The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-09-08 00:00:00

EPITOME OF NEWS.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

It is asserted by an Indian contemporary that with.
in a certain area around gas works cases of cholera
never occur, the sulphuric fumes being fatal to the
germs of that disease.

The register of Mr. Gladstone's constituency in the
county of Midlothian for 1883.4 contains 4,226 voters,
being an increase of 140 as compared with the year
1882-83.
The sum left by the late Mr. John Waterloo Wilson
for the purchase of works of art for the Museum of
the Academy of Fine Arts, at Brussels, amounts to
300,000 francs.

Several important shipwrecks were reported last
week, and, owing partly to boisterous weather, the
number, 27, amounts to nearly double the total
reported at the corresponding week of last year. The
aggregate for the present year to date is 1,178, against
945 in 1882. The total number of lives lost for the
week amounted to 78, against nine of last year; and
total tonnage lost for week 10,000, against 6,088 tons.
Chicago has twenty miles of cable railroad, with 174
cars, and the steam-engines do the work of 1,970
horses. The running time between the court-house
and the city limits, a distance of four miles, is twenty-
five minutes lees than when horses were used. •

From a Parliamentary return just issued it appears
that the total amount of house duty charged on houses
in the metropolis in the year ending April 5 last was
2797,89 L
A Calcutta telegram says that Mipsrs. Gerber,
Christien, and Co.'s rice mill, at Pozendoung, has
been totally destroyed by fire. The damage is esti-
mated at five lakhs of rupees.

The autumn mancenvres of the Belgian army com-
menced on Saturday. Two divisions, each mustering
7,000 infantry, with 1,000 cavalry and twenty guns,
take part in them. The scene of the operations is the
left bank of tha Meuse.

At Ayr Circuit-court, on Tuesday, a pair of white
gloves was presented to Lord Muir, there being no
prisoners for trial. This is the third maiden assize
within four years, although the county is one ef the
largest in Scotland, and includes three seaports.

Last Saturday (Sept. 1) was the anniversary of the
battle of Sedan, which was fought in 1870 between
the French army of the Ncrth, under Marshal
McMahon (about 15000) men), and the greater part
of the three German armies under the King and
Crown Prince of Prussia (about 250,000 men).

The expenses incurred by the two candidates at the
parliamentary election at Hastings on the 29th of June
were published last Saturday as follows :--Mr. lure,
Q. 0., M.P. (Liberal), £1,631 4s. 10d, ; Mr. Warner
(Conservative), 4735, 12s. 11d.

At the beginning of the present year there were in-
scribed on the lists of the 23 Italian marine depart-
ments 7,720 ships. 1,113 of which were inscribed at
Genoa, 1,075 at Naples, and 833 at Venice. In 1870
Italy had a much larger number of shipa-18,021.

Salmon fishing by nets and fixed engines closed on
Saturday in England and Wales, except in a few
favoured districts, chiefly in the south, where it will
be prolonged for another fortnight under an order of
the Home Secretary. Rod-fishing continues for two
months longer.

Offers of wheat upon the French departments
markets have increased. New wheat has been brought
forward freely, but the demand on the part of the mill-
ing trade has been languid, and previous rates have
been scarcely maintained at some points. The Paris
market has not shown much animation.

On Friday, in last week, a boy two yeArs of age,
son of William M'Bride, labourer, living at Aberdeen,
was accidentally shot dead by his brother, who is only
ten years of age. The latter picked up a loaded gun
belonging to a brother, who is a volunteer, and in
play discharged it. The bullet passed through the
child's head, causing instant death.

In London last week 2,448 births and 1,292 deaths
were registered. Allowing for increase of popula.
tion, the births were 127 and the deaths 183 below the
average numbers in the corresponding weeks of the
last t uyears. The annual tate of mortality from all
cam,es, which hal been equal to 19 0 and 17 9 pr
1,000 in the two preceding weeks, further declined to
17 0 last week.

Till lately the sabro was the only weapon allowed
to be carried by the police at Vienna, Owing, how-
ever, to the increasing frequency of disturEances in
the streets of late, and of acts of violence of which
these guardians of the public peace have been the
victims, it has been determined to furnish each with a
breach•loadiog carbine.
Professor E. Fazio has been making notes in Ischia
as to the impressions made upon the victims before
and after the disaster. He has ascertained that in
general those who were excavated alive were stupe-
fied, their organic functions paralysed, their sight
weakened or altogether suspended for some time;
most had felt extreme thirst while under the masonry,
and all asserted that they had never lost the hope of
being saved.

A new district has been discovered near Osage City,
Kansas, U.S. (says the Globe). Every conversation
between the natives there invariably takes something
of this form :—" Fine weather to•day ? ',—"You bet."
"Democratic success at the poll likely ? "—"You
bet." "Have a drink ? "—" You bet." Hence the
district has been named by American journalists the
Land of Übet.

