MISCELLANEOUS.

Evening Star, Issue 3663, 18 November 1874, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS.

‘‘Atticua,” in the ‘Melbourne Leader, writes “If anything can justify a man in committing a forgery, it ia being the proprietor of a newspaper which does not pav its expenses. The wear and tear, mental and physical, must be tremendous. Not many months ago Mr Evans, a gentleman who for years has occupied an influential position as a city editor, tried to start a Conservative daily newspaper i,n London. He failed after about twelve months for a sum of 1 .£O,OOO. having previously beggared both himself and his fr ends, and a few weeks afterwards died of a broken heart. Mr Ainley seems to have hoped to retrieve his position by means of forgery. Hi'. conduct was most reprehensible, but I can understand how, under the pressure of circumstances his mind completely gave way,” “ A now and very deadly prison ” is what a prudent man would say on being tendered such a gift as at a recent meeting of the Pan's hcientific Academy was presented to that body by one of its members -M. H. Sninte Clair Deville—a suggestive name, by the way. The gift was a perfectly tight vial containing about fifteou pounds of osmium. Ibe distinguished chemist, in making the presentation, stated some interesting facts concerning the substance contained in the vial They amounted to this Osmium is the most powerful of all poisons. Twenty pounds of it would poison the entire population of the world. One thousandth part of a grain of osmic acid, set free in a volume of air of a hundred cubic yards, would possess such a deadly influence that all persons respiring the air would be nearly kill, d Worst fact of all, no antidote to the poison is known.

ftKEAT BICYCLE RACE. The increasing popularity of the iron stud and the hold bicycling has obtained on the public favor in England was fully a tested by the crowds of spectators who witnessed the finish of the race by Mr D. Stanton, of London, who l ad backed himself for a heavy wager to cover the distance between the Ihroe Cups Hotel, Walco-.t street, Bath and the Three Tuns, High street, Kensington computed at 106 miles, in eight hours thirty minutes. Opinions varied as to the ability of the bicyclst to accomplish the feat (“ olu chronos ” being the favorite), although his trainer, Croppy Small, the once crack London sprint-r, and a select coterie of Stanton’s friends were sanguine that be would win and win easily. I.eavmg Bath as the cathedral clock struck o a m., be was timed by his trainer, to arrive at his goal about 1.25 p m and as the hour drew ueir the excitement was ip tense. Presently the cry of “ here he comes ’ ran along the lino of spectators, and quickly the well-known red cap and blue and white jersey hove in sight. The wearer appeared much distressed, and labored heavily, the left shoulder of his jersey being covered with blood, whilst be worW his machine with bis right hand onlv, as if stimulated to further exertions by the tight of the harbor so near at. hand. He put on a gallant spurt, and, amidst tremendous c-heer-mg, ‘‘brought up” opposite the Three Tuns at 1.28 p m Being wry stiff he was lifted out of the saddle and carried into the inn, where Mrs Percy quickly provided a hot bath, who hj soon had a beneficial effect on the rider, whom it*was found had sustained a fievere injury to his shoulder and knee through c mlng into collision with a carriage dnyen by a g-mtleman on Maidenhead Hill which delayed him a considerable time as notwithstanding th e shock to his system, required looking after. “The Vet ” being quickly on the spot, and his machine put “ ship shape,” he continued his journey,, though only able to use his right hand ia working the bicycle for the last six-aml-twenty miles, a rare instance of indomitable pluck and sheer gameness. He found the roads very heavy-going. Had it not been tor the unfortunate contretemps at ivlaidenhean, Stanton was certain that he could have landed home a good hour inside the stipulated time. '