The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-04-12 00:00:00

Exsullantaits

HOME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL.
DIVING IN BATHS.— (asks hLaneGt ")
will
bathers in shallow baths try to dive? Surely it must
be obvious to the most unreflecting mind that no man
can measure his distance in plunging so accurately as
to do away with the risk of striking the bottom. The
buoyancy or resistance of the water is not great, and
its depth is not to be Judged by appearance as seen from
the surface. Too much allowance is made for the effect
of refraction. Plunging and diving ought to be wholly
interdicted. The managers of baths render themselves
responsible for the accidents that occur by providing
boards for the very purpose of diving when the act can-
not be performed without danger. This is a matter
that should have attention. Of course these remarks
do not apply to the case of blind or nearly blind men
diving. Obviously such a perilous proceeding ought
never to be permitted. Our observations are based on
the danger which prevails in connection with a large
nrouortion of swimming baths trougho e cotPArY•

TRADE IN TEE WEST-END OF LONDON.—It has been
estimated that in a good season some three millions
and a half sterling are spent among West-end trades-
men. The season of 1884 had begun singularly well,
there being only one element of doubt—the fear of a dis-
solution. But the death of the Duke of Albany has seriously
injured the prospects of the West-end shops. 'Though
the orders for mourning will go some way to make up
the loss, the net deficit on the turn-over of the season is
put at £2,000,000.
A SIMPLE TEST FOR GLUE.—The following simple
and easy test is given in the " Tischler Zeitung " : A
weighed piece of glue—say one-third of an ounce—is
suspended in water for 24 hours, the temperature of
which is not above 50deg. Fah. The colouring material
sinks, and the glue swells from the absorption of water.
The glue is then taken out and weighed; the greater
the increase in weight, the better the glue. If it then
be dried perfectly and weighed again, the weight of the
colouring matter can be calculated from the difference
between this and the original weight.
Bon. n EXPLOSIONS IN FRANCE.—The official statistics
of the explosions of boilers which took place in 1882
supply the following data: There were 37 explosions,
resulting in the death of 40 persons, and injuring 20
more to such an extent as to incapacitate them for work
for periods exceeding 20 days. The explosions were
distributed as follows: Boilers with exterior firing,
horizontal without tubes, with or without heating
tube, 11 accidents 7 persons killed, 6 wounded; boilers
with exterior firing, vertical, 3 accidents, 7 killed, 1
wounded; boilers with interior firing, horizontal, with-
out tubes,. 1 accident, 3 killed; boilers with interior
firing, horizontal, with tubes, 8 accidents, 17 killed, 8
wounded; boiler with interior firing, vertical, 2 acci-
dents, 1 wounded; reservoirs, 9 accidents, 3 killed, 3
wounded; various, 3 accidents, 3 killed, 1 wounded.
The causes of the explosions were as follows: In 10
cases, defective plant—construction, arrangement, ma-
terial; defective maintenance-15 cases a deteriora-
tion and weakening of material, 7 cases of defective
repairs; defective attendance-5 cases of shortness of
water, 6 cases of excessive tension, 4 cases classed as
various; unknown causes-2 cases.
BASTINADOED TO DEATII.—A telegram from Tangiers
states that the Secretary to the Governor of Wazan
has been cruelly bastinadoed at the instigation of the
son of the Shereef of Wazan, representing his father as
spiritual chief in Morocco, and who enjoys French pro-
tection, for having declared the Shereef to be an
infidel. The victim died a few days after the infliction
of the lishment. The officers sent by the French
Minister to Wazan to investigate the circumstances
declare that the Secretary's death was caused by poison
administered by the Governor of Wazan, and not by
the bastinado. The French Minister has demanded the
dismissal of the Governor of Wazan.
Loss OF LIFE AT SEA.—A sad casualty has occurred
on county Down coast between Newcastle and Dun-
drum. A out ten o'clock on Friday night in last week
the full-rigged ship Flying Foam, of Liverpool, having
on board twenty-six of the crew and four stowaways,
was on its voyage from Liverpool to Quebec, when unfor-
tunately the captain mistook St. John's light for the Calf
of Man light. The weather was thick, and to this the
captain attributes the casualty. There was no gale
blowing, and after the vessel struck the master gave
orders to cut away all masts to ease the vessel. This
was done, and in answer to signals and blue lights,
witch the crew say they burned all night, the Newcastle
lifeboat put off to them on Saturday morning, and suc-
ceeded in landing a portion of the crew. The remainder
endeavoured to get ashore in their boat, but unfor-
tunately four of the sailors and one of the stowaways
were drowned. Thr body of one of the crew was washed
ashore between Dundrum and Newcastle. _

