Scientific American Supplement, No. 601, July 9, 1887   By: Various

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN SUPPLEMENT NO. 601

NEW YORK, JULY 9, 1887

Scientific American Supplement. Vol. XXIV, No. 601.

Scientific American established 1845

Scientific American Supplement, $5 a year.

Scientific American and Supplement, $7 a year.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

I. ASTRONOMY. A Star Finder. A simple apparatus that can be constructed by any mechanic. 1 illustration.

Photographic Study of Stellar Spectra, Harvard College Observatory. First annual report of the Henry Draper memorial observations. Review of the work by Prof. EDWARD C. PICKERING.

II. BIOLOGY. Sponges. The growth and life history of sponges. Report of a recent lecture at the London Royal Institution by Dr. R. VON LEDENFELD.

III. ELECTRICITY. Phenomena of Alternating Currents. By Prof. ELIHU THOMSON. 16 illustrations.

IV. ENGINEERING. An English Car Coupling. Description of an English automatic coupling. 2 illustrations.

A New Process of Casting Iron and other Metals upon Lace, Embroideries, Fern Leaves, and other Combustible Materials. By A.E. OUTERBRIDGE, JR. A new and eminently practical process of producing ornamental castings. 4 illustrations.

Bricks and Brick Work. By Prof. T. ROGER SMITH, F.R.I.B.A. The history and technical review of this subject. A most remarkable contribution to the engineering of architecture.

Link Belting. By CHARLES A. SCHIEREN. An interesting and practical paper on leather belting made of links. 9 illustrations.

Recent Progress in Gas Engineering. A lecture by Mr. A. MACPHERSON, of Kirkcaldy, reviewing the last improvements in this branch.

V. MISCELLANEOUS. Herbet's Tepid Douche. Apparatus in use for bathing soldiers in the French barracks. 1 illustration.

Kent's Torsion Balance. A new type of balance, involving torsional suspension instead of knife edges. 5 illustrations.

Preservative Liquid. Note on preservation of organic substances.

The Falls of Gairsoppa. The great Indian falls, higher than Niagara. 2 illustrations.

The New British Coinage and Jubilee Medal. Illustrations and descriptions of the new pieces. 8 illustrations.

The Winner of the Derby. Portrait and description of Merry Hampton.

VI. NAVAL ENGINEERING. The Falke Type Torpedo Boat. The fastest type of British torpedo boat, constructed by Messrs. Yarrow & Co. 1 illustration.

The German Navy. The New Gunboat Eber. A description of a late accession to the German navy. 1 illustration.

VII. ORDNANCE AND GUNNERY. Magazine Rifles. Continuation of this important article, including the Chaffee Reece, Kropatschek, and other magazine guns. 3 illustrations.

New British Torpedo Experiments. Experiments with torpedoes against a ship. The efficiency or torpedo nets. The effects of Whitehead torpedoes.

THE FALKE TYPE TORPEDO BOAT.