Democratic Sentinel, Volume 3, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 January 1880 — ITEMS OF INTEREST. [ARTICLE]

ITEMS OF INTEREST.

The Order of the Garter owes its origin to Edward 111., who conquered France and Scotland, and brought their Kings prisoners to England. The origin of electing members by balls may be traced to tho Grecians. When a member was to be elected every one threw a little pellet of bran or crumb into a basket carried by a servant on his head around the table, and whoever dissented flattened their pellet at one side.

Salt, in the East, is a symbol of fidelity; a man who has partaken of salt with you is bound by the laws of hospitality; aud thus bread and salt are eaten at the ratification of a bargain or treaty, to make it binding on all parties. Salt is also an emblem of desolation; conquered cities were sown with Balt. The national-bank system of the United States was organized on Feb. 25, 1863, to give uniformity to the paper currency and the banking laws of the country. The old banks, authorized by the several States, were induced, by certain privileges, to surrender their State charters and adopt the national plan, and accept charters as national banks from the United States Government. - Gaß was first applied to practical purposes in 1792, by a Mr. Murdock, an English engineer, residing in Cornwall; but it was on a very limited scale aud did not attract much attention. In 1802 a large factory at Birmingham was illuminated with gas at the public rejoicing for the peace of Amiens. Hundreds of persons came to see the sight, and the novelty gained such a footing that gasworks were established at Birmingham, 1 J. a TT„ V/

Pin-money was a lady’s allowance of money for her own personal expenditures long after the invention of pins. In the fourteenth century the maker was allowed to sell them in open shop only on the Ist and 2d of January. It was then that court ladies and city dames flocked to the city to buy them, having been first provided with money by their husbands. When pins became cheap and common, the ladies spent their allowances on other fancies, but the term “ pin-money ” remained in vogue. The title Admiral is the highest rank of a naval officer. By an act of Congress of the United States of July 16, 1862, the navy of the Union was divided into nine grades, of which the highest was that of Rear Admiral. In the British navy the Admirals are graded in three classes, according to the color of their flag, Admiral of the red, of the white, and of the blue. In a fleet disposed in battle array the first of these holds the center, the second the van, and the third the rear. Admiral of the fleet is simply an honorary distinction with increase, of pay.