The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-06-22 00:00:00

Vistritaneous fltelligence.
HOME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL

AMERICAN MEAT AND LIVE STOCK.—The quantity
of fresh beef brought to Liverpool last week was
about the average, and several hundred quarters above
the former week, while as regards live stock there was
a reduction on the previous week. Five steamers
arrived conveying the dead meat and three with live
cattle, the figures being 5,207 quarters of beef and 100
carcases of mutton, and 1,081 head of cattle, 60 sheep,
and 700 pigs, as well as 58 horses. There were tae
arrivals of fresh butter.
A BRIG 0' BRIGS.—The Dundee Tay Bridge,
lately opened, is the longest hi the world. A worthy
Scotch Correspondent, with characteristic readiness of
" wut," proposes it should be called the Bridge of
Size.—Punch.
SUNDAY CLOSING IN IRELAND.—On Saturday the
Sale of Intoxicating Liquors on Sunday (Ireland) Bill
was reprinted as amended in committee. The Bill,
which now consists of seven clauses, prohibits the sale
of intoxicating liquors on Sunday throughout the
whole of Ireland, except within the Metropolitan
Police District of Dublin and Belfast, Cork, Limerick,
and Waterford, where the hours of sale are limited to
between two p.m. and seven p.m. The Act, if passed,
will come into operation on the Ist of October, 1878,
but will only continue in force till December, 31, 1882,
unless Parliament shall otherwise determine.
VERY FRIGHTFUL (BUT IT CAN'T BE HELPED).—
Lady. I say, Conductor ?—Conductor. Yes, Marm.
Lady (who want's to go to Spurgeon's Tabernacle).
Do you go to Spurgeon's Tabernacle ?—Conductor.
No, Marm ; I don't go nowheres. No time.—Judy.
HYDROPHOBIA.—A Parliamentary return relating to
dog licences includes an account, supplied by the
Regigtrar-General, of the number of deaths from
hydrophoria in England and Wales down to the year
1876. They were 47 in 1875, and we find that the in-
creased to 53 in 1876. Of this last,number 10 occurred
in the West Riding of Yorkshire, 8 in Lancashire, 6
in the county of Durham, and 6 in the metropolis.
The total in the 11 years 1866-76 was 387, averaging 35
a year, but there were only 159 in the first six years,
and there were 228 in the following five years. Of
the whole 387 deaths no less than 118 occurred in
Lancashire, 72 in the West Riding, 41 in the metro-
polis, and 26 in Durham. Hydrophobia appears to be
almost unknown in the south-western counties, in the
eastern counties, the south midland, and Wales.
AUSTRALIAN SOVEREIGNS.—In the year 1877 the
Sydney Mint coined 1,590,000 sovereigns, and the
Mellsourne Mint 1,487,000 sovereigns and 80,000 half-
sovereigns. Since the opening of these two branches
of the Royal Mint, in 1855 and 1872 respectively, there
have been coined in them 47,620,500 sovereigns and
4,172,000 half-sovereigns. The Deputy Master of the
Mint states in his report this year that the uniform
accuracy of these coins, both as to weight and fineness,
continues to be well maintained.
FULNESS OF DETAIL.—No- newspaper reader can
fail to remark with satisfaction the fulness of detail
with which the proceedings at the Berlin Congress are
reported by "our special correspondents" (remarks
the Pall Mall Gazette). A few days ago we were care-
fully informed of the colour of the cloth on the horse-
shoe table at which the Plenipotentiaries are seated;
to-day we learn that Prince Gortschakoff eats straw-
berries. It is somewhat difficult, however, to under-
stand whether his Excellency finds that fruit agree
with him or not. One special correspondent
says that at the sitting of the Congress yesterday
afternoon 'all the members were present, Prince
Gortschakoff, after eating some strawberrie., recover-
ing sufficiently to attend." Another account says:
"Prince Gortschakoff was present, having recovered
from his indisposition, which was caused by eating
strawberries." Onee more, we read in one telegram
that "the Plenipotentiaries were dressed in black,"
while another says—" All the delegates, excepting
Mehemet Ali and Prince Bismarck, wore uniform.
The Turkish Envoy and the Prince wore plain clothes,
without orders." These slight discrepancies of course
