Miscellaneous.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 978, 28 November 1890, Page 34

Miscellaneous.

Four American girls have started on a Voyage of discovery on the Seine, from Paris to Rouen, a route seldom traversed.

The Publio Works Committee will recommend, at the next meeting of the City Council, that the Mayor be requested to recommend the citizens to observe the day of sue general elections (Friday, sth December) as a holiday. J. Walmsley, who played for the Phoenix In the Senior Cup match against Wellington, played last Saturday for the Addington Club at Christchurch, in the senior match against Lancaster Park. This may be interesting to the Wellington and Phcenix seniors.

A meeting of creditors in the bankrupt estate of D. Robertson, ironfounder, was held on Tuesday for the purpose of receiving tenders for the Phcenix Foundry as a going oonoern. The Official Assignee stated that only two tenders had been received, the highest one being £550. On the motion of Mr Beck, seconded by Mr J. Dutkie, it was decided to leave the matter in the hands of the supervisors first appointed and the Assignee, together with any other matters in connection with the estate. The meeting then adjourned.

Some carious details have just been published on the relative mortality amongst European troops during time of peace. The Spanish troops give the highest standard of mortality, and that not because the soldiers are weakly so much as that the sanitary arrangements are inadequate or neglected. The deaths represent 13 in 1000. Russia comes next; but tho interval is largo. The mortality is about nine in the 1000. Then follow the Italians, with 7.74. So far the series is almost as a shrewd observer might guess ic would be. What follows is more perplexiug and more interesting. Austrian, French, English, Belgian, and German—that is the order. In round numbers the deatlm of Austrian soldiers are in 1000, 7 ; of French, 6; of English, a little over 5 ; of Belgian, a little over 4 ; and of Germans, a little under 4. The ravages of consumption are enormously greater in the case of our own soldiers than of any other nationality, and in this case the French are the most favoured, The Publio Works Committee will recommend at the meeting of the City Council to-day (Friday)—That the City Solicitor be authorised to obtain advice in connection with the proposed additional storage of water at Wainui at a cost not exceeding 20 guineas ; that the question of covering in the north end of Hunt Terrace Stream be allowed to stand over for the present; that the upset prices for the sections of land off Jervois quay be reduced so as to stand as tinder No. 1, 70* per foot; No. 2, 603 per foot; No. 3,70 s per foot; No. 4,40 s per foot; No. 5. 40s per foot; No. 6, 60 s per foot; No. 7,45 s per foot; No. 8, 40 s per foot; No. 9,40 s per foot; that proceedings be taken at once to compel removal of the verandah encroaching upon the footpath on Lambton quay ; that consent be given to the transfer of sections 11 and 12, Pahiatua, from Mr W. Best to Mr W. 11. Coe. That the owners of the following sections of land be called upon to fence the same : —Part of town acre, corner of Willis and Ghuznee streets; town acre 3 137 and 139, corner of Willis and Buffer streets; part of town sore, Bowen street.

Our Greytown correspondent writes : Last Sunday afternoon clouds gathered over the Tararua ranges to the west, from whence the rumbling of thunder was heard at intervals. The storm cloud travelled in a semi-circle, first to the north, then east, wheu it burst in a heavy downpour of rain, with loud clunderclaps and terrific flashes of lightning of various kinds. Near the close of the storm, which lasted about threequarters of au hour, an electrical crashing was heard. In Morrison’s Bnsh (south-east of the town) trees were split and thrown down and one set on fire, to the terror of sundry onlookers. A cottage at the south end of the town was at the time occupied by an elderly lady and a young woman, a visitor. They were sitting in one of the rooms during the storm, when from down the chimney came what they called a thunderbolt, twisting some of the bricks out of position, and went crashing through the weatherboarding and disappeared. The ladies were thrown down by the shook, and the house was filled with a sulphurous stench. It is almost needless to observe that both ladies received such a nervous shock from the occurrence as to almost unfit them for domestic dut'es for a day or two. After the storm the weather was serene and beautiful, followed by a slightly cloudy but otherwise calm moonlight night. Another astounding Imperial decree has just been issued, constituting a complete volte face on the part of the Emperor and Chinese Government on the opium question (the Shanghai conespondent of the “Standard ” says.) Hitherto the Chinese Governznent found it politic to ignore the fact that there was such a thing as native grown opium, and they have always denied its existence, thus endeavoring to caat upon the British Government tho sole responsibility for what is called the “opium curse,” which, since the days of Commissioner Yeh they have maintained has been inflicted, continued, and extended by the action.of the British Governinout alone in forcing Indian opium upon China. The Decree, which is addressed to the high authorities of the Empire, including viceroys, and civil and military governors of provinces, legalises tho production of native opium, whioh has ever been regarded as an illegal article. But within recent years its production has become so widespread, and its use so extensive, that the Imperial has been forced to take action to reooup itself for the ever diminishing returns from the Indian drug. The Imperial Government now see that financial good may come to tho Treasury out of the great moral evil, and the decree points out that, ■while the Government may, by regulating the production of native opium, keep in the country all tho money they pay to India for opium, they will also be able to get the control of tho entire traffie iDto their own

