The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-05-18 00:00:00

THE STOURBRIDGE OBSERVER.

arrived at the Palms° twenty minutes later to make his re-
port on Eastern affairs, on hearing what had occurred, said
that in the circumstances he presumed that the business in
question would be postponed. The Emperor, however, had
since his return to the Palace already perused the docu-
ments relative to the subject in hand, and desired that the
report should be proceeded with, which was accordingly
done.

When the Ministry congratulated the Emperor on Sunday,
his Majesty replied :—" This is the third time that I
have been fired at. In all my anxieties and troubles
I find my consolation in the sympathy of the popula-
tion, which has been shown from the first moment
In so striking a manner, and which has done me good.
One should take such things easily. When I was a
member of the States Ministry I frequently hinted at
the dangers which must result from the tendencies at
that time which were hostile to the State. My apprehen-
sions were, unfortunately, confirmed by the year 1848. NO
again, and in an increased measure, it is the duty of the Go-
vernment to endeavour to prevent the revolutionary ele-
ments becoming uppermost. Every Minister ought to do his
best in this direction. Especially is it incumbent upon the
people that they do not let go religion, and to prevent this is
our main task."

According to the Tagblatt, the Emperor William, after
the attempt upon his lite, said to Count Perponcher, "This
Is probably the last time I shall get off so easily." The
Frankfort Gazette states that had not his Majesty turned his
head accidentally at the moment the ball was fired, he
would have been pierced in the temple.

The whole Russian Press discusses the attempt made on
the life of the Emperor of Germany in the most sympathetic
terms for his Maje3ty.—The Go'os concludes an article on
the subject as follows :—'Among all foreign Sovereigns the
name of the Emperor William has taken the deepest root
in the hearts of the Russian people as a sincere friend of
their Sovereign and the Russian nation, and also of the
Russian army, which is proud to call him its first warrior
and hero."

The Times, in a leader, commenting upon the above at-
tempt, remarks :—" We only express the universal feeling of
all classes in this country when we offer our hearty con-
gratulations to the Emperor William and to the whole Ger-
man people on this happy escape from a great peril There
are many reasons why such an event should deeply affect
the English nation. The relations between. the Royal
Families of this country and of Germany are already very
close, and, as we announce, they will shortly be strength-
ened by a fresh tie The Emperor has just given his assent
to a proposal of marriage between the Duke of Connaught
and the Princess Louise Margaret, the youngest daughter of
Prince Frederick Charles of Prussia. But the sympathy and
good feeling between England and Germany does not del
pend on Royal Alliances alone. We share the respect and we
appreciate the affection of the German people for the
Monarch who has accomplished their unity. He is the living
symbol of a great national aspiration which he has known
how to satisfy, and we recognize in him a patriot, a warrior,
and a statesman who has nobly earned the gratitude of his
countrymen. This is not the moment to scrutinize his
policy or to estimate his purposes. Like all great historical
careers, his will be judged differently by men of different
views, though none will deny his t:tle to lasting fame and
respect. The escape of any man at any time from the
murderous assault et an assassin is a matter for unreserved
satisfaction. But at this juncture of European affairs the
removal of the Emperor William would have been a
great political event, of which it is hardly possible
to exaggerate the consequences. His influence on the ques-
tion now agitating Europe has been great, and is likely to
Increase rather than to diminish now that the negotiations
seem to have tak.n a more hopeful turn. His age and expe-
rience give a weight to his judgment in the councils of
Europe, and fit him for the office of mediator, and there is
every reason to believe that his influence would be exercised
In favour of a peaceful settlement. On the special differ-
ences between England and Russia he is peculiarly qualifled
to exeicise a moderating influence, for his regard for the
Czar is well known, and he has always manifested a friendly
feeling towards this country. He is bound to England by
family ties, no less than to Russia; nor is he likely to forget
that England afforded him a hospitable asylum when the revo-
lutionary troubles in Prussia temporarily drove him from the
land he was afterwards destined to rule with undisputed
sway. His personal affection for the Czar will enable him to
speak with frankness as well as with an authority fortified
by his long experience, and by his knowledge of the in-
terests, wishes, and feelings of Germany, of Austria, and of
England, no less than of Russia herself. It is true that the
German policy is directed by Prince Bismarck, but the
Hohenzollerns have never accepted the constitutional
theory that the Bing reigns but does not govern, and Prince
Bismarck would probably be the first to acknowledge that
the policy of the German Empire is subject to the judgment
of the Emperor William. For all these reasons the life of
the Emperor is one which at this moment Europe could ill
afford to spare.

