NEWS AND NOTES.

New Zealand Mail, 27 August 1902, Page 16

NEWS AND NOTES.

What is described as an “ancient draught-board” lias been discovered in Crete. It must by all accounts be a fine piece of work, since it is composed of natural crystal, ivory, gold and silver, but it is by no means unique. Chess, draughts, or the game from which both «ro derived, was known to nearly all the ancient civilisations, and Greek and Egyptian boards are by no means uncommon.

A well-known and highly-respected firework manufacturer died recently in the North of England, and his wife ordered a very expensive tombstone to be erected in iiis memory. She was much perturbed, for no epitaph submitted to her did she consider suitable. After a prolonged and diligent search, she discovered one she thought, to be appropriate on the tombstone of a prominent. musician, in a Manchester cemetery. Now, on the memorial stone of this noted firework manufacturer it is stated, so that he who runs may read, that “He has gone to the one place where his works are excelled.”

The extraordinary development of the German mania for picture postcards is attested by the total number of cards which passed through the post in 1900, no fewer than 73(5,000,000. In a single week of the holiday season the daily average posted of these souvenir cards amounted to nearly a million and a half. Though this form of memento has been for some time introduced iu England, it happily does not seem to be likely to gain anything like its Teutonic popularity. Most of the cards which deck the shop windows are purchased by the foreign consumer on a visit. * • • • •

There is a dove in Lewiston. Maine, TT.S.A.. which has been a. regular atten. dant at church for eight or ten years, being attracted by the music, of which it is very fond. After church the dove is taken to the Sunday-school class by a boy, and seems to enjoy the proceedings. Unlike many churchgoers, the weather makes no difference to the dove, but every Sunday, summer or winter, it is at its post on the organ. There is a church bell on Salt Lake City's east side, that seems to have a peculiar attraction for the clogs in the vicinity. Each Sabbath morning, as soon as the bell begins its noise, many of the canines in the neighbourhood prick up their ears, and start in single file for the church. Arriving there, they array themselves in front and start a yowling obbligato. This beautiful vocal effort is persevered in so long as the bell keeps going, and when it stops, the clogs feel that their duty lias been done, and, dropping their ears and voices, start home again.

Hero is a way in which imitation new potatoes are made:—Late in the season, r.rter other crops are out of the way, the gardener plants a crop of late and good-keeping potatoes. These potatoes dug and buried in chaps in the open fk-cd. _ancl loft until spring opens and the now potato season arrives. At t lie proper time the heiips are opened, and the potatoes clipped into a boiling solution to curl the skm. The effect of clipping any potato, no matter how old, into this boiline lye solution is to crack and curl the skin, and at the same time it hardens or makes the potato much more firm, so that its resemblance to a new potato is so near that it would be hard to pick out the impostor, from appearance alone, from a basket of tiie genuine article.

Among tne Arabs of Syria a man changes his name after the birth of his eldest son. assuming the name which has been bestowed upon the heir, with the prefix Abu. meaning “father of” : thus, if the son is called Fudle Allah. “God's bounty." the father will be henceforth known ns Abu-fudle-allali. “Father of God's bounty.” In a like manner the mother would become known as “Ein-fuclle-Allab, “Mother of God's bounty.” This custom is not merely one of common speech, but extends to all occasions and even to legal documents. Still more strangely, even when a man, though married, has no son, tho courtesy of Oriental society demands that lie should be addressed as Abu-salim or Abu-malimoud. after an imaginary son whom politeness confers upon him.

Either the dragon banner of China., or the chrysanthemum flag of Japan is the oldest. The former lias been used from a very early period, and the latter is as old as the present dynasty in Japan, which is the most, ancient in the world. Amongst European national flags that of Denmark—a white St. George’s cross on a red ground—is the most ancient, having been in use since 1219. No other flag has existed without change for anything liko tho same period as a national emblem, although there arc Royal standards that are older. The Spanish colours date only from 1785, anil our own flag, in its present form, was first flown after the union with Ireland in 1801. The Stars and Stripes of the United States is older than ours, for it was first planned and ordered bv Washington of Betsy Ross, an upholsterer of Philadelphia, and .formally adopted on Juno 14th, 17.77.

