biglam/hmd_newspapers huggingface dataset:
The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-28

ICE IN THE THAMES.

Tho general thaNi which set in shortly be-
fore midnight and the ebb tide of Thursday
morning brought down a large quantity of
ice from the upper Thames, seriously inter-
rupting the traffic. The above bridge
(London and Chelsea) steamboats ceased
iunning, and the Greenwich and Woolwich
, boats were stopped iu the early part of the
I afternoon.

FOUND DEAD IN THE SNOW.
The body of James Bevan, of Church
S Shropshire, was found in the snow
o
turnpike road near that town on
Tu.tht.stel
morning. The deceased had made
St coffin for a man wl-• had hanged himself
home for the purpose of
Ul nt: teic°..ly -
u it is suppon4
lid was harrying,.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-28

COLLISIONS AT SEA.

The steamer which. left Liverpool for
Dublin on Tacsday returned on Christmas-
day, having been twice in collision, first
with a vessel unkmim,-n, and afterwards with
the steamer William Symington, from New
Orleans, off the port in a fog. The William
Symington has two holes in her hull above
water mark.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-28

NATIONAL DISTRESS.

The Graphic remarks :—"There is no doubt that
we are in the midst of a time of national distress such
as this generation has hardly seen. In London it is
not felt so much as in the provinces : but from all the
great centres of manufacture we hear the same story
—trade almost at a standstill, capitalists withdrawing
from business, workmen thrown out of employment
It is a somewhat novel feature of the crisis that the
sufferers seem to look more than has ever before been
done to the authorities for help. In Edinburgh, for
instance, a number of workmen seem to have de-
manded, and to have obtained, work as a kind of un-
defined right; and elsewhere the same spirit is
daily manifested. The temptation to give way
to such demands is very great, but we question
whether it ought not to be resisted. Let any
class of the community fall into the habit of trusting
to the Government or to the local magistrates, and not
only must the spirit of independence be undermined,
but we shall sow the seeds of serious future trouble,
Socialism is a dangerous power in Germany and other
countries mainly because there is a popular notion that
the Government can do anything, and that it does not
make everybody rich simply because it will not. On
the other hand, it is to be hoped that private charity
will do all that can be done to re'ieve the sufferers.
At the present season vast sums of money are spent in
-gifts. Alight not this expenditure be limited, and the
amount saved devoted to the poor? The sympaathies
of children are quick and generous, and it would not
be from them that any objection to this plan would
come,"
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-28

SHOCKING ACCIDENT ON THE
GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY.

On Thursday Mr. Arthur Weston held an
inquest at Banbury on the body of a builder
named Martin Humphrey. The deceased
was found on the railway near Banbury, his
head having been severed from his body.
The deceased had got drunk and strayed on
the line, and when he was found on Christ-
mas morning the body was frozen to the
rails, and the platelayer who found the
corpse could hardly removelit from the metal
it being so stiff. Upwards of a dozen trains
had passed over the body, which was carried
some distance. The body lay across the top
line, and was so mutilated that it was Lardly
recognisable. Deceased formerly kept the
Greyhound Inn, at Brackley, and,was a man
of :property. A verdict of "Accidental
death was returned.

ANOTHER RESCUE BY MARK ADDY.
At the Salford Borough Police Court, on
Thursday, a married woman named Mary
Ellen _Doyle was charged with attempting
to commit suicide by jumping into the Ir-
well. Mark Addy, who lives at the Boat-
house Inn, on the river bank, stated that
about half-past five on Christmas afternoon
he was called from his house to look at the
prisoner, who it was thought intended to
commit suicide. He spoke to her, and fail-
ing to notice anything very pecsliar in her
manner walked away a few yards, slid began
talking to a friend about her. Suddenly
see threw herself into the water where it
was six feet deep. He jumped into the river
and rescued ber, but not before she had be-
come insensible. She was given into custody
and on recovering her senses she said she was
" a -wretched woman." Prisoner was com-
mitted to take her trial at the next Sessions
Addy has now saved about forty persons
from drowning. An effort is being made to
obtain for him the gold medal of the Royal
Humane Society, and there can be no doubt
the distinotion is richly merited.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-28

gocal aitb gistrict getos.

LOCAL DISTRESS.- -In addition to the town- f‘uut.l
for the relief of the distressed efforts are lAtig.
made in various outlying places to alleviate the
prevailing destitution. A meeting was held
with this object on Monday last at Amblecote
Schools, the Rev. J. S. Boldero in the chair. It
was resolved to form a committee to obtain sub
scriptions, and the vicar was appointed secret ar
and Mr. W. Cooper, treasurer. A meeting has
been held for a similar purpose at Wollaston, and
a committee has been appointed to obtain sub-
scriptions.—A meeting was convened for Monday
evening at Wordsley to take steps to raise a relief
fund.

VICTORIA HALL AND RINK.—It Will be seen on
referring to our advertising columns that Handel's
" Messiah " will be given in the above place, on
Monday evening next, by the Stourbridge Choral
Society, on which occasion the room will be warmed.
The society has been in existence for some years,
and under the able leadership of Mr. S. Simms
have made rapid progress, and we hope that they
will recive the support tt.ey deserve.
THE RlNK.—This popular place of resort has
been well supported during the week; large numbers
of persons have attended during the day as well as
at night. A special entertainment will be given on
Wednesday evening for the benefit of Messrs.
Roby and Pearson. Several gentlemen have
kindly consented to sing at intervals.
BOARD or GUARDIANS.—The weekly meeting of
this Board was held yesterday. Mr. li. Billingham
in the chair. There were also present Messrs.
HasKew, Wood, Plant, Kelly, and Brooks. Admitted
14; discharged 11; born 1 ; died 6; remaining 470,
corresponding week last year 451. Out-door relief,
Kingswinford district, £29 182 Id; Stourbridge
district, £23 12s 10d; lialesowen district, £lB 13s
6d; non-resident paupers, 9s 4d; total, .£72 14s 34d;
against £57 14s 10d last year.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-28

THE VIBRATIONS OF SOUND MADE
VISIBLE.

