HOME AND FOREIGN.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1666, 3 February 1904, Page 16

HOME AND FOREIGN.

' ANOTHER RECORD BROKEN. /

>Tbe latest record-breaking feat has. taken place at;. Blocklev in Worcester-,, /fiihire, England/ A loaf of bread has. been on .exhibition at Mark lane which was turned out just thirty minutes from the time of the cutting of the standing corn. At half past eight one morning Messrs Taylor and Sons, of the Sheafhouse Farm, Blockley, started to cut a field of wheat. As fast as the sheaves were cut they were earned to the granary, and there threshed and winnowed. These operations took just six ans a half minutes; thence the wheat was taken to the mill of Mr J. H. Painton, aryl there ground and dressed in five and a half minutes. At the adjacent bakehouse the flo*ur was made into dough, and. moulded inlto cakes and loaves. Seven small loaves- were taken from the oven at 9 o’clock, or just thirty minutes from the-time the wheat was standing uncut. The larger loaves were finished in forty ■ minutes. . . DARING SURGICAL FEATS. St. Petersburg, November 23. —Dr Zoeger von Manteuffel, of the University of Dorpatj one of the most skilful practitioners m Russia has just pm - - formed, an operation wlxich probably stands alone in the annals of gurgery. A few days ago a young girl was brought to him' who had been accidentally shot with a revolver, the bullet penetrating the heart. Dr Manteffel chloroformed her, and then cut open the breast, laying bare t*he tihrobbing ue&rt. Tbe ball had lodged in the wall of the organ, happily without injuring any of the cavities. The. surgeon grasped the heart, and with a slight pressure of both thumbs removed the bullet, causing only a few drops of blood to flow. The wotund was then sewn up, and a. few days later the girl was, discharged completely well. A Vienna correspondent wired on November 24Professor Eiselsberg, .of this city, has performed an interesting operation on a young student , who was struck on the head by an iron ball ten months ago at Salonika. The frontal bone was smashed, and aftei* the wound had healed it was discovered that a piece of bone the size of a shilling was missing.' Accordingly the surgeon removed a piece of the patient’s shin bone, and inserted it in his skull. The student has entirely recovered, and is as well as ever. THS LARGEST VESSEL IN THE WORLD. The White Star line, already celebrated for eclipsing records as regards size of steamers, launched on November 21 from Messrs Harland and Wolff’s yard • at Belfast another vessel, named the - Baltic, exceeding even those great leviathans, the Celtic andi Cedric, now running in the Atlantic trade. The Baltic in the largest and in many respects - the finest vessel afloat, her great size • making it possible to add improvements ■even beyond the other vessels of this type, in which the shipbuilders’ art lws already attained such a nigh standard of excellence. The- .dimensions of the - Baltic are as follow: —Length, 725 ft 9in; breadth, 75ft* depth, 49ft; her gross tonnage will he nearly 24,000, her capacity 'for' cargo about 28,000 tens, and the displacement at her load draught about 40’,000 tons. The newer vessel will ha fitted with accommodation upon the same lines as that in the Celtic and - Cedric, hut even more commodious than in those Vessels. The general arrangements of the ship will be similar to the two other vessels of this type—a, continuous shade deck running fore andi aft, with three.tiers of deckhouses and two promenade decks above same. On the - -upper promenade deck will he the first- • class smokeroom and library, and the two houses below will contain the deck staterooms, the arrangement so much admired in the Celtic and Cedric. The first-class dining saloon will he on the Tipper deck, and all the first-class accommodation amidships. There will he ’ accfommediation in all for nearly 3000 passengers, besides quarters for a crew -of about 350. The Baltic will he fitted ' with engines of Harland and Wosff quadruple-expansion type, about 13,000 ■ i.h.p., and 'the ©peed with he about 16J‘ to 17 knots. It is interesting to note ; that the tonnage of the White Star fleet now amounts to the huge total -of nearly 350,'000 tons. It cans sts of 29 steamers, of which 25 are fitted with twin screws, and possosses.no fewer than, 21 vessels of over 10,000 tons each, including three of over 20,000, one of 17,>OOO, and two over 15,000 tons.

