Some mistake appears to have been made in the recent announcement that the British Government are sending out a number of eighty ton guns for the coast defense of Esquimault and Victoria. Twelve sixty-four pounders have been sent out from England, not for the armaments of the forts, but to be placed on board the British ships of war belonging to the Pacific squadron or to go into the naval reserves. Some time ago the British Minister of War made application to the Canadian Pacific Railway to know if they could transport one or more eighty ton guns over their road. An estimate of the cost was given, with the model of a car composed of three trucks, which it was proposed to use if the shipment was made. Since then nothing has been heard of the eighty ton guns. The officer in command of the British Columbia district does not speak very creditably of the condition of the armament at that point. The artillery armament is described as old, the carriages and limbers are reported rotten and are falling to pieces, while the guns are without sights. The batteries at Victoria and Esquimault, the officers say, are in a discreditable condition.—N. Y. Evening Post.
A SIMPLE DEVICE FOR CRIMPING BOOTS OR SHOES.
LA FOLLETTE'S BOOT CRIMPER.
The crimper herewith illustrated has a yoke-shaped stationary portion, the jaws of which are formed with transverse corrugations. The top of this yoke has a longitudinal slot, in which are pivoted the upper reduced ends of movable inner jaws, whose operative faces have transverse corrugations, arranged to always meet and fit within the corresponding corrugations of the outer jaws. These inner jaws are normally held open by a spring. The operating or crimping screw slides freely through the slot in the yoke, extending between the inner jaws, and on its lower portion fits a wedge-shaped clamping block, which is drawn up between the inner jaws by turning the operating screw. The outer end of this screw being placed in an aperture in the heel of the last, or in other suitable position relative to a form over which the leather is to be crimped, and the edges of the leather placed between the jaws, the leather may be strained about its forming block as desired by simply rotating the screw.
This invention has been patented by Mr. Elery B. La Follette, of Flemington, West Va.
PLASTERER'S HAWK.
The object of this invention, which has been patented by Mr. Geo. W. Jaques, of Burton, O., is to provide a plasterer's hawk in which the board on which the mortar is received, and which is subjected to expansion and contraction due to alternate moistening and drying, may be rendered light and rigid and, at the same time, be free to expand and contract without warping or cracking. In the center of the board is secured a bolt, upon which is received a handle having a nut in its outer end fitting the end of the bolt. A circular concave plate is placed on the bolt, between the handle and board, with its concave side toward the board. Between the plate and board is held an elastic rubber washer, which is compressed by screwing the handle down.