A very ingenious method of recording articulate
vibrations by means of photography has just been in-
vented. The apparatus consists of a steel mirror
capable of oscillations on a diametral axis, to the back
of which is attached a lever connecting it to the centre
of a telephone disc, arranged with the ordinary mouth-
piece. Whenever the disc is made to vibrate the
mirror oscillates with it, and a beam of sunlight
thrown on the reflector from a heliostat describes
lines of iight on a suitably prepared screen. If the
latter be moveable at right angles to those lines
of light and carries a collodion film, the oscilla-
tion of the light h recorded on the prepared
surface as a more or less complex curve having the
Peculiarity of the sound wave which caused each
particular movement. Of course, these scientific
trials have at present no practical utility, but it
would be very rash to say that at some near future
they may not find some useful application. Another
very siwple form of phoneidoscope may be adoptsd by
any one curious in following this very bingular pheno-
menon. All the apparatus required is the hand and
some soapsuds. The forefinger and thumb being bent
so as to form a circle, a soap film is drawn across the
aperture with the other hand. By turning the wrist
the angle made with the direction of the light may be
readily adjusted- a motion of the elbow alters the
distance from the mouth, and the tension of the film
can be exactly regulated by moving the thumb and
finger. On singing or speaking to the film, when in
proper tension, beautiful figures appear, which may
be reflected direct from the film on a screen. 'We
cannot venture to attempt a description of the infinite
variety of shapes produced by the variations of sound,
but they are extremely curious and very graceful. —.
Galignani.

To PICK A DEAD LOCK.—Use a skeleton key.
Punch's Almanack for 1879.

WHERE TO &HIKE AN ATTACKING DOG.—When
you are attacked by a dog, when you have the good
fortune to be armed with a shillelagh, do not, says
General Hutchinson, hit him across the head and
eyes; bear in mind- that the front part of his forelegs
is a far more vulnerable and sensitive spot. One or
two well-applied blows upon that unprotected place
will generally disable the strongest dog.—Land and
Water.

AMERICAN AND CANADIAN FOOD.—The quantity of
fresh meat landed at Liverpool last vi:oek from the
United States and Canada, was again very large.
Four steamers arrived in the blersey having on board
5.777 quarters of beef, 1,303 carcases of mutton, and
449 dead pigs. The steamers conveying live stool{ were
five in number, their consignments amounting to 576
head of oxen, 748 sheep, and 42 pigs. A very large
quantity of poultry arrived from Canada during the
week intended for the Christmas markets. The Cas-
pian, of the Allan, brought about 4,000 turkeys, geese,
and ducks, and the Dominion line steamer Mississippi
1,600 turkeys and geese,
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-28

FOOTBALL.

STOURBRIDGE V. KIDDERMINSTER (CLARANCE).-••••
Two matches were arranged to be played on the
Stourbridge ground, on Boxing day, one associ-
Aio). rules, and the other Rugby, but the owing
to the sJverity of the weather, they were not played.
Birmingham Aston Unity sent to say they could
not come owing to &oat, but the Clarance " very
pluckily" turned up, and played, which proved
rather one-sided. In the first half-time the home
team secured 2 tries, and 6 touchdowns to nil;- in
the second half-timeßidderminster played well, but
were unable to turn the tide, and the home team
scored one goal, 1 touch-down, 2 disputed tries to
nil. T. Clulee (captain) kicked the goal, the first
one this season.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-28

RABBITS IN AUSTRALIA.

A "Rabbit Suppression Bill" has been passe!cl by
the Legislative Assembly of Victoria. The bill,
which is intended to deal with the evil caused in the
colony by a sup,rfluiti of rabbits, was introduced by
the Minister of Lands, who in moving the second
reading drew a vivid picture of the dedolation caused
in certain districts by these voracious creatures. The
mischief they effected could not he said, be exag-
gerated. On the occasion of a recent visit paid by him
to a district were they abounded he passed over tracts
which were now grar gess, the rabbits having devoured
the herbage, roots and all. Power is given by the bill
to the shire councils to levy a rate of one penny per
acre, and it also authorises them to go upon private
property and destroy rabbits at the expense of the
owner. All brushwood fences in a rabbit district are
liable to be burned down on the order of inspectors
under the Act; and anybody turning rabbits loose if' a
district is liable to a penalty of £lO for each offence.
In order to encourage the shire councils to destroy the
rabbits on unoccupied Crown lands, a subsidy will be
given of ten shillings in the pound on the amount
of the rabbit rate collected.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-28

SEASONABLE ADVICE.

