The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-05-22 00:00:00

THE STOURBRIDGE OBSERVER.

PARLIAMENTARY INTELLIGENCE.- —The HOU. of
Commons, in addition to its permanent inmates, has
now got a Guest in the person of the new Member for
YoughaL We hope a Welcome Guest.—Pun-ch.
DESTRUCTION OF AN AFRICAN TOWN BY FIRE.—
On the Bth of April a fire broke out in Town Creek,
Bonny, in a fishcurer's house, and extended to other
premises, and in a few minutes from 50 to 60 houses
were in flames. The supports were cut away from the
houses, in the hope that the fall of the roofs would
smother the fire, but in vain. In the houses of the
chiefs was stored gunpowder, which exploded. The
conflagration lasted throughout the Bth and during the
succeeding night, and was only extinguished by a
heavy fall of rain on the morning of the 9th. Ni•
ith
the exception of the dwellings of two chiefs, the town
was completely destroyed. Fifteen or twenty persons
are supposed to have lost their lives. A person in the
employ of a chief perished in the flames which de-
stroyed his master's heuse ; and when the tire had
burnt itself out a number of other slaves drew the
roasted body from the embers and commenced to eat
a portion of it. The chief was informed of the cir-
cumstance, and the men were interrogated, when they
excused their cannibalism by saying that they thought
it was part of the body of a goat. The property of
the merchants, which stands upon the beach was un-
injured, nor was any damage done to the shipping in
the liver, the wind, fortunately, blowing the flames in
an opposite direction.
Woo 'a AFRAID I—The nation at large may
make itself perfectly easy about its dispute with
America. War can cold it nothing but its excess of
population. The pecuniary expenses of any battles
that the country may have to fight will of course, ac-
cording to the Abyssinian precedent, have to be de-
frayed by the payers of Income-Tax. - Punch.
THE " CoLLEEN PAWN" MURDER.—A Limerick
paper says :
A man named Scanl., aged about seventy years, dropped
dead on Wednesday, in last week, near the Wellesley Bridge,
Limerick. Scanlan's brother suffered the extreme penalty of
the law about fifty years ago in connection with the "Colleen
'lawn" tnal. Ile was in respectable circumstances, and
went to the scaffold in his carriage. Strange to say, the
horses refused to draw hhu up the old bridge, near the court-
house, and he very reluctantly was obliged to walk to the
place of execution, in company with the clergyman who
attended him.
THE DROUSIIIT IN AUSTRALIA.—The Melbourne
Argus says that the most frightful reports of the deso-
lation occasioned in the interior of the colony by the
[ severity of the drought are continually appearing. The
line of road from Wagga Wagga to Hay is said by a
late traveller to be comparable to nothing but the
Valley of the Shadow of Death. It is literally strewed
with the skeletons of the decayingcarcases of wretched
animals that have perished from starvation or thirst.
Horses, cattle, and sheep, and even the wild denizens
of the plains—kangaroos, emus, and turkeys—are
lying dead in all directions, tainting the atmosphere,
and giving abundant occupation to the crows.
TEE SEASON OPENS WELL—Horses are clever
animals, but until the other day we were not aware
that they could play cricket It seems, however, that
there has been a match at Lord's "between eleven
colts of the South, with Hearne, and eleven cults of
the North with Grundy."—Punch.
THE CORONATION OATH—We (Lair Journal)
have ohs-reed that, at meetings in various parts of the
United Kingdom, speakers have inveighed in virulent
language against the contingency of the Queen assent-
ing to the Irish Church Bill, on the ground that such
an act would constitute a breach of her coronation
oath. It may be well to warn such persons that to
charge the Sovereign with a breach of her coronation
oath is a grave contempt against her person and govern-
ment, and punishable as a misdemeanour at common
law with line and imprisonment
A MAN CRUSIIED TO DEATIL—On Saturday
James Capper, a boatman, was driving a mule, which
was drawing two boats along the canal from Manches-
ter to Leigh. Near the Boothstown bridge be went
within the rope line, nearest the water, when the mule
took fright, and, suddenly starting off, drew the rope
tight. Capper was caught by it and thrown into the
water, and before he could get out one of the boats
came up and dashed him against the side, which at this
point is formed of stone. Two men on board went to
his rescue, but on getting him out they found that he
had been fearfully crushed between the boat and the
canal bank, and that he was quite dead.
