The Savannah morning news., 1902-07-24
ITEMS OF INTEREST.

lady is subsequently used as her
shroud. Directly after the marriage it
is carefully put away and reserved I'M
til death makes it's use again 'neces-
sary.
Pretoria is beginning to take Oh an
English aspect. The bronze figures of
the typical Voortrekkers, which were
intended for the base of the Kruger
statue in Government Square, Pretoria,
have been presented to Lord Kitchener,
who has had them shipped to England
in order that they may grace, as q war
trophy, the Royal Engineers quarters
at Chatham. On the site of the Kru-
ger statue Samuel Marks, who has
given the bronze figures, has offered a
large sum to place a statue of the
King. and it is further stated in a let
ter to the London Telegraph that this
loyal British subject is willing to place
statue Of the late Queen on the oppo-
site side. of the square. Already the
face of the government buildings dis
plays the royal arms cut in the solid
stone.
The ruby of the English crown is
famous in popular estimation. But
its history apart-what does the con-
noisseur say as to it's value? asks The
London Chronicle. Is it a ruby, or is
1t only fine and large spinel? Some
people call spinel a spinel ruby, but
a spinel is not a ruby. The stone last
named, when it is of more than three
and half carats in weight, and flaw
less although, is more precious than
a perfect diamond of the same size
When it is considerably larger
Its value is not to be estimated, and
may be anything, according to the
passion of the collector But the spinel
"a much less hard crystaD, even
when 1t reaches the weight of four
carats, is valued at half the worth of
a four carat diamond. There are ia
nous royal rubies, but that which
flames in the royal crown is, according
to common rumor among experts,
the lowlier spinel.
IA careful estimate of Americas po-
sition in the scientific world must con-
slider the different kinds of scientific
work, says the Popular Science Month
ly, In the applicat tons of science we
probably lead. We have had and have
great inventors, and in the progress of
engineering, manufactures agriculture,
ETC., where the individual is often rec
ognized, we are contributing more than
our share. If further we divide the
pure sciences into nine groups-math-
ematics, astronomy, physics, chemis-
try, geology, zoology, physiology bot
any and anthropology- psychology the
United States would be doing it's share
II 1t excelled in one science We are
clearly inferior to several nations in
mathematics, physics, chemistry and
physiology; we are inferior in reputa-
ton, but not obviously so in perform
ance, in zoology, botany and anthropol-
psychology; we are probably doing
work OF greater volume and value than
any other nation in astronomy and ge-
ology.
ALI previous records for big gold
nuggets in the North have been bro
ken. News was brought from the
North on the steamer Dolphin this
morning of the discovery on J. D.
Brooks hillside claim, between King
Solomon's Hill and Monte Cristo
Gulch, Bonanza creek, of the largest
nugget ever found in either the Klon-
dixie or Alaska. According to advices
sent out from Dawson in a despatch
| dated May 26, the nugget was found
| during the previous week, the exact
date not being given. The nugget
| weighed 800 ounces, and contained gold
to the amount of $4,000. Several par
ties visited the claim, and have in
| spected the find. This is many times
larger than any nugget ever before
| found in the North. The largest mug
get discovered in the Atlin country
| was valued at about $500, and that
| on .Koyukuk at 81, $50. A nugget val
ued at about $3.50 was discovered in
| the Forty Mile district.-San Francisco
| Chronicle.
1t has always proved moot ques-
ton in biology how far the surround
| ings of an animal can affect it's his
! tory and evolution. Some naturalists
! are inclined to discount the influence
| of the environment in so far as the
modification of species is concerned.
| Others attribute much of the variation
| OF organic nature to the changing
nature of the encompassing conditions
| of the living being. An interesting
| note has been sounded in this direction
| by Mr.. r. Service who, in the Zoo
| logist, remarks the change in habits
| which that most common of gulls, the
| blackheaded species, exhibits. Those
who know something of the habits of
| these birds have seen of late years
| how they pass inland and feed in the
fields. Flocks of these birds follow the
| plowman as assiduously as do the
crows in the hope of picking up worms
! which the plowshare brings to the
| surface. Doubtless in time evolution
will here exert it's influence, and the
| gull, from being a fisheater, will de-
velop a more generalized habit of feed
| ing, with its resultant effects upon the
digestive system.
| That most troublesome question of
tips" is engrossing the attention of no
less important a body than the lower
| house of the Bavarian Diet, says the
| New York Post. This time it it not
| the tourist who is the plaintiff, as was
the case recently in Switzerland when
| the hotel-keepers drew up numerous
resolutions as correctives for the evil,
| but the stout men of Munich them
| selves. They are demanding that the
young women who serve beer in the
| Munich Hofbrauhaus receive better
wages, else the citizen and his family
| must go elsewhere to get their drink,
| which, under present conditions, it be-
| coming altogether too expensive. The
mattresses receive little or no pay and
are compelled to work hard and for
| long hours. Naturally, what they do
not get in salaries they must get in
| tips, and the expense for the beer
| drinkers has become burdensome. One
deputy remarked, almost with tears,
| that when he was a student the man
| who gave two pfennigs was a lord.
| Now it is necessary to give lin our
money! anywhere from two to six
cents. This for the frugal German is
altogether too much.
The Japanese government is finding
out that any attRmpt to raise revenue