The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-05-03 00:00:00

SATURDAY, MAY 3, 1884.

EPITOME OF NEWS.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

A sparrow has built its nest behind one of the ex-
tended wings of a large hawk which is nailed against a
vermin wall at a keeper's in Glenfinart, Greenock, N.B.
The "City Press" says: In the course of the excava-
tions for the Metropolitan extension, at Seething-lane,
the arms of a bronze Roman statue of heroic size, singu-
larly perfect, have been found. Two coins, one of Nero,
and the other Vespasian, were also discovered.
A grayling of lb. was caught in the Tay by Mr. G.
Macpherson, on the Delvine water, a few miles below
Dunkeld. The local authorities who were consulted
say that this is the first grayling ever caught in the
lower reaches of the Tay with the exception of one, also
caught this year.
Messrs. Cassell and Company have in the press a
work by Mr. W. H. Barneby, entitled "Life and Labour
in the Far Far West," being a description of a tour
undertaken by the author during the spring and
summer of 1883 in North America. The author took
special notes as to the suitability of the country as a
field for emigration and for the investment of capital.
The survivors of the dreadful tragedy in August, 1882,
Patrick Joyce and Martin Joyce, have applied to the
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland for compensation under the
Crimes Act for the murder of their father, step-mother,
grandmother, sister, and brother, who were murdered
in their beds, in the depth of the night, at Maamstrassa,
and for which several men were hanged. His Excel-
lency has directed the usual inquiry.
The Seine General Council have agreed to a scheme
for the purchase of an estate in Algeria for 1,100,000 f.,
as an agricultural school for 200 indigent children of
the Department.of the Seine.
The work of dismantling the fortress of Sedan, where
the Emperor Napoleon 111. surrendered his sword in
1870, has now be ompleted. All that remains of the
fortifications are the Donjon, with its subterranean
passages, and the high walls commanding the town,
but neither will be made use of in any way in future
for military purposes.
The recent Luther celebration, it is said, produced
about 7000 Luther publications, from 300,000 to 500,000
copies of some of them being issued.
At the last meeting of the French Academy M. Caro
gave an interesting account of his journey to Edin-
burgh, where he represented that body on the occasion
of the tercentenary celebration of the foundation of
Edinburgh University. It. Cairn specially exert. zsed
his gratitude for the hearty welcome and kind recep-
tion which he, as well as the other representatives of
French learned bodies, met with in the capital of Scot-
land.
The Paris Jardin des Plantes has received from
Gaboon a full grown male gorilla, three or four years
old. This, it is claimed, is the first live gorilla which
has been seen in Europe, the so-called gorilla exhibited
at Dresden a few years since having been a chimpanzee.
A boy violinist, who it may be safely predicted, will
in the future be heard of by the world, has given a
recital in presence of a distinguished audience in Paris.
The name of this child artiste is Ernest Moret, and ho
is stated to be twelve years old, though he does not
look more than ten. Besides taking the first violin in
classical quartetts, young Moret played several solos by
celebrated composers in a manner so finished and full
of expression as fairly to astound the audience.
The English residents in Frankfort have forwarded
an address of condolence to the Queen on the occasion
of the death of the late Duke of Albany. Her Majesty
has:conveyed her acknowledgements to the senders
through Herr hOppenheimer, the British Consul
General.

The management of the Baldwin Locomotive Works
at Philadelphia, the largest American locomotive
factory, is making extensive discharges of workmen)
owing to a decline in orders resulting from the depres-
sion of the iron trade and the restricted amount of
railway construction.
Last week's receipts of cotton at all United States
ports were 21,000 bales; since Ist September, 4,686,000
bales. Week's exports to Great Britain, 19000 bale,s ;
to the Continen 14,000 bales. Total since Ist Sep-
tember, 3,444,00 les ; stock at all ports, 578,000
bales. Stock at in r ports, 49,000 bales.
The Sagamoro Mill, at Fall River, Massachusetts, a
large cotton factory, has been burnt down, the con-
sequent loss being estimated at 600,000 dols. The origin
of the fire is believed to be an incendiary act on the
part of some men on strike, who have been locked out
for some time past, their places being supplied by
others.

Paris advices of last week state that business has
continued quiet in the French wheat trade, but that
affairs have, on the whole, shown a little more firmness.
At Marseilles transactions in wheat have continued
restricted.

A Madrid telegram states that a horriole catastrophe
has occurred on the Badajoz Railway. A bridge over
the Alcudia fell, precipitating into the river an entire
passenger train from Badajoz. Twenty were killed,
and many injured.
At a conference of the Ancipnt Order of Foresters,
held in Leeds on Saturday, it was stated that the exe-
cutive council for this year and next, and the high court
meeting for 1885, would take place at Leeds. The
number of members is close upon 620,000, showing an
increase in 50 years of 610,000.
The "Colonies and India" says: "A woman named
Harriett Cleaver has been struck dead by lightning at
Evans Creek, Stoney Pinch, near Mudgee, New South
Wales. She had just covered up her sewing machine,
and had one of the needles in her hand when the
electric fluid penetrated the slabs of the hut and killed
her on the spot. The needle was twisted in all
directions."

