The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-03-22 00:00:00

glisrdiantous ynieffigtna,

HOME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL.

THE VOLUNTEERS.—The annual return of the volun-
teer corps of Great Britain for 1883, just issued as a
Parliamentary paper, shows that the total number
enrolled in that year (209,365) was the highest in the
history of the force. The number of efficients was
292,428, as against 199,374 in 1882, and 200,162 in 1881
(the largest number previously recorded), and the per-
centage of efficients to enrolled was 96.69 against 96.16,
and 60-08 in the two previous years, and the percentage
of men present at inspection to enrolled was also higher
than ever before.

PRICES OF PROVISIONS IN NEW SOUTH WALES.-The
following will give some idea of the colonial prices of
provisions, which, as a rule, are of good quality :-
Wheat, per bushel, ss. 6d. to 68. 6d.; bread, per lb.,
lid. to 2d.; flour, first, per cwt., 145., second, per cwt,
125.; rice, per lb., 3d.; tea, per lb., is. CA to 2s. 6d.;
sugar, per lb., 3d. to 4d.; coffee, per lb., Is. (3d.; meat,
fresh, per lb., 4d. to 9d.; meat, salt, per lb., 4d. to 7d.;
butter, fresh, per lb., is. 6d.; butter, salt, per lb., is. 3d.;
cheese, English, per lb., is. (3d.; cheese, Colonial, per
lb., 6d. to is. 3d.; potatoes, per cwt., 75.; wine,
Colonial, per gal., is. 6d. to (Is.; beer, Colonial,per gal.,
25.; candles, per lb., sd. to (3d.; kerosene oil, per gal.,
2s. 4d.; tobacco, per lb., 2s. 4d. to 3s. 6d.
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.-On Saturday morning damage
to the extent of £40,000 was done by a fire, which com-
pletely gutted the extensive works of the Midland
Hosiery Company, at New I3asford, near Nottingham.
The conflagration, which was the largest witnessed in
the neighbourhood for many years past, commenced in
a cellar and spread rapidly to the top storey, floor
after floor falling in with heavy valuable machinery, till
at five o'clock the building was a complete wreck. Over
500 workmen are rendered idle by the fire.

AN INCIDENT IN THE LIFE OF MR. SEWARD.—An
evening journal says that a Mrs.
•Salmon I'. Grover, of
Springwater, N.Y. who died a few days ago, once
saved the life of William H. Seward. When he was a
young man studying law in Auburn, he and a coloured
servant drove into the Owasco creek to wash his
carriage. The carriage was upset and both were thrown
into the water. The coloured man being able to swim
soon got out, but Mr. Seward was left struggling in the
water. Mrs. Grover, seeing him from the chamber
window of a house close by, rushed out, seized a
board, and pushed it within his reach and thus saved
him.

AWKWARD FOR THE LADIES.—On Friday night in last
week an untoward incident led to the rapid retreat of
the occupants of the Ladies' Gallery of the House of
Commons. Owing to some defect in the main pipe
which supplies this part of the building with water, a
portion of the gallery was deluged, and after nine
o'clock the space appropriated to the lady visitors was
limited to the corner of the gallery over the Opposition
front bench. The flood penetrated to the rooms under-
neath, causing some temporary inconvenience, but
assistance being promptly forthcoming the water did
not enter the House itself.

A VAST SALT BED.—The "Anglo-American Times"
says that part of the track of the Southern Pacific Rail-
road is laid with blocks of crystal taken from the vast
bed of salt about fifty miles in length, to which a branch
runs. The sea once rolled over the spot, which is now
260 feet below its level, and in drying up left this salt
mine, inexhaustible in quantity and superb in quality.
Grasshoppers of enormous size and giant centipedes
have been here pickled in the chloride of sodium, and
are to-day after the lapse of centuries in full size and
perfection of shade, as effectually settled in substance
as Lot's wife. This vast salt bed will be very valuable
to the reducers of ores in California, Arizona, and New
Mexico, who can be supplied in boundless quantities.

ErPLORATION IN MADAGASCAR.—The prevalent idea
that the whole interior of Maclgascar is clothed with
immense forests must give way before the recent ex-
plorations of M. Grandidier, a young French explorer,
which have recently been communicated to the French
Academy of Sciences. Granclidier finds that the whole
eastern part of the island is covered with a tract of
highlands, extending over some two-thirds of it. These
hills rise to a height of 7000 ft. or 8000 ft., and are inter-
sected by narrow glens and dried up lake beds. They
are bare of trees, and for the most part covered with
coarse herbage. The western part of the island is a
plain, covered with grass or tufts of trees. A belt of
timber encircles the whole island near the coast, and
trees and grasses fringe the shores. The watercourses
which traverse the plain take their rise near the eastern
side of the island.

