The herald., 1896-10-25
FACTS OF INTEREST

If the observers at Flagstaff are right in
Their conclusions that Mercury, and Venus
ing their journey round the sun, so that
each day is year long. these planets can
like those On he eayhp Il has been
posed that Venus at least was very SINH
lar TO the earth in its phenomena and
characteristics, and might be peopled by
much the same kind Of beings; but as
Venus period of rotation is nearly the
same as that of the earth, it must have six
months of uninterrupted sunshine and
six of continuous night.
The Paris mint has just sent to st. Peters,
burg $4,000 silver rubles, which have been
coined for the Russian government. They
were packed in $50 cases, which were pad
locked and sealed at the mint and then
sent to the Care du Nord in ten carts. Po-
lice officers met them there and witnessed
their transfer TO special railway vans, III.
which they were taken to Dunkerque. Here
a Russian man of war was in readiness
TO receive them and started directly the
cases were on board.
twenty years ago. when the British
the ne thy
S6 cents. This year President Kruger has
asked. that Is, commanded-his boer legisss
te or the the pareass s"pas Of
arms with which to suppress any inclna-
tion the taxpaying English residents may
show toward interfering with local poli-
A new source of revenue is to be opened
TO the farmers of America, and especially
ir the European demand for apples, which
is growing rapidly. Last year $4,000 barrels
were exported, while the exports this year
already amount to more than 600. 600 bar
rels. The fruit brings good prices, bu.
only the best of it can be sold in compe-
tition with the foreign. product.
The English provincial press Is taking
up the cudgels against those who throw
or leave broken glass on public roads. 1t
is not merely that the cycling tourist con-
stantly has to pull up to repair damages
of mangled tires, but valuable horses are
% worst ni Offenders - are e said to 1 be the vans
which go from public house to public house
with aerated waters.
The British government is about to in
crease its subsidies to private steams hip
companies which will build and hold their
vessels in readiness to be turned into war;
ships, If required. Nine additional steam
ers have already been secured on these
terms. and the scheme adds immensely to
the effective strength of the British navy
at comparatively trifing cost.
In Syria people never take off their caps
iting a friend. but they always leave their
shoeS at the door. There are no mats or
scrapes outside and the floors inside are
covered with expensive rugs. which, In
edI' used to kneel upon on Wills While saying i prayers
Farmers about Osceola, Mo-, raise only
corn and oats in large quantities, and the
merchants of the place have to import po-
tatoes, onions, and other small vegetables; /;
while over in Kansas. in the neighborhood
of Arkansas City. one farmer this season
has raised 1000 bushels of white onions and
sold them at 9 cents S bushei: Nl,st,;.
Is earning his own living by visiting res
taurants at regular intervals and killing
the rats. He is fastidious in his tastes. fre-
near the Madeleine. the cafe concerts in
the Champs Elysees and the establish
ments in the Bois de Boulogne.