The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1895-06-20
NOTES AND COM M ENTS.

OFFICIAL estimates place the value
of farm animals-horses, cattle,
mules and hogs and sheep--in the
United States at no less than 81 ,Sl9,-
446, 306.
ACCORDING to the census of 1890
there were 1900, 900 bachelors in the
United States That is 1900, 600 men
of thirty years or more who have
never married.
ONE of the most eminent mechan-
ical engineers in England, Joseph
Nasmyth, favors the driving of ma
chinery with cotton ropes in place
of leather bands. AS result of
many years experience and close
observation, he states that for heavy
main drives it is both more econom-
ical and effective to use series of
ropes working in separate grooves.
THE king business pays we'll in
Europe. The Russian Emperor re-
ceives $25, 900 a day and house rent !;
the Sultan of Turkey SIS, 600. The
Austrian Emperor gets SIC. 900 per
diem, while William, of Germany,
has to worry along on $4,000 daily,
and his esteemed grandmother, Vic
toria, finds hard work to make the
ends meet on $1,000
A NEAT pamphlet just issued from
the Government Printing Office at
Washington makes the startling as
sertion THAI 'oysters will not freeze
as readily as CLANS" No attempt
is made to explain why the one sort
of bivalves display a greater obsti-
macy in this matter than the other,
nor is any intimation given as to
what the Government proposes to do
about it.
The illiteracy of Portugal is some
thing of which any European nation
should be ashamed. 1t is doubtful
whether Morocco would make o
worse showing, were one able to take
u census of the Moors. Certainly
most Oriental countries would pre-
sent creditable record in comparl-
son with Portugal. China and ia
pan, it is probable, have smaller
percentage of illiterates than most
European countries.
A PECULIAR fact was lately pointed
out by the President of the Manches.
ter, England, Geographical Society,
namely, that although much has
been done to improve the operation
of coal cutting, the collier's pick re-
mains exactly what it has been for
the past century, and as to coal cut
ting mechanisms, not a single ma
chine of the kind is at work in the
Manchester district to-day.
IT is said tnat the Bolivian tin
mines are very rich, the ore some
times yielding from 40 to 65 per cent.
of pure metal. The excessive cost Of
freighting from the mines to the Pa
cific coast prevents their develop
ment, but railroads are now being
built to remedy this, and the devel-
opment of the mines may have an
important effect on American indus
tries.
THE two leading poets of the young
er school of poetry in England at the
present time-William Watson and
John Davidson-had to kick their
heels in publishers ante-rooms for
long time before the merit of their
verse secured them recognition. Da-
wilson two years ago was too poor to
procure suitable food, and his quar-
ters were in the garrett of shabby
old building. Watson wrote much
of what is now considered his best
verse ten years ago. Despair at the
public's neglect, and long brooding
over the lack of appreciation of his
work. drove him into temporary in
sanity. He gained sanity and fame
at almost the same time, and his
books now sell remarkably we'll for
poetry.
FRANCE has recently repealed the
provision of the code Napoleon that
marriage to be legal must have not
only the consent of both contracting
parties but that of their fathers and
mothers on both sides; failing that,
of their grandfathers and grandmoth-
ers; if there be none of these rela-
tives, of the oldest members Of the
families to which they belong. The
provision was vexatious one, as if
consent was refused man Of 25 and
q woman of 81 were compelled in that
case practically to go to law with all
their kin to compel them to show
why the marriage should not take
place. Under the present law refusal
of parents or family in the case men,
toned no longer acts as a bar to mar
rage.
HENRY GANNETT an able statisti-
clan, calculates that in 1890 the
wealth of the United States was S43,-
642, 600, 900, or an average of $50 to
each inhabitant; that it was about
$62, 600, 900, 600 in 1890, or $1,000 to
each inhabitant, and that at both
dates it was greater than the wealth
of any other nation. Mr.. Gannett
finds that 5 per cent. of the total
wealth Of the country is owned by