Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1878-12-14


applied it for marine purposes. The
French war-steamer Desaix had 10 TOW
out from Toulon the old ship Argo-
naute. A conducting wire vas ruled
round one Of the towing cables. With
an end on board each vessel. The cleo
| trio current was formed by the action
Of the sea on the copPer-sbeathing Of
the ships. 4 telephone Vas introduced
in the circuit on each, and communica
ton established between them. Dur
ing the whole time 81 the navigation
conversation could he carried on a.
easily between the officers Of the two
vessels as il they hal been seated in
the same cabin. The next step was to
apply the telephone to the work Of the
diver. One u the glasses If the helmet
is replaced by copper plate, in which
Is inserted a telephone; so that the man
has only slight movement Of the head
to make in order to receive communi-
cations or report observations. The
advantages of such an arrangement are
obvious. Frequently at sea tue neces-
sity arises of examining the keel or bot
tom Of ship. The diver descends aud
is able to give an account Of all he sees
and does and receive instructions with
out having to be brought TO the surface
to give explanations. as has hitherto
been the case. by the use OF the tele-
phone man at the bottom of the sea
can remain in constant verbal commun-
ication with those at the surface. But
the most singular application OF the
telephone comes from New South
Wales, where Dir. Severn, an enthusi-
aox; La hat lao, hoo
made the deaf to hear with it. After
describing very simple telephone
which he constructed out of tin pot,
the closed end of which he opened and
tied over it a piece of parchment, pass
ing fine string through the ceter and
making knot inside, Mr.. Severn says;
MAKE loop in the string some three
feet long, put this loop over the fore
head of the listener 1.-THE deaf NAM,
cause him to place the palms of his
hands fiat and hard against the ears, let
the loop pass over the hands, and now
this listener will hear the smallest whis-
per, let him be deaf or not. This fact
may appear extraordinary; it is, never
theless, true that deaf man may thus
he made to hear the voice, music, etc."
The Tribune.
The distinguished French authors,
About and Taine were school boys to-
gether, and have always maintained the
closest friendship. After emerging
from the Ecole Normale they set up
housekeeping together in an old house
in the Quarter Latin, and, as they were
very poor, had great difficulty in keep
ing body and soul together. One day
they discovered that they had neither
money nor anything to eat, and About
started out to scare up some nutriment
for the inner man. After while he
returned laden with basket containing
a dozen bottles of wine and various
packets Of provisions, and followed by
no less pleased than astOnished, but he
demanded an explanation. "Oh," said
About, ~ stumbled across wine-deal-
cr who uantAd~ a first-class advertise
ment done in the highest style Of art, so
sat down and wrote it for him, and he
gave me fifty francs and this wine."
''But the organ grinder?" pursued
Taine. "Heavens!' exclaimed his
friend, "you don't think one can enjoy
a banquet without music, do you?
SoHAoS A"AA W, auA Sou, oIu DuuoTs ~
to work on that divine instrument of
yours" which the old buffer proceeded
to do, probably moro to the satisfaction
of his employer than to that of Tame
N. Y Tribune.
| AN INTERNATIONAL PARK.-Lord
Dufferin, in a recent speech before the
| Society of Artists at Toronto, made an
excellent suggestion. which, it may be
hoped, will receive general public at
tention, and ultimate in appropriate
legislative action. "Some few weeks
ago." said his lordship, II had the good
fortune to meet his Excellency the Gov
ernor of the State of New York, and I
then suggested to him an idea which has
long been present to my mind, that the
governments of New York and Ontario,
or Canada, should combine to acquire
whatever rights may have been estab-
lished against the public, and to form
around Niagara Falls a small public
international park-not indeed desc
Grated, or in any way sophisticated, by
the puny efforts of the art of the land
scape gardener-but carefully preserved
in the picturesque and unvulgarized
condition in which it was originally
laid by the hand of nature. Nothing
could have been more gratifying or
gracious than the response which his
Excellency the Governor of New York
was good enough to make to my repre-
sensations, and he encouraged me to
hope that should fitting opportunity
present itself, he and his government
might be induced. if not to take the in
itiative in the matter, at all events to
cooperate heartily with our own in
carrying out such plan as I have
sketched."
A TRANSPARENT BoDY.-Merry col
lege jest:
Your professor has given you some
elementary instruction - to bodies ?"
Eyes, SIR"
every we'll. What is . transparent
body?'
fSilence that would reflect no dis
credit upon Trappist or deaf mute
"Well, what is g transparent body?