The Queen attended Divine service on Sunday
morning at Balmoral Castle, and there were also
present Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein,
Princess Beatrice, the Princes Christian Victor and
Albert of Schleswig-Holstein, and the Royal house-
hold. The service was conducted by the Rev. A.
Campbell, of Crathie.

In commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the
defeat of the Turks by Sobieski (1683), an exhibition
has been opened in the Stadthalle, at Vienna, of his.
torical objects associated with that event. Besides
a large collection of books and medals, there are the
tent of the Grand Vizier Kara Mustapha and a chain
used for binding Christian prisoners. These are lent
by the King of Saxony.
On Tuesday the poll on the Cheater Parliamentary
Improvement Bill was declared at the Town Hall, the
ratepayers approving of a bill for the abolition of the
River Dee bridge-toll, towards which the Duke of
Westminster has generously cffered £lO,OOO, by 3,778
votes against 1,488.

The total number of beasts entered at the Metro-
politan Cattle Market for consumption for the week
ending Saturday last was 3,300 head; the correspond.
inc week of 1882, 3,640. 1881, 4,370 ; 1880, 3,890;
11.79, 3770; 1878, 4,850; 1877, 3,430; 1876, 8,180;
1875, 6,970; and 1874, 7,150.
The Anglo-Brazilian Times states that on the 30th
June, 1882, there were in Maranham 55,829 slaves
against 74,599 at the end of September, 1873. The
emancipations in the intervals were 4,984, 643 being by
the Emancipation Fund, 5,738 died, and 4,157 were
exported.
A shocking accident occurred at Ledsham station,
near Chester, on Monday. Samuel Woodall, aged
thirteen years, was standing on the down platform as
the Chester express was due. To witness it rush past
the boy approached too close to the rails, The express
came along, and whether Woodall became dizzy and
fell forward, or was struck where he stood, is not
clear, but a carriage caught him on the back of the
head, hurling him along the platform with terrific
force, inflicting dreadful injuries, and killing him in.
stantaneously.
The Bishop of Argyll and the Isles was enthroned
in his cathedral of, Cambrae, in the West Highlands
of Scotland. The Induction ceremony was witnessed
by an audience which included Lord Glasgow and a
number of bishops, deans, and canon.

A meeting was held en Sunday in Limerick county'
when speeches were made by Mr. Davitt, Mr. O'Brien,
KR, and Mr. Harrington, M.P. Mr. Davitt de-
flounced the practice of eviction, and asked if the out-
rages of landlords upon the people of Ireland would
not drive them to think cf desperate actions—out-
rages of another kind—which all Ireland would
deplore.
On Saturday morning the French Transatlantic
steamship Amerique sailed from Plymouth for New
York, taking out the f the
passengers and cargo o
St Gertriain. The offioera and crew of the last-named
vessel tendered their thanks to the dockyard officers for
the way in which they had been treated while at Ply-
mot 'Ol and Devonport,
By the last returns published it appears that a great
decrease has taken place in the consumption of strong
drinks by the European soldiers in India, and that
there is a corresponding spread of sobriety among the
rank and file of the army there. In th‘. year 1877:8
the total concrimption of rum among British troops m
Indk. waa 253,254 gallons, whereas in 1881-82 it fell
to 149,801 gallons. Comparing the same years as
regards beer-drinking, the figures are, -respectively,
76,942 and 74,747 hogsheads.'
The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens,
Regent's Park, London, during last week included a
maholi galago, purchased; a vervet monkey, presented
by Mr. J, Sheppard ; two golden eagles from Sot-
land, presented by Mr. A. H, Browne; two short-toed
eagles, purchased; yellow-headed MAUR, presented
by her Grace the Duchess of Wellington; a slender-
billed cockatoo, presented by Mr. R. Keele ; a land
rail„ presented by Mr, M. Bryant; a partridge bronze.
winged pigeon and a modest grass finch, presented by
Mrs. J. Abrahams; a Martinique water-hen and a
Mississippi alligator, presented by Mr. Cuthbert John-
son ; six chameleons, purchased; a hog nosed snake,
presented by Mr. F. J. Thmpson.

111

New York papers report an earthquake at Pachuca,
in Mexico, by which 20 persons lost their lives.
A Brussels telegram says that the village of Battin-
court, near Arlon, has been completely destroyed by
fire. One hundred and sixteen houses were burnt
down.

In New York City there are 486 miles of water
pipes, 881 of sewer pipe, 824 of gas pipe, 14i of steam
pipe, and 15 of underground electric wire.

