The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-11-15 00:00:00

EPITOME OF NEWS.

"43RITISII AND FOREIGN

Pisagua has been taken by the Milian forces, after
a determined resistance, in which they are said to have'
lost 500 killed and wounded.

The Apache Indians recontly driven over the
Mexican border by the United States troops turned on Sun-
day on an isolated band of their pursuers in Chihuahua,
Mexico, 200 Indians overwhelming 50 whites and killing 32
of them, the others escaping, though all wounded.
The vineyards of Europe occupy some 17,600,000
acres of land, which annually produce about 3,291,808,000
gallons. France, Italy, and Spain respectively head the list
of wine•producing countries.
A compromise has been effected in connection with
the Liverpool School Board elections. The new Board vill
comprise six Churchmen, five Roman Catholics, nda four
Nonconformists, the latter including a lady.

- -
The Queen has sent 100 guineas to the Scottish
Corporation, whose 215th anniversary will be held on
December 1, with Lord Rosebery in the chair. Her Majesty
has also sent £5O to the Railway Benevolent Institution. To
the Charing cross Hospital and the London Hospital Her
Majesty has caused to he forwarded valuable presents of old
linen, useful for surgical purposes.
It is stated that the Post•office authorities are think-
ing of trying the experiment of sixpenny telegrams within a
six mile radius of St. Marthi's-le•Grand.

A memorial sundial, erected at a—cost of upwards of
two thousand pounds by the Baroness Burdett-Coutts in the
reclaimed and ornamented churchyard cf St Pancras, Las
been formally presented to the new churchwardens of that
pazish by her ladyship in person.

Intelligence received at New York from New
Mexico atinoulices that the United States troops have driven
all the marauding Indiana ii.to 11,xico, where, after a sharp
fight, they succeeded in db persing them.
A Reuter's telegram states that eight persona have
been kilied by the fall of a biscuit manufactory at Kansas
City, Missouri.
The Dominion Liza steamer Brooklyn left the
Mersey at noon on Thursday, Oct. 30 last, and arrived at
Quebec in eight days—on Friday, the 7tlt inst.—being the
fastest passage on record between the two ports.
Referring to the state of Prince Bismarck's health,
Monday night's National Zeitung states that symptoms of a
malady have appeared which the robust constitution of the
Prince will probably overcome, but which, on the other
hand, are such as to cause apprehension.

•
In view of probable distress through the dearness of
food during the coming winter, the editor of the Estates
Roll writes to recommend the more extensive use of such
food as oatmeal, haricot beans, fish, peas, lentils, artichokes,
rice, maize, blue beans, pearl barley, and vegetables gene-
rally. The suggestion is not new but it is one that will
bear repeating The worst of it is that vegetables are all
scarce, and consequently dear, this year.—illark Lane
_Express.
A sad accident occurred at Southport on Monday
afternoon. William Walton, aged 17 years, son of Mr.
Keißhley Walton, town clerk, was attempting to draw the
cartridge from a revolver chamber, when it went off, and the
bullet struck him on the temple and penetrated the brain.
He expired soon afterwards.

One hundred and twenty-eight prisoners from the
Peruvian ironclad iluascar, of whom e!ghty-five are re-
ported to be Englishmen, arrived at Valparaiso on October
15, and were treated with respect by the population.

The receipts on account of revenue from Ist April,
1879, when there was a balance of £6,195,756, to Nov. 8,
1879, were £44,085,133, against £44,515,585 in the correspond-
ing period of the preceding financial year, which began with
a balance of £6,243,389 The net expenditure was £61,561,609,
against £52,019,691 to the same date in the previous year.
The Treasury balances on Nov. 8 amounted to £1,298,582,
and at the same date in 1878 to £1,249,104.
Marshall Canrobert has been elected a member of
the French Senate for the Department of the Charente. At
the last election he polled less than his Republican compe-
titor, but on the present occasion he had a very large ma-
jority.
Only 7'2 hours of sunshine were recorded at the
Royal Observatory, Greenwich, last week. At Glynde-place,
Lewes, the Speaker of the Rouse of .Commons registered
still less-58 hours out of the 65i during which the sun was
above the horizon.

"The bracelet slipper has just been introduced.
The shoe is cut very low in front and high up on the instep, it
Is fastened with a finely chiselled real gold bracelet instead
of the usual strap. Another expensive novelty in the same
line is the Andalusian boot, made of black satin, with lace
ruffles down the. front seam, and fastened with real jewel
buctons."—Court Journal.

