HERE. THERE AND EVERYWHERE.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8417, 10 December 1920, Page 1 (Supplement)

HERE. THERE AND EVERYWHERE.

FASTING RECORDS. The Lory Mayor of Cork has by no means established a fasting record, states the Morning Post. There have been professional fasters, who regularly undertook to fast for periods from 24 to 40 days (without malt extract), but the record is held by a Bradford man, who once fasted for 57 days. In his case the fast was undertaken with a view to alleviating a serious disease, and during the whole of the time he took nothing but water. Another Bradford man fasted 35 days, drinking water for the first seven days and milk later. Both cases are vouched for by doctors. THE VENUS OF MILO. Just a hundred years ago, a humble naval lieutenant observed a block of marble, half wrought and half hidden, in a field at Milo. On further examination he found it to be the statute of a beautiful woman, and he claimed it, observes a writer in. the Evening Standard. His claim was supported by the French ambassador at oCnstantinople and, after some negotiation, the Venus of Milo was shipped to France in the care of Admiral Dumont d’Urville. Ever since then a controversy has been waged as to whether her arms were in existence at the time of the discovery and how they were posed. But, even armless, she still stands unapproachably beautiful in the long range bombardment, used to tell an amusing story. It was of two old French peasants who, when they saw this magnificent but mutilated figure, assumed that the arms had been destroyed by the Germans. an atrocity,” said they; to be capable of such cruelty.” “THE ISLAND THAT LIKES TO BE VISITED." Curiosity has been aroused as to what Mr. Compton Mackenzie, the well-known novelist, proposes to do with the two tiny Channel Islands, Herm and Jethou, which he has just leased. * Can it be that he has had the quaint conceit of securing, say, Jethou, which is less than half a mile wide, as a place for occasional visitation by his charming sister Fay Compton, who has identified herself in so wonderful a fashion with that isle of fantasy, “The Island that Likes, to be Visited,” in Barrie's play of “Mary Rose” asks a Daily Chronicle writer. No island, we may imagine, but would like to be visited by Miss Fay Compton.

IS IT A RAPHAEL? The Daily Express understands that a a sensation has been caused in the art world by the discovery of what is alleged to be an original painting by Raphael of the Madonna and Child. The picture, round which a great controversy is certain to rage, is now in the possession of Mr. Felix La very, a leading Newcastle business man. It is stated to have been purchased at a sale which took place some time ago in the neighbourhood of Newcastle. A similar picture, attributed to Raphael, is now hanging in the Louvre„ but the claim is said to be made that the picture in the possession of Mr. Lavery is the original painting by Raphael, while that in the Louvre is only a copy. Raphael’s works have frequently realised great prices in the saleroom. In 1914 the famous Panchanger Madonna was sold to Mr. P. A. Widener, of Philadelphia, for the record figure of £140,000 or £385 per squareinch. JENNY LIND’S CENTENARY. The preparations now being made in New York to celebrate the centenary of Jenny Lind’s birth are on a scale worthy of so excellent an object. But in England we have material for something even greater in the way of commemoration, observes a writer in the Daily Record. There is a hospital in Liverpool and a wing of the London Hospital to keep her memory green. There is the Mendelssohn Scholarship, and various funds for musical effort which her generosity endowed. There is the excellent tribute paid to her memory and genius by Canon Scott Holland in his life of ine singer; and the portrait tablet erected in Westminister Abbey. There is the beautiful house where she ended her days, near the Roman Camp (Herefordshire Beacon); and, la9t of all, there is the grave in Malvern ceretery where Mme. Goldschmidt rests. Each of these might call forth a special word for that rarest of creatures—a woman both clever and good THE NEW “GEOPHONE.” A new instrument for testing and listening to sounds within the earth has been perfected by United States engineers, and is said to be extremely sensitive, states Science. It has long been known that the earth—as well as water, air. and ether—conveys vibrations, which can be converted into systematic messages by the appropriate means; and indeed a * system of wireless telegraphy, using the earth itself as the transmitting “wire,” has long been employed. The “geoplione” depends for its operation upon a principle already in general use —namely, the “magnaphone”—a mechanism which increases and magnifies all sounds enormously. Some of these instruments are so delicate that a fly, walking across the instrument. would emerge as a resounding roar; the slightest movement can be detected instantly. The rapid movement of a gnat’s wings will come , forth like a young airplane; and so j forth. These devices were found ex- . tremely useful during the war to detect en* my lnderground operations.