The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-11-01 00:00:00

EPITOME OF NEWS.

BRITISH AXI) remslorr,
The losses arising from the floods in IVilurcla, it is
now stated, exceed 50,000,000 f.

A Himalayan mountain-climbing club has been
started in India, with the view of ascending the highest
peaks of that region, and, conseqaently, of the world.

-
The Itoman Catholic Bishop of Salford (Dr.
'Vaughan), preaching at Heywood on Sunday evening,
attacked the seculat education movement, and said be
thought that as a nation we were going too far in the
matter of education, that too many subjects were being
laid upon children attending our public elementary schools
.—instruction not necessary for their state in life.

A Correspondent of The Times says that the Red
fiver Valley in Dakota and Manitoba, with nearly one-third
of it lying within the Canadian Dominion, is destined to be
one of the great wheat-producing regions of America.
Mr: William Kennedy Marshall, the owner of ex-
tensive estates in North Tipperary and county Antrim, has
allowed his tenants 25 per cent. abatement on their current
half-year's rents.

A telegram has been received at New York stating
that heavy rains fell in Jamaica from the 11th inst. until the
14th. Alrch damage was dune to property by floods, and 13
lives were lost in Kingston.

At a meeting called by the Mayor, bald in the
Guildhall at AbMgdon, on Monday, it was decided to give
Captain Bradshaw, of her Majesty's ship Shah, a public re-
ception, on his return from South Africa. It is expected
that the gallant captain, whose residence, Thbney House, is
near Abingdon, will arrive on Saturday.
An experimental shipment of fresh salmon from
Canada has just been made, with every assurance of success
in opening a new trade in food supplies. The salmon were
caught in the Canadian rivers, packed in ice, transported
across the Atlantic in the refrigerators of the Allan steamer,
and landed in Liverpool in perfect condition. The fish are
of large size, splendid symmetry, and equal in weight and
soundness to the best produce of the If orweglan rivers.

A writer in the Chicago Tribune say that the
early estimates of the American wheat crop were over•e3ti-
mated to the extent of 60,000,000 bushels.

A public census is to be held in all Germany on
the let of December, 1880. It has just been decided to
combine with the census an inquiry into the number of live
stock of every kind, and into the distribution of landed
property.
On the 26th inst. the monument in commemoration
of the piercing of the Alps was unveiled at Turin. The
King, the Duke of Aosta, the Ministers, and the Presidents
of the Chamber and the Senate were present.

-
The Prance Coloniale alleges that gold has been dis-
covered in New Caledonia and that a rush of Australian
diggers is expected.

A sum of £7,77 63. sd. was paid last year for re-
payments for maintenance of criminal lunatics in Broadmoor
Asylum.
The South Yorkahire Coalowners' Association have
rejected the demand of the miners for an advance of 10
per cent. in wages. The committee declared the applica-
tion ill-timed, and affirmed that many of the pits were still
being worked at a loss.

The Right Hon. Sir Stafford Henry Northeote,
Bart., CE., Chancellor of the Exchequer, was born in Port-
land-place, London, on Oct. 27, 1818, and thus attained his
61st year on Monday. He succeeded to the title on the
death of his grandfather which took place on March 17, 1851.
Sir Stafford is the eighth baronet, the title having been
created on July 16, 1641.

The Queenstown lifeboat on Monday succeeded in
rescuing the crew of a yacht which was in peril off Cork
Head, through having lost her rudder and both anchors.
The export of cheese from Switzerland to the
tidied States fifteen years ago amounted to only 241,673
francs. It increased gradually till 1872, when it reached
2,229,213 francs. Every year since the exports have fallea,
till now they are only a million and a hall, there being a fall
of 8 per cent. in 1878 alone over the preceding year.
The twenty-fifth anniversary of the Battio of
Balaclava, which was fought on Oct. 25th, 1854, was cele-
brated in London by a fête at the Alexandra Palace on
Saturday. There was a good muster ot the remnant of the
Six Hundred on the occasion, and in the evening the sur-
viving officers who were In the celebrated charge, including
the Earl of Lucan and Major Trsvelyan, dined together at
Willis's Rooms, St. James's.