FACT ABOUT THE VICTORIA • nyanza. •

Writing in the current number of “The Sunday at Home” onlif e in XJgxnda,, Mr 0. W. BCattersley gives some interesting* information respecting the Victoria Nyanza. He says that, roughly speak- ' the lake is 1000 miles in oircum- : ference. with an area of 40,000 square miles. It is fresh water, and subject to very severe storms. There is, of course, no tide; but the lake is subject' to rises 'arid falls of as much as 10ft, probably due to the rainfall; but it is difficult to ;' understand some of the high-water

marks on the rocks in various parts. Some people have thought that these rises take place in a sort of cycle of years. The middle of the lake has never yfet been explored, no craft of sufficient • Strength having been put-emit up to the present, and no steamer being able to • carry sfuffiedent fuel to last out the jour--rtey. All round near the shores are islands of various sizes, mostly inhabited and very fertile, the scenery for the most part being tropical. The lake abounds in fish, many very large and very good eating, andi the natives, although catching a gread deal near the shores, rarely venture on deep-sea fishing. They fish both with line and' traps. There are many hippopotami and crocodiles. The hippopotami is not dangerous to life if left alone, though sometimes it attacks canoes with disastrous results, he natives on these islands are clever at making canoes. People have an idea that because they are only sewn together these canoes do not last long. It merely means that they require resewing, for they are only sown together with the fibre of a palm-tree. The boards will last as long as 20 years. The boats cannot really sink, even if hull of water. They would if the crew stayed in, but at the first sign ef swamping the crew jump out into the water, and! cling to the edge of the canoe until the storm abates. Then one by one the men carefully get in, each baling out in turn a little water, and then on. they go. The natives would not travel in a canoe which did not leak, as they consider it would not go well without waiter in the bottom to balance it, and one man’s business is always to be baling out. For European travellers and chiefs a bridge of twigs, ooveroid with grass, is spread over the water in the bottom of the canoe, and travelling can be made fairly comfortable by means of bales of bedding and other packages as hack rests. \T!ho paddlers face the way they are going, and keep up a dismal chant most of the time, which encourages them to paddle more or less in tame. THE PART CASE. The case ,of Hubert or Herbert Part, accused of impersonating a “DP’ of the same name, who is believed 1 to- be dead, is becoming more and mere complicated. The prisoner is understood to bo uiyler comiu.it.tai for trial for misconduct -towards the wife of the presumably deceased medical man, Herbert Part; and a day or two ago he was again brought before tho Manchester Police Magistrate on a charge of bagamously marrying M ss Alice Ford, of Prestwich, in 1902, a former wife, Miss Hankay, having married him as John Cubben. The prisoner acknowledged the soft impeachment, hut pleaded that he had come to the conclusion, after inquiry, that his first consort, whom he had espoused in 1898, was dead. He was once more committed for trial." It is a cusious fact, as bearing upon the identity of the prisoner, who is said to be an Australian, 'that while serving as timekeeper on tiie railway he met with an accident, which had necessitated the amputation of one of his feet. Also that, besides taking the names of Herbert Part and John Gubbcn, ■he ait various times masqueraded as Jack Bibby, Richard Thompson Dubbin, Dr Cookson, and Dr Moore. __ MAN’S STRANGE CONDUCT. The extraordinary conduct of William Ward (56), a Scarborough fisherman, who wore false whiskers and a slouched cap, and terrified his daughter by hanging about . her lodgings, caused him to be charged with conducting himself threateningly with intent to put Caroline Ward in fear ol her life. The - defendant has caused a lot of trouble to tho police. About two years ago he was sent to prison for a murderous attack on his wife. Upon his release 110 bought a revolver, and, after shooting at Constable Johnstone, forced his way into the house where his wife was hiding, wounded an old man by striking him with the revolver, and when the police were arresting him he fired at Sergeant Heads, the bullet passing through the sleeve of. the officer’s coat. For that he was sentenced to 15 months. Nov/ he is again trying to find his wife. Complainant told the Magistrates she had to change her lodgings, and was afraid of losing her position as a manageress of a business; her father had also terrified her assistant. : . Complainant told him his wife had been out of Scarborough since he was released from prison, and he had threatened to do for her if she did not tell him where her mother was. Detective Inspector Bower man told how ho found defendant on Sunday night, wearing a topcoat, slouch hat,, and side whiskers, and concealing himself in the shade of a shop, whilst ho watched bis daughter’s lodgings. Defendant denied threatening Ins daughter, but he was bound over and warned that unless ho behaved himself he • would be severely dealt with. SIGNAL-BOX TRAGEDIES.

