The Washington times., 1894-12-22
FOREIGN TOPICS OF INTEREST.

The number Of persons killed in the recent
earthquake in Southern Italy is officially
stated to be eighty-six. In addition eco were
injured.
Completed statistics of gross earnings OF all
railroads in Mexico for nine months Of this
year show an increase of 4.S1 per cent as
compared with the same time in 1888
A principal feature of the Paris exhibition
of 100 will be the largest telescope in the
world. The instrument is to be 200 feet ng
and TO have an objective of four feet diameter
Owing to alleged unjust treatment by the
bishop Of the diocese, the Poman Catholic
poi ulation OF Weidenthal. in Hungary have
in body declared themselves Protestants.
This years vintage in France is estimated
at 5000. 900 hectoitires. being 1000, 900 less
than the exceptional yield OF 1888, but nearly
5000. COO above the average of the last ten
years.
An official ratcatcher has been appointed by
the Liverpool city council. He IS to begin
with st. Johns market, which he is clear of
rats for $50, ana after such clearance TO
keep the market clear of rats ior the sum of
500 per annum."
Two Russian cruisers on the eve Of compile
tion are especially adapted to use oil as fuel.
The advantages claimed are tha; the radius
of ships action is doubled and she can keep
the sea much longer than with coal. There
is also a saving of 10 per cent OF time and Ia
Dor IN slowing.
A French railway station master has just
officially complained that his duties exceed
the limits OF human force" He is sixty-two
years of age, and he has to do the whole work
of the siatlon-to deliver tickets. keep the
books and papers, register the baggage,
load and unload it, and at times he mas to
superintend the shunting of freight cars. at
tendsi9the= signals, andJs keep the lights in
trim.
Within recent years Liverpool has been the
recipient al more than one muni6cent gilt
out, of the generosity of her citizens. Good
fortune stiii attends her, for Yates Thompson,
former proprietor OF the Pail Mall Gazette in
its radical days, has offered to erect beauti-
ful conservatory in Seton Park as a public
shelter and promenade. Elaborate designs
have been pfepared for this building, which
will cost the Qonor about $4,000
Russian exiies in London state that the
Cars recent ciemency manifesto is a very
disappointing document. While large num-
be1s ofscriminals tried and sentenced by
courts are favored Administrative prison.
ers and exiles (those punished without trial
that is, by the direct act of the police and
bureaucracy receive no direct amnesty, al
though these We're, to western minds, exactly
the sufferers who most deserved relief.
Apropos of the spy mania in France and
other continental nations, Col. Wauchope, of
the famous "Black Watch. told a good story
ut the opening of bazaar In Edinburgh.
When he was midshipman in the navy they
landed at Cherbourg to play cricket and SO
mystified the Frenchmen that they interfered
TO stop the game. The gendarmes thought the
putting up OF the stumps and balls was new
mode of surveying directed against the
defenses of the military post
An authoritative denial is given to the re-
port that Switzerland had sold 100000 Wet
terli rifles TO an Englishman who was to dis
patch them to China. The SWISS government
has, from time to time. sold obsolete rifles to
merchants. who have resold them to Abyssi-
nian. Dahoman, and Soudanese tribes, and
recently 20,000 rifles, whose destination is un-
known. were so disposed OF. Most of the
worthless rifles used by the Chinese are said
to have been bought in Birmingham, Eng
land.