Lord Northbrook, as head of the Indian Institute
Committee, has received a letter from the Maharajah of
Viztanagram, stating that the Maharanee intends contribut-
ing £l,ooo towards the fund now being formed by V,rofessor
Monier Williams, for the establishment of an Indian Institute
at Oxford.

The Empress Eng&tie and suite attended Divine
service in St. Andrew's Roman Catholic Church, Braemar,
on Sunday. The Rev. Tames Stewart celebrated mass. The
weather was bright and frosty, and there was a large con-
gregation and many visitors. It is stated that the Empress
has derived so much benefit from her residence on Deeside
that she will return early nest year.
The number of dealers in intoxicating liquor in the
United States is given at 167,000, and of tobacco dealers at
835,261. The revente from spirits in 1878 amounted to
60,000,000 dole. ; from tobacco, to 40,000,000 dole.; from
fermented liquors, to 10,000,000 dole.

The Pester Lloyd has had almost daily reports of
earthquake shocks occurring in various parts of Southern
Hungary. Much damage is said to have been done to houses,
and in several places the people had quitted their dwellings
and were bivouacking in the open spaces. The apprehension
among all classes of the population was considerable.
The First Lord of the Admiralty has received from
the Duke of Cambridge a letter in which his Royal Highness
says:—" I have just finished my autumnal inspection of the
Royal !defines and the Marine Artillery. They are, in my
judgment, in excellent condition, and so extremely well
turned out that I feel caVed upon to express to you what
I eXptrienced on seeing them on parade. I should feel
obliged if yen vrould let the Board of Admiralty know my
high appreciation of ths efficiency of the three divisions.

It is not expected that the rvivance in the price of
wheat can be maintained during the winter. There has been
a good deal of speculation of late, and prices have been
forced up. Bat the American harvest has been so abundant
that the large imports will necessarily weaken the market.—
EAv.

The Shc!aeld School Board hare decided to ask the
mayor to fix the hours of polling at the approaching School
Board election at from twelve to seven. ,

A Bombay paper draws attention to the almost un-
precedented fact that, during one week recently, with the
exception of the usual T. and 0. Company's steamer, there
was not a single steamer loading in the harbour for England.
There was not even, with a solitary exception, a single 8%11-
ing-shlp bound for England. This looks, says the Bombay
Review, as if the country were well-nigh emptied of its
surplus products.
The Paris Correspondent of The Times says that
"Lightning trains" between Paris and Marseilles com-
menced on Monday. The 82 kilometres are traversed in
1513. 21min., or, allowing for two stoppages of halt-an-hour
each and various short ones, in 13 hours. This involves a
speed on straight and level ground of 72 kiloratres, or nearly
45 miles an hour, which in France is considered a feat.
The Mayor of Birmingham has in order that the
artisan electors may have an opportunAy of recording their
votes without loss of time, decided that the polling at the
ensuing Behool Ward election shall take place between the
hours of one and eight p.m.
It is stated by the Birmingham Gazette that there
will shortly be another general strike of the local chain-
makers. At present about 1,200 men are out, but should
the whole of the men strike, the number will be increased to
tpwards of 3,000.

