GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7449, 3 October 1885, Page 2 (Supplement)

GENERAL NEWS.

Is the rural districts of England th necromancer still holds his way, and tha curious pamphlet, "Zadkiel's Almanac," is yearly consulted by the superatitiously inclined as to forecasts of futuro events. A. free library was recently opened at Northwich, in Cheshire, and the Duko and Duchess of Westminster took part in the ceremonies. Robert Nixon, a Cheshire seer, prophesied that when a duke of royal descent should visit Northwitch the town would disappear into the earth, and in its place a vast lake arise. According to tradi. tion, many of Nixon's prophecies were fultilled ; and as, during the past few years, the town, in numerous parts, has been sinking, owing to the brine springs, the visit of tho Duke of Westminster was awaited with conaiderable apprehension by large numbers of people, and the inhabitants of surrounding villages refrained from witnessing the demonstration through fear of the fulfilment of the prophecy. There are so many restrictions made in regard to bathing facilities at Brighton, that queen of the watering places, that many gentlemen prefer to take a boat out a mile or two and indulge in their plunge without restraint. On one of these occasions a young bather wished to show off the fine breeding of a magnificent Newfoundland, • and whilo his friend held the dog in the boat he pretended to be drowning. The consequence was that the dog, in his struggles to get fret, upset the boat, and then nearly drowned his master in his efforts to save him. Another case of a too-willing dog occurred a fortnight since in Wales. Several scientific men were makingexperimentsin atran with a charge of dynamite, and the power of the explosive was to be judged by the volume of water thrown up. While the operations were proceeding, a sportsman, accompanied by hia deg, appeared on the scene, and as the charge wps thrown into the lake tho animal sprang into tho water and seized the explosive and quickly brought it ashoro. Tho j sportsman shouted to the dog to drop the I substance, but the animal ran in the direction of his master, and the experimentalists made oir, the dog being kept at bay by his master and others with a continuous shower of stones. At the end of five minutes tho charge exploded, and the poor animal wa.i blown to pieces, its mister and friends narrowly escaping with their lives. In all parts of Europe great attention is being given to the breed of the carrier pigeon for military purposes. By recent experiments it is found that these wonderful birds cau compass a speed of nearly forty miles an hour and two pigeons recently beat tho Dover express from London, that makes forty miles an hour, because they went in a bee-line for their sea-bound cot. Even at long distances these birds show wonderful speed, as was determined at the recent Hying match of tho Columbarian society, the Arrow, between Cologne and Berlin, At 7.30 a.m. thirtytwo pigeons were released at Cologne. The air line between the two cities is 294 miles. The air was very unfavourable, and the wind north-east, but yet at 4.11 p.m., or 8 hours 41 minutes after starting, the first carrier arrived at Berlin, his speed showing over thirty-three miles an hour. These pigeons are now used extensively by the British pilot-boats. A fatal accident has just occurred at the St. Louis Hospital, in Paris. Two male patients, one of whom was being treated for Bright's disease, and the other for tuberculosis, were ordered a spoonful each of a certain mixture. The principal attendant pupil in the apothecary's department of tht> hospital made a mistake in preparing the prescription, and instead of the required mixture sent up two doses of deadly poison to the ward nurse. These were given to the two unfortunate patients, who, after swallowing tho fatal draughts, fell back on their pillows and died without uttering a murmur or a moan. The superintendent of the hospital instantly held an inquiry into the cause of the deaths, and summoned the chief apothecary to his assistance. The latter communicated the result of his terrible mistake to the attendant pupil, a young man who had passed a highly creditable examination in pharmacy before entering the hospital three months ago. The pupil became al nost delirious with, despair, and attempted to poison himself on the spot. He was afterward allowed provisional liberty pending his formal arrest by the police. There is no doubt but that the spirit of socialism is extending at a very rapid rate among the working classes on tiio continent of Europe. Taxation in every country is crushing agriculture and industry to the ground, and no form of levying rates is more obnoxious to the lower classes than the octroi an impost levied at the city gates on all food products, as by which means the poor in proportion are more heavily taxed than tha rich. In Spain there has been a general increase in these imposts, leading to serious riots. At Lerida a large turbulent mob, composed of operatives, women, and boys, attacked the collectors, chased them, burned their offices, and then attempted to burn the Governor's official residence. The gendarmes were called out, and the mob began to hurl stones at them. Shots were also fired at the police, who returned the fire and charged tha rioters, of whom about fifty were arrested. Several rioters, one captain and one bugler, and four soldiers were killed; seventeen rioters and four soldiers were wounded. Some property also was damaged. The iroops were directed to occupy the principal streets, and they patrolled them until order was restored. There have been serious riots in other cities, and, now that the cholera scourge is raging, the condition of the people is pitiable in the extreme. Londonderry, once a fairly prosperous centre of shipbuilding industry, was recently the scene of a launch. Much local interest was attached to the event, as a local artisan, Thomas Cooper, had invented a novel application of screw power, to test which tho steamer was built. Immense crowds witnessed the launch, which was entirely successful. The invention is in having the propeller nearly amidships, slightly back towards the stern quarter. It is claimed for it that it will do away with the racing of engines, tho screw being in all weathers under water. It is also claimed that for manoeuvring, tho screw, as here applied, will be of great value to vessels of war of tho lighter craft. The new steamer is named the Venture, is on beautiful lines, has a length of S5 feet, and iB built of steel throughout. The workmanship is entirely local. In the life of a medical man of large and influential practice, there must bo many and varying episodes, but there are few adventures that can surpass in horror the ono recently experienced by Dr. Morrison at Paris. A man of fine mannors and appearance was introduced into his consulting-room, who immediately accosted the medical man with this startling declaration : *' For years past I have been suffering the most intense agony from disease of the lungs; I have tried every treatment, but in vain. lam informed that the liver cut from tho yet warm human frame will effect a certain cure, and I have chosen you as- the victim." The doctor gssped with terror as he saw the maniac aivanco toward kin with a sharp stiletto in his hand, but instantly recovering his presence of mind, he replied, with ccol emphasis: "You quito right, my friend, but in order to affect a cure the organ must bo in a sound state. Now, I have suffered for years with a liver complaint, but I can introduce you to a brother practitioner of mine upon whom you can make the experiment." The madman consented, and in a few moments he was secured and conducted to an insane asylum. His name is Bielh, a native of Hanover, occupying a wealthy position in society. Dr. Morrison was so affected by tho scene that he was stricken down with au attack of apoplexy on the same night. The German Government is having a deep ehaff; sunk near Schladebach, with tho object of obtaining various kinds of scientific information, and especially trustworthy data concerning the rate of increase of the earth's temperature as we descend into the interior. The excavation Is being carried on by a diamond-tipped borer driven by water. So far back as the beginning of this year tho shaft had reaohod the depth of 1392 metres, which is believed to be the lowest depth yet reached by boring. The temperature at successive stages is ascertained by an ingenious instrument which serves as a special thermometer, tho principle of construction being the fact that as the heat increases the mercury will expand so as to flow over th'J lip of a sufficiently short open tube in greater and greater quantities. The measurement of the difference of those ovorflows will give the rate of iucreaso of the temperature. It has been ascertained that the temperature at the depth of 1392 metres was 49deg. centigrade, or 120deg. Fahrenheit. If the temperature increases regularly at this rate, the boiling point of water ought to lie reached at a depth of 3000 metres, and at 75 kilometres we should find the heat ar vOwh melts.