Italian trade into the hands of the Belgians, Germans, and Hollanders
with startling rapidity. Without breaking bulk, early fruits are taken
from all parts of Italy to Ostend, Antwerp, and Rotterdam, whence they
are carried by fast steamers to London and other English ports. But, on
the other hand, Germany is sending into Italy large quantities of coal,
iron, machinery, copper, and other articles of which the latter received
nothing before. In two months alone, the Italians imported 1,446 tons of
paper.

* * * * *




THE HEAT REGENERATIVE SYSTEM OF FIRING GAS RETORTS.


The system of heat regeneration in the firing of gas retorts, in
accordance with the principle which Dr. C.W. Siemens has worked out in
such a variety of ways in the industrial arts, has lately been applied
with very marked success at the Dalmarnock Station of the Glasgow
Corporation Gas Works. Notwithstanding the fact that a period of about
twenty years has elapsed since Dr. Siemens successfully adapted his
system to the firing of retorts at the Paris Gas Works, it seems to have
made but little progress up to the present time; for what reasons it is
perhaps difficult to explain. It is certain, however, that so-called
regenerator furnaces of various forms have, from time to time, been
brought into use at gas works for the purpose in question both on the
Continent and in this country; and in recent years the subject has
received much attention from gas engineers, the general opinion