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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1906-8-23, Page 6CURRENT TOPICS ELECTRICAL W ONDE RS Ruesia needs a real leader, a man of oourage, conviell0n and grasp,' Many believe that in Stolypin, the new premi- er, Russia had found such a leader. He was known to bo honest, firm, intelli- gent and fairly liberal. He has stood for gradual reform. Be signalized Ills promotion to the premiership by a mani- festo of a reassuring character. lie would resolutely fight for order, but he would make no war an society and stif- fer no wholesale repression, no undue interference with the new libeeties of the people. To prove his good faith Stolypin in- vited several distinguished liberals to enter his entenet and form a "non- bureaucratic element" in 1t" Three of them consented, attaching certain con - Means to their acceptance of minister MI posts which the premier provision- ally agreed to, realizing that the pact- Gcation of the country required mea- sures as well as names inspiring hope end confidence. It was announced by semi-official papers that the Czar's ap- proval of Stolypin's arrangement was a foregone conclusion and that the reor- ganization of the cabinet might be re- garded as an accomplished fact. With men like Count Heyden, Prince Lvoff and Senator Kant In the ministry the country would have felt certain of new elections and other doun,a, of the main- tenance of reasonable political and per- sonal freedom and of respect for con- stitutional principles. But Stolypin had not reckoned with his master, the vascillating Czar, and with the grand ducal clique and court camarilla. The revolt at Sveaborg, the mutiny at Cronstadt, the rumors of like disturbances at other points "influenced the Czar unfavorably" as regards the proposed ministerial changes, with their implied pledge of genuine if slow reform, and the official organ surprised everybody by announcing that there was no foundation for the talk about a nonbureaucratic cabinet. The liberals are now reported to have washed their hands of the government, and the ne- gotiations are at an end. A military dictatorship is now believed to be probable, and the honest and in- telligent Stolypin is understood to have tendered his resignation, since he can- not remain premier under a reactionary regime without utterly stultifying him- self. He cannot govern on the theory that the greater the discontent in the country the less need there is of con- cession. A dictatorship is no solution for the Russian crisis. It will not stop the terrorists' bomb -throwing, the po- litical strikes, the mutinies, the revolts, Ile peasant uprisings. It will mean civil war. It will be accepted es 0n audacious challenge on the part of the fanatical react.Ionaries to all that is pro- gressive and unselfish and enlightened in Russia. The people will not give up their new rights; they will not perman- ently surrender to a corrupt bureau- cracy and a blind, vacillating, stupid autocrat. Is atheism setenlfic? It is utterly un- scientific, remarks Sir Oliver Lodge, to imagine that man was the highest being Mat existed- Indeed, scientifically speaking, there hardly can be a more hopelessly uneducated notion than that man is the highest intelligent existence or that we dwellers on this planet know more about the universe than any other sante 1, being. Science has Investigat- ed and shown that, we are the product of planetary processes. We may be and surely must be something mare; but we clearly are a development of life on this planet earth. Science, also has revealed to us an innumerable host of other words and has relegated the earth to its now recognized subordinate place as one of a countless multitude of words. The self -glorifying instinct of the human mind resented that and for long clung 1, the plateral° idea that the earth was the centre of Cho universe and that Ura sun and all the stars were subsidiary to it A Ptolemaic idea still clings to seine people as regards man; we insignificant creatures, with senses only just open to the portentous meaning of the starry sky, presume to deny the existence of higher powers and higher knowledge than our own. It is possible to find people who, knowing next to nothing of the universe, are prepared to limit existence to that of which they Hove had experience and to measure the cns- nlos in terms of their own understand- ing. The fact Is that. no adequate con- i ception of the real magnture and com- plexity of the universe ever can have Illuminated their cosmic view. THE AUTOMOBILE RECOGNIZED. A British commission, after due shiny of the matter, has recommended the; abolition of the limit of 20 miles o1 hone es the maximum speed at which auto -j mobiles may run on country roads; and tbat only reckless or dangerous driving be prohibited. Incidentally it is men- 1 Honed that between January, 1005, and May, 1006, thenumberof automobiles Maenad (corn 51,000 10 86,600, 1t seems to be conslderod Dint a vehicle the use of" which, is increasing so tepidly )fn5. rights on the highway that ere entitled to respect. • , SOME QUEER FACTS ABOUT WIRE- LESS TELEGIIAIIY, Why It Is Easier to Send a Message by Night Tban by Day by This System, In the efforts made to perfect lite wireless telegraphic system many curi- ous facts have come to light whirls have caused scientists and other's a geed deal of astonishment. 