The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-01-18 00:00:00

Visa:limns &-itiligtna,

HOME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL.

,alc?1

DECREASE IN CRIME. —The number of persons in
prison in EuglAnel and Wales has fallen considerably
since the new Act has been in force, and was at the
end of last year lower than at any time during the
past three years. Considering the distress now pre-
vailing it would not have been surprising if the reverse
had been the case, and if this decrease is due to the
new Act, it will prove its best justification.
ARDOUR.—A strong detachment of the Royal Engi-
neers is under orders for the war at the Cape. The
men are very pleased, it appears, at the prospect of a
little active service. Indeed, they are all going over
in transports. —Judy.
PRICE OF BREAD AND MEAT.—The price of bread is
exactly the same now as it was in 1770-108 years ago.
On the other hand, the average price of meat has risen
from 3id. per lb. to sd. in 1850 and 9d. now, while
that of butter has gone up from 63, to le., and to is. Bd.
While, therefore, the price of bread is no higher than
it was early in the reign of George 111., when; he
United States were still English colonies, that of meat
has been tearly trebled, and that of butter more than
trebled.—lrish Farmer's Gazette.
A GIANT TREE. —A atriarch of the forest has been
lately felled in California, and the greater portion of
the wood taken to San Francisco. It was known by
the epithet of "Old Moses." If one plight infer with
accuracy its age from the number of its rings, it must
have been 4,840 years old. Its capacity is said to have
been go great that 300 posoit 4onlki And room within
its trunk,

A FATAL ICE ACCIDENT.—On Saturday, Dr. Dan- '
ford Thomas held an inquiry at the "Leighton
Arms" Tavern, Brecknock-road, London, as to the
death of Percival Meyer, 18, of 18, Leighton-grove.
who was drowned while skating on a pond in Lord
'Mansfield's estate, on Wednesday. Miss Meyer,
sister of the deceased said that on Wednesday in last
week she went with him to Caen-lane, Highgate, and
there they got through a broken fence and went on to
a pond to skate. After skating for some time with
Mr. Connolly, a friend, she turned round and saw her
brother in the water—the ice, which was only an inch
thick, having given way. Mr. Connolly at once went
to his assistance, and, taking off his overcoat, threw it
to the deceased, who took hold of it, keeping up for a
few minutes, when suddenly the ice where Mr.
Connolly was standing gave way, and he also fell in.
Meyer then disappeared and the witness saw no more
of him. Mr. Connolly, after some difficulty, managed
to get out, and the body of the deceased was recovered
about two hours afterwards The jury returned a
verdict of "Death from misadventure," and compli-
mented Mr. Connolly upon his praiseworthy efforts to
save the deceased.

—•-
AN Es MARCH.—General Roberts, we hear, is
marching into the " Khost " country. So, we fear,
are the other Generals, as we shall find when the Bills

come in.—Punch.

