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Items of Interest.
The first parliament of the reign of King Ed
ward was prorogued August 17.
In 1890 there were 5,700,000 farms in the United
States as compared with 4,664,641 in 1900.
It is said that sailors when unable to procure
fresh water keep, their clothes soaked in salt
water.
Ex-Premier Crispi, the famous Italian states
man, died at Naples August 11 at the advanced age
of81.
St. Andreasburg, a very small village in the
Rarz mountains, raises 60,000 canary birds each
year valued at $50,000.
In the ocean life is more abundant within 600
feet of the top and near the bottom than it is in
the intermediate region.
The German sea coast in the vicinity of Ham
burg Is gradually sinking, having subsided five
feet nine inches within the past fifty years.
Miguel Malvar has been recognized by the
Filipino junta at Hong Kong as Agulnaldo's right
ful successor to command the Filipino forces.
The average-depth of the earth's surface be
low sea level is 12,000 feet, and the average height
of the land of the world is 2,000 feet above sea
level.
According to the New York Staats-Zejtung,
subsidies varying from $300 to $400 are given in
Norway for the aid and encouragement of young
authors.
If conditions in South America do not become
-more serious, the second pan-American congress
will meet 'In the'CIt'y of 'Mexicoduring the month
of October next.
According to the census of 1899 there were
60,711 Cuban farms. 38,550 contained less than 8
svres, ij.,650 between 8 and 16 acres, and only 7,300
had more than 150 acres.
The greatest depth of the sea recorded is in
the waters of the Pacific, east of Japan, the depth
there being 27,930 feet and nearly equalling the
altitude of the highest mountain in the world.
The Woman's Hall of Northwestern University
near Chicago has had its name changed to Willard
Hall in honor of the late Frances Willard, who
was the most famous alumnae of that institution.
The proposition is made In England that par
liament be petitioned to offer prices for annual
competition in hymn writing in order that the
best hymns may be acquired for use in church
worship.
The locomotives first used on American rail
ways weighed from 10 to 15 tons. Today the pas
senger engines in general use weigh about 70 too
tions while the engines in freight service weigh
about 100 tons.
According to Dr. Alexander Scott, a noted
Glasgow physician, the majority of the railroad
wrecks are caused by neurosis produced by the ex
treme nerve tension of railroad men while In the
discL-rge of their duties.
Although water is only slightly compressible,
-yets. scientists have estimated that-if the action of
gravity were to suddenly cease the waters of the
'ocean, where it has a depth of five miles, would
rise 500 feet above its present level.
.-s .
Each year in France 176,000 pounds of hair
4
are used in the making of theatrical wigs and
Ijeards. France supplies about half of this amount,
and the remainder is sequred from China, Japan,
Italy, Hungary and Scandinavia.
The Commoner.
The title for the new King of England as pro
posed by Lord Salisbury in the house of lords Is
as follows: "Edward the Seventh, by the Grace of
God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland and -f British Dominions Beyond the Sea,
King, Defender of tho Faith and Emperor of
India."
The largest passenger steamer afloat Is tho
new White Star liner, Celtic. She haB a cabin
capacity of 2,859 passengers, and it Is estimated
that on a single deck 40,000 persons could stand.
The boat is 700 feet long, has a beam of 75 feet and
a depth of 49 feet. Her tonnage is 20,000 and her
displacement 38,200 tons.
The Japanese statistical report shows that tho
United States in 1893 exported products to Japan
to tho value of 6,000,000 yen. In 1900, the value of
our exports to that country amounted to 60,000,000
yen. In 1893 the United States ranked as the sixth
largest exporter of products to Japan, while in 1900
the United Statcswas second, being preceded only
by Great Britain.
The Detroit Medical Journal Is authority for
the statement that a new fruit promises to play an
Important part In the American fruit trade. The
fruit is called the Mangosteen. It is a native of.the
Moluccas and is cultivated extensively In tho
West Indies, Ceylon, Java and Jamaica. It is a
little smaller than the orange, has a snow white
flesh, end the flavor of its juice is a blending of
the pine apple, nectarine and strawberry.
Three new torpedo boat destroyers for the
United States navy were launched August 15th.
They are the largest in our navy and among the
largest In the world. They are 259 feet 6 inches
long, have 2 feet 3 inch beams, are 14 feet 8 inches
deep, draw 1) feet of water and have a nominal
displacement of 433 tons. They are expected to
attain a speed of 30 knots an hour. The approxi
mate .cost of each vessel will be $285,000.
New York Tribune: A Berlin newspaper pub
lishes some curious details respecting the letter
bags of the principal European sovereigns. The
pope holds the first place, as he receives every
day from 22,000 to 23,000 letters and newspapers.