FAT DOTTY'S ABSENCA OF PRIDE !—The Hun-
garian Lloyd is responsible for the following anecdote :
A short time since the eldest daughterof Princess Frederick
Charles of Prussia, aged fourteen, and the daughter of the
Crown Princess, aged nine, were waiting in a photographer's
studio to have their portraits taken. The photographer
having for a moment forgotten the rank of his sitters, al-
dressed the elder princess as "gnadigee Fraulein," the
common appellation in German of all unmarried ladies. He
was immediately corrected by the remark, "People generally
call nie 'Your Royal Highness.'" The offender's excuses
were interrupted by the little cousin, who exclaimed, "That
doesn't matte: the least ; you can call me as you please. I
had rather you called me 'Fat Lotty' (dicke Lotte); my
father always calls me so."
FEARFUL ATTACK BY A DULL.—Mr. Roche, a
farmer, residing near Wexford, was passing through
one of his fielde the other dray, when tie was attacked
by his bull. The bull knocked him down, trampled
upon him, and butted him until he lay quite uncon-
scious en the field. When the bull retired, all the cows
in the field gathered round Mr. Roche, and remained in
a circle regarding, as if in wonder, his prostrate form.
When raised from the ground he was quite insensible,
and it is feared that the internal injuries he has re-
ceived may prove fatal.
Ton DAIIKIES Itt GLORY.—A. Southern friend
(we are quoting from Harper' New Monthly Magazine)
who is curious in his observations as to the effect of
freedom on the ordinary fie Ll-hand freedman, says that
in no way does Sambo "feel the oats" of liberty more
than in his devotions; and in support of his assertion
sends the following, which he says is in many quarters
a favourite hymn in public religious services :
We's nearer to de Lord
Dan de white folks, and dey 'mows it;
See de glory gate unbarred;
Walk up, darkeys, past de guard;
Bet a dollar he don't close it.
Walk up, darkeys, iron de gate;
Hark de coloured angels holler,
Go away, white folks ! you's too late;
We's de winnin' colour; wait
Till the trumpet sounds to folkr.
Hallelujah ' Canks an' praise:
Long enuff we've borne our crosses;
Now we's tie sooperior race
We's swine to hebben afore de bosses

SUICIDE OF A SCROOLBOY.—At Boston, U.S.,
on the 3rd May, a boy named Frank Cheney had some
difficulty with his schoolteacher at North Andover,
and left the schoolhouse, going to his home. Hie
father, Mr. Cheney, a well-known merchant, told him
he had better go to school, beg the teacher's pardon,
and resume his studies. The boy manifested a reluct-
ance to do so, when his father insisted that he should.
The boy then went upstairs to his own room, and load-
ing two pistols, which appear to have been his pro-
perty, discharged the contents of one into his head and
the other into his heart simultaneously. He died in-
stantly, andwhen found by his relatives, who hastened
to his room on bearing the report of the pistols, his
body was found lying in spool of blood. It is supposed
that he preferred to die rather than apologise to his
teacher. He was a bright, intelligent, and good-
natured boy, and his sudden death has caused most
profound sorrow in the community, and especially
among his young companions.
LICENSES TO SALL JEWELLERY.—Having re-
ceived several communications from correspondents
who wished to know if it was necessary for a traveller
who supplied his shop-keeper from his stock to take
out a hawker's license in England, we (the Go/dsmith )
communicated with the Chancellor of the Exchequer,
and have received the following reply, which settles
the question :
"Sir—The Chancellor of the Exchequer having transmitted
to this board your letter to him of the 4th hist , I am in-
structed to refer you to the nth sec. of the 24th and 25th
Vic 'cap. 21, tinder which you will perceive that commercial
travellers selling to persons who are dealers in the goods, or
buying to sell again, are not liable to the hawker's license.
