MULTUM IN PARVO.

Otago Witness, Issue 2451, 6 March 1901, Page 70

MULTUM IN PARVO.

— A Florida man has purchased 300 acres of swamp-land near Swan Bridge, and will turn it into a breeding place for alligators. These reptiles are becoming scarce, owing to the activity of northern hunters, and, as there is a steady demand for alligator skins, tho speculator hopes to do well.

— Now that all countries belonging to the Imperial Penny Postal Union have agreed to uniformity of colour in the halfpenny, penny, and twopence-halfpenny stamps, India has decided to follow suit. The half-anna stamp, which is already green, will assume the yellow-gr jen hue of the current 2^-anna. The one-anna will adopt the carmine of the present quarter-anna, stamp, wl.ile the 2^-anna will take the ultramarine shade of the current two-anna. .This change will necessitate the quarter-anna and two-anna stamps assuming new colours. In all probability the former will be grey, and the two-anna violet.

— Here is a little problem which the Santa Fe Railroad, Mexico, was called upon to settle a short time ago. A man, 21 years of age, presented the return portion of a child's half-rate ticket which he bought 11 years ago. It was unlimited as to time, and he claimed the right to use the ticket for the return trip. The railway officials argued that as it was a half-rate ticket only good for a child under 12 a man of 21 could not use it. The man, however, pointed out that the ticket did not specify that a child was to stop growing. Although the company allowed the man to travel with the ticket, they could not decide as to whether his claim was a just one or not.

— One of the most curious railway accidents which have ever taken place occurred at the terminus of the Dublin, Wicklow, and Wexford railway recently. A heavy cattle train of 30 trucks failed to etop at the station, dashed against the stationary buffers at the end of the platform, drove them irom their place, and bored right through the station wall itself. The locomotive then pushed on through the aperture and came to a stop when half the engine hung suspended 30ft over the street below. The engine displaced nearly 1000 cubic feet of masonry. The accident was brought about by the brakes refusing to hold the train owing to the slippery nature of the rails.

— The parish of Holme, in Ely diocese^ has, in consequence of the drainage of the fens, especially the famous Whittlesea Mere, so extended itself that about half the population are practically out of reach of their parish church. The vicar, to assist him in getting at these outside parishioners, is using a kind of house-boat, which can be moved from point to point on the large fen dyke or canalised river surrounding three-fourths of the parish. The craft, fitted up as a church, with a small American organ, portable pulpit and lectern, and conveniences for the administration of the Holy Communion and baptism, has received the full license of the Bishop of Ely, and been solemnly dedicated by the Archdeacon of Huntingdon. There is accommodation foi a congregation of about forty, and in fine weather, all the windows to the leeward being thrown open, additional worshippers can participate in the ityvice from the dyke bgnka

— Great Britain imports many millions of oranges from foreign centres each year. The largest quantities reach our markets from Spain. The imports from that country, according to Government returns, exceed 6,216,000 bushels. Spain is the greatest orange-expoiting country in the world. Italy stands second, Turkey comes next, then Portugal, and then the Azores. Egypt sends us more oranges tlian France, and the United States has 22,313 bushels to her account, these fruits coming from California, and consisting of the famous seedless variety. A few oranges come from Brazil and Germany.

— No law in the Philippines: i« hiore quaint than that which relates to the propeity of married persons. It is entirely in fa\our of the wife. Pioperty of a bride is never settled on a husband, and if he is pcor while she is well off, he can only become at most an administrator of her possessions. After death rhe property goes to her children and blood relatives, unless she has executed a deed in her husband's favour under the eyes of a lawyer. A married woman bears her maiden name, but adds to it that of her husband, with t.h Q prefix "de." Children bear the names of both parents. — Debating societies have often discussed the topic of the relativp ability of short men and tall men, but the Chicago Board of Education has gone into the subject in a very scientific manner. It has examined all the school-children on the following points: — P e.g'nt. height sitting, weight, strength of grip, hearing, and acuity of vision. The conclusions thus far reached are that there is a physical basis of precocity, that dull children are lighter and piecocious children heavier than the average child, and that mediocrity of mind is associated with mediocrity of physique.

