The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-01-04 00:00:00

ntisteliancuits

HOME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL.

QUESTIONABLE COMPLIMENTS. -To welcome the
New Year with a volley of ear trumpets. Or invite
the 0:d Year t') a farewell banquet served up on a
time-table.—Fun.

DISASTERS AT SEA.—There were 24 British and
foreign wrecks reported during the past week, making
the tofal for the present year 1,551, which shows a
decrease of 302 as compared with the corresponding;
period of last year. The approximate value of pro-
perty reported last was £480,000, including British
£300,000, and the aggregate tonnage represented about
14,000 tons.
AN OFFICIAL USE FOR THE BicvnE.—The Board
of Inland Revenue make a special annual allowance
to certain officers and supervisors towards the cost of
keeping a horse on account of the distmace covered by
them, the amount allowed to the latter being greater
than to the former. Several of the young riding
officers who are bicyclists have petitioned the Board
that they may use a machine instead of a horse, and
at the same tine reserve the albwance. The Board
have in several cases acceded to the applications where
the collectors have reported that it may be done with-
out detriment to the service.

THE POLICE AND THE DOG TAx.---A circular letter
has just emanated from Whitehall, by direction of the
Home Secretary, calling the attention of local govern-
ing bodies to the 23rd section of the Customs and
Revenue Act, 1878, under which prosecutions for
default in procuring doglicenses, which were renew-
able on Wednesday (the Ist), may be instituted by the
police. The communication says, "it appears to the
Secretary of State that the police have spec,al facili-
ties for conducting these prosecutions," and, pro-
viding that cate is taken to prevent their employment
on this service from unduly interfering with their ordi-
nary police duties," he is of opinion that it will be for
the public interest that they should avail themselves
of the powers referred to, the selection of cases fok
prosecution being left to their own discretion. With
a view to encouraging the police to take up this
matter, the Home Secretary adds that the Treasury
have authoriaglthe Commissioners of Inland Revenue
to pay a moielf of the costs incurred where the costs
are not recovered from the defendants; the revenue
collectors being instructed to pay over such moiety to
the proper officer of police every month or quarter, as
may be,agreed upon.

SPONTANEOUS GENERATION.—Professor Tyndall has
communicated to the Royal Society the results of
some further observations on infusions boiled in flasks
afterwards hermetically sealed (says The Times.) He
took with him to the Alps last summer 100 tubes of
infusions-50 containirg • turnip, and 50 containing
cucumber infusion. They were prepared at the labo-
ratory of the .Royal Institution, and boiled for five
minutes. Twenty flasks were broken in transit. The
80 remained pellucid, and the 20 were turbid with
organisms. A number of the 0 flasks had their ends
opened in air in which sawdust had been shaken up,
and all were soon turbid. Another set were infected
by water of a cascade derived from melting snow, and
in three days were thickly.icharged with organisms.
Another set was opened in pure air and remained
transparent. These results confirm Professor Tyedall's
previous observations.
BIRTHS, DEATHS. AND MARRIAGES IN PRUSSIA.—
The Prussian returns of births, deaths, and man iages
for the year 1877 have just been published. From
the figmes quoted in the German papers it appears
that 1,092,200 children were born in the year in ques-
tion, of whom 81,900 were illegitimate. The number,
for 1876 is stated t ) have been gt eater. There were
716,400 deaths, 878,500 of males and 337,900 of females.
Fourteen persons had reached the ace of 107 years, 223
the ace of 102 years, 3,553 we re between 97 and 88 years
old, 27,252 between 87 and 78, and 58,29 between 77
and 68. The number of marriages contracted was
210,300, aeainat 221,700 in 1876.
THE NEW ETIJ MOTOR.—Mr. Gary, the
inventor of the magnetic motor (says the New York
Times, in a communication from Boston), has about
completed his mode's, and the appearance of hi=
invention before the puldic in a decidedly practical
f ishion may b, looked for soon. He has been vieited
by many gentlemen, some well trained electricians,
and the belief—with some conviction—carried away is
that this persevering man has really made a great di,-
covery. Mr. Gary has now his little rotary engine
constantly running, and on his table three or four
groupes of magnets and bits of soft iron attached to
rough handles, with which he demonstrates his dis-
covery in a very simple way; and he daily most cheer-
fully and patiently receives all who call properly intro-
duced. It is probable that before long a formal.state
latent of the discovery and what it shows will he given
to the public from a source worthy of all confidence.
PEN-SIVENESS.—It is a very foolish thing to whisper
secrets to your quill; however faithful a servant it
may be, very likely it will split.—Judy.

