The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-07-31 00:00:00

THE STC,ITJRBRIDGE 013SERVM.

which completely disabled hen and left her at the mercy and inferior joints are fully one-third higher. It we,
of the sea. She heeled over and drifted along in the thought that the opening of the new markets at La
trough of the sea, and her cameo being of timber it was Villette, Poies‘y, and Sceaux two years ago, would
found impeseible to right her. 'lt was while endeavour- have lowered prices in Paris, but the result has been
Me to secure a sail over one of the hatchways that the quite the opposite, and the advanceodveprariecnestaofat atrhuse
captain, mate, and six others were swept off by the have been met by corresponding in
waves, which at the same time carried away the poop, provincial markets, for instance ae Aix. Bordeaux,
in which two unfortunate seamen had been working. Caen, Chartres, Dijon, Lisieux, Nunes,. Rouen, Ton-
The survivors, after suffering greatly from want and louse, and Lyons. In some places meat is even dearer
exposure, were picked up by the Renfreicshire, and than in Paris. It is the came in England, noutwithl-.
brougtit safely to Greenock. The Rarmonia, which standing great supplies of rattle from Holland, Be
when seen by the Renf reicshire was lying a helpless log gium, mai Germany. In Holland and Belgium fat
on the water, was abandoned, cattle have not been so dear for two years as they. are
now. In
aGgerinmaln'rYanteceefanaddErn.
Tux DEEPEIiT PIT IN ENGLAND.—At the Rose
Bridge Collieries, Ince, near Wigan, Mr. Bingham, :gram h,
becauseave no tatclhvea
eon.n c e ed
gumption of pork is greater; but in Prussia there has
manager to John Grant Morris, Esq., has just proved been a distinct advance in all descriptions of meat, and
the seam of coal known as the Arley, at the enormous
depth of 810 yards. At this pit, on the 3rd of March,
1862, the celebrated Wigan cannel was (in this belt) viniewlt,alayddthsethriesectr is etii,ll
,mw
jaktilnggipveregsroemsse.
i.lela'hoisf
the
e-
present state of the trade throughout Europe. It
first found at a distance of MO yards from the surface,
establishes the fact that prices are as high as consumers
lately the yard mine was found at 673, and now the
can bear, that any further advance will gravely corn-
valuable Arley is struck. It is stated that this pit is
promise the trade ; and on these grounds breeders are
now the deepest perpendicular shaft in the world, and
urged to increase their efforts to furnish greater sup-
that it works the deepest mine yet proved in Britain. plies, while the French government is recommendeol,
When the " dib hole" at the bottom is sunk, the tctal if a most important branch of trade is to be maintained,
depth will only be threescore yards short of half a mile,
to encourage breeders in such efforts.
A SIGN OF WARM WEATIIER.—FTOM various
CURIOCS HISTORY OF A BANK NOTE.—At the last
atmospheric and other indications, it seems tolerably
certain that we shall be more than compensated for the meeting of the Bethnal-green Board of Guardians a
letter was read from the manager of the eastern branch
unusually cold weather of spring and the early part of of the London and Westminster Bank stating that a
summer by a protracted period of extreme heat. One
£5 note paid in by the guardians to their account had
of the most forcible and unerring system of this is the been presented at the Bank of England and payment
remarkable appearance of glow-worms. A few nights refused on the ground that they had a disputed claim
ago no less than fifty of these beautiful creatures were for it, and also on account of its dilapidated condition
seen by a gentleman between Aldborough and Mel- The history attaching to the note iu question was a
senby ; the effect of this sight was most picturesque, very peculiar one. it had been found by an inmate of
The lane, for the space of a mile, presented one the Bethnal-Green Workhouse in a pair of braces
brilliant glitter, and we have heard that similar sights ,
purchased by him from another pauper in the house,
have been witnessed, at different times, in the same . and the braces having been washed previous to the
neighbourhoool. It is not often that a single glow- discovery of the treasure, the note was of course in a
worm is seen in the North of England, but the sight of
fifty or more in a row is certainly most curious and un-
very ragged condition. The guardians claimed the
note towards the man's maintenance, and directed the
usual.—Chamber of Agricultural Jeweler/. master to take it to the Bank to ascertain its genuine-
DRUNKENNESS.—The number of offenders corn- nese. The Bank authorities refused to cash the note.
mitted to prison in England and Wales during 1867 for On the above letter being read Mr. Scrimgeour thought
drunkenness, disorderly conduct, or vagrancy, who had the best course would be to protest the note in the same
previously been convicted of those offences fire times, manner as they would a bill which was dishonoured.
was 4,902; of these, 148 were in Wales, and 1,101 in A resolution to adopt the course suggested by Mr.
Middlesex and London. Scrimgeour, was, after some discussion, adopted.
FASHIONABLE NOMENCLATURE.—CeTtain articles SPADE AND SAW V. RIFLE AND BAYONET.—
of ladies' dress have names which, if appropriate, strike The sorely-tried Military Authorities who have to de.
one as rather curious. Among others we notice that cide on inventions, have had laid before them a light
the singular excrescences which are worn now on the steel spade, which screws into the butt of the rifle, as
back, are spoemn of as " paniere Their effect is to the saw-backed sword-bayonet into its muzzle. When
give ladies th& appearance of a hump, like that upon a an old-fashioned soldier used the butt of his piece as a
dromedary. It were scarce polite to add that their weapon, he used to be said to "club his musket."
name may well remind us of articles which sometimes Henceforth, it seems, spades will be added to clubs,
may he seen upon the back of another kind of animal. to help the points of the military game. But now
—Punch. . that " epaele-drille" and "earthworks" are to be among
EMIGRATION To AUSTRALIA.—In the year the chief reliances of the soldier of the future, the art
1863 12,809 souls sailed from ports of the United of war seems really to be changing into husbandry.
Kingdom for the Australian colonies and New Zee- "Turning rifles into spades, and bayonets into saws,"
land-7,245 males and 5,564 females; for Victoria, is quite as apt a symbol of the change, as "beating
6,566—viz. 3,782 males and ~784 females; for New spears into shares, and swords into eickles."—Panch.
South Wales, I,3lB—viz., 707 males and 611 females; Tun NEW BATONET.—The proposed new bayonet
for Queensland, 685—viz., 385 males and 300 females;
for South Australia, 351—viz., 200 males and 151 of the English infantry is to be one with the bayonet
pint, a sword edge, and a saw back. The committee,
females; for Western Australia, 168—viz. 44 males in recommending this saw-sword bayonet, appear to
and 124 females ; for Tasmania, 18—viz., 1.; males and have had in view the fact that bayonets will hence-
-7 females; for New Zealand, 3.703—viz., 2,116 males, forth he lens frequently used than in former times as
and 1,587 females. The 12,809 emigrants comprised weapons of offence and defence; they, deaired, there-
-1,493 who described themselves as general labourers ; fore, to substitute an instrument of more general
1,364 gentlemen, professional men, merchants, Ac. ; utility. With the sword edge a sheep was cut up into
488 agricultural labourers, gardeners, carters, enc. ; joists; and with the saw back the eleinbene of an ox,
443 farmers, 245 miners and quarrymen; 152 clerks, a Norway spar 2.1 inches in diameter, another of iti
680 males of other trades and occupations; 1,367 inches, and a 3-inch balk of very tough dry elm were
married women • 1,864 female servants, domestic sawn through. Thus the soldier will haves tool as
and farm; 2,075 Children under 12 years of age. It is well as an effective military weapon, and one with
21 years since the emigration from the United King- which he can clear away wood, cut nnateriala for fas-
