The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-06-07 00:00:00

EPITOME OF NEWS.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.
A young man named Corney was accidentally struck
by a cricket ball at a cricket match at Brighton on Monday,
sad so seriously ii,jured that his life was despaired of.
A telegram from Rome says that in consequerce of
a rise in the waters of the Mincio and Adige, an overflow of
the Po is apprehended The town of Rouge is seriously
threatened, and 2,000 workmen are employed In strengthen-
ing the dykes. Almost all parts of the town of Mantua are
flooded. The embankment a the Mincio is in jeopardy.

The French Government are developing the carrier
pigeon service In earnest, for In Paris and twelve of the other
fortified towns no tower than 6,000 birds are now fed at the
public expense.

Francisco Grimaldi, who spoke in the ra U At rail-
way debate in Monte Citorio is one of the aticst rapid
orators on record. The shorthand writers declare that he
uttered from 170 to 200 words per minute. This wonderful
orator is thirty-eight years old, and was born at Catanzaro
In the province of Naples.

Iron statte the Post Office authorities have warned
their officials that spurious sovereigns made of platinum
aud electro plated with gold, are again in circulation. Their
ring I. like that of a shilling, but they are deficient in weight
They can, however, be manufactured at a considerable profit:
for platinum is only from a quarter to a third the value of
gold.
Mr. Plimsoll M.P.' was to have been present at the
opening of a coffee-palace in Bristol the other day, but a
letter was received from him expressing regret that he was
unable to attend. It was stated that he is about to undergo
an operation which will deprive him of the sight of one eye.
From official statistics it appears that more than
250,000,000 ponds of iron, involving an expenditure of
690,876,320 roub es, have been imported into Russia during
the last ten years. Although Russia herself possesses in-
exhaustible sources of iron, these figures prove that her
dependence on foreign countries, especially England, for this
metal is very great.

- -
Sir Arthur Blyth, the Agent General for South
Australia, has received a telegram from the Government at
Adelaide, dated the 20th ult., stating that the bouth
Australian Parliament met for the despatch of business on
the 20th ult., and that plenty of rain had fallen throughout
the country.
-

The Farifulla save it is understood at the Vatican
that for the Golden Wedding of the Emperor of Germany
all the BI:hops in that country exiled from their dioceses,
including Cardinal Ledochowsky, will be invited to return.
This amnesty will be extended to the parish priests and the
Inferior clergy, but not to the religions orders on whose be-
half, including the Jesuits, the Pope had exerted himself,
The Council of State of canton Uri have submitted
to the Great Council a law visiting wilful murder and incen-
diadem resulting in 1 es of life with the punishment of
death. Etecutions are to be private.

A mountain peak by Lake Balaton, in Hungary,
which has not been volcanic in historical timer, has begun to
emit smoke, to the alarm of the neighbouring inhabitants,
who apprehend an eruption.
The Preston Town Council have resolved to
memorialise the Government in favour of legislation which
shall be sufficient to put. down the stray dog nuisance.

It is estimated thst the loss in wages occasioned by
the Durham strike amounts to £l4OlOOO- £240,000 of which
was borne by the miners. Nsch miner has lost £6 in wages,
and he will have to WOl k 91 years to motor the money
Sacrificed by the strike.

. .
Tho Cabhu4ese f.uilue Id seriously occupying the
attention ot the Indian Administration. Official informa-
tion says it is impossible to exaggerate the great distress
which prevaita throughout whole traots of country. Many
toitns and t lllages are depopulated.

The Municipality of -Paris has -decided to give com-
missions for the execution of 360 statutes of the great and
notable men of Paris in order to replace those destroyed in
the 110 tel de Yale Suring the Commune. The cost is esti-
mated at 1,800,060 francs. Theta, are to embellish the new
Intel de Ville.

