The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-02-01
Foreign Notes.
Patti claims more diamonds than any
xroman in Eurone


ing rink built on an entirely new and
very novel plan, it is said.
Alfred Edward tells his children how
he use to saddle elephants in India, and
go for quiet little trot.
Dresden is called the heaven of
broken.down American families-peo-
pie Of more name than BANK notes.
The Shah OF Persia has rented a
house in Paris for the spring Of 1873,
when he proposes to visit the city.
The Prince of Orange, son of :he
Queen Of HOLLAND, lately gave a supper
70 the leading actresses in Paris.
Vanilline is made from beechwood
in Germany, and is substance resem-
bling in flavor and odor the vanilla
bean.
American papers are sold in many
places in Paris and Berlin. New York
papers are in special demand in the
former city.
The ex-Empress Eugene has re-
moved from Bone to Florence. She
was given u farewell dinner ut the
Quirinal.
II is no secret that the Gar hates his
English son.in-law, because Of shabby
treatment of his wife in. public on
several occasions.
Havre is to have new docks after the
Liverpool plan. The government will
carry out the project. The expense is
put down at many millions.
Won Moltke denies that he is writ
ing a history of the late war between
his country and France; and what is
more, he wants to find the man who
said he was.
Artificial violets are sold in Paris to
great extent. They resemble the
natural ones, and have the same per
fume. They are made OF Chinese silk,
dyed.
The Duke of Edinburgh wears it is
solemnly rumored, a bracelet on one
wrist--a chain cc5,e of gold-and is
striving to Sc. che fashion Of such dec
ORATOR.
- Baron de Werner says, through the
fatng OF q San Francisco cell 81
dislike a country where there is no re-
spect paid to social distinction" He
has been swindling.
Sir Henry dc Houghton, the largest
holder Of Confederate bonds, died last
month. He is succeeded in his an
cient baronetcY, the second IN point Of
precedence, by his brother.
The customs receipts of Russia have
steadily fallen off for three years, and
in 1876 there were only CO, 125, 900,
and the import of gold only $500, 600,
while the export of gold was G12, 400, =
900.
A notice has been published by the
French government for the benefit of
travellers, that all second and third
class railway carriages will be warmed
next winter. The companies are at
liberty TO use any system they think
best, but they must adopt some system.
The public sale of newspapers in
Berlin is about to undergo revolu-
tion. At present single copies may be
bought at certain places at a compare
lively high rate. Within few days
there will be one hundred newspaper
boys OF uniform hawking papers about
the streets at the reduced price of a
groschen the copy.
The number of pilgrims who assem-
bled last year at Mecca is officially sta
ted to have been 140, 900. OF the
number 49, were conveyed by sea
and the remainder by caravans across
the continent. The whole number is
below the average of former years, the
falling off being accounted for by the
French government having forbidden
the pilgrimage from Algiers in conse-
quence of the prevalence of cholera in
syria.
In Peru the recent presidential cleo
ton was conducted in an ess entially
lively manner. Everybody interested
in the election was armed to the teeth,
and firing began promptly. In the
struggle Prado's party captured all the
voting booths in the capital on the first
night, having to kill only twenty-five
persons to do the thing. 1t is not al
ways, however, that an election passes
off so peacefully and pleasantly. Pra-
do was, of course, elected, with no
danger of being counted out while his
ammunition lasted.
Ex-SurEeon. General Francis, of the
British army in India, writes thus
warmly in favor of cold tea as superior
to any alcoholic or malt beverage,
y when sustained physical vigor is requi-
site: "a few years ago | accompanied
well known Nlmrod on a tiger shoot
ing expedition. My friend, II man of
keen nervous temperament and in ex-
cellent health, had been recommended
always TO drink bitter beer twice
day. l drank nothing but cold tea
throughout our trip. Every evening,
shortly after dinner, my companion
turned in quite exhausted, while /
read or wrote till midnight, rising at
8 A. NJ. quite fresh. l could adduce
from my own experience, extending
over many years in a tropical climate,
several other witnesses. Tea is not
followed by the depression which, as
rule, succeeds in the case of alcoholic
stimulants.
The atmosphere is so full OF duell,ng
that the way il was done by two
Frenchmen, NM. De Courcy aud Re-
monin, near Paris, few years ago, Is
of interest now. The quarrel was
about the famous danseuse Henrieite,
and aS there was some difficulty during
1.-the preliminary negotiations about Sc
lecting a spot Tor the encounter, some
body suggested that the fight should
come oG-in air A piquant sugges.
ton Of this kind was sure to take with
Frenchmen, and it was ut once adopted.
Nadir furnished two balloons, OF about
thirty thousand cubic feet each - that
is, OF capacity for carrying each three
persons. When all was ready the
aerostats were conveyed to secluded
spot ne2r the capital, where they were
expeditiously inflated by secret chem
ieal process. NJ. DeCourcy, with his
second and physician, entered one
car while NJ. Remonin, Gen. Ne
bel and a ssurgeon occupied an
other, and preparations were made
for the start. When ell was in readi
ness. the word ''let go' was given,
and instantly the two aerostats shot into
the air. NJ. De Courcy's balloon was
made OF blue and white spIpdles of
silk; that of n. Remonin was white
silk. painted with diagonal stripes of
purple and green. At the height of
1000 feet, while the balloons were vet
very near together, the seconds ex-
changed rapid signals, and agreed that
the conditions were favorable for the
\ contest. Ready pa pause. Fire -
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