The curious attitudes assumed in leaping have also been shown by the camera, as is indicated by the picture here reproduced, which is a "snap shot" taken of five men who attempted to jump into the water simultaneously. They made the attempt feet first, but, as the photograph

AS OTHERS MIGHT SEE US. Actual positions caught by the camera.

shows, entered the water in various attitudes, far from graceful. The picture is an excellent illustration of the law of gravitation, for the heaviest men were placed at the ends of the row, and both entered the water before the others. The picture was taken by a shutter which is claimed to cover the lens in one thousandth part of a second.

and the other for rotation in the opposite direction. A rotating field is set up in the stator by means of a peculiar transformer T, having a stationary primary winding and two secondary windings, the latter mounted on a revolvable core like the armature of a motor. The two secondary windings are set at right angles. to each other; consequently, when one is in position for maximum induction, the other is in the neutral position. The transformer armature is mounted on the same shaft with, or otherwise rigidly driven by, the rotor of the induction motor B. The taps from the collector rings of the motor to its ring winding are located so that when one of the transformer secondaries is in the most favorable position and is delivering maximum E. M. F. to the corresponding stator winding on the motor, the polar axis of the rotor ring winding is in the most favorable position for torque, due to the field of the then active stator winding. The machine, therefore, starts up, and the rotation of the transformer armature produces a rotating field in the motor stator which is always just ahead of the polar axis of the rotor ring winding. The switch I is for reversing the motor, by shifting the rotor supply current to

the other pair of slip rings. The adjustable inductance I' is for regulating the torque of the rotor. At full speed the switch I is opened, leaving the machine a simple induction motor.

Efficient Machine Vise

ASILY CONSTRUCTED and simple of operation, this vise has been used for highly accurate interchangeable work, and has given perfect satisfaction. The body, A, is of cast iron, and is secured to the platen by two slotted ears, with bolts in the usual way. Two cheeks H provide a support for the cover-plate B, which is slotted to fit the tongue on the cheeks and is secured by four screws. These cheeks also form a guide for the slide C, which is made of mild steel and slides on the facing K, on the body. A hardened steel jaw-face E, is fixed with two screws to C; and another, F, is in like manner fixed to cover-plate B. The end of the slide is tapped for screw D, which is used with a "tommy," and has a hardened point that forces against latch G, fastened to the cover-plate, thus drawing the slide and clamping the work against the fixed jaw F. The latch is used to facilitate withdrawing work and to save backing the screw, it being necessary only to slack the screw and swing back the latch, so that on pushing the slide the work may be withdrawn, the space then allowing the fingers to grip the article. For larger work, however, the latch is not necessary. The loose jaws can be made in a variety of forms to suit different work.

A Radium Clock THE LATEST NOVELTY announced

in the field of invention is a radium clock. It is based on a somewhat unique application of the principle of radioaction, and is the invention of an Englishman. The device comprises a small tube, in which is placed a minute quantity of radium supported in an exhausted vessel by a quartz rod. To the lower end of the tube-which is colored violet by

thereby expand until they touch the sides of the vessel, connected to earth by wires, which instantly conduct the electric charge, whereupon the leaves fall together. This simple operation is repeated every two minutes until the radioactive powers of the radium are exhausted.

As the life of this wonderful newcomer among the so-called "elements" is variously estimated at from 30,000 to 100,000 years, it is easy to see how the new type of clock, if commercially practicable -which is yet to be demonstrated-bids fair to make old Father Time himself cut his beard and throw away his trusty scythe. The clock maker and repairer will be driven out of business; and the venerated "grandfather's clock" will give way to heirlooms in the hands of descendants whose lines of ancestry will have been as irremediably lost as are those of the Shepherd Kings who invaded Egypt.

Latest

in Mural

STYLES IN WALL PAPER change nearly as often as do the fashions for women's dresses. At present the raging demand in Europe Decorations is for pearl, white moire, and striped papers-styles that were popular in the sixties-with hand-stenciled and landscape-friezed borders.

