The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-02-03 00:00:00

EPITOME OF NEWS.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

A Bengali version of the "Life of the Prince Con-
sort" has been brought out in India by a native writer
under the title of " Rajjebani."
The Queen has weeded to the request of the Com-
mittee to be Patron to the Triennial Musical Festival,
to be held in Leeds in October next.
Vessels arriving from America report that they
have experienced terrible weather in the Atlantic.
The recent arrival at Deptford of 180 bullocks from
Illinois will be unpleasant news to English graziers
(remarks the S. James's Gazette). It is stated that the
animals arrived in good condition, and found a ready
sale at good prices. It is significant, too, that these
beasts were all bred and raised by the same owner;
and it is to be presumed that what one American
grazier can do can be done by others
In London, on Monday, Mr. W. J. Payne held
an inquest at the City. Mortuary on the body_ of
a child found in a tin box, left at the Vic-
toria Station, Manchester. Mr. W. Hawkins,
clerk to the London and North-Western Railway
Company, Hayton-square, London, said it was part of
his duty to open the unclaimed luggage sent to his
department from time to time. A painted tin box,
oval shaped, fastened by a padlock, arrived on the
10th a of January. It was directed "Lloyd, Cloak-
room, Victoria Station, Manchester," and was left
there on the 21st December, 1881, as cloak-room lug-
gage, and not being claimed within twelve months
was forwarded to the department in London. Wit-
ness opened it on Friday in last week, and quickly
perceived'it contained some very inodorous substance.
He called the attention of the porter to it, who turned
out the contents, amongst which were a black skirt, a
woollen shawl tied up in two knots, and the remains
of a child. There was no writing or label whatever
inside the box.—The Jury returned an open verdict.
A contract has been entered into by the Paris Mint
for the supply of coins of various denominations to the
tatal value of about £1,000,000 for the Government of
Morocco. On one side will be stamped a verse from
the Koran, and on the other the date according to the
Hegira. The Paris Mint, which, besides coining the
French, currency, frequently accepts contracts from
abroad, has also undertaken to supply 2,500,000 coins
of five and ten liptas (a halfpenny and a penny) to the
• lieltenio.-Govirrnment three yrs.
The presses in the establishment referred to number
22, and are said to be capable of manufacturing 593,000
coins per day, each separate press being crelited with
the production of 45 come per minute,

The Court Journal says that the last words of the
dying Prince Charles of Prussia were "Es lebe hoch "
(Long may he live), and were spoken of the Emperor.
A national exhibition is to be held at Zurich, in
Switzerland, this year. Telegraphy, telephony, and
other applications of electricity will be represented.
The Queen has sent twenty pheasants for the use
of the patients of St. George Hospital.
The latest news from Berditscheff records the death
of 36 persons from excitement, and the going mad of
nine others, all results of the late fire.
Prince Bismarck has been decorated by the Shah of
Persia with the Order of the Sun.
A mounted battalion of engineers has been formed
in Russia for the purpose of destroying railways on the
frontiers in time of war.
Madame Patti's American tour, it is stated, has
been a most lucrative one. Each appearance produced
an average of 10,000 dollars, gross receipts of which
she gets 4,400 dollars.
The Ecclesiastical Commissioners have again allowed
their agricultural tenants 10 per cent. reduction for
the year ending Lady Day next.
The Lord Mayor of London has decided to issue a
circular to the mayors of provincial towns, inviting
their aid on behalf of the fund now being raised at
the Mansion House for the relief of the sufferers by
fire at Kingston, Jamaica. About £5,500 has been
already subscribed.
Last week's reoeipts of cotton at all United States
ports were 135,000 bales; since Ist September, 1882,
4,140,000 bales. Week's export to Great Britain,
94,000 bales; week's exports to the Continent, 61,000
bales, Total since let September, 1882, 2,170 000
bales. Stock at all ports, 880,000 hales.
The death is reported of one of the oldest in-
habitants of Portsmouth, in the person of Mrs. Ann
Crook Buttler, whose age was 102 years and 10
months. She was born in Broad-street, Portsmouth,
on the 17th March, 1780, and her father was a captain
in the navy and afterwards an admiral on half pay,
which latter position he held for mally years.
Sixty British an foreign actual shipwrecks were
reported during the past week, making a total of 197
for the present year, or an increase of 43 as compared'
with the corresponding period of last year, the increase
for the week being 28. British-owned vessels num-
bered 31, ten were steamers, with an aggregate ton-
nage of 6,371 tons, fire being British steamers, with
a tonnage of 2,796 tons. Total tonnage lost for the
week, 16,186 tons. Total number of lives lost and
missing, 523.
The miltary authorities in British North America
have brought to the notice of the Admiralty the great
strategical value and defenceless condition of Van-
souver's Island, and have strongly recommended that
instead of abandoning the island as a naval depot
steps should at once be taken to establish it as a first-
class depot, and so fortify it that it would be able to
resist the attack of a hostile fleet in case of emergency.
A serious disturbance occurred at the Blue Ribbon
Gospel Hall, Maidenhead on Tuesday evening. While
service was being held a party of roughs threw bricks
at the windows, smashing a large number of the panes.
A scene of excitement ensued within. The ladies
streamed, and sought shelter in the vestry. One young
lady received a eut on the face, while others narrowly
escaped serious injuries. Several of the Army mem-
bers were attacked outside the building, and were in-
jured more or less. •

