The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-07-15 00:00:00

Visettlancons

HOME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL.

HEAT IN CALIFORNIA.—The New York Times
publishes a despAch of the 15th of June from Chico,
California, to the following effect :—" The thermomet* r
averages about 105 degrees in the shade at this place.
A report from Jacinto says the thermometer stands
115 and 120 degrees in the shade. Seven men and
several horses have died suddenly in Colusa county
within the last six days from intense heat. The men
are all quitting work, and there is a great demand for
harvest hands."

FOREIGN COMPETITION. —Tuesday's Birming-
hm Post says :—During the past few months a French
manufacturing firm has established an agency in Bir•
mingham, and has supplied large quantities of the
hardware peculiar to Birmingham and its district, at
prices considerAly lower than those of native manu-
facturers, such articles being, nevertheless, frequently
made from S' 4fordshire iron and Sheffield steel.
Another significant hint as to the future competition,
not only in fore;g,n and colonial markets, but even on
English soil, is the lists of prices of several American
manufacturers, who are supplying not only axes and
steel forks, for which they have long been famous, but
a great variety of hardware goods. Not only the
business-like style of these lists of prices, and the
artistic character of the illustrated lists, but the style
and excellence of these American manufactures, de-
serves the serious attention of employers and employed.
CHILDREN EMPLOYED IN MINES. —ID this
year's reports of the inspectors of Mines attention is
called to the continued decrease of the number of boys
employed under ground, and an inspector suggests that
this may ultimately have an effect upon the number of
miners to be had, for boys, as a general rule, do not
readily enter pits after they are much above 13 years
of age. In the year 1875 there were 694 boys between
10 and 12 years of age employed underground in mines
under the Coal Miner's Regulation Act, all but eight
of the number being in Yorkshire or Lancashire
mines; here wore also 9,283 boys from 12 to 13 years
old employed underground. In mines under the
Metalliferous Mines Act, there were 130 boys between
12 and 13 employed under ground. In the former (the
coal) class of mines, there were also 1,520 boys and ten
girls between 10 and 13 years of age employea about
mines, but above ground; and 1,179 boys and 306 girls
between 8 and 13 years of age about the metalliferous
mines, but above ground. The total numbers, therefore.
under 13 employed in or about mines, are 12,806 boy,
and 316 girls, 10,107 of the boys working under grounds
The returns show also 50,292 boys between 13 and 16
working under ground.

MR. MARGARY'S MURDERERS. —The Thayet-
myo correspondent of a Rangoon journal writes :
"There is a rumour here that the 15 men who were to
be hanged at Manwyne for the murder of Mr. Margary
have been handed over to the escort, and will be
brought down to Rangoon. It is said that these men,
when interrogated by the commission, stoutly and
firmly denied having had any hand, directly or in-
directly, in the murder of Mr. Margary. Messrs.
Grosvenor and Baber then handed them over to the
charge of the escort, and it is thought that, when free
from Chinese intimidation and influence, they may be
brought to make such disclosures as will place the
-whole affair in a clearer and more truthful light."

THE HEALTH OF SCOTLAND.—The Registrar-
General is able to give a good report for May in regard
to the eight principal towns of Scotland. The 4,150
births registered in the month of May, 1876, were 112
more than the May average for the last ten years,
allowing for increase of' population, and, indeed, this
is the greatest number of births registered in the
eight towns in any month since the Registration Act
came into operation in 1855. The 519 marriages were
within eight of the average; the 2,628 deaths were
170 under the average. The zymotic (epidemic and
contagious) class of diseases caused 15 9 per cent, of
the mortality. Whooping•cough still continued the
most fatal of the epidemics, and caused 4 6 per cent.
of the total deaths; in Paisley as much as 10'1 per
cent. Measles caused 9'2 per Gent. of the whole mor-
tality ; in Dundee, 52 per cent. Fever caused 68 deaths;
diarri cea, 40; scarlatina, 28; diphtheria, 18; ery-
sipelas, 14; tmallpos, 2, both in Glasgow. The
deaths from idiammatory affections of the respiratory
organs, consumption, whooping•cough, and croup con-
stituted above 41 per cent, of the total mortality.
There were four suicides, nine deaths from- the direct
effects of intemperance, and one from delirium
tremens.
- -