THE SUNSHINE.—The Astronomer Royal reports
that the duration of registered bright sunshine last
week was 3''6 hours, the Eun being above the horizon
durkg 542 hours; the recorded duration of sunshine
was, therefore, equal to 7 per cent, of its possible
duration.

DEATHS OF CENTENARTANS.—The Glasgow Herald
records the deaths of two centenarians. A woman
named Helen Reid, or Campbell, a widow, died in the
early part of the week at Bridgeton, aged upwards of
100 years-102, it is believed. Mrs. Campbell was a
native of Perthshire, and her husband, who was a
shepherd in that county, predeceased her by a period
of over 32 years. She had been a hard-working
woman, and she used to say that she had wrought on
the harvest-field for nearly 60 successive years. She
had a large family, whl are now, of course, well
advanced in years, and are mostly abroad. Mrs.
Campbell losthersight many years ago, but she regained
it some 15 years since, and was able to read ordinary
print without the aid of spectacles. Within the last
five or six years she was able to walk to the house of
a blind woman named Elizabeth Martin, at 15, Date.
street, Bridgeton, and read the Bible to her. Indeed,
it was her custom to sit reading sermons and books
for hours at a time. Latterly her health failed her
considerably, but she was kindly attended to by her
daughter and son-in-law, and by a number of neigh-
bours.—There died in the Montrose poorhouse, at the
end of the last week, a woman named Mrs. Fairlie,
in the 102nd year of her age. Till within a week of
her death she was in possession of all her faculties.
AN INVITATION.—" There will be a turkey buried at
my house on the 28th. • You are respectfully invited
to attend" is the latest and most fashionable way of
invitinz a friend to take Thanksgiving dinner with
you. —Philadelphia Chronicle.

