The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-05-06 00:00:00

EPITOME OF NEWS.

It has been decided to close both the buildings and
grounds of the Philadelphia Exhibition on Sundays.
_ _ - -

_
,ut 15 English and 20 Anaeriesn painters exhibit
works N.t the flue arts r-xhibition which was opened on Mon-
day in Paris.

The ,leclared value of butter imported into England
in the last three months was £2,187,67'6, against £2,147,363 is
the oorresonding perfod of the previous year. _ _

- -
A Reuter's telegrnna from Rudesheim states that the
boiler of the steam ferry plying between that place and
Bingen blew up (al Sunday afternoon, causing a terrible loss
of life. It is belie Tad that .)out thirty periwig have been
killed, but only two bodies have up to the present been
recovered. _ _ _

---- -----
After an absence of about two years from England,
Madame Arabell‘ Goddard, who has been on a tour through
Australia, the United States, and the Sandwich Island',
arrived at Liverpool on Saturday in the Canard steamship
Bothnia.

o Denial has again been give.) by the Svanish Ministerial
journals to a report in circulation in some ot the foreign 1
newspapers that a marriage is in contemplation between
King Alfonso and a German Princess.

At the annual meeting of the members of the Bir-
mingham Gun Trade, the report of the guardians of the proof
house showed that the number of barrels proved during the
year was 695,564, an increase of 65,000 on the year 1874.

From a return just issued it appears that the salaries
of stipendiary magistrates in London, including Chatham and
Dover, for the current year are estimated at £35,500. By
the Act 38 Vic., c 3, the salaries of the metropolitan magis-
trates was increased by the sum of £.6,950, which came in
course of payment in 1875-76.

At a mass meeting of miners of North Nctts andl
North Derbyshire, held at Worksop on Tuesday, an attempt
was made t induce them to consent to a reduction of ten
per cent., In the hope that coal-owners would forego their
determination to have 15 per cent. reduction. The men,
however, refused to entertain the proposal, and protested
that they would not resume work at a reduction of more
than 7i per cent.
A violin of Stradivarius, it is related, was recently
sold to Herr Ascherberg, a gentleman resident in Dresden,
for 2,250 florin& It had long been the property of the
Cathedral, and was formerly used in the choir.—Musisai
Siandard.

-----
After being on strike about a month the house-
painters of Manchester have decided to resume work on the
terms of the Bishop's award, which fled the rate of wages
.at 7id. per hour.
Information received at Plymouth reports Abe
serious illness of Dr. Kirk, Consul at Zanzibar. A great blow
has been thfilcted on the slave trade by the capture of three
more dhows, and by the fact that three Arab crews were
taken to Portuguese territory, and three sentenced to five
years' imprisonment, instead of the almost nominal punish.
merit they would have been awarded at Zanzibar.

•
St. Helens has furnished a formidable rival to
Weston, the American pedestrian. On Friday, a man named
George Dootson, who had previously figured In local athletic
sports, undertook the feat of walking 109 i miles in 24 hours
and successfully achieved it, with 25 minutes to spare.
The arta of the course only covered the tenth part of a
mile.

The Cologne Gazette has been writing a series of re-
markable articles on the relations between Germany and
Russia. The writer comes to the conclusion that as long as
Russia adheres to her present policy a disunion between
two empires is not to be feared.

Monday (May 1) being the twenty-sixth anniversary
of-the birth of his Royal Highness thebtike of Connaught, the
occasion was oelebrated at Windsor. The bells of St George's
Chapel and the pariah church rang merrily, while Royal
salutes were fired from the Long Walk, Fort Belvedere, and
the Royal Adelaide frigate, Virginia Water.

At a guessing Bee the following conundrum was
proposed :—ln what respect is a spinstress who (notwith-
standing her frosty, tinctured hair) still looks out for a hus-
band; and a young bazom-queen from the country who ad-
justs my lady's toilet, the same? Do you give it up? They
are both " waiting-maids."

