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“ No,” returned D’Arcy, glancing at the letters in his hand; “ there is nothing about an aunt, only a note that the girl herself is a. li&li-ca.ste.â€"But if you know the aunt, you might be able, if not to stop the marri- age at once, at least; to delay ittill she comes. And remember, I know for a. fact that Mutwanee has at least three or four other wives. There was a. fellow on board who knew him very well, and I daresay we could get hold of him somehow as a. witness. He knows all his past history.” It was growing Loo late for any more con \‘ersation just then ; but the next morning, after breakfast, D’Arcy joined Humphrey on his way up staixs. “ It's the queerest thing I ve he-ud‘ ‘01 long,” he cried, glancmg at an open lencr in his hand. “ You know that fellnw- ‘lut- wanee I was talking of last. night. Well, it seems that he is the very fellow whom Miss Sacharty is to marry. I wonder her people” â€"â€" h “. Who did you say the girl was ‘2" inter- rupted Humphrey lxoarsely, clukching as if for support to the hamsters. “ Miss who ‘3" “ Sacharty,” rejoined the other, startled by his voice and manner ; then, catching sight of his white face, he added : “ \Vhy, Standish, man, what’s up? You look as if you were going to faint !” But, Humphrey by a supreme effort mm- aged in a great degree to regain his self- composure. “ I’m all right,” he returned. “ But, come in here ; I want to hear all I can about it.” ‘Tith a. rueful thought of the shooting he would miss, Jack followed his friend into the deserted smoking-room and told him all he knew. It did not amount to much after all, beng merely the little scraps in Oliver \K'estall’s letters ; but it was enough to draw a low groan of horror from the startled and dismayed Humphrey. “ Ah,” returned Humphrey gravely, “ I think then I’ll go off to the nearest town and telegraph to Miss Matchmontrâ€"fortunately, I know her addressâ€"and then I shall be able to decide on my course of action. To-day is Thursday, so there is no time to be lost.” Then, after a moment’s pause, he added aipologetically : “ I’m afraid I’ve spoilt your day’s sport for you, old fellow! What a nuisance you must think me ! But you seeâ€" I know Miss Sacharty very well, and the thought of her danger l” He broke off abruptly and covered his face with his hands. D’Arcy looked compassionately at him. “Never mind the shooting, old man i” he returned with attempted levity. “ Those other chaps can’t bring down all the part- ridges, you know. And I tell you what, I'll come down to the town with you ; the walk will do me good I” long,’ in his “ It' is some fiendish plot of her father’s,” he cried fiercely. “ Avâ€"Mlss Sacharty could never, never have consented to such a. thing of her own free will 1” Then, after a. moment’s pause, he went on more calmly : “ Does your friend say whether her aunt know§ of in? Is she also in the game ?” Humphrey pressed his hand gratefully, and hastily putting a. few things into his travel- ling bag, in case of having to go to Strath Carton, he set off with his friend. “ Odd thing, isn’t it? how different some people’s destinies are from what they ought to be,” said Mr. D'Arcy one evening, as he and Humphrey sat talking together in his room after they had retired for the night. “ Some people, whom to look at you would say were born for happiness and prosperity, are just the unlnckiest beggars on the face of the earth, and rice rersa. There’s a case in point,” he went on presently between the whifis of his cigar, finding that Iinm~ phrey did not answer, “in something my friend VVestall told me in a letter the other day. He says there‘s an awfully charming girl staying in the hotel he is atâ€"a perfect marvel of everything that's charming, ac- cording to him; indeed, if it weren't: old Oliver, I should declare that he was in love with her himself. And now, this priceless paragon, this goddess in human form, is going to marry a wretched old foreign fellowâ€"a Malay, or something of that kinc’râ€"a chap Whom everybody seems frightened of, and whom she herself, aceonl~ ing to him, detests, or at anyrate does not care two pins about. Now, what the (lichens does a handsome girlâ€"one who conhl marry whom she chose and when she chose, want to go and tie herself for life to a. man who isn’t even an Englishmanâ€"or even a. Euro- pean, but a wretched Oriental, brimful, doubtless, of deceit and underhand ways ‘1 Pull E the