The time for keeping open the Cork Exhibition hal
been extended from September 30 to October 13, in
pursuance of a resolution passed by the Corporation of
that town,

The other day Earl Spencer played in a cricket
match between I Zingari and the Military in Ireland,
which was held in the Phcenix 'park. HiExcellency
was loudly cheered,

The Building and Engineering Times states :—The
number of failures among builders and dealers in
building materials in England and Wales last week
was 16, as against 15 in the corresponding week of last
year, and 31 during a similar period in 1881,

A fire occurred in Cincinnati on Monday night,
which totally destroyed a rag warehouse. Nine
women, at work in the upper stories, perished in the
flames, and four persons were injured, one of them
mortally.

Visitors to Zermatt are so numerous this season that
the road thither is said to -be covered by a never.
ceasing stream of carriages, mules, and pedestrians.
Most other Alpine resorts are equally crowded.
On Sunday morning the Crown Princess of Austria-
Hungary was safely delivered of a daughter at
Laxenburg Castle, near Vienna.
The number of visitors to the Fisheries Exhibition
last Saturday was 32,817, making a total for last week
of 112,101. The total number from the opening of the
Exhibition has been 1,556,616.
Fighting took place in Ooomassie, on the 3rd and
sth ult., between the partisans of the ex• King Koffee
Kalcalli and Mensah's men. Sixty of the latter were
killed, including several chiefs. Another encounter
was believed to be imminent.
On Tuesday three men were engaged in building a
wall against an embankment at Stechford, near Bir-
mingham, When part of the embankment suddenly
gave way, completely burying one of the men. Rio
two companions set to work at once to extricate him,
but when the body was reached life was extinct. The
poor fellow had fallen on his face in the soil and had
been suffocated.

From a return just issued it appears that the postal
authorities pay yearly for the carriage of mails to the
Great Northern Railway of Ireland £37,000, to the
Great Southern and Western £32,000, and to the Mid-
land Great Western (including Great Northern and
Western) £17,440.

The receipts into the ;Exchequer between April Ist
and September Ist amounted to £33,488,695 against
£32,516,266 in the corresponding period of last year.
The expenditure was 35,500,225 against £36,323,278.
The balance in the Bank of England on Saturday last
was £2,626,013, and in the Bank of Ireland £1,134,105.
The arrivals of live stock and fresh meat at Liver-
pool during the past week from the United States and
Canada amounted to 1,193 cattle, 1,595 sheep, 4,468
quarters of beef, and 490 carcases of mutton, showing
a slight increase in cattle, but a decrease in sheep
and fresh meat when compared with the imports of
the preceding week.

The Royal Orchestra of Kalakana, King of the
Sandwich Islands, is at present giving concerts at San
Francisco, and it is said that the orchestra will also
visit Europe. The musicians, numbering 40, are
natives, but their conductor, Heinrich Berger, is a
German, who was formerly an oboist in a regiment of
the Prussian Guard.

Last week's receipts of cotton at all United States
ports were 23,000 bales; since Ist September, 5,975,000
bales. Week's exports to Great Britain, 13,000 bales;
to the Continent, 5,000 bales; total since let Sep-
tember, 4,691,000 bales. Stock at all ports, 236,000
bales,

At Southend, on Tuesday, William Bova!, fourteen,
son of a cabinet-maker, of 6tepney, was bathing near
the Marine Parade. He got out of his depth, and
was drowned before assistance arrived. His mother
and younger brother were sitting on the bank taking
care of his clothes. The body was afterwards re-
c o ve red.

A shocking accident was reported from Aberdeen
on Saturday. The screams of a woman named Jane
Seaton, residing in Ann•street, were heard by some
neighbour., who entered the house by means of
ladders. The woman, it arpeared, had fainted and
fallen into the fire, and she was found dreadfully
burned about the head, arms, and neck.

A correspondent sends the following to the Daily
News :—During his annual visits to Kissingen Prince
Bismarck has had himself weighed, like the other
visitors. The following list shows the result during
the last nine years : 1874, 2071 b. ; 1876, 2 91b. ; 1877,
2301 b.; 1878, 2431 b. ;11879, 2471 b.; 1880, 237th.; 1882,
2321 b.; 1883, 2021 b.
According to the last census the number of million.
aires in Berlin is larger than had hitherto been sup.
posed, amounting to upwards of six hundred persons.
The richest man in Berlin has an annual income of
about two million marks, or one hundred thousand
pounds sterling.
The total number of bunches of grapes on the great
vine at Hampton Court this year is about 1,300, or
130 in excess of last year. The vine was planted in
1768, from a slip off a vine at Valentines, in the parish
of Ilford, Essex, and has been known to produce as
many as 2200, bunches in one year,
'The Electrician says that an enterprising cabman in
Vienna has lighted his cab by means of an incandes-
cent lamp. A dynamo attached to the axle generates
current when the cab is running, which is stored in
accumulators, and used as required.
The Duntrune, Captain Rollo, left Dundee on Satur-
day for Brisbane, having on board the following emi-
plAnts :-168 single men, 18 single women, and 190 i
families, making a total of 375 adults.
The Agent•G'eneral for South Australia has received
intelligence of the arrival at Port Adelaide of the
ship Ashmore, with Government emigrants, on the let
September, ' all well," after a passage of 78 days.