I am, sir, your obedient servant, WE. CORBETT, secretary."
A GOOD SITE FOR A HOSPlTAL.—Healing.
Punch. _ _ _

CLEVERLY Dosa.—A French journal is res-
ponsible for the following :—ln a certain email pro-
vincial town one of the residents, M. A. 8., found that
his house was rendered both damp and dark by the
contiguity of a large tree which was inconveniently
near to his windows. He would gladly have had it cut
down, but the tree belonged to the commune and was
not to be meddled with. Being a man of resources, he
sent for insertion to one of the Paris papers the follow-
ing paragraph :
There is still in existence One of the trees of liberty of the
date of 1793. It may be seen at x., close to the house of M.
A. 8., and the passers by reverently uncover their heads to
this venerable witness of our grandest struggles and our most
Illustrious victory.
Three days afterwards an order came from the pr -
fecture in Paris for the Mayor of X. to cause the said
tree to be cut down—which was accordingly done
forthwith.
SHOCKING SCENE AT AN EXECUTION.---On the
17th inst. an East Indian, named Johul, was executed
in Berbice for murder. The unfortunate man persuaded
himself until the last moment that he would not be
executed, and when he was led forth to the fatal drop
a fearful scene took place. He struggled violently,
and succeeded in extricating one of his legs from the
cords in which he was bound. He was again tied by
the executioner, but he laid down on the platform and
refused to stand up. Three men were got to raise and
hold him up, and the rope was placed about his neck.
The trapdoor was let down, but the prisoner fell on the
platform. The trapdoor being again raised, and the
prisoner placed upon it, the bolt was drawn, and he
was launched into eternity without any further struggle.
—Cohmiat, April 23.
ARISTOCRATIC FooT-Eaciam.—Last week a foot- 1
race was run over the. Bogside Steeplechase Course,
between two of the "upper crust," which, for time
and endurance, has seldom been equalled evert by pro-
fessionals, (remarks a Glasgow paper.) The affair
originated in a discussion at Egrington Cantle 88 to the
time it would take to go the course, which ended in
a match being pot up between the Marquis of Queens-
berry and Mr. Cotton, of the 100 h Regiment, to run
the course-3i miles, including the brook, twelve feet
of water, with a fence on the take-off. One or two
heavy bets depended on the result. They started at
scratch, the marquis making the running. Both got
cleverly over the brook, and the rest of the fences
were cleared in a sportsmanlike manner, ending in a
close thing. Cotton putting on a spurt at the finish
beat his lordship by six yards. Time, 24 min. 15 10T.,
which may be considered one of the best performances
on record.
SIR WILFRID LAWSON'S PERMISSIVE PROUIBI-
TORY BILL.—If "People can't be made good by Act
of Parliament," how can we have any faith in the
Temperance that's Law's son I—Punch.
SUFFOCATION IN A TURKISH BATIL—An in-
quest was held at Leicester on Sunday evening on the
body of Albert Samuels, a carpenter, aged thirty-seven,
who was found early that morning suffocated in a
Turkish bath. Deceased, who resided with his father,
the manager of the bathe, retired to rest about half-past
ten o'clock on Saturday night. Towards one o'clock in
the morning Mr. Samuels, Ben., heard some One going
down stairs but took no notice of it, thinking it was his

son. On getting up he proceeded to the "sweating
room" of the baths for the purpose of opening the place.
On opening the door deceased was found to be lying
on the couch with his head against the flue. He was
quite dead, and had on only his trousers, stockings,
and night-shirt. Dr. Blunt was called in, and found
that the "sweating-room" then showed 142 degrees of
temperature. It was thought that deceased on Satur-
day night had forgotten to put in the bath a bag of
horsehair for the purpose of destroying the moths in
it, and that he went .down stairs early on Sunday
morning to put it in prior to the opening of the bathe,
and that when in the "sweating-room" he either fell
down in a fit and was suffocated, or, being drowsy, fell
down and was so suffocated. A verdict of Death from
Suffocation was returned.
