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Lyell Times and Central Buller Gazette, Volume VI, Issue 288, 28 August 1886, Page 4

Considerable excitement has been caused in Berlin by the publication of. a Goyernment decree prohibiting all meetings for the discussion of public affciirs without previous permission from the police authorities. Miss Genevieve Ward, who is now in England, speaks enthusiastically of the culture and intelligence of people in the large Australian cities. She has found them quite as thoroughly civilised as the people of other great cities and she is particularly well pleased with Australian audience, which are tastful, critical and refined. The museums, libraries, theatres, and other public insitutious in Melbourne and other places are, she says, worthy of London or Paris. Sir H. A. I). Tichborne has just come of age. The necessity for defending the property has entailed upon his trustees the large expenditure of il k 2O, 000. His estates in Hampshire, Lincolnshire, Dorsetshire, and Buckinghamshire represent nearly 12,000 acres; and it is estimated that the gross rent-roll of the young baronet will be £28,000 It is very probable that not a single sailor lives who does not believe that Friday is an unlucky day. Captain Barnstable, of Cape Cod, endeavoured to disprove this by laying the keel of a ship on Friday, he launched her on Friday, named her Friday, and always went to sea on Friday. The vessel was finally lost on Friday, and the captain, two mates, and twelve seamen were drowned on Friday. Diving for black pearls employs a large number of men and boats off the coast of Lower California. Traders supply the vessels and diving apparatus upon the stipulation that the pearls that are found are to be sold to them at specified rates. These jewels are of much beauty, and highly prized. A year's production is worth on an average from £IOO,OOO to £•200,000. When in the Arctic regions Sir W. E. Parry once tried how much food an Esquimaux lad, scarcely full grown, could consume in twenty four hours. It was as follows: —Four pounds four ounces of seahorse flesh, raw ; four pounds four ounces of frozen seahorse flesh, boiled; one pound twelve ouuces of bread and breau-dust; one pint and a quarter of rich gravy soup; one tumbler of strong grog; three winegiubses Gi raw spirits: nine pints of *vater.