dedi

The Daily Telegraph says Europe will share the satisfac-
tion evinced by the people of Berlin and Germany at the
failure of an attempt which, to all the other odious features
of assassination, adds an act of unnatural violence against
the chief soldier and champion of German unity. Nothing,
indeed, more infamous in the annals of the dagger and
the pistol has been recorded than this cruel attempt
upon the life of the venerable monarch, whose great
record, unbroken in the death-storm of many a
famous battle-field, and indissolubly linked in all times
to come with the glory and unity of the German nation,
would have ended too lamentably by the cowardly bullet of
a political murderer. But even this violent attempt to
alter the current of events proves to be ever so slightly po-
litical, there can be no doubt that it must warn ruling men
at Berlin to expedite reforms and to conjure discontent and
bad feeling by as prompt a lightening as possible of the
terrible load which Germany bears by reason of her chronic
armaments.

The Morning Post believes it would be most unwise to
jump to the conclusion that the attempt was part of an
organised scheme to assassinate the Emperor. The deed of
Saturday is more probably the deed of a crack-brained
youth envious of notoriety and ignorant to a great extent
of the motives that led to his villanous action There is
no oficasion to doubt the attachment of the masses !n Ger-
many to the Constitution, or to say that because an assault
on a monarch follows at no great distance an assault on his
Minister the Government is not based on the affections of
the people. The Emperor of Germany is deservedly popular.
His whole life has been devoted to the welfare of his people.
There is no wonder, then, that the whole populace of Berlin
spared no effort to show their delight at his safety. Their
feelings will be largely shared in Engia.nd Englishmen of
au classes sslfl t thn Emperor's escape.

INNOCENIE AT THE BAR. Police Superintendent
(in plain clothes) : "Well, nay lass, I may just tell
thee that this whiskey is going to be analysed." North
Country Barmaid (innocently): "I 'm certain it 'll
never dee for that I " Police Superintendent:
" Why ?" Barmaid: "B'cause it's nearly all
wafter ! "—Punch.
THE AMERICAN FOOD SuPPLY.—The quantity of
American meat landed at Liverpool last week was less
than the previous one, though it was slightly above the
average. Five steamers arrived, bringimg 6,801
quarters of beef, 1,413 carcases of sheep, and 221 dead
pip. There were also landed 661 head of oxen, and
622 live pigs.
THE BISHOP AND THE BADT.Mayfair says
"There are many stories current about the late Bishop
Selwyn, and all tend in the same direction. Here is
one I heard some years ago from his own lips. It was
simply told in illustration of the possibility of a natu-
rally helpless man overcoming the difficulties of sud-
denly finding himself placed in charge of young
children. During one of his expeditions along the
coast of New Zealand, Dr. Selwyn had given a passage
to a woman who had with her a baby just weaned.
The !,voyage was rough, and she became absolutely,
prostrate with sea-sickness. The baby remained preter-
naturally lively, and the question, 'What to do with it,"
became one of serious concern for the officers and crew.
Dr. Selwyn solved the difficulty by taking the child
under his own care. There was an apprentice on
board who took naturally to children, and he was in-
stalled as under-nurse. 'The voyage lasted eleven
days,' the Bishop said, during which time the mother
was wholly incapable of doing anything. I had not
much idea what to do with the baby, but with the
assistance of Tom, we got along splendidly, and at the
end of the voyage our chief difficulty wa-s to get baby
to go back to its mother."
A CURIOUS RACING PRIZE.—At the next Naples
*races one prize to be run for will be a silver cup made
of thirty-six Prussian thaler pieces, surmounted by an
imperial crown, the gift of Prince Charles of Prussia,
the Emperor's brother. The cup has been presented
by the Prince in recognition of the hospitality shown
him at Naples at the races during the two preceding
years.
GREAT FIRE IN RUSSIA.—The Jewish World has
received particulars of a great conflagration which
has recently occurred in the town of Wilcomer, in
Russia. More than 1,000 houses and shops and all
their contents have been destroyed, as well as twelve
synagogues and Beth Hantedrashim, and a large num-
ber of sacred books and scrolls of the law. A few
lives were lost, but the destruction is of so wholesale
and complete a nature that many people formerly
considered as being very wealthy are now wandering
about the streets without food or shelter, and alto-
gether reduced to the most miserable poverty. A
committee has been formed at Kovno for the relief of
the sufferers, and it has issued an appeal to the bene-
volent. The committee acknowledges the receipt of
i 1133 collected in London by Dr. Asher, but this sum
is of course totally inadequate for the alleviation of
the misery and poverty which prevail.

