The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-08-25 00:00:00

ittjsrellarteous rttettigtntee

SOME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAI,

AVERAGE PRICES OF BRITISH CORN.—The following
are the average prices of Briti.h corn for last week as
received from the inspectors and officers r f Excise :
Wheat, 438. 1O.; barley, 28s. 93. ; oats, 235. 21. per
imperial qr. C )rresponding week last year :—Wheat.
504. 5d.; barley, 268. id. ; oats, 248. sd.

FISHING IN SCOTLAND —Net fishing on the Tay and
its tributaries closed on Monday night. The season
has been one of the most successful on record. Some
of the takes during the last fortnight have been extra-
ordinarily large. At one station on the coast near
Dundee six tons of salmon were captured in one day,
and between Dundee and Perth takes of ten and
twelve tons per day were common. Never were
salmon, grilee, and trout so plentiful.

WHALEFLESEL AS FOOD.—It is not generally known
that the flesh of the whale is both nutritious and
palatable (says the St James's Gazette). Large quan-
titles of it are eaten every fishing-season by the men
engaged in the capture of the fish; but still larger
quantities are, of course, wasted. It recently occurred
to a Norwegian speculator that some of the immense
mass of food that is thus annually thrown away might
be profitably preserved and used for consumption on
shore. He made arrangements, therefore, with several
whaling captains and two meat-preserving firms; and
last week he gave a dinner, at which he believes he
demonstrated that whale-flesh may be cooked in at
least a dozen different ways, and that it forms a
delicious as well as a wholesome article of diet. Some
parts of the fish, we are told, supply materials for an
excellent imitation of turtle soup; others resemble
beef; and still others are almost as white and quite as
tendr:r as chicken. The meat can be sold for about
halt the price of Australian tinned beef.

FOOTING IT FEATLY.—EtheI: I can't think what
Maud can see in that ungainly, awkward Captain
Heavitree.—Madge : My dear, it's becoming perfectly
absurd. Only think; the gardener told the cook yes-
terday that he hoped the Captain would stay for
another fortnight, for positively there was no necessity
to roll the gravel walks while they kept perpetually
promenading up and downl—Funny Folks.
A DOUELE ROOF HOTEL.—An American paper says
that the Railway Hotel at Yuma, A. T., is constructed
with a double roof, a delightful feature in hot coun-
tries, as it permits the free circulation of the air be-
tween the two, a great advantage for the rooms in the
upper story, as they are thus protected from the direct
rays of the sun. The space between the two roofs is
filled in with lattice work, the upper roof extending
out 63 as to form the roof for the upper verandah as
well and projecting five or six feet even beyond that.
The verandahs are also very wide, ranging from ten t )
fifteen feet, which together with the projecting roof
keep the sun from striking the side walls of the house,
which thus escape becoming super-heated. These pre-
cautions are necessary in this land of fervid heat; but
with them a house may be made extremely com-
fortable.

THE OLDEST AERONAIIT.—Mr, George Elliott, of
Baltimore, is the oldest and one of the most ad-
venturous of aeronauts. He has made no ascensions
for a number of years, but no man is better acquainted
with aeronautics, a knowledge he has purchased at the
price of appalling danger and great hardship. He has
made 136 ascensions, and he says presence of mind
goes further to secure the safety of aeronauts than
anything else. Mr. Elliott looks to be under sixty,
but is really seventy-eight.
IMMIGRATION INTO OREGON AND WASHINGTON TER-
RlTORY.—According to reports published in the St.
Louis journals, an immense tide of immigration is
flowing into Oregon and Washington Territory. The
people are attracted by the splendid climate of that
region, and by its wealth of natural resources and the
promise of additional railway facilities, It is stated
that during the 30 days which ended on the 26th of
April last, 19 steamers, averaging 1,500 tons of freight,
entered the Columbia River. Eleven of these carried
papeengere rvragiLig about 530 each. This does not
represent more titan one•hali of the total number of
new comers, so that about 10,000 emigrants entered
this region during the period referred to. The Central
Pacific is hard at work on its 0, egon division, and
within the next few months there will be a complete
line of rail opened between Portland and San Francis-
co. With the completion of the Northern Pacific, it is
anticipated that there will be a perfect rush into the
country. The extreme north-western corner of the
United States promises to become as populous and
wealthy as any other portion of equal extent, and the
companies which own the existing lines of railroad
have in them properties whose value it is calculated,
will treble within ten years. The St, Louis Register
remarks :—"ln this section will be the most rapid
growth ever known, for it is worthy of all, and more,
that has ever been written or said concerning its na-
tural beauties and advantages."

