The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-01-22 00:00:00

EPITOME OF NEWS.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

Good News for Hunting Men—Leap Year.—Jwty.
Last year more eggs were imported than in the two
preceding. The deelared value was £2,561,423.

Why are ironclads like dumb men 7—Because they
can't be made to anawer.—Fun. _ _

The Americans propose an anniversary of Chris-
topher Columbus this year, and one of its features is to be
the execution of a piece by Liszt, on 600 pianos.
Mr. Gladstone, in reply to a letter from a person at
Leominster, asking him it the statement is true that "he
had contested the failure of his work in Ireland with
respect to the disestablishment of the Church," denies that
the report has any foundation, and adds—" Were the work
even yet to do, most readily would I put my hands to the
doing of it."
At the half-yearly meeting of the College of Pit.
ceptors on Saturday, it was stated in the report that the is'
crease in the number of pupils presented at the examinatloe
had been about 250 on any previous examination, the numbet
of candidates entering being 1,662. The chief increase was
at the London centre, although a number of country schools
had sent up pupils for the first time. The examination of
teachers for the college diplomas also showed satisfactory
progress
Colonel Mure, M. P., has obtained a return to an
order of the House of Commons, showing the strength of the
Infantry regiments employed at the Summer Manconvres,
with other paiticulars connected theriwith The total
iparl absent
from was 12,447, while the established. strength of the
regiments at head-quarters was 15,825. The tot
from the Dfauom nn is
vres was 3,265 The umber prison or
absent without pave was 350. The actual strength present
at head-quarters on the last day of the Manoeuvres was
15,352. The number on the sick or convalescent list lsraet
turned at Kt

The continuous high price of meat in this coutttry
gives great importance to an experiment whick is now being
made in bringing over quarters of fresh beef from America.:
The French papers report the death at Geneva of
Mdme. Dubois-Coppenet, v,'ho was wet-nurse to Napoleon
111. She was ninety-four *ears of age.
It is stated that the Dutch Government have
adopted a plan for draining the Zuyder Zee at at expense
of nearly 410,600,000. The area to be drained is estimated
at 759 square miles.
Messrs. Moody and Sankey have concluded their
regular services in Philadelphia. They have, with auxiliaries,
held in a hall accommodating 14,003 persons 248 meeting, in
nine weeks, attended by nearly 900,000 persona

Don't it down thirteen On Twelfth Night. —Judy.

From an official document just issued the declared
value of beer and ale expoxted was £2,090,281. Of that
amount £549,303 Went to India.
On New Year's Eye the Princess' of Wales receiTed
a telegram from the Prince of Wales, which reacbed Copen-
hagen in three hours and fifty-five minutes, and the following
day a telegram from the Prince reached the King in four
hours and a few minutes.

The following are the average prices of British earn
for the week ending Jan. it, as received from the inspectors
and officers of Excise :—Wheat, 445. 7d.; barley, 31s. 3d. •,
oats, 235. 10d. per imperial quarter. Corresponding week
last year :—Wheat, 445. 6d.; barley, 455. 6d. ; oats, 295. ld.-
--

Three shocks of earthquake are said to have occurred
at Connie on Sabbath—two at three o'clock in the morning,
ands third s, five in the afternoon. They were pretty severe,
the dirg.ctlon seemingly being from the south-west to the
north-east.— Glasgow News.

The number of emigrants which left the Mersey
during the past twelve months has decreabsed to the extent of
33,903, as compared with the previous year, and a decrease of
7,600 is shown during the quartelending December.

- -
The Edinburgh Town Council is about to purchase
about twenty acres of ground in the neighbourhood of the
Botanic Gardens in the eity, to be laid out as a public
aboretum, and to be open every day, Sundays included.
The Journal de Charleroi states that considerable
sums of money have been distributed among the Belgian
colliers on strike without its being known where the money
came from. Work has, however, been resumed In great part,
and the strike may be considered as terminated.

A cigar-tase, set with Ceylon gems worth £250, was
presented to the Prince of Wales by the gems,
chiefs
of Ceylon, and is described as being a pieoe of most exquisite
handicraft.

