New-York tribune., 1891-02-22
THE TALK OF THE DAY.

"Few people, says a naval officer, appreciate the
tremendous power Of the blast caused by firing big
gun on beard Of a ship An example OF its effect was
setn in Some recent trials In firing the 67ton gun OF
tho new battle-shp Trafalgar, considered one OF the
three or four finest vessels in the British navy The
gun was pointed directly ahead and fired with charge
of 63O pounds OF slowburnins powder and 1850
Mound projectle The blast produced by the rush Of
the powder gas and the shot was so tremendous that
the plates Of the forecaste were forced In and the deck
beams bent out Of shape, while almost every round
carried away some fragment Of the projecting portions
OF tie ship, when the training was to the right
or the left II is estimated that the vessel would bs
reduced to something very like wreck tweity.
five rounds to be fred either directly ahead or directly
astern This intereres with, renders impossible,
firing when either in fight or chase and has caused
our naval constructors TO modify the plans Tor tho
prOeced bate-ships it IS not deemed desirable 10
have them sink from the discharge of their own gs'
Blrdscye Pl1e.-The fine. grain OF the Louisiana
pine is now being utilized for making mantels Ihs
grain is said 10 be brought out IN poASlns 70
degree that makes it ver5 ehecuye rival OIL prds ic
eve maple. The new article IS known as DTds.
exc pine" ana there is large demand for IL IN IN?
Other furniture. cypress and other woods Oh tns
State will it Is believed, be brought into use ior tna
purpose The pine Of North Cofoaa 1anitaI + asi
being made INTO various KINDS oi SuoS'anua
furniture lWestcllester News
aThe ST. Louis Globe Democrat tells about a cranky
invention OF Western man who thought that horses
are worked too hard. 1t was carriage which ran on
four very high wheels The driver sat in front ard
tho passengers each side, like those on an lrsh
haunting car. The horse was underneath the ahsr'
and wigsled along with only his head sticking on
like a turtles. The beauty OF the arrangement was
four-ioot belly band that went underneath the hoTse
and when the concern started down hill the dri' r
turned a crank and lifted the horse of the ground
and the wh,e business. horse and all rolled on ose.hr
til level road was reached, when the crank was asaIn
turned the horse lowered TIL his feet reached tho
ground when business was resumed In the Old waF'
The advantage OF the invention was that it enabled
the horse to ride down hill; the disadvantage was that
1t could foresee and follow the windngs of ront
There is no knowing how much might come Of u,
though had II not happened that the machine ran OH
the track day when going down winding h!l, ran
into gulc, killed the horse, smashed the whole con-
trvance 10 pieces, and hurt the man so badly that
when he got well he declined to undertake the con.
struc ton OF another.
A well known English actor, travelling TO Brmin,.
approaching Bdnbury began to feel hungry, and DC
crmined 10 indulge in one OF the buns for which t!a
The ,mn having pulled up, he hailed boy, handed
him SiN pence and commissioned him u get two Ban
burys.' one Of the two being promised MN foF MS
Just as the train was about to start, that boy came
rushing np TO the carriage in which the now impatient
actor seated. and holding out threepence, eA'
claimed, with mouth haEfull
" Here's your change, SIR
Bother the clang,; where's the caker roared the
hungry Thospian. H..
"Thoy had only one left.' replied the boy lana
I'm eating that!'
And then the train moved of.-(Jester.
SAYS a Western lumberman: "The signing OF
contract for SOC, 900 900 feet Of pine in Minnesota
should serve rs a reminder that the fear Of American
forests giving out is far from being imaginary ore
have been handling lumber by the 10000 feet foi
two thirds Of a lifetime but the figures in this deal
took me by surprise. and it was some time before
could realize them. The supply OF lumber In the
North Is steadily giving out, the figures Tor
MICHIGAN in particular show. Ten years ago tho
annual output product Just about the size OF
great Minnesota just signed, for single
companies, but the aggregate totals for 1890 barely
reached these figures We are lavish and eXtravaSanS
with lumber now. but at the present rate of con-
sumption there will be precious little left to consume
a quarter Of a century hence. even making allowance
for what draw from Mexico after Mr. BlaineS
reciprocity treaty las been drafted aud signed
The most novel industry in the state is located near
propagate poecals from a single pair The first year
he made profit OF 90 per cent and for the third year
Eo expects his dividend VIII reach coo per cent. lS
establishment contains nearly l.iOO Of the animals.
some Of the older ones have been given names, and
respond To Mr. IrcolanG's call. THIS season he has
slaughtered 102. which Will bring him about Sl23.
Abraham Is u very humane man, and when he thinks
of his pete ought TO be skinned he calls IL into box
and administers chloroform.-lllomer (SIch. Times