THE MURDER AT BIRMINGHAM.—At an inquest held
in Birmingham on Saturday on the body of Emma Jane
Hollis, who died on the 19th ult. from injuries alleged
to have been inflicted by William Thomas, a lodger,
who attempted to commit suicide at the same time by
cutting his throat, a verdict of "Wilful murder" was
recorded against the latter. The principal incrimina-
ting evidence consisted of two letters written by the
accused from the Queen's Hospital, where he is still
lying, to a Mrs. Wolden, of Handsworth. In the second
letter he stated that a jesting remark from himself
caused her to make a declaratton of affection for
another; he went down on his knees, and she spurned
him; "all the devil in the heart jumped up" at her
words; he struck her a fearful blow in the neck and
served himself the same, and he asked for no mercy,
and expected none.
THE ANNIVERSARY OF GREEK INDEPENDENCE.—In Paris
the dinner in celebration of the sixtieth anniversary of
Greek independence was attended by M. de Lesseps,
Herr Egger, and M. Renan, whose son-in-law is a Hel-
lene. The Greek Minister was in the chair. M. Renan
made a speech in which he spoke of the little people
under King George's intelligent liberal sway as the
nucleus of a nation great in numbers, vitality, intelli-
gence, tradition, wealth, activity, and patriotic feeling.
Victor Hugo was also invited, but excused himself in
the following terms," I will be with you in heart at the,
celebration of Greek deliverance. I celebrated formerly
that even + in verses, a line of which occurs to me to
this effect. It is that Italy is the mother and Greece
the grandmother of our civilisation."
THE VIENNA CATTLE TRADE.—The Vienna corre-
spondent of the "Daily News " writes : The Vienna
authorities having issued new market rules by which all
transactions affecting the cattle traffic shall pass
through the hands of a bank here, so displeased the
Hungarian cattle-rearers that the latter established
their own cattle market at Pressburg. The Vienna
authorities thereupon prohibited the import of cattle
from Pressburg on sanitary pretences. This being a
violation of the treaty between Austria and Hungary,
the Hungarian Government has demanded that the
prohibition shall be immediately withdrawn, or there
will be a serious conflict.

ACCIDENT TO THE DIME OP" EDINBURGH.—The corre-
spondent of the " Standard " with the Channel
Squadron, writing from Marmorica on the 21st ult.,
says: "I am sorry to say that the Duke of Edinburgh
has met with a slight accident, iihich has obliged him
to lay up. Stepping out of a boat he slipped and ricked
his knee, and though at the time he thought nothing of
it, he has been obliged to give the knee perfect rest for
fear of a permanent lameness." In a letter written
three days subsequently the correspondent remarks:
"I am glad to be able to say that no serious conse-
quences are expected from the ricked knee from which
his Royal Highness is suffering.; but it is still necessary
for him to remain perfectly quiet in order to avoid the
possibility of lameness."
DIPHTHERIA SPREAD By A DOLL.—A curious case of
diphtheria recently occurred in Amsterdam, New York
(says the "Sanitary Engineer.") A child, during its
illness from that complaint, played with a doll, which
was afterwards given to a younger child, as it was sup-
posed to have been properly fumigated with sulphur
fumes. This child, shortly after being allowed to play
with the doll, also fell ill of diphtheria and died. A
third child also fell ill after playing with the doll, but
recovered. The Board of Health finding no bad condi-
tions existing in or about the house sufficient to explain
the appearance of the disease, traced its appearance in
the family after the death of the first child to the doll.
FIRE EXTINCTION IN THE CITY OF LONDON.—Re-
ferring to the recent great fire in Paternoster-row, the
"City Press" says: Eleven lines of hose, supplied from
eight City hydrants, worked at high pressure from the
time when they were turned on, during the whole of
the night, and long after the engines were withdrawn.
Although, in addition to these hydrants, eighteen
steamers and five private hydrants were in use, the
diminution of pressure was imperceptible. One million
five hundred and forty-five thousand gallons of water
were thrown on the buildings during the first two hours
after the outbreak. The fire, which commenced at
twelve minutes to eight p.m., threatened to be a very
destructive one; at twelve p.m. it was got under and
practically extinguished, principally by the aid of the
hydrants. The total quantity of water used before
the fire was under control was about 2,000,000 gallons,
which, when reduced to weight, is equal to 8929 tons.
THE NATIONAL LIFEBOAT INSTITUTION.—At the last
meeting of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution,
Mr. Edward Birkbeck, M.P., in the chair, the
thanks of the institution, inscribed on vellum, were
voted to Messrs. David Duncan and James Watt, cox-
swains of the Montrose lifeboats, in recognition of the
many good services in saving life from shipwreck which
they and their crews have rendered, especially on the
occasion of the rescue of the crew of four men of the
screw steamer Mayflower, of Glasgow, which stranded
on the Annat Bank during a heavy south-south-easterly
gale on the 9th ult. Rewards amounting to £156 were
granted to the crews of lifeboats of the Institution for
services rendered during the past month, in saving 43
lives from different distressed vessels. Rewards were
also granted to the crews of shore boats and others for
saving life from wrecks on our coasts. The institution
has been instrumental in saving by its lifeboats and
other means 389 lives from various shipwrecks since ise
January last. Payments amounting to £4341 were
made on various lifeboat establishments. Among the
contributions lately received by the institution was
£650 from Miss Leicester to defray the cost of the new
lifeboat about to be sent to Whitehaven.