thing makes me sick.” And he looked very much disgusted. Humphrey (lid not say anything. He was thinking of Avice‘s mother. “ I only knew one Malay,” his friend re- sumed, “ and he was a. Scoundrel. An out- aml-onter, i can tellyou. His name was Mnswunee, and I never had such a desire to see a fellow-creature hanged as when I was talking to him. He came over in the ship I came from the Cape in, at the beginning of this monthâ€"or, rather, it was the end of last. I shouldn’t wonder if this were the same fellow,” he added, meditatively ; “ and if so, I pity the girl. He has two or three wives already. ” “We’d better stay here till the answer comes, I think,” remarked D’Arcy as they turned away from the telegraph office. “ There will be more chance of a. speedy an- swer then.” Jack DArcy was a. universal favorite, and in that respect; he differed considerably from his chief friend, Oliver Westall, and closely resembled Humphrey Standish. Perhaps that was the reason why Hum- phrey singled him out from among all the other guests at Mr. Campbell’s shootingâ€" box as the one whom he chose chiefly Lo honour‘vibh hissociety. However that might be, before they had been a week at; Inver- arran they were the closest of friends, and felt as if they had known each other all their liyes. It was not until the afternoon that the re- ply came, however. Humphrey tore it open with trembling fingers, scarcely daring to read the scrawl on the pink paper inside. D’Arcy impatiently looked over his shoulder. “ Come, cheer up, Standish !” he cried cheerily; “the old lady’s on your side at anyrzxte l” And thus encouraged, Humphrey read the message, which ram as follows: “ Delay marriage. S. no power over A. Am starting directly. Rely on your help.” “ \Vell, now, as you’ve got your bag here, I think your best plan would be to go olfat once to Strath Cam-on, and, armed with this warrent, to heard the lion in his den.” And D’Arcy set his face in the direction of the station as he spoke. Humphrey followed him. “ Yes, that THE ROMANCE UFASUMMEH. ;hip xiug i of the they parted. “ 1 should never have known about it if it hadn‘t been for you !” “ Pooh l my dear fellow. it was nothing,” returned the other, giving his hand a hearty shake. “ I hope I’m not such a monster as to see a girl sacrificed when I can help her.” “Poor fellow '." he muttered to himself afterwards as he watched Humphrey’s tall form fading away in the distance. “ He's very hard hit. aml n) mistake.” The quarter-toseven train mnplyjustified the station-master s boast, and punctually at ten o’clock Humphrey stepped out on the bare-looking station of Strath (Jarron. The hotelâ€"there was only one of any repute in the placeâ€"was not far from the station. the porter said ; and it was without much diffi- culty that he found himself at last at its door. The waiter assured him that Miss Sachartyâ€"he had not dared to ask for her fatherâ€"was upstairs ; and up-stairs he ac- cordingly Went, and, motioning aside the obsequious waiter, entered the room before which he had stopped. Aviee, who was seated in a low chair by the window, raised her head listlesslv as he entered ; then seeing who it was who had thus invud ed her solitude, she sprang up with a little cry ofjoy. “ Mr. Standish l” she exclaimed advancing quickly towards himâ€"“ Mr. advancifi Standish Len o'clock, if ye took the quarter to seven. That’s the best train 0’ the day ; disna stop but twice on the road.” “ I think I‘ll wait for that,” said Humâ€" phrey, turning to his friend. “I can’t do any good arriving in the middle of the night.” " It widna be before twelve o’clock.” put in the station-master by way of comment. “ And might do harm,” continued the young man, not heeding the interruption, “ by putting them on their guart ." D'Arcy acquiesced in the wisdom of this that; that (WEE that you are quite well, with a face like that l I suppose next you will say you are quite happy !” The girl‘s lip quivered at his words, but she determined to put a. brave face on the matter. “I ought to be," she returned, her trembling voice belyiug the words. “ Don't you know that I’m engaged '3" “ I have heard so,” he returned gravely : “ but I cannot and will not believe that it is by your own free will. Tell me truly, now itis not so '3 ” He looked at her eagerly, im- ploringly, but with a. quiet steadfast faith in his own assertion that seemed for the time to nerve her enfeebled will. “ No,” she replied, in a. low tone, so