Scientific American Supplement, No. 1157, March 5, 1898

Scientific American Supplement,
No. 1157,
by Various

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Title: Scientific American Supplement, No. 1157, March 5, 1898
Author: Various
Release Date: April 27, 2007 [EBook #21225]
Language: English
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[Illustration]

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN SUPPLEMENT NO. 1157

NEW YORK, March 5, 1898.
Scientific American Supplement. Vol. XLV., No. 1157.
Scientific American established 1845
Scientific American Supplement, $5 a year.
Scientific American and Supplement, $7 a year.
* * * * *

TABLE OF CONTENTS.
PAGE I. ARCHÆOLOGY.--Requirements of Palestine Explorer 18489
II. BIOGRAPHY.--Emperor William II. of Germany.--An interesting
biographical account of the German Emperor, with his latest portrait.--1
illustration 18486
III. CIVIL ENGINEERING.--Heat in Great Tunnels 18492
IV. ECONOMICS.--Causes of Poverty 18490
V. ELECTRICITY.--Liquid Rheostats.--By H. S. WEBB 18498
The Neutral Use of Cables 18489
VI. ETHNOLOGY.--The Influence of Scenery upon the Character of
Man 18488

VII. FORESTRY.--Apparatus for Obtaining the Cubature of Trees.--3
illustrations 18493
VIII. GYMNASTICS.--A Novel Way of Riding a Bicycle. --1
illustration 18489
IX. HYDROGRAPHY.--Influence of Ocean Currents on Climate
18490
X. LANDSCAPE GARDENING.--Park Making 18490
XI. MARINE ENGINEERING.--The Newfoundland and Nova Scotia
Passenger Steamer "Bruce."--1 illustration 18492
XII. MECHANICAL ENGINEERING.--Machine Moulding without
Stripping Plates.--By E. H. MUMFORD.--A full description of an
ingenious moulding machine.--7 illustrations 18494
XIII. MEDICINE.--The Progress of Medical Education in the United
States 18499
Deaths under Anæsthetics 18499
XIV. MISCELLANEOUS:
Engineering Notes 18491
Miscellaneous Notes 18491
Selected Formulæ 18491
XV. NATURAL HISTORY.--Tapirs in the Zoological Garden at
Breslau.--1 illustration 18488
XVI. STEAM ENGINEERING.--An English Steam Fire Engine. --1
illustration 18493
XVII. TRAVEL AND EXPLORATION.--My Recent Journey from the
Nile to Suakim.--By FREDERIC VILLIERS.--The advance to

Khartoum.--An important account of the recent travels of the celebrated
war correspondent. 18486
XVIII. TECHNOLOGY.--Artificial India Rubber.--This article
describes some important experiments which have been made in which
India rubber substitutes have been produced from oil of turpentine
18495
Deep and Frosted Etching on Glass 18496
The Koppel Electric Locomotives.--This article describes a system of
electric trolley traction for narrow gage railroads.--7 illustrations 18497
Slate and its Applications.--This article details some of the various uses
to which slate is put in the arts, with a view of slate store vats for
breweries. 18496
Birthplace of the Oilcloth Industry. 18496
* * * * *

[Illustration: LATEST PORTRAIT OF WILLIAM II. OF GERMANY]
EMPEROR WILLIAM II. OF GERMANY.
Since William II. of Germany ascended the throne as German Emperor
and King of Prussia, on June 15, 1888, the eyes of Europe have been
fixed on him. He has always been rather an unknown quantity, and he
is regarded by the powers as an enfant terrible. The press of the world
delights in showing up his weak points, and the "war lord" undoubtedly
has them, but, at the same time, he has qualities which are to be
admired and which make him conspicuous among the rulers of Europe.
He is popular in Germany, and it is not surprising, for, in spite of being
autocratic to the last degree, he is honest, courageous, ambitious, hard
working, and, withal, a thorough German, being intensely patriotic.
Indeed, if the people of the Fatherland had the right to vote for a

sovereign, they would undoubtedly choose the present constitutional
ruler, for, while the virtues we have named may seem commonplace,
they are not so when embodied in an emperor. One thing which places
William at a disadvantage is his excessive frankness, which is, in him,
almost a fault, for if he couched his utterances in courtly or diplomatic
phrases, they would pass unchallenged, instead of being cited to
ridicule him. His mistakes have largely resulted from his impulsive
nature coupled with chauvinism, which is, perhaps, justifiable, or, at
least, excusable, in a ruler.
Since the time when William was a child he evidenced a strong desire
to become acquainted with the details of the office to which his lofty
birth entitled him. It is doubtful if any king since the time of Frederick
the Great has studied the routine of the public offices and has made
such practical inspections of industries of all kinds; indeed, there is
hardly a man in Germany who has more general knowledge of the
material development of the country.
In the army he has worked his way up like any other officer and has a
firm grasp on all the multifarious details of the