The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-07-07 00:00:00

EPITOME OF NEWS.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

The Empress of Germany has subscribed a thousand
marks for the relief of distress caused by the inunda-
tions in Silesia.

The Berlin Town Council has voted the sum of 150,00(
marks for the purpose of making public preparations
for the Luther Festival in August.

Pig iron.—Fossilised pork.—A retiring allowance.
—A basin of gruel.—Moonshine.

According to Bradstreet, there were 5,296 mercan-
tile failures in America during the first six months of
the present year, with 73.594.205 dols, liability, against
3,649 failures, with 52,363,289 dole. liability, in the
corresponding period of last year.
At New York 224,494 emigrants have landed during
the past six months, being 53,841 less than in the
corresponding half of the previms year. The immi-
gration for June exceeded that of the previous June,

At Winnipeg, Manitoba, on Friday in last week, a
warehouse took fire, and several kegs of gunpowder
exploded, injuring twenty persons, mostly firemen,
several of them fatally. The concussion shook the
ntire city.
A Parliamentary returr shows that in the year 1891
the Government expended for telegrams with foreign
countries and the colonies £33,995 Os. 81, ; and last
year the sum expended was £25,043 14s. :id.
The Governor of Florida announces that 500,000
acres of Lake Okeechobee District have been re-
claimed from overflow since the drainage operations
began.

Cyclones are reported to have raged on Sunday
night over New York and New England. One of them
struck Cromwell, near Hartford, Connecticut, de.
stroying almost every building in its path. Fourteen
persons were killed.
The nomination of a Lord Mayor of Dublin for 1884
took place on Monday and resulted in the nomination
of Alderman Meagher (Liberal) by 32 votes to 21, the
Conservative candidate being Mr. Joshua Brereton.
The Local Government Board (Scotland) Bill has
been deferred until the 16th inst. So far Scotch
opinion has declared adversely to the scheme, and the
Government will be urged to abandon it.
The ship Gladstone of 1,159 tons, chartered by Sir
Saul Samuel, K.C.M.G., Agent-General for New
South Wales, sailed from Plymouth for Sydney on
Tuesday with 358 emigrants.
At the Flintshire Quarter Sessions at Mold on
Tuesday, a letter was read from Mr. Gladstone
acknowledging the services rendered by the extra
police force on duty at Hawarden Castle during his
presence there, and enclosing a cheque for £2O towards
the Police Superanuation Fund for the county.

The number of visitors to the International Fisheries
Exhibition last Saturday was 19,684, making a total
for last week of 82,489. The total number from the
opening of the Exhibition has been 609,753.
After an exciting contest the cricket match between
the Gentlemen and Players, which was finished at
Kennington Oval on SAurday, ended in a tie.

The court sitting at Washington upon the Alabama
claims has decided that British subjects resident in
the United States have a right to make claims upon
the fund.

Romance literature has lately lost one of its most
distinguished students by the death at Padua, in the
35th year of his age, of Angelo Canello, Professor of
Latin Literature at the University in that city,
On Monday the heat in the metropolis exceeded
anything experienced since 1869. The thermometer
ranged at noon from 87 deg. to 89 deg. in the shade,
with S.S.W. winds, till about three p.m., when there
was a change to S.E.
On Monday the result of the polling at Monaghan
was officially declared as follows :—Mr. Healy (Nation-
alist), 2,376; Mr. Monroe (Conservative), 2,011; Mr.
Pringle (Liberal), 274.
Intelligence from Brisbane' dated May 15, states
that Her Majesty's ship Lark reports that the _Wit,
barque, of Boston, which left Newcastle, N.S.W.' or
February 17, for Manila, was lost on Guadalcatite
Island on March 4. All h.nds reached the shore
safely, but finding the natives hostile left again in the
ship's boats, and after being 48 hours at sea, were
picked up by the Lotus, schooner, and taken to Uil,
where they were kindly treated.
In London, on Monday, the annual Costermongers
Donkey and Pony Show in connection with the
Golder-lane and Hoxton Christian Mission took place.
The Earl of Shaftesbury, who presided, said that the
exhihition of donkeys and ponies was most creditable,
and showed that the costers had practised the duty of
kindness to animals,
Mr. Whitley has given notice of Amendments to the
Ninth Clause of the Friendly Societies (Nomination)
Bill, which is down for further consideration next
Monday, limiting its operation in the case of Savings
Banks. Mr. Kennard will move the omission of the
Clause.