A memorial to the German soldiers who died in
Belgium in 1870 has been unveiled in Brussels Cemetery in
the presence of the Mayor and the German Ambassador.
Mr. A. M. Sullivan, M.P., delivered on Tuesday
night, at the Town Hall, Newcastle, a lecture entitled
"Never; or, Lessons of Hope from the Schoolbook of
History," in the course of which he said young men must
not look for guidance to statesmen and party leaders, but
must survey the whole field of popular struggle, since states-
meh and party leaders were little more than barometers,
registering the official level which any popular question had
attained.

The Rev. C. H. Spurgeon preached to crowded con-
gregations at the Metropolitan Tabernacle on Sunday morn-
ing and evening, previous to taking his annual vacation. The
rev, gentleman is about to proceed to Meutone for the
benefit of his health.

The Queen and Princess Beatrice returned to Bal-
moral on Saturday afternoon from the Glassalt Sbiel, at-
tended by the Countess of Erroll and the Hon. Ethel Cada
gun. Viscount Sandon dined with the Queen in the
evening.

Colonel Brise and Mr. Round, the members or East
Essex, and Mr. Charles Page Wood, the Liberal and tenant.
farmer's condidate for the division, addressed a large
meeting of agrieolturists at Coggeshall on Tuesday after-
noon. Colonel Brie expressed himself against emigration
as a Cure for agricultural distress, and said he believed that
a system of pea,lant proprietorship was impossible in Eng-
land. Additional energy and thrift might do something, but
good seasons would the still more. Wilts regard to education,
a farmer's daughter was none the worse for knowing music
and at least one language in addition to her own.
The India Council has come to a final decision re.
garding the disposal of the India Museum. The museum
does not cease to exist. It will In the course of six or seven
months be reopened, with additions which will present to
the people of this country such an exhibition of the manu-
facturing and artistic resources of India as has never before
been laid open to their view.
It is announced that the Cunard Company have
entered into a contract for the building on the Clyde of a
liner of 7,500 tons—being 450 feet long, 50 wide, and 41 deep,
and having engines of 10,000 horse•power. The vessel will
carry 1,050 passengers, 200 officers and crew, and take in
audition to coals and stores 6,500 tons of cargo. She will be
second in size only to the Great Eastern.

Experiments are now being made in Paris with a
view to abolishing the pneumatic tubes for conveying mes-
sages and letters, and substituting electricity in their place.
The change would necessitate the use of rails and diminu-
tive locomotives. A trial of the proposed system has been
made on a circular line, when an electrical engine weighing
seven kilogrammes drew five kilos. of letters at the rate of
about twelve miles an hour. The results obtained so far
appear to be satisfactory.

Replying to the toast of "The County Members"
at a gathering at Horncastle on Tuesday evening, the lion.
Edward Stanhope, &LP., Under Secretary for India, said he
was sorry they could not look upon affairs in Afghanistan as
a closed chapter. England was at the present moment in a
position of great difficulty in that country, and her future
policy in the north of India could not be determined until
further information from General Roberts was to hand. He
hoped that in the end they would be able to take such
measures as would secure the safety of the north-west
frontier of India. England must also preserve the position
she now held in Europe. At home the Irish required at-
tention, and he believed they would be properly dealt with.
After speaking of agricultural depression, he said he con-
sidered the rates now laid upon land required attention,
and he was in favour of the Jaws for the transfer of land
being modified so as to make transfer easier and less
expensive.

The Gazzetta di Mantova states that on the night
between the 23rd and 24th of October some unknown persons
broke into the mausoleum erected near Solferino and stole
several gold rings, silver medals, watahes, and about 100 lire
In old Pledmonte4e money, relics belonging to men who fell
in the great battle, and whose bones lie beneath the mauso-
leum. No trace of the thieves were discovered.

