TIMES AND SYDNEY SUN SERVICES

Otago Witness, Issue 3148, 15 July 1914, Page 26

TIMES AND SYDNEY SUN SERVICES

LONDON, July 7. The census returns for 1911 disclose a sharp contraction in the numbers engaged in domestic service and an expansion in the number engaged in agriculture. The number of Anglican clergy declined from 25,235 to 24,859, and that of Roman Catholic priests increased from 2849 to 3302. J uly 10. Serjeant-major Anderton, of the 19th Hussars, won the championship of the army shooting competition at Perbright, being the first cavalryman to gain that honour. PARIS, July 6. Professor Beaqueret, of the Paris University, placed some seeds in a vacuum at the temperature of liquid air. They were subsequently planted, and sprouted vigorously after two years. The professor theorises that the experiment shows that latent life will remain in the earth when the sun is exhausted, and be capable of bursting into activity again under proper conditions.

July 10. Two Frenchmen, have invented a piano the wires of which are set in vibration by an electro-magnet instead of being struck with hammers. The mechanism is operated as usual by the keyboard, but instead of the notes dying gradually away they maintain their volume of sound as long as the ■ key is pressed. The effect produced is similar to that of an organ, and makes the .piano an entirely new instrument. THE HAGUE, July 7. The naval authorities have decided to train the natives of the Dutch East Indies as seamen, signallers, gunners, and torpedoists in the fleet now there. The natives will receive the same training as the Dutch sailors, but wall be kept apart from the white men. BERNE, July 7. The Simplon tunnel is blocked owing to the derailment of a train caused ty an overflow from a subterranean lake sweeping away the rails in the middle of tho tunnel. Expresses are waiting at both ends. July 10. The Haunstein tunnel, five miles in length, commenced in January, 1912, is completed. WASHINGTON, July 10. Mr Bowdle has introduced a Bill in the House of Representatives providing that whenever an American woman marries a titled foreigner' the American revenue collector shall take one-quarter of the lady’s income from the year preceding her marriage. PEKING, July 10. Morphia and cocaine smuggling is increasing to an alarming extent. The smuggling of Persian opium along the Siberian railway has also become a regular trade.