The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-10-17 00:00:00

EPITOME OF NEW&

BRITISH AND ronEIGN.

The 50th representation of " Hoodman Blind" at
the Princess's Theatre took place at last Saturday's
matinee.
During the recent cyclone the British ship Helen
Pembroke, from Shields, for Calcutta, became a total
wreck in Cassarina Bay. The captain and crew were
saved.
The opinion is said to be entertained at Portland,
Oregon (U.S.), that itl3 soon as the Canadian Pacific
Railway is completed to the Pacific Ocean this year, it
will draw business from all parts of Paget Sound, from
Portland, and from the Columbia River Valley, all of
which are in United States territory.
The opening of the nave of St. Albans Cathedral and
Abbey Church will take place on the 21st inst. -
In answer to a Chester gentleman who Wrote- fircall
his attention to the alleged intimidation of railway
employes at Crewe for political purposes, Mr. Glad-
stone replied to the effect that while he disapproved of
the conduct of any man who employed his property for
such a purpose, he still more protested sgsin3t the
action of anyone who sought to turn to such account
property which was not his own.
The tenants on the Dunraven estate having been
served with notice to pay by Nov. 1 the half- year's rent
due on May 1 last, appointed a deputation, who waited
on the agent, Mr. Fitzgerald, at Adare, and asked for a
substantial abatement, owing to the prevailing dei,
pression and great falling off in prices. Mr. Fitzgerald
received the deputation in a kindly manner, and
promised to do what he could to forward their interests,
and would immediately communicate their request to
Lord Dunrayen.

