SCIENCE ON THE CONTINENT. 
409 
the cutter. That such a tool will make its way into a rock is evident ; 
the question is at what rate and at what cost. The following are the 
particulars furnished on that head : — The power of one man, aided by a 
winch and gearing, is declared to be sufficient to cause the tool to enter 
hard granite, at the rate of about half an inch a minute ; and one quarter 
of a horse steam power will, it is said, produce nearly double that amount 
of work. A cylindrical piece of granite, more than 10 inches long, and 
lj in diameter, is said to have been removed in 13^ minutes, leaving, with 
the portion cut away by the tool, a hole of nearly 2 inches diameter. As 
regards expense, it is stated that a tool will cut many yards of the hardest 
jasper or granite, without any apparent injury to the diamonds, which are 
of course of the commonest kind ; the cost of the steel ring with the stones 
being originally little more than five pounds, while the value of the 
remains of the diamonds when worn down to the steel setting is given at 
about four-fifths of the original cost. The new drilling tool is now being 
put to a practical test in the mines of Saint-Chamond. 
New Life-buoy. — This simple but ingenious arrangement for saving 
life and valuable property is the invention of M. Fonteneau, and has been 
reported upon most favourably both in England and France. It consists 
of a strong cask, having on one side a large trap, or door, made of bronze, 
and shutting down airtight by means of a screw, and on the opposite side a 
heavy piece of metal, to serve as ballast and keep the door always upwards. 
At each end of the cask are fixed strong iron handles or rails. In case of 
shipwreck, several of these life-buoys may be placed in the boats, or towed 
alongside, or used for the construction of a raft, papers and other valuables 
and provisions being placed inside. In the worst case, the bars at the 
end enable persons in the water to support themselves till help arrives. 
One recommendation of the new life-buoy is, that they cause no incon- 
venience on board ship, as they may be used as ordinary water-casks. 
Soldering of full Water-Pipes. — The following ingenious con- 
trivance is worth recording. A leaden water-pipe was broken by accident, 
and it was difficult to shut off the water ; the plumber plugged the two ends, 
and then, having surrounded each with a quantity of ice and sea-salt, the 
water within the pipe was frozen solid in five minutes. The plugs were 
then withdrawn, the joint made, and in five minutes more the ice within 
was melted and the pipe in perfect condition. 
Transplanting of Large Trees. — Sir Joseph Paxton and other 
English horticulturists were, we believe, the first who attempted, or at 
any rate perfected, the system of removing large trees from one place to 
another ; but during the last few years it has been practised in Paris to an 
extent unknown elsewhere. At spring and fall the transplanting-trucks, 
or wheeled frames, are to be seen in all directions, and the Champs Elysees, 
the Boulevards, and the various squares recently laid out in many parts 
of the town, have been adorned with thousands of noble trees by these 
means. A report was made on the subject the other day to the Central 
Society of Horticulture, by which we are told, that horse-chestnuts 
more than 39 inches in diameter, and a catalpa-tree 150 years old and 
23 inches in d'ameter, have been transplanted with success. Another and 
very remarkable case is mentioned, namely, that of three good-sized trees, 