“I have been shot by a man an a tree through the window, and am dying” was the wire received at Jersey Shore Railway Station, Pennsylvania, from the operator at Brown’s, five miles away, recently; and a party which proceeded at once on a pilot

engine to the scene found the operator dead, his assailant having evidently clubbed him • to death when he saw him telegraphing after the shot. Robbery - was the purpose of the crime. Thrioperator, with whom the supposed assassin took alternate duty, was known to carry his savings, amounting to £IOO, about with him; and it is believed the other man was the murderer and meant to rob his mate, but obtained but little booty. Six hours later tho operator in a signal-box 40 miles away was robbed of £3, gagged, bound, and partly chloroformed by a man with a revolver, who is supposed to be the murderer. TALE OF THE SEA. Three sailors are dead and the first officer of the German ship Octavia is dying as the result (says a S**-n Francisco correspondent) of 0110 of the most extraordinary tragedies ever enacted On the high seas. After rounding Cape Horn the sailmaker induced three of the crew to join him on a raid on some whisky which was part, of the cargo. A drunken fight en sued, the three sailors severely beat ing the sailmaker. Subsequently he induced the same men to join in another raid on the whisky, but, it is alleged, induced them to drink carbolic acid, instead. The three dean men were buried at sea. The first officer is supjmsed also to have drank Pome of the poison. ‘RELIGIOUS” LEADERS’ TRIALS. Dr Dowie has told his followers in Zion City that he is in the worst financial crisis of his life, tho suits for debts brought against him within the last month aggregating £20,000. Dowie says that he may reduce wages temporarily, hut that lie is hound to triumph eventually. He contemplates another invasion of New York in two years, this timo by water. He and his followers will make their headquarters on ships which will be anchored in the North River. Mrs Eddy, tho head of the “Christian Science Church,” was aroused recently in her homo, at Concord, Now Hampshire, by a_.bijrgl.ar engaged ir packing up plunder^pb§|gely the gifts of her followers.- Hie burglar lieu, parting tne chisel with which ho hau effected an entrance in a bag containing bric-a-brac. The bag was later on found in the woods with most Oa the contents broken. PRECOCIOUS INFANCY. Mr Gilbert’s precocious baby was born with an octagon tie, a hat all awry, and .a miniature glass in. his eye. with which he immediately began, to ogle hi© nurse, assuring her, in the knowing accents of prematurely grown-up infancy,, she was “a d'oosed fine gal.” Consequently, he “died,” an enfeebled old dotard, at five.” The precocious infant" celebrated in verse by air Locker-Lamp-so-n was less articulate, but not lesp mature. Hia earliest recollection, at the age of twelve months, was “of a nurse called Ann Who carried, mo about the grass ; And one fine day a line young man Came up aiid kissed the pretty lass. She did not make the least objection— Thinks I, Ah-ha! When I can talk I’ll tell Mama’ ; • And that’s my earliest recollect _ But these infants of literary 'imarination must yield' pride of place to the three months old babe of Bethesda. who, according to the “Liverpool Post.” remarked to its mother, in the course of its morning tub, “Blwyddyn of nadwy fydd y flwyddyu nesaf mam.” Precocity in speech seems all the more remarkable when the language is Welsh; therefore it fri all the more easy to believe that when it declared in its native tongue that “Next year will he a terrible year, mother,” this infant was commenting upon the social condition of Penrhyn, following the close of the prolonged! strike in the quarries. Having been asked by a neighbour, “Did vou tell your mother that next year would be a terrible year?” this terrible infant answered, “Y T cs,” and fell back dead. A RECEDING SEA. Although the statement may savour of the misdemeanour of speaking disrespectfully of the Elquator, we may say, without hesitation, that the S ! ea of Azov is behaving at present in a hlighly eccentric and reprehensible manner. During the last few days it has receded about two miles, leaving that extent of. its foreshore uncovered, to the great inconvenience ai d disquiet of the petTple of Taganrog and other maritime towns at its north-east extremity. Not only are their ships and fishing-boats lying high and dry; but a wind, wh'ioh is also high and dry, has spread over Taganrog an unpleasant coverlet of sand while the laying hare of hundreds of acres of evil-smaKing mud is an offence that cries to Heaven. Whether this inland lake has been running aw*- - rapidly dnto the Black Sea, or whether the river Don has been neglecting to renew its proper supply of fresh water, is not: dear. Something has gope. wrong; and it may afford some, relief locally to blame the weather. The Sea

