A correspondent of the Echo calls attention to the fact that, at Dr. Lee's church, in the New Cut, on Sunday night, January 1st, the Te Deum was sung in thanksgiving for the Papal Jubilee, and wishes to know what is to prevent it. "Nothing," replies the editor.
According to the Charity Record, the amount of money bequeathed in great sums for charitable purposes during the year just closed was more than £700,000; and if bequests under £1,000 be added, the total would at least reach £1,000,000. This is exclusive of the money given to several religious and book-publishing societies.
A Thieving Elephant.—The contents of a clothes-chest, belonging to one of the people recently employed in the carnival in the Waverley Market, Edinburgh, disappeared in a rather amusing fashion. The chest had been lying near the performing elephants, and in the morning it was observed that one of these animals was particularly lively, and apparently in the very highest spirits. Later on, the owner of the chest discovered that the whole of the contents had been abstracted. Subsequent examination satisfied the searchers that one of the animals was responsible for the disappearance of the wardrobe, and as none of the articles could be discovered hidden away in its vicinity, the only conclusion that could be come to was, that the mischievous animal had swallowed the whole lot—boots, brushes, trousers, shirts, and several other articles of wearing apparel.
The Baku Naphtha Springs.—Although within the last two years intelligence has frequently reached Europe of extraordinary outbursts of mineral oil on the Apsheron peninsula, near Baku, nothing has yet equalled the astonishing outbreak which the Northern Telegraph Agency telegraphed a few days ago. Their telegram was to the effect that, near the petroleum works of a certain M. Arafeloff, a fountain of oil was throwing out over 2,400 tons daily, that this had been continuing without intermission for four weeks, and that more than the half of this enormous output was going to waste. It is to this loss of the oil that attention is now being directed. Not only at Arafeloff's fountain, but at almost every large fountain in the Balakhan-Sabuntchin district, the waste of this most valuable product has been enormous. Millions of poods of oil have been lost owing to the inefficient way in which it is reservoired and stored. It is now understood that the Government will take immediate steps to prevent this ruinous waste, and to compel the owners of oil-springs to adopt more scientific methods of boring, collecting, and storing.
An Irish Cabin Paved with Gold.—The Irish Ecclesiastical Gazette of December 31st contains the following:—"A few weeks ago, the writer was in a bank office in a country town in the south of Ireland, when a very common-looking, roughly-dressed man passed out after a conference with the manager. The latter said, 'Did you see that man? Well, some time ago, there was a run on the Bank of Ireland here, and he withdrew (receiving it in gold) £700 which he had there on deposit. That sum he informs me he still has at home, "under the kitchen flure." He has also more than £400 on deposit here with us.' Is it not hard to know 'what is truth' in Ireland? Here you have the floor of an Irish cabin literally paved with gold at a time when the payment of rent is impossible. It may be said that this is an exceptional case, but we believe such cases are not at all so rare as some suppose."
The Roman correspondent of Le Paris of January 5th states that, at Florence, Mr. Gladstone was heard to express a desire to see Leo XIII. This being repeated at the Vatican, the Pope sent word to Mr. Gladstone that nothing would delight him more than to have a visit from him. It is therefore arranged, says the correspondent of the Paris, that he is to go to Rome, and when he calls at the Vatican, is to be received according to the ceremonial adopted there when non-Catholic visitors are admitted to audiences. The correspondent thinks that anxiety about the Irish question moved Mr. Gladstone to manifest the desire above mentioned, and that the Pope's celerity in reciprocating it sprung from the same cause. The Pope has been urged to stand out against the Land League; but, feeling what a momentous thing it would be to do this, he is, we are told, delighted to talk over the matter with Mr. Gladstone. Thus we see Salisbury and Co. and Gladstone and Co. are in perfect agreement as to giving their power to the Pope. It is only a keen competition between them as to which shall be first, and do it most effectually. Since Salisbury and Co. have encouraged the Queen to despise her coronation oath, we need no longer wonder that they are so quiet about Mr. Bradlaugh. Perhaps Lord R. Churchill's expressions on the subject were anticipatory of the whole matter. We find that neither party is worthy of being entrusted with our Protestant interests.
Nine hundred thousand dog licenses were issued for the past year. The duty amounted to £340,000.
Christmas at the London Post Office.—From statistics it would seem that never before have the Post Office officials had their energies so severely taxed as on Christmas Eve last, during which day no fewer than 15,000,000 letters and newspapers were forwarded to their destination. In all some 3,000 supernumerary men were engaged, these being in addition to the regular staff. At Coldbath Fields, where the Parcel Post is now conducted, some 65,000 inland and 5,000 foreign parcels were disposed of during the day, for the conveyance of which to the various railway termini more than 800 vans were brought into requisition.
An Atlantic Wave.—An immense wave recently fell upon the steamship Umbria with a deafening roar when a thousand miles from Queenstown, bringing the ship to a standstill, and causing much damage to the decks. Stout brass rods, an inch in diameter, that formed the railing about the bridge, were twisted and bent like straws. An eye-witness, who has made thirteen ocean voyages, thus describes the occurrence:—"The look-out saw the wave coming, and the course of the vessel was altered so that she met it obliquely, while the speed of the engines was slackened. As I saw the huge wave, it looked like a black mass of water with white waves on the top, and it rolled higher and higher as it neared the vessel. When it struck her she shivered from stem to stern, and the combing of the wave fell with the weight of tons on the deck. The wood cover of the forward hatch was splintered in pieces, while the water poured in torrents into the hold, but the bulkheads were closed. The bridge was broken, and the iron stanchions were twisted with enormous force, while the turtle-back was flattened by the tremendous weight of the water. There was also a panic among the passengers, most of whom were sleeping in their berths. When the force of the wave was felt, they thought the ship was going to the bottom, and many in their night-clothes rushed into the main dining-room. Of course the danger was past, as the wave rolled by, and the excitement subsided."
Zion Sunday School, Herden Bridge, Yorkshire.—The friends, teachers, and scholars connected with the above place celebrated their annual Christmas tea festival on Christmas Eve, December 24th, 1887. The school-room was very tastefully decorated with evergreens and mottoes in touch with the season; also the tables, so richly laden with all sorts of nice and dainty things, had not escaped the eye of the decorators, for at intervals luxuriant exotics were placed, thereby contributing a very pleasing appearance. The children's features were lightened up with the thought of their happy treat; also the older people seemed to wear pleasant countenances, and apparently enjoyed the time, notwithstanding their thoughts were in a much loftier strain. The tea was served by the young ladies of the place to about one hundred and forty. After tea, a public meeting was held in the chapel, presided over by Mr. John Smith, of Halifax. The meeting was opened by singing a Christmas hymn, after which Mr. T. Barritt, senior deacon, offered prayer. Mr. E. Hargreaves presented the prizes to the scholars for good attendance. Addresses were also delivered by Messrs. T. Smith, Jos. Smith, and T. Barritt. Hymns were sung. The report was read by the Secretary, which showed an increase of eight during the year, the present number on the books being eighty-two. Recitations were given by the scholars, and a very good meeting was brought to a close a little after nine o'clock.