Science, Art, And The Drama.

Science , Art , and the Drama .

THE METAL PLATINUM . The curious and useful metal , Platinum , was probably knovvn to the natives of South America many centuries ago . Travellers , and workers in metals , report that at the end of the 17 th century it was already generally spoken of as platina , which , in Spanish , means " little silver , " pure silver being called plain . It was meant by this that platinum was a less valuable metal than silver ; it was not so white , did not take so fine a polish , could

not be worked so easily , and it was also far less abundant . In 1736 , 3 Spaniard , named Antonio d'Ulloa , a great traveller , mathematician , and meteorologist , who had a special gift for observation , found this metal in the gold-bearing sands and gravels of South America ; and drew the attention of scientific men to it in 1748 , But previous to this , Charles Wood , an English chemist , who was assay-master in Jamaica , had seen the

metal about the year 1741 , or , perhaps , rather earlier , and gave specimens of it to Dr . Brownrigg , who showed it to the members of the Royal Society in London , during a meeting held in 1753 . By this time Wood had published a paper on it in the 44 th volume ofthe Philosophical Transactions for the years 1749-50 . This was the first truly scientific account of the new metal in question , and it establishes , once again , the priority of English

chemists in metallurgical discovery . Since those days it has been examined by scores of chemists and metallurgists , and has become one of the most important of metals , its price being frequently higher than that of gold itself . Its peculiar properties have made it most useful in the construction of scientific instruments and apparatus employed in certain branches of industrial art and manufacture ; of late years

it has even been used , in notable quantities , in photography . When sulphuric acid , or oil of vitriol , is manufactured by the usual process , it is not at first obtained as strong as the trade requires it ; it has to be heated to drive off the superfluous water it contains . This was formerly done , and is still done , in many works by heating the acid in large glass vessels , which are very apt to break if a current of air play upon them , or by

the bumping of the acid when it happens to boil , thus causing serious loss , besides severe accidents to the workmen . This is avoided by using vessels of platinum for the concentration of the acid , and these vessels , or retorts , as they are called , would be used everywhere , were it not for the enormous cost—over ^ rooo is not an extraordinary price for one—and when platinum is dearer than gold , the latter metal is occasionally used in its place . Little

platinum crucibles and dishes are in daily use in the chemical laboratory , and it would be difficult to do without them . They are , nevertheless , liable to injury by certain substances , such as tin , arsenic , potash , phosphorus , and carbon , which are always avoided as much as possible when platinum utensils are employed . It may be mentioned that no ordinary heat will melt platinum , and acids , except aqua-regia , do not attack them . Salts of

platinum , especially the chloride , which is obtained by dissolving the metal in aqua-regia , are used in testing and in photography ; the metal itself is extensively used in many kinds of electrical apparatus and for the electric light , on account of the difficulty with which it melts , and these two latter uses , especially together with the employment of platinum apparatus , in the

manufacture of pure sulphuric acid , have of late years done much to keep up its price to a very high figure . For , strange to say , new deposits of this precious metal come to light very slowly , and only at long intervals , though search for it is carried on , ' more or less strenuously , in all parts of the world . ( To be continued . )

The Kewattia Or Rubber Tree Of Sierra Leone.

THE KEWATTIA OR RUBBER TREE OF SIERRA LEONE .

This , one ofthe most beautiful forest trees of West Africa , grows usually to the height of from 40 to 60 feet . Its leaves are from four to nine inches in length , by from one to three inches in width , oblong and tapering towards the ends , supported by a stem from eight to nine inches long . There are several species of vines which yield a grade of rubber , inferior in some

respects to that obtained from the tree ; however , when gathered with care this commands a ready sale . The United States Consul in Sierra Leone , says that the supply of Freetown Market , for the most part , comes from the hinter lands of Sierra Leone , and from the Foutah country in the French protectorate , further in the interior . That which comes from the Foutah

territory is limited , owing to the export tax of about three half-pence per pound , placed by the French upon all rubber sold by natives , outside of their protectorate . This Foutah rubber is invariably adulterated with clay , yet it grades well in the local market , and brings a good price . The dry period , from November until May , is the gathering season . Native chiefs supervise and control the sale of the output of their respective territories .

