lls being 165 feet. The highest fall of water in the world
is that of the Yosemite in California, being 2,550 feet.

The most ancient catacombs are those of the Theban kings, begun 4,000
years ago. The catacombs of Rome contain the remains of about 6,000,000
human beings; those of Paris, 3,000,000.

The quickest passage ever made across the Atlantic was that of the
steamer Lucania, of the Cunard line, being 5 days 7 hours and 23
minutes from New York to Queenstown; the distance being 2,850 miles.

There has been no irregularity in the recurrence of leap year every
four years since 1800, and will be none until 1900, which will be a
common year, although it will come fourth after the preceding leap
year.

The first English newspaper was the _English Mercury_, issued in the
reign of Queen Elizabeth, and was issued in the shape of a pamphlet.
The _Gazette_ of Venice was the original model of the modern newspaper.

The Mormon Church in Utah shows a membership of 127,294--23,000
families. The church has 12 apostles, 58 patriarchs, 3,885 seventies,
3,153 high priests, 11,000 elders, 1,500 bishops and 4,400 deacons,
being an office for each six persons.

A "monkey wrench" is not so named because it is a handy thing to monkey
with, or for any kindred reason. "Monkey" is not its name at all, but
"Moncky." Charles Moncky, the inventor of it, sold his patent for
$2,000, and invested the money in a house in Williamsburg, King's
County, N.Y., where he now lives.

The Union arch of the Washington Aqueduct is the largest in the world,
being 220 feet; 20 feet in excess of the Chester arch across the Dee in
England, 68 feet longer than that of the London bridge; 92 feet longer
than that at Neuilly on the Seine, and 100 feet longer than that of
Waterloo bridge. The height of the Washington arch is 100 feet.

The largest ship ever built, the Great Eastern, recently broken to
pieces and sold to junk dealers, was designed and constructed by Scott
Russell, at Maxwell, on the Thames. Work on the giant vessel was
commenced in May, 1854. She was successfully launched January 13, 1858.
The launching alone occupied the time from November 3, 1857, until the
date above given. Her total length was 600 feet; breadth, 118 feet;
total weight when launched 12,000 tons. Her first trip of any
consequence was made to New York in 1859-60.

The most extensive mines in the world are those of Freiberg, Saxony.
They were begun in the twelfth century, a