- --
A county society called the Surrey Bee Keepers'
Association has been established, under the patronage of the
Earl and Countess (AC/aglow, to promote apiculture amongst
cottager'. The association, btside desiring to introduce a
more profitable mode of dealing with bees, wishes to make
it more humane than hitherto. What is called the honey
stinger is introduced, the Mention entirely superseding the
old system of destroying the comb to obtain its sweet con-
tents.
From Paris it is stated that cremation, having been
pronounced a measure of "salutary progress" by the com-
mittee of She Municipal Council appointed to consider the
question, is about to be introduced into Pere LachalseCerne-
tery.
The Sydney Morning Herald states that an attempt
is already bning made to form another Australian team to
visit England during the coming season. it Is proposed that
the majority of the players should consist of New South
Wales representatives.

At the last meeting of the Royal Society, Dr.
Richardson demoustrated the action of a new instrument
which he has named the " Audlmeter," or audiometer, aud
which has just been iuvented by Professor Hughes, the dis-
coverer of the microphone. The audiometer is used as a
precise measurer of the souse of hearing.

Sir Thomas Bateson, M.P., speaking at a Forester's
fete at Devizes, said the war in Afghanistan had been con-
cluded with credit and advantage to England and her
Indian dominionr. Re hoped the couflict in South Africa
would loon be terminated, so that we might again ei,joy the
blessings of peace. He feared we had nos seen the worst of
the depression in trade, and he was sorry that our imports
exceeded the exports so much, since this showed that
capital was going out of the country. The healtb of Alder-
man Fowler was drunk, with the expression of a hope that
he may represent the City of London in the next Parliament.

The Times' Berlin Correspondent says :—" At a late
meeting of the Juridical Society in St. Petersburg the chief
topic of discussion was the banishment of criminals to
Siberia. From official data it was proved that from 14,000
to 18,000 poor wretches ~re annually drafted off into the
north-eastern parts of the Empire, and that in many dis-
Wets, therefore, the number ot convicted exiles far exceeds
that of the ordinary population, and is a great drawback to
the welfare of the latter. The smaller towns of Siberia in
particular are overflowing with these outcasts from European
Russia, and the Society came to the conclusion that a great
number of prisons ought to be built as soon as possible.
To paper collars, paper petticoats, paper curtains,
paper carpets, paper chairs, paper tables, paper chandeliers,
paper frames, paper corals, paper jewellery, paper bArreis,
and paper wheels for railway carriages, must i.oss- be added
pape r stockings. 1 he.e are intended to be
worn *yea the
brdinary cotton or woollen stockings, excluding all cold r
dampness from the feet.
isspresenit;inera, con-
triAendminerwcahpaan.vt
ainneySaanpalroniratao_noyiscuao,watv4!shing toßetta_kheitta,
.awase, just received from the
next taming
w,
efikooh,
d well boiled,
obliged for your toe of rue. It taste pretty0
ri:-leciePi'vcekdiesidlertoeur,t
but the next time would rather 410 "9
witche Fsj g ktirr
dp7r On?. sEgvart; osno.
much Toe

At Mersin, on the 27th of May a severe rtndal:story
shock of earthquake was felt.
During the past week ace were 17 British and
'
foreign wrecks reported, m‘king a total of 710 for the pre.
sent year, or an increase of 85 as compared with the corre-
sponding period of last year. The approximate value of
property lust was £260,000, including British £240,000.
At a sale of a portion of the Firnain Didot Library
In Paris, a missal bequeathed to Queen Catherine, wife of
Henry V. of England, by her father Charles VI, and after-
wards the property of Henry VI , Henry VII and Henry
VII., was bought by a Paris bookseller for 76,0001 r. A manu-
script which belonged to Mary Queen of Scots fetched
10,000 fr. The Live days' sales 633 000 fr. and a fourth portion
next May is expected to bring the total up to 5,000,000 fr.

- -
A telegram from Rome announces that Garibaldi is
again laid up lie went to Frascati for an excnrsion, and
on returning the next day was seized with a somewhat severe
indisposition, from which he Is still suffering.
Six steamers sailed from New York for Europe last
Esturday, with full cargoes. Every steamer advertised de-
parted, notwithstandit.g the strike, which is considered as
nearly at an end. The new hands brought from England to
load the steamers are reported to be working well.
The old c )untry gentlemen who Rtill keep up the
ancient and loyal custom of wearing oak apples in their
button-bole on the 29th May had this year to forego the
customary demonstration. There were no oak-apples. Of
oak leaves even there were but few.