f he method of gathering the sap is very simple . The body of the tree is tapped , and the juice flows until it is exhausted , * later , new incisions are made . Thc juice is usually caught in cups or calabashes attached to the tree , so as to prevent impurities appearing in the rubber . The neglect of this precaution is responsible for a percentage of the incidental adulterations of otherwise good rubber , frequently found in the local market . The

native , in his efforts to increase his stock , frequently bleeds the roots as well as the bod y of the tree . This is fatal to thu tree . The product is known as " root rubber , " and besides containing large quantities of impurities , is very inferior to any grade of tree rubber , and would be refused altogether uy local buyers , in order to discourage the destruction of the forests , were it "ot for the sharp competition for export trade . The rubber is brought to

market overland by caravans of natives , or most frequently by canoes , ¦ these cargoes are generally consigned to some particular agent , though they are often sold to the one making the best offer , considerable ability , on the part of the agent , is necessary to enable him to properly assort and select thc rubber , and to detect adulterations . There are two classes of these—incidental and intentional . 'IM - — —» ** - r . »** V ¦ k .-IUJO-W-f Wi * . IIL . J 1- IllUIUblllUI « uu illl . WIII . l -i / IIUII 1

. # ne tormer is the result of carelessness on the part of the gatherers , who do lot use proper receptacles for the juice . Intentional adulterations are due o eliorts to increase volume and weight by use of dirt , sand , and bark , pother species of fraud is the mixture of other non-elastic gummy subtanccs with pure juice ; still another is to soak rubber by placing it in pits cm n e , water lor a - 'g time . Rubber so treated is seriously injured in 4 auty , and at the same time is increased in bulk and weicrht . There is

eing inaugurated by the Governor and officials of Freetown a plan to foster can ? nt , " S ? rubber trees and vines in the colony . To this end they have used to be issued pamphlets of instructions in regard to seeding , trans-

The Kewattia Or Rubber Tree Of Sierra Leone.

planting , & c . It is hoped that there will be a decided improvement in the near future . The value of the rubber exported from Sierra Leone in 1898 was about ^ , 51 , 000 , of which the amount shipped to Germany was £ 6700 , The remainder went to England .

Painters In The Reign Of Elizabeth.

PAINTERS IN THE REIGN OF ELIZABETH .

( Continued . ) Another picture of Elizabeth , by Zucchero , in a fantastic habit , some * thing like a Persian , is in the gallery of Royal personages at Hampton Court . In a sketch in black and red chalk , taken as a whole length , in 1575 , for a portrait of the Queen , in compliance with the taste of the times he hasintroduced , emblematically , a column , a serpent , an ermine , and a dog . Her arms are crossed , and in one hand she holds a feather fan . Another

sketch is the portrait of her favourite , Robert Dudley , Earl of Leicester , standing in complete armour , done at the same time and in a similar manner , both of them in the collection of the late Lord Frederick Campbell . In proof of the extent of this extraordinary love of variety in dress , a quotation may be given from a MS . folio entitled " A Booh of all such Garments , Jewels , Silks , & c , belonging to tlie Queen's Wardrobe in

1600 . Exclusively of Coronation , mourning , Parliament , and Garter robes , being 99 in all , there were French gowns 102 , round ditto 67 , loose 100 , kirtles 126 , petticoats 125 , and other articles of dress in the same profusion . The Queen was then 68 years old , and had been a very careful preserver . Of the peculiarities of English dress , a summary but satisfactory account is given in Peck ' s Desiderata Curiosa , from the earliest times to those of Charles II . "A stomacher , or forepart" is thus described

" Of white satin , embroidered all over with spiders , flies , and roundels , with cobwebs of Venice gold and tawney silk . " In the fantastic picture in a Persian habit , of which we have already spoken , appears the queen's romantic turn of mind ; she is drawn in a forest , a stag behind her , and , on a tree , are inscribed these mottoes , which , as we know not on what occasion the piece was painted , are not easily to be interpreted : Injusti justa querela a little lower ,

Mea sic mihi , still lower , Dolor est medicina dolori .

