Morning journal and courier., 1889-04-05
EDITORIAL NOTES.

John L. Sullivan has requested 8 reporter ito tell the Boston people that I've 'blowed their town for good" Boston will be very gloomy place hereafter.
 The London Economist publi shes state. ment of the financial condition of ten Scot. are in our western States and territories In 1888 three of the companies declared divi- dends ranging from 50 cents to $1.25 per share, while the remaining seven, with one exception, increased their indebtedness. The Economist remarks that several of the com panies ''sre still in very low water"
 The estimated cost of the projected ship canal between Bordeaux, on the Atlantic, and Narbonne, on the Mediterranean, France, is prising, as 1t does, length of some three hundred and thirty miles, to save voyage around Spain of seven hundred milss-would have 8 depth of twenty-seven feet in order to allow the passage of heavy ironclads, and would require thirty-eight locks. The plan also contemplates railroad track alongside, so that by means of locomotive towage a speed of seven miles an hour could be main- tained by day, and also by night by the aid of electric lights.
 President Harrison sent to the senate dur ing the four weeks of its session 394 nomina- tions, of which three were withdrawn and two rejected, all the rest, with few unim- portant exceptions, being confirmed. Prssi- dent Cleveland, during session of precisely the same length, at the beginning of his term of office, made I'll nominations, of which one was withdrawn, two were rejected, 156 were confirmed, and 12 were not acted upon. President Harrison nominated more than twice as many persons as his prede- cessor in the first month of his presidency. But we do not know that this is anything against President Harrison.
 The natural soap mines of Owens lake, California, are thus accounted for by one of the company working them. He says that the waters or the lake contain strong solu- ton of borax and soda. In these waters there breeds grub that becomes fly. The flies die in the water and drift ashore, covering the ground to the depth of foot or more. The oily substance of the flies blends with the borax and soda, and the result is layer of pure soap. These strata repeated from year to year form the soap mines, where large forces of men are now employed. The soap miner is quoted in @ San Francisco paper as follows: "There is another queer thing about the waters of these lakes. You shoot duck there and fail to get it, and in @ little while, when it drifts ashore, you find that it's fat breast and sides have changed to elegant toilet soap, and you can chip it off and use it, and it is just as nice as any re- fined soap"
 A very interesting list is that of the coun- tries to which English beer is sent, says the London Figaro. While Roumania showed its bad taste by only taking three barrels all told, China imported S,127 barrels during 1888, and even France 9,e31. The fact that barrels of British beer during 1888 only con- firms the popular notion as to the very arid and thirsty nature of that sun-burned rock. In Egypt the consumption in 1888 of so large a quantity as 9,217 barrels was doubtless due in great measure to the British oceupa- tion, while the 37 barrels sent to Persia dur ing the past year were doubtless intended either for the shah's palace or the British embassy. Who shall say, though, where British beer will not penetrate next, when five barrels were sent all the way to Muscat, and no less than 61 Gin spite of the French presidents partiality for the wines of his country) to Madagascara We shall probably find Thibet in the list next year.
 It is becoming more and more dangerous to live. An examination of the throats and noses of 2.000 New York children was made by Dr. W. Franklin Cappell of the Presbyte- rian hospital last year, and the results have