The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-08-19

ton OF cocaine INTO america mas III
creased more than 400 per cent. since
1895 and that of morphia and opium
more than 600 per cent. while there
is reason to believe that the medicinal
uses of these drugs have lessened rath-
er than increased. The ruin caused by
the abuse of narcotics is so great that
it would only be logical If the person
who destroy his senses by the injection
Of drugs were placed on the same
footing as the man who performed
the same operation by drinking alco-
holic liquors.
The wonderful antediluvian man.
moth discovered eighteen months ago
in Siberia has at last after twelve
months of labor and great expendi-
ture, been safely secured in the mu-
scum of the Imperial Academy of ST.
Petersburg. 1t was discovered on the
left bank Of the river Beresovka, In
a region that for ages has been the
scene of great landslips at the melt
ing of the SHOWS in spring. The dis
covery was made by a Siberian hunter,
who secured one of the tusks for sale.
1t was of almost incredible size. Sci
entists estimate that the beast. en-
tombed by a landslip, has been laid
up for quite 200 centuries In the ice.
which has so preserved 1t that the hair
and hide are still intact.
The Legislative Council at Nicosia,
in Cyprus, recently passed a resolution
to the effect that If England should
evacuate the island, the latter would
be placed under Turkish control. When
the news of the resolution reached
Limassol q great demonstration was
held condemning the votes and cheer
ing for union with Greece. A deputa-
ton followed by a multitude singing
the Greek national anthem and Wav-
ing Greek flags Immediately awaited
upon the British Commissioner while
the bells of the Greek churches were
set ringing. The commissioner inform
ed the people that, SO far as he knew,
Great Britain had no intention of sur
rendering her dominion over the is
land.
From a study of the cancer NOR
tality in Dundee during the last TWEEN
ty-flve years DR.. Templeman, presi-
dent of the local branch of the British
Medical Association, has come to the
conclusion that the steady decline in
deaths ascribed to old age is respon-
sible for considerable proportion OF
the Increase in the cancer death rate,
and that, speaking generally, the APP
parently large increase in the cancer
mortality, especially in the male sex,
is to a considerable extent accounted
for by more correct diagnosis. He
thinks, however. that there has been
real and substantial increase in can
Ger mortality. though not so great or
so alarming as the general public be-
lieves, or as superficial glance at
statistics would seem to indicate.
1t was discovered some months
ago that a nickel-steel alloy contain
ing 36 per cent. of the former metal
has a coefficient expansion far below
that of wrought iron, it being only
0.o000OO5 for l degree F. 1t is also
said to resist oxidation remarkably
well. Recent Investigations have
shown the added fact that by the adj
dition of small quantities of iron or
nickel to the least expansive alloy It
is possible to form an alloy having
almost any desired coefficient of ex-
pansion. In this way PLAINTIFF is
made, having the same coefficient as
platinum and also, of course. as glass.
This new substance bids fair to sup
plant platinum (Which has become far
more expensive than gold) In the man.
ufacture Of incandescent lamps, where
platinum terminals now pass through
the glass.
One Of the largest sections of
tree ever brought from forest has
been set up in the American Museum
Of National History. The section
was cut from one of the giant sequoias
of Southern California, which stood
| over 800 feet high and measured 80
feet around the base. The block, 4
feet thick, was cut 20 feet from the
ground; 1t measured over S. feet in
| circumference and weighed so tons.
Prof "a ~ Iar
trated the life history of the tree, by
placing pegs marking every hundred
years of growth. estimated from the
! cross-section rings. The tree began to
grow in the year $50 A. D., and was
I thirteen feet In diameter when Column
bus landed. Forest experts estimate
that tree of this size contains 750, 900
| feet of lumber, or enough to make
/ telegraph pole forty miles long.
The death of the Pope has enriched
the argot of Paris with new word
A policeman is "camerlengo" The
| first constable who heard himself ad-
dressed by that epithet was indeed
nonplussed, quite as much as the gem
darme who was called Centurion" But
the motto of the Paris police is, when
in doubt arrest your man." and In this
case the innovator spent a few hours
| at the police station before being re-
leased According to one authority, the
| connection between a policeman and
camerlengo is to be found In the
| silver hammer used to thrice strike
the deceased Pope's brow. A policeman
| is "cogne"--i. e., he who strikes
and this furnishes the connecting link
| However that may be, the fact re-
mains that the word is now in COM
mon use, and in every street squab-
| BILE at present some one Is sure to
shout: "Eh, va done, camerlingue!"
The New York. New Haven and
Hartford recently made some expert
ments in the use Of tracks in place OF
wires for telephone service. It was
| found that communication was very
successful for distance of a little over
two miles on single rail. This rail
was insulated in two different places,
owing to block signals which are
worked on that division. The use of
| the track did not interfere in any way
with signals and little trouble was oc-
| casioned from the proximity of cleo
| trio railways. At the time the test
was made the rail was not free from
| snow and Ice, as 1t had showed only
few days previous. The experi-
ments were made for the purpose of
demonstrating the praticability of the
track system as supplemental agency
IN conveying messages, which would
be found useful in case the overhead
wires were demoralized by storm or
| from any other cause