The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1880-11-19
zunRLY TOPICS.


In many marshy, fever-plaeued dis
tricts Of Europe and Africa the expert
ment OF planting in large numbers the
for some years. and late report shows
that the result Is the almost total ban
ishment of fevers from these regions.
A scheme OF African exploration is
said TO be under consideration In Portu-
gal, which, II carried into execution,
will probably result in the achievement
of the most important geographical
work. It is proposed that two. expedi-
tions should start simultaneously from
the Portuguese possessions on the east
and west coasts of Africa, and, after
founding series of scientific and COM
mercial stations along their line OF
route, meet at some point in the interior.
Planters in Louisiana bave had such
good success in employing labor ers
Fl ON Portugal and Spain, that they are
sending out for more of them. Theplan
of bringing them over in families is said
to have worked remarkably well. Or
ders recently went out for 600, to be dis.
tributed in small numt ers among those
who have made application for them.
If planters are thoroughly satisfied with
the result, the movement will quickly
assume large proportions, one planter
alone contemplating bringing over 500
Spaniards for his own estates.
The wool-clip Of the world has in
creased five times since 1880, when il
was about 800, 600, 600 pounds in weight.
In l676-the latest year for which there
are complete figures-Europe produced
740, 900, 900, River Plate 240. 100000,
United States 208, o00, 900, Australia $780,
900, 900, and South Africa 4S .OOO, O0C
pounds, making a total of $50 900, OOC
pounds. Great Britain and France con-
sumo each about the same quantity oil
wool $50, GOO, 600 pounds year. Ger
many consumes about l65, 0OO, OOC
pounds, United States $50 600 DOC
pounds, and Russia, Austria jand other
countries 400. 600, 900 pounds.
Cologne cathedral, which has lust
been completed after centuries of labor,
is one of the largest and loftiest build
ings in the world. For the past sixty
years the work has been carried on with
but little intermission, the cost being
met by both public and private contri-
buttons, and German architectural
journal has sscertained that the aegre-
gate amount expended within this period
Is eighteen millions of marks, or about
SIS, 100000. When to this is added the
money contributed during past centur-
les and NOTABLY what has been sunk in
the colossal foundations and spent in
purchasing various necessary parcels OF
greund," it appears that the cathedral,
as it now stands, represents about forty
millions OF marks, or $l2 900, 900.
The number OF postoflice employees in
England (46,l92 seems very large In
proportion to an exceedingly small num-
Der of offices (l3,9i2) until it is consid-
cred that the English postoffice also
conducts large savings bank and tele-
graph business. The United States
postoffices number AZ, $50. The total oil
returned" letters in England was
S, 345, 678, while 2,996,5l3 letters passed
through our dead-lctter office. Not less
than 500, 469 persons forgot to put their
own address inside the letters they wrote
and 81 Cpl letters were posted positively
without any address whatever, of which
not less than l, l4l contained valuables.
These last figures indicate more care
fully conducted correspondence than is
common in the United States, for amone
American dead letters were 49, IT'S con-
tanning 5 100, 600 in checks, drafts, etc,
besides "a 900 others containing stamps,
etc. Among the novelties of the Eng.
lish service is system by which receipts
are given for letters posted (Which must
not be COMPOUNDED with the registration
system) and the charging of "late fee, ,
by paying which domestic letters arc
received after the mails have closed, as
is now done here for foreign letters.