The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-02-11 00:00:00

illisrdlancous Ifattllignue,

HOME, FOREIGN, AND COLMIAL.
A NUMEROUS CL ASS.— HOW would you speak
of a man who was an ex:eve:lye bore ! Would you not
call him a Hyperborean?—Puncle.
INTERNATIONAL A RBITRATION.—A meeting con-
vened by the Workmen's National Peace Association,
is to be held on the 22nd inst., in the Freemason's-hall,
London, ter the porpoise of impressing on the Govern-
ment the great evils of the late disastrous war, and
also ceiling upon the members to use their influenee
with the Governments of Europe to urge the neoeseity,
in the interests of humanity, of settling in future all
International disputes by arbitration and the establi-h-
-ment of a high court of nations for that purpose; also
to place before the country the danger, immorality,
and expende of standing armies. It is furth-r con-
templated te hold a large number of provincial meet-
ins to urge upon the respective Parliamentary repre-
eentatives that in the interests of civilizetion and
religion it is the duty of the English Government to
take the initiative in promoting international peace by
proposing a Large, mutual, and simultaneous reduction
of all armed forces, with a view to their en!ire ab,li-
lion. Mr. Samuel Morley, M.P., has consented to
preside at the ineet'ng.
" TUE MILK JOURNAL."—A suitable motto fey
this new periodical would ro doubt be found in" Lac-
tantius." [ We are requeeted to contradict the state-
ment that the office of this publication is in Pump
Court.] - Punch.
A KINDLY Jeer—Mr. Edw. A. School, of
24, South 21st-stre.t, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
United States, heel sent the following letter to The
Times for publication
In last August an English gentleman came to this city.
Having no employment lee ran out of funds, and on the 12th
inst. la a fit of despair committed suicide. All that could he
obtained from hint was that his father was a coal merchant in
Bedfordshire. Ile was well educated wel had all the manners
of a gentleman. lie went under the name of Thomas
Philllps. I took charge of the body and buried it, erecting a
same in his aemory. Knowing your paper I. the piper of
England, I have taken the privilege of addressing you If
you can ILI at, manner if nd who his parents are, I know you
..dl favour them by letting them know his sad f Is. 'Usage
was between 39 and ti) years.
A New ACCOMPLISBMENT.—An advertisement
for " A superior young person, required as parlour
maid and to wait on lady," stipulates that she eun.t
'understand," along with dresser akieg,—what does
the expectant reader imagine? Not setting the table,
net keeping plate in order, not ushering in callers,
not plain seeing, not getting up small (hinge, bet—
"chignons ! "—Punch.
TIIE " PRICKING" FOR SHERI/TR,— On Monday
the Earl de Grey, the Lord Preident of the Council,
gave the annual dinner, for the "pricking" of
Sheriffo for the present sear. There( were preseht
—the Lerd Chancellor, the Right Hon. W. E.
Gladstone, Viscount Halifax, I.ord Privy Seal;
Viscount Sydney, Lord Chamberlain; the Duke of
Argyll, the Marquis of Hartington, the Right Hen.
Chichester Forteecue, Earl Granville, Lord Dufferin,
the Earl of Kimberley, the Right Hen. W. E. Monsell,
the Right lion. Edward Cardwell, the Right Hon.
W. E. Forster, and Mr. Arthur Helps and Mr. E. S.
Harrison, Clerk and Deputy-Clerk of the Ceuucil.
A SANGUINE Scaogerriute.—" The Author of
Mary Powell!" writing from Reigate-hill, Surrey,
throws out the following suggestion
The quality of mercy in not strained; It blesses him who
gives aud him who takes" May not the ladle, of England
address, wishont offence, a short,- humble memorial to the
Empress Augusta," to Intercede with the Jost but merciful
Emperor for terms that the French can pay? It would he
thousands of times a greater achievement than that of our
(German) (pmen Philippe. It would knit all hearts in one.
NEW BUoTe.—An American paper states that
about fifty anaconda skins were tanned by the Scheyer
Brothers, of the Boston Highland., last summer, for
boot leather. The boots are valued at 50 idols. per
pair. The largest of the skins was 40 feet in kneth.
The tanning procees was similar to that observed in
the mareffacture of alligator leather, the product being
a very beautiful and highly•liniehed quality of kaeher
—gloesy, mottled, pliable, and from the appearance of
the grain, exceedingly durable.
