Brief Mention.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 2 October 1913, Page 4

Brief Mention.

Philologists luive listed <1424 languages and dialects. Lifeboats were invented by Lionel Lakin, a London coachbuilder. Several species of moss, a lily, a poppy, a nasturtium are luminous at night. At a height of one mile the average velocity of wind is four times as great as at the surface. Several miles of underground passages in Paris and district are now used for growing mushrooms. The Panama CauaJ, it is officially stated, can, if necessary, be made ready for (lie passage of battleships by October. There are more wrecks in the Baltic Sea than in any other sea in the world. The average is one wreck a day throughout the year. Within the Antarctic circle there lias never been found a flowering plant. In the Arctic regions there are 7(!2 different species of flowers.

The scarcity of elephants in India may be inferred from the fact that in 18-15 one of these animals could be bought for £'45: now the price has advanced to £800. A regiment of 100 men could readily find shelter under a single banyan tree. In India there is one of these trees which has 400 main trunks and 8000 smaller ones. In order to authorise, the payment of a sum of -><1, which represents an error in the Budget ol' 11)10-11, the Italian Chamber has passed a law giving the Finance Minister power to make the payment. It is said that the Bank of France has an invisible studio in a gallery behind the cashiers, so that at a given signal from one of them anv suspected can instantly have his photograph taken without his knowledge.

The geratest sea depth known man is in the South Atlantic Ocean midway between the island of Tristan da Cuuha and the north of the 11 i o de la Plata, the bottom being here reached at a depth of -](),-'i'i(ift, or about eight miles. The need for wider streets has led to the removal of one of the most characteristic landmarks in East London, the gateway of the old dock of the East India Company (says the Shipping World). Poplar will now have a wider high way, but the removal of the old gateway has left it poorer in romance. Arrangements are practically complete for the provision of a number of London cab ranks where shell ers are not provided of telephone boxes for receiving calls. The instrument is to be closed in a small iron case, fitted to a lamp post, and will contain a very loud

"buzzer. The 1 ><>x ciiti lie open - en when the buzzer is souiidini** and it closes ;iui(iiu;i( iciill v. Advert i iuu - is not ;ui outcome ol' modern necessity, but is a very ancient practice. The, British Museum possesses a very old collection ol' Greek advertisements pi in led on leaden plates. The Egyplians were greal advert isers. Papyrus lea ves over •'!()()() years old have Leell found at Thebes desci ihing runaway slaves, and offering a reward for Iheir capture : and at I'ompeii ancient advertisements have, been revealed on the walls and deciphered. Not all people realise that it is well worth while to preserve the teeth in good condition: yet doctors are constantly seeing cases oi' indigestion which are due to imperfect mastitication 1 )>• impelled, t.ecitli. Secondly, The presence ol decaying teeth in the mouth means the presence of millions oi' germs which are the actual cause ol'l he decay : and which produce objectionable products that are swallowed and pass into the blood. Serious ill-health may be caused in this way. Coal mines in Chungking are abundant, and as much of the coal is very near the surface, it is very easily worked. The methods employed, however, are most primitive, and, although (lie cost of labour is exeeedinly low, the present mode of minium is comparatively expensive. The eoal now mined in tin 4 porvince is mostly used for domestic purposes, although a certfiin amount is now even employed for industrial enterprises, says the American Consul at Chun king.