west coast 

 peculiarly exposed to strong winds and storms might be due, not 

 so much to a natural depression of the barometer in these regions, 

 as to the lowering of the barometer by the wind force that swept 

 past the stations where the observations were being made. 



HOUSEHOLD REFUSE.' 

 There are 750,000 tons of household refuse produced in London 

 every year, and the vestries are at their wits' ends to know how 

 to dispose of it. There is a tradition that large fortunes were once 

 made by dealing with such waste, and the " golden dustman " has 

 passed into a proverb. But if ever this was the case, it has long 

 ceased to be so. Either the quality of the dust has changed, or 

 the former means of dealing with it have ceased to exist, as now it 

 is a source of expense from first to last, and the object of all con- 

 ^ Abstract of an article in Eugiaeering of May 15. 



cerned in its removal is to get rid of it as rapidly and cheaply as 

 possible. 



At one time the " destructor "' opened a prospect which was full 

 of hope to the parish ofiS.cials, and they grasped at the idea of 

 burning up all the foul rubbish, and thus getting rid of it once 

 and for all. But that time has passed. The suggestion of estab- 

 lishing a destructor in a district sets all the inhabitants into arms, 

 and gives rise to an outcry that cannot be resisted. In theory the 

 incineration of refuse is beautiful, and it can be carried out fairly 

 well in practice, so long as the apparatus works under favorable 

 conditions. But somehow a breakdown occurs every now and 

 then, and the stink of burning animal refuse pervades the neigh- 

 borhood. It is very easy to see how this may occur if the fires are 

 allowed to get into bad condition. The collecting vans come in 

 irregularly ; sometimes several may arrive together, and, if the men 

 tip their damp contents one after another into the furnaces, there 

 is a great probability of the fires being checked and a volume of 

 smoke given off that does not get completely consumed by the ap- 

 pliances provided for the purpose. Much of the evil may be due 

 to carelessness or want of management, but whatever may be the 

 cause, the destructor has earned for itself a bad name with the 

 public, and it is almost impossible to establish one within the pre- 

 cincts of a town. 



The plan that was formerly adopted of laying the I'efuse, or 

 "dust" as it is called, in heaps and sorting it by female labor, 

 requires a considerable amount of space and gives rise to nuisance. 

 The contents of the heaps, shut out from air and light, putrefy, 

 and when they are turned over, the stench spreads far beyond the 

 limits of the ground. In small places this method is still pursued, 

 but it is no longer practicable in large towns. Such places seek 

 the readiest way of getting the dust right away. If they have 

 access to the sea, they take it a few miles out and dump it into the 

 water, with the result that a good deal of it floats back and litters, 

 if it does not defile, the shore. The London vestries discharge 

 their vans into barges and send the contents down the river to be 

 laid on the Essex and Kentish marshes. Here there is abundant 

 fresh air and only a spare population, so that no harm is done. In 

 course of time nature disintegrates most of the elements of the 

 heterogeneous mass, and when mixed with the vegetable mould 

 of the marshes it becomes a fairly productive soil. 



A cursory inspection of the contents of a dust-cart leads to the 

 idea that they are mostly valueless and wholly offensive, or capa- 

 ble of becoming offensive under the influence of time and heat. 

 But this is a mistake, due to the large bulk of the lighter and 

 more ordurous constituents. Such articles as empty meat tins, 

 bottles, waste paper and straw, and vegetable refuse, make a large 

 bulk, but only weigh very little. Three-fourths of the weight of the 

 dust collected consists of fuel. A proportion of this has never been 

 on the fire, while most of the remainder is good cinder; it has had 

 the gases expelled, but the carbon remains and makes capital fuel. 

 Of course there is some thoroughly burned ash, but it is wonderful 

 how much less than one w'buld expect to find. The modern ser- 

 vant is not addicted to the use of the riddle, and all she finds in 

 the grate in the morning goes into the dustbin. This is well 

 known to those interested in such matters, and the brick makers 

 consequently absorb many thousands of tons of breeze from the 

 dust-carts annually, to the great annoyance of their neighbors ; for, 

 although the amount of animal and vegetable refuse is relatively 

 small, it is usually sufficient to taint all the other elements in the 

 dust, and to render them offensive when burnt or handled. 



It has been the object of sanitary reformers to discover a method 

 by which the valuable part of the dust could be thoroughly cleaned 

 and turned to account, and the useless parts destroyed without 

 nuisance. A process devised for this purpose is now to be seen in 

 active operation on the premises of the Refuse Disposal Company, 

 Chelsea. It is the invention of Mr. Joseph Russell and Mr. J. C. 

 Stanley, and its salient feature is that the dust is dealt with imme- 

 diately it arrives, and that, during the whole time it is under treat- 

 ment, it is kept in motion, and is fully exposed to the air in thin 

 layers. It is tipped from the cart into the machine, and immedi- 

 ately commences its passage through the various sorting devices. 

 In a few moments it has been divided into its different constitu- 

 ents, while all that is offensive has been intimately ground up with 



