The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1898-11-26

Down In Jamaica they say "the Yam
KEGS aren't afraid Of Old Nick. The
people of this English colony also con-
slider the armed tugboat Leyden the
greatest vessel In the American Navy.
Some weeks ago III. NJ. S. Talbot, a
cruiser about the size Of the New
York, steamed into Kingston harDor
and told a story which gave rise to
this respect for Lieutenant Crossley's
tiny warship. 1t seems that the
cruiser was steaming down the ba-
hama channel one dark night when
blank shot was fired close by. Inc
watch officers could see nothing ana
paid no attention to the signal Ihen
solid shot sank across the big snips
bow and she hove to in Jiny. a lew
minutes later a tugboat came tearing
mn alongside, and, through the mega
phone. her commander demanded the
name of the vessel he had held up.
aThe British cruiser Talbot. You
can go on" was the condescending re-
DIV. The cruiser did go on, ana her
officers and crew now have the grea!-
est respect for our American tugpoats.
1t is only natural that this should De
the case.
To point out the phenomenal Increase
In our foreign trade during the past
ten years comparisons are maze De-
tween the figures of 1895 and the hg-
ures for 1888. Taking the principal
countries of the globe, our exports 10
them have been as follows: Great
Britain, in 1898, $40, 900; in '1SSS,
$780,, OOO, 900; Germany, in 1898, $780,
OOO. 900; in 1888, $56,000,0OO; France,
in 1898. 500, 900, OCO; in 1888, 10000
600; Canada, in 1898. $S5,OOO,O00; IN
1888, $3S,00O,OOO Netherlands, in 1885,
s65, 900 600; In 1888, S16,0OO,000; Bel
GUM, in 1898, $47,OOO,000; in 1888, Sl0,-
100000; Japan, in 1898, $21, OOO,OoO; IN
1888, $4,000, 600; Africa, in 1898, $17,-
OOO. 900: in 1888, 100000; China, in
1898, $1O,OOO,O0O; in 1888, $4,ooO,000;
Austria Hungary, in 1898, $4,000, 600;
in 1883, $5OO,O0O; Denmark, in 1898,
$12, 100000; in 1888, 100000. AS
the above figures show our foreign
trade during the past ten years has
doubled in almost every instance. NO
other country on the globe can show
anything like this record. Thus we
literally become the purveyor OF FOOD
and supplies to the nations OF the
earth.
A system of portable or field electric
railway has been brought out in Ger
many with complete success. AS de-
scribed by a correspondent of the Bos-
ton Transcript, the track consists OF
easily transported rail frames, made
of two rails of the usual field railway
profile, and connected together by, say,
! five crossbars; the middle crossbar ex-
tends few inches beyond the rails on
either SIDE and to its ends is bolted
an iron yoke, or frame, in shape an in
verted u, the top of which is high
enough to be well clear of the cars
The overhead conductor is supported
at the center of the upper horizontal
part of the yoke; the yokes are placed
closer together at curves, and at the
sharpest curves it may be necessary
to fit every rail frame with a yoke, IL
order to keep the overhead conductor
sufficiently near the center OF the
track. The generating station Is fttet
in the usual way with dynamo, ant
two feeders are led from the station
to one end of the track, one being con
nected to the end of the overhead con
ductor and the other to the rails. Fol
running the trolley wire a specia
truck has been devised. On 1T are
pair of ladders, leaning toward eacl
other. and between them on the fiool
of the truck is a reel containing wire
and at the top, where their upper ends
meet, is supported guide pulley. By
means Of this truck long field line
it is found, can be run out in sur
! prisingly short space Of time.