Science Siftings

New Zealand Tablet, 18 June 1914, Page 45

Science Siftings

Bt ' Volt*’-

Lighted Projectiles.

Some suggestive experiments have been made on German warships with lighted projectiles, which it is thought may take the place of the electric searchlight. The projectile, which is filled with calcium carbide, is fired from a cannon, and since it is lighter than water, after striking, it comes to the surface. During its immersion, water is automatically admitted, and "produces acetylene gas, which burns with an illumination equal to that of three thousand candles. The placing of a few of these around a distant enemy would put him at a disadvantage.

A Rig Dry Dock. The Canadian Government is about to build on the St. Lawrence, near Levis, Quebec, a dry dock which will be the largest in existence. Its dimensions will be as follow: Length, 1160 feet: width of entrance, •120 feet; depth of sill at ordinary high water, 40 feet. It will be divided into two sections of 660 and 500 feet.' The outer entrance will be closed by a steel rolling caisson, and the inner entrance by a floating caisson.

An Unsinkable Rubber Boat.

An ingenious rubber boat that is unsinkable was recently exhibited. The frame is covered with sheet rubber or rubber cloth in such a way as to form independent air-tight compartments which can be inflated to increase the buoyancy of the boat. ' The elasticity of the materials employed, in the opinion of the inventor, will enable the structure to withstand severe blows and shocks. When subjected to rough •usage, the boat, he states, will yield instead of breaking, as it undoubtedly would if wood or iron were employed in its construction. Masts, inflatable square sails, and wings are included in the equipment of the boat. The sails and wings are made of rubber and can be inflated by compartments, the idea being that they will add to the buoyancy of the boat.

A Cheap Method of Asphalting.

There is coming into use in Germany a cheap and ready method of asphalting a stone-paved street which is showing good results. The spaces between paving blocks are cleaned out to the depth of about an inch, and then a layer of melted asphalt is flowed over the street surface, the depth of the layer being about one inch. Before it is cooled, sand is sprinkled on and the surface is smoothed. At Frankfort a section of

tins kind is now laid, and it appears to stand the wear remarkably well. Should the method prove a success in general practice, it will afford an excellent means for deadening the noise of city traffic at a small expense. It is quickly carried out, and it need not stop the traffic on narrow streets for any length of time.

Wireless Messages, from Aeroplane. Long-distance wireless telegraph experiments recently made from an aeroplane to a ground station at Douai, France, showed excellent results. The aeroplane is a three-seated flyer designed for the Government of Siam. With Moineau piloting and Engineer Roqucs operating the wireless apparatus on board, the aeroplano kept on its flight from the aerodrome and sent messages every five minutes to a land station in the town of Douai. The musical wave method was employed, and it is claimed that messages could be heard with the aeroplane as far as sixty miles off, in spite of the small power used in the apparatus.