The Medical Press and Circular says :—We are in
the midst of a severe winter, and as hygiene is the
order of the day, we cannot be too particular in im-
pressing upon the public certain facts which are too
often disregarded. Few are aware of the killing
powers of intense cold and great heat, even in this
comparatively temperate climate. Those who have
been in the habit, as we have, of watching the
returns of the Registrar-General well know how
quickly the death-rate rises during even a short
continuance of cold weather. Now, the fact
that the increase in the mortality affects chiefly
the young and the old, as well as those who are
either suffering from, or are predisposed to, affec-
tions of the cheat and throat, indicates the class of
people who should be especially careful to protect
themselves against the inclemency of the weather.
With regard to children, the system of ' hardening '
them, by allowing thetn to go hinly clad, and exposing
them to all sorts of weather, is a delusion from which
the minds of some parents are even now not altogether
free. It is thought that if their chest is kept warm,
there is no need of caring aboub their arms and legs.
But that is a great mistake. In proportion as the
upper and lawer extremities are well clothed will the
circulation be kept up and determined to the surface
of those parts, andin proportion to the quickness and
equable distribution of the circulation will be the pro
tection against those internal congestions which are
but the first stagy uf tlw must fatal dim:mums of infancy
and childhood. The same observation holds good with
respect to grown-up people who are predisposed to
pulmonary complaints. There is no exaggeration
in saying that the mortality from these and
other affections would be considerably diminished
were people to avoid that 'catching eslii,' of which
they so often and so lightly speak; and I is a matter
of burprise to us that this fact, of which Most of us are
aware, does not lead to more precautions being taken
by those who are anxious about either their own
health cr that of others. To take care that the body
is thoroughly warm and well-clothed just before going
out in very wet or very c(ild weather—to keep up the
circulation and warmth of the body rather by exercio
of some kind than by sittiog over great fires or in over-
heated rooms—to be sure that the temperature of the
sleeping apartments is not ever so many degrees be-
low that of the sitting-room—these are three golden
maxims, attention to which would prevent thousands
from catching that 'chill' or ' cold ' to the results of
which so many valuable lives have been prematurely
sacrificed."
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-28

DUDLEY AND WALSALL.

DIANOFORTES and lIMO,ONIMIS may
be had on the NEW SYSTEM of ITIRIN(1, for Two or
Three Years; after which, and without any further pay.
ment, to become the property of the hirer. Ali I netr7-.
menta had on this system, or otherwise, will Le
Ex:hanged any time within six months for any other, i 1
no tapproved of, and returned carriage free. And fur
her, at tat a trial of three years, any Pianoforte or Bar-
nh.m would be taken back, at its original cost, and
tb tmoney returned, deducting the uaual charge for
hi:7e ; thus offering greater advantages than the London
o rßirmingham Housea.—Apply FEEDExacE GREbN
asie Warehouse, 260, Castle-street, Dridier, ar.d 6/:
Ark-street, Walsall.

PHEUMATISM, Goat, Lumbago, Pains
in the Head Side-, Back, Joints, and Limbs
cured by DAY'S 11H,EUMATIC PILLS. Price ls. 11d.
per box. Sold by Mr. Pugh, Patent Medicine Vendor,
51, Coventry Street, Stourbridge ; and, all Chemists
Wholesale by all the London Houses.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-28

A CERTAIN CURE FOR NERVOUS DEBILITY

GTRATES, a MEDIC AL WORK, showing
sufferers how they may be cured and recover
Health and Vitality, without the aid of Quacks. with
Recipes for purifyfng the Blood and removing Skin
Affections. Free on receipt of stamp to repay postage
Address Secretary, Institute of Anatomy, Birmingham
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-28

THE IRON TRADE.

Although there had been no formal notice
of postponement of the weekly Iron Trade
meeting on Thursday, the bad weather and
the holidays combined to reduce the attend-
ance to a minimum, and the few ironmaaters
who found their way upon 'Change soon
dispersed on discovering that no business
was to be done. Most of the works are now
standing—some on account of the freezing
of the canals, upon which they depend for
supplies ; others as much for want of orders
as on account of the holidays and stock-
taking. In some cases business will not
be resumed even by large galvanizing houses
who are doing fairly well—for a month; in
oth3rs arrangements have been made to
start the machinery on Tuesday or Wednesday
of next week. Nail rods and galvanising
sheets have been in somewhat better request
of late, and there are lane orders in the
market for bridge and girder iron, which
will probably be placed about quarter-day.
Until then there is not likely to be much
business stirring in any department. Mean.-
while prices are unchanged. A good deal
of uncertainty appears to prevail still as to
the precise effect at the Weights and
Measures Act upon the South Staffordshire
iron trade. The secretary (Mi. Daniel Jones)
points out that the highest avoirdupois
weight is 561 b., and as the inspectors will
only stamp such as are according to the
standard, it will be useless to submit for
stamping any other. Thus the 1121 b.
weights which some ironmasters are pre-
paring will be useless. Mr. Herder, the
inspector of weights and measures, Lichfield,
has issued a circular setting forth that the
following are the only standard weights
mentioned in schedule 2 of the Act, viz. :-
561 b., 281 b., 141 b., 71b., 41b., 21b., 11b. ; Boz.,
40z., 20z., loz. The coal trade has been
fairly active of late ; and if there were
greater facilities of transport an immense
business might have been done in house
coal. Manufacturing coal continues in very
restricted demand.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-28

THE AFGHAN WAR.

The following telegrams have been sent to the newspapers
from the India Office for publication :
" From Viceroy, December 20.
"Browns report reaching All-Baghan 10th. Reaches
Jellalabad 20th.

"Report Ameer has fled from CabW, leaving Yakoob Khan
In power.
"People friendly."
"From Viceroy, December 20.

"Cavagnari confirms news that Ameer has tied from Cabul
for Turkestan. Yakoob Khan released and left at Cabul.
" Imeer bad lost nearly all authority at Cabul, and soldiers
were deaerting."

