The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-06-15
Curious Paragraphs.

Some Interesting researches nave recent
ly been made by the director OF the Bu-
rcau OF Statistics at Vienna TO determine
the comparative longevity OF men and wo-
men and to ascertain the causes Tor any
difference that might appear. He finds
that out OF 102,S31 individuals who have
passed the age OF ninety years 6O,303 are
women. while only 42,52S are men. In
Italy he finds 241 alleged centenarlan wO-
men, aud but 14f men OF that age. The
fact that OF children who reach the age OF
ten years there are more females than males
seems to be well established. and that the
disproportion in number grows "a eater as
the years OF their life advance Is equally
certain. The number OF male births eX-
ceeds the female by 4 per cent.
According to n report sent by Lieutenant
Frederick TO the Moscow Gazette, there
will soon be no Kamtchatkans left in KANT
chatka. The population in district larger
than the whole Of France, which was once
above 10000, had in 1880 fallen off to $500.
The only occupations OF the inhabitants are
shooting and fishing, their food consists
almost exclusively OF fish. for the annual
income OF any one rarely exceeds a., for
which not even forty pounds OF flour can
be bought. On the western coast things
are even worse. The mortality in these
parts is even greater than in the east. On
the Commodore Islands, however, which
are separated by distance OF less than 200
miles from Kamtchatka, the population is
flourishing again under the benevolent su-
peryisiOn OF an American firm.
Some excellent photographs, recently
taken, OF the principal yachts IN New York
bay, have awakened considerable interest
in the breasts OF our marine painters.
The time required for each reproduction
was one sixtieth OF q second. and although
the yachts In many cases were sailing fast,
with ell canvas set, there is no trace OF
blur in the photographs. The science OF
photographing IN colors seems to be a
pseudo one. The cngraver at Versailles,
who recently claimed 10 have discovered it
anew, has been shown up as fraud. His
process was not photography, but secret
method OF colOring the paper upon which
the negative was printed. 1t thus differed
not essentially from several well.known
processes, whose owners make no mystery
OF them.
Mrs. Grundy would be at home in the
Grand CANYON OF the Colorado. which Is
considered the greatest whispering gallery
in the world. For years this chasm has
been matter OF surprise to prOspectOrs
and miners on account OF its wonderful
transmission OF sound, and it has only been
since the advent of the railroad that any
definite idea has been entertained OF the
great distance it travels within its walls.
A train OF cars crossing the bridge at the
Needles can be plainly heard on a quiet
day ut Cottonwood island, distance OF
eightv-four miles. The file and drum at
Fort Mojave is distinctly heard at Bulls
Head, Il distance Of eighty-fOur miles. The
report OF the sunrise gun at Fort Moiave
can be heard at EldOradO canyon, dis
lance OF ninety.siX miles. 1t is the great
est whispering galler7 in the world.
The wife OF Senator Harrison, OF Indi-
ana, has decorated eighteen china dinner
plates i'm a novel manner, which was wholly
her own idea. On each she has painted a
bird OF different species, and on the bor-
der Of the plate a verse in old English text
Of poetry written by one OF the best au-
thors about that particular kind OF bird.
This not OILY has the merit OF originality.
and so eXctes the interest and admiration
OF those who see the plates, but has the
further advantage, as every verse is one
which has been lite quoted, OF suggest
ing topics OF conversation at a dinner
party when the plates are used, which IL
always an inestimable boon on such occa-
sions. Mrs. Harrison says she was sur
prised to find how much good poetry had
been written about birds which alluded to
or described so many different species.
She says she found verses enough to serve
for another dozen plates entirely different
from those she has finished.
A correspondent informs the PGi!-MaH
B,llget that he has in his possession pOr-
trait in oil OF Shakespeare, which will be
exhibited at the Forthcoming Shakespearan
show Mt the Albert Hall. The portrait
bears striking resemblance to the bust at
Stafford, and represents the poet in his
thirty-ff'h or fortieth year. There is
abundance OF hair about the head, unlike
in that respect the bust OF any known por-
trait. The features are regular and pleas
ing, remarkably charming smile giving
to the face great animation. At glance
critics have insisted that the picture repre-
sents a more acceptable preSentment OF the
great dramatist than the Jansen picture
with its scholarly brow, the DroeshOut en-
gravir Q with its high-topped forehead, or
the Chandos with its Italian grace. The
painters name is not known. a photo
graph OF the picture has for some years
been placed among the portraits OF Shakes
peare in the print-room Of the British Nu-
scum.