MISCELLANEOUS.

Waikato Times, Volume VI, Issue 319, 30 May 1874, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS.

Tho following interesting shiten'ent of tlio oomparativo strength of tlio merchant iU-its o! tlie chief maritime nations, is published ik t lie Ficncli Journal OJ/lciel. European sailing vas'ols undoi' 50 tons burthen, Him American under 80 tons, are not 'ncluded • —

Tola! 56,281 ...14,311,129 ... 5,1-18 ... 4,328,193 The Belfast Neios Letter says a public trial of ' Dolby's Wa'or-Bottle Lifebuoy' took place recently in the harbour, near the Queen's Bridge, in the presence of a large concourse of people. At two o'clock precisely a full-grown labouring man jumped into tho river with, hia boots and clothes on, and with nothing more to float him than a tin water-can, knowbythe name of 'Dolby's Patent Water-Bottlo Lifebuoy.' The effect of this water-can was that, although the man was offered money by some of the bystanders if he could sink himself for a few seconds, he found it utterly impossible to do so. The next experiment tried was still more startling, for the man, having secured an additional water-can to his back, again went into tho water with a 141b weight in one hand and a 71b weight in tho other, and, notwitstanding tins, he was enabled to carry his head high out of the water. At the termination of the trial the inventor, who was present, was congratulated on tho successful result of the experiment. This new Lfebuoy is made in tho form of a parallelogram, about three inches deep, with rounded edges, and slightly curved to fit the body, to which it can be strapped. It is a simple tin water-bottle, capable of containing five or six quarts. It is convertible at a moment's notice into a lie-buoy of the best description. The cost ot tbis useful bottle is only a little beyond that of tho ordinary bottle which the emigrant is compelled to have amongst his equipments. "We learn with satisfaction that Mr Henry G-onan has become agent for this patent lifebuoy, in order that it may bo sip )lied to all emigrant! leaving the port. Professor Brittgen gives the following formula of an ink for marking linen, &c, that ho maintains to bo entirely unaffected by chloride of lime, cyanide of potassium, caustic potash, or acids. Digest coarsely-powdered cashew-nuts, for some time, at a moderate temperature, in a closed flask, with petroleum naptha ; then allow the exceedingly volatile solvent to evaporate. After marking articles with the resulting syrupy liquid, moisten the place with aqua ammonia or linio water, and the marks will instantly assume a deep, permanent black colour. A little boy in school at Portland, Oregon, has gotten off the following luminous view of ' Chen.' His ' composition ' is given verbatim et literatim :— « Oxen is a very slow animal. They are very good to break up ground. I would rather have horses if they didn't have colic, which they say is wind collected in a bunch, which makes it dangeresest to keep horse than oxen. If there were no horsees, people wood have to wheal their wood on a wheel-barrow. It would tako them two or three days to wheal a cord a mile. Cows are U3eful to. I heard some people say that if they had to be an ox or a cow, they would sooner be a cow, but I think when it come to be milked on a cold winter morning, I think 'they wood sooner be oxen, for oxen don't have to raise calves. If I had to be aoxor a cow I wood be a heffer, but if I could not be heffer and had to be both I wood bo a ox.' On the possible termination of the war the whole country is fairly to be congratulated. While we (Broad Arrow) deeply commiserate those whose relatives have fallen in the performance of their duty, let not the just grief their loss must occasion be aggravated by the ignorant and heartless suggestion that they have fallen inglonously. Their laurels are as green as any won in the battles of our greatest wars. Any lower view is as untrue in historical fact as it is unwise in policy, and cruel in its want of feeling. A young larly spoke of having resided in Aberdeon. " Was Aberdeen your native place ?" asked the gentleman. " Well, yes— part of the time," innocently responded tho lady. The China Mail of the 22nd of January reports that a dreadful sentence has been passed at Yeddo, on a woman who connived at the murder of her husband, and married his brother, the murderer — viz , that of being torn to pieces by bullocks. The man is to be crucified, and then tortured with ipear wounds.

Ve*«pla. lonnajro. VeMola. Tonnagp. England 20,832 ... 5,320,089 ... 3,061 . 2,624,431 America 6,786 ... 2,182,138 ... 403... -183,010 Germany 3,834 ... 893,932 ... 200 ... 20-1.894 Norway 3.250 ... 1,137,177 ... 88 ... 41,602 Italy 4,220 ... 1,126,032 ... 103 ... 85,ai0 France 3 973 ... 893.932 ... 392 ... 316.763 Spain 2,867 .. 540,211 ... 202 ... 138,675 Holland 1,447 ... 897,232 ... 93 ... 72,753 Greece 1,955 ... 393,294 ... 8 ... 3,320 Russia 1,327 ... 347,714 ... 114 ... 67,522 Sweden 1,827 ... 327,741 ... 143 ... 53,327 Austria 965 ... 336,113 ... 91 ... 54.155 Denmark 1,225 ... 170,831 ... 71 ... 34,498 Portugal 415 ... 93,815 ... 17 ... 14,536 Belgium 46... 14,704... 42... 30,414 Tuikey 224 ... 34,711 ... 9 ... 3,OtS Various 407 ... 152,022 ... 109 ... 70,067

Sailing Vessels. Steamers.