A BELLIGERENT YANKEE.—On Tuesday even-
ing an assault of an extraordinary nature was made
upon the Detective Office, Dale-street, Liverpool.
Shortly after ten o'clock one of the large window panes
was smaahed with a tremendous crash, which caused
every man on duty to rush to the strect. They presently
returne I with an cooler-sized man in custody, whom. a
charged with breaking the window and who admitted
his guilt by gently remarking, "I did it on purpose."
Being further interrogated, he said he was an American
just come into Liverpool, and be bad smashed the
window with a view to be taken care of, as he did not
know where to get a breakfast. The entertaning of
this Yankee visitor to breakfast will cost the rate-
payers of Liverpool about 30s.
THE Klett PozzLE.—Certalnly, the Irish are a
riddle. If it is proposed to treat them exactly as if
they were English, there is a blaze about our Philis-
tinism, and non-understanding of nationality. But
when they practise 'wild justice," and set law at de-
fiance, we are warned not to deal with them except by
the most scrupulous rules of English law. As their
own poet writ (of Love or Friendship)—
" Which shall It be—how shall we woo?
Erin, choose between the two." —Punch.
MELANCHOLY BOAT ACCIDENT OFF CANTYRE.
—On Monday afternoon, about two o'clock, the fishing
I smack Mystery, of Campbeltown, in company with a
number of other boats, set out from the harbour to
I proceed to the north herring fishing. She was manned
1 by a crew of six fishermen and ahoy. The wind,
which was moderate, was blowing from the east, and
the water was quite smooth. On Tuesday morning
Mr. Rae, seaman, Pans, brought to Campbeltown the
melancholy tidings that four dead bodies were found
among the rocks at Machrahanish, six miles to the
west of Campbeltown, which are identified as be-
longing to the above-mentioned vessel. The smack
was found lying on a rock about a mile from the shore.
The nets belonging to the Mystery were found lying
on a rock about a mile to the south-west of Pans. It
is stated that the men were somewhat intoxicated when
they left the harbour. The boy's throat was found to
be cut when his body was examined; but it is supposed
that this was done, not by any violence, but by the
curd which attached him to a buoy, by which he at-
tempted to save himself, getting entwined about his
neck.
A RETREAT FROM THE MARRIAGE MARKET.—
At a time when marriage, owing to the cost of house-
keeping and millinery, has become impossible for
gentlemen of limited means, and the generality of
young ladies are either eating their heads off or going
out as governesses, Paterfamilias and Mated
will rejoice to hear of an opening for any pictorial
talent their daughters may possess at 'The Female
Gallery of Art," established at 104, Great Russell
Street, Bloomsbury, "for the sale of works of art exe-
cuted by ladies only." We hope to hear that this in-
stitution is really selling pictures, not painters, and
shall then deviate from propriety of speech so far as to
say, with reference to the latter, that gals will do well
to try the above-named gallery.— Punch,
AN Otn ONE !—The following account of a re-
markable case of longevity is published in a ScotiW.
Canadian paper :
In Glengarry there feat present living a woman who Is 126
years of age, and who is still as active and as diligent in
attendance on hi, duties as sissy a woman who has not yet
reached sixty. She has frequently, during the past summer,
milked as many as twelve cows daily. fler noise is Anne
Campbell. She was born lathe Island of Syke, in the pap ten
of Braked ale. The greater part of her life was passed iii lice
native country, which, however, like so many others, she
left when already an old woman. At the age of eigkty-tive,
she emigrated to Canada, where, if she survive till nest fall,
she will have lived forty-two years, niaking her are 127 years.
Daring all this time she has never had occasion to seek
, medical aid, nor has she ever as much as tasted medicine.
I Her good health she hers--if attributes to having been much
, in contact with the breath of cattle. She is still in possession
of all her faculties
: FRENCH CARICATURE.—The Charirari (the
French Punch) announces that M. Emile 011ivier
refused his consent to the publication of a sketch in
which he was represented as a Turk. That journal
afterwards presented to the Prefecture of Police a
drawing representing M. Bancel tearing up a tree by
the roots, with this inscription b-low deracene
us oliritr." But the Prefect declared that even the
latter could not be published without the authorisation
of M. 011ivier, although he appeared in it only in the
form of a tree.