1t has, for insiaice, long been noticed that it is possible to send a wireless message twice the dis- tance by night than it is by day. That this queer phenomenon Is a fact has been proved without n doubt, and now experts are busy trying to find out the reason why. There ace, It is authorita- tively stated, two periods of time during every twenty-four hours when to send a message through the air Is almost im- possible. This is at sunrise and at sun- set. A good number of people—scientists and others—assert that there is much similarity between the human pulse and the Hertzian wave, and that just as the vitality of the human body is at its low- est ebb between midnight and 4 a.m., so is the power of the Hertzian wave weak- est as the sun rises and sets. As is well known to everyone who has given any attention at all to wireless phenom- ena, 1t is easier to send a message an a foggy than a bright day, and Profes- sor J. Erskine Murray, the celebrated expert, has stated that this is duo to the fact that streams of electrified particles, resembling the cathode rays, are ejected from the sun WITH A VERY FIIGH VELOCITY, and that these streams penetrate the earth's atmosphere on the day side, elec- trifying It and making it more conduc- tive. During the night the equilibrium becomes slowly restored, and about 5 a.m., there is a minimum of ahnespher- lc electrification. The etheric impulses are therefore lost through dissipation during the daytime. In conversation with Mr. Edison some time ago, the writer asked the greatin- ventor if he considered wireless tele- graphy as important and valuable as le claimed, and ha replied that doubtless 11 would within a very short space cf time be the universal means of com- munication at sea, but he did not thinje it would ever take the place of the sub- marine cable. This Is a practical reply from the world's greatest scientist to those enthusiasts who declare that the crsy is fast approaching when wireless telegraphy will render submarine cables unnecessary. Mr. Edison further stated that soon it would be made compulsory by law that every vessel—both steam and sail—should carry some system of wireless telegraphy, and be ' elieved It would be to the advantage un ail if the system adopted was a universal one. Wireless electricity, it is satisfactory to learn, is absolutely harmless, and, though you may be shocked to death by a telegraph or telephone wire, you may "monkey" with the Marconi invention with entire disregard for consequences. At a recent electrical exhibition Professor Ovington allowed 200,000 volts (termed, in scientific parlance, a "high frequency current") to pass through his body, and during the process FELT NO EFFECTS WHATEVER. Tits unique demonstration took place in Madison Square Garden, New York, where a wireless plant had been set up for the use and instruction of visitors. Messages were flashed from ane end of the great hall to the other, and It was in order to prove his statement that wire- less electricity was harmless that Pro- fessor Ovington offered to allow as many messages as were desired to pass through his body. It is certain that if ever this world „I ours gets into communication with the planet Mars it will be by means of wire- less telegraphy. According to Marconi it is a good deal easil'e to sand a mes- sage through interstellar space than over land and water, for there can be no pos- sible obstacles to intervene. Mr. Mar- coni loots forward to the time—within len years, so ho says—when messages will be passing between the earth and Mars as easily and frequently os they now pass between Europe and America. Of course, (here will be the difllculty of the Martinets being able to understand our messages, but if they ore at all In advance of us with regard to education and culture this will not be insuperable. Niknla'1'esla also avails the day when we shall be in eoumuntcntinn with the Martians by means of wireless tele- graphy, and he solemnly declared to the writer a few weeks ago that the only Ming he needs to demonstrate his abil- ity to eon,' a message to the most Inter- esting of all planets is capital. "Could I find a muitl-mlll)oneire," he said, with suiilcient. faith 11n m0 to yield up hes furhmc es a temporary lean, 1 could send ar message to Mars, or Jupiter, or even Neptune within n ycnr, IT IS ALL A MATTER OF AMONE? "Of all possibilities of eleclricnl inven- tion." he crml(nued, '1 lobate that of- fered by the transmission of power wih• ant wires Is the greatest. 