The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-05-19 00:00:00

EPITOME OF NEWS.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.
A paper-pulp chimney, fifty feet higb, has been put
up at Breslau, Germany.
New York City has two thousand rag pickers,
whose collections are valued at £150,000 per year,
while the hand-carts engaged in the same business
gather £600,000 worth. The entire rag trade of the
country reaches about £6,000,000 annually.

The Massachusetts House of Assembly has just
refused to pass a resolution for an amendment to the
constitution, so that women may be appointed justices
of the peace and notaries public.
On Tuesday, as Major Hatton, senior major of the
Sheffield Artillery at present encamped on the Scar-
borough Castle Hill, was superintending the firing of
a 64-pounder be failed to get out of the way of the gun
when it recoiled after discharging, and his right foot
was terribly smashed.
A letter to Mr. Gladstone urging that when a
County Franchise Bill is introduced into Parliament
it, shoutd recognise the electoral claims of women pos-
sessing the recessary qualification will be presented to
him soon after the recess. The letter has been signed
by 107 members of Parliament.
The thunderstorms of last week played great havoc
in Holstein in some forty villages. The lightning
caused several conflagrations and loss of life.
The Standard says the Queen is steadily recovering
from the effects of her accident, and, although still
inconvenienced by the weakness of her ankle, i 8 able,
with the aid of some slight support, to walk a little
about the apartments of the Palace. Her Majesty
will, for the first time for many years, keep her birth-
day at Windsor Castle.
On May 11 there was heavy snow all over North
and Central Switzerland, and the previous nights
there were severe frosts, which seriously injured the
fruit trees and crops.

With the exception of a small number of 100-franc
pieces no gold whatever was coined at the Paris Mint
during the whole of last year, and there has been
no coinage of French gold pieces for general circula-
tion since 1879.

Speaking on Monday at a joint festival of friendly
societies in Wilton Park, Lord Pembroke said he
believed in the old proverb of Heaven helping people
who helped themselves. He did not believe in people
being helped too much by Act of Parliament, and if
the working classes of the country were to have more
comfortable homes and live better lives it must be done
by themselves and not by the clever manipulation of ik
State remedy.

An exciting whale chase has taken place at the
Island of Walls, Orkney. A number of whales were
seen spouting in the Firth separating that Island
from Flotta, and immediately a fleet of small boats
was manned by the islanders, who, after a keen pur-
suit, succeeded in driving seven of the whales ashore
near Oashole. Those captured were mostly of a small
size, averaging about eight feet in length.
A deputation of the executive of the Provincial
Newspaper Society has waited upon the Lord Chan-
cellor for the purpose of laying before his lordship the
views of the society with regard to the exclusion of
newspaper proprietors from the magisterial bench.
After bearing the members of the deputation, the
Earl of Selborne explained his view on the subject at
some length.
The number of live stock and the quantity of fresh
meat brought to Liverpool during last week from the
United States and Canada were considerably below
the arrivals of the preceding week, there being only
four steamers conveying live stock, and the same
number fresh meat. The totals were 1,979 cattle,
3,603 quarters of beef, and 300 carcasses of mutton.
The Standard says that Mr. Howard will meet the
second reading of the. Agricultural Holdings Bill with
an Amendment to the effect that the measure is in-
sufficient to meet the just requirements of the occupiers
of land.

A telegram from Lloyd's agent at Antwerp, dated
Monday, states that the Telegraf, Dutch steamer, on a
return excursion trip from Flushing to Antwerp with
180 passengers on board, grounded on the Molenplaat,
near Hansweert, on Sunday, at seven p.m., and
remained aground twelve hours. She was then
assisted off 311 d proceeded, having sustained no
apparent damage. All the passengers were landed
by a tug.

On Monday the Gist annual movable conference o
the Manchester Unity of Oddfellows opened at
Nottingham, Grind Master Walton, of Southampton,
presiding; 400 delegates were present. The Grand
Master stated the increase in numbers during the past
year was greater than for 20 years. The total receipts
had been £761,694, being an increase of £230,360.
The amount paid in relief, £531,334 ; and the capita
at the end of the year, £5,291,890.-Ihe Earl of
Carnarvon joined the meeting during the morning,
and delivered an address, in which he expressed his
sympathy with all friendly societies.