The official returns just issued show from the pay-
ment of Customs' duties the increased consumption of
cocoa. In 1873 the duty was £34,629; in 1874, £36,932
and last year, £41,559.

From eoundings taken by the Amelia where the
Vanguard sank, it appears that sand is accumulating
around and on the vessel, and that before the weather
moderates she will be nearly covered. The new bank which
is thus being created will be marked on the chart.

-
The King of Holland, who is a great lover of music
will give great musical I Otos in May next. Ambroise Thomas,
Fdlicien David, Gevaert, Liszt, Vieuxtemps, and other
au:anent corapcisens and artists have been invited to them. .

A surplus of about £l3O was realised from the last
musical festival at Norwich, but the committee of manage-
ment has determined to carry this slim to tile credit of the
festival of 1878, so that there will be no distribution among
the local charities in respect of the festival of last year.
A Japanese paper comments on a new mania with
which the people of 106 W appear to be attacked. For-
getting the severe lessons taught them by the former pig
and rabbit bubbles, they are now investing large sums in
choice roses.
The population of New York, according to a preli-
minary census report prhsented to the Legislature of that
State, is 4,295,208, including 329,679 aliens and 4,880 kndians.
The total number of voters is 1,14330, of whom 7440g2 are
natives of the Stpte.
The Jewish )World states that Mr. William Axons-
berg has rneived from the Right Hon B. Disraeli, 51. F., a
copy of th 7 new edition of his works, accompanied by an
autograph inscription, indicative of his kind wishes, as a
tokenpt his regard for one'tistinguished for his open-handed
liberallty and muntilcence.
The head keeper of the lighthouse on the Isle of
Ornsey, on the south coast of Skye, has been killed by falling
from the top of the lighthouse. The assistants found the
body lying at the base of the buildings, and it is believed
that while on the balcony trimming the lamps he had acci-
dentally fallen over.
The Wlng of Bavaria has offered a prise for the beat
design far a drawing-room lamp to burn petroleum. 'lho
height is not to exceed from 60 to 70 centimetres, and the
material is to be metal, which, however, may be decorated
with other substances, such as ivory, marble, &C.
The Court of Assizes of Mont-de-Marsan has just
tried two men and a woman for the murder of a small farmer
named Cassagne. A couple named Duluc invited him to
their house to sup and pass tile night following a market
day, and then, aided by the third prisoner, Lacase, killed
him while he was asleep to obtain possession of some money
he had on him. Lacare described the crime with revolting
cynicism, and was condemned to death. Duluc was sentenced
to hard labour for life, and his wife to ten years' imprison-
ment.—Globe.
Lady lawyers in the United States are on the in-
cresuip, and one fair Nttornev-at-law in Wisconsin has applied I
for licence to practise in the Supreme Court of the State.
The young lady was admitted to the bar twelve months
since, and has already a high reputation in her profession.
The study of agriculture is also being taken up by Trans-
atlantic damsels, and an Illinois girl possessing an eighty-
acre farm, whith she works herself, wrote to a friend who
wished to visit her, "I am busy ploughing, and cannot enter-
tain now."

The numbers of travellers between Calais and Dover
during the year 1876 was 212,583, or 10,779 more than in 1874.
There were 110,419 travellers between Boulogne and Folke-
stone, 58,235 between Dieppe and Newhaven, and 24,265
between Havre and Southampton. It appears, therefore
that nearly twenty thousand more passengers landed at
Calais and Dover than at all the other ports named put to-
gether.
The San Francisco Chronicle says :—We now claim
to have a population of upwards of 240,000, and the three
principal Ibraries—the Mercantile, Mechanics' Institute,
and Odd .ffdlows—contain about 100,003 volumes of reading
matter. The membership of the three braries amounts to
7,364, divided as follows: Odd Fellows, ,847;3 Mercantile,
2,041; Mechquics' Inatitute, 1,476. The aggregate income
of the three libraries for the past year was nearly 61,000
dols.
Le Jour des Baia in Paris is as great an anniversary
to children as the English Twelfth Day. Numerous partrea
are given on that day, and all the children set to work to find
the bean which is bidden in every cake. The happy possessor
is proclaimed king, aid has the right to choose his queen.
Two hundred and twenty-five thousand Twelfth cakes are
artoually made in Faris for the Jour dos Aois, and it is
reckoned that to supply these cakes ninety gallons of haricot
beans are used in one day alone.
"Au enterprising manufacturer of scents has hit
upon a rather novel mode of attracting customers. He an-
nounces that in a certain number of boxes there is a £5 note
stowed away, which the lucky purchaser keeps. In one
town in the West of England a perfumer was so fortunate
as to sell two of these boxes to customers in a very short
time, and the fame of their success has led to a great de-
mand for that particular kind of scent."—Court Journal.

