GENERAL NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 January 1920, Page 6

GENERAL NEWS.

j STARS FOR STATESMEN. .; By Telegraph.—Press Asan.—CopyriEht. London, Jan. S. The King has 1 awarded Mr. Asquith and Mr. Lloyd George the 1914 Star, the British War Medal, and the Victory Medal. TELEPHONING BY LIGHT. London, Jan. 8. Professor Rankine demonstrated telephoning by light. The transmission instrument is a photoplione grapoplionc sound box, a delicately poised mirror replacing the needle. The effect of light upon the element selenium causes the mirror to convey sound oscillations to tin receiver. Professor Rankine states that sunlight offers limitless opportunities for transmission of speech, always allowing for the earth's curvature:—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. JAPANESE SHIPPING. London, Dec. 21. Japan is giving a subsidy of £300,000 to the new steamship lines which are beginning to trade with the Dutch East Indies and South America.

KEW: PACIFIC BASE.

Vancouver, Dee. 27. A message from Ottawa states that Admiral Lord Jellicoe will leave next week for the United States. It is stated that his report will repeat the suggestions already made in his Australian report, and will probably propose a new Pacific naval base, replacing Esquimalt.

[Esquimalt, which is a fortified seaport of British Columbia on Vancouver Island, has a very extensive harbor, capable of receiving vessels of the largest class. It is the station of the British Pacific Squadron, arid possesses a navy yard, with dry dock, marine railway, arsenal, and hospital.] RELIC OF TRAFALGAR. London, Dec. 20. The Times states that the economical Admiralty is likely to sell the famous two-decker Implacable, if money is not available for repairs. The Implacable is one of the greatest historical treasures, and is the last survivor of Franco's Trafalgar fleet. She has been anchored for many vears at Falmouth. The main timber,; "are still remarkably sound, and £2009 would /suffice for her preservation. KEEN DEMAND FOR COTTON. London, Dec. 24. ■The Manchester Exchange reports that record orders for cotton were received yesterday. The orders were valued at £-20.000 000 and will be placed in India and the Far liast.

CHINA'S IRON OUTPUT. ~,- London, Bee. 2<5. A trade supplement to The Times states that North China's output of miron will total ,770.000 tons in I'll", ami o=lo,ooo in W2O. The deposit, a t Tawh are estimated at 100.000,000 ton- ' China has contracted to supply the 2te Se + Govcrnment ™» works' with 000,000 tons annually. CONCIULL\gT~FaMU..Y. T , , , London. ,Tan. 2.i. It has .been discovered that a mother 'Tiiifr in a !>„.; • ,( r oef at Portsmouth has ladden her son, aped 20 and her two daughters. a:jed 15 and IS, Iron, the time ot their birth. Tim children never left the house and werei entirely illiterate. They were kt covMod thro,,;,!, the boy at last climbing over the garden fence.