The ship Smyrna, of 1,305 tons, Captain R. Jamie-
son, chartered by Sir Saul Samuel, K.C.M.G.,
Agent• General for New South Wales, sailed from Ply-
mouth, for Sydney on June 29 with 411 emigrants.
In London, on Tuesday, the Marquis of Salisbury
distributed the prizes to the successful students of
King's College, and in the course of his subsequent
address to the students remarked upon the improve-
ments that had been introduced into the system of
education, which now allowed freer scope fora variety
of talents than had been permitted in the last genera-
tion.

A fisheries exhibition will be held at Lysekil, in the
province of Bohns, on the west coast of Sweden, on
the 6th, 7th, and Bth of September, and a regatta will
be held at the same time. As inducements to nom•
petition at the exhibition 10 gold and 200 silver medals
are to be awarded.

The Municipality of Paris his resolved on purchas•
Leg sites for cemeteries at Pantin and Bagneux, at a
c )3t of 8,000,00 francs. This, it was argued, would
meet the requirements of Paris for 30 years. The
Municipality also renewed its declaration in favour of
cremation, one of the members remarking that all the
families practising civil funerals would agree to it.
The Society of English Mechanical Engineers will
vis,t Belgium towards the end of this month. They
are to stay at Liege, where a very hospitable reception is
being prepared for them on the 24th and 25th, and to
make excursions to the most important industrial
establishments of the district. Antwerp and Ghent
will afterwards be visited. It is expected that about
200 English engineers will take part in the excursion,
and in the o.mgress to be held at Liege.
The revenue of the colony of Victoria for the past
year amounts to £5,600,000, being an increase of
£12,500 compared with the previous twelve months.
During this period the Customs revenue increased by
£74,230, and the receipts from railways by £123,000.
On the other hand, the territorial revenue shows a
decrease of £146,000.
At Nottingham the borough coroner has held an
inquest on the body of Wm. Cox, aged 43, whose
death had been caused by lightning. Deceased was in
his own house, when he was instantly killed, a violent
thunder3tl rat prevailing at the time. His wife was
also struck and rendered insensible. A verdict was
returned in accordance with the evidence.
A. shocking occurrence took place on the Great
Western line at Reading on Tuesday evening. Just
before the exprets from Exeter to London reached the
Reading Btation, where the train does not stop, a man
was Peen to fall cut of a third•clms carriage, and he
was afterwards picked up dead. The train was pulled
up, and in the carriage was found a handkerchief full
of clothes, amongst which was a military document
showing that the deceav•ed's name was Nlichael Kelly,
a native of Bri.to), and that he had been discharged
from the army, having been invalided home from
abroad.

Toe additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens,
Re cut's Park, Lond,,n, during last we• k inelod,d a
crab-eating racoon from Bryzil, pre,enteo by Mr. Theo.
Walch ; a ringtaiied coati from Brarl, presented by
Mr. R. G. Hatrolton; two common hedgehogs, BLitish,
presented by Mr. S. Mummery ; four restless navies
from Brazil, presented by Mr. E. H. Draper; a ring-
necked parrakeet from India, presented by Mr. W.
Quail; two common kingfishers, British, presented by
Mr. T. E. Gunn ; three common vipers, British,
presented by Mr. C. Taylor. two common snakes,
European, presented by Lord Arthur Rtr_sell, F.Z.S. ;
a puma from Snuth America, a Goffin's cockatoo from
Queensland, deposited; two West African love birds
from Wast Africa, an Indian python from India,
purchased ; two vulpine phalangers, eight gold
pheasants, six prairie grouse, and a herring gull, bred
in the Gardens,

Prince Albert Victor of Wales will go into residence
at Trinity College, Cambridge, at the commencement

of the October term.