The annual rental of pews in Plymouth Church (the
Now York Tribune of the sth inst. says) occurred the pre-
vious evening. There was a full attendance and the bidding
was spirited. The entire sum realised from premiums and
rentals amounted to 63,680 doLs. (about 42,756), against
71400 dole. last year. The result, however, was gratifying
to the members of the church, in view of the "hard times"
which prevail.
Baroness Burdett Coutts has addressed to the Arch-
deacon of London (Bishop Claughton) a letter, in which she
asks that the funds collected for the Hospital Sunday move-
ment should not be apportioned until after inquiry as to ex-
periments on live animals in the different hospitals. She
submits to him that he should make it a condition that sums
collected should be withheld from insthirtions in which
vivisection is practised.
• - -

The New Year's receptions in the United States
have led tp a novel but somewhat useful custom. Most
journals in the provincial towns contain on the previous day
a list of the ladies who will be at home for the receptiong,_
while in another column are the names of those who aa
prevented from receiving by sickness, absence, domestic
affliction, &c. This pre'vents a great loss of time and trouble
to those whose acquaintance is numerons.—Graphie.
The Berlin Correspondent of the Pall Mail Gazette
writes ?—Herr von Dreyse, of Stimmerda, proprietor of a large
gun manufactory and inventor of the once famous needle-
gun, has lately constructed a rifle so far surpassing the
/denser gun in simplicity, range, and excellence, that the
question is already discussed among the military authorities
of the practicability of introducing the new Breyer's gun
Into the regular army, leaving the Hawser for the landwehr ;
the latter body are still armed with the needle-gun.
A telegram has been reoeived at the Admiraltyfrom
the Commander-in•Ohief on the China Station, dated at Singa
pore, Tuesday, in which he states that the operations against
the Malays in the Perak river have been altogether success-
ful; the complete victory over the natives rendering it no
longer necessary to maintain the Naval Brigade, the men
forming whiefh will row be withdrawn and embarked on
board the Atulaciatur, Kod4ste, Thistle, and Fly.
The Ne2o York Tribune has taken the trouble to
ascertain that in June last there were 109 persons in New
York State of a hundred years old and upwards. Of these,
35 were born in the United States, 2 in the West Indies,
1 in Scotlaild, 1 in Spain, 1 at sea, 2 in England, 6 in
Canada, and IV in Ireland, while 20 had forgotten where
they were born. The oldest inhabitant is one Sarah Hicks,
aged 114. In New York city, al the 29 centenarians living
there, no less than 22 are of Irish birth.

