The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-08-03 00:00:00

Mistellaiienus 4nteitigtact.

HOME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL.

SOUTH AFRICAN GOLD FIELDS.—The Pilgrims' Rest
correspondent of the Natal Mercury writes :—" A
census of the gold fields just taken shows that the num-
ber of Europeans at Pilgrims' Rest, Spitzkop and Mac-
Mac has diminished from 624 in May, 1877, to 352 in
May, 1878, and the Caffres from 1,697 to 1,438. The
approximate estimate of gold is put down at £60,000,
but there is little doubt that the yearly finds amount
really to about double that sum. Some persons put
down the total amount of gold unearthed on these
fields at about five tons weight. But we are languish-
ing owing to want of support, scarcity of water, and
dearness of provisions. this last being caused by dear-
ness of transport. Divine service is also scarce enough.
On Sunday, the 12th of May, we had our first Sunday
service this year, the Rev. J. Thorne preaching in the
late International Hotel."

THE POTATO Cop,—ln the present issue we give
an instalment of the reports furnished us by our corre-
spondents in various parts of the country, relating to
the crop of potatoes. Partial as is the summary we
now give, we have little doubt, when the fuller details
reach as, that the general results up to this time will
not be materially different from those we now publish.
Speaking generkilly, the disease appeared early, but
was checked in its progress by the dry weather. This,
however, has its disadvantages of arresting the growth
of the tuber, so that complaints of small size are fre-
quent. The occurrence of thunderstorms and of wet
weather, however, is an evil omen, and we fear that
we may receive worse accounts in future than those
we now publish as to the state of the crop.—Gardener's
Magazine.
ACCORDING TO CIRCUMSTANCES. —A prisoner in
New York was arraigned to plead to an indictment
for burglary. He said he wasn't ready to plead, and
didn't care to plead either way, adding, "111 tell you,
judge, just how the matter hangs; if I don't get bail
to-morrow morning I'm going to plead guilty, and if I
do I aint. See?"
PREVENTION Is BETTER THAN CUBE.—We hear on
all sides that hydrophobia is likely to be very rife
among young dogs during the hot weather. The
following recipe for the prevention of that fatal malady
is most efficacious :—On the tenth day after birth
remove the puppies from the mother, tie their legs
gently but firmly together, put them tenderly into a
sack, in which you have previously placed several large
stones, then take the sack and throw it into the nearest
pond, keeping it there for a space of time not exceed-
ing twenty minutes, after which operation the puppies
will never have hydrophobia.—Fun. _ _ _ _

