The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-10-13 00:00:00

,

sATur.nAy, OCT. 12, 18S3

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"LIKE A BIRD I "—How is it we know that, of all
birds, the rook is the most farsighted and sensible ?
Why, because, don't you see, he never quarrels with-
out his caws.—Judy.

WOMEN'S FRANCHISE. - The United Methodist
Chorch of Canada, which, with a total membership of
739,160, is the largest and most powerful Protestant
denomination in the Dominion has through its annual
conference recorded its opinion that if women were
allowed to vote more rapid progress would be made in
dealing legislatively with the evils arising from the
traffic in intoxicating drinks. This avowal coming
from so influential a body is hailed with sati‘faction
by those in the Dominion who advocate the admission
of women to the same electoral privilegte as men.

INVASION OF SIAM EY CHINESE BANDS. The
French Minister of Marine has receiv Ai the following
despatch from the Governor of Cochin China :_"The
Consul at Bangkok has been informed that numerous
bands called Hoe, have invaded the north-eastern
provinces of Laos. These Hos, composed of Chinese
and semi-barbarous tribes from Tonqnin, Annatn
and Yunnan, form bands similar to the Black Flags.
The Siamese Government is organising a military force
against the Hoe, which will start at the close of the
rainy season.
VINE CULTURE IN CANADA.—The great success that
has attended the establishment of the Beaconsfield
Vineries in Pointe Clare, Quebec, has placed it beyond
a doubt that a large number of the more hardy sped-0
of grapes can be cultivated out of doors in Canada and
made to bear an abundant crop of excellent fruit.
One acre will yield on an average 10,0001 b. to
14,0001b.1 realising at 2io. (14d.) per pound, £52 to
£7O, or £l.OO per ton. The Cost of production is not
one-fourth the product.
VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS AND THE TELEPHONE.—The
agent of the Oriental Telephone Company, at Singe
-
pore, Mr. A. C. M. Weaver, writes as follows, under
date of August 30 :—" No doubt news has reached
London of the violeut eruption of Mount Kaakatow,
in Sunda Straits, and I thought it might be iotereating
to inform you of the effect on telephones in Singapore,
though nearly 500 miles distant. Till three p.m. on
Monday, 27th, conversation was utterly impassible on
the Ishore line. On raising the tubes a perfect roar as
of a waterfall was heard, and by shouting at the to of
one's voice the clerk at the other end beard the voice,
but of the whole not one single sentence was under-
stood. The same noise, but to a less extent, was
noticed on every line here, and sometimes while listefl.
ting to the Ishore line instruments, a report like *
pistol was heard." The telephone line crosses the
strait between Singapore and Ishore by a short bit of
cable about one mile in length.—Th Electrician.
, RECOVERY OF STOLEN JEWILLERY.—On Monday
night information was received by Detective-Inspector
Peel, of the Criminal Investigation Departments
which resulted in the recovery of nearly £5OO worth
of precious stones—forming part of the 0,000 worth
stolen from Mr. Garrett, lapidary, of Baker-street,
London, in April last. It will be remembered that a
man named Henry Robinson, who has since died, was
apprehended for the robbery, and that a portion of the
stolen property was then recovered, in addition to the
valuable watch stolen from Sir John Bennett, but the
prisoner did not divulge sufficient to lead to the re-
covery of all the precious stones. It was while prose-
cuting inquiries relative to another case that the pro-
perty in question was recovered, and hence the police
are reticent as to the exact locality where the discoverY
was made, but hopes are expressed that the clue
obtained may lead to a still further recovery of the
missing property.
HOUSE-BUILDING IN ENGLAND.—How many years
(Land asks) must elapse before the entire surface of
this country shall be covered with houses? Forty
years ago we built 40.000 houses per annum in Great
Britain; now we build more than 80,000. During the
last forty years we have erected two and a quarter million
houses which are "estimated to be worth double the
amount of the National Debt." It would be interest-
ing to inquire how many of these dwellings will be in
exishence or in habitable condition at the end of
anoisber forty years? The great bulk of the new
houses built in England are in the suburbs of London.
although, as the metropolis is at present more eatefl.
sively overbuilt than it has been for several years!
the number will no doubt be considerably reduced
during the next year or two. London houses, it is
notorious, are, taken all round, the worst built in this
Island. It is probable enough, therefore that quite
one-half of the dwellings which are built in Great
Britain every year will not be in existence half a
century after their completion.

