HomeMy WebLinkAboutExeter Times, 1898-6-30, Page 3HE EXETER
TI1VIES
"WE WANT GOOD ROADS."
"
cent, af the cost,
tdwae and, olties will pay only 10 Per
IN BRIEF.
Make road improvenients in aug'11
Reads that "break up" ere Dad roads -
By A, W. Campbell, C. E., Road wity that they will be permanent.
Whether by etatulte labor or other
natkeZnii;, Undertake V oadwerla systema -
Commissioner of Onta,rio.
A.,„..int, a, supervisor who will haVe
eleaage of all the rosetwork,
IVIa.ke road bea1ts five relies in length,
ehoose the best mea as pathruastere,
and keep them in offiee .
Classify the roads according to the
llama and extent of traffic over them.
Specify the width a grade, amount
O1 crown, peen of drainage, kind, width
and depth of material to be used, and
LOCATION OF ROADS. asterously, and. throw iron and steel sermet.that these specifications ere carried
There are very many instances where, into disrepute, A council advertises
Parchase ravel by the it not by the
by abathenging e course of a reed, for tenders. The companies responding ieed„
gp
t
tightly, municipalities wnala save a supply their own plans and specifica- , Use clean road. ma,teriel.
large sum in construotion, and at the timeThue far the procedure is en -1 Strip the clay and earth from over
same time produce a better road. A. timely satisfactoaaa The diffieultY 1 the
gravel pit, before the time of per-
-slight deviation would frequently avoid arises -when councils accept the lovvest forming statute labor.
swampy or wet ground, or would. do tender without obtaining the adviee of If soreening or crushing is neees-
'away with the necessity of expensere an experienced builder a iron bridges
earY, it thibe clone before the timof
outs and fills. A hill can sometimes as to the plans and specifications sub- statute labor.
s e
be avoided ar the grade very much mitted This is a matter in which few Do not scatter money in making tri -
'reduced by altering the koation of the townahip engineers and surveyors are
fling repairs otemporary structures.
road. There is a prejudice against tab- qualified to decide, and certainly the Roads, culverts and bridges Will mi-
n
Ling the roads from the lines laid down wisdom of counoillors, entirely with-
in the original survey, arid. property ont professional training in tsueth mat- La.nysiillietifeerimaoirszlanarnadbiethmeiarrineoenrs, tsruiN...-
'owners prefer to ben their Exuma ters, is not to be trusted. ;Cases have
bounded by straight lines. :At the same occurred. In which a differenoe of five omical.
able to requirements, is most econ-
time the valu.e of good. roads to the dollars here influenced a council to ma- I If statute labor is to be made sec -
farm should not be overlookea, and cept a tender or a bridge wallah was cessfal tbe work must be wsystematical-
, henever a ehan•ge in the road allow- raanifestly, to . p ' t ly plumed and some definite end kept
.ane means the change from a bad to worth less than the other by several in view
.
-a good. road, or a change from a steep hundred dollars; and whit% was indeed I '
to a gentle •grade, the slight ineoneeni- unsafe offering every likelihood. of fail- Heve the work properly laid out be-
ence oreated by the alteration of boun- are with attendant loss of life and 1 fore the day appointed to commence
work. Only call oat a sufficient num-
de lines. will be many times repaid. great expense tor reconstruction. it
....
her of men and teams to properly carry
The Great Need of This Country is Good Roads—llow
to Build Them Economically Explained by an
Expert—Useful 1 -lints and Diagrams to the Road
Builders of this Country.
is diffieult to understand the aotion of I
OLTILVERTS.
some councillors shrewd in other met -lout the work in hand and notify them
tars, in the construction of bridges and ed. to bring.
of the implements each will be require
other public walks proceeding with , no pathmaster return.a rate -pay -
each apparent disregard for the true Let
interests of these whom they represent. :
A. small sum spent in securing, Tellable el'
s' statute labor as performed, unless
advice is as much a matter of economY 1 it has been done to his satisfootion
in public as in private affairs. In justice to others mieke the statute -
labor returns clearly ; show what work
RECENT ROAD LEGISLATION. ha, a not been done.