ILLNESS OF TDB EMPEROR OF RUSSlA.—AC-
cording to accounts from St. Petersbuni, the continued
indisposition of the Emperor Alexander is beginning te
cause uneasiness to his medical men. His Majesty, it
has been stated, was a few weeks ago crossing a bridge
in an open carriage with his eldest son when the
horses took fright, and dashing across the footpath,
were only prevented by the parapet from falling with
the vehicle into the river. The shock was, however, so
violent that fears were entertained that the Emperor
might have sustained some internal injury, and since
the injury he has been unwell. The belief is that the
Czar will try a cure at one of the German watering
places.
GOVERNMENT EcoNomv.—Money makes the
mare to go. It has coat £2,500 to make the Mayor of
Cork go 2—Judy.
VELOCIPEDES AND THE POST-OFFlCE.—li.untly,
as the centre of a wide district (says the Scotsman) has
a considerable number of country post messengers in
connection with its office. Some of them have very
long journeys to take; and the Forgive runner has
taken the initiative in doing the journey with a velo•
cipede. Last Saturday he began his journey in the
new fashion, and did the distance, (nine miles) in
about an hour. It is a double seated conveyance, very
light, seems easily propelled by two persons (who sit
facing each other), and goes at a rapid rate. If the
experiment succeeds for some time, our rural runners
will very soon anticipate the government by providing
themselves with velocipedes.—What says Punch in
his "Essence of Parliament," on the subject of veloci-
pedes for postmen
" We were told that in rural districts the postmen were,
if they liked, to ride on velocipede, or bicycles; but, said
Lord Hartington, pleasantly, as the art of riding those arti-
cles is not included in the Civil Service Examination, the
thing is to be optional. We can imagine rose-garlanded
Celia, in her arbour (0 thanks, Mr. Leslie), singing sweetly,
'Don't blame, dear Mamma, this ecstatical throb,
But the Bicycle Brought use a Billet from Bob.'"
DEATHS FROM L fGHT N N G.- —A letter from
Lectoure relates that two persons were last week
struck dead by lightning on the road to Terraube.
The police having received intelligence of the disaster,
proceeded to the spot, and found a four-wheeled
vehicle, on the meat of which were lying the corpses of
one Pierre Laffrague, a farmer, aged forty, and Marie,
his wife, aged thirty-five. No trace of burning ap-
peared on the body of the man, but that of the woman
was scorched in the upper part. The horse also had
been killed on the spot; but a young girl of fourteen,
the daughter of the tw o persons just mentioned, had
escaped without injury.

THE "ALABAMA' DIFFICULTY
SUMMARISED.
The Times in a leader on the Alabama question, which is
now assuming some Importance, thus sums up the whole
matter—
The latest phase of the Alabama controversy is now
presented to our view. The Americans, after rejecting
a Treaty concluded by their own representative, and
corsprising at least as many concessions as Englishmen
could be induced to make, have resolved on proposing
nothing in return. So far as they are concerned, the
question will be left open for future occasions, but, in
case we should be uneasy under this suspense, the
conditicns are indicated on which it may be possible
to treat. Mr. Sumner's speech, shorn of its extra-
vagance, must be taken as the basis of the new con-
vention. On that ground the Americans will meet us,
but on no other; and if we desire such a conference,
the overtures must proceed from ourselves. That is
the footing on which the case must now be presumed
to stand, and, to a certain extent, the position may be
regarded as unobjectionable....
We are no longer in any doubt as to the true nature of
the American claim'. Their grievance is not a
material grievance; it is only for the convenience
of expression that it is presented in a material shape.
