General News.

Thames Star, Volume XVI, Issue 5052, 23 March 1885, Page 3

General News.

The system of compulsory military service has driven 90,080 young men out of Prusßia dating the last sis years. Probably no one has reached a higher altitude by balloon ascension than Prof. James Glauber, who with a professional aoronant made an ascension in England to a height of 37,000 feet, or seven miles. He became insensible at the height of six miles, and his companion, who was so nearly frozen at to have lost the use of hii limbs, waa obliged to pull the rope of the safety valve with his teeth to descend. Fra Roces, the celebrated but eccentric preacher of Naples, once " skeered " his hearers in the following way. He preached a tremendous sermon on the inevitable consequences of a sinful life. His hearers were in a convulsion of excitement with the blazing picture of a dreadful retribution before their imaginations. All at once he stopped in the very midst of an eloquent appeal, and cried out, •• Now; all of you who sincerely repent of your sins hold up your, hands." Every hand in the assembly was up in an instant. The preacher looked upon the scene for one awful moment, and then, addressing the higher powers, exclaimed, " Holy Archangel Michael, thou who with thine adamantine sword standest f at the right of the judgment seat of God, hew me off every hand which has' been raised hypocritically." la an instant nearly every hand dropped to its owner's side. , Who are the members of the highest ' and leading circles in England who, according to Bismarck, fail to join in the general disinclination to Permit Germany to 'go to sea' and become a maritime . nation ? ■ Surely they cannot be the members of the highest family who certainly . have, a good many German relatives, and .-whose, net very remote ancestors spilled English blood like water in obscure German quarrels P On, no ! OFeourse not. The boss of that family is bifiy writing an- - other book. Other members of the" family are engaged making things pleasant, for the Jersey Lily and practising the fiddle. Altogether, what with tfieir amusements and the botheraboutdrawing their cheques, v from the Treasury, that their, time^inuat be filed -np without bothering help Bismarck—Bulletin. The Pall Mall Gazette, reviewing •• The Early Military Life of General Sir G. T. Napier, X.C.8., written by himself, edited by his son, General W. C. E. Napier, .lays:—"The French bullets found their . billets pretty freely in the members of the Napier family fighting on Peninsular soil. George coming limping up the hill out of -the hand-to-hand melee at Busaco, found his brother Charles shot through the face, and yet enother Napier wounded—Captain; Charles, of the Navy, whom in the 'early Crimean days we used to know 'ggi 'Charley,' and who was at Busaco as an „ Wunateur. The naval cousin would, in the >-Taoe of remonstrances, ride a white poney into action, a recklessness which brought its penalty in the shape of a bullet in the j calf of the leg,(and I was delighted at it, the obstinate dog ; he deserved it well!' is his relative's cheerful comment At Bediha, George bad a spent bullet flatten itself on his chest, a little matter which he dismisses » with, a comment, ' a narrow •scape.'" . The extreme scantiness of attire affected by some not over particular ladies in high society is a notorious fact, and one that ia said to be particularly distasteful to the Princess of Wales. Women appear in a state of indelicate undress at large balls that they would shudder to show out in at the home breakfast table. A glaring illustration of this was afforded in a passing conversation between a husband and wife the other day:—Mrs De Ponsonby . Tomkyns: " Are yon ready for the dance, " dear?" Mr De Ponsonby Tomkyns: " Yes, long ago; and I thought you were setting ready. It is time to start. Why dont you pat on your dress or something P Some one may see you through the window." Mrs De Ponsonby Tomkyns: "How near-sighted you are becoming, , dear. My dress is on."