for ike year 1882. xv 



tion. There have been some important additions during the 

 year, among which may be noted specimens illustrating the 

 geology of New Guinea and the adjacent islands, Bleeker's 

 famous collection of fish from the Netherlands and India 

 coasts, and a fine group of adult orangs to compare with the 

 superb specimens of the gorilla formerly obtained. 



I am glad also to say that from our Technological and 

 Industrial Museum at the Public Library will be furnished 

 a large suite of specimens to aid in replacing the valuable 

 collection lost by our neighbours in the late Garden Palace fire 

 at Sydney. The classes and lectures at the School of Tech- 

 nology continue to be well attended, and taking chemistry and 

 metallurgy, engineering, mechanical drawing, and telegraphy, 

 we find 142 students on the rolls. As a practical example 

 of the value of this institution, and the soundness of the 

 training given, I may mention that many of the advanced 

 students have been enabled to take responsible positions in 

 factories, mines, workshops, and public offices. Besides 

 actual technical training, a great deal of valuable experi- 

 mental work is carried on at this school. One interesting 

 item I am able, from information given me by the director 

 of the school (Mr. Newbery) to refer to. It has been found 

 that the steel-wire rope used for the winding gear in mines 

 in some instances passes from a tough and safe to a brittle 

 and unsafe stage in a few weeks — a most serious matter, 

 considering the number of lives at stake and the great cost 

 of the ropes. Mr. Newbery now attributes this to a physical 

 change taking place in the steel through the action of the 

 acidulated saline waters of the mine. The prevention Mr. 

 Newbery suggests is to cover the ropes with a good coating 

 of some elastic waterproof material, such as a mixture of 

 grease and tar. Brittle ropes can be toughened by annealing, 

 but as I believe steel rope is made with hempen core to each 

 strand, this would necessarily be destroyed in the process, 

 and probably render the rope less fit for use. Mr. Newbery 

 also states from results of experiments lately carried out that 

 wood work in buildings, such as flooring, shelving, &c, can 



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