RANDOM NOTES

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 152, 24 March 1938, Page 10

RANDOM NOTES

Sidelights On Current Events

(By

KICKSHAWS.)

Spaghetti, it is stated, contains all the health-giving elements. To those who eat it, the most obvious is exercise. e It is declared in Italy that Hitler now has no more Germans to emancipate. It is just that sort of thing that will turn a Fuehrer sour.* A judge in America has declared that a man has a right to control bis wife. If we know American wives, the poor fellow retains his left to defend himself. * » » An oil expert declares that there is a bore in the United States of America that goes down to 13,000 feet. Possibly we shall have holes into the world deeper than that, but there are so many difficulties it is unlikely that anything sensational will be done. In most bores the temperature increases one degree for every 50-100 feet. At 10,000 feet the drill revolves at a temperature greater than boiling water. If one were to double the depth, drills would have to be found that would not lose their temper when working at nearly red Heat. This is not an impossible task to set the metal experts, but there comes a time at about 50,000-100,000 feet when the drill would melt. At the present moment there are 13 oil wells that penetrate into the earth to depths exceeding 10,000 feet. At the top the hole in the ground may be nearly a yard across, at the bottom it is probably about four inches.

If America can boast the deepest hole in the ground the British Empire can boast the deepest hole in the ground in which human beings can work. The Robinson Deep Gold Mine reaches a depth of more than 8000 feet. As Johannesburg is more than 6000 feet above sea-level, the men working at the bottom of this hole are 2000 feet below sea-level. A special cooling apparatus has to be used to make it possible to work at this depth. The temperature, nevertheless, is 100 degrees Fahrenheit at the bottom of the mine. Working under these conditions is such that men have been known to lose 51b. in weight during one shift. Those anxious to reduce might make a note of the facilities offered. Special diet has had to be provided for the workers and the weight lost during one shift is usually put on again before the next shift. It is understood that plans have been made to sink this mine deeper still. If this is done the depth will be just under 10,000 feet—not a small bore, but an underground village filled with people.

Although man has contrived to penetrate some 13,000 feet into the earth, he has really done little but scratch the surface. In order to get to the centre he would have to bore another 19,000,000 feet. Some idea of the scratches we make on the world with our bores may be obtained by reducing the world to the size of a football. The highest mountains would then appear as the thickness of three or four sheets of newspaper. The greatest ocean depths, some 40,000 feet, would be represented by a film of moisture. When we dig down we first of all get into the rubbish heaps of time—the material that has been worn away by various agencies and left lying round. Under all this we come to solid rock that has been formed by intense heat. This crust probably Is about 30 miles thick. Below this is hot magma, which comes to the surface in volcanic areas as liquid rock. This may be 1000 miles thick. Deeper still we come to a mixture of iron and molten rock, perhaps 1000 miles thick. The next 2000 miles consist probably of iron. Nobody knows what iron at the centre of the world would look like under a pressure of 150,000,0001b5. to the square inch and at an enormous temperature.

Judging by the stress that has been laid on the small amount of sleep that the recent aerial visitors from England have had, these record-breaking journeys are as much a test of an ability to do without sleep as they are of the machine. Maybe Napoleon would have qualified as a long-distance pilot. He declared that six hours’ sleep was more than enough for a man, seven for a woman, and eight for a fool. Napoleon himself slept about five hours, aud ma'de more fuss ’about it than a mar. who slept for twice that time. His ability to go to sleep when he wished would have stood him in good stea l as a pilot. Hannibal and Galileo would also qualify, because they could snatch a wink or two at any hour they pleased. Columbus on his voyage to America is credited with taking one hour’s sleep between five hours’ steady navigation.

Whatever the merits of little or long sleep, it is a fact that the non-sleepers do not seem to die young. In fact, Marconi, who was a firm believer in plenty of sleep, did not become even a nonagenarian. Mr. Edison appeared to thrive on 20 hours’ work and 4 hours’ Sleep. According to some scientific opinions we actually sleep too much. Long-distance fliers, therefore, need not have our sympathy. Four hours’ sleep should, in theory, be quite enough for anybody. This was what Sir Thomas Moore allowed himself. John Hunter, the celebrated surgeon, always declared that he found four hours' sleep quite sufficient. Wesley admittedly required six, but then he did not always take his ration at night. This reduced ration of sleep has the very great advantage that it gives a fellow another 10 years of life by the age of 60 years. The long sleepers spend about 20 years asleep and are therefore that far behind.

“Could you tell me whether it is legal for a marriage to be celebrated twice under different licences?” asks “S.P.N.* “If so, could the second marriage take place in a church without the officiating clergyman knowing that there had been a previous ceremony?” [The Department of Justice has kindly advised as follow’s:—“It is possible for a marriage to be celebrated twice. Two certificates authorising marriage are required, and on the second certificate the bride’s married surname appears and the condition of the parties is described as ‘Previously married at (town where first marriage took place) on (date of previous ceremony).’ Owing to these facts, the officiating clergyman would be aware that there had been a previous ceremony. When obtaining the second certificate, the parties must inform the registrar that they have been previously married, in order that the correct details may be inserted therein.] » * • Better by one sweet soul, constant and true, To be beloved. Than all the kingdoms of delight to trample through Unloved, unloved. --Anon.