Morning journal and courier., 1894-01-25
EDITORIAL NOTES.


The next universal expedition opsns in
Antwerp ON Nay of this year. Ths next
after that, SO far as at present known, win
be the Paris exhibition of 1900. The mu-
nicipal council of st. Petersburg makes
proposal for an international exhibition to
be held in that city in 1908, to celebrate
the two hundredtb anniversary of the
founding of the capital by Peter the Great
Hospital surgeons in New York say that
90 per cent. of the operations for cataract
are now successful. The other per cent.
would not be unsuccessful but for the fact
that some patients come handicapped with
impurities of the blood that increase the
difficulties following the operation. The
removal of cataract has ceased to be e.
teemed very serious matter for either
patient or surgeon.
Judging from the annual statements of
Hre insurance companies which have 90
far been made II is evident that the busi-
ness wasn't very profitable last year. Thus,
four companies that are well known for
able management show reductions in sur
plus of more than half . million dollars
each, dozen show losses of about $100, 600
each, and the company that has not lost
$50, 900 is decidedly an exception.
The prediction made by Pension Com
missioner Rsum year ago, that pension
appropriations had reached their maximum
bot In fnfn ha a
considerable yearly decrease, has been YER
lied. Last year $3.50, ,0O0. 900 was sppso-
priated on account of pensions. This years
appropriation will call for but $3.50, ,000, 900.
AS rule, the highest pensions are the frat
to lapse, because those to whom they have
been given were disabled to q greater de-
gree than others.
Jules Claretic paid a visit to Mile Rosa
Bonheur recently, and he says that in spite
of her seventy-odd years shs is bright and
alert and quite youthful in manner. She
lives with her large family of pet animsls
in plain brick house on the outskirts of
tire of peasants blouse and trousers which
she wears she adopted years ago for tenn
porary use while visiting the great slaush-
ter house of Paris to study cattle from
real life for her paintings.
In explanation of the changes to be made
In tho rigging of the Louis, at San Fran
cisco, and possibly that of other vessels of
her type. her captain and others interested
tota ha Gva ~, a.fad coh,opar "a ,,rao-
tically useless so far as sailing qualities are
concerned. The five-master's sails cannot
be set to draw well, and under the most
favorable circumstances she cannot sail
over four knots with the breeze astern.
Sea captains claim that the days of the
fve-mssted schooner are numbered.
According to the London Engineer there
are at present fcrty-seven oil tank steam
ers afoat, ranging in size from es6 to
4, 1874 tons gross, while no less than seven
teen more are being built at European
yards. The Dover (England) hsrbor board
has closed arrangements with an oil COM
oil reservoirs, which are to be constructed
by next summer, when oil tank steamers
will make Dover depot for the south
of England, and run regularly between
there and Russian and American ports.
The agricultural chemist of the State of
Florida has a pleasing notion. He thinks
that oranges, good as they are, can be
made more 30 by scIsnti6c cultivation. In
furtherance of this idea he proposes to
have all the different varieties snsly yzed,
their proportions of saccharine matter,
food properties, etc., fully ascertained, and
also what particular food the different
kinds require. 1t is decided also to get
samples of the same varieties grown on
different plant foods in different soils, that
the effects of varying conditions of culture
may be fully sscertained. In word, 1t lie
designed to give the orange growers the
fullest information as to the growth and
most profitable conditions under which to
cultivate this golden fruit.