FRAGMENTS OF FACT.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1404, 26 January 1899, Page 16

FRAGMENTS OF FACT.

A nugget of gold, valued.at £IO,OOO, i: on its way to England from the Kion dyke.

A coloured man in America, who has completed his 100th. year, has been founc 'it® posses two hearts. A return shows that the daily average traffic through the Blackwali tunnel is 12,857 passengers and 900 vehicles. / An American firm has placed orders foi six great liners with English shipbuilders. Four will fee for passenger service and two for cargo. Coalheavers in Chatham Dockyard during thfj inclement weather struck work, claiming a pint of beer per hour, This ,rog T aest was granted. A mountain, has been discovered in Alaska, 15,000 ft in height, which is 1000 feet higher than Mount St. Ellis, hithertc regarded as the loftiest peak in America. '■> At a Hairdressing Exhibition held in London, the fashion for 1899 was said tc Sbe displayed. The fringe will remain, but all the dressing at the back of the Lead will be below the crown. The States of Guernsey decided on November 30 to permit the optional use oi English in the debate in that assembly, where French has been the only language spoken since its foundation. A gentleman, "who a few years ago was twice High Sheriff of Leinster, a deputylieutenant and magistrate, has just died in an Irish workhouse hospital.* His tenants adopted the Plan of Campaign against him 10 years ago. The Commissioner of Police has issue 1 an order rendering persons liable to a fine for shaking a carpet, rug, or mat (except doormats before 8 a.m.) in any thoroughfare. Also between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. no coal shall be unloaded on or across anj footway*, and no casks shall be lowered or raised within the same hours. A subterranean lake of pure soft water lias been discovered deep in the sandstone formation beneath Colley Hill, overlooking Reigate. The springs which feed it are thought to be capable of yielding 500,000 gallons a day. Some caves were also discovered. The men employed by he Birmingham Council to clear the streets of snow were supplied with coats and overalls. When these became soaked with the rain and sleet, the chemical dressings poisoned their hands and arms, 60 of the men having to be treated at the hospital. The name practically given in this country to the horseless carriage is “ motor-car.” The same question has been agitating the French Academy at Antwerp, and they have invented as a suitable word “ Snellpaardelooszonderspoorwegpetroolrijtnig.” A female shopkeeper was fined in London for keeping a dog which annoyed the neighbours by incessant barking. Payment was ordered to be delayed to enable the Magistrate to decide whether a private person could take action in such a case under the new County Council bylaw. m 1 The Margate volunteer surf boat, The Friend of au Nations, was totally lost on November 30 off the Kentish Knock. This is the boat which figured in the disastor at Margate on December 2, 1897, when nine brave fellows lost their lives when endeavouring to succour the crew of a ship in distress. " The Earl of Strafford, who is now in New York, authorises the announcement of his engagement to Mrs Colgate, of that city. Mrs Colgate is one of the most beautiful and accomplishd women in New York society. Her husband died about five years ago, and left her a fortune of £2,000,000, all of which was made in S °There are now 16,076 public vehicles licensed in London, being 872 more than last year. These include 7925 hansoms, 3583 four-wheelers, 3190 omnibuses, and 1378 tramcars. About 60 London cabs fitted with the tai&ameter, or automatic fare register, will shortly make their appearance on the streets of London, lhe register will be fixed m full view of the

& In the Shoreditch County Court a lady nlaintiff sued a female acquaintance for the balance of a loan. The defendant stated that she forwarded the money to Plaintiff by means of a crossed postal 5 The plaintiff denied ever receiv- ? ra A' nVf i er The Judge said the order Stf have been lost in lhe post. As the Saintiff had agreed to accept the money 6 postal order she must bear the loss The Postmaster-General refused an application of the Corporation of Be lro-d license to transact a telephone cv change business on the ground that he n chn g , i + municipalities are not o iiadV1 Q 8 r e ed to Worit ?uch a business. In other P °ls the Postmaster has promised to give f. aseS oc if the Corporations obam power J 10 6“ Parliament to carry on such a busifrom telephone communication has been successful in^ America over a distance of jni ©• . Freemasons rePresent McKinley and cently V Bite thftt the prince of expressed an V . luccc j to attend the Wales might be fl of George celebration of McKinley Washington 'pleasure, “ Certainly, replied wit j fiave him with us. f We sho ri d p J?eifain his Royal Highness at : We Gpnld enertan occasion of Wl i* e aß H v"s* to America. Yes , »- liis previous via vite him.” Morgan, M.P. for MerMr pritchard a mining and ■< 4-hvr Tydvd, has the province of bzeSroad concession * f chuan, Morgan, says a letter to Mr iv » your well-deser congratulate. you upon -y esslo n ved success province of for working T m gf w the province well. *3SKfi «d salt-

The Times’ ” Philadelphia correspondent, telegraphing on November 29, says :—“ Sunday’s terrific storm along the New England coast, according to reports compiled to-day, wrecked 70 vessels, and resulted in the loss of 180 lives. The chief disaster was the wreck of the steamer Portland on Cape Cod. One hundred and nine persons were drowned. The gale also destroyed many cottages and summer-houses on the shores round Boston Harbour.

It is stated that immediately on his

return to the Soudan Lord Kitchener of Khartoum will institute a search in the neighbourhood of the city for the part of the treasure belonging to the Khalifa It apears that (says the “ Birmingham Post ”) certain information has vory recently reached London on the subject, showing that much valuable property was concealed in a cave in a hill about two miles from Khartoum, and tittle doubt is entertained that it is still there. “Le Petit Var,” a Republican organ of considerable importance, published in the South of France, is responsible for the following assertions, which has since been corroborated by the “ Pettite Reoublique ” :—“ At the time when England called upon France to evacuate Fashoda, when M. Delcasse was negotiating in face of England’s threatening attitude, the port of Toulon was unprovided with projectiles. Not only were there no reserves, but there was not in stock sufficient for the active squadron, and moreover the ships of this squadron had not on board the regulation stock.” Some alarm appears to be felt in Madrid at the renewed activity of the Car- ’ ist party. The correspondent of the ‘Daily News” states that General Cornea, Minister for War, has caused 1 it to be stated that he has 140,000 men ready no take the field in case the Carlist novement becomes serious. Other bodies if men are being rapidly drilled and infracted in the handling of arms, so that vithin a short time 200,000 men will be ivailable. General Correa, although ully alive to the seriousness of the situation, thinks the Carlists will not yet make an openly aggressive move. The Washington correspondent of the

1 Daily Chronicle ” says :—“ Naval-Con-tractor Hobson, the hero of the Merimac, has thrown £IO,OOO over his shoulder. He has been offered that ’.mount for a series of lectures. Mr Hobson says before sinking the Merrinac his lectures were probably worth >0 cents. The sinking of the Merrimac seems to have made them worth 50,000 dol. The work he did was simply in his One as a naval officer, and he does not feel that he has a right to use that performance for the, betterment of his financial condition. Mr liobson is entirely dependent upon his pay, and his f amily are in moderate circumstances.