SKILFUL ANGLERS.—American Indians in Nevada
are remarkably skilful anglers, and their mode of
catching fish reeommends itself alike for simplicity and
success. The Platte fisherman grasps a small line
weighted at the other end with a small stone, and at
regular distances along the line he attaches a number
of hooks, made of rabbit-bones, in the form of a
narrow V, while to the angle of each V is fastened a
short line, made of sinews, and baited with a snail, or
anything eke the fish may fancy. The fish, swallowing
the bait and the line, swallows also the hook, which is
so acted upon by the tension of the line as to expand
its two prongs and fasten them firmly in the throat.
The victim then struggles and whirls about the line,
attracting all its family and neighbours to swallow the
same snare, until the angler counts a bite for every
single hook.
WILD ANIMALS IN ALGERIA. Wild anima's are
rapidly disappearing from Algeria. The French
Government pa 3 s up to £2 for every lion or panther
that is killed and about Is. 6d. for every jackal. In
1877 rewards we- re paid on 53 lions, 49 lionesses, 9 cubs;
530 panthers, 45 young panthers, 1,072 hywnets, and
14,784 jackals. Lions and panthers abound most
in the woody province of Constantine; hymnas are
most numerous in that of Oran, jackals in that of
Algiers. —Academy.
LOOKING AFTER THE SAVINGS' BANK BOOKS.—One
of the most troublesome bits ot business that the Post
Office Savings Bank has to do is to look after the books.
Depositors are always losing them. More than 2000,
new books had to be supplied last year. The books go
off in the most absurd manner. One depositor thong ht
it necessary to explain that while he was feeding his
pigs, a goat laid hold of his coat, from the pocket of
which the book fell out, and was forthwith chewed to
pieces But the funniest of all is the naive explana-
tion of a sergeant in the army, who says, simply, I
lost my book whilst in the act of measuring a recruit."
Every depositor has to state whether his address is
permanent. No question so shocks the religious minds
of some of the provident. " Here," they reply, "we
have no continuing city," or "This is not our rest, for
heaven is our home." Nobody, probably, would have
been angrier than the depositor who made that letter
return had his money been directed as he seemed to
wish, and he might have been informed, as the Post-
master- Gsm-ral tells the public, that the regulations
only provide for deposits from Englishmen. Much
more pointed was the reply of a countryman, "I don't
know what permanent is.
DEATH OF MRS. GROTE.—Mrs. Grote, the widow
of the historian of Greece, died on Sunday morning
at the Ridgeway, her country hou,e, near Guildford
in Surrey, at the age of 86. She was one of the most
•remarkable women of her generation. Her "Life" of
her husband and her other writings were instinct with
the finer qualities of mind, but her letters and her
conversation were better than her books. She retained
not only her thinking powers, but her warmth of
heart and her imagination to the last. Her house in
Savdle row has been for years the favoured resort of
many of the leading men of England and France, and
her loss will be deeply felt through a wide range of
cultivated society.—Monday's Times.
A Famous STREET.—In the midst of one of the
quarters of Paris which has undergone the most
magnificent transformations, there exists a street
which has been left intact, with its old houses and
legends of the seventh century (says the 4Court
Journal), it is the Rue de l'Arbre-Sec (vicus arboris
siccm), where during twelve centuries curious and
terrible events have taken place. In the middle of
this street, where the Rue de Rivoli crosses it, a
Queen of France, Brunehaut, was torn in pieces by
four horses in the year 612. At the time of the Fronde
this street was the scene of frequent collisions. It was
there that the Cardinal de Retz, in the year 1648 was
threatened by a rotisseur armed with a spit, and
mounted on a barricade. The Cardinal, although he
did not (mow him, had the presence of -mind to say,
"Wretch, if your father saw you!" and the wretch
decamped, thinking that the Cardinal was a friend of
the family. In the last house on the right lived, in
1672, Barnom, the first barber of Louis XIV. No.
52, with the sculptured balcony, was the hotel of
Tendon, baker to Louis XV. In 1769 there were
three famous caf4s in the streeti, much frequented by
the encyclopmiists. No. 3 was the famous hostelry of
the Mousqukaires. In this house have lived Count
Annibal de Coconas, Boniface, La Mole, D'Artagnan,
and so many other heroes.
LATEST FROM THE SEAT OF WAR.—" Superior
officers, when writing to their subordinates, are not to
sign themselves 'Yours to command,' &c. It looks
so conceited."— Orders of the Da y.—JudY•
SEVERE WINTERS.—An enumeration of all the
seiere winters in Europe during the last ten centuries,
made by the late M. Arago, and printed in the Paris
Advertiser of 1835, is of interest at the present season.
In 806 the Rhone was frozen ovtr ; the cold was from
18 .to 20 centigrade degrees below zero, In 1133 the
Po was frozen from Cremona to the sea; in 1234
loaded waggons crossed the Adriatic in front of
Venice; in 1305 all the rivers ef France were frozen
over; in 1324 it was possible to travel from Denmark
to ',Meek and Dantzic on the ice. In 1e334 all the
rivers of Provence and Italy were frozen; at Paris the
frost lasted two months and twenty days. In 1468 it
wee necessary to break up the wine in Flanders with
hetcbets, in order to serve it. out to the soldiers. In
1544 the same became requisite in France. In 1594
thei sea was frozen from Marseilles to Venice. In
1657 the Seine was entirely frozen over. In 1767 the
Seine was frczen for 35 successive days. In 1709 the
Adriatic and the Mediterranean froin Marseilles to
Genoa were frozen. In 1717 shops were established on
the Thames, and, finally, the Seine was entirely frozen
over in 1742, 1744, 1766, 1768, and 1829.
SiASONABLE BENEVOLENCE—Dame Nature set a
good example to the generous this Christroae The
frost itself began to give on Boxing-day.—Punc.h,
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Some ey ta hd et4wt hre write
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recipess inkfors
paper with a colourless solution of sugar of lead; if
the water that is used for the solution be pure, no
traceof the writing will remain when it becomes dry.
If we then hold the paper over a jet of sulphureted
hydrogen, the characters will immediately appear on
the paper, of an intense black colour. If writing be
executed with a dilute solution of sulphate of iron,
the invisible characters will appear of a beautiful blue,
if the dry paper be brushed over with a pencil full of a
solution of yellow prussiate of potash; or they will be
black, if a solution of tannin be substituted for the
prussiate. If the characters be written with a solution
of eultehate of copper, they will at once turn blue on
exposing to the vapours of ammonia.
SHIPBUILDING ON THE CLYDE.—The Scotsman pub-
lishers a report on the ell de snipbuildine trade for the
past year. In the numt;er of ships launched aim their
aggregate tonnage the returns bear a favourable com-
parison with those for the three preceding years. Two
hundred and seventy-nine vessels of 221,432 tons in all
were launched, as against 226 vessels of 168,000 tons
in 1877, 266 vessels of 204,770 tons in 1876, and 277
vessels of 228,200 tons aggregate in 1875. Compared
with last year there is a large increase in war vessels:
and in screw and paddle steamers, and a decided de-
crease in sailing vessels, and also.there is a marked
Forcr increase
ensuing
average size of the ships turned out.
g year (the Scotsman says) the prospects
are discouraging. There are at present only about
seventy vessels on the stocks, while at the correspond-
ing date last year 130 vessels were being built,