low that he could scarcely catch the wordsâ€" “ no, it is not by my own free will.” “ I knew it, I knew it ! ” he cried joyfully. “ But tell me, how could anyone persuade you to take such a. step?" Slowly, bit by bit, with an efi‘ort which showed how strong was the influence Mut- wanec had upon her, she told him the story of the past few weeks ; and ere she ended, Humphrey had decided on his course of action. “ Is your father in? ” he inquired abrupt» ly, as she finished speaking. “ No? And Mr. Mutwance ? ” “ He is out too.” “ Good. Then don’t let either of them know I‘m here. Remember, whatever that tellow asks you about me, you are to tell him nothing. And be assured whatever happens I will save you !” With these words he left her, and went in search of Mrs. Douglas, with whom he had a. long and earnest con- versation, at the end of which it was agreed that Humphrey should lie perdu in the town until the next day, and that he should allow the marriage t6 begin before he appeared to stop it. “Otherwise, they may escape us yet," he added oracularly. phrey any gr. a1 oument “ Shall \ ou stay 111 the tow 11 tel the night, then. " ” Le inquired as they left thestation “ Yes, I think so. It world be awkward coming in so early, wouldn’t it? But I’ll walk a bit of the road back with you." And they turned away together into the quiet high- road which led to Inverarran. “ It‘ s awfully good of you to have helped me so‘ ' cried Humphiey, when at length There was no train to Strath Carron til] eight o’clock. “And you won’t get in Lill latish, I should say, sir,” continued the station-master in reply to his anxious ques- tion. “The quick trains are all in the forenoon." would be best,"he returned; time to lose.” morm There were not many people in the hotel who knew of the tragedy which was being enacted in their midst. Sacharty was very close about his private ail'airs, and Mutwanee had his own reasons {or wishing to keep things quieL. The wedding was fixed for eleven o’clock, an hour when most of the visitors were at the baths -, and when the time come there were few in the little church beyond the brideanrl bridegroom themselves. Of course Oliver \Vestall was there ; he con- sidered it his duty to “see the last of that 1 Will save you I" W 1th these words he left her, and went in search of Mrs. Douglas, with whom he had a long and earnest con- versation, at the end of which it was agreed that Humphrey should lie perdu in the town until the next day, and that he should allow the marriage t6 begin before he appeared to stop it. “Otherwise, they may escape us yet," he added oracularly. There were not many people in the hotel who knew of the tragedy which was being enacted in their midst. Sacharty was very close about his private afi'airs, and Mutwanee had his own reasons for wishing to keep things quiet. The wedding was fixed for eleven o’clock, an hour when most of the visitors were at the baths -, and when the time come there were few in the little church beyond the brideanrl bridegroom themselves. Of course Oliver \Vestall was there ; he con- sidered it his duty to “see the last of that poor little girl ; " and the Digby Brownes had also turned up; but beside them there was no one. As they walked up the silent aisle, Mrs. \Vhen he returned, he found that u mes- senger had arrived from the police court with a. polite request from the superintendent that he would come and speak to him on a. matter of great importance. Sick at heart he set 06", and when he got there he learnt to his horror that Tehander Mutwanee had been found dead in his cell that very morn- ing. A post-mortem cxmninxtion had been determined upon, as they could find no visrble cause of his death. “ And I thought,” continued the official blandly, “thtt you might know :omething of the rlcceused's habits, something that would give us a. clue to work upon.” But Humphrey knew nothing. and so was suffered to depart. A few days later he heard that the doctor’s report had been “Suicide by poison.” But he did not pay much heed to the matter, for both he and Miss Murchuiont were too much occupied with axiety about Avice, who was hanging between life and death. As the doctor had predicted she had a hard fight for life : but at last, though as Douglas 110t3d “PW anxiously 'Avice’s 8.) CS 5 weak as a. child, she was pronounced out of glanced from Side to Slde 1“ search 05,danger, and entered upon her long convale- nuinphrey; and on pretence of arrangingf $061108. As they walked up the silent aisle, Mrs. Douglas noted how anxiously Avice’s e) es glanced from side to side in search of numphrey; and on pretence of arranging her collar,she managed to whisper : “ It will be all rightâ€"only trust." The girl answered by a. grateful smile, and the ceremony began. The clergyman, a. nervous little man, had concluded the general exhortation, and was beginning the particular charge to the betrothed couple to declare if they knew of any lawful impediment to their marriage, when steps were heard coming quickly up the half-darkened aisle, and Humphrey’s voice rang out clearly in Avice’s ears and in those of all present : “ This marriage must not proceed.” 7 7 followed 1)): pigmy might Sacharty himself. “ ed sneer-in; \u “ Quite well !" he echoed reproachfully. \Vhy should you pretend to me, your old mpmion of so many delightful weeks, at; you are quite well, witha face like at l I suppofse next you will say you are :11 \Val, sir, -ye What time will I get there if I go in the [Lipg ‘2 ”rillqui’rfzd quphrey ~quickly. sneeringly 1]] 1', ‘ye’d maybeA get'tfiere about if ye took the quarter to seven. est train 0’ 'the day ; disna. stop micsced : ‘ Shall Vol fimphrcj 1 should own, and how hot was he held so tenderly in l" he said sorrowfmly, 11 doing to you? You And wisdom of this n the town f01 :1 as they left s, inuch as I Thatladydidnot speak fox-afewn1orne:n§. “I did not write it,” she said at length (3 to recover=quietly. “Kilmurmusthave forgedithim- " he inquir- self." why, pray?" And then, since he was dead. and they have know there’s "ace. “ It zLttempted am quite Humphrey meanwhile had given his con- stables instructions to detain the two eon- fedemtes, and then taking the trembling Aviee by the hand, he led her away, leaving Oliver to take charge of Mrs. Douglas. But Mutw-(mee had no intention of sub- mitting to his fate without a. struggle. Twisting his supple form out of the detain- ing grasp of the constable,he drew a. revolver from his inner pocket and levelled it full at his captor. The constable, quick as thought, sprang aside, and the contents of the chum- l)er were lodged in the heart of the wretched Sacharty, who fell back without a groan. The other constable, thus released from guard, advanced swiftly towards the Malay, who was preparing for a second shot, and suddenly wrenching his weapon from his grasp, slipped a pair of handcufl's on him, indiussisiéd by off to the town trial for murder 1: was with (1i needed in convey the stair: pardon, Lelegram The Waiter turned to execute his order, and he set off. The train was late, as trains generally are when one wants them to be punc- tual, and it was fully a. quarter past twelve ere it steamed into the sta- tion. There were very few passengers for Strath Canon, and Humphrey easily distinguished Miss Marchmont’s spare form among them. She looked anxious and troubled; but a smile of genu- ine pleasure crossed her face as Humphrey greeted her It changed toa. look of alarm when he told her honD (head- fully upset A\ 106 was; and as soon as they reacyhed the hotel she rushed up- -stairs to see her darling n1ece.Avice was tossing about in a restless sleep, talking fast and almost incoherently as she turned from side to side. Mrs Douglass sat watching her with a troubled face, which, however, brightened as Miss Marchmont entered. She felt that foreigner. Humphrey m: stables inst: ucti Then, recognizing Humphrey’s face, he continued with exaggerated politeness -. “ Perhaps, Mr. Standish, you will be good enough to explain the reason of this most unwarrantable intrusion. ” As a. rule, Dr. Forsyth was a. hope~ ful individual, who preferrcd looking on the bright side of things, and thus his ominous words struck u. chill into the hearts of Miss Marchinonb and Humphrey. The latter was hanging about the hall as he usually was, waiting for the slightest news of Avice ; and he walked to the end of the mad with the doctor when he departed, trying to Win some crumb of comfort and hog; from} him. It was months before she (him! like 1101 old health 1 least allusion to the ev7e1 ts set 1101 so te1r1blv that the ‘ Avice looEed puzzled for a moment, she said : “Oh yes ! I remember.” for the first time her aunt heard the s of the letter. “ I felt as if my last hope gone then !” the girl added as Miss M: montstrcrked her wasted hand thoughtf m bi his comrade, marched him prison, there to await his and attempted bigamy. h‘iculty