KILLING A SHARK

Waikato Times, Issue 201, 23 August 1873, Page 3

KILLING A SHARK

Tue following is wan anted by u writer in London Social// : — " Wlnlo the ship wafc'oreeping along, a man in the mum top noticed an enormous shark gliding steadily m her wake. J)r Staiue* told Fitzroy, who remarked, 'I'll have him on deck in hall'-nn-liour.' He got leave from the captain ; a hook was baited with al'irgo piece of pork, and towed astern b\ a stout line, experienced old hands attending to it by turns. The shark camo up loisurulv, surveyed the bait, and, I apprehended, ascertained the position of t lie hook. At all events, he turned quietly on his back, sucked the bait olf, and retired to enjoy it. Every officer in the ship tried him in turn, but without surcea* j for if they got ready for him, and the moment he took the bait, jerked the rope hard, in that cose he opened his enormous mouth so wide that the bait and hook camo out clear. But sooner or later ho always got the bait, and left his captor the hook. This went on for days, aDd at last it put Di- Staines on Ins mettle. What, science be beaten by a shark ' He pondered the mattor with all his might, and at last an idra came to him. He asked the captain's permission to try his hand. This was accorded immediately, and the ship's stores placed at his disposal very politely, and with a sly, comical grin, Dr Staines got from the carpenter s-ome sheets of zinc, and spare copper, and some ilannel ; those ho cut into three inuli squares, and soaked the flannel in acidulated water. Ho then procured a quantity of bell wire, the greater part of which he insulated b\' wrapping it round with hot gutta-percha. So eager was he that Jio did n>t sleep all ni»ht In the morning he propared what he called an elect nc luse — he filled a soda-water bottle with gunpowder, attaenmg some cork to make it buoyant, put in the fuse and bung, made it water-tight, connected and in»ulated his main wires — enveloped tho bottle in pork — tied a line to it, and let the bottle overboard. The captain and officers shook their heads mysteriously. The tars peeped and grinned from every rope to see a doctor try and catch a shark with a soda-water bottle, and no hook ; t-\it somehow the doctor teemed to know what he was about, ! b« they hovered round and waited the result, mystified, but curious, and showing their teoth from ear to e<ir. ' The only thing I fear,' said Staines, ' is, that the moment be takes the bait he will cut the wire before I can complete the circuit and fire the fuze.' ' Keep clear of me,' said Staines, quietly ; ' it can only be done at the moment before he cuts the w ire ' The old shark swam slowly round the bait. He swam slowly lound and round it. 'He won't take it,' said one. 'He suspects something.' 'Oh yes, he will take the meat and leave the pepper. Sly old fox.' 'He has eaten many a poor Jack-tar, that one.' The shark turned slowly on his back, and, instead of grabbing at the bait, seemed to diaw it by gentle suction into his capaoious throat, ready to blow it out in a moment if it was not all right. The moment the bait was diawn out of sight, Staines completed the circuit; the bottle exploded with a fury that surprised him and everybody who tow it ; a ton of water flew mtp tho nir, and came down in spray, and a gory carcase floated, belly uppermost, visibly staining the blue water. There was a roar of amazement and applause. v hc carcase was towed alongside-, and then the power of the explosion was seen. Confined, first bv the bottle, then by the nipat, thnn by tho fidh, nnd ln«tl\ by the water, it had exploded with teniold power, had blown tho brute's head into a million atoms, and had even torn a great furrow in its carcase, exposing three feet of tho bockbono.

Economy which Pays — The officials in the National Provincial Bank of England should oontidor themselves very fortunate in having such employers as the present directors In their last repoit the directors state to the shareholders that they " liavo again voted a bonut Of 10 per cent, upon the salaries of the entire staff, andtfntTer the exceptional circumstance of the year, tlfi^v have thought it right to grant an additional gratuity of 5 per cent, to those officers whose aalarlei are not regulated by icale an 1 arc reviewed periodically To the officers composing the- remainder of the staff they have given a permanent increnso of salary equivalent to 5 per cant and tho sonla under whioh they are remunerated has also been revised and enlarged." One of the shareholders, not to be outdone by the directors, said he ■hould have been pleused to Inno teen greater gratuities given to the staff. What a direction ! and what a sharehoi ler' No wonder that the bmk-i paid ft dividen lof 23 per cent per annum, for the ( ffi ers must have worked with a will when so liberally treated ; and gratitude will always make itself felt In this eiise, up w.mrler h<> v nnifh of the dividend was due to tho cuiuliiion of tno oili -nils in tiymg to show their appreciation ot the genon us conduct of the directors ? If this could be demonstrated, we ha\e no doubt that the dirsctord would see that this increase in the pay of the staff was about the Iwst investment they made during the year. — Cml Service Gazelle.