The following is the substance of a proclamation printed
In Persian and found at 2eiwar after the action of the 2d
Inst., which purports to come from the priest class in Af-
ghanistan, says the Correspondent of The Times :

"The English are about to invade Afgbanbtan to avenge
their former defeats, the memory of which they have never
forgotten. All good Slahomedans are hound to fight against
the accursed English, who, if victorious, will slay our wives
and children. It is a heinous sin to take bribes frosn infidels,
who are fond of using this method of gaining over men.
Those who the in battle figltiug against the infidel go
straight to Paradise; those who survive have glory on earth
and will get riches from the pillage of India. Those who
run away have shame in this world and will be thrown into
flames in the next."

The whole is supported by constant quotations from the
Koran, and is printed in the month of Shama', 1295 Hegira--
viz.. tretween tne 12th of October and the 11th of November
of this year. There is only one printing-press in Afghanistan
—that belonging to the Arueer.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-28

KIN VER.

Tsz DisTßES9.—.4.:public meeting was held in the
Girls Board &noel, Kinver, on Saturday, December
21st, for the purpose of taking Bteps to alleviate the
great distress existing in this p Irish. Tee It3v. John
Hodgson presided.—Letters of sympathy were read from
George Arkle, Esq., of Stourton Castle, and George
Dudley, Esq , of Compton, who were uuable to be pre
seat.—lt was stated. that the Earl and Countess LI

fettamford were very kindly supplying many of the poor
with soup, bread, ckc., and the following donations were
announced: Mr. H. J. W. H. Filey, £5.; Mr. H. O.
F mstone, 15 tons of coal ; Mr. W. 0. Foster, £2O ;
,isSoc:el of Friends at Stourbridge (per Mr. G. K
Harris*, £2O ; Mr. W. M. Warden, £lO. A hem y
v,te of thanks was passed to the donors for their benev.
lecce. A itelief committeee was formed for the pur-
pose of soliciting further subscriptions and dispensing
the charity.
THE CHARGE OF NEGLECTING TO SUPPORT A FATHER
At the Brierley Hill Police Court, on Monday, before
Messrs. H. 0. Firnastove and F. Evers, Bei jamin
tailor and draper, of Enville, was summoned to show
cause why he should not contribute towards the support
of his father John Mills, 83 years of age. The evidence
reported in our last issue was repeated. For the defence
Mr. Waldron called a man named Meredith who said on
the previous Monday he was at the Cat Inn, Euville, and
saw a grocers assistant there. From a communication
made to him by the assistant, he called at John Miles'
house at Kinver, and asked him if he could do some
repairs for Mr. Yardley's assistant. The old man said he
could not do them that side Christras, He was at work
on a pair of trousers. Witness was of opiniOn that
although the old man was 83 years of age, he was able to
walk nine miles.—The Bench were of opinion that the
old man could not support himself, and taking into con-
sideration all the circumstances of the case, they should
make an order on defendant to pay ss. per week, and
costs —Defendant said the money would only be spent
in drink, in a public-house.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-28

THE ABUSE OF BOOKS.

Tn London, the other evening, a lecture on the "Abuse of
Books" was delivered by Air. Frederick Harrison, before
a large audience, at the Lmdon Institution, Finsbury-
Equarc.

Tin:re were (Nit. Harrison said) many ways of
abusing books, but not many would follow the example
of a college tutor he had known, whose life-passion
was the buying and reading of books; but who always
threw the leaves as he read them into the fire, as
either worthless or already printed on his memory.
The hoarding up of rare books of which we made
little or no use was a more common foible; but the
worst misuse of the art of reading he knew of, and at
the same time the most widely spread, was the waste
of time and attention upon utterly trivial productions,
while leaving unread or forgotten the greatest and
best books ever written. Even scholars indulged too
much in promiscuous reading, although the longest
life and the greatest industry would not enable a man
to master a hundredth part of the books really worth
reading. The great thing to know was what sort of
reading to avoid. . We should be as much on our guard
against a chance book as against a chance companion.
The enoimous multiplication of books in the present
day was not wholly favourable to mental growth, and
for the last 300 years it had never been harder than
now to select the-right books to read.

The lecturer argued at considerable length on the abso-
lute necessity of confining our ordinary reading to the
very best authors, whose books, he complained, were
sadly neglected in these days. He endorsed in general a
proposal which had been put forth f r the guidance of
the more thoughtful in the choice of books for constant
use, not dwelling on the theory of education under-
lying it, but specifykg the methoi on which it was
framed. The authors comprised wouli not number
more than between 100 and 200, representing poetry,
history, science, and religion. , The first thing was to
attempt to get t( gather what was best in all the great
departments of human thought, so that no part of
culture may be wholly neglected or wanting. The
next was to gather into one collection the greatest and
best books in each department, and such only.
Thirdly, the test of the value of the books to be what
they say, not the manner of saying it. Save in the
highest kinds of poetry, grace of form should not
count. Lastly the verdict to be given by the common
voice of mankind.
Mr. Harrison added that as to the best hundred
books or so, the world had long been pretty well
agreed. He had provided himself with some such
catalogue twenty years ago—of course, not as a bar to
other reading. Such a list would serve to check indis-
criminate waiidering in the pathless fields of literature,
and tend to remind us daily how many are the books
of inimitable beauty and glory which we have never
even taken into our hands.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-28

LOCAL BILLS IN PARLIAnNt•

The following are abstracts of local bills de-
posited in the Private Bill Office of the House
of Lords, and which are to be proceeded with in
this session of Parliament :
STOURBRIDCIE GAS.

This bill is to enlarge the powers of the
Stourbridge Gas Company. The capital of the
company under the Act of 1855 consists of
£15,000, and £12,000 raised under the Act of
1866. The company have expended all that
awount,aud have further borrowed,and now owe
£l,OOO. It is, therefore, expedient that they
should be empowered to raise additional capital
and to extend their limits of supply. For the
latter purpose it is proposed to raise further
sums not exceediEg .R 50,000. by the creation
and issue of new ordinary and preference shares.
Upon these shares it is determined not to pay
in any year more than 7i per cent. and six per
cent. respectively, Messrs. Dyson and Co. are
the Parliamentary agents.