'Plat this dream will be realized in the near future T 0111 certain as that 1 nun living to -day; and waren it Caines. what will 11 mean'. It will mean that some of Tho most im- portant questions at present a nfronfing humanity will at once be solved, tor it will dispense with the neresSIly of heel, t will ennhle man to conquer the air, and it will do away will lununnrnbb) causes of waste." Wireless telegraphy will be need ter the first time in coums:Bon with any Pelee expeeinee when Ah-, wailer won, men makes leis novel dusb for the Pole, Mr. \Velhnnn, who hopes to reach the 1)311)00 'Thule of all cal) i''rs itv amens of n dilrgibjr. bntlonn, higellier with een- lomolele ,ledges and a melanin bort, it farmed the wilier that it is ids Mien. ion lo miry n wireless leer maphtn h p- parnlue with him, so Mal the lnslint he Pot i die o -erect the new will be (lasihed lo The outside wm'!d, Ale. \l eller \\'ellnen is here ilf n very clever \iereen1 npernler, and hn s, no difileulty in emitting a lne;snga Ina the Polo (.ehnmld he tench 11) le pllz- pereeil, where arrangements Will be matte to receive it From S Rehm. e s1F1LTHY JAM FACTORIES to the Pole is only about 600 miles, ere Mr. Wellman declared that he and hi party will be in constant communion lion with that place during the whole of their trip, and that lnfnrmatiou re- garding his movements will reach Spitz• Bergen, where arrungemouts will be Mr. Wellman is "dashing" Inwards the Pole by means of tits balloon he does not intend to rise to a higher elevation than 300 feel, and, as the Mr In the Arc- tic regions is particularly favorable fur wireless messages, It will he possible to follow his movements, almost hunt hour to hour, with the grimiest, ease. TiTLED WOMEN WORKERS. {Vbat They have Done For The Poor of Scotland and Ireland. The restoration of native industries m Scotland and Ireland Is due almost en- tirely to the tilled women of Great-Br1- lain, who have proved beyond question that they ore excellent orgapizers, and also gifted with insight into social problems. "We don't went to raise an unem- ployed fund," one of them wisely said at a recent Leets industrial exhibition ; "we wish to keep the poor employed." In the north of Scotland, the Duchess of Sutherland has restored comfort and activity to many a village home welt:h for lack of work was perishing, and by her energy and example has developed the making of homespuhs and tweeds into a solid and flourishing industry. Lady Aberdeen in central Scotland and the Duchess of Buccleuch in the south practically Dover the country be- tween them, and command an excellent sale for their products of their taste and judgment. The industry so valuable to the poor crofters who weave In the long winter months has steadily progressed from the first. The materials the crofters supply are dyed with seaweed, which gives lovely tints unattainable other- wise. and the goods are all genuine and durable. As en illustration of the durability, there is a story current that two sults of Harris leveed were sold by a worker to a couple who wished to be dressed alike on their tandem bicycle. Year after year, when their friend visited them, they were still wearing the snits. At last, in the fifth year, the friend saw them no longer, and thought they must now be worn nut, when in cane five little children all clothed alike m the Identical tweed, still whole and good. What these ladies have done in Scot- land by reviving the caltnge industries has been repeated in Ireland by the Duchess of Abercorn, Lady Aberdeen, Lady Londonderry, Lady Cadogan, Lady Arthur Bill, and many others. The old art of making beautiful lace. which was languishing for lack of en- couragement a few years ago, is now successfully practised, and fashion in Paris has ordained that Irish lace should be the mode. Whole gowns aro fashioned of it, and blouses, and no dress is considered complete without the addition of a trimming of Irish lace. Lady Dudley, wife of a former Vice- roy of Ireland, has encouraged the man- ufacture and sale of the lace to the ut- most of her ability, and Lady Mayo seconds finer efforts in giving designs, advice and assistance of all kinds to the workers. Lady leenmare, in the delightful re- gions of Killarney, has organized a new industry in the shape of inlaid furniture made by the naUves. Thera are many ventures in making lingerie and art needlework encouraged, pre- sided over and actually created by women. And when one considers how difficult It is to reorganize a dying trade, to find out the best market for the