that Humphrey suc- ing Avice bank to the hotel, 3 nerves were so shaken by He through that she could where her father w: :hmonb gently told ed never fear Tehan There was a short pax :d for a moment, then ! I remember.” And aunt heard the story as ifmy last hope had mdded as Miss Marchâ€" , and almost n side to side. her with a. r, brightened She felt that to Be puné- platter past. .0 the sta- heartlessness of giving a. stone to aseeker after bread he had evidently never heard of the “ stone-hookers " of Lake Ontario. These men seek stones for their daily bread, and seek them in the bottom of the lake, from the depths of which they fish up the boulders with long hooks. In all probability it is the only place in the world where such a callingis pursued, as it is only made practi» cable or profitable by the natural conditions of the country. Though it has attained quite a position in commercial sense by rea- son of its extent, there are probably few i outside the business who know much about It. ‘ When the scriptual writer referred to the i is known as the food of support; plays a. ‘ veiy 11:1portant pint in the piofit or loss of laws \1 eights Suppose, as many farmers say, that a, resolution is made to tum the hog when he reaches 300 pounds. He must, take from his food an increasing amount each day to suppo1t the weight; already gained, or else hedrops back. The German expeiiments indiiate that two pei cent, of the lise weight, in food, must be taken each day to support that live weight. If the hog 11 eiolits 3'10 pmmds this amounts to six pounds r: i ‘ 1 .1! 1‘:- mm The only profit 15 in the food 11:11 i; a: miied to make new were 10th to speak ill of him. the subject was dropped for ever. Humphrey coming in a. little later, found Avice alone, for Miss Marchmont had suddenly recollected an errand she had in the town ; and there, in the quiet/ light of the spring evening, he told her how he loved her ; and hand in hand, the glory of the setting sun lighting their faces with its (lying rays, they plighted the troth which was to last “ till death us do part.” Many tourists in that region will doubtless observe long lines of rough-looking schooners anchored off shore, especially on fine, calm mornings. They lie there with their patch- ed and blackened sails brailed up, swinging in apparent idleness at their anchors. while at some distance from them two or three soiltary-looking men in a scow angle with long poles which they thrust down in the water. These are the hookers at work. Their business consists in fishing up large and small stones from the bottom of the lake near the shore to be used for building purposes. Their principal ground of opera- tion lies on the north shore of Lake Ontario between Bronte and Whitby. The vessels engaged in the lusiness are mostly scowâ€" built (that is, flat at both ends) and schoon- er-rigged, with a. capacity ranging from two to ten toise of stone, 0. toise being about a. cord. Some are rather handsome, well- equipped boats, and one that used to sail from Port Credit was said to have been a crack Toronto yacht at some former stage of its existence. On account of their heavxness when loaded with stone they carry long raking masts and an immense spread of canvas, which is all right as long as they are loaded, butmakcs them mighty cranky when running light in a gale. Their outfit consists of a. large scow, longhandled iron rakes, sledge-hammers and shovels. They make their headquarters at ports on the lake shore, and tine mornings about 3.30 they may be seen ste: “Wrapped in the gho: dnft. noiselessly (low: the silence is broken There isa. trampling anchor drops with a. rush after it. The : dressed in warm clot thigh-boots and we. into the scow and p111 Hardy “shot-men “110 furry lullulry. simifly going on shore and breaking away pieces from the low cliffs With sledge- hammers or picking stone off the beaches. When raking, the boats move along With- in a short distance of the shore, where the men can see the bottom and pick up the stones they find with the long-handled rakes or hooks. stone bin 2:. When stone is scarcer they move out into deeper water and drag their books along the bottom, pulling in all t hey catch. This is called “ blind stabbing. Under favorable cirvcumstances a. hooker- man can make from $40 to $60 per (lay ; but as may be supposed. such occasions are few and far between‘ As a matter of fact, man and the elements conspire to make the hook‘ er‘s