King Edward VII. comes next, with 3,000 newspa
pers and 1,000 letters. The czar and the German
emperor receive each from 600 to 700 letters, ap
peals, etc.; the king of Italy 500, and Queen Wil
helmina from 100 to 150.
In northern Nizeria slaves are the medium of
exchange in large transactions. For small trans
actions the cowry shell is the usual medium. It Is
said that the value of these shells is so little that
il would require 300 men to carry $500 worth of
these shells a distance of one hundred yards and
that the cost of transporting them 100 miles
would consume tho entire sum. The following ta
ble, showing the value of slaves, is given by Mr.
T. J. Tonkin in the Emp.ie Review for July:
s. d.
Child, seven years old, male or female. ... 2 10 0
Child, ten years old, male or female.... 3 15 0
Boy, seventeen years old 5 10 0
Boy (good-looking) twelve to fourteen.. 7 0 0
Girl, fourteen to seventeen years old.... 9 10 0
Young woman, say twenty or twenty-one. 5 0 0
Man, full grown, with beard 3 10 0
Adult woman 2 0 0
Kansas City Star: The British Suez canal
directois have reported the navigation through the
Suez canal for 1900, as compared with that of the
two previous year:.. The following is a summary
of the it-port: The net tonnage for the last year
shows a decrease of 157,477 tons, as compared
with that of 1899, but an increase of 499,549 tons
as compared with that of 1898. The transit re
ceipts, which in 1899, amounted to $17,624,230 and
were higher than in any previous year since the
opening of the canal, fell to $17,490,356 in 1900.
The number of vessels which passed through the
canal was 3,503 in 1898, 3,607 in 1899 and 3,441 In
1900, of which 2,295 in 1898, 2,310 In 1899 and 1,935
in 1900 carried tho British flag. In the ten years,
1889 to 1898, the annual net tonnago ranged from
6,783,187 tens to 9,238,603 tons, and tho transit re
ceipts from $12,770,343 to $16,461,890. Tho num
ber of troops carried through tho canal in 1900
was 154,249, as against 108,552 in 1899. The num
ber of civilian passengers was 102,415 in 1900, as
against 88,616 In the preceding year; while tho
number of pilgrims, emigrants and convicts was
25,530 in 1900, as compared with 25,179 In 1899.
In the year 1870, 26,758 civil and military pas
songorSj were carried through the canal;, In 1880
tho number rose to 98,900; in 1890, to 282,203, as
against 21,348 In 1899.
'Newspaper Comment.
The circumstances which require tho absence
of Admiral Sampson from tho Schley investigations
are even moro distressing than those that mads ills
presence impossible at the Santiago affair. De
troit Free Press.
&Z
These be troublesome days for tho administra
tion managers. While worrying about how to
keep the negro in politics in the southern- stat33
they are worrying about how to keep tho negro out
of office in tho northern states. Omaha World-Herald.
It is now said tho charge will bo preferred
against Admiral Schley that ho was intoxicated
during tho Santiago battle. Aside from the fact
that Admiral Schley does not drink, this charge is
likely to recall the reply of Abraham Lincoln to
the charge that General Grant was drunk upon
another important occasion. Pittsburg Dispatch.
At Lodi, Italy, there will bo an exhibition of
agricultural machinery next month. No country is
in greater need of modern methods and improved
appliances for its fertile but ill cultivated fields.
Tho opportunity is a rare one for American manu
facturers, who ought to be represented there fully
and practically. Chicago Chronicle.
o
While Europe may not combine against tho
United States, the individual nations will retaliate
against our "tariff wall with prohibitions against
our manufactured exports. According to republi
can principles it is not the market for agricultural
products and raw material that we want, but a
market for our manufactured products. St. Paul
Globe.
The "embalmed beef" scandal rid tho war de
partment of Alger and Eagan. It is to be hoped
that i-o cowardly slanders which tho navy de
partment has encouraged against a bravo and
gallant officer will result in driving- out of "tne
public service Long, Crowninshleld and all the
brood of sycophants that these two men have suc
ceeded in gathering around them In tho past three
years. Peoria Herald-Transcript.
It must be acknowledged that Roosevelt is im
parting a picturesqueness to his race for the presi
dency which has not always been a feature of such
contests. Presidential aspirants who bust Dronchos
and kill coyotes and travel vociferously in locomo
tive cabs are rare. It is certain at least that the
next republican campaign for the presidency will
not be dull if Teddy has any say about it. St.
Louis Republic.
Where foreign competition can reduce prices a
trust Is a vain reliance to put them up. As soon
as prices reach the point where imports are possi
ble the rise is at once checked by the Introduction
of foreign goods. The trusts understand this if
the people do not. Though some of them are large
exporters, they are unwilling to surrender the pro
tection which enables them to get better prices at
home than they obtain abroad. Louisville Courier-Journal.
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