Odds and Ends.

Otago Witness, Issue 1420, 8 February 1879, Page 5

Odds and Ends.

[Compiled expressly for the Witness.}

London journals, which have hitherto given their chief attention to dry and solid matters of national or general importance, are beginning to take more interest ia local, practical, snd soc'al affairs. Professor Tynda 1 saj s that his firstreally laborious investigation was an inquiry in molecular phjsics, having reference to tbe curious phenomena exhibited by cry&tals in the magnetic field A Mr Stempel, of Chicago, has made a great discovery. By confining tho tide at high water within p. series of walla and floodgates, ho wouU, by letting it lose, turn thousands of turbins which would supply force and furnish the entire country with light, heat and motive power. Dean Stanley, when riding down town on tbe New York Elevated Road, looked out of the window and said pleasantly : " These cars are like the four chariots driving abreast on the walls of Babylon." The average price of wheat in Edinburgh, in the first week of December, was 41s 2d per quarter. The average price during the corresponding week last year was 4ls sd. A committee, headed by the Lord Mayor of Dublin, baa beeu formed for the purpose of directing a public subscription for a national wedding present to the Duke of Connaught. One enthusiastic Campbell in Quebec slaughtered a couple of oxen, and distributed them in quarters to the different charitable institutions, as a thank offering for the »afe arrival of the Marquis of Lome. The Paris Municipality has now to decide whether or not ib will purchase theTrooadero building for 3,000,000f, and on its deoisioa depends in part the fate of the structure. A. partial list of the public cash confcributione of Northern cities for the relief of the yellow fever sufferers foots up to 1,359,000 dols. Of this sum, New York alone has givtn 395 000 dols. Deputations from the OoaGumers' Gas Company, Dublin, and the Cork Gas Company, have visited London with a view to purchase a monopoly of lighting by electricity in the district.

The Emperor of Russia has forwarded to Dr Playf-iir a valuable diamond ring in recognition of his recent attendance on the Duchess of Edinburgh. A large party of Campbells and Frasers are going from Quebec to Halifax to welcome the Marquis of Lome Professor Jenny, who has visited the Black Hills, is of opinion that the new discoveries of gold are of such ext«nt that the district will be one of the greatest sources of gold in the world.

Statistics show that more boys than girls are born in Great Britain, but that thero are about a million more women than men in the kingdom. In N.S. Wales during the last year there was a falling off in tho yield of gold of 30,000 ounces, valued at £112,000. But in Queensland the yield had increased by 36 900. Princess Tliyra, sister of the Princess of Wales, is twenty-five, and her husband, the Duke of Cumberland, is thirty-three. They are said to have met about three years ago in Rome, and the match was helped on by the Princess of Wales.

Professor Blackis has reported regarding a Celtic Chair, that of the requisite capital sum of £12,000 only £300 now remained to be raised, and a professor is to be elected in time for tho wintfr ses>ion.

Miss Hanna Rohschild's marriage with the Earl of Rosebery is about to be follow.- d by the marriage of Miss Maggie Rothschild, with the Duke de Guiche.

Mr Ruskin noticing Mr Whistler's picture, described Mr Whistler as an impostor, who had flung a pot of p int in the public's face and afiked 200 guineas for it. Damages laid at £1000 Verdict, one farthing.

The San Francisco schools have a corps of 22 substitute teachers, who attend at the Board room, and are sent out to various schools on receipt of telegraphic signals. The diamond merchants of Loud >n have built a palace in Holborn, which is a club and diamond exchange in one. There is a dining-room, smoking-room, and billiard room, and tiny offices for business. The late Robert Heller, magician, directed in his will that his executrix should destroy all the mechanical devices and secret apparatus connected with bis business, but afWwards directed that they should be sold.

A great row has been raised in Talmage's Tabernacle by one of the trustees, W J. Gebston, who has brought an action for the return of $1000 subscription, alleging that it wan obtained by false representations. At tha great dairy fair held in New York, in December, the sweepstake prize in cheese was awarded to G Gibbons, Bath, England, for choese of the Cheddar style

Miss Strong is a Califoroian lady who paints animals so well that even in these days of money-lack she sells the portrait of a dog for $250, and all her other paintings for equally excellent price?. Colonel T. W. Higginsoa does nob think Queen Victoria an attractive lady. She is short, stout, with a rather heavy face, he says ; but in spito of all this, she ha? a dignity of bearing which amounts almost to grace. When we read that the United States makes 1,500,000,000 pounds of butter a year, we see that cows do something more than lend piefcuresqueness to the landscape. A correspondent of the .London Times poiats out that had tlio sbjuvholders of the Gla°gow Bank always infused new blood into the directory, the fraud would probably have been discovered, long before this.

Dr Blyden, Minister to Great Britain from the Negro colony of Liberia, is a native of African blood. He is a contributor to Praser and an honorary member of the Athenseum club.