dom to the Australian colonies and New Zealand was clues and gabions, or he can use it, if he likes, as a
so small. In the preceeding year (1867) it amounted knife for cutting up his rations.
to 14,466, the number ernierating from the United
A WONDERFUL INSECT.—The scavenger beetle
Kingdom to New Zealand, being 4,460.
, is one of the most useful ef all insects, as it really per-
VOLUNTEER ACT AMENDMENT.—A bill, prepares" forms the duties indicated by its name. In hot climates
and brought in by Captain -Vivian and Mr. Secretary they abound in many villages, winch are always sweet
Cardwell, to amend the Volunteer Act, 1863, has been and clean, and very unlike those that have to trust to
printed. The bill enacts that where any person neglects the cleanliness of the natives. No sooner are any pieces
or refuses to deliver up any property (whether arms, of offal or excrement dropped than, attracted by the
clothing, appointments, ammunition, or public stores) scent, the scavengers are heard humming along as fast
in his possession or keeping as an officer or volunteer, as their wings will carry them. They roll away the
any justice of the peace may 113611 e a warrant empower- droppings of cattle at once in round pieces, often as
ing the person therein named to enter premises and large as billiard balls ; and when they reach a place
search for the property, and if found to remove it to fitted by its softness for the deposit of their eggs and
such place as may be directed by the Secretary of the safety of their young, they dig the soil out from
State. rotwithstanding any suchseizure and removal, beneath the ball until they have quite let it down and
the same penalty may be enforced against ally person covered it. They then lay their eggs within the mass.
and the value of any such property may be recovered While the young grubs are growing, they devour the
from the person neglecting or refusing to deliver it Ms, inside of the ball before coming above ground to begin
Section 29 of the principal act, which relates to the the world for themselves. The beetles, with their
wrongful buying and selling of the property of a corps gigantic balls, look like Atlas with the world on his
or administrative regiment shall extend to the pawning back; only they go backwards with their heasle down,
and taking in pawn of such property. The command- and push with their hind legs, as if a boy should roll a
iug officer of any corps or regiment may appear in any snowball with his legs while standing on his head.
court, by the adjutant or serjeant major authorised in Dead birds, lizards, and all Ports of unpleasant things
writing under the hand of such commanding officer, are thus got rid of and made useful to the young of
LONG Ham AND Snotty.— Our primitive ances- this important little beetle, —World of Wonders.
tore, the Britons, and like them the Gauls, allowed their A Boy MURDERED !—A murder has been per.
hair to grow undisturbed. It often reached below the petrated in the village of Haversham, about a mile and
waist, and men like Caractacus must have looked a half from the Wolverton Junction on the London
curiosities. Conquered by the Romans' the Gauls and and North Western Railway. A young man named
Britons were ignominiously clipped. In his enumerm William Mobbs and a boy named Thomas Newbury
tion of the Gallic tribes led into captivity by Cmsar, were at work on Thursday evening in last week, in a
Lucian speaks of the Liguses "now shorn but erewhile field. The boy was found in the course of the even-
possessed of an abundant flow of hair." Those of the ing with his throat cut and quite dead, his head being
Gauls who obtained their liberation hastened to let their nearly seeered from his body. Near the place where
hair grow again '• in order the more to mark the im- the body was found was picked up a knife, which has
portance they attached to flowing locks, they took to been identified as belonging to Mobbs, and a smock
shaving their slaves. It is thus that Ausonius speaks frock has been found in a thick hedge near. which has
of four young boys and four yonng girls, all shorn, as also been identified as belonging to Mobbs. The
hieing a customarypresent to a rich Gaul on his wedding- police, upon going to Moldes's house, fonnd that the
day. At the beginning of the fifth century rharatoond clothes which he wore on Thursday evening were
established his kingdom in the prov.nce which thence- covered with blood. Hobbs was soon afterwards ap-
forth took the name of France. The Gauls were reduced prehended. An inquest was held on Monday, when
to a state of bondage, and the conquerors laid ruthless the jury returned a verdict of wilful murder against
scissors upon their victims' polls. From this time it Mobbs, who was then committed for trial,
became a generally understoed thing all over Europe THE lisay.—A Contributor sends us the follow-
that long hair was the exclusive appanage of the great
i
and noble. Not onl serfs, but free peasants and bur-
ng, as the best joke he could make clueing the hot
eases, y
weather :—A Tailor who supplies equestriennes relies
g were forbidden to go about otherwise than
cropped. The glebe slaves on a nobleman's estate were upon his habits for his custom.—Punch.
even (during the fifth, sixth, and seventh centuries) VERY LOYAL !—The Empress Eugenie recently
shorn altogether; and it is from this custom that the journeyed to Berck-en-Mer to inaugurate the new hos-
practice of saluting by taking off the hat arose. The pital for sick boys requiringsea air, and must have been
act of uncovering the head amounted to saving: "See, amply rewarded for the fatigue of the journey by the
sir ;I am your servant; I have no hair."—Dickeitia applause which greeted her (says the Court Journal).
"All the Year Round." The humble tributes of admiration set up along the
STRANGE SUICIDEs.—A French paper says :-- road gave proof of their genuine nature. On one arch,
"A woman of the commune of Nouziers lately had composed of grms, hay, and tares, stood a cow as 'awe
the frightful idea of burning herself alive. She con- as life ; inside was placed a boy to low in the must
structed in the middle of a field, with straw and natural fashion possible; but just as the Imperial car-
faggots, a funeral pile, on which ehe placed herself, liege passed beneath, unable to contain his enthusiasm,
and then set it on firm The corpse was found coin. he thrust forth his head, and the astonishment of the
uletely calcined. The deceased was about fifty-five spectators mar be conceived when the cry of "Vice
years of age, and had long suffered from an incurable rlmperatrice P issued in stentorian accents from the
malady." The Hungarian journals relate the follow- jaws of the animaL Oa smother arch stood a live
ing :—" Last week, Jelin Stebaleski, a shopkeeper, at fisherman, throwing his net. As the Imperial carriage
Pesth, loaded a pistol, and discharged the contents drew nigh the net was thrown with a more and more
into his heart. He had previously written the follow- unsteady hand, and at last at the most important
ing letter to a friend :—` My dear friend.—[ have de- moment of all away it flew from the grasp of the holder,
cited to kill myself to-morrow. Life is insupportable. entangling the horses of the carriage following first in
I adore my wife, but she has grown so stout—she that her Majesty's mite.
was of so ravishing a figure when I married her. THE ABYSSINIAN MURDERS.—The gamekeeper,
Adieu, my friend; tell my wife that I prefer to die Macdonald, who accompanied Mr. Powell and his
rather than be unfaithful to her, or to separate myself party to Abyssinia, has arrived at Coldrahall, Mon-
from her by means of the law. Farewell, and pity mouthshire, the seat of the unfortunate gentleman.
me.'" Macdo,nahl states that Mr. Powell hail completed his
A SINGULAR Courrunir !—The late Rev. Dr. elephant shooting, and had determined to visit South
Wig,htman, of Kirkamboe, was a simple-minded clergy- Abyssinia in order to secure crocodiles and sea cows.
man of the old schooL When a young man he paid slacerer and the Swedish missionaries were strongly
his aoldresees to a lady in the parish, and his suit was opposed to his going there, but he persisted, and the
M
