The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-12-20 00:00:00

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HOME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL,

STARTLING SIGNS OF THE TIMES.—We read, in
some of the Parisian papers, of wolves seen in the Bois
de Boulogne, But what is a wolf in the Bois to a
whole flock of canards on the Boulevards—one in the
shape of a wolf, and several very like whales !—Punch.
WEATHER FORECAST.—The following cable message
has been received at the London Office of the New
York Herald, from the Herald Weather Bureau, New
York :—" A disturbance, will arrive on the British
and French, affecting the Norwegian coasts, between
the 21st and 23rd, preceded and attended by rain,
snow in Southern districts; South backing to North-
West strong winds or gales."

MEI% BY A LAIINDRY•MAID.—The fastest colours
are those that won't run.—Punch's Almanack for
18S0.

THE POPE'S HABITS.—Pope Leo xru.'s economical
habits continue to vex the many hangers-on of the
Vatican, who find their prerogatives cut off and the
expenses rigidly reduced. The Parisian tells us that
his Holiness' personal expenditure only amounts to
£3OO monthly, whereas in Pius IX.'s days it reached
£BOO. Now, however, no luxuries are allowed, and
few presents made, the surplus over the ordinary
expenditure being given to charities. Formerly most
of the fruit and vegetables in the Vatican garden were
distributed to divers dignitaries and charities, but the
Pope has ordered them to be sold and the profits
devoted to the household use. Leo XIII. rises early
and receives the public officials in the, morning, giving
his audiences at midday in winter, and then walking
in the garden. In the evening his private secretaries
join him in his cabinet and write from dictation the
Pope pacing the room slowly, pouring out his ideas
faster than the pen can take them down. He is very
tenacious and persevering, and capable of an immense
amount of brain work, but is intensely nervous, and
to the casual observer gives the idea of a man of
extreme physical debility from his leanness, pallor,
and trembling hands. He is, however, by no means
delicate, and seems likely to prove long-lived.

LEARNING AND LETTERS.—The "Three R's" in
Elementary Education inevitably necessitate a fourth
R—Rates, the higher the more objectionable to the
parochial mind. It is therefore extremely desirable
that they should in every case be adequately attested
by a fifth R—R-sulta—Punch.

THE MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION.—
The French Government hah intimated its intention
of applying for 75,000 ft. of space at this exhibition,
which is to open on October 1, 1880. The Minister
of Commerce has obtained a credit of 250,000 f., and
the Minister of Marine will despatch all the exhibits
in a French man of-war. Intending exhibitors from
the United Kingdom are reminded that the last day
for receiving entries is December 31, at the offices of
the Agent• General for Victoria, 8, Victoria-chambers,
Westminster, London.
"CHEAPER TO BORROW THAN BllT."—Tommy :
"What does it mean, Sissy, 'laying up something for
a rainy day '?"—Sissy; "Don't know, Tommy;
'spect it means borrowing a friend's umbrella, and
never returning it."—Fan.
CANADIAN EXPORTATION OF LIVE STOCK. - The
rapid development of the live cattle trade between the
port of Montreal and Great Britain during the last
few years is shown by the following figures :-
1879. 1878. 1877.
Cattle .. 24,882 .. 18,66 b 6,940