General La Marmora, in fulfilment of a wish ex-
pressed by his wife on her deathbed, has handed to the
Municipality of Florence a sum of 100,000 f., one half of
which is to be devoted to works of charity, and the other to
the improvement of the facade of the cathedral.
Mr. Joseph Payne, lately Professor of the Science
and Art of Education at the College of Preceptors, died on
the 20th of April, at Kildare-Gardens, Bayswater. Mr. Payne
was the author of " Lectures on Education " and other works
on allied subjects, especially relating to the improvement of
methods of teaching. He also took an active part in the
work of the Women's Education Society. He contributed
several papers to the Transactions of the Philological
Society, chiefly on English dialects.

A lady, at an entertainment the other evening, was
so provoked and annoyed by her view of the stage and per-
formers being obstructed by a hat perched high on the head
of the lady in front of her, that she didn't notice the man
who sat immediately behind her, muttering audible impreca-
tions because he couldn't see over the top of her own bonnet.

In London last week 2,546 births and 1,524 deaths
were registered, the former having been 69, and the latter 52
above the average numbers. The deaths included 47 from
measles, 37 from scarlet fever, 9 from diptheria, 94 from
whooping-cough, 23 from different forms of fever, 7 from
diarrt all, and not one from small-pox; thus to the seven
principal diseases of the zymotic class 217 deaths were re-
ferred, against 206 and 247 in the two preceding weeks.

"With a white chip bonnet, paper of pine', and box
of miscellaneous feathers, lace, ribbons, and flowers, any
girl of the period, with a small stock of ingenuity, can con-
vey the impression to the public at large that she has halt a
dozen bonnets this season. A very fashionable shape is that
made by sitting down or stamping on an ordinary shape, and
then putting in some large roses."—Court Journal.

Sir Titus Salt, Bart., has made known his intention
of founding two scholarships for the Boys' Grammar School
at Bradford, value £l2O each, and two for the.Girls' Grammar
School, value £lOO each, tenable for three years. A Sunday
school to accommodate about 800 children has just been
opened at Saltaire, the cost of which, amounting to about
£lO,OOO has been defrayed by Sir Titus,
All the vessels of the Dundee fleet have now returned
from the Greenland seal fishing. The total catch of the
Dundee fleet, excluding that of Captain Adams, of the
Arctic who prosecuted the Newfoundland fishing and ob-
tained 45 tons, will give SSO tons of oiL Last year the value
of the fishing was estimated at £17,000, against fully R.,25,000
this year.

Verdi, the composer, is, as is known, a member of
the Italian Senate, but he never attends the sittings. He is
the son of a %Wage inn-keeper, and owes all his advance in
life to his talent and perseverance. He possesses in the
neighbourhood of Parma, at Santa Agate, a magnificent pro-
perty, to which he is adding every year. The estate is culti-
vated, accordthg to the custom still prevailing in Italy, by
farmers or arritadini, who take a share of the harvest to pay
them for their labour.

The Morning Post publishes a list of 620 addresses
to her Majesty on the occasion of the return of his Royal
Highness the Prince of Wales and on her Majesty's assump-
tion of the taloa of Empress of India, which have been re-
ceived for presentation at the Central Conservative-office, St.
Stephen's-chambers, Bridge-street, Westminster. Numerous
other addresses have, the Morning Post states, been for-
warded to members of Parliament for presentation.

A Times' telegram sa3 a that on Tuesday (May 2),
Madrid witnessed an unrivalled scene of grandeur and solem-
nity in memory of the victims of Murat's massacre on this
day in 1808. The whole of the troops and all the town
authorities, in full uniform and with funeral solemnities,
attended a mass for the souls of the victims at the San Isidro
Church, parading afterwards in front of the obelisk called
Dos de Mayo. Thousands of people attended, the Cones
suspended their sitting, and the shops were all closed.
Mr. C. S. Read, M.P. was entertained at dinner on
Tuesday night in the City Terminus Rotel, London, and pre-
sented with a silver salver and a cheque far £5,600, the gift
of a large number of friends throughout .the country, in re-
cognition of his services to agriculture.—ln returning thanks
tor the testimonial Mr. Read remarked that he had main-
tained his independence by resigning the office which he had
held in the Ministry; that he had felt free and happy since
he had done so; and that nothing would induce him to "put
has neck into the gilded yoke again."