accepted on the condition that it met the approval of journey was commenced. re. Powell and their little
the lady's mother. Accordingly, the doctor waited son John were with him. After two days' march the
upon the matron, and, stating his case, the good Tika tribe passed them. Hard nialil and the natives
woman, delighted at his proposal, passed the usual were about six miles in the rear with the baggage,
Scottish compliment, "Deed, doctor, you're far owre when they were attacked by the Tikes, and had to
grid for our Janet. I'm sure she's no guid ems' for escape for their liveg. They then received informs.
you." "Wed, weel," was the rejoinder, "ye ken best ; lion from a Swedish missionary that Mr. and Mrs.
so we'll say nae mair aboot it." No more was said, Powell and their child hail been murdered, but he is
and the social intercourse of the parties continued on not able to say anything more respecting the under-
the some footing as before. About forty years after tunate affair. The family have received intelligence to
Dr. Wightman died an old bachelor and the lady an the effect that the bodies were decently interred by
old maid. Protestant missionaries. Mr. Powell had with him
A NARROW ESCAPE.—A few days ago, when about 2500 worth of fire-arms, besides other valuables
the great wheel at Laxey, Isle of Man, was revolving attractive to the natives, which proved too great a
only occasionally, owing to the want of water, a temptation to them, and, in order to secure the booty,
gentleman walked up to the wheel, and seeing it stand- there is no doubt they resolved to murder the party.
ing still, he got over the protecting tailing and on to A spear thrust scarred Macdonald's hand in the attack
the interior part of the wheel, with a view to a close by the Tikes. If revenge is any satisfaction, the
inspection of its construction. He had scarcely got on wretches who committed the brutal murder will have
to the wheel when it began to move, and in an in- a heavy account to settle with the Aby esizdan ehief
stant, before he could get off it, the ponderous piece they are under and the surrounding tribes, who have
of machinery was in
.full swing. Fortunately the vowed to exterminate all those who had part in the
gentleman's presence of mind did not desert him, crime.
Grasping one of the spokie, he stuck to it as if strug- VERDICT AGAINST AN INSURANCE COMPANY.—
gling for life, and, consequently, was carried round The Imperi .1 Insurance Company (Limited) defended
with the wheel, which made three revolutions before an action brought against them at the Stafford assizes
1 it stopped, to recover the amount of a policy effected in their office
I WARNED IN A DREAM !—A few days ago a on the life of John Bailey, of Hanley, deceased. The
serious accident occoured in Bulmer villag,e to a pie- policy was effected in August, 181;7, and the deceased
nic party going to Castle Howard. The party made had made theusual statement that he was not consurup-
the journey in an omnibus, and it seems that the wife tive. The company had, however, found out that he
of one of the men hesitated to join the party, and had consulted a Dr. Arlidge, who had told him that he
tried to persuade her husband not to go, because she had signs of incipient consumption, and enjoined care.
had dreamt a week before that they were in an Onnij. They therefore refused to pay the amount of the policy
bus and were upset on going through a village and (E 300 on the ground that the deceased had made a
greatly injured, fright awakening her. The man and false and fraudulent statement. It was proved that
his wife, however, did go, but on reaching Balmer the the company's own doctor had found no tendency to
woman became greatly excited. Not only, she re- consumption, and the mother and widow of the de'
marked, was the omnibus that which she had seen in ceased man swore that they never knew of his suffering
her dream, hut the village was that in which the ac. from that disease. The jury gave a verdict for the full
cident she dreamt of happened. The words were amount of the policy.
scarcely uttered when the omnibus was upset, and a DEATHS BY DROWNING AT JERSILY.—Two
scene of great confusion resulted. Those on the out- unfortunate tourists met their death by drowning at
side were thrown to the ground with great violence; Jersey, on Friday in last week. The names of the de-
one man was rendered insensible by the omnibus ceased were Charles Augustus Mason, and.e_Lewis
falling upon him, and several sustained rather serious Jones Randall. With a friend, Mr. llenry C. James,
injuries. The woman to whom the accident was they went to bathe in St. Brelades Bay, when Mr.
revealed beforehand was herself badly hurt, but Mason, being, it is supposed, seized with cramp,
her husband's was the worst case, he sustaining a called out for help. Hie two friends swam towards
dislocation of an ankle. Medical aid was quickly him, when Mn, Randall also cried for assistance. Mr.
procured, the sufferers were relieved, and afterwards James made a gallant attempt to save them both, but
conveyed to their homes. Every incident of the as his own life became endangered thereby, he was
accident seems to have been pictured in tie premoui- compelled to desist, and the two unfortunate deceased
tory dream. were carried away by the current, Mr. Mason's body
DARING ESCAPE OF A PRISONER IN A RAILWAY being recovered in about an hour afterwards, and Mn.
TUNNEL.—An escape of the most daring character was Randall's at eleven o'clock at night.
effected on Friday evening, in last week, in the Peni- SERVED HIM RIGHT !—At the Devon assizes, on
stone Tunnel of the Manchester, Sheffield, add Lincoln- Moonday, Mr. Justice Lush heard a case of atrocious
shire Railway, by a young man named John Elliott, cruelty to a child. The accused, Thomas Bickle, la-
who bad been apprehended on the previous day for bower, of Plymouth, was charged with an attempt to
borne-stealing. -He was conveyed to Barnsley on murder his son, Charles Bickle. The prisoner, on re-
Friday, and was remanded to Nottingham, and, having turning home in a state of drunkenness, asked for his
been placed in the custody of Superintendent Stamford, child and threatened to throw him into the tank. No
of the Notts Constabulary, he was taken by the 625 motive for this threat was known, and no notice was
p.m. train, securely handcuffed and placed between taken of it, butt on his landlady going into the yard she
two superintendents. Nothing occurred until the train discovered the child in the tank, which was full of
got into a short tunnel between Silkstone and Peni- water. She took it out and it was examined by a
Mame, when the prisoner, who had no doubt been medical gentleman. It was insensible. Prisoner,
watching his opportunity, by one desperate effort burst when charged with the offence, said if the child was
open the door and threw himself out. The movement not dead it ought to, be. When in custody he said that
was so sudden that for a moment the officers were if possible he would have shoved his landlady into the
paralysed. The train was stepped as quickly as pos- water as welL He was found guilty. His lordship
eible, and a rigorous search was made for the fugitive, said it was a case showing the sad effects of Aink,
who, however, up to Saturday evening, was still at The sentence was seven years' penal servitude; if the
liberty. prisoner had not been recommended to mercy it would
THE PRICE OF BUTCEIERS' MEAT.—The ('sour- have been penal servitude for life.
ries. de in Boucherie of Paris contains an article upon A MYSTERY EXPLAINED. Some surprise, not
the rising prices of butchers' meat all over Europe unmixed with alarm, was excited recently in Paris, in
which has attracted serious notice in France. All the consequence of the water supplied to the public by the
French markets have been gradually rising fer the Admiloistration being deeply tinged with Violet. Some
past six years, so much so that the advance constitutes persons said that a quantity of adulterated wine had
a considerable surcharge upon the consumption of the been thrown away at Bercy ; others pretended that
country. Choice parts are double the price they were; ' the drain pipes from the slaughterhouses at La Villette