A REMARKABLE TRIP.—A journey round the world
has lately been made by a humble post-card, which
completed the trip in ninety days and twenty hours.
Six post-cards and six letters were sent off by the
Paper and Printing Tract( s' Journal as a teat of the
care bestowed by postal authorities on post-cards versus
letters. The faces of the dozen travellers were ruled
Into six compartments for the various addresses and
stamps, and on the backs were printed instructions to
the recipients as to their being forwarded, while spaces
were left for the date of receipt. Posted in London
on Oct. let, they reached Alexandria on the 9th, and
Singapore on Nov. 4th, and being sent off the same
day came to grief between Singapore and Yokohama,
only one post-card andsfive letters appearing at Yoko-
hama on Nov. 24th. Starting again next day on their
travels, the card and letters arrived at San Francisco
on Dec. 12th, at New York on the 21st, and got home
to London in safety by the first post on Dec. 31st.
Toe blame of the loss does not rest with the British
postal system, but with the authorities between Singa-
pore and Yokohama.
THE MARRIAGE LAW.—On Tuesday the magistrates
and Council of Edinburgh resolved, by 24 votes
against 12, to petition Parliament in support of the
Bill for legalizing marriage with a deceased wife's
sister; and, by 25 votes against 10, to similarly peti-
tion in favour af the Colonial Marriages Bill. On the
same day the United Presbyterian Presbytery of
Edinburgh passed the following resolution, by 22
votes against 12 :—" That the Presbytery recommends
the Synod that marriage with a deceased wife's sister,
being a matter in regard to which the law of Christ is
a law of liberty, shall no longer be a bar to member-
ship in the United Presbyterian Church."
JAPAN= FLORICULTURE.—Japanese floriculture is
famed for its success and quaintness, and American
flower-lovers are now making collections of Japanese
plants. A gentleman in San Francisco owns 200 of these
plants, all evergreens, which curiously illustrate native
skill, the trees being dwarfed and trained into varied
shapes, such as cats, dogs, cranes, turtles, cocks,
sparrows, &c., the favourite design being acocked hat.
Some of the trees, though dwarfed to only a foot high,
retain their natural shape, and look like full-grown
trees seen through the reversed end of an opera-glass,
while many are over fifty years of age. Most curious,
however, are the two tea-plants, the leaves of which
sell at 21 Bs. to £2 per pound in Japan, grasses grow-
ing in long cords with tassels, and houses, pleasure.
boats, and junks made out of some porus roct in
which plants can live. The latter are covered with
little plants so dwarfed as never to grow out of propor-
tion to the object which forms their base. Some of
these floral curiosities are very old, having been handed
down from father to son for many generations, while
they grow in valuable specimens of ancient Japanese
pottery.
TRADE DEPRESSION IN LONDON.—The City Press
says :—" As one manifest instance of the present de-
pression of c3mmercial affairs, it may be mentioned
that in the main thoroughfare from the City boundary
at Holborn to the other boundary at Aldgate, and in
the streets abutting upon it, there are nearly 2,000
warehouses, shops, and offices unlet. In many, if not
most cases, this represents enormous rentals lying un-
productive, as when trade is in its usual condition it is
difficult to obtain holdings in this part of London.

To THAT IF You CAN,—Tom: "My father's so
tall he can look over the garden wall."—Jack: "So
can my father—with his hat on."—Fun.
TRAMWAYS.—A Parliamentary paper has been issued
giving a return of street and road tramways autho-
rized by Parliament, showizg the amount of capital
authorized, paid up, and expended, the length of tram-
ways authorized, and the length opened for the public
conveyance of passengers down to June 30, 1878; the
number of passengers conveyed, the gross receipts,
working expenditure, and net teceipts during the year
which ended June 30, 1878, together with the number
of horses and the number of cars in use at that date.
The capital expended amounted to £4,207.50, the
gross receipts were £1,145,465, the working expendi-
ture amounted to .2868,315, and the net receipts were
£230,956. During the above-mentioned year 146,001,223
passengers were conveyed, and 9,222 horses were in
use.

THE HEALTH OF Mn. SPURGEON.—At the morning
service on Sunday, in the Metropolitan Tabernacle,
Mr. Thomas Spurgeon officiating, the following letter
was read from Mr. Spurgeon :
"Nightingale-lane, Balham, Surrey.
"Beloved friends,—You will be glad to know that I am
certainly better, and have only now to rise above the
extreme weakness left by pain. The deacons and elders
have unanimously requested me to take three months' rest;
and as I well believe that they represent the church, and as,
moreover, I see the necessity for following their kind
advice, I shall, lithe Lord will, do as they prescribe. I
earnestly pray that during my absence no intere.t shall
suffer and no holy work may flag. I would gladly stand at
my post, but I cannot; and therefore all I can do is to offer
prayer for those who will occupy my place; that they may
feed you with knowledge and understanding; and that your
souls may be full of I ova and activity before the Lord. I
again thank from myl nmost heart those who have, by their
generosity and diligence, made the testimonial •tobe so
wonderful a success. It overcomes me to think how well,
how earnestly, how happily all was done. But now for a
spiritual blessing which will be still more wonderful. It is
even more to be desired—let it be sought and laboured for.
The February meetings, if followed up with universal zeal,
will, by the blessing of our God, bring us a general revival
and a large increase. Oh, that it might come! I will be far
away, but my heart is with you always. Peace be to the
whole beloved church, and joy in the Lord.—Your afflicted
pastor, C. H. SPURGEON.
A. FASHIONABLE COMPLAINT.—MaMDIS : "Papa,
dear, the children have been asked to the Willoughby
Robinsons' on the eleventh, the Howard Jones's on
the fifteenth, and the Talbot Brownes' on the twenty.
first. They'll be dreadfully disappointed if you don't
let them go! May I write and accept, dear papa?"—
Dear Papa (savagely) "Oh, just as you please! But,
as juvenile parties should always b i taken n time, you
had better write to Dr. Squills, too, and tell him to
call on the Twelfth, Sixteenth, and Twenty•second."—
Punch.