A FLYIOG MAURINE. A newly-invented
"flying machine" was tried, it appears, at San Fran-
deco on the 6:h of January. Everything wag got i
order, and the propeller arranged to cause elevation,
at 12 15 o'clock. The fire for raising steam was then
kindled, and in one minute sad a quarter eteam was
opened. At 12 47 the machine was cut lose, and the
propellers started. The report states that she thee
rose most gracefully in the air, amid the cheers of the
crowd who had gathered to witness the ascension.
The inachiee was guided by cords attached to both
ends of the balloon, and in the- handout persons on the
ground. She ascended about fifty feet, and railed
along about a block, when the WAR pulled down to
have her boiler repleniehed. Again she rose, this time
to a height of about 200 feet. All the machinery
"worked to the perfect sail, f ictien of the inventor."
The machine is named "Anierica."
Mn. GRAVEA' RECENT VISIT TO AMERICA.—
At the annual meeting of the Liverpool Chamber of
Commerce, held last week, Mr. S. It. Graves, M.P.,
who has recently returned from a tour in the United
States, made some important observations upon the
question of the Alabama claims. In moving that the
annual report of tile Council of the Chamber be
adopted, Mr. Graves said : -
The effects of this war will probably be to Induce nations
to rely more on themnires, and I hope In our can It will
suggest the desirability of consolidating our steength and our I
resources by bringing Into closer union our colonial pos-
session, with the mother country, and it may also inuuce '
England lo cultivate more intimate relations with that nation
across the Atlantic which shares with use community of race,
of language, and of tittered. Speaking front recent
experience I have never teen anywhere witnessed
stronger t Teats Of attachment to Reiland Coen I
manifested in the Dominion of Cattails, and so far from
separation being thought of by the great balk of the people
ot Canada with whom I came bt cantact, it was acouted satin
Indignation ; and as to the United Slates, I am aetistiol iii.
[nom power to establish with them a warm and pern.anetA
friendship. With very rare enceptirets, contlnmi very moot)
Settee alien population, I found, wherever I went, below
• thin outer crust of hurt feelings, a solid stratum of good
feeling, coupled with a strong desire to cultivate the closest
relations, if we would bat show a di sire to atrengtheffiand
reciprocate these feelings of goodwill. I am led to make
these passing Oilstone to one reht!ons with the Suited
Stain by reference in the report to the A labanut claims. I
conclude that the non-Intel fermi. at present recommended
arises from a belief that the Government is sufficiently alive
to the desirability of clueing these up, and that no useful
action can at the moment he taken, rather than limoi a
desire on the part of the chamber to take a loss interest
equitable and honorable settlement of these dill crences of
opinion. With this view of too matter 1 am inclined to
agree, and if the &Oh gulehed e liter whose preeence we
hope 10.11 6,1 WtIC4IIII6 61114445 t as 11.66111, /1.9 I leave reason to
believe lie eoes, proposals consonant with 3,lstice and mo-
deration, I hove the etrongeit hopes that we shall epeeolly
see this A Lbarna controversy take its place amongst the
things of the past.
AN °ITER CHASE AFTER A SALMON.—A Etat
William Correspondent writes a---
"A somewhat unusual squirt Was w.tuessed the other day
near the south bank of Loch Liunhe. Six large otters More
seen chasing a salmon along the shore, and when at last they
had succeeded in capturing it. apparently the question of
Its ownership formed the sulject ot a meet serious dispute
among themselves Alter a tierce engagement, lastieg for
several minutes, one of the part, maoe fortlie shore with the
obj hot of c Mention in its pesseirion, leaving the others to
'fight it out • Although a landing was effected without
much difficulty, other Mien les to the peaceable enjoyment
of the salmon presented the mielves. There being nr 'cover'
near the sea to take the hioty into, the runaway otter
deemedit necessary to take to toe hills, hot, being narrowly
watched by a nimcher of youths, the animal wee plumed,
' a duct being able make much pregreeslllllllo the cir-
munstauces, the salmon was surrendered to the pursuere,
the otter returning whence t came, no doubt cenvieeet of
tee truth ortbe old adage that there is 'many a slip between
the cup and the lip.'"