Consequent upon the increase of foot-and-mouth
disease in Shropshire, the Privy Council have issued
an order stopping the sale of cattle throughout the
county, with the exception of the sale of tat stock.
There has been a serious outbreak of the disease on a
farm near Blackburn.
Earl Cairns, speaking at Bournemouth on Tuesday
on behalf of the United Kingdom Beneficent Society,
remarked that there were a great many charities in
this country, including almshouses, infirmaries, and
refuges of various kinds, but by far the greater num-
ber of them were for persons of a different class of life
to those who were aided by that institution, and there
were comparatively few of them which provided
shelter for persons who had spent the greater pos.
tion of their lives in affluence and plenty, but who,
through no fault of their own' had been reduced to
want. This association was to provide for the said
people, and to do so, not by taking them away from
their families or their homes, but by the granting of
small annuities.
The arrivals of live stock and fresh meat at Liver-
pool during last week from the United States and
Canada were, of live stook, a slight increase on those
of the previous week, and, indeed, were the largest
number landed since the beginning of the year. There
was a large decrease in beef and mutton in comparison
with the preceding week, The total consignments
were 654 cattle, 1,664 sheep, 4,599 quarters of beef,
and 688 carcases of mutton,
In London, on Tuesday, Mr. S. F. Langham held
an inquiry touching the death Of George Hannan, a
gentleman's servant, of 21, Stafford-place, Bucking.
ham Palace-road. The evidence of the friends of the
deceesPd showed that he had committed suicide by
shooting himself with a revolver belonging to a lodger.
The only question was whether the verdict should be
" felo due," or "temporary insanity." The jury re-
turned a verdict of "Temporary insanity."
Mr. C. H. Parkes, in presiding at the half-yearly
meeting of the Great Eastern Railway, drew the at-
tention of the shareholders to the fact that the
Government duty still remained an unreasonable tax,
and prevented the company undertaking many neces-
sary schemes for increasing the accommodation for
the public. He believed it was generally felt that an
effort should be made to petition Parliament to repeal
the tax. - -

The long deluge of rain to which so many districts of
Europe have been subjected has resulted in misfortunes
curiously characteristic of the regions in which they
occur. Switzsrland, for example, has been harassed
by landslips, Germany and Hungary have been de-
solated by floods, and now it is the turn of Ireland to
add to her other unhappiness the peculiar calamity of
bursting bogs.—Leader in the Staucktrd.
The Princess Louise has just sent home same beauti-
ful sketches done by her during her trip through the
United States (says the Court Journo)). She is a
most indefatigable artist, herself and her sketch-book
being inseparable. Her natural talent, now culti-
vated by constant practice, turns out in the course of
a year an enormous number of sketches, some of them
of considerable value.
A New York telegram says that the visible supply
of wheat on Jan. 26 was 26,800,000 bushels, as against
21,400,000 bushels the previous week. Visible supply
of Indian corn, 9,600,000 bushels, as against 9,400,000
bushels the previous week. The export clearances of
wheat for Europe during last week amounted to
910,000 bnshels ; the export clearances of Indian corn
for Europe during last week amounted to 810,000
bushels.