PRIZES TO CAVALRY SOLDIERS.—With a view to
stimulate individual exertion and reward proficiency
of cavalry soldiers in the use and management of the
carbine, prizes will, on and after the Ist of April
next, be awarded as follows :-Ist prize, to the best
shot of every regiment-0, and a badge of cross
carbines and crown worked in gold, to be worn on the
left arm. 2nd prize, to the best shot of every troop-
-21, and a badge of cross carbines worked in gold, to
be worn on the left arm. To the best shot of each
depot of cavalry-21, and a similar badge. 3rd prize,
to marksmen of cavalry to the number of 10 per cent.
of the men practised through the annual course of
musketry drill and individual firing-10s., and a badge
of cross carbines worked in worsted, to be worn on the
left arm. "The cavalry depot" will be treated as a
" regiment " in calculating the number entitled to the
third prize. In addition to the above prizes, an
honorary distinction of a badge of cross carbines and
crown, worked in gold, will be worn on the right m
by the serjeants of the beat shooting troop (9e d_ POt )
in which 40 men at least have practised, as laid down,
in every regiment of cavalry in which all the dtroops
shall have been exercised through the annual course
of individual firing. Prizes of 10s. and ss, will also be
given for judging distances.
DISAPPOINTMENT. —Squire (on Christmas-Eve, to
bachelor curate of his parieh). "" Do you tne at home
to-morrow, Mr. Smallpay ? Cta'a% d
grateful
anticipation of an invitation to the Hall). Yes--"
e
—Squire (who is horticultural). "Then
with celery
I'll take care
supplied that your table is well
Punch.
A POWERFUL APPETITE.—There a
contemporary) of an Englishman is w
Yoarkp,oawfeerwfur
aeparspeatigtoe.,
ahso toarryriv toeldd at (says
Fafitfetry-afirftohugAhypeasnuseaglius
e
over,e S
feeling w
He looked at the programme and observed that break-
House,
was served from seven to eleven o'clock, lunch
from one to two, dinner (a. /a carte) from two to
five, dinner (table d'hôte) at half-past five, tea from
six till nine, and supper from nine to twelve—seven-
teen hours of copious refreshment. He was not a
mean man, but thought himself bound to get the
better of the hotel proprietor. He got up soon
after seven, with the appetite of a cormorant who
had bolted a bottle of Angostura bitters. Being
properly posted, he began with a melon with pepper
and salt, and a few tomatoes cut up with cucumber
and onion, and then took kindly to his hot rolls,
his Graham bread, a slice of Spanish mackerel, a bit
of beef-steak, a few eggs an rairoir, a little broiled
ham and some fried potatoes, a taste of smoked beef,
and eggs and a broiled chicken, winding up the whole
performance with a heap of rice cakes, a couple of
peaches, tea, coffee; and other fixings. He walked
down town in high glee, and came up smiling to lunch,
making awful havoc among the raw oysters and the
stewed oysters, the fried oysters, and the pickled
oysters, the cold chicken, ham, and tongue. At dinner
he was again to the fore, looking happy, and hungry,
but rather streaked at the bill of fare, which included
two soups, two fishes, seven cold dishes, six releves, ten
entrées, seven roasts, eighteen vegetables, nine varieties
of pastry, eleven kinds of fruit, lemon and rum, ice
creams and coffee. He was equal to the occasion;
beginning gently with tomato soup, he next attacked
the boiled bass and the broiled white fish, and after a
little broiled chicken and ham, fell upon the entrées like
a lion. He despatched in quick succession fillet of beef
larded, with mushrooms, oyster patties, sweetbreads
with green peas, lobster a to. Valenciennes, and rice,
bird in cases with champagne sauce; then came the
heavy artillery of roast ham with champagne sauce,
roast turk 6, poult and roast grouse, followed by
lobster salad. At intervals he tastes sundry of the
national vegetables. Through all he worked heroically,
but weakened on the pastry, paying little or no atten-
tion to the peach-pie, the orange pie, the " punkin "
pie, the sliced apple pie, the puffs and jellies and
custards, but brightened up at dessert among the
grapes and raisins, English walnuts and American
pecan nuts citron melons, and rosy-hearted water
melons- He pulled through, he did, and arrived at
the ice-cream and coffee, tired, perhaps, but not cloyed,
After the theatre he showed up, but with di ti
vigour, at supper among the cold chickens and haul,
the cold tongue and the oysters hot and cold, raw and
fried, and then owned up fair that no such a board
and lodging could be got anywhere tslite for the same
money—a:be it thirtteu dr fourteen aniLliage dal"
told, and usa took

