272 



SCIENCE. 



[Vol. XV. No. 378 



before or at the time the walls gave way, the wind forced in 

 some portion of the south wall, as a window or door, thus 

 probably accounting for the outward pressure on other 

 walls." The most important observation in connection with 

 these exploded houses, however, was the record of a baro- 

 graph, which just at this moment showed a remarkable rise 

 in pressure. In the Louisville tornado, also, a barograph 

 within a mile or two of the track showed first a slight sud- 

 den fall and recovery, due probably to the wind, and after- 

 ward the tornado-rise, as at St. Louis. This evidence is 

 cumulative; and when we consider that the wind blows 

 away from the tornado in front, and that of two similar ob- 

 jects standing side by side, one very heavy and the other 

 light, the former is swept away while the other remains un- 

 touched, the evidence seems almost conclusive that there is 

 no diminution of pressure in a tornado. It is probable that 

 there is no fact in the whole observation or make-up of a 

 tornado of such extreme importance as this, and it will be 

 touched upon again in an explanation of a seeming rush of 

 objects into the funnel. It will undoubtedly be thought, 

 that, after all that has preceded, we really know very little 

 of the mechanism of a tornado. This is true; but, if we 

 have advanced far enough to be able to say what it is not, 

 we may congratulate ourselves, and feel that our labor has 

 not been entirely in vain. H. A. Hazen. 



an artificial supply of this gaseous oxidizing agent would possibly 

 prevent, and at any rate considerably modify, such outbreaks of 



THE MANUFACTURE OF OZONE. 

 A COMPANY has been formed in Berlin for supplying the neces- 

 sary plant for the conversion of oxygen into ozone on a larger 

 scale than has hitherto been attempted, and the idea is gain- 

 ing favor in many quarters that ozone can be economically 

 employed for many sanitary purposes, says London Industries. 

 Steps are being taken for extendiog the operations of the com- 

 pany to New York and London, as they have secured the patent 

 rights for certain improvements in the electrical production of 

 ozone from atmospheric oxygen in most countries. The Berlin 

 doctors have repeatedly employed ozone, with very satisfactory 

 results, in individual cases, and recently the company above 

 alluded to have placed on the market a so-called ozonized water, 

 which is stated to be a solution of ozone in that liquid. It is, 

 however, well known that ozone is not very soluble in water, and 

 that it readily undergoes decomposition, forming hydrogen perox- 

 ide and oxygen. The commercial name for this new antiseptic 

 is " antibacterikon," and it possesses remarkable oxidizing prop- 

 erties. When added to water containing any appreciable quantity 

 of living organic matter in the dark, it at once causes a phos- 

 phorescent appearance, and the organisms are completely destroyed 

 in a short time. Such ozonized water is stated to have a faint 

 metallic taste, and is used for producing sterilized water, or 

 sterilized fluids, for bacteriological research. At present the 

 ozone is manufactured from oxygen obtained by heating pyro- 

 lusite in the old way; but of course, with a greater demand, the 

 Brin's oxygen process could be employed. The conversion takes 

 place in a Siemens tube, or series of Siemens tubes, which do not 

 differ essentially from the orignal form of ozouizer. The electric 

 discharge is made by a Ruhmkorf coil in the usual way, or an 

 accumulator is employed and a mercury contact breaker. It is 

 proposed that ozone should be produced in this manner in large 

 manufactories, and thus contribute to their sanitary improve- 

 ment. Dr. Forster of Berlin has recently urged the importance 

 of endeavoring to supply a small quantity of ozone to the air of 

 towns and other thickly populated districts, and the company 

 believe that their system can be worked economically and at the 

 same time produce very satisfactory results from a hygienic 

 point of view. It has been pointed out that many epidemics, e.g., 

 influenza, appear to take place at those seasons of the year when 

 the atmospheric ozone is at a minimum, and it is thus argued that 



THE OIL-FIELDS IN NEW ZEALAND. 



The Nev^ Zealand Government attach a great deal of impor- 

 tance to the indications of extensive oil fields in Taranaki. The 

 report of the inspecting engineer of the mines department, who 

 has made a special examination of the territory at the instance of 

 the government, says the Australasian Journal of Commerce, is 

 strongly confirmatory of the presence of mineral oil. In the 

 neighborhood of New Plymouth there are many surface indica- 

 tions, particularly along the shore, gathered under bowlders and 

 floating on the water. Farther inland the water gathering in the 

 wells which are sunk is found to have a strong taste and smell 

 of petroleum, so as to be quite unfit for drinking. If all these 

 indications should turn out to be well founded, and oil be dis- 

 coverpd in paying quantities, the find will be of great value to 

 New Zealand in many ways, the most important of which, per- 

 haps, is as a fuel for smelting-purposes. Vast quantities of iroa 

 sand — according to the "New Zealand Year Book," a sand formed 

 by the grindmg-up of iron ore by the action of the waves — 

 lie for hundreds of miles along the coast of the North Island? 

 and this pulverized ore is practically worthless at present 

 from lack of a sufficiently cheap fuel to smelt it. Should oil be 

 obtained in such close proximity to these supplies of ground iron 

 ore, a new and important industry may be developed into- 

 large proportions. Such, at least, is the hope of those who are- 

 investigating the matter on the spot. Independent of this, how- 

 ever, a new and extensive oil-field in the South Pacific would 

 speedily become the source of supply for the whole of Australasia 

 and the entire East. New Zealand would become an active com- 

 petitor with the Baku wells, even if the Russian supply should 

 falsify present indications of failure, and continue. The prox- 

 imity of the supposed New Zealand field to the coast and port of 

 New Plymouth would e;ive it an advantage over both Russian and 

 American oils in lessening the cost of both crude and refined on 

 shipboard. 



THE USE OF OIL. 



Attention is called by the United States Hydrographic Office 

 to the fact that the Chamber of Commerce of Bordeaux, France^ 

 has offered a series of prizes in order to induce masters and of- 

 ficers of vessels to make thorough trial of the use of oil at sea,, 

 especially as regards the best way to use it and the practical bene- 

 fits to be derived from such use. There are three sets of prizes,, 

 each set consisting of a first prize of 300 francs ($40) and a second 

 prize of 100 francs ($20), to be awarded for the best reports re- 

 ceived by Jan. 31, 1891, based upon actual experience. Pro- 

 grammes for the three competitions are as follows : — 



1. Steamers. — Trials of the use of oil must be made under 

 various conditions, particularly the following : heavy head sea, 

 heavy quartering sea, towing in bad weather, engine or rudder 

 disabled. 



3. SAILING-VESSELS. — Trials to be made under various condi- 

 tions, but especially when crowding sail with a strong wind 

 abeam. 



There must also be considered, in connection with the first and 

 second competitions, the use of oil in lowering and hoisting boats,, 

 taking a pilot aboard, saving life at sea, riding out a gale in art 

 unprotected anchorage, loading and unloading in a seaway, wear- 

 ing and tacking ship. 



3. Fishing-Vessels, Pilot- Boats, Yachts, Lifeboats, etc.— 

 Experiments in using oil when crossing bars, landing in a surf, 

 etc. 



General Rules for the Competitions. — Each experiment 

 , must be described fully as soon as possible, and an account in- 

 serted, under the proper date, in the vessel's log book. In the 

 case of fishing-vessels and pilot-boats, however, this may be dis- 

 pensed with ; but upon return to port a full statement must he- 

 made to the maritime authorities. Full details must be given re- 

 garding the direction and force of the wind, the state of the sea,. 