TriE CENSUS OF 1871.—We (Briqsk
, .101,7n0) have received from Captain (lode a eel
, some documents which have been sent out all over the
, country to the local officers, In order that they may at
, one-: niake arrangements nereesary for enumerating
, every living person in England in inie day (Apr:l :eel
, nes). It in ten arduous undertaking, wed can , 1, be
accomphsheel with the assistance and goodwill of the
! public. The first duty of the superintendents and re-
gistrars In to plot out Qat country Into 33,000 enumern•

tion eliatricts, and to appoint entotieTatOre. This is
now being done. The A9sietance in required of the
municipal and all other authorities in making
bound vries on maps, and in such other ways as are
inlicatid in the liegistrar•Generars litter to the
marde and chairmen of local boards. We venture to
urge upon our professional Inethren to give all the
waistauce in tleir power In t'oe way of comfort and
advice to Case couverned in carrying out the Coin* of
1871.

Middlesex &salons, a yourg mar,
CAPTURE OP A &MOLAR BY A DOG—At the
named George
Pearce, liar been charged under the Ilabitual Cnminals
Act, under ito following circumstance's ;
,
At about twotelock on the nurning of the IBM January,
a poilceman on duty In the Cunden.road heard cries for help
coming from the rear of one of the house..lt constable
ring up the coachman and they went to the garde.,
where
they found the prisoner struggling with a large retr...,or
dog. Ile mu crying out at the tug ot iii, voice, and was to:
a great stale of terror. He was taken to the pollomottlue and
Marched, when some " sEent " matches and other suspicions
arit les were found upon him. The Jury having found the
prisoner guilty, rvAl several prevlow convictions having
been proved against him, the Assistant Yege sentenced him
to seven years' penal terv!tivie and seven years' surveillance,
THE DEATH OF WYNTWORTIi. —Wentworth
learned that he must die with lefty, uttOomPlainillii
acorn, lie asked tor three days grace, in sellich to
settle his affairs; tint Pym would not consent to sp.Mr
bins for an hour. The tyrant's head must fall, and
fall as had been fix, el. "We ought to have a coach,
my lord," urged Balfour, when the morning came.
"it coach F' exclaimed the earl, 'for what ? ' "Foe
safety," answered the lieutenant; for the surge outride
was great; the people were excited, and that officer'
was afraid the throng would push aside hie guard,
and tear the despotic noble limb from limb. "
muter lieutenant," said the held and cmtempteierw
earl, "I can lock death in the face, and the people too,
I care not how I die—wheth r by the hand of the
executioner or by the madaess of the people. It is all
one to me." As he came out to execution, attended by
the Earl of Newport, constable of the Tower, the
Primate of Armah, the Earl of Cleveland, and a train
of gentlemen, he paused beneath Laud's window
and looked up. Some days befcre, the Primate of
Armagh had carried a request from him to Laud desiring
Laud to stand at the open casement as he passed, and
. give him a final Messing on his road to death. On see..
tog Laud, the earl stood still a moment, bowed with
holy rever,nce. and ruled:red, "My lord, your
prayers, your blessing ! " Laud held up his hands, in
act to bleas ; but either fear et feeling overcame him,
and he BWI oned, and fell into his attendant'. arms.
"Farewell, my lord," mid Wentworth, turning to.
war Is the archway of the Bloody Tower, "and may
God protect your innocency." Then the halherdiers
resumed their much. —Her Make js Tower. Bo Ilcp•
worth Di.son. Vol. 111.

THE OUST OF ABOLISIIING PURCHASE IN TM:
this maject, a writer in the haiZy Nws
remarks:—

Taw who wish to retain the purchase system are very
toad of quoting the opinion of Air liammersley, thYt it
would cost eleven ralfboes to abolfrt it. Now, the tact h
that it ceuid la abollahed at very little expense, and that
spread over many year. JtLtice reytHres that compensation
should be given to the purchase OUSCSS for both the reiollo.
tine BUM paid, as yoU as the over regulation. But the fat
lacy of the calculators Iles In the fact that they conclude that
the whole sum would hr re to be paid down at once. This Is
not so; officers would only be entitled to reoelve compensa-
tion should they elect to retire from the service.. The ma.
treat then is. that If the purchase system were abolished, the
purchase officers would be worse off than the officers who
wordd enter under the new system but I submit that they
would have no just cause of complaint. "Friend, did I not
agree with thee for a penny ?" would be • fit answer to •
claim on their part, on such a plea.
