NEWS IN BRIEF.

Evening Star, Issue 5590, 7 February 1881, Page 4

NEWS IN BRIEF.

The population of the world has increased by nearly 20,000,000 during the last nineteen months.

The net increase from penny receipt stamps in Britain during lait year was over LBOO.OOO. A Bdl introduced in tha Vermont Legislature forbids running railroad trains or loooraotivee on Sunday. Iu Austria, from 1870 to 1877 (eight yearp), lightning occasioned upwards of 40,000 fires, and destroyed more than 1,700 lives.

The Seaham collijry oxploafon wi!l cost the Marqnia cf Londonderry, who is the owner, at least L. 10,000 to repair damages.

Poßtmaater-Gtmeral Fawcott believes the G'adstone Government will not bo torrorio:d into making unwise concessions to Ireland. The eleotxic light burns brightly under water. Daring the past year ihe Geiman army used it successfully for submarine operations. The Socialists of Germany have resolved, in view of the violent means of reprefiaion employed against them, to abstain from voting at political el ctiona. Chaca, King of the Whydans, West Coast of Africa, is dead. His son intends to celebrate the memory of his father by beheading 200 captured chiefs. It is estimated that the soa swallows up about two and a-quarter yards a year of part of the Yorkshire ooast, and about three feet a year of part oi Kent. A beautiful stained-glass window, in three parts, to the memory of M<*rk Lemon, formerly editor of ' Punch,' has just been placed ia Crawley Churoh, Su3sex.

For the seventh time in hia career as a Freeimson the Prince of Wales has been nominated as Grand Mastur of tho Order throughout tho United Kingdom. New York is following Chicago's example in refunding the municipal debt in long 4 per cent, bonds, and has already effected a loan of L 500,000 in 4 per cent, thirty year bonds.

The St. Gothard Tunnel ia not yet out of its troubles. The contractors now demand 700 days to finish their contraci in, whioh will bring it into 1882 before tho traina ctn run.

The stock in Edison's Electric L-'g'nt Company ia looktd upon as ra'.hsr ticklish to handle. It is now quoted at 1,200d01, having rif ea on report of his freeh suocese ; a abort time ago 4,00030 l was the quoted price.

Profeeaor Piazzi Smyth, tho astronomer tnd discoverer of the true inwardness of the Great Pyramid, gravely suggests "Tannerism," or "partial starvation," to be applied as a corrective to Our criminals and lawbreakers.

Dr Thomas Wood, one of the most prominent surgeons of Cincinnati, died of bloodpoisoning, oocasioned by operating whilo hia hands were chapped upon some of the of the disaster upon the Hamilton and Dayton Railway.

The Grand Duke Constantino ia interested in a dry go<d3 store in tho Louvre, Paris. Ju3t think of that—an hereditary Grand Duke a shopkeeper. He is said to take great interest in the business, too, during his frequent visits to the French capital. Caroline, Duchess of Montrose, sent a winning horse to the recent Newmarket races, and appeared there herself dressed in her racing color—a red costume and red veil. After the race the Duchess went into the paddock to compliment her jockey and pat her horse St. Louis. Baron Alphonse Rothschild, tho head of the Frenob branch of the houso, is the chief financier of the family, and the director of its dealings with the markets of Europe. He is an untiring worker, and usually reaches his bank in the morning before hia subordinates. His habits are simple, one of hia greatest pleasures being a tour on foot through the streets of Paris both before and after dinner.