The Stratford Evening Post. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1912. THE WEATHER MAN.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 56, 30 October 1912, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1912. THE WEATHER MAN.

Taranaki at any rat© will generally agree with the tribute paid to the Pev. Mr Bates, that marvellously accurate foroteller of weather, by the Christchurch “Press,” which after 1 Jig storm of last week remarked that “sailormeu have quite a different standard by which to measure the severity of the weather from that possessed by lardsmen. What we speak of as a gale they call a stiff breeze, a storm to us is a squall to them, and ‘dirty weather’ seems usually to be their superlative. It is interesting, therefore, to learn that the men on the coastal steamers unanimously 7 agree in according the wind that raged round these parts on Friday night and Saturday morning the dignity of a full-sized hurricane. Most of us had the impression that it was the worst wind that we had ever felt, and it is quite gratifying to find that this opinion is endorsed by more than one shipmaster of experience. The Government meteorologist lias scored another success, for he predicted last Tuesday night that ‘a westerly low pressure area’ was ‘due to pass in the south about Friday night or Saturday morning.’ The next time he says anything like that the public will understand more clearly what lie means. We have a great admiration for Mr Bates as a weather prophet, but sometimes we could find it in our hearts to wish that he was not quite so accurate.’’ It is the more pleasing to give further publicity to this from the “Press,” because it was in that paper’s columns some time ago that some clever person attempted to belittle Mr Bates’ work. In these parts we know better than to enter upon such foolishness: we look for Mr Bates’ daily report with interest ; we read his predictions sometimes certainly with sorrow, but, if we are wise, we do not leave our umbrellas at home when be advises that rain is coming. WHEN MICROBES ARE BUSY. A celebrated scientist has made the interesting announcement that there are more microbes in the air at nine o’clock in the morning and at nine o’clock at night than during any other periods of the day. He has also discovered that the percentage of microbes in the atmosphere is less at three o’clock in the morning and three o’clock In the afternoon than at any other times. The explanation advanced for the partiality of the microbe for nine o'clock a.m; and pan. is that the

“microbe hour” is controlled by the movements of people. From live to £ nine in the morning they are going (1 , from their homes to their working ch places, and from five to nine ;n the h evening they arc again journeying Cj through tire streets, either homeward bound or in search ■ot pleasure. He noted that at or about sis o’clock every v. morning and evening there were indi- h cations of the approach of the microbe 1 “rush” hour. From that time until nine o’clock the atmosphere became more and more crowded uith germs ol t all kinds, some bad, some good! and e then, immediately after nine o’clock, j) the tide began to ebb, until it was always lowest round about three s o’clock. According to his researches, t after lunch is the safest time for a nap we are therefore told by an in- 0 A . ( vestigator. , f THE STORY OF IRON. < Some authorities incline to the view that the iron age was inaugurated in , Asia or in Africa. The investigations of recent years have pointed to the conclusion that it was not worked in Egypt until the ninth century before Christ, or in Libya until 450 8.C.; that the Semite adopted its use still later, and that it has been known in Uganda only within the last five or six centuries. There are Chinese records of date about four centuries be- ; fore Christ that mention iron. Bronze weapons were employed in China un ; til 700 A.]). It is thought that the metallurgy of iron must have originated in Central Europe, especially h. Noriciun, which approximately represented modern Austria and Bavaria Only at Hallstett and in Bosnia and Transylvania, from which countries the Achaians and Doricans are supposed I to have migrated to Hellas, are found 1 evidences of a gradual introduction of i I iron, at first as an ornament applied to the bronze which it ultimately displaced. Everywhere else iron was iu- - troduced in no gradual fashion, a fact that implies a foreign origin. Meteoric G iron was known in Egypt in remote j antiquity, but no doubt it was worked as flints are worked, cutting or chipping, and was not smelted. In other words, it was the metallurgy, not the knowledge of iron] that originated in Central Europe. A DEADLY REVOLVER. The San, Francisco police are experimenting with an invention that is said to make the revolver an infinitely more deadly weapon than it is at present. Briefly, the idea is to equip the firearm with a searchlight arrangement, making it a matter of virtual impossibility to miss the mark aimed at (writes a San Francisco correspondent). The contrivance is a simple one. The barrel of the pistol is equipped with a tiny electric light, fed from a small battery, nicely adjusted to the weapon so as not to make it clumsy. When you point the revolver at an object you arc' a'ljle'to 'let a small black spot rest on the spot which you wish to hit. The illumination thrown Horn the battery forms an aura of light surrounding the head . and breast of a man, if a man is the i object, arid in the midst of it is the I, little black spot. The bullet hits wherever the black spot rests. The j chief of police has experimented with _ the invention, and states that in a shooting gallery he could not help Jrit- — fiag the bull’s-eye every time. A number of policemen are to be equipped with revolvers with searchlights, j and if the invention proves practical v ' in actual work, the whole force will be , ’ furnished therewith.