Frozen Facts.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXVLL, Issue 4275, 14 September 1895, Page 2 (Supplement)

Frozen Facts.

Taking the world all over, there are 109 women to every 100 men. Of the white population of America, only 8 per cent, are unable to read or write. The Chinese Government levies a regular tax on beggars and gives them in return the privilege of begging in a certain district. Holland is the only country in Europe that admits coffee free of duty. The 31 regular cavalry regiments in the British army (including the Household Regiment) employ 12,500 horses. The total amount of beer drunk in the world during 1593 is estimated by a German statistician at 4,500,000,000 gallons— enough to float a navy. The loss to the New York banks by the thefts of their own officers during the past 10 years has amounted to within a few pounds of £1,100,000. The largest flower in the world grows in Sumatra. It is called the Rafflesia Arnoldi, and some of the specimens are each 39 inches in diameter. The central cup will hold six quarts of water. The term Viking is thus defined by a traveller in Norway: " Vik" means creek, and "ing" means people, wherefore Viking means people of the creeks, the creeks of old being, of course, the fjords of to-day. When an Armenian maiden attains her seventeenth year and is not engaged to be married, she must undergo a strange punishment. She is forced to fast three days ;- then for 24 hours her food is salt fish, and she ia not permitted to quench her thirst. Czar Nicholas 11. is below rather than above the middle height, and gives one the impression of being in delicate health. His subjects are somewhat disappointed at this falling off in the stature of their ruler. Alexander 1., Nicholas 1., and the late Czar were giants. If a lion and a strong horse were to pull in opposite directions the horse would pull the lion backwards with comparative ease ; but if the lion were hitched behind the horse, and facing in the same direction, and were allowed to exert his strength in backing, he could easily pull the horse down on his haunches or.drag him along, so much greater is his Btrength when exerted from the hind jflaaJihaii_iiLioxgflgdjHilling.