Euglish dairy farmers are pow advissrl to manu-
facture fresh soft cheese, as the foreign competition for inch
sorts Is naturally much less th va wills the hard cheese Les-
ported at exceedingly cheap rates.
The red disease (typhoid feve.) continne4 to prevail
amongst pigs in many districts.
An avalanche has fallen on the village of Fontana,
Tessin. The church, mairie, and several houses hare
been destroyed, a family of six perishing in one of them.
The works for the restoration of St. MattheWia
Church, Burnley, having been stopped owing to lack of funds,
a leading Wesleyan of the town has come forward and pro-
vided the requisite means.

A stained-glass memorial window to ,Col. Coles, lit
Regiment of F,nyt, the Royal Scots, erected by his brother
officers, hs3 during the past winter been placed in the church
of Harting, Sussex. Tne service of the deceased officer es-
tended over a period of myre than 32 years, for the last nine
of which he commanded the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Scots.
The Devonshire Chamber of Agriculture have pawed
a resolution to the effect that the Employers' Liability Bills
now before Parliament would, if passed, press unfairly on
farmers ami others interested In agriculture. It w.s de-
cide Ito petition both Rouses of Parliament against allowing
either of the bills to become law. A letter was read from
Earl Fortescue, the pres dent,txpiesslng an opinion
.that
the Government Bill was the only one likely to pass.
A letter from Aix-la Chapelle states that on the
evening of the 26th Mt., at 81 19m. 16sec., there was a
shock of earthquake, in the direction from west to east,
which lasted about four seconds. 4he moveincut was
strongly vertical, glasses and similar vessels vibrated
audibly and doors were thrown open. _ _ _

The R.yal Albert Hall was visite-I by several
thoussnds of people on Sunday afternoon. As in previous
years, the directors of the hall have arraLged for recitals od
sacred music to be given on the large organ on Sundays, at
four o'clock. Free tickets at admasinn had been widely
distributed through the agency of the Sunday Society and
tho Sunday League.

Geneva will hold, in 1881, an International Exhibi-
tion exclusively confined to watches, jewellery, snuff boxes,
and musical boxes The Grand Council Is said to have voted
the credits necessary for the preparatory works. This ex-
hibition will be the first of an international character which
has taken place in Switzerland.
_

A telegram from America says that in consequence
of a strike among the paddlers at the iron male in the
vicinity of PitttOurg have stopped w.rking, and a lock-out is
threatened by which 5.000 men would be thrown out of em-
ployment. A proposal has been made to settle the dispute
by arbitration.
The Russians who have emigrated to Brazil are re-
turning in large numbers to Europe. Five hundred and
twenty left in February, 400 more in April, and 700 others
were by latest accounts at the seaports of Parana awaiting
vessels.

Their Royal Highnesses Prince Albert Victor and
George of Wales will complete the': term in the Britannia,
and pass out of the ship next month, ftnel it has been arranged
that they shall then have a tea-going crnice. The screw
corvette Bacchante is the ship in which the oung princes
wli serve, and Commander Lord Ramsay, v o was formerly
equerry to the Duke of Edinburgh, and ha a bet on board
the Britannia during the term of the young prine, will be
the commander.—Wednesday's Standard.

Private advices received from Sc. Petersburg report
that the sacred picture hanging over the Saviour's Gate of
the Kremlin, which is held in high veneration by members
of the Orthdox Church, was late:y blared by a bullet or
stone, but the damage was immediately repaired.

•
It appears from a return just issued, that the 'gross
amount receivpd by the Inland Revenue Department for fee
stamp, in the United Kingdom, during the year ended March
31, 1879, was £662,635 161. 4id , the discounts and repay-
mpnts being £6,760 O. 6d., and the net receipts
£655,875 15s. 100.
- - •

• -
Tere is said to be a kind of revival in the ez4ineer-
tng trade, and the metropolis is getting some benefit from it.
Several iilovernment orders have been received by a few
London firms for machinery and engines, to the vallut of
about half a miliou sterling

The Canton (Ohio) RcpoBitory of the 10th of May
says :—" Yesterday afternoon a man passed through this
town on a Mexican mustang, stopping here for a brief time
only. He was on his way from Galveston, Texas, to New
York. lie has ridden every mile of the way on his pony, and
has been on the road since March 18. There were threel n
the party at starting, but two have been knocked up on the
way, and are lying sick in Kentucky This man says he is
making the trip merely to see the country in a way it cannot
be viewed otherwise."

