FROM FAR AND NEAR.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 239, 7 October 1903, Page 1 (Supplement)

FROM FAR AND NEAR.

' The closer the investigations into the Hrinkin- habtts of women in London the "ore startling arc the revelations which Lv bring. The public-house, according •„ o ne publican who keeps a suburban Wei has now become a refuge for courtin- couples and a place where mothers spend the money they are supposed to ZZ in the Saturday night's shopping. Inquiries in the city show that it is quite I common practice for young factory *srls of a superior type to meet on Fn!_r ni-dits at favourite public-houses ana Tit turns in "standing" drinks, winch take the form of port vine. fr P rv frccnmntly half a quartern is taken nome by each of the girls. The craving Jor drink is of so insidious a character that they imagine that the "faint" fecl-j-<r of which they complain is a sign that « stimulant is needed. They grow up to look upon drink as the panacea for all the ills that they are heir to. Medical officers al -e unanimous in the opinion that the drinking habits of women result in the birth of feeble children. In the north country towns the infantile deathtc i 3 terrible. Dr. Greenwood, of fßlaekburn. recently informed the Town Council that 226 out of 1000 babies born in the borousrh do not live to be a year old. More than half the deaths in DarWon are those of children who have not reached the age of five. In Leicester, out of an average of sixty deaths each wee k twenty are those of children. In [Birkenhead 178 out of every 1000 children horn die before they arc a year old. ,T!ie offsprings of drink are insanity, pauiperism, epilepsy and feeblc-mindedness. In Loudon there are 2000 epileptics and about 100.000 paupers, and all over the country there are 110,006 certified lUna-

The British bluejacket has had to wait Jong enough, in all conscience, for the promised improvements in his food, but they have come at last (says a London paper). Even now the dietary ttfble docs not err on the side of liberality; hut the British tar is thankful for small merries, and the extra meal a day and the variations of and the additions to the allowances will indeed be acceptable. Little delicacies have been provided for which will be greatly appreciated; but we regret that the existence of canteens on the ships will still be necesavy. We can only hope, however, that tlscy will be conducted on a more popular system, and that large profits made at the expense of the men will not be countenanced. By the way, now My Lords have decided to institute the improved dietary they might turn their attention to the question of mess traps. At the present time, the Admiralty do not officially recognise the necessity of a knife and fork, a plate, a tea-pot, or any other similar articles, all they coneider indispensable being an iron spoon per man, two soup ladles per mess, and a basin. Men, in consequence, have to mess like pigs, or provide the utensils .themselves. If My Lords would consider this question they would not only ibe making the men more satisfied, hut would help to increase the popularity, of tthe service. j

'The question 'of which foot to fit first Is an important one to us," sa-id the shoe saies_tari, a* he tugged to get a small pair of Oxfords on a large foot. "It may seem strange to yon, but it is rarely that we do not experience some trouble in fitting one foot while the tother is easily covered. A popular belief obtains that the left foot of even' person is the hardest to fit, and consequently, many shoe clerks always try a shoe on that"foot first. It is not true, however, according to my observation, that there is any inflexible rule as to which foot to try first. It is true, nevertheless, that in a majority of cases if you succeed in fitting the left foot you will have no trouble with the right. My practice is to try both feet before I pronounce a pair of shoes a perfect lit. Then I am sure of avoiding any mistake growing out of peculiarities of foot formation. No two persons have feet formed exactly alike, and the shoe salesman who thinks so and is governed accordingly will meet with many complaints. 'Tor some time I pondered over the problem of fitting shoes to feet, and especially as to why the left foot should be considered the standard by which to be governed. The only rational theory 1 have ever been able to evolve is a very simple one when you come to consider it. Nine out of ten persons you meet are right-handed, as we say. About one person in ten, or perhaps the per cent. is even less than that, uses his left hand. If you will observe persons who use tlie right hand when they are standing and talking, they invariably rest their weight, on the left foot. And vice versa, a lefthanded person will rest his or her weight on the right foot. The result is that with right-handed persons the left foot is probably a fraction' larger than the right foot, and the shoe clerk must inevitably find this to be a fact sooner or .'later.—"New Orleans TimesDemocrat."

Biologists ore not unduly startled by the statement of Professor Starr, of Chicago University, that the Americans are fast developing into Red Indians. This has long been common knowledge to anthropologists everywhere, and even the American people themselves have suspected each other of a growing likeness to the Redskin. "It was to escape Indianising," said a London American to the "Daily Express," "that I came over here. Anglicising is preferable." In a conversation on the subject Dr. Chalmers Mitchell, secretary of the Zoological Society, an eminent biologist and prolific MTiter on anthropological subjects, said a very large question was opened up by Professor Starr's assertion. "'lt is an undoubted fact," observed Dr. Mitchell, "that people living on the east coast, as opposed to the central Americans, are developing the characteristics of the North American Indian—high cheek nones, httlc, sparse beards, a long face, and thin, straight black hair. That is the typical or pictorial Uncle Sam. I should say that the American would fcever turn exactly into an Indian, however like one he might become. Similarly it is very often observed that English people, who are living among exotic races—such as Chinese, negroes or Australian aborigines—gain a certain superficial resemblance. This is partly due to climate. Suppose the whole population «f the world, except the English, were to be wiped out. Then, of course, the English would spread to different regions °f the world; but it would take a long time before they filled them and Began to struggle with each other. I have no doubt that in course of time you would find that the English had turned into different races in the great divisions of the fcorld."