HOW THE CHINESE CLEAN THEIR GIINS.—A Russian
tradesman, whom business brought to a town ill
Turkestan, gives the following account of the way in
which Chinese soldiers clean their guns. "The guns
of the Chinese soldiers," he says, "are generally good
and of the latest construction, but every time after
they have been used the soldiers put them by the side
of a canal, pour water over them, and then take them
up to be dried by the sun."
TAMING A BUITERFLY.—A correspondent writes to the
Exchange and Mart :—" Possibly it may interest some
of your numerous lady readers to hear that the
beautiful butterfly, the Red Admiral (Venaza Atalanta)
now to be seen pretty frequently in gardens and
orchards, can readily be tamed so as to alight on one's
hand. I have this day (Sunday) had four settle uPOII
my hands at the same time; but this is more difficult
than to obtain one or two at a time, as they drive
each other off if too many attempt to settle at once.
What I have called taming is very simple. I had
noticed these butterflies alighting on some fallen and
decaying pears, and on the ground and shrubs near,
so I took a piece of ripe pear, and by holding it out
at arm's length and then gradually approaching a
butterfly which had settled within reach, I at last
placed the tempting piece, as it were, under its nose,
and touched its forefeet with it, when it would crawl
no to the piece in my hand, and permit itself to be
car,' d around the gs.den. I th.'n obtained another
,Aith ny d:sengageo hand, in a .imilar manner. They
toe now more feed:op, so I unply rub a little juioe
from a pear, or a little sugar and water upon my fore.,
fingers and they settle there readily. Perhaps some
of your readers who have gardens will try for them-
selves."
THE CEDARS OF SIBERIA.—The trade with cedar.
nuts is an important branch of Siberian commerce, the
fruit forming an article of food to the inhabitants of
the Ural Mountains as well as being exported in great
quantities to Norway, where it is well known under
the name of "Russian nut." Unfortunately, the
commerce has led to the destruction of large cedat
forests in Russia, the peasants in their eagerness to
gather in a rich harvest, tearing down the branches
and not nnfrequently cutting down the trees. The ..-
home of the cedar is in Siberia, and there it may still
be seen in its original majestic beauty, which makes
the tree an object of veneration to the natives. The
further it travels from home the more insignificant it
becomes, and the finest specimens here are but dwarfs ;
as compared to the Siberian giant... 2-441
AN AWKWARD REMARK. Interior of smoking'
carriage.—" You're not a smoker, I believe?
no. I've heard it's injurious to the brain."—" Well, I
don't know. I don't think in your case ewe it would
be likely to have any bad effect."—Judy.
AN ARCHEOLOGICAL DISCOVERY IN RUSsI4,—AO'
cording to a Smolensk paper, while a church near the
village Klovko was being restored, remains of an old
church have been found which was dedicated to St.
Boris and Gleb, and was destroyed by the Poles about
five hundred years ago, when they took Smolensk.
The wails of the church are about Wt. high, and are
made of long smooth bricks, stamped with Russian
letters. Each brick is 136 in. long, 71n. wide. and
about lb. thick. The mortar used in the construction
of this church must have been of an excellent qualitYi
as the fragments which yet remain have an appear'
since somewhat like porcelain. The excavated church
consisted of three parts, of which the middle one had
double walls, the space between them being 211 n. In
the entrance of the first part a vault was found cob'
taming bones. This discovery is of great historical
Importance.
THE NATIONAL MONUMENT ON THE NIEDERWALD.--
The Special Correspondent of the Daily News late at
Reudesheim writes :—" The total cost of the complete
monument is 1,192,000 marks, or £59,600. This.
amount is distributed as follows :—The ground an'l
terraces 113,000 marks, the architectonic pedestal
proper 337,700, the watchman's house 18,000, the orns.;
mental garden grounds 3,500, the candelabras an
Inscription plates 9,000, the salary of the c,uperrisiuti
architects 31,000, the models for the foundries 210,00°.
the statue of Germania 175,750, the figures of WO
and Peace 60,000, the group Rhine and Moselle
:-35,000, the escutcheons 10,880, the eagle and wreaths
26,950, the great relief 51,300, the two minor reliefs
21,300, the prizes for the public competition 27,0,1
the costa of adminittration for 12 years 31,000 marks.
HIS CHAFFIE-RON.l—Freddie. "I say, old chaPP!ed

