126 
POPULAE SCIENCE EEVIEW. 
;as working sides, and its two long sides for two or more rows of tuyeres, both 
aides increasing gradually from the hearth up to a point near the throat, in 
such a manner that a steady and constant discharge of material from the 
throat to the hearth is obtained, the layers of ore, fuel, and fluxes, preserving 
their relative positions all through. It has, moreover, a series of lateral 
tuyeres, which serve to maintain a smelting and oxidising zone of 
uniform temperature, and slight vertical depth, throughout the entire length 
of the furnace. In addition to the foregoing it has certain arrangements con- 
nected with fire-flues under the bottom, and slotted air chambers, which 
render its action more rapid and effective than the ordinary furnaces. 
A New Form of Crushing Mill is proposed by Mr. Fauchery, of San 
Francisco, in which the jaws are so arranged as to resemble an enormous pair 
of pincers, working cross-wise, the motion being applied by an oval wheel, 
made to revolve between the arms, and closing the jaws at each revolution, 
the process of opening being effected by a spring. — Yide Mining and Snulting 
Magazine, No. 33. 
Mining Survey of the Sandwich Islands. — It seems likely that the represen- 
tatives of the Harvard University will apply to the authorities at Honolulu, 
for permission to carry out a geological survey of the Sandwich Islands ; and 
we understand that considerable local interest is felt from the likelihood that 
the Hawaiian government wiU give the necessary leave for settling the oft- 
mooted questions, whether gold exists in Koolan, and also whether there is 
coal or any other useful mineral. 
Casting Ingots of Steel. — Mr. W. D. Allen, of Sheffield, suggests the pre- 
vention of the sudden chilling of the steel, by coming in contact with the iron 
mould, and also the protection of the mould from injury by direct contact 
with the molten metal. The means he employs is the lining the inside of the 
mould with a thin coating of clay, loam, or other suitable material, that is a 
slow conductor of heat. The moulds should, in such cases, be perforated, to 
allow of the escape of the expanded air contained in the lining. 
An Improved Method of Crushing Ores is that of Mr. Pengilly, which con- 
. sists in the use of tapering rollers, whose thin ends are next the point at 
which the ore is introduced. These rollers are grooved, the corrugations of 
one being arranged at right angles to those of the adjacent roller, wliich 
works against it. 
METEOROLOGY. 
An Enormous Aerolite was some time ago discovered by Mr. Le Gould, 
of Queensland, and was described by him to the members of a local philoso- 
phical society. When travelling beyond the Isaacs, a branch of the 
Mackenzie river, on passing a rocky vaUey, covered with large ferns and good- 
sized trees, he came upon a large gum-tree, divested of all its bark and leaves, 
which lay across its track. It had been sharply broken through its base 
(which was five feet wide) at a height of five or six feet from the ground. 
W ondering what could have broken so huge a tree in so strange and sharp a 
manner, as it had not the appearance of having been struck by lightning, he 
dismounted to examine it, and found a great bruise in the trunk. On pro- 
ceeding to search the locality he found, at a distance of about fifty yards. 