----
BRITISH WRFCKS.—During the menthol March there
was reported to the Board of Trade the loss of 85
sailing vessels with a tonnage of 17,199, involving 135
lives lost, and 15 steam vessels, with a tonnage of 6915,
and the loss of 36 lives. This, however, is a record of
"reports received "in the month, and not of wrecks
which occurred during that period. Many of the re-
ports received in March relate to casualties which
occurred in previous months. Casualties not re-
sulting in total loss of vessels, and the lives lost by such
casualties,
are not included.
INDIAN Wmows.—A new native Indian jourcalch
ad-
vocating
otfhtehe
it is stated, been started for the express purPosc.'''
re-
duction
weddingre-marriage
renders costly. In a recent number of thetn . organ
we are told seven Hindoo widows announce their
of Indian widows and the
readi-
ness to re-enter the marriage state.anl_n oenrecase the
expenses, which Indianewc
ortom
widow is only twelve years of age, d
hfather
is
side of the male advertisers there appears to be at least
anxious to betroth her to a Bengali gentleman. On the
an equal desire to break through the bonds of ancient
custom. One is described as an official of the Public
Works Department, "of fine features and fair colour ;"
another as a Bengali gentleman in a mercantile firm,
who is stated to be seeking "an educated and beautiful
widow."
FAILURES IN AlrEinci.—ln the United States and
Canada the mercantile failures for the first quarter of
1884 is reported as follows :—United States 3295
failures for a total liability of 40,000,000 dols. , against
2806 failures for a liability of 37,500,000 dols. in the
corresponding period of last year. Canada, 461 failures
for 5,000,000 dols. liability, against 398 failures and
8,333,000 dols. liability in the corresponding period
91,
1853. Since 1881 the increase of failures has been in
the United States 66 per cent., and in Canada r
150 Pc
cent.
'r 4ates that a
A TOURIST WAGEH—A Russian pr
a
t
Swedish tourist has arrived at 'Vrarsa-
a wager, me with two Englishrne
fronm the first of last
which are, that dad uring this se , :ihne
conditions
onditions of
f of
capitals, and numbering,
are, or have been at anY. 1
ko g, 106. He has, up to now,
according ta his retais
of Germany (6), and from
visited all the caP frueth:.rcities of Europe which
January, he shall visit
to St. Petersburg • and.therice to
~,4.Warsaw he will g° °n
Si ff If h'he is to
vino and e . e succeeds
oLOSCOIC • 1
receive
'4s°°°although he has, as yet, visited only one-
appears tha 'and his travelling expenses. But it
fit+i e. i
complains of gtictroe szr-P-
to_sit, ho alreicly_ , _ .
fourth of thte whole number of cities he has undertaken