The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-03-29 00:00:00

Ulisallantous 4nitirigtart.

HOME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL.

FOUND DEAD.—On Saturday afternoon two water-
men discovered floating near one of the pi of Kew-
bridge the body of Mr. Henry Messum, a member of
the firm of barge and boat builders of Richmond, who
had been missing from home since the night of the 11th
inst. The features were much bruised and swollen, but
the body was but little decomposed. The deceased's
gold scarf pin and watch and chain were found upon
him. It is conjectured that in the dark the unfortunate
man may have slipped from the boat-raft attached to
his premises and have become entangled in the gear.
A few years ago Messum was a sculler of some skill.
He won Doggett's coat and badge, a Putney coat and
badge, and numerous other distinctions. He was about
33 years of age.
DEATH OF COUNT ADLERBETtG.—A St. Petersburg
telegram announces the death of Count Wladimir
Adlerberg, at the advanced age of ninety-four. The
deceased General, who was born in 1790, entered the
Army at the age of twenty-one, and took part in the
campaign which ended in the victorious entry of. the
Allies in Paris in 1814. He was thus a companion in
arms of the German Empf ror in his first campaign.
The Czar Nicholas placed singular confidence in the
deceased General, whom, in 1852, he appointed Minister
of the Imperial Court, an office which he held until
1872, when he was succeeded by his son, Count Alex-
ander, and in his will the Czar recommended Count
Adlerberg to his successor as his best friend.
ROBBERIES AT A DUTCH POST OFFICE.—.Under date
Breda, Sunday, the correspondent of the " Standard "
writes: A few weeks ago an important robbery took
place at our post office. The box in which the regis-
tered letters are contained was stolen during the night,
and found in a channel two days later. A great num-
ber of letters, containing above twenty thousand
guilders in bank notes and nearly thirty thousand
guilders in foreign bonds, were missed. After a long
inquiry the thieves have been discovered. They are a
postman named Moors, a tailor of the name of Van
Hal, and a cigar maker named Ballantyn. They were
arrested yesterday, and have confessed the crime. The
bank notes were found in the tailor's house behind the
tapestry of the room. The foreign bonds have been
burned. It is said that the prisoners have been con-
cerned in other robberies.
SINGULAR ACCIDENT AT A BOARD SCHOOL—An in-
quest was held on Saturday at Manchester on the body
of Mary Ellen Baker, who met with her death on the
previous day. She attended a Board School at Har-
purhey, a suburb of the city, and about five minutes
before two o'clockz while the bell was being rung for
afternoon lessons it fell from the turret in which it was
suspended, and ;truck her. The bell weighed about
801 h., and was hung in an open turret about fifty feet
from the ground. Death was instantaneous. The bell
struck her on the top of the head, and cut out a large
piece of her skull, which was picked up after the body
had been removed. Some short time ago the tongue of
the bell fell into the street, and struck a woman on the
shoulder.

PEDESTRIANISM UNDER DIFFICULTIES.—An evening
paper says: Perhaps some doubt may be entertained
as to the truth of the following story: A pedestrian
at Meriden, Conn., wagered $5 that he could run
three and a half miles in thirty minutes, and giving
the man with whom he bet permission to choose the
track. The track agreed upon was about a red-hot
stove, around which 176 laps had to be made before a
mile was completed. The pedestrian started, and
was making rapid progress until the 400th lap, when
he fell to the floor insensible.
- SERIOUS EXPLOSION AT A ElosprrAL.—An explosion
of a serious character occurred on Saturday afternoon
at the Royal Hospital, Belfast, in a ward containing
about 20 patients. The explosion took the form of a
loud detonation, followed by clouds of dust and mortar,
which greatly alarmed the patients. The door of the
ward was blown off its hinges and thrown bodily on to
the landing oulside; a gas bracket was wrenched from
its fastenings on the wall, and the greater portion of
the ceiling fell in. Fortunately, none of the patients
were injured, and they were without delay removed and'
distributed amongst the other wards. It was then dis-
covered that some of the rafters of the ceiling had taken
fire, but the flames were speedily extinguished. The
explosion is believed to have been caused by an escape
of gas.
FATAL BOAT ACCIDENT.—Another serious fatality is
reported to have occurred on the west coast of Scot-
land during the storm of Thursday in last week. Two
fishing skiffs left Ballantrae, on the Ayrshire coast,
about three o'clock on Wednesday and proceeded
northwards for Tighnabruaich: In the course of the
storm one of them was lost sight of by the other, and
as she has not since been heard of she must have cap-
sized and been lost. There were four men on board
the boat at the time—the skipper, his son, and two
able seamen.

