MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

Lyell Times and Central Buller Gazette, Volume VI, Issue 284, 31 July 1886, Page 4

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

It is stated that for Russia's population of over 90,000,000 there are only 5200 medical men. The seal fishing in Newfoundland during the winter has been a comparative failure. The total catch of the Dundee vessels was 41,880 seals. Last year's catch was 73,890.

Considerable excitement has been caused in Berlin by the publication of a Government decree prohibiting all meetings for the discussion of public affairs without previous permission from the police authorities.

Three Russian Gendarmes a few days ago visited the house of a " suspect " in Kursk, and while making their search in different rooms were separately murdered. The assasin has been handed over to the military tribunal at Charkoff.

A sign of the times, says an English paper, is the appearance in our shop windows of " The Union Scarf," " The Union Boot," " The AntiHome Rule Hair-wash," and the " Imperial Unity Gas Stove." Apparently John Bull is getting Americanised.

Owing to over-fishing, an alarm has been raised in America that lobsters will in a short time be exterminated. A protective measure has been passed, forbidding the catching of any lobsters under 10£ inches in length. Last winter they were so scarce that the price went up to a shilling a pound. In Nottingham the overflow of the Trent has caused the inundation of the whole of southern part of the town, comprising 8000 houses. The Midland Railway line between Nottingham and the Trent was submerged for nearly six miles, and traffic was seriously interrupted. A typical American has invented a circular table with revolving shelves, to be used in hotels and restaurants. The shelves revolve by steam; on them is placed the whole bill of fare, which moves with them as they revolve, so as to pass each guest once a minute. It does away with waiters, so that rapidity of a man's dining depends upon his own capacity and not upon the movements of waiters. Boston courts had recently 234 divorce cases on the docket waiting for trial.

Captain Boycott has finally sold his property in Ireland, and has removed his family to England. Professor Wagner has published analysis supporting his opinion that steamed potatoes are far more nutritious than boiled ones.

Gold to the value of 250,000,000 sterling was taken from the fields of New South Wales and Victoria between the years 1851 and 1883. Hindooism has continued now, without interruption, more than three thousand years, and is at present the creed of one hundred and ninety millions.

A firm at Vienna does a thriving business at Berlin by selling waistcoats into which a likeness of Bismarck has been woven in a very artistic manner. Lately a man was to be seen in the streets of London without hands—yet he managed to play the violin by the aid of a curious arrangement of leather straps and steel hands. M. Jules Verne, who was shot in the leg by his insane nephew some time ago, was at the beginning of June still confined to his bed, and will not for several months be able to walk without crutches. The cost of the Kiel rebellion is stated in the official report of the Minister of Militia, presented to the Canadian Parliament, to be $4,700,000 The casualties were—killed, twentysix ; wounded, two hundred and sixteen.

The use of straw on the floors of tramcars during rainy or damp weather is forbidden by the New York health authorities, on the ground that straw is productive of disease. It may be used, however, on cold and dry days.

A Bill has passed both branches of the New York State Legislature, and been signed by the Governor, which gives to certain incorporators the right to construct a tunnel, erect mills, and develop the water power of the Niagara river. Senator Millas, of Buffalo, New York, has proposed in the House that henceforth executions should be performed with electricity. To that end there should be in every prison an electrical machine, with power strong enough to instantly extinguish life. A paper manufacturer in Saxony, named Penig, has just discovered how to prepare paper so that if any attempt be made to change the writirg of the original contents, the spot where such change has been attempted will assume a different colour from the rest of the document.