A demonstration was to have taken place in Hyde
Park on Sunday under the auspices of the Sunday League,
with a view of protesting against the closing of the national
galleries and museums on Sunday; but the state of the
weather was such as to necessitate its postponement for a
week. Despite the rain, there was a considerable crowd of
working men, who showed a disposition to form themselves
tato proeessional order and assist in carrying out the pro-
gramme of the day's proceedings. The rain, however, was
so continuous that it was not considered desirable to go on
;vitt the meeting.
A shocking accident occurred in Port,mouth Dock-
yard on Monday afternoon. A skilled factory labo'irer,
"terry Davis, was at work in the engine-room of the Lord
Wanton, armour-plated, in the steam basin, when a piston
rod was being got on board Suddenly the tackle snapped
and the rod fell upon Davis, who was struck upon the head.
Death was instantaneous.
An address of congratulation to the Queen, signed
by several hundred members of the "London and Working
Men's Constitutional Association," on the assumption by her
Majesty of the title of Empress ot India, has been forwarded
through Colonel Berestord, M P., to General Ponsonby for
presentation to her Majesty.
At the last sitting of the French Academy of
Saiences, a communication was received from Di. Fliche on
the f Anna and 11Jra of the peat-beds of Champagne. Among
the animals the remains ot which have been found in these
beds are the badger, otter, beaver, pig, stag, swan, .Ic.
Insects are represented by various beetles, and molluscs by
the Mix planorbio, Lymnaa, dn. The vegetable kingdom
Is represented by the elm, walnut tree, oak, willow, boa,
juniper, fir and pine, fern and various kinds of hypnuss,
(moss). The traces left by man are numerous; ashes,
cinders, half•burned logs, pottery, carved bone, flint imple-
ments, and bits of bronze and iron.

An inquest has been held in London at the Uni-
versity hospital upon the body of Anne Lewington, aged 63,
of 8, Francis-street, Tottenham-court-road. The deoeased
lived in apartments at the top of the house, with a son.
While the latter was out her clothes caught fire, and as the
remainder of the house was unoccupied no help was forth-
coming. Mr. Parker said he saw the deseased at the window
infl.tmes lie at once made his way to the room, and James
Martin, au tng-aver, followed, and put out the flames
Then, wa, a large fire in the grate, large enough to roast a
hapriasion was that the black silk dress worn
by the c.ct used caught fire while she was dozing on the
chnr. Tue it( ceased was comeyed to the hospital, but died
soon al, r.,ards. Verdict—" Accidental death."

