The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-01-27 00:00:00

Miscellaneous Xntelligence.

HOME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL

AVERAGE PRICES OF BRITISH CORN. —The follow-
ing are the average prices of British corn for last week,
as received from the inspectors and officers of
Excise :—Wheat, 40s. ; barley, 325. 6d, ; oats, 20s, 2d.
per imperial qr. Corresponding week last year :
Wheat, 46e. ld. ; barley, 33e. 11. ; oats, 20s. 11d.

THE ARMY RE/imam—An order has been issued
from the Horse Guards by the Commander in Chief,
to the effect that all men serving with the colours
who have got "six years' service" may now be trans-
ferred to the Army Reserve. Transfers to the reserve
have been suspended since the Egyptian campaign
commenced, and there is therefore an accumulation of
men who have served six months (more or less) over
their time waiting for their discharge.

ANXIOUS TIMES FOR FARMERS.—The wet weather is
making the position of farmers very anxious (remarks
the St. James's Gazette). Constant rains have pre-
vented the sowing of the winter wheat, and now the
spring operations are being seriously delayed. Of
course, it is not yet too late to, make up for lost
time if the weather were to improve. But, on the
other hand, it cannot be doubted that the drenching
the soil has got and the long time the low-lying lands
have been under water must have caused serious
deterioration of condition. Moreover, the wet state of
the low-lying land threatens to bring about disastrous
disease among the sheep; and the near approach of
the lambing season makes the prospect all the more
anxious. The farmers are the worse able to bear their
present losses since they have suffered so heavily
during the long series of bad seasons that we have
passed thfough. Another bad season would be a great
disaster, not only to the farmers, but to the whole
country.
RODIANCE.—" Jack has taken Carrie out to see the
charming effect of the snow."—" Effect of the snow be
blowed ! said pa, who went out half an hour after-
wards to look for them. "Who's going to pay the
doctor's bill? "—Judy.
THE LATE GEORGE ODGER.—When the well-known
working-man reformer, who contested Southwark
some years ago—George Odger—died, a sum of £1,140
odd was collected for his family, and vested in trustees
composed of trade-unionists. It was proposed at the
time to purchase an annuity for the widow, but, at
her age, it was considered more prudent to give her a
weekly stipend for herself and children. This was
done; and a few weeks since Mrs. Odger died, and,
after paying her regularly since the death of her hue.
band, a sum of between £3OO and £4OO remained.
There are three surviving children, and it has been
decided to give to the son James, who is paralyzed,
three-fifths of the amount, and to divide the other two-
fifths between the son John and the daughter Jenny.
To this disposition of the balance Mrs, Odger assented
before her death. She was buried by the side of her
husband in a tomb at Brompton Cemetery, purchased
in perpetuity by his friends.
FAFAL ACCIDENT.—On Monday afternoon Mr.
George Hall, master builder, was engaged with a
labourer named John Connington repairing an arch in
the chamber of a kiln at the Sheffield Brick Com-
pany's premises Abbeydale-road, Sheffield, when he
noticed the roof giving way. He pushed Conningtou
out of the chamber, but before he could himself
escape some 10ft, of the roof fell, completely burying
him. Connington was caught by several bricks and
rendered insensible ; he was conveyed to the hos-
pital. Hall, when extricated from the ruins, was
dead. His body was much mutilated.
A KITCHEN CONFIDENCE—Sarah Ann. " Lor',
Mary, what a etrange thing Love is, ain't it? "
Mary. "How so, Sarah Ann ? "—Sarah Ann. "Why,
it's so contrydictry like. It's like a burguler ; it
breaks in suddingly and steals your 'art; and yet it's
like the black lead I uses for the grates, it gives one
sech a polish. Look 'ow it's polished me, for instance.
My young man often see to me, Sareran," see he,
blowed if you don't outshine 'ern all.' "—Mary. "Ah,
that's very grate-ful of him, I'm Poll-ish myself, but
I alwaye make my sweetheart call me Mary.' —Puh.

THE CHANNEL TUNNEL.—The works at Sangattet
near Calais, in connection with the Channel Tunnel
heading, continue to make very satisfactory progress.
There was a break down with the machinery recently,
which caused a delay for a few days, but the average
daily advance of about eleven yards is being again
i
maintained. The total length of the heading s nose
understood to be rather more than three-quarters of 0
mile. The strata through which the boring is passing
continues favourably to work, and but very little
water is encountered. A considerable number of
Italian workmen are employed.