Tho existence of the Americans as a nation is due to a long series of mistakes on the part of British rulers and statesmen, from the time of James I. onwards, in driving from Great Britain tho best of its blood and brains by persecutions that could serve no purpose, and that left the emigrants with feelings of distrust and bitterness never totally eliminated in their descendants. The United States, too, won their indedependence largely through the obstinacy of George 111. and his advisers in insisting upon keeping the American colonies under an unjust subjection. In more recent years . tho United States again profited by the mistakes of the French in Mexico, and by the gross misrule of the Spanish colqpies m the East and West Indies. The sailing of the Alabama from a British port was a mishap by which the Americans profited very considerably in consequence of a British ministerial holiday, and very bad official mismanagement. ••« • . •

If by “absolutely infallible memory” it meant tho power of permanently remembering everything with undiminished vividness, there can be little doubt that its possession would be extremely undesirable. In intellectual matters one of the conditions of success is the knowledge of where to find things, which is much better than being a walking encyclopaedia. Concentration is also necessary for good work, and vivid recollection of all sorts of irrelevant matters would be a severe handicap. Such a memory would also greatly reduce one's happiness, for personal sorrows and trials would no longer be healed by time, and the vivid remembrance of all past, errors and transgressions would often prove a most intolerable burden. The greatest blessing of a kindred sort would be the power of regulating our faculty of recollection at will. Under such circumstances we should be able to temporarily remember things of importance for the time being, while it would bo possible to dismiss from our minds useless or unpleasant matters. • • ■ ,

Few people know that some horses learn dancing just as men and women do. They actually go to a “school of dancing for horses.” and there is a big school of this kind in New York, where there are many bright pupils on the hoof. In the school competent instructors drill them m tho several feats they are to perform, and accustom them to music, teach them to run up inclined planes, and to obey the slightest word of command. After being thoroughly drilled, the horses are given several dress rehearsals on the stage until pronounced ready for their debut. At the school there are always several veteran actor horses waiting for an engagement. There are also understudies ready for work at an instant’s notice.

A great scheme is now being carried out for supplying St. Petersburg with light and power from the rapicls of three rivers at considerable distances from that city. The concession has been granted by the Government to a company formed especially for this object, and the cost of the enerprise is estimated at £2.800.000. The company Has undertaken to provide the public lighting of St. Petersburg gratuitously, and they hope to furnish' current to individuals at about half the cost hitherto attained in similar enterprises. The engineer of the scheme is AI. Dobrotvorsky. * * V . *

Tne Admiralty are about tc make some experiments in order to discover the best colour for ships in action—that is to say. the colour that will render the vessel most invisible. Perhaps the colours of the foreign men-of-war recently at Spit head have induced the Lords of (he Admiralty to reconsider the question. It is generally agreed that one colour is a mistake from a practical standpoint, however effective it may be artistically. The Ivaiser Friedrich 111., which represented Ger--mauy, is painted grey all over, but it would stand out in almost all lights. The Admiralty are going to experiment with brown, grey, light grey, yellow, and blue. Air Jane lias pointed out that if colours be judiciously varied, some will always be invisible, whatever the atmospheric conditions, and at once the target is blurred and the eye of the •gunner disconcerted. * * * B „

In connection with tho report of the Boiler Committee just issued, it may be interesting (writes a correspondent) to noto that Lieut. Charles W. Dyson, of the United States Navy, has recently compiled a return of the world's watertube navy boilers. The now discarded Belleville boiler heads the list, being fitin 144 men-of-war. This total is made upas follows:—British ships, 53; French, 34; Russian, 27; Japanese. 10: Austrian, 4; Italian, 4; Chilian. 4: German, 2; and Argentine, 1. The Tliornycreffc boiler takes second place, being fitted in 50 ships; these are chiefly torpedo craft, but there are two German battleships and two American battleships. Next in order comes the Yarrow boiler, 44 ships; Norman, 36; Nielausso. 34; Reed, 22; Lagrafel d’Ailest, 22; Babcock and Wilcox, 19; Blocliynden. 8: Durr, 8; Schultz, 7; Laird,'s; Normaml-Sigandy, 5; Guvot-Du-Tem-ol'\ 4: White, 4: Oriolle, 4: and Schiclau, 1. There a-re indeed plenty of water-tube boilers in existence,*and it should bo possible, by. careful experiments carried out under severe conditions. to discover which type is the most suitable for British vessels of war.

