The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-08-24
occasional Nstes.

occasional Nefes.
. ,,,.t amount OF comfort may De eA'
,,sc,ea from figures by the Columbus 1"'
s,u,re, which 20 to prove that a smal' crop
Of cotton is quite as profitable as large o.e'
Ie s.rs the Eaqutser, the figures GU are ~
.,,,asj hv fbe cotton crop ia millions OF o'le,.
sna ras,,,t will gre the average price ps.
w. a, tho nesrest msrket. Thus theei1p
pisaS ;s 9 a5,l. coo bales, 30c. per p, n mno
. Goi, M, b,les. sac, per pound o'ovo'Npo
hs,es. lac. per pound. Ii WIZ ,,.,s,ances
aeon ,hs. under the ordinary a,,,a1Ja "a
= o0f, tao bates OF cotton are as saua oua,a
txc nlanter aya will bring ss inue s. n's ait,
can he obtained for four OF e.en Nv. ,.aa',shs
halcs. A sayal crop is increased ~ ,a'a :,
Srscnla,,on. A large crop Is i."os ,.
s.n,,,e I've any disturbance OF Tue tsione5
sa'n or Nv war, pestilence, OF famine.
The sn-mrs can be probably occupied hi
,>rn1,rino .orR, corn, and bay without re-
t,,ciro the value Of the cotton crop one aoa'
sar y,,y>re seems to be no reason, accorCahS
20 this siew of the matter, why The planters
sSo.,h suffer even though the cotton eFop
only nrofuced enough TO make PAN OF
stn1l;rpsu Ii there were only one par OF
stockings in the world the price woun pre-,
s,,n,sb,r rise TO the amount OF the Sa4ue U,
ON Sverige crop OF cotton ftIs the cost "
,n,n,,,ac,ure. ALI the world, but one mi.
1ionaire. would have to get on as oes! u
cn,,d without cotton stockings; out the
n,ont,rs would not suffer III pocket,
.tbonob. OF course, they wo1)d suher ID
Coot IKE the ret Of the community anu
herein lies a mystery.
Some very interesting information con-
cernlng the Syrian sponge hsheSt's mas ,a',y
hcen published. The total value OF inc
snonoes fisbfd on the coast OF SYRIA curing
rho Year 1873 was $4,000 About 275 boats
Gro at nr,sent employed in this Industry on
.he cosst Of S,r,a, manned by about l,I0o
men The mDiorly Of the boats used are
ordinary fishing boats. threcparts deckcd
over. ard carrying one mast with an cruz
nary lue.sai. In some cases the men own
their CWn boats, but generally they are
hired. No wages are pad, the remunera
ton consists 10 an equal share OF Inc pro,
duce Of the fi-hirg. The produce OF Sooa
diver reach as high rs S2O0 season, Wblch
extends from JuUe till October. DIVING Is
practisPd from very early age up
TO forty years. 1t does not appear shat the
practice has any tendency to shorten HE,
although as the diver approaches forty, be !.
less liable 10 compete with his younger and
which syrian diver can remain under
water depends on his age and training. Sixty
seconds - reckOned good work, but there
are rare instances of men who are able to
siay below eighty seconds The manner OF
diving is us follows: The diver naked, of
course-wl,h an open net round his waist
for the receptacle OF bis prizes, seiZes with
both hands an obiopg white stone, to which
is attached rope, and plungcs overheard.
On arriving ut the bottom the stone Is
deposited at his feet, and keeping hold
of the rope with one hand, the
diver grasps and tears of the sponSes
within reach and deposits them 10 mis-
net. He then, by q series Of jerks to the
rope, gives the signal to those above, and Is
drawn up. No knife, spear, or instrument
OF any kind is used. The Syrian diver, un-
like his Greek competitor, never uses the
diving dress, having an sntipathy to it on the
score of lis alleged tendency 10 produce
PARALYSIS of the Iimbs. Two or three fatal
accidents annually occur, mainly among
the daring. The diver will quit bis hold
of the rope and wander some distance
to secure u prize, and on returning to
regain the rope will miss the spot,N and
be unable to find it. He then attempts
TO rise unassisted, and, being ignorant
OF the exact direction, often strikes out
diagonaly, and is drowned before be can
reach the surface. Other accidents, again.
happen from jagged or pointed rocks,
which, besides sometimes woundIpg the
diver often entangle his rope, and thus eX-
pose him 10 the risk Of drowning. The
depth 10 which the diver descends varies
from five to thirty brasses," each brass
equal to an ordinary mans height. Below
the extreme limit mentioned no good
spouges are found. SpoDges may be gene
rally classified as-1. The fine white bell
shaped, known as the 9 toilet SPONGE =.
The large reddish variety, known as
"sponge de Venice" or 50 bath spopges:" );
The coarse red sponge used Tor household
purposes. France takes the bulk Of the
finest qualities, while the reddish and COM
mon sponges are sent to Germany and Eng
land. The revenue derived by Government
from this industry is tenth of the value of
the produce, calculated upon the prices paid
to the finders by the Traders, and which is
paid in cash by the former to the taN-fTmer
on the conclusion Of bis sale.