The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-12-30 00:00:00

EPITOME OF NEWS,

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

M. niers has sent a dispatch to her Majesty, ex-
pressing his satisfaction at the improvement in the health
of the Prime id Wales.

The Paris Figoes informs the public that the Prince
of Wales is deeply versed in tihakspeare, and has all Dickens'
novels by heart.

The mysterious announcement so common no at
the In' tom of marriage notices, ''lto cards," is now ex-
plained. It means that the wedded pair don't play ,'eart.
The Emperor of Brazil has purchased an innumerable
quantity of watch., walking sticks, and Ninuterie for dim-
tribution among the principal personages of his Court on his
return to itio Janeiro.

There were medical misistantB at Sandringham in-
dependent of the three doctors who slaned the bulletins.
One of these assistants' duties were solely to attend to the
temperature of the room where the Prince was lying.

It is reported that "the new niachinea for priLting,
composing, and distributing type, which have been reemitly
perfected at The I ,obv, printing office, will be exhibited in
work at the Exhibition of 1a72."

From April lot to the 23rd ihstaut the Treasury re-
ceipts archuntel to £47,899,701, an increase of £2,334,247
upon the return in the corresponding period of Mat year.
The expenditure has been 1:49,119,006. On Saturday host
the balance in the hank of England was 41,6.7,6,1D3, and in
the hank of Ireland, £i,1.0,195.

An effort ig being made to establish a Celtic Society
In London, whose leading purpose is stated to he "to off rd
a meeting-place for Intelligent Irishmen?' Among minor
olijeets will Inc the formation of a library of Irish liturature,
the opening of classes in the Irish language, and the delivery
of periodical lectures.

The protest of the Rev. J. W. Eurgon, M.A.,
Fellow of Oriel College, to the appointment of the Bishop of
Exeter an select preacher to the University of Oxford, has
been followed by another addressed to the Vice Chancellor
from the pen of the Very Rev. the Dean of Norwich.
"only just previou.sly to the Prince of Wales'
seizure with the more menacing form of his malady, his
solicitor was called in, and a will was drawn sip and signed,
dealing with the property of Ms Royal llighness.c—Couri

The authorities at St. Saviour'd -Union (London),
app ar to he determineft that thdr paupers shall be
thopm2l.ly vaccinated, one man complains that he Its..
beell yr.:vaccinated nineteen times

Anthony Frederick Brown, aged seventeen, has
teen t:ied at the Warwick Assizes for the wilful taunter of
Join Millward, it fellow workman, by stabbing. The pri-
soner had a grudge against the deceased, waylni,l him, and
dealt the fatal blow in a dark passage. The prisoner was
tonnd guilty and senteueed to death. .

_
The Brom!' Arno anticipates that the naval esti•
mates will show but little reduction. The ships in con-
struction will be almost the same as for the last financial
year, and a similar remark applies to the manning of the
navy. On the other hand, very serious reductions are pre
posed to be made at the Admiralty, with the view of carrying
out further the scheme of reorganisation commenced by Ur.
Childers.

When the Duc d'Amnale and the Prince de Join-
vine took their seats in the French Assembly, a slight mur-
mur of astonishment nag the only public inanifestation
whb-li greeted their entry. The Luc crAuniale idmost in-
stantly rose to vide on a motion relating to the standing
orders but the Prince to Joinvillo, who Is deaf, did not
hear the question put, and remained seated. In Paris,
people were quite unprepared for the course which the
Princes have adopted, and the papers have passed some
severe remarks upon it.
Several of the religious denominations are endea-
vouring to promote the successful reception of the Parlia-
mentary unction on International Arbitration, of which Mr.
Henry Richard, M.P., has given notice for the ensuing
session. The congregational Union 1 England and Wales,
and the Baptist Union, have passed resolutions unanimously
recommending the congregations of their respective bodia•
to take such steps as may be needful to render useful sup-
port to 3lr. Richard. Man el the English and Irish
&makers, and of the Welsh Calvinistic Methodists, have also
given or promised their asaistauce.

-
No fever than eighteen fires happened from Christ.
nuts-eve up to six o'clock on Tuesday monling, in Loudon.
Mr. John Ponder, formerly M.P. for 'rubies, hex
consented to become a candidate for the representation of
the Wick Burghs.

According too the Italian papers, Itfazaini has bee
suffering for several days from an iilllVWS—defeeldvo &cult-
flon—aceompanied by difficulty of breathing and bodily
prostration which has caused much anxiety to his friends.
The late Ike. Dr. I Layne, for some time rector of
Mist's', and Itradfiel,l, Essex, -hes bequeathed .ClOO to the
poor of those parishes to be distributed in such a manner as
Mrs. Hain, may deem best. The bearers of his coffin were,
by special direction, "right poor laborers, four from each
parish, Uod-lcaring men, and not given to drink."