cannot in any degree affect the confidence with which
we receive the statements made as to the actual trans-
actions of the Congress ; the inspiration of special cor-
respondents is evidentlY not plenary, but it doubtless
extends to all matters essential to be believed.
FLOUR FROM 5,000 MILES' DISTANCE. —The flour trade
may be interested in learning that a direct transit for
flour from Minnesota to Liverpool has been arranged,
wereby cartage, cooperage, handlings, and commis-
sions ere saved, and the flour delivered direct to the
consignees in 21 days, however distant. "The ar-
rangement, apparently simple, is comprehensive and
complex, and requires," says the St. Paul's Pioneer
Press, "the most perfect calculation and devoted
labour to successfully develope and accomplish it, both
in transportation and combination. The first ship-
ment amounted to 2,500 barrels, manufactured at
Minneapolis. It arrived on the 21st of May in 25
cars, which had been loaded on the 16th, and for-
warded by the Erie and North Shore Dispatch Line,
rid the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul, the
Michigan Central, the Great Western, and the Erie
Railways, and was the quickest freight-trip ever made
over the route named. It was shipped on the steamer
Australia (of the Anchor Line), to arrive in London
in less than 16 days from the time it left the Minnea-
polis Mills; and has, we presume, by this time been
sold, made into loaqes, and possibly devouredby Eng-
ish mouth s.—British Mercantile Gazette.
SAVINGS BANKS. —A Parliamentary return shows
that the amount of interest accrued in respect of the
securities standing to the credit of the fund for the
Bank for Savings in the year ended 20th November
_last was £1,336,075, and that the amount paid to the
trustees of savings banks, including the excess of in-
terest credited to the trustees by the National Debt
Commissioners, was £1,413,477. The total amount of
interest credited and paid to trustees of friendly
societies in the year ended 31st December last was
£66.635, and the interest accrued on securities standing
to the credit of the Post Office Savings Bank Fund
was £968,504.
GALLANT RESCUE.—Captain Gillett, R.N., the super-
intendent of the Warspite, training ship of the Marine
Society, moored off Charlton, reports that on the 14th
inst. one of the boys, named Thomas Baker, of Cowes,
Isle of Wight, was the means of saving a child's life.
The little one having been washed off the shore by the
swell of a passing steamer—the Warspite's jolly boat
not being far off—Baker, one of the crew, jumped
overboard, swam to the child, picked it up, and so
saved its life.
PYROTECHNY AND POLITICS.—A pyrotechnic display
at the Alexandra Palace the other evening included,
according to announcement, certain "Fire Portraits
of Her alajeaty's Ministers." This may be regarded
as rather a new thing in fireworks; though it has long
been customary for political pyrotechniste and pen-
men to show up Ministers in Squibs.—Punch.
THE OYSTER SPATTING SEABON.—The present cold
weather is causing great anxiety to oysterculturists,,
especially to those who have made the necessary pre-
parations to catch the young oysters should a "fall of
:Tat" occur this year. The same conditions that suit
gnats in the air suit also little oysters in the water.
The gnats only come out on warm, quiet days, and
under these favourable circumstances they may be
observed gambolling about among the trees ; should
cold and wind come on they immediately disappear.
When the young oysters are protruded from their
paternal shell they have power to swim by means of a
pad which is fringed with delicate cilias or hairs, by
the vibrations of which they are enabled to ascend or
descend in any direction they may think fit. In warm
sunshine these little oysters are very lively. In cold,
boisterous weather they fall to the bottom and perish.
The oysters this year began to show signs of spat as
early as May. We understand from an oyster mer-
chant, holding large oyster layings near the estuary of
the Thames, that the temperature of the water on
Thursday last was 59 deg. top, and bottom tempera-
ture 54 deg. only.—Dat7y News.

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