life anything but a happy one. It the wind freshens up, as it usually does on that Lake about 10 A. 31., it discolors the water so much in shore that raking is impossible, while the accompanying rough water makes blindstabhing :3. hazardous employment. On the other hand, the farmers along the lake shore have a. decided objection to the hook- ermen iemoving the stone from the shore, as the banks are thus weakened and liable to be undermined. The consequence is that some years ago farmersgot a. bill put through the Legislature that no hookerman should approach nearer than fifty feet trom the shore under a penalty of not more than $50. This stone is mostly fine limestone and is obtained in large squares. Every heavy gale from the east throws up large quanti- ties of stone, hutduring the Summer months the hookers pick the bottom of the lake near the shore almost bare. They dispose of the stone in Toronto, where it is used for build- ing foundations, and the price paid is from 1h in thc weigh Dui‘ir not {a pmdu Maine Stat celleutlv. with dis STONE-WOOKING 0) LIKI‘ I‘here are thre< 1t ii m ht quarryi'n; Quarrym ssou taught by this principle is ky stated that the most money can from young hogs turned at, medium uimmix- \Voigin ol‘a Hog Lori r_ Ming experiment at the ”in m»- this principle ex- vs “C112 taken at: ages n asks to eight weeks. fiist !‘ ') days of the experiment 1 t \\ 0 rs » x'ids of indigestible food .0 I m mi of growth ,while during y .hi) 5 the (atio was four pounds 3 foo l to one of growth. Every .rk made during the last fifty )uble to that made in the first I Iirge semi, Ionghandled iron -ha.ln'ners and shovels. 2 their headquarters at ports on -e, and fine mornings about 3.30 seen stealing slowly out of port. the ghost-like shore mist they sly downa. mile or twoaud the“ broken bv a. hoarse command. : economic ivcly that i l‘iC cemetery recently unearth- conwiued the skeletons of men 1y developed tails. token by a. ho: upling of feet ( vith a. splash a. The captain n clothing, wi fl waterproof [THE END t: 01' mm profit is pull off ‘ metho rakm le for the purpose of de- lomic weight of a hog .hat he never should be ' nine months of age, and fit. is found, as a. rule, in teed ‘200 pounds. What 0d of support plays a. ‘t in the profit or loss of a. mule or twoaud men )y a. hoarse command. of feet on the deck the splash and the chains aptain and one man, ling, with high rubber erproof aprons, jump off towards the shore. re to make the hook‘ happy one. If the Jsuullv does on that 1m lighting their they plighted the “ till death us do mrse cont on the <16 and the 9' does on that ors the water is impossible, 1 wata ‘ makes ONTARIO. 0n n l'niqlle mg as they glzty cranky Their outfit, 1andled iron mung tlu blind zastab ‘ir‘nplies, i: ‘ed to the a. seeker heard of Ontario. toker- ; but a few man In March last the termined to test the inch llO-Lou rifle, m ship Sanspareil. Th Shoeburyness. In f Won ilerl'ul Res'lllt a. target as the wc First, to receive the a. solid steel armor twenty inches thick an eight-inch iron I backed by twenty whole being secure most solid mass timbers was 21. mm and laid in cemen wall they built up eleven feet thick, brick. sidcr that the' twentyâ€"inch armor plate is the thickest ever used on a ship. The armor on the Empress of India, the very latest of British battle ships, is but eighteen inches thick. while her harhettes are seventeen inches. The eight inches of iron behind the armor plate of the target was a most efficient backing because of its toughness. As to the oak, it should be remembered that “ the wooden walls” of which the sailors used ~to sing, though never more than two feet thick, were able often to stop the pro- jectiles of tlte enemy at short range. In this target was a. twenty-foot wooden wall. Children sometimes ask, in speaking oi the big guns. “ Could they shoot through a house ‘2” In this target is a. wall of granite five feet thick, and it is a. mighty tall build~ lug that requires a five foot wall at the street floor. But what need to say more ?No better wall could be made for testing the power of a monster than this. A description of the gun that was fired at this target is worth giving. The diameter of the bore was sixteen inches. It consisted ofa. steel tube forty-seven feet long, around the breech of which had been shrunk numerous steel jackets to give it strength to resist the terrific strain of the exploding powder. The Whole weight was 110 