The State of Massachusetts is on f
e 0 , See that the council collects the am. -
those which has taken advanced steps 1 aunt from the delinquent parties and
in road improvement. On petition oe . hlave it expended the next year.
a county, the state road conamission i
may, with the ass nt. of the Legislature, Toads miller
The pathmaster should inspect the
adopt any road within the county as a • his charge after weary
state highway. Except that the grad- heavY
1 work in freeing drains from obstruo-
rain-storm. A few minutes'
Lug and bridging is done by the county,, ' 6 -Grist
; both construction filling holes, diverting a current
the work thereafter
and maintenance, is under the author- . of water /nay save several days' work
It' neglected.
petition of two ar mowork on clay roads which are very wet,
re cities or towns,
on I It is impossible to do satisfactory
ity of the state eoatamission. Also
a road between them may be made a I
state leigiutray. The or which have become baked and hard -
mission" is composed of three cora-
,seate cam_ ened by heat and drought. The opera-
missioners who compile statistics, tor ot the grading machine should have
investigations, advise regarding read
make i inetructions to commence week on clay
truction and maintenence, and hold roads as soon as the ground has be-
conspublic meetings for the discussion of and not to leave tcome sufficiently settled. in spring—
road matters. One-fourth the cost of his work matil the
time of statute labor, usually in June,
construction is paid. by the county the. When the ground is hard and dry,
remaining thwee-tourths being paid. by With the mon.ey which can be spent,
the state. In 1894 the state spent $300,- build permanent culverts, permanent
000, in this way; in 1895 $100,000; and. in bridges, buy machinery, buy gravel
Tn no branch of municipal work is
:so much money wasted. as in the con-
struction and maintenance of sluices
and calverts. In most townships these
are built of timber. Timber is perish-
able, culverts are subjected to repeated
changes of wet and dry weather, the
severest test to Ivhioll timber could be
subjected. Each year a large nunaber
of these culverts are renewed. at a cost
of from $5 to $50 each, in some town-
ships aggregating from $500 to $1,500,
and this is an anunal outlay. The life
'of these structures is so short that it
is met more than five years before re-
pairs ere required and these repairs in
shart time amount almost to renew-
al of the most expensive kind. A brok-
en plank, or stringer, a rotten log or
any timber replaced with new at differ-
ent periods, raalkes the maintenance
very costly, and. this class of structure
the most temporary and expenseve. No
:sooner have they all been rebuilt than
we must again commence the recon-
struction of the Hest-, in this way the
,expenditure becomes perpetual, • and
fixes a large percentage of our annual
tax. If these culverts are in their
proper locations, natural watercourses,
and other fixed places, they will always
be required and their construction in
the most durable manner is the hest
.and most economical plan.
For small culverts there is very lit-
tle difference in the cost of timber and
vitrified pipe. If properly laid the lat-
ter will withstand the frost and is dur-
able. Tlhese pipes may be used up to
18 inches in diameter; and the capacity
may be inereased by laying two or
more rows, but tihe pipes should have
at least one foot of earth or other fill-
ing between them. Culverts of 5 our 10
feet span item:aid be cement conorete
•archea, which is permanane if the con -
ante is properly made. Me concrete
should. be composed of Hirst class cem-
ent; clean, sharp, silicious sand, free
from earthy particles and coarse en-
ough to pass throumb a twenty mesh,
sieve; clean gravel screened through an
inch and. a half screen, the largest
stones to be not more than two and
one half inches in diameter; or in place
of gra:eel broken stones that will pass
through a two and one half ineh ring.
'These materials should be mixed. in the
proportion of one cubic foot of cement,
two cubic feet of sand and three cubio
feet of gravel or broken stone, with
just enough water to make the whole
into a plastic mass. The sand. and cem-
-ent must first be mixed dry, then a
'sufficient quantity of water added to
make it into a thick paste. It should
then he thoroughly mixed again, spread
'out, the stone or gravel added, and the
whole thoroughly /nixed until every
stone is coated with the marten then
put it in place. Ilhe walls should ex-
tend well below the frost line and. have
a wing at the ends to protect th,e em-
bankment from wash.
BRIDGES.
Wooden bridges, except wfhere timber
very plentiful in the immediate local-
ity, are not a good. investment in view
of the reduced bast of iron and steel,
and the increasing cast of timber. Tim-
ber decays quickly., and wthile cheaper
than ,steel in first octet, is mare expen-
sive after a term of years since the
cost of repairs is eery great.