The Postmaster-General gives notice that a postage
and inland revenue stamp of the value of 28. 6d.,
available for postage, telegraph, and inland revenue
purposes is now being issued, and will shortly be
obtainable from all postmasters, &c.
The gold medal offered by Col. P. Roidy, V. 0., of
the Bengal Staff Corps, for the best practical essay 013
African horses, has been awarded to Mr. S. Long;
hurst, of the Army Veterinary Department, attachea
to the King's Dragoon Guards.
Mrs. Ramsbotham says she's going to see a game Of
Roiey-poley on ponies at Hurlingham. Her nephew
told her she ought to call this "real jam."—Punch.

Professor Brooks, of New York, reports telescopic
observation of an enormous group of spots now central
on the sun's disc, visible to the naked eye, the diameter
of the group being 50,000 miles.

- - -
Mr. Enoch Pratt has presented Baltimore with his
new and extensive free library building, which is now
almost completed, and also with a cheque for 833,333
dole. for its maintenance, which sum will be invaded in
Baltimore City Bonds.

Mr. Gilstrap, of Fornham Park, has presented the
town of Newark with a free library, at a a st of about
£lO,OOO. The building is now complete, and will be
opened on the 26th inst.
On the 27th ult. Darmstadt and its neighbourhood
suffered from repeated sho, ks of earthquake. The
first was at three a.m., and was accompanied by con.
siderable subterranean disturbance. Two violent
shocks of short duration followed at five, and the last
was at noon.

Herr Steinitz, who won the second prize in the
recent International Chess Tournament, has chal•
lenged Dr. Zukertort, who gained the first prize of
£.300, to play a match for the championship and stake
of £2OO a side or upwards, the match to consist of
eight or ten games.
The total cost of the Moscow coronation is now
stated at 54 million roubles, or 20 millions above the
preliminary estimates.
The latest development of the newspaper press is 10
Morocco, which now has its two weekly papers--one
being published at Tangier and the other at Ceuta, a
Spanish possession.

The City Press states on January Ist next the price
of gas in the city of London will be reduced from
38, 2d. to 2s. 10d. per thousand cubic feet.

Young seals are stated to be very numerous about
the Orkney Isles just now, and a considerable number
are b-ing captured. Some of them are of the
grey species, and are offered fcr sale at as low 09
ss. each.
The Western Monarch, Captain Wood, left Liver.
pool for Brisbane on June 29, having on board 59
single men, 47 single women, 281 i married couples
--
total, 387 i adults, equal to 501 souls.

The return issued on Wednesday shows that on the
last day of the third week of June 49,873 indoor, end
37,731 outdoor paupers were relieved in the metro.
polls, making a total of 85,604, as compared wiol
86,759 on the corresponding date last year, 86,509 ill
1881, and 84,491 in 1880. The number of vagrants
relieved on the same date was 514.

_
On Monday, in deference to a memorial from several
religious boiies, the Aberdeen Town Council resolved
to prohibit bathing on Sunday in the Dee, the prac'
tice, in the opinion of the memorialists, being " highli
offensive, and detrimental to good mcrals." _

•
There were 2,519 births sod 1,432 deaths registered
in London last week. Allowing for increase of poPtl.
lation, the births exceeded by 49, whereas the deaths
wee 5 below, the average numbers in the correspon°.
ing weeks of the last ten years. The annual rate of
mortality from all causes, which had been equal to
16 9 and 17 6 per 1,000 in the two preceding weeks,
further rose to 189.
As was expected the arrivals of live stock and dead
nrat at Liverpool during last week from the United
States and Canada showed a large increase on those of
the preceding week, and were the largest arrivals for
several weeks past. The number of steamers which
landed live stock was seven, and those with fresh meat
nine, and the total suprly amounted to-3,670 cattle,
447 sheep, 8,651 quarters of beef, and 580 carcases of
mutton.
At a meeting of ironworkers held at West Bromwich
on Monday to consider the reduction of threepence
per ton made in the men's wages, it was unauimousll
resolved to strike against it. A resolution was Oil
passed in favour of abolishing the sliding scale On
arbitration altogether.
The number of museums in Brussels has recent'
been increased by three—the Commercial MuseunN,
the Scholastic Museum, an I the Museum of Musics'
Instruments.

