The Northern Guardian. — 1892-03-10 (Hartlepool, Cleveland, England)

THE OLD PHILOSOPHER."  Some very curious discoveries have been made recently at the Temple of Hera at Argos in Greece, where Mr Waldstein, Director of the American Archteological School in Athens, has been carrying out extensive excavations. In the year 429 B.C. the Homeric Temple, which stood upon the site which has been examined, was destroyed by fire, but Mr Waldstein's men have discovered its foundations. They have, moreover, found the remains of a second temple. This once contained a superb statue of Hera, in ivory and gold, which came from the chisel of Polykleitos, a contemporary of Phidias. Sonic very remarkable relics have been brought to light, including large nmnbers of beautiful specimens of statues, together with many vases and bronzes.  -000 There will probably be an exceptionally fine display of photographic appliances and productions at the Chicago Exhibition, and as English photography is in most respects far ahead of American art in this direction, the old country may fairly be expected to carry off the honours, or at all events a large proportion of them. Every section of the "Sun art" is to be represented, including the various photo-mechanical processes used in book and magazine illustrations, photo-gravure, etc. It is to be hoped that English photographers and opticians will make a strong effort to display the exmllence of our pr ducts in this respect to advantage.  -000--,  Truly the Chinese are ar. ingenious nation! One of the Shanghai papers goes in for articles upon the subject of European science. In one number there is an illustration of the suicide of a Parisian aeronaut by means of a balloon. The gentleman in question is represented as seated on a chair with his back to the window through which the lower part of an immense balloon is visible. His head is secured to the car by a cord, and he is in the act of cutting off his head with a large knife. The balloon is supposed to carry off the head to a distance of 200 " lys " (or lies?) Another suicide is stated to have bequeathed his body to a menagerie for the purpose of feeding the wild beasts contained therein.  Professor Swift of the Warner Observatory, Rochester, U.S. A., declares that our winters have been steadily increasing in severity ever since A.D. 1250, at which time the earth was in perihelion at the winter solstice, December 21st instead of January Ist as at present. He gives us the encouraging prediction however, that 9,800 years hence all this will be changed, and that our climate will be come much milder. This is very kind of the professor, but unfortunately, it won't interest us much when the time comes. Some of us may be enduring a far more than tropical climate then I  South Australia seems to be a grand place for timber. The Government reserves cover 227,135 acres, while it is almost impassible to estimate the amount of land which is covered with trees, and which is open to anyone to cut and take away as he likes. Not only this, hut there are hundreds of different varieties of timber, many of which are splendidly fitted for building and ornamental purposes, but are hardly known in this country at all. A great feature of the Government management of forests is the free distribution of vine cuttings which are made to working men who hold small allotments. No fewer than 67,957 cuttings were thus given away, while altogether over 400,000 young trees were distributed. It must be noted, however, that only 28i per cent, of these survived, the peat of grasshoppers which prevails in the colony being responsible for a large proportion of the destruction which ensued.  A short time ago the Institute of Rankers sent out circulars with a view to ascertaining the opinions of bankers throughout the country upon the £1 note scheme. Replies have been receirei from 110 banking firms in various places, and the vast majority decided against the idea. It is pointed out that £1 notes would to a great extent displace the 20s postal orders which are so much used. These postal orders were originally intended to be used as bank notes, and are, as a matter of fact, found to be easily transferable.  Yet another cure for influenza! And a rather nasty one too. A doctor at Louisville, U.S.A., suggests that exceedingly strong smelling drug assafcetida as an antidote to the grip. His remedy is made up in the form of four grain pills, to be taken four times & day. The medical gentleman in question declares that his cure never fails. One would be rather inclined to regard the remedy as being considerably worse than the disease !  A very interesting series of articles upon the progress of shipbuilding during the past 30 years