454 



SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 



[May II, iS 



consists of a suitable holder which is filled with an 

 amorphous mass of zirconia, with a number of pairs of 

 carbons, which extend into the holder, and around the 

 points of which the zirconia is packed, each pair of 

 carbons being connected to opposite poles of a suitable 

 battery, whereby the currents of electricity are made to 

 flow in opposite directions, meeting and passing each other 

 at a common centre. 



Safety Guard for Windows.' — Mr. T. Miller has 

 patented a safety guard for use in cleaning windows. 

 The invention consists of two bent metal bolts of con- 

 venient size, one of each being inserted in the vertical 

 stones forming the side of the window at an angle, to 

 give greater stabilitj'. The bolts at their projecting ends 

 are in a vertical position to enter an eye in a flexible 

 steel band. The ends of this band are folded over and 

 firmly rivetted, thus forming the eye for the ends of the 

 bolt to enter. Near the top of the projecting part of the 

 bolt is a hole made to receive a split pin, which is secured 

 to the band by a chain, to prevent the band from slipping 

 off the supporting bolt. This band, stretched across the 

 window, prevents a person falling backwards to the 

 ground. 



Fare-Indicating Apparatus. — Mr. W. F. Nedler, 

 Germany, has patented a fare-indicating apparatus for 

 cabs. This invention comprises an improved arrange- 

 ment of the dial plate, upon which the fare to be paid 

 for each hiring is indicated in order that when the hand 

 of the indicator has passed around the whole or part of 

 the circumference of the dial, a number corresponding to 

 the distance passed through presents itself opposite an 

 opening, and serves for the calculation of the fare, inde- 

 pendently of the motion of the indicating hand and 

 mechanism for presenting these numbers opposite the 

 said opening. The invention also comprises means for 

 indicating upon the dial the minimum fare which must 

 be paid for hire, no matter whether the corresponding 

 distance or duration of time has been attained or not. 



Stirrup. — A safety stirrup has been patented by J. 

 Williams, Walsall. According to this invention a 

 secondary bow is pivoted at its lower end on each side 

 to the inside of an ordinary stirrup bow. The sides of 

 the secondary bow are carried up for some distance 

 inside the ordinary bow, and are curved out a little 

 backwards as they round over to meet one another to 

 complete the top of the bow, so as to bring the rounded 

 top of the secondary bow immediately behind the corres- 

 ponding top of the ordinary bow. A forwardly project- 

 ing stud is fixed to the top of the secondary bow, and 

 closes into a corresponding opening in the top of the 

 ordinary bow as the secondary bow is pushed up against 

 the ordinary bow. A metal loop is carried by the stirrup 

 leather, and the stirrup is connected with such link by 

 passing the stud therethrough, and closing in the 

 secondary bow with the link between the secondary 

 and ordinary bows. In use the weight of the stirrup and 

 also the pressure of the rider's foot on the tread, tends 

 to keep the bows closed, but it through any cause the 

 foot of the rider be turned back in relation to the stirrup, 

 the sides of the foot will press backwards against the 

 sides of the secondary bovi', and thus open out such bow 

 from the ordinary bow and release the stirrup from the 

 link carried by the leather. 



TECHNICAL EDUCATION NOTES. 



The Polytechnic Institution. — Sir Lyon Playfair, in 

 distributing the prizes at this institution on April 27th, said 

 that, in order to make the Institution permanent, the Charity 

 Commissioners had promised to endow them on the condition 

 that they raised a considerable quantity of money, and there 

 was still something like ^{^i 8,000 wanting. The total sum 

 required was about _£36,ooo. He trusted that the members 

 of the Institute would themselves substantially help towards 

 collecting this amount ; and that as a result of their meeting 

 considerable subscriptions might come in to found the insti- 

 tution permanently and make it an example to the world and 

 to the country. Formerly — and he was afraid at the present 

 time — working-men were classed as hands, not as heads ; but 

 the times were now changed, and the competition of the world 

 had become a competition of intellect. It was science which 

 had altered so much the whole of industry ; it was because 

 the world had not got itself yet adapted to the wonderful 

 scientific inventions which had taken place since 1S74 that 

 that they had so long a period of depression in trade. It was 

 a recognised truism now that the competition of the world 

 had become a competition of intellect, but it was not yet a 

 truism that the education which was to draw out the in- 

 tellect of working-men must suit the several localities and 

 the' several trades. In conclusion, the speaker said he trusted 

 they would do their utmost to make their institution not only 

 permanent, but an ornament and a model to the other insti- 

 tutions in the country. 



Technical Instruction for South-west London. — Mr. 

 Anstie, Q.C., received at the Charity Commissioners' offices, 

 Whitehall, on April 30th, a large deputation from Chelsea, 

 Pimlico, St. George's, Hanover Square, and Fulham, who asked 

 for a grant of money from the City Parochial Funds, in order 

 to establish a technical institution in the south-west of London. 

 The deputation included Lord Monkswell, Sir C. Dilke, 

 Colonel Howard Vincent, M.P., Mr. Whitmore, M.P., 

 Hon. S. Holland, Sir A. Hayter, Mr. Antrobus, the Rev. 

 F. Relton, the Rev. G. Blunt (rector of Chelsea), and 

 the Rev. Prebendary Eyton (rector of Upper Chelsea). 

 The Rev. F. Relton, in introducing the subject, said Earl 

 Cadogan had offered a site upon which to erect the institu- 

 tion, and had left it to them to choose a suitable one. The 

 site would cost ^2,500, but Earl Cadogan had said that if they 

 acquired the leasehold he would give them the freehold. 

 There had been for about twenty years a small technical in- 

 stitution, which had resulted in the formation of Onslow Col- 

 lege, the success of which had been very great. They were 

 anxious that in the south-west of London there should be a 

 technical institution such as was proposed for the north of 

 London, the south of London, and the east of London. He 

 could assure the Commissioners that there was a great deal 

 of poverty in the south-west of London, and he might add 

 that there was a large number of artisan dwellings in the 

 locality — a fact which fully entitled then to a share of the funds. 

 Mr. Antrobus, speaking on behalf of St. George's, Hanover 

 Square, said the great advantage to be derived from the estab- 

 lishment of such an institution in the south-west of London 

 was generally recognised. Mr. Anstie, in reply, said he could 

 not give the deputation any definite answer ; but if the locality 

 could raise the sum of ,£50,000 and could come to some agree- 

 ment with Onslow College, the Commissioners would give 

 the proposal their consideration. 



The Royal Victoria Hall. — On April 25th a meeting of 

 the friends and supporters of this institution was held at 

 Grosvenor Flouse, the Duke of Westminster occupying the 

 chair. In opening the proceedings, the Chairman said that 

 was a crisis in the history of the Victoria Hall. The institu- 

 tion had been increasingly successful in its many departments, 

 and now it had been contemplated by the Charity Commis- 

 sioners that with the funds with which they had to deal three 

 institutions of a similar character should be established in 

 South London. It had been practically arranged that the 

 hall should be taken over by the Charity Commissioners, if 

 the trustees could make arrangements to buy up the freehold. 

 The freehold would cost ^17,000, and it was desired to raise 

 that sum in order to make the purchase. 