A SUBMARINE OBSERVATORY.—During the forth.
coming international exhibition at Nice, Engineering
says, the submarine observatory of M. Toselli will be
in use in something the same way as the captive
balloon at the Paris Exhibition of 1878. It is made of
steel and bronze to enable it to resist the pressure of
water at the depth of 120 metres, nearly 160 lb. to the
square inch. The vessel is divided into three com-
partments, the upper tor the commander to enable
him to direct the observatory, and give explanations to
the pmsengers, who, to the number of eight, occupy
the middle compartment. They have under their feet
a glass plate, enabling them to see the bottom, with
its ccrals, fishes, gras.,, &c. The third compartment
contains the buoyant chamber, and can be regulated at
will. As the sea is dark at the depth of 70 metres, the
observatory is to be lighted by electricity, and a t2le.
phone communicates with the surface.
AN ELEVENTOOT ALLIGATOR. —Mr, Reuben Cloud
recqitly killed the largest alligator seen near Bain-
bridge, Ga., for years (says an American paper). Learn-
ing his haunts, Mr. Cloud set to work to kill him. He
found him sunning on is log, and fearing that he would be,
come alarmed shot him first in the binder part of the
body. The writhings of the monster were fearful to be-
hold, He soon sought a latditiv, however, and crawled
outupon a tree top, bellowing like a mad bull. Dra winv
nigher Mr. Cloud continued to perforate his abdominal
cavity until no less than a dozen half ounce rifle babe
were looged in him, and he lay still, dead. He was
then drawn out, skinned and his head taken off for
the tusks and teeth. The monster measured eleven
feet and six inches from tip of nose to end of tail, and
six feet and four inches from end to end of and four
feet across the back, and would have weighed probably
800 pounds. Sixty-five of his teeth and tusks weighed
one and a half pounds

FOSSIL REMAINS IN MAINE.—A further discovery
of fossil remains is reported from Portland, Maine. A
number of heavy stone blocks which have lately been
taken from the freestone quarry at that place, arid
about 80ft. from the surfac-, bear some remarkabne
and unmistakable fos-il footprints of birds and beasts.
A los, er stramm has the depression caused by the
steps of the antediluvian animals which roamed that
region when the sea teached to the I lice, and the next
lying stratum above took a cast of the marks in pro-
jaction. One of these tracks measured 15 inches by
it and was probably made by some animal of the
elephantine species, although the footprint is larger
than that which would be made by an elephant of the
present age. There are three of these tracks in a slab
about a yard wide and two yards long. Another slab
has the impress of some three-toed bird, supposed to
be a member of the ostrich family, the stride being
about a foot and a half. A further slab, 10ft, long,
has the impress in relief of part of a tree trunk; the
tree, from its shaggy bark, is believed to have been a
hickory.
RACING MEM. FOR NEXT YEAR.—There's many a
slip 'l.4ixt the "Cup" and the "tip!'—Punch.
VENETIAN MANUFACTUBES. —Juliging from the very
interesting information supplied by Vice-Consul de
Z iccato, Venice bids fan- to become one of the most
important manufacturing cities on the Mediterranean
littoral (sass the Globe). Poring recent years, the old
industry of glass working has made such quick recoveiy
from the prostration into which it had fallen that
15,000 people are now employed in bead making alone.
An equally favourable report is furnished of the ad-
vance lately made by Venetians in glass-blowing,
mosaics, and coloured enamels; and in all of these in-
dustries British capital and enterprise have largely con.
duced to the improved position of affairs. Before long,
too, we may expect to see pottery added to the list of
Venetian products, The Vice. Consul says that an ex-
cellent material is at hand in the mud of the lagoons,
and this being so, the abundant artistic taste of the
Citizens might be relied on to turn out articles worthy
of European appr ical. Other almost lost arts which
have lately been revived are artistic casting in
metal and lace-making. The former now has thirteen