Tyne £274,586; of Preston, £198,975. The total of
secured debts is £,4900,743, mid 13 boroughs sent in no
account. The amount borrowed en so.urity is the
year was £581.666. The expendlture on public works
in the year ending the 31st of August, 1868, was
1.1h3,086; at klaneheiter, £414,812; Liverpool,
£127,803; Newcastle, £95,960; Halifax, £93 993;
Oldham, £73,660 ; Birmingham, £7O 807. The debt
(principal) paid off in the year was £348,3j2.
LONGEVITY IN DERBYSHIRE. The ancien
family of Radford, of Smalley, near Derby, is at the
present moment more remarkable for the bogey of
its living members than, perhaps, any family in Eng-
land. Six children of Mr. John Radford, who died in
1834, aged 88, are now living—four ems and two
daughters; their respective ages being 93, 87, 85, 84,
81, 78. and the suns total of their ages is 508, giving
a'aive 84 years to each. In addition may be mentioned
that two years ago, John Radford, of Smalley, the late
head of the family, died at the age of 87.
Scour or A BROKEN Lao.— At the Birkenhead
police-court, on Tuesday, astonishment was caused by
four policemen assisting an old woman, whose name
was given as Mary Jones, into the dock. It was stated
that she was suffering from a broken leg, and had only
been discharged from the workhouse at Tranniere on
Monday. Mr. Hereby, the bridewell keeper, said the
old woman was given into his charge about ten o'clock
on Monday night to take care of for the night, as she
had one of her legs broken. He sent for Mr.
M'Nerney, the relieving-officer, but when he came the
old woman said nobody should touch her but Dr. Lam-
bert, who had attended her while she was an inmate of
the borough hospital. Mr. 141.'Nerney gave her an order
for the workhouse, but she said she would rather go to
the gaol than go there. While the parley was going on
she hopped off on one leg to a public-house close to,
where she remained until midnight, and then came to
the police-office again. On examination, her leg was
found to have been properly bandaged as if done by a
professional person, but there were now evidences of a
fresh fracture. In reply to the magistrates, the old
woman said that she had that morning walked from
Dacre•hill near Rock Ferry, to the court, a distance of
three miles, and fallen down a step at the Town-hall
and broken her leg a second time. The reason she did
not go to the workhouse was because else c add not
walk up there. "But," one of the magistrates re-
marked, "you could walk to the public-house to get
drink." The bench ordered her to be disckarged from
custody, and taken to the borough hospitaL
ANUTHER MURDER !—A shocking murder has
taken place at the village of Leadgate, in Northum-
berland.i
The murderer s a miner, named Joseph
Whitfield, and the: victim his youngest daughter, a
child seven years old. Fur the last few months Whit-
field had been confined to his bed and unable to work,
his wife having during that time gone out to wash in
order to earn a little money. During the absence of
his wife and the other children, he cut the youngest
girl's throat, when she was asleep in bed." He said,
''l cannot help it ; she has only gone to heaven a little
before us." He was at once taken into custody and
conveyed to the lock-up at Consett. Whitfield has
always been a respectable and peaceable man, and it is
supposed that he was labouring under temporary in-
sanity, brought on by sickness and poverty.

