The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-04-26 00:00:00

EPITOME OF NEWS.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

Traction engines have been definitely adopted in
the French army organisation for the removal of artillery,
&c.

Said the young F.O. clerk to the old F.O. clerk,
apropos of the Ronnielian difficulty, "'When we have
Schonvidoffed this mortal coil,' I shall ask for a fortnight's
leave."— The World.

The Liverpool magistrates have granted the neces-
sary certificate that the sum of £1,281 12$. 11d., spent in
maintaining a force of infantry and dragoons from the Bth to
the 24th February, during the disturbances arising out o
the strikes at the docks, had been "properly incurred."
The Brougham fetes at .Cannes, which have been
fairly successful, were closed last Saturday by the unveiling
of a marble statue near the Town Hall.

It is said that the King of Burmah has declared
himself determined not to listen to any proposals of the
English Government. The Sham are rebelling.
Mr. Adam, ALP., was the I rincipal speaker at a
Liberal meeting at Devonport on Saturday, and moved a
resolution expressing distrust and alarm at the conduct of
the Government. He urged that Liberals should be espe-
cially careful at the next election to have no divisions at
the poll, but to settle their differences before the voting
began. They were prepared with candidates for all the
English boroughs; he had reason to believe that Scotland
would tell a good tale for the Liberals, and that the Irish
constituencies would come to see that more would'be got
for the advantage of their country from the Liberals than
from the Conservatives.

The quantity of freeh beef and mutton landed at
Liverpool last week from the United States and Canada was
comparatively small; indeed, the smallest that has arrived
for many weeks past. Five steamers arrived, the quantities
being 3,422 quarters of beef, 1,327 carcases of mutton, and
430 dead pigs. Two cargoes of live cattle came to hand,
consisting of 320 head.

There is a custom in the marriages of the Royal
Family which is not generally known. Each of our princes
on his marriage adopts a facsimile of his bride's wedding
ring, and he wears lion the fourth finger of the left hand—
the marriage finger. Thus the Duke of Connaught had made
a plain gold hoop of twenty-two carats, with the name
"Marguerite" engraved on the inner side ; his Duchess's
marriage-ring being exactly similar, with the name "Arthur"
on the inside.

A pastoral letter from the Bishop of Manchester
calling attention to the strong and increasing claims of the
two diocesan organisations—the Church Building Society and
the Education Board—was read on Sunday in most of the
churches in the diocese. The letter points out the small
number of subscribers to the society, and suggests an annual
eolltction for each of them in the various churches.

It appears from an official return just published
that the gifts and legacies made during the five years from
1872 to 1877 to the various religious establishments and
schools in France amounted to about two millions and a
quarter sterling. Cif this sum the ecclesiastical societies re-
ceived 16,340,544 francs.

The inani, friends of the late Surgeon-Major Peter
Shepherd, wno was killed in action at Isandula on the 22nd
January last, have decided to perpetuate his memory by the
erection of a suitable monument in Mariachal College,
Aberdeen, where he studied and received his medical educa-
tion. A general committee, with General Lord Tenspletown,
K.O 8., as honorary president, has been formed, and an
executive committee appointed to carry out all necessary
arrangements.

Sunday (218 t being the 2,633 rd anniversary of the
foundation of Rome, the day was celebrated with more than
its customary solemnity by the German Aramlogical Matt.
tute, inasmuch as it was also the 50th anniversary of its
establishment. A number of the most distinguished German
&mans bad come to Rome for the occasion. Two marble
busts were sent by the Emperor—one a likeness of himself,
the other of the founder of the society, Frederick William
IV. Professor lienzen opened the proceedings, giving the
history of the Institute:

An kecident of a shocking nature happened at Ban.
bury the other day to a man named Lovell. lie was
employed feeding a chaff-cutting machine when his arms
were accidentally drawn into the machine, and before he
could extricate himself both arms were chopped short off
above the elbows. Ile was not expected to recover.

Mr, George Smith, of Coalville, has received from
the Christian Knowledge Society and the Rev. J. E. Dalton,
conjointly, one thousand strongly-bound Testaments for
distribution among the canal boatmen and their families in
various parts of the county of Leicester.

The -Liverpool Mercury says that, in view of the
present favourable state of the Liberal register in North
Lancashire, a deputation has been appointed to endeavnur
to secure the Marquis ot Hartington's candidature at the
general election.

