The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1875-09-15

Sale of the Irish College-The real estate belong
ing to the Irish College at Rome has been sold at
auction by the Italian authorities, and the proceeds
converted. according to the Church laws OF 1873,
into Government scrip for the benefit OF the SAID
College. The same process is being followed, with
out gloves. in regard to the property owned at
Rome by other foreign ecclesiastical orders.
number of tablets, written upon and carefully
arranged in an ivory box. have been discovered
in the ruins of Pompeii. They contain receipts for
the payment of money, and bear the consular date,
with the name of the day and month, and the
amount paid, The tables are evidently accounts,
and from the way in which they sre kept, there can
be no doubt that the spot where they were found
was the site of Roman Banker house.
China.-There are now laboring at Al different
stations in China 900 male missionaries, lS2 OF
whom are ordained, connected with l6 English, II
American an German Missionary Societies ln
japan there are rs missionaries, A OF whom are
ordained, connected with American and English
Societies.
The vice-Roy of Egypt has commenced the estab
ment of a public hDrary at Cairo, for which pur-
pose he has searched the Mosques and Greek and
Armenian Monasteres of his domiDions, and has
obtained many ancient manuscripts OF the Koran
and other curious works
Jews in Jerusalem. The first step toward re-
moving an evil is to discover and publish it, and
that step has been taken by a committee sent by
the EUglish Jews TO Jerusalem. They report that
the Palestine Jews are shsmefully demoralzed and
pauperizeG, owing to a system Of charity by which
they are supported. OF the l3 600 Jews in Jeru-
salem about 1000 are Ashkenazim, from Poland
and Russia, the remainder being Sepbardim, from
Spain, eto What is called the larger distribu
ton, OF ChalUkG gedola, is given by the Jews of
d.. fbo~y1 atrtaa
riOus merit by helping their fellow reiglonisJs 20
study the Tslmud in Jerusalem, and distributed
among the Ashkenazim. The smaller distribution,
the ChaltkG qetona is contributed by the Jews OF
France, Spain. England, etc., aud divided among
all the Jews, of whatever nationality. From the
two ChdlukdS the Ashk9nazim receive enough to
provide for at least half their support. They are
Lazy, ignorant, bigoted people aud very different
from the Jews who have to support themselves tor
the most part. The amount thus distributed to
the Jews OF Palestine amounts to about $500 QUO.
The House of simon.-An order was recently is
sued by the Sultan for removing the old walls and
dismantling the Notifications OF Jatfa. 10 cutting
gate through water battery at an angle OF the
sea WALL by Vaspasian and directly IN front OF the
reputed house Of Simon the tanner, they came
upon three ovsl-shaped tanners watts hewn out of
the natural rock and lined with Roman cement,
down very near the sea, and similar IN every re-
spect to those in use eighteen centuries ago.
There Is also fresh water spring flowing iron the
elff close by, long known as the town spring.
This discovery; least, proves that the house on
the rocky bluff above, and from which steps lead
down to the watts, must have belonged to some tan
ner, and, as it is not likely more than one OF that
trade would be living in so small place as Jatfa
this, in all probability, is the identical spot where
the house of Simon stood, with whom Peter was
sejourning when he saw his wonderful vision, and
received the servants OF Cornelius, who came all
the way from Cie 3ares to have the apostle visit
their master in that city. A cedar beam was also
found under q section of the wall, deemply imbed
ded IN the sand, showing that this was the very
port where Solomon landed the timber for his
grand temple on Moriah.
strsbO's Geography-The AUgemeiae Zeibutg re-
ports the discovery by Father Cozz2, in the mOnas
terry of Grota Ferrata Of parts OF the lost seventh
and Of the eighth book of Strabos Geography
and that these are SO correct that they will mate
rally aid In the reconstruction OF the text There
Is the Academy says, unfortunately, but little pros
Dect Of any speedy publication of the results of
Father Cozza's interesting discovery, since the
Pope has, It is understood, expressed wish that
he should prosecute the work OF collation. and an
notation under the immediate supervision and d.
rection Of the Fathers in the Propaganda. 1t
would appear that Father Cozza owes his discovery
to his exceptional zeal in examining large bundles
of psrehments, which had lain for ages in the GEL
lars OF the monastery, and which earlier literary
explorers including Cardinal Mai, had been deter
red from taking into their own hands on account
of the accumulation of dust and rubbish under
which they lay buried.