The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-03-07 00:00:00

Misallantrats 3ntelligetyt.

ROME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL.

THE QUEEN'S NEW Boom—Her Majesty's last book
is now being translated into Spanish.
AN INGENrons INvENTioN.—A German engineer has
invented an electric target, on which a hand indicates
the exact point where the bullet strikes it. That
arrangement will effectually prevent the accidents to
life and limb which are so frequent in Germany.
GERMAN CENSORSHIP.—An order has been Issued to
the directors of theatres in Germany from the Court
ferbidding them to produce any plays in which ancestors
or collateral relations of the Prussian Royal family are
represented, without special permission.
"No HONOUR IN HIS OWN COUNTRY."—At a per-
formance in Cassel on the last anniversary of C. M.
von Weber's birth, when the receipts were devoted
towards defraying the cost of the monument to be
erected to the composer in his native place, Rutin,
the entire audience numbered-37 persons I—" Musice
World."

DRAMATIC REFORM.—The Dramatic Reform Associa-
tion, which has its headquarters in Manchester, is offer-
ing prizes for competition to encourage the study of
dramatic literature. The examination for the present
yearwill take place in June, the play in which the com-
petitors will be examined being "As You Like It."
SINGER'S SALARIES.—The following, it is stated, are
the annual salaries of the leading singers at the Paris
Grand Opera: Mdme. Krauss, 127,500 francs; Mdlle.
Isaac, 80,000; Mdlle. Richard, 65,000; Lassalle, 125,000;
Salomon, 70,000; Melchiss&lec, 48,000: Dereims,
60,000; Boudouresque, 60,000 Faure, 180,000; Gail-
hard, 72,000; and Villeret, 72,000.
STATISTICAL.—The excess of births over deaths in
France in 1883 was 96,843, against 97,027 in 1882, and
108,229. in 1881. The number of departments that lose
population from this decline of the excess of births
over deaths is greater every year, and now amounts to
about 30 per cent. It is singular that the vine-growing
districts are the principal defaulters in this respect.
EXTRAORDINARY DiscovEgv.—While some men were
recently digging up a piece of enclosed land in Bramp.
ton-road, London, nearly opposite Tattersall's, they
found a large box, containing a quantity of valuables,
including many ancient coins, and a large daisy formed
of gold, silver, and bronze, richly enamelled. The box
was in a good state of preservation, but it is supposed
to have been buried a very considerable time.

IMPORTANT DISCOVERY.—Mr. W. H. Harrison, of
Sydney, has introduced a new process for the reduction
of iron ores. Hydrogen and bicarburretted hydrogen
(coal gas) are injected into the blast furnace. The
hydrogen carries off the impurities, and pure iron is left
in the bed of the furnace. New furnaces are being
erected for the process, in the hope of securing the
contract for supplying the Colonial Government with
15,000 tons of steel per annum for ten years.
AN "EARLY EDITION."—A story is told of a paper
in Ohio, the manager of which, in a fit of enterprise,
entered into an agreement with a printer to give him
£5 if he would get the Governor's Message in advance
for an early edition. The printer gained- a copy, re-
ceived his pay, and left town. The matter was set up,
and was ready for printing, when it was discovered
that the Message was last year's. The paper did not
come out with an early edition.
EMPLOYMENT FOR LADIES. Stenography, type.
writing, and telegraphy have, says the "Albany
Journal " lately given additional work for w °ellen in
United States. Many gins witn either or the accom-
plishments above enumerated earn an income of 400
dols. to 600 dols, a year, work from five to eight hours
a day, with comfortable places in which to labour, and
with their Sundays entirely to themselves; this, too,
without night work, out-door exposure, or the neces-
sity for contact with others than those who employ
them.

—COLONIAL RAILWAYS.—In 1884 the total receipt&
from the New South Wales railways (including tram-
ways) were £2,302,013, an advance upon 1883 of
£221,011. The estimated receipts for 1885 are
£2,750,000. During the past year the train mileage
run over 1480 miles of line in operation was 7,500,000.
oTrh is
27y0e ai
nr
etxheee ns
su
of
bleBrBo4f milesftnh oe p
extrae r a tio ion
rwa
n 1 1 bneiill:e„
twoill4ab.epelr,9ootralOnoom.
make the expenditure for;1885 3s. 10.1 d. per mile, show-
beuetxpPeronvdiistuioren hiasn IbBeB4enwamsadeeclutalo
ing a reduction of 10. per mile, equil to £55,000.
A GIGANTIC SEWERAGE SCHEME.—DRIIIOIIVB sewerage
scheme for Paris contemplates the construction of a.
drain about 100 miles long from the city to a covered
reservoir below Herblay, on the right bank of the Seine,.
and between Dieppe and Treport, and the establishment
of pumping stations at Eragny and Serifontaine. It is
estimated that for nine months of the year almost the-
whole of the sewage will be taken up by irrigation. The
entire cost of construction is expected to be not mbre
than 2,400,000, and it is anticipated that the mainten-
ance of the pumping stations will be fully secured by
the sales of the sewage for irrigation purposes. " Only
during one-quarter of the year will much of the wants
of the French metropolis reach the sea at all.
OUR SOUDAN ENEMY.—The Mandi's forces are mainly
organised on the system of the early Caliphs, we learn
from an Arabic journal. Each company consists of tern
"brotherhoods "—i.e., a band of ten men under, the
command of some senior in age, or of a private who has
distinguished himself. Ten companies for a regiment,.
commanded by an emir and his lieutenants, every com-
pany flying its own linen flag with the Mandi's device
of two crossed swords, while each regimental flag differs
in colour. Promotion goes by gallantry, and thus any
brave private may in time become an emir. When the
False Prophet leads in person, he is escorted by a staff
of ten emirs, ten aide-de-camps, and four mounted
standard bearers (bairakdar_s_).—" Graphic.' •
ENGLISH AS SPOKEN.—mr. R. Stewart Pattereen
communicates to "Notes and Queries" the fallowing
recent specimens of "English as She is Spoke?! . One
is an Italian circular relating to a" Rimedio infaglbje
centre il mal di mare," in which the Public are-infeed
that the discovery is "The result of long study and
accurate experience not accompanied by useless dazzling
patents and decorated with any showy medal, do thbu
gallantly step forward into the immense sea And brace
the ailment,of vomit it prepares to its travellers, au& do
likewise challenge all the vicissitudes thou wilt he
liable to through the influx of envy ever ready to blind)u
or malignantly underrate all truth and utility emerging .
from some new discovery. Directions for use: For
grown up persons, immediately after the first fits of
nausea, from ten to twelve drops of the liquid will be
murbeiodkupp) atohanbedkheerlcdhiien a natural f folded up inwtahye
a amm
shape of
under the nose, and in lying down on the bed or couch."
Others are the title of a book mentioned by Don Joe,
Navarrete, in his volume entitled "Las Chives del
Estrecho," "Reason whit we ought any on any account
to part with Gibraltar," and a chart Which .we ars
informed was "Republied by W. Fabengeographe GM/
Majesty and to H.R.H. the Premier of Walee.'