Mr. J. 'l'. Mackenzie has furnished the committee
! which is inquiriug into the causes of the depreciation of
silver with some information derived from his experience
In India. He spoke of the great quantity of silver and gold
withdrawn from circulation for the manufacture of orna-
ments. He did not think much silver went from India to the
interior of Asia in the ordinary course of trade. The ten-
dency to convert silver into ornaments would, to some ex-
tent, affect its value.
seasonlt alidprleadpoisesofatrbeist ot
taste y
sr
rveeelr stcbaenrteymdarrke ead
e a
s thisnt
the time when scantiness of drapery was at its extreme, and
Miss Patterson married Jerome Bonaparte. A cousin of
Mrs. D. was at the wedding, and when asked
afterwards
on
describeeou theldb
abvreidreu'st, toiletfuto replied:my
waistcoat "ALL thep o
ekcelt to
o,
clothes es
Hersh dress she
u I
embroidered
was
sioief
was of such a muslin, only richly.
woreextre
bmuetl yallefnuegtleexgtaurmre,enant.
d—
iaowt oats salci
Journal.
been made at Aire (Pas-de-Calais).
Au interegting discovery of old piecesTuey eeorf,,
fmouoinideyinhaans
art are of copper, and bear the arms
earthenware pot buried in a cellar ofofatbheollusoeu;s theeof
Agursetaftlear
Among others are 51. silver pieces of square form with the
corners cu, t off, and a few of gold of the same shape, of value
of four florins. The most interesting among them are a
number of the ooius struck in the town daring the siege of
Aire by the French in 1641, and which are very nare. Those
of gold are believed to be hitherto unknown.
The appropriation account of the vote of credit
of £125,000 on Recount of the Aishaatee Expedition has
been issued. After appropriating £97,905 to cover defi-
ciency upon the ordinary navy grants for 1874-5, sad £11,693
expended by Colonial Secretary, there remains a surplus of
£15,397 to be surrendered. The amount of extra receipts
credited by the Colonial Office on adcount of the Glover ex-
pedition, and paid over to the Exchequer, is £1,910 17s. 6d
The surplus of £139,021 72. 5d., shown on the account of I
the vote of credit,
74
iftt,
I"BAs,habnaa,tee bEeeledpiatiicionocerfortothtbe
eymtear.
ended 21st s
chequer.
The funeral of FrancoetnshelTachteuemrseßdteaaryryoinnoefss von Bunsen'
rtemookafupelawceeraet
f.Ctaerrlsre,ruihfee
lathstatwceietkihilt'hhee
vault built by the liarotiess on the death, fifteen years ago,
of her husband, On Wednesday evesing a funeral service
was performed in the house at Carlsruhe, at which the Grand
Duke of Baden attended. The Grand Duchess was absent !
from home, but a laurel wreath with the Royal colours was•
given by the Grand Duke, and placed on the contre otthe
044.alsoifilower5 from the Princess Victoria. The five
sons and three' daughters of the deceasedladYwererall present,
'her son-hAaw, the 13aren Hugern Sternberg, and her grand-
childreiktu At the close of the servica,,the Griaid Duke
expressed his sympathy with the farnili: That-night the
remains were conveyed to Bonn, where the whole family also
proceeded. Telegrams and messages of deep symnathY with
the bereaved family have been received Irons the limpress of
Germany and the Woad Dueness of Baden.


A riot has occurred at a local election at Indian.
opolis,.when three persons were killed.

Mr. .George Harris, who served under Wellington
Waterloo, has recently died at Southport, at the age of 86.
He was in the ith Dragoons, and had a horse shot under
him -

The Massager de Paris states that before the end of
May the Emperor of Insets will take an Nvortunity of
affirming that the peace of Europe must not be placed in
doubt, and 'hit this declaration win be made with such a
solemnity as to dispel all distrust.
A Times' telegram from Cape Coast Castle say that
the King of Dahomey has refused to pay the fine imposed
upon him, and has idvited the Commodore to Abomy, stating
that he will then pay him in powder and bullets.
The public debt of the United States was reduced In
April by 2,761,000 dolt. The gold in the Treasury amounted
at the close of the month to 77,605,000 dole , and the currency
to 5,161,000 dials. •

The failures in the 'United States for the first quarter'
of 1876 were 2,803, or a sum total of 64,000,000 dols. ; for the
corresponding period of last year the failures were 1,733, and
tha total ameunt *3,000,06* dols., showing for this year an
Increase of 1,078 failures, and in amount of 26,000,000 dols.
"Of all preposterous rumours none is more absurd
than that which has found its way into the Spanish papers,
viz., that the Prince of Wales has gone to Spain in order to
arrange for a marriage between his sister and King Alfonso.
—Court Journal.
During the last week dog poisoning has been con-
tinued in the outlying western suburbs of London to-an
alarming extent, and notwithstanding the tempting rawards
offered, amounting in the aggregate to between £2OO and
£BOO, and the yigihuice of the police, the poisoners remain
undetected.