A serious poaching affray was investigated by the
Denbigh magistrates on Saturday. A gang of 10
poachers, including Thomas and David Davies, invaded
at night Dyffrynaled estate. They were pounced upon
by Constable Davies, Llansannan ; Albert Smith, head
keeper; Robert Williams, under keeper; and John
Kelly, footman. A murderous fight ensued, the
poachers defending desperately a large number of
rabbits in bags. Constable Davies was knocked down
and kicked in a terrible manner, till he became insen-
sible. Smith, the head keeper, seized David Davies,
and, locked in each other's arms, they fell into a river,
and the keeper lost consciousness. Williams,the under
keeper, had three teeth kicked out, and he was also
dreadfully wounded. He rescued his comrade from
the river. All the other poachers got clean away,
leaving the keepers in a shocking state. Thomas and
David Davies were sentenced to three months' hard
labour.
Three hundred of the tenants on the Kilkenny estate
of the Earl of Bessborough on Saturday signed a de-
claration that they would not pay the half-year's rent
now due unless they obtained a reduction of 30 per
cent. His lordship having been informed of the
resolve of his tenants said thai he would not accede
to their request, but would deal with eaeli case on its
merits_
Intelligence has reached Madrid from Corono (West
Coast of Africa), to the effect that a Spanish expedi-
tion has entered the Naya Rivar and proclaimed the
sovereignty of Spain over the villages on both banks.
It would appear that Ras Alula was wounded in the
recent engagement of his troops with the rebels at
Kufert. Two Italian army surgeons have been sent to
the Abyssinian camp by Colenel Saletta, in command
at Massowah.
Lord Salisbury, in reply to a Dublin Conservative,
announces that the general election "will probably take
place about Nov. 17."
Letters of sympathy from Mr. Bright and Mr.
Chambeilain were read at a conference of Welshmen,
held at Liverpool, in support of the disestablishment of
the Church in Wales. The latter declared that the
question had long been ripe for sefflement.
Pleuro-pneumonia has broken out on a farm near
Penrith, and the animals affected have been slaugh-
tered. There was an outbreak on the same farm 11
months ago, and it is thouoht that the virus must have
been dormant in the meantime.
At Manchester, on Tuesday, an elderly man named
Flj an was commi ted for trial for attempting to
murder Kate Hynes, with whom be had previously
lived. The woman had been in the workhouse, and as
she was leaving on Wednesday he waylaid her and
attacked her most savagely with an iron bar, leaving
her for dead on the read.
The Salvation Army barracks at New 'Wortley, near
Leeds, were completely destroyed by fire on Tuesday
morning. The building, which seated 4000 persons, was
in the form of a castle. On Monday night a children's
tea party took place, and the fire is supposed to have
been caused by the overheating of a stove. The build-
ing was private property, the Salvationists paying £2OO
a year for its use.
Peterborough King's School, which for centuries has
been conducted in Beckett's Chapel, in the cathedral
precincts, having become too small for the needs of
the town, new buildings in the Tudor style have been
erected, and opened by the dean, in the absence of the
bishop of the diocese. Earl Fitz willia m, Lord Burghley,
M.P., and Mr. S. C. Buxton, were among those
present.
An inquest was held at Exeter on Tuesday on the
bodies of a young man and young woman who whilst on
the Exe on Sunday had their boat sucked into a current
which carried it over Trews "Weir. The young man,
who was named Tucker, a watchmaker, of 0 kehampton ,
made a gallant effort to bring his sweetheart ashore,
but the swollen stream was too much for him. A. ver-
dict of "Accidental death" was returned.
The export returns of the Cheshire salt trade com-
piled for September again show a great decrease, the
total tonnage shipped from the Mersey being 90.000
tons, against 102,776 tons in the corresponding month
last year. The exports for the past nine months are
40,000 tons below the average of the past 10 years, and
94,000 tons below last year's exports. There is a
contiderable diminution of shipments, especially to the
Northern States of America.
A serious accident occurred at Sheerness on Tuesday
morning to some workmen in the employ of the Local
Board of Health, who were digging a trench in Albion-
place for a new drain. The trench had been dug about
St t. for the purpcse of being timbered, when the sides
fell in, completely burying a labourer named Wooden,
and partially burying another named Kirby. Kirby was
rescued within a quarter of an hour in a state of ex-
haustion, but over an hour elapsed before the earth
round Wooden could be cleared.
The revenue receipts between the Ist April and the
10th October amounted to £39,985,670, as compared with
e 40,232,446 in the corresponding period of last year.
The expenditure amounted to £50,653,921, as against
£46,033,106. On Saturday last there was a balance in
the Bank of England of £846,332, and in the Bank of
Ireland of £675,529.
In London 2491 births and 1309 deaths were regis-
tered last week. Allowing for increase of population,
the births were 164, and the deaths 146, below
the average numbers in the corresponding weeks of
the last ten years. The annual death-rate per 1000
from all causes, which had been 13.8, 16.0, in the
two preceding weeks, further rose last week to 16.7.
The 1309 deaths included 2 from small-pox, 17 from
measles, 21 from scarlet fever, 14 from diphtheria, 3i
froskwhooping-cough, 2 from typhus, 12 from enteric
feser, 6 from ill-defined forms of continued fever, and
35 from diarrhea and dysentery.
At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean
reading of the barometer last week was 29-40 in.; the
highest reading was 2082. in., in the early part of
week, and the lowest 28-78, on Soturdav morning.
The mean temperature of air was 47.6, and 5-`2 below
