The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-07-08 00:00:00

Visallantous JIttIIXnCt,

HOME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL.

WASTE or TROUBLE.—It is asserted that, on
ac.:ount of his German name, the owner of Ksber, the
winner of the Derby, to prevent the possibility of any
unpleasant demonstrations in France, has deemed it
prudent to appeal to the Paris press for full publicity
for the fact that he and his noble animal are Horse-
trian s._7Judy.

A NOVEL CONTEST.—An lowa paper records
the following curious contest :—Last Saturday two
girls, pupils of an Illinois seminary, were about
leaving their room for church, when a dispute arose
as to which had occupied the most time in dressing.
The discussion waxed warm, a bet was made to be
decided on the spot, and three other girls were called
in as judges. The contestants removed all their
clothing, and at the ciii of Time spring to the con-
test. For a few moments the air seemed filled with
fly ing bits of feminine drapery—shoes, stockings.
garters, ribbons and hair—and the winner was all
hooked up and had her bonnet en in seven minutes and
thirteen seconds, the other girl coming out less thtn
half a minute behind.
EMIGRATION.—The new Clyde-built iron ship
Famenoth sailed from Greenock for Brisbane, Queens-
land, on the 28.1 ult., having en board the following
emigrants-133 single men, 66 single women, 32
married couples, 48 children between the ages of 12
and one, and seven infants, making a total
_Qf 318
souls, equal to 287 adults. The single womTh are
under the charge of Mrs. Boyd, Dr. J. R. Josephs
acting as.surgeon superinten4ent.—On Satnrdsy even-
ing, Wilms. Money Wigram and Sons' steamship
Somersetshire, Captain H. F. Holt, was despatched
from Plymouth for Melbourne. She has on board 70
first and 210 second and third class passengers, end a
full general cargo.—The ship Trevelyan, 1 042 tons,
chartered by the Agent-General for Sluth Australia,
Sailed from Plymouth on Friday for Port Adelaide,
with 344 enuierants, under the charge of Dr. Bailey,
surgeon superintendent; 65 single young women are
under the charge of the matron, Mrs. Ennis, _

LORD RUrSELL AND SERVIA.—Lord Russell
hag addreesed the following letter to L)rd GraLville :
"Pernbroke-lodge, Itlchnioud Park, July 3, 1876

Doer Lord Granville,—l am not able to attend the House
of Lords to-day It appears to me that the time has come at
which the policy of Mr. Canning of 7827 ought to be renewed,
On July 6 of that year a Treaty was entered into between the
Ring of Great Britain, the Emperor of Ruisia. and the liirg
of France. It strikes me that the time has come when that
policy should ba renewed. The policy which England
adopteel in 1791, and which was the polby of Mr. Pitt, is now
worn out. A Treaty can now be renewed between the Queen
of Great Britain, the Emperor of Russia, and the Repuolic of
France. The policy which at that time, and under the
guidance of Lord Palmerston, was directed to the inde-
pendence of Greece could now be directed to the inde-
pendence of Servia. I trust this policy will be made ap-
plicable to Servia, as Mr. Canning and Lord Palmerston made
It applicable to Greece remain, &u, RUSSELL"
AN' IMPROVEMENT ON EXPRESS TRAINS.
Dynamite is being used to uproot a number of fine
old trees on the Duke of Hamilton's estate, and the
process is remarkably expeditious. They put a little
bit of the stuff, about as la'g as a walnut, in a hole at
the foot of the trunk, and in one instant after it
explodes the tree fa in the next county, roots and all.
A man who wanted to go anywhere quickly c mid not
employ anything more likely to carry out his wishes.—
Judy.
HINTS ABOUT RHEUMATISM. The Jourual
dcs Connuissances lifedicules contains a review of
certain curious observations made by Dr. G. Esbach
on the conformation of the fingers in various dis-
eases. In persons that perspire easily, or in the
case of disorders that induce profuse perspiration, such
as rheumatism, typhus fever, &c., the transversal cur-
vature of the nail is Increased to exaggeration. This symp-
tom, which scarcely ever fails to present itself in rheu-
matic subjects, has led Dr. Esbach to establish by a
statistical method the sudoral etiology of that affection,
and in the immense majority of cases he has found the
following results :—A man who perspires easily, and
who inhabits a ground floor, becomes sooner or later
rheumatic; if, on the contrary, he lives in a dry apart-
ment he is never troubled with that malady. On the
other hand a man who is not subject to perspiration
may live in a damp room with impunity. Rheumatism
appears thus to be placed on its real ground • damp-
ness may be the cause of it, but only in such habits as
perspire freely.
A NEW " INDIA-RUBBER " PLANT. Caout-
chouc—or "india rubber," as we have somewhat
unhappily called it (says tire Standard) is now ex-
tensively used in all manner of manufacturers, espe-
cially since the process of vulcanisation was introduced.
We are glad, therefore, to see that the Technologist
announces the discovery of a new source of this valu-
able ggna in Burmah. The plant now discovered can
be made by cultivation— so report says—to held an
abundant supply. It is described as "a climbing plant,
bearing the botantical name of chavanncssa gculcnta,"
and is very abundant in the Burmese forest's: It is
cultivated for its fruit, which is found to possess a very
agreeable acidity. In the same country is another
plant having the name anodendron penicalatum, which
also furnishes a similiar gum, but of very inferior
quality. That given by the chavannesia is said to be
very pure and excellently adapted for commercial pur-
poses. It is to be hoped that this news is true, for
although we have not, perhaps a tight to complain of
the price of india rubber as being at all excessive, it is
yet a vary decided advantage to be able to draw a sup-
ply from several sources.

