General News.

Thames Star, Volume XVI, Issue 5058, 30 March 1885, Page 3

General News.

; The lawyers in the Land Agents' Record have published a " correct line " of the late Duke of Buccleuch's landed possessions in Scotland. From the list it appears that bis largest "possession-" was in Dumfries, where he was master of 263,179 acres, giving him an annual income of £94,549. Altogether he poslefsed 458,108 Scotch acres, the gross annual value of which . amounted to £216,473.; No wonder the late Duke was • Conservative ! - A certain Dr Stark prepared elaborate statistics to prove that the death rate among bachelors was very much higher than that rnling, among the more favored Benedict!; and so general was the credence given to his deductions, that Herbert Spencer thought it necessary to expose their fallacy. Another ingenious jßorUl has proved, by.statistics also, that

the cholera attacks bachelors more readily than mcrried men. A report has been published on tho recant cholera epidemic in Paris, from which it appears that the death of unmarried men were 836, against only 402 married men. From the' age of 25 to 50 years, tho rates were 422 against 170, and between the ages of 50 and 75 the relations n-ere 232 to 414. The most notable differences were in the ages of 40 to 45 years and 50 to 56 years, when the deaths showed 40 to 150 and 37 to 167Thus it would appear thai the position of the bachelor is becoming critical, and tho sooner he takes serious thought of correcting the error of his ways the better. The dull monotony of the bachelor's life leads to enervation of his . tisues ; while the married man has all his functions in full training under the continuous stimulus of midnight wailicgs and curtaia lectures. Hence it is that tbo bacbclor falls a.ready victim to any disease that happens to Be sailing round in quest of prey. Young men, take warning; for the dangers are greatest when the fortieth birthday still finds the bachelor unrepentant.

An Edinburgh publishing firm has issued what they term " The Gladstone Almanack." It purports, to give a diary of the doings of the G. O. M. For each day of the y<!ar it has marked down some great feat performed on that day by tho Premier. This is not bad for one day :— June 2. —He appoints his eldest Bon EccMr of Hawarden, " one of the richest and easiest livings in the Church." Annual salary, £3153. ~ 1872 He appoints his second hopeful a Lord of the Treasury. Annual salary, £10C3i ■ 1869. , He 'appoints Herbe:£ a Lord of the Treasury, 1881 (with salary ao tbe Q-.O.M.'s private secrotaiy).* He appoints bis nephew, Lord WoWerton, Secretary to the Treasury, 1857. Salary, 1857-73, £34,000. " He appoints himself to the offices of . Premier aim Chancellor of Iho Ex- - chequer, 1873 and 1880. The G-.0. M. . and his family have drawn from the National Exchequer in salaries, to date, £160,C30. There is a story of a man who wns tried for stealing a pair of trowsers. He was ably defended and the jury brought in a verdict of not guilty. The prisoner's counsel collected his fee and then said to the vindicated statesman: " Well, get out. You're free." " I'll wait till he goes," returned the victim of slander, pointing to the plaintiff. "I dont want him to see me." " Wby not?" "'Pause I've got »V. m itnnnnVinci r\n 9"