-
The Russian Synod having presented a petition to
the Emperor suggesting that the spread of Nihilism might
be counteracted by the extensive distribution of suitable
religious books, the Czar, we hear, has thanked the bishops
for theiradvice and has ordered the sum of 10.000 roubles to
be given them to enable them to carry out their project.—
Whitehall ,Review.

Five hundred thousand gallons of " Extra-lager,"
brewed twelve months ago, have arrived in Vienna, In anti-
cipation of the Silver Wedding festivities, and have been
cellared with special care. Several tons of sonrkrout and
waggon-loads of sausages of all sizes and denominations,
from the cat's-meat and rat's tall size, to the bulky thing
stuffed in bull-oz bladders, have also arrived, and will soon
be spreading their tetchy, appetizing flavour through all the
lanes and byways of the great city.—Court Journal
A cooked hat of the style of that worn by Frederick
the Great, is to be the style of ladles' covering for the
summer.—Court Journal.

Dr. J. W. Rannay, of New York, in a lecture on
" The Brain and Nervous System," attributed Rowell's suc-
cess In the foot race partly to the fact that he ran as well as
walked. By running he developed and exercised the larger
muscl,3 of the thighs, and, by walking, the muscles of the
lower extremities, so that both were of use to him in the
contest; and, when be walked, the large muscles were
resting, just as the smaller ones were when he ran. No
man whr, confined himself to walking could compete, in a
long contest, with a skilful runner. Harriman had a long
stride, but it was toe much of a strain on the muscles of the
lower limbs, and they finally gave out.

The Sheffield Independent is informed that the total
amount promised on behalf of (be Wesleyan Methodist
Thanksgiving Fund already reaches nearly £112,000. It is
believed that the pecuniary result of the movement will ex-
ceed the anticlpattons of the most sanguine. So far £16,000
have been appropriated to removing the debts and towards
the erection of the new college for ministerial students in
the Midland Countie

Lord Derby, in reply to a correspondent, has
written a letter, in which he says that having openly and
strongly expressed his dissent from the foreign policy of the
Goverment, which had been approved by the party calling
itself Conservative, he could no longer support in Lanca-
shire what he had opposed in the House of Lords. For the
present, at least, he wishes to hold himself free from all
party organizations.

- -
The work of sounding the Channel in view of a
tunnel between France and England is proceeding rapidly.
Up to the end of February 7,971 soundings, varying in depth
from fifty to one hundred fathon,s were taken; and over
3,000 geological specimens were obtained. The tunnel,
which will
T h havee
influenceo lw.l
a length 01ar 2 will pass through
a stratum of chalk sufficiently tirm to be impervious to
water.
studied with the utmost cure, and will riot be unfavourable,
as was at first imagined. A train woul
a tt tha y 1
the sea Las been
enter the tunnel
at Sangatte, rear Cs).ais, on a gentle decline, and then
would follow a gradual upward slope, emerging at St
Margaret's Bay, about five miles from Dover
From Geneva it is reported that ten wayfarers were
overwhelmed by an avalanche on Thursday
In the Gothard
Pass. Two of them, Italian workmen, were killed on the
spot. The remainder were rescued.
The acclimtisation of ostriches in Australl,,does not
appear to be very successful at present, to Judge from an
aocount in the Live Stock Journal. Various broods were
hatched successfully, but one large flock died from k disease
of the feet and legs, and misfortunes befell most of the others,
The Acclimatisation Society, however, still possess moeteen
birds, and hope that their success will grow by experience,
while one parcel of feathers plucked from the old birdk and
Bent home was pronounced superior to Cape produce,
The "Grand Lodge" of the body called the "
pendent Order of Good Templars " have adopted a resolk.
Lion calling upon members "to consecrate their votink
power at the election of all public representative bodies to,
the advocation of the principle of prohibition, and the
total overthrow of the traffic in intoxicating liquors."

There were 22 British and foreign wrecks reported
during the past week, making a total of 595 for the present
year, or an increase of 14.5 as compared with the correspond-
ing period of last year. The approximate value of property
was £425,000, including British £280,000.

