The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-03-24 00:00:00

THE LABOUR MARKET.

The prevailing tone in the cotton market continues
dull. Business in the woollen and worsted trades of
Yorkshire is still flat, the cold weather having
checked the spring trade and there is little doing in
lace and hosiery. The fron market is firm so far as
prices are concerned, but, if anything, there is a
falling off in the amount of actual business doing.
Some of the finished ironmakers are rather better
off for work, but the weight of orders giving out
is still comparatively small. The changes in the
-United States tariff dutiis are expected to give an
impetus to several branches of the iron trade. It is
more favourable than the old one for iron, steel, and
railway rails, but it will press with greater severity
upon cutlery and finished goods generally. Most of
the large engineerins firms continue well employed.
At Sheffield makers of armour•plates, ship and boiler
plates, and huge castings are very busy, and the cutlery
trade is getting brisk. At Wolverhampton, export
orders for heavy plates, bars, and galvanised sheets are
numerous; and girder-plate manufacturers are also
busy.
The severe weather has -affected work at the ship-
yards, but otherwise the shipbuilding trade has kept
very prosperous, and the promise for the future is
most encouraging.
Shipbuilding on the Clyde is being carried on with
as much energy and spirit as ever. Trade is on the
increase, and the returns for February show a great
extension. The output from the stocks in the month
indicated was 33,202 tons, against 30,204 tons in the
evious year, 21,754 tons in 1881, and 15,874 tons in
580.
There is little or no change in the house coal trade;
p aces have a downward tendency rather than other.
wise,
The metropolitan industries continue good, but
owing to the severe weather the building trade has
received a slight check, and numbers of artisans and
labourers have, in consequence, been thrown out of
employment.

A rumour gained currency in London on Monday
that an attempt had been made to blow up the Gas
Works at King's•cross. There was no foundation for
the story, which probably originated in the fact that
it had been deemed desirable lately to increase the
precautions inside and outside the works against any
possible outrage,

THE ATTACK ON LADY FLORENCE DIXIE.

The Times of Monday said :—" Lady Florence Dixie
sends us the following account of an attack made
upon her on Saturday afternoon
"The particulars are short, and I can write little,
because my hands are cut and painful. I was out
walking near .the Fishery last evening, about 4.30,
when two very tall women came up and asked
me the time. I replied that I had not got my
watch with me, and turning, left them. Opening
a small gate which led into the private grounds
of Captain Brocklehurst, of the Blues, T made
towards a stile, and was just going to get over, when
I heard the gate open behind, and the two women
followed me in. Somehow or other, I felt all was not
right, so I stopped and leant against the rails, and
then, as they came on, went to meet them. One on the
right came rapidly forward and seized me by the neck
when by the strength of the clutch I felt it was no
warnan's power that pulled me to the ground. In
another second I saw the other would•be woman over
me, and remember seeing the steel of the knife
come straight down upon me, driven by this person's
hand. It struck through my clothes and against
the whalebone of my stays, which turned the point,
merely grazing the skin. The knife was quickly
withdrawn and plunged at me again. I seized it with
both hands, and shouted as loud as I could, when
the person who first pulled me down pushed a large
handful of earth into'my mouth and nearly choked
me. Just as the knife Was wrenched from my
hands a very big and powerful St. Bernard dog I
had with me broke through the wood, and the last
' thing I remember was, seeing the person with the
knife pulled backwards by him. Then I heard a
confused sound of rumbling of wheels, and I re-
member no more. When I came to myself I was
quite alone. From what I saw of the knife I believe
it to be a dagger, and the persons were undoubtedly
men. They were dressed in long clothes, and were
unnaturally tall for women; the one who stabbed me
had on a thick veil, reaching below the mouth; the
other was unveiled, but his face I did not notice
much. This is all the information I can give. My
head is very confused and painful, and I expect they
must have stunned me. This is a wretched scrawl,
but my hands are very much cut, and it pains me much
to write.'"

