Scientific American Volume Xxiv., No. 12, March 18, 1871 Part 10

The _Railroad Gazette_ makes this wholesale charge of ignorance and insensibility the excuse for an essay on the physiology of respiration, mostly extracted from Huxley's "Elementary Lessons in Physiology," and therefore excellent in its way, though having a somewhat remote bearing upon the subject as announced in the t.i.tle of the article. We trust that before this journal concludes its series of articles thus commenced, it will tell how to breathe into the b.r.e.a.s.t.s of the corporations which choke us in their human packing boxes, something resembling the soul which they are universally acknowledged to be dest.i.tute of. When this is done, carbonic acid, ammoniacal smells, organic exhalations, smoke, and dust, will be invited to shun the interiors of railway cars, and comparative comfort will descend upon the peregrinating public.

THE MINERAL RESOURCES OF MISSOURI.

The incalculable wealth, which lies hid in the bosom of Mother Earth, in our vast possessions of the West, is undoubtedly centered in the State of Missouri; and the development of this fund of riches must add to the national prosperity, not only by its immeasurable intrinsic value, but by its affording occupation to armies of laborers, the latter being the highest and most important consideration.

In 1852-3, a geological survey of the State was wisely decided upon, and a liberal provision for its execution made. Two valuable reports, by Professor Swallow, have been printed, in the year 1855, but the notes of his subsequent investigations have not been made public.

In the session of 1869-70, further action, in this important public work, was taken by the State legislature, and arrangements made for a still more accurate and detailed examination, under the direction of Professor A. D. Hager, of Vermont.

The distribution of metals all over the State will be seen in the following figures, taken from the St. Louis _Journal of Commerce_, which show the number of counties in which the various ores are found: Iron in 46 counties, lead in 43, coal in 36, copper in 24, marble in 11, zinc in 27, fire clay in 16, barytes in 10, nickel in 6, granite in 4, tin in 4, plumbago in 2, gypsum in 2, alum in 1, antimony in 4.

There is probably no country in the world so endowed as this. Of iron alone, according to the State geologist's report for 1855, there is ore of the best quality, sufficient to furnish 200,000,000 tuns of iron; and this quant.i.ty lies in a small s.p.a.ce, in the vicinity of Pilot k.n.o.b and Iron Mountain, and within 100 miles of St. Louis.

The quality of the iron is highly spoken of by the manufacturers, and the capacity of the smelting appliances has reached to over 150,000 tuns per annum. The coal is well suited for reduction of ores, either by hot or cold blast treatment. The Scotia Iron Co. commenced operations in January, 1870; and, although the materials for building blast furnaces had to be carried 80 miles into a desert, the first furnace was blown into blast in August, 1870. This furnace will run about 24 tuns per day. The company procures ore from a hill, near the furnace, in which there is an apparently inexhaustible supply of red oxide and brown specular. This ore yields 60 per cent of pure metal.

The erection of mills for making wrought iron is contemplated, and the high quality and prodigious quant.i.ty of the raw material will justify and reward any outlay of capital in this direction.

The shipment of ore to other States goes on constantly, the last year's account showing that 246,555 tuns were dispersed over Indiana, Ohio, and others. The furnaces at Kingsland, South St. Louis, Lewis Iron Co.'s Works, Carondelet, and Maramec are all well situated as to coal and limestone, the Maramec Works having a most valuable water-power. These latter works also ship about 40,000 tuns red hemat.i.te ore yearly.

SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE.

According to _Petermann's Mittheilungen_, the new German empire, including Alsatia and Lorraine, will embrace 9,901 square miles, with 40,148,209 inhabitants. Russia alone will exceed it in extent and population, for Russia in Europe has 100,285 square miles with a population of 69,379,500. France, after the loss of Alsatia and Lorraine, will have 9,588 square miles of territory, with 36,428,548 inhabitants. Austria will number 35,943,592 inhabitants spread over a larger extent of country, namely, 10,980 square miles. Great Britain and Ireland has 5,732 square miles, with 30,838,210 inhabitants; and Italy, including Rome, has 5,376 square miles, with 26,470,000 inhabitants. In the order of population, the Governments will stand: Russia, Germany, France, Austria, and England; but in military power, the first position must henceforth be accorded to Germany.

AMERICAN INSt.i.tUTE OF MINING ENGINEERS.

A circular has been issued by several mining engineers, proposing a meeting at Wilkes-Barre, some time in April or May next, of all persons interested in the general subjects of mining and metallurgy, for the purpose of establishing an a.s.sociation, to be called "The American Inst.i.tute of Mining Engineers." The Inst.i.tute will hold meetings periodically "in the great mining and metallurgical centers, when works of interest, such as mines, machine shops, furnaces, and other metallurgical works, can be inspected, and the members exchange their views, and consult, for mutual advantage, upon the difficulties encountered by each." There will be the usual publication of "Transactions" and "Proceedings."

The idea of forming an a.s.sociation of persons thus mutually interested in each other's occupations, is an excellent one; but it has been suggested by a number of scientific gentlemen that the American a.s.sociation for the Advancement of Science offers every facility for the accomplishment of the objects set forth in the circular, while it affords the very great advantage of an a.s.semblage of men learned in all departments of knowledge, whose acquaintance mining engineers would do well to make, and from whom they could learn much, while at the same time imparting of their own knowledge.

