The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-09-04 00:00:00

EPITOME OF NEWS,

BRITISH AND FOREIGN,
A Swedish trzvant, M. Stenbarg, professor of chemis-
try at Stockholm, has discovered a method of producing
alcohol from Iceland moss.
A tradesman in the Rue Lamartine, Paris, attracts
attention by exhibiting a live crocodile in his window.
A new volocipetle is being patent. d in Paris, which
is to throw all others into the shade. it has five wheels,
and the motive power is communicated to it by the mere
weight of the riders.
The Madrid correspondent of the Indipendatare
Beige, writing on the 211 h nlt , says that a new journal has
just appeared, entitled the GM/Milner. The conductors re-
commend the permanent establishnient of the scaffold upon
the politic places of the principal towns in Spain, and the
execution of many of the inhabitants.
Here is a mot picked up at the funeral of Marshal
Niel. A lookevon who could not sufficiently admire the
hearse kept repeating, " What a line hearse ! what a spies-
i hearse ! How happy those rich peer le are !"
By a new act a judgment creditor can now apply to
wino-up a railway company by the Board of Trade.
A number of forged notes of the Bank of England
have for some time past been in circulation iu Belgium and
France.
The attempt to raise a sunken ship near Wexford,
by means cf balloons inflated e ith gas, was cut short by an
accident to the diving apparatus, which had nearly proved
fatal to Mr. Mammy, the principal operator. The experi-
ments will, however, shortly be resumed.
The Parisian hatters have bee ,me quite excited at
the prospect of the "Tile Congress," to he held at Brunets.
and are determined to give the wearers of chinney-pots
" something new." One enthusiast advertises that he will
dispose of the remainder of his stock" for ablest nothing,
to make room for the Congress patterns.
At Greenock, the other day, an old woman was sent
to prison for stealing a brass kettle and some clothing. It
was stated by the prosecutrix, an aged widow, that the
kettle was in possession of her husband and herself at
Waterloo.
A telegram from Hong Kong, dated the sth August,
informs us that twenty persons, among whoin is supposed to
be a French priest, have been massacred in the province of
Szechuen, in China. The authorities, it is added, are
taking steps to investigate the matter
The French wheat and flour markets have for the
most part exhibited a downward tendency during the last
few days, deliveries having been freely made by growers,
while the reports with respect to the results of this year's
harvest in France hale become more cheerful.
" A curious version is given of the Lucas tragedy.
As all animal tamers will assert, wild beasts are subject to
the influence of man's eye In a far greater degree than to
the power of his arm. Lucas, as he was about to enter the
cage, was attracted by the singular beauty of a young girl,
whose expression of terror and anxiety fascinated him, and
instead of fixing a steady gaze on the lions his eye wandered
hi her. The lioness, no longer under the magnetic influence
of his glance, sprang on him unawares, and at fearful odds
for him, as poor Lucas had by accident taken a alight riding.
whip, instead of the loaded cane with which he was usually
arnied."—Paris Correspondent of Morning Star.
The farmers of Southbridge, Massachusetts, are
troubled about a strange kind of cattle disease. It first ap-
pears on the au iinars leg near the hoof, in the form of a large
and painful swelling, and the part affected soon suppurates
and discharges, the animal meanwhile being unable to bear
its weight upon its foot.
Mr. W. H. Smith, M.P. for Westminster, has
lately tent out to Canada, at his own expense, three dis-
tressed families.
A Madrid telegram states that the last remnants of
the Carlist hands have now dimppeared and the Paris
Patric says that Don Carlos embarked fir England on Mon-
day evening at a port in the province of Guipuzcoa.
The New York papers state that an action for false
Imprisonment has bren brought against General Dix, late
Minister of the United States at the French Court, by 31r.
John Mitchell, "the Irish patriot," who was confined in
Fortress Monroe in the summer of 1865 by the General's
orders ale Mitchell lays his damages at twenty-five
thousand dollars.
Several cases of sunstroke have occurred in Essex,
principally in the harvest field. Henry Smith, of North
Weald, near Epping, was struck in the field, and died the
same night. Four men at Bobblngworth were similarly
affected, and one died the following morning. A boy named
Williamson, at Earl's Culne, was taken ill in the field, and
died in a few hours.
The New York Tribune states that Mazzini is now in
Switzerland.
At the Manchester sessions, William Gregory Red-
ford was tried on a charge of embezzlement in connection
with the Ninth South Lancashire Building Society. He was
found guilty, and sentenced to five years' penal servitude.
A fatal accident took place at Dartmoor the other
day. A tourist—Mr. Winstanley, merchant, of London—was
driving in the vicinity of Princetown, when his gig upset.
The interval between the accident and his decease was suf-
ficient to enable him to make his will.
The Jewish Chronicle states that in consequence of
the action taken by the Board of Deputies, the British
government has united with the French in remonstrating in
strong terms against the adoption of the proscriptive laws
against the Jews proposed to be embodied in the new consti-
tution of Servile The Austrian government, it is understood.
is working in the same direction.
A Mrs. Gifford, living in the northern part of Marion