ONE MuRE EXPEEIMENT.—Franca, it is said.
will have to choose between three forms of Govern
meut, Imperialism, Monarchy, or Republicanism.
There remains, however, a fourth conceivable ri'yinie
under which she might, and should if possible, place
here-if—the rule of Psychological Medicine. That,
duly enforced, might keep a noble nation, if not quiet,
harmless, Punch.
THE SCHDOLYAbTER WANTED. Newspaper
editors, like police magistrates, are in the habit of re.
ceiving entrwirdinary applicatimie. Not often, how.
, ever, do they get such a specimen 83 the following, for
,the genuineness of which the editor of the Lords
' E.cpccis gives bis voucher. It is dated from a village
near Levels, and except the name and Odra*, 34
printed exactly as written :
please sir Yth February, tin.
I want to know if you oan get a family washing to eorne 1,1
to the umutry we can send by the carrier three times a week
tuesdays thurselms and saturdays can you gut us a child to
Imre I am not petley 1 ? particular 0 the age it will get well
a..tonded tol will pay )eo for your trouble when you get one
we can do with both we are use to children, pleats will you
let US know weather you am get me one.

A STALTLING A ITAIIITION.—An accident of a
gooier nature has occurred in Edinburgh. A sweep,
crossing the garret floor of a house for the purpose of
cleansing a chimney, went Lead foremost through the
floor at a part where, it appears, there was no support
but lath and plaster. Fortunately for his neck, he
dropped into the very middle of a bed where an old
woman was lying at the time, no one being in the house
but beretlf. tier consternation and terror may be
more easily imagined than di scribed, especially as the
complexion of the unexpected visitor was of that thlt
popularly supposed to mark COllliP2ioll with worse
trades than chimney.sweeping. The sweep, fortn-
nately, was nothing the worse of his tumble.
A TACIT AORELM6NT.—The London School
Board lent been hotly discussing the question, propoeed
by the Rev. J. Mee, and Mr. Smithies, doubtless with
excellent intentions, that each meeting of the Board,
which consists of members who differ as to theology, }l-
ehould, before proceeding to discussion, unite in
prayer. It would be difficult to devise any form of
, words Ur that ruipose in which they would all agree to
Join. That diflimity might be evaded by the arrange.
merit thtt, on coming together, they should, in the
lint }dace, all stand or kneel a certain time with their
' faces in their hats. But this expedient would require
that the Board should be compostd exclu,ively of gen-
tlemen. The simplest and perhaps the best plan
would be for them simply to sit still, in silence, for five •
or ten tninutes. During that time the secularists present
might at least give their minds to meditation. A e
School Board, with a view to efficiency, 'Mould consti-
tute itself, ae nearly as puksible, a Society of Friends.— ,
Puna.
&CHET NMI, S.—The Medlical Press an 4 Cir.
rule r says :- -
A very startling communication has been made to us by •
geoti mis °cent •ying smelt impostant post Is this country,
of the existence of a remt deadly poison, by the inhalatlon
of which, simply throng e the medium of a letler sent by pest
lia the ordinary way, the reader will suddenly drop down
dead, with all the symptoms of eephsaia. The position sent
acquirements of our informant should place his evidence Le.
pond suspicion •, nevertheless, before giving entire credence
to such a startling repsist, we so anxious to obtain con-
firmatory cvldence from any of our reader,. lii whoa minds
simpicions of foul play have 60,11 steen investigating casee
of sudden death and what such rymptoms were ; certainly,
lin following c•I piling from a Cenadlan paper, relative to the
recent sodden death of a parson of note, looks very ugly :
" Ho received an soon) 111001 teeter, and while reariug Ito,
fell down insensible, and shortly slier spired. It is said
the letter contained some poisonous seehetance."

A SAD DISCOVERY.—It is a grave accusation
to bring against a great writer and a farnena poet, but
we tear 'Wordsworth must be charged with tavouring
the horrible practice of Cannibaliern, for does he not
say that a woman (a woman, mark ye) is
"A creature not too bright or good
For human nature'a daily food? "—Punch.
