The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-04-11 00:00:00

EPITOME OF NEWS.

BRITISH AND FOIEIGN.

At a mass meeting of chairmakers on Monday, at
Cradley Reath, Rowley, it was stated that the whole
of the factories were now closed, and that the workmen
were out on strike against reductions in wages ranging
from 15 to 40 per cent.
Henry Baldwin, a labourer, employed at Messrs.
John Brown and Co.'s Atlas Works, has died at
Sheffield from injuries received in an explosion.
Another man was burnt to cinders, and two other men
were dreadfully injured.
Mr. Wills, tobacco merchant, of Bristol, was on
Monday afternoon descending Aber Waterffalls, near
Bangor, when he stumbled over some brushwood and
was precipitated a distance of fifty feet, falling upon a
rock beneath. Death was instantaneous. Mr. Wills'
younger brother and a friend were with him at the
time.
Joseph Wilson, a post-runner at Bridge of Don, was
charged before the Sheriff, at Aberdeen on Monday, on
24 charges of detaining letters and embezzlement. It
was stated on his behalf that the accused was only 15
years old, and, taking this circumstance into account.
the Sheriff reduced the sentence to three months'
imprisonment.
By fire at the skin and wool works of Mr. T. P. Parry,
Oswestry, the whole of the vast premises and works,
with the stock of manufactured goods to be delivered
during the Easter week, were almost totally destroyed.
The damages are estimated at £30,000.
At the Bucks Quarter Sessions, Lord Cottesloe, on
behalf of the magistrates, read an address to the chair-
man, the Duke of Buckingham, congratulating him on
his marriage, presented him with a handsome illumi-
nated album, and stated that the chief feature would
be a portrait of the Duchess, which Mr. Cope, R.A., is
painting.
Miss Muriel Wentworth, 13, daughter of Lady
Harriet Wentworth, of Hainborough Hall, near Barns-
ley, who suddenly disappeared after taking horse
exercise on Saturday, was found on Sunday concealed
in the great picture gallery at the hall. Her disappear-
ance, which seems to have been an unaccountable freak
on the part of the young lady, caused great excitement
in the district. . _ _

The Cunard Co.'s report for the year ending last
December states that owing to the depression in the
shipping trade, which has seriously affected the Trans-
atlantic business, they are unable to declare a
dividend, and also prevented adding to the insurance
fund. They state that their steamers Umbria and
Oregon have been chartered for six months by the
Government with the option of purchase, at a price
agreed upon.
Mr. Gladstone, in acknowledging from Mr. Richard,
the receipt of a memorial advocating the arbitra-
tion of a neutral and friendly Power in case of dispute
between England and Russia cannot be otherwise satis-
factorily settled, sees no reason to abandon the antici-
pation that such a settlement may be arrived at by
ordinary diplomatic methods.
Mr. Frederic Sheldon, the sculptor, whose bust of
King Tawhiao will be in the recollection of the public,
has received a commission to execute the memorial of
Mr. St. Leger Herbert, one of the gallant special corre-
spondents who fell in the battle in the Soudan a few
weeks ago. The memorial will include a portrait of the
deceased gentleman in bas-relief.
Several persons were summoned on Monday to the
Wandsworth Police-court for cruelty to horses. John
Pasby, for causing a horse to be cruelly worked on the
day of the boat-race between Oxford and Cambridge,
was fined £3, with £1 ss. costs, and his driver was fined
ss. At the Hammersmith Police-court, on Monday,
William Houghton, a timber dealer, was sentenced to
14 days' imprisonment for working a horse while in an
unfit state.