County, lowa, died from the effects of fright at the recent
eclipse.
A Belgian journal, the Flandre, of Ghent, says that
in consemience of the number of clerical scandals which are
constantly occurring throughout Europe it has not space
enough, as a mere weekly paper, to report them. It con-
siders, however, that they ought to be reported, and under
these circumstances it announces that it shall henceforth
publish a supplement every week devoted entirely to this
subject, but intended only for men to read. It will tske care,
It adds, to give sonic of the reports in Latin, as a language
which is privileged in such matters.
The Board of Trade returns, issued on Tuesday,
show the state of our imports and exports for the first six
months of the year As against 1868 there was a decrease in
the imports of £3,795,027, and against 18137 a decrease of
E 2.705,348. There WAS a milaction of about seven millions
merlins in the value of our corn importation, and over four
mid oils in the value of imported cotton. Most of the re-
mileing articles show an Increase. In the exports there was
an increase of 8 per cent, on the traimactions of the six
months Nearly all our principal descriptions of goods were
exported in larger quantities, but the increase is most marked
in woollen manufactures. In the imports for the month of
June, the latest for which returns are completed, there
was a considerable falling off but on the other hand
ill the exports fir the month of July there was a balance
011 the side of improvement of over a million and a half
sterling.
The Emperor of China is fifteen years old, and is to
Ire married this year, with Immense pomp, to his first and
chief wife—his Empress. lie will be simultaneously pro-
vided with second and third wives and from all parts of Vie
empire victims are being collected to swell the list of Ws
harem, Every Tartar family. is obliged to contribute its
quota. Local selections are first made, and the holocaust is
sent to Pekin, where a fresh selection takes place, and a
"chosen " number are conuemned to a lifelong seclusion.
A Dublin telegram says that on Tuesday evening
Captain the lion Henry Ward and Mrs. Wood were on a road
locomotive steam-engine with the Hon. Randal and Clara
Parsons when. turning a sharp corner of a street in Parsons-
town,, Mrs. Ward slipped off the stool on which she was
seated, and, falling on the ground, the wheel ran over her
head, and killed her on the spot.
The intelligence of the result of the international
Boat Race, which terminated at thirty-six minutes past five
on Friday evening, was received in New York about one
o'clock on the same afternoon. The explanation of the para-
dox is of course to be found in the fact that New York is
situated in long. 74 deg. west, and consequently the hour in
that city is nearly five hours behind Greenwich time —lt is
probably known to very few of our readers that New York
merchants habitually receive. soon after the commencement
of each day's beelines., the closing prices of the Liverpool
markets of the same day.
The New York papers report the suicide, on the 16tn
Inst., of Nagle, the Fenian convict, who was recently role ised
by the clemency of the Government, and who suusequently
made an inflammatory and defiant speech, at a banquet in
C srk, at which the then mayor of the city (O'Sullivan) pre-
weed. It appears that Nagle for some time hail exhibited
symptoms of insanity, and on the day in question he killed
himself by leaping from an attic window.
The popular impression about Italy as the land par
excellence of assassination has, It appears. some bails in fact
The proportion of homicides to population is highest in the ,
peninsula, being 10 82 for every 100.000 souls, whit- in Spain
It is 8 24, in Sweden 2 02, in England 1-95, and in Belgium
only 0 16. About a fifth of the cases of homicide in North ,
Italy are Infanticides, the proportion dinneithing as we go
South, till in Sicily it is only 2 per cent., a reduction proba-
bly in inverse ratio to the importance attached to chastity.
The death was announced, on 'Wednesday. of the
Hon. and Rev. Edward relieve, a son of the firra Viscount
Exmouth, whose name is known in connectimi with the bony-
bardinent and destruction of the fleet and arsenal at Algiers
in 1816, All 4 brother of the late .n of Nerwich He was
born on the 3rd of November, 1790, and was educated at
Oriel College, Oxford, where he took ,tiS BA. deeree hI 1822
He was nominated in 1845 to the vicarage of St James's,
Bury St Edmund's which he held tinfil MS, whys he re-
signed it, and has since lived in retiremeet at Crow-hill
imlaavneld. Mr. Pellew was married in 1826 Ins daughter of
Dr. stephen Winthrop.
A melancholy accident occurred du! jog the progress
of the agricultural show at Tralee White the operatimis of
a thrsehing machine were being witnessed hy A large number
of people, a poor man names George Small, Jarful, from the
neighbourhood of Ardfert, by some ill-lock, got within mach
of the engine and received such injuries as resulted fatally in
a couple of hours after. Deceased left a wife and nine
children.
A Cape correspondent, writing from St. Simon's
Bay on the 21st, ult., says "Another large diamond has
risen found at Bloemhof, Transvaal- Republie. it weighs
thirty carats. People keep very 'dark ' teem, tee these pre
Aims shm is, being awed by a company at eoles'iltiz, winch
claims all diamonds found Mime a certain date. This com-
pany has purchased the title to everything of the sort from
the Government, and curious law suns will be the result, as
it will be difficult to prove when such and such a diamond
was found. • ruby ham been founds& Likationg.'