American papers, just to hand, sayirtliat the sleigh-
ing carnival, held in Washington, was a great success.
Hundreds of vehicles joined in the procession, the
sleighs being occupied by persons with and without
masks. Prizes were given for the most ingenious and
grotesque rigs, and some of these were very funny.
The last festival of the kind took place six years ago.
The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens,
Regent's Park, London, last week included two
Macaque monkeys from India, presented by Mr. J.
Steel; a blaekfooted penguin from Sonth Africa, pre-
sented by Mr. John Wormald ; a West Indian rail
from West Indies, presented by Mr. E. H. Biome-
field ; an orange-winged dove from Brazil, presented
by Mr. C. A. Craven' C.M.Z.S. ; a long-eared owl
(British), presented by Mr. —Dyer; a great barbet, a
silky starling, two grey thrushes, twelve red-sided tits
from Japan, a created grebe, four razorbills, a red.
throated diver (British), purchased.
A somewhat singular accident happened at Godley
Junction, on the Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincoln-
shire Railway, on Saturday. A goods train at Wood-
head, on its way to Manchester, broke into three
portions, The engine and a few waggons pulled up
at Godley, and were soon afterwards run into by the
middle portion of the train. There was a terrific
collision and six of the waggons were smashed. The
binder part of the train was stopped by the guard. No
personal injuries were sustained, but both lines were
blocked for some hours.
The throne to be used at the Czar's coronation has
already been ordered (says the Graphic.) It will be
made of black oak, richly carved in antique Slavonic
patterns, and will cost over £1,600. The canopy will
be supported by columns ten feet high, and will be
ornamented by the Imperial eagle and a scroll-work
bearing the 56 coats of arms of the Governments of
Russia. Crimson velvet hangings, embossed in gold,
will shelter the Imperial chairs, which will stand on
a dais.
Under the patronage of the Queen, the Prince and
Princess of Wales, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Duke
and Duchess of Connaught, and the Duke of
Cambridge, assisted by. a large and influential com-
mittee, an exhibition is being formed of trophies, relics,
and articles of kindred interest, connected with the
Egyptian and other campaigns. The exhibition will
be held at Humphrey'tehall, Albert-gate, London, and
will be opened in February.
At Chester, on Monday night, Mr, B. Whitworth,
M.P. presided over a large meeting to celebrate the
forty-fifth anniversary of the establishment of the
local branch of the Christian Temperance Society. In
the course of his speech he said he believed he could
say with truth that he had been a teetotaller longer
than any man in England, having been one all his
life. He congratulated them on the enormous strides
made by Temperance advacates within the last
quarter of a century. When he entered Parliament
in 1865 the only other teetotaller there was Sir
Edward Baines; at present there were at least thirty-
four or thirty-five total abstainers amongst the mem-
bers of the House of Commons.
A meeting of delegates representing some six thou
sand miners was held at Wrexham on Monday to
decide upon the course to pursue in consequenoe of the
decision of the North Wales coalowners on Saturday
not to allow any alteration in working hours to take
place at their collieries. The meeting lasted several
hours, without any decision being arrived at. Several
delegates were in favour of an attempt being made to
compromise the matter by offering to give up the
demand for eight hours per day if the masters will
consent to the number of days per week being re:, tricted
to five. A meeting will be called at each colliery to
ascertain the feeling of the men.
The first of the gifts presented in aid of the decora-
tion of the Lerwick Town-hall and Municipalß4ild-
ings, being the painted glass medallion presented by
the burgomaster apd magistrates of t
dec
tAnrnewstienrddoitmw:
wh ahai cha rirsi vaerdt esti cLael Tyw °mt eldh, eis itiegyand ecsodf
to represent the nature of the intercourse which has
existed for centuries between Holland and the Shet-
land Islands, and bears in the centre the following in-
scrip • in-
scription --" The chief magieqate and Senate of
Amsterdam have presented this tablet of painted
glass to the Town-hall of Lerwick, in commemoration
of services rendered to the seamen and fishermen of
Holland." The Town•hall Buildings will embrace an
artistic record of the ancient and modern history of
the far north Shetland Islands!,

Mr. Chaplin, M.P., has returned 10 per cent. of
their rents to the tenant' on his Lincolnshire estate
at Tathwell.