The Christian World says : —The desth is announced of the widow of the Rev R. B, Lyth, of York, in her 80th year. Her life has been the romance of a missionary heroine. In 1836 she went out with her husband to the Friendly Islands, and for nineteen years laboured among cannibals, living a daily life which was a gospel those savages could not resist. Subsequently she spent eight years with her husband in Auckland (New Zealand) and Gibraltar. Qricketers will regret to learn that, although the doctors at St Thomas' Hospital have dono everything in their power to prevent a permanent stiffness in tho thumb of Walter Wright, the Kentish professional, as the result of the accident during the match against Surrey at the Oval recently, their efforts have been without avail. Wright has been informed that his thumb would never regain its elasticity. He has, therefore, decided to have the top of it bent in the form of a crook, by whioh means it is hoped he will be able to hold the ball securely enough again to follow his occupation. To the Australian Legion of Honour another addition has been made, says the Pall Mall Budget. The heio is named Macquetter, and iR third officer of the steamship Elderslie, whioh belones to a firm of New Zealand meat carriers. While on the way from Fremantle to Albany sho encountered a terrible storm. In the midst of the gale, when the ship was perilously ploughing the waves and every member of the crew was exhausted by long-continued toil, it was discovered that the saloon had caught fire. There were several passengers in the saloon, and one of these, a Miss Lowe, found ifc impossible to escape to the deck. Three times did Macquetter essay at the greatest risk of his life to rescue her, and the third time was successful. By almost superhuman efforts the fire was kept under until the ship reached Albany.

M. Failures, Minister for Justioe in France, has at length taken steps to ensure the curtailment of what is called plitrage of wines, or the mixing of chemicals with them to give a fictitious body. As in preceding years, a circular was issued at the end of last month to the Public Prosecutors suggesting that they should quietly pass over the offenoe of excessive plktrage, winegrowers having had sufficient interest for somo . years past with the authorities to cause the unfortunate consumers of their “doctored” liquids to suffer innumerable matutinal headaches in order to put money in their own pockets. In many instances the vins platres are adulterated to the extent ot five or six per cent. The Hygienic Society his, however, pointed out to M. Fallidres that wines adultered by more than two per cent, are injuiious to the public health, and on their representation the Minister of Justice has issued a fresh circular to the Public Prosecutors recalling the one issued in August, and instructing them to carry out with regard to the wine harvest of this year the provisions of the law against excessive p'atrage. Tho manager of the Automatic Temperance Fountains Company, Limited, writes to an English paper explaining that this undertaking has been formed to apply the “ penny in the slot ” principle to machines which are intended to oater for factory hands who are without organised means of refreshment whilst at work, and the mechanical staffs would also be placed in streets, markets, and parks. The contrivvance contains at the top a compartment filled with hot liquids, such as tea and coffee, kept warm by an automatically regulated Bunsen burner, and separated by a non-conducting division from the space below, in which cold liquids are stored. Underneath the latter are the cases for biscuits, cheese, buns, and similar compact solids. Tea and coffee, it is said, properly prepared are kept quite fresh in this way for 12 hours, but the urns would ba replenished from a central source at frequent intervals. A Paris correspondent, writing on the same subject, says that the idea is not absolutely novel, except that the supply of warm liquids has not yet been attempted. In the Place de la Republique and other part of Paris, during the summer, little groups of people might have beeD seen assembled round the fountains, which furnished water for nothing, but from which, on depositing 10c, was obtainable at choice a tankard of beer, a glass of red wine or of cider, or half a pint of iced coffee. The machines registered every sale, and were quite automatic. Aa they came into competition with the wiue shops au effort was made to suppress them.

At a meeting of the Royal Society last night (says the Sydney Daily Telegraph of November 6th) Mr H. C. Russell, the Government Astronomer, exhibited and described “ Some of the surprising star photographs recently taken at the Sydney Observatory.” The astronomer referred to unfavourable weather as having rendered impossible the oompletion of the photograph of the Milky Way and caused him to transfer his attention to the Magollnn clouds. The exposure of the plates for seven to eight hours had given results so staitling that some six weeks since bo bad sent copies of the negatives to the Royal Astronomical Society as well as to the Council here. Around the Nebecula Major had been revealed a spiral structure involving the whole of the central parts of the nebula, and two secondary spirals _ forming outlying portions. It was pointed out how this mighty spiral system dwarfed all others with whioh they were acquainted, and what strong support the photograph gave to the late Mr Proctor’s conception of the form of our Milky Way. Here in the Nebecula Major was spread oat another universe'with its snns and its nebulas out from our universe in the infinity of space. The astronomer explained the phenomenon with the aid of the photograph, and followed the same course with the Nebecula Major, which revealed au almost similar strncture. In other words, the smaller Magellan cloud contained another, thought vastly more distant universe. The exposure (eight hours and a half) given to these negatives, in order to bring out the details of the nebeonlse, was believed to be the longest yet given to celestial photographs.

