504 



SCIENCE. 



[Vol. XIII. No. 334 



Analyses show an extremely rapid increase of the solid contents 

 of the water between June, 1888, and February, 1889, as compared 

 with the effect produced during the previous seven and a half 

 years. The latter was about two and a half times or 150 per cent 

 on the whole, or an average of 13 per cent a year; while in the 

 eight months preceding the last examination the increase was 

 nearly 45 per cent. It should be noted that these eight months 

 were remarkable for very great evaporation elsewhere on the coast, 

 •also, and that they formed the end of three years of rather defi- 

 ■cient rainfall in the State. The more abundant moisture of the 

 season just passed may have stopped or perhaps even reversed the 

 .process. 



It is hoped that all persons who may, from their own observa- 

 tion, be able to throw light upon the history of the recession of 

 these lakes, will communicate the facts, so as to place them on 

 record. 



THE CAMERA ABROAD. 



In a recent article in The Swiss Cross, when speaking of pho- 

 'tographing in foreign countries, I advised every one to become 

 familiar, to some extent at least, with the French language, and 

 particularly with the technical terms used in photography ; the dif- 

 ferent portions of the apparatus ; the chemicals ; short phrases to 

 •be used in the custom-house, to the police, to hotel servants, etc. 



I need hardly say that those who intend to visit the German 

 fatherland ought to pursue the same course with the German lan- 

 guage. As a general rule, the traveller will find that English is 

 spoken tolerably well almost everywhere ; but it is when he goes 

 out, and rambles about in the country or in the older and more 

 picturesque portions of cities and towns, that he comes in contact 

 with a class of persons who rarely speak any other tongue than 

 their own. The mere presence of a stranger in such places will 

 attract notice. Any thing like sketching, drawing, or photograph- 

 ing will be sure to draw a crowd of idlers, who will sometimes 

 render work in these places very unpleasant, or even at times quite 

 impracticable. A. little knowledge of the native tongue is invalu- 

 able under such circumstances. 



I have frequently been asked the question whether the lower 

 orders of the people in different European countries acted differ- 

 ently toward the out-door photographer. On the whole, I think 

 I can say that there is less annoyance in Germany than in most 

 other countries. I must, however, make this reservation : that if 

 a public school is dismissed while the photographer is anywhere 

 near, there is sure to be trouble. The children crowd around the 

 camera, and spoil every thing. On one occasion I was fairly driven 

 from the field from this cause ; for, even knowing the language, I 

 found it impossible to keep them from encroaching. There is no 

 ill nature, however, in this sort of interference with photographic 

 ■work ; but in some parts of the Netherlands I have had very dis- 

 agreeable encounters with drunken roughs, who persisted in stand- 

 ing directly in front of the instrument, even when they saw plainly 

 that they were hindering the work. 



Supposing that the amateur starts for Germany on one of the com- 

 fortable Bremen or Hamburg steamers from New York : he will 

 find himself pretty well in the fatherland from the moment when 

 he sets foot on the vessel. The officers and crew are German to a 

 man. The food is German, and so are the customs observed on 

 the vessel. A very pretty one is the music which is generally fur- 

 nished by the stewards during the dinner-hour every day, and early 

 on Sunday mornings. At these times some piece of a solemn or 

 religious character is always selected, and the effect made upon 

 the mind by being thus awakened on a steamer in mid-ocean by 

 religious music is not soon forgotten. The music at dinner, how- 

 •ever, even on Sundays, is any thing but solemn in character ; and 

 the choruses to the well-known German convivial songs are joined 

 in by all the passengers who can sing, and roared out right lustily, 

 to the great satisfaction of those who, not being able to sing, con- 

 tribute their part in screams of laughter and ringing applause. 

 The good cheer at the table does not suffer neglect during all this 

 babel of sounds, and, let me say in parenthesis, it is of unsurpassed 

 quality. Americans are too apt to associate ideas of German 

 cookery with sauerkraut and beer ; but on these vessels such ar- 



ticles are rather conspicuous by absence, and the table is furnished 

 with every luxury that a pampered appetite could demand. 



