The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-09-26
ITEMS OF INTEREST.

5oNi4NA 4eNSh Vi * Y. he calculates the
time man loses in listening to clocks
striking all the hours in a year, which he
nnds takes 3 days, 8 hours and Is min
utes. A clock which strikes the quar.-r
hours sounds 10 strokes an hour, which
makes 24O strokes a day added to 1856
strokes for. the hours. This makes daily
a total of 1876 strokes and yearly 365 times
more, which makes 1H,540 strokes. Each
stroke takes about two seconds, which for
year will be 2S9, 0S0 seconds, or so hours
and IS minutes
Much comment has been called forth
lately as to the supposed defect existing in
the new Krag-Jorgensen rifle, whereby
1t invariably shoots too far to the left, and
In this connection a number of army men
were interviewed, says the Philadelphia
Record. 1t appears that there is nothing
the matter with the rife, the fault lying
entirely with the men who have fired it.
The front sight of this rife is a good deal
higher than the old sight on the Spring
field, and tho least cant will throw the
shot to the right or left Most men pull
the gun over them in, shooting, canting it
slightly TO the left instead of holding it
level and leaning full over to the line of
sight If the gun is placed in a vice and
shot it appears that the ball is not de-
f1ected to the left in the least.
After six years of litigation the city of
Knoxville, Tenn, on Saturday won a suit
brought against the mayor and board of
aldermen for $225,0OO by the Knoxville,
Cumberland Gap and Louisville railroad.
The amount was voted to the said road in
bonds upon completion of the line. The
city claimed that the road had not met its
contracts and refused to issue the bonds.
The railroad brought suit in the chancery
court and won. An appeal was made to
a frf hi nn cd ~, 80
vor of the railroad company, as it had the
stock ready to issue, and the clerk and
master was directed to ascertain this fact
He reported in favor of the railroad. Since
that time the chancery court of appeals
has been established. The case was ar
gued before this court about a year ago.
While the suit was pending the railroad
offered to compromise for the principal,
deducting about $4,000 and interest. The
city refused the proposition and Saturday
won the case by an opinion rendered by
Judge j. NJ. Barton of Chattanooga. 1t
will now go to the supreme court for con-
hrmation or reversal
Royal ladies are the busiest ladies in
the world, says the Woman at Home. The
amount of real hard work they get through
every day of their lives would fairly stag
ger you and me. AS a rule they are very
early risers, and have managed to accom-
plish vast amount of reading and writ
ing before the ordinary society woman
has completed the curling of her fringe.
Take our own queen, for instance. With
what wonderful perseverance and an I'M
fiinching sense of duty she has attended
to state affairs. Yet even at her present
age she does not consider she has
finished her education, and grapples
daily with the difficulties of Hindustani
At least half dozen European languages
are familiar to her, and not content with
knowing German alone, she has mastered
many of the country dialects. The En-
press Frederick of Germany still pursues
the study of music and painting with the
zeal of young girl; and her daughter-in-
law the younger empress, besides herself
looking after her house and children, rises
at cockcrow sometimes to write docu-
mentS of Importance for the emperor. The
Queen Of Italy-just now very keen on BIZ
cycling-usually spends the morning hours
in studying languages and stage plays.
The Belgian queen and Austrian empress
in former days employed their leisure mo-
ments with breaking in pet ponies; but
of late the Belgian queen has preferred
the study of literature, and the Austrian
empress OF Greek! The Dowager Empress
of Russia and the Princess of Wales have
tastes entirely in common; both are devot-
ed to art embroidery, painting in water
colors, and are wonderful adopts at mil
linery. Most of our own royal princesses
can cook very nicely, make butter, and
are initiated into the mysteries of house
hold arts. They are one and all singularly
accomplished useful and sensible women.
The latest invention to locate wrecks
is credited to a Baltimore man. who claims
that by it's use it will be practically i'm
possible for a ship to be lost without some
record of the disaster eventually reach
ing land or being picked up at sea. This
device, says the New York Herald, con-
ssts of a buoy, which is to be always
carried on the deck of a steamer or YES
sci. This buoy is a sealed or alright
body, made of boiler iron, having a round
ed bottom, in order that the waves may
impart a rock motion to 1t as it rides
upon the surface Within the buoy is
gong, supported by brackets The edge
or rim of this gong is turned up into
cup, so that a loose metal ball can rest
in the bottom of it when aboard ship,
but when the buoy is rolling upon the
waves the ball is moved about in the
metal cup and a sound sufficiently loud
to attract the attention of passing ships
is produced To the lower or under side
of the buoy Is a metal cage, and within
this cage is a reel, around which is wound
fathom after fathom of line, the loose
end of which is attached to a ring bolt
in the deck of the vessel In order that
the line may not be cut by passing ships
or pieces of wreckage it has a telescope
metal casting for about four fathoms
This prevents the line being cut. To the
buoy is attached a box made of wood or
metal in which can be placed the story
of the catastrophe which sent the craft
to the bottom, giving her approximate
latitude and longitude and any other par
ticulars which there may be time to rec
ord. The box is Theoretically sealed and
water tight. 1t Is attached to the side of
the buoy by small glass tube, which is
easily broken by pressure of the water or
by any piece of wreckage. AS the shin
sinks the buoys is released from the deck
and floats toward the surface The line
which attaches it to the ship PLAYS ont
automatically and holds it in place over
the spot where the craft went down.
Should the line be of insufficient length
to allow the buoy to be seen above the
surface, the metal message box becomes
detached by the pressure of the water
and rises to the surface, then to be
picked up and its contents of disaster
read by the crew of some passing shin
or it may drift ashore and then be
picked up