factories busily at work, and the latter finds employ-
ment for some 3,000 women. But Venice is not satis-
fied with rehabilitating those ancient industries which
formerly gave her such a high reputation among manu-
facturing cities of the world. She has also started in
business as an imitator of antique furniture in ebony
and ivory ; only instead of those costly materials she
uses pearlwood and bone with very happy results.
RAILWAYS IN MEXICO —The Philadelphia Public
Ledger supplies an interesting statement of the com-
pleted railway mileage of Mexico up to the end of last
month. The magnitude of American interests in
Mexico is clearly 8-en in these figures. Oat of a total
of 2,779 miles of railway laid down, 1,791 miles have
been constructed by the United States, only 635 miles
having been built with Mexican capital, and 353 miles
with English. The two great American Companies,
the Central and the National, have made rapid and
substantial progress in carrying out their contracts
with the Government. They boch accepted their con-
cessions in September, 1881, began work in October of
the same year, and have now between them 1,630
miles of road completed, at a cost of something like
£12,000,000. Each Company, it is stated, is laying
track continuously frcro four or more points, and there
is a fair probability that both of them may have
through routes to the city of Mexico by the end of
next year. The United States will then enjoy con-
tinuous rail communication with the Mexican capital
by a choice of two routes.
THE TOBACCO SMOKING NATIONS —A statistical
comparison recently published, showing the relative
extent to which various nations are addicted to the
use of tobacco, gives proportions as follows :—For
England, Francs, and Russia, 5; for Italy, 7; for
Cuba, 11; for Austria, 14; for Germany and North
America, 15; for Belgium, 24; and for Holland, 28.
Mexico, however, even surpasses Holland, for there
every one is a smoker. The school children who have
done best in their studies are rewarded by being al-
lowed to smoke a cigar as they stand or sit at their
lessons. The schoolmaster himself is seldom without
a cigar in his mouth. In the law courts all persons
commonly enjoy their tobacco freely, and even the ac-
cused in a criminal trial is not denied this indulgence.

THE CONSEIMP/lON OF MALT LIQUORS IN AMERICA.

—From statistics just published it -appears that there
has been a remarkable increase of recent years in the
consumption of malt liquors in the United States.
L.st sear the production of beer amounted to
525,000,000 gallons, being an average of more than 14
gallons for every inhabitant. In 1861 the total pro-
duction was only 62,000,1)00 gallons, so that the in.
crease has been mire than eightfold in twenty years,
the population in that time having increased about 60
per cent. By way of counterbalancing this, however,
the production of distilled liquors has diminished
during this period, notwithstanding the great increase
of population. It may be noted also that the average
beer consumption in the States is still behind that of
Belgium, Great Britain, and Germany. The German
average is 22 gallons for every head of the population
annually. With regard to the production of beer,
New York State alone produces one-third of the whole
amount, and the business of New York brewers is in.
creasing more rapidly than that of the whole beer
interest. Pennsylvania, which is the next State on
the list, brews less than one.third the quantity pro
duced by New York. During the past seven years
the business of the breweries has more than doubled.
Yet in some districts the abstainers from all alcoholic
beverages are stronger than ever, and are constantly
increasing in numbers.

