The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-03-15
EoreIgn Notes.

At lNoAAsChlluS uANG uNC Aaluliy
mansions in Paris, valued at one hun
dred million francs.
The Italian lottery system brings IN
not less than GO, 600, 900 francs in each
/ succeeding year to the national ex-
/ chequer.
! 1t is said that the French actress
Croizette is to be married to the son of
a well-known Partisan banker, in which
case she will retire definitely from the
stage.
The announcement is made by the
Constantinople correspondent OF the
/ Cologne Gdsette that the Sultan, with n
view to economy, intends to get rid OF
the wild beasts collected by the unfor-
tunate Sultan Abdul Aziz by present.
ing them to the Geological Gardens of
London and Paris.
Baltimore is likely to get steamship
line to Italy, the Italian government
choosing that city as the terminus of
proposed direct communication with
this country. A commission is trying
to make the arrangements. Now Italy
gets ner cotton goods from England,
and sends products through England
to America.
FTenchmen are eating more and more
horse flesh. The first horse butcher
In Paris opened his shop in 1866. Last
year 5000 horses, 6+S asses and thirty
five mules were eaten in France. A
philanthropIc Frenchman has offered
100 francs and q medal to the first
horse butcher who shall establish him
self in London.
An enterprising school teacher ia
London is thriving under system he
has invented of sending boys from
England or from any part of the world,
at cheap rate, to schools in England,
or in any cities of the European CONT
nent. OF course he gets commission
from the school proPristors- He re-
ceives the pupils, takes them in patches
twice month to the Continent, and
periodically visits them in order TO
render an account to their parents of
their progress and well-being.
The number of iron-sailing ships
built upon the Clyde in 1876 exceeded
in numbers and tonnage the iron steam
vessels. 1t Is the first event of the
kind in the history of the Clyde. The
builders are all busy, in spite of the
surplus of old shipping in European
ports. Iron is rapidly taking the place
of wood for sailing vessels, and mer-
chants insist on buying new ones in
stead of old ones. Nothing except the
most tempting terms effects the sale OF
an old ship.
The Nibelungenlied tctralogy is to
be performed again this summer at
Baireuth. The performances are to be
kept up for three weeks, so that the
entire tetralogy may be repeated rev.
eral times, thus extending the chances
of hearing it. The rehearsals are to
take place during the last week of
June, to be followed Immediately by
the public performance. The arrange
'ments will, in several respects, be off
ferent from those which prevailed last
year. Notably, the prices of admis-
sion to the amphitheatre or "pitn will
be greatly reduced from the extrava.
giant prices charged last year. On the
other hand, the artists, vocal and IN
strumental, will insist on being paid
for this renewal of their intense ia
tigue of twelve performances, conse-
quently the outlay will be increased.
An English mechanic has contrived
to make steam engine do its own
stocking. A large sheet-iron hopper is
above the mouth of the furnace and in
front of the boiler. This is the recep-
tacles for Goals. Below the hopper u
steel crusher is made to run somewhat
rapidly, and, as the Goals fall by reason
of their own gravity upon this grind
ing apparatus, they are reduced to the
uniform size Of cob-nuts by the action
of the crusher. Thence the equalized
fuel drops upon pair of iron disks, or
fans inclosed in box, and running in
opposite directions at high velocity.
The fans are in fact the furnace-feed-
ers, for, as the box has but one open
ing and that leads to the fire, they lit
orally blow the Goals into the latter and
distribute them equally over the whole
surface of the fire-bars. The feed is
regulated in quantity according to the
heavy or light work the engine may be
doing by means of a single adjusting
set-screw. This is the attenuation
stoker. The furnace fires are fed and
steam kept up in the boiler without
the turning of shovel, and all that
the fireman has to do Is to smoke his-
pipe and whistle "Down in a coal
mine"
English artillerists are directing
their attention to the latest invention
of Herr Krupp, viz: an armored gun,
which does away with the recoi1 of
heavy siege, coast and naval guns.
When fired the new armor gun remains
fixed in its original position, so that
when once pointed, relaying after
every shot is entirely dispensed with,
and rapidity of fire--sixty rounds in
fifteen minutes-is attained. The gun
is armored by a metal sphere being
screwed round the muzzle, the thick
ness of the armor corresponding TO the
calibre of the weapon. In firing from
forts the size of the embrazures IL re-
duced to that OF the bore Of the gun,
and the smoke, which has hitherto
made prolonged stay in the classmates
insupportablc, is blown away by hav-
ing to remain outside. With the great
stability of the gun fewer gunners and
less spice are required. Extensive
trials are about to be made against
these armored guns, with the Object 81
determining what chances tnere are Of
an enemy disabling weapon thus
protected.