A. deputation from the Tea Dealers' and Grocers"
Association has waited on Mr. Cross, and laid before him
the views of that body with reference to the licensing bills
now before Parliament. They were assured that the
Government would take no action without the most careful
consideration of the matter,
A grim caricature in the Paris Charivari represents
Winter taking leave of Spring, and saying: "There was no
need to send me away, for you are doing just as I did
The free-traders in Germany are increasing their
opposition to the Tariff BIN as the moment approaches for
beginning its discussion in the Reichstag. The coast towns
fwaororeato
ds p eo: f cwai ahal lu ye
aotxphp oeu
pspoerndo
ft
oteorc
et
iitgohnne
oph
ffri
roe
ppit
ge dt duties
rejectedLa shp o
wo nn e
by
y corn
those nt nb de
for wLom it is intended,

Within the past few months we have lost far more
°Ulcers and men than were killed at the battle of the Alms,
at Balaclava, or even at the terrible bloody struggle of
lukerman.

A Reuter'e telegram, dated Victoria (Vancouver
Tad), April 19, says :—" An explosion has occurred in the
Wellington coal mine, at Departure Bay, by which eleven
perions were killed and several wounded."

If the English farmer Were to take the arm of the
Scotch farmer on one side and the Irish farmer on the other,
it is possible that he might be able to pass as an able-bodied
soldier in the campsign that must be waged soon against the
agricultural abuses which afflict, not farmers only, but the
whole nation.—Mark Law Express.
_ _

Sunday was the 71st anniversary of the birth of
Napoleon 111., the late Emperor of the French, who was
born at the Tuileries, in Paris, on April 20, 1808, and died at
Cnislehurat, 1.1, Kent, on January 9, 1873.
Several Briti...l officers are under orders to proceed
to Cyprus to organise the proposed regiment of local Pioneer
Infantry.
Mr. M'Crary, the United States Secretary for War,
has Issued a circular directing that the Sitting Bull Indians,
having ceased to be Araerican subjects be seized and held
Prisoners of war, in the event of their returning to liated
States terrikory.
The French Geographical Society has presented gold
medals to Ensign de Brazza for his expedition up the Ogone
river (West Africa), to Lieutenant Wyse for exploring the
Isthmus of Darien, and to Captain Nares, of the Britiah navy,
f >r his Arctic expedition of 1875-76.

Experiments were recently made at Spezzia with a
new revolver cannon and with a Palmerantz mitraillense.-
General Rosset, the head of the engineers in Rome, went'. 3
Spezzla to inspect these experiments, and to try also ai)r 31
kind of torpedo.

Tom Moore's centenary on May 28th is to be cele-
brated in London as well as in Ireland, a Committee of
Irishmen having been formed in London to prepare a befit-
tiog commemoration. _ _

In London on Saturday, a shocking case of inpale.
meut was adiitted to Charing-cross trospital. It appears
that Henry Jackson, about 30 yeah; of age, was employed as
a painter in redecorating the outside of the llnged Hotel.
While engaged at a point about 25 feet from the ground,
standing on a parapet, he lost his balance and fell on to the
spikes of the area railings. When removed from his fearful
position he was conveyed to the hospital, where one of the
surgeons extracted from the abdomen of Jackson two pieces
of the broken spikes, each measuring about iota inches in
length.
- - -

The Parisian municipal authorities are again changing
the names of their streets The Boulevard Hausmann is to
become the Boulevard Etiehne Marcel: the Rue Saint.
Arnaud is to be called the Rue Lincoln; the Qual Napoleon
will be known as the Quai aux Eleurs : the Rue Bonaparte
as the Rue de Guttenberg; and the Rue Cambaceres as the
Rue de Coulmiers. The seer National ALthem of Franse—
the " Marseillatse "—is to have its reputed author, Rouget
de lisle, commemorated, the street at present known as
the lime d'Albe being called after him.

The trustees of the Guthrie Scholarship in the
United College, Si. Andrew's, have awarded the scholarship
for this year to Mr. Leonard Huxley, son of Professor
Huxley. The scholarship Is tenable for four years, value
£lOO for the first year and £.50 for each of the three follow-
ing years. The conditions of the scholarship are that the
successful student prosecutes his studies at Oxford or Cam-
bridge, or, with the consent of the trustees, at a foreign
University.

An address of congratulation on the Emperor of
Russia's escape from assassination has been presented by a
deputation from the Swiss residents in St. Petersburg, who
waited on Prince Gortscbakoff. Similar addresses are being
prepared by the German, French, and Italian residents.

Sir M. Hicka-Beach M P. , on Tuelday received a dorm-
tation of West Indian proprietors and merchants, the object
being to represent the disastrous effects to the British West
Indian Colonies of the foreign sugar bounties on the export
to this country of Continental beet sugar, and to urge the
Government to grant the Parliamentary inquiry asked for
by Mr. Ritchie. The Colooial Secretary admitted the exist-
ence of a substantial grievance, but reserved the discussion
of the question whether the remedy proposed was the right
one.

