The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-07-07 00:00:00

Ulisrellantzits

ROME, FOREIGN, AND COLONTAI,

BREAD UP AGAIN.—The Peruvian who has just
completed a clock made entirely of bread after three
Nears' work took care to use only the crumb for his pm,
poses A clock that was at all " crusty " might refuse
to go. But as it le, this bread clock ought to be easily
kept in order by the application of a little butter to
the works.— Funny Folks.
THE "WORK OF THE MINT."—To be sauce to lamb.
un.

A VERY SENSITIVE PLANT. —A singular species of
acacia is growing at Virginia, Nev., which shows all
the characteristics of a sensitive plant (says an
American paper). It is about eight feet high, and
growing rapidly. When the sun set; its leaves fold
together, and the ands of the twls coil up like a pig-
tail, and if the latter are handled there is evident un-
easiness throughout the plant. Its highest state of
agitation was reached when the tree was removed
from the pot in which it was matured into a larger
one. To use a gardener's expression, it went very
mad. It had scarcely been placed in its new quarters
before the leaves began to stand up in all directions,
like the hair on the tail of an angry cat, and soon the
whole plant was in a quiver. At the same time it
gave out a most sickening and pungent odour, re-
sembling that of rattlesnakes when teased. The smell
so filled the house that it was necessary to open the
doors and windows, and it was a full hour before the
plant calmed down and folded its leaves in peace,
THE BERKSHIRE REGIMENT.—A handsome monu-
ment has been erected in the English church at Cairo
in memory of the non commissioned officers and men
of the Princess Charlotte of Wales's (Berkshire Regi-
ment), who fell in the late campaign in Egypt. The
tablet is of white marble, and hears the following
inscription :—" Sacrei to the memory of the following
men of the let Battalion of Princess Charlotte of
Wales's (Berkshire Regiment) who died in Egypt
between July 27, 1882, and May 10, 1883," Then
follow the names of 21 non.commissioned officers and
men. The inscription is surmounted by the colours of
the regiment and a laurel wreath. It will be remem-
bered that the 2nd Bsttalion of the same regiment
suffered severely at the battle of Maiwand, in
Afghanistan.
THE PARLIAMENTARY SESSION.—In the House of
Commons on July 27 Mr. Br radhurst will move the
following resolution :—" That in the opinion of this
House it is desiratde for the convenience ot the mem-
bers and for the good of public business, that for the
future the session should commence in the first week
in March, adjourn about the second week in June, re-
assemble in the third week in October, and close before
Christmas."

DENTAL.—Village Veteran (to benevolent Rector) :
"Only got one left, sir, and ain't got enough for he to
dew, sir ! "—Punch.

A SINGULAR PHENOMENON.—A Bolognese gentleman I
writes to the Gazzetta dell' Emilia, that during a
terrible storm a couple of days previously he and
many hundreds of persons observed a thick coal-black
cloud gather and settle upon the slopes of the
Appenines. It burst over the paper manufactory of
Maglio and the neighbourhood, and was found to have
been chiefly composed of a countless number of leaves
and small twigs torn by the furious hurricane from
tha chestnut trees, and among them was a vast quan-
tity of tiny toads. The correspondent sends to the
journal a specimen of the leaves and some small toads
found in the upper rooms of the paper manufactory,
and he adds that this singular phenomenon was ,
observed at many points along the range of the
Bolognese hills.
THE WANT OF THE SEASON.—" Did not enjoy the
Svvellingtona' hall a bit; there were positively only
four dancing men. They had to dance with two
ladies each; and poor Gussy who was engaged to six
girls for the same waltz, nearly fainted. The worst of
it was, that horrid Maud Highflier came prepared
with smelling salts, carried him off, and did me out of
my only dance."—(Extract from private letter.)—
Funny Folks.
THE WATER SUPPLY OF BOMBAY.—Bombay is con-
sidering various projects for giving that city a better
water supply than it at present possesses (says the
Pall Nall Gazette). The cost will range from
Rs. 1,04,00,000 to Re. 1,34,00,000, and the problem
is, where is this money to come from? The schemes
put forward embody the storage of a vast supply of
water at some convenient point in the gbAts to the
east of the city, and its conveyance by a conduit to all
parts of the town. One scheme would yield 31,000,000
of gallons daily, while another would actually yield
90,000,000 gallons daily.
" AN IMPRESSlON."—lrreverent and Elderly Phili-
stine : " On, an impression is it? What of? chaos, or
eggs and bacon? "—lmpres4onist "You don't under-
stand it; you can't realize the years of patient labour,
of intense observation, which have been spent in
achieving that masterpiece of the art of knowing
where to leave off."—lrreverent Philistine: Well, my
impression of your impression is that a few of those
years might have been devoted to learning the art of
how to begin."—Judy.