Nothing is created in vain, poodle dogs have their
uses. A lady who kept one of the early abominations
recently lost her pet. and called u,pon a toliceman to find it.
The next day the officer came with the dog, which was very
wet and dirty. The lady was overjoyed, and asked lefty
silly questions ; among others, "Where did you find the dear
baby 7" " Why, unarm," replied the officer, " a man had him
tied to a pole, and was washing windows with him."—
Court Jsurnab
M. de Lessem was recently presented with an
address by the Boglish-speaking passengers on board the
steamer in which he went to Egypt. It congratulated him
ou. the success which had attended his great undertaking, and
also on the step just taken by the British Government in be-
comirag part proprietor of the Suez CanaL M. de Lesseps, in
his reply, said that he had always looked upon the Canal as a
work which, while doing special honour to France, would
be
advance the interest of civilization, and put an end to t
political rivalry of France and England in Egypt. Ills wishes
had now been realised
"hitewmaseesttaintegd
BoAartd othat th
teh e coalMersey
trade po
Docks
Birkenhead eaardblol had
the weighing appliances of
number of tons which passed or
more than doubled in amount within the last ten years. The
was 1,085,000, as compar wl rn-
the Board and those of theed
amount, iliwthaY 1e,076,p0a0n0 ies during
ITBh7es
parties did not charge
acollieries and Birkenhead, as compared
with the rates charged in other Instances.
It was said, tfon unreasonable
be-
tween the Lancashire onaargbeler if the railway co
rate of carriage be-
rrespondent erzegovina
A telegram from a co
s
states that a Dutch lady, rich, but very eccentric, has madeinsurgent ranks, mounted on a
her appearance in the
magni-
ficent mule. She wee irneob
dwith military honours, the
battle
tle array and presentiag arms
ttorotoreirbeminiegtrdersasw, wnhuophad be
roughtwith her an ample supply
aotftme, modern
of bank notes, which
further
ethheaar
pdeeadunoivaeryr
atossitthtane cc, hleebfsy of
ethane
11301,131218 a p
,
of which she hopes to secureodimatthace,rdibreefeedaratainsofgamaithsoereTurt kz
attire,
in less
and
rn
Joan
three months.
arm t
e
onhteluk r a Dutch flag, which floats proudly on the
breeze.
ed an all u isp
The Bristol School Board, following the example of
the London and other Boards, have resolved to introduce
carrying
with
cookery as a subject of instruction in their girls' schools.
Mr. Buckmaster delivered the inaugural lecture in HLmilton's
Rooms, Parkstreet, Bristol, on the 17th. The Mayor of
Bristol presided, and there was a large attendance, chiefly
of charitable ladies. In the evening, Mr. Buckmaster re-
peated the lecture to an audience of working men's wives.
Both lectures were practically illustrated by the prepara-
tion et several dishes, and were exceedingly well received.
In London last week 2,431 births and 1,590 deaths
were registered, the former having been 67, and the latter
156, below the average. The deaths included 40 from measles,
60 from scarlet fever, 9 from diphtheria, 100 from whooping-
cough, 16 from different forms of fever, 14 from diarrhcea,
and not one from small-pox. 'the deaths referred to disease,
of the respiratory organs, which in the five previous weeks
had steadily declined from 536 to 351, rose again to 390, al-
though 69 bblow the corn, cted averaee weekly number ; 255
resulted from bronchitis, and 87 from pneumonia.
Twelve large planks of cedar, which Monsignor
Delta, the Marouite Archbishop of Iteyrout, has sent to the
Cardinal-Archbishop of Paris for the ehnrek at Montmartre,
have arrived in the/French capital, and will be carefully pre-
terved at the Archiepiscopal Palace until they are requiremi
for use A small number of trees yet remain Mount
°
Lebanon, supposedtto be as old as the time when 6010111011
as
built the Temple, the wood for which WAS supplied
is
known, from the forests of cedar ; and it is from One of the
trees, resently blown
down, that the planks in question were
out

The first in my have it e fox's brash, the last in the
hair-brush.--Judy.

The ladies of New York have forneed an asaociatio
for the ereCtion of a statue to the memory of Washington
Irving, to be placed in the Centre. Park.

Negociations for the purchase of the Egyptian
ratiwnys by a group of English capitalists are reported to
be pending.'
The first Spelling Bee at Cambridge has proved very
snecesoful. The head prize was awarded to Mr, Daniel Case,
employ.d at the University Press.

Crimes of violence appear to be alarmingly prevalent
in New York. No fewer than six eases are report In one
page of the Hew York Herald of the bth inat.
- - -

- Prirce Lucien Bonaparte, accompanied by the Rev.
Dr. H. Adler, visited the Jews Free School, Spitalflelds. on
Tuesday, where nearly 2,600 Jewish children are educated.
The Prince remained more than three hours.

A hat made of human hair, and intended for gen-
tiemen's wear, is one of the most ourious contributions to a
Chilian emhibition. It was sent by a Guatemala lady, and
the material came from the heads of her two daughters.

