New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-08-23
ODD NOTES FROM FOREIGN SOURCES.

The notorious head hunters of the Solomon ISL
ands are changing their vocation. A curious de-
veloprnent is In steady progress among them Ihe
young men in these fertile and beautiful islands
are abandoning the historic pursuit which has
made them dreaded for centuries in the South
Seas and are taking to the copra industry. Copra,
which IS the dried meat of the cocoanut. is valued
commercially for the oil which can be pressed
from It. The young Solomon Islanders accu-
r,ulating considerable wealth by extracting 1t,
though the older generation to whom head hunt
ing is still the only profession for a gentleman.
are said to look down upon them as being in
trade"
A German chemist has succeeded In breaking up
the element platinum. He for a number of hours
submitted potassium carbonate maintained at a
high temperature in platinum vessel to the ac-
ton of alternating current between platinum
electrodes After time the electrodes became
coated with a deposit of charcoal colored crystals
and gave evidence of having been attacked, both
the electrodes and the containing vessel losing
weight. On extracting the melt. a brown powder
free from carbon or potassium. was obtained. Al
though both the crystals and the powder gave so
buttons from which they preeipitated by
hydrogen sulphide. the presence of platinum could
not be detected.
During the recent visit of the British fleet TO
Danish waters Irish sailor board of the
battieships ordered by officer to haul in
q towline It of considerable length, and was
towing over the ldHTall Alter PulHng III IoIty OF
fifty fathoms. which stried his patience severely
as well as the muscles of his arms, the sailor
said: The divil take it. It's as long as to-day
and tomorrow. Be jabers. it's good weeks
work for any five in the ship. Bad luck to the
leg or the arm it'll lave at last Holy Ireland
more of It yet? Och murder! The says mighty
deep, to be sure" After more muttertng to him
self. and seeing little probability of the compile
ton OF his labor. he suddenly stopped short Turn
ing to the officer of the watch. he said to him.
Bad manners TO me, sir, II l don't think some
bodys cut off the other end of it,
War on absinthe is being waged in France The
oily looking green liquid which is such sight in
French cafes is trial in the country
of its birth. Belgium has already declared against
ebsnthe. The strange connection of fennel
aniseseed hyssop and absnhe itself is forbidden in
the land of King Leopold A campaign is being
conducted in Switzerland, too, against a liquid
which. its enemies declare, saps the vital energy
OF men and renders them "brainless chin
panzees.'
All house. in China have spirit tablets These
tablets oblong pieces of wood about six inches
In length and two and a half in width The names
of the dead are inscribed them. and their spirits
supposed TO reside in them. Foods of various
kinds are offered to the spirits different oc-
casions, but the real eaters the men who make
the offerings. A large building in each town or
village, called the Hall of Ancestors" is reserved
for the spirits of the founders and chiefs of the
clan. Their tablets kept in it, for TO them Is
given the greatest honors. These are worshipped
in the spring and fall by all members of the clan
The hall where the ceremonies are performed is
capable OF holding six hundred or seven hundred
persons, and the festival days notable days.
At this time the clan will assemble 10 worship
the spirits that are supposed to hold the honor
and prosperity of every member In their keeping
Members wear their best clothes and appear gay
at these festivals.
The principal features of the device for the off,
cial coet-of- arms for the Commonwealth of Aus
tralia are shields and stars. The centre is large
six pointed shield. which is supported onsits right
by kangaroo and its left by an emu Inside
is a smaller white shield on which is superim-
posed large red cross, with five stars, symbolica
of the Southern Cross. In the margin of the larger
shield there six miniature ones, each with a
heraldic star in the centre. These small shields
stand for the six states OF the Commonwealth
The whole is surmounted by a large six pointed
white star similar TO that on the Commonwealth
nag.