GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5234, 1 January 1878, Page 3

GENERAL NEWS.

Ever since Galileo enunciated his immortal aphorism, “ The world moves,” mankind has been blessed with the result of some of the greatest intellestual and mechanical triumphs; and certainly any invention which increases the comfort and convenience of one class of the community, and at the same time decreases the expense of another, should be appreciated by the one and adopted by the other. The other morning a trial trip from Boston to Tveadville and return, on the New York and New England Railroad, was made of. a smoke-spark and cinder-cdnsuming-aud-self-feeding engine, of which Mr.’ W. J. Bonta, of the Bonta Furnace Company, is the patentee. The patent consists in compressing the air and burning the gases at the base of a magazine inside the boiler, somewhat on the principle of a base-burning stove. The blower, or air-compressor, is connected by a cogged gearing to a small engine in the cab which produces the iu-draft for combustion and pressure inside the fire-box. The air is conducted from the blower to the ash-pan under the grate by a flattened pipe made of sheet-iron. Above the grata is the combustion chamber, into which leads a curved funnel called the magazine, which bends downward and reaches to within a short distance of the grate. This magazine has a capacity from 800 to 1000 pounds of coals, which is evenly distributed over the grate by the motion of the locomotive. At the front end of the boiler is a hood of cast-iron, which encloses the flues and arrests all the sparks or small particles of ignited coal that may be carried through the flues. The exhaust steam escapes free, relieving the cylinders of a back pressure of from ten to fifteen horse-power. The trial proved that this engine will burn hard coal perfectly, produce more perfect combustion than any common engine, generate steam rapidly and in great quantity when desired ; that it is under the perfect control of the engineer at all times, produces no smoke or cinders ; that it makes less noise than ordinary engines, thereby not terrifying horses or cattle. The patentee is confident that it will save 25 per cent, in fuel. One thing is certain—a person can stand on the front platform of the annexed oar, and not have his face cauterised by cuticle cinders, or his eyes filled with piercing particles of coal, while one may sit within the car at the open window with the same immunity from the common annoyances of railway travel as if ensconced'behind the mosquito netting of his library window. Chinese “ justice” is still very terrible. At Foochow lately a sentence was passed, and actually carried out, the barbarity of which is simply appalling. A man was convicted on a charge of having stolen a female child, and for this offence the punishment is death ; but in accordance with Chinese law, the criminal was allowed to choose the manner of his execution. He was offered the alternative of decapitation or starvation, and, strange to say, he selected the latter. He was consequently starved to death, and meanwhile was placed in a cage, and publicly exhibited, so that the people might watch from day to day the slow process of bis gradual extinction: How long the unhappy wretch lingered we are not told, but the report says this horrible scene was to be witnessed “ throughout the greater part of the week.”

“Atticus,” in the Leader, says “ Rumors have been set afloat at various times of the large sums that are lying in some of the oldestablished banka in tbs names of persons of whom no one knows anything, and who, it is to be presumed, have long since departed to either a better or a worse world. Mr. Bowman seeks to pierce the mystery of, these unclaimed deposits. He asks Mr. Berry to request the various banks in the colony to furnish a return of the amounts held by them and not claimed, from the commencement of their business account to the Ist January, 1871. But I question very much if Mr. Berry’s asking the banks will produce an answer. When people have had the use of money for a number of years they come to regard it as their own. Au individual under the circumstances might, if honest, think it his duty to institute enquiries, and find out the heirs ; but corporations are proverbially without consciences, and in the absence of compulsion it is not likely that disclosures will be made. If a return of the kind could be obtained, and made public, it would be likely to produce a plenteous crop of claimants.” Monsieur Tainb on the Beauty of English Ladies.— Tho point which seems particularly to have impress d itself upon the mind of this brilliant French writer, with respect to “ beauties," is the “ dazzling purity of their complexions.” Doubtless, Nature has richly endowed our countrywomen in this respect, but i’art has done no less, in supplying such an exquisite preparation as Rowlands’ Kalydor, which so far aids nature as to remove freckles, roughness of skin, tan, and sunburn, and produces a pure and delicate complexion. Buy only Rowlands’, of 20 Hatton Garden, London. Sold all over the world by chemists, druggists, bazaar and storekeepers.—Wholesale agents, Felton, Grim wade, & Co,—[Advt.]