LOSSES AT SEA.—A Parliamentary return has been
issued giving the loss qf life in ships registered at ports
of the United Kingdoiii reported to the Board of Trade
as having foundered (otherwise than through collision)
and as missing during each of the 10 years ending
June 30, 1883 (excluding fishing vessels). For 1874 the
loss is put down as 244 vessels and 2027 lives; in 1882
the vessels numbered only two less-242, while the loss
of life amounted to 1834; the figures for the year which
ended on June 30 last are 197 shins and 1309 lives.

,

SCOTCH AND IRISH EXPENDITITILE.—A return just,
issued of the Exchequer receipts and expenditure for
Scotland and Ireland shows a total expenditure of
52,635,515 and £7,011,422 respectively, the totalrevenues
being £9,137,936 for Scotland and £8,194,898 for Ire-
land. The Exchequer, therefore, derives £6,472,421
from Scotland, and £1,133,466 from Ireland, in the
accounts of which latter country the expenditure on
military forces and police amounts to more than 3±
millions. _

PROVING ONE'S OWN WILL—Ex-Surrogate Hull has
introduced a bill into the New York Legislature, the
object of which is to enable a testator to prove his own
will while living. The bill is strongly supported. It
proposes to allow the contents of a will so proved to
remain secret until the testator's death, but to this many
of the supporters of the main principle are adverse.
Similar bills have been introduced into the Maryland
and Michigan Legislatures. _ _

RAILWAY ACCIDENT IN DON.—On Saturday after-
noon a collision occurred between two trains close to
Stepney Railway Station—between a train coining from
Fenchurch-street, bound for Woolwich, and another
which was proceeding Citywards from Tilbury. The
latter train appears to have beenjust croising the points
which adjoin the station when the Woolwich train ran into
it. A scene of great confusion and alarm prevailed, and it
was feared that several persons had been killed. For-
tunately this was not the case, but upwards of 20 per-
sons received injuries, some of them of a severe nature.
The more seriously injured were at once removed in
cabs to surgeons in the vicinity or to the London Hos-
pital, those who were less injured proceeding to their
homes.

JEFFERSON DAVIS.—The "New York Herald" has
the following: "Jackson, Miss., March 10, 1884.
Jefferson Davis, having been invited by the Legislature
to deliver an address on the life of S. S. Prentiss,
appeared in the House to-day, and made a short speech.
He said he regretted that he could not deliVer an address
on account of physical inability. He touchingly re-
ferred to his past history and that of the State, and
said that although he was deprived of his many rights
as a citizen of the United States, he yet claimed that he
enjoyed the privilege of being a Mississippian. Although
living in retirement, he watched with deep interest the
progress of the States of the South, which he believed
destined to great achievements. All the State officers,
Supreme Court Judges, and many citizens and ladies
were present."
SINGULAR DEATH OF A LADY.—In London on Sunday
night a woman unknown expired in the Boys' Ward of
the Royal Free Hospital. About two o'clock in the
afternoon the conductor of a Favourite omnibus, pro-
ceeding westward, was hailed at Chadwell-street by a
well-dressed woman, who took a seat inside. While
the vehicle was going down the steep incline of Mount
Pleasant she uttered a peculiar noise. The vehicle
was stopped, and she was assisted out. A Mrs. '
Chamberlain, who came to her assistance, took out of
her mouth some false teeth, some of which had got
fixed in her throat. The deceased was taken to the
hospital, where she afterwards died. She had in her
possession a small red leather bag containing two
purses, one a steel chain purse, the other of worked silk
lined with washed leather. There was nothing on her
that gave her name or address.
THE FISHERIES..The reports from the Tweed state
that the fishings are very unsatisfactory at present.
Very few salmon have been got, and the prices are very
high. On Saturday the prices were—salmon 25., and trout
2s. per lb. In the corresponding week of last year the
prices were—salmon is. 4d., and trout Is. 9d. The
arrivals of salmon at Billingsgate from Berwick for the
week ending March 12 are 23, compared with 15 for
the corresponding week last year. The Mevagissey
boats are prosecuting mackerel fishing with fair success,
and this week report catches amounting to 46,000 fish.
The pilchard boats have landed 73,000 fish. The
Mount's Bay boats have not as yet done much. One
boat at Newlyn on Friday brought in 2500 mackerel.
Prices: Mackerel, from 235. to 435. per 100; pilchards,
Bs. to 10s. per 1000. A few thousand herrings at Meva-
gissey fetched ss. to Os. per 100. Conger, 18s per cwt.;
hug, 2s. each: hake, is. 6d..: ray and skate, 6s. to 9s. per
dozen.

