TOPICAL READING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8231, 7 September 1906, Page 4

TOPICAL READING.

Of the 30,000 earthquake shocks that occur each year about sixty are world-shaking, giving instrumental records at a great distance, and Professor John Milne finda that these great earthquakes belong to thirteen regions, three being important. The important jentres form two great rings. The chief of these rings, with a'radius of sixty-five degrees, embraces seven regions—the Alaskan ooast, the California ooast, the West Indies, the Ohilian ooast, the south of New Zealand, Krakatoa, and Japan; and the other, with a radius of fifty degrees from its centre, in the Sahara Desert, includes the earthquake region between India and Madagascar, the Azores and Tat.hkend. Professor Sollus nas concluded that the earth has the shape of a pear, its ends being the centre of these two rings, one in Africa and one in the Pacific.

The extent to whioh Uritisbship owners dispose of old vessels to foreigners is shown in statistical tables published in Lloyd's Register of Shipping. The tonnage cleared off in this way last year was 512,701 tons, comprising steamships of 422,395 tons and sailing vessels amountiug to 90,306 tons. By these sales, whioh are the largest since 1900, Germany acquired 101,903 tons, Italy 78,671 tons, Japan tons, and Norway 59,702 tons It moHt be a very considerable advantage to have a market like this for second-hand vessels. Tables which are included in the RegistrarGeneral's returns indicate that about 18 per cent, of the tonnage removed from the registrar because of foreign transfer was built before 1880, nearly 43 per cent, before 1885, 62 per cent, before 1890, 78 per cent, before 1895, and over 90.6 per cent, before 1900. in addition to the second-hand tannage transferred to foreigners 52,464 tons wore transferred to British colonies during 1905, compared with 37,464 tons in 1904, 62,907 tons in 1903, and 32,603 tons in 1902.

The Asiatic Museum in St. Petersburg possesses a wonderful Persian stone, which is causing a Rood deal of diplomatic trouble just now, writes a St. Petersburg correspondent. The stone, which is covered with cuneiform inscriptions, was purchased yearß ago from Mr Muller, Russian Consul at Kirman, Persia, who had brought it secretly for- a considerable sum of money from a local priest,, and for a long time its disappearance remained unnoticed. Now the Shah of Persia's health has been very indiffer. eat for some time, and the wise men of the Court have pronounced tbe opinion that a holy amulet, which was to be found in the temple of Kirman, has alone tbe power of restoring the monarch to health. The precious amulet oould not be found, and investigations ended in the story of the secret deal and the priest's cupidity being laid Hare. The Russian Minister in Teheran was forthwith requested to apply for the return of the holy stone. After a loug delay it baa located in tbe Asiatic Museum, but the Russian authorities showed great reluctance to part with it; besides, the curator of the museum, without whose personal intervention nothing oould be done, is taking a protraoted holiday abroad. Meanwhile, the report has been sent to Teheran that a search for the stone is being made in London and Paris. Should the Shah mtmnwhilw die tbe Persians will no doubt hold the Russian Government responsible.

According to the report of the Mint just issued, the amount of money coined in 1905 was less by £4,614,880 than in 1904. The figures for the two years are: 1904, £11,725,696; 1905, £7,110,816. 'lhe biggest falling off was in gold ooin, the quantity minted last year being of the value of £6,500,000, compared with £11,042,000 in 1904. Nevertheless, the total number of pieces struck last year was greater than in 1904, the figures being 95,787.730, compared with 95,137,437. Of the gold ooin issued during the year £5,000,000 was in sovereigns. Against this, light coin ot the val&e of

£2,700,000 was withdrawn from oirculation. The loss of 2.120 d per sovereign on this money was the lowest yet reached. To make good the loss' on these llcfht ooins there was an adjustment in March, and euffloie'jfc cousols standing to thn oredit of the coinage fmd to realise £32,677 9s Id, which was the amount of the deficiency, were sold. Tbe demand for silver, it is pleasing to note, is thoucht likely to improve. No threepences were issued in the year; all demands being met by a banking firm holding a surplus of these ooins. A silver coin census taken on Jane 30th showed that the banks in the United Kingdom held £5,275,894, compared with £4,548,775 in 1892. It is estimated that on December iilst,l9o4, the silver coin in circulation amounted to £24,000, 000, which i« lis 2d per head, compaied with lis Id in 1891. An interesting experiment was made to see how the summer holidays affected the transfer of silver coin from one locality to another. It was discovered that English banks lost £660,000, Welsh banks £21,000; while Sootland gained £26,000 and Ireland neither gained nor lost. Of the £680,090 or so withdrawn from the banks in England and Wales nearly £300,000 was taken from the London district. The 11 coast counties from Bristol to Lancashire sained £45,000. The profit of the Mint in the year was £8,192, compared with a loss of £19,580 iu 1904. This was partly brought about fcy an increased profit on the bronze coinage. Curious that it should pay better to matse pennies tflan sovereigns.