The value of exports of mercandiee from the United
States during December waq 93,000,000 dollars. This
amount has never been exceeded but once before.
At Berlin, on Sunday, an elephant-keeper-in the
Zoological Garden was gored and crushed to death by
one of the animals under hid charge—one of the pair
presented to the Society by the Prince of Wales.
The new Casual Poor Act is being very generally
enforced in Kent, and, in so far as it is intended to
check professional vagrancy, its provisions have
already had a marked effect.

Four steamers which have been icebound during
the winter in the Odessa roads were all driven out to
sea on Tuesday morning by an enormous floe of ice.
The Postmaster General of Bengal has sanctioned
the employment of female clerks in the postal depart-
ment, and has desired that several posts in the Cal'
cutta General Post Office shall be conferred on young
lady candidates.
A fatal boat accident occurred at Crovie, Banff-
shire, on Tuesday. The boat, which was a small
fishing craft, was making for the creek, Crovie, when
she struck on a rock and was swamped. Three of the
crew were drowned, only one man being saved.

The Administrative Tribunal of Vienna has decided
to grant to an English company tbe exclusive right
for ninety-nine years of supplying the Western suburbs
of the Austrian capital with water from the Wien
river above Huetteldorf.

An increasing number of steamboats are being
worked by petroleum on the Black Sea. The petro-
leum industry of the Caspian Sea has been greatly de-
veloped during the last year, more than 5,000 vessels
having entered and left the little harbour of Baku
employed in the petroleum trade.
Official returns show that the reduction of the salt
tai in India has made no appreciable difference in the
consumption. The total quantity consumed at the
end of December was 21,500,000 maunds against
20,600,000 maunds in the financial year 1881-2- and
29,800,000 maunds in 1880-1.

His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales will open
the new Royal College of Music at Kensington in May
next. The funds are deemed sufficient for the esta-
blishment of fifty scholarships, which will be thrown
open to public competition.

A medal, commemorative of the great Electrical
Exhibition at Paris in 1881, has been struck in
France, and presented to all those who contributed to
the success of the undertaking.
Upton Castle, the seat of Mr. H. H. Vaughan,
brother of the Master of the Temple, near Pembroke,
was greatly damaged by fire on Sunday. The fire
originated in the library, where there is a very
valuable collection of old books,

The Pennsylvania Colliery Inspectors report that
294 persons were killed, and over 1,000 injured by
mine accidents in 1882. The falling of roofs was the
chief cause of accidents, and firedamp explosions
came next.

The Vienna Correspondent of the Daily Telegraph
says that intelligence comes from Russia of a revival
of Nihilist activity. A revolutionary proclamation
was placarded a few days ago in one of the public
gardens of St. Petersburg, a fashionable afternoon
resort. It enjoined the population to keep clear of
such places as might be frequented by the Court, so i
that n ease anything happened no outsiders should be
hurt.

The English Branch of the Order of St. John of
Jerusalem has determined to establish a dispensary at
Jerusalem for diseases of the eye, on a site which, at
the request of the Prince of Wales, has been assigned
to it for that purpose by the Sultan.

A sketch of the life of the late Archbishop Tait
anpears in the February number of the Sunday
Magazine, from the pen of Dr. Parry, Bishop of
Dover, once "head boy" of Rugby, when his Grace
was head master there.

The Mayor of Newcastle presided on Tuesday night
at a town's meeting in promotion -f a Sunday Closing
Bill for Northumberland. The Bishop of Newcastle
and Mr. T. B. Burt, M.P., spoke in support of the
proposal, resolutions in favour of which were unani-
mously carried.

