404 



SCIENCE. 



[Vol. VIII., No. 196 



museum, in Dr. Lamborn's collection. But in- 

 spection detects glaring contrasts in execution 

 and in detail. The triangular entablatures over 

 the masks are too large and too regular, the 

 masks themselves are not after the trigonometri- 

 cal style of the Aztec potter, and the mustache- 

 like flaps on the upper lips are strangely incon- 

 sistent with any claims for the object as a genu- 

 ine relic. The expanded flattened chins are 

 anomalous. 



The body of the vase, as seen in the cuts, is 

 handsomely ornamented by a face in relief and 

 two semi-disk-shaped annular handles. The face, 

 both as seen in profile and in full view, is not 

 Mexican, and is much too pretty. The fiUet 

 surmounting the head should be drawn more 

 closely about the sides of the face, and the V- 

 shaped ends are too large and coarse. The disks 

 attached to the fillet are placed too high, above 

 instead of at or below the ears, and the pendant 

 tassels are abnormally cumbrous. Dr. Plongeon, 

 who agreed with the writer as to the suspicious 

 character of the vase, says that the longitudinal 

 and horizontal bars of these tassels are too few, as 

 they should be respectively five and seven. The 

 handles are very dubious, both from size and 

 ornamentation, while their thin, sheet-like textiu-e 

 is unusual. The legs of the vase are too far un- 

 der the body of the vase, as in most instances, 

 where present, they sprout from farther up the 

 sides of the object, holding it on inclined sup- 

 ports, and are more usually three in number. 

 The cabalistic ornamentation about and under the 

 vase is significantly coarse and overdone. 



The stand, which is seldom found in Mexican 

 pottery, is too elaborate, too highly mcised, and 

 false in ornamentation ; the markings on its upper 

 surface suggestive of calendar-stones, etc., are 

 simply trifling ; and the drop-shaped pellets stuck 

 about it at top and bottom are out of place. 

 The serpents used upon it are wrongly placed ; 

 their universal position, I think, being in profile, 

 with usually gaping mouths, while the scroll de- 

 sign between them strikes one as a piece of in- 

 genious but unsuccessful counterfeiting. The 

 whole piece is also too systematically punctured in 

 every part. Since the writer was led to suspect 

 the genuineness of this marvellous production, he 

 has learned from Prof. A. S. Bickmore that Mr. 

 Charnay, in conversation with him, pronounced it 

 a fraud. The aggravated offences so often perpe- 

 trated on archeologists by money-making trick- 

 sters make it desirable to publish every counterfeit 

 of any importance, both as a warning to the com- 

 munity, of cheats, and as a guide and protection 

 to the less suspicious collectors. 



L. P. Gratacap. 



A PETROLEUM STEAMER. 



The petroleum trade between this country and 

 Europe has assumed such large proportions, that 

 cheaper means of transportation than the ordinary 

 plan of carrying the oil in wooden casks or metal 

 cases are desirable. Attempts in this direction 

 have been made by fitting ships with cylindrical 

 or rectangular iron tanks, but to this method 

 there were many grave objections. With cylin- 

 drical tanks, no matter how closely packed, the 

 result is, that, allowing for the weight of the 

 tanks themselves, the vessel can carry but little 

 more than half her dead- weight capacity. Rec- 

 tangular tanks, fitting more snugly together, are 

 better in this respect. But in both systems there 

 is considerable loss by leakage ; and in the spaces 

 between the tanks, inflammable and explosive 

 gases may be generated, becoming a source of 

 danger. 



The attention of ship-builders having been 

 drawn to this important subject, the result is, that 

 a new type of steamer has been devised and con- 

 structed for the special purpose of carrying oil in 

 bulk. The Gluckauf, the first vessel of the new 

 type, was built at Newcastle-on-Tyne, to the order 

 of a German firm, and launched last June. She 

 recently completed her first round trip between 

 this port and Germany with a full cargo of oil, 

 and sailed a few days ago for Bremerhaven with 

 her second cargo. The experiment has proved a 

 complete success ; and it is stated that other 

 steamers of the same kind, with such modifica- 

 tions of detail as experience suggests, will be 

 built, thus to some extent revolutionizing the oil- 

 carrying trade. 



The Gluckauf is an iron steamer three hundred 

 feet in length, and of three thousand tons burden. 

 Externally she has the appearance of an ordinary 

 freight-steamer, except that her smoke-stack is 

 much farther aft, and her half-deck extends for- 

 ward of the mainmast. Internally she presents 

 some novel features. The coal-bunkers, boilers, 

 and engines are at the extreme stern, in a com- 

 partment entirely separated from the rest of the 

 vessel by a water-tight bulkhead. Forward of 

 this bulkhead she is divided into eight oil com- 

 partments — four on a side — by transverse and 

 longitudinal bulkheads extending from the ship's 

 bottom to the main deck, two feet above the 

 water-line. From each of these compartments a 

 trunk about eight feet square extends up through 

 the 'tweendecks. These trunks allow of expan- 

 sion or contraction of the cargo from variation of 

 temperature, and also carry off aU volatile gases 

 which may be formed. When loaded, the oil fills 

 the compartments, and extends halfvpay up the 

 trunks, so that the only surface of oil exposed to 



