RANDOM NOTES

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 183, 1 May 1933, Page 8

RANDOM NOTES

Sidelights on Current Events LOCAL AND GENERAL

(By

Kickshaws.)

It is stated that women realised the possibilities of the needle 2000 years ago. To-day pin-pricks, some disgruntled husbands contend, are her strong point. • • • A scientist has just pointed out that ten acres of wheat will heat a farmhouse for the winter. The next thing is to teach coal miners how to eat coal. • » • Certain native tribes in Africa, it is declared by a traveller, have special devices for colouring their faces pale grey. In this country we have rates and taxes. • • * “You are wrong iu saying that England gave to the world the first Parliament,” says “M.5.N.,” Kilbirnie. “The fact is that the oldest Parliament iu the world is that of Iceland. The thousandth anniversary of the founding of its Parliament was observed in Reykjavik in June, 1930.” [lt was England that first forged Parliament into a standard legislative machine suitable for a large nation. Actually primitive man bad a form of crude Parliament.—Kickshaws.] •• » « The discovery of Hinkler’s body in a lonely mountain region in Italy at last solves the mystery of his fate. It may or may not teach future aviators a lesson concerning the danger of too much secrecy about their flights. But the fact remains that in spite of immense publicity other aviators have disappeared as mysteriously as Hinkler did, if not more so. Captain Nungesser and his one-eyed navigator, Captain Coli, left Paris for New York in May, 1927, amid world-wide publicity. Thousands of pounds were spent in a fruitless search. Aeroplanes and destroyers scoured the American seaboard without avail. To this day their fate is as great a mystery as that of Hood and Moncrieff. But ocean flights are overfull of this sort of mystery. Since Sir John Alcock and Sir Whitton-Brown made the first Atlantic flight no fewer than 17 lives have been wasted in futile efforts to follow in their tracks. « * • If the oceans of the world will hold for all time the secrets of many an aviator who failed to arrive, there are land areas nearly as grim and deadly. Although deserts are dangerous to an aviator, jungles are more so. More by good fortune than anything else we know the sad tale of Matthews and Hook. Moreover, the forest fastnesses of America hold to this day many a grim secret of man’s efforts to fly ovyr them. Only the forests of Canada know what happened to Nungessor and Coli. Two skeletons beside an aeroplane were * the. only clues left of them. If anything, forest jungles are more deadly than even the polar regions. • * • It is only fair to point out that the long list of aviation mysteries is relieved, here and there, by aviators who have miraculously returned alive after being given up for lost. Some seven years ago Captain Roald Amundseu, who has since met his death, and five others started for the North Pole iu two flying boats. For a whole mouth not a word was heard of the expedition. Suddenly when all hope had been given up one of the machines carrying the whole party suddenly appeared above the Norwegian sealer Sjoeliv. Both Sir G. H. Wilkins and two American airmen, Hassell and Cramer, returned safely from the Arctic after being missing several weeks. But possibly the most notable instance of all was that of the Italia. Part of the party were carried away on the airship and never seen again when the gondola - was torn off. But General Nobile and eight survivors, after a long interval, managed to put their radio into working order and were eventually saved. The gander reported in the news to have just died at the ripe old age of 100 years has certainly set a standard in the bird world not very often equalled. Most ganders, like most hens, come to an untimely end long before they have been given an opportunity to show their prowess iu this line. In fact the record for a ben seems to be 20 years. At the other end of the scale we have the golden eagle which seems capable of even beating the aged gander mentioned above. At any rate an eagle brought down in Denmark in 1881 had around its neck a small chain to which was attached the following inscription : “Captured and then released in the year 1792. by R. and E. Anderson, Denmark.” Thus 89 years had elapsed between the first and second capture. Vultures too have amazingly long lives. The classic case was a vulture that lived in a German menagerie from 1706 to 1824. But the record for long life seems still to be held by the grey parrot. One grey parrot belonged to the same family for no less than 120 years. It was almost an heirloom when it died. "Being a constant reader of Random Notes,” writes “Interested” Marton, ”1 cannot but be impressed with your fund of knowledge; so that I’m sure my simple question will be no trouble to yon. if you can hut find time r<» write is up. Recently I saw the picture ‘Dreyfus.’ I tried to recall th-' end of the career of this much-abused man; I inquired in several directions and still could find no one who could tell me—though of course there are plenty, but 1 found the wrong ones. Would you kindly do so.” [The facts are given in the next pa ragra ph.—Kicksha ws. ]

After his final trial, and his subsequent pardon in 1899. granted by the French Government. Dreyfus settled in Paris. In 1903 a further detailed hearing of bis case took place, owing to certain facts having conic to light. The original sentence of 1891 was finally quashed and Dreyfus was completely rehabilitated. The Government reinstated him in the French army with the rank of major of the artillery by six'chil act. He was employed for a year in a military office at St. Donis nerj Paris. In July 1907. he resigned from the army. M hen the ashes of Zola were being transferred in the Pantheon in 1908. a fanatic fired two shots at Dreyfus, one of which wounded him slightly. During the world war he re-entered the army, was promoted lieutenant-colonel in 1918. and was granted the Legion of Honour. Since then he has lived in retirement. * t Said a .adv who warbled in mezzo. “Oh. dear.Tm beginning to frezzo! My runs and my trills Should pay all ray bills. And they would if I wasn’t in dezzo." —C.M. in the Boston Transcript.