- - • -- - e
why are you walking so precious fast? ''--JohLal .
"I don't like the look of that fellow who's been fk
lowing us ever since we left the Frivolity."--Freddie•
"It's all right, chappie. I've engaged him,dontcha•
know, to look after me during Ike garotting season."'
~
Funny Folks. .',•, .
. ..,
....
A TERRIBLE VOYAGE.—The ship Simla, of Wei", ''.•
pool, arrived at Dundee from Calcutta on Ttlesden.
after a disastrous voyage. Four of • the crew wer
seized with cholera after .leaving .CalcuttP, aud-0, 4
11.
1
died. Another of the creiv.died fre,lP t'oscesses' ana '
third man went mad and. jumps' overboard. overboard. A l"e" .
buoy was thrown, but ne pushed it from bins ell
sank. The vessel encountered a dreadful hurricane 0
the Cape of Good Hope, and lay los five hours on b 0„
hearri ends. The cabin was filled with water attc,k'
-quantity of stores wss4estroytid. . '-• "" .
0•--.-
1 lkuitioinatn4,..PßOVEt#3.,-, Awing the week a
sideritble ciusurtityul-rafif hails:Wen, and; the temPe,r*!:
hire has been-, decidedly lower than
..that 414teln`mf-
duringthe'Vrtitons "Week: "Ektritsive floodi: have
curred,in putt* of the Midlands, and in porticps of
Eastern Cotinties, causing consigerStile...tiSpiagp `
beans and other'Onts'ilinding"larniatt :.94:::o0 ,
autnttitifatityn ise4 -ctiitinc*: to makejait
grsior,3-414"theYe-*IIr bljr-iii,3,.---ax'qnllsitt: '
made 415: hih*Alc• ltbsplrlibie.,n---'
foot4ind=rtinuth'zdfserise..Prde
Mark,:f4ine Express.:
~.....---- ..
' Tilt 1-"ROdiultiLpfl T.-A&NLib:,
from tkopitanoial statement dr
, Trealitgots. -Tasmania. 6
steadzaviAteo wh ie tu. t
finfinurallsar ct
'titiplini of Of fin. Way,
raged .a , 71.117441fir,m-, .
:.il7 1.1,14 A.-, bilec-s.'
101 h, ..,0 . AllAbC(B44)l4 wit?
‘.:A-411,!iP.P.t.P•ixitimietadiiiiisii
.31 'Llsceph'
.rr -1884, .of • -
TrsAilieri the 'Hon. 3-al—L.-
- x.--
surplus,. has proposed a furthur remission of ta our
on theurdtnary teddileS otlife, and is ende3;rot
~
ing to give the working classes a "free bre? _...0. •,.
table." A large expenditure on public works 1ST:131;0g -.'.
nosed by the Government for the current year-000 03
the items may be mentioned a stilt of 27Ivin 000
railways. On roads and bridges a sum of 21`;;ditige
to be expended, and with R 59,000 on public 000e3o
and other works a sum total of k 903.000 i° ,PV,c)O Of
for expenditure. The colony has a poPu'a'a upon
122 GOO. The Government have recently enter'v
ae_tireo
an emigration scheme, in order to supply 1 'reoent
to carry out these public works. At the P hight
time the rates of wages in the colony are Teri '"

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