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Wool and Silk from Old Fabrics—L. F. Vandelin, of London, patentee. The object of this invention is to obtain wool, silk,.and cotton from old fabrics, in such a condition as to admit of the same being again spun and used in the manufacture ot other fabrics. This is done by passing old fabrics, while immersed in water, between a rotating cylinder, and a flat plate armed with teeth which tear the fabric to pieces and bring the fibres into a suitable state to be manulactured again into fabrics. It has hitherto been the custom to tear old fabrics to pieces for the same purpose, but only while in a dry state, it is stated that the fibres are more easily separated while in a wet state, and being constantly immersed in water, they are thoroughly cleaned at the same time. COMPOSITION FOR STRUCTURES AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR IRON—Owen Williams of Stratford, England, patentee. This invention consists in the preparation of compositions to be used in the construction of railways, drains, sewers, cisterns, pavements, buildings, and other structures. Take 180 lbs. pitch, 44 gallons of coal oil, 15 lbs., of brimstone, 18 lbs. of rosin, 45 lbs. of finely powdered lime, 108 lbs. of finely powdered gypsum, and 27 cubic feet of sand, or pieces of stone passed through a half inch sieve. The sulphuris first melted in a boiler with about 30 lbs. of pitch; the rosin is next introduced and the mixture caused to boil; the remainder of the pitch is then added, and the mixture boiled up, after which the lime and gypsum are gradually introduced and the mixture made to boil. The operator then puts in the sand, gravel, &c, which must be perfectly dry and previously heated, and then the coal oil is added. The whole is constantly stirred and worked together till sufficiently heated, when it is placed in moulds and pressed into shape ; when cold it is ready for use. A composition for floors is made as follows; 10 lbs., of pitch, 1 quart of coal oil, 2 oz., of rosin, 5 lbs.,oi gypsum, 5 lbs. of lime, 4 lbs., ot sufyhur, one-half cubic foot of sand, one-half cubic foot of gravel about the size of peas; these ingredients are treated in the same manner as those which form the preceding mixture. A composition used for joining pieces together, or for cementing blocks in a building, is composed of 40 lbs of tar, 4 quarts of coal oil, 4 lbs. ot sulphur, 2 lbs. of rosin, 6 lbs. of tallow, and 10 lbs. of lime, boiled and treated in the manner previously described. IMPROVEMENTS IN WAX-CANDLE WICKS.— Thomas Mosdell Smith, of Hammersmith, England, patentee. This inventor states that the best material for manufacturing wicks is bleached coarse cotton yarn, slightly platted. It is tound desirable to dip the wicks in a solution composed of 2 oz. of borax, 1 oz. of chlorate of potash, 1 oz. nitrate of potash, 1 oz. salammoniac, and 3 quarts of water. After the wicks are saturated in this for some time, they are dried and ready to be used for candles. CANDLE WICKS—W. E. Cooper, of Mot-tram. Eng., patentee. This improvement consists in passing a portion of the strands of which the wick is intended to be composed through a solution made of bismuth and oil, or such other suitable solution as will have the effect ot rendering the strand or strands so saturated more susceptible of combustion than the other remaining strands. The whole of the strands for a wick are then twisted together in the usual manner of twisting a cord. About one-third only of the strands used for a wick should be treated with the bismuth and oil. When the candle is lighted the prepared strand or strands will be presently exhausted, and so cause the wick to, lean over on one side; the carbonized portion of the wick is thus pven off imperceptibly, and the wiek requires no snuffing.—[Condensed from Newton's London Journal, &c. A clipper built at St. Johns, New Found-land, named the "Star of the East," was recently, sold in London for $80,000. The colonial built ships seem to excel those builir in England in point of speed.