Mins. ON "MEMORIALS."—They who have done an
thing that will perpetuate their memories don't want
any ; and they that have done nothing oughtn't to
have any.—Punch.
ENGLISH STATESMEN A LONG-LIVED RAM Th.e,
Pall Mall Gazette, in remarking upon a statement,l,
has published concerning the duration of ministerial
service in this country, says :—English statesmen o.
the first rank are a long-lived race. It is the custom
to speak of Mr. Gladstone's activity at his years as
unparalleled, but he is only peventy-three. Lord
Beaconsfield was seventy-five when he left office,
Lord Russell seventy-four, Lord Eldon seventy-six.
and Lord Palmerston eighty-one. If a comparison
is made, not by years but by the tenure of office,
the comparison is even more reassuring. Mr. Glad-
stone has only been nineteen years in the Cabinet,
Lord Russell was twenty-four, Lord Liverpool
twenty-five, Lord Eldon nearly twenty-six, and Lord
Palmerston twenty-eight. Mr. Gladstone has been
Prime Minister nearly eight years, but Lord Pal-
merston's Premiership lasted nine years and four
months, Lord Liverpool's nearly fifteen years, and Mr.
Pitt's eighteen years. The pace is more trying now
than in Lord Liverpool's day, but, on the other
hand, Mr. Gladstone's constitution is exceptionally
strong, and there seems to be no reason from pre-
cedent why his Premiership should not at least out
last the duration of the present Parliament.

A " WAITY '1 W' TESTION.—Mrs. Prunella Probert I
"Well, no, Mrs. riklings I tell you candidly he I*
not quite the style of youth I advertised for. And all
to his capabilities, now; has he learned to wait at the
dinner-table at all ? " Mrs. Griklings "Oh, ler'
bless you, yes, Miss. That's just what our Samml
' ave learned; for, seem' as he was inclined to bt,
greedy like as a child, me an' his father 'ave made a
p'int o' makin' him wait till arfter all his sisters 'Ave
been helped. Leastways, Miss, except when it's
roley-poley, as is his fav'rite puddin' ; and 68 to
makin' him wait for that, well, Miss, I 'aven't the 'PA
to do it, an' that's the honest truth! "—Fun.

THE MA.ReEILLEB TEA TRADE. —Within the last
few years there has been a singular development of
the tea trade at the port of Marseilles. In 1850 the
arrivals did not exceed 12,000 kilogrammes, most of
which came from the warehouses of the Hanseatic
towns and from London. Ten years later the direct
relations with the East, caused a great move-
ment of tea to Marseilles, the annual imports being
229,114 kilogrammes, of which 223,813 came directly
from China. Since then the trade has been very
greatly on the increase, the quantity for 1881 being
3,198,430 kilogrammes, of which 2,878,675 were from
China. Of this quantity 52,593 kilogrammes were for
home consumption, the duty upon which amounted to
111,471 f. The imports of tea for the whole of the
French ports were 3,572,268 kilogrammes.
How TO GET OUT OF A SCRAFE.—IAA your beard
grow.—Punch.
A NEW PAPER-MAKING MATERIAL —A new in.
dustry has recently sprung up in Sweden. In some
parts of that country enormous quantities of Llanehed
and bleached mosses are found that grew ages ago.
These old mosses are now gathered and made into
paper, which is found to be.very fine in quality. A
manufactory of paper from this material has begun
operations near Joenkoeping, and is turning out paper
In all degrees of excelleney, from tissue to sheets three-
quarters of an inch in thickness. These latter are
harder than wood.

PERIODICAL Lam:termlN Russu.—The Russian
Messanger Officiel publishes a statistical account of
the periodical publications published in Russia up to
the end of last year. The total number is 776, of
which 197 are published in St. Petersburg and 75 at
Moscow. Of these 272 publications in the two prin-
cipal cities, 249 are printed in Russia, one in three
languages—Russian, German, and French, one in two
languages—Russian and German, nine in. German,
four in French, two in Latin, two in Hebrew, one in
English, one in Polish, one in Finnish, and one in
Armenian.—There are 19 daily newspapers, 15 weekly,
and 63 monthly publications issued in St. Petersburg,
and 12 daily newspapers, 6 weekly, and 22 monthli
publications in Moscow.
THE WELSH SUNDAY CLOSING AOll.—A difficultY
has arisen at Swansea in regard to the application of
the Welsh Sunday Closing Act to Good Friday and
Christmas Day. The police have sunamoned a number
of six-day licence holders for opening on those two
days; and on Monday Mr. Fowler, stipendiary magis
' -
trate decided that Christmas Day and Good Friday
must follow the rule of Sunday, whatever that maY
be. In Wales, therefore, the public-houses must be
closed on those days entirely as on Sunday. Notice
of appeal is, it is stated, to be lodged.