The Americans do not venture to say in plain terms
that we have offended them by our want of sympathy;
they know that "unfriendliness" is not a breach
of international law. But they fasten on certain
acts which may admit of discussion, and they trace
the origin of those proceedings to an unfriendly spirit,
so that in proposing or accepting negotiations they
may claim to have that spirit itself, as well as
the overt acts with which they connect it, sub-
mitted to the award of arbitrators. In plain English
their averment comes to this—that except for the
Queen's Proclamation of Neutrality, the Alabama
would never have been sent to sea. We may venture
to affirm that no reasonable American really believes
in that argument, or supposes that the escape of the
Confederate cruiser was, due to concealed hostility ;
but the material results admit of representation,
whereas the alleged causes do not. If we had been
content to imagine a war without belligerents
and a blockade without neutrals, we should have
heard little or nothing of any accidents of the
contest. Our offence—our real and sole offence—
is that we were not so considerate, and that want of
consideration the Americans resent by insisting on
bringing us to trial for it. As such a charge, having
never yet been preferred by one independent nation
akainst another, could not stand alone, it is embodied
in a claim of damage for losses ensuing. Whatever
may be the issue, we must be put upon our defence
for having an opinion of our own upon the American
quarrel, and even if we are not ultimately directed to
apologise, we must appear before the arbitrators with
the liability to such a sentence. That is the reparation
which those who think with Mr. Sumner desire to
obtain for their "massive grievance." We shall do
both countries good service by saying in the fewest but
the plainest words possible that it well never be given.
We may add just one more remark—that never before
in the history of civilised States was such a thing so
much as asked for
If we were "unfriendly in 1861," what were the
Americans in 1854, when they expressed undisguised
sympathy with our enemy, and unqualified delight at
our difficulties and disasters? "Sebastopol not taken
yet" was the welcome placard on the arrival of every
steamer with fresh news, and, indeed, with a single
exception. we might discover and produce proofs of
similar unfriendliness in every hour of our trouble. It
has pleased the Americans, for the last three or four
years, to consiler that they had a claim upon us for
especial amity and regard when their own turn of trial
came. If they will but look back without prejudice to
the speeches and writings of their public men during
the loot generation, they must soon be disabused of
their illusion.....
We did beyond doubt treat a Civil War in Amerie

as if it were an ordinary war, inntead of regarding it
as something altogether exceptional and beyond the
application of ordinary rules. It is even possible that
the Confederates were encouraged by the recognition
inevitably accorded to them by France and England,
but can any American with common justice limit
his view to those points! It is no secret that the
leaders of the Secession did build their hopes to a
great extent upon the action of this country. They
confidently calgulated not only on "recognition." but
on intervention. They believed that our position of
neutrality—that very position of which the Ame-
ricans now complain must perforce have been
abandoned for active interference. King Cotton,
they said, would have his way, and drive our
manufacturers to raise the blockade. That such,
indeed, would be the result sooner or later the
Feelerals themselves anticipated, and their ex-
pressions of alarm and remonstrance became louder
and more earnest by every successive maiL
There wss a time when the Americans would
have made any bargain with us to avert this
dreaded intervention, and at that same time, as they
well know, we were pressed to intervene by an ally so
powerful that if the combined weight of the two nations
had been thrown into the scale against the North, the
Southern half of the Union would never have been re-
covered. Yet we resisted these solicitations, and we
endured the loss of the greatest trade in the world,
rather than depart from that neutrality for which we
are now prosecuted.
Mr. Sumner says we are chargeable for half the war
—do those who approve his words forget that Mr.
Jefferson Davis said the very same thing? The Con-
federate President declared in the heat of the contest
that, but for the prodigious supplies which the
Federals drew from this country, the war would not
have lasted six months. Mr. Adams in his cor-
respondence with Lord Russell made admissions
to the same effect. All intelligent Americans
know, and all candid Americans would admit, that
the conduct of our Government during their Civil War
either was, or was intended to be, void of offence to-
wards them. If the private opinions or sympathies
of a people are to be now made, for the first time in
history, &subject of international litigation, the Ame-
ricans should then ask themselves to what counter-
charges they would themselves be liable in a cause so
founded ; but the wiser course is to put ouch matters
out of the question altogether, and confine the scope of
diplomatic negotiations to such affairs as are within the
cognizance of public law.