The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1880-05-20
TIMELY TOPICS.

went under wa er tube has supplied
| him with air. But q Mr.. Fleuss has
patented process by which an expert
enced diver can remain under water for
hours, having within his helmet and
dress a supply of compressed oxygen
gas, diluted with nitrogen, which is
naturally present in his lungs and in the
] diving dress when he assumes it. The
/ exhaled carbonic acid being brought
into contact with caustic soda, the
deadly gas is transformed into simple
carbonate of soda. It is asserted that
numerous experiments and tests have
conclusively proved that Mr.. Fleuss's
system is attended with no incon.
venience, and the expense is one-half
that of the old method. Mr.. Fleuss is
only twenty-eight. His process has
| been brought out since the Tay bridge
disaster.
The gold and silver minirg fever is
not altogether confined to the United
| States; it has just broken out afresh in
| New Zealand, and to degree which
indicates the dawning ofa new era upon
that country. The mineral resources of
| the islands have, all at once, been
brought to light to an enormous extent;
| coal fields have been opened; and gold,
silver and copper mines are revealing
wealth to an extraordinary extent. The
discoveries are not so much new: it is
the marvellous development of the old
| that is exciting attention both ia the
colony and in Great Britain.
The German emigration is startling to
| the authorities of the empire. It is Just
published that nearly 81, 600 emigrants
left the four ports of Bremen, Hamburg,
Stettin and Antwerp for America dur
| ing the past year. But small portion
| has gone elsewhere. This report does
not include the Germans who left Brit
ish and French ports, who may be
roughly stated at 10000 persons. The
new German army bill, it is feared, will
bring the emigration up to the proper.
tions of that time succeeding the Franco
German war, when it averaged 200
per annum.
The important branch OF American
commerce with India is almost entirely
controlled by the cities of New York
and Boston. The former has now the
lions share, but which she did not pos
sess in times past. There are now 109
ships and barks bound to New York
from various ports in India and China,
ton. All these have valuable cargoes.
In 1877 Boston had sixty East India
men to arrive, bringing over 1000, 600
baskets and bags of sugars. Boston has
latterly taken quite start in the ocean
steam trade. A new steam line has re-
Gently been startedi ibetween Boston and
London. The steamers are $500 tons
register.
1t is not generally known that panes
of glass can be cut under water with
ease to almost any shape by means of a
pair of scissors. Two things, however,
are necessary for success First, the
glass must be kept quite level in the
water while the scissors are applied ;
and secondly, to avoid risk, it is better
t, perform the cutting by cropping off
small pieces at the corners and along
ually to othatrequired-for if any attempt
be made to cut the glass at once to "a
proper shape, as one would cut card
board, it will most likely fracture where
it is not wanted. The softer glasses cut
best; and the scissors need not be very
sharp. When the operation goes on
well the glass breaks away from the
scissors in small pieces in straight
line with the blades.
Since the first of January an extra
ordinarily large number of emigrants
have arrived in this country, and it is
estimated that during this year the
population will be increased by 400, 600
foreigners. They come chiefly from
Germany, Great Britain, Sweden, Nor
way, Denmark and Holland. The
famine in Ireland is driving thousands
to America. There is one feature of the
present emigration which seems to have
struck all who have examined the in
coming tide of new citizens. That is
that the emigrants are generally from
the better classes of the European peas
antry. and that large numbers of them
come provided with means to purchase
homes in this country. But small pro-
portion of the newcomers stop at the
ports of arrival. AS rule they start
Immediately for undeveloped regions
with the intention of cultivating the
soil or engaging in mining. For some
time past the money changers at Castle
Garden, New York, have exchanged
for newly-arrived emigrants. upon an
average, $3.50, 600 per day. Besides this
very many of them are provided, before
leaving Europe. with drafts upon COM
mercial firms in this country. On some
days the average amount ofmoney ascer-
tanned to be brought by each emigrant
was as much as $500, and it is reason
able to suppose that those coming in al
other ports are equally as well of.