GEOGRA PHIC NO TES— MISCELLANEA 
283 
India. The first consignment of Kashmir silk was recently sold in 
London. Kashmir possesses excellent water power, and attention is be- 
ing called to the inducements it offers for the employment of capital. 
The Nizam of Haidarabad, one of the feudatory princes of India, has 
recently consented to the acquisition of land in his dominions by Euro- 
peans. It is expected that cotton factories and other industrial enter- 
prises will soon be established in the state. 
Japan. A treaty of commerce has been concluded between Japan 
and Belgium. 
The fisliing industr}'^ of Japan is rajiidly acquiring great importance. 
Last year Japanese fishermen caught on the Siberian coasts 600,000 salmon 
and 160,000 salmon trout. In the i.sland of Saghalien the Japanese have 
leased 84 stations ; 71 vessels were employed last year, and the catch tvas 
valued at $330,000. From the same island no less than 10,000 tons of 
edible seaweed were sent to China in 1894. 
Ti’kke.stan. It is announced that a railway will be built as soon as 
possible from Tashkend to Orenburg, with the object of connecting the 
Trans-Caspian and Samarcand line with that of Siberia. 
AFRICA 
Natal. The 400th anniversary of the discovery of Natal will occur in 
1897, and it is proposed to celebrate the occasion by an exhibition. 
Grange Free State. To the development of the gold mines of this 
state is mainly due the increase in the net profits of the Orange Free State 
railway from £1,653 in 1891 to £523,926 in 1895. 
Sierra Leone. The work of the Anglo-French Boundary Commission 
of the Sierra Leone and French Guinea frontier establishes as British 
territory a large extent of country and a number of populous towns which 
have hitherto been regarded as French. The British will also now occui)y 
the exten.sive hinterland of Sierra Leone. Except on the coast, the cli- 
mate of this region is said to be comparatively healthy, and the country 
is capable of producing rice, cotton, and tobacco in large quantities. There 
is also a considerable trade in ivory and rubber. The construction of 
roads to the interior will be commenced at once. 
AU.STRALA8IA 
Western Au.stralia. Since the beginning of 1894 the population of 
Western Australia has more than doubled. The e.xtensive railway .system 
now adopted, together with the harbor works in progress at Fremantle 
anrl other points on the coast, will facilitate and j)robably greatly ex|)and 
the export of lumber, the 8Ui)j)ly of which is jiractically inexhaustible 
and the quality excellent. 
MISCELLANEA 
In connection with the recent loss of the Unimnwnd OikIIi' oil cape 
Finisterre, attention has been called to tin* statement of the lati? I’rofessor 
Tyndall that the ehctric light is not good for lighthouse purisises. 4'here 
