MOSCOW TO VLADIVOSTOCK BY RAIL.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 11581, 13 October 1900, Page 5 (Supplement)

MOSCOW TO VLADIVOSTOCK BY RAIL.

The average rate of speed attained by tbe passenger trains on the Siberian railway is, says the Engineer, 23^ miles p3r hour. At this rate the journey from M .-cow to Vladivostock or Port Arthur, * distance of 5383J miles, will take 10 days. The cost ot a first>-c!ass ticket by the express trains, inclusive of sleeping: cir, will be L ls roubles or £12 3s 3d, under the differieotial tariff vow in use. At the an me rate, and under the same conditions the joarney from London or Pari3 to Shanghai, will take 16 days, at a cosfc of 320 roubles, or £3A, instoad of the present journey from '3± to 36 days at a cott of £95 12i Gd by steamer \'m the Suez Car.nl. Tije authorities ara very sansroine of beiii£ able in time to increase the present i ate of speed uutl it ahull be equal to that of the express trains, now running in Europe., and thoa the through journey from ocean to ocean, and across two continents will take only ten days. Huwever so many accidents are constantly occurring owing to the hasty manner in wbich the track of the Siberian Railway wes made, that almost the whole extent of the line will have to be relaid with stouter rails bi~ fore any rule of speed at nil approximating tha» of the leading European lines caD be looked for. The great economic task now before Russia id to develop Siberia on sound cormaercial principles so 'that it may speedily repay Russia £>r the iinmeuso outlay of 400,000,00 J roubles expanded in thus bringing Sibera into direct communication with the markets of Europe.

A camel can ea?^y cury a lojid of 1,500 pounds. Over 70,000,009 needles are made every week in a iactory at Redditch, Englacd. All the street railroads in Washington. D. C, sell six tickets for twentyfive cents. Envelopes were first used in America ; in 1809, and postage staa.ps were first used there in 1847. Indian widows in Sitka go into mourning by painting tho upper part of their faces black down as far as their mouths. A peculiar rose has been successfully cultivated by Japanese florists. In the sunlight it looks red, and in the shade it is white. , ] Sound passes through air at +ho velocity of 1,143 feer, per second; and through water, 4,900 feet; and through iron 17,500 fent. The Masonic regalia wora by Wash- ' ingtoo, consisting of an ap r on and baldric, is owned by J. T. Smith, of ! Goodland, Kan. ,Some of the delights of single hies- i sadness were discovered by a Brooklyn bachelor who whs sewing a button on his overcoat without a thimble. When the needle wbb partly through the cloth he would force it further by pressing the shank against the '^all ; then he would aid the movement by dragging the needle forward with his teeth. , He was engaged in the latter part oE the performance when hia teeth slipped from tbe needle and he fell backward from his chair to "the floor, breaking his collarbone. v A new fad ie that of of having the eye photographed. Young girls send photograpa of their eyes, only one eye in the photograph, to their friends. If sent anonymously, a great deal of fun j is obtained in gushing who3a it is I Smnll evening parties' are entertained with a 'collection of the Jphotograpbs of the eyes of those present, and guessing contests with prizes make up the game. The pictures are numbered, and the tally cards have corresponding numbers. Even with the originals present, it is puzzling. A certain lawyer was in his office ono day when a stranger came to the door and said : " Beg your pardon, but can i yon tell me where Messrs Smith's officp ,is ? ' " Yes, it's on the fourth floor." The stranger thanked him, and climbed upstairs. Returning' presently, he looked in again. " Smith seems to be out," he said. "Of course, he is Ifj you had asked that question in the first place 1 should have answered by telling you so." That stranger bad a troubled J i look on his face as tie left the builJing, bub it waa peoeeful again when he reI turned next morning and inquired of the lawyer : " How much do you charge for a verbal opinion on a little • matter ?" " Oh, about a guinea*" The J case baring been stated, the opinion was given, and as the man was moving , away the lawyer said sharply : "My fee, please." ' I haven't a halfpenny j to pay you with." "You haven't?'* i l< Of course not ; if you had asked me thnfc qu?s f ion in the fir^t place I should have answered by telling you so ; goodmorning, Bir.' 1