MISCELLANEOUS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4443, 16 June 1875, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS.

A TONNEL MOM EBItOrE TO AFEICA. A company has recently been formed in Spain under the title of the Intercontinental Kailway Company, the main object of which is to unite Europe and Africa by a tunnel under the Strait of Gibralter. This one, as projected, is to be a right line, extending between Tarifa and Algesiras, on the Spanish coast, to Ceuta and Tangier, on the Morocco shore. The submarine portion will be 4 4,16 Oft. in length, or nearly nine miles. This enterprise offers more difficulties than the similar work under the English Channel, although the latter will have more than twice the length. The maximum depth of the channel at the point to be traversed is but 163'2ft., whilo

that of the Strait is 2621 ft. Supposing that the tunnel under Gibralter be bored at a distance of 100 ft. under the bed, its total depth under the sea level would be over 3600 ft., while the entry and exit galleries would be each three miles in length. TABLE-SERVING. A Californian genius is the author of a new invention, intended, says the Furniture Gazette, to do away with servants around taWes at meal-tinies. It consists of a movable railway, acting within a circle inside the plates that are to be served. It will suffice for an oblong table as well as for a round one, and is operated by the person who sits at the head,' or, in other words, the one who does the carving. This individual is enabled, by means of his or her feet under the table, after the manner of working the treadle of a sewing machine, to send a plate of hash, so to speak, sailing round at lightning speed to the spot of destination, followed up with the condiments, cutlery, &c., necessary to the thorough enjoyment of the meal. The advantages of such an improvement are apparentand manifold. Besides the delays and confusion consequent upon the prevailing custom, accidents, such as spilling soup over the shoulders of those seated around the table, will be avoided. BITING THE DUST. It would seem that this muscular action is apt to occur when a man has been arrested by death in the act of strenuous bodily exertion ; and no doubt an artilleryman, whilst hotly engaged and vehemently serving his gun, must in general be much harder at work than an infantry soldier, busied with his firelock. In ancient times a large proportion of the slain were killed in the act of exerting their strength to the utmost, and then it was that " biting the dust" became an equivalent for being killed in battle. However hotly engaged, a modern infantry soldier does, not commonly exert whilst halted any amount of physical strength, and the instances in which he literally " bites the dust " are comparatively rare, — "History of the Crimean War," by Kinglake.