Generally speaking the cost of an
iron supesstruoture is more than that
of wood. The substructure of stone or
'concrete is moire expensive than pile or
erib work, but as in other structures a
• firm foundation is most serviceable and
,economical. Weoden foundations from
decay and other causes settle and the
lea,st settlement in the foundation
twists the timber causing a disarrange-
ment of the strains and feequently
transferring the greatest load to the
weakest point. Wherever timbers have
:a seat or bearing exposea, decey soon
commencea, and When least expected,
collapses under a heavy load.
Wherever timber is used in bridges
it should be used in members from fonr
to six inches in thickness, the strength
of the beam or ch.erd being obtained
by building several members together,
properly breaking joints, and coating
each bearing With lead. A further
protection is to cover these built timb-
ers with galvanized iron to protect the
numerous joints and bearings from
moisture. All caps, melees, chords,
braces and flow. beams should be made
'in this way so that the thickness cif no
timber will be moire than six inches.
A wooden bridge sheuld be painted one
year after erection; Iron bridge at time
,of ereotion, and oare should be taket
to see that they are kept painted and
'that all nnts are kept tightened so
that oxtail member may carry its fair
share of the load.,
The cost Of renewing a wooden bridge
in which a man has to be sent to put
in a new timber from time to time'
will amounb to twice the initial Oast of
the bridge, In this way the ultimate
•wet of a timber Armature beeomes very
great,
The course pursued by some, indeed'
most mtraicipalities ereeting iron
bridges le likpjy, bowever, to result dis-
READY TO RECEIVE THE GRAVEL.—Cross-section.
Showing earth shoulders as turned back by the grading machine.
1896 $600,000. It is intended that ul- pits, prepare gravel for hauling, coe-
timetely about one-tenth of the entire street drains, operate the machinery.
road mileage will be built as state 'high- !Use the statute labor as far as pos-
ways. Wale in drawing gravel or broken
In Michigan, expon a majority vote of stone,
the rate payers in any county, a county Do not leave the gravel or broken
road system may be a.doptecl. A board stone just as it drops 1rora the wa.gon.
of commissioners five in number, are Spread the metal.
elected by the people to lay out, and Crown the road with a rise of one
construct certain of the leading roads, inch to the foot from side to centre so
to be paid fee and thereafter main- as to shed water from the roadway to
tied by a county rate. the drains.
A bill has just passed the New York Give the open drains a good fall to
may be adopted as state roads. The pe- a tree outlet. Lay tile underdrains
talon of a county council, certain roads where .needed.
Drain tboroaghly, Keep the road
surface dry. Keep the earth under.
neath the surface dry.
Use road. machinery.
;Use graders, stone crushers and road
rollers.
Improved machinery is as necessary
for good and economical work as are
self -binders and steam -threshers.
Employ one man to take charge of
the machinery. He will become ex-
perienced and do better and cheaper
work.
The same teams should be always em-
ployed to operate the graders. They
ma ybe adopted as state roads. The Pe-
tition is first presented to the State
Engineer. If he approves of the seo-
tion of road thus sought to be improve
ed, he prepares plans, sepcifieations and.
estimates. These aTe presented to the
legislature and., if approved by that
body, 50 per cent. of the cost of con-
struction is paid by the state.
The New Jersey Highway law pro-
vides that on the petition of the owners
of two-thirds et the land bordering on
a roa,d„ the state Commissioner of
Public, Roads will cause the road to
be improved in acoordance with plans
and'specifications prepared by him, sub-
ject to the approval of the Legislature.
The owners of the land affected by the
Lmprovement pay one-tenth ot the cost;
the county pays six -tenths; and. the
state three -tenths.
Connecticut has introduced a plan of
highway improvement providing for
the appointment of three state com-
missioners. When a township votes in
favor of constructing a road. under 'the
provisions of the State Highway At,
specifications are prepared and submit-
ted to the state coanmissioners. If the
commission approrrea, the township
council lets contracts for the work, to
be performed under the supervision
of the state oommissioners. One-third
of the cost is paid. by the state; one-
third by the county; and one-therd by
the township. The expenditure by the
state in this way is limited to $75,000
annually.
Me State of Rhode Island has ap-
pointed a commissioner of bighveays.