The fishing at Wick on Tuesday was remarkably
good, 674 crans of excellent herrings being landed, and
sold at from 48a. to 535. 6d. per cran. A special train
of 40 heavily laden trucks of fish, drawn by two engines
was despatched to the south.

At Sunderland, on Tuesday, a fatal explosion of
dynamite occurred at the workshop of Mr. Pemberton.
A workman in the employ of the River Wear Commis-
sioners took a canister which had contained dynamite
to Mr. Pemberton for repairs. On being told that
none of the explosive material remained, Mr. Pem-
berton sent the canister into the workshop. While it
was being repaired an explosion took place. One man
was killed, and four others were seriously injured, The
workshop, too, was much damaged.

- - -
The Queen's staghounds met at the Obelisk, Chal-
font St. Peters, on Tuesday. The field was a large
one, including the Earl of Cork, the Master, and
several of the officers of the Guards. At noon, the
deer was unearted, and at once went sway towards
Uxbridge. It ran on unchecked until it reached the
Grand Junction Canal, which it crossed, and then
went along the Frays Valley to Harefield. Here it
left Buckinghamshire for the Metropolitan county,
and was ultimately captured near Batchworth Heath,
in Hertfordshire, after affording a splendid run.
The going was very heavy, and casualties were
numerous, but none of a very serious nature are
reported.

Lord Virinmarleigh presided at the annual meeting
of the county of Lancashire Rifle Association, held
on Tuesday night at Liverpool. His lordship expressed
the belief OM the volunteer system was at present
more efficient than it has ever been, both in numbers
and efficiency, and said he was convinced there was
the same spirit in the people now•a•days as existed
years ago.

The rev, enue of Canada for the six months ending
December was 18,065,597 dols., and the expenditure
12,519,335 dole. The number of patents granted in
1882 was 21,135, against 1,732 in 1881.

The strike at Broadford Linen Works, Aberdeen,
whereby 2,0D0 persons were thrown out of work,
practically closed on Monday, when all the workers,
with the exception of about 200 girls engaged in the
spinning department, resumed their duties on the old
terms. The girls who preferred to remain out made a
demonstration at ten o'clock by marching in procession
tkrough the streets.

The Council of the Royal Agricultural Society have
now completed the list of prizes to be offered in the
Implement Department at the forthcoming Show at
York, in July. The department includes exhibits of
every kind, except live stock and dairy produce. The
sum of £25 is offered for an efficient portable straw
compressing and binding machine, to be worked in
conjunction with a thrashing machine; and £lOO for
the beat equipped dairies (in two classes, £5O in each).
There are, in addition, ten silver medals for new im-
plements, which, however, will not be awarded In any
case unless the principle of the implement or the im.
provement of it be entirely new. The Judges are also
empowered to make special awards of medals for
efficient modes of guarding or shielding machinery,
especially when worked by steam, from contact. with
persons immediately engaged in attending to such
machinery while at work.

-
An inquest has been held before the Liverpool
coroner on the body of Charles Finley, a New
Brighton stageman, who lost his life during the gale
on Friday morning in last week, when he went out as
a volunteer in the lifeboat. In summing up the
eoroner said that they could not speak too highly of
conduct of the crews of the lifeboats, who were a fine
set of men, and were 'readf to face every danger in the
interests of common humanity. From the limited
means at his command, he would be glad to give £l.
to the widow, with the hope that it might set the
ball of sympathy rolling. The jury returned a ver-
dict of "Accidental death, and subscribed 18s. 6d.,
which was handed to the lifeboat captain to give to
Mrs. Finlay.

The continued bad weather is becoming very
serious (says the St. James's Gazette). Already farmers
are very backward in their preparation for the crops.
and it does not seem as if they would soon be able to set
to work in earnest. The delay is very injurious, and if
it continues much longer it will be too late for many
crops. The drenching which the soil has undergone
must likewise be very injurious, while the constant
wet is also a serious matter for sheep•farmers. Alto-
gather the prospects before agriculturists are not
bright.