NEWS AND NOTES.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 5288, 28 May 1904, Page 13

NEWS AND NOTES.

No man really knows anything about women except a widower, and he forgets it when lie gets ready to marry again. Anti no woman really knows anytiimg about men except a widow, and she’s got to lorget_ it beiore she’s willing to marry again. Tho one thing you can know is Unit, us a general proposition, a woman is a little better than the man for whom she cares. It>r when a woman’s bad tiicre’s always a man at the bottom >f it; and when a man’s good there’s always a woman at the bottom ot that, too Does smoking conduce to cancer of the lips ; There is a general belief among surgeons that tho use of tobacco is an important factor. Carcinoma of tho tongue is fortunately a much rarer disease, and the influence of smoking in its production has not been frequently considered. It is urged that smoking is a decided factor in the causation of cancer, not »;> much directly as indirectly, rather by producing or tending to produce those conditions of the surface of the tongue which predispose carcinoma than by immediately loading to tho development of carcinoma in such tongues. As is well known, tho Duke of Cambridge was a good deal criticised for some delay in supporting Codrington’s attack at the battle of the Alma. He was on rhe right of the first division commanding tlm Guards’ Brigade. Whether or not no was sloiv in advancing his troops through an exposed vineyard was a disputed point, but the excuse made for him by kinglake in the History, is one of the strangest in military' annuals. Kiuglake begins by speaking of the Guards as “a cherished body of troops,” and continues: “By tho loss <of officers of the household regiments, the central body of English society is touched, is shocked, is almost angered; and he who has to sit in his saddle and sec a heavy slaughter of the Guards, may bo almost forced to think ruefully of fathers, of mothers, of wives, of sisters, who are amongst his own friends.” That may bo human nature, but wo wonder what the Guards thought of the apology. Sir Colin Campbell’s words were liner; riding up at the moment and hearing of* tho danger, he cried: “Bettor for the whole Guards' Brigade to bo destroyed than turn tho*r backs on the enemy!”

A Russian Medical Congress which recently met in St. Petersburg was dls9>lvecl by tho police because freedom was demanded in dealing with tuberculosis. A motion which was carried set forth that the ignorance of the ordinary and eie nientary laws of hygiene and the excessive drinking of alcohol facilitated the spread of the malady. This was not palatable to a State which derives an enormous revenue fipm the drink monopoly.

In Germany a severe blow has just been dealt to hypnotists, magnetic healers, and other so-callea occultists. A law has been passed prohibiting such persons from holding public'"seouees, and heavy fines are prescribed as penalties in case of disobedience. The reason why such a measure has been passed is curious. “Seances given by magnetic healers and others,” says the law, “are likely to arouse public prejudice against the persons who are used as mediums on such occasions, and, therefore, it is ordained that no meeting of this kind shall be held in future.” Moreover, the magistrates throughout Germany have received strict instructions to prosecute with the utmost vigour any persons who publicly practise hypnotism, magnetic healing) or any' other of the so-called occult arts.

At the meeting of the French Academy of Sciences, held recently, M. Andre Broca and H. Sulzer communicated a paper on the subject of rapid > reading. They showed that the different ’letters ot the’ alphabet are not all apprehended with the same quickness. For instance, the time taken to recognise an E 1 is nearly one-third longer than that taken to recognise a T. They consider that the alphabet is badly designed from a physiological point of view. It should be composed of very simply designed letters as T or L. Rapidity of reading would ihus be increased, and “brain fag” would be notably diminished. It would also bo better to have the letters printed in white on a black ground than the reverse which obtains at present. The nine taken to recognise a letter printed in black on a white gnound was nearly i 0 times longer than white on a black ground.

The late Mr Francis Brent, of Plymouth, nas left the whole of his wellknown and extensive ethnological collection of pre-historio and savage implements to -he British Museum, on the understanding that any object not wanted for the national institution should be given to the Plymouth Museum. The Brent collection is rich in palaeolithic implements found in Kent.