It is pr.bable that there is not in the world any
other public or private establishment which presents so
many varieties of nationality and religion as the Government
Printirg Office at Sarajevo, in Bosnia. There are aroorg its
employes three Baemians, one C ainthian, one Croat, three
from L.,wer Austria, one Routnelian, 12 Lurks, two Servians,
one Afghan, elle Prussian, one Russian, and one Dalmatian.
As to re 'eon, there are 12 Kah-medans, one Prussian Evan-
gelical, several Orthodox Greeks, one Unlace Greek, and
several Roman Catholics.

A. shock cf earthquake was felt at Bermuda on the
25th ot May.

During a regatta held at Large, on the Clyde, last
Saturday, the brother of the proprietor of one of the small
racing y.chts went off with five companions for a sail. The
craft wa, t,verturned by a gust of wind.. Four persons were
p'cked up in an exoaustel condition. Two, named Archi-
h,ild MN, 15 yeara of age, an James Pollock, 16, were
drowned.

The firet importation of Canadian cattle into Ireland
haa taken place, and the experiment, it is said, has been
attended w,th success. Toe cattle, 100 in number, pre-
sented a very One appearance, and in about three hours they
were all sold at prices varying from £2l to £26 1-01.
The Queen has bee , graciously pleased to confer
the honour of knighthood upon Mr. Henry Bessemer.

A terrific intermittent hailstorm passed over
Belgrade on Monday, doing a great amount of damage and
breaking innumerable panes of glass in the public build-
ing and private houses.
-

- -
Accordiog to the Listok of Orenburg the number of
houses burned in the late fire, and upon which insurance
claims have been established, amounts to SOO, and the total
policies recoverable to 2,050,000 roubles or, taking the
rouble roughly at two shillings, to £205,040. This gives an
average to each house of £3ll 13s. 4d. The figures are in-
teresting as showing how general is the practice of insur
mice in so remote a place, and also for the idea they give of
the value of house property.

A new Conservative- club building was opened in
Ardwick, Manchester, last Saturday, by Sir W. Hart Dyke,
who was presented with a golden key. In acknowledging
the toast of "Her Majesty's Ministers' at the dinner which
followed, the boo, Baronet remarked that the Government
majority in the House of Commons is now greater than it
was when they entered upon office. Matters were brighter
with the Government in respect Co foreign affairs than they
were this time last year. In going to war their only objects
had been to maintain our interests sad keep what WO
already possessed. He also spoke of the absence of any
Liberal policy, and of the brighter prospects for the trade of
the country.
Mr. W. E. Gladstone contributes an article to the
Nineteenth Century on "Greece and the Treaty of Berlin."
'ine right hon, gentleman reviews adversely the action of
of her Majesty's Government, and urges that before the
does of the atosion a new and determined effort should be
made to test the *ewe of Parliament on the subject of the
Greek claims. Mr. Gladstone is of opinion that justice,
policy, and even decency alike require that we shonid lend
to Greece a free and resolute concurrence in obtaining the
boon destined for her by European compact.
-

-
A well informed correspondent (an opponent of the
measura) says If 1. read &tight the signs of the times,
the measure to legalise marriage with a deceased wtfe's
sister will be passed befc re two years have elapaed."—Court
Journal.
- - - -

Strasburg is considered by the Germans to be LOW
almost impregnable Encircled by a girdle of thirteen
forte, nine of whial are on the Alsatian bank of tbe Rhine,
the fortress can hold a defensive army of 43,000 Men with
1,000 siege guns.

_ -
Three bad beginnings are recorded against the crops
In the fields this year—a bad seed-time, a bad brairdlng•time
and a late start for summer growth Old farmers, there-
inre, do not expect much straw or grain at harvest-time.
But the old axiom telis us another and more cheerful tune
lc whistled pnerally in the month of June, and lately rain
at night and warmth by day has brightened the face of the
country.—Graphic.