THE INCOME OF THE DUKE o CUMBERLAND.—Some 4
discussion having arisen with reference to the income
of H.R.8.. the Duke of Cumberland, the following -
statement may be of interest (says the Court
Journal) :—As far as we know, the Duke has au
annual revenue of 1,500,000 francs (C 00,000 from 4A
which, however, must be deducted about 500,000
francs (E 20,000 for psnsions paid to old functionaries
and servitors, and besides them the annual allowarat. -
made to the Queen and the Princess of Hanover, -
400,000 francs (C 16,000 There therefore only remain
to the Prince about 600,009 francs (22400). It is -
true that the Doke possesses besides the celebrated ,
trea.,ury callei the Hanoverian ilberkammer, which
comprises the plate of the Guelph family. This
treahure, which is now lying-in the cellars of the Bank -
of England, is valued at the sues of ten millions of
frar cs, The Prince is also the possessor of a collec-
tion of coins and -medals and art objects of very great 1
value. He has also a small palace at Penzing, small
place near Vienna.
A RETORT COURTEOUS. New Parlour - Maid. J..
"Here's a letter. Ma'am, if you please I "—New Mis-
tress. "Pray, Mary, are you not accustomed to Len
letters handed on a tray ? "—New Parlour-Maid,
"Yes, Ma'atn. But I didn't know cots was l"—Pclueh,
STANDING ROOM FOR THE HUMAN RACE.—An Eng-
lishman with a hobby has discovered that there in .
room for all creation on the Isle of Wight. According '
to the most recent estimate the population of ti-s,e ear th
is about 1,440,000.00. Two square feet of stan,ling
room being allotted to each individual, this nutnbex:
would cover 66.115 acres; and the area of the island is
03,341 acres. —Pacific Rural Prat
A DISTINCTION.—" So," said a young ladyerecently
to a merchant in Philadelphia "your pretty daughter
has married a rich husband. "Well," slowly replied tiro
fatlit r, "I believe she has married .a rich man, but X
understand he is a very poor husband."