sale of goods, to create fashion and to make money, it must be admitted that these ladles o Great Britain have e G v shown aptitude Inc organisation and activity and perseverance in carrying out their ambitious alms. RED-HAIRED PEOPLE. Distinguished Professor Says They Are Delicate and Conscientious. In the course•of a IasahnaUng lecture, recently, Professor Pearson, of London, dealt with the interesting question, "Can we tell character by physiognomy, phre- nology, palmistry, handwriting, or other external signs?" As we might expect from so eminent a1 authority, the method, of inquiry adopted was searching, and based upon heel, solid facts. So far 115 he knew, the professor said, no word was uttered es to the color of the hair of Judas, yet Lhe old masters painted it red, and in directions for Pas-, stun Plays a red wig was invariably 11 ordered. The wisdom of our ancestors, ns cry- stallized in proverbs titmice a general prejudice against red )tale and curly - healed people also seemed objection- able. Again. roundness of face is nest-elated f with ,llehross (e.g., 'Antony and Cleo- patra." Ael 111., sec. 3). And why ere shrewd p01310 called -"lung -headed''? Ti, answer these and nanny other In- terestingquestions, Peofe-sso' i'carson has e„llecled olid tnhulalcd Ihonsunds of roenrds. A comparison of the mim- ing of lite heir and eves In regard to temper, heathi, cunsrienllursness, in- telligence, popularity, and other pointe yielded a broad getweel conclusion. On the whole, red-haired people, were more en05rietlliehtn, more quick -Impels ed, more delicate, the black being less eoneeienllons, mora sullen, and los:. de- licate, 'There els., scentedIn be a good deal in the attempt to rend c'hnrncle' by hanwriting. for an investigation (if no fewer than 2,000 specimens Melee- felthe lust Thal lied writing was a die - (heeler warning note! In whew' of the slinks rondo upon the atilt; Pe lend„nclee of Irl -day, it is re- ni-oaring to hear that Iheee (s o very high rorrespmulel.r:e between intelligence ane aptitude for epee's. 4. iN HET, FAVOR. REPORT OF THE BRITISH CHIEF IN- SPECTOR.Revolting and Inhuman Condition of nduslrial Lifo --- iloleshop as Toilet Room. Amazing revelulluns of 13riltsb Indus- Irlal life, which 10 the horror of their details tthuost equate Nose cif the Ch1. cage "Jungle," are made 111 the annual report of ate Chief nspeclor of Factoriesand Workshops for 1005, issued as a blue -book, "I !tweeted one jam -factory," says a lady inspector, "where the boiling -room lay between the yard and a stable, and the horses reached the stable through Me boiling room. In others I have found the sanitary accommodation, very inadequately sepurnlcd from the Looms where fresh fruit or uncovered jam is Ropeand dirty, undrained floors are far too common, CAN'T WASH UP. "WhereWe workers have no momsof washing their hands provided, It is only natural that everything should be- come coated with stickiness, which any dust in the factory readily adheres 10." A terrible state of affairs exists in some I.150 jam Moieties, according to the report of Miss Deane, another lady Inspector. She say's:— 'The bottle -washing rooms. in which empty jam pots from which it Is deslr- e.ble to remove the dirt and old labels are washed, are not only very unsatis- factory from the pojnt of vlew of the workers in them, but would probably very disagreeably impress the custo- mers. FOUL WATER. "In one such place, the usual bol, heavy ahnosphere, loaded with steam, ryas rendered more than usually oppres- sive by the disgusting smell arising fromthe water In the tanks, over whlch the dripping women were bending. In answer to a remark, I was informed by the manager that the water in them was changed 'about once a week: "Hundreds of dirty pots were being `washed' in this liquid, which was like dark soup, and smelt abominably. The pots, when fished out, are allowed to stand 1111 they dry, and aro then con- sidered fit to receive the jam, which may be rendered more nutritious by the addition of dirt. WOULD NOT KEEP. "In this place also the empty pots were stacked, not, upside clown, nor covered in any way, and, though coated inside with dirt, were, I found, held Pt to be Riled. It is unlikely that the jam contained in them would keep properly, but this did not appear to cause any misgivings." For disregard of cleanliness it would be impossible to imagine enylbing worse than rho condition of many bakeries. "Work was over in a bakehouse vis- ited on a Saturday night, but the pres- ence of a brush and comb, sponge, etc., on the halting table led to the explana- tion: 'When the place is cleaned up we bathe the children here.' "In another, on Monday morning, 1 found the sorting of a family 'wash' had overflowed into the bakehouse." 