of Azov ought to be frozen over just now; and if the frost had arrived with it® usual punctuality, the sea would have been prevented from receding. IN MALE ATTIRE ■ Mile. Diane Ogier d’lvry, the 'daughter of Comte d’lvry, an ex-officer in the French army, lias been killed; a strange fashion. o*n a recent Friday evening a smart little pony-car was bei;ng driven along the Quai DebiUy, apjiarertly by an exquisitely dressed young man. it collided with a heavy dray, and the young gentleman and his “tiger” were thrown out. The tiger was unhurt, but his master was removed to the hospital in a seemingly lifeless condition. To tho astonishment of the doctors and nurses the young man was discovered to be a young lady, and none other than Mile. Diane. She was 20 years old. She wore her hair short, and nearly always was in masculine attire out of doors, in order, as she used to say. “to avoid being annoyed by young men in tho street.” She died without haring recovered' consciousness.

MALTREATING GERMAN

SOLDIERS.

Lieutenant Schilling, 98th Infantry Regiment, has been sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment for maltreating soldiers. Six hundred and eighteen cases of maltreatment and 57 cases of improper treatment of men were proved, and the trial of various superiors of Schilling was begun in Berlin. Sergeant Franzky, 85th Infantry Regiment, lias been sentenced to five years’ imprisonment and dismissed from the armv for 1520 cases of maltreatment of soldiers and 100 cases of improper treatment. The military Court expressed the opinion that Franzky had behaved “with the brutality of a cattle-driver.” Accused had left the army when he "was arrested, and was a policeman at Hamburg. The evidence showed that he habitually struck his men with a cudgel or whip, that he spat in their faces, and that he tortured them in every possible way. A number of privates proved cases of gross maltreatment, in consequence of which one man had left the army permanently invalided. The men deposed that they were so afraid that no one ventured to complain. This systematic brutality came to light through one of the men deserting, and when he was captured maintaining that he was afraid to remain in the regiment. It was elicited in the course of evidence that Franzky’s club was made of a broomstick, and that he called it “Frederick William.” When it finally broke he gob another, which lie christened ‘Frederick the Great.” Once he struck a.soldier on tho helmet with such force that, he broke it, and the man was somewhat seriously injured. Witnesses deposed that Franzky would put his finger into a man’s mouth, then strike him on the teeth with his fist. He would kick tho men so violently in the stomach as to knock them down/ and one man he ordered to run his head against a wall six or seven, times until he was almost unconscious, when Franzky poured water over his head. Another man stated in evidence that the Foies were treated worst. Franzky, it was said, seemed best pleased when the maltreatment men cried. It is interesting to note that Count Zu-Limburg Stirum, in the recent debate in the Reichstag on the maltreatment of soldiers, expressed the view that the sergeants could hardly lick men into shape, especially the Socialists, without a certain amount of blows. Another sergeant has been sentenced to one year’s imprisonment on 17 different charges of squirting ink at ladies in the street. PANIC ON AN ATLANTIC LINER. The delayed Cunard steamer Umbria on arriving at New York reported that she experienced terribly rough weather throughout the voyage from Queenstown. She met the roughest seas that she has ever encountered. The steerage passengers became panic-strick-en, and the podition of affairs was for a time extremely serious. Four hundred and fifty emigrants who had for their, own safety been looked in the steerage cried, groaned and howled without cessation, while the great liner, pitching and tossing in the frightful seas was barely able to make headway. Some of the steerage passengers tried to force their way on to the deck, whence they would invariably have been swept into the boiling sea. At length, when all the efforts of the officers of the ©hip had failed 1 to* reassure the terrified emigrants, a white-haired German pastor went into the midst of the shrieking orowd and prayed long and fervently and with marvellous effect, for the wailing of the women ceased and the men. gradually calmed down. The Umbria sustained no material damage.