Fruit trees in southern France are being greatly
damaged by the small birds Just now, the blossoms of the
pear, cherry, and almond trees being eagerly devoured by
the chaffinches, linnets, tits, and sparrows The long severe
winter has prevented the usual early hatching of the various
Insects on which these birds feed at this time of the year,
and the poor little creatures, fairly starved, have fallen back
on the fruit trees.

The fashion in dogs in Paris has settled upon the
Danish dog, which has dethroned the his& caniches recently
in feminine favour.

The eight days succeeding Easter Sunday are looked
upon by old French peasants as forecasts of the weather
wnich will prevail daring the remaining eight months of the
year. Thus if Easter rdonday is fair, there will be a line
May; if Easter Tuesday is unsettled, rain and storms will
continue throughout June, and so on throughout the
rest of the year. If Good Friday is wet, the year will be a
rainy one, and if fair the rest of the twelve months will
correspond.

It is not generally known that the United States is
carrying on a large and rapidly increasing trade in spirits
with Europe. It was in the year 1875 that this trade began
to asaume importance, the expnts amounting to _44,177
gallons; but so rapidly did the trade increase that in 1878,
but three years later, It amounted to 4188,853 gallons from
the port of New York alone.

A-. general strike has broken out among the 7,433
workmen employed in the collieries at Flenu and Belle-et-
Bonne, in Belgium. They ask for an increare of their
wages, which at present range only from 2f. to 21. 50e. a
day.

An international industrial exhibition is to be
opened at Arnheim, in Holland, on the 15th Jun., and will
continue to the let October. It will comprise brick-making
machinery; building materials of artificial stone; water
power engines of two and three horse power; incombustible
sates; machines for working iron and wood ; hempen cables
carriages • silver ware; water meters; sewing machines; ani
apparatus for the electric light.
The vestry of Si. George's, Hanover-square, London,
has resolved by 33 to 20 not to allow a statue of Lord Byron
to be placed in St Jamee•street. Earl ?owls said that the
question of theology should not be introduced into the dis-
cussion.

A veteran officer asks me to make known a very
excellent suggestion, v:z , that every officer in the army
surrender half a day's pay towards the fund which Is being
raised for the families of the Isanduia victtms. The idea is
perfect, and I fiTipe in this case all will speak at once.--
Whitehall Review.

Mr. George Hadfield, whose death had been daily
expected for several weeks past, died at Manchester on Mon-
day morning. Mr. Hadfield was 92 years of age, and had
been for a long time intimately associated with the muni-
cipal, political, and religious life of Manchester. He was
one of the founders of the Anti-Corn Law League, and sat
for Sheffield from 1852 to 1874, when he retired from Par-
liamentary life. Mr. Hadfield was admitted as a solicitor
as far back as 1810, and practised in Manckester 40 years.

One hundred and twenty German and Alsatian
emigrants lett Havre the other day for America, and round
Basle a considerable exodus is going on, especially of
peasants and lace-makers.

Some of the New York children have been keeping
Lent by having calico partier. They are all dressed in some
pretty costumes made of calico, both boys and girls; they
play games, hays light refreshments and go home early.
The following day, each little one is expected to donate
the calico dress to some watt—" some child cf want and
sorrow.'

Professor Blackie reports the close of the subscrip-
tion for the enilowment of the Celtic chair, the sum being
£11,937 ss. It has been agreed; on the suggestion of his
committee, to postpone the appointment of a professor for
twelve months, in order that the capital fund may be in-
creased. The title of the chair is to be "The Chair of
Celtic Languages, History, Literature, and Antiquities;"
and the professor holding it is to be bound to teach the
Gaelic language practically, as long as it is " a recognised
medium of religious instrudtion in the Highlands."

To the numerous applications already put forward
for the vacant seats., the town of Croydon may now be added.
The population of the Cenaus was 55,0(0, and is now cotn-
putea to reach 70,000, in which case it ranks as the largest
unrepreeented town in England. A memorial to the
Government setting forth the claims of the town is in course
of preparation. Of the competitors now in the field, the
VAMOIIs populations as recorded in the Census of 1871, are as
follows :—Croydon, 55,000 ; Botherdam, 40,000; Bariasley,
23,(21; Leamington, 20,010; Barrow in Farness, 18,245;
Kingston, 15,378.