It is announced that the property of Mr. B. Biggs,
of Gas Consumers Company notoriety, will be sold by auction
in the course of the present month.
- • • • • • •

At a public meeting which has been held in Berlin,
and at which about 2 000 persons were present, resolutions In
favour of suppressig monastic establishments and of ex-
pelling the Jesuits were passed. _ _

•
In the fourteen largest towns of the "United King-
dom the annuß rate of mortality last week was 25 per 1 000.
The most unhealthy town on the list was E linburith, at 30
per TOW, and the most healthy Bristol, at 14. 111 London
the rate was 24, in shetheld 30, and in Liverpool 31. There
was a considerable decline in the mortality caused by diar-
rhcea. Scarlet fever continues to prevail.
_ _ _

According to a telegram in the New York papers,
Mr. Peabody has given sixtylhousand dollars to the trustees
of Waabtuatou College, Virginia, for the purpose of estab-
lishing an additional professorship as recently proposed by
General Lee, the President of the College.—The health of
Mr. Peabody is said tolbe very much improved.

The Indian papers state that the money-order sys-
tem is about to be eatablished between Englam]. aud India.

By the new act on volunteers a search warrant for
on. delivery of arms, dm, can be issued ; and "pledging "Is
now an offence as well as buying or selling any article be-
longing to a volunteer cello.

It is said that the Duleep Singh Com,
memorates his wedding-day by so sonull gift of £1,4,00 to the
mission-school In Cairo, where hi, wife was a papll shell he
first saw her.

The knower guuboat, on the Chins station, under
the command of Captain Lloyd, has succeeded in capturing &
number of piratical Junks. Amongst the number' it is 1-atd,
ka armed with all the latest improvements hi modern
warfare.