Mr. Baxter, M.P. presided on Monday at the
annual Congress of Delegates of Co-operative Societies,
which was opened in Edinburgh. He quoted sta-
tistics showing the great progress that this movement
haa made within recent years, and advocated the ap-
plication of the principle to agriculture, with the view
to the development of those smaller industries in which
we are at present distanced by the Oon tinental nations.
The right hon, gentleman cautioned the delegates
against rivalry among themselves, and against the
disposition on the part of originators of such under-
takings to keep their profits to themselves.
A sad and singular boating accident occurred on the
Thames at Hampton Court on Tuesday. Five young
men, who had Come with an excursion party from
Brighton went out for a row in single skiffs, and in
going ashore one of the number named Bradley, son of
a hotel proprietor, was seized with a fit, fell into the
water, and was drowned. The body of the deceased,
who was 20 years of age, was recovered by grapnels
and conveyed to Hampton to await an inquest.
The annual report of the "Progress of Musketry
Instruction in the Army," by Col. Harrison Trent,
Inspector-General of Musketry, Hy the, has been
issued. Col. Trent states that the number of men
exercised was 105 034—viz , 12,693 in the Cavalry and
92,341 in the Infantry. The amount awarded as
prizes for shooting and skill in judging distance was
£17,923 155., or £1,283 more than in the previous
year.

In London, on Tuesday evening, Sir W. M'Arthur,
M. P.' presided at a crowded meeting of the Lambeth
Local Option Union, at which an address was delivered
by Sir Wilfrid Lawson, M.P., in reply to a resolution
of thanks for the services which he had rendered to a
cause which was making such progreds in Parliament
and in the country.

The usual holiday was generally observed on Mon-
day throughout London, in spite of the fact that the
*eather was far from favourable. An immense
number of persons left town by the early trains and
boats, on their way to various points up or down the
river, or at the seaside, and all the open spaces around
London, and all the places of amusement in and about
the metropolis had their throngs of holiday makers.
Towards evening some heavy rain fell, but the wet
did not continue sufficiently long to diminish mate-
rially the pleasure of those who were determined to
avail themselves of their day's leisure.

The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens,
Regen-'s Park, London, during last week included a
Macaque monkey, from India, presented by Mrs.
Florence A. Hill; a COMMQD rhea, from Uruguay,
presented by Mr. F. R. S. Bailout; a common kestrel,
British, presented by Mr. A. Lidbury ; a wood 0.41,
British, presented by Mrs. W. Duncan ; two borneq
lizards, from Texas, presented by Mr. Jolin G. Wit'e ;
two marbled newts, from France, presented by Mr.
G. H. King ; two Yiyerine cats, an Indian otter, an
Indian darter, a Hamilton's terrapin, three Indian
gazelles, from India, deposited ; two Natterjack toads,
four marbled newts, four short-nosed sea horses, from
France, purchased; a black wolf, from India, received
In exchange; an eland, born in tho Gardens.

The Athenceum staten that a bust of Samuel Taylor
Coleridge is to be placed in Westminster Abbey,.
b?
the permission of the Dean. An American admirer
bears the expense.
A Renter's telegram from Simla says that the hell,:
of 150 Shinwarris killed in a recent engageFaent 1'71,0
the Ameer's troops have been brought to APT;
Rahman at Jellalabad, and exposed at the gate Pi "
city.
In France a committee has been formed, inclndieg
all the senators and deputies for Indre-et-Loire,
Wl
the object of erecting a monument to Balzac, who
born at Tours, the capital of that department, in 177"
The number of members of the British ABSOCiatIOI!
who have announced their intention of being preseal
at the proposed meeting in Montreal in 1884 Ow
exceeds 410.
The Earl of Dalhousie has fixed Monday, June 11;
for the second reading of the Deceased Wife's dißite`
Bill. Earl Cairns has undertaken to move the reiec.
tion of the measure.
The London Gazette announces that the Qa.,,eeniblo
been pleased to constitute and appoint the xiarh
Aberdeen to be her Majesty's High Commissioser
the Gea-teral Assembly of the Church of Scotland,
zTehe_ 1° Ship Canal Company has been ore
nid :
2FD41.1 a
Washington, with 26,000,000 subscribo
capital, to' construct a canal across Florida dee?
enough for the largest ships, between the St. Florida,
and Suwanee river'. The work will be commenoea