the average in the corresponding week of the 20 years
ending 1863. Rain fall on each day of the week, to the
aggregate amount of 1-09 of an inch. The duration of
registered bright sunshine in the week was 14-4 hours,
against 21-4 hours at Glynde Place, Lewes.
Miss Helen Taylor has informed a deputation of
ladies that it is her firm resolution to go to the poll for
North Camberwell, and that she will shortly commence
the contest.
About a hundred Nationalist delegates met in Dublin
on Tuesday under the presidency of Mr. Parnell, and
selected two candidates—Sir Thomas Esmonde and
Mr. Clancy—for the county divisions. The former, in
the course of a speech, declared that, though he was an
Irish landlord, there would never be peace or prosperity
in the country until the last landowner disappeared
from it.
On Tuesday the petition of Louis Riel, the Canadian
rebel, agaiast the sentence of death passed on him, came
before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council,
but on the application of counsel it was postponed
until the 21st inst., in order to permit of the arrival of
the gentleman who had conducted the prisoner's
defence.
Judge Powell. on taking his seat for the first time in
the Lambeth County Court, intimated that, although
his predecessor did not do so, he should wear his robes,
and he expected the members of the bar to follow the
example.
The Glasgow Presbytery, the largest in the United
Presbyterian Church, on Tuesday discussed the eines-
tian of Disestablisbment. Dr. Jeffrey moved that in
the opinion of the Presbytery the Church of Scotland
should be forthwith disestablished and disendowed.
The question, he said, had now come within the range
of practical polities, and he thought few would deny
that it was ripe for solution. The motion was not made
in any spirit hostile to the Church of Scotland. The
Rev. Scott Mathieson seconded the motion, which, after
a long debate, was carried by 53 to 5, the latter voting
for the previous question.
Mr. Carttar held an inquest on Tuesday at the private
house of Mr. Ernest Loveley, chemist, Beckenham,
touching the death of his daughter, Eliza LoYeley. The
evidence showed that on the 27th of August the child
was bitten by a retriever. She was immediately
attended by a medical man, and she appeared to have
recovered till the forenoon of Wednesday, when she
became very ill, and refused all kinds of drink. Every-
thing possible was done for her, but she died on Satur-
day morning last. The jury returned a verdict of
"Death from Hydrophobia."
Some idea of the extent and gravity of the agri-
cultural depression may be gathered from the fact that
the number of farms to let in Westmorland and
Cumberland is unprecedently large. These counties are
in the main pastoral, and have been the last to feel the
full effects of the depression, but the farmers declare
they cannot any longer face the present low prices. In
many cases farmers have got only 4d. per lb. for well-
fed stock, and lamb has been sold at Kendal at 6d.
Storms of wind and rain have kept a lot of corn out-
standing.
A meeting of the Committee of the South Yorkshire '
Coalowners Association was held at Sheffield on
Tuesday, when a communication was considered from
Mr. Benjamin Pickard, on behalf of the miners, asking
for an advance of 15 per cent, in wages. It was
resolved that an intimation be forwarded to Mr.
Pickard to the effect that there was no present indica-
tion of such an improvement in the state of trade as
would justify the increase asked, and that no useful
purpose would be served by calling together the coal'
owners to receive a deputation.
An interesting event took place at Dover on Tues-
day morning. There was a special parade or the
garrison of Artillery which had been quartered there
for some time, and Colonel Goodenough, C. 8., then
announced to the troops the retirement of Major
Forsdyke, who had risee from the ranks, and after-
wards read out the gallant officer's services. Colonel
Goodenough specially referred to the prospects young
soldiers had of rising to a niels sank Major resceeke
entered the Horse Artillery, at Woolwich, when a
youth.
Elizabeth Davies, aged 30, respectably connected,
met a terrible death at St. Clears on Tuesday. Late
on the previous night she was riding on a steam
bicycle when she fell off, and her legs were drawn
under the machine. Her left leg was completely
shattered, the foot being almost severed, and some of
the bones broken. The right leg and arm were also
injured. She died in the course of the day.
For eight hours on Monday night 350 miners were
imprisoned in the Silkstone Pit of Messrs. Hope and
Pearson (Limited), Altofts, near Normanton. It
appears that the crank of the engine broke when all the
men were at work, and it was not until late that it was
sufficiently repaired to enable the men to be drawn up.
The pit head was besieged by the wives and relatives of
those below, but all were drawn up uninjured.
A fire broke out on Tuesday morning in the chapel
of the temporary premises occupied by the Dames de
Marie Order of Nuns, pending the erection of the new
convent at Scarborough. Although considerable
damage was done all sacred relics and furnishings were
saved by the Sisters, the Fire Brigade, and the many
volunteers who readily lent their assistance. The
damage is covered by insurance.
Several farmers in the Ferry-hill District of the
county Durham, dissatisfied with the prices received
fcr sheep in the public cattle markets and from dealers,
are killing animals themselves, and retailing legs of
mutton at 7.1 A. per pound, and other joints at a less
price.
The will of Mr. E. J. Layton, of Messrs. Layton. Sons,
and Lyndon. solicitors who formerly filled the office of
'Under-Sheriff, late of Parkhurst, Bexley, Kent, has
been proved, the value of the personal estate amounting
to upwards of £72,000. The testator desires to be
I uried plainly and inexpensively, "without any hired
a.,tel.'