REL/Giora &cm —Amongst the religious sects
registered in England at the close of the year were the
following : " Baptised Believers," Believers int
Christ," Believers in the Divine Visitation of
Joanna Southcote, Prophetess, of Exeter," Christians
owning no name but the Lord Jesus," Christians who
object to be otherwise designated,' Christian
Eliasites," Christian Israelites, ' Christian Teeto-
tallers,'Covenanters," Glassites," Glary Band,'
Hallelujah Band," Humanitarians," Protestant
members of the Church of England," Protestants
adhering to Articles 1 to 18, but rejecting Ritual,'
Recreative Religionists,' and Seventh Day

Baptists.'"
OSTRICH FEATHERS.—The increasing production of
ostrich feathers on the south African farms, combined
with a falling off in the demand at home, has led to a dee
dine in the market rates for this produce at the colonial
sales. Feathers of supericr quality, however, fetch high
prices. At a recent sale at Grabamatown 13 splendid
primes," or perfect white feathers, realized a guinea
each, or at the rate of £145 per lb. The average price
for fine white feathers was £4O per lb., while bla-..lks
realized about £l4, and drab or fancy colours only £4.
MANNERS.—Discontented Pauper (on the Christmas
dinner). "Well, this is the wnst Chrisimas dinner as
ever we 'ad since I 'ye been in the 'Ouse! I thinks as
when we 'as a dinner party, the master ought to ax
us whether we likes it well done and whether we takes
fat, and not cut the Tittles and showl it on our plates
anyhow I"—Punch.
1 CLOVER AS A HUMAN FOOD.—According to Hon. J.
Stanton Gould, clover has been used as human food
for generations by the Indians of the plains. The
Digger Indians of California eat it raw, and also cook
it by placing a thick layer of green clover between
stones that had been previously heated. When young
onions or chives and grasshoppers are mingled with
the clover, the dish is considered as a great luxury,
The Apaches mingle together clover, pigweed, and
dandelions in a vessel, which is then filled with water.
Stones that have been heated in the fire are then
thrown in, and when they have imparted their
surplus heat to the water they are taken out and re-
placed by hotter ones, until the mass is sufficiently
cooked.—Farmers' Advocate.
NIL DESPERANDII3L-2vlietreBB : "I think you will
suit me very well, but I wish to know if you have a
follower ?"—Maid: " No, mum, 1 'evn't at present,
but I really can't say as to how soon I shall 'ev one."