On Tuesday the remains-of the Dowager Countess
of Derby were deposited by the side of her husband in the
family vault under the ehancel of Knowsley Church. Besides
the members of the deeeased countess's family, several
her attached servants. the tenantry on the estates, and many
tradespeople of the neighbourhood attended the funeraL
It is intended to invite the Prince of Wales to be.
present at the reopening of Chester Cathedral, which has
just been restored at a very law cost. The edifice will be
ready for public worship by Whitsuntide, but should his
Royal Highness accept the invitation his convenience will
be consulted as to the date of the festival.
The Prince of Wales arrived at Lisbon on Monday
afternoon. His Royal Highness was received at the station.
by the King and several distinguished personages. Theo*
was an immense crowd in the streets to see the Prince, Wel-
his Royal Highness was cordially greeted. The streets wely
decorated with English and Portuguese flags.
Emigration from Italy, according to the Fermenta=
Is on the decline. In 1870 these were 110,000 emigrants ;
1871, 122,000 ; in 1872, 146,090 ; in 1873, 151,000 ; but in 1875
they did not exceed 25,309, or less than 1 in 1,000 of the popu-
lation, which increases, by the excess of births over deaths,
72 per 1,000 per annum. In 1869 the emigrants sent to their
relatives at home 15,810,9100 lire; in 1871, 9,097,000 lire ;aid
In 1874, 11,410,009 lire.
Between the 7-th Of March and tiie hof the pre-
sent mont'i, inclusive there were admitted into Bellevue
Hospital, New York, sixty-six insane persons. There were
also four persons admitted to the hospital who attempted to
commit suicide. It it is conceded that these four were like-
wise insane, there were seventy eases of insanity reioeived
Into this one hospital in a period of thirty-six days, or nearly
two a day. -
Lord Shaftesbury presided on Wednesday morning
at the anniversary meeting of the British and. Foreign Bible
Society, held at Exeter Hall. The report showed receipts for
the past year amounting to £222,320 Bs. 11d., and the total
net payments had reached £211,251 16s. bd. The society's
engagements amounted to £122,800 13s. id. During the year,
2,682,105 copies of Bibles, Testaments, and portions of Scrip-
ture had been issued by the society, and the total issues now
amounted to 76,932,723 copies.
A. return obtained by Mr. Dodson was issued on
Saturday, showing the grants in aid of local taxation and
charges transferred from local to imperial funds, for which
provision is made in the estimates for 1876-77, with the actua
expenditure in former years. In the United Kingdom the
estimated expenditure in the current year 1876-77 is
£4,155,142, and in 1875-76, £1,093,887. The actual expenditure
In 1872-73 was £2,890,479; in 1873-74, £2,737,761; and in
1874-75, £1,292,070.

The Government Bill for amending the Poor Law of
Scotland contains a clause which propsses to provide that
no orphan, or deserted child, or child separated from its
parents, being between three and twelve years of age, is to
be detained in a pa )rhouse for longer than three months
unless the medical °facer certifies that its health would suffer
by removal; and hat all such children are to be boarded, as
at as possible, in rural districts, and with persons of their
own religion, under rules to be approved by the Secretary of
state.
An appeal of considerable importance came before
the magistrates at quarter sessions at Kirkdale, near Liver-
pool, on Monday. The appellant's public-house, situated in
the centre of Liverpool, was taken down for public improve-
ments, and, anxious to transfer her business elsewhere, she
applied to have her license transferred to a suitable house
outside the borough. This application was refused by the
Liverpool justices, and against this decision she appealed.
Oa behalf of the appellant it was urged that the magistrates
had no power of refusal, and that under the 14th section of
the 9th George IV., C. 61, when public-houses were taken for
public improvements the holder was entitled to a transfer
"to some fit and convenient house," and that the require-
ments of the neighbourhood could not be taken Into
account. The magistrates, taking this view of the case
unanimously granted the appeal, and the transfer was
allowed.

In London, on Monday evening, the Farmers' Club
held the etneluding meeting of the present session. Mr.
Thomas Henley, Jun., in tie chair. Mr. J. K. Fowler, of
Aylesbury, delivered an mistress on the poor-law, es-
pecial refereme to the administration of outdoor relief. The
tendency et tie discassion, in which Mr. C. S. Read, KT.,
Mr. Pell, MP., and Mr. W. Beach took part, was in favour of
the restristion of out-relief, not only in the interests of the
ratepayers, but of the recipients themselves. The, first-
named hon. gentleman urged that they should not look to
Government for an alteration of the law, but each man should
look to kimself in his awn district, and carry out the law as
he knows it should be carried out. If this were done, the
poor-law weitld, in a very few years, abolish itself,