A 25,000 MILES WALL—A despatch from Toronto,
dated May 1, says :—" James Duff Henderson began
his 25,000 miles walk here to-day. The pedestrian
was nervous, and for the first two miles did not walk
well; but on the third mile he threw himself into the
work. Forty miles were walked in 7h. 54min. 39sec.,
averaging a little over llmin. 54sec. per mile. The
distance was walked in two sections of 15 miles and
one of ten miles. He strided from 44 to 46 inches;
but in his third mile in some parts spread to 54in."

A "BANQUET OF NATIONS." - The Banquet of
Nations, at Paris, which has been talked of for some
time, and is to comprise several thousands of guests,
reminds one of the most formidable repasts perhaps
ever given (says Galignaxii). The persons who sat
down to the feast were 10,000 number, all victorious
soldiers brought back triumphantly to Paris by Napo-
leon I. As no hall large enough to contain such a
company could be found, tables were placed in the
Champs Elys4es, and on the occasion were served up
27 oxen. 75 sheep, 1,000 partridges, 2,500 fowls, 1,000
carp, 1,000 tench, &c. To wash down these solids 248
barrels of wine were consumed.

SINGLING OUT THE PRIZE SHEEP.—Mr. C. Hancock,
the celebrated animal painter, is related by a corre-
spondent of the British Workman to have witnessed a
wonderful instance of canine sagacity, whilst once
staying with Lord Kinnaird, at his seat in Scotland.
His lordship expressed a wish that Mr. Hancock
should see same of his prize sheep, which were then
feeding with some hundreds more on the brow of a
hill, about three miles from the house. Calling
his shepherd, he kindly asked him to have the
prize sheep fetched up as quickly as he could. The
shepherd whistled, when a fine old sheep-dog ap-
peared before him, and seated on his hind-quarters,
evidently awaited orders. "What passed between
the shepherd and the dog I know not, Mr. Hancock
observed; "but the faithful creature manifestly under-
stood his instructions. Do you believe that the. dog
will bring the sheep to us out of the flock ? ' I asked.
Wait a while, and you will see,' said his lordship.
The dog now dashed off towards the sheep, at
the same time giving a significant bark, which
immediately called forth two younger sheep-dogs to
join in the mission. Accustomed as I was to the
remarkable sagacity of coney dogs, I was amazed at
what now took place. On one side of the hill was a
river, on the other side a dense forest. One of the
younger dogs, on arriving at the foot of the hill, turned
to the left, while the other darted off to the right hand.
The former stationed himself between the sheep and
the river, while the letter stood between the sheep and
the forest. The old dog now darted into the middle
of the flock, when the sheep scampered right and left,
but were kept at bay by the two watchers. The old
dog speedily singled out the particular sheep desired,
and in a few minutes the three dogs were quietly
driving them towards us. Within about an hour of
receiving the instructions from the shepherd, the dogs
brought the sheep up to the door of the mansion!"
LIKE MASTER—LIKE MAN.—Vanity Fair remarks:
It is wonderful how some of the coachmen of the
Diplomatic Corps resemble their masters. Count
Schouvaloff's Jehu is ostentatious, fond of noise and
clatter, and from the moment that he sets down his
master at the Foreign Office until his return never
ceases to rattle sharply over the stones of the quad-
rangle, or swiftly to hurry round the wooden skirting,
thereby impressing upon the world that his Excellency
the Russian Ambassador is conferring with the
Marquis of Salisbury, and that his showy equipage le
impatiently awaiting the result outside. The coach-
man of Musurus Pasha, on the other hand, is
a quiet placid man, who comes and goes
silently, and daily occupies a shady corner
under the library window. Nothing could be
more characteristic than the dignified repose of the
one equipage and the gaudy display of the other. In-
variably the two coachmen—who are on the best of
terms--discuss the progrees of affairs outside while
their masters negotiate within, and it was from the
library window that I overheard a few days ago
Schouvaloff's man say to his confrere, 'I say I we've
been up to this little game now more than two years.
Don't you think its time we stopped?' The repre-
sentative of Turkay smiled quietly, and replied with
significance, We're ready to stop; it's only you that
want the "go " taken out of you!'"
THE MOLE AND HIS HOME.—Mr. Commissioner
Kerr has been good enough to send us (Land and
Water) the following from a Scotch contemporary ;
"People say, as blind as a mole,' or as stupid as a
mole, but a mole is neither one nor the other ; like all
the great Creator's works, he is beautifully suited for