"PENNY WISE AND POUND FOOLISH ! "—The rail'
way mail service in the United State* is threatened
with extinction in the interest of economy. The ap-
propriatiun made by Congress to maintain the exist-
ing service is insufficient for the purples, and the Post-
master-General, in a letter on the subject which he
has addressed to the SpeAker of the House of Repre-
sentatives, says that unless Congress makes an
additional appropriation he will be obliged to cause
the use of railway postal cars to be discontinued with
the beginning of the new year. He expresses bin
opinion that this step if carried out will occasion
great inconvenience to the public generally, as well ac
serious loss to the business interests of the country.
it will, also, he says, be a most disastrous blow to the
postal sj stem of the United States, and will'in the
end prove costly to the Government, inasmuch as more
will be required in the end to restore the postal car
service than will be saved by its discontinuance.
There is such a thing as being "penny wise and pound
foolish ; " a fact which is often forgotten by rigid
economists not only in America but also in this
country, where many of the "retrenchments "effected
of late years in public departments have had the most
costly results.—Pall Mall Gazette. -

A DANGEROUS CONNECTION.—A Connecticut man
has been badly poisoned by sucking whisky through
a lead pipe. Here is another "awful example," then,
for the temperance lecturer, who can see nothing but
evil in the connection 'twixt "pipe and glass."—Fun.

DEATH OF A VETERAN.—The death is announced of
Captain William Henry Baker, R.N., at the age of
eighty-two. He entered the navy in 1806. acted as
midshipman of the Cygnet at the capture of the Danish
brig Cnristian Land, of fourteen guns and sixty men,
and was in action with the enemy's batteries and gun-
boats, was employed in the :eptre at Walcheren, and
in 1809-10 witnessed, ia the West Indies, the destruc-
tion of the two French frigates Loire and Seine and
the capture of the island of Guadaloupe. While mid-
shipman of the Majestic, 74, he assisted at the
blockade of Boston, and was present in 1814 at the
capture of the French frigate Terpsichore, and in the
following year was, in company with the Endymion,
at the taking of the United States 44. gun frigate
President. He was advanced to the rank of com-
mander on the Ist of January, 1853, was made a
captain on the retired list in August, 1860, and was
awarded the naval pension of £65 a year in March,
1863. Captain Baker had also received the National
Lifeboat Institution's medal for courageous conduct.

ERVANTGALISM. - The following letter, given
verbatim ft literatim; was sent to a lady who require
a nurse (says the Mark Lane Express) :-
-

-
KIND 11AAM.—In repiy to your note I beg to state I have
not a likeness by me the weather have been so unfavourable
to it I thought I would wait no longer fearing you would
think I had forgotten you. Nistam you would like to know
my personal appearance? You I hope will excuse me when I
say I am a real unreserved Norfolk person not handsome nor
ugly I ?.m happy to say but among the medium nothing to be
proudof a very little to be ashamed of except that I am not
better at heart I 5111 not a person of dress but neat in my appart I
not very strong but enjoying very goon health. My last situation
of any account was with 3 ladle from whome I received 16
pounds and all found as I am an abstainer I prefer 30 shillings
a year in lieu of Beer. Masai I would wish yoii to right to
me unreservably what number of servants you keep in your
establishment; what means the morning envelope? why your
noise I,iavt s you? Maam ill come to you as nurse to your
3 dear children and attend to their wardrobe I shall expect
little else to do Satisfactory references can be forwarded of
my capabilities respectibility of carricter and family connec-
tion. Ha= wi 1 you send use word all particulars of your
place what denomination you belong church or descent and
what you expect of me.