Milhelmj {has a Cremona violin which costJblOOO. On the front is a fine grained wood which gives a sweet effect to the high notes, and on the back a broad gramed wood which gives a rich sound to the Jower notes. The Norwegians are about to increase the efficiency of their agricultural schools, so tbat every year 200 intelligent farmers will be turned out. In New Zealand we have not a tingle agricultural school. A lady received tbe gold medal at the rec< nt examination in the faculty cf law in MGill College, Montreal, Lower Canada. Mrs Tennyson, the wife of the p jet, ha 9 loDg been an invalid. A great part of the time she reclines on a sofa in her drawingroom, whete the receives her guests and delights all by her wit, grace, and cleverness.

Good Words for November contains an int* resting account of a visit to the Hot Lakes cf New Zealand, by Mr George Merivale.

Professor Tyndall says that Darwin's theory, which accountß for so many observed facts, has been gradually strengthened during the last ten year?, and if we never fill up all the gaps, still a profound belief in its truth must take root

A magnificent btll was given to the Marquis of Lome and tbe Queen's daughter, on their arrival in Montreal, under the auspices of St. Andrew's Society. The Princrss danced with Colonel Stevenson, President of the Society.

Mr Arshowe is a Chinese tea dealer in Boston, who in the past thirty years has made a fortune and educated two charming daughters so well that they would do credit to any civilization. The Government have decided that a grand review of the whole of the naval and military forces of Victoria shall take place at Easter. The scsno of operations will be at the Heads.

Sis hundred thousand pounds of California grapes weye sold this season in Philadelphia — sent from San Francisco in ten weekly re« frigerator oar loadsi at a cost of freight oi about six cents per pound qI grapes. The winter Bepsion of the University of Glasgow was opened on the 9fch Deoember by a leoture from Prino : pal Caird. who sketched the life, and oritioised the philosophy of Spinoza, The extreme north of New Zealand is very happily described as resembling Spain, the middle as resembling France, and the southern as resembling England and Scotland.

Several hundreds of the unemployed of Glasgow have reoeived temporary relief from the Corpiratinn. Ifc is expeoted that work on the Corporation properties will bepro« vided for all who apply. Ohiory ia now extensively grown in England as salad. It is said to be equally as good as lettuce when well blanched, and equilly as wholesome. Professor Tyndall says that the spot on the butterfly's wing may yet fiad its Newton, to prvo that the principles involved in its construction are the same as those brought into play in the formation of the Bolar system There are said to be symptoms of Brough-Smithi-m in the Victorian General Postoffice department, and Registrar General's office. The clerks are treated with undeserved hardship.

The annual report of the Glasgow Pbilo« sophical Society shows that at the commencement of last session there were 657 names on the roll, the total number this year being 671. M. Gustave Dore, it is reported, ia abont to visit the Rocky Mountains, Niagara, the Yo?ernite Valley, and the Mammoth dive.

Chicago packed over 2,000,000 hogs during the summer season, which number added to those packed during the winter made a total packing for tbe year ending 31st October, 1878, of 4,510,000 head.

The Hungarian mare Kinciem is said to be the uaoßt extraordinary racer that ever trod the tu»f. She is four years oh\, and started 43 times without suffering defeat — a feat unp ujiUeled. The Ofcago Daily Times, referring to the late debate, say 3 that a devout Christian, of aome information, would ft el at a loss to know whether ho stood most in need of deliverance from Brigbt'a theology or Green's science.

In regard to tbe cost of reaping, between the reaper and binder and the reaper, the difference is the whole cost of binding by hind as against the cost of wire and the interest on a dearer machine.

A free library has been started at Ballarat, Victoria with reading rooms, and there are already 600 volumes. A committee is working to extend its usefulness.

The Melbourne correspondent of the Ararat Advertiser says that only two ladies accompany the English team, Lidy Harris and Mrs Hornby, and all the gentlemen are quite young. They are quite a family party, and aro renmkab'e for their friendship.

The total receipts of the Sydney Seamen's Union on account of the strike fund had, up ti January 10th, amouuted to nearly £3000.

J. K. Emmet has been sued by T. W. Davey, manager of tho Detroit Theatre, for $10 000, for breach of agreement. Fritz says he hid no knowledge of a contract.

Dr H. C, Chapman, of Philadelphia, ia of opinion that moakeys have descended from one ancestor ami men from another ; and that both remotely descended from a common ancestry. Ifc i* vain, then, to look for the "missing liak." No satisfactory clue has yet been gained whereby to trace the body of the late Mr A. T. Stewart. The amouut of the reward offered has beou raised from $25,000 to $50,000

There is now at the Bulli coal mines, New South Walts a very pretty spectacle— a combination of mas' ers insisting that there shall be no combination of workmen.

Boston now ha 3 a school for art-needle-work which offers free r cholarships to be bestowed by any one contributing $5. To the free pupil everything is furnished. At tho great dairy fair, held in New York, last December, the whole of the processes of making butter and cheese were conducted, on the most approved pjaps, in the prosoncy of tho visitors,