M. -Argyropoulos, the late oharg4 d'Affaires of
Greece in London, has been dismistzed for baying
attended the Tricoupis meeting of the Greek cem•
munity in London on the 18th ult.

On Monday Prince Edward of S.lxe-Weimar, Oom•
mander of the Forces in Ireland, made his first official
inspection of the troops of the Dublin garrison, in
Phcenix:park.

Medals were served out on Sunday morning to the
men of the Ist and 2nd Battalions of the Coldstream
Guards who took part in the Nile campaign and formed
part of the Camel Corps. There is a clasp for the
engagement at Abu Klett.
Mr. George B. Hughes, of the South Wales Circuit,
has been appointed as County Court Judge of the
Bradford district, in place of Judge Powell, recently
transferred to the Lambeth, Woolwich, and Greenwich
County Courts.
The Russian members of the Afghan Boundary Com-
mission will pass the winter at Sarakhs.
Canon Duckworth preached at the reopening of the
Chapel Royal, St. James's.
In the tea !:districts of Assam and Darjeeling the
weather has continued unfavourable, and the blight in
Tel ai will seriously affect the outturn.
The treasurer of the Irish National League Parlia-
mentary Fund at New York says that about £lOOO is
being sent weekly to Mr. Parnell.
The Sultan has conferred upon the Khedive the Order
of Nichani-Imtiaz, the highest distinction in the Otto-
man Empire.

. -
John EIII, alias "Sailor Jack," and John Williams,
alias "Irish Jack," were at the Weobley Police-court
committed for trial charged with the wilful murder of
Ann Dixon, near Weobley, on the 30th ult. The head
of the deceased woman bore evidence of the most
savage treatment. Both prisoners maintained a stolid
demeanour during the proceedings, and at the close
Williams desired to make a statement, but was dig'
suaded from doing so by the Rev. Father M‘Kay, Roman
Catholic priest.
As the mail cart which runs between Ramsey and
Huntingdon was passing through a lonely spot neat
the village of Warboys, on Sunday night, three men
sprang out from the hedge, and while two of them ran
to the horse's head and cut the reins, the third man
jumped on the cart, and attacked Smith, the driver.
Smith lashed about him with his whip, but was quickly
overpowered, and his packets were rifled. He succeeded,
however, after a desperate struggle, in regaining his
feet, and his assailants then made off.
A meeting was held at Cambridge on Monday night,
under the presidency of the Bev. G. F. Browne, in
reference to the recent decision in the Revision Court
respecting the votes of residents in colleges. It was
resolved, "That this meeting heartily approves of the
appeal against the decision of the Revising Barrister
depriving members of the University in statu
pupillari ' of the franchise, which it was the plain
intention of Parliameat to confer upon them; and
with a view to its successful prosecution is of opinion
that funds should be at once raised to meet the neces-
sary expenses."
It is reported from India that the sappers and
miners in each Presidency are to be augmented 50 per
cent, and reorganised on the lines adopted in England.
About 40,000 men will join the camp of exercise.

A catalogue is to be prepared of the musical loan col-
lection at South Kensington. if a sufficient number of
subscribers at the price of one guinea per copy is
obtained. The catalogue will be illustrated. Dr. Stainer
is to be the editor, and introductions to the different
sub!ects will be written by Mr. A. J. Hipkins, Dr. Stone,
and other specialists.

