The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-09-12 00:00:00

SATURDAY, SEPT. 1.2, 1885.

isallantons

HOME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL

A LONG RIDE.—A ride of 182 miles in 14 hours hat
just been accomplished by an Austrian nobleman,
Count Paul Festetics. He used four horses during his
ride.
MADAME NILSSON.—At the special invitation of the
Emperor of Germany, Mdme. Christine Nilsson hag
consented for the first time to sing in Berlin. The
opening performance will take place on October 12, the
opera selected being "Faust," on which occasion Si!
the members of the Imperial family will be present.
THE RussLor TRANSLATORSHIP.—Mr. Robert Michell,, ,
who was one of the first English travellers in Turkestan
after the Russian advance up the Jaxartes in 1864, and
who has been Russian translator at the India Office for
some years, is to be placed on the retired list. It ifi
proposed to abolish the post of Russian translator at
the India Office.

DEATH FROH HYDROPHOMA.-Dr. Diplock has held,
an inquest at Hounslow on the body of William
Morrish, aged three years, the son of a baker, living at
5, Elm-cottages, Bath-road. The evidence of Marl
Morrish, the mother, showed that on Tuesday last week
i
the boy had pain n his throat. He was worse on
Wednesday. Death occurred on Thursday morning.
The Coroner: Had he had a bite from a dog? Witneso:
Yes, about two months ago a neighbour's dog bit the
boy on the right arm. The Coroner: Did the wound
heal? Witness: Not for a fortnight. Dr. J. AL
Ferguson, Stanley House, Hounslow, said he saw the
boy on Wednesday, and said that it was tt case of
hydrophobia. The jury returned a verdict of "Death
from hydrophobia."

VOLITNTRER FIRM-M.—A considerable body of volun-
teer firemen, representing the Fire Brigades of Peter'
borough and Grantham, arrived in London on Monday'
to inspect the systems of the Metropolitan Fire
Brigade. They were received at the headquarters, at
Winchester House, Southwark-bridge-road, by Mr.
Simonds, the second officer, who showed the men the
whole apparatus of the Brigade.
EARTHQUAKES.—The late earthquakes in Bengal are
positively ascribed by some of the native j uruals to
the sins of their European rulers. One vernacular
organ points cut that the shocks only affected places
within the jurisdiction ef the Lieutenant-Go7ernor
Bengal, and adds: "Among the opponents of Sir
Rivers Thompson there are many superstitions people
of opinion that the earthquake ihdicates that the earth
cannot any ;anger bear his administration."
GHASTLY TRlNKETS.—Petrified human eyeballs seem
sernewhat ghastly trinkets, yet, according to the
"American Register," Western belles are going crazy
over these novel ornaments. They are the orbs of the
ancient Peruvians, preserved by some process now law*
known, and are said to he of a beautiful tender green
hue, flashing like an opal. At night, however, they
lose their colour, and become dull and heavy. The eye-
balls look well set in a signet ring or hanging to se
watch chain, and are also worn in brooches and
bracelets.

EDUCATION ABROAD:—The various religious com-
munities in the Smyrna region are vieing with each,
other in promoting education. The Greek cororniznity
maintain the lead they have long held. The Armenia::
community have appointed an honorary inspector, Mr.
Papasian, to visit their schools in the viceroyalty of
Aidin, at Smyrna, Aidin, .Na in, Manisa (Magnesia ad
Marandrum), Cassaba, Keurk Aghaj, Bergamo (Per-
gamus), &c. The Jews, under the influence of the '
association in London, have given new life to their'
people by the introduction of Western studies. The
Turks are setting up middle schocls.
BELGIAN RAILWAYS.—On the occasion of the celebra•
tion of the 50th year jubilee of the Belgian iailwasss
the Government of that country have issued some
interesting particulars of the stale and the working or
the railways. It appears from these that the Belgian
State possess 1740 engines, 3367 carriages, and 42,723
trucks, the number of railway officials being 40,459.
In the course of 50 years the Belgian railways have
carried 750 million pasfengers and 330 million tons of
goods, the total freight being 500 million sterling. n
is estimated that the railways have effected a saving to ,
tb:. public of nearly five times that amount.
THE BRITISH MUSEUM.—Mr. Charles Thomas
Newton, 0.13., keeper of the Greek and Roman antiqui-
ties in the British Museum, is now engaged in placing'
on pedestals composed of magnificent marble specialll
imported from some old quarries in Egypt the entire
series of statues, remains, &c., forming part of a cele-
brated mausoleum, and which are now so well displayed
in the new room.

