General News.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3756, 11 January 1881, Page 3

General News.

The British. Medical Journal has the following paragraph complimentary to our climate, that will probably send more of the thin-skinned, overworked race who now shiver in England's chilly fogs to this Bide of the world :—" The rapid (ravelling of large steam-vessels is a disadvantage for those who go to sea for the sake of protracted navigation. They reach their destination too soon, and the changes of climate are too rapid. In the voyage to Australia, for instance, a few days after the departure from England,, warm ■weather is reached; then hot weather, when the tropic has been passed ; moist as well as hot weather when the equatorial calms have been reached. As the vessel arrives near the southern limit of its navigation in the Pacific Ocean, the temperature again becomes cold, Australia being reached in about 45 days. All these extreme changes within so short a period, are very trying to those who are really ill, and often do them more harm tbsrn the pure sea air can do them good. Australia is also-reached in the middle of their summer; and'at Melbourne and Sydney, where most invalids go, if is too hot. _ in Tasmania and I^ew Zealand the climate is more like that of our own English summer, and should, consequently be preferred. These long, sea journeys, however, seem more suited to those who belong to the second category-^to the tired and the.weary—than to the really ill. The usual period for departure is October or November." —Star. The following novel method of starting a jibbing horse is suggesied by a correspondent of the Ruralist (Sprinfield, Illinois, U.S.A.) :—Two persons are required for trial. One should hold the reins whiie the other fastens a short strap or rope— a.halter strap, always at hand, answers the purpose well—just, below the fetlock of a foreleg ; then going forward he should pull.on the strap until tbe horse lifts his foot; continuing to pull, the foot will be brought forward, and set down a little in advance of the other. The horse thus thrown out of the natural, position, will move forward to gain his equilibrium. Another pull will cause another move forward. This may be repeated several times, or until the horse moves without having the foot pulled forward. When the start is made, it sometimes has the appearance of the horse being in a hurry to get away from the provoking man with the strap ; therefore a steady hand should manage the reins. When be does start off, the hold on the strap should be given up. After having gone twenty-five or more yards, the .horse should be gently brought to stand and the strap removed. Then try to start him without the strap. If be does not start off, at once apply it .again. He will soon tir_a being thus annoyed, and will give no further trouble in this way. On the planet Jupiter, one year is nearly as long as twelve of our years. By tbe amount of time, some people in this world take on their promissory notes, it is evident that they labor under the delusion that they are inhabitants of Jupiter 1 This story of a troop-ship is, just now current in London :—ln the ladies' cabin were four wash-basins, one of which was much larger than the others. There were three* ladies in-- the cabin whose husbands were about equal in rank. The women always think they have a right to presume on the. rank of their husbands when taking choice of berths, &c, and there was a great discussion as to who was entitled to the big basin. It was referred to the paymaster of the ship, who could settle nothing, and eventually to the captain. He gave a decision worthy of Solomon. After first asking them if they would abide by his verdict and nofc give any more trouble in the matter, which they readily agreed to do, he said he thought "it was only fair that the oldest lady should have the biggest basin. The late Alex. Dumas one day called on Mademoiselle Mars to present her with .a copy of his just-published last play. A' physician was present, who. sneered, " Still dabbling in tragedies ?" The popular dramatist answered, " Come, doctor, no jealousy ! You know nobody can mistake my works for your. All your tragedies are bound in mahoganymine in morooeo." A well cooked breakfast'will do more towards preserving peace in the family than will seven mottoes on the wall, even though they be framed in the most elaborate of gilt mouldings. • Lady (engaging footman): " You are clever at table P" , Jeames : " Yes, ma'am." Lady: "And you know your way to announce ?" Jeames : " Well, ma'am, I know my weight to a pound or so; but I'd hardly like to say to an ounce." The Russian battle fields of the year 1812 are still being explored for bones which are converted into bone-black. It may thus happen that a man of the present day may consume sugar which has been disoolourised and purified by means of the bones of his forefathers. The word love in one of the Indian dialects is chemlendamoughkanagogager. Fancy a sweet forest maiden telling her copper-coloured brave that she chemlendamoughkanagogagers him. Artemus Ward once told us that the funniest story he ever heard was. about an inebriated reporter, who leaned over the railing of the reporter's gallery in the English House of Lords, and enquired, " Will shum noble 'ord plea shing comic gong." A case which has (remarks the London Spectator) greatly interested all travellers by- the Metropolitan Railway was concl\ju*syj with, a somewhat sensational scdne. Clarence Lewis, a lad of eighteen, ■ivas habitually employed by a firm of tea dealers to carry money—on the day in question about £105 —from Kensington to Aldgate. This was known to Henry Perry, a shopman formerly in their employ, and he introduced himself to Lewis at the Kensington station, invited him into a first-class carriage, and gave him some liquid which he called zoedone, but which contained chloroform. The liquid did not Btupify him, and after passingEaog's Cross Perry struck him on the head, rendering him senseless for a moment, and continued beating and kicking him to Farringdon station. Lewis, who fought hard for his trust, was at length compelled to give up the bag, and then.Perry made a desperate attempt to throw him outon the rails. It failed, and at Aldersgate station Lewis was able to have his assailant arrested, red-handed. At the trial the facts were fully proved—indeed were not denied, and Mr Justice Stephens sentenced the prisoner to thirty lashes with cat-o'-nine-tails, and 20 years' penal servitude. This sentence drew a loud scream from the prisoner, *nd excited'the deepest sensation in. Court, where it is stated, many memben of the criminal class watched the trial.

An interesting discussion on larrikiuism took place recently in the Victorian House of Representatives. Mr Service asked the Premier if the Government were prepared to adopt more stringent measures than at present for the suppresof the nuisance, and suggested the lash. Mr Berry expressed warm sympathy with Mr Service's remarks, but thought the first step to be t;;ken was that of compelling the magistrates to carry out the existing law without fear or favour. He said that if .the House would support him he would summarily dismiss any magistrate whom he found remiss in this respect, and the remarks elicited loud cheers from both sides of the House. Then Sir John O'Shannassy saw his opportunity, and got up to have a fling at secular education. He said it was useless to adopt repressive measures against the Victorian youth who were yearly becoming more criminal, as was shown by statistics, and that the cause of this growing depravity was the education system. Mr Francis protested against this, but everyone agreed that something must be done for the suppressi n of larrikinism, which has assumed very formidable proportions in Melbourne and its environs. A colored preacher remarked—" When God made de fast man, he set him up agin do fence to dry." " Who made the fence?" interrupted an eager listener. "Put datman out!" exclaimed the colored preacher. " Such questions as dat 'el destroy all de theology in de world."