MISCELLANEOUS.

Inangahua Times, Volume VII, Issue 1205, 8 December 1882, Page 2

MISCELLANEOUS.

♦ ■ Confucius was a carpenter j Mohammed, called the prophet, was a driver of asses ; the Emperor of Morocco was a pawnbrobroker ; Bernadotte, King of Sweden, was a surgeon in the garrison of Martinique when the English took that island ; Madame Bernadotte, was a washwoman of Paris ; Napoleon, •a descendant of an obscure family of Corsica, was a Major when he married Josephine, the daughter of a tobacconist, Crelo, of Martinique; Franklin was a printer; President John Tyler was a captain of militia ; Oliver Cormwell was a brewer; President Paola was formerly an inkeeper; the stepfather of Isabella, Queen of Spain, husband of -Queen Christina, and brother-in-law of the King of Naples, was once a barkeeper of a coffee-room ; King Christopher, of Hayti, was a slave of St Kitt's ; Bolivar was a druggist; Columbus was a sailor; King Louis Philippe was a teacher of the French tongue; Catherine, the Empress of Russia, was a campgriesette; Cincinnatus was ploughing his vineyard when a dictatorship was offered to him ; a governor of the Island in Madiera, was a tailor : and a Minister of finance in Portugal was a dealer in bottles of Madiera wine. There are at present in Portugal and Spain several dukes, marquises, counts, viscounts, and barons, who were formerly cooks, tailors, barbers, cobblers, sweepers, and mulatoes. Sir William Jervois (says the Christchurch Telegraph) is a short slight dark man, with Dundreary whiskers, quick in speech and energetic in action. Although he has chiefly distingushed himself in the civil and scietintfie department of the army than in actual warfare, he retains a certain military manner. It may interest our lady readers to learn that he is a married man with two sons — one a clergyman at Beading, the other adjutant to the i South Australian forces — and three daughters, all grown up, and one of whom was recently married. Socially the Jervoises have been decidely popular in Adelaide. Lady Jervoise is an excellent hostess at Government House, and the Misses Jervoise help to make it sociable and pleasant In the reorganisation of our defences the Ministry may count upon the ready help of the new Governor. From whatever point of view, adds the Telegraph, we consider the appointment it will be popular and welcome. The office of Governor has suffered of late at the hands of its tenants, and we need a man of the stamp of Sir William Jervoise to establish its reputation. The- Family World of May 20th, 1882, "has. the following paragraph, which reads curiously at the present time. It is headed, *No More Shipwrecks "i — The new Australian passenger steamship belonging to the Orient Company and christened the Austral, is so constructed that at a short notice she can be turned into a powerful fighting cruiser. Her hull is so built that bales of compressed wool could be stowed between her inner and outer "skins" right round the ship thus affording an admirably efficient armour, easy of adaptation, while her machinery can- be doubly protected by layers of coal several feet thick, which can be stored both for use and for defence, in the bunkers on each side of the steamer's "vital spot" The ship is so constructed that it is practically impossible to either sink or burn her — two points which cannot fall to make her a favorite with the continuous stream of passeners between England and the Australian ( olonies. With regard to the enlargement of the c New Zealand Herald,' that journal i states : — " About eighteen months ago j the proprietors resolved to provide for all possible contingencies in point of machinery, and after careful inquiry they ordered the best and quickest " web " printing raachinet that is made. The order for the new machinery was given about a year ago to Messrs R. Hoe ; and Co., of London and New York ' and the machine is expected to be in operation in printing the 1 Herald' and 'Weekly News' early next year. It prints from a reel of paper, about 9000 yards in length, and can print, cut, fold, and count into dozens, ready for delivery to the runners and agents, at the rate of 15,000 per hour of an eight-page, paper, or 30,000 of a four-page paper, without any attendance but that of one man. This machinery is automatic in every way, and is now used in most of the leading Knglish and American offices, also by the ' Sydney Morning Herald' in Australia, and is just about to be introduced into the office of the Melbourne • Argus.' There is no "web" printing machinery in New Zealand yet — the cost being a very serious item — and it is only suited tothe larger papers. No " feeding "of the machine is required, ami the folding i 9 all done before the papers leave the machine. 'From a southern paper we learn that a Young Ladies' Club if? about being opened in Christchurch. The club numWs already 160 members, and the funds in haud amount to £100. A hall will be rented at £75 per annum, and' .will be available for young girls not otherwise engaged duringtheeveniugs." l£ will-be-iotevestringto note how-many of the-. 1-60, young Indies are not V . othapv-iso, engaged, .during the mcetting," <vlso .to' loam the "average nightly attendance of young men. at the hull door, 'waiting and'wpojng.the hour when thes" damsels vjll lvsolve to become " otUwwise ev.pncud.