New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-03-08
CHANCES HERE AND THERE.

That the brealdng down Of the machinery Of mer~
chant marine steamships under the american, Engish,
French and German flags IS OF rare occurrences Is
matter OF record and II is especially significant with
the English vessels, since those Of the merchant ma
rne constructed at private shipbulldlng yards,
and the naval vessels are built at tho Government
dockyafds. Tho recent performance Of the Whitc
Star steamship Cermanlo shows what vessel which
has been in service for fourteen years, and has made
$50 trips across tho Atlantic and steamed nearly one
million miles, Is capable Of True, when she was
built she was the fastest steamship aioat but her
last trip hon New-York to Queenstown cclipsed al
Of her previous performances she arrived at oueens-
town on January o. having made the run from Sandy
Hook In days. hours and 81 minutes, or FIVE hours
time Tor eigty-three Voyages was days. hours and
minutes; and the average tine from Queenstown
to Ncw-York was 8 days, IL hours and 25 minutes
Much attention has been given BY the British Board
OF Admiralty Of late TO the Of torpedoes as war
weapons. Tho opinion to DO that their actions
are crratac, and that unless some improvements In
their construction be accomplished Il would not DO
wise to spend much money upon torpedoboats, which
would possibly prove to be failures from the moment
they were launched. When the bids were opened at
Washington few days ago for the building Of sub
marine torpedo-boad for the Navy, there two only
or, practically only one This was from tho Columbia
Iron Works, of Baltimore, whose bid was S160,000
for one Of twelve knots surface speed and nine knots
submerged speed, guaranteeing all specifications Of
the Department Tho other bid, from George Q.
Baker OF Des Moines, Iowa. was not Of srch nature
that It win receive consideration. At the opening
OF tho bids Secretary whitney spoke follows The
extraordinary development Of machine rapidfre guns
and electric lights has limited the range Of useful
OF the unprotected torpedoboats as 10 mako IT
undesirable TO build them The truth is. they cannot
reach an object without being themselves destroyed
Craat att hal aen Maid N
lem OF submarine navigation for military purposes
These efforts, however, have only been moderately
SUCCESSFUL
Fifth-ave. picture-dealer, talking Of the amusing
mistakes made by Of his customers in their est-
mates of works Of art told story about William
Henry Hnrlbert, formerly Editor Of q Tho New-York
World Said he: Mr. HurIbert, as everybody knows,
Is genuine virtuoso. his knowledge OF paintings
and close study Of the schools render him no mean
CRITIC but he was once deceived into bunder that ne
has no doubt laughed over many times since. After
the catalogue Of his paintings was prepared for the sale
at Leavtts Gallery several years ago he made nnai
tour Of the room 10 SEQ that everything was right
Pausing before Q large landscape, he remarked en-
Enthusiastically to q companion: That Is one OF my
gems. 1t is q Nasmyth, in his best STYLE As the
catalogue says, Nssmyth was known as the English
Hobbema Ia title shown TO DO warranted BY this ex-
cellent Hobboma which hangs Immediately above It.
Observe the similarity Of treasment-the aerial per
spectve the distribution Of the shadows In the fore
ground, the subdued warmth Of oooringp An art
dealer who had sold him the Hobbema' long BEFORE
overheard the conversation and disputed the accuracy
Of bIs memory. @Nonsenser protested HTlbert IN
his imperious way. "Hasn't 1t hung in my rooms LOT
ten years and haven't made special study OF III
The dealer said nothing but Ssg Rr st IN
corner and revealed rwo staring characters, D. H."
the Initials of Jacob Ruysdaeli
Tho fashionable world is gossipng over remark
able surgical operation which has changed the de-
cidedly p-lted OF an aristocratic young woman
into an organ of pure Grecian design The surgeons
bin amounted to $1,000 The operation was long
and tedious, involving much suffering But the pa
tcnt IS satisfied and happy-for the present. Those
who knew her before the change maintain that INC
new nose does not suit the general CONFEDERATION VI
her face Others meeting her now for the nrst uine
what causes IL Another sensitive creature who had
her teeth Strengthened ct great expense Is tortured by
the horrible fear that people WIN say 'ney Sre iSlS'
The clear, sharp sound % poceman's nghtsucA
as 10 comes down on the sidewalk In the late hours
OF the night invariably causes trenor to run up
mans back II 70 knows what Il means tribune
reporter going home late few evenings ago heard
stick suddenly sound few yards behind him. rms
sharr ring generally that some one is In danger
Of getting clubbing, for policemen when making ar
reSs have 10 be on their guard and Of tho nrst sign
OF resistance nom man likely 10 give him quick
ran ON the head Tho reporters first impulse was 10
run That is the worst thing man can do Police
men stop such proceedings By bringing the runner 70
the sidewalk with blow. Before be had ume 70
start however, there came q sudden rush past hln'
and a dark figure shot away in the darkness. me
next instant there followed the heavy tramp OF
polceman his feet pounding away like pile drivers ana
ths sharn clanR of his stick sounding forth at regular
Intervals The reporter had stood stock stu Win Ms
heart in HIS mouth fearing to feel the weignt oi
come down his head, and nc breatnel sisn =. Az
iieS when the two men disappeared around corner
This story when told to another newspaper man
recalled an experience he had when he Narrowly
1921 oottpe n Climbing He was going home late
one NIGHT when he heard voice behind him call out
,o him. Invoiuntarily hs quickened his pace anu
rvben he found that some one was chasing MN no
brohe into run Telling about the incident ne ss'u
OF suddenly heard a nlghtstck sound behmd me-
That frightened me so that ran like deer eo'n
The reueated ring Of the stick behind me was answered.
nv one dead ahead Of Fortunately had not
wholly lost my senses, and knew that must stop
running at once I pulled up suddenly ana osched
an AGAINST n wall lust as the two bluocoatec ngures
closed IN on me- Don't hit me- cried OUT IT'S All
r,sht, I explained the affair satisfactorily 20 the
policemen but don't think was eyes S ssS 10 nS
Was. Don't ever run nom an onieer'' deeiased
earnestly that never Wouid'
ct uke this warm spring weather. said the proprie-
-. ., fashionable shoe store yesterday It's good
Cor trade Have you noticed how many OF those shop
pers are lmpng slightly this afternoonf Their shoes
A.. rInchInQ them as their feet swell little with ex-
orc,se I'm this warm sun Women that can squeeze
,h cold feet into 1e shoes and endure the torture
n, nter are forced to IS in spring. IL they walk
much. sell more 3s than any other size in womens
ono shoes. i-2s and IS come next in general de-
mand IN this city, and almost the same proportions
rule All over the country among wel-to-do people.
GOOD deal Of wit has been poked at the Chicago
women on tho alleged largo size OIL ther fee ous the
Wholesale houses VIII tell you that the average size
there Is no larger than anywhere else. Women wear
ont moro shoes than men, IN proportion 70 the walk
ing they do, because they take many more steps to
he mile than a man. had Canadian lady como
IN here yesterday and ask for buttoncd boots. did
not know what she meant at hrs but discovered that
sbo wanted high buttoned shoes. When / suggested