If the photographic apparatus is of small and convenient size, 

 there will be numerous scenes and incidents on board a large 

 ocean-steamer worthy of being recorded. The same apparatus 

 could hardly be expected to answer for groups on the deck and for 

 effective views of vessels passing. While steaming in the harbors 

 of cities like New York, Hamburg, or Bremerhaven, capital in- 

 stantaneous shots may be made at the water-craft of all kinds, 

 but a lens of long enough focus to reach them nicely would prob- 

 ably be found unmanageable for groups of people on deck. If 

 photography be attempted at sea while the vessel is rolling, take 

 care to keep the camera level with the horizon, no matter what 

 position the ship may assume. This, of course, is easier to say 

 than to do ; but, if neglected entirely, the pictures will make the 

 level surface of the ocean appear like a steeply inclined plane. Re- 

 member that the forward part of the vessel is the most desirable 

 standpoint for the camera, because the jarring motion of the screw 

 is less felt here than in the after part. If the instantaneous shutter 

 was a rather slow-working one, the outlines of the picture might 

 be doubled by the vibration of the screw. 



Those who are fond of making studies of clouds will here have 

 an excellent opportunity. As a general rule, the best time to work 

 is in the afternoon ; and in selecting a position for the camera, 

 take care that none of the ship's braces or shrouds cut across the 

 field of the lens. This may happen at times when work has to be 

 attempted in a hurry ; as, for instance, when the pilot is taken on, 

 when the tug comes for the mail, etc. 



Great care must be taken not to expose the outfit, and particu- 

 larly the sensitive plates or paper, to the damp sea-air for a longer 

 time than is absolutely necessary. The sliding doors in the plate- 

 holders should be constantly looked to, and special examinations 

 made by red light at night to see that the spring cut-off in the slot 

 of the holder closes properly when the door is withdrawn. A little 

 time and trouble bestowed in this manner will be well rewarded 

 by clean results, free from light-streaks and fog ; for it will often 

 happen that the cut-off swells just enough to leave a crack open 

 when the door is pulled out, and the consequence is that every ex- 

 posure is "light-struck." It is a good plan to take a sheet of fine 

 sandpaper, a small screw-driver, and a sharp pocket-knife on all 

 photographic excursions, so as to be prepared for accidents of the 

 kind. The practice of throwing the focusing-cloth over the holder 

 when the door is drawn out is a great protection to the film, and 

 should always be done. 



The port of Bremerhaven, where the amateur will probably land 

 in Germany, offers little of interest ; but just the reverse is true of 

 Bremen, seventeen miles away. Of this I will speak in my next. 

 Ellerslie Wallace, M.D. 



PREPARATION AND PROPERTIES OF MANGANESE.i 



The properties of manganese, like those of iron, appear to dif- 

 fer according to the method used in the reduction of the metal. 

 When obtained from the oxide by heating with carbon, most au- 

 thorities agree in the statement that the metal oxidizes so readily 

 in the air that it can be preserved only under " rock oil " or in well- 

 sealed vessels. In water it is said to " oxidize rapidly, with evolu- 

 tion of hydrogen, and crumbles into a dark gr.ay powder." Cast 

 manganese containing eight per cent of iron is said to be unalter- 

 able in the air. 



In the year 1869, some manganese prepared after the process of 

 Brunner (the reduction of the chloride mixed with fluorspar, by 

 means of sodium) was found to have as little tendency to o.xidation 

 as iron. Repeating recently this process, pure chloride of man- 

 ganese was fused in a clay crucible, and poured on a stone slab. 

 When cold, it was pulverized, and mixed with an equal weight of 

 powdered fluorspar. This mixture, divided into portions of one 

 ounce, was introduced into a French clay crucible, previously 

 heated to redness. Eighty grains of sodium, cut into small pieces 

 and freed from naphtha, being added to each portion, the crucible 

 was covered, and re-action allowed to take place before adding an- 



1 Paper read at the meeting of the chemical section of the Franklin Institutes 

 Philadelphia, May 21, by Charles Bullock. 