I VJLEY SEWAGE.

A bill to confirm an agreement between th
Earl of Dudley and the Corporation of Dudley
with reference to the disposal of the sewage of
the town of Dudley. The preamble sets forth
that the Corporation have experienced great
difficulty iu disposing of the sewage of the
borough, and have ultimately adopted a scheme
for conducting such sewage through land for the
most part belonging to the Earl of Dudley. An
agreement in this behalf had been come to with
the Earl of Dudley. The Local Government
Board had sanctioned the borrowing of £45,900
for the work to be carried out.
HALESOWEN RAILWAY COMPANY.

This company seeks a bill to confirm an agree-
ment between the Halesowen Railway Company
and the Midland and Great Western Railway
Companies. The Great Western Company are
to grant the use of their station at Halesowen
to the Halesowen Companb for which the latter
shall ply £250 per annum. The Halesowen
Railway Company shall construct a junction
with the Great Western line, and, if required,
by the Great Western Company, erect a second
platform at Halesowen Station. Mr. Wm. Bell,
of Westminster, is the Parliamentary agent for
the bill.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-28

STORMS FORETOLD.

The following cable message has been re-
ceived at the London office of the New York
Herald from the Herald Weather Bureau,
New York :—" Stormy weather will pro-
bably prevail on the North and Central At-
lantic Coasts of Europe until about the first
week in January. A succession of storms
will arrive at the Norwegian, British, and
French Coasts between the 28th December
and 3rd January, with strong gales, chiefly
western, rain, snow, and cold.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-28

No 747

SALES BY AUCTION

HAGLEY STOCK SALE.
• MONDAY, DECEMBER 30th, at eleven.
250 SEIEEP & lAMBS,
30 Head of FAT and STORE CATTLE,
The usual entry of Calves and Pigs.
OATES, PE RRENS. AND WOOLDRIDGE.

VALUABLE FREEIIOLD LAND, COTTAGE and
PREMISES, at lIOLY CROSS, CLENT

MESSRS.

OATES, PERRENS, and WOOLDRIDGE
are favoured with instructions from the representatives
of Mr. E. Wheeler, deceased, to SELL by AUCTION,
at the WOODMAN INN, LOWER CLENT, on TUESDAY
DECEMBER 31st. 1878, at Six o'clock in the evening
That very desirable FREEHOLD PROPERTY, com-
prising a Field of productive ARABLE LAND, to-
gether with a comfortable COTTAGE. BARN,
GARDEN, and APPURTENANCES, containing to-
gether 4 Acres and 30 Perches, in the occupation of
George .Shilvock and Samuel Caust, situate at Holy
Cross Green, in the parish of Clent.
The property is bounded by Land of Mrs. Hipkiss,
_
Messrs. J. and E Price, late 13;

aolfforsemi
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-28

peedil
urina;; G;rect.t, 13/..t.rn al -peace,- Iler trade -

ONE Box of CLARKE'S B 41 Pills is
warranted to cure all discharges Iron) the Urinary
Organs, in either sex, acquired or constitutional,Gravel
and Pains in the Back.—Sold in boxes, 4s 6d each, by
all Chemists and Patent Medicine Vendors; or sent to
any adAress for 60 Stamps by the Maker, F. J. CLAarx
Consulting Chomist, High-street ,Lincoln.—Wholesale
Agents, BABc LAY (ft SoNs , London, and all the Wholesale
Houses.

QUPERIOR APARTMENTS TO LET, for
AJ a Gentleman.—Apply, Laurel Villa, Bagley Road,
Stourbridge.

T4ONDON' OFFICES, SHOW, and WARE
ROOM3.—To be Let, frora 50 per annum, in the
centre of the Glass, China, Jewellery, and Silver-plated
Market.—Addrebs. Proprietor, Ely House, Charterboue
Street, Holborn Circus, London.

TO LET, with immediate pollession, in the
best part of the Hagley Road, Stourbridge, a
VII LA. RESIDENCE. containing Parlour, Sitting
Room, Kitchen, Brewhouse, Three Bed Rooms, Dressing
Room, W. C. Stales, Gig House, and Garden. Rent,
moderate.—Apply, Observer Officeei btourbridge.

FARMERS not wishing to dispose of their
crops at the present low rate of prices can obtain
cash advances from £lO to £lOOO by applying to T.
BANNINGTON, First Floor, 20, Cannon Street., Biro
mingbam. Money also advanced to respectable House
holders, Cab Proprietors, Cow Keepers, Professions
Gentlemen and others, without any loan office routine
apply as above.

MR. GEORGE JOHNSON, 30, Colmore Row Bir•
ominghat., is prepared to make immediate CASH
ADVANCES upon every description of Sa,nrity.

CHRISTMAS is essentially the time to
obtain Monthly Subscribers for a BUILDING
SOCIETY, good agents will be appointed, Branch
Secretaries, Liberal Commission, evening work Director
10, Welbrook, Mansion House, London, E.C.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-28

profits on tb; I '
vekly demon-
often '

Y 017240.
- Ban,
Mt. M„USTON,
And a BAND and -CHORUS of errands of BRYRNTIt
PERFORMERS.
Conductor MR. S. SIMMS.