-
There ILI a church on Fifth Avenue, New York,
with ;lass do u•s in its vestibule, no as to enable those who
bare tloit•• tar mrites " to get a glance at the oftleiating
ruiub,t, without disturbing the congregation.

Mr. Miafl, M. I'., has declined to accept a challenge,
sent to tint on behaliof the Yorkshire Union of Church In-
stitutes, to di, .uasthe question of Church and State with the
Rev. Dr. MaSsinghsin.

Mr. Purcell, one of the junior counsel for the de-
fendants In the Tiehborne ease. reached London on Saturday
night tact, front Australia, whither he had gone profes-
sionally in August iast, On behalf 11 the defendants.

On Sunday morning a fire WU discovered in an out
house attached to the farm of Mr. New ton, former, of High
Legh, near Warrington. Too Irish labourers, who were
supposed to hal, e been tipsy and to hare been smoking, were
burnt to death.

It is reported that a day of national rejoicing, air
well as a dav of thanksgiving, is to be appointed when the
Prince of Wales shall have completely. recovered. Such an
occasion would probably be embrac,d for demonstrations of
loyalty throughout the country. which would furnish a crush-
ing :mower to gentlemen of the other persuasion.
The Russlan Government has appointed a commie.
sion to consider whether Sebastopol should in future be re-
garded as a harbour for the Russian navy, ass trading sea-
port, eras a port both for warlike anal nwreantile touposos.
The decision of this question will depend in the first place
on whether Selmstopot is to lie a fortress or an open city.
The committee appointed to promote a testimonial
to Mr. Bright from his admirers in the Staffordshire Pot-
teries have decided to present to the right bon, gentleman a
handsome ebony cabinet, containing a collection of the
choicest art-pottery from the works of Messrs. Minton and
Co., Messrs. Copeland and Sons, nod Messrs. Josiah Woad.
wood and Sons. The subscriptions amount to about £350.
The agitation for an increase of wages amongst the
Colliers, miners, and puddlers of the Forest of Dean is prose-
cuted with vigour, the men, backed by seven union lodges,
intending to make a aimultaneous demand tor more money.
One firm, employing bet wren five and six hundred hands in
cutting coal, have promised their men Gs. per day of eight
hours rather than show them to strike.

The total Lumber of private bias deposited in the
Mouse of Lords. for the fortheoi .. ill g 5e664011), Is 303. This is
considerably ender the anticipated Lumber. no ton Douses
were given In the London, /hob/in, met Edinburgh Gasetw.
and 270 plains were depoidted on the 30th of November.

The King of Dahomey is reported to have changed
the fashion of his wearing apparel. fie receiVed the
Italian Scientific Commission not long ago, seated on hiii
throne, his body profusely decorated with the druggists'
labels, blue, gold, and racen, whkh had teen carefully peeled
from the medicine bottles brought by Europeans to his
country.

"We are informed that the high Sheriff of one of
the Welsh counties is fully determined that his fair coun-
trywomen shall have their full rights accorded thousand for
that purpose Intends summonsing then. upon the panel of
the jury of both moires awl sessions. This will he done hi
order to test the point as to their liability to serve on juries.
What will Miss Becker say I "—The Cambrian.

The Journal Officer/stater; that up to the 16th of
December the courts-martial bad pr,mouneed 2,, 225entenees.
and that the number of prisoners set at liberty inereason of
the withdrawal of prosecution was 12,3 fin. During the hut
few days rather more than 41 judgments have been pro-
nounced per diem. Hopes are entertained that by Meillts of
further arrangements, and when the more important cases
have been disposed of, this average will be greatly exceeded
The paperueearded cc MI, time back the incident of
the loss oh the .mper, lapinoir cane in the river Dart.
and its subsequent recovery. We are informed that the
gentleman who dived for the cane and restored it to the
Emperor has since been presented with a very handsome
fishing rod, As a souvenir of the Emperor's visit to the

---x Petition has been preaented to the National AB4Olll-
- by Mr. George Wilke, a director of the Lower California
Company, in which he proposes, on behalf of the coutpanY,
to ri echo us colonists in the California Peninsula all the
CiMlMUldeit convicts who have been sentenced to transport..
tion. A grant oi land will he made to each colonist in ex-
change for certain list innate to be made by the French
kioverumeht to indemnify the company for the expenses of
transport MO settlement.

A ',jugular scene was enacted in London on Christ-
mao-day morning at the Serpentine, liyde-park. The 'all-
lbe.yeor-reeand " bathers, to the member of about thirty.
assembled to take part In a swimming match for a silver
cup, which annually takes place on Chtistmaaday, after
which they gathered round n bucket of rum and milk, and
loyally drank to the health of the queen and the Prince of
Wales.

A beautifultilver cup, the work f Jamnitzer, the
Nuremberg goldsmith and contemporary of Cahill. has just
been added to the Art collection at the South Kensington
Museum. The Educational division has lately received a
very curious toy house, made in Nuremberg two centuries
ago, filled with models of utensils of the period illustrating
German life and manners.

A story is current of an interview between the Lora
Chief Juxtice Cockburn at Geneva and some American gen.
tlemau hating business in connection with the A Albania
arbitration. his lordship having expressed is hope that the
case" would not last any great length of time, the American
gentleman thus answered : " Well, sir, I guess you will and
that this snake has the very longest tail you ever saw um.
winded in your life." The Lord Chief Justice thought of his
unhappy brother the Chief of the Pleas and the Tichborne
case, and sighed taxdibly,

In lecturing upon the autumn manomvres at Wool-
wich, the other evening, Captain Brackeubury, ILA., one of
the umpire staff, expressed his opinion that the country in
the neighbourhood of Aldershot was unsuitable for 'such
practice, on account of its familiar aspect. He suggested
that is future such evolutions should be carried on upon a
11111:iiit r cc sic on conntly 0141110518. regiments as they
became trained gradually amalgamating in battalions and
brigades, until the whole gathered at one spot, by this
means many absurdities perpetrated in the late mimic cam-
paign would be avoided.

_ _
On Monday night Lord 'Argon's world renowned
greyhound Master 514 troth, tlaiee Whiner of the W aterioo
I 'up. died nailer suddenly at the Kennels, Ifrownlow House,
Litman. IHI the Friday and Saturday previous Master
1111:ratli looked dull, and on Monday a lieu Walsh, the trainer,
went, about half-past eight o'clock, to arrange thingi, the
doe refused to rise, and appeared to be suffering. Nl‘ dicta
Ilia N. at once procured, hut &suit hall-past ten he died.
It ham now transpired that the Duke of Edinburgh.
when serviug REM 10111.1111111 OH I,ollrd 11. ITS. St. U,Orge,
was, while at Naples, attacked by typhoid fever. The ship
was in consequence ordered to Malta, where, says the Arley
and -Vary the Frince was landed, and placed under
the care of the present Director-tlenerat Sir Alexander
Armstrong (then Deputy.liispeetor , who succeeded In bring-
ing his patient to a state of convalescence in the course of fax
cwks.

On Tuesday night, at Darlington, Mr. W. Pease,
Nix. of south Durham, sneaking on the subject of educa-
tion, said it would be an evil day for England when the only
excluded from schools should he the Bible. They
might adopt the medium course of the British and Foreign
clef sy,tem if they should succeed, as he hoped, in getting
through the Boman Catholic difficulty. The payment of the
local schools rate had been called some a new church
rate, lout, if that acre',, the payment for education by
pedal taxation was also a mistake.

Orders of her Maje4y II Council are publiehecl in
the Lowinn Gazette of the 22nd hut., 0171, sanctioping bye-
laws for the compulsory attendance of children at school.
made with the approval of the Education Department, under
the 74th notion 14 the Elementary Education Act, 1070, by the
School Boards 44 Luilutml, statfordshire Neweastle•uuder.
Lyme, Oldham, salford, sunderland, Wedneshury, chipping
wycomhe, Festiniog, Merionetshire ; Mitcham, surrey;
Carlisle, Sutton.in-Ashtleld, Netts ; Bath, 'Maidstone,
Merton, Yorkshire Kendal, Carno (Montgomeryshire),
southamptou, Bersham ;Denbighshire), Derby, Barnsley,
London.

A corm.nomient writes :—" The communications
between colonel Tonollne, M.P., and the thaneelbor of the
Exchequer have plobably been looked on with very little
concern toy the reading public. It, however, deserves more
attention than ri apparent in the surface, for many of Oar
leerropelit3ll tradetmen nint immense difficulty in obtaining
a sufficiency of silver wherewith to pay their employ 4. in
one instance I am acquainted with, at one of the largest
banking houses the cashier wax unable to • conveniently
Sparc' e2O with of the secondary metal tokens, NA Mr.
Lowe jokingly ffr seriously calls them , and at another well-
known bank the cashier informed me, at 10 a.m., that In
another hour his stock of silver would be almost exhausted.'

