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Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 489, 5 August 1890, Page 3

From a paragraph in a Russian paper it would seem as if the wearing of armour in battle was about to be revived. It gives a description of a coat of mail, proof to bullet and sword cut and very light to wear, which a Russian General has invented. Bullets are said to be flattened on coming in contact with the mail, and the wearer does not feel the shock of the blow. It is scarcely surprising that this very (remarkable invention is now engaging the serious attention of the Russian military authorities.

From statistics just published, says the London Times, New Zealand appears to be one of tbe healthiest countries in the world, if not indeed the healthiest. It points ont that in 1888 the excess of births over deaths in the whole population of under 608,000, amounted to no less than 13,194—while the whole surplus in France, with a population of 38,000,000, was about 52,000. Notwithstanding the high birth rate of New Zealand, which in a European country would inevitably be followed by a high death rate, the mortality of the colony in the year mentioned was only 9.43 per 1000, as against 18.8 per 1000 in England in 1887, and 22 per 1000 in France. Says Lloyd’s News :—Sir John Pender, justly entitled the “ Napoleon of Ocean Telegraphy,” left Loudon for Paris on Saturday afternoon to take part in the final proceedings of the important International Telegraph conference which bids fair to effect a revolution in the rates for cablegrams between England and the Colonies. It is pretty certain that there will be a vast reduction in the tariffs; the reform being brought about by an Imperial guarantee, which will strengthen the position of the Eastern and Eastern Extension Telegraph companies, and render competition next to impossible. By the arrangement that will in all probability be concluded, the rate for " wiring ” by the Eastern Extension Telegraph company from London to Australasia will be reduced from 9s or 10s 61 per word to 4s a word.

About a year ago an Adelaide capitalist started a flower farm company, and took up land at Craters, near Mount Lofty, for the purpose of growing flowers and establishing a manufactory for the extraction of essential oils and the making of various scents. Work on the farm has proceeded most satisfactorily, but it will be a year or two before the plants reach such a stage as to render it 'possible to extract the essential oils, but every opportunity has been taken of making scents of the many flowers grown on the farm, and this industry now promises very well. There is now on view at one of the shops in Adelaide a nicely arranged collection of scents, hair washes and pomades which have been manufactured on the farm, and are an instance of what useful articles may be made in the colony. Amongst the many varieties are wattle blossom, verbena, levander, violet, pittosporum and eau de cologne scents, toilet vinegar, and several hair washes and pomades.

Mr William O'Brien, M.P., has received the following letter from Cardinal Manning, concerning the former’s novel " When we were Boys.”—June 3, 1890. My dear Mr O’Brien, —In my last letter I promised you that I would write again when I had finished reading your book. But when I got to the end I forgot the bonk, and could only think of Ireland, its manifold sufferings, and its inextricable sorrows. For years I have been saying these words, " The Irish people are the most profoundly Christian, and the most energetically Catholic people on the face of the earth.” They have also been afflicted with every kind of sorrows, barbarous and refined; all that centuries of warfare of izce against race, and religion against religion, can iofiiot upon a people has been their inheri anoe. But the day of restitution has nearly come. I hope to see the daybreak, I hope you will see the noontide, when tbe people of Ireland will be re-admitted, so far as is possible, to the possession of their own soil, and shall be admitted, as far as possible, to the making and administration of their own local laws, while they shall still share in the legislatiou which governs and consolidates the Empire. Then Ken and Mabel shall be no more parted. Believe me, always yours, very faithfully, Henry E., Cardinal Archbishop.