ODDS AND ENDS.

Grey River Argus, 16 February 1927, Page 8

ODDS AND ENDS.

I’ALATIAL. CARGO SHIP. The Dortmund, an 8000-ton vessel which arrived at Pinkenba (Q.) recently on her maiden voyage fl-bin Germany, might be fittingly described as a palatial cargo ship. Original in desigii and unique in conception, the ship’s general interior is the maximum representation of utility and comfort, the exquisitely /designed fittings and ornamentations being of workmanship hardly in keeping- with a cargo boat. The'captain’s cabin, for instance, trulj symbolises the ideal home—snug, inviting, effectively furnished with beautifully polished timber, and generally becoming. Unlike most other cargo boats, the Dortmund accommodates its crew of 50 amidships, providing them with single and two-berth cabins, which are an up-to-date example of the maximum amount of space. An old sea dog is the skipper, Captain N. P. Montizen, whoso shief complaint is what he considers the unsatisfactory industrial conditions of Australia. “My ship is always at the mercy of these unforgiving wharf labourers,I’’ 1 ’’ he said, adding “It costs me £4O a day to berth the 'Dortmund in Australia because the ship is everlastingly held up wnile the wharf men air their grievances.’’ MIND RESTORED! BY SHOCK.

A 23-year-61d Hungarian girl, pronounced insane in New York on account of constant brooding over nei failure to succeed in America, and en route to her home, near Budapest, as a last chance to regain her mental balance, leaped from the deck of the liner Homeric in mid-ocean. Her sister, from whose side she had plunged, gave the and the liner was turned in a complete circle within thirty minutes, thus making possible the girl’s rescue. She was taken from the water perfectly sane, and for the first time in four years she answered questions normally and knew what she was doing. The ship’s surgeon said the shock of the cold water, after a drop of fifty feet, had been so terrific that it restored the girl’s mind. On her arrival in Paris, apart from a slight shyness, she was perfectly natural. She said from the moment she struck the water she could remembered everything that had happened, and wanted to live. I EXTRAORDINARY WARSHIPS. The new British battleship Nelson has the largest fbrccastle in the world, I and has what resembles an armoured skyscraper for a foremast. The fore castle is about 410 feet long from stem to bridge. The total length of the ship is 702 feet, so that the forepart is more than half the length. A warship of such a bizarre shape has never before been seen in the world's navies. The bridge is totally unlike anything ever called a bridge. It is really an armoured tower of many storeys and great spaciousness. It looks as though there would be room in it for a whole series of self-contained flats, and, in fact, it has some living accommodation with direction stations and observation posts, and many confidential chambers. Warship outlines are changing all over the world. The Japanese battleship Mutsu has a curved funnel bent aft in lue middle to take the smoke and fumes away from the o<ldost-lool<ing mainmast. This can' only be likened to dozen mushrooms stuck through with an upright skewer. The new Japanese cruiser Furutaka is another freak with oblong funnels attached by a great trunk to the forebridge. The new British cruisers of the “Country’ class, on the contrary, have more Or less normal funnels and masts, but the bridge structure is a heavy-looking edi lice.

I FOSSILISED HUMAN LEG. | An unusual and interesting specimen [ will shortly arrive at tho Brisbam [ Museum. It was foun- recently by Mr I B. Jones, ganger, employed by the | Cloncurry (Q.) Shire Council, while I forming a crossing over the Williams t River, about' 20 miles from Cloncurry. I The specimen is a flat piece of rock, I embedded in which is what looks re- | markably like the outline and portion i of a fossilised human foot and" leg. It I would appear that an attempt had been I made to heal a fi-acture near the knee, | and that clay or mud had been used for I bandaging. Probably the aborigine died ' from other injuries received in a tribal I fight. Shells were also found near | where the fossil was found. A BIG FAMILY. I Descendants of John and Daniel Eaton, both married in 1802, now number 6200 odd, all but 800 of whom are living. John married' Catherine Vanluzen, and Daniel married Mary Ann SehoVener, both weddings being celebrated at. Hamilton (Canada). It Ts the boast of this family that not one of its members has even seen the inside of a gaol oi- a poorhouse. Recently a picnic was held there, at which there' were over 5000 descendants of the Eaton brothers. SHEARER’S RECORD. Mr George Ilundy, sen., of Pyramui, has a wonderful record as a shearer. He is 67 years of age, and has been shearing since he was 13. To show he has not lost his dash he put through the very respectable tally of 5400 last season, and finished strong. Thirty years ago he put up his best record with the blades, turning out. 166 between 6 a.m. and 2 p.in.ji while he shore 170 al Tondeburnie with the machine. This remarkable veteran, who is will mg to meet any shearer 10 years his junior, has not missed a season since lie started at the game 54 years ago. TRAVELLED 960,000 MILES. In one ship for 32 years, during which time he has travelled approximately 960,000 miles. That is the record of Mr W. Fraser, purser of the London Missionart Society’s steamer John Williams, -which arrived in Sydney last week, after a four months’ cruise in the South Seas. The vessql which was built in 1894 is of only 663 tons. Mr Fraser was with the ship on her first voyage, and he Ims been with her ever since. Tho John Williams covers about. 30,000 miles in a DESERTED MINE ON FIRE. The Victory goldmine, one of really good shows of the Charters

Towers boom, days, was abandoned in 1916. All surface material, such as the poppet legs, engine sheds, winding gear, maining as a means of locating this iambus show, which, like other notable mines in the locality, has been almost forgotten. Victory memories, however, were revived recently through a most ,unusual and unexpected medium. During the day smoke Was noticed issuing from the shaft. Little notice was taken, but at 5.30 o’clock in the after noon dense volumes of black smoke

and great tongues of flame suddenly burst forth. The Fire Brigade poured a bipf stream of water <lo\Vii tho st.afl

for two hours, and .eventually subdued -the flames, though at 9 o’clock much smoke was still being emitted. For several months past the shaft has been used as a rubbish tip and the fire, in all probability, was due either to combustion or to the presence of matches in the garbage.

etc., have long since disappeared, only a huge mullock heap and the yawning, unprotected mouth of the shaft re-