The Queen has been taking daily carriage exercise
since her return from Scotland. Her Majesty, it
anticipated, will remain in residence at Windsor
Castle for several weeks to come.
-

A Reuter's telegram from Darmstadt states that thl
betrothal of the Princess Victoria, eldest daughter:3l
the Grand Duke of Hesse and the late Princess Abet
of England, to Prince Louis of Battenburg, a son ni
Prince Alexander of Hesse, was officially announcen
on Monday.
A large hamper from Birmingham which had been
lying at the Limerick railway terminus for some dayo•
was on Monday night opened by the constabulary. It
number of six-chambered revolvers of the newle,'
pattern were found in the hamper, which, with It.°
contents, was removed to the Police Barracks.
Intelligence reached Glasgow on Monday that a
Mr. Graham, with his family and two friends, were
driving at Annan, near Dippen, which runs on Oa
top of a precipice, VO feet high, when the horse
shied, and the whole company were thrown upon the
rocks. Miraculously none fell over, but all received a
severe shaking, and some bones were fractured.
An explosion of gas took place on Monday in a WI
pit at Park Hills, near Wakefield, belonging to the
Victoria Coal and Coke Company, and a miner wpo
was acting as temporary furnace man was severely in'
lured. He received two scalp wounds by being thrown
forcibly to the ground, and his right collarbone svo
fractured. He was also badly burned about the aring
and face.
It is stated that the Prince of Wales, accompanted
by several noblemen and gentlemen who take an
terest in sport, recently went to Hurlingham and ow:
several matches where clay pigeons were used. Tn.%
were highly satisfied with the result, and are of opinP'
that the clay pigeon may be substituted for the living
bird.

-----
In Rome, on Monday, a crowd of friends, awl
whom were the whole of the Diplomatic Corps on
many ladies and gentlemen of the Roman aristocradi
assembled at the railway station to bid farewell t°9
Lady Paget and her daughter. Their carriage vii‘
almost filled with bouquets of beautiful flowers.

The number of actual wrecks reported in all part°
of the world during la-t week was 16, against 24 in the
corresponding week of 1882. The total tor the year tc:
date is 993, or an increase of 207 campared with lee"
year. Sven were British-owned vessels, of which
three were steamers, the total tonnage of the Jett
being 4,032 tons. Lives lost amounted to 35 (including
25 lost in the Waitara), against 70 last year.
The Board of Health at Boston, U.S., reports thst
during the last six months the port .physician Li
examined 23,530 assisted immigrants, many of whoo3'
being too feeble from age and other infirmities t°
support themselves, had to be aided.
During last week the capture of salmon and grill ,
at some af the stations on the east coast of Scotian
were remarkable. On Thursday no fewer than o°o
tons of splendid fish were landed between Montro,ll
and Bervie, a distance of six miles and at Perth 1%
salmon and grilse were caught at one sweep of the lito
of
The Daily Artws says :—A member of the House A
Commons who has recently visited Ireland has fon%
much evidence of the improved condition of t.",
country and of the rapid growth of the beneficial Ing,
fluence of the Land Act. The evidence thus accun3 A
lated by an impartial witness has been communicate
to the Prime Minister, and has been acknowledge"
with much cordiality.
In London, on Saturday evening, Mr. 13en3e1334
Q C., on his retirement from the English Baryi.wii,
entertained at dinner in the Middle Temple
which was crowded by an assembly representative 0
the Bench and the Bar. The Attorney.general, VLD,
presided, paid a high attribute to the merit 3 of nil;
Set‘jainin, and passed an eloquent panegyric 111111
the brilliance which had marked his professicl3
career.

El

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