August 13, 1886.] 



SCIENCE. 



137 



four hundred and fifty miles, or eleven hours' rail. 

 No American lines would land mails and passen- 

 gers at Queenstown, when they could be delivered 

 by the new route much earlier in Scotland, Lan- 

 cashire, and London. 



It is on many accounts to be regretted that the 

 necessary capital for the Manchester ship-canal 

 has not been subscribed withia the time - limit 

 allowed by the act of parliament authorizing its 

 construction. Another opportunity will be afford- 

 ed next year. It is to be 35 miles long, and a 

 contract for its construction had been taken for 

 $28,750,000. The depth is to be 26 feet, and the 

 bottom width 120 feet. There will therefore be 

 ample room for the largest ocean steamers to pass 

 each other, and such delays as on the Suez canal 

 cannot take place. The 60 feet difference of level 

 between the two ends will be surmounted by four 

 sets of locks. It is estimated that the labor of 

 20,000 men will be required for four years to com- 

 plete it. 



Science will be represented in the new house of 

 commons by Su- John Lubbock, Sn Henry Roscoe, 

 Mr. Nevil Story Maskelyne, and Sir Lyon Play- 

 fair, who, now that he is released from the cares 

 of office by the resignation of the Gladstone min- 

 istry, is intending to make his usual autumnal 

 visit to the United States with Lady Playfan. 



The following telegram from Paris on electrical 

 transmission of force, appeared in the Times of 

 July 26: — 



"During the last ten years M. Marcel Deprez 

 has been engaged in experiments connected with 

 the transmission of force by means of electricity. 

 The Rothschilds some time since provided him 

 with an unlimited credit to prosecute his re- 

 searches at Creil, under the inspection of a com- 

 mission of thirty - eight men of science. On 

 Friday the commission met to hear a report on 

 the results at present obtained, drawn uj) at their 

 request by M. Maurice Levy, This report was 

 unanimously approved. It appears from it that 

 we can now, with only one generator and only 

 one receptor, transport to a distance of about 35 

 mUes a force capable of being used for industrial 

 purposes of 52-horse power, with a yield of 45 per 

 cent, without exceeding a curi'ent of 10 amperes. 

 When the amount of force absorbed by the appa- 

 ratus used to facilitate the recent experiment, but 

 not required in the applications to industrial pur- 

 poses, is added, the yield will be nearly 50 per 

 cent. 



' ' The commission certifies that the machines 

 now work regularly and continuously. The maxi- 

 mum electro-motive force is 6,290 volts. Before 

 the construction of the Marcel Deprez apparatus 

 the maximum force did not exceed 2,000 volts. 



The report states that this liigh tension does not 

 give rise to any danger, and that no accident has 

 occuiTed durmg the past six months. The com- 

 mission is of opinion that the transmitting wire 

 may be left uncovered on poles, provided it be 

 placed beyond the reach of the hand. It estimates 

 at nearly £5,000 the probable cost of the transmis- 

 sion of 50-horse power round a circular line of 

 about 70 naUes. This price would, however, be 

 much diminished if the machines were frequently 

 constructed. 



' ' The commission, in the name of science and 

 industry, warmly congratulated M. Deprez on the 

 a,dmirable results which he had obtained, and 

 expressed thanks to the EothschUds for the gener- 

 ous aid extended to the undertaking." 



In connection with this, attention may well be 

 drawn to an admnable Httle book on this whole 

 subject of the electrical transmission and distribu- 

 tion of power, just published, from the pen of Mr, 

 Gisbert Kapp, in Whitaker's ' specialist' series. It 

 contains a clear and concise summary of principles, 

 and a detailed account of what has actually been 

 accomplished. 



The forest fires which have been desolating an 

 important section of Algeria seem at last to have 

 burnt out. During the Roman occupation, Tunis 

 probably contained twenty millions of people ; 

 now the most favorable estimates do not place 

 the population at more than one mUhon and a 

 half. At one time the regions at present so bar- 

 ren were wealthy with crops, as shown, for ex- 

 ample, by the frequent ruins of Roman oil mills. 

 In those days the country was covered with lux- 

 uriant forests. In Bruce's day, one hundred and 

 twenty years ago, allusion is made to forests 

 where now not a single tree is visible. Yet the 

 soil is still there, only waituig to be stkred into 

 life by rain. Every country off which timber has 

 been cut or burnt without discretion is feeling 

 more or less the same inconvenience. Let the 

 United States and Canada take warning ! 



The institute of naval architects is now holding- 

 its summer session at Livei'jDOol, under the presi- 

 dency of the Earl of Ravensworth. Chief -engineer 

 Parker, surveyor to Lloyds, read a paper on the 

 progress and develoj)ment of marine engineering, 

 in which he illustrated by tables and diagrams 

 the improvements effected during the past few 

 years. Mi-. WiUiam John, the manager of the 

 Barrow ship-building company, then read a paper 

 upon 'The constiaiction of Atlantic passenger 

 steamers,' in which he pointed out that none of 

 the English transatlantic hners had yet been fitted 

 with the latest modern improvements for economy 

 of fuel or quick combustion, such as triple-expan- 

 sion engines or forced draught, which some of the 



