The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-08-22 00:00:00

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THE INVETiTIONS EXHIBITION.—The nttnitt:;r f`f viSit°lll„
to the International Inventions Exhibition for ttie wee'
ending Saturday, August 15, was 131,798, the total since
the opening being 2,162,248.
LAST WEEK'SWIMCKS.—Fi f tef 71 wrecks were reported
during the past week, six British and nine foreign,
making the total for the present year 683, against 931
for the corresponding period of last year. Three ive/e
steamers,lwo being foreign. Two vessels were abeo4
doned at sea, and one foundered by collision.
NOTING IDEAS.—Victor Hugo is reported to have one°
said, "At night when I do not sleep, and any
comes into my brain, I formulate it at once, and
write it—sometimes without a light—in a little now.
book that I always keep within reach. The little 110 W.
books contain what I call my chips. I have alreadY
certain number of them quite filled. They will be foes"
when I am gone."
NATIONAL BIBLIOGRAPHY.—The Italian Minister ci
Public Instruction, in order to encourage the study 01
national bibliography, has decided, upon the recornmelv
dation of a commission nominated by him, to offer A
prize of 3000 lire for the best catalogue of Italian bib-
liographical literature. The work is to comprehend
--
(1) General and special bibliographies written bY.
Italians; (2) bibliographies concerning Italy compile°.
by foreigners; (3) catalogues of MSS. and printed books
in Italian libraries; (4) catalogues of MSS. and printed
books relating to Italian matters preserved in foreign
libraries.
RUSSIA'S ClarrsonsulP.--It is possible sometimes to
derive amusement ex en from the tyrannies of the
Russian censorship. There were recently Sent to the
censorship the proofs of a novel called In Troubled
Times "—those of the Russo-Turkish war. The author,
in describing the tent of one of the Grand Dukes, stated
that among its ornaments was" the portrait of a certain
actress." The censor altered the phrase to a "large
map of the theatre of war." The novelist objecteo
that his description was "historical "; whereupon the
censorship replied that "in Russia nothing is histories.'
except what appears in the official journals."
- -