A series of diving operations in search of the remains of the wreck of the Florencia, one of the vessels of the Spanish Armada, which was blown up in the year 1588 in Tobermory Bay, says the "Glasgow Herald,"' has just been completed there by Captain Burns, Glasgow, and Mr John Hunter, diver, Ardrossan. They were furnished by the Duke of Argyll with the chart used in 1730, when operations were carried out by aid of the diving-bell, and when there were recovered a very fine bronze gun, large "-uns bearing the English founders' mark of "Pv. and G. Phillips, 1584," with a crown and "E.R.," together with gold and silver coins. The diver had not heen long at work on the present occasiou when, in a depth of 12 fathoms, he found what turned out to be a pistol, encrusted beyond recognition with lime, a sword blade, a kedgc anchor, and a bronze breech-load-ing cannon. The last-mentioned, which was in a perfect state of preservation, measures 4ft Gin in length, about Sin in diameter at the breech, and bears the date 1563. Several pieces of oak, supposed to be planks from the Florencia, were also found. The relics are to be seen at the Royal Exchange, Glasgow.

Much interest has been awakened among antiquarians, and the resuming of operations by Captain Burns next month is being looked forward to with the greatest of enthusiasm.

According to a report issued by the American 'inter - State Commerce Commission, for the first three months of 1003 there were 527 persons killed and 11,481 injured in railway accidents of all kinds. The total number of collisions and derailments was 2831. The damage to cars and roadways is computed at £ 500,000. It is interesting to note that for the whole twelve months of last year in the United Kingdom the number of killed was 1096 and injured 6061. The accidents during the year totalled 1184. It must be remembered, however, that while the mileage of railways in the United Kingdom is only 22,078 in the United States it is 198.787.

Richard Tattersall experienced many vicissitudes in life. After having amassed a fortune, he lost it during the Jacobite rebellion. After that he became Master of the Horse to the Duke of Kingston. He was in constant companionship with the Prnice Regent, Lord Bolingbroke, and Lord Somerville, these four gentlemen being the leading bloods of -the day. Tattersall, apart from ids undoubted business acumen, was evidently born under a lucky star, as he had : the good fortune to purchase from Lord Bolingbroke the celebrated racer Highflyer—this horse, who, during his career at the stud, sired three Derby winners in Noble, Sir Peter Teazle, and Skyscraper. These horses Avon three Dcrbys in four years, and Highflyer's progeny in eighteen years won n° l ess than £170,000, among ihe victories being four St. Legers. Like the mighty Ormonde, Highflyer was never beaten, and increased his owner's banking account by £25,000. Between the Prince Regent and "old Tatt' a warm friendship existed, and it will be news to many that together founded the aristocratic "Mofning Post," but it was not a successful venture, as the partners sustained a very heavy loss. ,j, Never before or since have such huge "sums been so recklessly wagered on the turf, the Marquis of Hastings losing, over one race, considerably over £150,000. It was entirely owing to the scandalous gambling current at that -time that the Marquis of Westminster resolutely declined to grant a new lease on the Hyde Park Corner occupied by Tattersall's. In consequence of this Edmund Tattersall removed to the quarters occupied by the present firm at Albert Gate. . . Here Mr Rupert Tattersall has, with his ivory hammer, knocked down over £1,01)0,000 worth of horses.—"Tattersail's," in the ''London Magazine."

A little bird sat on a telegraph wire, And said to his mates, "I declare If wireless telegraphy comes into vogue, We'll all have to sit on the air."

A writer in tracing the ancestry of the dog to wolf and jackal notices typical differences in the case of their eyes, their body colours and markings, the habit of turning round before lying down, and other interesting peculiarities; but he does not mention the most striking and infallible way of distinguishing them—namely, by the curious and distinct fashion in which they carry their tails. Wolves have a sneaking way of carrying their tails low, almost dragging on the ground, while dogs carry their tails up, and the farther removed they arc from the wolf type the higher they carry them. Shepherd's dogs and collies, which retain many of their racial characteristics, carry their tails lowest of all; setters and pointers a degree or two higher, stiffening out straight when drawing on game; terriers and hounds elevate their tails to the spinal line; St. Bernards and Nevffoundlands affect a curve over the back; while pugs actually come to.a full twist.

The annual expenditure on advertisintr in the United States is estimated at more than £60,000,000. This expenditure has grown within the last twentyfive years by at least 1200 per cent.

"The flat," that peculiarly American institution, is slowly but surely gaining a footing in London. Plans have been prepared for the erection on an acre and a quarter of ground in Marylebone-road of the largest and most sumptuous block of residential flats in the capital. The originator of this enterprising scheme is Mr" Montague Yates, of Walbrook, E.G. He is a Canadian, and his idea is to introduce the many improvements to be found in the great American fiats and at the same time to retain the home comforts which the English taste requires. The main feature of the building te to be a. spacious courtyard, in the centre of which will be a fountain. The entrance drive leads directly to the grand lounge, from which many lifts are to be worked day and night. Near the lounge will be a restaurant for the exclusive use of tenants and their friends, and smoking; reading and billiard rooms ;irc to be provided on the same floor. Furthermore, it is not improbable that a swimming bath Will be added. In regard to the fiats themselves, they are to have many up-to-date improvements. Electricity will be the illuminant, and telephones, speaking tubes and rnossen-o-er call-boxes are to be placed at the disposal of every resident, Much of the furniture will be built in the walls, including fixed wardrobes in the bedrooms and handsomely carved sidehoards in the dining-rooms. The floors are to be highly polished, so as to obviate much, carpeting.