'The sausage and brawn factories,' says Air. Boggle Rolfe, an East. End inspector, "are mostly owned by Ger- mans, who have n. retail shop on the premises, and employ one or two hands to make the goods 111 a room behind the shop Or hi' a cellar underneath. These places are small, dilapidated, badly 111, and often infested with rats." LICKING CIGARS. Miss Mary Paterson, acting pricipal lady inspector of factories, calls atten- tion In her repave to the prevalence '.f the practice of biting end licking cigars in cigar factories. "11 is undoubtedly the quickest way of fininshing them," she say's, 'and while discouraged by employers and manag- ers, the rules against it aro not really enforced." Weight lifting by 001000 and childrenis referred to by Miss Martindale, who writes: "On revisiting ono factory 1 was interested in seeing again the boy who In June, 1003, I had found carrying a piece of clay weighing 60 pounds, his own weight being 77 pounds. During the two yea's which have elapsed he hes .hardly grown, and he informedme that 110 weighs at the present, ihne 81 pounds, showing an increase of only 4 pounds. it is evident tliat the under- sized condition of many of the pottery vorkes Is owing to the excessive pity - sisal strain to which many of them ave been subjected in their early years." Lady. Mt the registry office) -13111 1 should 1101 Care lo trust her with a nbHOT. .`she is loo 81111111 fur 11 nurse, A1aragevtf.—.heir 817.e. nlndrime, 0e look 11l(1)1 as her myeloid, rerr,mrnenda 10, tion, iron see, when she drops the in baby, (t hasn't very far Co taIL 1' INHALED BRONZE POWDER. "IL was in high-class silver printing —wedding cards, Chrlshuns cnfds, men- us, etc.—that I found curly this year," writes Miss Squire, "a number of little girls, aged thirteen end fota'Icon, em- ployed 111 hand bronzing by dry pow- der without any precaution being taken. Several of the little girls working there suffered from stcknass, giddiness, bad throats, etc., many of (hem Ind not been examined by the certifying sur- geon, although employed several moths- ' I prosecuted for this latter offence,. old one of the Jlitio girls was so ill that she was unable to appear; the doc- tor unending her 0ltributed the serious condition, which necessitated an opera - Mtn, to 1110 effect of Inhaling bronze powder in her dellcale slate, This girl end two onuses who haat suffered, had some form of n0snl opslruollon, and being mouth-brrelllers, were, had 5110- jecls for work i1 poisonous dust." +- -QUAINT AND PUZZLING. The addresses in Persian upon letters 0111011 go through ' the Post Office at Calcutta are often quaint and puzzling, An Ind101n paper recently translated one as follows; "if the Almighty pleases --- Lel Ibbs envelope, having arrived at the city of Catmint', in the neighborhood of Caloololah, al. lite et -muting -house of Si- ra oodeen end Ilandad, lnercharle, bo oft1eeed to rend by lho happy light of g my eyes, of vhduois manner end beloved of the hent—Haase Shaikh lnnyut Ally, any ince lift be long. Written on the nal of the blessed Rumen, Sahlr(lny, the year :1260 of the Ilelgn of our rophet, and dispatched at Bearing." A GOOD WORD FOR Tim TIGER. Brllisf Ihf. P. Would Prevent Ills Being Slaughtered. To the long llst of pro -Zulus, pro - Boers, pro-Mnhdls, and pyad.eopulds must be added the pea -tiger. Air. Rees has appeared In the British house of Commons in the role of "lbe tlger's friend." Ile tensed some a ntee- ment by asking the )ecreln'y for India to refer to 100 Government of India the question of the indiscriminate offer al rewards to gain which professional slaughterers destroyed these animals. \Ir, tier's Mentioned that man -enters were rare exceptions among tigers, and that others of the species caused no loss and danger to human life. "Ally the poor tiger," is the cry which It is feared will never be properly ap- preceated by the natives of India. Even Mr. Morley could not decide to champion the tiger. "1 cermet promise," be said, "to address file Government of India 10 the sense suggested by Air. Hees, nor do I expect that they would share his views as to the preservation of the tiger," Ai'. Rees, however, explained that "no well•cnnducted tiger ever Thinks cf attacking a man." "The natives just 'shoo' them oft," ho continued, with rho air of a elan who had frequently taken part in the "shoo - !n g," Man-eaters are comparatively very rare, and their habits, their lairs, and all their movements are known to every villager. As f have more (Ilan 01100 insisted, the tiger in India is the agri- culturist's friend. The tiger slays the deer and wild pigs, that destroy the crops. Providence balances all these things. "What I wish lo see put down is the slaying of tigers for regards. The sys- tem of paying 30 rupees for an ordi- nary dead tiger and 100 for a man- eater has resulted in the springing up of a class