The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-10-04 00:00:00

EPITOME OF NEWS.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

Sir John Astley's belt for pedestrianism, which
carries with it the "long-distance championship of the
world," has been won in New York by C. Rowell, of Cam-
bridge, there being twelve other competitors.

A sum of £14,406,659175. Sid. was realised last year
by duty on spirit*.
The stamp duty on the sale of patent medicines last
year realised £1g0,6•1 16‘ Sid.
- - -

•
The Prince of Wales arrived at Copenhagen on
Saturday, and was received by the Princess of Wales and the
King and Queen of Denmark.
There were thirty-eight hours of sunshine last week,
out of eighty-four hours that the sun was above the horizon.
Notice has been given by the Master Builders'
Association of Liverpool that in six months hence they will
reduce the wages of the operatives in the building trades Id.
par hour all round. The operative painters' wages are also
to be reduced a like sum after the end of February next.
At a party the other evening the conversation ap-
peared to be dying out, when a bilious man suddenly ob-
served to a lady on his right: "I don't think they make
pills as large as they used to."— Court Journal.

A very unusual occurrence, if not altogether unpre-
cedented, took place at Wilburlon Church, near Ily, after
Divine Service on Sunday afternoon last. The Rev. R. P.
Pritchard, vicar, baptised eleven children of one family, the
eldest being only twelve years of age.

A correspondent of the New York Tribune at Salt
Lake City says that the Mormon plan for solving the poly-
garnnyproblem is to secure the admisolun of Utah during the
coy Lnvrinter to be a State in the Briton: and every argu-
ment Chat can be adduced, every consideration that is likely
to have weight In Washington, will be put forward to
persuade Congress to pass an enabling Los.

The folicrwing statistics are given in a recent report
on the administration of I natio, as to the traites and professions
which bankruptcies occurred during 1877 in France. The
total number was 11,410, and was thus apportioned ;—Dealere
In food and drink, 1U; tailors, milliners, dm., 1 017 ; inn
and ladging-house keepers, 369; builders, 293; jewellers,
t9l; iron and metal trades' 237; woodworking trades, 203;
furniture makers, 10; contractors and carriers, 161;
eial agents, 123; chemical manufacturers, 76; sundries, 808

A serious gunpowder explosion has Won place near
Hamburg A powder barge blew up on Tuesday morning
en the labe, killing several persons and doing consideraSle
damage to the outskirts of Hamburg and garburg.
_ _

Sir John Glover, G.0.M.G., ham returned to St,
"tin's, Newfoundland, from ltfgolet, on the coast of
Labrsdor, whither he had been to Inqaire into and alleviate
the distress which bed befallen the fishing population owing
to the failure of the salmon fishery this season. Supp)ies of
flour and other provisions were distributed, under the antho-
rity of his Excellency the Governor, in son...lent quantities
to keep the people from went during the coming winter.

A young man, living at Serain, in the Aisne, has
last fallen a victim to a lameatable piece of imprudeuee
(says the Paris Correspondent of the Daily Telegraph).
He threw a lighted cigarette into a small cask
which had contained petroleum, and, not content with
this folly, applied his eye to the hung-hole A ter-
rible explosion was the result, and his face, which was in
close prvmmity to the cask, was awfully cut and burnt, so
badly, indeed, that he expired in agony two hours after-
wards. _ _

Intelligence has been received from Cannes to the
effect that a villa has been engaged there for the Empress
of Russia for the coming winter, as it has been found de-
sirable that Her Imperial Majesty should have the benefit of
the mild climate of the South of France during the colder
months of the year.
- -

There were 2,478 births and 1,193 deaths registered
In London last week. Allowing for increase of population,
the births exceeded by 96, whereas the deaths were 188
below the average numbers. The annual death-rate from
aU causes declined to 172, a lower rate than has prevailed
in any week since the end of July. During the thirteen
weeks endine on Saturday last, the death-rate averaged only
181 per 1,000, against 19 8 and 22 1 in the corresponding
periods of 1877 and 1878. The nearest approach to so low a
summer rate of mortality in London was in the three months
ending September, 1860, when, as now, there had been an
excessive rainfall.
The intelligence of Lieutenant Colonel Marter's
success in capturing Getywayo, and his consequent promo-
tion, bee been received with mach satisfaction In Berkshire,
the gallant office; bebing well-known in he county, and his
'Br havin been fb'r many years rector of Irrigstiralibarn,