The landscape frieze has made rapid progress of late. One of the reigning designs of Europe is shown in Fig. 1. The best of the landscape designs are adaptable to the length of surface to be decorated. When a landscape frieze is used, the space to be covered must be carefully considered, because the effect would be ruined if part of the design were to be seen "going around the corner," so to speak. The design shown in the accompanying illustration is so arranged that portions of the drawing may be left out or added to, as may be desired. If, for example, the length of the room is considerable, and there is no break, two bridges or even three may be introduced, while in a smaller space one would suffice. In either case the land

scape would be complete. This ingenious arrangement is brought about by certain features, such as the skyline, being, in certain places, of exactly the same height, so that part may be cut out if desired.

Sometimes the result is obtained in an entirely different way. The design is so arranged as to consist of half a dozen or so different parts, each one separate from the others. When the space is limited, these figures are brought closer together than before by cutting away portions of the paper intervening. A very successful specimen of this kind of design is executed by hand by means of stencils. It consists mostly of outlines of vessels of various sizes. In order to cope with the problem of dealing with spaces of different sizes, the artist arranged to omit or add to the number of vessels; and a further difference is made by changing the position of some of the outlines, so that no two lengths of this particular design are exactly alike.

Fig. 2 is an example of hand-work stencil frieze, the distinguishing features of which are the bold drawing and the

hausted before the lighter portions are reached.

Another recent departure in wall decoration is the use of coarse fabric, one of the best known varieties of which is called "fab-ri-co-na." This is pasted on the wall and gives a level surface of great durability. It serves the useful purpose of preventing the wall from cracking. The fabric is most frequently used without ornament, thus producing a very rich and dignified appearance and proving very durable. The texture is purposely made coarse in order to break up the surface, which it does most effectually, adding greatly to the artistic effect of the decoration considered as a whole. Still another important departure in the treatment of mural surfaces, is the use of what are known as "water paints," which have grown in popularity of late. They may be described as "washable distempers," but they are greatly superior to ordinary distempers in fineness and finish. Very charming results are frequently obtained by their use.

they fire means an expenditure of $70. They are rapid, and it is estimated that in five minutes the twelve cannon could discharge shot to the value of nearly $35.000.

AT PRESENT the monopolies of France consist of the postal and telegraph and the telephone services, Monopolies in striking of money, the

State

France manufacture and sale of powder, tobacco, and stamps. No one complains of the state handling of the issue of coin; neither does anyone complain of its working of the powder trade; but the complaints on each of the other heads are never-ceasing; and one needs only to have tried to talk by telephone, attempted to strike a French match, or had the misfortune to smoke a French cigar, to know how well founded the complaints are. The one open defense the Government offers for them is that they constitute a form of indirect tax

ation which is acceptable to the French taxpayers.

The real cause of the continued existence of these monopolies, is the political wire-pullers; and it is because of the new opportunities which a fresh monopoly would afford, that the wire-pullers welcome enthusiastically an audacious project which is now being matured, to be ready for the reopening of the Chamber -which is nothing more nor less than the turning of all insurance business in France into a government monopoly.

Extraordinary as such a move would be, it is not impossible that the French Parliament will accept it.

the opposite corner to get the next type. Even with this slow process, the Chinaman has made considerable improvement over his former methods, by employing the American "stick," "forms," "composing stone," and "keys," and a press similar to the American make. The Chinese compositor carries the copy in his head, for the Chinaman has a wonderful memory. This he must have in order to learn the language and to become familiar with the thousands of characters necessary to read and write. The printer looks at the copy once, and is able to set up an entire article of, say 500 words, without consulting it again.

The Telephone in the Alps

THE TELEPHONE has robbed Alpine heights of some of their terrors. Two alpestrians lately lost their way on the great St. Bernard mountain. Wandering for hours in a fierce snowstorm they at last reached one of the newly built shelters erected by the monks. There they found not only food and a lamp, but also a telephone connected with the hospice. They called up the monks; and soon one of the Brothers appeared, accompanied by two St. Bernard dogs, and conducted the men to the hospice, where they received the proper care. Many huts with telephones have been built in exposed places, and a number of lives have thus been saved.

HUNDREDS OF TONS of Egyptian rags are imported every year into the United States to supply the paper Egyptian mills. At Mannheim-onRags the-Rhine, American importers have rag-picking houses, where rags are collected from all over Europe, the disease-infected Levant not excepted. and where women and children, too poor to earn a better living, work day after day with wet sponges tied over their mouths, sorting these filthy scraps for shipment to New York. The best grades of paper are made from these rags. The common grades are made from wood pulp, which is obtained by grinding and macerating huge blocks from very soft wooded forest trees.