— The London Coal Exchange is preparing to celebrate the jubilee of the railway coal traffic. Considering that 10,000,000 tons of coal were brought to London by railway last year, it seems almost incredible that not a 6ingle ton ever leached the metropolis prior to fifty years ago except by sea or canal. The first consignment was brought by the London and North-western Company — known in the dark ages of half a century ago as the London and Birmingham. Although the coal trade has enormously developed during the past fifty years, and although the supply which, reaches London comes chiefly by rail, no fewer than 8,000.000 tons came by sea or canal last year. So the railway companies don't have it all their own way even now.

— Two magnificent carpets, presented by the Infanta Donna Sanchi to the Royal Convent of St Antonio in 1500, have just been sold by auction at the Municipal Chamber, Lisbon, to pay for repairs at the convent and church. The sale of the carpets, which were Persian, and about 18ft square, embroidered with real gold, caused much excitement. The most eager bidders were two groups, French and German. Bidding began at £888, and the Frenchmen secured the prize for £1708, which is regarded as nearly £1000 below their real value. Two other equally 6plendid carpets, from the Estrella Convent, were also announced for sale at another date, but publio feeling has become so strong that the sale hai been countermanded.

—On one accasion during Mrs Langtry's tenancy of the St. James's Theatre athletic sports were held on the stage after the evening performance, in which not only the members of the company, but also Mrs Langtry and her sister, took part. One rather novel event, which was confined to the stage hands, was a race from the stage to the gallery, in the centre of which Mrs Lanartry's handkerchief had been suspended. This was awarded to the fortunate winner, together with a substantial monetary addition.

— Crewe not only owes its importance to the London and North-Western Railway Company, but also many of its buildings. There are 12 schols in the town, peven of which were built by the company, which has also endowed a church and liberally subscribed towards the erection of several others. The company also supplies the whole town with gas from, its works, while it has built nearly 1000 houses which are occupied by the employees. — 'lhe measures adopted in Continental elementary schools with a view to the preservation of health and the checking of disease among the pupils are described by Mr Wye one of the inspectors of the Irish National Education Commissioners, in a report he issued a few weeks ago. In Brussels, for example, each State school has three \isits of inspection every month from the disnensary doctor belonging to the ward of the cty in which the school is situated. He inqn ; re 3 into the general health of the pupils, and incipient ea=es of infectious disease, if detpcier'. ai-2 at once isolated. Careful supervision of the scholars' teeth is also exercised by the doctor, who, besides noting the condition of the school as regards warmth, ventilation, and sanitary arrangements, is required to address at each visit a few remarks to the senior pupils on the care of health.

— Not many years since the threatened ivory famine produced that remarkable imitation known as celluloid, which has been successfully employed for every possible use, from billiard balls to piano keys. To-day the imitation has itself been imitated, and that, too. by a curious preparation of potato rmlp ! The inventor is a Dutchman named Knipers. He treats the waste pulp, itself a residue from the manufacture of the artificial potato flour, with a solution of acid and glycerine. The resulting compound lakes the form of a species of stickfast, which is dried and around to powder. This powder is moulded into blocks with the aid of water, very much as one uses plaster of Paris. There is, howeverthis important difference. The- new compound can bo cut and turned and bored, and used for every purpose, from buttons upwards, in which it was formerly customary to use bone and ivory.

— Mr Edison lives in a house which is all agog with wires. As one approaches the front gate it swings open and shuts automatically. The visitor's foot on the steps of the porch rings a bell in the kitchen and also one in the master's study. By touching a button he opens the front door before the stranger has time to knock. An electrical music box plays during dinner. When the guest retires to his bedroom the folding bed unfolds by electricity. When he puts out tho gas a strange, mocking display of skeletons, gravestones, owls, and other hideous phantasmagoria dances about on the wall at his feet, reappearing and disappearing in a. ghostly electrical glare. —Of all the natural phenomena peculiar to the Rocky Mountain region none is more strange or terrible than the mysterious storm known to the Indians as " the white death." Scientific men have never yet had an opportunity of investigating it because it comes afc the most unexpected times, and may keep away from a certain locality for years. Well-read men who have been through it say that it is really a frozen fog. But where the fog comes from is more than anyone can say. One winter, about eight years ago, it cleaned out a whole Indian tribe across che Wyoimnjjc Jin*