There was come extraordinary weather in Scotland
on Tuesday. In central Perthshire there was a heavy
thunderstorm, with torrents of rain. In A3rfarshire large
quantities of snow and hail fell, the ground near Ferrer
being covered with hail to the depth of an inch. In Kin-
cardineshire the fields were white with snow, which was
melted by heavy falls of rain and this was followed by
brilliant sunshine. The atmopaiere was extremely cold.
Burmese idols are not credited with great super-
natural powers by their devotees, for daring a recent fire at
Akyab the Burmese rescued some big effigies of Gantama
Buddha from the flames and threw them Into a neighbour-
ing creek, to show that if the gods could not save them they
could save the gods. By this fire the whole of the native
town was destroyed, entailing great loss of property, as the
houses of the mono-lenders were burnt with large quan-
tity
of lewellery in pledge. A correspondent of the lintesi
of India found the people bearing their loss very calmly, and
scraping among the ruins for lumps of melted golu and
silver. One Chinaman, when questioned on his losses, re-
plied laughingly, "Three big shop—all gone—nothiug he
saves."

The races at Auteuil, (France), on Monday, were
attended by the Prince and Princess of Wales. who were
accompanied by a i.rilliant company of the French nobility.
The spacial attraction was the Grand Steeple-chase of Paris,
which was won by the Ilarquis de St. z•auveur's Wild
Monarch. Daring the race a fire broke out in a strina near
the Grand Stand, and as soon as the horses bad passed the
ladles in the latter caught the alarm and began to scream.
They were removed to a place of safety aud of shelter from
the to,rents of rain that began to fall; and the fire burnt
Itself out, after entirely destroying the stand.

The following conversation was heard in a diligence
between a French gentleman and an American lady who bad
been making the "Grand lour." The curiosity of the French-
man was so far excited by some remarks which fell from the
American "Miss," who it appeared was principal of a public
grammar school, that be ventured to hint a desire to learn
what the salary and emoluments of such a position Intgli
amount to in the United States. lie was told. "Mon Dieu,,:
he exclaimed, "but that is the pay of a Marshal of France!
i.
The cool rejoinder of the "schoolmarm"
breath away. "And why not?" said she;
uer servant
:smoke.
but.ot 'c. 3ttscasrehd entering
ifieeb:t.
eipliee
nnetwatdacerasraledl.
drawers,
rv:. the
letshfhorebi onura
Shirley,
0,
3bapitynhre and
felt that of the soldier." The Frenchman could only
teacher is surely of far more importance to the
astonishment. ail.mthoestw:tolokkkohbf
his
An inqueat has been held at oa
nt e than
t the
e
body of Mrs. Berne, 5.3 years old,
placed near her bed within reacweet,
her bell was heard to
at
on vicar
dr esi it f
ohFnaadThrthbeegseddn:yhneirg6hbcteu h 8
hFro,
rt
tcrtiaiyhnneadg
fßidt:e
arvn
u.'sSdhE let
n.
rßaetatcre s
ed,
:hat
oalmd.l3:eoe n,dwauai
have
i ait
t, vwa laid,
to to ra
tstoemu some time,upon
rhering
rvaino it
oe n ti'lr-
vfeolituaumei bed for his wife, but could not find
'lsational School
„ his banes and knees round the room, and at
out of tf,e rum,
lßthei li,
arsrg:twel 7: 3 'll3bdn(;):e;lrhta Ihteshi I eltedrini Itgortb; iMuvtge :nip: t.
ablartb,cuukwrrenhb, leaningburning
agai n . t the wail, Re
but found that she
fihttei:rrgbthhir)fire was extinguished a bundle of
g greatly burnt. On searching
fswebualtectebtlerseeaddiwte-erdaswienmfaogdunea, d in a fold -of the- hedclothes, and three
-Isietphareart,ear
jodneies:
awi,dhiwchasweenrgeagpeardtiinairlYeabduriungt. It is supposed
that soon after the servant left her for the night, Mrs. barrio
by some accident the bed curtains and clothes helesttetorok witihreen.
She appears then to have rung the bell, and by a deftperate
effort to have g t out othed. The jury returned a verdict
01 t'Accidentally bum.'