A FIEND IN HUMAN SHAPE.—" Beg pardon, Sir!
But I've just caught these two young rase sls making
a slide in front of your doorstep, and they say as you
gave 'em permi&ion !"—" It's quite correct. I did,
policeman. The fact h, I expect my mother•in-law to
luncheon !"—Punch.

THE MILITIA. —A return issued from the War Office.
on Saturday shows the regimental strength of the
Militia. through mt the United Kingdom. The total
establishment, rank and file, is 127,724, accounted for
as follows ;—Eogland, 84,44; Scotland, 12,972;
Ireland, 30,348, Of these there were enrolled in the
Militia Reserves on the Ist of April, 1878—in Eng. ,
laud 15,902 ; in Scotland, 3,328) and in Ireland,
. . . .

5,70, showing a total of 23,028. 'T,he number of rank
and tile remaining after deducting the Militia Re'ierve
is—in England, 59,584; hiScotland, 8,107; in Ireland,
20,046; total, 87,737. And there are wanting to com-
plete the establishment 15,657—namely, in England,
9,503; in Scotland, 1,646; in Ireland, 4,508. The fact
that certain regiments have been permitted to enrol
supernumeraries accounts for a slight discrepancy in
the totals.

How To COOK BACON.—As few people know how
bacon ought to be cooked, I give the recipe for doing
it properly, and as it was told me by a man whom I
buy my bacon from. Cut the bacon int, thin slices,
put it in the oven in a plate, and just before it is to he
sent to the table frizz e the slices before the fire. They
require very little cooking after Wing in the oven.—
M. 0. in Land and Water.

" HARLEQUIN TEA SETS."—The curious practice
which has sptung up of late of having sets of
china composed of pieces of different patterns and
colours does not come into the fashionable but from
the trade side of the question (remarks the Court
Journal). A few seasons ago one of the lady leaders
of fashion, while inspecting the stock in a pottery
warehouse, was struck by the beauty and artistic
effect of a variegated tea set and wished to buy it.
The shopma,n explained that what she saw before her
was not a tea set, but only a collection of individual
patterns of different sets. All in vain: the lady would
have the collection as it.stood, and bought it at a fabu•
bus price. Her example spread, and so came into
fa-hien the so-called "harlequin tea sets," which it is
now the right thing for every lady, who has any pre-
tensions to bon ton, to possess.
T.ts SHE-E-W ! Since the introduction of the last
budget of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when an
additional duty of fourpence a pound was imposed
op ,n tobacco, there has been a great outcry from the
rtpresentatives of the tobacco interest that hard times
would be the result. It is pleasant to learn that as
regards one kind of manufactured tobacco, at any rate,
their fears are unfounded; for we observe that "the
consumption of snuff during the year is considerably
less than usual," This shows that the extra pinch has
not been felt yet, anyhow.—Judy.

