The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1876-04-07
JTISCELLANEOUS.

Fourteen bodies have been recovered
from the ruins of the alms-house fire at Nor
wich, Conn.
The United States government loses
| 5000 year in the manufacture of postal
cards, to say nothing OF the cost of carrying
them as mail matter and they claim that if
| the government should abolish stamped en-
velopes, wrappers and postal cards, it would
save 81, 100000 year.
Prof. G.. V. Riley asserts that in 1874
| the southern states lost S2OOOO,OOO by the
cotton worm in a single week; that III 1871
| $30,000000 worth of grain was ruined by the
| chinch-bug; and that in 1873, 1874 and 1875,
the Rocky mountain grasshopper destroyed
food to the amount of $5o,OGO,O0O
The Portuguese government has asked
the cOrtes for the sum of thirty-three thou
sand dollars, in order to render the Portu-
guese display at the centennial exhibition as
attractive and complete as possible This
sum is intended for two sections in particu-
lar, the agricultural and industrial.
The construction of steamboat for
exhibition at the centennial has been begun
L
be fifty feet long and ten feet wide, with iron
frame sheathed with wood. 1t viii cost about
twenty thousand dollars, and is expected to
be model of beauty, symmetry and speed
The new steamboat bill allows the con-
veyance of coal-oil at igniting point of 10 in
metallic cases on any passenger steamer, and
at $50 in barrels, all oils to be carried on
=, -.
from the furnaces. The present law forbids
the carrying of oil in any way on passenger
steamers, when there are any other means of
transportation.
Senator Frelinghuysen reported in
favor of disposing of the japanese indemnity
fund in accordance with the petition of the
New York chamber of commerce, which, we
believe, gives it to the cause of education in
Japan. This is simple justice to that coun-
try, as the indemnity, amounting to $780, 200,
was forced from Japan by a species of dis
honorable bullying. The real damages
amounted only to $4,000, and grew out of
injuries inflicted On an American vessel in
1868 by reDellious vassal of the japanese
government The $4,000 was paid, but our
government united with the French, Dutch
and English in a fresh demand for So ,OO0,-
900, of which $3.50, 900 fell to the share of the
United States.
Mr.. Wright, the United States grange
commissioner, has returned to England after
an extensive tour on the continent His
report is in the main gratifying. He met
with considerable success in Germany. While
there he had an interview with Herr Folk,
the minister of education, and with Herr
Friendenthal, the minister of agriculture, at
which he was furnished with much valuable
information relating to the German agricul-
tural associations. In England Mr.. Wright
conferred with the chamber of agriculture
and other societies He will remain there
until after the industrial congress, which
holds its first session April 10th. Mr.. Ruskin
has written to him saying that he approves
of the system of the oranges, and hopes they
will take root and prosper in Great Britain
Mr.. Wright is not sanguine Of such result at
present, but thinks the basis of the union
will soon be formed between British CO.
operative societies and corresponding grange
societies in America.