NEWS IN BRIEF.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2308, 28 July 1921, Page 1

NEWS IN BRIEF.

Goldfish have been known to live for sixty years. »

A square foot of honeycomb contains 10,000 cells. * - The skeleton of an average whale weighs twenty-five tons. The first geographical map of England was issued in 1815. Mr Lloyd George first became a Member of Parliament in April, 1890.

The first passenger steamer, the Comet, was launched on the Clyde in 1812.

In Chicago every policeman now carries a small wireless telephone

apparatus

The opal - shows off its colours liest when warm from contact with the finger. Giraffes arc found only in Central and South Africa, chiefly in desert region’s.

All German citizens over Iwcnlv years of age, both women and men, have voles.

Gent ciitling Inis been one of Ani-

sterdnm’s leading industries for nearly 500 years. Euclid’s “Elements” has been in use in schools and colleges for more I ban 2,000 years. The Girl Guides in 1920 numbered 321,000, including the Girl Scouts of America.

A Chinese mission has arrived in Brussels to study the industrial and commercial life of Belgium. One variety of cactus, found in deserts, always points to the south? thus forming a natural compass.

The most distant point t<> which a Londoner can telephone is Marseilles, which is 720 miles away. Esperanto has been officially recognised as a language that may he telegraphed, says a Rome message. “While” silk is usually graded as “oyster,” “ivory,” and “cream,” none of which is pure while. A total of 10,000.000 hollies of champagne was drunk in Germany in fold, 4,000,000 more than in 1914.

Experiments in the transport of lobsters from Madagascar by cold storage lo France have proved successful.

The tallest races of mankind, ineluding (he Patagonians and the Galloway Scots, seldom attain a height of Oft. *4in. Throwing an old -hoe after the bride was originally a sign that her father relinquished all dominion over her.

On May Ist the number of British troops in Mesopotamia was 11,300, and in the Rhine Army of Occupation 10,080.

The (looting dock surrendered by Germany now lies in sections at the estuary of the Medway, awaiting disposal. Geishas, the professional entertainers of Japan, are taught music, dancing, singing, and the are of amusing conversat ion. Precious stones were classed a male and female by the Romans, according to the darkness or lightness of their colour.

The total rates and taxes per head of the population of Britain averaged £3 10s in 1914; they arc now £22 Os (id per head. Of a thousand persons, only one reaches the age of 100 years, while only one couple in 11,000 live to celebrate their diamond wedding. Tin* number of unemployed in Berlin is steadily increasing. The lotnl for April was 71,000, against 08,990 in March, and 50,000 in January. A new tank, recently demonstrated in France, will cross trenches, swim on the surface of water, and then dive and crawl along the bottom.

If the United States ..of America were as densely populated as is Belgium, they would hold a population equal to that of the whole world..

Hungary has given official notice of her intention io demand admission to the League of Nations ;il tho next meeting of tiie Assembly in September.