The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-08-29

JOHN ". GATES has entirely re- IO1 covered from his reported break O down. and Is now prepared to make things interesting for certain spec ulators on Wall street who have been hammering away on the Harris-Gates stocks. The veteran piunger is said to be so hale and ruddy that his own friends scarcely recognize his portly for. I. If this be true he will have an ample supply of energy to last him through several more strenuous bouts on the stock ex- change. John W Gates. with his plctur- esque qualities and his profanity may not be very welcome person in certain London hotels, but he commands a whole some respect among his associates In bus mess affairs who are not anxious to en- gage with him in a speculative battle.
 Prof H. Marion of the United States Naval academy at Annapolis predicts that bookless age is dawning upon Us when talking machines will take the place of the printing press and mems thoughts will be spoken by mechanical means in- stead of being written It will be try ing day for the nerves when the phono- graph supplants the comforting book, but the change will bring some advantages along In its train. For instance, the pro- life crop of mediocre writers will be dis pensed with because no one will stop to listen, if their effusions should happen to be recorded on the wax scroll, and If each author is required to buy his own ma chimes it will prove much more expensive than pens and paper. Then again the professor points out that charges of plagiarism will be a thing of the past. The voice of the author himself will re- late his stories or sing his poems into listening ears. Our eyes will be spared sitions will be relieved of the necessity of holding up a ponderous volume. By means of the talking machine the poet will be able to pour out all the ardent passages of his works with voice that will melt his audience, and the novelist climaxes. Then. altogether the advent of the talking machine as a substitute for books Is to be hailed with joy although 1t will be a sad day for the publishers.
 Around the world in fifty-four days is very fair time, and would cause pain to the esteemed Phineas Fogg, should that imaginary individual be able to appear in the flesh and tell of his eighty-day trip Henry Frederick. New York pub fisher, has recently returned from globe trotting jaunt completed In this record breaking time. The feature of his jour ney was that he accomplished his travels in comparative comfort and was com pelled neither to endure danger nor to spena fabulous sums In order to reach a destination In a certain number of days or hours. Of course. when we have suc- cessfully broken in Professor Langley's airship the trip around the world will be mere bagatelle and will no doubt be popular route for the summer ex- cursionists, but just at present the feat of the publisher is very credtable, and large place after all, and that we are making rapid progress toward that happy era when all things will be easy for in- genious man.
 A brief press dispatch tells us that the Elizabeth Palmer, the second largest sail- ing vessel in the world and the largest five-master, was launched at Bath. Me. The advent of steam has almost done away with the old sailing ships. except for the purpose of racing and coast fish Ing but the old boats had some qualities that are sadly missed in thei- modern successors. For instance no sight was prettier on the ocean than stately ship scuddinR along under a billowy cloud of canvass, her pennants flying and her rig ging filled with sailors. Aside from the advantage of cheapness. there was