The Hawaiian gazette., 1875-06-09
VOL. XI,---NO. %.
Miscellaneous Items.

from Siris, the Egyptian word for the rising Of
the Nile. 1t is so far distant that the light which
strikes the eye now, left it % years ago. and has
Travelled across the intervening space at the rate
Of $4,000 miles each second.-Ana. paper.
The pretty rice paper that looks SO pure and
delicate is made in China from the pith of tree
not at all as we make paper from poplar wood,
but by simply cutting it into thin slices. And
thousands Of years before Moses was born, the
Egyptians made paper from the great papyrus, or
paper reed, by carefully peerng out the thin layer
between the bark and the heshy stem, and press
ing and drying the pieces into sheets.
IT is stated that Germany is about discontiGu-
ing the use Of bronze guns. At a recent trial at
Bruck, in Hungary, between Austrian guns and
the new Krupp cast-stee guns, the latter made
1862 hits and the former only 2l2 hits at 200
PAGES. This result is said to have sealed the fate
Of the bronze guns. so far as the ordnance Of the
German army is concerned.
A BAPTIST missionary in India proposes that
men and women who 90 out as missionaries shall
enlist for ten years only. He thinks by this plan
the missionary service would be more effective,
as many missions are ruined by sick men hanging
on, and by the retention of men too old for hard
service Furthermore, more persons would be
willing to serve as missionaries than on the life
plan.
A SINGULAR dinner took place recently at the
Crystal Palace. About 400 years ago, citizen
of st. Clements, Eastcheap, bequeathed to bis
fellow citizens piece of land, the ANIMAL pro-
ceeds Of which were to be applied to defray1ng
the expenses once year of meal consisting of
bread and cheese, radishes and ale. One day a
large party sat down to the humble repast, but
after it had been disposed of it was quickly fol-
lowed by banquet which Luculus might have
envied.
A LOT Of candidates for positions in the gene
raj post-ofice in London were obliged to make
written statements as to the medical histories of
themselves and their families, and these are some
of their sad but interesting expressions Father
had a sunstroke and / caught it of him = My
little brother died Of some funny name !" "a
great white cat drawed my sisters breath and she
died Of it !" "Apperplexity !" Parasites !" Bur
ralger in the head " Rummitanic pains ;""Short-
ness of breath = Indigestion of the lungs"
Toncertina in the throat !" " Pistoles on the
back"
In North Germany the reclamation of the ex-
tensive lowlands, that have heretofore remained
uncultivated for lack of drainage, is now proceed
ing with yigor under the auspices Of a company
employing a large capital and effective steam
ditching machines. Each machine cuts canal
20 feet wide and feet deep, and from 100 to
I20 feet in length every 10 hours. The peat is
delivered on the surfece Of the ground alongside
the canal where it is dried, cut into bricks, and
sent to market. 1t is an excellent fuel. In Hol-
land and Friesland there are 1000 square miles of
this bog land, now worthless, which will be rem
dered habtable and profitable as fast as the ca
nails are cut, TO say nothing of the immense guam
titles of fuel that will be obtained by the ditching
operation.
THERE is in Paris ridiculous law by which |
person on being run over while crossing the street |
is obliged, if not killed, to pay fac for Obstruct-
ing the public highway. and very peculiar and |
oppressive instance of its enforcement occurred /
the other day. a little child, the offspring of
poor couple residing in one of the minor streets
running out of the avenue Josephine, while play
ing in the middle of the street was knocked down
and run over by passing carriage and instantly
killed. The bereaved parents, in addition to their
sorrow for the loss of their child, we're condemned
to pay GGe of lOOf for not having kept the child
out Of the street.
CURE FOR CArARRH.-Although catarrh of
itself is not to be cassed with the dangerous
diseases, railways troublesome and if the ebronchie
become affected favorable termination, especially
with aged persons, is not always certain. A
remedy for this affection, as suggested by Dr.
Haggar, is as follows Five parts of carbolic acid
six of aqua ammonia specific gravity O.96Ol ten
Of distilled water, and fifteen of alcohol, and to be
mixed together in wide-mouthed bottle, half
filed with cotton or asbestus and snufed up, from
time to time, from the bottle. After thorough
trial of this prescription, Dr. Brand states that it
shortens the first stage Of the disease, prevents
the second, and alleyiates all the symptoms. He
prefers however, to apply it by inhalation through
the mouth as well as the nose, by pouring few
drops on porous paper, and holding it in the
hollow of the hand before the face, with the eye
closed.
IMPROVEMENTS IN GLASS SPNSNo-Recent
improvements in glass spinning by Brunfaut as
set forth in q communication by Professor Her
mann, promise to develop a new branch of in
iustry Prolonged experiments led to the dis
,overy of a compound which affords threads sur
passing in ineness even the single cocoon fbres,
and apparently as soft and elastic as silk This
substance has been applied to variety of uses
1ut on account Of the skill required in the work
man, and the fatiguing character of the labor,
especially to the eyes, the articles may as yet =
De classed as curiosities When felted, it forms
excellent material for chemical filters. 1t is
adapted to figures for brocades, &c. and to the
manufacture Of clothing, ornaments, furniture
overs, curtains, carpets, lace, collars, &c, and can
,e used in knitting aud embroidering In soft
less the articles approach silk, and feel like the
inest wooden, while they are warmer than the
after and exceedingly light. They are com
,aratively free from mechanical wear and are not