As a section of the American a.s.sociation, the mining engineers would have more influence before the country, and it would perhaps be well for them to stop and consider before establishing a separate inst.i.tute.

CONSUMPTION OF SUGAR, COFFEE, AND TEA.

E. Behm gives in his geographical year book, for 1870, the following estimate of the consumption of sugar, coffee, and tea, _per capita_, in various countries:

COUNTRIES. Sugar, lbs. Coffee, lbs. Tea, lbs.

Great Britain 35.96 0.90 3.190 United States 24.63 5.68 .....

Holland 14.86 7.03 0.800 France 14.30 2.32 0.018 Norway 11.04 6.92 0.060 Sweden 9.80 0.80 0.060 Switzerland 9.60 5.28 .....

Germany 9.42 4.03 0.035 Denmark 9.00 3.40 0.400 Belgium 7.18 8.59 0.018 Portugal 6.33 0.69 0.040 Italy 5.20 0.90 0.020 Austria 4.93 1.30 0.012 Spain 4.23 0.01 0.040 Russia 2.40 0.007 0.160

The entire consumption of sugar in Europe has averaged, during the last few years, three thousand four hundred and ten million pounds (3,410,000 pounds), and for the whole world it is set down at nearly twice that amount. It is estimated that three fourths of the sugar is made from cane, and one fourth from the beet.

The consumption of coffee has doubled in most countries during the last twenty years.

UNPLEASANT DISCOVERY IN THE PATENT OFFICE--LEVYING BLACK MAIL.

"The Patent Office has been, during the past week, in a high state of excitement, occasioned by the discovery of the operations of E. W. W.

Griffin, clerk in charge of the draftsmen's division, who, it appears, has been levying black mail on the lady employes of the office, for nearly two years. During the administration of Colonel Fisher, late Commissioner of Patents, a large number of ladies were employed, for the purpose of recopying drawings, when ordered by the inventors, of patents already on file.

"These ladies were placed under charge of Griffin, with power to retain them in office so long as their services were satisfactory. It has been proved that Griffin hired the ladies at regular salaries of $1,000 per annum, the most of whom he blackmailed to the amount of $400 per year each. It is estimated that he has made $1,000 per month for the past two years.

"The matter was brought to the notice of Commissioner Duncan, and an investigation ordered, which resulted in the dismissal of Griffin.

"It is thought that there are other cases of this kind, and the Commissioner expresses his determination to ferret them all out, and make a clean sweep of all parties in his department engaged in swindling operations, against the government or against individuals.

"The Patent Office has for a long time been considered a rich field for operations of this kind, and investigations have often been suggested, but pa.s.sed unheeded by the proper authorities.

"It is openly stated that an investigation into the relations existing between certain examiners of patents and certain patent agents, would disclose a more fearful state of blackmailing than exists in all the other government departments combined."

[We find the above sensational paragraph among the recent Washington items of the _Evening Mail_. We are in a position to say that "the high state of excitement" alluded to has existed only in the brain of the newspaper correspondent. The facts, in brief, are these: In July, 1869, a lady, and wife of one of the clerks in the draftsmen's room, made application to Commissioner Fisher for a position in the copying division of the same department; and, upon the urgent solicitation and recommendation of Mr. E. W. W. Griffin, chief of the division, she was appointed, and has held the position from that time until now, receiving as salary $1,000 per annum, which, with the full knowledge of her husband, she has divided with Griffin, in consideration of his services in procuring for her the appointment. About a month ago, one of the lady's friends got hold of the matter, and reported it to the Court, which resulted in an investigation and the subsequent dismissal of Griffin. This is the only case of the kind that we have heard of, and we have no reason to believe that there is any other, or that corruption exists in the Examining Corps, as alleged.--EDS.

A method of testing the purity of samples of water, by watching the rapidity of its action on soap and similar compounds, has been introduced by the French _savants_, MM. Boutron and Boudet. The experiment tests, at the same time, the purity of the soap. Dissolved in water in which lime is held in solution, the soap is precipitated in hard white flakes. If the quant.i.ty of soap put in the lime water be noted, it will be found that the smaller the quant.i.ty producing precipitation, the purer the soap. The _Journal de Pharmacie et de Chemie_ (of Paris) reports some experiments, on this subject, by M. F.

Schulze.

LOUISIANA STATE FAIR.--The fifth State fair of the Mechanics, and Agricultural Fair a.s.sociation of Louisiana will commence in the city of New Orleans, on Sat.u.r.day, April 8, 1871, and continue nine days.

Over $20,000 in premiums are offered. Rules, regulations, and schedule of premiums may be obtained of the Secretary and Treasurer, Luther Homes, Esq., New Orleans, La.

KNITTED GOODS.--John Kent advertises, in this paper, valuable machinery for the manufacture of knitted goods, to which we invite the attention of all who are interested in this branch of industry. Mr.

Kent has devoted many years to the perfection of these machines.