had burst; a third hypothesis was that on the approach-
ing fete day of the Emperor an ancient custom was to
be revived of letting the public fountains flow with
wine, and that a few casks bad been poured into the
conduits as an experiment. The mystery wassoon k x•
plained. Several casks of a dye called orehall had been
left by the canal where the La Villette reservoir receives
its supply, and ore of them baying been upset and
fractured, the stuff inside had fallen out and found its
way into the water. The dye is said to be harniles,
VISION OF IRISH WALL-PSl:HT.—lreland was
thrown into a state of unparalleled excitement by the
debates in the House of Lords on the question of ad-
hering to their Amendments of the Irish Church Bill.
The eyes of all the potatoes were on the Premier.—
Punch.
"A DAWN OF Nana !"—At the meeting of
the Dublin Town Council. on Monday, Alderman
M'Swin* praised "the noble and chivalrous conduct
of the Premier," and hoped that the passing of the
Church Bill would be a dawn of peace. " He believed
but one feeling predominated among the mass of the
people of Ireland, and that was, to live in peace with
their Protestant fellow countrymen. They wished to
see all obstacles removed, and that no barrier should
separate them. The great bone of contention being
now removed, they should hail with joy any overture
on the part of their Protestant friends for the good of
the country. He believed those sentiments were shared
by the organs of the Conservative press."
GETTING OUT OF TRAINS. The prevalence of
the practice of getting out of trains, while still in
motion, ha, induced a civil engineer of New York to
state for the guidance of the public. that "the true
method"' is, not to jump, but to step lightly from the
carriage, keeping your face in the direction of motion,
let go the rail at once, keep the head and body well
thrown back, and, if the train is going at speed, step
out quickly the moment your feet touch the ground.
PRTRIFACTION.—The Naples Correspondent of
the Athenantrn. writes :
The Prick informs us that the Provincial Deputation has
granted the use of a portion of the old monastery of Santa
Maria Is ISuova for the exhibition of a human body, which
has been petrified by Prof. Abbate. The public are admitted
gratuitously twice a week to witness this spectacle. The
Professor informs us that, according to Ms system, the petri-
faction of the body of a child would not cost more than 100
francs. A private letter, inviting me to pay a visit to Saute
Maria la ISuova, says that Prof. Abbate would be glad to
make his discovery known in Eugland. By a simple and not
costly process he has also found the means of preserving
mega in a perfect state for any length of time, although ex-
pAsul to the atmosphere.
A ToWN REBUILT is Two MOTs.—The town
of Helena, Montana, alnimst entirely destroyed by fire
about two months ago, has been rebuilt. Now the
Principal business streets show scarcely a trace of the
great fire. Within sixty days 1'24 new buildings have
been put up, worth not lees than 30 i,OOO dole. Fully
half of this amount has been expended upon substan-
tial stone structures, which take the places of light
frames, and still more are in process of construction.
And this is in a town of 8,000 inhabitants, situated
among the spurs of the Rocky Mountains, far away
from all the facilities for rapid construction which
abound in the East.—New York Times.
THE DUTCHMAN'S Noss !—ln the coarse of a
case investigated last week at the Waterford petty
sessions a witness named Larkin gave an amusing
aacount of a scuttle lie hail with a Dutchman who had
been taking some liberties with a young woman under
Larkin's protection. He said : " During the quarrel
with the Dutchman, I had my lip bitten by him. I
bit his nose in return, and took such a catch of it as
caused my teeth to meet (laughter): He had plenty of
nose left. I did not bite it off entirely. There was a
little excitement during the row with the Dutchman.
Some women were screaming at the row ; more were
laughing." The mayor observed that it was rather
startling to bite off a man's nose. It was certainly a
novel mode of fighting. Complainant said that after
getting his lip bitten he would have bitten off all the
Dutchman's nose if he could.
NURSING THE Bally !—An amusing incident,
which the reporters do not mention, occurred at the
Woolwich Baby Show (says a London Contempo-
rary). A young man of the true music-hall type took
particular notice of one baby, and asked the mother to
allow him to feel its weight. She readily assented,
and while he was turning round to speak to a friend
the mother vanished. In vain he looked out for luT,
and equally in vain did he try to get some one else to
hold the infant. Women tittered and men chaffed
The temporary guardian at first tried to think it a juke,
but a few minutes of such a joke is enough, and an
hour is too much ; but fir an hour was the skittish
young mother absent, strolling among the flowers,
mayhap, or perchance taking refreshment. At the
end of that time 8111 turned up and claimed her child,
The too- spectator will, perhaps, never ask to