JUNO WHY 7—A new comet was discovered
, near Jupiter- -on the Ist Of. July. donsidering the
'date it was near June oh I as well.—Fun.
„ i )
REGISTRATION OF VOTEBS.— By the nttn int.
all rates, &c., due on the sth of January must be paid.
Notices of claims on or before the 20th inst. must be
given in counties and in boroughs by the 25th of
August. Lists are to be made up in counties and
boroughs on the 31st inst. Notices of objections must
•be given on or before the 20th of August in counties
and the 25th of August in boroughs, the Courts of
Revision to be held between the 15th of September
and the 31st of October. ,•."1
THE CROPS.—Mr. Mechi writes as follows-
from Tiptree Hall, Kelvedon :—A continuation of
most suitable weather not only greatly improved all
crops, but permitted the it-gathering of a large
breadth of clover and grass hay In a very per-
fect condition. On Thursday night a heavy and
most acceptable ground rain still further improved all
crops, and especially young root crepe, which are now
making rapid progress. The ripening of cereals has
much advanced, but harvest in this neighbourhood can
scarcely commence before the early part of August.
The quality both of corn and straw promises to be very
perfect as compared with that of last year. In Essex
a considerable acreage inter ded for wheat was uneown
with that grain for want of a favourable opportunity.
COLLIERY EXPLOSIONS.— On Monday the Col.
liery Explosions Fund raised at the Mansion-house,
London during Sir '1 homas Gabriel's Mayoralty was
finally closed, the Lord Mayor, atilits request of the
Committee, having forwarded an kiditional sum of
£l,OOO to the Mayor of Barnsley for the relief of the
sufferers by the Swaithe Main accident, and the
balance, £3,516 odd, to the treasurer of the Wigan
Fund for the maintenance of the widows and orphans
of the 317 men who were killed in various explosions in
that neighbourhood between 1868 and 1872.
A BABY WASHER. —A most useful invention
for nursery use, called "a Bady-washer," is reported.
It is described by the inventor as follows :—You simply
insert the begrimed and molasses-coated infant in an
orifice, which cnn be made any required size by turning
for ten minutes a cog-wheel with electric attachments.
The child glides gently down a highly polished inclined
plane. His lips are met at its terminance by an
indiarubber tube, from which the infant can draw
actual nourishment of the purest and most invigorating
character, secured for the special purpose, at great
expense, from a choice breed of Alderny kine. While
in this compartment, which is lined with plate-glass
mirrors, the perturbed spirits of the infant are soothed
by the frantic efforts to demolish its own image re-
fltcted in the glass with a nickel plated combined
toothcutter, nailknife, rattle, and tack hammer, which
is thrust into the baby's hand by an automaton.
Fatigued by its destructive efforts, the infant falls to
sleep, while the organ attachment plays softly " Hush-
a-by baby on the chimney pot." Then it slips in the
third eompartment. Here the baby is washed.
,Another small tube administers a dose of soothing
syrup, and the infant glides from the machine, its nai:s
pared and its hair combed, if it has any, ready. for
the habiliments rendered necessary-by'sthe fall of our-
first patents. A .
A PHYSICIAN'S ADVICE TO YOUNG MEN.—A
physician writes to young men as follows: My profes-
sion has thrown me among women of all classes, and
my experience teaches me that God never gave man a
greater proof of his love than to place woman here with
him. My advice is: Go and propose to the most sen-
sible girl you know. If she accepts you, tell her how
much your income is, and froth what source derived;
and tell her se u will divide the last shilling with her,
and that you will love her with all your heart into the
bargain. And then keep your promise. My word for
It, she will live within your income, and to your last
hour you will regret that you did not marry sooner.
Stop worrying about feminine extravagance and
feminine untruth. Just you be true to her—love her
sincerely, and a more fond, faithful, foolish slave you
will never meet anywhere. You will not deserve her,
I know. But she will never know it.
BRITISH EMBASSIES ABROAD. A parlia-
mentary return issued shows that houses have been
built or purchased by her Majesty's Government at
the following embassies and legations :—Paris, Con-
et intinople, Vienna, Washington, Tangier, Teheran,
Pekin, and Yedo. At Paris, two secretaries reside on
the premises, At Constantinople, accommoda•ion is
provided for all the unmarried secretaries. At Vienna
rooms are found for one secretary; and at Teheran,
Pekin, and Yedo, for all the secretaries. At Madrid,
St. Petersbuiv, and Brussels, houses have been leased,
and no accommodation for secretaries or attaches is p.ro-
vined at these legation 'houses. At the following
embassies andlegations an allowance is made to the
Ambassador or Minister fur house rent :—Athens,
£300; Berlin, £1,500 ; Berne, £200; Buenos Ayres,
£400; Coburg, £2bo; Copenhagen, £400; Darmstadt,
£200; Dresden, 400; Munich, 2200_; Rio de Janeiro,
£700; Rome, V.,200 ; Stockholm, 400;E Stuttgart,
£200; and The Hague, £4OO.