SCIENCE and INVENTIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17662, 24 December 1920, Page 2 (Supplement)

SCIENCE and INVENTIONS.

SEA LION LEATHER. Large numbers of sea lions on the British Columbia coast which destroy annually vast quantities of fish food may be slaughtered and their hides placed on the world's leather market, if a proposition which comes from Premier Oliver and has the approval of many experienced fishermen, is carried out. The sea lion weighs from 2000 to 2500 pounds, the hides being nearly an inch thick. These hides make a tough and durable rough leather &uch as is used in workmen's gloves and in - saddles. It is stated that these animals will eat 50 pounds of fish in a day. Four hunters recently killed several hundred sea lions in one day in the Charlotte Islands. EMERY. Aside from tho natural grit stones found in every part of the world, emery has perhaps been in use for the longest time. Emery occurs as a granular or massive dark coloured rock having much the same appearance as iron ore. It is usually associated with the oxides of iron and, in addition to these, sometimes contains quartz, mica, tourmaline, etc. Indeed emerv may be regarded as a rock rather than a definite mineral species. The chief sources of emery are found in the old world, the island of Naxos having important deposits which have been worked from a remote period. Turkey contains large deposits and the island of Madagascar also has some emery. Emery is aJso found in several localities in tho United States.

KOTATABLE GOAL HOPPER. Firemen on big locomotives find promise of lightened, work in the rotatable coal hopper that has been invented for engine tenders. This_ invention. is so planned that the coal is kept handy at the firing deck, making .it an easyj matter for the firemen to reach the coal without shovelling from the rear of the tender or using power apparatus. This special hopper is in the form of a great segmental tub, or drum, having a diameter that is the approximate width of the tender. This drum is inclined toward the firing deck; it is so mounted on a ball-bearing centra plate as to turn readily. In its outer wall are openings, one for each segment, through which the coal falls by gravity. As soon as the coal is emptied from the segment, the brake that controls the drum is released. Naturally, th© greater weight above the centre of the drum makes° it rotate, bringing the next loaded segment into position. ASBESTOS IN AMERICA. An asbestos claim "has been located in Apache County, Arizona, according to an authoritative _ investigation by the U.S. Bureau of Mines. The deposit, seemingly extensive in its reach,, has been traced for more than 20 miles. Vein exposures are so pronounced that the passer-bh. in the absence of miner's tools, can pick from the wayside a ton or more of the crude product, - broken down from the prominent veins. A specimen of the de- , posits examined by government- scientists revealed characteristics of the typical Arizona asbestos. The material is strong, flexible, silky, and found in cross-fibre veins with a grain length of one to one and a-quarter inches, while fibre two and a-half inches in length has been reported. Specimens examined evidence effects of surface weathering, _a better quality of asbestos doubtless being obtainable by development work. Considering the shortase of crude asbestos in America, it is regrettable that the Government forbids the mining of asbestos deposits on unallotted Indian lands, where this discovery has been rr.aa'-e. The Office of Indian Affairs has recommended to Congress the lifting of the ban which now prohibits the development of unallotted Indian lands for the purpose *>f mining ccaJ.