THE DUDLEY POISONING CASE.
The Birmingham Post has publiithed the following
letter, written by the condemned woman, Fanny
Oliver, to her father and mother
The Worcester Prison, July 24.
My dear Father and Mother and dear Brother,
I received )our letter, and am sorry to hear that my poor
dear mother was worse ; hut I hope theta hotter. My dear
mother, I am better; thank God for it, for God gave me
grace to bear my trouble. Dear mother, though lam con-
demned to die, I fear it not; for God knows that I am
innocent, and he will raise my soul iu heaven.
Dear mother, do not fret for me, for I was only lent to
you, and now my Heavenly Father wants me.
Tho' dark my path, and sad my lot,
Bet me be still, and murnim not,
Or Meath° the prayer divinely taught.

. -
Dear mother, I hope that we shall meet in heaven, where
no trouble comes. Dear mother, they are all so kind to me,
and God is with me. Oh I hive Him Imre and more, for I
love Him more than you all in heart. May God bless you all,
and pray to God to help you. Though I shall never see your
dear face again, dear mother, in this world, but I hope 1
shall in heaven, for T am going to die for that, dear mother,
lam innocent of. Yee, dear parents, lam innocent. tdid
knows I am, and I wish sonic one would it take up, and hear
what I have got to say. Then they would know that I was
Innocent. My trial is an unjust one. My dear father and
sister has written to the Governor, and she will come with
you, and I should like to see my dear brother, awl tell him
about his Heavenly Father. I should like to ace Mr. Parry.
As .011 as you can, come to sea me, your poor innocent
child, for God knows my time is short in this world.
My God, my Father, whilet I stray,
Far frtm my home, in life's rough way,
Oh, teach me from my heart to say,
Thy will be done.
•
Tho' dark my path and sad my lot.
Let me be still, and murmur not.
Oh ! may the Lord lee with you all, dear mother. I have plenty
of nice food, and they are all so kind to me and the Lord.
Come on Monday, if you can, my dear friends, pray for your
Innocent child. My dear brother, be strong, and pray to God
to make you so, and a child of God, for your poor sister's
sake. We may never meet again in this world, but I hope
we shall in heaven.. Good bye, by dear brother, and my dear
father. Good bye, dear mother—good bye. I wish I could
see your dear face once. Good bye, my dear mother, forever!
From your poor innocent child, FAIiNY OLIVER. COMB to
see me.

