The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-04-03 00:00:00

EPITOME OF NEWS,

LRITISII AND FOREIGN.

'For some reason or another," says a Paris corre-
spondent, " the Government has issued directions to its
various organs to adopt a pacific tulle, motto allow even the
insults of the PIIISSiaII press to pass by unnoticecL" A good
many persons are alarmed at this abrupt change.
The Registrar-General reports that in the week
ending Saturday last the births in London numbered
2,177, and the deaths 1,590. In both cases this is less
than the rates m the corresponding week attest year.

Snow fell heavily in Paris during the early hours
of Monday morning, and had it not melted as the day ad-
vanced it would have been two feet deep in the streets. So
severe was the weather that some steeplechases which
were to have come off at Vincennes had to be postponed.

The loss of life by the wreck of the Pacific steamer
Met-mann, which was reported a few days ago, is estimated
at from 250 to 300 souls —A telegram from Yok.diaina states
that the Germau barque Made ira has been totally lest in
Pratos shoals.

The ceremony of "churcbing " the Princess Chris-
tian took place on Saturday morning in the private chapel at
Windsor.
During Fiery iee in the parish church of Burslem on
Sunday morning the centre compartment of the east window
was 111.AVII out by a gust of wind. Just previously some
panes of glass in a side window were forced inwards, a vio-
lent gale prevail ng all the morning. The congregation were
considerably alarmed by the accident, and the service was
brought to a premature-close with sprayer.
A serious difference, we hear, has arisen between
the Marquis de Banneville, the French ambassador at Koine
and the Marquis de Lavalette. The Marquis In Banneville
complains that the minister treats trim more as a sub-
secretary than an ambassador, aucl he has written to the
Emperor to request either that his position may be better
defined or that he may be recalled.
The New York papers, of the lfftb inst., published a
burg telegram by tire c Ode, giving a lull account of the Uni-
versity boat race the previous day. The Tribune devotes •
leading article to the race.
A handloom weaver, named James Ruse, living in
Kidderminster, sat down to a dinner of mutton chop and
cow's lung on Sunday, when his wife observed him to start
to his feet in an unnatural way. His eyes rolled wildly about,
and he was evidently suffering from an obstruction in his
throat, caused by a piece of meat. Ile died almost imme-
diately. The deceased left a wile and three children in a
destitute state.

The Louisville Journal of the 13th March says :
This afternoon John Key, Jun , a young man, shot and
instantly killed his father. John It. Key, a wealthy farmer
living ne.m here, lie also severely wounded a Mr. Givens in
the head. No cause is stated for the act, whether insanity or
otherwise.
"Matrimony.--A gentleman, aged twenty-five
wishes to correspond with a young lady; means no object ;
enclose carte and state particulans."—Advert.semeut in
Manchester Examiner.
Mr. Maurice H. Collis, a Dublin surgeon, who was
rapidly risi I g in his profession, has ined from Mood poison-
ing, caused hy slightly wounding his finger whilst perform-
ing an operation in the Meath hospital.

