The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-10
ITEMS OF INTEREST.

-Russias latest acquisition. Mongo-
liza, is more than three-fourths as large
as Russia and nearly four times as
large as Manchuria, while Mongolia
and Manchuria together are more than
half as large as the United States,
exclusive of Alaska and outside pos
sessions.
"A young French savant is said to
have succeeded. after four years ex-
periments, in not only soldering but
brazing aluminium. which has hereto
fore proved impracticable. He has
also discovered a process for hardening
The metal and greatly increasing its
powers of resistance without adding
to it's weight. He will shortly sub
NIT his discoveries to scientific ex-
perts.
Tests as to penetration of the pres
ent rifle bullets in sand, loan and steel
show the penetration into sand and
loan at fifty feet does not exceed six
inches; at 500 yards, thirteen and one
half inches, and 1000 yards, sixteen
and one-half inches. At fifty feet the
velocity is so high that the bullets
are completely flattened in the first
six inches, the sand not having time
to yield.
in a recent discussion of the Acad-
eIny of Medicine, Paris, NJ. Lucas
Championnere said that every day more
Confirmation was forthcoming CT the
idea that it was the abuse of 4 meat
diet which was the principal cause of
appendicitis. In those countries where
the natives eat very little meat, as in
pr-st faff fr roy In
England and the United States, where
a great deal of meat is eaten, APP
pendicitis is four times more common
than in Paris.
The Monthly Weather Review men
tions an unusual lightning phenomenon
that was observed at Titusville, Fla,
during a recent storm. A thunder
shower came up shortly after sunset
and leach electric discharge was ac-
companied by small typical strokes
of only few inches in length between
neighhoring raindrops. These &C.
Cured simultaneously with the main
discharges, and when in the neighbour
hood of the body produced a sharp,
singing sensation"
In the new republic of Panama re-
side the Talanancans, a tribe of In
dams ruled by king, who have not
changed their habits since the days of
Columbus. The Talamancan's hut,
which is a masterpiece in the art Of
matching, is huge affair and shelters
his entire family and all his worldly
possessions, including the domestic an
imals. AS he is a past master in the
art of demonstrating the wild deer, the
peccary, the tapir and even the tiger
cat, numbers of these animals are pres
ent in every village. His bed consists
of the trunk of a certain species of
palm cut into strips and supported
three or four feet from the ground on
a frame. A few earthen pots complete
the furnishing of his house.
There are several accounts of the
manner in which the famous gunpow-
der plot of 1905 was discovered, but
among the students of occult science
the belief is that its timely discovery
was made by DIR. John Dee by means
of a magic mirror. Proof of how gem
eral this belief was at one time is
given by the fact that in some editions
of the common prayer book, published
in the eighteenth century, is to be
found an engraving inserted before the
service for Nov. 5, depicting a circular
mirror on a stand, in which is the
reflection of the houses of Parliament
by night, and a person carrying a
dark lantern. On the, left% Side are
two men in the costume of the reign
of King James looking into the mir
ror. On the right side, at the top, the
eye of Providence throws a ray on to
the mirror; beneath are legs and hoofs,
as if evil spirits were making their
exit.
Even in this age of wonders no
one would have expected to expert
ence the doubtful pleasure of a head
on railway collision without the usual
horrors of a smashup, yet that is put
forward by an inventor for his most
recent invention. A single track is
used, on which railway cars are caus-
ed to travel Two cars go head-on for
each other, at a speed of twenty-five
miles an hour. They approach with
in the danger limit and suddenly the
car having the right of way runs over
the other and lands on the track again,
where it continues in safety until it
reaches its destination. The under car
has proceeded as if nothing had hap
pened. The cars, although they run
upon wheels. are really travelling
bridges, with compartments for the ac-
commodation of passengers. Over the
framed structure of the cars thus con-
stituted an arched track is carried,
fastened to the car and serving the
purpose of providing a roadbed for the
oncoming car. The forward ends of the
pilots of the super-imposed tracks are
provided with rollers and skids, which
are so designed that one car shall
mount the other without shock. The
skids gently ride up the inclined track
of the car ahead, and sufficiently ele-
vate the rollers of the pilots to permit
them to run upon the superimposed
track without jar. The car itself fol-
/ lows with u motion equally as gentle.
In actual practice cars of eleven feet
six inches in length will be employ
ed, the extreme length being forty
three feet.
An automatic fire kinder, the OPP
Grafton of which is regulated by an or
binary alarm clock, will doubtless APP
peal to every person whose duties in
clude getting up early to start the fire
in the kitchen stove, says the Satur-
day Evening Post. With this new con-
trivance installed in house it is neces-
| sary, upon retiring, simply to assemble
| the fuel in the stove or any fireplace,
| connect an attachment to the clock and
set the latter at any required hour.
When the alarm sounds a illuminate is
| ignited, which, communicating with an
Inhammable substance in the stove,
| range, furnace or CRATE, Immediately
starts the fire. By the time the house,
| holder or servant is up the fire is burn
ing briskly and the water is boiling.
1t is claimed that these new devices
may be so set that they will start fires
| whenever wanted and thus have a
home Thoroughly heated before the op-