432 Miscellaneous Intelligence. 
mortar, until it becomes a uniform powder; it is then preserved in 
closed vessels. As thus made, A is in the highest degree 
inflammable, communicating the combustion readily to the mixture 
B on a piece of sulphured wood, For the purposes of the match 
manufacture, these mixtures are made into a paste with caoutchouc 
dissolved in naphtha to a gelatinous mass, which then may be read- 
ily incorporated with the powder, without injuring the inflamma- 
bility of the latter. 
Experiments were then made on the preparation of a suitable 
match box, one which should act when opened. A brass box, 
whose cover was made to fly open with a spring, was filled in its 
lower part with moistened asbestus; in the upper portion, two 
in the vessel containing the gunpowder, and placing the whole m 
water, the explosion follows so soon as the hyposulphite 1s dis- 
vi s of the powder is sufficient to ensure th 
306, Nov. 1868. Teo 
2. Deerease in the Production of Gold.—Buaxx in his late “Re- 
port on the Precious Metals,” has the following remarks on the 
D Oo fte . 
“The statisties of the production of gold in California, Australia 
and other satire pe: show very clearly the familiar fact that m 
all 
as 
ee oe eee 