"
It is stated that a discovery of forty-two pictures by
th, celebrated Spanish landscape painter, Goyo, has been
made hi the palace of the Escurial at Madrid.
Telegrams from Arohangel announce the arrival of
Mr. W. ih-pworth Dixon In that city, where he is reported to
Imve j Med the band of Russian pilgrim. I liollomelettP, 00
their voyage to the monastery of Solovetsk, situate on the
Holy Island, in the White Sea.
The Pope believes himself that he will live ten years
longer, and the other day he remarked to some members of
his household that if the catholic Exitibltion of next year
proved a success, he would have one on a grander scale in
1871
, There are Irish judges in France as well as in
, England. A man was charged last week before one of the
tribunals with drunkenness and assaulting the police. The
Julie: "Are you married, prisoner T". satin prOxi-
dent." "Their so much the better for your wife and fatuity.
I shall give you three days' imprisonment."
-• • •

_
- -
It Is thought that there is some cause for the anxiety
which is felt about Dr. Livingstone. The truth seems to lie
between the theory that he is the captive of some African
chief, or that he has turned away westwards from the Lake
fanganyika—having, perhaps, found a clue to the origin
and water sheds of the Congo river.
A Panic society is already pressing to take advan-
tage of the Great Pacific Railway, by organizing excursions
round the world. The itinerary is sketched as follows :
From Marseilles to Cadiz, 3 days; Cadiz to New York, 11
days ; New York to San Francisco, 7 days; San Francisco
by steamboat), to Yokohama (Japan), 21 slays; Yokohama to
Hong Kong (steamboat), 21 days ; Hong Kong to Calcutta
steamboat), 12 days; Calcutta to Bombay (railway), 4 days;
Bombay to Cairo trail and steamboat), 14 days ; Cairo to
Marseilles, 6 days—total 84 days.
The daughter of Lord Granville was married on
Thursday in last week at Havre. The Havre Journal f that
day thus records the event:—" A marriage from love was
,elebrated this morning at flame. The daughter of the
very wealthy Lord Granville, member of pas Dement, espouses!
the Marquess Bucher de Labedoyere, sub-Prefect of linen-
geaux, department of the Haute Loire. The Marquess is
nephew of the Colonel Laliedo) ere, who was shot under
Louis XVIII , and of the M. Laliedoyere, who died a few
sears back, and who was in possession of the famous collec-
tion of publieations relative to the first revolution, which
was pus chased for £4,000 by the eruperor."—[We need
-carcely remind the least-informed of our readers that Lord
Granville's daughter is not yet three years old.)
The Board of Trade have awarded a binocular glass
t 3 Captain Ambroise NI aurin, of the French brig Maria, of
'Na tea, in acknowledgment of his humane services to fool.-
' teen of the crew of the ship Philip Haugh, of South Shielde,
which vessel struck on the Casquets Rocks during a fog on
the 6th July. 1869, and became a total wreck.
"Whilst the ceremony of laying the foundation stone
of a Wesleyan chapel w-as taking place at Asnis)res, n duel
was being fought within a short distance. At the Ile de
Croissy 31., Guillaumot and the Comte de l'-- wounded
each other, the former in the stomach, the latter lathe arm,
• 011 Which the seconds intervened. Literature was the sub-
ject of the quarrel.”—Correspondent of Morning Star.
An action against Mr. Bibby. one of the directors of
the Royal Bank, the failure of which c, sused a great sensa-
tion in monetary circles, was tried at I.lveipool Assizes, on
Friday in last week. It was brought by Mr. Stephen Watson,
to recover damages he had sustained in consequence of a
purchase of shares after the issue of the report and balance-
sheet in 18,3, which Mr. Watson alleged did not contain a
true statement of the affairs of the nank. The case Was
stopped when it was partly heard, with a view to its being
referred.
A case arising out of the rating of a charity came
before the Hammersmith Sessions on Saturday. Two of the
sisters of the Nazareth Rome, an institution for " Aged,
Infirm, and Destitute Poor," were summoned to pay al poor
rates, levied upon a valuation of £372. The parish authori-
ties admitted the valuation was excessive, and they volun-
teered to reilace it one-third, and also to demand only one-
third of the rate. Finally this was agreed to. One of the
sisters pointed out that it WWI very hard for them to pay
poor rate at all.
On the Ohio river, below Louisville, on August 14,
just before daylicht, the steamer Cumber/and, bound down
the river exploded her boilers. She explosion blew the
steamer to pieces, causing her to sink in a few minutes, awl
18 or 250! the passengers were killed.
- - - •

