The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-06-25

China, six hours previously. Thirty thou:
sand miles in six hours is good time, even
for the telegraph. The charge to Shanghai
is $3.50 per word to Yokohama, s305
but the code, or cipher, is 30 we'll systema-
tized by certain mercantile houses, that a
single word serves for dozen when tran
scribed.
Flour obtained by drying and pulveriz-
ing bananas before maturity was among
the articles of last years Paris exhibition.
1t contained 66.1 per cent. OF starch and
only 2.9 of azotized matter. Brandy from
the ripe fruit wa also shown. Banana
trees have the property Of keeping the soil
moist around them, and have therefore been
planted in proximity to coffee trees in Ven
ezuela, where droughts often exist for
months. AS the country cannot consume
all the fruit, it has begun to export extern
sively.
In an editorial comment on advertising
schemes, the Reading (Penn.) Times says
"There are men who would rather spend
$40 or $40 in the rail-card and board nui-
sances, which may be seen by few hun.
dred people, than to expend the same sum
in their home papers, where tens OF thou
sands would see their cards every day. This
is an age of newspaper reading, and the
sooner business men come to realize this
fact in all its Importance, the better it will
be for business generally, and the better it
will be for themselves"
The song of the nightingale has always
been associated with some sort of unearthly,
beautiful music; with long, languid nights
in Eastern lands; with dreaming grove,
and cool shadows, and still waters, and full
moons, and musk-laden air, and grooming
insects; and leonine, dark.eyed houris, and
love. This is somewhat the way in which
we have thought Of the nightingale's song.
This is the way those fanciful individuals,
the poets, have taught us to think of it.
This is the way in which we should be glad
10 continue thinking of it, and the way that
we should continue thinking of it, perhaps,
had not Mr.. Bechstein and MI. Davy, who
have made the nightingale study, in
formed US that what the bird, in reality,
does say when it sings, is "Tiou, tiou, tiou,
tiou, spe, tiou, squa.tio (six repetitions),
contio, contio-tzu, tzu, tzy," or
" Wheel, wheel, wheel, cur-r-r sweet,
sweet, sweet, sweet, jug, jug, Jug, jug-swot
swot, swot, swot, cur-r-r."
In the celebrated Billingsgate Fish
Market, in London, the electric light
proved complete failure, for the unex-
pccted reason that it was too good. Business
at Billingsgate begins at, three o'clock in
the morning, most of the bargains being
struck by gaslight. When the searching
electric candle was turned on, its brilliant
whiteness literally showed the fish in such
a new light that the trade was demoralized
outright. Soles that would have fetched a
shilling pair by gaslight looked dear at
sixpence, while turbot fresh from the sea
looked a week old. The result was a
general outcry. The copious and ornate
dialect OF the locality was enriched by a
number nf notable additions during the few
days OF the new light; and for fear OF a re-
volt among the "bummarees,' as the fish
statesmen are called, the corporation was
obliged to restore the familiar yellow gas
lights.
Troubles of various kinds reported,
from British India. Incendiary fires, kin
dled by native malcontents, continue in the
Poonah district. Rain is needed in many
sections so that the indigo crop will be al
most failure in any event, and other
crops will fall short unless the drought is
soon broken. Cholera has appeared in
many cities Of the Punjab. Distress and
famine, in connection with incompetency,
corruption and lack of organization on the
part OF officials, are producing most seri-
Gus state of affairs. Dacoity," or robbery
by armed gangs, is assuming alarming pro-
portions, especially in the Poonah district
Bands of "dacoits" are securing the coun-
try, committing most daring deeds Of vio-
|ence. They seem to be parts of regular
under the command of one
Wassadeo Bulwund. They are suspected
Of having destroyed many public buildings; !;
and in remarkable manifesto to the Bom-
bay government they threaten to raise
another mutiny and put price upon the
head of the governor unless their distress is
native trade encouraged, taxes re-
luced and employmentsupplied by govern
ment Energetic measures are now taken
% suppress this mutinv.