One Thing and Another.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 946, 18 April 1890, Page 6

One Thing and Another.

The new fortifications of Paris have cost 750,000,000d015. China has just negotiated a loan in Hamburg of 40,000,000d015. One week’s water consumption in London is 186,383,203 gallons. Insanity has increased in Paris between 1572 and ISSS by 30 per cent. The average age of the twelve English Bishops is seventy-six years. According to Dr Cornet, tuberculosis is nine times more frequent among nurses than among any other class of persons. Last half-year the London General Omnibus Company carried 50,000,000 passengers at reduced fares, but with increased receipts. AH of the elections and public meetings of Greece, even to the court balls, are held upon Sunday. The election polls are in the churches.

The six hours which make the working day of the British Civil Service will be ex. tended to seven if the recommendation of the Royal Commission is adopted. The Spanish Government is much distressed at the steady increase of emigration, chiefly of able-bodied peasants and the working classes, to South America. The richest man in the House of Commons is said to be Mr MoEwan, Home Rule member for one of the divisions of Edinburgh, worth £92,C00 per annum. The New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children has something like half a million dollars’ worth of propeity, and received more than a hundred thousand dollars last year. The Japanese are learning how to eat meat. In 1885 only 3.0,000 head of cattle were slaughtered in all Japan. In 1886 the number increased to 116,000 ; in 1887, to 130,;500 ; in ISBB, to 200,000. As the result of mining fly electricity, it has been proved that ten men can accomplish with the electrical drill wbat it requires 100 men to do by older methods. ' A London medical man says : ‘Be careful in your dealings with horseradish. It irritates the stomach far more than spice, and an overdose will bring on an unpleasant sensation for days.’ A French scientist has bee,n producing artificial emeralds fay fusing silica, alumina and glucina, with traces of oxide of chromium with acid molybdate of lithiq, at a temperature of from 60Qdeg to 70Qdeg for fifteen days. The tarantula Is a native of Italy, Cyprus, Barbary, India, and also abounds in Arizona, New Mexico and the far South and West. It lives on the ground in a mud house which it builds and to which it attaches a door by means of a hiDge.

In Switzerland there are 1000 hotels whioh have 55,000 beds and employ 16,000 servants, clerkß, etc. Their expenses are £1,200,000 and their receipts £1,700,000, leaving a profit of 560,000 per annum. ’ This is where some of our American gold is planted each year.