the life he has to live, that is, to find his way about in
the dark damp earth, in which he has his home, and
where he finds his prey, principally earth-worms and
insects. He is a hungry aed thirsty little creature,
and so he generally tunnels out his strange little ' hill '
near the water; if he cannot do that, he digs some
little well for the dew and rain to fall into. Is it not
a strange habitation? He has it all to himself, and
will not allow any other creature to pome near, for he
has sharp teeth and claws, and will fight any intruder
till one or the other is slain. When he determines to
construct a house, he selects a secure place, and
burrows and roots up the earth with that sharp snout,
scooping away the loosened earth with his forefeet;
these are like a hand, with strong nails or claws. He
runs a circular gallery near the top of this mound, and
another larger one near the bottom; these two he con-
nects by descending galleries, then he digs a round
hole in the centre of the mound, which he connects
with the upper gallery by passages—the ether passages
join the lower gallery to the upper one—so that at the
least alarm he can escape by many roads. Sometimea
in a country walk ycu will catch sight of one of these
little brown fellows in pursuit of a worm, admire his
clear soft velvety skin, turning any way, and catch
him if you can; he nay not see very well, but he is
certainly not deaf, for he drops Oui. of sight like magic
at any noise.'
THE JARLNESE AT THE PARIS EXHIBITION.—The
Paris Correspondent of The Times, in noticing the
Japanese section at the Paris Exhibition, says

„
No nation is a more interesting study than as. Tapanese in
its advance towards modern civilization. It was one of the
peoples most averse from the introduction of the European
element, most obstinate in guarding itself against the
danger of a foreign conquest; but when it once perceived
that the example and contact of European countries were
essential to its welfare, Japan entered on the path of reform
with a resolve which accounts for the rapidity of its progress.
What is still more strange, the Japanese have borrowed
numberless ideas and theories from European civilization
without adopting any of their defects or sacrificing any of
their excellences. In Europe as at home, they are intelli-
gent, sober, modest, inn*, and grateful for any attentions,
and they are still, as formerly, very patriotic; at all the
Exhibitions they have elicited admiration by their punctuality,
precision, and respectful compliance with orders. On the'
morning of the let of May their section was quite finished,
and it has already drawn forth warm praise. It contains
nothing vulgar, nothing, or scarcely anything, which does
not bear the stamp of natural taste.
CLEVER.—One of the things to be exhibited at the
Paris Exhibition is a clock with a pistol in it, which
it appears is fired by the mechanism of tbe timepiece
every hour. The intention of thip ingenious toy is
doubtless to kill Time.—Judy.
ONE OF Mg. GLADSTONE'S DELUSIONS.—Mr.
Gladstone seeraed to enter tain the hypothesis that ox-
tail soup was introduced irito this country by the
French Roman Catholic priests who 0015 refuge e4l.2"ng
us at the outbreak of the first french Revolution. Mr.
Samuel Smiles, on the other hand, has in one of his
admirable books put another theory forward, to the
effect that it was the Huguenot refugees from France
after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes who
taught 19.'nglish people to eat the bovine candle ap-
pendage. '” The canseuuence was," continued the
elequent ex-Premier at 'flawardeu, "that we got in
that shape a most excellent soup, for there Gan ang,rcely
be a more excellent soup than ox-tail; and that 18
the very reazioir. why, in one point, we are more eco-
nomical than the Americana." Innocent Mr. Glad-
stone! That "excellent soup," ox-tail, is not by any
means an economical article of diet, and for these
rerooza, The ox is a very large animal,' and he has
his size. e ta,1111.18
1. i
44,d
otxi.ataitui
Hi; t
arr ra large
epeliv
on.e4i,naprsope. ortioillisto
is s
Acton (to whom I do not always pin my faith) counsels
the consumption of no less than three tails for two
quarts of coup; *ut to raake a otage guetic 4bcSlif
sufficient for elolit pest, j conceive that two
moderately-sized tails would su "ce. For 004 your
butcher will charge you from eighteenpence to two
shillings apiece, Moreover, soup made simply from
ox-tails is a very insipid production, The potagc must
be based on a good beef stock and flavoured with vege-
taUles. On the whole, ox-tail soup, well made, is quite
aa expensive as mock-turtle, which is scarcely a poor
man's dish.--" G. A. 5.," in the RN:grated London
New. .