The sudden rise in. the price of beef, says “Health,” lias revived the question: “Do we eat too much meat for our own good?” and incidentally do we eat too much food of all kinds ? We are in the habit of smiling beningly when we speak of pur friend tho vegetarian, but scientific investigation and experiment is coming to his rescue and demonstrating that whilo possibly it may not be wise for all persons to cut meat out of their diet, it unquestionably would he a, great benefit to the race, physically, if the quantity of meat consumed should be materially decreased, and if considerably less food of all kinds were taken into the stomach. It is quite surprising to those who have never tried it before how well they can get along without flesh food. Now there are so many really edible and nourishing condensed foods on the market, that, with a generous 1 selection of vegetables and fruits, it is no hardship whatever. • * • . * 1 »

The Alissouri papers are telling a story of Alark Twain’s recent visit to the State: —fA big crowd gathered at. a railway station to meet him. A little boy knew that somebody was coming, but he did not know Alark Twain from Bosie Francis. This boy perched himself oil top of a freight ear, where he could see what happened. The train rolled in, and as Alark stepped off the people became excited, and shouted, “Here he is! Here he is!” The boy on the car thought a great criminal had been caught, and shouted. “Git a rope! Git a rope!” Dr Clements laughed till the tears ran out. of his eyes. • • • mm

Human locomotion seems to be a finer study than would appear a-t first sight. For instance, the “Doctor” observes, “One of the most remarkable things about a man’s walk is the diagonal movement which characterises it.” It’s all very well for the “Doctor” to state this —in cold print; but one can conceive of serious trouble following upon a like observation addressed personally at haphazard to the mania the street. However, the “diagonal” movement referred to by our medical contemporary is not attributable to the same cause as certain “diagonal” movements which sometimes characterise men’s walk. “The hands and feet may be regarded as forming the four corners of a parallelogram, and the diagonal limbs are,of course, the right arm and left leg. and the left arm and right leg. By 'diagonal’ movement is meant, that the diagonal limbs during locomotion always swing in the same direction. The right arm swings forward the same as the left leg, and when the right leg is advancing, it is the left arm which accompanies it.” Which shows what a lot of things are happening to millions of us of which we are unconscious until we are told.

When t lie Imperial Chinese envoy visited -Antwerp, writes a correspondent in the charming city, the whole city laid itself out to do tiie thing in correct style. All the particulars of.the reception were properly rehearsed, and a special military band trained to perform the “Chinese National Anthem,” which was obtained from a music publisher of repute. When the prince arrived lie was greeted with the weird strains, and all day Saturday it was played under the windows of his hotel to make him feel at home. On tlie Sunday morning he was awakened from slumber by the anthem, and the attendants, being summoned, found his Imperial Highness with his head buried beneath three pillows vainly trying to shut out the music. “Blessed Confucius,” screamed the Prince to the interpreter, “will it never stop? Go and find out what that noise is that the barbarians are making out there ?” After a considerable interval the interpreter returned and said he had been informed that the noise was the Chinese National Anthem. “National chopsticks,” said the Prince. “Go and tell them we have no national anthem, and that if any man made a noise like that in China he. would be sliced into 10.000 pieces.” After that the band played selections, pleasingly varied, from Gounod’s “Faust” to the “Honeysuckle and the Bee.” * * * 1 # e

The fact that such an important conference as that the of the colonial Premiers with Air Chamberlain follows so closely upon the conclusion of a terrible war. and immediately after the King’s operation, is evidence that' in England they are working quietly, steadily and vigorously, that Imperialism is forging bonds round the colonies, Imd that Great Britain remains a world Power, and wishes to consolidate the Empire.—“Neus Weiner Tagblatt,” Vienna. **»**■

Here is a taste of sartorial spice from the “Tailor and Cutter”:—The fair sex have sometimes a keen eye and a keener sense of the humour of what can be extracted from masculine inodes, as the following conversation tends to prove: “Gentlemen are not going to wear trou-sei-s any longer,” exclaimed Miss Fit. “Gracious goodness: why not ?” excitedly asked her dressmaking friend. “Because they are long enough now,” was the response. “Oh, you mean old said the dressmaker. • * * » *

Paderewski, the celebrated pianist, is an excellent man of business. All the money he earns by liis profession, and it is said to exceed £20,000 a year, is in vest eel to tho best advantage. He is said to be a large shareholder in a wellknown piano firm, as well as part proprietor in one of the chief hotels in Warsaw. Paderewski has been heard to say

that ho has never had a single serioua financial loss during the time he |.S conducted Ins own investments *** * * * * a

