The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-02-04
TIMELY TOPICS.

The population of our globe, estimated
at about 1,3OO,000,OOO is ruled by 10
emperors, IS kings, Al princes, II sui
tans, 10 khans, 8 grand dukes, 6 dukes,
l vice-king, l nisam, radia. imam,
7 bey, and % presidents, besides large
number of chiefs of wild tribes. OF
the republics, nineteen are found OIL
soil, leaving only nine for the
rest Of the world.
One of the 'life.saving stations on the
California coast has been officially
named the Maggie Geddes. This is q
recognition of the bravery Of Maggie
Gcddes, of San Antonio. She is only
nine years old. Seeing a younger play
mate fall down high embankment into
a mill-race, she instan tly jumped after
it. The water was deep, and ran swiftly
toward large wheel; but Maggie was
p good swimmer, and by desperate
str uggle got ashore with her playmate.
Such GOODNESS and courage were
deemed worthy of special honor.
The Gerhnrd-Rohlfs exploring expe-
dition, which started under the auspices
of the German African Society to cross
the Sahara to Wadai, in Central Africa,
has come to grief. Before the party had
made half the distance from the last
fountain to the objective point, they
were robbed of clothing, money and
scientific instruments, the safe conduct
guaranteed them to the contrary not
withstanding. Wadai is the hilly coun-
try south of the desert, and is thought
to be the key to The most important un-
solved questions of African geography.
It has been supposed that American
watches sold in Europe have been to
a great extent depressing the manufac-
ture of Swiss watches. but; from the
trade returns of that republic, this ap-
pears to be a grave error. In l845
Switzerland only produced about $4,000
watches, but last year she produced
81, 433 more watches than in 1866. For
over twenty years her progress in this
line of industry has been remarkably
steady. while an improvement in the
product is also apparent. The use of
machinery of late years has largely sup
plemented hand labor in the manufac-
ture of Swiss watches.
The gas men say that as electricity
cannot be stored like gas, the supply is
therefore precarious and may at any
time leave the city in the lurch were
electricity depended on for light. "They
say" said reporter to the philosopher
of Menlo Park, lone fatal defect is that
you have no reservoir" "They don't
think aboutit," replied Edison. "What
is reservoir but reserve force What
better force can you have than modern
steam engine ? / shall always have q
reserve of electricity. Let them not
trouble themselves about that. Forty
five cities depend at this day upon
modern steam engines. with their re-
serve cylinders, for their water supply.
Reservoirs for Water are getting out of
date. What an absurdity to talk about
reservoirs of electricity! Your engine
is your reservoir"
The once aourishing Virginia City.
New, has of late fallen on troublous
times. The Enterprise says the dread
full depreciation in stocks has been so
unexpected that many who felt safe q
lew weeks ago are now stranded. The
necessity of reducing the working force
in many of the mines has added to the
idlers Of the street. There are good
many destitute families in the city, and
many who heretofore have always re-
sponded to call for help are now carrJ-
ing all the burdens they can possibly
stagger under. The managers of tlle
mines are struggling against the great
depression with all their m: ght. they are
keeping just as large n force of men at
work as it is possible for them to find
employment for, and yet the pressure is
Il cmendouS.
The Living Age has discovered Il .
curious fact that three female sovereign 8
are ill at the same time-the Empress of
Russia, the Queen of Italy and the Queen
of Sweden. Some fatality has attached
itself to the number three during the
year 1879. Serious attempts have been
made upon the lives Of three of the
heads of Europe-the Emperors
of Russia and Germany and the King of
Italy. Three foreign potentates have
heen dispossessed-the Ameer of Cabul.
the Khedive Of Egypt and the King Of
Three famous actors have
died-Falconer, Blackstone and Math-
ews, and the fourth estate is not with
out its fatal adhesion to the unlucky
Three editors or proprietors
Of our foremost newspapers have "bade
a long farewell to all their greatness ~
Lawson, Delane aad Sergeant Cox.
Sir William Gull, the eminent physi-
clan of Guys hospital. agrees with DR..
Richardson and Sir Henry Thompson in
the too frequent use of
alcoholic medicines. He testifies that
he treats fever patients without alco-
holic stimulants; that the use Of wines,
ales and brandy by overworktd people
us useless and dangerous; and that in
regard to intellectual labor all such
drinks are positively hurtful. Even
the moderate use of alcoholic drinks he
pronounces to be injurious to the nerve
tissues and deleterious to health. He
denies that alcoholic beverages either
improve the intellect or impart strength
or add nourishment or supply warmth
to the body. He advocates the imme-
diate abandonment of intoxicating bev-
erages on the same principle that he
would the prompt abandonment OF
poisons.
The recent concert by telephone in
Detroit shows what may be done when
we want our distant musical friends to
drop us note or two. In Chicago the
other night few gentlemen and Ladies
q combination concert. In one
house q piano was drawn UP near the
telephone. On the north side q tenor
took his place at the telephone. on the
south side q basso. on the west side
contralto, at Hyde Park a soprano.
These were then connected with differ
ent audiences in various parts of the
CITY. The singers followed the piano
which came to their
ears, sang their respective parts into
their respective instruments. while to
the audience it sounded like a united
choir. though none of the singers or au-.
dipnces were within half mile of
each other, and some of them were
several miles apart.
The famous pigeons of St. Marks,
Venice, share the perils of that magnltl-
cent pile. These birds are town prop
erty, but are not supported at public
expense. Countess Policastro, during
her lifetime, always fed the birds at two
o'clock. and left money to be applied to
a continuance of the custom. AS the
clock strikes two the pigeons swarm to
St. Marks from all parts of the town,
- j - - a.aa of fha oi nhts To 90 and gaze