The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-10-20 00:00:00

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Hoivir), FOREIGN, AND COLONIA.J

THE WISH WAS FATHER.—Grammar School
Master : " Now, if I were to give you threepence-
halfpenny a week for eleven weeks, what would you
have ?"—Sharp Lad: "A banjo, Sir! "—Funny

Folks
MERSEY TUNNEL.—The progress made with the
headings during last week was 38 yards. Of these 27
were from the Birkenhead side, with Beaumont's
boring machine, and the remaining eleven from the
Liverpool side by hand labour. distance between
the two anproaching points is now reduced to a trifle
over 450 yards and as the rock under the centre
of the river is 'being pierced it continues sound and
dry.
OIL ON TROUBLED WATERS.—The experiments
ma e in this country a short time ago with a view to
calming the sea in rough weather by pouring oil upon
the waters have been followed up in the United States
by an official inquiry into the subject. Mr. Sparrow,
superintendent of the second life-saving district at
Washington, was chosen to ascertain to what extent
oil could be made practic4lly useful in saving life at
sea and he has now presented his ieport to Superin.
ter:dent Kimball, of the Life-saving Service. He
comes to the conclusion, after a number of experi-
ments, that when a vessel is lying in the open ocean,
exposed to a dangerous sea and drifts directly before
the wind, the pouring of oil upon the water is an
effective means of safety, but when lying under
" ri.nging " sail the oil is useless. He does not think
that any of the appliances invented for distributing
the oil in the latter case can 1)6 sner.essfully used, arid
he toir,lcs therf.fore that the itn a will el b
nninerous in which the dls3overy iiii.rove of pr,ctical
value. He adds that it is only in deep water that toe

oil has a calming eflect.
OVERHEARD AT THIO APPLE SHOW —Nephew:
"Look at those Siberian crabs, Aunt. What a
lovely red I"—Short-si4hted Aunt: "Red crabs, my
dear! Why, they must be bAled " (And for the
moment the dear old
_lady thought she was at the

Fisheries.)—Funny Folks.
LONG DISTANCE BicTCLING.—On Saturday last Mr.
W. F. Sutton, ef the London Scottish Bicycle Club,
started from Wnod Green, London, and rode to
Worksop, in Nottirighatnahire, 19 miles, reterning
to Kneesal (151), and then going by l'uxford (157 i to
Retrord (165), where he turned and rode as tar south
a- Temtadord, in Bedfordshire, completing 2582 miles,
l'his is the longest dietance ever ridden in 24 tiours on
a bicycle. Last year Mr. Sutton rode 222 miles in one
day, which was the best record at that time, but this
distance having since been beaten by three gentlemen,
he made the present attempt, and now holds the long
distance record for this year. He also, with Mr.
Lennox, of Dumfries, won the double tricycle record
in July, doing lb° miles in the day.
RISING OF PEASANTS IN PORTUGAL,—News has
been received from the Portuguese frontier of a rising
of peasants in the neighbourhood of Valenca do
Minim, in the province of Vienna. Three thousand
armed peasants assembled—according to one report on
the occasion of a funeral—and raised cedes in favour
of a Republic. A small detachment of troops was
sent to disperse them, and some fighting ensued, in
which several on both sides were wounded.
Irlentually the troops were compelled to retreat.
Reinforcements of cavalry and infantry were sent
treat' Oporto to quell the rising.
BUFFALOES FROM THE CANADTAN NORTHWEST.—
The lateet Cauadian papers report that two large
buffaloes are on the way from Stony Monntain to
Scotland for breeding purpoees, their i'estination being
Inverary, the residence of the Duke of Argyll. The
animals came from the buffalo ranch in connexion
with the provincial penitentiary at Stony Mountain
(Manitoba), and although they can hardly be called
the wild.buffalo of the North. West, they are probably
as like it as anything else existing. It is to be hoped
that the long overland journey, as well as the sea
voyage, will nct have any injurious effect upon the
animals. The experiment that the Marquis of Lorne
is making in regard to their acclimatization will be
watched with much interest.
AVERAGE PRICES or BRITISH CORN.—The following
are toe average prices of Britieh corn for last week as
received from the inspectors and officers of Excise :
Wheat, 40s, Bd. ; barley, 34e. 4d, ; oats, 19s. 41. per
imperial qr. Corresponding week last year:—Wheat,
395. 21; barley, 345. ; oate„l9a. Id,
PANIC CAUSED EY,..41. MAD DOG.—In London, on
Tuesday morning, shortly, before eleven o'clock, a
panic was caused in the High-street, Borough, by the
appearance of a fox terrier dog, which was rushing all
over the street and foaming freta the mouth. The dog,
after chasing a frightened crowd of persons, who took
refuge in different shops, turned round and attacked a
horse which was standing in a trap, and bit him
severely on the foreleg. Toe creature then rushed
into a shop and caused such an alarm that the inmates
made their escape into the street by means of the side
door. In the meantime Police constable 135 M came
upon the scene and, drawing his truncheon, with one
blow on the head succeeded in killing it. On the
constable's reappearance from the shop with the dead
carcass of the dog in his hand he was loudly cheered.
A lIINDOO WOMAN-DOCTOR.—One of the visitors to
e r age,
n e
n the
wouldh
ae t w Philadelphia on the occeeion of the opening of a
Woman's Medical Congress there was Mrs. Anandaibai
lose
ee a o
mf
caste
(, a r
eB,
and
m
ti
India.mb ier become
o an
It
u
Joshee, a Ilindoo woman physician. Mrs. Joshee is
eighteen
evricslie°Ysaun in supposed
crossing the sea, but in a recent letter she
yearsetehde G
that Government
shem
stated to a friend that she had as yet retained it.
Arrangements were made for her so that she might
prepare her own food, for, by eating from dishes that
have been touched by those of a different caste, a
[Undo° becomes impure and loses his or her caste.
She also kept her national dress. She is spoken of as
a young woman cf remarkably fine intellect, and as
determined to devote her life to the interests of her
lellow-wemen in India.
A TRAFALGAR HERO—An old Trafalgar veteran
named William Penton has just died at Wolver-
hampton at the age of 100 years. He was born on toe
12th of August, 1783, on board the Saturn, ff
Gibraltar. He jeined the blue jackets when a youth,
and was present at the engagement when Nelson lost
his right arm at Santa Cruz. He took part in several
engagements along the Spanish coast, and when
twenty-two years of age was transferred from the
Bellerophon to the ship Victory, on which be served at
the battle of Trafalgar, and aeeisted in the attentions
to Nelson when he received his mortal wound, as he
stood close to him when he fell. On leaving the Navy
he went to reside at Wolverhampton, where he earned
his livelihood for over sixty years.
THE " LION " SPRMON.—According to ancient usage
the annual 'Lien" i:ernion was preached on Tussday
evening at St. Katherine Ores, Leedeuhall street,
London, by the Rev. Dr. Whittemore. This servics
aas originated 250 sears ago by a former Lord Mayor,
Sir John Gayer, who, when travelling in the East on
a certain ,Oetesher 16th, was suddenly confronted by a
lion. The Koiglit being unarmed fell on his knees in
prayer, and the lion, after gazing intently at him for
a while, turned and walked away. Sr John on rising
vowed to commemorate his wonderful deliverance by
leaving a sum of money to carry on the above service,
and the " Lion " sermon has been accordinely pr, ached
annually on October 16th ever since. Dr. Whittemore
took his text from the 34th Psalm, verse 10, "The
lions do lack and suffer hunger, but they that seek the
Lord shall not want any good thing."