Morning journal and courier., 1891-10-20

September shows that the excess of re- leases is more than s2,OOO, ,O00.

September shows that the excess of re- leases is more than s2,O0O, ,O00.
 Colonel Shepard of the New York Mail and Express has startled New York by stating editorially that he is acquainted with several just such cases of corporate dishonesty the Adams Express affair, which have not yet reached the public ears. Let lem out, Colonel
 The armies of the world, or rather of the civilized nations, include 3,600,000 men. These men, and almost as many more who are required to wait upon them in some form or other, are consumers and not producers of the worlds supply of food. Besides the loss of their time and labor, they cost at least $1 ,000 year each, and that amounts to $3,6OO, ,000, 900. In proportion to population our army of 6,000 men is, by far, the smallest in the world.
 French woman has bequeathed to the Paris academy of sciences a considerable sum to found prize to be paid to anyone who shall prove that he or she has made a sign to planet and that sign has been an- swered. "The planet Mars is expressly excluded" says the testatrix, "as that planet is tco well known already" The academy will probably accept the bequest, because of the common-sense addition that until this be done the interest of the money shall every five years be paid to the as- tronomer who shall have contributed most to human knowledge of the planets.
 Africa is rapidly changing. Lord Ran dolph Churchill says in one of his letters that the natives are building the telegraph line which is to traverse Mashonaland at the rate of three miles day. The work men belong to King Khama's country. Every man of them has a musket slung over his shoulder, generally at full cock. They are working in the country of their old enemy, King Lobengula, whose regi- ments they used to fear before the advent of the whites. They declined to enter the country of their former enemy unless they were fully armed, for they thought Loben- gula would not relish an incursion into his lands of men who had been his heredi- tary foes.
 The veterinarians of the University of Pennsylvania are sounding the warning that our cattle are threatened with the foot-and- mouth disease. It is common enough in Europe, where it often carries off thousands, but the United States have had no experience with it since 1868, when it's ravages were terrible. The disease has already become epidemic in Chester, Berks, and Montgomery Counties, Pennsylvania, and in southern New ter sey. Dr. Pearson of the University of Pennsylvania declares that the infection will spread unless quarantine is declared at once. The following is description of apthous feyer, as the veterinarians term this disease: "The tongue becomes swol- len and infamed, the stomach festered with ulcers, flesh drops away, and the skin strips in quantities off the leg; in many cases the entire leg falls off. The COW thus attacked gradually sinks, and death soon ends intolerable agony" One of the problems demanding speedy solution in London is that of the water supply. From report recently submit ted by a special committee of the County Council it appears that matters are coming to cricis much more rapidly than was expected. Twenty years ago the, different water companies thought that the metro politan and suburban population might possibly reach total of 4,500,000 or | 5,00G. 900 at some remote period, whereas it has already passed the 5,500,0O0 limit. It is plain, therefore, that all previous estimates must be revised. Experience | shows that the amount of water passing down the Thames, especially in dry seasons, is less than was looked for, while the companies are drawing 60 per cent. more than they did in 1867. No more water can be got out of the River Lea or suburban wells, and all schemes for reser- voirs in the valley of the upper Thames have been rejected as very dangerous Another very serious point is the danger of pollution as the tide of population ad- | vances up the stream.