The Savannah morning news., 1900-11-18
ITEMS OF INTEREST.

Professor Johnstone stoney. IN de-
veloping his theory OF the escape Of gases
from planetary atmospheres depending
upon the force OF gravity OF the particu-
lar planets concerned. has concluded that
helium az present - slowly escaping from
the earth, and in distant past time IL
probably escaped much more rapidly.
says an exchange. From Mars. he says.
water vapor must have escaped with
about the same readiness as helum fed
from the earth. and accordingly the va
r!ahle white patches about the poles Of
Mars are not snow. but probably frozen
carbon dioxide. Other appearances fire.
quently observed on Mars are due. he
thinks. 10 low-lyinE fors % carbon d.oxi-
de vapor shifting alternately between the
pole ana the equatorial regions.
The tombs Of The Ming dynasty.
which. a. announced IN dispatches from
Pekin Field Marshal Count Won Valdez
see has sent column OF troops TO dcs-
troy. are about hften miles northwest OF
Pekin. at Chang plng-c chou. They arc
among the wonders OF China and cost an
immense sum OF money. There are thir-
teen OF these tomhs. The government
sends a deputation, including the Mar
quis OF Chu. the LAST llneal descendant OF
the Mings TO worship there each au-
tumu. A. is wei known ancestor wor-
ship IS one 81 the special trlts Of Chinese
religion. and the tombs OF their kings
are especially sacred TO them. partlcu-
larry IL this true OF the Mings the last
native dynasty which ruled China and
which WIS supplauted early in the seven
teenth CENTURY by the present dynasty OF
Mauchus. Tho Ming tombs are magnih-
cent structures and have been carefully
preserved. They arc surrounded hy . SCI
ries OF wonderful white marble balus-
trades carved 40 the hncness OF an ivory
Jewel cnsket Broad marble terraces con-
tain a series Of yelloW-tllcd buildings
each Emperor having separate apart
ment9 FOR his memorial tablet. sacrihclal
ahars and coffin The architecture is OF
the best Chinese type ana the materials
OF The buildings ana their contents arc
rich. Small furnaces where written
prayers FOR the dead are burned. are
scattered about The approaches 90 che
tombs are hy means Of broad avenues
containing az intervals handsome marble
buildings. where guards are stationed.
The principal one OF these avenues Is dec
GRATED on each side with huge stone ar-
ures % warriors horses. elephants. camels
and hnicorns The somhs Of the Nancbu
dynasty are seventy miles from pekin Ia
another direction. There have been ru-
mors that the allies propose to destroy
these. too
The Department 81 Agriculture has IS
sued a report on Investigations OF the bic
trees OF California that brings ont som.
interesting and new conclusions 7,
shows that the dimensions OF tho HE
trees arc unequal ana that their are
makes them the Oldest living things. The,
are described by tho report as "the
erandest largest. oldest. ard most ma
lesueally graceful OF trees" and .tbo
sehfcest Of known tree species. with th.
extreme scientific value OF beiuc. IN. h.s,
living Representatives OF a former reoi5-
glc age The report says the bark 81 tb.
uiE trees often Is two feet thick aud al
most noncombustible 'The oldest a,c.t
mems felled." il SAYS. are sun eo,,ra =
me neart ana fungus Is an enemy un-
known 10 II. Yet The big trees arp.rsnf-
W nave not Increased their range since
the glacial epoch They have uui, iu.f
managed 10 hold their own on the rt.ie
snip OF country where the cliu,at. g. b.,
cally favorable" Continuing. the r.r,r,
says: Tho ONLY grove now thorourhl,.
sale from obstruction j. the Marlposa and
this is far from being the most e,t.-c-,
ing. Most Of the other love- ,rc 49,
IN process Of or IN danger Of being logg
goa. The very finest Of all the C,i,,..-,.
grove with the biggest and talle.t tees
the most hnfoutHmluntsd surround. f.gs
ana practically an tho literary ana seisr-
tine associations OF the spceies ro,,,.,..,
Win ~. has been purchaard recenti,. b.. d,
lu'lDeFmau. Who came into run poases-
sl'H ou Apfll j. l*" The SequoIa ana
Gen Grant National Parks Whites 49,
supposed 10 embrace aud give soe,,-,.,. =,
large part OF The remaining he tr.,g
nre eaten mo by q sawmil each ara ~
private claims amounting 20 a fot.t ~
Iita ceres Tho In-t ~ .rr. e.a-...
ia'ehea o Dc trees are IN fair way IN
uisaltt r-ln DIiat.ras Vull.ta. fte,
ahe IulAre ceuu les they ate now dlg,n'
- "'e 10Y 'Nc axe. ln brief the ma
yo,Its on 'he n'g trees % California. GER
tainly the best 81 them. are Owned ~. 49,, |
pie who have every firbt e,6 a. 49,
cases every intention. 10 eut ,,....' 80
luihoef The most recent lnvestfgsffor,e
neooi alns 70 thc report. confirm the cstt |
mates lhat these giant trees rroh,bt, |
i've ''.'" years or more though fov, - |
eevn the larger trees arc more t,sr - |
% "tn' Tie average rate OF rrou,tb ~
estimated at one inch OF diameter FOR |
."elte years Tho report also cor |
Tooofates the statements OF one ,tt,bo.s,,. /
who says thar one fra, a. ,,-ts-t' |
counted 400 rings was undanhte,ft,. a, /
is prime. "swaNlrr ir tho sierr, - 49,
when Christ walked tho earth" rbe ~
Pr sians among other things "a Inc re.
s1n - 'ne oHc.ol Investigations: "The /
oily place ia the world where the -
= 10 ten ISOLATED groves on /
iHe west slope OF the Sierra Nevada ,,,o,,r
talns. The sricies. however. renreeer, !
surviving prehistoric genus OF trecs enc
kIVwihk widely over the rloha mr.
he.n groves show some reproduc,,ar,.
s,t, "hleh there IS hope OF nerpetu.
800, tne-e groves In The northern
'"'V''@ ne sp1e4es hardly holds lls own"