Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-06-03

Inc braziliang have bekn proud of
their two monitors. the Javary and the
Soiimces. but recent development have
somewhat changed their views. They
started the latter TO steam down the
coast Tor artillery practice the other
day, ana after steam was made 1t was
found that the vessel would not start,
ana they had TO put out the fires,
cool of the boilers and overhaul the
machinery 10 find out what the trouble
was. The next day they got up steam
and heaved ahead very satIgfactorily.
butt the craft wouldn't obey her helm
md bore down with great rapidity
Jon another iron-clad, which lay In
nrr way. The officers and crew were
t.t.l zed with fear, and the men on
both crafts were preparing TO 20 over
,oard. when by fash OF genius IL sud-
len y occurred TO somebody to reverse
The engines, and the threatened col
ision was averted. The spectacle Of an
unmanageable monitor tearing about .
the bay has not convinced the Brazil
ians OF their naval supremacy.
The contingent of new members In the
house of commons il made I'D largely of
nerchants, manufacturers and those
connected with commercial pursuits.
Fifty-two are lawyers, forty four belong.
ing TO the bar and eight having prac-
ticed as solicitors; thirty belong 10 the
army; two TO the navy; three have be-
longed 10 the diplomatic profession: six
have followed the profession oi journal
lists; seven are civil and agricultural
engineers; five are bankers; two are
connected with the brewing trade;
three belong TO the medical profession;
six are tenant farmers, or in other ways
connected with labor; four have been
printers, publishers, engravers, etc.
one is n member of the royal academy of
Scotland; one is a civil and military
tutor; one is n Presbyterian minister:
and two are clergymen of the Estab-
lished church, who have relieved them
selves of their orders under the provi-
sions of Mr.. Bouverie's relief bill. The
rest are country squires. magistrates,
deputy -lieutenants, chairmen OF quarter
sessions, ex-high sheriffs, baronets, or
sons OF peers. The Oldest of the new
members is aged seventy-eight; the
youngest was born in 1856.
In a review of the British opium trade
in India and China. Professor Christ
lieb, OF Bonn, gives the following stat
istics showing the magnitude of the
trade and its effects upon Indian agri-
culture: Since the conclusion of the
treaty OF Tienisin, in 1860, the quantity
of opium annually imported into
China from the East Indies has in
creased TO $4,000 chests. In 1855 as
many as S5.454 chests, worth $50. .O0O,-
900. were brought into the Chinese
market, 6,943 OF which were sent to
Malacca, while the consumption of the
drug for medicinal purposes in Great
Britain in the same year reached only
l65 chests. The progressive growth of
the trade during the past eighty years
is thus shown: In the year 1900, about
5000 chests; in 1925, 1900 in 1850,
$4,000; end in 1875, e0,6i0. Among the
most striking effects caused by the ex-
tension of poppy planting in India are
the diminution of the quantity of land
available for other crops and the con-
sequent curtailment of food products.
In Benares and Bchar, immense tracts
of the finest and most fertile land in
Northern and Central India have been
gradually covered with poppy plan
tations. Quite recently 100000 acres
of the richest plains in Central
India, and Sc, 900 acres in the valley of
the Ganges. which formerly used TO pro-
duce corn, sugar and indigo. have,tD
the impoverishment Of the soil. been
devoted 10 opium culture. The average
devoted To that purpose to-day is esti-
mated at Loss. 200 acres.