September next. •a of
The annual gathering of Scottish athletes in al
the funds of the Scottish charities was held It;
Stamford-bridge Grounds on Monday, among ,wof
spectators being the Duchess of Athole, the Esrh a
Kintore, Lord and Lady Macdonald, and Lord $112,3
Lady Lova.t. After the sports Lady Lovat dietribute'
the prizes to the winners.
The electric light has been tried in the Paris
House with complete success. Two hundred scculn.2;.
lators fed 1,236 lamps distributed all over the 0101'
The effect was very brilliant.
-Ares
At the general meeting of the Royal Yacht Squa.l,o
it was decided to hold the annual regatta durinEbE
second week in August. The prize list islu 5,6
augmented this season by the £3OO prize given by
King of the Netherlande, but this will be oPtht
only to yachts belonging to the Royal Yew'
Squadron.
It is stated that the total quantity of charoPsglie
forwarded from the Champagne districts for the Ye%
ending April, 14.63, amounted to 20,512,052 hotel_
(France taking 2,869,231 bottles only), against It:
average for the past ten years of 19,438,015 bottln
Present stocks in cask and bottle equal about
108,634,680 bottles, or over five years' requirements,
tea
Last weeks receipts of cotton at all United .41
ports were 51,000 bales; since Ist Septeln,l3l4
5,693,000 bales. Week's exports to Great 1351n4
38,000 bales; week's exports to the Continent,
bales. Total since Ist September, 4,213,000
Stock at all ports, 577,000 bales. to
An Italian engineer has recently been in Rome of
place before the Minister of Public Works the_ pht_ll,,
a steel bridge over the Straits of Messina. The
requested that a detailed project might be drawn
with a report, showing the possibility of construet_hillb
such a bridge, which is to have three steel arches, el'
a mile long.
A great deal of rain has recently fallen inEfungsll;
and has hastened the melting of the snow, so that t,11,,
rivers are once more rising. The rain interferes "I
the sowing of the Indian corn and potatoes k otbee
former being the staple food in the eastern an°
latter in the northern portions of the country.
Writing to the president of the Man-hester Libel°
Association, in acknowledgment of resolutions on ti,htle
state of party business, Mr. Gladstone assures thihil
members of the Association that the Government srhr,
do their best to overcome the difficulties, great thong'
they are, which impede the work of legislation.
A New York telegram says that the visible 1.2P1i
of wheat on May 11 was 20,700,000 bushels, 4;
against 20,800,0 a) bushels the previous week. 2„0
supply of Indian corn, 16,200,000 bushels, as aglt,4
16,900,000 bushels the previous week. The 13%,;)s
clearances of wheat for Europe during last wed
amounted to 590,000 bushels; the export clearan ,eee to
Inslian corn for Europe during last week amounts°
1,290,000 bushels.
In London, on Monday, in connection with the -
e cubr
vation Army, the anniversary of the opening 0,
ton Congress-hall was celebrated in that building
meeting which was described in the public anno,
meets as "indescribable" The hall, capable of sets;
inc 5.000 people, was crowdsd to overflowing, Play
proceedings were characterized by more than orel''
fervour and enthusiasm.
bert°
Last Saturday morning, Messrs. H. J. Rora
(holder), Turner Turner, Archer, St. Leger, and li°te
de Clifford, challengers, met at the Gun Club
enclosure, Nutting-hill, London, to shoot for the oanietp,
hers' Challenge Vase, value 100 guineas, and
Mr. Roberts ultimately won, having killed
20. Lord de Clifford and Mr. Archer killed Ibe
Messrs. Turner Turner and St. Leger 14 each.
Cele'
The Aerostatic Society of Paris proposes to 4)
brate the Montgolfier anniversary by a balloon tr,o
across the Mediterranean. The ascent is to be lulit
from Marseilles, and the expedition will be under
conduct of an experienced aeronaut. The estiuum"
duration of the voyage is about sixteen hours.
of
Lecturing recently on the proposed inland sea...e.
the Sahara M. de Lesseps said that the evapora!'"Z
power of the sun is less there than in the
and he does not anticipate that the waters wiP
up. The cost of the necessary works has now
estimated at 150,000,000 francs, and the time recletP—
at five years.
An official report gives a most satisfactory secoi,..
of the development which the parcel post service
assumed in Italy. The number of packets
during the first three months of 1882 was 489,"—.,
while during tbe same period this year the Pile
packets posted amounted to 869,280.
the
From statistics just issued it appears that to
periodicals of all kinds issued in the United 50,4
reached a total of 11,196—an increase of 585 in Wen,
months. The present total in New York State
1,899—a gain -of 80 in the past year. The most sri;
markable change has occurred in the territoriesL4
which the daily papers have grown from 43 to 63,_44
the weeklies from 169 to 243—Dakota being the
area of activity. These figures are exclusive of 007 A
which possesses a total of 606. The number,,,
journals issued in Manitoba was nearly doubled
the year.
The Emperor of Brazil is.expected in Amsterdal
the month of June, on a visit to the Intetnati°
a d
Colonial Exhibition. Among other Royal an „or
tinguished personages who have signified their ien'ehs
tion of visiting the Exhibition in the course 01 1;1
summer are the Prince of Wales, the gneel3Bol
Roumania the Count of Flanders, and se/
German Princes.
At a meeting of the Congregational Union a 143_0
tion moved by the Rev. J. G. Rogers was carried wthie
only three dissentients, expressive of regret sli t,e
rejection of the Affirmation Bill and of gratietn," of
the minority who were faithful to the princillter
religious liberty, and especially to the Prime Dlin
for the exposition and defence of those principles.
the
The annual report of the Superintendent of gho
Central Markets at Smithfield, states that during. to
1°
past financial year the weight of produce broubt g
the markets was 211,461 tons, on which the author ,96,
toll of a farthing for every 211bs. realised g23;j100
There were 101,645 tons of country-killed meat, 8,1100,
tons town-killed, 9,936 tons foreign meat and Pr°ese
16685 tons American meat, 1,727 tons of Austrw—

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