El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-02-24
FRANCE SENDS
WA4SHIP To
AMERICA
Torpedo Dirigible Balloon
Is Added to the French
Navy.
PARIS HAS PROBLEM
IN LIVING COSTS

Paris, France, Feb. 24-The French
cruiser Descartes sailed from Lorient
for America, where she will remain
two years visiting different ports in
North and South America. but especi-
ally inspecting the French fisheries at
Newfoundland.
Balloon Added to Fleet.
A torpedo dirigible balloon is the
latest addition to Frances great aerial
fleet The matter has been held with
considerable secrecy. but 1t is known
that at the Bayard works at Asnieres,
just outside Paris. such a dirigible is
in construction The dirigible deck
viii be fitted with a torpedo tube and
the balloon at each ascent will carry
three tOrpedos. These in time of war
would be launched at the armies over
which the dirigible passed.
Important social reforms have been
voted by the Swiss people at a recent
special election. By 100000 against
100000 new law for insurance against
sickness and accidents was adopted.
The law is really IN two parts. both Of
which have been adopted by the Swiss
parliament. The first part relative to
insurance against Illness met with no
serious opposition, but the second. reIa-
tive to insurance against accident, was
com batted somewhat in parliament be-
cause IL involved the establishment OF
a national fund Of about S1,60O,00O an
nually.
The opponents Of the second measure
carried on a systematic but futile cam
paign among the people, contending
that such an immense appropriation
"a NC
and that IL constituted a doubtful ad-
venture for q state to mingle In
matter which properly belonged to pri-
vate companies.
Living Cost f. Serious.
President Tafts suggestion for an
international conference on the high
cost Of living has interested France,
where, as in other countries. the in
creased cost Of mOdities has devel-
oped q serious problem.
Capt Frank H. Mason. the American
cOnsul-general at Paris, points out that
the high cost Of the ordinary food
throughout northern France has be-
come a most absorbing topic Of pub
lie interest Partly by reason OF the
long hot dry summer. which affected
disastrously grass. clover. potatoes and
garden Enthusiastically every
thing except grapes and hops-tne
prices of meats ana produce OF all
kinds advanced in figures unpreee-
The MIX Question.
The situation with regard to milk
was especially serious, capt Mason
says. as IL was based upon dimln-
ished supPly. not only by reason Of the
drought and temporary curtailment Of
pasture, but also because Of a gradu-
ally lessening production of. milk IN
the departments adjacent to Paris. The
prevalence Of a foot and mouth disease
in several districts Of Normandy and
Brittany was another contributing
cause to the scarcity Of milk and but
ter.
Paris consumes daily about 1,162,56S
quarts of milk. but the supply fell
short over 211, 000 quarts daily Deal
ers were forced TO bring milk into
Paris from distances Of 500 miles. Nat
urally great distress was caused IN
Paris. but the municipal authorities
have done all in their power to relieve
IT. An investigation has been started
to determine whether the present high
prices in this and other products are
the normal result Of existing condl-
tions or have been unduly enhanced BY
dealers and middlemen.
The death has occurred recently, at
Berne, of the last Of the little band OF
nurses who accompanied tlOrence
Nightingale to the Crimean war IN
1856. It was that OF Mrs. Marie Rod
ney Morgan. who was dauGhteI %
admiral Robert Winthrop, Of the BRIT
ish navy, and the widow OF Col Evan
Morgan, Of the British royal artillery
a member OF an old welsh family
Mrs Morgan was in her saith year
She was stationed at the Scutarl nos
pital during the Crimean war and IN
recognition of her splendid work there
was presented with a magnificent dla-
mond crescent brooch by the sultan OF
Turkey. Having been born on OctoDeI
26. 1918, she lived in the relshs o.
six English sOvereigns
some Queer Happenings
Psychic research societies appear
seriously interested in g series OF phe-
nomena reported as having occurred
at the little town OF Saint-Mlchel-de-
Naurienne On December 1st so the
story cOes. q dressmaker, Mile Ger
main. on coming HON from church,
found that her door key, which she is
in the habit of putting under the qOoE
mat had disappeared from Its nldlns
place. on that day and the succeed
ing ones pins and needles ana otner
miscellaneous objects vanished IN the
most unaccountable fashion
A member of the research society
visited the house and carried Guy
7lumber of tests. While talking 10; the
dressmaker. he placed a lSf5e nan on
% table the nail vanished from un-
Ser NV ewes. without my perceiving
ao,thfnR" he says in his report. since
re visif the phenomena have increased
Larger and larger objects, the inVestl-
e-sf,Srs insist. are spirited into space,
e,-ar, things which IL would have Oeeh
tbolfpbt very difficult to remove,
srnOne them the needle of a sewing
machine. which can not be taken on
without the application of screw
ii