MISCELLANEOUS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume 1, Issue 43, 5 December 1868, Page 6

MISCELLANEOUS.

Prophecies Kegabdht a The Eabth. A formidable rival to Dr. Cumming has arisen in Australia, and has published a book containing the most dreadful prophecies, supported by incontrovertible passages of scripture. His readers are informed that contrary to common belief the earth, instead of being orange-shaped, has the shape of a pineapple, and is elongated, instead of being flattened, at the poles ; that this elongation has got to such a pitch that the earth is about to change its centre of gravity. Eome is to be suddenly overwhelmed, and seen no more for ever, and the whole northern hemi. sphere will share more or less in the general disturbance. The dwellers of the north side of the equator are informed, however, that by emigrating immediately to Australia they may escape the threatened cataclysm, and, after it is over, return to enjoy thsi new earth, which is to be so pervaded with currents of magnetism and electricity that the soil will be fruitful beyond the power of the liveliest imagination to conceive, and man is to live as long as the oak of the forrest. We doubt whether the terrors of the impending catastrophe, or even the cheerful prospect held out to the survivors, will largely affect emigration to the antipodes this year, The expounder of this theory is, however, so dreadfully in earnest that he threatens to come out with another and a bigger book next year, supported by more scripture, from which we infer that the northern hemisphere is in. no immediate danger. — "Panama Star and Herald." Splendid Yield of gold.— The All Nations claim has just had the magnificent yield of seven hundred and fifty seven ounces of retorted gold, from 3801bs. weight of stone. This is about the best yield we have yet heard of at the Thames, and surpasses even the results from the celebrated Grolden Crown claim. — "N. Z. Herald, Nov. 14." o>*e of the greatest facts in the political economy of the age is the assumption of all the telegraphs in the United Kingdom by the British Government — a change that will produce a variety of other changes, and at the same time disturb some of the foregone conclusions respecting government. The ministers now propose to turn every post-office and letter station into a telegraph office, and send messages all over, at shilling rates, to correspond with the existing penny or two-cent rates. A man may send his shilling messages in six words or "so. Or he may spend ten or twenty shillings on his correspondence, if it is worth it. The result of all this would be a lessening of the customary letters, and in time the post-office would be all telegraph, nearly — except love-letters and parcels. Population and confined space are turning Britain into a large family, for whom such a system would be advantageous.