Vaben a council represents to the com-
missioner the need for improeing a cer-
tain road, an examination is made by
him. If he considers the yearle neces-
sary, lee prepares plans, specifications
and estimates; and reports to the mun-
icipalities affected, also to the state leg-
islature as to the proportion in whieh
the expense should be met by the state
and the raunicipalities benefited. If
tee state legislature approves the work
is performed by centracte
Vermont and California also contri-
bute largely in the form of slate aid„
while Indianna„ Kentucky and others
contribute to a less degree. Only the
bare outlines of the systems have been
stated, with the object of showing the
prominence the question af road im-
prove/I:tent has attainea of recent years,
adopted within the past five years, In
adopted within the past five quire, In
all these systems, safeguards are placed
to prevent the expenditure exeeeding,
for any state or any Theality, oertain
reasonable limits, accerding to require -
month and ebility to meet the PaY-
meets, in most of these states the
the le so levied thee the towns awl
cities pay the greater portion of the
eost of State road construction; for ex-
ample, in the Stitte of New York it is
estimated that the people outside ief the
COMPOSITION OF THE AVERAGE
RO,AD.—Cross-section.
Daily gravel is dropped on the roads
without further treatment. The stones
are forced down into the mad, and the
mud comes to the surface.
become accustomed to the work and
give better service.
Do not cover an old gravel road withl
sod and earth from the sides of the
road. Turn this earth and sod out-
gwraarvdeia.nd raise the centre with new
Adopt every means to seculre a heed,
smooth, waterproof stheface,
roDahe
do not let stones roll loosely on t
Do not let :ruts remain. They make
travelling difficult, and spoil the road
by holding water.
Make repairs as soon as the defeat
appears.
Use wide tires.
Tinprove the drainage of the hills.
Make the crown of the roadway higher
than on level ground.
Change the location of the road if a
steep hill ca.n be avoided.
Do dot use weed for culverts. Use
concrete, vitrified pipe or stone,
Do not buila weoden bridges. Use
iron, ettone or concrete,
Build good roads.
The End.
Mistaken in His Man,—Wallace—Ana
diet you Make him eat his worde? Her-
,greavee—No. Ile leaned out to be one
of those fellows Who would rather fight
than at, I
The Burgulaf And 1hc Public House
"A toe yeah) house," said i3lan-
co Watson, the humorist.
"Yes," I replied, looking at the
building we were approeolung, "but a
strange position --away from the high
road, and aurrounded by villas."
"A very strange position. We will
rest in the public -house, and 1 will
tell you how it came to be built in
suele a, strange position," '
I smiled, and followed him, into the
saloon' bar. We at at one of the tab-
les, and were silent for a time, he
thinking arid I watching him.
"The story begins," he said, present-
ly, "with a burglary committed, by a
certain Bill Jones, one night long ago,
"Bill was A young member of the
profession. Hitherto he had not at-
tempted anything very big, but con-
tinued success in small things bad
made aim bold. On this night he
brake into the house of a well-known
actress, in the hope of earrying off
her jewels.
"He succeeded in getting thaejewels
and was leaving with them when he
found that the slight noise be had
made had attracted attention, A ser-
vant girl met him at a turn of the
stairway and began to shriek, He
rushed by her and to the window
through which he had. entered. As
he passed through it again he heard
doors being opened, and knew that the
house was fully aroused."
"I understand," I said. "Bill escap-
ed. The actress employed a detec-
tive. The detective built this publics
home: in an out-of-the-way place, hop-
ing that 13111, as an out-of-the-way
young ntan, would call in one clay for
a) drink. Cariouely enough, Bill did."
Blanco Watson frowned.
"This is an intellectual story," lie
said; "it does not depend on coincide
ences.
"I will continue. .Bill avoided. the
first pursuit by a (long run aoross
country, and then -walked toward, his
home, not daring to use the railway.
He kept to the by-roa,ds as much as
LdPoaLihad boln.er
, aleadahatthe
thigli
theeonloaseobaf itthacia
thenext
"A spade lying inside a field gate
suggested to him the advisability of
hiding the jewels until he had arrang-
ed for their sale. After making sure
that he was not observed, he enter-
ed, the field and picked up the spade,
A tree of peculiar growth stood. just
beyond, him, In the manner et fiction
he comated twenty steps due north
froni the tree, and then dug a deep
hole. placed. the jewels in it, and filled
it up again.
"He arrived //Some safely that night
but was arrested. in the morning, The
servant girl had, given an accurate de
scriptioa of him to the police, and they
had recognized it.