A sharp shock of earthquake was felt at eight o'clock
on Sunday morning at Frascati, on the Alban Hills,
twelve miles from Reme, and the alarmed population
rushed from their houses into the streets. The move-
ment was undulatory and lasted several seconds, but
without causing any damage.
A Calcutta telegram says that Mr. Graham, an ex.
perienced Alpine climber, with two Swiss guides, has
arrived at Darjeeling, and will proceed shortly to
Sikkim, with a view of attempting to make the ascent
of the Kinchinjunga Mountain, upwards of 28,000 ft.
in height.

The annual report of the Prison Commissioners for
Scotland for 1882-3 has just been Insued as a Mac-
book. The average daily numbers in the prisons of
Scotland during 1882 were 13 civil prisoners and 2,572
criminals. This is the smallest number of criminals in
any year since 1868.

The Naples Correspondent of the Daily News write.:
—The noted volcanologist Rudolph Falb has predicted
another earthquake in Ischia on the 15th of next
month, in a lecture which he gave at Teplitz last
Satuzday. His argument is drawn from the influence
uf the sun and moon on the earth.

Last Saturday a sad fatality occurred at Singleton,
near Preston, to a pointsman named William Turner.
The deceased was returning from Preston with his
brother. As the train was passing Singleton, at forty
miles an hour, he attempted to drop off the train. He
was pitched twenty yards, and fell on his head. His
skull was fractured, and he received other injuries,
resulting in death.

A Birmingham baker had a strange experience the
other day. A swarm of bees flew into his shop, and
took complete possession of the premises, covering the
window, the bread, and the confectionery, and soaring
away most of the inmates, causing a complete cessa-
tion of trade for some hours. The intruders were
only removed by staving the front premises and filling
them with sulphurous fumes.
From Brussels it is reported that the consequences
of the new law conferring the electoral franchise on
persons possessing a certain degree of instruction are
pro% log very beneficial. The Liberals, as well as the
Clericals are instituting everywhere courses of instruc-
tion for adults, in order to add as many electors as
possible to their respective parties.
Daring a display of fireworks on Monday night at
Colombes, just outside Paris, a bomb burst among the
crowd, killing two spectators, and wounding several
others.

The Egyptian Gazette etstes that the Army of Occu-
pation will probably be reduced during the months of
October and November to 3,030 men. It adds that it
is intended to keep one battalion of this force at Cairo
and the remainder at Alexandria.
The United States Government Printing Office,
which is said to be the largest establishment of its
kind in the world, is valued at 5,000,000 dohs.
(£1,062,500), The disbursements last year (ending
June 30), were 2,635,159 dols. (£559,971). The daily
pay of employes is 5,500 dole. (£1,190). It is estimated
that from 1789 to 1881, the total outlay for Go-
vernment printing has been about 100,000,000 dole.
(£21,250,000).
The shipments of pig iron from the Tees during
August amounted to 84,605 tons, or 213 tons more than
ths quantity exported during July. Compared with
Augiist last year, when the shipments were excep-
tionally heavy, the total for the present month shows a
decrease of 11,256 tons. The quantity of iron sent
coastwise was 32,218 tone, while 52,397 tons were
shipped to foreign countries.

An inquiry has been held at Ruabon as to the death
of Mr. Wynne Jones, colliery manager, whose body
was found in the Shropshire Union Canal at Pont,
cysyllte on Sunday morning. The deceased was re-
turning home on the previous evening from the canal
wharf, when, the night being very dark, he fell over
the tramway-bridge into the canal beneath. He fell
several feet, his head striking upcn the curbstone, and
veils frightfully mutilated. A verdict of "Accidental
deoth " was returned. Deceased leaves a wife and 11
children.

A New York telegram says that the visible supply
of wheat on Aug. 31, was 20,700,000 bushels, as against
21,C00,000 bushels the previous week. Visible supply
ot Indian corn 10,300,000 bushels, as against 11,300,000
bushels the previous week. The export clearances of
wheat for Europe during last week amounted to
2,330,000 bushels. The export clearances of Indian
corn for Europe during last week amounted to 1,260,000
bu.shels.

The traffic receipts of the railways in the United
Kingdom for the week ending August 31, upon a
milence of 16,627 i, amount to £1,437,184, being equal
to £B6 9e. per mile, For the corresponding week of
last year the receipts were £1,389,185, the number of
miles open 16,422 i, or £B4 12s. per mile. A comparisons
of the two weeks shows an increase in the total receipts
of £47,919, and an increase in the number of miles
open of Mi.