England is said to be just a trifle annoyed at the free and easy manner in which the Comte de Paris is carrying on his conspiracy within her borders.

A shocking case of delaying burial is reported from Liverpool. On Wednesday, September 17th, a youth died. Money was collected to pay for the faneral, but it was spent in a drunken orgie. More was then collected, and squandered in the same way. On Saturday a hearse went to the court in which the house is situated, but as the undertaker saw no prospect of being paid ha went away again. On Monday notice was given to the authorities ; but it was not until Wednesday, when the corpse had been lying eight days, that the Corporation fever hearse was sent round and the body was taken away for burial. As a result of the wild scene that occurred on the night after the youth died, some of those who took part in it appeared at the Police Court next day, charged with stabbing and other offences.

Mr Robert Louis Stevenson has written home an interesting letter describing among other things how an accident nearly destroyed the work of many months. While he was sailing about lately between Samoa and Auckland, hoping to get strong after a long illness at Sydney, hiß cabin caught fire. There was great excitement on board ; the burning things were carried on deck or thrown into the sea. Suddenly Mrs Stevenson saw two of the crew heave up a burning box whioh they were about to commit to the tender mercies of the waves. With a scream of dismay she spraDg forward and caught one of the men by the arm, they dropped the box on deck, it was deluged with water ■ and saved. It contained all Louis Stevenson’s MSS., the work of long months past, the story he is writing under contract for £4OOO, and much of the history of the island which is to be his home.

A Congregational Minister the Rev Robert Ward—appeared at the Weßt Ham Police Court, on Monday, as a capturer of burglars. He returned ■ home on Sunday evening, found the door fastened inside, ana unexpected lights in soma of the windows. He knocked and shouted, “ W ho’s there?” whereupon a strange man, throwing upon an upstairs window, replied. “All right, guv’nor,’ if you don’t use violence we’ll CQtne down.” Mr Ward obtained the assistance of two neighbours, and wheu William Jones, costermonger, and William Samson, of no fixed abode, issued from the house they were unresistingly taken into custody by the three gentlemen. Subsequently a man named John Denton was apprehended by the police, and charged with having helped to break into Mr Ward’s house. The prisoners were remanded.

Considering the number of cures for seasickness of which the world has heard, it is remarkable that there Bhould be so little evidence of the abatement of this malady. Quinine, acoording to the Lancet, is now added to the list of “infallible remedies.” M. Charles Richet has used it with such effect that “a personal friend, extremely susceptible to seasickness ” kept his sprightliness at sea when everyone on board was said to be suffering except himself. The question suggests itself why M. Riohet’s friend did not share his quinine with his suffering fellow-passcugers, and so test the “remedy” more effectually. M. Richet would pay, perhaps, that bis answer is to be found in the statement he has already made that the dose should be given about two hours before embarking. Faith in his specific is again undermined, however, by the fact that Mr Riohet is careful 4o add that other “ well recognised and often successful precautions should not be neglected— such as the recumbent position, plenty of fresh air, &o.” it appears then that quinine is not everything after all to the subject of mal-de mer. —Daily News.

The death is announced of Captain Arthur Rodney Bi»ne, R.N., at Heggatt Hall, Novwioh. The deceased officer, who was born in 1834, was the second son of the late Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Hugh Seymour Blane, who served with the Scots Guards at Waterloo, his elder brother being Lieutenant-General Sir Seymour Blane, C. 8., who eerved with much distinction in the Crimea and Indian Mutiny. Captain Blane commanded the gunboat Drake in the Chinese War of 1859-60, and his gallant conduct on the attack on the Taka Forts earned for him the distinction from the Commander-in-Ohief, Sir James Hope, of “Well done, Drake ! ” being signalled to him during the action by the flagship—a signal which, it may be remembered, was repeated at the bombardment of Alexander in favour of Lord Charles Beresford and the Condor. Captain Blane married in 1878, the second daughter of Mr Pitcairn Campbell, of Burton Hall, Cheshire, and leaves a family of two sons and one daughter, the elder son now being heir to his uncle’s baronetcy. The following curious and useful piece of information is taken from Truth :—“ A few days ago I was standing by an American geptlemap, when I expressed a wish to know which point was the north. He at once pulled out his watch, looked at it, and pointed to the north. I asked him whether he had a compass attached to his watch. * All watches,’ he replied, “are compasses.’ Then he explained to me how this was. Point the hour hand to the sun, and the south is exactly half-way between the hour and the figure XII. on the watch. For instance suppose that it is 4 o’clock. Point the hand indicating four to the sun, and 11. on the watch is exactly south. Suppose that it is 8 o’clock, point the hand indicating 8 to the sun, and the figure X on the watch is due south. My American friend was quite surprised that I did not know this. Thinking that very possibly I was ignorant of a thing that every one else knew, and happening to meet Mr Stanley, I asked that eminent traveller whether he was aware of this simple mode of discovering the points of the compass ? He said that he had never heard of it. I presume, therefore, that, the world is in the same state of ignorance. Amalfi is proud of having been the homo of the inventor of the compass, I do not know what town boasts of my American friend as a citizen.”