Sheep .-. 78,792 .. 41,250
Swine .. 4,745 .. 2,078 .. 430

The figures for each year represent the exportation of
live stock from the opening to the close of the naviga-
tion on the St. Lawrence River. During the winter
season Canadian cattle are exported from Halifax,
Nova Scotia, and the Dominion Government are
erecting sheds there for their proper reception and
shelter.
INTERNATIONAL PRIZE ESSAY.—In accordannce with
a resolution taken five years ago, the King of Belgians,
it is announced, again offers a prize of 25,000 f. or
£1,250 for the encouragement of literature, the com-
petition being open to writers of all nationalities. The
subject of the work for 1880 is " Means for the Im-
provement of Harbours on Low and Sandy Coasts,"
such as those of Belgium. Foreign writers must send
In their essays to the Ministry of the Interior at
Brussels on or before January 1, 1881, The award
will be made by a jury of seven persons, consisting of
three Belgians and four foreigners of different nation-
alities, who will be appointed by the King. The
successful work will be published by the Belgian
Government in 1882.
AVERAGE PRICES OF BRITISH CORN.—The follow-
ing are the average plaices of British corn for the week
ending Dec, 13, as received from the inspectors and
officers of Excise :—Wheat, 46.3. 23.; barley, 38s. 53.;
oats, 21s. 4d per imperial quarter. Corresponding
week last year :—Wheat, 404. 10d. ; barley, 38s. 10/ ;
oats, 21s. 63.
GERMAN CARP IN THE UNITED STATES WATERS,—
American pisciculturists have been endeavouring of
late to introduce the German carp into the waters of
the Middle and Southern States. The Fish Commis-
sioner of New York State has also received recently
500 young carp for distribution, which were raised at
Washington, from fish imported from Germany. The
German carp is a fish of rapid growth. Many of those
experimented with, although spawned only in June
last, are already fine. It is believed that, with proper
care, they will weigh 2ilb. next summer, and in the
course of five years increase to 101 b. They are a hardy
fish, and can be fed on grain like poultry, and are
noted for their edible qualities.
KELLY'S POST OFFICE DIRECTORY OF LONDON.—
The following is an extract from the notice of "Kelly'
Post Office Dirtctory "in The Times :—This work,
which eighty years ago was a small, unpretending
volume, smaller than a schoolboy's "Latin Diction-
ary," or even than his " Gradus, ' has now so grown
with the growth of London that it has become a
Leviathan among our books of reference As
compared with the edition for 1847, that for 1880
shows an increase of 500 pages. Here, therefore, the
average annual growth of the book is fairly shown,
so that persons who take a pleasure in solving ma-
thematical puzzles are able to reckon to a certainty
when it will have attained 3,000 pages in balk. • . .
Some of our readers who take an interest in the "folk
lore" of trade nomenclature may be gratified at being
informed that in the strictly commercial part of Messrs.
Kelly's book the family of "Brown" or "Browne"
reaches about 800; that the "Joneses "appear to be a
little in excess of that number; while the "Smiths,"
" Smythe," and " Smythes" muster at least 1,700 strong.
There are at least 500 " Whites " and about 25
" Blacks " to about 150 " Greys " and "Grays ; "
while the "Greens" can produce a roll of about 200
names. The " Knights " and the "Days " occupy a
little over two columns each, and the Johnsons,
Jonsons, Johnstons, and Johnstones together a little
over six columns. There are about three columns of
" Robertses," four of " Robinsons," and about five
more of " Thompsons," " Thomsons," and " Tom-
sons ; " the " Turners " occupy nearly three more,
the "Wards" about the same, and the " Woods "
another four. What is most surprising is that the list
of names in letter "Z." mostly consisting of Germans
and Italians, exceeds a column, about a half compared
with the Irish element as represented by the letter
"0 "—the " O'Connors," " O'Connells," " O'Don-
nells," &c, In the "Court Directory," as might be
expected, these proportions are not kept up in a cor-
responding ratio; though even there we detect no
less than six columns of the names of Smith in its
several varieties, each column containing about 100
entries. _ _

HER MAJESTY'S BARON OF BEEF.—The Royal baron
of beef, which, with the boar's bead and game and
woodcock pies, will decorate Her Majesty's sideboard
at Oaborne on Christmas Day, is to be cut from a fine
shortnorn ca, bred and fed upin the Prince Consort's
model farm at Frogmore. The baron, which will
weigh upwar,is of 3001 b,, will be roasted before the
great kitchen fire at Windsor Castle on Monday, and,
when cold, will be sent on the following Wednesday to
the Isle of Wight.

SALMON AND TROUT IN AUSTRLLIA,—The Mel-
bourne correspondent of the Globe says :—" It will be
remembered that Sir Samuel Wilson introduced two
years ago A great number of Californian salmon.
These were placed in the Hopkins River in the
western district of Victoria, and are now ascending
the river on th 3 way to the spawning grounds. In
Tasmania trout are simply swarming, and every now
and then a salmon puts in an appearance, It is satis-
factory to be able to add that there seems little chance
of these English fish ever being eradicated even by
the most confirmed poachers, as many of the streams
are overgrown with the densest scrub imaginable, and
seems quite impossible ever to net them or to catch
them in any other way. English sportsmen, however,
ought to be warned that Australian trout generally do
not give such good sport as those in the old country,
partly, no doubt, from the fact that our warmer
climate makes them sluggish, and partly because
insect life is so abundant in these colonies that the fish
are gorged with their favourite food, and scorn the
anglers' arts.