An exciting scene took place on the River Thames on
Monday afternoon. Two men in a pleasure-boat, in
endeavouring to pass beneath the gangway leading to
Lambeth-pier, against tide, were precipitated into the
water. Fortunately, however, they were rescued, one
of them especially with great difficulty being saved.
The two men whose names did not transpire, were
kindly treated by the rector of Lambeth Church.
Robert Ross was fined £lO at Dundee on Monday for
selling on Sunday a bottle of whisky and one of rum
on the stairs leading to the Free Gardeners' Club, in
that town. It transpired that a large traffic was carried
on inside the establishment on Sunday, and many men
were seen leaving in an intoxicated condition.
Bailie Taylor hoped to see the legal aspect of this ques-
tion remedied at an early date.
At Aston Lower Grounds, Birmingham, en Monday
afternoon, an accident happened to a trapeze artist,
named Hale. He hed to do some feats from a trapeze,
suspended about fifty feet from the floor of the stage,
one of which was the firing off of two pistols as he
swung himself, a distance of fully forty feet, on the
stage. In doing so one of the ropes broke, and Hala
was suspended by one leg in mid-air for nearly a
minute, amidst the intense excitement of the audience.
Finally he alighted on the stage, but his leg is severely
injured.
Owing to unfavourable weather the ferry traffic
from Liverpool to Birkenhead, Seacombe, Erge-
mont, and New Brighton, was not se busy
on Monday as on last Easter Monday, when
there crossed from Liverpool to Birkenhead 57,000
persons, but this year it is estimated the numbers
did not exceed 45,000. The Wallasey ferries, which in-
clude New Brighton, Egremont, and Seacombe, took
over last Easter Monday over 100,000 passengers, but
this year the returns are not more than 90,000, two-
thirds being set down to New Brighton alone.
The Easter Monday Bank Holiday was enjoyed by an
enormous number of persons in London, with milder
weather and an absence of the cutting winds of the
previous days. The various places of entertainment
and the public institutions were crowded, while there
was no lack of recreation in the parks and open spaces.
At the Crystal Palace nearly 62,000 visitors passed the
turnstiles, while at the Alexandra Palace the propor-
tion of holiday-makers was equally great. At South
Kensington Museum there were more than 21,000,, and
over 20,000 at the Natural History Museum. Hampton
Court attracted 35,000; Kew Gardens, 3,0000; and
the kloolcgicjl Gardens. 27.500_
The Bournemouth Improvement Commissioners have
passed a vote of condolence and sympathy with the
Countess Cairns and family in the bereavement they
have sustained by the death of Earl Cairns.
The banquet to Mr. Irving in New York was attended
by about 200 persons. Much enthusiasm was displayed
throughout the proceedings.
The White Star steamer Germanic returned to
Queenstown, which port she left on the 3rd inst. for
New York. During Saturday night and Sunday morn-
ing she was for ten hours in a violent storm, which did
some damage to the vessel. One seaman was lost over-
board, and several others were injured.
Some London burglars have been down to Ashford in
Kent, and they have broken into the house of a widow
lady named Williams, and stolen a considerable amount
of property, with which they got clear off.
An inquest was held on Tuesday, at Blackburn,
touching the death of Joseph Eddlestone, labourer,
aged 52 years. On the night of Good Friday, during an
altercation, a powerfully-built weaver named James
Bailey struck him violently twice, and he fell uncon-
scious. Eddlestone never gained consciousness, and
died on Saturday morning. The medical gentleman
who made the post-mortem examination testified that
death might have been caused by such blows upon a
person predisposed to apoplexy through drunken habits.
The jury returned a verdict of manslaughter against
Bailey.
Sir Stafford Northcote, speaking at Exeter at the
opening of the Literary Society's new
premises, e.
pressed the great pleasure it always gave
him to join
anY Work of this kind, because he regarded :1-
it as of the
highest importance that the development of literary
tastes should accompany the growth of our wealth.
True, every one could not become a great scholar, but
all could enlarge their, acquaintance with the writings
of men at the present day and of past ages, and could
by reading bring themselves into communication with
people in all parts of the globe. Literary studies pre-
sented a never-ending source of pleasure, and the
greater a man's knowledge of his fellows the wider and
deeper his sympathies.
In the French Chamber on Tuesday, M. Brisson, the
new Premier, stated that he had endeavoured to form
a Cabinet of conciliation and concord in order to place
the greatest combination of forces. at the disposal of
France and the Republic. "We shall," he added, de-
mand from China respect for our rights, as resulting
from treaties, and as recognised by the Chinese Govern-
ment itself in the Convention of May 11, 1884. We
but are resolved to pursue it by arms if necessary."
shall be happy if negotiations suffice to attain that end,
Referring to the forthcoming elections, M. Brieson
, said the Ministry would make it a point of honour that "
they should be free and sincere. In conclusion;-he
asked the House to sanction the remaining sum,
150,000,000 of francs, required for the operations in
Tonquin. After some debate the credit was granted by
373 to 92 votes

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