General News.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 850, 15 June 1888, Page 2

General News.

The heir to the title and estates of the Earl of Seafield, whose death was announced last week, is his eldest son Viscount Reidliaven, a present resident of Oamaru.

.-At last we have beaten the Americans in the invention of a novel mode of advertising. In our latest Melbourne exchanges appears the" prospectus of the “ Universal E 'g Advertising Company, Limited,’’ .with a capital of £20,000. Tne objects of the Company are to stamp advertisements on eggs, and supply the public with fresh eggs and ‘ * ads ” for breakfast. ■> .

A movement is on foot in Christchurch to establish the social society kn >wn in' Melbourne as “The Owls.” In that city it is a kind-of Savage Club, the meetings, being frequented by artists, literary men and others of the fraternity of Bohemia. _ Every month what is called “a hoot” iB held, which is a smoke concert. Mr and Mrs W. K. Vanderbilt are said to have been frightened out of their Bavarian Cast’e by ghosts. They had leased the royal house for' several months, bat. only remained in it two nights. Their rest was disturbed by. peculiar noises that could nob be accounted for. The lease was given up, and the disturbed couple returned to Pans. It has been ascertained by practical experiments in Francs that the L&thyrns silvestrie, or everlasting pea, which thrives on the most arid and sterile soils, forms excellent fodder for cattle when treated as ensilage, and is more nutritious and richer in fat-producing substances than trefoil. It is said to yield upward of forty tons of hay ■ to the abre. . ■ -■ . ' ’ •!' ■

An incident i which goes to show that our Auckland winter sun is by no means devoid of heat occurred one morning recently in a suburban district (says the Star.) ‘ A gentlemen had got out his buggy in the morning preparatory to coming to town, when he was surprised to observe that the candle; in the buggy lantern was lighted. This he proved to have been < caused - by : the sun’s rays, which, falling upon the bevelled glass of the lantern at a certain angle, produced sufficient heat to ignite the wick. ■' A well-known resident of Marton has had a bitter experience in connection with inventions, which will doubtless be remembered byffiim for many a day.to cpffie (says the Advocate). He had upward of 15 years since" struck the idea of a lock indention, and re—centlv journeyed to Wellington for the purpose of protecting it by .patent, when to.his utter dismay and chagrin he discovered that he had been forestalled by two years, and his lu'iky rival was reaping a rich reward from the patent. The holder of the existing patent rights has refused £IO,OOO for them. The regular' fortnightly meeting of the Pacific Lodge, U.A.0.D.. was held in Bowley’s rooms, Cuba-street, last night week. There was-a good attendance of members and visiting brethren. During the meeting some excellent musical selections and songs were contributed, which served to pass a pleasant evening. A special feature Of the night’s proceedings was the initiation of Bro S. J. Oyer as District. President, the ceremony being ably performed by P.D.P. Bro Willsteed, of , the Pioneer Lodge of Christcburch, who gave an excellent address, appropriate for. the occasion. Bro Dyer suitably responded. ;,-:V _ , We have reason to believe that the negotiations of the kauri timber (says the New Zealand Herald) have.now reached a stage which ensures the accomplishment of their object; . And notwithstanding.the fears which have been expressed as to the.effects of a monopoly, we think the formation and success of the syndicate a ma’ ter for congratulation. Nothing would do more, in our opinion, to lift us out of the depression into which we have fallen thau an infusion of Victorian capital, energy,-.and business ability. Wewant oiir mines, our forests, and our lands developed and made to pay. It is notorious that, of late years at all events, we have failed to make them pay, and in eonsequeuce there is no progress, no life, and much insolvency. . . ■ ■ ' . ■ ". '

Mr J. E. Mayall, of New : Bond-street (writes the London correspondent of the Newcastle Chronicle) has recently made a great advance in the science of photography. About a year ago he discovered that in every photographic negative taken the natural colors of the object are latent, aud capable of being developed by certain acids having a chemical affinity to the colors.. Working bn the theory, he has succeeded in practically demonstrating the possibility of chromatic photography. Today I went, in company w th others, to inspect some of the produots of his camera. They were all beautiful, some of them remarkably so. The flesh has all the vivid coloring of life, every tint aDd lustre of. the face and eye being apparent, while the tones and shades in the dress are soft and natural The colors being developed and not applied are permanent—the action of sun - and light tending rather to strengthen than diminish them. V

England's naval policy is discussed iu Blackwood by a writer who contends that, though Great Britain, in the absence of a powerful army, is dependent on her navy for defence, the British navy is not in point of strength at all what it ought to be, viz,, strong enough to protect the country from invasion,-' the colonies and possessions from capture, and commerce froih destruction. It is generally believed in naval circles, the writer that some of England’s ablest admirals will not consent to serve on the. Board of Admiralty as the mere assistants of a civilian. They will not lend their names or their reputation to a system of naval -'government detrimental to the best interests of their country. The present First Lord of the Admiralty is described as being a most able, energetic, and conscientious administrator, and it is remarked that the reform he has instituted are excellent as far as they go, though it is significant to observe that the reform of which he seems most proud is the reduction of the estimates by £900,000. In conclusion, the writer maintains that the House of Commons Would not shirk the question as to whether the navy-is strong enough to defend the country if Ministers had the moral courage to put it properly before them.,- ;i .'