A FIRE ENGINE CHASED BY A LOCOMOTIVE.—Seven
firemen belonging to the Brooklyn Fire Department
had an almost miraculous escape from death recently
(says the Detroit Free Press). An alarm of fire had
called out the engine, and its driver sent his horses
on the jomp through Vanderbilt avenue and across
L nig Island Railroad tracks on Atlantic avenue. A
train from Brighton Beach was coming down the
track. The gateman watched the fire engine cros-
sing the tracks and realised that there was dang,r
ahead for its tender, which was just behind with
its horse on the gallop, unless the railroad train
was brought to a stop. He waved his lantern signal-
ing danger, but the railroad engineer paid no attention
to it, and his train came thundering along on the
down grade with its speed unchecked. Seven firemen
were on the tender, and Frank Creighton, its driver,
was urging his horse along at the top of its speed. The
horse's hoofs had struck the railroad tracks before
Creighton fully realised what the warning shout of the
gateman meant. He then saw that the railroad train
was close upon him. In an instant he had whirled his
horse's head around, turning the tender so sharply
about that some of the firemen were nearly thrown off
Rising in his seat he plied the lash to the startled
beast, and away it went down the track. The tender's
wheels jumped from sleeper to sleeper and swayed
violently against the rails. The seven clung for their
lives. For one long block this unequal race between
locomotive and horse lasted, Carlton avenue was
reached, and Creighton jerked his rein again as sud-
denly as before. The animal snorting and reeking
with sweat, turned sharply off the track, and safely
dragged the tender upon the paved highway just as
the locomotive barely grazed by, People who watched
the incident expected to see horse and men thrown
into the air, aud mangled under the locomotive wheels.
INTERESTING DISCOVERY IN THE ISLAND OF DELOS.
—During the excavations carried on by the French
school at Athens in the island of Delos a very in-
teresting discovery has been made. Near the,Theatre
of Apollo a private house has been discovered, pro-
bably of the Alexandrine period. A court surrounded
by pillars and 12 rooms have thus far been revealed.
The floor of the court is of eautiful mosaic, containing
flowers, fishes, and other ornaments, and in he middle
of the court there is a cistern full of water. The gate
of the house and the street leading to it have also been
dug out. As the excavations continue, an entire
quarter of the ancient city may possibly be dis-
covered.
PAINFUL ACCIDENT.—A shocking accident occurred
at Wellington, Salop, on Monday morning. A man
named William Hancox, a carter in the employ of
Mr. E. Pierce, Wellington, was returning from
Allscot Vitriol Works with a horse and cart, the cart
being laden with three carboys of vitriol, when the
horse stumbled and fell, throwing out Hancox and the
carboys, one of which broke, and he contents ran
over Hancox and the horse. The poor fellow was
terribly burnt about the face, arms, and legs, and was
removed to the Salop Infirmary. The horse was so
badly injured that it was thought desirable to de-
stroy it.
THE Hu CRor.—The Mark Lane Express of Mon-
day says :—" During the few days in which the
weather has taken a decidedly favourable turn there
has been a great improvement in the hop crop, and
many gardens which have hitherto given but scanty
promise have now a fair crop of hops upon them. In
some of the earlier districts, and where the bine is
strong, the crop will he heavy. On the other hand,
there are districts in which mould has spread to an
extent which will seriously affect the yield. The bop
croo of 1883 stands on 68,027 acres, an increase of
2 408 perm or 3'7 per cent., over the average of the
1882 crop."

SHOCKING DISCOVERY IN THE THADIES.—EarIyZon
Sunday morning three men, who were rowing up
river below London Bridge noticed a black object
floating. On pulling towards the spot they were sur-
prised to find the mass to be the mutilated remains of
a man in a decomposed state. They allowed the body
to drive up on the flood tide, and shortly after passing
beneath the centre arch of London Bridge the men in
a River Police galley took charge of the body, which
they towed to Queenhithe Dock, and on its removal
in a shell to the Golden-lane mottuary it was found
that bath arms and the left foot were missing. The
scalp was bare and a portion of the flesh on the face
was torn away. The body was nude.
INDUSTRIAL COURTS OF CONCILIATION AND ABED
TRATION FOR AUSTRALIA.—The Shops Commission of
Victoria, which has been for many months inquiring
into hours of labour, wages, and other matters affect-
ing the employ& in various branches of industry, has
drafted a scheme for the establishment of courts of
conciliation, for the settlement ot trade disputes. The
proposals a e for the creation of a central council of
fourteen, t lected equally by employed and employers,
one of melt section retiring annually. Local courts
called into being ai occasion requires are to deal with
all cases arising in their particular districts; but if no
amicab'e arrangement be arrived at by them the
matter is to be referred to the central council, whose
decrees shall have the force of law.

FATAL ACCIDENT AT
.A FACTORY.—On Monday
morning a shocking fatality occurred at the manufac-
tory of the Xylonite Manufacturing Company, situated
at High-street, Homer on. At about seven o'clock a
workman named Albert Cock, engaged in attending to
some machinery worked by steam in one of the rooa,s,
was suddenly caught in the revolving apparatus,
which is of peculiar construction, and is set aside for
the preparation of the set,stanee named " xylonite,"
used in the making of combs and brushes. The portion
of the apparatus, which was going round at a rapid
rate, took him under the chin, and elected so corn.
plete a strain or wrench that it is believed the neck
was broken, for death very quickly ensued. It seems
there was no one who witnessed the occurrence,
although several other workpeople were on the pie.
mises. The deceased was a young man, and is said to
have been only recently married.

