MISCELLANEA. 
Standard TVeights and Measures. —By a Bill now before the House of Com¬ 
mons the imperial standards of length and of weight, and the secondary standards of 
weights and measures, which have been in the custody of the Controller-Greneral of the 
Exchequer, are transferred to the Board of Trade; and by that Board the three Parlia¬ 
mentary copies of the imperial standards deposited at the Mint, with the Royal Society, 
and in Greenwich Observatory, are to be compared with the imperial standards once in 
every ten years; and the secondary (now to be called the Board of Trade) standards of 
length and weight are to be so compared once in every five years, and adjusted or re¬ 
newed, if requisite. The Queen in Council may define the amount of error to be tolerated 
in other secondary standards of length, weight, and capacity, when compared with the 
Board of Trade standards. The custody of the standard trial pieces of gold, silver, and 
copper is transferred to the Treasury.— Times. 
Hydrated Silicate of Magnesia as a substitute for Subnitrate of Bis¬ 
muth. —We learn from the ‘Journal of Practical Medicine and Surgery,’ that M. 
Garraud, a physician of Laval, thinking that the inefficiency of the subnitrate of bismuth 
was sometimes due to the temptation afforded by its high price to fraud and adultera¬ 
tion, was induced to try the hydrated silicate of magnesia, a substance common to the 
district where M. Garraud resided, and considered to be a silicate of magnesia and lime. 
It is reduced to a fine powder and given in the same manner as the subnitrate of bismuth, 
in doses of 4, 8, or 10 grammes a day, suspended in water: and the numerous cases of 
diarrhoea in which this medicine has been administered, experienced a rapid diminution 
of the intestinal flux. 
Rendering Nitroglycerine Non-Explosive. —It appears that practically there 
is no greater difficulty in rendering nitroglycerine non-explosive and explosive at 
pleasure than there is in accomplishing the same feat with gunpowder, although the 
means employed are, of course, dissimilar. The recent accidents with the new explosive 
agents have induced Mr. Nobel to turn his attention seriously to the subject, and he is 
now enabled to state that by mixing the nitroglycerine with methylic alcohol (a cheap 
spirit, popularly known as spirit of wood) the nitroglycerine is rendered unexplosive 
either by percussion or heat. When required for use, water is added, which absorbs the 
spirit, and the oil sinks to the bottom of the vessel, whence it is drawn by a siphon, and 
its explosive nature thereupon found to be restored. Experiments for testing the value 
of this discovery have already been made in America, and given highly satisfactory 
results. We look upon the subject as one of the greatest importance to miners, and 
shall be glad if the new discovery enables us to transport nitroglycerine, at least as 
safely as blasting-powder, while we believe it has already been proved much more effi¬ 
cacious .—^Mining Journal and Chemical News. 
A Villanous Compound. —At the Dewsbury Police-court, on Monday, June 18th, 
six tradesmen were charged by officers of Inland Revenue with selling methylated spirits 
without licence. The spirits were sold under the name of “Concentrated Essence of Indian 
Brandee,” but were a deleterious mixture of naphtha and brandy of the worst quality. 
In defence it was urged the offence had been committed in ignorance of the pernicious 
nature of the article, the defendants having been given to understand that it was a 
capital remedy for coughs and other ailments. In each case the mitigated penalty of 
£12.10s. was imposed .—Kvening Standard., June 20, 1866. 
The Value of Petroleum and other Oils as a Fuel.— An official report of 
the result of Mr. Richardson’s experiments in burning petroleum and other oils as a fuel 
for marine and locomotive engines was yesterday forwarded from Woolwich to the Board 
of Admiralty, and it is stated that the report was exceedingly favourable. It is now sug¬ 
gested that a couple of boilers, one fed with ordinary fuel, and the other fitted up in¬ 
ternally according to any method which Mr. Richardson may direct, should be tried 
competitively, and an announcement of the result should be drawn up and laid before 
their Lordships.— Times, June 21. 
A New Explosive. —A few days ago, we noticed the fact of the master of the ship 
‘ St. Joseph,’ recently arrived at this port, having found a suspicious box on board his 
vessel, marked “ Sodium,” flung it overboard, and as soon as the package touched the 