A telegram from Bombay announces a meeting be-
tween Lord Mayo and Shere Ali, the Arneer of Afghanistan,
and which was conducted with great ceremony.
The miners' strike in South Yorkshire has assumed
very formidable proportions; 1,700 men are now out of em-
ployment, and between 5,000 and 6,000 persons are depending
on them for support. They are at present nnainntaline.l by the
Miners' Union, which has a fund of £lO,OOO, and by contribu-
tions from other trades.
A conference on the licensing system was held in the
Manchester Town Hall on Tuesday, under the auspices of
the Licence Amendment League. Resolutions were passed
in favour of a general scheme of licence reform, and of lessen-
ing the facilities for procuring licences, and a niernorial
embodying the opinion of the meeting was amp ed. There
was some opposition, Itlld several amend :times were pro-
posed, hut they were directed rather aniest the formation of
a new association, when, as was alleged, the ground was
already covered by existing societies, than ag dust the vies.
expressed in the resolutions.
On Tuesday a young man, the son of Mr. Stevens,
broker, Manchester, leaped from the Wi/itiOVI of the house,
three storeys high, falling a distance of about 40 feet to the
mound. The unfortunate young man is said to have been
in an unsound state of mind when he committed the rash
act. He now lies in the infirmary.
A swindler in New York has been sending out cir-
culars offering to dispose of exact copies of genuine United
States Treasury notes in sums of 500 dots. for 15 dols. Some
of the receivers supposing that they could procure counterfeit
money at a very low rate, remitted the money, but in ex-
change obtained photographic specimen each of the govern-
ment currency, issued I,y the Treasury department, and
legitimately sold for 10c. each.
A curious incident lately occurred at St. Petersburg.
A clerk in the bank had to convey 2,200,000 roubles to the
post-office. He sent for a cab and placed the money in it,
hint then recollecting that he had forgotten his overcoat, he
shut the door and returned into the building to get it. When
he came Itack to the street he found the vehicle hail left.
The whole establishment was immediately hi ititense excite-
ment, the police were communicated with, and a search was
commenced in every direction. In a short time after, the
coachtnan was discovered travelling quietly towards his
destination, having started with the finll couviction, from
hearing the door shut, that his fare was maids.
The practice of advertising by stencilling on the foot
pavements and parish posts, in some parts of London, has
become such a nuisance that the District Board of Works has
found it necessary to undertake the prosecution of one
person caught in the act, as a warning to others.
In a case of an assault upon a wife, the other day, a
London polies magistrate remarked that drunkenness was
the cane of all the misery in the world. It working men
were to keep sober, the magistrates would have to shut up
their shop.
A remarkable case of suspended animation has
occurred in the neighbourhood of A hitehaven. About four
months ago, a girl, who was suffering from illness, fell into a
lethargic state, and remained apparently in a trance for
many weeks. Lately, she became conscious for a short time,
declared she hail been in heaven, and, with "radiant ex-
pressinn of countenance," proceeded to relate the wonderful
things which she had there beheld. In a little while she re-
lapsed into her former state. The only sustenance the girl
has received for sixteen weeks has been the occasional moist-
ening of the lips with brandy-audwater.
During mass at Notre Dame, Annecy (Savoy), an
individual, pursued by a furious madman with a knife in his
hand, rushed into the church, arid tried to take ref uge
behind the high altar, but before the fugitive could reach a
place of safety he stumbled and fell, anti his pursuer stabbed
him. The wound proved mortal, and he expired in a few
minutes. The assailant is a deaf dnute, who had for some time
past shown signs of mental alienation.
The christening of tic infant son of Prince and
Princess Christian took place on Wednesday afternoon in the
private chapel of Windsor Castle, in the presence of her
Majesty, the Princes Arthur and Leopold, and the Princesses
Louise anti Beatnce, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge,
Proice Edward of Saxe Wiemar, Count Gleichen, the Lord
Chancellor, Viscount Sidney, itc. The guests were after-
wards entertained at a sumptuous luncheon.
An order, printed by direction of the Commissioners
of Police for London, was read Li the men on Wednesday at
every station of the force to the following effect i—" Beards
and Moustaches. The metropolitan police will in future be
permitted to wear beards and moustaches." The "order"
was received with general satisfaction by the men, many of
whom said it would save them a few minutes every morning
in the use of the razor.
Mr. Ormiston, the incumbent of St. David's, Is-
lington, has publicly apologised for a statement he made in
the columns of a religious newspaper, that the Rev. E.
Husband, curate of Atherstone, has gone over 1,, the
Church of Rome. this another gentleman bearing the same
name who has seceded.
According to the Irish Times, the Lord Chancellor of
Ireland into be made a peer.
A picture painted on panel, attributed to Hans
Memling, and known at Bruges since 1477, representing the
" History of Troy " from its foundation to its fall, was
bought at the Hotel Drouot, for the South Kensington
Museum, for £605.
"A little anecdote of the next Derby race.—An
English gentleman, one Padwickes,
.a lucky sportsman, al-
most refused to give one of his friends £3OO for a horse.
However, to oblige him, he took it, and two days after, having
had it trained by his jockey, he refused £5,0 ,0 Inc it, which
another of his friends, the Duke of It--, offered. Hip, hip,
hip. hurrah ! for the future conqueror of Epsom."—From
a French Newspaper.
"The Mayor of Blackburn appears to entertain
peculiar ideas of the duties of I chief magistrate on the
occasion of a closely contested election. The Manchester
Examiner reports that after demoting the state of the poll
at the hustings. on Tuesday night, his worship said to the
CrOW4 I, Potter desarves what lies getten.' This remark, we
are told, was received with checrs by the people upon the
Conservative side of the hustings, and with groans by the
supporters of the Liberal party. As to whether it had any
connection with the row which followed. and which threat-
ened to he a serious one, the reporter does not hazard an
opinion."—Pall Mali Gazette.
A young lady, named Donmergues, who recently
passed her examination aa dispensing chemist at the Mont-
pellier Faculty of Medicine, is about to open an apothecary's
shop in that town.
An Alabama paper announces that it will not here-
after take payment it, dogs.
The important provision of the Railways Regulation
Act coming into operation on the first of April, enacts that
every train travelling more than twenty nriles without stop-
ping isle he provided with an efficient means of communica-
tion between the passengers and the servants of the company
in charge of the train. there is a penny of £lO for each
case of default, and passengels using the apparatus without
sufficient cause will be liable to a fine of £5.
A fog whistle, recently erected on Cape Fourcher,
Yarmouth Harbour, Nova Scotia, in Said to be the most
powerful signal in North Alumna, and can be heard 15 nine
in calm weather ; in stormy weather, five to eight miles ;
with the wind, 25 miles ; against the wind, five to eight
miles. It hair been beard inland with the wind 25 to 30
miles.
The coast from Hermanville to Courseuilles has
been strewn with wreck f °ming part of the Norwegian
harque Peters. Nine bodies have heel! washed ashore ; one
if them has the name "Thomas A. Have" tatooed en the
arm. A child is supposed to have been on board the vessel,
as among the objects fund on the beach area copybook con-
tattling grammar exercises in the Norwegian language, and
two rude coloured pictures. The body of a woman holding
two children embraced in her aran has abso been found near
Ouistreham ; they du not resemble the Norw egian type, and
are supposed to have belonged to the (.mini, lost near St.
Votary-en-Ca=