The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1901-02-26
FACTS IN A FEW LINES.

number.
There are about 3O.OOO,OOO acres of
unoccupied public land yet remaining
in Montana.
The unfurling of the flag is becoming
q feature in the history of schools in
New Zealand.
In the south the Italians are found
to be good cotton pickers. They are
quick aud have nimble fingers.
The emigration of IriShmen to Great
Britain for harvest has been steadily
increasing for the past three years.
The Chicago Journal says: when
Sheridan road is completed, it will Ice
the only 50 mile driveway in the world
that does not cross a railroad or
bridge"
The United Kingdom Of Great Brit
ain and Ireland started into existence
on Jan. l. 1901. with population Of
15.70OOO0. Its population now in round
numbers is 41,OO0,OO0.
The brutal Spanish bullfghts are as
popular as ever in that land. The aver
age number Of horses killed in Spain
every year exceeds 5000, while from
1000 to 200 bulls are sacrificed.
The annual loss TO France caused 10y
the ravages Of hailstorms is said 10
amount to about S3.OOOOO0 francs.
From 1873 to 1890 the figures varied
from 100000 to l3fOOO.OOO francs.
Sing Sings name is derived from
"Sint Sizes" the title Of former branch
Of the Mohegan Indians. The inhab-
itantS of.the town want to call il Ossn-
ing. which is the name of the town
ship.
Memberships in the New York Stock
Exchange are now held to be worth
$4,000. and one has been sold at these
figures. In 1893 two memberships were
sold. one at $4,000 and the other at
$17.5OO.
Each year about 100000 bushels Of
wheat are grown in Africa. Australia
stands at the foot Of the great wheat
producing countries being credited
with product of about 35,OOOOOO
bushels year.
A young negro in Cincinnati swore
falsely as to his age in order TO get
marriage license. His mother said that
be had sworn falsely bat that he
should be excused on the ground that
he was in love and enchanted
Ordinary tumblcrs viii hold water
because the giobules of water are too
big TO squeeze through glass, but glass
IS as full of holes as sponge. and air
blows right through it because the
specks Of air are smaller than the
holes.
The population Of the whole world is
about 1.5O0OOO.O0O OF this Great Brit
ain and her colonies has 30 per cent;
Russia. 500 per cent; France. 6.3 per
cent: United States. 81 per cent; Ger
many. 4.6 per cent; Ausuia-Hungary,
81 per cent; Italy. % per cent.
In 1900 the Indian canoe was pracu-
cally the only floating vehicle on the
great lakes. which bold one-thlrd Of all
the fresh water in the world. To-day
the lake fleet numbers several thou
sand steel steamers, with 40 shipyardS
on the shores Of the lakes to add con
stantly to the number.
The far northwest has entered into
competition with the Mississippi valley
for the wheat trade of the world. y
British steamer has loaded wheat AT
Tacoma for Liverpool via the SueZ ca
nal. The Cape Horn route is shorter,
but Is less desirable because Of the cost
of and difficulty Of procuring coal.
Bamboo fiber makes absolutely the
best copying paper there is, and the
bamboo paper is made almost exclu-
sively In Japan. For that reason-sim-
ply because they have the raw material
and we have Motive buy great deal
Of copying paper in Japan, and the Jap
anese, on the other hand, buy large
quantities Of different kinds of paper
from Us.
By act Of the Continental congress,
passed in 1875, one-thirty-sixth part Of
all the public lands belonging to the
United States were set apart perpetual.
" as an endowment for the public
schools Of the country. Under this and
succeeding acts 100000 acres have
been granted during the past century
for the support Of public schools and
1,1Gj.O0O acres to universities and col
leges.
One Of the things that appear TO have
been sttled by the Boer war is the dis
appearance from the British army Of
the organization known as the army
corps. II is stated authoritatively that
the division is the largest tactical unit
that can be conveniently employed in
the field. The army corps sent to South
Africa went TO pieces Immediately aft
err 1t landed, and all subsequent re-en-
forcements went out as divisions.
Three months ago a party of Nor
mon students began three years trip
into South America to search for traces
of the last survivors Of the Nephltes,
believed by the Mormons to have been
the first people of this country. Ben
jamin Gluff, president Of the Brigham
Young academy. in Provo, Utah, who
is in charge of the expedition, says
that many prehistoric ruins have been
unearthed which tend to uphold the
Mormon traditions.
The royal game Of sofia claims the
many sided German emperor as a play
or. 1t somewhat resembles the game
Of checkers. Thirty pieces are used in
play, and there are 100 squares on the
table. There are at present on view in
London the actual pieces and table
used by the kaiser The exhibit. which
is valued at $4,000, is of delicately en-
ameled gold work and is incrusted with
brilllants, while tiny gold suns, moons
Bnd stars surmount the royal arms In
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