MAIL NEWS.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 470, 11 July 1902, Page 2

MAIL NEWS.

Berlin, May ‘6O. Prof. Birkeland, of Christiania, has sold to a Gorman firm a new electro-magnetic cannon which experiments prove can fire a two-ton projectile twelve miles and a half. Birkeland claims that on his principle the firing capacity of a gun increases with the length of a barrel, and that with a barrel 62 feet 10 inches long ho could fire a two-ton projectile ninety-three miles. Birkeland also claims that his gun is cheaper to manufacture than the guns now used, as thoro is no pressure from powder gases to provide against and the barrels can be constructed from cheap iron tubes with a casing of coppor wires. Norwegian exports are confident that nothing so revolutionary in artillery has been discovered since the invention of gunpowder. London, May 17. The death of Father Dolling, the famous East London preacher, has robbed the Church of England of one of it 3 most picturesque and striking characters. Brought up as an Irish laud agent, ho drifted to London, camo under the influence of the High Church missionary, Father Stanton, and took an interest in tiie slums, which eventually made him tho rector of Poplar, one of London’s poorest districts. Though wealthy, ho sacrified his all for tiie poor. Once ho confessed that after visiting the Bishop of Winchester in his palace he was obliged to pawn his watch m order to get home. He was one of the most advanced Ritualists in England. Nevertheless, he preached in Non-Conformist pulpits, and was such a pronounced Radical that he was often called a Socialist.

In his parish Father Dolling was often seen leaning up against a lamp-post, a largo pipe between his teeth, nodding and calling familiarly by their Christian names to all who passed, drunk or sober, respectful or otherwise.

1 In the East End he was known as 11 Brother Bob.” Yet the most aristocratic churches begged him to come and preach. When he accepted, .Father Dolling dis . sected and denounced society vices with the same vigor and frankness with which | he led his costermonger friends in comic . songs. , Father Dolling was as much at home in . the pulpit of St. Paul’s as at an open-air mission. A powerful preacher, by his . extraordinary personal magnetism he worked wonders. While he lay dying from overwork the poor of Poplar flocked for ’ days to special services held from morning ! to night to pray for “ Brother Bob's ” recovery, Bucyrus, 0., May 30. 11 Dick,” the Deal House parrot that was sold to a New York man last week, has a record for breaking up a ministerial conference which was held in the hotel parlors and had become a weekly affair. Dick was an attractive listener for several weeks, and then decided to get into the game himself. A minister opened the meeting with prayer, and, suddenly during a pause in the petition, Dick broke in with “ 0 Lord, vouchsafe to us Thy presence this afternoon.” The minister was disconcerted, and there was a snicker among the assembly. The minister began again, but Dick, warming to his work, piped in with “ Give us seeing eyes,! hearing ears and understanding hearts.” The snicker deepened into lajghter, and the Minister stopped, while Dick went calmly on with 11 Shed upon us the light of Thy countenance and grant U 3 Thy g.aee.” The ministers shouted with laughter, but when they again came to order and a clergyman rose to speak, Dick said in a tone of deep disgust. “ Oh shut up.” Somebody rose and, taking the cage into the hall, set it down with a thump. Before the door closed they heard the bird J apostrophising himself mournfully, “ Now, , Dick, will you be good '? ” This was too much, and the meeting broke up amidst great Hilarity, | ;