PIGMY ELEPHANTS.—The collections from Malta,
made by Admiral Spratt and Dr. Leith Adams, of
the remains of pigmy elephants found in the caves
and fissures are now all acquired by the British
Museum (says The Times). Dr. Leith Adams's selies
have been there some time, and the addition just
made of Admiral Spratt's completes the data from
which our knowledge of these elephants is drawn.
When they were first discovered great interest was
excited in them on account of their diminutive size.
Of the three distinct species now recognized, one was
three feet high, another five feet, and another some-
what larger. The crowns of some of the full-grown
teeth do not exceed an inch in length and the tusks a
foot. Hundreds of fragments of animals of all ages
were found, quite ample to make the knowledge of
the animals lairly exact. It is curious that with
these remains Ware found those of a gigantic dor-
mouse. They have all been fully described in the
"Transaction seY the Zoological Society."
OVER THE LEFT.—In answer to many inquiries,
we have to inform our Correspondents that the Garter
is not put on the right leg. —Punch.
THE SUNDAY SOCIETY AND THE ROYAL ACADEMY.
—A memorial signed by Lord Rosebery has been pre-
Bente I to the council of the Royal Academy of Arts
by the Sunday Society, asking that the Exhibition of
the Academy may be opened on one or two Sunday
afternoons during the present season, and offering to
provide an efficient staff of care-takers on such occa-
sions to relieve the regular attendants. To this
memorial the council of the Royal Academy have
replied, informing the memorialists that the constitu-
tion and laws of the Royal Academy do not allow of
the Exhibition being open on Sundays.
PACTS ABOUT EELS.—The river eel is a most dainty
creature in its appetite. So far from eating garbage,
as is generally supposed, it will refuse a bait which is
not fresh or in the slightest degree tainted; and, as to
its favourite habitation being mud, the reverse is the
fact, as a couple of inches of deposit over its retreat in
the clean gravel or sand—its customary quarters—
would smother it, for the obvious reason that it could
not under a deep blanket of slime keep its blow-hole
open, which is absolutety necessary to its existence.
The finest-flavoured and largest eels come from the
most transparent waters, and refuse to generate and
grow to any extent in those of a turbid character.
Fishing Gazette.
TAME HARES.—Hares are not difficult to tame if
they are caught when young. I have tamed two in
my life, but both they and I were juveniles at the
time. Mr. Buckland must let his pet out of its hutch
daily, and allow it to run about the room he is at work
in, occasionally tempting it to approach him by giving
it lump of sugar. Hares are very partial to loaf-sugar,
and to sweet biscuits. My first hare used to stamp at
me with his hind feet if I did not fill a saucer with
bread-and-irilk before I sat down to eat my own bowl
full of that same primitive breakfast stuff, and run
after my old black cat, driving her out of the room if
she attempted to share his meal. My next hare was
still bolder. He would come up to a favourite grey-
hound called "Beauty," and dispute with her for a
share of the hearthrug in winter. Beauty was too
well trained by me to injure any of my pets, but may
father said I had ruined her for sport by making her
the companion of my rabbits and hare, as she would,
when out coursing, catch her hare, and let it go again.
My hares lived in a large hutch out of doors under a
shed, and well supplied daily with clover, when I could
get it fresh and green, cabbage leaves, parsley, and I
have been guilty of stealing carnation slips out of my
mother's garden for them. Hares will in winter eat
corn and vegetable roots, such as carrots and turnips,
thistles, hay, and bread, but they much prefer and
thrive better on their summer diet.—" H. E. W." in
Land and Water.
THE PORT OF BATOUIL—The Army and Navy Gazette
says :—" The capabilities of the port of Batoum have
been discussed, and doctors have differed, but there
can be no doubt about the naval facts. The sea is
deep close in chore, and 14 large men-of-war or trans-
ports can lie with their bows on the quay moored stern
and stern, but there is not room for more than three
or four vessels to ride at single anchor and to swing at
their moorings. Therefore, an ironclad could not run
in in bad weather and take up her anchorage; and, on
the whole, naval men will agree with Admiral Evans
and Lord Beaconsfield as to the harbour; but most
honest people who love justice will regret, neverthe-
less that Russia gets Batoum.
SOUVENIR DE WIMBLEDON. Adjutant (going his
rounds at night). "Put out those lights ! " [Out go
the lights.]—Adjutant. "Stop that music!" [Music
goes on.]—Adjutant (louder). "Stop that music, I
say ! "—Voice (from inside the tent). "It's no good,
sir! It's a musical box, and we can't stop it ! it will
go on for ten minutes more "—Punch.
A FATAL EIPLOSION.—Three men were killed and
two others injured by an explosion on the screw steam-
ship Humboldt, Captain Brown, on Saturday after-
noon, as she was leaving Liverpool for Brazil. The
steamer was passing Egremont about four o'clocir,
when there was a loud explosion in the engine-room.
The explosion was so violent that it prostrated the
third officer, who was on the bridge. Several men
rushed below and found that a boiler had burst, an
that Peter Nulty, fireman, had been killed, and the
second and third engineers (Roberts and Shorn and
two other firemen, named Robert Chatterton and
John Boyd, were badly scalded. The injured men
were taken ashore in a steamtug. Chatterton died
before the tug reached the landing stage and Boyd
died a few minutes after admission to the Northern
Hospital. The other two men are likely to recover.
The Humboldt returned to dock, though she seems to
have received little damage.
SPARROWS v. SWALLOWS.—The Verona papers tell
a very strange story, for the truth of which they
vouch, and the scene of which was Capriuo-Veronbse
(says Land and Water). A sparrow entered the nest
of a swallow, and after a long and hard fight, drove
her out of it. She, however, returned iu about three-
quarters of an hour, at the head of a battalion of com-
rades, who, with their beaks full of earth, made for
the opening of the nest, and closed it, thus immuring
alive the intruding sparrow.
WHAT'S IN A NaHE ?—lt has been asked why the
Admiralty saw fit to name our great troopships after
large rivers, such as the Euphrates, the Ganges, the
Jumna, and so on? The reason is plain, we think.
When we send out reinforcements it is well that they
should arrive not in mere driblets, but in a stream.
Now surely, then, if they arrive in a river such as the
Euphrates, the effect must be still more apparent.
Could there be a better way of swamping the enemy?
—Fem.
THE Su= CANAL —A. Parliamentary paper just
Issued contains a statement of accounts relative to the
Suez Canal. The total amount paid for the purchase
of the Khedives shares iii the canal, and for expenses
incidental to the purchase was £4.076,622 ; to provide
(in part) for this payment exchequer bonds for
£4,000,000 were issued and of these £3,929,20C were
unredeemed on March 31 last. In the year to Marsh
31,1877, £139,110 was received from the Khedive for
interest at 5 per cent, per annum on the purchase
money of the shares, in consideration of the defer-
ment of the right to receive dividends on such shares;
in the Lllowingyear £198.899 was received. From a
statement showing the effect of an assumed applica-
tion of the amounts received in payment of intereet
at 3 per cent. per annum, and in redemption of the
principal of so much of the debt created to provide
payment of the shares as is equivalent to the pur-
chase money, it appears that there would have re-
mained £13"064 of *e debt tmretleemed ou Max*
111 last,