Dr V . G. Grace, when playing j„ . rustio match once, kept tempting t i* fielders to throw at his wicket bv sten inug over the poppmg-crease now n!!i again, as if about to steal a run \u last a youth—-a straighter thrower' tlmu Ins fellows—knocked down the clmm pions wicket and appealed to the inn pire, who gave “Not out!” At the end’ of the over the same umpire, stepp,™ up to Dr Grace whispered: “You must be more careful, sir. You were reallv out that time l” y -

Pi ofessor Bell hail a strenuous time over Ins invention of the telephone Ha took the first working model of his strument to John A. Logan, of New York, and offered him a half interest for ioUO, saying that it would do away with the telegraph, and that there would be millions in it. Logan replied: “I flare say your machine works perfectly but who would want to talk through ™.-'n , tmng as that, anyway? I advis« to save your money, young man!”' Beil then offered a tenth interest to an examiner m the Patent- Office for £2O in cash. It. was refused. That tenth interest was worth £320,000 in fifteen years. 1

Much of the future of the new Cuban Republic now depends upon President Palma He is quite one of the most remarkable men of his time; his history reads more like romance than sober biof, ra P‘:>> Ee comes of a distinguished Lastulian line, anil was elected “President” bv liis compatriots nearly tliiriv of aeqaoui sijp ci>e kibov death early in that long-lasting struo-rfle the Spaniards confiscated the estates 0 f t.ie President, and eventually captured him, and sent him, leaded with chains into captivity. He was offered as an alternative to the intense hardships to which he was submitted freedom and position if he would swear fealty to the Spanish Crown. His reply was pro-phetic:—“No,-you may shoot, me if you wish, but I will die as President of the Cuban Republic.”

The Alarquess of Ormonde, who holds the post of Hereditary Chief Butler of Ireland, inherits both that dignity and tho surname “Butler” derived from it from an ancestor of Henry ll.’s reign' An important; feature, in the Chief Butl ler’s duties at a Coronation is the presentation to the Sovereign of a golden cup, which later becomes his own property by right. The house of Ormonde has a very valuable collection ot these perquisites.

A German lady, named Elizabeth Opitz, has just married a Japanese noble. Viscount Siestro Alatsudara. sou of tiie last feudal Lord of Schimadara, near Nagasaki, and a pupil in the Forestry School at Eberswalde. This is the first marriage between a German and a Japanese of princely rank.

The Emperor of Japan is one of the few poets who are content to write verses for their own pleasure rather than for the admiration of the public. It is said that he often composes 10.000 lines a year, but with a most praiseworthy self-denial rare among poets, lie reserves most of them for his own private reading. » « . * »

Mr Samuel Clemens, more familiar to the reading public under the pseudonym of "Mark Twain,” like many other prominent. novelists, does not decide upon tho titles of his books until they are completed. He then submits a list of some ten or twenty to his publisher, who selects those he thinks the most suitable and attractive, and the pair then meet and make a final selection. **■»«•

. As a girl, Aliss Braddon was so unsuccessful in her authorship that, as she herself states, the postman’s knock was associated in her mind with the sharper sound of a rejected AiS. dropping through the open letter-box. Her first book. "Three Times Dead”—now known as “The Trail of the Serpent”—was published by a printer of Beverley, in Yorkshire, who paid her only £5 for the serial rights. * * * * »

Lewanika, King of Barotseland, who has beeu in England for the Coronation, is quite satisfied with his regal estate. Asked the day before he left liis capital by the chief of the French Evangelical -Mission if he would not feel embarrassed in the presence of the British Sovereign, lie replied, gaily: “Oh, dear me, no. When we Kings meet each other we always have plenty to talk about.” ******

At all dinner parties given by the Prince and Princess of Wales, the menu is invariably couched in the French language, no matter what the nationality of their Royal Highnesses’ guests may be. But with the King no hard-and-fast rule obtains with regard to the language employed for the menu cards; and these, decorated with views of Buckingham Palace, are printed in colours. ******

The first officer to receive the coveted Victoria Cross -was Rear-Admiral Charles Davis Luea.s, who resides in London. He won the Cross on June 21, 1854, during the Crimean war, when a midshipman on board the H.AI.S. Hecla. A live shell struck liis vessel, but before ifc could explode young Lucas coolly took it up in his arms, ran to the side of th© ship, and threw it overboard.”