Evening star., 1901-06-20
Concessions Granted to Build Rail-
ways in Nicaragua.
new FOOD PLANT FOUND IN AFRICA
Device to Prevent Collisions Be-
tween Vessels.
A NEW A n A E S T 81 E L @

Consul Donaldson reports from Managua
that the government has granted a conces-
sion to Mr. H. C. Emery of Chelsea, Mass,
who already holds valuable timber conces-
sions in the country, to build railroad
from Matagalpa to the head Of navigation
in Rio Grande-about 100 miles of road
Mr.. Emery is allowed one year after rati1-
cation by congress to organize his company
and one year and a half more to make the
necessary surveys, and must have the road
finished and ready to open to the
public in five years. He Is also granted
rights and exemptions for all colonlsts
brought in for twenty-five years. He Is
also to receive a concession of public lands
in alternate lots along the line. one mile
wide and four miles deep, and rights OF
navigation on the Rio Grande ana the Az
Iantic coast.
The Nicaraguan government has COM
missioned Mr.. r. Wieser, former represen.
tative of the Maritime Canal Company Of
Nicaragua in Managua, to organize a COM
pany to build a railroad from Monkey
Point on the Caribbean sea. to San Ubaldo
on Lake Nicaragua. He is also commits
stoned to sell the government railroad and
steamboats, now in operation, and 70 make
a loan of 50, ,O0O, 900 for the government, to
be guaranteed by the custom house re-
ceiptS.
New Railways in British Columbia.
Consul Smith writes from Victoria that
the legislature of British Columbia has
authorized a loan of S5,000,0O0, half a mil
lion of which is to be used in building a
bridge across the Frazer river at New
Westminster, and the remainder TO be
granted as a bonus at the rate of $4,000
mile for certain roads.
Work must be begun before July, 1902.
The subsidy is not to be granted until the
roads are wholly completed; the companies
are to pay interest on the subsidy granted
at the rate of per cent for the first five
years and per cent afterward. The gov
ernment is to control passenger and freight
rates, and may acquire the roads in twenty
years.
New Food Plant in Africa.
German papers speak of an annual plant
growing in tropical Africa. belonging to the
leguminous class, which is largely culti-
waited by the negroes as food article. 1t
has also been introduced to some extent in
southern Asia and Brazil. 1t is called
Woandsu by the African negroes; the bo-
tanical name is Glycne subterranca.
The French expert chemist of ailments
has recently analyzed the fruit of the
woandsu with reference to it's chemical
composition and it's value as food. The
fruit, like the peanut natures under
ground. The eatable kernel has the shape
of an egg, and is dark red. with black
stripes ana a Wnlte nllun, ike most DeanS.
1t furnishes a very white flour, whose fla
Vor after cooking much resembles that of
chestnuts The chemical composition is IS
per cent of starchy substance, 10 per cent
nitrogenous, 10 per cent water, per cent
oil. 4 per cent celulose substance and 8
per cent ashes Consul General Guenther,
who reports this matter to the State De-
partment, says: 1t will be seen that two
pounds of these beans would supply the
daily requirements of the human system
NJ. Balland, who has had wide experience
In the chemistry of nutriments, calls this
fruit the first one found by him in nat
ural state which shows all the chemical
properties of a perfect nutrtment.
BOat-StOpping Apparatus.
A resident of Sweden, Count K. A. Posse.
has invented a boat-stopping apparatus,
which will prevent collision and facilitate
the maneuvering of large vessels. Consul
Nelson at Bergen says that recent expert
ments have been made on a steam launch
accommodating 100 persons, with an en-
gine of thirty indicated horsepower, max
ing nine knots an hour.
The new apparatus consists of shutters.
applied on the Starboard and port Sides
about one-fourth of boat-length from the
stern. These can be opened and shut by
means of lever applied the deck and
placed so as to be easily maneuvered by
the helmsman. The shutters consist of
two quadrilateral steel plates, with special
packing boxes in the so-called shutter
houses. Experiments showed that when
the launch going at full speed it could
be stopped in fifteen seconds at half boat
length by reversing and extending the
shutters Consul Nelson says the appa-
ratus may be applied to any steamer. The
invention has been patented in all the lead
ing countries.
New Method for Producing Anaesthe-
Consul General Guenther at Frankfort
reports to the State Department that a
new method for producing anaesthesis was
discussed at a recent meeting of the Med
ical Society Of Berlin. Dr. Wohlgemuth
has constructed an apparatus by which pa
tients inhale chloroform mixed with oxy-
gen. 1t has been tried by many prominent
surgeons, with results that are reported as
satisfactory. the disagreeable sensations
being obviated.
Device for Removing Stag From
Crates.
Consul Wagner writes from Leipzig that,
according to the Leipziger Tageblatt,
new device for removing Stag has been pat
ented. by which the CRATE is lowered into
the ash box or pit. a set of iron rods which
fit into the spaces between the bars pass
ing upward between them and knocking
off any klinkers or Stag which may have
adhered to the bars of the crate.
Increased Purchases of Tea.
Fearing that the Boxer movement would
cut off the supply, American merchants
last year purchased more tea at Fuchau
than has ever been shipped from that port
to America Consul Gracey, who reports
the fact says that notwithstanding the
serious Interruptions to the foreign trade
Of China last year, the final results were
not so disastrous as was feared, and as
compared with 1890 the falling off was only
80 per cent, mainly in tea. The consul
figures show that while the United States
imports of tea from F'uchau increased in
the past ten years from 5000, COO to IL OOO,-
900 pounds the European imports decreased
from 25OOO,0OO to 100000 pounds.
An American Bank in Germany.
Deputy Consul General Hanauer at
Frankfort reports to the State Department
that the establishment of an American
bank in Berlin and London is contemplated
1t is believed, he says. that this will open
the way for American Industrial undertake
ings and exports In the countries of the old
world.
Germany's South American Trade.
The State Department has been furnish
ed by Vice Consul Murphy at Magdeburg
with statistics showing the extent Of Ger
many's trade with the principal South