The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-12-15

Military and naval y
-NeU York Sun.
TIMELY TOPICS.
Sir Henry Bessemer has saken out no
less than ia patents. The freedom of
the city Of London has just been cor
ferred upon him. Before his steel pro
cess was introduced into Sheffield the
entire make Of steel was 1000 tons a
year; now it is $50, 900 tons.
According to Liebig, tea and coffee
have become necessaries of life to whole
nations, but especially essential to the
poorer classes, supplying a void not
readily filled up by the limited supply
of good m eats and wholesome food gen.
orally.
The Baptist Weekly remarks With con
siderable subtlety that the brethren who
have been able to attend political meet
ings, gaze at torchlight professions and
do considerable shouting besides, cannot
consistently plead the risks OF night all
as an excuse for absence from prayer
meetings.
In Russia, all the sons and daughters
of princes inherit their title. They are,
consequently, as plentiful as sparrows,
1t is said that there is a village where
every inhabitant is a Prince or Princess
Gallitzen. The title of prince in Russia
is about equivalent to that Of esquire in
England.
The old apprenticeship system has
been revived by q manufacturer at
Springfield, Mass. The boys bind them
selves for twelve years, and are to receive
from five cents an hour at the beginning
to Twelve at the end. In addition two
cents an hour will be placed to their
credit, and paid on their discharge, thus
providing for ench about $500 for a start
on his own account. The employer
STIMULATES for ffty-eight hours Of work
a week, and nine of study.
That eccentric person, George Francis
Train, occasionally turns up to public
notice in New York by some original act.
The Central park commissioners re-
ceived a petition from him the other
day, asking for permission to put his feet
on seats in the park. He stated that the
policemen had denied him that privilege,
and wished to know what law prevented
him from enjoying the liberty if he
chose. The communication was placed
on file.
The Scientific american urges the
adoption OF the telephone on the BATTLE
field rs q means Of conveying informa-
ton and transmitting orders rapidly
and accurately, without exposing the
general in command to the fire
Of the enemy, and thus imperiling
not only his own life but possibly the
ultimate result of the campaign. Of
course special notifications are neces.
sary to render the telephone available
for such use, but these are quite within
the power OF the inventor and mechani-
clan.
Many clergymen in the United States
have lately received q circular from a
London dealer in secon hand sermons.
He offers sermons Autographed in a
bold, round hand" so that those who
happen to see them would suppose that
they were manuscript, for twenty-five
cents each, or $40 per 100. He has a
line Of cheaper sermons in print at ten
cents apiece, warranted orthodox, and
others a little more expensive, which
have "a pleas antness, yet an awful
solcmnity about them"
Miss Kate Field, who has spent much
time abroad, says to a Boston reporter:
How easy it i5 to write heavy leader,
and how difficult it is, as all newspaper
people know, to write brilliant, cpl
grammatic paragraphs. This is the
chief attraction of American newspapers,
which distinguishes them from the
English journals-their capacity for
keen and witty paragraphs. 1t is not
to impress them with the Importance of
the subject. Tue London Times fire.
quently devotes column to what might
be condensed into a dozen lines.
The past forty years have witnessed a
prodigious growth in American farm
ing. In 1910 the grain product was
6l5, 900, 600 bushels; ten years later it
had risen to 800, 900, 900; ten years later
1898, 900, 600; ten years later yet to
1887, 600, 900, and nine years later, or
last year, to 2,43l, 900. 600. These an
nual cereal products have risen from q
value of 1900, OO0. 900 in 1850 TO one OF
Sill, 600, 900, 600 in 1870, and probably to
one OF SIS, 900, 000, 900 o more in this
past year, 1880, and the surplus, after
paying wages and expenses, was over
3d. O0, 600, OOO in 1870, and perhaps
$751; OO, 600, 900 in 1880. Mr.. S. B. Rug
giles has been collecting these statistics
for the Chamber Of Commerce in New
York, and they are noteworthy.
There has recently died in New
Orleans the last Of Laitte's celebrated
band Of buccaneers, Jacinto Lo-
brano, whose life extended over nearly
100 years, and may be truly character
lied as an eventful career. Lobrano
was born in the city Of Naples between
the years 1888 and l7S6. He became
q sailor and made several voyages be-
tween Gibraltar and Havana. During
1914 he saw Napoleon at Elba. Lo-
brano's first visit to New Orleans was
made in 1909. He subsequently became
connected with Laftte, ovei whom he
exercised considerable influence, being
largely instrumental in persuading the
~privateer to side with the Americans
against the British. The old veteran
seems to have taken a prominent part in
the battle Of New Orleans. having been
presented by General Jackson with q
handsome sword, which he cherished as
one of his most valuable possessions.
Its blade is of the finest temper, and OF
such rare steel that it will bend double
without breaking. 1t is said that Lo-
brano participated in the Texan Wal tor
independence, and among the trophies
Of his exploits is a lance which he cap
tured from one of the followers of Santa
Anna. MIR. Lobrsno was at M time
engaged in the slave trade and other
commercial enterprises. He finally
settled in New Orleans. and has since
led a quiet and retired life.
Ears.
Large ears hear things in general, and
denote broad, comprehensive views and
,,odoo ~ tbc,obt. mhi1o anal ooro baor