Scientific.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 329, 29 December 1888, Page 6

Scientific.

Oompbessbd air has been tried a^> a motav* force for sififee^car'propulsiori iri\ Chicago]; 'aria Results. f There ara ,also imany cages -of -its successful use in '•Europe. " 7 ..-'-' ' r£Once more suggestions are in the air for a -postal tube between Dover and Calais, 1 and this time in.a more detailed form. The idea is to suspend two tubes of about a yard ■ each in diampter. rby means' of steel cables acrosa the Channel, 4.0 yards above the level of the rfea. The 'steel cables' wilt' be fixed fco pillars at distances of about 800 yards, and in each tube a. little railway will -' run v/ith cars capable of carrying 4501b5! in 'wfeight. No parcel of grea'teV weight than 1 this will 'be 1 taken, and the'cost-is estimated at the modest figure of £1,00.0,000. , It is also proposed to run telegraph and^elephone wires through these tubes. \ Chemical science has proved -beyond a doubt that it is possible to soften N hard Water by the introduction of other elements,,, causing tho'' 'existing ones to becomV, precipitated, and.consequently settle at tho % bottom of the vessel. The water softener, which lias Been brought out by Mr Tapp, perfumer, of Bristol, forms a most simple" and cflectual way of producing thqpe results. Ifc consists of a cell which is porous, and charged , with ' chemical properties, which act on the water in Avh'ich ie is immersed. By simply placing it in the ewer a constant supply of soft water is obtained until the contents arc exhaunted. . The inventor claims that ifc may be need by thdse who have the* most tender pkin. , An entirely "new machine has been invented for pririfcing'pustal'cards^rom the roll, and to turn them out packed in bundles of 25. It prints the cards at fcho rate of 300 a minute, in the usual way, by riieans "of ■ a ' rotary p^'ess. A set of knives then cut the cards oli and diops'them^ four abreast, into little cells especially prepared for them. When 23 cards have dropped out, a sst of steel lingers tarn the pack over, twines a paper band tibout ift and pastes it together. . The packages are •cau'ghfcin-iin eTi'dless^beln of : buckets, which carry them into an adjoining room, ' Where they arc leceived by girls, who place them in boxes ieady for delivery. One man can look after two machines.