The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-08-02
ITEMS OF INTEREST.

| terred-tO marry the housekceper Of an
| aged 9eutlaman, who has leen an invalid
| Tor years, aud who RESPECTS her g 5 a good
| and true servant, whom he would Ike TO
| see in the happy slaie O{ matr.mcny be-
tore he dies. SIZE has had three husbands,
| qua is willing for q fourth"
The tropical medical department of the
University Collese, Liverpool, will put in
to the field this summer party to inves-
| usate malaria The expedition will go
TO Sierra Leone in August and will be
headed by Maj. Ronald Ross, l. NJ. S.
who, on June y, inaugurated a course
OF lectures on tropical medicine. at the
meoIcal school of the University College.
AS the malaria season is at its height
during this time in the region. of Sierra
Leone, 1t is hoped that valuable results
viii be obtained from the expedition and
MAJ. Ross has hopes Of proving his theory
that malaria is caused by the bites of a
certain species of mosquito Following
the methods used in his Indian expert
ments the first problem to be solved is
which species of mosquitoes is capable of
bearing malaria, and then by filling up
their breeding places find out if the ma
| laria in a given district can be suppress
ed.
"A dispatch dated Kingston, Jamaica,
July IS, says: The city of Georgetown
British Guiana, has recently introduced
the electric light A singular and interest
ing phenomenon is reported, which we'll
nigh plunged the city into darkness on
the first night of the rainy season The
Irc light lamps which apparently are not
htted with WIRE gauze tops, became cen
ters of attraction to a species of small
beetle, which sWarms in myriads along
the coast and river shores at the begin
ming of the Guiana rainy season, and each
lamp was speedily filled 10 the brim
RON mil
in contact with the current, which set
their bodies on fire. The result was that
the lamps were rendered useless for il
Illuminating purposes and the fumes from
the burning insects foated into the neigh
boring houses, to the great annoyance of
the inmates. The incident may give a
timely hint to the manufacturers of cleo
trio light plants for tropical cities.
-"Scientists," says the Philadelphia Rec
ord, are much interested n a fad which
w. N. Jennings, of this city. has been
INDUCING In for the last eighteen years
ana which, they say. has proven of much
value 10 them. No thunderstorm of any
moment passes over the city, no matter
whether il is day or night, that does MOI
ma Mr.. Jennings. arlay6d in a specially
constructed rubber suit, on top of his
house, photographing the lightning flashes
When the enthusiastic photographer first
started this amusement with his highly
sensilized plates he spoiled hundreds of
them before he could obtain any satisfac-
tory results Finally, after two years Of
futile effort, he discovered the richl plan.
and now his success is wonderful This
work is considered SO important that Lord
Kelvin, the world renowned scientist has
placed himself in communication with MI
Jennings in order to secure the earliest
news OF any discovery which the PhiaGel-
phia scientist may make"
There was recently a successful trial
in ST. Katherine's docks, London. saws
Chambers Journal of method of render
ing boats uusinkable-thc invention of Mr.
Il. ;. NOrris-a method which is as sim
plea as il is effective. Supposing that he
wishes TO apply the invention to a lifeboat
which is already fitted with watertight
compartments, he would fill those spaces
with an indefinite humber of closed tubes
each only few inches long, made of some
strong imperVious material such as water
proof paper. But a boat with such com
partments is not necessary, for the little
cases can be held in a canvas band which
can be nailed along the sides of any ord
mary roWboat, and render it quite unsink-
aDle. Ire principle can also be applied
TO iife-belts and buoys-replacing the cork
ordinarily used, with a great saving of ex-
pense In the trials referred to- a special
ly designed boat, with canVas-held tubes
l.
righted herself after being purposely cap
sized, although fitted with a mast and sail:
while an ordinary boat similarly treated
failed to sink, although the bung was re
moved to fill her with water, and seven
men were aboard. These hopeful exDeri
ments were Witnessed by representatives
from the admiralty and various shipping
authorities.
The japanese torpedo boat destroyer
Akebono. which has recently been com
pleted by Yarrow & Co, in England, has
received several tests, proving herself 10
be one of the fastest boats of her class
over measured mile she maintained a
speed of 3l.159 knots. while for a three
hours run the speed was found to be 81
knots. The Akebono is one of six similar
vessels ordered by the japanese govern
ment in England, one of which has al
ready made a most successful trip to
Japan. These vessels are thought 10 be
most useful on account of their COM
paratively large stoWage capacity for coal.
each having bunker accommodate tons for
100 tons. They are 800 feet in length and
700 feet in breadth, and are armed with
one twelve-pOunder and five siX-pounder
quick-hrng guns and Two swivel tubes
Tor eiShteen-inch torpeGOes. The engines
consist OF the four-cylnder triple eXDan-
sion type used in this class of vessel, with
cylinders POS inches, 31.5 inches and 81
inches in diameter, with a stroke of eign-
teen inches. The indicated horse power
IS about 5000, but steam can be supplied
BY the boilers in excess of this amount
These torpedo destroyers are in reality
small cruisers, and will doubtless prove
equal for most purposes to unarmored
boats of that class of much larger size.
During the past few years numerous
papyrus sheets have been dug up in Low
err Egypt. While most of these may be
OF interest only to the learned, there are
some among them that at once attract
general attention and arouse sympathy.
To this species belongs a Greek letter
written by a little boy just now. after
LOO years. unearthed and published |
Young Theon, for this is the writer's
name, was evidently rusucating some
where near the town of Oxyrhynchos
where his father was in business: and
whence old Theon intended to take a trip
to Alexandria, the great metropolis of
Egypt. In English translation the epistle !