—Fun.
THE HIGH COST OF LIVING.—The Pall Mall Gazette
remarks :—" The importance of the food question to
trade generally is illustrated in the market report pub
liaised a month ago by the Bengal Chamber of Com-
merce, Noticing the lowness of prices throughout
India, and the absence of a genuine demand for cotton
goods, the report, after glancing at one or two other
causes, goes on to remark that the really influential
cause of the dulness of the markets is the continued
high cost of living. Already, it is observed, the prices
of grain were beginning to fall, and, as the crops were
good, a further considerable decline was expected.
But up to the middle of last month the cost of living
was so great that when they had supplied themselves
with-food the population usually had little to lay out
on clothes. In this country the effects of free trade
have blunted our perception of the action of the
harvests upon commerce; but that action is not the
less overruling, taking the world over."
CONTENTS OF A COD'S STOMACH.—In addition to the
numerous expositions given in Land and Water on
this subject recently, I have to state that a large ccei
which was captured in the Firth of Forth off Dysart
last week, on being opened had in its stomach :—A
ring, with two keys thereon, a pocket-knife with a
white bone handle, the letters "S. G." being scratched
thereon, a number of crab claws, three whitings,
partly consu,pned, 131 fish-hooks, with partions of line
attached.—" Piscator," in Land and Water.
A PECULIAR PHENOMENON.—The Geneva corres-
pondent of The Times says: "The oaptain of the
steamboat Chillon, which was caught in the storm on
the morning of January 2, describes in a letter to the
local papers a scene which. is not witnessed once in a
generation. On Lake Leman, between River and St.
Gindolphs the two wind, the fahn and the bise, met
twisting the water up into a column nearly 90ft. high
and 10 yards in circumference. It was a veritable
waterspout, and, after retaining its position forseveral
minutes, took the form of a vspoury cloud and melted
away. The peculiarity of this phenomenon is that the
waterspout did not, as waterspouts generally do, de-
scend from the clouds, but rose from the lake. The
meeting of the Pim and the bise is more common on
the Lake of Lucerne than that of Geneva; but
wherever it happens it is terribly destructive sweep-
ing down the tallest forest trees and wrecking every
craft smaller than a steamer. Daring the same storm
a slight shock of earthquake was felt at Berlin.
THE MUSHROOM CULTIVATION IN FRANCE.—The
cultivation and consumption of mushrooms in Paris
and its environs have become of considerable import.
Recent returns state the number of cultivators of
mushrooms in the neighbourhood of Paris to be above
300, some of these having mushroom-beds to the extent
of from 6,000 to 8,000 square metres, many cultivators
producing from 150 to 200 kilogrammes per day. The
daily consumption of mushrooms in Paris and its
suburbs is estimated at 25,000 kilogrammes, which, at
a franc per kilogramme, would amount to 750,000
francs per month, or nine millions of francs per
annum. A great portion of these valuable fungi goes
to the conserve establishments of Paris, one house
alone requiring more than 200,000 kilogrammes
annually. The mushroom is cultivated and grown in
deep crevices of the soil, and in the old stone and sand
quarries abounding in France. A very large quantity
of mushrooms, preserved in tins, is annually exported
into England.
BACKBITING.—First youth. "Old Floggam's begin.
thug the New Year well. Did you notice the new
cane ?*'—Second youth. "Rather—in fad, I was very
much struck with it."—Fun.
How TO PRESERVE EGGS.—A new process for pre-
serving eggs for several months has been discovered by
Dr. Phipson. On taking the eggs from the nest they
sh.uld be covered over by means of a bit of wool,
with butter in which two or three per cent. of salicylic
acid. Each egg, after receiving this coat, should then
be placed in a box filled with fine and absolutely dry
sawdust. If care be taken that the eggs do not touch
each other, and that they be perfectly covered with
the sawdust, they will keep fresh for several months—
perhaps for more than a year. Dr. Phipson states
that he has experimented with this process for two
years, with most excellent results.
UNCLES AND AUNTS.—Master Willie (anxiously to
elder brother, who has just been made a happy
parent). Well, Torn, is it a boy or a girl ?—Happy
Parent. A boy.—Master Willie. Oh! I am so glad,
because my sister says if it were a girl I should be
Aunt Bill.—Judy.
WEATHER FORECAEiT.—The following Cable mes-
sage has been received at the London office of the
Nezo York Herali from New York :—" Severe storm,
attended by easterly, veering to north-westerly gales,
rain, and snow in northern districts, will probably
arrive at the British, French, and Norwegian coasts
between the 13th and 15th."
POISONOUS SPIRIT.—A serious case of accidental
poisoning occurred at Holzwickede, in Westphalia, on
Christmas Day. A road inspector stationed there
was in the habit of letting some bitter herbs steep in
his corn spirit in order to give it a pungent flavour.
This seems to be a very general practice in rural dis-
tricts in Germany. On Christmas Day he prepared
his potion 88 usual; but having drunk some of it, he
speedily complained of severe pains through his body.
Some of his acquaintances moved by a fatal curiosity,
proceeded to taste the medicated spirit which was a
chief ingredient of the draught. Three of them had
scarcely drunk a very small quantity when they were
assailed with violent pains, and after a short time ex-
pired in great agony. Three others, with the original
experimentalist who had prepared the spirit, were re-
moved to the hospital at Unna almost in a state of
collapse, but strong remedies were at once applied and
it is hoped that their lives will be saved. The belief
is that hellebore was unknowingly put into the spirit
instead of an innocent bitter root.
DUTY OF PEACE EFFORTS.—Dr. Chalmers says :
Much may be done to accelerate the advent of per-
petual and universal peace by a distinct body of men
embarking their talents and acquirements in the pro-
secution of this as a distinct object. This is the way
in which some of the other prophecies of the Bible are
at this moment hastening to their accomplishment;
and it is in this way, I apprehend, that the prephecy
of peace may be indebted for its speedier fulfilment,
by the agenty of men selecting this as the assigned
field on which their philanthropy shall expatiate. I
could not fasten on another cause more fitted to call
forth such a variety of talent, and to rally around it
so many of the generous and accomplished suns of
humanity, and to give each of them a devotedness and
a power far beyond whatever could be sent into the
hearts of enthusiasts by. the dere impulse of literary
ambition."