THE MARQUIS OF Loiter—The other day the
Marquis of Lorne presided at the annual dinner of the
Inverary Curling Club, of which his lordship is patron.
'Upwards of thirty members were present at the
dinner, which was hell in the Argyle Arms Hotel,
Inverary. The croupier, Sir George Home, proposed
as a taaet, " Tbe Prinoess Louiee !" In reeponding,
Lard L mne said,—
"I secure you the Prince:al looks forward with mach
delight to the time when the hopes to visit this put of
the kingdom. In one of your nee/A matches between MP
rind men aid bachelors my sympathies were entirely with
the letter, sad? was glad they were able to hold their own;
but next year I hope to be on the otter tilde, and that I thni
tot tlnd myself the only one draughted Into the opposite
ranks."
The ILI'. Mr. Carmichael, chaplain of the club, in
proposing their noble patron a health, bald,—
"though perhapa Lord borne won't thank me for saying
so, there eon be no doubt that the Prinna. Loeb° has been
very fortunate indeed ; and I only hope the will prove as
excellent a wife as her own mother, or as Lord I.9stie's ha.
proven. It is saying a great deal, bat it is not saying too
much, wine we cam ess the conviction that the Marquis of
Lorne is in every reepect worthy of tile Princess "
A number of other toasts were then given, and the
company, at the chairreau's euggestion, joined before
separating in singing "Auld Lang Syne.'
A PRINCELY TAILOR.—A merchant tailor of
Boston recently deceased has bequeathed the sum of
3.000,000 dollars— about £600,004.1—f0r the foundation
of "an institute fir the education of women to obtain
their own livelihood." No other condition is attached
to the legacy, and the application of the beere:.t is
left to the judgment of the prit oipal executor, his legal
adviser, who proposes to make the principal feature a
school of domestic economy and an art school, which,
Irvin the amount of the funds disposable for it, will
probably be the most important in America. Mr.
SantllOnn, the testator, has had in his employ many
seatuodaesses and cth, r women, and so wag made pain.
fully aware cf the need which he has endeavoured to
supply
RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION. The Bishop of
Exeter, in a sermon preached at Exeter Cathedral last
Sunder, in aid of the National S.eiety, spoke strongly
in favour nf religious instruction for children in our
national schools, aril on the duty which dovolved on
Christian communities to see that this duty was not
neglected, especially at the present time. Hitherto.
whenever the Government had taken IV ly part in the
education of children it had include.? religious as well
as secular itnernatieo iii ito empervision, but now reli-
gious instruction was to be left to °tins. means. Of the
wisdom of the dep taken by Parliament be del not feel
called on hu exprese any opinion. The slap taken had
thrown increased responsibilities on Chrislii!f 8, on
whom it was now incumbent to ere that religious in-
etrueion and supervision were provided. He did not
undervalue eecular instruelon ; on the contrary, not'
withstanding the dangers attending it when imparted
alone, he considered it a blessing and a good, iofm a' it
went. But he alto felt that as Christiane it was their
duty to seek that religious instruction, as far as waa
poesilile, should acre-drip:my secular, and he urged unity
of eel, a it t bid work.
Berip Yes:ie.:as.— The steamer Riga which is
a venal of 1,324 tons and 18O.horee power, Captain
Clerk, left Shanghai on the le,th of September,
Hongkong on the 19th, and Port Said on the e,h of
Novenib,r, for New York, arriving, at the latter port
en the 14th of January, thus occupying 12s) clays, The
clippership Ai itl, Captain Courtenay, left Yokohama.
Jar an, on the 21itt of Se ptembe r, a, rf arrived at New
York on tt' Id h of January, 117 dapi out, thus
1 • t•I tb, tedmer by three days, lb, ugh the latter
tiotit e. I. Ite os saving probably
, , • free, left Macao
et the 24th of
Jatmay ow 1 utk, bca'o.g tt, I:tyd by ten daye.
The Laufra made a passage by the Cape of Good
Hope. Extraordinary as these passages may seem,
they are surpa.sed by that of the clipper ship Surprirr,
latch has jest completed her soy age from Sharghai
to New York in ii days, said to be the shortest
passage on record either by sailing vessel or bteaul,
She Suez Canal or the Cape of Cood Hope,