The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-04-10
FACTS IN A FEW LINES.

There are 5.400 square miles Of coal
fields In Great Britain.
New York state has 10000 more
bachelors than spinsters.
Last year 81 officers were placed on
the retired list Of the United States
army.
The state Of Washington furnished
over 100000 tons of coal to California
last year.
Lyddite cannot be fred from any
gun of less caliber than the Al inch
45 FOUNDER.
A contemporary finds that there are
only IL baldheaded men in the house
of commons.
The value of the gold, silver and
copper coin now in use in Germany is
Sl,O92, GO4, Geo.
At the last election in Bavaria only
80 per cent of those entitled to vote
took the trouble to do so.
A movement is on foot In the west
Of Ireland To erect a stone over the
grave of Anthony Raftery, a Mayo
bard.
Complaints Of the scarcity Of coal
are made all over Europe and are espe-
cially frequent in Austria, Germany
and Italy.
Liege, Belgium, is to have an exposi-
ton in 1903. To meet the expenses
capital of 100000 francs has been
| subscribed.
About one seventh Of the registered
cases Of illness in Russia last year
were due to infectious-i e., preventa-
ble-diseases.
The full parade dress OF a British
hussar officer costs about as. The
parade uniform of Black Watch OH
Ger costs $40.
The new civic law book Of Prussia
contains a paragraph under which In
veterate drunkards may be placed un-
der guardianship
Rainy days are particularly despised
by the telephone girls because more
people stay indoors, and as a conse-
quence the work Is almost doubled.
British Columbia has decided TO
amend the coal miners act so as to
prohibit the employment Of any one
underground who cannot read and
write English.
Canada is self supporting, but In
event of an attack being made upon
the Dominion Great Britain would
have tc provide both army and navy
for It's defense.
Scientific agriculture Is making great
er progress in Chile perhaps than in
any other country except the United
States, especially in rural economy,
arboriculture aud vitculture.
Property of the estimated value Of
from $4,000 to 100000 will have
to be acquired by New York city to
provide an approach to the proposed
Pike slip bridge across the East river.
At a meeting Of the Massachusetts,
Association Of Boards Of Health the
statement was made that on the aver
age city milk contained from 100000
to 100000 bacteria per cubic cent?
meter.
Statistics concerning building opera
lions show that the year 1899 was one
Of great activity. The total for q
cities was S229,9OO0OO in 1899 and
S163, 100000 in 1898, an increase Of
over $66,OOOOOO
Germany now occupies the position
which the United States for many
years enjoyed, being second to Eng
land In ocean steam transportation.
Germany has obtained this position in
the short period Of ten years.
There was recently put up in the
Baldwin Locomotive works a crane
which has a span Of 1913 feet. 1t Will
lift a 10000 pound locomotive 40 feet
in the air, carry it 1856 feet and set it
down again In minutes SO seconds.
The manufacture and use of false
teeth is undoubtedly practice of great
antiquity. The ancient Egyptians were
no mean dentists. Jawbones Of mum
mics have been found with false teeth
in them and also with teeth filed with
gold.
An automobile that cost when new
$1,000 sold at auction recently in Paris
for $4,000 after making q fast rec
ord. 1t appears, comments The Trot-
ter and PAGER, that developed speed is
valuable In machines as we'll as In
horses.
New Orleans has secured the largest
floating drydock in the world. The
dock is being constructed by the gov
eminent. 1t will be 525 feet long, 100
feet wide and % feet in draft and is
capable Of lifting any ship ever built.
1t will cost 100000 and is to be COM
pleted in the fall.
Rhinebeck-On-the-H Hudson Is to have
a palace that will make the other
buildings in that vicinity look like cot
tages. 1t is to be put up by! Colonel
John Jacob Astor and will bel erected
on the site of Ferncliffe, which, will be
RACED to the ground to make way for
the magnificent structure Colonel AS
tor has In mind.
Sltka, the capital Of Alaska, has a
free reading room. All the houses of
Sitka are of wood, but,many of them
are new and modern. This one is old
and was built by the Russians before |
the purchase. Sitka fhas a population
Of 1900 1000 Of which is Indian, and
this reading room is maintained by
private subscriptions.
In the calendar;year 1899 our largest
Import Of gold Fwas from Australia,
$12,612, 900; thefsecond largest, $S,927,- |
600, from Canada; the third largest, |
So 800 600 from British Columbia