THE PARIS RAG-PICKERS. The Court Journal
says :—" In this festive season, the rag-pickers of the
capital have held their annual dinner, where 1,200
members of both sexes marched in procession with the
father of the guild—a patriarchial gentleman in a
respectable black suit—leading the way, to the selected
inn. What was most remarkable, was the personal
cleanliness and Sunday look about the pickers-up of
unconsidered trifles. The members of the craft have
to be registered—theirs is the only institution that
escaped being taxed after the war; some are very
honest, and rarely is any article—a silver fork or
spoon, that may have found its way into the daily
dust-bin— detained."
THE NEW GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF CANADA.—In a
letter from Ottawa, the witer gives several stories
current in that capital about the new Governor-
General and the Princess Louise, both of whom,
previous to the late melancholy event at Darmstadt,
went about the town, we are told, frequently and freely
and generally on foot. The Governor-General, the Prin.
cess, Lady Sophia Macnamara and Colonel M'Neill,
having been out walking, had reached the Rideau.
bridge on their way back to the Government House.
Here they found that the waggon of a neighbouring
farmer had come to grief by a wheel coming off. The
farmer hailed the two gentlemen who were passing,
and asked them to "give him a hand." This they
did, and, after some exertion, the wheel was put on
again. The man expressed himself as very much
obliged, but was overcome with confusion when
Colonel M'Neill whispered to him that it was the
Governor-General himself who had assisted hire.
He was then formally presented to his Excellency.
—A hard frost prevails, and his Excellency was
out skating on the Rideau the other day. Some
constable or other had taken it upon himself to in-
timate to a number of boys who were skating on
the Rideau that they had better keep out of the
way, as his Excellency was about to come, and these,
awed by the fact, sat down upon the bank of the
river awaiting the advent of that august personage.
By and by a young man skated up to them, and
asked why, with their skates on, they sat there in.
active. One of the boys replied that "the confounded
Governor-General was clwing along :" but, after a
few words of explanation, his Excellency (it was he)
and the boys were mixed upon the ice.—Princess
I:AralltiEl appears to be fond of shopping, and the other
w.,, 91,4 ring a "dry Ford; store, she patiently waited
tu,,al the customer had been leisurely served. The
shopinon then ^”--ienaemee- her and her lady corn-
panior -"Atomer was, and so
proprietor of
Royal