SECULAR NEWS | AdventAI

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Feb 15, 1877

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 3, No. 8.

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SECULAR NEWS.

—The shop girls of Boston number nearly a tenth of her population.

—There have been 800,000 gallons of wine made at St. Helena the past season.

—New York has sixty-eight corset factories, which shows how our industries are running to waist.

—The Rothschilds are said to be worth—all of them together—the agreeable sum of $3,400,000,000.

—The export of Swiss watches to the United States has decreased sixty-two per cent in the last two years.

—An English steamboat is now running on Lake Nyassa, South Africa, where Livingstone explored, and two railroads are being built in the district of Natal.

—Artificial pearls are manufactured in Paris from the white scales of fish. Twenty thousand pounds of fish will yield one pound of the pearly substance.

—The California Geological Society, in San Francisco, has been incorporated under the laws of the State, and now intends to make a complete collection of the mineral products of the Pacific Coast.

—The San Francisco Mint coined no gold in January, owing to the pressing demand for trade dollars; $1,082,000 in the latter description of coin was turned out, besides $468,000 in halves and quarters.

—The British iron steamer Lotus, which left New Haven, Conn., the 23d ult., had on board a cargo of arms and ammunition for the Turkish government, valued at nearly $2,000,000.

—The Chinese have suspended commercial intercourse with Russia. They have grown suspicious of the Russian movements and explorations along the Chinese frontier, thinking they may cover some hostile design.

—Mr. Frank Leslie has announced that he will visit California and the neighboring States in March next, accompanied by artists and editorial assistants. It is his intention to publish in his illustrated journals correct views of California scenery, drawn upon the spot.

—“Within one hundred yards of the Sailors' Home at Liverpool,” said Rev. J. F. Gardiner at a recent medical conference in England, “there were forty-seven public houses, and the owners actually strewed saw-

dust on the pavement in front of them, and sprinkled rum over it, so that the smell of the spirits might decoy sailors within their doors.”

—The rice crop of South Carolina and Georgia last year was about five per cent larger than in any previous year since the war.

—The new census of Paris shows that the city has a population of 1,900,000. This was the population in 1870, just previous to the Franco-German war, so that the city has simply regained lost ground.

—A Chinese nobleman, in full dress, was present at Mrs. Grant's New Year's reception. Over a long yellow satin tunic he wore an invisible purple silk sack, very long and loose, and a blue collar around his neck. A close silk cap of black and red was on his head. He also wore a cue.

—The scientific world is greatly interested in the statement that the United States Steamship Gettysburg, in a voyage from Fayal to Gibraltar, discovered an immense coral reef, located in latitude 36 deg. 30 min. N. and longitude 11 deg. 28 min. W. Until the discovery by the Gettysburg, the existence of the reef had never been suspected.

—It being discovered by secret correspondence that Midhat Pasha, Grand Vizier of Turkey, was plotting the overthrow of the Sultan, and his own nomination as Dictator, he was immediately summoned to the palace and arrested. His letters were then laid before him, and as there was no gainsaying the evidence against him, he asked for mercy. A Council of Ministers was called and Midhat was offered his choice, to leave the country or be arraigned before a tribunal on a charge of high treason. He chose to leave the country, and sailed immediately for Syria. Letters found disclosed the fact that 3,000 Ulemas were to have gone Monday night to the palace to demand the abdication of the Sultan.

—The city of Salem, Oregon, is said to have adopted this original method of dealing with drunkenness. When any person becomes intemperately given to strong drink, a certain number of citizens may petition to have him declared a drunkard. The petition is directed to the City Recorder, who gives notice by publication in some daily paper, that the person named in the petition has been declared a “common drunkard.” After such notice, it is unlawful for any one “to give or sell to such person, or assist him in getting any wine, spirituous or malt liquor.” This is only a step in the right direction. They should also make it unlawful for any one to give or sell spirituous or malt liquor to any person who has not yet become a “common drunkard.”

—We heartily concur in the remarks of the Christian at Work upon the Eastern Question: “Peace or war—who can tell which? One day Russia is moving her armies and supplies southward, preparatory to gobbling the Turkey gobbler. The next day Russia is in no condition to move her troops, and peace is assured. Then we have news that all Turkey is aroused, and war is inevitable; and this is followed by intelligence that Turkey is ready for the fray, and that England will support her. Then we have the assurance that peace is inevitable; again, that war is sure. Our readers may as well possess their souls in patience; and, as to war, follow the example of the Irishman who was promised a visit from his friend, but, after repeated disappointment, declared he should not expect him till he arrived!”

—The Electoral Commission now in session at Washington is composed of five members from the House, three Democrats and two Republicans, and five from the Senate, three Republicans and two Democrats, and four Associate Justices of the Supreme Court who elected Judge Bradley as the fifth member. This Commission have decided in the case of Florida, that they have no authority to go back of the certificate of the Returning Board, regularly presented by the President of the Senate, to examine preceding evidence in regard to the electoral returns from that State; that is, the duly certified returns of the State are to be accepted by the Commission. While this looks encouraging to the Republican party, it by no means materially affects the issue in regard to Louisiana and other contested States. Prominent party leaders on both sides profess confidence in the integrity and justice of the Commission, and a disposition to make no delay of the final result. Perhaps no man ever stood in so peculiar a position as Judge Bradley, who is the fifth Judge and therefore holds the balance of power, his vote deciding the vexed questions that rise before this national tribunal. In fact, he virtually holds the power of deciding who shall be our next President.