of professional slatghter'ers. One ordinary deed tiger will keep a whole family for a year." Ah'. Rees did not mention the possi- bility that en ordinary live tiger might also possibly wipe out rho cattle of a whole family in a single night. COTTAGE WRECKED BY SPOOKS. Furniture Is Hurled About and Occu- pants Terrorized, Tine pretty little Ilampshiee Village. of Yalely, England. situated some three miles over the Surrey border, has a mystery. Air. Gough, a middle-aged, weather- beaten man, occupies a small cottage on the outskirts of Yateley. For many years past he has held the position of gardener to Air. Mills, of Hawley 11111, a retired army doctor, and lives with his wife and a little grandchild named Nellie Benham. Three weeks ago they were disturbed by mysterious noises in the dead of the night, but llltle notice was Inlcen of teem. On thursday night, however, the little family were startled by pictures suddenly falling from the walls and ornaments being flung on the 000r, without any apparent cause. "I have lived in 1111s collage for 21 years," said Air. Gough, "and have never heard the slightest disturbance. Now our home is a complete wreck. I cannot understand it. Wherever my granddaughter goes this i(nocking fol- lows her. She is only eight years old, and she is perfectly terrified. We can hear nothing when we ere with her, but as soon as she is left alone these noises commence." The girl Benham went home to her parents at Sandhurst. The whole vil- lage is curious as to whether the noises will now be repeated, JERUSALEM DISCOVERY. Ancient Ronan Rork -hewn Prisons Un- earthed by Archaeologists. A remarkable archaeological discov- ery is reported front Jerusalem. Some thirty years ago certain subterranean chambers near the Ecce Homo Chapel in the V10 Dolorosa were discovered, but only partly explored by Professor Clermont-Ganneau, the famous archae- ologist. Recently the Greeks, while clearing out these chambers, have dis- covered others. Their researches point to these being ancient 11om0n rock -hewn prisons, sinilar to the well-known Lae tomiae of Syracuse, to Sicily. In one of these newly -discovered chambers is a stone slab, about tree feet high, containing a recess, while just above this recess and communicating with it, are two circular holes, which were evidently meant to serve as stocks. '1111s chamber has been converted in- to a chapel by the Greek monks, and it has been visited by throngs of pil- grims, who firmly believe Mc holy silo to be the actual prison of Christ. Among other discoveries in these rock -hewn prisons Is a kind of oubliette below Christ's prison, which was full of rub bash and human -boles. PAPER -MAKING MATERIALS. Now materiels from which paper can be matte are continually being discov- ered. Ro'cenlly pine whsle has been successfully manuftweired into that uni- versal substance wt hole which so many features of modern elni!Pnnllon cotlld hardly survive. Flue (,aper eel be made from corn -stalks and from rice -straw. In addition to spruce, pine, fir, aspen, birch, sweet -gum, cottonwood, maple, cypress, and willow frees all contain fibre suitable for 1116 manufacture of paper. Hemp, cotton, jute, Indinll mil- let, and other fibrous plants can also ho used for this purpose, so (hat there seems to be no danger of a dearth of paper. ^� AMATEUR POULTRY KEEPER, Walter (unaccustomed to ponitry life); flow long must my hal sit on tho eggs?" Friend ; 'Oh, three weeks for hens and four for (lucks." Friend fa few weeks later): Well, glow are the chirltels progressing?" Weller 1 1 hero 'weren't, any at the end of three weeks, so I took the hen off, as 1 didn't want ducks." POSERS FOR PALE PUPILS SOME REMARKABLE QCIISTIONS IN SCiIOOL EXAMS, Collafle of Preceptors Seems to Believe Thal Children Are \\'ell Informed. The lnicisumrucr esnndnallon of the College of Preceptors has provoked e considerable amine, of e.onnlen(, says an English exchange, 0)11113 of the ex- aininaUon papere forwarded in us by various amazed correspondents may ap- pear to others of our readers to assume 11 somewhat unusual nuu 1)1)1 of intelli- gence, es well as of knowledge, on the part o1 len and eleven year old pupils. Possibly other examination Papers melee equal demands on youth ; bill the following geographical questions in a paper for eleven and twelve veer old candidates would strike severul elder folk as "1)OSera" : 7. Flow Is it that— (a) There are so many old cathedral eilalinesd? In the custom half of Eng - (le The heaths round London (such as Blackheath) aro now so famous for schools and were once notorious for highwaymen? (c) The sites of most old Roman camps aro now occupied by railway junctions? (d) So many small articles (such as pins, pens, screws, watch springs, etc.) are made In the Birmingham district? (o) The Broads teens with wild -fowl? Five people out of six studying 111e French papers for children of 0-11, and for those of 11-12, would pronounce the former 11101'0 difficult. Are the follow- ing grammar questions, following five French sentences in the junior paper, even readily comprehensible? 