On Saturday night Owen Gilmore and James
Phillips, two Irishmen, quarrelled in a low part of
Sunderland. Phillips afterwards went home, but was
followed by Gilmore, who renewed the quarrel, and
obtaining possession of a shoemaker's knife attempted
to stab Phillips. The wife of the latter warded off the
blow, and the knife struck Gilmore himself in the thigh,
severing the main artery, which bled profusely, death
resulting in an hour.
While a groom named Cliff, in the employ of Mr. W.
Lee, of Borras, Wrexham, was walking through the
yard cf an inn at Neston on Saturday night he received
a kick from a horse, which killed him on the spot.
About two months ago the daughter of Mr. Simons,
aerated water manufacturer of Warwick, was severely
bitten in the cheek by a mad dog. In the course of
last week symptoms of hydrophobia presented them-
selves, and on Sunday morning the child died in
great agony.
The compensation to farmers for damage to the land
in the neighbourhood of Portsdown-hill on the occasion
of the Easter Volunteer Maneevres has been estimated
at about £650. This sum will be defrayed out of the
public subscription raised at Portsmouth.
On the arrival of the Scythia at Queenstown on
Saturday from New York the master reported having
passed on April 19 a large iceberg, and on the 22nd a
wooden vessel, coppered, of about 1000 tons register,
bottom up, with bows stove in and with rudder gone.
He also passed several logs of timber in the same
vicinity.
The success of the mackerel fishing at Kinsale and
along the southern coast of Ireland during last week
was most encouraging, some boats making from £BO to
£lOO a night. The help which has been given to the
fishermen with equal generosity and discrimination I,y
the Baroness Burdett-Coutts has been productive of
the utmost benefit.

The arrivals of live stock and fresh meat at Liverpool
during last week from American and Canadian ports
amounted to 1654 cattle 23 sheep, 6242 quarters of
beef, and 684 carcases of mutton; against a total of
1336 cattle, 428 sheep, 8433 quarters of beef, and 983
carcases of mutton, showing an increase in the imports
of live cattle, but a falling off in sheep and fresh meat.
The Right Rev. W. S. Wilson, Bishop of the Unitcd
Dioceses of Glasgow and Galloway, was at a special
service in Trinity Episcopalian Church, Ayr, presented
with a pastoral staff, episcopal ring, and an address, on
completion of the twenty-fifth year of his bishopric.
James Savage has been sentenced at Liverpool to
penal servitude for five years for committing a brutal
assault on a young woman named Spencer, by kicking
and otherwise ill-treating her, so that one of her ears
was completely torn off.
A young man named Donohoo has been arrested at
Athlone on a charge of parricide. He attacked his
father while working in the garden, and held him on
the ground while he cut his throat with a table knife.
Donohoe, who has recently returned from America, is
believed to be insane.
The other evening a pony driver entering one of the
underground stables in the Gate Wen Colliery, about
two miles from 'Wrexham, found the dead body of a
man lying on the ground. An alarm was raised, and
the deceased was identified as a man named Adam
Thomas, a collier, of Bryntegbrymbo.
While the 15th (King's) Hussars were manceuvring
in the Long Valley, Aldershot, a charge of the regiment
resulted in two squadrons coming into collision. After
the charge it was found that one officer had received
serious injuries, two troopers' legs were broken, while
several others had suffered from the charge.
A remarkable case of mistaken identity has come to
light at Birmingham. It appears that a master slater
so closely resembles a deserter from one of o ir cavalry
regiments that he has been locked up no fewer than
four times within a few weeks, being at once set at
liberty when his identity had been established. The
victim of this serious mistake has never been in the
army.

The number of beast arrivals at the Metropolitan
Cattle Market last week entered for consumption was
3230 head; the corresponding week of 1883, 2440 ; 1882,
2430; 1881, 3360 ; 1880, 3560; 1879, 4620, 1878, 3290 ;
1877, 3680; 1876, 5020; and 1875, 3650.

Intelligence from Michigan announces that forut
fires have occurred there, causing immense damage
along the line of the Grand Rapids and Indiana Rail-
way. Several small villages have been burned.

A Reuter's telegram from Vienna says; A new planet
having the appearance of a star of the twelfth magni-
tude was discovered at ten o'clock on Saturday night at
the Vienna Observatory, in the constellation Virgo.
Miss Sally M'Kee Worford died at Twickenham on
Sunday night, in her 102nd year. The deceased was
born in London, and for many years resided at Ware,
Hertfordshire. Until a few weeks before her death she
was able to read her daily newspaper comfortably with-
out the aid of spectacles, and enjoyed excellent health.
She had lived in Twickenham about twenty-one years.
Another fire is reported to have occurred at Mandalay,
in which the palace narrowly escaped destruction.
There was much loss of life. Energetic preparations
are being made to rebuild the great temple which was
lately burnt down. The King of Burmah's third
daughter is recovering from the smallpox. The doctor
who attended the two princesses who died has been cast
;nto prison.
Last week brought a fairly plentiful and general rain-
fall to Bengal, which will be of immense service to the
rice crops, and will relieve the anxiety of the Darjeeling
tea-planters. As regards indigo, however, it is to be
feared that the rain has come too late to secure any-
thing but a very indifferent return.
T is every probability that Boulogne harbour
wille dh
the beginning of next season be made, by
dredging, available for a fixed hour service to Folke-
inyeg

stone-.
The German Minister of War has invited a prize com-
petition for the best models of new pattern helmet,
knapsack, u ater.bottle, marching boots, and other cam-
paigning articles of equipment.