GLEANINGS FROM THE PAPERS.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 2, Issue 75, 12 April 1879, Page 3

GLEANINGS FROM THE PAPERS.

The idea has bceu mooted by the Pacific Mail Company of limiting their business to the trade between New York and San Francisco. At a meeting of the directors at New York, on the 13th January, President Hart o[>euly declaim! that the Company hod been rubbed during the last ten years, and had only recently secured an holiest management. The Company has entered into a new contract with the Uniou Pacific Railroad Company for one year on a much mora favourable basis than the former contract, but they decline to make the conditions public for the present. Our telegrams report that the Company has received a large offer from an English firm for its Australia trading steamers, and that the services will probably be transferred. Mr. Gladstone's daughter is a student at Cambridge College. The handsomest woman in Europe is said to bo the Queen of Italy. The income of the native peasantry of India averages £2 per annum. Adeliua Putti has snubbed the modistes of Palis by orders for opera toilets at Veinna. The young Duke of Norfolk will soon be of age, when he will enjoy au income of £400,000 from his Sheffield estate. Mr. Edison has invented an improved receiver fur his telephone which enables any pel-sou standing fifteen yards from the machine to hear distinctly a whisper miles away. German Socialist organs adopt very striking names—to wit—The Storm ISlast, The Martyr of Capital, The Iron Hammer, The Petroleum Can. Pifty-oue metals are now known to exist, thirty of which have been discovered duriug the present coutury. Pour hundred years ago but seven wore known. The microphone as a thief catcher has proved very useful to an English resident in India, who found his store of oil rapidly and mysteriously diminishing. He fixed a microphone to the oil cans, earned the wire up to his bedroom, and after the house had been closed for the night, sat up to await the result. Vory shortly he beard the clinking of bottles, followed by the gurgling sound of liquor being poured out, and running dowti stairs he caught his bearer in the act of filling small bottles with oil for easy conveyance from the premises. Au ingenious Russian gaming house was recently pounced upon by the police near Moscow, several of the habitues who had lost so largely as to suspect foul play having informed the authorities. On examining the rodins it was found that the ceilings were covered with papers representing a starry sky. Holes wero pierced in the stars, through which a man lying on the floor of the upper room could see the cards of the players, and by means of wires running down the walls he could communicate with the boot of his accomplices, and indicate their play by a code of taps. The following is from the Thames Star: —" It is said that the Rev. Father Bennebery was very nearly spoiling bis mission on the Thames. This wise. Amongst bis hearers on the first Sunday were some who did not care to sit out his long sermon, and as they left the chapel they attracted the eagle eye of the rev. uiiseionary. 110 called them back, but it was like calling spirits from the vasty deep—they would not come. Then he implored, denounced, and finally cursed thorn ; but ail in vain. They ware not to bo had- A service of three hoars was too inaofi, and when the worthy missionary learned that he had bean invoking curses on some who gave their services to sssUt the musical portion of the worship, it is actually said that bo so far mado amends as to apologise for his rather rude, though privileged, remarks."

Slowly, but not \em surely on that acsjunt, is the electric light forcing itself nto prominence and usefulness. In Europe almost every week sees some fresh discovery and souse new application of this light, which makes gaslight look dim and smoky is comparison. A commis--1 sion has tieen appointed at St. Petersburg to consider the expediency of lighting iCronstadt harbour i>y this new agency, and « municipal committee has the question of the streets under investigation. The Times has adopted the Rassietf light in its printing offices, where abundant light without great heat is very desirable. From its own account we learn that more than twenty of these lights can be worked from one machine. Six lights have been found sufficient to light the large room which contains the Walter printing presses employed in producing the paper, and another large room iu which compositors arc engaged is about to be lighted by similar lamps, worked by the same dynamo-electric machine-. "We consider/' says the Times, " the use of the •electric light in printing offices a great test of its fitness for general use." In addition to the projects of other metropolitan bodies, tho Court of Common Council is about to try the electric light in the fish-market at Billingsgate. Nineveh was fourteen miles long, eight .wide,'and forty-six miles around, with a wall one hundred feet high,' aud thick enough for three chariots abreast. Babylon was fifty miles within the walls, which were seventy-five feet thick, and one hundred feet high, with oue hundred brazen gates. The temple of Diana, at Epbesus, was 420 feet to the support of the roof—it was one hundred years in building. The largest of the pyramids was one hundred and eighty-one feet in height, and eight hundred and fifty-three feet ou the sides. The base covered eleven acres. The stones are about sixty feet in length, and the layers aie two hundred, and eight It employed 350,000 men iu building. The lahryuth of Egypt contains three hundred chambers aud twelve halls. Thebes, in Egypt, presents ruins twenty-seven miles around, and contained 850,000 citizens, and 400,000 slaves. ..The temple of Delphus was so rich iu donations that it was plundered of £12,000, and the Emperor Nero carried away from it, two hundred statues. The walls of Home were thirteen miles a ound.