Instructions have been given to the dockyard autho.
rities at Sheerness to begin as soon as possible the
building of the Grasshopper—a new class of vessel
described as a torpedo boat-catcner—which had been,
designed RS a protection to a fleet from attack by tor-
pedo boats, which will be 200 ft. long, with a displace-
ment of 440 tons, and will be fitted with machinery of
a very powerful character, enabling her to steam at a
higher rate of speed than torpedo boats.

The Eastbourne Corporation Municipal Improve-
ment Bill having become law the Town Council has
issued a notice forbidding street processions on Sunday.
other than naval or military, with bands of music, and
informing the public that itinerant musicians who
cause annoyance may be srdered to move on at once by
any householder under penalty of prosecution. In
spite cf the notice the Salvationists continue their pro-
cessions, but without musical instruments.

The keystone of HouAton Railway Bridge. which
spans the Houghton-road between Portslade and South-
wick, and over which the Brighton and Dyke Railway
will run, was formally laid on Monday by the Hon.
Mrs. Ashley Ponsonbv, and at the conclusion of the
ceremony hearty cheers were given.
A disorderly scene occurred at Luton on Monday
evening in connection with a Salvation Army wedding
at one of the local barracks. Previous to the ceremony
there was a procession through the streets, which were
lined by thousands of spectators. The procession was
led by officers on horseback; there were two bands, and
the bridal pair were in a carriage. Near Ohase•street,
a disorderly part of the town, mud and stones were
thrown, and several stones were thrown into the bridal
carriage. One of the officers was maltreated, but no
other serious injury was done.

_ .
At a largely attended conference of delegates at
Cork, at which Mr. Parnell was present, seven candi-
dates were E elected to' contest the county divisions in
the National interest. There were originally no fewer
200 candidates. In the evening the Irish leader
addressed an open-air gathering.
At the Birmingham Grand Theatre on Monday night
Mrs. Weldon appeared as the heroine in ,vhat has been
described as 'a new and original Lunacy Law Drama,"
in Eve acts' written by Mr. George Lander and Mrs.
Weldon. The piece is entitled "Not Alone." It
affords Mrs. Weldon an opportunity of appearing as
the central figure in a drama which without her wtmld
probably lose much of its force. 'lie purport of the
plot is to show what "Hester Stanhope," personated
by Mrs. Weldon, has to endure, hew she is unjustly
accused of being a lunatic, how for a time she is
confined in an asylum, but how ultimately she proves
her sanity. Mrs. Weldon made a good impression,
deficient as she was in many respects in histrionic art.
Earl Beauchamp has made a permanent reduction of
his agricultural rents equal to 30 per cent.
Unionist membe,rm on .trifro held meetings at
Oldham on Saturday, when the masters' over of 10
per cent. reduction for three months, with 5 per cent.
to be restored at the end of that time, was considered.
The whole of the meetings declined to entertain the
proposal, and the members decided to go on half-pay.
The decision of the operatives was communicated to
the amalgamation, who met at Manchester the same
evening, when the action of the Oldham operatives was
agreed upon.
On Saturday, at the instance of the vicar of
Ticehursc, Sussex, two separate sales for the recovery
of the extraordinary tithe on hop gardens belonging to
Messrs. Crispe and Vine, old parishioners, and
Churchmen, and amounting altogether to about £5O,
were effected by an auctioneer from Berkshire. The
weather was extremely inclement, but nevertheless
there was a large gathering of hop and fruit growers
and others interested from Sussex and the adjoining
county of Kent. In Mr. Crispe's case the validity of
the sale was disputed, the auctioneer declaring a bid of
-P3B, while a grower from Kent, to whom it was
attributed, had only offered £37. In the case of Mr.
Vine the hop poles were bcught in for £5, the tithe
distrained for being about £l9. An indignation meeting
followed, presided over by Mr. Bolton, president of the
Anti-Extraordinary Tithe Association, and a resolution
was passed expressing the opinion that the tithe was an
impediment to agriculture, and should therefore be
' abolished, and hoping that a reformed Parliament would
I remove from the statute-book the law authorising the
tithe. Mr. Inderwick wrote stating that he had never
altered his views as to the necessity for the abolition of
extraordinary tithe.