;
THE ZOOLOGICAL Gannices.—The additions to the
Zoological Gardens during the past week inclulss!
mactque monkey, from India, presented by Mr. S•sr
Coles; Persian gazelle, from Persia, presented by Inc'
John Stanice Cater; two Madagascar porphyrios, frorn
the Gold Coe, S: West Africa, presented t•y Mr.
North Newenhare ; a coekateel, from Australia, Pre.
seated by Mr. J. Ward; four Martinican cloves, $
moustached ground dove, five Dominican kestrels,
Violoceus night heron, two
Boort
°°
Kitt's, West Indies, presented by Dlirp.m'Aflll
.r° S.b‘
M.R.C.S. ; a common viper, British, presented by ?dr'
C. Smallman ; a ring-tailed ooati, from South America'
a golden-crowned conure, from South-East Brazil, to
greater sulphur crested cockatoo, from Australia, de-
posited.—" Nature."
IMPORTATION OF LITE Los srims,—An experinienta
much interest is now being made by the maritime Prc.
vinces of Canada in the introduction of live bbsters to
the English market. The steamer Clifton, frcra
Mirainiehi to England, took out a tank containing s°°
live lobsters, and if they reach England in good condi'
tion a large business is anticipated. There is ahead,/
considerable trade with Great Britain in preserve'.
lobsters. Although the fishery was almost unknown .°
Canada ten years ago, it is now third in point of Oa,:
portance. It is carried on in over 600 factories, whin'
send annually to British, United States, and other
markets between 16 and 17 million cans, representing
a value of between two and a half arid three million
dollars.
THE FOREIGN CATTLE TRADE.--From the following
figures it will be seen that the arrivals of live storir
and fresh meat at Liverpool from American and 050 r
dian pees during the week ending August 15 wer°cia.
large decrease in comparison with those of the pre/es
ing week; as the total shipments amounted to -
cattle, 1743 sheep, 3742 quarters of beef, and 54 eat:i;
cases of Muttoa, whilst the previous week's arriv74
amounted to 2942 cattle, 1233 sheep, 8779 quarters.",
beef, and 180 carcases of mutton. The conveynia
steamers last week were as follows: Retarell'
680 cattle; Spain, 516 cattle, and 578 ntlarr,
of beef; Brooklyn, 421 cattle and sS4s
sheep; Lake Huron, 348 cattle, 59 sheep, and "i!
quarters of beef •, British Crown, 871 quarters of bees;
City of Richmond, 810• quarters of beef and 54 care'
of mutton; and Scythia, 756 quarters of beef.
HAPHAZARD RM 4.1,A death
lEDIES.—An inquiry as to she
an infant named Louisa North elicited some judieln;
remarks from the coroner. The mother of thee',
ceased, a respectably-dressed woman, stated that
the child was ill, witness had procured some "inixturesi
from a chemist's, which seemed to relieve it. gedicse
evidence was given to the effect that the cause of desso
was inflammation of the lungs. The disease had he',
going on for four days prior to death. The coroos,;
said that the medicine obtained from the chemist 13:1
soothed but could not cure the deceased. If rnedi ea
aid had been called in death would probably not JO
the
ensued. Serious attacks like the one from whir .rd
infant seffered could not be treated with hapbszenSr
medicine from a chemist's. The jury returned a
diet in accordance with the medical evidence.
THE SIAMESE BAND —Mr. 11. Villiers Stuart, s•-•
author of "Egypt after the War," "Nile Gleanings;it
&c., draws attention to an interesting fact: " weese
yesterday [August 101,' he says. 'to hear the Slants she
band, and great was my surprise to see one or
musicians playing upon an instrument absolute l,
identical with the ancient Egyptian lute which flits
nished the hieroglyph NeferS meaning good," swee
'excellent,' Sze. It has the heart-shaped body, the Dolt
neck, and the four pegs, two at each side, for tighten;
ing the strings, precisely as we see the instrurae,
represented in both the hieroglyph and the wst's,
paintings. Did this lute make its way eastwards fro.;
rto
Egypt, or the original Egyptian immigrants bring
i
with them long before the time of Mena, from the s _
East? It is in any case an interesting fact that the.
Siamese of the present day should use the veil Bata°
instrument used by the Egyptians 5000 years ago." t
ALLEGED DAMAGE OF PICTITRES.—The statereen7
that several pictures in the Louvre had been want° if
damaged, made by some Paris journals, is, it seeoo'
unfounded. M. de Ronchaud, director of the a:110e%;
on being questioned on the subject, said that it Wet
not true that a picture by Ingres had been gashed w"o
a penknife. The only damage of which he had it)es
informed was the scratching of a plaster Stela nrituost
knife in the Phcenician gallery. He attributed rn
danger to the pictures from the copyists, w,bcraeeeo
described as a nuisance. It not unfrequentlY otiPn-set
that their easels, with colours on them, are 11,1?
against the paintings they are copying, and dan"tse
lacerate the pictures. The painters also scratch tor
pictures by taking measures on them. The dirtesee
has applied to the Minister of Fine Arts to hav_ento
Saturday each week reserved for the public. e7sao
thus get rid of the copyists for three days, a" for
Monday would still be reserved for special studies .0,5
which authorisation is required, the museum bel
closed to the public on that day. re Isis°
REIINISCENCES OF DUMAS'S I'APERS.—A - roses
paper prints some amusing reminiscences of Alla Tee
Dureas's short-lived paper, the " MousquetaiTsssegn
romancer, whose little idiosyncrasies were well nutor
inserted a dilly notice to the effect that the e tee
would receive neither complimentary tickets for raja
theatres nor books for review, since he made it $ isso
to pay for the one and to buy the other. Nevertheboa
the contributor to the "Mousquetairo " who writes t 9,01
reminiscences says that he never received so
books and stalls_ Whenever he asked the cashier Indio
5-franc piece to buy a stall he was laughed at, an Tee
was obliged to allow himself to be corrupted bet
daily receipts of the paper were from £l6 to gnootee
Dumas had always some Jew to quiet, or some ",etl
amie "to soothe, and the cash-box was usuallY e";itee
—like the pockets of the printer and paPer.ras-and
The unfortunate cashier, who had to bear the be,as;o
burden of the demands for money, spent his t',,rere
reading " Jerusalem Delivered." The contributors
Sol
no better' off than the printer' and when their „ao
Michel the cashier—he had formerly beep ,40-.."
Dumas's gardeners at the Chateau de Monte ()rip
for the price of an article, he would show them Igo ol
ut
melancholy air his empty cash-box. Like so 1:clo'
the romancer's similar enterprises, the"
came to to an inglorious end. °
The mil
THE JUBILEE YEAR OF QUEEN VICTORIA:—
cious date of the "Year of Jubilee" of her Billie" oeldPr
f lie" •
Victoria is on June 20, 1886. The half-
nellreign will be completed on June 20,1887, ettultiill
cedents are in favour of the "Jubilee" year'
the beginning and not at the end of the fiftieth edisee
The most direct is that of 1809, upon October 259 "eo
rejoicings were held throuishout the empire be_scsu... alo
the entrance of George 111. upon the Jabilee x seseS
in this the original institution of the JubileeitsTs see
obviously followed. "Thou shalt number," 13•Ysovel
Mosaic law," seven Sabbaths of years unto th;f_eto
times seven years; and the space of seven S Of.* oelcii
years shall be unto thee forty and nine Yea" an
e to 0% A
shalt thou cause the trumpet of the juneeeee tisane!
. . . throughout all your land. And ye snisat
the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throu!ss be!!
the land unto all the inhabitants thereof; it o.lre'sseole_
jubilee unto you." Only three Sovereigns totwvo tin
• tale of English history have been suffered t.?
•
)opening of such a year —Henry 111., Edward
George 111.--" City Frees."

EATURDAY,
....