THE GERMAN MERCANTIL@ MARINE —The sate
going German merchant navy comprised on JenuarY
1883, 4 370 vessels having a registered tonnage a
1 1.226 650 tons. Of the-e 3,855 were sailing vessels,
having regi,tered tonnage 915,446 tons, and 515 were
steamers, with 311,204 registered tonnage. As corn'
pared with the figures of January 1, 1882, there was a
decrease of 139 vessels, but an increase of 32,243 in
the tonnage. The number of sailing vessels had de'
I creased by 196, while the steamers had increased bY
1 53. The total number of sailors in the German
' mercantile marine amounted on January 1, 1883, to
39,031, against 39,109 the previous year, being a falling
off of 78. Classifying the vessels as to size, there were
on January 1, 1883, 1,366, or over 31 per cent of the
whole number of vessels, which were of less than 50
tons ; 21 were of more than 2,000 tons register, of
which three were sailing ships and 18 steamers. The
largest German sailing vessel is registered as of 2,287
tons, and the largest German steamer as of 2,937 tone.
AT A CITY DlNNER.—Alderman (with horrified
surprise). "My dear sir, what are you going to do?
—Guest (drily). " Help myself to a potato."—Alder-
man. "A potato! Good heavens ! You can't be
serious. Why, they take up room, my dear sir !
room, I tell you! Think of what's to come, and be
warned in time."—Judy.
THE MARKET VALUE OF WILD BEASTS.—Ta an article
on "Falai .ii the Lion Tamer," Ch,ambers's Journal says:
—An adult tiger is the most expeesive of the car-
nivore, coating six thousand francs; but as much, or
more, may be given for a chimpanzee. The lion costs
an equal sum; but the lioness may be had from
twelve hundred to fifteen hundred franca. The price
of jaguars varies from one thousand to two thousand
francs; that of Java panthers from two thousand to
three thousand ; and of lynxes, from eix hundred to eight
hundred; while leopards are sold for twelve hundred
francs the pair. Wolves may be had at a much
cheaper rate; and hyenas from sixty to one hundred
francs; bat in Africa, the latter may sometimes be
purchased as low as a franc. Thus it seems that even
the wild beasts of the forest are subject to the laws
of regular commerce, and have their tariff—subject of
course to fluctuations—with other objects of luxury,
in the markets of the civilised world.
A FATAL STREET ACCIDENT.—In London, on Wed-
needay morning, a shocking accident occurred at
Kingsland, resulting in the death of one child and
severe injuries to two others. Three little boys were
crossing the Kingsland road, proceediog to schools
when they were knocked down by two tramcars pros
ceeding in opposite directions. One of the little
fellows was struck by the pole of the car proceeding
Citywards, and was killed instantaneously, while his
companions were carried some yards along the road
causing serious injuries to the head and back. The
little sufferers were conveyed to the German Hospital,
and the body of their unfortunate companion to the
mortuary to await an inquest.
COMPENSATION BY RAILWAYS.—The sums of moneY
paid by the railway companies for compensation
during the past half-year are very heavy. The official
accounts show that the Londen and North-Western
Railway Company paid £27,296 for compensation for
personal injury and loss of and damage to goods.
Large as is this amount, it is less than that paid in the
first half of last year. Tee Great Western Railway
paid £23,153—an amount rather above that of the
corresponding half of the past year; and the Great
Northern Railway paid £30,168 for the same period
this year. The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railwal
' has in the past year reduced its expenditure for rein'
peesation by one•half ; and the Midland Railway has
also a similar reduction ; hut the sums paid Illtv the
Manchester, Sheffield, Lincolnshire and the North-
Eastern Railway show increases. The Metropolitan
Railway, which carries by far the largest number of
passengers' pays the least for compensation, the total
payments both for personal injury and loss of or
damage to goods for the past half-year being £146 only.
THE SUGAR CROPS IN BRAZIL. The Pernambuco
correspondent of The Times writing on the 27th ult..
says :—" The weather has continued seasonable for
the growing canes, and a few estates had commenced
grinding, but were stopped by rain. Some new sugar
has arrived, but we do not count upon real entries
until next month. Receipts for the past fortnight
amount to 4,680 nags, as compared with 930 bags at
the same period last year. The deficiency compared
with last year's yield at this date amounts to 832,454
bags, or 61,500 tons."
THE OLDEST PEER IN THE REALM.—On Monday the
Earl of Mountcashell, an Irish representative peer,
completed his 91st year, having been born at St.
Stephen's green, Dublin, on Aug. 29, 1792. He sue.
ceeded to the earldom, an Irish title, on the death of
his father, which took place on Oct. 27, 1822, and was
elected a representative peer in 1826, so that he has
been a member of the hereditary branch of the
Legislature for 57 years, and is therefore justly
e Aided to the appellation of "Father of the House of
Peers."

