Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1885-06-20
FACTS FOR THE CURIOUS

Ar Cape Island, N. J., the sea hiss
gained on the shore fully mile sincs
i776. The tides ON the eastern shore
of the State are observably growing
higher.
DURING the reign of Napoleon I.
book of birds for children was sup
pressed because it contained the phrase
"The cock is rather the tyrant than the
chieftain OF the farm-yard."
EVERY shell fired by an army during
siege operations costs, with the powder
with which the mortar is charged, the
sum of eight dollars-enough to support
a poor family for fortnight.
THE lead used in sounding from ves-
selusually weighs about fourteen pounds,
but in deep-sea soundings weight of
not less than $50 pounds lis frequently
employed. Wire has been largely usud
for a line, as it makes less friction in
sinking through the water With hemp
rope sinlIer of 800 weight is sometimes
twenty minutes iii reaching the bottom
in 1,500 fathoms of water, SO great is
the friction of the line.
The Oldest monument in the world is
III OiiC 11OllluOlGhA al OAIOTu.
This is the Intel stone of tomb which
formed the last resting-place of an officer
who lived III the time of King Sent, of
the second dynasty, whose fate is fixed
by M. Mariette more than 5000 years
ago. The stone is covered with that del
icate and finished sculpture which dis
hnguished the early periods OF Egyptian
history, and was lmnleasnrably superior
to the stiff and conventional art of the
latter ages of Egypt, which We are accus-
toned to see in European museums.
THE japanese are remarkably exempt
from deforned feet. The reason of this
is to be found in the Shoes they wear.
The wooden sandals worn in japan
have O separate Compartment for the
great toe, and make clanking noise on
the streets. Straw slippers are also
worn, and Traveller setting out on q
journey will strap supply of them Oh
his back, that he may put on new pair
when the old is worn out. They cost
but cent and half pair. They are
rights and lefts, and leave the foot free
to the air. They are never worn in the
house, being left outside the door;
passing down Japanese street long
rows of them are seen at the doors, OLD
and new, large and small. 1t is sur
prisng is sec how rapidly the Japs stop
out of them, and pick them up again
with tbeir feet without stopping when
leaving the house.
AS THE most valuable wealth country
can possess is its healthy population,
the tables OF mortality are wotth study;
and from these We fluid that OH the first
day of lie seventy Eight boys die, to
sixty-three girls. in the first week OF
lie 16S boys die, to 153 girls. In Prussia
the mortality among females is the
greatest from 10 to 13 years of age; and
from the 25th to the 40th 1t is greater
than at other periods OF life, and vet at
all periods of life the census of females
compares favorably with that of males.
In England, taking period of seven
years, there We're eight men to fifteen
women who were alive ut 101 years;
three men to five women at 102 years
two men to three women at l03 years of
age, and no man to one woman who
lived to 104. 1t is observed that only
one person in 1000 born lives beyond
94 years.
FROM comparison of the results OF
recent deep-sea soGndings, it appears
that the following are just generaliza-
tions: l. The water of the South Pacific
is in its whole mass cooler than that of
tie Atlantic. 2. The water of the South
Pdcific is, down to 4, 225 feet, somewhat
warmer than that of the Atlantic, but
below that depth cooler. 3. The bolt
temperatures are generally lower in the
Pacific than in the Atlantic at the sans
depths and in the same degree of lati
tude but nowhere III the Pacific are
found such low bottom temperatures as
i'll the Antarctic portion Of the South
Atlantic, where temperatures of --0.3
cent:grade to ---0.6 degrees have been
4. In the western parts of
the Pacific and the adjoining parts Of
the Fast India arch pelago, the tenn
perature of The water reaches its
minimum at depths between 1,7S7 and
1887 feet, remaining the same from
this depth to the bottom. In the whole
Of the Atlantic the temperature from
5, 937 feet to the bottom gradually
though slowly increases.