Prices of Adminion Reserved seats, 2. 6d; (Panaly
Ticket for Four, 8..) ; Second Beate. is; Third Beata
A Plan of the reserved seats may be seen at Masers.
Mark and Moody's and Tickets may be had of say
Members of the Committee.
Doors open at 7, to Commsnes st 7.30,
Carriages may be ordered for 10 30.
THE ROOM WILL BE SPILCIALLY
WARMED ON THIS OCCASION.

--------
PH(ENIX FIRE OFFICE.
Al, R. GEORGE PERRY, Solicitor, Agent
.I.ViL for Stourbridge, begs to remind the public that
the PHCENIX was for many years the only Fire °Moo
that kept a FIRE ENGINE in the town, and to inform
them that it still keeps one there.
For the keys of the Engine House, apply at the Talbot 0
Hotel; or to Thos. Robinson, Letter Cutter, Enville-
street, the engineer; and for Terms of Insurance, apply
to the Agents.

BRIERLEY HILL AND STOURBRIDGE
BUILDING SOCIETY, -
ESTABLISHED 1851.

TWENTY-SEVENTH ANNUAL
MEETING of the Members of this Society fgr
the Elettion. of Officers, will be held in the corowl:.re
Room, of ihe Town Hall, Riierley sill, on Wednesday
Evening, January Ist, 1879, st Seven o'clock.
Members are zequested to pay up all their payments,
and to send in their pass books to be audited.

J At- GETHING,
exc.

DECEMBER, 1878.

TRADESMEN S ADDRESSES.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-28

THE ELECTRIC LIGHT.

The first authoritative statement as to the details of Mr.
Edison's electris light invention is given in the New York
Herald of December 11, by a correspondent who examined
the Edison electric lamp in Mr. Edison's laboratory.

From the statement it seems that the patents we
have heard of as having been granted recently at Waah-
ington in his favour were only two out of a very large
series that have to be taken out. The system is a
very complex one, and each part of it must be pro-
tected by patent. These parts cbrrespond to the re-
torts, receivers, mains, &c., the gas manufacture and
lighting. Mr. Edison hinaself did not know when
the correspondent called what where the par-
ticular parts in respect of which patents had been
granted. The light is produced by incandescence;
the conductor, which is made incandescent by the
electric current passing through it, is a email, curiously.
shaped apparatus, consisting of a high alloy of
irridium, which cannot be melted under 5,000 deg.
liphrenheit. Devices of exceeding simplicity and, as
repeated experiments have proved, of equal reliability
are connected with the lamp. They surmount the appa-
rent impossibility of regulating the strength of the light.
This lamp, when placed in the electric circuit, in
which a strong current circulates, is absolutely
independent of the strength of the current. This
Mr. Edison considers one of the vital features of
-the invention. If the regulator is set so that the
light gives only, say, 10 candle power, no increase in
the strength of the current will increase its brilliancy.
This light b independent of all others in the circuit.
A thousand may be fed from the same conduct ir, and
the extinction of all but one will have no effect on
that one. Each lamp in the circuit, by means of the
regulator, the description of which latter Nr. Edison
for the present withholds, is allowed to draw from the
central station just sufficient current to sup oly
Since Mr. Edison unaertook the problem of lighting
by incandescene, many attempts have been made in
the same direction, but owing to the lack of knowledge
or misconception of the coat of electricity the improve-
ments were such that as much current had to be sup-
plied when the lamps were not lighted as when they
were. Great loss was in consequence entailed.—Mon-
day's Times.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-28

THE POST OFFICE AND REGISTERED-
LETTER ENVELOPES.

At the beginning of the present year the Post Office
adopted a cheap system of registering letters, and at
the same time undertook the sale of registered-letter
envelopes. The change has led to a large increase in
the number of letters registered, and if the public were
better acquainted than they appear to be with the
facilities thus offered for the safe transmission of money
and articles of value, the Use of these envelopes and
registration generally would, no doubt, be adopted to
a still greater extent.
The envelopes have been devised with great care,
and seem well-suited for the purpose, being strong as
well *I cheap. They are sold at prices varying from
3d. ea, h, and are in five useful sizes, fr.an
mall note k ize to a large cover suitable for bankers
and merchants.

It may be well to call attention to this subject at
this season of the year, when all kinds of presents are
sent by post.
But the reduction in the charge and the sale of safe
envelopes are not the only improvements which have
been made, for the Post Office now undertakes to make
good up to £2 the value of the contents of any registered
letter which it loses, simply stipulating in the case of
money that it shall have been sent securely and in one
of its own envelopes.
It is on every account most desirable that money and
articles of value should not be loosely committed to the
post, and with the facilities of sending letters securely
which are now offered, it is to be hoped that the public
will avail thtmselves of them.—The Times.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-28

THE STOUiIi3RiDGE OBSERVER.

he was seized with a fit and perished in the
snow.

THE CITY OF GLASGOW BANK.

On Thursday, Lewis Potter, one of the
directors of the City of Glasgow Bank, was
under examination three hours regarding
the affairs of Potter, Wilson, and Co. He
said he had been deceived by the Bank with
respect to £200,000, for which he had given
security. He spoke of drafts being engraved
and filled up in Glasgow, and sent to Mel-
bourne to be signed.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-28

Aa*NGENIOUS PIECE OF MECHANISM.