The largest meeting of fdix spinners held for some
time took place at Belfast on Friday in last week, when, in
consequence of the stagnation in trade, it was resolved to
put the mills awl factories on two-thirds time for ten weeks,
commencing with the Dth of September.
- - - -•

Madame Olympe Audouard, a literary lady, feeling
herself aggrieved by an article ha the Fiaaro, has called out
M. de Villemessant. This fiery authoress begs to haform the
editor of the Fifiaro that he need have no scruples as to ac-
cepting her challenge, seeing that she is a widow, and has
neither father nor brother. She is, moreover, a capital shot,
and informs her adversary that a ball fired by a feminine
hand is quite as murderous in its result as any other.

" James Botson Me . . is implored to communi-
cate at once with his brother or with J. C., as the situation
In Paris has been secured."—Advertisement in London Times

The London Irishman believes that on the assembling
of parliament one of the very first subjects which will be
brought before the Louse will be the uuccuditional release of
all the political prisoners without exception. In the f ice of
the French amnesty, the government are not disposed to offer
any strenuous opposition to the demand, if it be properly and
Influentially supported.
Some Parisian gourmands have been dining on
rats, and express themselves deliahted with the delicious
and succulent properties of the flesh.

During the past week large quantities of fish, which
are peculiar to the tropical regions, have been seen along the
southern coasts of Ireland. Shoals otilie bonito, the dolphin,
sword flab, and other species are observed This visit is
attributed to the unusual warmth of the weather in this
latitude.
An alarming accident, occurred on Saturday during
the opening of a foot bridge across the Irwell connecting the
Broughton aide of the river with Peel Park and Salford. A
platform over the river upon which the mayor and a number
of ladies and gentlemen had gathered gave way while the
mayor was speaking, and about sixty persona, the mayor in-
cluded, tumbled, molly of them into the water. The water
was shallow, and all were able to scramble out again, but
several were crushed and bruised. The ceremony was after-
wards proceeded with.

The poet of Physician Extraordinary to the Queen
In Scotland has become vacant by the death of the Rev. Dr.
James Begble, for a long this a successful practitioner in
Edinburgh.
- -

A farmer named Hunter, a Scotchman, living five
or six miles from Newport, County Mayo, was shot dead
near his own house at ten o'clock on Sunday night. He was
driving home 011 a car, with his wile, son, and servant, and,
finding some obstruction on the road, pulled up. Immedi-
ately an assassin came out, and, lodging two pistol balls in
his hi sly, killed him instantly. The others of the party e ere
uninjured. The motive of the crime is believed to be that
the deceased was levying a decree on a tenant.

The Paris Society for the Propagation of the Use of
Ilorseflesh as Food publishes the toll iwing Information :—ln
1067 the shops for the sale of this article furnished to the
public in Paris, 2,152 horses (Including a few ilorikeys and
mules ,representing about 430,400 kilogrammes each of
eatable meat. In 18 8 the figures were 2,421 and 484,200,
being an increase of 269 and 53,800. Last winter new estab-
lis'inients were opened at Rheims, Troyes, Toulon, Marseil-
les, Se lan, Rirdeaux, itc. The Prefect of the Used, by a
decree of the 18th of June last, has authorised the construc-
tion of a slaughter-house at Nimes for those animals.