So MUCH TO HIS CREDIT.—UncIe (bringing his
nephew home for the holidays). "Glad to see you
home again, Dick. Hope you have spent less this
half," Dick. "Oh, yes, uncle. I've gone ' tick ' for
everything ! "—Punch.
RAPID STEAM COMMUNICATION WITH AUSTRALIA.—
The Times of Wednesday says :—"Tne arrival of the
Orient at Adelaide has been telegraphed, the passage
from Plymouth, including all stoppages, having been
made in 37 days and 22 hours. The stay at St.
Vincent occupied 27 hours, and that at the Cape,
particulars of which are not yet known, in all pro-
bability, would not have been less than 24 hours, the
passage thus being made in rather under 36 days'
steaming time. The fastest passages to Australia
previously recorded are those of the Lusitania, from
Plymouth to Melbourne direct, in about days,
and that of the Cuzco, from Plymouth to Adelaide,
in 40 days 8 hours. The Orient and Cuzco were both
built and engined by Messrs. John Elder and Cu.,
of Govan; the Lusitania by Messrs, Laird, Brothers,
of Birkenhead. The Orient is commanded by Captain
Studdert, late of the Pacific Company's service. The
distance from Plymouth to Adelaide by the Cape
being about 121000 nautical miles, the Orient must
have maintained an average speed for the whole
voyage of over 14 knots per hour, a perfa orinance ,
having regard to the great diltance, unequalled in
the annals of steam navigation. '

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AFRICAN EXPLORATION.—News has been received
of the Abbe Debuts°, who started about six months
ago from Zanzibar. Re stopped some time at Lake
Nouam in order to accustom his men to the feverish
climate. On October 17 he reached Tabora, from
whence he struck into Central Africa, above the point
at which Stanley crossed, his object being to discover
something entirely new, and to reveal the secret of the
blank that exists in the middle of the most modern
maps. In his report to the French Minister of
Public Instruction, the Abbe Debatze states, under
date Oct 17, that hitherto his mission had been lucky,
and that not one of the hundred men in his caravan
had deserted. The Abbe himself had been in good
health all along, and had managed to preserve his
baggage intact. The French Chambers, it will be
remembered, voted 100,000 E. for this mission.

THE BARONY OF BRAYE.—A correspondent writes to
The Times :—" The recent re-appearance of this
ancient title on the roll of peers affords a curious
Illustration of the vitality of a barony by writ of sum.
mons. Although the title dates from 1529, the Hon.
Alfred Thomas Townshend Wyatt•Edgell, who has
recently inherited it, is only the third Lord Braye.
The title has, however, been twice held in the female
line—namely by the grandmother and mother of the
present Peer, the latter of whom is recently deceased.
The title fell into abeyance in 1557, and so remained
for a period of nearly 300 years. The title having
only been enjoyed in the male line for 28 years, and
in the female line for 22 years, we have the curious
fact that in the 350 years which have elapsed since its
creation the title has only appeared upon the roll for
50 years."

TOBACCO AND SNUFF.—The excise duty on manufac-
turers of tobacco and snuff in the last financial year
yielded £7,990 108.
THE ROYAL PRINCES AND FREEMASONRY.—On
Saturday afternoon the Duke of Connaught and
Prince Leopold were admitted as members of the
United Orders of the Temple and Malta in England
and Wales. The ceremony took place at the Hall of
the Supreme Council, 33, Golden-square, London.
The ceremony was performed by Colonel Shadwell H.
Clerke, Great Sub-Prior, in the presence of a dis-
tinguished company. The Royal Princess according
to ancient custom, were introduced as Knights of the
Temple, and having been properly obligated were
invested as Knights of the Temple and Malta. The
ceremony—which was very imposing, the whole of the
Knights being arrayed in gorgeous robes, and the hall
bearing all the insignia of the degrees—having been
completed, their Royal Highnesses signed the book of
names and retired.

CONSOLlNG.—Conductor (to Brown, who is pretty
nearly pumped out with running to catch his express
'bus) : "All right, sir, all right—don't flurry yourself,
you're a•gsining."—Fun,

Mn. GLADSTONE'S ANCESTRY. —A correspondent of
the Spectator furnishes some interesting particularsi n
regard to Mr, Gladstone's Scottish ancestry (says the
Echo). The first appearance of the name in any
public record is in 1296, when Herbert de Gladestan
subscribed Bagimonts Roll and submitted to Edward
I. This person is supposed to have been a younger
son of the House of Maxwell of Caerlaveroch, as
Gledstane was part of the Maxwell Barony of Libber.
ton, in Lanarkshire, and as the Gledstane arms, a
Moor's head, was the early cognizance of the Maxwells.
This Herbert de Gledestan, the supposed founder of
the Keep at Gledstane, had a son, Sir William de
Gledstanes, who was captured and thrown into prison
by the English in 1356, but was released the following
year at the intercession of Ills wife, on his promise not
to bear arms against the English in future. His son
William had a safe-conduct authorising him to enter
England in order to reside at Oxford or Cambridge
for two years, to pursue his studies. He seems to
have been much esteemed by David 11. and his Queen,
and had Crown grants of several estates in Peebleshire.
The family threw off several branches. Mr. Glad.
stones great great-grandfather, John Gledstane, had
three sons, who settled as merchants in the town of
Biggar in the early part of the last century.