In this time of trade depression persons in search of
a new and profitable industry will perhaps find some-
thing that meets their requirements in an isigenious
piece of mechanism mentioned in terms of approval in
the reports of the Philadelphia International Exhibi-
tion of 1871 just issfaed, remarks the Pall Mall Gazette.
It is classed under "Group 23: agt icultural in:whines.
impleftents of agriculture, horticulture, and garden
ing." It is termed the "ostrich incubating machine,"
and is stated to be the invention of Mr. A. Douglass,
of Hilton, Grahamstown, Cape of Good Hope. The
report commends it "as an apparatus for hatching
out ostrich eggs in a simple and efficient mai.ner, and
for keeping the young during the critical period of
their early life. The invention and use of this appa-
ratus and the treatment of the eggs and young of the
ostrich by Mr. Douglass have," says the report,
"added a most important industry to the world ; and,
in addition to averting the threatened extermination
of this species, have greatly multiplied its numbers
and increased the supply of its feathers for cimatnercial
purposes. These can now be taken year by year from
the same (domesticated) bird. instead of involving its
destruction for a single crop.''
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-28

MEDICAL CAUTION.

T
11E Special Treatment adopted and used
with such great snccess by Dr. Hunter for the
last thirty years, can only be obtained at 44. Great
Charles Street, Birmingham. Book of Testimonials,
with advice how to regain Health and Manly Vigour,
and Directions for Self Treatment, free to any address

BILIOUS and Liver Complaints, indigestion
Headache. Loss of Appetite, Drowsiness, Gid-
A4ness, Spasms, and all Disorders of the Stomach and
3awels are quickly removed by that well-known remedy
FRAMPTON'S PILL OF HEALTH. They unite the
recommendation of a mild operation with the most suc-
cessful effect; and where an aperient is required nothing
can be better.

Sold by all Chemists. at Is. I i..t ie.ls 0
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-28

•
•
1
t.•
I tf,j I
I ti
•

REGISTERED FOR 1
t TRANSMISSION ABROAD. I

PUBLIC NOTICES.

PRICE ONE PENNY.

eUBLIC NOTICES.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-28

GENERAL NEWS.

SHORT TIME FOR SLATE QUARRY.

MEN.

Notice was given on Thursday at the
Denorie slate quarries, employing 6,000
men, that the quarries will be worked only
three days a week.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-28

CONSIGNMENT OF

MEERSCHAUM

BRIAR-HOOT PIPES,

PLAIN AND FANCY
CIGAR AND CIGARETTE HOLDERS,

An Every Description of

TOBACCONIST'S GOODS.

ALSO A FINE STOCK OF

FOREIGN di BRITISH CIGARS

OF THE BEST BRANDS.

TOBACCOS OF EVERY DESCRIPTION'.

T. J. ir"s.

BUILDER, CARPENTER AND COFFIN
MAKER,

DEALER IN CEMENTS, PLASTER. COW-HAIR,
LATHS, NAILS, AND ALL KINDS OF
BUILDING MATERIALS.

PAINTING, PAPER HANGING, WHITEWASHING
COLOURING, AND GLAZING DONE ON -
THE SHORTEST NOTICE. ' •
ADDRESS-
PARK STREET, STOURBRIDGE.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-28

THE RAILWAY SYSTEM IN INDIA,

An Occasional Correspondent of the Daily Netts, writing
from Rawal Pundee on tht, Railways of India, says ?

" The introduction of the railway system forms a
ramarkablt3 epoch in the history of India. It might
he called the I?e2inning of a New Ynga, or cycle.
The Brahmins themselves acknowledged when they
saw the first locomotive that it was more wonderful
than all the avatars of Vinhnu. Only a few years
before that there was scarcely anything in India that
could be called a road; there were tracks, the re-ult of
people passing along ; which were called serucks," or
roads, but there were no constructed lines, such as
we know of in the West by that name. The Grand
Trunk Road from Calcutta to the North-West datPs
bask within a half a century only, and it was hardly
finished when the railway was begun. So that the
people here have leaped from their own rude state
into the highest condition of travelling at one short
bound. The Grand Trunk Road was made of a stuff
which is plentiful in India, called kunkur. It is a sort
of earth which is wetted and beaten down into a solid
mass with mallets, and when it is dry it becomes as
hard and smooth as the Val de Travers asphalte road-
way. There is an old story tom of the officer who
first introduced this kind of 'metal,' if it may be called by
that name. He came from one of the other Presidencies
to the Bengal side, and as he went along teaching
them the proper mode of proceeding, the words re-
corded about Ciesar were applied to him i—` He came,
he saw, and kunkured." The smoother of a path is a
benefactor to his species," so says Confucius ; and this
kunkurer undoubtedly deserved every praise for the
system which he introduced, for it certainly made a
good road. There was no such road in this part of the
world when the former Afghan war took place, and
now we grumble because we want a few miles of rail-
way. The grumble indicates how we have progressed
during this short period,"
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-28

FANCY

I ,
N.B. The only firm in the district for the New I outlay; but such 1
Parisian Decorated BED ROOM FURNITURE. strated by eth t LIS 0,

LIFE."-

MONEY lent on Easy Terms by applying to
Benbow and Co., Debt Collectors, Bedcote,
Stoarbridge.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-28

THE STRANDED STEAMER.

The State Line steamer Louisiana, bound
from Glasgow for New York which went
ashore on Hunter's Rock, near Larne, on
Tuesday morning, still lies there. A tele.
gram has been received in Glasgow stating
that the chances of getting the Louisiana off
the rocks are becoming less, and the fear is
now entertained that she will be totally lost.
There were on board when the vessel left
Glasgow for New York about 20 passengers
only, almost the whole of them steerage.
There were no lives lost.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-28