"In due course he was tried. The
evidence against him was very strong
The servant girl swore that he was the
man she net on the stairs; some of the
viliagere swore that they had seen
him near the home previously to the
burglary. He was found guilty and
sentenced to seven years' penal sere
"Bill behaved very well in prison,
aria at tne end of five years was re-
leased on a. tioket-of-leave. He de-
oidedrto wait until the ticket had ex-
pired, and then get the jewels and
leave the country. But a day
on two after his release he walked. mit
tci look at the field.
"There was no field. During the five
years he had been in prison the estate
of which the field was pert had been
built upon. He wandered about the
houses in despair. But, as he turned
a. corner, he saw something which sug-
gested hope. Behind some railings
was a tree of curious growth.
"It was the tree twenty steps due
nortle of which he had buried the jew-
els. He recognized it immediately, and
ran toward it. Again he was in de-
spair. A yard or two north of the
tree was a chapel, and. the jewels
were under the chapel. :lie leaned
against the railings, covering his face
with his hands.
happened presently that the head
deacon of the oha.pel, a kindly old
man, came down the road. He saw
Bill standing like one in trouble and '
stopped) and asked what was the mat-
ter and. whether he could help.
"For a few ruomenth Bill did not
know what to reply, but then he spoke
Well. He said that ones he had been
burglar, but that he had learned in
prison that burglary is wrong; that
now he Nvas trying to live an honest ;
life, bat that, as he had no friends,'
it twas not easy. 1
"The: old. man was touched. Ile had!
found Bill leaning against the chap -1
el railings, and Bill had ,said that he ;
had, no friends. Was it not his duty(
LIS head deacon of the chapel to be a
£r18nd to Bill Clearly it was. 1
"He took Bill home with him; he was:
a bachelor, ancj there wa,.5 no One to
restrain his benevolence. They had !
supper and talked together. The dea-
con found 13111 intelligent and fairly
well educated, and offered him em-
ployment, He was a builder in the
neighborhood, he explained, and had
a vacancy in the worke Bill grate-
fully accepted the offer, and began
his new career on the following Mon-
day.
"Months passed. Bill had oheeged
won,derfully, He hacl forgotten his
old habit a end learned new ones, The
deacon was delighted. Not only was
Pill the beet of his workemn, but he
was the most regular attendant at
the ohapeL
"BM longed for the jewels, and he
worked herd, becaaese he knew that
ntoney Would help him to get the
jewels, the seet he ho.a taken being
just twenty step s due north from the
tree. At fiest he liact meditated dig-
ging down throngh the floor ono a
night, Int the oliatieets of detection
were great and. he hied given alP the
idea.
"Years passed. The deaeon had be-
came an invalid, and Bill practically
managed his businese, He was an im-
portant man at the chapel, too, and
was often eutrusted with a collection -
box, One flay elle deacon died. Soon•
afterwarcb it was Icaown thet, havieg
no peer relatives, he had. ;left his pro-
f/ea:4y to his friend Williena Jones,"
''T aeel' 1 exclaimed; "131.11—"
131.ance Watson shook his head.
"Bill was Bill no longer," ae said.
"Ie had Weenie a mail a 'wealth. At
the next election of deacons he was
one of the successful candidates. In
future we must refer to aim as Mr.
Jaaes, end not as Bill •
"Mr. Jones Peas a eaost energetic'
deacon, He introduleed pew members
and be persuaded old ones to attend
more regularly. He started a youag
men's literary soeiety and a series of
Saturday eatertainments, He made
the eaape/ the most popular in the dis-
trict; and then, at a New Year's busi-
nes.s meeting; he struok boldly for
tae jewels.
"The chapel was too small, he said,
in the cour.se of aa eloquent; speech.
They meet erect another on a, larger
site, There was bat one such site in
the neighborhood, They must secure
it before others did, He himself would
undertake the building (operations,
charging only what they cost him. Ile
would also purchase the old chapel. The
net expenditure peed not be very
great.
"The proposal was well received and
al committee, with Mr. Jones as chair-
man, was appointed to consider the de-
taiLs. Their report was very favor-
able, and at another business meet-
ing it was decided to carry out the
proposal.
"The necessary funds were subscrib-
ed or guaranteed. Contracts were
made Nvith Mr. Jones. In the spring
of that yeax the building operations
were commenced, and by the autumn
they were finished. The congregation
removed to the new chapel, Bi.r. Jones
Purchasecj the old oxie at a, high price
and entered into possession.
"And ;then," I said, "I suppose he
got the jewels?"