A LADY LEXICOGRAPHER AND PHILOLOGIST.—The
Emperor Francis Joseph has conferred the gold
medal for science and art on Mdlle. Camilla Ruzicka
Ostoic for a new Turkish and German Dictionary
which the authoress recently published, with tran-
scriptions of the Turkish words into Roman charac-
ters. That learned young lady has already din.
tinguished herself in the department of Oriental
Languages at the Imperial Oriental Academy at
Vienna.
AMUSEMENTS FOR CHILDREN IN JAPAN. The
children's paradise is certainly to be found in Japan,
and the Albany Sunday Press enumerates a few of the
delights which await the little ones in the Land of the
Rising Sun. Many people get their living solely by
amusing children, and a profitable employment is
found in blowing soap bubbles for their delectation.
The miniature insects move and flutter, model turtles
pop out their heads and crawl, birds whistle, fly about,
and peck the fingers, pasteboard targets when hit
burst open and let a winged figure fly out, and queer.
looking balls of elder pith when dropped into warm
water expand into the shape of flowers, trees, men, or
ssrpents. As to the girls, their dolls are marvellous,
and are handed down through generations, while the
waxen babies are treated with great respect, and are
not knocked about and broksn. There is a yearly
Feast of Dolls, when the maidens allow their treasures,
and get a new supply, while the boys have their turn
in the Feast of Flags, and receive banners, swords,
figures of warriors, and various masculine toys.
WOMAN'S RIGHTS.—The Woman's Suffrage Journal
announces that a lady has recently given notice to the
council of the Incorporated Law Society of her inten-
tion to submit herself for the preliminary examination
required to be passed before entering into articles of
clerkship to a solicitor. We understand the lady will
present herself for examination in February next, and
that hers is the first application made by a woman to
be so examined.—Law Times.

AN EXPLANATION. What is an "irregular
brother ? " At first blush the expression seems to refer
to a near relation whose courses you are compelled to
deplore. A clergyman staying recently at one of our
largest hotels was pleased to find that it was the practice
of most of the servants to meet for early morning
prayers. He was asked to offiziate, and complied with
much goodwill. He was curious to know how service
was conducted when no parson happened to be in the
house. "0 !" said one of the domestics, "in that
case we call in an irregular brother." For a moment
the clergyman was filled with alarm, but it was ex-
plained that his " irregular " substitute was so called
only because he was not a legally accredited spiritual
instructor.—Court Journal.

MEDICAL EDUCATION OF WOMEN.—Mrs. Chaplin
Ayrton, wife of the professor of Applied Physics at the
City and Guilds of London Institute, has received the
degree of Doctor of Medicine from the Faculty of
Medicine in Paris. Mrs. Ayrton is one of the ladies
who, after pursuing medical studies at the University
of Edinkurgh, were denied degrees. She afterwards
commenced her studies de novo in Paris. In the inter-
val she went with her husband to Japan, and the
title of the thesis she presented to the Faculty of
Medicine before obtaining her degree was, " Recher-
ches Bur les DiniensiOns Generales et sur le Dev(clop-
pement du Corps chez lea Japonais."—The Times.
NOPPORTUNE.—Newaboy (to irritable old gent who
has just lost his train). 'buy a comic paper, air ? "
Luckily, the old gentleman was out of breath from his
hurry.—Punch.
DEATH OF AN ECCENTRIC LADY.—An inquiry as to
the death of Jane Morris, aged 70, a lady of eccentric
habits, has been held at Brighton. The deceased was
possessed of an independent income, but for seven
years past she had occupied a single room in one of the
lower quarters of Brighton. During that time no one
but herself had entered her apartment. Being deaf
and uncommunicative, no one knew anything about
her, though her singular habits aroused a good deal of
curiosity. Rising early in the morning, it was her
custom to sally forth with a basket of bread crumbs,
which she distributed as she went through the streets
for the benefit of the birds. She was less generous to
herself, however. She never had a fire in her room,
and lived sparely on biscuits, tinned meat, and similar
preserved food. She was heard by the landlord of the
house to fall on the floor one morning during the week.
Dr. Arthur, being summoned, found the room in a
deplorably sqttalid condition, and the patient lying
dressed on the bed, in a comatose state. Her limbs
were swollen, and of a livid hue, and the extremities
highly congested, both the feet being frostbitten.
Notwithstanding every attention was paid to her, she
rapidly sank and died in a few days. A sum of nearly
£2O in cash was found secreted in her room as well as
documents showing that the annuity of the deceased
would have maintained her in a position of comfort
suitable to her age. The jury returned agwerdict " That
the deceased died from exhaustion and want of proper
nourishment, accelerated by the severe cold."

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