THE WELSH OREHATIONIST.—Dr. Price, the Welsh
Druid, who was recently tried and acquitted of having
indecently cremated the body of his child, has at last
succeeded in accomplishing his object. On Friday
morning in last week he fixed three hurdles on a hill,
then had half a ton of coals piled within the triangle
thus formed, and upon a pair of large iron grates he
placed a box containing the body of the child, wrapped
in napkins. Petroleum was thrown over the coals, and
this served to make the pile a mass of fire as soon as
ignition took place. The Druid, with a large shawl
thrown over his shoulders, was present during the
process, and chanted an ancient sacred song, in the
presence of a numt-er of women, who climbed the hill
and peered over the fence to catch a glimpse of the pro-
ceedings. He promises to cremate his bull " Morgan "
in a similar manner after he has died a natural death.
CORONERS.—A Parliamentary return gives the number
of coroners for counties, boroughs, and other places in
England and Wales, together with the salaries and
emoluments paid to each. There are 198 county
coroners in England and thirty in Wales, while there
are 116 borough coroners in England and five in Wales.
The largest individual salary received is £2207 by the
coroner for East Middlesex, the Central Middlesex
coroner receiving £2099, the coroner for Liverpool
£1.500, and the coroner of the City of London and
Borough of Southwark .£lOl5.
AVERAGE PRICES OF BRITISH ConN.—The following
are the average prices of British corn for last week, as
received from the inspectors and officers of Excise:
Wheat, 375. 7d.; barley, 31s. 5d.; oats, 19s. 10d. per
imperial quarter. Corresponding week last year:
Wheat, 425. 4d.; barley, 335. 3d. • oats, 225. id.
MAD DOGS AT LIMERICE..—n unusual occurrence
took place in Limerick city on Friday night in last
week. A large setter dog, supposod to be affected with
rabies, broke loose into a paddock on King's Island,
where he worried and destroyed numerous sheep. The
dog was frightened off by some workmen, and then
rushed up Nicholas-street and Mary-street, the people
flying in terror before him. The occurrence helped to
attract a crowd of some 500 persons, who did not
venture neat the animal. Ultimately a party of police
sallied out from Mary-street Barrack, and one of them,
Constable Naylor, despatched the animal by running
his bayonet through its body. Almost immediately a
second dog appeared, showing unmistakable symptoms
of madness, snapping at several people. A child, who
was badly bitten by the animal, had to be removed to
Barrington's Hospital for treatment. The services of
the police were again called in, and the second dog,
after an exciting chase, was bayoneted by Constable
Naylor.
AN IMPROVED FUDDLING FURNACE.—An improved.
puddling furnace has recently been started by the
Bethlehem Iron Company, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania,
after designs by Mr. William Stubblebine, foreman of.,
the department. An addition has been built to a
puddling furnace, and, while one heat is being worked
in it, the pig-iron for the next heat is heated by what
is called a stove, which is in the furnace. . When the
next heat is drawn the heated iron for the next is
pushed into the working chamber, and in a short time
is also ready: to be drawn. By this improvement an
hour's time is saved in the working of each heat, and
also a large amount of coal. In the old furnaces,
when a heat of iron has been drawn, the furnace grows
cold, and before working another heat, it becomes
necessary to fire up, thus wasting some forty-five
minutes. It is stated that the new furnace is doing
well. The day turn charges seven heats, 11001bs. of
pig iron to each heat, which yields 78681b5. of bar iron.
The night turn charges eight heats, 11001bs. of pig-iron
to each heat, which yields 88301bs. of bar iron.
WOMEN AND THE FRANCHISE.—A national demon-
stration of the women of Scotland, in support of the
extension of the parliamentary franchise to women
was held on Saturday night at Edinburgh. The meet-
ing was large and representative, and the utmost
enthusiasm prevailed. Miss Todd (Belfast), Mrs.
Oliver Scatchered (Leeds), Miss Flora Stevenson (Edin-
burgh School Board), Mrs. Duncan 31‘Laren (Edinburgh,
sister of Mr. Bright), Miss Balgarnie (Scarborough),
Mrs. Ormiston Chant (London), Miss Moir (Edinburgh),
and Mrs. Lindsay (Glasgow) addressed the meeting.
Resolutions were passed in favour of the object for
which it had been called, and it was resolved to send a
memorial to the Prime Minister requesting the Gwern-
ment not to offer opposition to the claims of women
householders, but to allow the question to be treated as
an open one among their supporters, and to send peti-
tions to both Houses of Parliament based on the fore-
going resolution.