The Board of Trade have awarded a binocular glass
to Captain John Gales, master of the American son smer,
Delmont, of Portland, in acknowledgment of his humanity
and kindness to the three survivors of the crew of the skip
Nonpareii, .of Newcastle. The tionparril left Bombay ha
July last, bound for New York, and on the 1I th of oesonee
encountered a heavy gale, during which she foundered.
Three of her crew succeeded in clinging to the top of the
deck of the forecabin, from which, after seven days and
eights, they were rescued by the Delmont, and landed at
Martinique on the let of November. Captain Gales gene-
rously refused to accept any payment for the subsistence of
the rescued men whilst on board his vessel.
A supplement to the London Gazette of 'Tuesday
(Dec. 10), contains several underact the Privy Council, farmed
under the powers contained In the Contagious Diseases
(Animals) Act, making further provisions, which will come into
effect fern and after the 31st inst. They revoke various pre-
vious or. lers, and make new provisions relative to the trauma
aninials and their contagious and infectious diseases, the
landing of foreign cattle, she., in Great Ibitiams ; and they
define that part of the port of London (the fcreign cattle.
market at Deptford) and that part of the port of Hull where
foreign animals may be landed for slaughter.

We read in the Fe nivierger Zriteng an interesting
Recount of the Prussian torpedo boats, three of which are
already finished and in the port.! Dantzle ; time unfinished,
destined for Kit!; and a number more ender c.mstruction.
These boats are cigar-shaped and shot-proof against the
rifle or initrailleuse. In the bows is the nolder, and in the
stern an observatory with a peep-hole about the size of a
thaler, the fennel hardly three (yet a hove water and of very
small diameter ; the stock of fuel, and the engine and cabins.
The hole Mat Is about forty feet long, and the only parts
above water are the flaunt and observatory. The britip is
on a level with the water and protected by a double alueld,
It is of a g,rt y colour and veiy fast. It will carry torpedoes.
whose construction is unknown, *lash into an enemy's fleet,
especially it sight, blow up the ship, and make away
again. Should it prove a e4od seagoing boat, and England
ever dare to thwart Germany, the prediction in the "Banks
of Dorking" will, probably, be realised.

-
"Alast the Orleans Princes have taken a decided
step. Acting upon their oIVD judgment, they have entered
the Chamber, and are now prepared to diseliarpt the tune-
ti
entrusted to them by the constituenciea which elected
than as Deputies. Whether they were altogether wise in
.er,-Iltin the posts if Depotiei is, tin has livenbe,,re
r'j,jetter."',:o'nre ttot IliStu4theyWisre can •
'lllZe"ildo'n'on'ine tititfrh ifiorir'itoie
of
gu
their seats linen as they dibeovered that the Aseenibly
was not prepared to enter at Onee On ita lunation, on a
constituents.' Put after the course that attain had taken
we 110 IlOt see how they could have stopped away frond the
fltanitim without a sacrifice at once of tl*uity and duty."—
Daily Telegraph.

" 11w ,tion of how old a cigar should be before
being smoked is often a disputed one. Cubans like a green
clear. The workmen, who.ought to know, smoke the cigars
as they make them. If you go to a certain well-known
cigar store in New York, already quite celebrated for its
Cohan cigars made in the city, and buy a cigar there, before
handing it te.. 31...0 the very courteous Cuban will, with great
deliberdion drat apply the cigar to his ear. You ask,
• What is tht for ?' 'To see, or rather hear, how dry it is.
If too dry, I will snap very short. I ran hear It. • green
Cigar Ia soft dml makes 110 imlse." How old ought a cigar •
to be ' „ 'ln two c three weeks to this climate a cigar ill
dry enough; lager than that does not Improve it."—fiesten
Sceetstor
According to the MeMorirne Arlo* of tho fith
November the previous month had been the most remark-
able in the history of the gold industry in the iolony. Atten-
tion had been drawn to the excellence of the field for the
investmert of capital presented by the quartz mines at
kandhurst, and so great was the anxiety of the public to
obtain shams In these undertakings that the prices rapidly
/fee in value, and a speculative mania set in. • greet many
MOW companies, too, had been formed, and although some
would not get beyond CL. initiatory stage, others would be
proceeded with to the great benefit of the colony Some of
the mines have, it setces, la,•en worked to a depth of 700
feet, and it ts considered that there is scarcely any limit to
the depth at which quartz reefs may be considered payable.
It would appear, toe, from the new diceoveries made, the
A nyos adds, that nearly the whole colony is aariferoce, and
that gold will to extracted from it "fur all time to oome."