The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-07-19 00:00:00

isallanenus nititigente,

HOME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL.

A PRESENTIMENT.—On the morning of June 29 Dr.
Jacob Schlessinger, a physician of Buda-Pesth, was
found dead in his bed in his lodgings at Baden, near
Vienna, evidently poisoned by morphia. He was
sixty-one years of age, and for the last thirty years
has been a leading physician in the Hungarian capital,
much esteemed and liked, and a great benefactor to
the poor. He was afflicted with cancer in the nose,
and he knew that his case was incurable. He went
to Baden about two months ago, and at a festive
gathering previous to his departure replying to the
toast of his health and the wish that he might return
cured, he answered enigmatically, "When I return I
shall be quite freed from my malady; but I do not
yet know whether at my return I shall be able to see
you." People speculated as to the meaning of the
sphinx-like statement which the event has cleared up,
and it is now remembered that he often used to discuss
suicide as an available resource in cases of painful and
incurable disease. He belonged to the Jewish persua-
sion.—The Times.

STOBH FORECAST.—The following cable message has
been received at the London office of the New York
Herald, from the Herald Weather Bureau, New
York :—" Disturbances will arrive on the British and
Norwegian, affecting French, coasts between the 16th
and 18th inst. ; rains south-east veering west; gales or
strong winds; lightning."
THE LAW OE PAETNEESHIP.—Mr. Sampson Lloyd
proposes to introduce into England and Ireland a
system of limited partnerships corresponding to the
Continental Socitittis en Commandite, and the special

or limited partnerships authorized by statute in-most
of the United States. He also advocates a general
system of registration of firms. Under this scheme
no registration would be required if the firm
name consist of the full usual names of all the partners
or all the acting partners without any addition. Thus
the name of a dormant partner in a general partner-
ship need not appear as long as the firm name is com-
posed solely of real names of existing partners. But
if a firm registers at all, it must register fully, and
limited partnerships and partnerships the firm name
of which contains anything beyond names of actual
partners must register in every case. The particulars
which the scheme requires to be registered are—(l)
the firm name; (2) the nature of the business ; (3) the
place or places of the business; (4) the full name,
usual residence, and other occupation (if any) of the
person or persons carrying on or intending to carry on
the business • and (5), with regard to new business or
establishments, the date of the commencement of the
business or establishment of the place of business.
Mr. Lloyd's Bill, embodying these proposals, also
consolidates the existing law relating to partnership,
except the part which more properly belongs to the
law of bankruptcy.
PASSPORTS FOR PRINTING PRESSES IN RUSSIA.—
We (Globe) learn from St. Petersburg that the Minister
of the Interior has ordered the Governors of the Pro-
vinces to take steps for placing the entire printing
business of the country under Government supervision.
By virtue of this ordinance, printers are bound to take
out passports for every printing press on their estab-
lishment, and to notify within 24 hours to the police
any increase to their number or diminution from it.
Manufacturers of printing presses, or of machines or
apparatus for preparing pictures of any kind, are
bound to inform the authorities of each purchase made
at their establishments, under a penalty of 500 roubles
and six months' imprisonment. A specimen copy or
proof of everything lithographed or printed is to be
sent to the censorial department of each administrative
centre, the penalty for the non-fulfilment of the regu-
lation being the confiscation of the business of the
printer. It is hoped by these regulations that the
printing of manifestoes and subversive literature by
the revolutionary party will be rendered almost im-
possible.
DiserromiriNG.—One of the prominent features in
the Show of the Royal Agricultural Society was a
collection of "ancient and modern instruments of
husbandry." It was noticed that this part of the
Exhibition was much affected by sheepish loving
couples, parties about to marry, and females of
I vinegarish aspect. These catalogue makers really
ought to be more careful in their descriptions. —Judy .
_ _ _

AN INTERVIEW WITH A CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER.
—A story of the Canadian Prime Minister, Sir John
Macdonald. who has recently arrived in town (says
the City Press). Two Englishmen who were at Mon-
treal attended a State ball. Upon arriving at the
Governor-General's house they at first saw no one of
whom to inquire the hoar at which to order carriages.
After a time some one in evening dress appeared, and
one Briton somewhat brusquely asked, " I say, at
what time shall I order my carriage?" The person
addressed replied that he did not know. Later in the
evening the Englishmen were astonished and horrified
to see this person talking and chatting with Lady
Dufferin, and they arrived at the couclusion that they
had made a grievous mistake. To make amends they
made themselves agreeable to him, and suggested that
they should all three drive back to town together.
Upon the way cigars were producei and the time
passed pleasantly, the stranger being apparently well
acquainted with the government of the colony. Said
one of the Englishmen, "I suppose, sir you are con•
fleeted with the Government?" "Weel," said Sir
John, "I just happen to be Prime Minister."