- -
TETE SALE OF CHURCH PEWS.—The Bishop of
Gloucester ard Bristol, at Clifton parish church on
Monday, drew attention t) the sale of pews at thai;
fashionable church, and said his attention had been
called in many letters to announcements of these salegi
by which the House of God was really and practicalll
owned by different persons, some of them not be-
longing to the parish, some non-resident, and in the
habit of worshipping in other churches. He had been
called upon to do something in the matter, and, be.
lieving that that noble church should be in everY
sense for rich and poor alike a house of prayer, he
was forced to speak plainly of this evil, and he was
glad to say that a movement had now been set on foot
with a view to acquiring for the parish those private
rights and tenures in God's House. Some funds had
already been subscribed. Entreating them all to joio.
the movement, he said some might plead that they had
laid out the money in the purchase of a pew and could
ill afford to give it back. They could not enter into
these things ; all they could say was, "Part with your
rights in a house of prayer on strictly equitable terms ;
you will have to answer for it in the great day of
judgment."
THE RELATIVE DECLINE OF PARL3.—The great in.
crease in the cost of living in Paris, occasioned by the
enormous and exceptional amount of the municipal
debts and consequent local taxation in that city,
appears, horn facts cited in the report of Mr. Plunkett,
the secretary to the British Embassy, to be seriouelY
affecting the rate of increase of its inhabitants. Ao•
cording to the last quinquennial census, while the
increase of population in St. Pierre-Calais was over 30
per cent., and that of Nice over 24 per cent., in Paris
it was only 15 per cent. In a list of the twenty-two
largest towns and cities the capital occupies a tenth
place only; and in the opinion of Mr. Plunkett it
would have stood lower but for the fact that the census
happened to be taken iri December, when the passage
of strangers through Paris is considerable, and when
rich strangers who live in Paris only for pleasure are
mostly in town.

A WORD FOR THE RAT.—Rate are not general
favourites, which perhaps is not very wonderful, for
while they way serve a useful purpose in the economy
of nature, they possess certain well marked character'
istics by which the popular judgment is prejudiced
against them. In Nevada,however, this prejudice seems
to have been overcome by at least one section of the;
population. It is not, says Land., that the miners of
this State are naturally juster m their judgments
than the common run of people, the fact being that
they are in a better position than most other folks
to appreciate the good qualities of this particular
species of rodents. In the first place, rata act as sub.
terrauean scavengers. They devour scraps of food
which, if left to decay, would vitiate air that is none
too sweet. But, more important than this, they give
timely warning of a coming "cave." They feel the
pressure of the settling round before the cracking of
the timbers is heard, and become as anxious to shift
their quarters as though they were in a sinking ship.
Thus it is that they are carefully preserved and e'ven
petted by the miners, to whom they regularly come at
lunch time to be fed.

Om GLUT or GREAT Mrs.—Owing to the crowded
state of Westminster Abbey, which building promises,
or threatens, very shortly to become overcrowded with
monuments to, and statues of, departed worthies, at-
tention has been called to a proposal put forth by the
late Dean Stanley "to enlarge the place of national
burial by the erection of a Campo Santo or mor
tuary cloister, on the space now eccupied by secular
buildings on the south-east side of the Abbey." What
other country on earth is there, besides glorious Old
England, that can brag of having more great men--
soldiers, statesmen, divines, philosophers, poets,
painters, sculptors, musicians, political economists,
comic novelists, and other geniuses of every descriP•
tion—than, as represented in their respective image°
and memorial sculptures, it knows what to do with ?-•••
Pumh.

LONDON AND COUNTRY SPARROWS.—The Fall Mall
Gazette says :—Suburban and country sparrows have
been much hurt in their feelings by a statement which
lately appeared in the papers, attributing a superior
and in fact quite exceptional loquacity to the sparrows
of London. Two letters are published, one front
Wimbledon and the other from Diss, in Norfolk,
which both claim for the sparrows of their respective
neighbourhoods sociability and conversational powers
at the least equal to those of their metropoßtah
brethren. The fact to which attention had been
called in the first instance was the habit on the
part of the London sparrows of holding evening parties
about sundown, at which, to judge from the noise,
very lively intercourse of ideas takes place. Such
social gatherings, we now know, are prevalent all aver
the country, and conducted with equal vigour every'
where. The success of these conversations has Ile
doubt been promoted by the mildness of the winter,
but, it is only fair to the sparrows to acknowledge
that they show, whether in town or country, a cheer-
fulness even in the hardest of hard times which makes
them an example to certain beings, who consider them'
selves much higher up in the scale of animal existence.
LITERAL—Visitor (to Disconsolate One). "BM
jected you, did she? Oh, what o' that? 'Often do at
first. Try her again. You're not pertinacious enough.
You shsuld have pressed her—"—Dejected One.
"Yes, but confound her !—she wouldn't let me come
near her I "—Punch.

LIVERPOOL IVORY SALES.—An unexpectedly large
supply of African ivory, amounting to fully 50 ton°,
caused the quarterly sales at Liverpool last week to
excite considerable interest among cutlery manufac'
turers and others who use ivory in their production's.
For the first time for two years the upward tendencY
of ivory was checked. The whole of the 50 tons were,,
disposed of at a little over £960 per ton. Fine larg' '
tusks fetched full prices ; medium sizes were a little
easier.; small scrivelloes fetched-last October 'price
In ball and bangle ivory there was a decline of !Oat.
£3. There is an enormous consumption of Ivor,' IP
the manufacture of billiard balls. A suitable substi-
tute for this purpose would greatly relieve the ivorY
trade, and a change in the fashion among Africtj
belies, for the adornment of whose wrists a beg 9
weight of ivory goes back to Africa to be manufacturt!"
into bangles, would be another .important factor In
bringing the prices of ivory down to something like tbe
quotations of five years ago.