The morning call., 1890-11-10
ITEMS OF INTEREST.

Ingenious engineers suggest that the ar
teSian well may be developed by means OF
electrical appliances into powerful and
cheap source Of almost unlimited power.
The latest statistics show that there are
Il, 2S7 lepers in Bengal, 1894 in Madras
and 1882 in Bombay. The lepers in the
native States are not included i'll these
totals.
The Japanese Government is having con-
structed at the yards of the Messrs. James
and George Thomson, Clydebank, Scotland.
a most efficient cruiser 10 be known as the
Chiyoda.
Civilization is advancing in Africa. The
last Liverpool steamer for the mouth OF the
Congo carried 10000 cases OF rum, II cases
OF gin. AGO tons OF gunpowder and fourteen
missionaries.
The Wilkie Collins memorial, for which
something over $500 has been raised, will
lake the form of a small library OF choice
fiction, to be presented to the London
Peoples Palace"
The municipality of Genoa has, it is re-
ported, consented to restore the house in
which Christopher Columbus lived. 1t is
RAPIDLY falling into decay and has long
stood in need OF repair.
The Eiffel tour is the largest clock tower
In the world. owing to gigantic clock in
stalled on the second platform. ExDeri-
ment5 with the new pendulum Will be made
earth.
While the project of great worlds fair
in Berlin has been allowed to sink almost
out of public notice, the mercantile and
commercial world of Austria has been
maturing plan for another international
exhibition IN Vienna.
Fifteen thousand scholars belonging to the
London Board schools and 800 teachers have
had au extra f0rtnights holiday this year
through the failure OF builders and con-
tractors to repair and clean the schools dur
ing the vacation weeks.
There is a curiously named literary soci-
ETY. in London, the full title of which is the
INSTRUMENTATION e-a-month-to-form-
a-perfect-sette; object, conviviality and mu
tual admiration" 1t is commonly known as
Eye Settle of Odd Volumes"
The General TranSatlantique Steamship
Line has submitted to the Canadian Gov
eminent tender to run steamers weekly
between Havre and Quebec by way of
Plymouth or southampton. They have de-
posted 100000 as a guarantee of their
ability to carry out the contract
A cold wave, as defined by Prof essor T.
Russell, is a fall Of temperature in twIdty-
four hours of 20 degrees over an are Of 90.
COO square miles, the temperature in some
part of this area descending TO So degrees.
Between 1880 and 1899 no less than 691 cold
waves were recorded in the United States.
In Alsace. not far from Worth, there is
now a monument to the young Englishman
who was the first victim in the Franco
German War. Young Lieutenant Winslow,
who was attached to the Germany Army,
was shot while accommodating with the
staff by one of the first bullets fired on the
French side.
The Anti-TobaccO Society of France has
just lost its doyen-a NJ. Renaudin, who died
at Vile Evrard, in his one hundred and
sixth year. He had not used tobacco once
in his life, according TO his own boast, and
was invariably named in the pamphlets OF
the society as proof of what non-Smoking
can do for man.
The prospective reorganization of the
Dutch army will raise its total fighting force
to 2i0,000 men. The present peace army Of
the Netherlands contains $4,000 men, and
may be increased in case of war by II, 600
active militia and 1926 inactive militia.
The total army on war footing is therefore
approximately $50, 600 strong
The new Public Library at Boston will be
a building in which BoStonianS will take
great pride. One Of the details of the glass;
work has been announced. The panes in
transoms will in many cases repeat famous
bindings of books treasured in the great
public and private libraries. The library is
to have mural decorations, designed by
L. A. Abbey.
The corn crop for 1890 in the twelve fol-
lowing States is thus estimated: Illinois,
24,62s, ~: Indiana, 1858 1872; Ohio, 92,-
229,123; Kentucky, 5000, 446; Missouri,
1874. 5Ss. 612; Kansas, IS, 7.05S; Wisconsin,
Al, 487, 800; Michigan, 41,S35, 3l1; Iowa, 26S.-
454. $50: Nebraska, "a. 4S4, 666; Minnesota,
q. $50 OH; Dakota, 1852, 004-a total OF l.
229, SSS, 3I4 bushels.
1.-THE Holy Carpet" which is now being
brought back to Cairo, where it will have
to submit to the indignity of quarantine for
fifteen days, Is one of those which are peri
odically taken to Mecca, there to be sancti-
fed, and is made Of thick sort OF silk, EN-
broidered with letters of gold, each letter
being two feet in length and two inches
broad. 1t covers what is known as the
Beat,Allah, or inner sanctuary of the
temple.
During the twelve months ended the 31st
of March last the estimated number of let
tiers delivered in the United Kingdom was
1.650, 100, 900, which shows an increase of 50
per cent, and an average number to each
person of 1876. Two hundred and seventeen
million, one hundred thousand post cards
were delivered, which showed an increase of
7.8 per cent. Book packets and circulars
numbered AL, 100000. and newspapers 49,
600.