No PoraslNG EVERY ONE.—The Mark Lane Express
says :—" If we had the power of getting the weather
altered in accordance with our own short-sighted and
Ignorant wishes, what a curious variation there would
be. Farmer A, who had his hay about, would pray
for fine weather; while Farmer B, whose young turnip
plants were being eaten off by the 'fly,' would entreat
for showers of rain. Thus we should have bright sun-
shine on one farm and rain on the next, and so on
throughout the country. With frost and thaw the
same discrepancies would arise. On the whole, bad as
the weather has been, we mortals can scarcely desire to
undertake its management."
THE PROPOSED PANAMA CANAL. At a public
meeting held at Rouen on Monday evening, M. Fer-
dinand de Lesseps delivered a speech on the projected
Panama canal. After reminding his hearers of the
difficulties which he had successfully overcome in the
construction of the Suez Canal, the speaker stated
that the friendship existing between France and the
United States would facilitate the carrying out of the
new undertaking. M. de Lesseps added that the
works in connection with the canal would be com-
menced forthwith, and would be concluded in five or
six years. He estimated the expense of the under-
taking at one milliard of francs.
CATS IN THE HOUSE.—The interruption in the pro-
gress through the House of Commons of the Army
Discipline Bill. caused by what will probably be known
as the "cat" episode, and the determination of certain
members not to allow the measure to proceed till the
nine-tailed " eats " hail been duly produced, can hardly
be said to be a proceeding entirely without parallel.
Five years ago—on July 9th, 1874, within a day or two
of the actual date on which the "cats" actually made
their appearance, duly labelled, in the cloak room of
the House of Commons—the debate was suddenly in-
terrupted by the unexpected apparition of a cat
-on the floor of the House. This time it was a
real live cat, boasting only one tail, but, en-
dowed with the full possession of four legs—a
large grey tabby which, after descending the
Opposition gangway, was leisurely crossing the floor,
when it was frightened by a sudden burst of laughter,
and sprang upon the shoulders of honourable members
Bitting on the front Ministerial bench below the gang-
way, bounded over the heads of members on the back
benches, and disappeared almost as mysteriously as it
had come on the scene, through a side door. The
House was in debate on the second reading of the
Public Worship Regulation Bill, and Mr. Hardy, now
Lord Cranbrook, was speaking against the measure
when the untimely apparition disturbed the course of
his speech. The shouts of laughter which greeted the
intruder lasted several minutes, and when silence was
restored the right hon. gentleman reminded the House
of a somewhat similar incident when the grave debates
of the Synod of Dort were interrupted by the sudden
apparition of an owl, which had even less I,usinesB
there than a cat in the House of Commons.—Globe.
ABSENCE or SUNSHINE. The Registrar-General
reports that the duration of registered bright sunshine
last week was 169 hours, the sun being above the
horizon during 114.0 hours; the recorded duration of
sunshine was, therefore, equal to 15 per cent, of its
possible duration.
AN IMPROVE/!ENT IN CHEQUES.—Mr, J. Angus, re-
sident local engineer to the North-Western Railway,
has matured a plan by which the fraudulent alteration
of the amount of a cheque is practically prevented.
On the face of a cheque a number of small perforated
circles are ranged in line, and numbered 10, 20, 30, 40,
and so on. The drawer of the cheque has simply to
detach one of these discs corresponding to the nearest
maximum amount of the cheque—the disc numbered
50 being punched out from a cheque of from £4O to £5O,
and so on, thus indicating that the cheque is drawn for
an amount above that of the next lowest remaining
disc, but under the amount of that punched out. This
plan, which certainly has the merit of simplicity, has
been patented by Mr. Angus.— Birmingham Post.
A RIVER POIBONED.—An extraordinary scene was
witnessed on the Dee on Monday. The storm of
Sunday washed a quantity of poisonous liquids from
Pickhill Brook, above Holt, which drains several lime
and lead works into the Dee, and the fish immediately
began to sicken and die. They hastened to escape the
poisonous water, and during Monday afternoon came
floating down the river in thousands. Some were dead
and others were hurriedly rushing down stream to
escape out at sea. At the causeway beside the old Dee
Mill a large crowd had congregated to see salmon and
salmon trout, pike, roach, and bream frantically en-
deavouring to throw themselves over. Hundreds of
men and boys lined the river busily engaged in killing
fish, and several fine salmon were caught. A boy
secured a large salmon by the tail, and the monster
would have dragged him into the water if he had not
relaxed his hold. The police seized baskets full of fine
fish, which were taken before the public health corn-
mittee who met to investigate the matter, as Chester
derives its entire water supply from the Dee. It is
believed that the river has been cleared of fish for 14
miles up.
METROPOLITAN RACE-COURSES.—The new statute
for the licensing of Metropolitan and suburban race-
courses has been issued. It recites that the frequency
of horse-races in the immediate vicinity of the me-
tropolis is productive of much mischief and incon-
venience, and the holding of such races in thickly.
populated places near the metropolis is calculated to
cause, and
.does in fact cause, annoyance and injury to
persons resident near to the places where such races
are held. After the 25th March next horse races within
ten miles of Charing-cross shall be unlawful nriless
licensed. Justices are empowered to grant licenses
at any Michaelmas quarter session to be in force for
twelve months, dating from the 25th of March next
following the date of such application. All sucl aPPI!'
cations to be made in the same manner as for public
dancing and music under the 25th of George H. Per-
sons after the 25th March next taking part in. un-
licensed horse races to be liable torfieneoritmopexricseoen,i
went on summary conviction, the former not
£l.O and the latter two months, as also the owners and
occupiers of the grounds to £25 or three months. After
the 25th March unlicensed horse races to be deemed :A
nuisance, arid to he dealt with as a nuisance at common
law.