tributions

hold another baby:
Pio NONO AND 11IS GOLD.—A good story] is
related of a child admitted to the cabinet de travail of
the present Pope. In preparation for the (Ecumenical
Council, his Holiness ordered from his architect certain
embellishments, the plan of which was brought for his
inspection by that gentleman's little boy. Charmed
by the plan, his Holiness opened a drawer foil of gold,
and said to the child, "Take a handful of coin as a
reward for the beauty of your father's work." "Holy
Father," replied the child, "take it out for me, your
hand is bigger than mine!" Pius IX., with the kind-
liness which is his characteristic, could not help
and obeyed the child. JUST AS IT SHOULD BE!
A PRACTICAL MAN !—An adventurous inventor
of some new life-saving apparatus is making arrange- In a leader no the Telegraphs 11111, now before the Hos
ments to test his machine very practically. lie pro. of Commons, Ihe Times of Wednesday says:—
posed to be dropped in mid-channel, between England The more the facts of the case are understood, the
and France from the deck of a sailing vessel or steamer, ire evident does it become that the public have
and to be kft to bis own resources for saving himself, Fe i
and even victualling himself, until some passing i
ship padged rightly n the degision they have arrived at.
at s difficult to overrate one advantage which the Post
comes along. He hails from America, and wonderful
Office will at once bestow upon us. The telegraph will
tales are told of what has been done in that country be extended to every money-order office in the 'United
with the invention. Kingdom. The money -order offices are no placed that
A REAL GRIEVANcE.—The Thames Tunnel is I every village in the country is readily accessible from
disestablished. It was finally closed stew nights ago, them; so that this arrangement at once places every
and has been bought by a railway. This, you know, is , path of the country in instant communication with
a grievance for Londoners. When country friends every other part. We believe that when this communi-
came to town, we have been accustomed to send them, I cation has been once established it will be found practi-
first, to the top of the Monument; secondly, to the cable to use it for many important purposes not yet
Thames Tunnel ; and, if they ever returned (which appreciated. We shall expect, for instance, monetary
few did), thirdly. to the British Museum, which coin- transactions to be enormously facilitated.
pleted their annihilation. Now the Tunnel is gone. Moreover, Mr. Soidamore's evidence before the
What substitute is offered! Somebody suggest some-
thing. It must be a very long way from civilised Committee afforded satisfactory explanation on the
important question of the rate of charge. The pro-
regions, very improving, and awfully fatiguing. As posal of a uniform rate of is, seemed to be an actual
everybody will be off in a few days, to sponge on the increase on the present charge for a certain class of
hospitalities of country friends, there is no immediate messages in towns. But Mr. Scudamore states that
haste, but it is due to them that we should have some- the increase will be for the most part only apparent,
thing invented before the winter.—Punch. since the uniform shilling rate of the Government will
PUBLIC PETITIONS.—A further return of petitions cover all the expenses of delivery. The charge
presented to the House of Commons, comprising the for conveying messages from the receiving Offices
period from the 14th to the 20th inst., has been issued, to the addresses forms, as every one must
For adoption of the ballot in parliamentary elections have experienced, a material item in the cost of
the petitions have risen to 97, bearing 22 994 signatures. telegraphing. But from the greater number of
For extension of the elective franchise to women 227 offices which will be opened by the Government they
petitions have been presen'ed, the number of signs- will be able to dispense with this additional charge
tutes attached being 52,148. Against the Lords' altogether, and if messages of twenty words can be sent
amendments to the Irish Church Bill 165 petitions were in future to all parts of the kingdom for a charge strictly
presented, signed by 11,295 persons. A petition from limited to a shillin, it must be confessed that we shall
Nuneaton (presented by Mr. Newdegate), in favour of possess a very substantial advantage. Moreover, we
the amendments, bears 265 names. Against the bill learn that the sixpenny messages furnish only 160,000
for legalisiog the marriage with a deceased wife's sister out of six millions carried annually; so that, as l',lr.
the petitions numbered 209, and the signatures 3,021 Scudamore puts it, for every sixpence the Government
In favour of the bill 206 ',elitism have been sent in, will add th-y will take off a charge of 7s. Oil.
signed by 11,515 persons. For inspection of monastic But it may be thought still more to the point that
and conventual establishments 14 508 persons have Mr. Scudamore represents the shilling rate 119 merely
affixed their signature to 87 petitions. Seventy-five one of transition. He fully expects that in the courts.,
persons connected with the East Indian army have of two or three years we shall have a uniform charge
petitioned for redress of grievances. For public aid of 6d. He has very little doubt the Government
to assist emigration six petitions have been presented, could afford to commence with a sixpenny rate, but
signed by 373 persons. The Vestry of Clerkenwell, "that rate would bring an enormous increase in
and also of St. Mary, Islington, have petitioned against the number of messages, and until we know see-
the Metropolitan Board of Works (Loans) BilL The curately what number of messages we can carry
Parochial Schools (Scotland) Bill has called forth 40 and what business we can do with the staff, we think
petitions, with 64 signntures, against it, and 39 petitions, we ought not to bring that increase of work upon us;
with 5,683 signatures, for alterations in its provisions, that, really, is the only reason for not charging a lower
The Permissive Bill still continues to elicit petitions rate than a shilling." It will probably be thought a
in its favour from all parts of the country, the total sound reason, and, as we sail at the commencement
number now being 3,367, and the signatures 770,882. of the discussion, we can well understand that the
A Cumous SToRY.—We (Delhi Gazette) learn Government desire to begin cautiously in entering on
from the Punjaub that an officer of the 15th Bengal so new a branch of business.
Cavalry, in April last, applied through his command-
ing officer for six months' leave to Cashmere during this
season, but the commanding officer refused to pass it
on, because if sanctioned it would interfere with his own
prospects of leave in August next. The matter was
referred to the major-general of the division, who
failed to see the force of the commanding officer's ob-
jection, and the application was pa-sod on through the
usual channel to his Excellency the Commander-in.
Chief. His Excellency vetoed the application. The
officer in question, on account of ill health, then nought
through a medical board a means of escape from the
plains. The regimental surgeon applied for a board;
it was granted, and six months' cave on medical
grounds to visit Cashmt re were recommended by the
board. The officer took his departure from Mooltan,
and was proceeding towards Cashmere, tria Binubur,
but he was stopped by a telegram from head-quarters
directing him not to proceed to Cashmere, but to re-
port his arrival at Murree. He reached Murree and
reported his arrival ! and there another medical board
was assembled, presided over by the Deputy Inspector
General of Hospitals of the Indian Army, and this
board confirmed the proceedings of the previous board,
and recommended on strong grounds that the officer
should be permitted to proceed to Cashmere. His
Excellency has again vetoed the recommendation ef
the board, pending reference to the Inspector-General
of Hospitals of the Indian Forces!
SMUOGLINGL—Fewer cases of smuggling appear
to have been attempted, or, at least, discovered, in
London in the year 1868 than in the preceding year—
about 195, as against 350 in 1467. There were only 24
in which the quantities of tobacco and cigars exceeded
bib., and only 11 in which the quantity of spirits ex-
ceeded two gallons. Some of the seizures were of
rather a novel character. In one instance 6001bs. of
tobacco were found concealed in six bales of hops im-
parted from Ostend, and entered as free goods by a
foreigner, who was convicted and committed to gaol
in default of payment. In another caee 6.51b5, of to-
bacco were found concealed in a cask of potatoes,
while 41bs. of Cavendish tobacco were found ingeni-
ously concealed inside two loaves of baked German
bread. At the outporte there WM a decided increase
of smuggling in 1868 as compared with 1867, the
number of seizures being 979, an increase of 52.
224 convictions were obtained for the heavier offences.
and 31,7 summary convictions wherethe quantity seized
was small. Attenapts were made by a large number of
smugglers to land 72 small esslys, containing 205 gal-
lons of brandy, at South Yarmouth, Isle of Wight.
The casks were secured, but it being a dark December
night, the delinquents escaped; it may be mentioned,
as a proof that the disposition to smuggle is not con-
fined to the merchant service, that a seizore of 9711 a. of
tobacco was made in January on bond her Majesty's
ship Speedy, at Jersey. stationed there for the protection
of the oyster fishery. A seizure of 19111. was also made
on board her Majesty's troopship Crocodile up in her
arrival at Portsmouth from Alexandria, and 36 bales
of unmanufactured tobacco were found concealed on
board her Majesty's ship Serapia in November, also
arrived at Portsmouth from Alexandria.
DEBTS OF Boaorous.—The debts of some of the
muni&pal boroughs of England are of considerable
annunt. The annual accounts made up the 315 t of
August, 1868, show the debt of Manchester to be
£838,204; of Halifax' £737,869 ; of Birmingham,
£627,313; of Oldham £.534,849 ; of Neweistle-npea•