Sir Beaumont and Lady Florence Dixie reside al
the Fishery, a pleasant riverside residence on the
Berke shore of the Thames, two miles and a half from
Windsor and between that town and Maidenhead.
The high road passes close to the house, which is
situated between the road and the river. Sir Beau-
mont Dixie was at the river side at the time of the
occurrence, and before he was aware of what had
occurred the assailants had disappeared. Sir Beaumont
immediately procured a conveyance from Surly-hall
Hotel, proceeded to Windsor, and gave information i
to the police of the occurrence, when telegrams were
quickly sent to Maidenhead and Reading and also to
Scotland-yard.
Lady Florence became faint on returning te her
house, but next morning had almost recovered from
the shock which the attempt on her life had
naturally occasioned, as she only complained of
being a little dizzy. Her impression is that
she had a blow on her head, although there is no
mark there. She was able to give only a very
imperfect description of theltwo persons who attacked
her. One wore a veil, and both had smooth faces.
She was also unable to say what direction they took
on leaving the grounds. Lady Florence Dixie was not
attended by any medical man, as the injuries were not
such as to render it necessary; her hands were, how-
ever, much cut in her efforts to seize the weapon.
The startling news was it is reported, at once con
veyed to her Majesty the Queen, who expressed her
sympathy with Lady F. Dixie. Her Majesty, it is
said, was much concerned at the attempt upon her
ladyship's life, and subsequently made anxious in-
quiries for full particulars. In Windsor itself, when
once the details of the outrage became known, the
indignation of the inhabitants knew no bounds.
The greatest possible excitement prevailed, and the
latest information was eagerly sought after. Public feel-
ing, however, cdoled down somewhat when it became
known thst Lady Florence had fortunately escaped
without sustaining any positive injuries of a seriou
character. On Sunday afternoon General Sir Henry
Ponsonby called on behalf of the Queen to convey to
Lady Florence Her Majesty's congratulation on her
providential escape, and also with the purpose of
making inquiry as to her health. Lady Florence, in
vAnlv. va.ve an assurance that she was none the worse
for the assault beyond the shock. Tn&eacening letters,
it is said, had been sent to Lady Florence for months
previously.

The Times of Tuesday gives further particulars, from
which we make the following extracts : _

"Lady Florence Dixie had on Monday so far re-
covered that she came down to breakfast as usual, and
showed no signs whatever of her health having been
in any way affected by a fright which in the case of
most women would have had most alarming conse-
quences. The wounds in her har.ds have so far healed
as to require no dressing of any kind.
"On Monday morning Lord Methuen, one of the
Lords-in-Waiting, went by command of the Queen to
the Fishery to make inquiries, and general sympathy
with Lady Florence is expressed.
"The rapidity and noiselessness with which the out-
rage must have been perpetrated may be gathered from
a statement which had been made by the gardener to
Captain Brocklehurat, of the Willows, a residence
adjoining the Fishery, and between it and Surly-hall.
He was at work potting flowers outside the green-
house, at which spot he had frequently heard Sir
Beaumont and Lady Florence Dixie converse, and the
place where the outrage was committed was still
nearer to him. He heard nothing, however, to parti-
cularly attract his attention. He heard two or three
traps drive past the road, along which there is a good
deal of traffic; and on Saturday afternoon there would
be more than usual.

"Colonel Blandy, the Chief Constable of Berke,
visited Windsor yesterday, had an interview with Sir
Beaumont and Lady Florence Dixie, and went over
the grounds with a detective. The investigation is
being pursued systematically and vigorously, and
every step which experienced officers can suggest is
being taken with a view to the discovery of the
miscreants.
"A note was received on Monday morning from
the Prince of Wales, making inquiry as to Lady
Florence's health. To this she replied that she was
none the worse for her desperate adventure, and was
in the enjoyment of good health. The gloves which
her ladyship wore on the occasion of the attack have
been sent to Scotland-yard for examination. The cut
in eaeh is described as being almost identical in cha-
racter.
"Lady Florence Dixie desires to return her sincere
thanks for the many kind inquiries which she has re-
ceived, and to state that it is impossible for her to
reply severally to each of the multitude of letters and
telegrains which have been sent."