FEMALE EMPLOYMENT IN RUSSIA.—For 80138 e time
past the number of openings in Russia for women has
been increasing, and women are now working at
many branches of industry from which they have
hitherto been excluded. They are now seen in clock'
makers' and jewellers' shops, but especially in the
work-rooms of china painters. This last development
is attributed to the influence of the drawing school of
the Society for the Encouragement of Artists, where
the number of female pupils are increasing from year
to year. Several of these women painters on china
have organised small work rooms of their own, where
they take pupils.
A CRIMINAL MUSEUM.—A strange museum, not tur
like that private collection existing in Scotland-yard, ie
in the possession of an officer of police at Paris. It con'
sista of all sorts of implements used in committing
crimes, such as revolvers, bullets, daggers, knives,
ropes, cudgels, and many artiaes for which it would
be difficult to imagine the use, if M. Mace, the exhi'
bitur, did not obligingly explain when and for what
purpose they have been employed. Among other
things there is a collection of keys, each forming
letter of the alphabet, which have served a band of
of burglars in opening locks of every description. The
museum also contains a number of photographs of
well-known criminals and representations of scenes of
assassination.
OVERWORK.—Sieter. "If you are going into the
town' you can do something for me, Fred."—Brother.
" Allright, if it's nothing much. Got an awfly bin/
day on, you see. Got to get my hair cut, antl—er--
have some lunch, you know, and—er—come back
again, and all that, don't you know?"—Fun.
FRENCH INDUSTRIES.—The following statistics SS to
the number of men employed in various branches of
activity are published by the Minister of Commerce la
France :-342 coal mines, employing 106,415 hands,
1,035 turf-cutting works, employing 27,977 hands ; 356
iron-mines, employing 8,468 hands; 60 other metal'
lurgical mines, employing 4,422 hands; and 359 iron'
works employing 57,000 hands. There are 412 eats!):
lishments employed in the manufacture of china ono;
pottery, employing 18,708 hands; 162 of glass 00,
crystal, employing 23,421 hands; 536 of paper ano
cards, employing 32,63 hands. There are 619 gair
works, employing 10,575 bands; 157 candle-work*
employing 3,603 hands; 339 soap factories, employing
3,509 hands; 512 sugar factories, employing 63,5_„2°
hands; and 5,024 textile works, employing 353,310
hands.
CROWN WINDFALLS.—A Parliamentary Return jasi
issued shows that during the year 1882 no less WO
£141,077 108. Bd. was received by the Crown's nominee
in respect of the estates of persons dying intestate,
.of
in other words, those who have died and left no wilij
and without known next-of-kin. At the beginning _Ol
the year the balance in hand was £177,384 ss. lUa•
After divers payments for debts, costs, grants to per
sons having claims on the bounty of the Crown, (fair
there remained in hand £266,739 12s, 10d.
GERMAN LITERATURE.—From January 1 to the end
of June last, says the Berliner Tageblcat, 7,08 booke
in the German language have been published, Ischia/I;
of 167 geographical maps. This is an average of 4
works a day. Of these 7,058 works 1,000 are ecluei'
tional, 780 treat of theology, and 600 on law; 219 ore
novels, 433 are devoted to medicine, 408 to comma
and industry, 386 to natural sciences, 353 to bistorll
331 to music and fine arts 274 to classics and orients,
languages, 247 to agriculture, 237 to architectures
mines, and machines' 224 to modern languages, 173,t°
military science, 167 to geography, 76 on matheraall
and astronomy, 74 on philosophy, 71 on forestry, el 3
21 on freemasonry.
THE PARIS FOOD TAXES.—The produce of the oetr°„
duties, or municipal taxes upon food and drink brongP"
I through the barrier gates for consumption in piglet
has exhibited of late a remarkable falling off.
total for the first seven months of the present year
slightly over soi millions of francs, which is less 139
3,431,955 francs (equal to £137,278 sterling) than tb:
amount received in the corresponding period of lee
year.
A RADICAL PROGRAMME.—The Birmingham Radical,
Union has issued a manifesto containing a programra"
of which the following are among the principal point'
—Manhood suffrage, equal electoral districts, labour,
representation, payment of members, the abolition °I
the House of Lords and theological tests, and tbl
minority clause, the exclusion of salaried officials 00.°1
hereditary pensioners from Parliament, triennP",
elections, Church disestablishment, free schools,,f,
peasant proprietry, local option, self-government
Ireland, reduction of the National Debt, and Wet
national arbitration.