The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1893-04-08
FOREIGN GOSSIP.

Hungary is stated to be the coun try
where railway travelling is the cheap
; est. II is said to be possible to journey
from Buda- Pesth to Kronstadt. a dis.
lance of five hundred miles. for six
shillings and eight pence, being at the
rate OF six miles penny. Low as this
| price is it is Halle to a reduction OF
| one-half in the case of laborers Journey
, ing in parties Of not fewer than ten.
1t is proposed to esta blish an cpl
1eptic colony near London where cpl
| leptics of both sexes can be employed
! and properly cared for. The lord cham
| cellor, DIR. Ferrier, Sir Andrew Clark
! and many leading physicians recen tly
addressed a public meeting in support
| of the plan. Ten Thousand pounds is
| required to found the colony. and over
two thousand pounds was quickly sub
scribed
"A gentleman sends Labouchere's
Truth a suggcs ton as to decimalizing
the British system of moneys, which
would have the advantage of retaining
the existing coinage. He divides the
pound into one Thousand new farth-
ings. Florins would, therefore, be
one hundred farthings; shi}lings, fifty
nine farthings. and sixpences, twenty
five shillings. On each coin the value
in farthings would be clearly stamped.
French war Office experts are di-
vided in opinion concerning the value
or danger of Eiffel's tower in case of a
siege OF Paris. German staff officers
have written quite freely about the
matter, principally holding the view
that the tower would afford a fine tar
get. Some French officers agree with
this view; others say that the forts
around the city would keep the tower
out of range, while it would Il ford an
excellent post TOR observation.
Ten or twelve years ago a disease
appeared among chestnut trees in
France, destroying them in great num-
brrs, and the wood could not be utilized
for heating purposes. Quantities of it.
however, were used in tanning lea Their,
ches tnut wood ontains five or six
per cent Of fannie principles, whereas
oak contains only three or four per
cent. One estr blish,nen uses annual
1y from so, 600. 900 to 1000, 900 l<iIo-
grams of chestnut wood paying there
for about 10000 frames per annum
thus reducing the loss sustained by the
la nd-ow ners from this timber disease.
One of the most fashiona BILE and ex-
pensive DIR cssma!1ing establishments in
Paris has wonderful ''try-on'' into
w hich only the most particular. fash
ionable and wealthy customers have
ever been admitted. 1t is a square com
partment, has visible window but
is lighted by n splendid electric chan
delier. The pile of the white velvet
carpets is SO thick that ones feet sink
in it, and the most prominent object in
the room is an enormous mirror, framed
in white plush. If that mirror could
but half OF the beauty which
it has mo,nen tarilv reflected, it might
be irresistiby attractive.
The smallest country in the world
is said to be the territory OF NOresnet
" hich lies between Belgium and Ger
many. Its 1000 habitants are mostly
in tin mining, although agri-
culture is also engaged in Mill tary
service and election days are unknown.
The senate Of ten mem bers is appointed
by the mayor. who is chosen by two
,clcga tcS one from belgium and one
from Germany. The police force con-
sists of one man. whose salary is pro- |
rided by the annua; revenue (about |
200 francS). which also maintain the |
-oads and schools. The territory was
declared independent in 1873, to settle |
The dispute when the boundary was |
liked between Germany and Belgium, |
Doth coun tries wanting its tin mines |
It contains only two and n half square |
miles.