TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12505, 18 May 1906, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

The history of the JapanHistoric ese ships now visiting Warships. Australia is of considerable interest. The Hashidate, tho Itsukushima, and the Matsusbima are not powerful as warships go now. They wero built between 1889 and 1891, and now rate aa second class. But they had thoir baptism of fire years before the Japanese encountered tho Russians, and so have a greater historical (intorest than tho mightier vessels of a later date. It was in them—as the backbone of a cruiser fleet—that tho Japanese gave their first proofs of seamanship in tho fight with the Chinese fleet off tho mouth of the Yalu river in 1894. Tho Matsushima, tho flagship of Admiral Ito, had a narrow escapo that day. Just after she came into action a 12-inch Krupp shell passed through her side, and just missed a loaded Whitehead torpedo that was ready for action. It struck an armoured barbette and was shattered, but fortunately a fraudulent contractor had filled it with cement instead of powder. Had it been properly charged' the explosion, would have fired the torpedo, and Matsusliima would now bo a much smaller name in nava-l history than it is. Altogether the Matsu- [ shima suffered so badry that Admiral Ito transferred his flag to tho Hashidate. It is worth noting that tlio Chinese in that fight painted a broad arrow on their shells, believing that this was tho charm which brought success to tho British Navy. Ten years later the cruisers wero engaged with the Russians, whoic Admiral Makaroff made hi 6 fatal sortie from Port Arthur, which ended in a powerful armoured squadron being chased back to port by protected ships, an incident which is not likely to happen again in, naval warfare. They j wero engaged again in the fight on August 11th, when they found the Russian cruisers too fast for them. In the great fight at Tsushima they wero in, Admiral Kataoka's squadron, which at the psychical moment came out from the londezvous on tho south side of Tsushima, turned the stern of tho enjiwy and, coming up on tho starboard, engaged his unarmoured ships. All the ships were struck, but not seriously injured. Admiral Slumamura, the commander of the squadron, fought at the Yalu in the Matsushima, was chief of staff to Admiral Togo in tho late war until tlio fall of Port Arthur, and was then given command of a squadron. Nothing will indnoe him to talk of his experiences in battle. "You have not much time to think.; there is too much to do. When you have any time you wonder if any of tho shells aro going to hit you ; but before you have decided the queb-tioii some other matter claims your attention, and you forget all about the shells again."

Will the "deathThe watch" wood-boring ''Death-watch.'' beetle, which Dr. Benham says has found its way into New Zealand, inspire feelings of terror in the colonial mind? Its ticking has always been a source of popular fear in the Old Country, and it is still thought by some to presage the approaching death of a member of the household. But the dread sound heard in the silence of the night, which gave rise to Gay's line,

"The solemn death-watch clicked the hour she died," [ is merely the call of the beetle to its mate. The insect makes it, by striking with its jaws against the wood on which it rests. The name of tho genus, Anobium, comes from a Greek word meaning resuscitated, the species boinjr. characterised by a simulation of death when danger is near, and a re-assumpt-io.i of activity so soon as it i.s, past. Tju in>ects, indix-d, carry this simulation ti. greaL lengths. "Ail that has been related of the heroic constancy of tin American savages when taken and tortured by their enemies," says a writer on natural hi.s-tcry, ''.<ci_reely conu:up to that which these little creature exhibit. You may maim them, pul them limb from limb, roa<-t then. over a slow fi:o, and you will nc: gain your end. Not a joint will they j

move, nor show by tho least symptom that they suffer pain." The various species work terrible hayoc among furniture. Tho Rev. J. G. Wood describes them as not being in the least particular as to their diet. In hie house they displayed a special appetite for weapons and implement made by savages, it being impossible to handle sundry Kaffir articles without poUring out a shower of yellow dust, while a New Guinea bow was channelled from end to end, and in many places was notJhing but a very thin shell. Mr Wood's remedy was to inject into the holes spirits of wine in which corrosive sublimato had been dissolved. He found that if half-a-dozen holes were judiciously selected, tho poison would penetrate <.m> whole piece of wood, kill all the insect inhabitants, and render it impervious to their attack.