Blanco Watson laughed.
"No," he said, "he did 'not. He broke
up the floor himself, counted the steps
due north from the tree again, and
dug. He did not find the jewels. He
counted, the steps again and dug deep-
er. He did not find them. Then he
tried other places, but, although he
kept on until he had tried everywhere
beneath' the floor, ha never found the
jewels."
"Why, what bad become of them?"
"I cannot say. It is possible that
when the foundation was being laid
a workman had discovered and ap-
propriated, them. Again, 11 18 possible
that\ there were two trees of similarly
curious, growth, and, that the one out-
side the chapel was not the one air.
Jones first saw. Again—"
"And, what has the story to do with
the public -house? But I can guess."
"Of course you can. Mr. Jones was
very angry with the chapel menabers.
He considered that by false pretenses,
they had led him into buying the old
chapel dearly and building the new
one cheaply. He resigned his deacon-
shipe and then sought a way to be re-
venged on them. Hefound one, On the
site of the old chapel he bunt a public-
house—this publio-house in which we
have sat so long.
HOW NELSON HUNTED FLEETS.
_
Two Years Forcing a Trathigar and The
Months Catching Bonaparte.
Lord Nelson was the greatest and
most successful admiral the world pro-
duced„ down to the days of steam pow-
er, yet on more than one occasion he let
his enemy slap past and lead him a
heart-rending chase for raonths before
a. blow could be struck.
Bonepaste's expedition for the con-
quest of Egypt and the Orient had been
organizing for many months at Toulon.
On May 9, 1798, Nelson sailed with a
Iflying squadron frora Gibraltar to scout
off the French port and ascertain the
!mission of the French fleet. 13u1 the
Ienemy eluded him completely„ left Toul-
on with Bonaparte's army and disap-
peared at sea with Nelson none the wis-
er for having appeared in the Gulf of
,
Lyons.
Reinforced by ten ships of the line
Nelson started in pursuit. But he kept
missing the Frenoh fleet. He called at
Alexandria in Egypt, but no French
, ship was there. Then he chased off to
, Syracuse, but still no enemy. Finally
, after about three months of vain pur-
1 suit he appeased on August 1 off Alex-
; endria nein, and there he beheld the
I object of his search anchored in Abou-
kir Bay. The army of Bonaparte had.
been sefely landed. The complete de-
struction of the Prench fleet followed„
however, and the ultimate ruin of the
Egyptian campaign was assured.
The earapaign of Trafalgar, perhaps
the Most memorable in naval history,
was infinitely more trying to the pa-
tience of both Nelson and the English
people than any before 11. The British
admiral blookaded Toulon, where the
French fleet was fitting for sea, a full
year and a hale, and in all that time
not once did he touch foot on the land.
And how were his perseverance and
vigilance rewarded? On January lat,
1805 the enemy broke way and swept
off to sea. It effected a junction with
the Spanish fleet at Cadiz, which Nel-
son had determined to prevent. Then
the allied force sailed to the West In-
dies with Nelsen in :pursuit. The chase
continued back to Europe again, with-
out success, and Nelson thereupon left
hie ship and returned te:mparaxily to
England. It was tot until October 5,
1805, over eight months after the
French force had eseaped from Toulon
herbor that Neleon finally met it and
the Spanish allies ha battle off Cape
Trefalgar.
RATH ER
Magistrete, (to the acetteed)— It ap-
pears that you •gave the plaintiff a
black
Prisoner—Ites, ,your worship, but I'm
quate prepared to give aim half a
sovereign as compensation
ategietrate (to plaintiff)—you hear
Whet the defendant. says! Are you
willing 'to &Nana, the half -sovereign?
Pin intif( (tegerly)--tiather (To t he
efenclant): Came outside, oId ehale
euct Week the other eye
AMA, u5,0 _
'rug QUEEN'S HINDOO ATTENDANTS
fn the days of Roman Empire the
Caesars brought captive to the ter.
nal City, Prinoes and potentates of
their conquered outposts. The lot of
the captives are not always a happy
-
e• iv
.
DIUMTA.Z HUSAIN,
The Queen'.s Indian Chef.
or contented one, though some of
them, it is recorded, established rela-
tions in Rome, which advanced them
to high positions of honor about the
,C,a,thars. Some such idea or a develop-
1raent would appear to apply to the
Hindoo attendants of the Empress of
India, and our Gracious Queen. She has
ABOUT 1100ERN SliABTIVEL
ITS OVERWHELMING EFFECT UPON
A BODY OF 'TROOPS,
Wiest Deepened lVlituk a Stale Prelectile
Suddenly Bursts Into Two linatireti
Pleces-First used in the Bruise See -
vice.