The removal of the Eiffel Tower from the Champs de Mars, in Paris, will be an engineering feat of no small magnitude. The concession for the building of the IBwer will not expire until 1910. but it has already leaned' so far out of plumb that a small increase in the depression of its foundation at one side will place its centre of gravity outside its base. A 15-year-old boy, by the name of Pmnk McCarthy, living in San Francisco, is credited with having invented a wirelesstelephone apparatus, which he has opera, ted perfectly over a distance of four miles. A feature of this apparatus is a big tin pan on the top of a 40-foot pole at each station. From the pan a wire ieadito the telephone at the base of the pole. He employs the Hertzian wave. The Valley of Mexico is 75 miles in length and 45 miles in width. Lake Tex, epoo, a large body of water lying immediately to the east of the City of Mexico, is only 6ft lower than the level of the street pavements. In 1829 this lake rose and inundated the city, drowning thousands of the inhabitants. The waters of the lake for four years covered the city to a depth of 3ft. The danger is now' obviated by a great drainage canal.

With the cheapening of electrical plant and the improvement in small oil engines, there is likely to be a considerable extension in tffe use of isolated plants for country house lighting. The writer does not mean large mansions, but the small farms, villas, and ■ hamlets scattered about in country districts;’" and which have now to use oil. Such places are never likely to have a public supply, and there is generally a gardener or other manservant who can give the little attention required for a small installation. The whole matter seems to rest on the introduction of a cheap, and at the same time a -‘fool proof” battery, and the nearest approach to this latter desideraturn appears to be the one now being made by Mr Nibiett. One small point in connection with the Installation of such an electric plant is that tie engine should be capable of being shut down from a bedroom or landing. By means of a push-button arrangement this could be done by shunting a portion of the current through an electrical magnetic device to turn off the oil cock. In this way the engines could be run up to the last momeut, and the accumulator battery would not need to be so large.

The year 1904-will do a rood deal toward making the eligible bachelors worry. There was no Leap Tear in 1900,. so that the dear girls have had to wait since 18S6 for the right to pop the question. If any of them who hid the uesire to bo married then are still of the same mind, their desires mnst hare become whetted by eight years of indifference on the part of the men. anti they may be supposed to have reached a state of desperation. So it would be well not to travel abroad during 1904’, or lay in a stock of silk dresses, that being the accepted fine for refusing a proposal from a lady.

Massage is being used for baldness, and, it is said, with some success. The process is »uid to uuiji'o*'o uio circulation and delay the ‘‘binding down ol tne scalp/" j\n authority on the subject says;—The scalp suould be seized in both hands and moved Horn side to side, and ironi fmnt to back, alter which a movement of rotation may be practised with the ulnar portion of the hand, taking i small area at a time. One should avoid violent friction with tho huger tips. Tim ulnar portion Oi one’s hand is the fatty X>art extending below the little finger, and is tho part one naturally uses in brushing up a few crumbs or threads on a table. What is recommended, therefore, is tho applying of this portion ox the hand in the same motion, but with more pressure bo the scalp. The man who is about to be married, and is considering the furnishing question, will be wise to choose nothing 'n connection with che future homo without consulting his betrothed. Wise because it will not be altogether satisfactory *o be told to the aay of his death that if ho had not selected such and such additions to the household they would both nave been the happier; and well conducted, because any man -of good feeling must see that as the home is to be as muen his wife’s as his own, it is only fair and right that she should have as much to say in selecting ner future surroundings as ho has himself. Especially will he let this be the case with tilings which concern her own department of tho,housekeeping.

A physician tells the result of a series of experiments with lluoiescin, which mav forever do away with the X ray in the treatment of internal diseases. By use of the fluid, a harmless crystalline compound dissolved in water, the entire internal organs of the body oecome at once exposed to the naked eve as clearly os through a transparent film of glass. The membranes of the stomach aro so distinct that their -outlines can be traced on the outside of the body in a dark or light room. The new use of the fluid is of incalculable value in treatment of abdominal diseases. Fluorescin is nontoxic. absolutely harmless, and is taken by the patient on an empty stomach in a glass of water.

The Marquis Ito, who is now visiting the Emperor of Korea, had a humble origin, his father being a rustic gardener. His tastes and habits are moderate. Ho seldom retires for a longer period than four hours at a time, and before bis servants are up ho walks in hie artificial garden until his coffee is ready. He keeps only one valet, who also serves at table. The only luxury the Marquis Itc indulges in is a good cigar. He reads German, Euglisn, French and Chinese. He is not an orator, but is described as a good conversationalist. Hugh Richard Arthur Gnosvenor, second Duke of Westminster, who has just celebrated his 27th birthday, is often , declared to be the richest noble in the Kingdom, his income being estimated at a thousand pounds a day, Sundays included. .i-s a matter of fact, the great Grosvenor riches are more potential than actual, for the Duke's real income, which is about il2(X>,oou a year, has to be shared among many claimants. But the bulk of Belgravia is built upon the Duke’s iand ami in lv3B or thereabouts, when the leases fall in, the Duke will undoubtedly be the richest man in England.

