The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-10-25 00:00:00

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DISASTERS AT SEA.—There were 25 British and
foreign wrecks reported during the past week, making
a total of 1,268 for the present year, or an increase
of 120 as compared with the corresponding period of
last year. The approximate value of property lost
was £540,000, including British, £320,000.

THE MANHOOD or AMEEICA.—Under the above
title a lecture was delivered in London, on Tuesday
evening, at Exeter Hall, by the Hon. L U. Eeavis,
of St. Louis, U.S.A., who embodied in his address
some interesting information respecting the North
American Continent, its productive power and
physical features, and the growth and the commercial
Interests of the United States. The object of the
lecture was, Mr. Reavis stated, to present America
as the land of refuge for the toiling millions of
European peoples who are seeking homes for them-
selves and their posterity on the wide areas of the
globe. Mr. Reavia marshalled his facts and figures in
an able manner, and managed to open up an attractive
prospect for emigrants to the West. Referring to the
State of Missouri, he said that there was no more in-
viting field for those who wished to cultivate the soil
or to engage in manufacturing industry of any kind.
The lecturer was cordially received and attentively
listened to.

A LARGE BEE FARM.—Near the village of Beeton,
county of South Simcoe, Ontario, Canada, there is a
bee farm which is probably one of the most extensive
and successful things of the kind in the world. It
consists of four bee-yards situate at the angles of a
square which embraces several square miles of country.
The current year, so far, has proved favourable for
honey. Mr. D. A. Jones, the owner of the bee farm,
had at the end of July already secured 50,0001 b. of
honey from 620 stocks of bees. He expects a total
yield for the year of 70,0001 b. of honey from his
19,000,000 little workers.

A TUNNEL THROUGH MONT BnakNe.—The proposal
of French engineers to carry a tunnel through Mont
Blanc, instead of the Simplon, is receiving considerable
attention in Switzerland. In the French Senate,
General Billot, on the Commission respecting the corn.
pletion of French railways, had already advocated the
superior claims of the Mont Blanc route, ; and now,
in a special brochure, M. Chardon Deputy for Upper
Savoy, adds his voice in support of the latter scheme.
His chief reasons in favour of it are, first, that the
tunnel through the Alps would thus be entirely on
French territory • and, secondly, that by the Mont
Blanc route the distance between Paris and Genoa will
be 97 kilometres shorter than by the Simplon line,
while the distance from Paris to Milan will be shorter
by 44 kilometres, that between Geneva and Genoa by
140 kilometres, and that between Geneva and Milan
by 88 kilometres. The cost, moreover, would, accord.
ing to M. Chardon, be smaller and the work would be
executed more rapidly, so wit° be ready by the opening
of the St. Gothard line. The tunnel would be carried
through the mountain from Chamounix to Cormayeur
at a height of 1,014 metres. The estimated outlay
would only be 75 million francs, while by the Simplon
route the cost would be no less than 136 million
francs.

PRAYER BOOK LEGISLATION.—At the suggestion of
Archdeacon Denison, two meetings will be held in
London to declare that it is not expedient at the pre-
sent time to alter the Prayer Book. The Archdeacon,
writing on the subject, says :—" There are remedies
for the difficulties of a position which are worse than
the disease. Such a remedy is the ' convocational
legislation ' now proposed. There are two ways of
dealing with this remedy—one to leave it alone to be
rejected by Parliament, the other to prevent its being
discussed in Parliament. In bringing together the
meetings to be held in London, Thursday, November
13, I have invited churchmen of all sections to con-
centrate their strength upon the latter of the two
ways above specified, as being, under all aspects, much
the better of the two."