AMERICAN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 April 1924, Page 3

AMERICAN ITEMS.

LATEST CABLE NEWS

fiUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE association. EINSTEIN’S THEORY. NEW YORK, April 34. The “ New York Times ” Chicago correspondent says Doctor Charles St. .John, the solar physicist at -Mount Wilson observatory, Pasadena, internationally noted as an investigator of the theory of relativity, lias announced lie lias experimentally established Einstein’s third prediction, namely, gravitational displacement of solar •spectrum lines. Dr St John aserting that a displacement occurs in the exact quantities predicted bv Einstein. He says: :l used the spectroscope which stretches tiie sun’s light into a beautiful hand of prismatic colours, crossed by dark lines whose changes of position and intensity enable scientists to read the evidence regarding the strength of gravitational fields. My spectroscope now reveals a slight shift on these solar spectrum lines towards the reel region, indicating a displacement, thus fulfilling the third prediction.

St. John, referring to the practical side of the investigation, said we were rapidly exhausting the world’s sources of energy. Wo must learn to store the sun’s energy or get energy from matter; lienee, we must discover how to do the things which are proceeding in the sun, which is a great unexplained engine of energy.

QUAKE AT HAWAII. NEW YORK, April 124

Astelegrain from Hilo, Hawaii, says a series of earthquakes which began yesterday, caused the village of Kapolio to ho abandoned. The inhabitants, mostly natives, fled from their homes in panic. Tearing a volcanic eruption in one of the craters of the island.

C.S. QUARANTINE. WASHINGTON. April 24. Pursuant' to a request by Governor Richardson of California, the Federal Department of Agriculture assumed complete direction of the cattle hoof and mouth disease, and is concentrating efforts in California which arc recognised as the most dangerous zone of infection. Secretary Wallace ordered the chief bureau of animal husbanding to mobilise a majority of California’s veterinary to devise curative and preventive measures, applicable also throughout the neighbouring state. Mr Cooiidge's invitation to western State Governor’s to confer for the purpose of discussing a mollification of quarantine restrictions that they imposed against fruit and produce shipments from California seems doomed to failure, because the replies unanimously indicate that quarantine is the only preventive against the spread of the disease from California, wherefore they consider a, modification extremely dangerous. Wallace in his campaign •will have fifteen hundred thousand dollars appropriation, cabled on 2lst. April, which Mr Coolidgc shortly will make available.

A CREW’S DANGER. NEW YORK. April 24

According to a telegram from Kismifmwurn Bay. Kurile Islands, the crew of the American destroyer Ford when establishing a supply base for Coiled States army lliers, narrowly escaped death at tile hands of Japanese guards, who initially mistook them for Russian outlaws. The Americans whom a severe storm drove sliorewards oil Sunday had been substituting on reduced nations. Several of the crew wandered inland ill search of fresh meat, when they wore ambushed hv watchmen near a cannery. The watchman explained that they had seen no human beings for months, but feared an incursion of Russians. Meantime the American Embassw at Tokio confirmed the identity of the crew who were promptly released.