1. Change the French of sentences 1, 2 and 3 of Part 1., beginning at Jean and ending at Soleil. into the present tense, putting two girls, Emilie et Char - lotto instead of Jean, and ville, which is feminine, instead of village. Be care- ful to alter all the words which agree with them. 2. Continuo to write sentences 4 and 5 In French In the present tense, but let Enellie and Charlotte themselves tell this part of the story in the first person plural—that is to say, by using nous (we) instead of 11 and making all verbs, nouns, adjectives, ate., agree. Take the first three sentences to be translated into French in the senior paper: "11) Two Mlle boys were play- ing In the garden; (2) They were called Jean and Louis. Jean was the elder; (3) Jean's father was a General in the army of the King." And the first three sentences from the junior paper : "(1) If you lose your way in a wood, do not be foolish and cry, but think. (2) \Vhen the sun is shining about 12 o'clock, If you follow your shadow you are going north. (3) You have been taught this at school, end you know that our house lies to the north of the wood." There can, of course, be no question which is the more difficult set of the two to translate ; but why is the more difficult given to the younger children? I300IAN RELICS. First Century Discoveries in the North o1 England. The work at excavating at Ncwslead Fort, on the border of England and Scotland, hes recently brought to light many interesting objects from the period of the Menton occupation. They have been found in pits outside 1110 fort, as well as within the ram- parts, at depths varying from 12 to 30 feet, and all of them were more or leas full of decomposed animal and vegetable matter which has a marked preservative influence. In many instances branches of birch and hazel have been unearthed, with the bark bright and silvery. Even a tiny portion of an egg shell has been dis- tinguished. Some of the articles pro- bably dale from the first century, one being a bronze vase with a single handle 11 inches high, and belonging to a type emanating from Southern Italy. i,h'. James Curio, who describes Lho discoveries In the "Scottish historical Review," thinks the Newstend finds may ultimately form a collection of the greatest archaeological value, as Illus• trnlive of the life on the Roman frontier, A most valuable collection of pieces of bronze armour was taken out of one pit, and, best of all, a very fine Roman helmet decorated with embossed figures 1n inigh relief. They are all objects of the greatest eerily, and In wonderful preservation. The helmet has an inscription punc- tured on the rim, probably an owner's name, but it has yet been satisfactorily deciphered. No visitor was found with it. It covered the head and neck, and has a high protecting peak In front. Tho whole of the crown is covered with an embossed design. AL the back a winged figure stands upringht driving a two. wheeled chariot, to which a pair cf griffins are harnessed. In ono hand it holds the reins; in the other a whip with which it urges the animals on. 111 front another winged figure goals through the air. POLICE STATISTICS. The police force of the British Empire —Metropolitan, municipal, and rural— includes .altogether about 214,000 men. Of this total 54,000 are in the Veiled Kingdom and 147,000 In India, the re- mainder being In the Colonies and do- pendeneies. 13111 if we add the number of village police in India 0110 are leg- ally recognized, and of whom (hero are at least from 845,000 to 000,000, We get a grand total of 560,000 for the police fordo of the Emplre. This means that, taking the British Empire as a Whole, there le ono policeman to every 8`70 peoe plo and l o f every teen sgiler° Miles. Tho pollee0 o United Kingdom cost 1,500 a year each on tihe average, TAGS ON SALMONS' FINS ORIGINAL METROD OP T'RACINO T'Ilj lit COURSE. Only the Liveliest Fish Are Thus Adorned—Both Governments Co-operating. For many years the coarse of the sockeye salmon after they 0111er Juan do Fuca sh'ait has been a mutter of much dispute, The Dominion Govern- ment has now decided to settle the question if possible, An ingenious scheme has heen devised as part of This investigation, whloh is being conducted by llov. G. W. Taylor, tlahories Inspec- tor for Vancouver Island. 