- -
DEER FORESTS. —A correspondent writes to
The Times :—" While accounts from the moors con-
tinue to be most favourable, deer forests also promi-e
excellent sport, stags and hinds having pulled through
the severe winter and sprirg remarkably well. The
calves are reported strong, and hardly a barren hind is
to be seen. Many of the forests are, indeed, over-
stocked, as deer are observed to roam far beyond their
ordinary bounds. The high swards are all that can be
desired. Heads will be exceptionally good, and many
royals must fall to the stalker's rifle. The demand for
forests is unprecedented, notwithstanding the mar-
vellously high rents, which have increased twenty
times in value in as marly years. Sir John W. Ramsden
gets £3,500 fc-r Ardverikie, Inverness shire, for two
months, and for Ben Alder £3OOO per aneurn. The
annual value of shootings in this county alone amounts
to nearly £52,000, and a competent authority estimates
the total annual value of 'sporting rents' in shootings,
deer forests, and &hinge in the counties of Inverness
and Ross at about £BO,OOO.
AN UNTIMELY END.—The remains of Miss
Edith Liddell, third daughter of the Very Rev.
the Dean of Christ Church, who did at the age
of 23, were on Friday (.he 30th nit.), interred just out-
side the Cathedral of Christ Church. The pall bearers
were Prince Lsopold, the rector of Exeter (Dr. Light-
foot), Bodiey's Librarian (the Rev.. H. 0 Coxel. Dr.
and Lady Acland, Dr. Freeborn, and the Rev. H. L.
Thomson. Miss Liddell attended the Cathedral on
Show Sunday, hut feeling unwell, returned to the
deanery before the conclusion of the service. Since
that time she did not leave her home. She expired
from inflammation consequent upon a severe cold on
Monday last. Miss Liddell had lately become engaged
to Mr. Aubrey Harcourt, only son of Mr. and Lady
Harcourt, of Nuneham-park, who acted as chief
mourner. The Queen, it is understood, sent a letter
of condolence to the Dean and Mrs. Lidciall.
THE STUDY or LANCIIIAGES.—The Educa,
tion Department, referring in their Report to the
"additional subject " of languages in the examination
of candidates for admission into training colleges at
Christmas, 1875, state that in England there were 121
papers worked in Latin by boys, but only 17 by girls;
in French, on the other hand, there were 305 papers
worked by girls, and 195 by boys. In Scotland, 188
boys and 304 girls were examined in languages; and in
Latin there were 160 papers werked by boys and only
nine by girls; but in French there were 290 papers
worked by girls and only 94 by boys. There were
very few papers worked in German-13 in England
and 10 In Scotland; and fewer still in Greek—one in
England and four in Scotland.
REeKoNING WITHOUT THEIR HOST. An

amusing story, which may be of some profit to believers
In spirits, is told by a Paris paper. A few days ago, a
student died without the orthodox ceremony of con-
fession, in a boarding-house frequented by the sons of
strictly Catholic families. The deceased was buried
in due course, but immediately after, the inmates of
the house pretended that his ghost returned every
night to the room where he died, and wandered round
the hcd in despair. Needlees to say nobody could he
got to c-upy the chid:iv-Tr. At last, however, a strident
of a lees superA lions nature arrived, and consented
to sleep in the haunted room. But two of the old
lodgers, annoyed with his incredulity, determined to
convince him against his will. They covered them-
selves up in sheets, and as the clock struck midnight,
glided into the chamber, muttering the most awful
groans. But they had reckoned without their host,
who, having his suspicions, also put on a sheet, and
hid himself in the cupboard, and, as the two disguised
lodgeis stalked round the bed, ho quietly came out of
his retreat and followed them. They no sooner caught
sigbt of him than they rushed off tremblukg, and the
next morning paid their bill and left thehouse, firm
conyerts to spiritnalisM: