Probably the greatest menace to the safety of navigation at sea is the fog. Modern steamships are seldom endangered by the severest storms, but when the impenetrable envelop of mist encloses a vessel, she is exposed to the most terrible of perils—a collision at sea. A single ship may be comparatively safe even in a fog, but when there are a fleet of vessels the danger is greatly multiplied. In addition to the customary fog-horns and sirens a fleet of war-ships often will keep informed of their relative positions by the firing of signal-guns from the flag-ship. Another excellent method generally employed is the use of the fog-buoy.
Each vessel in a war-ship fleet carries a fog-buoy, a large cask painted a bright red. This is cast overboard at the first sign of any fog and floats from the stern of the vessel attached by a rope of grass fiber which does not sink beneath the surface of the water. Sufficient rope is paid out by each vessel, so that its fog-buoy floats at the bow of the ship next astern—two cable's-length (four hundred yards) when in close order and double that distance in open order. By this means the exact stations of the individual ships of a fleet are maintained even tho proceeding at a moderate rate of speed.—Harper's Weekly.
(2467)
PRECAUTIONS, SCIENTIFIC
The teller of a bank standing behind his
window in these days of electricity can touch
a push-button close to his hand and close
the door of every safe in the place before
a thief could have time to operate, and by
the same signal he can call the police or
give the alarm to all the bank officials.
(2468)
PRECEPT AND PRACTISE
One of the great railroad companies has
begun a campaign against the use of tobacco
by its employees, and, while none are to be
discharged because they indulge in it, they
are requested to break the habit if possible.
This may be a good thing, but example
speaks louder than precept; if the officers
want the employees to abandon smoking and
chewing, the reform ought to begin in the
president's office and go down all along the
line until it reaches the trackmen and laborers.
A well-known railroad executive, now
deceased, said it was of no use to preach
temperance to railroad employees if officers'
special cars ran over the road with wines and
liquors on board to be consumed en route. He set an example by keeping intoxicants out of his car even when he had guests.—Manufacturers' Record.
(2469)
I am unjust, but I can strive for justice,
My life's unkind, but I can vote for kindness.
I, the unloving, say life should be lovely;
I, that am blind, cry out against my blindness.
Man is a curious brute—he pets his fancies—
Fighting mankind to win sweet luxury.
So he will be, tho law be clear as crystal,
Tho all men plan to live in harmony.
Come, let us vote against our human nature,
Crying to God in all the polling-places
To heal our everlasting sinfulness,
And make us sages with transfigured faces.
—Nicholas V. Lindsay, Unity.
(2470)
Preciseness Overdone—See Scruples, Minute.
Precision—See Ahead of Circumstances.
PRECOCITY
Precocity is not always a cerebral disease,
certainly, tho where it is pronounced the presumption
is not in its favor. Slower growths
are the surer and attain the greater heights.
Usually precocity wants a depth which is not
supplied to the subject in more mature years.
With the comparatively few exceptions that
can be noted, it lacks staying power. The
most remarkable case of collapsed precocity
that occurs to us is that of the Englishman
Betty, the "young Roscius." He went on
the stage at the age of twelve years in 1803,
played Hamlet and other prominent characters,
and in four years amassed a fortune
of over $150,000, at a time when money was
worth twice its present face value. For
twenty-eight nights in Drury Lane he earned
over $3,000 a night. He left the stage to go
to school, and on his return, three years
later, made an utter failure and never
amounted to anything as an actor thereafter.—New
York World.
(2471)
It is said of Jonathan Edwards that he commenced the study of Latin at six years of age; at eight he was keenly interested in spiritual matters. At ten he wrote, like a philosopher, a quaint and humorous essay on
