Connecticut western news., 1884-11-12
CANAAN CONN.,, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12 1884.
NOTES AND COMMENTS.

which sailed lately for the South Seas
 was built by the contributions of Sun
 day.schools, the shares being held by
 the children, an annual assessment ol
 ten cents a share paying her running expenses.
 TIE fire engines in Italian cities are still the same little hand pumps used in the beginning of this century; not a single steam fire engine exists on the peninsula, owing to the rarity of fires but a movement is now on foot to intro duce steam engines according to the American style.
 THERE is not single saloon in Mar tinsviile, Va, or the county surround ing, and business men say that the ab- sence of drinking houses has added thousands of dollars to their prosperity, while the quality of farm and other kinds of labor has vastly improved since the closing of the dram shops.
 A DEALER in cod-hver oil in Marseilles advertises that his fish are caught in a safe and quiet harbor, where marine monsters cannot enter to frighten them into diseases of the liver. "They live there," he says, ''in peace and comfort; their livers are healthy, and this is why my cod-hver oil is the best"
 THE returns of the effective strength of the British army for the last twenty years (prepared by order of the Field Marshal commanding in chieD show that the lowest total during that period was reached last year, when it stood at 181, ,227, as against PIG, 791 on Jan. l, 1864, or decrease of 35, 564
 THIS beats the lawyers: George Ben son, Decatur soldier, got mad short time ago because his pension claim was not settled and wrote to Uncle Sam tell ing him he could go to -. with it. He was going to Iowa. George hadn't more than got to Pokagon before his claim was adjusted, allowing him about S1, 100 back pay and S6 per month as long as be lives.
 TIE extending destitution in Paris is attested by the amount of the budget of the Public Assistance for next year as just submitted to the Paris Municipal Council. Its total is forty-two millions of francs, being some three and half millions more than the budget for this year. It is calculated that the number of individuals requiring assistance in various forms will be 406, 900.
 TIE Medical Press Nondon) states that the Commission appointed by the Government of Indin to examine into the cholera question has reported that Dr. Koch's microbe is not the cause of the disease. Dr. Klein, director of the Commission, is well known as thorough and exact investigator of microscopy, and SO convinced was he of the harm lessness of the comma bacillus that he swallowed number of them; they pro- duced no noticeable effect upon him.
 A CURIOUS instance, says the Pall MaH Gazette, concerning the extraor- dinary variety of influences which affect English trade is afforded by the last trade report from Sheffield. Owing to the drought in Queensland, which re- duced the focks of one great holder from 27,OOO to 5000. large orders for sheep shears and other hardware had been cancelled, much to the inconven- fence of the capital of cutlery. On the other hand, the success of the 100-ton gun at Spezzia in smashing the armor plates supplied by Krupp is likely to lead to the placing of new Italian orders for compound armor plates with the Sheffield platemakers.
 IN one of the English public schools, difficulty arose between a teacher and a scholar concerning certain prescribed lessons which were to be learned at home. The case was taken before the Appellate Court where it was decided that "home lessons set by teachers can not be enforced" The New York Medical Record thinks the practical results of the decision will be largely modified by the fact that teachers will continue to give lessons of such a length as to compel home study or result in a lowering of the scholars standing. The Record asks if the requirements of home study are not, in general, ''too ex- acting for the proper development of inc health of children"
 THE London Vegetarian Society gave dinner to about 120 ladies and gentle men at the Health Exhibition the other day. The object of the dinner, which is one of & series, was to show how an ample and varied diet could be procured without the use of any sort of animal food. The menu included, among other dishes, "Chestnutina de Lyon" soup, pea fritter and fried onions, and barley pudding. After the dinner Dr. Ridge delivered a short address, in which he laid stress upon the fact that it had been abundantly proved that vegetarian die, was not only possible but profitable, and expressed his conviction that the excessive use of condiments was the cause of large proportion of dyspeptie illness. It was also believed that vege- tarians lived much longe. than the hesh- eating members of the community.
 Arabian Stone and Clay Builders.