'trap owners on both sides of the line have con- sented to co-operate in the project, and fishermen generally have been asked to land their assistance. The method adopted in the endeavor to (rem rho route followed by the sal- mon consists of a system of numbering lags. A machine to provided, somewhat resembling a paper clip press. On the occasion of each 1111 at the traps live c six of the liveliest sockeyes are caught and a malleable iron lag pressed 0)0r the dorsal fin, This tag bears both A LETTER AND NUMBER, The letter gives the trap and the num- ber, the approximate date. Each trap, included In the experiment Is ]known by, a certain letter, and each week tags with a different number will be used. Thus, for (he first week the trap furthest up the West Coast will use tags marked "Al," for the second week "A2," and so on. Whenever the sockeye is caught 'nee trap carrying one of Those tags 11 will be taken off and forwarded to the in- spector with the date, place, and hour of capture. From these details 11 is hoped that a correct idea may be ob- tained of the route taken by the saloon atter the run stril(es the entrance of the stra(ts. The generally accepted theory is that the lacn(ion mentioned is what might be called "the parting of the ways" for the 'big schools of sockeyes. One portion enters the straits and eventually finds its way to the spawn - Ing grounds In the Fraser River, while the remainder continue south and enter the Columbia or Sacramento for shnt- ler propagalory purposes. Tho great outcry against salmon traps was originally caused through the circuitous course Indcen by the salmon to the Fraser. As far as is known, after passing Victoria, 'l'1IEY ENTER HARD STRAIT, and then strike northeasterly to the eastern shore of Boundary Bay at Point Roberts. Soon offer the formation of 1110 Anglo (B. C.) Packing Company, that precluded by contract all Ute can- ners whose business had been pur- chased from engaging in the industry within British Columbia for a number of years, they were compelled to seek new locations. A number went to Blaine and Anacortes, and, as a result, traps were erected in the vicinity of Point Roberts under 1110 lows of Washington Stale. 11 is certain that the fish caught there would eventually have entered Ms Fraser, and fishermen became enraged at the curtailment 01 their harvest from the sea. Many reaches of Lho Fraser that formerly produced many sockeyes are to -clay almost deserted, and the !lettermen have been compelled to go father and farther outside the mouth of the river to obtain their fish. The insUlution of traps on the west coast of Vancouver Island has salved the problem of supply to a large extent, as the fish are now caught in the vicinity of Victoria before striking Boundary Bay. This has reduced the catch on th0 Fraser considerably, but, taking It all in all, TIIE INDUSTRY HAS IMPROVED under changed conditions. More fish are caught el less expense, and prices that might a few year., ago have spelt ruin ere now met without d(itcully. The other phase of the salmon ques- tion—where ao the sockeyes go between runs -1s also being investigated. Pre- sent evidence points towards the Knmscholkanl coast. On the river flowing into the Northern Pacific thele are two runs—one early in May and the other late in September. From tees (1 would appear that the run visits the coast mentioned both before and after coming to the rivers of North America to spawn. Such being the case, a well- known autiority staled lits morning that, h1 his opinion, the location of the Imp schools 01 s0okeyea when they pass out of sight is In—the deep waters adjacent to the Siberian and Japanese 0005(8. —4 TOY TOAST FOR HEALTH. Since most of 'us are very fold -of toast, but eat it sparingly, however, be- cause of the general impression that it is bad for the health, it is pleasing to Ilnd a leading medical journal pointing on the cavo In the boat. Almost every wholesome, even for Invalids. One thing in its favor is the fact that it places a lighter tax on talo digestive functions than ordinary breed, since during its preparation some of the starch grains of the flour are ruptured, while some are converted into dextrine, which is easily soluble. Further, the crispness of toast necos- silates els being completely moistened in the mouth before it can be swallowed. As a rule, therefore, toast is thoroughly submitted to the action of the prelim- iney digestive process In the mouth. It 18 hnporteet, however, that tenet should bo crisp all through, as otherwise the internal portions lend to become plastic and soft, like new bread, and like 11, difficult of digestion if not (hos oughly masticated. The pretty girl with the auburn heir had refused 01111. "I never dreamed, Mr. Smytaina," she said, "that your at• tontions to me wore anything more Than those of a friend.' "00, you didn't 1' growled the young man, lot thought I had been coming Here regulariy 01100 a week during the last six months merely for the; pleasure of seeing you eat a halt'doliat bolt of chocolates, did emu 2"