ADVICE TO MUSICIANS.—A foreign medical mall
(according to" Galignani ") counsels those who prace
,
tise frequently on the piano, harp, :sod stringed instru-
ments generally, to submit to a surgical opeiaticn
which consists in dividing the tendons of the annulary
or ring-finger. Pianists are aware that out of the five
fingers composing the hand, the fourth one as it is •
termed, is the most rebellious in action, being alike the
weakest and less flexible of all the others. This feeble-
ness proceeds from the lateral tendons that join the
annulary to the other fingers, and in a measure paw
lyses its movements. It seems that the opeiation ig
not painful, the patient loses but little blood, and the
finger becomes as free as the others, and can work
upon the key-board or music stiings with equal force
and facility.
known
EXPLORING SIBERIA.—M. Joseph Martin, a
French traveller, traveller, has arrived at St. Petersburg from
Siberia, where he has been exploring
I
some hitherto
practically unknown regions. In 1832 the explorer
started from the Russian capital, and made an interest-
ing journey across the Scanavoi Mountains. He after-
wards continued his travels to the Lena, and thence to
the Amoor River, where he made various important
discoveries. Of the regions through which he passed ,
he has brought back with him valuable collections of ;
the flora, fauna, and minerals.
A SINGULAR OCCURRENCIL—A remarkable circular
stance is reported from Whitstable by a local natu-
ralist. A few evening since two or three oysters were
put away in an earthern pan, and during the night a
couple of young mice feend out the dainty dish and
inserted their hungry mouths within the open shells of .
one of the bivalves. In the morning they were found
fast held by the closed shells of the oysters, and of
1
course quite dead. The oyster continued its firm hold _.
on the intruders, and the trio having been handed to
Mr. Sibort Saunders, a member of the East ICon
o,_ -
Natural History Society, were at once immersed t -
spirit, and will in due course be placed in the local'
MUSEUM:
GER3I DlSEASE.—Professor S. A. Forbes, of the
Illinois State 0611ege at Champaign, who has been ilv
vestigating the cause of the remarkable mortalitf
among the petch in Lake Mendota, is., has inst 4
rendered a report, in which he says it was due to a .
spherical germ, about one twenty-five-thousandth of 101 1,
inch in diameter, winch attacked the liver and kidnerly l
forming abscesses and destroying the cells of the org,l3', ,
The germ belongs to a group of various members whom .
produce smallpox, chicken, and hay cholera. The
were killed by tons.
PRIZE TALES.—The committee of the United Kingdoll
Band of Hope having offered prizes of £lOO, EV,
£lO for the three best temperance tales, to be publisilM
at 3s. 6d., 2s. 6d., and Is. 6d. each respectively, .1-4'"
MSS. were received in competition. The adjudicatO
have awarded the £lOO prize to Mr. W. J. LaceY, '
Chesham, Bucks, for a tale entitled" Through Storm-
Sunshine ;" the £7O prize to the Rev. T. Keyworth,
Liverpool, for " The Naresboro' Victory ;" and the XV
prize to Mr. Henry Nash, of Moss-side, Manchester, f' '
a tale entitled" Resolution."
IRONWORKS IN AMERICA.—NearIy all the ironwor .
at Pittsburgh (U.S.), besides some 40 iron firms with:', _
a radius of 30 miles, are now using the natural gasf,sP '
also most of the glass factories, distilleries brewerielh
&c., and this is creating an entire revolution in thg
~
labour market of the district. The output of iron au' -
steel at Pittsburgh is about 750,000 tons per
and as it takes some 50 bushels of coal to make one I -
of iron, it follows that at least 38,250,000 bushels o 1
coal will be dispensed with in the yearly consumption,
throwing out of employ an enormous number of miner:: ,
