126 Correspondence of J. Nickl^. 



receive the consideration wliicli it merits, M. Barbier Las laid it open for 

 concours accompanied with the sum of 6,000 francs. A commissioo 

 chosen by the Jury of the Exposition of 1862 will give its advice upon 

 the classification in the order of their merits of the memoirs which may 

 be presented upon the subject by different competitors. 



These memoirs written or translated into French are to be delivered 

 before the 31st of May 1862 at Paris at the Palace of Industry, or at 

 London at the hotfel of the Imperial Commission. The authors of the 

 four memoirs classed in the first rank will receive prizes of 2000, 1500, 

 1000, and 500 francs respectively. 



This concours has created some sensation and it is hoped that it will be 

 followed by useful results. It should be remembered that in 1855 the 

 project of an international college engaged tlie attention of Fortoul the 

 Minister of Public Instruction whose sudden death in 1856 delayed the 

 progress of the enterprise. His attention had been directed to this sub- 

 ject by Eugene Rendu, the Inspector General of the University. A com- 

 plete programme of studies was proposed for this project which has for a 

 considerable time been executed though imperfectly in several countries. 

 Thus there is at Paris an Egyptian school supported by the Viceroy of 

 Egypt which receives only Egyptians, at Athens a French School support- 

 ed by the French government where only young French literati are re- 

 ceived, (fee. Thus we see that the idea of Rendu and Barbier existed 

 previously although only in the germ. 



Manufacture of Aluminium. — We have repeatedly mentioned to our 

 readers the progress of the manufacture of Aluminium since St. <'.;i:''' 

 Deville discovered the method of obtaining it on a commercial ^^■-•'• 

 They have learned to forge aluminium, to file, roll, punch and to engi:'\"^ 

 it with any design the workman may select. The method of dra^^-i ■■ 

 into fine wire has remained hitherto an unsolved problem, though ii't i"^ 

 the want of diligent efibrts to accomplish it. The superintendents "^ '"^ 

 manufactories of aluminium ingots, comprehending the inipuri;iinx' 

 " ' "■ ' • -> • - made great sacrUKw 



being able to draw this metal into fine wire have made great 

 ; Paris 



) resolve the problem. They have applied to the manufacturers ot'i,";''^ 

 • ^ • ^ • ' ^ ' .. , . ^ . i^ave failed, ih^ 



3 density that its texture is at once broken up and 

 it becomes as friable as glass, so that it leaves upon the draw-plate the 

 superficial molecules which are in contact with the instrument. 



The problem of drawing aluminium into wire has however just been 

 resolved by M. Garapon, an artisan of Paris who now conducts the 

 operation in a truly workmanlike manner. He furnishes the alumiui""* 

 wire at from 60 to 100 per cent cheaper than silver wire of the same 

 length. The price of aluminium is always about 200 francs per kllograiD' 

 For the purpose of drawing it into wire they commence with vihU " 

 aluminium of one metre in length and 12 millemetres diameter, the^*' the 

 inventor easily reduces to wires of the size of a hair and many lunHii'>i'^ 

 kilometres in length. These products appear in the London Expo.^iti >n, 

 where are seen articles of lace work, such as epaulettes, embrui i 

 textile fabrics, entire head-dresses, with mounting and ornaii.' 

 structed entirely of aluminium. These articles are reraarkabl. 

 lightness, and tliey show that a novel manufacture has been cixw. 