THE ACTION AGAINST LORD GARMOYLE.—The state-
ment of defence in the action for breach of promise of
marriage brought by Miss Finney (Miss Fcrtescue)
against Lord Garmoyle has now been fully delivered by
the defendant's solicitors. In effect this statement
admits the contract and the breach, and leaves the
question of damages sustained—which the plaintiff
assesses at £3o,ooo—to be determined by a jury. The
plaintiff's solicitors have entered the cause for trial in
the Queen's Bench Division. It is anticipated that the
printed list of causes not yet disposed of will be cleared
off by the Judges before the 29th inst.,. the last day
fixed for hearing the causes to be tried in Middlesex.
The new list of causes entered for trial in Middlesex
after the Easter recess numbers between 200 : ad 300.
Of these between 70 and 80 are set down for hearing by
special juries, including the action of "Finney v. Gar-
moNle," which will be taken in its turn. According to
present appearances it is thought probable that this
case will be reached in June or July next, and will
then be heard, unless circumstances intervene rendering
a postponement necessary.
CoLounEn Stcow.—A correspondent of the "Scots-
man," at Kippen, Stirlingshire, writes: Coloured snow
of a dull leaden appearance, similar to that which fell
on the Ist inst. at Roseneath, was visible here the same
afternoon. After the snow ceased there was a slight
frost in the afternoon, and the snow looked as if it had
been saturated with smoke. It extended only about an
inch from the surface' and below was the pure snow of
a dazzling whiteness. The fall was from the south-east,
and the fine dust came from the same direction.

TUE RECENT FIRE IN TRINIDAD.—The last mail brought
details of the fire in Port of Spain on January 28. It
began in premises the lower part of which were shops.
The Union Club had its rooms on the second floor, and
above were its sleeping apartments. Mr. Perham, who
was on a visit to the colony from London,had retired to
bed, and was unable to escape in time. The fire bngade
were on the spot without delay, but for some time there
was not sufficient water to cope with the flames. The
Colonial Bank was fortunately saved, but the ice-house in
Abercrombie-street was destroyed. A number of other
business premises, principally in the above-Mentioned
street, were burnt. The total loss, mainly covered by
insurance, was estimated at £40,000.
AVERAGE PRICES OF BRITISH CORN.—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. 3d.; oats, 19s. Bd. per
imperial quarter. Corresponding week last year:
Wheat, 425. 2d.; barley, 335. lid.; oats, 225. sd.
A FEROCIOUS BRIGAND.—The Naples correspondent
of the "Standard" writes: "The death of Cipriano La
Gala, the most ferocious brigand of modern times, is
reported from Portoferraio, on the Island of Elba,
where he had been confined for a number of years,
chained to the wall. La Gala has been proved guilty of
fifty murders and numerous robberies, as well as arson.
He commenced his career as an officer in the Bourbon
militia. In 1860 he became a brigand chief, the terror
of Southern Italy; he collected around him a band of
seven hundred malefactors, and ruled them with an
iron will, punishing the smallest disobedience with
death. He was only of small, slender stature, but his
piercing dark eyes showed his indomitable will. He
wore a long black btnrd, coming down to the middle of
his chest. Gala affected to be most reliiiious, and went
frequently to mass and confession: His skull will be
preserved as a phrenological curiosity"
...AtALE PEDESTRIANISM.—A tournament of female
pedestrians, to extend for over six days, opened in
Bingley-hall, Birmingham, on Monday. The walking
is limited to ten hours a day, and the competitor
covering the longest distance is to take the first prize
of £4O, and after two victories the championship belt,
valued at 30 guineas. There were 15 entries, including
many well-known female gymnasts, all clad in fancy
costumes of the knickerbocker order, or with short
skirts to the knee. Before the close of the day several
of the less robust competitors retired from the contest.
The leaders in the race were then Madame Englo,
Madame Brown, and Madame Vampire.
FATAL FLOODING OF A SILVER MINE.—A despatch
from Schnaz, in the Tyrol, states that the silver mine
near that place, which was worked during the Middle
Ages by a mining population of 20,000 and was re-
opened ten years ago, has been flooded and rendered
unworkable by the irruption of water from some sub-
terranean spring. Several miners were killed. Water
is now rushing through the galleries, carrying with it
fragments of rock and other debris.