Nov. 2, iSSS.] 



SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 



4/i 



Depth of Liquids. — Mr. F. C. Clare has patented 

 means for ascertaining the depth of liquid in vessels. 

 This invention is specially suitable for lamp reservoirs 

 to indicate whether it is partially filled or nearly empty. 

 A float is provided having a hole through it for the 

 passage of a spiral rod, which is pivotted at the top and 

 bottom in discs so that it can rotate freely. The hole 

 in the float is shaped so that the rod freely moves and re- 

 volves as the float rises or falls, and on the upper disc 

 is a pointer attached to the rod, which, as the spindle 

 revolves, indicates the height of the liquid. 



Ink. — Mr.W. Hackney has patented a writing ink. The 

 object is to prevent the inconvenience caused in many 

 climates by the ink drying in the bottle, on the pen, or 

 otherwise. This is prevented in the case of inks in 

 which water is the chief constituent by adding chloride of 

 calcium in the solid state to the ink, and by employing 

 paper impregnated with sulphate of sodium, which will 

 form, by double decomposition with the chloride of 

 calcium, a salt which is not objectionable. The employ- 

 ment of this paper for writing upon prevents the 

 objectionable qualities engendered by the employment 

 of the chloride in the ink. 



Flexible Films. — Mr. J. E. Thornton has patented a 

 photographic flexible film. It is prepared in the fol- 

 lowing manner : — A suitable material, such as glass, is 

 procured upon which to prepare the film, and a trans- 

 parent material known as"algin"is employed for the 

 preparation. This substance is soluble in water, and 

 possesses the peculiar property of becoming insoluble in 

 water after treatment with dilute mineral acid. To pre- 

 pare a film it is only necessary to dissolve sufficient in 

 water to make a thick glutinous solution, which is then 

 flowed out on a level surface and allowed to dry. The 

 resulting film is afterwards rendered insoluble, and is 

 then stripped off the glass for use. 



Firing Naval Ordnance. — Mr. P. J. Crampton has 

 patented means for firing naval ordnance. The object is 

 to provide means whereby the guns can be fired auto- 

 matically when the vessel is on an even keel. A plate is 

 employed which has its plane constantly parallel with 

 the horizon. On this plate are electrical contacts con- 

 nected in pairs, and above them hang arms with corres- 

 ponding contacts. The electrical circuit is connected 

 with electric wires for firing the guns. The points on 

 the arms are kept in a plane parallel with the horizon 

 when the ship is on an even keel, by means of stops, 

 and it is only when the electrical circuit is complete 

 that the guns can be fired. 



Balloons. — Mr. H. Lane has patented a method of 

 constructing spherical balloons and other forms of gas or 

 air bags of shapes known as solids of revolution. A 

 spindle is constructed with tapering extremities bearing 

 at each point of its length a geometrical proportion to a 

 corresponding point of the balloon to be constructed. 

 The spindle is supported on anti-friction wheels. The 

 substances of which the balloon is constructed are spread 

 over the surface of the spindle, the latter being rotated 

 as the material is added. The fabric is then detached 

 from the spindle and held in reserve until it has made 

 sufficient revolutions to complete the amount of fabric 

 required ; the two extremities of the fabric are then joined 

 together. 



ANNOUNCEMENTS. 



Cambridge. — At Emmanuel College the next examination 

 for open scholarships will commence on Tuesday, December 

 nth, 18SS. There will be offered for competition five scholar- 

 ships, one of £80, two of ^60, and two of .£50. The scholar- 

 ships are tenable, in the first instance for two years, but the 

 tenure may be prolonged and the value increased if the 

 scholar makes satisfactory progress and distinguishes himself 

 at the annual college examination. The scholarships will be 

 awarded for proficiency in classics, or mathematics, or natural 

 science, or any two of these branches of study. Candidates 

 in natural science are required to show a competent know- 

 ledge of chemistry. Every candidate must be under nineteen 

 years of age at the commencement of the examination. The 

 successful candidates must enter Emmanuel College and 

 commence residence at the latest in October, 1889. Every 

 candidate is required to send his name, with a copy of regis- 

 ter of birth and a certificate of good moral conduct from some 

 M.A. of Oxford or Cambridge, to Mr. W. Chavvner, M.A., 

 Tutor of Emmanuel, before Friday, December 7th, to whom all 

 inquiries for further details concerning the examination should 

 be addressed. 



At King's College the next examination for scholarships 

 will commence on Tuesday, December nth. Four Eton 

 entrance scholarships, two open entrance scholarships of ^80, 

 two exhibitions of ^50, and at least three exhibitions varying 

 from £70 to ^40 will be offered. The scholarships and ex- 

 hibitions, except one exhibition for natural science, will be 

 offered for proficiency in classics, mathematics, or history. 

 The open scholarships and exhibitions are open to all persons 

 under nineteen years of age, who have not yet commenced 

 residence. Candidates must send their names to Mr. G. W. 

 Prothero, M.A., Senior Tutor of the College, not later than 

 December 3rd, of whom further details of the examination 

 may be obtained on application. 



The Special Board for Geology and Biology recommend 

 that the sum of .£80, from the Worts' Travelling Scholars' 

 Fund, be granted to Mr. M. C. Potter, M.A., of Peterhouse, to 

 enable him to make botanical researches and to collect speci- 

 mens in Ceylon during the winter months of 1888-9, on me 

 understanding that he report the result of his investigations 

 on his return. 



London Mathematical Society. — The following gentle- 

 men will be recommended, at the Society's annual meeting, 

 Nov. 8th, for election on the Council for the ensuing session : 

 —J. J. Walker, F.R.S., President ; Sir J. Cockle, F.R.S., E. 

 B. Elliott, M.A., and Professor Greenhill, F.R.S., Vice- 

 Presidents ; A. B. Kempe, F.R.S., Treasurer ; Messrs. M. 

 Jenkins, M.A,, and R. Tucker, M.A., Hon. Secretaries ; A. B. 

 Basset, M.A., Dr. Glaisher, F.R.S., J. Hammond, M.A., Prof. 

 H. Hart, M.A., Dr. F. Larmor, C. Lendesdorf, M.A., 

 Captain P. A. Macmahon, R. A., S. Roberts, F.R.S., and Dr. 

 Routh, F.R.S. 



Greenock Philosophical Society. — From the programme 

 of arrangements for the coming session, sent us by the Hono- 

 rary Secretary, Mr. J. Slater, we find that the following lec- 

 tures will be given : — " The Great Ice Age," by Sir R. S. Ball ; 

 " Buried Cities of Ancient Egypt," by Miss Amelia Bv 

 Edwards ; "Earthquakes, Volcanoes, and Geysers," by Com- 

 mander C. Reade, R.N. ; " A Dredging Cruise in the Atlan- 

 tic," by the Rev. W. S. Green ; " Ceylon as seen by Myself," 

 by Prof. R. Wallace ; besides a number of lectures on literary 

 subjects. 



New Publications. — Messrs. Iliffe and Son are about to 

 publish a work which should prove of considerable value. It 

 will be entitled "The Indispensable Handbook to the Optical 

 Lantern," being a complete encyclopaedia on the subject of 

 optical lanterns, slides, and accessory apparatus. A specially 

 useful feature will be a catalogue raisonne, descriptive of all 

 the different sets of slides now on sale. This will undoubt- 

 edly fill a considerably felt want, as intending purchasers- 

 have had hitherto no information beyond the mere titles of 

 the sets by which to make their selections, and these in many 

 cases inadequately describe the features of the slides. 