•
A PROMISING INVENTION. —A correspondent, writing
from Philadelphia, tells of an invention, which has
been kept a secret pending the procurement of patents,
and which, with power derived from a spring like that
of a clock, furnishes an electric light of great bril-
liancy. It is further reported that the whole apparatus
oceupiea no more space than an ordinary lamp, that
it can be sold for six dollars per lamp, end that the light
itself will cost only one half-cent per hour.
THE INSECT WORLD. The Evening Standard re-
marks :—" The insect world appears to have entered
into an offensive league against mankind, and to be
bent upon carrying out attacks seriatim upon those
members of the vegetable tribe upon which comfort
and well-being must depend.. The vines have been
devastated by the Phylloxera, our potatoes threatened
by the Coloradlle Beetle, and now we hear that the
finest coffee plantations of Brazil are being destroyed
by tiny parasites called Anguillulce, whose smallness is
compensated for by their numbers, it being computed
that a single tree will contain more than thirty millions
of these creatures. They kill by a double process.
They first destroy the roots of the tree, and then set to
work and eat their way up through the tree itself. The
most vigorous trees are those first attacked, and the
pest rubles its appeerance generally upon the banks
of watercourses or in humid valleys. It is a curious
fact that a scourge like this should suddenly make its
appearance, and those who hold in the belief that life
can, under favourable circumstances, originate from
dead matter, may certainly quote the Phylloxera and
the Anguillulce in support of their theory. The vine
has existed upon earth for tlibusands of years, buT
it is only (Suring the la.t fifteen that it his been
attacked by the Phylloxera. If these tiny moths
existed before, why did they not attack the vines?
The same argument applies to the Anguillulce.
The coffee tree has been grown on a large scale for
many years in Brazil. suddenly, not in one place,
but in a number of localities, plantations are attacked
by an insect pest in numbers beyond computation.
It is difficult to believe that these myriads of insects
belonging to the very lowest form of life have not
been generated in the soil owing to some climatic
influence. Dr. Bastian may fairly claim them as
evidences in favour of his theory of spontaneous
generation."
CUTTING.—Why is a carpenter like 'a barber ?
Becaupe he can't get along without shavings.—Judy.
SHARP WORK. —The World says :—" The inventor
af the phonograph, who has already done enough to
found half a dozen reputations and as many fortunes,
is still pursuing his studies with unabated energy and
success. Of the despatch with which he is accustomed
to transact his business, an amusing illustration has
just been afforded in connectien with his latest inven-
tions in electrophoty. One say last week, Mr. Edison
—who, I must remark, is in the habit of at once
patenting all his novelties in England as well as the
States—had completed a new invention by four o'clock
in the afternoon. From Menlo Park he tel.-graphed
instanter a'preliminary specification 'to his solicitor at
Plainfield ; and by nine o'clock in the evening, not only
had this been despatched in due form to 'Washington ,but
an application for an English patent had also been
cabled to London. At seven o'clock next morning,
before Mr. Edison was up, he received a 'cablegram'
informing him that, at noon that day, his application
had been filed at the Patent Otlice in Southampton.
buildings. He had therefore literally got through his
business in 'less than no time,' having, in fact, a
balance of five hours to spare. My young scientific
readers, who are up in longitudes, will no doubt ex.
plain to their sisters the apparent anachronism",

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THE AFGHAN WAR.
(From Monday's Times)

CALCUTTA, Dec. 29.
"Bluest yesterday dotibts amp-beginning-trite entkrtained
as to the correctness of the news that Yakoob Khan had
come to Jellalabad The report came from an official source
which has hitherto proved tru,tworrby, and hence was at
first generally believed. Further accounts from the
same Quarter not only confirmed the news of Yakoob
Khan's arrival at Jellalabad. but added that he ex-
pressed his willingness to put hhmelf In British hands
and, make whatever concessions we deraanda—that he,
In fact, surrendered unconditionally. Nevetthe'ess
Subsequent telegrams from officers at Jell ala'atd, who were
bound to telegraph that intelligence it they knew it to be
trite, make no mention of the matter; while letter , of an
earlier date from persons on the spot and having the best
means of information declare that Yakoob Khan is unlike*,
come to Jellalabad.
"Your Special Correspondent, in a letter from Jellalabad
dated the 21tt inst., s tys that the previous day Nalthtbund
Khan, ouce a n t ye officer of ths 19th Bengal Cavalry,. but
Who re,irbd wit') a persitti and has 'ince been lrvinw in
Afghanistan on land granted hint Icy the Ameer, came to the
British camp and reported that the CAM try between Cabin
sand Jellalabad was in a state of utter anarchy. Ameer
had departed with the Russian mission for Balkh, and
Yakoob Khan, left in charge of Cabul, was resolved to remain
there until forced
.to retire. Yakoob Khan had not then,
however, bad time to receive the friendly overtures which
.'s Major Caysgnari was believed to be on the point of making
him from the Viceroy, who, anticipating the Anmer's fUght,
had probably given Major Caraguari instructions before-
hand. Such overtures would account fur the change in
Yakeob Khan's resolution to resist, though, at the same
time, they diminish the Importance of his coming to Jells-
labad. A step of that Ind spontaneously on the part of an
Oriental Prince woi:.‘td almost amount to an act of complete
. submission, wh'.,reas it assumes a different character if
merely the Paceeptance of an invita' ion Even in the baiter
case, he-atever, Yakoob Khan would have treated with us
thro'gh Messengers and not in person, if he hid not
..tended friendship and submission. Your Correspondent
sees little reason to believe the stories so long rife about
Yakoob Khali's mind- being weakened by the length and
severity of his imprisomnettt, which now appears to
have been nothing worse than confinement to his
house atel garden in Cabul. If Yakoob Khan be
still the abie soldier and statesman he oriel was,
he will probably not only realize the hopelessness of further
reetattutce, but even recognize the justice of our policy and
keeept the explanations offered him by Major Cavagnari,
showing that it aas honestly intended to benefit him, and
that if it injured him this was due solely to his father's
Unjust harshness and j alouy. Personal contac,, with
British officers and the courteous treatment he is sure
to receive ought also to mitigate his hostility. Hence
his alliance is gen, tally counted on, though, after all
it is chiefly, if not saLly, valuablo in so fir as it m4ht
enable us to save further outlay by an immediate
termination of the campaign. Yakoob Khan, even if
as able as ever, is not now in a position to make formidable
resistance. He would indeed, have a larger following in
Afghanistan that his father, as being more powerful; but
he has not money to pay the troops, which are in a disorga-
nized and almost mutinous state.
"The Ameer is said to have carried away 30 taco, aril there
Is a strange rumour that he intends going with the Russian
Mission to St. Petersburg, there to appeal to the European
Powers against his treatment by England."

