Genre:

Regular Feature, Reportage, Drollery

Subjects:

Mathematics, Zoology, Menageries, Military Technology, War, Government, Politics, Sound, Technology, Accidents, Metallurgy

    Criticises some conclusions reached by 'one of those calculating idiots' about William E Gladstone's budget speech, and expects these calculators to make such calculations as the total length of the pythons (laid end to end) to be born to their mother in the Zoological Society Gardens. Later reports on the excitement caused in the Houses of Parliament by the conclusion drawn by William G Armstrong that shells fired from his gun can penetrate ironclad ships, and news that Cowper P Coles (the inventor of an armoured turret for ships) is being treated 'properly' by the Admiralty, 'a miracle, considering that Coles is an inventor of an invaluable affair'. Notes discussion of the state of Big Ben, which, according to the metallurgist John Percy, could be used, but would probably crack again.