One of the meet effective of modern
projectiles is the shrapnel. It is one
of the forms o fel/se shot. The othere
of the forms of ease shot, The othera
were the old-fashioned, grape and caul.-
Stela. A case shot rneyebe said to be a
calleetion. of missiles in a case, which
breaks up either in the gun .or at SOMe
point in Mete, thus setting free its
death dealing particles.
As aeon a sthe case is broken, eaeh of
these particles goes on a separate path,
and it's a sorry day for the man etrack
by one of them. 411 of these falling
upon a piece of level ground would
mark out an irregular oval, whose area
varies with denying' couaitame. 11
has been found. thet the best point to
burst the shrapnel is about six yarda
above ain ditty in front of the enemy.
THE SHRAPNEL.
Colone/ Shrapnel, of the British ser-
vice, first invented, shrapnel in 180'3.,
This early form consisted eimply of a
spherical shell filled with bullets end a
billeting charge of powder in the spaces
betiveen. This was a crude invention -
which scattered the fragments ttoo
much axed wa sliable to go off when
not expected and not to do so when
desired. This form. was improved u.p-
an, and the. modern shrapnel can be
onsidere dthe most dangerous of all
at the present time three Indian at-
tendants, who look to her persoa
nal ,
comfort, and a chef over the Eastern
kitchen, which is called, into use when
distinguished visitors from. India go to t
London. The Oriental department of b
ife destroying projectiles. It tionsi_stt
)f three parts—i.the tube, the base and.
he head. The powder charge is in the
ase, which is firmly attached to the
ody either by electric welding or by
screwing. pea.ding from the base
hrough the centre of the body is a
u.be which is also filed with powder,
which is'ignited by the fuse the
MUNSHI ABDUL MARIN.
The Queen's Indian Secretary.
the Royal household is in charge of
her private Indian .secreta,ry, Hafiz
Habdut Karim, who belongs to a good
family at Agra, and has been in Her
Majesty's service since the jubilee
year, 1887, discharging his duties
faithfully and well. The Queen speaks
and _reads Hindustani with consider-
able proficiency, and she elso shows
devotion to Indian art. Nothing gave
the Indian cavalry officers who form-
ed a guard of honor to the Queen in
the dianaoncl jubilee procession last
year more pleasure than the fact that
they received their jubilee medals from
ber own hands.
AN INTELLIGENT SHEDP DOG.
Would Steal sheep for Ms ),Inster and
Drive Them to a Secluded Place.
The Collie is a wonderful dog, the
most intelligent and faitbful, of the
race. I will tell you an anecdote illue-
trating the sagacity of this friend of
the shepherd and his flock—thorough-
ly authentic, but marvelous beyond be-
lief. It was long the custom in the
Scottish Highlands, says Sheep Breeder,
to mark the shee.p by impressing' with
a hot Lron a certain letter upon their
faces. The shepherds of Tweeddale had
tog a longtime( been missing a few of
the choicest of their flocks, and one day
a bla,ok-faced ewe returned to her
lamb from beyond the river, with the
letter 0 burned lover the T that was
her owner's brand. A farmer living in
a wild and .seoltided glen, shut in by
crag and mountain, where the mist
came down like darkness and the eagle
screfa.mect above the cataract, was
known to use the letter 0 as his "birn."
The glen was searched. and 660 stolen
sheep recovered. Be confessed his
crimes and was executed in the city of
Edlitniiturgh an 177a. titIont the( pre -
theme of buying he would visit the
telnee cif 'bug yinhe would visit the
flocks in the vale of Tweed, accompani-
ed by his Collie Yarroiv, and poiat out
those sheep that he wished him to drive
home. Then he would ride off to his
own glen, passing throagh every ham-
let and calling; at every inn on the
way, Yarrow, concealed on some hill-
side among the heather, would wait for
the darkness to coine and hide his evil
deeds from the light of the sun; then
he wouli select every sheep that his
master had. p'ointod out to him and
dative them rapidly by unfrequented
paths over ramentain and moor to his
own dark glen, before the weather
gleam of the eastern, hillbegan to be
tinged with the brightening dawn
There the "bite" was oancelect by the
letter 0 in an enolosure in the hollow
of a hill, Yarrow keeping faithuil
guard cubicle, and never failing to
notify his matter of the approaca of
Strangers. ,
attrIso
1/eighbor,-/ hear your hesband has
had his life insured for a large amoteet.
