The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1901-08-17
FOREIGN TOPICS.

TOHEIGN L OP/CS
According to Edward de Neveu, former
ly of Fond du Lac, Wis, who is now liv-
ing in Paris, the notorious timidity which
| characterizes French capitalists, con-
Joined with their dislike to enter new
fields, is responsible for the total neglect
of what may prove the richest deposits
Of tin ore discovered in many years.
These deposits lie about thirty miles in
land from the French coast in the depart
ment of Morbihan. 1t is believed that
| these deposits are n continuation of the
| famous Cornwall mines lying almost OPP
posite on the English coast.
Neveu is attempting to form a company
| to exploit concession. He has already
! secured limited French support and now
proposes to appeal for further financial
aid to New York and Chicago.
While the German Emperor was driving
a few days ago from Gudvangen to Stall
helm in Norway gold ring slipped unob-
| served from his finger. 1t was afterward
picked up by stable boy. who handed it
| to the hotel keeper, who in turn restored
] 1t to his Majesty. On the following day.
| as the Emperor was driving back to Gud-
! vangen, he presented the coachman with
! a note for 80 kronen as a reward. the
coachman at once declared that II was not
! ring. The Emperor at once pulled out
| a second note for the stable BOY and ex-
! planned: II am so extremely glad to have
| recovered the ring, for it was my en-
/ gagement ring
| Monte Carlo is about the last place in
the world in which you would expect to
! experience hard times. such a fate being
! reserved for the people who go there and
| encounter Dame Fortunes frown- Never
| theless. there is no gainsaying that bust
ness is bad at Monte Carlo just now.
| Not that the roulette and trente-et-
quarante tables lack patrons, but the fact
! is that a number of the patrons have
taken to winning largely, thereby upset
| ting all the banks calculations. GER
tain baron is said 10 have won $4,000 this
season, and his cooiness and immense
| capital make the bankers despair Of re-
coupling the loss. When he loses he plays
on calmly until luck changes, as it Is
i sure to 60 in time, Nevertheless. 1t Is usu-
| ally calculated that to win at Monte Carlo
| requires a capital about $50 times as large
| as ones winnings On the other nano,
| the small players. who start with iivo OF
so apiece are almost sure to go broke.
| A short run of i'll luck cleans them out,
and 1.-The subsequent proceedings interest,"
| them more" 1t Is from these small
| fry that the bank derived Its net gain
I of 100000 last season. This was much
| less than was expected In view of the fact
| that it was an exposition year. The win
ningS in the last such year-iS5y-were
| about 81. 10000
| The Boer war had much to do with the
| falling off, for Englishmen, usually the
| best patrons, are few and cautious this
| Season. Still, IL must be admitted that
| players in general are growing more care
| full and economical from year to year.
| 1t is a long time since ruined gambler
| has blown out his brains in the gambling
rooms, so business Is bad, and Is likely
| to grow worse. Before long the stock
holders will have to content themselves
| with 25 per cent dividends, instead Of the
| ~ per cent of last season and the much
larger dividends OF the Blanc regime.
| The lake of Geneva is celebrated for
its swans. Two of these birds were OBJ
served to be greatly attached to each
| other, being inseparable companions.
Their devotion was pointed out to visit
ors. Recently the park authorities intro
duced to the lake a young female swan OF
great beauty to whom the male that had
so long been noted for his conjugal fideli-
ty Immediately transferred his affections.
The deserted female swan shortly after
ward committed suicide by beating its
brains out against the quay. The body
of the unfortunate bird has been stuffed
and placed in the Geneva Museum.
An interesting illustration of Hungari-
tic experiments now being made in that
country with the object of Introducing
the cultivation of the cotton plant. Al
though the climate leaves only five
months tfrom the middle of April to the
middle of September for all the neces-
sary operations from sowing to picking.
it is calculated that by special measures
the usual seven months can be shorten
cd by two. These consist of a special
preparation of the seeds by the addition
of certain ingredients to the soil. The
advantages to the country would be so
great that the Government ordered a
thorough investigation and as this proved
favorable agreed to support the project.
Large tracts Of land. otherwise vaiueless,
owing to the periodical foundations. mig mt
be devoted to this culture. The expert
ments have thus far been kept very quiet,
but the final results will be made pub
lie in the autumn.
Belgian industry in Russia (Which fig
ures very largely in Russian industrial
statistics) is passing through severe
crisis. The Importance of Russia a
consuming country has been greatly ex
agge-ated and its commercial situation
insufficiently examined by Belgian mer-
chants, so that enterprises were started
which produced far more of particular
manufactures than the country needed
On the other hand. the Russian Govern
ment for financial reasons withdrew a
portion of its orders from Belgium. so
that a serious crisis has resulted. Bel
GUM capital to the amount of sl45. 900
has been sunk in Russo Belgian enter
prises in Russia. France and Belgium,
together, within the last few years have
sunk in Russia $3.50, 900. In the last ten
years II 653 Belgians. among whom are
1269S foremen and workmen. have set
tied in Russia and now panic is threat
ened among the vast community of for
eigners, which finds its occupation gone
DIR. Schenk, the famous biologist of Vi
emma, who was expelled from the univer-
sity there for his alleged false theories.
will present some startling information to
the international congress of biologists.
which meets In Berlin this week. DR.. |
Schenk says that his discredited theories
of sex determination have been proved by |
experiments since he last spoke publicly. !
The sex of the new human can be fixed. |
he says by the diet of the mother. and |
he will offer what he deems to be con- |
elusive proofs of this alleged fact to the |
scientists who have gathered in the Ger |
.a,.ff. .1