POPULATION OF THE UNITED KINGDOX.—The Regis-
- states as follows his annual estimate of
the resident population of the United Kingdom. He
puts the population of England and Wales in the
middle of this year, 1878, at 24,854,3 W, or 307,088
more than in the middle of last year; the population
of Scotland at 3,593,929, an increase of 38,212 ; of
Ireland at 5,433,640, an increase of 97,245, which last
number appears very large indeed, The total popula-
tion of the United Kingdom is stated at 33,881,9 W, or
437,547 more than at the corresponding period in last
year.
PLAIN ENOUGH.—A German paper wants to know
"what can possibly be the sources of the present
irritation on the pert of England against Russia?"
This inquiry comes far too late in the day. The ques-
tion now is, not of sources, but of re-sources, and when
those of England are confronted with those of Russia,
the answer is sufficiently obvious.—Jadv.
JOSH BILLINGS' PHILOSOPHY.—I believe now that
I had rather an only son of mine could pla a poor game
ov 3 kard monte than to pin well on the ackordion.
When i see a man with a hed on him about the size ov
a clothespin, i have Owns found that he could do
sum one thing a leetle better than enny boddy else,
and that one thing was to take care of his self. He is
a fine Radical, but the uncertaintys ov life are just
what makes him endurable.

RISING WITH THE LARK.—Rising with the lark at
this time of the year would entail getting up before
daylight, according to the experiences of a correspon-
dent of the Live Stock Journal, who, when recently out
in the woods taking notes of the wild birds, heard
seven or eight larks singing high up in the sky at 3
a.m. It was then twilight, and not another bird was
stirring; but a quarter of an hour later the rooks
began to caw, and five minutes after the plover was
heard. The blackbird followed, then the thrush, and
soon after 3.30 all the birds were in full song, and con-
tinued until 4.30, when they were all silent, evidently
either feeding or building their nests. The writer
adds that he finds birds BO tame in the early morning
that they will allow any person to approach quite
close; but after 5 a.m. they become wild again, while
they rarely sing if the temperature be lower than 45
deg.

AVERAGE PRICES OF BRITISH CORN.—The follow-
ing are the average prices of British corn for the week
ending May 11, as received from the inspectors and
-officers of Excise :—Wheat, 525. 4d. ; barley, 40s. 2d.;
oats, 255. Bd. per imperial qr. Corresponding week
last year :—Wheat, 655. 7d.; barley, 395. 7d.; oats,
265. 10d.

THE FAMINE IN Russra.—We (Globe) understand
that -the Famine Commission in north-west Russia
have already distributed 6,000 tons of rye, barley, and
corn-al:bong the dearth-stricken peasants of Kezan and
Penn, and are making arrangements for the despatch
of Btlll larger quantities to the affected districts. It is
feared that the harvest will again be a failure in north-
west Russia this year.