One naturally drops the artificial distinction of a man when he has achieved the real distinction for himself. Bacon is more recognisable than Baron « erulam, in spite of the efforts of Gray’s Inn to perpetuate the forgotten title in Vent-laiu-buiidings. Who would recognise MiBurns as John Burns? \ve have taken him to our heart—as we have taken Kipling, one of the few contemporaries whj have been freed from- the cuimsy pren when we apeak of Batti and Melba, it is not rude, but an act of worship, lor woman also shares the heaven that knows no prenx. Who is. Miss Lloyd?—but Marie ~iOyd, pure and simple? It there a “Daily Chronicle” joke in', the last sentence?

“Sell half your ponies and buy cattle, ’ is the. cist of a fifteen-minute sermon preached by President Koosevelt when visiting a delegation of bioux Indians at Washington. . The ibesidtnt talked In the band like a father, and they departed greatly' pleased and much impressed. “You must work, young Indians, but the Government will take care of the, old men,” Mr Koosevelt said. "The Government will help you all it can, but we cannot help the man who can and won’t work. Sell 20,000 of your ponies, and gel 100,000 cattle. Ponies you need to help herd the cattle, but you don’t need them for racing purposes.” The Indians were members of the Ogalalla tribe, one of the fighting branches of ttto Sioux.

It is understood that Sir 'William Harcourt will,succeed to the large Harcourt estates in' Oxfprdshire and Berkshire vincluding the beautiful domain of Nuneham) by the death of his nephew, Mr Aubrey Harcourt, which took place at Monte Carlo recently. Mr Aubrey, Haroourt was the only son of the late Colonel and Lady Elizabeth Harcourt. On the death of Earl Harcourt in 1830, his extensive and valuable estates passed to his kinsman. Archbishop Vernon of York (previously Bishop of Carlisle), who married Lady Anne --eveson-’Gower, sister of the first Duke of Sutherland. The Archbishop, who assumed the name of Jttafcourt, was succeeded, in 1847, by his son, Mr George Granville Harcourt (the then husband of Prances Countess Waldegrave), who was for many years M.P. for Oxfordshire. Mr Harcourt died in 1861. when the estates passed to his Brother, the Rev. William Vernon Harcourt, Lector of Bolttm Percy and canon of York, who was the father of the last Colonel Harcourt (who was for eight yeiars M.P. for Oxfordshire) and of Sir William Ha”, court.

At a school prize distribution some time back the Bishop of London was advocating esprit de corps, and admiring the feeling that places the school before personal advancement. "You are members." he said, "of a very large family, and I always think it is easier for a member of a laiga family to get on in the world than for those who belong to small families—and 1 ought to know something about the matter, being one of ten myself." And then to illustrate his point 'he told the following little anecdote:—“When I was working in the East End, we started a club for boys at Bethnal Green, and this flourished so much that we got 500 members. On© evening, when X entered I found the room in absolute silence—a most ■ unusual thing there —and saw that the boys had all gathered round two lads playing draughts. It was one of our boys playing a lad from a rival club. 1 didn’t dare to disturb them, so I tip-toed to the group and asked in a whisper how the game went. Tin©.’ came the reply. 'They haven't for an^hour !’ ”

As the result of a meeting of representatives of all the great steamship lines plying between New York and Italian ports an agreement has been arrived at with regard bo steerage rates between the two countries. Fares are to be increased by ISdols. to 14d01e., and the companies have agreed to refrain from cutting prices for a period of one year. The Cunard bine is not a signatory co the agreement, but it is beiieved that the Company will adopt the same rates. The remit ol this important decision is that the steamer Deutschland, whose rates were originally 38 dols.. will only charge 34d01e.; the German lines will charge 36 mis.; and the Prince Line, whose rates were originally 27d015., will noAv convey steerage passengers for 14dols. This latter charge is lower than that of any other line included in the agreement. The new understanding was arrived at in . New York recently, and the various representatives immediately cabled the result to their respective head offices. The steamship lines who have come to this agreement include the Ham-bnrg-Ameriean. the North German, the Prince, the Anchor, the Veloce, and the AYhite Star companies.