Mrs, Sourfact—He has, hat he? ',That
like hina. Gone off and insured him-
setf for a fortune, and he hasn't in-
sured nag or a penny.
point of the shrapnel, an dearries the
fire to the main charge. Betweent veo
hundred and three hnndred bullets rest
upon a diaphragm just over the pow-
der charge. Thoth are held in place by
a matrix of rosin which is melted and
poured upont he bullets when in place.
A skeleton .cas sof cast iron contain-
ing receptacles for each bullet is some-
times used Lastead of the rosin.
The head is put me in the same man-
ner est he base, and when the fuse is
inserted the projectile is ready for use.
Some aluapnels have the bursting
charge in the head instead of the base,
The fuse used is rather complicated. It
le a time' fuse and in actual test has
shown its reliability. These fuses are
slight modifications of those used a few
yea.ra ago.
ITS HIGH COST.
It can readily be seen that one great
objection to the shrapnel is its high
cost. The fuse alone costs about $2-50.
The same gun is usually supplied with
three styles of amnatanition—,the solid,
shot, the shell and the shrapnel. ' Some
batteries are alio supplied with canis-
ter for use at close quarters. The bul-
lets in the canister have a wider dis-
persion, because the case breaks up id
the gun.
The shell is used to destroy inanim-
ate objects as well as a:nimate ones. It
consists of a hollow cast iron shell,
with a ilulee and bursting charge of
powder. The famous shot fired during
the outtlag of the cables at Cienfuegos
its a good example of its use. The Span-
iards having taken refuge in and be-.
hind a lightliduse, a shell. was fired,
which striking it fairly, burst and: ut-
terly destroyedt he structure, killing
terly destroyed the structure, killing
many of the soldiers.
ADVANTAGE AGAINST .ANIMATE
OBJEOTS ALONE.
But against men in battle formation
the shrapnel is the mor eeffective.
eends perfeot shower' of missiles
which, felling in the midst of a come
pany, 'would alinost annihilate it. Many,
testa have been made to show this.
Shrapnels fired tram a guin a mile
away in one instance, and a mile and
two-thirds in the other, were made to
strike a beard target one inch tlaick.
The fuses were set off by the contact,
and burst the projectile' into two or
three hundred parts, each of which was
capable of dealing death. to any living
thing in its path. Screens were placed
at indicated distances from the target.
These may be considered: as represent-
ing a battalion of infantry in column
of comeativies. From the number of .
hits upon all of them the efficiency of
attera may be judged.
ln one shot 152, bits were made by a,
single shrapnel. In another 215 hits
are recorded, but these are not so well
scattered. Imagine, then, the effect
Of a well placed shrapnel upon a group
of men such as is here represented.
The reader can' readily understand
why wars are now waged. at greater
distances and why hand to hand con-
flicts are almost unheard, of. It is re-
ported that the shrapnel of the British
simply annihilated the hordes of der-
vishes daring the recent advance up
the Nile. Napoleon said that Provid-
ence is on the. side of the beevier batta-
lions: 'Battalions are heavier by rea-
son not only of more men, but in hav-
ing ' better armament—tor instanee, a
bountiful supply of shrapnel.
FIB IIKD FORGOTTEN SOMETHING.
I say, eaten, said a little -eyed man,
as he landed from it Uereey steamboat
on the Birkenhead side of the river,
eay; cittert, this 'ere ain't all.
That's all the luggage you brought
on board, sir, replied the captain.
Well, see now, it's aceordin' to list --
four boxee, three ohests, two ban' box -
58, a portnaarity, two hams, ors part
cat, three ropes Of ingaris antt a tea
kettle, but I'm duberstm, 1feel
there's something short though, I've
(stunted 'etn nine times, arid never took
ray eyes off 'em while on boterd. There'e
mething not right somehow,
Well, sir, tames tin, There's all
kilow of; so bring up your wife and
five children eat of the cabin, and we're
ceff for Seatembe.
Therres une blow it thent's um I he
entail/ma: I knowed 1 torgot
eeitnething,