No Ptea are to be given at Madrid on the King's
marriage. The event will be reduced to a religious care-
mony, to which the chief functionaries and the Diplomatic
Body will be invited, and to an ordinary reception at the
Palace in the evening. The money that was to be spent in
rejoicings, bull fights State performances at the theatres,
exhibitions, &c., wilt be devoted to the relief of the unfortu-
bate sufferers from the Inundations in Murcia.
Li distinguished diplomatist from the United States
of Amends, a very genial and social being, soon after his
arrival in London made the rounds of the sights, Madame
Tussaud's among the member. "And what do you think of
gee waxwork ? " said a friend. "Well," replied the
onierini "it struck me as being very like any ordinary
Emelt& party..-court Journal.
th Green, !job ,plturist, writes to a gentleman
, there should be a law re-
quiring that al bfoort trout in syrathis6;
_et in m? nene'n'eee even.p.iwnchhee;
tihneylehnagythe
l
yrbich have been alright re etv.ovrn bX
mind et that size they Ineee eec4aped all ;b. dangers of
n
ncy, and at the end of anothe, gnat will Nes:elle fish
iwoirlth-catehing, A trout four inched In iength wlif, J one
year, quadruple his weight,"
A to]. .f rock occurred on Tuesday at told Pan-
e) ff's Carnaredexhire slate quarries. Two brothers natteed
keeuletee, pa'atried men, with large families, were killed on the
spot, vd riAbles.ef man wire Zerlemsly injured.
Mr. Samuel orl4, prissidei on Tuesday at
a meetieg held at the Cennelezereet Hotel, Londe., for
the purpose of promoting a metholild ta the /ate fir Row-
land Hill. A resolution was passed aecknoWleclging the
services of Sir Rowland Hill, and approving the propolial
illet a national subseription be raised to secure ttting
public memorial.
Ther3 wern 2 5i7 births atal 1,561 deaths registered
in tbreleu lest Week. Aliewing for increase of population,
the hirthe eecesefed by 62, and the deaths by 61, the average
numbers in tho doreesportding week of the laet ten years.
The annual death-tate (robe all causes, which had steadily
Increased from 172 to 21 6 per e,OOO in the four preceding
weeks, farther rose to 225 Darlug the past four weeks of
the current quarter the death-rate has averaged 207,
against 20 4 in the corresponding period both of 1877 and
Ib7B.

--- -
Sir Michael Hicks•Esach, MP., was present at a
Conservative meeting in Birmingham on Saturday. He de.
feuded the policy of the Government, and said it was
justind ttis results. T'ne aggrersive advance of Russia
nad been chtclied both In urope and Asia, and securities
had been taken for the protection of British Interests. While
repudiatieg responsibility for the South African war, he ad-
mitted the difficult position in Which Mir Thirties were bad
been placed; and reiterated the assertion that the war was
occasioned by proceedings of the Zulus which had become
dangerous to the interests of the colonists.
it is stated in telegram; from Vienna and Eerlin
that no treaty of alliance has been signed by the Emperors
of Germany aiht Austria There has simply been a diplo-
matic communication that the understanding arrived at
between Prince Bismarck and Count Andrassy had received
the sanction of their respective Sovereigns.

Upwards of six hundred persons, attended the
peace demonstration in Naples on Sunday. Several speakers
havirg addressed the meeting, a resolution was carried urg
lug the Government to take into consideration the vote
unanimously passed in favour of a general disarmament.
The receipts on account of revenue from the let
April, 1879, when there was a balance of £6,915,756, to Oct.
25, 1879, were £40,633,404, against £11,052,207 in the cor-
responding period of the preceding financial year, which
began with a balance of 243389. The net expenditure
was £49,069.463, against £49,364,631 to the same date in the
previous year. Tha Treasury balances on Oct 25 amounted
to £1,312,413, and at the same date in 1878 to £1,152,299.
Lord Carnarvon diAributed the prizes to the
students at the Art School of Winchester on Tuesday. He
I traced some of the effects and tenceucies of modern Prt
culture, among which he prominently remarked that
Alanual Workers were forsaking the country for thelowlis
in the search for higher avocations. The noble Earl re-
gretted that while our national taste had improved with
marked rapidity, the quality which partially compensated
for our former deficiency in this respect seemed to be de-
clining, for the charges that the soundness of our workman-
ship was departing were frequent and loud.