smiling,

pleasure than in &gist in the uhvedin iiaitsl. 1 lie
uanaof Ce,,e Peab.y i- too well Imo. 0 for me to do more
than mereb rmouii,,, it to you; nl ti.e same time it xffords
nit the tieepe,t gratiti,.ation to pay a tribute of real it to
that great American to then great pinl mtbropist, to th at—l
may say—great citizen of the world tUtmen.) L:hgland can
never adequately repay tlie debt of gratitude shiciLsiv...a
London e,iecialig, owes to him whose wonderf,d charity haa
been a htteratlydiatrThnteut. POT One not born in this coin dry
ti have given, I believe, more than a quarter of a million
panda sterling is a thing unequalled, and his name will
go down to posterity as that of a man who has tried to
ameliorate the sufferings and to elevate the social, and there-
fore moral, character of his fellow-creatures. I have not yet
seen the statue, but having had the privilege of au acquaint-
ance h the sculptor, Mr. Story, for the space ot ten years,
lam sure it win I.e worthy of the mm to whom it is dedi-
cated. In concluding these few imper'ect Tkinirke, let me
thank Mr. Motley, the American Minister, for be sag pi event
to day, and let me assure linn how glad lam to take pelt in
this—l may almost say national—ceremony, lacuna it gives
me the oppot tunny of pii)ing a tribute to his distuaguidied
countryman. I can assure him that my feelings towards
America are personally tne same as they ever were; nor can
I ever forget the reception I esperienned ‘due feats..., in
that country. My earnest with and hope is that Enclatid and
America may ever go together !gelatin hand us gegen and in
proiperity. :,Load cheers.)
The buaineas of unveiling was soon despatched.
"Jo it your Royal Highness'o pleasure that thio statue
should be uncovered l" inquired Sir B. Phillips. "If
you please," answered the Prince of Wales. Then in
a moment the cords were loosened, the linen c,vering
was removed, and the massive figure of George Peabody
in his rirm-chair appeared to the delighted as•embly,
who cheered and cheered, while the Plince and others
congratulated Mr. Story upon his successful piece of
' art. Eyes were then turned to the American Minis.
• ter, and Mr. Motley, after a pause, came forward and
maid :
- " • • • —•

I. thank you sincerely for this kind reception. I thank his
Royal Highness for the cordial words he has spoken. I shaM
not, its the brief moment allotted us, attempt to pronounce a
fit eulogy upon the great philanthropist, tieorge Peal, aiy—
nor is it necessary. Ili, name alone is sufficient Most
fortunate and generous of men, he has discovered the secret
for which nusers might sigh in vain—the art of keeping a
great fortune to himself as long as time shall last. In this
connection I have of ten thought of a famous epitaph inscribt
on the monument of that old Earl of Devonshire wins cue
termed the good Earl. Said he, " What I spent, that II one,
what I saved_, that I teat; that which I gave away remains
with me." So may we say of Peabooy. But SA a 11101111 M.%
Into be erected, I am glad the difficult task has been c
rn-
mitted to the hands a the American sculptor chose been
my intimate friend for many yearn. During a recent residence
in Rome I had the good fortune of seeing this statue elm 1,1,5
just been unveiled in the busy heart id England's great k.etro•
pods by the Royal hands of England's Prince, ami grown day
by day ender the plastic fingers of the artist. I saw Mr Pea.
body and his statue, sitting as it were side by aide, and of teu
debated a ithin myself without coming to an accurate oemlu-
sion uhethor on the whole the statue wete more like Mr.
Peabody, or Mr. Peabody morn Site the statue. Both seem
to wear the same gent..., sympathetic smile, the .same
genuine and manly presence. Ili, a delightful thought that
the passing thousands who go through tbis crowded mart
will are George Peabody almost as accurately as it in the
hock; and that future generations long unborn—the, fear,
never-ending procession of London's poor—will become an-ti
familiar with the features of their great benefactor. , L•ml
cheers)

To calls for Mr. Story, that gentleman made a very
effective reply. He pointed to his work and added,
"That is my speech."
'l'he statue lea faithful likeness of Mr. Peabody; and
has cost V,OOO, which has been raised by limited con-
from all classes.

LETTER OF THE QUEEN TO MR. PEABODY.

The Boston (U .S.) Post, of July 12, says :

It would be difficult for any one to pay a more delicate or
graceful compliment than that which Queen Victoria has
just paid to our munificent countryman, Ge .rge Peabody.
Mr. Peabody, as is well understood, left England very unex-
pectedly, and without allowing his departure to he known
bey cud a narrow circle of his friends. But the fact or his
embarkatioe, and of his extremely feeble health, found its
way into the English journals, and soon came to the know-
ledge of her 3laj esty, who, eith that good nedi of heart which
hue always characterised her, and which Americans have
never failed to appreciate and admire, gave imniediate ex-
pression to her feelings in the following autograph note,
which, we learn, has been received by Mr. Peabody within a
few days past, and of which we have been fortunate enough
to obtain a copy :
" Windsor Castle, June 20, 1869.—The Queen is very,sorry
that Mr. Peabody's sudden departere has made It impos-
sible for her to see him beim e he left England, and she
is concerned to hear that he is gone in bad health: Site
now writes hint a line to express her hope that he may
return to this country quite recovered, and that she
may then have the opportunity, of which she hue now
been deprived, of seeing hint and offering Lint her per-
sonal thanks for all he has done I d. the people."

•vwwe .....
The note was transmitted by Mr. Arthur Helps, the Clerk
of the Privy Council, who adds that the Queon also com-
manded him "to he sure and charge Mr. Peabody to report
himself on his return to England." flow touch there is in
such an act of consideration end kindness on the part of
Queen Victoria, towards one whom all Americats are prod
of, to soften the asperities growing out of public controversies
between the two nations! The exquisite portrait oh tier
Majesty, which she sent to Mr. Peabody two or three years
ago is now at the Danvers Institute in the tame apartmont
with the beautiful gill medal presented to him by Cougreas,
in the name of the people of the United States, but a. little
note like thin, cooling so plainly from the Queen's heart, us
well as from her own band, has a significance and a value far
above any mere material gifts, however costly.