102 
POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
Belgian Coal in Britain . — Unquestion ally a large amount of Belgian coal 
is being introduced bere, owing to the extravagant prices demanded by 
English coal-masters, who have raised the prices entirely independent of the 
cost of the men whom they employ. The Belgian industrial journals are 
jubilant over the astonishing demand for coal which, in consequence of the 
great rise in the British prices, is now shipped in large quantities to 
England. They state that the prices given are so great that it is impossible 
,to trace the course of the market. The proprietors of mines not only sell 
the coal as fast as it is extracted, but are actually obliged to refuse large 
numbers of foreign orders on account of being unable to fulfil them. 
Italian Mining Progress . — The reports do not appear very extraordinary 
which reach us. With the exception of 10,000 tons of refined sulphur 
derived from the Homan mines, all of that material obtained from Italy 
comes from Sicily, and is exported in a crude state. The total value of the 
sulphur is nearly 1,040,000^., not including the export duty of eight shillings 
per ton, which is paid by foreign buyers. There are about 19,000 work- 
men engaged in this industry, 5,000 miners and 14,000 operatives employed 
in transportation, refining, &c. The carrying of the sulphur from the mines 
to ports of embarkation furnishes labour for 20,000 additional workmen. 
The iron drawn from Italy and the articles made therefrom represent 
annually a value of 800,000/. The production of the foundries does not 
exceed 22,000 tons. The total product is but one-fifth of the entire amount 
consumed in the country. Lead and zinc are derived almost exclusively 
from Sardinia. Their extraction requires 10,000 workmen, and quantities to 
the value of 480,000/. are produced. The lead ore is argentiferous, but the 
silver is found in extremely small amounts. The zinc is exported to 
Belgium and this country. The quantity obtained yearly reaches 60,000 
tons. 
Examination of the Crystals of Leucite. — Professor Von Rath, the dis- 
tinguished crystallographer of Bonn, is said to have found, through the 
examination of a twin crystal, as well as by measurements, that the crystals 
of leucite, instead of being isometric trapezohedrons, are really tetragonal. 
MICROSCOPY. 
The Histological Structure of Nematophycus Logani. — We merely refer 
to the paper, for it is too long for an abstract. It is by Mr. W. Carruthers, 
F.R.S., and is of importance, from the circumstance that it goes fully into 
the discussion of the literature and anatomy of this remarkable plant, and 
lays clear Dr. Dawson’s position in the discussion that it has given rise to 
—Monthly Microscopical Journal (October). 
The Structure of Diatoms . — This subject is referred to in a number of the 
^ Monthly Micoscopical Journal ” (October). That journal refers to the 
researches lately carried out by Professor Weiss, which appear of import. 
Mr. Stephenson’s recent experiment of mounting diatoms in a very dense 
fluid, such as bisulphide of carbon, is also of equal interest. We may 
expect a paper on the subject soon from some member of the Royal Micro- 
scopical Society. 