At a meeting of the Derby Town Council, held
on Monday afternoon, Mr. Councillor Ley stated that the
Connell of the Royal Agricultural Society had practically
determined to hold their show for the year 1881 at Derby,
if the sum was raised which was required towards paying
the expenses of the society. The sum needed was £4,000,
and a half of that amount had already been subscribed. A
committee was appointed for the purpose of raising the
subscriptions still required and of furthering and carrying
out the proposal to hold the show at Derby.
The Indian Press is making an appeal which should
receive a hearty response both in India and in England,
namely, that those who have papers, books, or magazines to
spare should forward them to Surgeon-Major Porter, of the
Cabal held force, for the use of the hospitals and soldiers'
reaaing-rooms. Oar troops are likely to have a long and
dreary period cf inaction this winter, and, without reading,
will find time heavy on their hands.

A meeting of Liberals was held at Chester on
Tuesday, to consider the advisability of contesting the
western division of that county in the next Parliamentary
election. DAegatos from all the p3llng districts in the
division were present, and it was stated that the approximate
number of voters was 10,101. It was unanimously resolved
that the divi,ion be contested for both seats, and an effort
be made to send two liberals to Parliament.

Last Saturday evening, a collision occurred f.t Bis.
choffsheim on the railway between Nlayence and Frankfort,
resulting in the dath of a lady, Frau Garrisch, and ber
daughter, aged four Nears, and of an ex-train conductor,
named Kern. A number of persons were severely wounded.
Some twenty other persons received slight wounds. The
train with which the Frankfort train came into collision
was also a passenger train, bound from Mayence to Darm-
stadt.

The Duke of Westminster and Lord Tollemache —of
Helmingham, two of the largest landowners in Cheshire,
have intimated their intention of making material reduc-
tions in their tenants' rents. The Duke of Westminster is
allowing on an average about 27 per cent. on the year's
rental, three-fourths to be given in money and the other
grafter to be expended in bones; and Lord Tollemache,
on the first half-year's rental shortly becoming due, is giving
from 10 to 35 per cent., to be expended to drainage and
bones. The Earl of Chichester and Mr. J G. Dodson, SIX ,
have both allowed the tenants of their Sussex farms 10 per
cent, off their routs.

A Silesian paper gives an appalling account of the
situation of the Silesian peasantry as regards this year's
crops. Owing to the bad weather potatoes have yelded b 5
per cent. under the average, and corn and roots 30 to 70 per
cent, under the average. In many places the grain sown has
not been regained, and in others the crop was ploughed in
and the ground replanted.
In a pa.toral letter to his clergy, appealing for funds
to promote ecclesiastical education, Dr. Vaughan, the
Rowan Catholic Bishop of Salford, states that the cost of
the education of a priest my be estimated at £l,OOO.
During the last seven years he has had to find no fewer
than 108 priests, and there are now 75 exercising the
ministry in the diocese who were not in it seven years ago.

Abbondio Sangiorgio, the sculptor of the horse
chariot on the Bimplon Triumphal Arch, and of the Castor
and Pollux at the entrance of the lurin Royal Palace, has
just died at Milan at the age of 81. The son of a carpenter,
he had a passion for sculpture, and at 28 years of age he
undertook the former work, which occupied six years.

Miss Martha Charters Somerville died on the 3rd
inst. at her residence in Florence, in her 66th year. Miss
Somerville was the only surviving daughter of the cele-
brated Mra. Mary Somerville, and grand-daughter of the.
late Vice-Admiral Sir William George Fairfax. The late
Mrs. Somerville was twice married. By her first mare age,
with Captain Samuel Greig (sou of Sir Samuel Greig, High
Admiral of Rwsia), she had a son, Mr. Woronzow Greig;
barrister•at-law, who died in 1865. By her second marriage,
with Mr. William Somerville, she had two daughters—the
younger, Mary, who died a few years ago, an the lad just
deceased. Miss Somerville enjoyed a pension of £lOO
a year, which was conferred upon her in recognition of the
services rendered to science by her mother. Mies Sather-
vine edited " Ihe Recollections of Mary Somerville."—
Mtuary of The Times, Nov. 10.

Among the wedding presente which the different
Govtruments intend to send to the Sing of Spain, that of the
French will certainly not be the letot beautiful (says, the
Paris Correspondent of the Daily Telegraph). It is a magni-
ficent vase of Sevres china, of huge proportions and very
.elegaat in shape Such is Its weight that it took four men
to carry it up to the first story of the Foreign Office, where
it was unpacked In the presence of Admiral Jaures, the
'French Ambassador at the Court of Madrid, who will tray.el
with it to the Spanish capital, and offer it "Amen to King
Alfonso in the name of the Govetnnient which he repregente.