Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-04-18
ElcphREss and svory.
tsom the Lci.don Telegraph.

130m the lcE-don telegraph
1t is hard To say whether mankind i'm general.
and this nation in particular would be worse off
for the loss of elephants for the loss of ivory
The noble beast has. indeed. been of Zach in
finite use To us in Iniia-SOnetimes as a con-
tributOr to the amusement of British sports
men. who, perched upon his back securely en-
ter the jungle in pursuit of the tiger, and some
times Is the transporter of mountain cannon up
rOcky pass-that il is as difficult to conceive
OF India without elephants as of Ireland with
ont agitatOrs. Yet i'm this and every other
civilized country the loss of ivory would
be more seEsibly felt than the gradual
destruction of the elephant In the lands
OF his birth. Hitherto neither science
nor Research has been able to discover any sub
stance 50 wei%hty in its specific gravity so firm
OF texture. fine in grain and elastic i'm quality as
the core of the elephants tusk, out Of which
billiard balls are made, with which, as with tor
tOise-shell. costly cabinets are naid and which
contributes the finest material for turner's and
decorators As for what is called vegetable
ivory, 1t Is but hit to furnish TOYS with which
the vendors oil worthless books. of magazines
and OF trash OF all kinds torment passengers
upon the railways of the United States II Is
not billiard balls alone that will De missed when
IVORY has risen to such prOhibitive prices as to
De practically beyond the reach of commerce.
What substitute can be found Tor the handles
OF diDner-kniSes and pOcket-kniyes for
the backs of haIrbrushes and the boxes which
adOrn the toilet tables of ladies'? Some sanrune
Americans tell Us. indeed. that paper in the
form called ''papieT-nache." will take the place
OF ivory. as In the United States it is displacjnp
"wrou~ht IRON for the wheels of railway cars
anc furnishing material ont OF which canoes
boats. and even larger vessels are made But.
how a. regards specific gravity. beauty of color
eapabity OF taking the highest polish and
elasticity, can mashed paper pretend to bear
comparison with iyOry! il - useless to conceal
from ourselves that the world seems about to
lose one OF It's most valuable and beautiful sub
stances, and TO lose ii forever Under these cir
cumsiauces with what patience can we think OF
those elephant-hunters who have killed the
nobest of animals in wanton sport and with
needless cruelty: The prohibition to slav ee-
plants In certain districts of Hindostan has
come too late for their general rescue while
South Africa. whittier hosts of British marks
men-we will not call them spOrtsmen-haye
directed their steps, express rifle In hand Is
beginning TO be rs destitute Of big game of all
Kinds as the continent OF Europe itself In
those Elephant Haunts." of which Mr. Henry
Faulkner. late of the 18th lanciers" discoursei
In book bearing that name and published in
1863 there will soon apparently be no elephants
no Appropriateness, no lions, no buffalOes left
The advancing armies Of man are In short ex-
tinguishing the native fauna Of the Ozark
Continent. and the same mischief is going on
In every other quarter of the globe.