The miners in the west of Scotland ask an advance
of Is. a day, bringing up the wages to ss. There are some
signs of a revival in the trade, and tho masters seem not un-
willing to :woe& to the demand.
Six hundred weavers have been locked out at the
Globe Cotton Spinning Mill, Macclesfield, owing to a dispute
as to the quality of the cotton, and the refusal of the owners
to recognise the trade-union secretary;
The Princess of Wales and the members of the
Royal family of Denmark attended an amateur performance
given on Saturday night at the Casino Theatre, Copenhagen,
for charitable purposes.
From April let to the 15th inst. the Exchequer re-
ceipts amounted to £58,62.4,464, as compared with
ki5,088,606 in the previous corresponding period. The ex-
penditure has amounted to £62,158,404.
While sliding on the ice on the river Soar, at Leices-
ter, on Sunday afternoon, two brothers, William and Matthew
Buswell, fell through and were submerged. Wilitan- was
rescued by some bystanders after he had sunk for the second
time, but his brother was drowned. The body was recovered
about two hours afterwards.

Chili can boast of being the first country in the world
that has admitted women to the electoral franchise. Chi Han
law makes no distinction of sex, the only qualifications
required for citizenship being the attainment of maj wity and
the ability to read and write. It has therefore been decided
to register women, and they will vote at the coming election.
Military manceuvres, extending over three days,
have taken place at Delhi, his Royal Highness the Prince of
Wales having been present at the final action, in which the
attacking party was defeated. The Prince has paid visits to
the chief objects of interest around the city, including the
positions held by the British troops in 1857.
A report upon the Alabama claims hag been issued
by the Judiciary Committee of the American House of
Representatives, from which it appears that, up to the let
of January, claims to the amount or 6,000,000 dohs. had been
approved by the Court of Commissioners entrusted with the
distribution of the Geneva award; the total claims will
probably exceed ten million dollars.
The Pekin Gazette has been established over one
thousand years, and probably its present numbers are exact
counterparts of the first it issued. It covers ten pages,
4 by 8 inches, and has a yellow cover on which its name is
printed. It is the only native paper circulating in a kingdom
of 414,000,000 souls, aid is exclusively confined to official
notices.
The Admiralty have offered to lend the Clio wooden
corvette, temporarily to the Marine Society, for the recep-
tion of the boys of the Warspite, provided the Society will
undertake her insurance against fire. The Cligi is a smaller
vessel than the Warspite, and being a steamer, her accommo-
dation is much more limited.. It has been found impossible
to quarter the boys at Greenwich Hospital.
A convocation of the University of London was
held on Tuesday, at which, after a long discussion, a reso-
lution was passed affirming the desirability of obtaining a
new charter, and declaring that no such charter would be
acceptable to convocation which did not enable the Uni-
versity to grant degrees to women.
A meeting of officers of Trade Societies has been
held in Manchester to hear a paper read by Mr. Henry
Crompton, barrister at law, on workmen and trial by jury.
Mr. A. Macdonald, M.P., presided. Resolutions were
adopted asking for ageform of the Jury Laws, and declaring
that no reform would be satisfactory which did not provide
for including a fair representation of workmen on juries.

A deputation from the Irigh Schoolmasters' Associa-
tion has waited on Sir Michael Hicks-Beach, to lay before
him a scheme for the iraprovement of middle-class and the
promotion of university education in Ireland. The main
features were the establishment of sCholarships for boys 19
and 15 respectively, who should have studied two years at
any recognised school, to be open at publi c competition to
all comers, without class or sectarian distinction. The Chief
Secretary expressed approval of the project, and promised to
lay it before the Government.
-

"The fortune left by the late Sir Anthony Roths-
child amounted, it is said, to nearly £.10,000,000 sterling.
The fortune of the late Mr. Brassey, who has hitherto been
regarded as the largest of millionaires, was about £6,000,000.
Mr. Morrison, the head and founder of the well-known house
of Morrison, Dillon, and Co, left between £3,000,000 and
£4,00,000. Sir Anthony Rothschild has therefore surpassed
previous collectors of wealth, and has left a sum which
would buy the fee simple of many a German Principality.
Court Jorrnal.