tons. It was mounted on a carriage which could be moved only as the gun itself was moved on its trunnions,by hydraulicand ’steam power. Having it in place before the target. the gun’s crew unscrewed the breech hauled it out, and shoved it to one side, all by means of hydraulic engines. Then they hoisted up the projectile with another machine. This projectile was of solid steel. sharp pointed, and nearly four feet long. It weighed 1.800 pounds. _It had a copper: mass collar which was to catch in the rifle? of the bore and send the projectile whirling. ’ his projectile was rammed into its place in the cannon with a. machine. Then came the powder. This powder is made in little hexagonal cakes of a. cocoa. color with a hole through the centre of each. Ten thousand of these little cakes are required for a charge for the big gun, and the weight of the charge is 960 poundsâ€"more than half Another way of comprehending the power ofone of these green rifles is to consider the range. Roughly speaking, a. rifle will throw a. projectile a. mile for every inch die.- meter of bore. The six~inch rifle has a. range of six miles, the eight-inch of eight miles, &c. In actual practice the range of the sixteenâ€"inch rifle is thirteen miles. In spite of its tremendous power, however, no sixteen-inch gun will again be mounted on a. war ship. The new battle ship, Empress of India, is to have thirteen-inch the sixteen inch rifle is thi1 teen miles.“ In spite of its tremendous power, hcwe\ e1 , no si\teen- inch gun will again be mounted 011 a war ship The new battle ship, Empress of India, is to hzue thirteen- inch guns instead. These will be of ample power, for at 1,000 yards the projectile will pierce twenty- seven inches of wrought iron armor. In spite of its power, the objections to the big gun out“ eigh its advantages. The thirteen- inch gun weighs but sixty- seven tonsâ€"forty-three tons less. The discharge of the great fellow over the deep of the ship plays havoc with the deck, the blast of the gases has broken deck beams and opened the seams. The big gun costs just S5100, 000 to build, and the g1eatest 11un1he1 of times which it can be safely fired is calculated at seve11ty-fiVc.No one knons \'1 hether it would last even as long as that- , very likely it would not, for the impact of the gases released from the 10,000 kernels of cocoa. powder erodes great furrows in the temper- ed steel llning of the gun at every discharge. The next s111n.lle1 but sufficiently powe1ful gun is supposed to last fo1 l .301011nds,while to build it costs $70, 000 â€"$30, 000 less. Meieovei it takes tno years to build the larger and but eighteen months to build the smaller. The building of llO-ton guns was begun about twelve years ago by Sir William Arm< strong 8: Co. In all, 109 of them have been built. The Krupp works turned out one 17- inch gun of 127 tons weightâ€"the most power- ful ever built. 0f the big fellows, the great majority went to Italy. The first ones were muzzle loaders. The Victoria, the Sauspareil, and the Bebow have two, each mounted, and one each in reserve. There are two each at Malta. and Gbraltm‘. There is very little, if any, criticism of their use in forts, for their weight and room occupied count for nothing. Tie one insuperable defect inthe great glfix as now mounted is the penecrabilit‘y. Every ship that has them must go into action with from twenty to thirty feet of each muzzle projecting into the open air in plain View of the enemy’s gunners, an ample target for the rapidâ€"fire cannon. The modern rapid-fire gun hurls a. sharp steel bollt ‘from four to six inches in diametér and 100 pounds, accordmg gun, at the rate of te A Battle Creek, Mich, man has patented a typewriter for musical composers. The copy which it makes can be photographed and a plate reproduced {or printing which is said to be mvch better than plates made in the ordinary way. E'O‘VIZR (IF THE fully appreciate what this target presented, that the twentv-inch llt it a sperm] Test in "gum-t rk British full new and *ont : what a. substantial embed, one must con- xrrows nu the temper- .m at every discharge. suih'ciently powerful for 1‘20 rounds, while '0,GOO»â€"$30,000 less. years to build the 11 months to build the weighing from 33 to to the bore of the 11 per minute. red is calculated at. knows whether it s that ; very likely IN! II GUN. 11 was bl miralty ( f a. sixtee brace of com ) form ack of mm the of the t, thick Lee the oncrete wall of