\\

occupy a less favoured position in the social scale. AS
a rule, it is only a Christmas or a New Year's treat for
the poor which is asked for; an effort to make them
forget during a few short hours out of the entire year
that they are of the class whom long ago it was pre-

dicted peoples and nations should always have with
them. This is a year in which such appeals are un-
fortunately more than usually numerous, and are eer-
tainly more than ordinarily seasonable. It is not a
pleasant heading in the newspapers "The Prevailing
Distress," with recitals from town after town, showing
that in a winter of exceptional severity the working
classes, with every diqnsition to labour, are unable to
procure employment; but the time will come when the
adverse tide will certainly be turned back; meanwhile it
is satisfactory to know that the great and unpurchase-
able power of the Press is thus wielded for the purpose
of making happier, if enly for one short day in the
entire year, a considerable proportion of those who,
in times of prosperity, show more the strength of a
nation than its fleets and its armies, and are at once
the pride, the glory, and the safety of the land. The
peculiarity of the wave of distress which is now pass-
ing over the country is, however, that it is not con-
fined solely to one class of the community. The forma-
tion of relief committees, the spainging into existence
of soup kitchens, and the establishment of organiza-
tions for supplying blankets and warm clothing in the
bitter winter weather, all testify to tie intensity of
the suffering which the unusually severe cold has
aggravated, and to the measures taken to eombat it
There was a time, mentioned in Holy Welt, when the
gifts of the generous were brought to the Treasury,
"ani many that were rich cast in much." The
incident has given civilization through succeeding
ages the picture cf the widow br4ging to a
good and righteous work two mites—aN she had.
In these more degenerate days of ours, we scarcely
look for such instances of self- abntgation, but at
a time when so many of our teliow-creatures
are without not only the comforts, but the necessaries
of life, it may fairly be hoped that in a season of the
year so strongly appealing to the nobler seutiments of
man, those who have it in their power will contribute
with na grudging hand towards the assistance which is
asked on so many sides. If the quality of mercy
blesseth both him that gives and him that takes, the
attribute of generosity is also surrounded by every
evidence of the touching truth, "More blessed 'tis to
give than to receive."
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-28

GLENFIELD
STARCH.

Has for many Years been Exclusdirvee
ss.
used in the Royal
Qells iiun
oyualeLandary.
"The best Starch I)Ih
sinsmerakaenrd.
t,rer
"•( 21,anly in use, economi- (
t, and gives a perfict stiff-
nos and gloss difficiat toI Milliner
excell."
Particularly ad.
I;nDomgesltiischMwaogrzinen.
apted for clear starch.
ing nruslins."

&BEA OF ABTEINA AND COUGNI EY Da. Lococa's Pci
MONIC WAFRIIB.—FrOM Mr. C. Collins, Chemist, Brettel
Lane, Stourbridge : " I Rtil much pleased to Fay that
your Wafers trice general satisfaction, several of my
customers having taken them for asthma. coughs. ctc.,
and in every cast, they have had the desired effect. In
my opinion they :surpass anything that has been offered
to the public " In asthma, consumption, bronchitis.
coughs, colds, rheumatism, and all hysterical and ner-
vous pains, in.tant relief and a rapid cure is given by
the Wafers, which taste pleasantly. Sold by all DIFull•
gists at is lid and 2s 9d per box.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-28

WE MUST LOOK MATTERS IN THE
FACE.

The Pall Mall Gazette remarks:—" It is not very
pleasant to read in the American newspapers specu-
lations on the decline and Tall of England s commercial
and manufacturing supremacy, which are entirely in
accord with Mr. Gladstone's ill-omened predict one on
the same subject. Those who are said to be our heirs
are already in imagination entering upon the succession.
But as the more sober commentators hasten to point
out, Englishmen individually show as yet no sign of
decay, and the capacity and energy which put them at
the head of the world may yet suffice to keep them there.
We also, 118 well as the Americans, have vast areas of
waste land to make valuable, and plenty of scope for
our spare population. But undoubtedly it is the great
drawback to ourorodern society that so large a propor-
tion of the working class are little adapted to change
their mode of life. Factory hands as a rule make the
worst of colonists; and thus those who first feel the
pressure in bad times are the /east capable of striking
out new paths for themselves elsewhere. Besides,
even in America itself too much capital and too many
people are employed in manufacture; and the im-
provements in machinery are such that under present
conditions the market will be easily glutted, even
when the long-looked-for revival of trade begins. It
is during the period of accommodation to altered cir-
cumstances that the gravest difficulties may arise
Our present distress has oome upon us gradually after
a long succession of good years, and people have
trenched upon their savings in the hope that every day
might bring an improvement. But, since it is too
probable that no speedy change for the better an be
expected, we must look matters in the face as the
Americans did in 1873."
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-28

AUCTION SALE ROOMS,
102, lIIGH 'STREET, STOURBRIDGE,

MESSRS.

OATES, PERRENS, and WOOLDRIDGE
have the pleasure to announce that they hold
Sales periodically at the above Rooms, fo- the disposal
of Estates, Houses, Building Land, Pastures, Wines,
Works of Art, &c., &e., at a moderate fired scale of
charges, to be had on application.

AGENTS.—J. Knight & Co. (The Lancashire
Manure Company, Established 1853.) Widnes,
require respectable Agents for the Sale of their Nitro-
genised Bone and other Manures, in districts not already
represented. Liberal commission. Applicants must
have good business connections amongst farmers, and
give references-
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-28

WRECK OFF FILEY.

A. telegram from Filey says that at 3 a.na.
on Thursday the schooner Dolphin from
Norway to Scarborough with a cargo of ice
came ashore there. Five of the crew were
saved by the rocket apparatus. The master
remained on board.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-28

CRADLEY HEATH. HALESOWEN, AND DISTRICT CHRONICLE.

SALES BY AUCTION.

Vendor's
led •

CIGAR

IVIEERSCHAUM PIPES,

IT.OLDERS,

PIPES

Hignett's,

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1878,

TRADESMEN'S ADDRESSES,