The following has been sent to the papers from the India
Bice for publication
"Cavagnari reports all well at Jellalabad 27th; friendly
letter received from Syad Mahomed, of Kunar, announcing
his intention of coming in. No farther news of Ameer or
Yakoob Khan,

"Stewart reports considerable difficulty in passing of
Khojak ; proposes to send bulk of
_force by Gwaja, which
Is easier pass.
"Khan of Khelat desires to associate himself with us in
advance on Candahar and proposes to send his son with
Stewart."

The Standard of Wednesday publishes the following from
their Special Correspondent with General Roberts's column :

ITAzIENR, TuesdAy.

"At eleven &clock this forenoon four Afghans, belonging
to the Jaji Maiden tribes, have been executed close to the
head-quarters camp. They were convicted, on the clearest
evidence, of the cold-blooded murder of three of the camp
followers at the Darwaza Pass.
"The scene of the execution was on the northern side of
the branch of the Khurum River. The ground here slopes
very gradually, and rice fields extend to the bank of the
stream. • The day was lovely, and the mountains around,
with snow-covered summits, glowed in the bright sunlight.
The news of the execution bad spread, and large numbers of
the natives had gathered on the hills, which rise oitthe other
side of the river bed, to witness the scene. The gallows
was formed of three telegraph poles. The prisoners were in
rags, and looked thorough scoundrels. They glowered sul-
lenly round, but evinced no fear. They were escorted to the
place of execution by a company of the 21st Punjab Native
Infantry. They submitted without the slightest resistance
to being pinioned, and died almost without a struggle.
"The execution is expected to exercise- a beneficial influ-
ence among the surrounding tribes; but though all admit
the necessity of the severe measures, there are some who,
looking to the vindicative nature of the Afghan character,
think that their friends will not be contented until they have
exacted reprisals. •
" After the execution a Turi who had been caught plunder-
ing was floggrd ; he did not. utter a cry, and appeared, in
fact, to treat the matter with perfect unconcern. Another
Turi, also condemned to be lugged, shouted to the men on
the scaffold that their deaths would be avenged. He was
taken off under an escort. The four men who were hanged
all belong to the Khost district, through which we are to
advance two days hence.