The Warwickshire Herald. — 1891-07-02 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

THE LOCUST PLAGUE IN ALGERIA.  A correspondent, writing to a contemporary, says: At last the locusts have arrived. For some time past they have more or less been ravaging the province of Algiers. One fine morning on rising we found them in our midst. I cannot better compare the sight than to a fall of snow; the snowflakes were locusts buzzing about in the bright sunlight. I will not repeat the old exaggeration that the sun was darkened. They were, however, disagreeably numerous, invading your (rooms if the windows happened to be open, and flicking you in the face and dropping down your neck whilst out walking. The children amuse themselves with catching them, attaching a string to their legs, and are very delighted with these playthings; others weave them into long garlands. The Arabs are more practical taking off the head, legs, and wings, they boil them with salt, and then regale themselves to their heart's content. Up to the present moment they have not committed any serious harm; the vines and the vegetables have suffered a little, but that is all. It is hoped that the crops will be gathered before the young locusts are hatched, as these latter are the most to be feared. Coming out 40 days after the eggs are laid, they grow with amazing rapidity, and devour every green thing that comes in their path. This happens in the 'hopping' stage, before they develop their wings. It may be interesting to state that each female locust lays 90 eggs. She burrows her body into the ground, depositing the eggs, and when the operation is over she covers the whole with a kind of glutinous matter which exudes from her body. These eggs are immediately searched for and gathered wherever possible, the Government paying a certain sum for every sack. When the young locusts are hatched a general struggle ensues for their destruction. A Cypriote apparatus, which is simply a hedge of cloth two or three feet high, is stretched across the , infected district, before which a ditch is dug. The young locusts are then stirred up by beaters—Arabs as a rule—who are furnished with sticks and , brushes. The insects hop and hop till they come to the cloth barriers, against which they strike and then rebound back into the ditch, and are there destroyed. When the locusts have reached the wing stage they are driven off from the places where they happen to alight by the beating of tom-toms, the discharge of guns, and fire and smoke. Many are driven by the wind into the sea. The mail steamers coming from France have had their decks covered inches thick as far out at sea as 40 miles. Stringent regulations are now enforced in the town and district of Algiers, such as the covering up of all sources of water supply, wells and reservoirs, as an epidemic is feared in case the locusts fall into the water. In the meantime the municipality pay I.od. per sack of 501bs. for all locusts gathered. The outlook is certainly not promising, all kinds of food and vegetables having risen in price. We hope, however, for the best, and trust the threatened danger will be mitigated, if not altogethes averted.  New arrests have been made at Sofia in connection with the murder of M. Beltcheff. Among the suspects taken into custody are Dr. Tchatcheff and Colonel Kissoff.  Who shall say that we do not live in an age of religious tolerance P The British and,Foreign Blind Association, who humanely provide embossed books for reading by the Angers,look after the needs of the blind in Egypt among others. Of course there is among these no demand for the New Testament. The Association, therefore, according to the statement of Mr. Holmes, one of the members of the council, have recently commenced to furnish them with sheets of the Koran in the raised Braille type. "Many," he adds. "are thus enabled to earn a livelihood as public readers of that volume."  The death is announced of Mr. Alexander Charles Ewald, F.S.A., of her Majesty's Record Office,in Ids 50th year. Mr. Ewald was the author of a number 01 popular works of a biographical and historical character, including the following The Crown and its Advisers," published in 1870; "Harry Disney: an Autobio ' graphy " 1871; "Lite and Times of Algernon Sydney," 1873; "Life and Times of Prince Charles Stuart, Count of Albany," 1875; "Sir Hobert Walpole: a Political Biography," 1878; "Representative Statesmen: Political Studies," 1879; "Stories from the State Papers," 1882; and "Studies Re-studied Historical Sketches." 1885.