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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 52, 2 March 1874, Page 2

The fishermen of Norway carry in tbeir fishing boats a tube, 3ft. or 4ft. in length. They immereo the glazed end in the water, and then, looking iutently through the glass, tbey are enabled to perceive objects 10 or 15 fathoms deep, as distinctly as if they were within a foot of the surface. So, when they discover plenty of fish, they surround tbera with tbeir nets, and often catch them in hundreds at a haul, wbicb, were it not for these telescopes, would frequently prove precarious and unprovable fishing. This instrument is not only used by fishermen, but is also found in the navy and coasting vessels. • The Priptiog- Trade.— The prospects of the printing trade in London appear to be in overy unsatisfactory and unsettled condition. In its review for the year 1873 tho Printing Times of December Ist. says: — Trade is decidedly in an unsatisfactory condition; prices are low, notwithstanding recent advances in the cost of labor and materials, and the oullook is most discouraging. Dismal anticipations tbis year's end may, however, no more be realised than the roseate prospects of last year. It is most sincerely to be: hoped that things will be better than they promise, in the interest of botb employers and employed. The compositors,. pressmen, and machine-minders of the metropolis are undeniably in an awkward position at the preseut time. They are realising some of the effects of their certainly premature demands for higher wages and shorter hours. Many of them are unemployed, many more are only partially employed, while the comparative few who have steady and assured situations find that they have to do 50 per cent more work for their 8 or 10 per cent advance in wages. The comfortable old fashions ere now dismissed from the printing oflice; the employers find that the margin of profit is too email to permit of the rnauy indulgences which formerly prevailed. Advertisements were lately inserted in the Times for four compositors to go to, a Jarge printing office. in South Africa, Tb^re were about 400 applications, Dearly all from London, Yet the sn'iary offered was merely 40s a week aud net amount of passage money ; the engagement being for two years." We have no doubt if the high rate of remuneration at present existingiif this colony were more generally known in England a large exodus of compositors would (ake place now that free passages are granted to this clasß of workmen.-— Press. A Sacramento lawyer remarked to the Court — " It is my candid opinion, judge, that you are an old fool." The judge allowed his mildly beaming eye to fall upon the lawyer a brief moment; then, in a voice husky with suppressed tobacco juice and emotion, said, •'lt is my candid opinion that you are fined 100 dollars." A Good Templar, an assessor of Her Majesty's taxes, (not a thousand miles from Sunderland), has had returned to him recently a property tax form, duly filled up, but branded in one of the comers with the letters 1.0.G.T. Od the sender of the form being asked ', Why y he did *it ?." he replied, "how stupitl you are 1 don*t you see that it means that ' I Oppose General Taxation !"