The portraits of Sir Nicholas Bacon , at Woburn , of Charles Howard , Earl of Nottingham , Lord High Admiral , at Hampton Court , where , too , by the same hand was a picture of Venus passing sentence on the boar that had killed Adonis , with the picture of Queen Elizabeth ' s gigantic porter at Kensington , were painted by Zucchero ; here , too , he drew his own portrait . Probably he did not paint many other works : his stay in England was not

long ; historic subjects were not in fashion , and he was offended at our religion . He returned to Italy , and finished the dome , at Florence , begun by Vasari . The Pope ' s anger , too , being vanished , he was re-admitted to his old employment at Rome , where he built a house for himself , on the Monte di Trinita , adorned with four portals , and painted on the outside in fresco by his own hand . On the accession of Sixtus V ., Zucchero was invited to Spain , by Philip IL , to paint the Escurial , but his frescoes not

pleasing , he returned to Rome , and founded the Academy of Painting , for which Gregory XIII . had given him a brief , and of which he was elected the first prince . These expenses , however , drained him so much that he again quitted Rome , and went to Venice to print some treatises that he had written on painting , also some poems . From Venice he passed into Savoy , where he was well received by the duke . Returning , he visited Loretto , and died , at Ancona , in 1616 , aged 66 . ( To be continued . )

Globe Theatre.

GLOBE THEATRE .

There is an interesting drama at this theatre , " Colonel Cromwell . " It is founded upon a striking historical incident which occurred in the early career of the Lord Protector . The joint authors are Arthur Paterson and Charles Cartwright , the latter taking the title role of the play . It is a work of considerable merit—the construction of the plot is not quite so clear as might be wished . It is a dramatic version of a novel entitled " Cromwell ' s Own . " As Oliver Cromwell , Mr . Charles Cartwright gives us a

conceivable idea of what the Republican leader was in his early days , stern and resolute in purpose , yet , at that time , endued with more human sympathy than at a later period . Mr . Cartwright is well supported by the other characters . Miss Suzanne Sheldon , as Rachael Fullerton , acts with earnestness and grace . If we remember rightly , we sz-. w her last , at the Adelphi , when we had the pleasure of commending her , predicting , a

successful future . We are glad our expectations are likely to be realised . Miss Edith Cartwright , as Betty Cromwell , acts with intelligence . Miss Talbot , as Madame Cromwell , does all that is possible with a small part . Lieutenant Dangerfield is entrusted to Mr . Dawson Milward—he has a frank , noble bearing , and elicits our sympathy . Viscount Charlton , the dashing young cavalier , falls to the lot of Mr . Jerrold Robertshaw , who does full justice to the part . Captain Capell , the evil genius of the play , is

enacted with much force by Mr . Norman McKinnel . Mr . Eardley Turner has the thankless task of presenting to us the Rev . Isaac Hepworth , the bigoted narrow-minded Presbyterian minister—he does it effectively . Mr . George Shelton , as Sanctify Jordan , cleverly lightens the serious nature of the play by the comical rendering of his part . The interest of the piece , a s a whole , is , well sustained—there are two forcible situations which afford good curtains . As a good wholesome play , we commend " Colonel Cromwell " to intelligent playgoers .

General Notes.

GENERAL NOTES .

With the exception of the principalships of the Royal Academy and Guildhall School of Music , the most valuable post open to a British musician is the Ormond professorship at Melbourne , Australia , which is now vacant . Five of our most eminent masical men have been appointed to select three musicians willing to accept the post , which is worm . £ , 800 to ^ 1000 per annum , and one of these will be ultimately appointed . Applications must be sent into the Agent-General for Victoria beiore 20 th October , and the names of the chosen candidates will be forwarded to Melbourne on 2 nd November .