NEWS IN BRIEF.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 2046, 25 October 1919, Page 4

NEWS IN BRIEF.

The Krupp howitzer, presented to Amnthill (Beds) has proved ho grout a nuisance in, the market place by youths indulging in horseplay around it that the council have decided to remove it to the sewage farm. Dirt, as a diet serves as- a remedial agent in various partfl. of the world. At' Ochida, in Macedonia, aiid in some villages of Sardinia, a line white earth forms an essential part of the local bread, and is brought to market together with other articles of food. Hounslow is a terminus for air Ira flic to London, and hangars are available for the housing of commercial aeroplanes at tariffs ranging from 5s to 20s per 24 hours, according to the size of tfie machine; for eight hours or less the charge varies from 2s (Id to 10s.

In Brazil some plants show remarkable luminosity. One is so luminous that it can be plainly distinguished in the darkest nights for a distance of more than a mile. In its immediate vicinity it emits sufficient light to enable a 'person to read the smallest print. In a house in Grafton Street, London, there is a shorthand Bible which was written at least two centuries l.«efore Chinan was born. It was written by an apprentice in the djjys of James 11., when to possess a “common or garden Bible” was rather dangerous. In Venice and Murano, felt and e-ipth made from spun glass have now been success fully produced there. A new society, the “Vdrum,” has been formed, with extensive plants at Naples, for the manufacture of this felt and cloth for use as Insulators in storage batteries. In (lying the Atlantic, an aeroplane engine will revolve approximately .1,800 limes per minute for 1,200 minutes .(20 hours). In doing so the engine will* malic 2,1(10,000 revolutions, and each piston will travel up and down the interior of the cylinder a total distance of 440 miles.

The humming of telegraph wires is a jdienomenon which- has not yet been satisfactorily explained. U is not caused by wind-, for it is heard during jieii'ect calms. It has been suggested that changes of temperature, which lighten or loosen the wires, probably produce the sound.

From a London aerodrome recently. Professor Newell performed the feat of a double parachute descent. .From a height of .1,500 ft. he jumped from a biplane, and after descending some distance by parachute released himself, and compleled his ‘descent by means of a. second parachute. The owl has no motion in the eye, fhe'glohe of which is immovably fixed in its socket by a strong, elastic, hard, cartilaginous case'; but, iu order to compensate for (he absence of motion in the eye, the owl is aide to turn its head round in almost a comjdele circle without moving its bodv.

In production of the world’s supply of gold, the South African dominions lead with a total jn'oiluMion of 9,2110,545 ozs., the United Stales

second with 4,481),057 ozs., Australia third with 1.002,154 ozs., Russia fourth with .1,273,302 ozs., Canada fifth with 1)30,402 ozs., and Rhodesia sixth with 030,850 ozs.,

About a year ago something happened which, htil for the war, would have caused a considerable stir all over the world. Mount Elburz, the tallest peak of the Caucasus, suddenly hurst into eruption. Scientists knew that Elburz was originally a volcano, but Elburz had actually been dead 1,000,000 years! It was Alary, Queen of Scots, who, according to tradition, gave the tricolour device to Paris —the white to rejn'esent the house of her Rolay husband the Dauphin, the blue for Scotland}- and the red for the red-coated Swiss of the Royal bodyguard. The Revolutionists in 1780 adopted Mary's colours for their own.

Kecently, in Wawaii, shark hunting has been placed on a commercial basis, and the development of a big industry is forecasted. Shark fins are deemed a great delicacy by Orientals, and dried shark meat has found a ready market. The cunning’ of shark meat is being considered. Shark livers yield a valuable oil. It is interesting' to recall now the success of the experiment of the United States Government in 1910 in conncelio,n with edible Hour from the cotton plant, Most satisfactory experiences were obtained at the lime, (bough in view of the abundaut wheat supply of the Slates, no practical realisation of the scheme resulted. GENERAL NEWS ITEMS. An airman named Geoffrey, in a Chaser biplane, has accomplished the difficult feat of Hying under the Arc de Triomphc at Paris, Mr Alfred D. Crawford, a Belfast solicitor, who left £58,030, bequeathed £I,OOO to his housekeeper, £2OO to other employees, and a £OOO mortgage to David Harper.