firemen, ashmen, roadmen, and other employes of th
collieries. The cause of this great change bel
entirely one of nature's arrangement renders it an ,uf
pass bility for trade unions and labour agitators to ou''
with the matter.
DEATH OF A DISTINGUISHED FRENCHMAN.—M. Eniille„„r
Egger, a distinguished French Hellenist and the anuh:i
of " L'Hellenisme en France,' has died suddel/1(o
Royat. Born in Paris in 1813, and made Doetetir tic
Lettres in 1833, he very soon began to make his
as a scholar, attacking various classical subjects N91:7,
an energy and thoroughness that revealed his Gerttl"-of
origin. Before he was 27 he had published edition,: 10
Varro, Longinus, and the fragments of Festus,
1839 he won the prize offered by the Academy °I %lg.
scriptions for a critical examination of the ancient :",..
torians of the Emperor Augustus. He held vari?,u;
lectureships, finally becoming Professor of Greek at "aa
Faculty of Letters in 1855. He was admitted 0
member of the institute in 1884, and was aloe
Commander of the Legion of Honour in 1879. i„;nc10
works were very numerous, dealing with all D",,e- 6
of classical questions, archological, grammatical,
literary.
to
' TUB ZOOl OGICAL GARDENS.—The additions the. sk
Zoological Gardens during the past week Witt el.
Macaque monkey from India, presented by Mr• i bg
Tbimbleby; a binturong from Malacca, presentennt
Mr. T. H. Haynes; a great kangaroo from New
Idol
Wales, presented by Mr, A. Mcllwraith ; two gc_;',, by
crowned conures from South-East Brazil, presenTasb,
Mr. Cuthbert D. Middleton; a common cuckoo, 131'',7yri
presented by Mr. R. B. Spalding; two Javan spor_r:A4
from J:va, presented by Miss Coleman; a black-11704
gull, European, presented by Mr. Humphries; a 11° onv
lizard from Texas, presented by Miss Simpson;
mon chameleon from North Africa, presented hy,rbbeis
Cecil Guy Dart; a Robben Island snake from 0,,,.° /3..
Islands. South Africa, presented by the Rev. G. ,;"-",' 0
Fisk, 0.M.X.5.; a Macaque monkey from lll`''sko
Siamese blue pie from Siam, an American black cr 0
400,
from North America, a smooth-headed car- . WO •
squirrel monkey from South America, denos;"j----,n'atek
axolotls from Mexico, purchased; 14 stiipeo
born in the menagerie. la Yorieft '
THE ECCENTRIC MONARCH.—King Louis of --teoro; '
monetary difficulties sorely perplex his counm;to.
and no wonder, considering the extravagentri.
lavished on his theatrical vagaries. Tho
actress' Madame Wolter, gives a correspondent 0...n0ie
Paris "Figaro " a curious account of the solitarYWWl
sentations in which the King delights. 11.44,
that each piece shall be most gorgeously rocumostaufel
himself inspects the designs of the scenery, e will 0
and every minute accessory. Moreover, he„ev
allow the players to appear in any dresses we'stoe w
worn before the ordinary public, and nearly
dire grief with Madame Wolter because sile rebe
ghIS IA
against this condition. The performance be
,nriffits;
midnight, when the King arrives through .50 ''s da
passage guarded by silent soldiers. He ente`,- illolWr.
box in the centre of the theatre, which is c11y... ion
nated by the footlights, and the curtain r7.17g, Tid
diately, as no one dares keep his Majesty will off tml
actors are obliged to be perfectly route vill,..enelipr"-'142,
stage, and even the scene-shifters wear fe" ,I,e oloo"'
lest they should disturb the performance. Atiebile tha-af
the players remain motionless on the stag% infori
King sits awhile in meditation, then a bde teat raj
them that their audience has departed, ee,,,,seabarl!:A
may move and speak. Finally, the Court uriciag,
brings the chief actress a bouquet from th A
dictates to her the customary letter of -
must be despatched at ewe.

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