MEMORIAL TO COMMANDER RAWBON.—A handsome
white marble tablet to the memory of the late Com-
mander Rawson has been placed in the Garrison
Church at Portsmouth. It bears the following in-
scription :—"Sacred to the memory of Wyatt Rawson,
Commander Royal Navy, and Naval A.D.C. to
General Sir Garnet Wolseley, G-.C.8. He fell while
acting as guide to the Second Division at the Battle of
Tel•el-Kenir, Egypt, 13,11 of September, 1882, aged
29. He served in the Ashantee War, 1873 74, and in
the Arptic. Ti''.xpetaibion, 17&7G. Th;s taniet IA erected
as a token of affection anA esteem by Lord Wolseley
and the m, mbera of the personal Staff."
AN U.NINTENTEONAL CONFESSION Young Lady
(;4p^opos of Old P.il 'd complaints): " Had another
atcaok, have you? and where does it most affect you?"
—Old Party (rather given to tippling) : " Oh ! it's all
in the bead and legs, lady—all in the head and legs."
—Fun.

AVERAGE PRICES OF BRITISH CORN.—The follow-
ing are the average prices of Briti,h corn for last
week as rPceived from the inspectors and officers of
Excise :—Wheat, 425. 31. ; barley, 295. Bd.; oats,
23e. sd. per imperial qr. Corresponding week last
year :—Wheat, 463. lid.; barley, 255. 101 ; oats,
23a. 11d.

A LUCKY ACCIDENT.—In the French Official Report
upon Oyster Culture, of which a translation has been
issued by the Board of Trade, it is stated that the
Portuguese oyster did not exist on the French coasts
thirty years ago, and that its subsequent introduction
and acclimatisation were due to a mere accident. A
vessel from Portugal laden with these oysters having
entered the Gironde after a long detention at sea, the
captain, believing the oysters to be all dead, ordered
his cargo to be thrown overboard. A certain propor-
tion however certainly revived, and these finding in the
Gironde a soil nearly identical with that which they
came from, together with other favourable conditions,
they multiplied so greatly that for an extent of about
nineteen miles they now form one vast bed, the width
of which is limited only by the banks of the river.
The report adds that the fear that the Portuguese
oysters would debase the race of the finer species has
happily not been realised.
NOT TO BE HAD.—Careful but curious wife: "How
did you get your coat so muddy, Charles ?" Charles:
"Lett fall last night, love.' Wife : "But where were
you to do such a stupid thing ? " Charles: "Where
was I? Why—why—inside it ! "—Funny Folks.

THE SIEGE OF ALEXANDRIA.—The amount of
powder fired away in the bombardment of Alexandria
was 131,87651 b., of which amount the Inflexible used
39,9001 b., and the Superb 22,897•751 b. Toe 3,198 pro-
jectiles fired from the larger guns of the whole fleet,
included 223 Palliser, 2,246 common, 261 shrapnel,
154 segment, and 175 empty shells, and 126 solid shot,
and three case shot. The Penelope fired the highest
average number of shots per gun, viz., 288, and the
Invincible the lowest, viz., 12.6. The aveiage number
of shots per gun for the Inflexible was 22'0.

THE PAPER PRODUCTION OP THE WORLD.—It is
stated that there are 3,985 paper mills-in the world,
producing yearly 959,000 tons of paper made from all
kinds of subettnces, including rags, straw, and alfa.
About one-half the quantity is printed upon; and of
those 476,000 tons, about 300,000 tons are used by
newspapers. The various Governments consume in
official business about 100,000 tons; school, 90,000
tons ; commerce, 120,000 tons; industry, 90,000 tons;
and private correspondence anotht-r 90,000 tons. The
paper trade employs 192,000 hands, including women
and children.

CRICKETING QUESTION SENT UP TO COUNSEL.—Whst
is the difference between a Westminster Senior briefly
howling a maiden over, and a Temple Junior being
bowled over by a maiden brief ?—Punch.
SINGULAR INCIDENT IN A LAW CoußT.—On Friday
afternoon in last week, in one of the courts of the
Queen's Bench P:lsien of the H?gii Court of Justice,
a rather unusual and awkward accident occurred.
While Mr. Justice Mathew was trying a case which
had reference to the sale of a patent dressing for foot
rot in sheep, one of the sample bottles containing the
liquid was accidentally overturned on the solicitors'
table. The bottle broke with a loud report, followed
by a cloud of offensive furn!ii which filled the ccurt,
the liquid being apparently impregnated with a very
strong acid, The accident caused a good deal of com-
motion, and the court had to be thoroughly ventilated
before business could be resumed.
A GREAT BRIDGE LIGHTED BY ELECTRICITY.—The
Brooklyn Bridge was dark and deserted except at the
gate, where the watchmen were admitting a squad of
electricians. The bridge seemed twice as large in the
darkness as it ever is in daylight. The great cables,
the thousands of wires and cords filling the air over-
head only added to the complicated vastneas of the
structure, The river gleamed far below, tugs and
ferry boats glided over the silvery pathway as if
they were phantom toys in a scene of enchantment.
On either hand two great cities stretched away into the
night. Suddenly there was a crackle and a flash of
noonday light. A grim, greasy man in the adjoining
street cellar had touched a lever, and for the first time
since the world was created electricity spanned the
river. The 82,000 candle-power lights blazed over the
ship channel like an arch ot star 4. Steam tugs whistled,
men shouted. In New York, Brooklyn, Staten Island,
for miles and miles round the two cities, men pointed
to the splendid spectacle of lighting at work for man.
—Detroit Free Press.