HERE AND THERE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16848, 26 September 1922, Page 6

HERE AND THERE.

AN EYE FOR EVERYTHING. MARBLE CHAMPIONSHIP. Two American boys, each fourteen years of age. struck a novel note in America when they met to decide the “ marble-shooting championship of the world.” It is reported that tlic holder of the title. Charles “Buster” Rech, of New Jersey, was challenged By Michael Troiano, champion of New York the contest- being held at the former city. The superintendent oi State playgrounds lai 1 out a circle ona foot in diameter, placed ten marbles in it. and marked off the first shooting line twenty feet away. He then, announced the rules through a megaphone, and the contest began. The first “ round ” was won- by the defend. «r of the title amidst great excitement. In the second “ round ” however, the challenger played magnificently an 1 easily outclassed his opponent, who war in a desperate position when, from a distance of fifteen feet, he hit Troiano s remainin gmarble a resounding smack and was proclaimed champion of th.world. “ Buster ” was presented wit! a silver oup. which lie " ill again hava to defend against- a New York boy. BRIGHT PLUMAGE. The maxim of most human beings “ Brighter dava, brighter clothes,” bn' vro are not so fortunate as when “ o fuller crimson comes jo the robin’s breast.” . Wo have to buy new clothes. The change in our birds is not always effected by a charge of raiment. In common with a host of other birds, they put on brighter clothes for the sunny days and their very striking appearance suggests & total transformation. But the crimson waistcoat of the robin and. linnet, and the black goiget of tho sparrow, l* no other than their winter waistcoat* worn bare. An, ir only our old clothes grew brighter? What happens in the case of certain birds is this. When they moult in autumn, the new breast feathers are provided with long fringes which. a*» the warm daye return again, are shed, showing the new glory beneath. WONDERS OF THE SEA. At a depth of 3,500 ft. waves are not felt. And at a depth of one mile the pressure of the mass of water is a. ton on every square inch. If a barrel 6ft deep were filled with sea water, and the latter allowed to evaporate, there would be over 2in of salt at the l>ottom of the barrel- Tn many places, the hays on the coast of Norway especially, the «ea freezes upwards—the water freezes at the bottom before it does at the top. Tt is scientifically true that a wetting with sea water is less likely +-o give one a cold than fresh water, because the salt in the former retards evaporation and consequent danger of taking cold. The salt, too, acts a* a, stimulant and keep® the blood circulating. Tt may seem strange, butnevertheless true, that the temperature of the oceans, save on the surface varies but little as between the Bolat regions and the Tropic®. REE HOW TT WORKS? A new appliance which has the illusory effect of slowing down the apparent speed of a swift engine to a mere crawl has been invented. The device operate® a certain kind of electric lamp which, when shone on, say, the swiftly nix-raiinfi neodle of n sewfnp: 'marfnne. makes it appear as if that particular part of the machine is dawdling at a snail’s pace. By it* use tho actual working of high speed pistons and other engineering parts can be observed, and this, of course, is a great advantage to engineers. The light of this strange lamp is not continuous, although it appears ho to the human eye. Actually, it sends out a constant series of flashes of one millionth of a second duration. By adjustment the flashes light up the movement of the machine at certain fixed intervals, and thus one hundred revolutions per second appear as only a single revolution per second. And to is the human eve deceived. NEW READING SYSTEM FOR BLIND. Another step linking the daily life of the blind with that of their more fortunate brothers was achieved at the Paris international conference for assisting the blind, in the adoption of a new system of writing known as Eastern Braille- Tho idea was originated by two priests who are devoting thenlives to this work, Father Cantonnet and Canon Nonet. The Braille system. apart from the difficulty in reading even bv trained fingers, is not useful for ' communicating between blind and normal writers. The Canton net-Nouet system follows more i closely the synthetic forms of the Latin alphabet, some letters, such as those composed of straight strokes, lematning absolutely unchanged. Tests have shown that a student can master the reading of the new characters in less than a month, as the angles appeal quickly to the sense of touch. NO SMOKERR “UP THERE.” Addressing a gathering of M ehh Salvationists" at Cardiff. General Booth warned hiH hearers against the little evils which so often assailed them. Among these he referred to the pipe, and said that though he was not aware of anything in the Now Testament torbidding smoking, he did not know what Peter would say if anyone presented himself with a meerschaum. Anvway, he was certain there was no smoking-room “np there.” and if a pipe brigade did arrive they would have to put their pipes out before tiding admitted. GLUE TO LOST TOWN. A necropolis of 700 "B.C has been unearthed near Tropca. in Calabria, during archaeological excavations. • ° 60 " tombs made of stone blocks covered with hard-pressed earth, have been found at a depth of about 4ft. 1 nsIt! ” the tomhs were terra-cotta, ot various shapes and sizes, bronze spearheads. daggers, some rings and bracelets. and a little gold and amber of Baltic origin. The working of the metal and potters- denotes an advanced civilisation and is supposed to belong to the 81-uttii. the former inhabitants of present Calabria. The Brnttir, -ivhose name came to iwan runaway slaves 'because tbe tribe was conquered, and expelled by the Samnites, was an ancient tribe of Lower Italy, part ot the Mediterranean race and with affinity to the Siceli. They were at the. height of their power in the third century 8.C., but were deprived of their freedom by the Roman® after the Roman war with Hannibal. They wore a cultivated race, under Hellenist influence, and spoke Greek as well as their own tongne. Their territory, moreover, was very fertile, its chief product being wood. A well was found in the centre of the necropolis. Search 4 is now being made for t.he town to which the necropolis belonged. Tt supposed to be toward the .south-\veet„