The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-01-03 00:00:00

I

isallantaus intelligtitti,
ROME, FOREIGN, AND 01,01111.16

DEATH or A WELL-KNOWN POLITICik.V.--The death
of a well-known politician has taken place at Croidon,
where Mr. James Ballow., aged 88, died at 88!
London
road, Croydon. Mr. Balfour, who is the widower of
the well-known temperance advocate and lecturer!
Clara Lucas Balfour, who died a few years xri Wes
rather a notable figure in advanced political circle. He
was a member of the well-known society of "Friends
of the People," and formed one of the escort which
accompanied Sir Francis Burdett to Tower-Wore his
:
committal to the Tower. In 1853 he received an ap-
pointed in the House of Commons, and has of late Years
resided at Croydon. One of his sons is Mr. 3. SPencelf
Balfoar, J.P., M.P. for Tamworth, and first Mayor o
Croydon
TRICYCLE Lasirs.—At Watford some few weeks agior
two tricycle riders were fined for riding On the _
machines at night without lighted lamps. The
of the magistrates was challenged, it being maintain_
that the law related only to bicycles. A fees days !E.
a test case was brought before the magistrates, n`:.
Benjamin Nickles having purposely driven a tricY.t
through the streets without a lighted lamp. After r
point at issue had been argued, the magistrates Ws'
missed the case. Acting upon this decision, a solicitor
on Tuesday applied to the Bench to refund the fine un-
posed in the first case, and this application was even'
tually complied with. decisior!
WOOLWICH Gtais.—That Woolwich has ronc-
h to
__„
answer for is now generally admitted, but few F`sle„
are aware that on many occasions dust lias been _a
liberately thrown in the eyes of the public to sler
the nation and uphold Woolwich. Thus, when the
k
Thunder ar gun was sent home and examined, the sn_ar
was found in the bore where the road of the shot had
actually jambed, but the fact war kept secret, and Ines!
mi
elaborate and expensive experiments were carried.
OUt
to prove that it was not due to the jambing of the snwa
but to the fault of those or board the Thunderer, that
the gun had burst. The fsct, known to many, was ttlier
the gun had been most improperly welded, and that ..!
studs of the shot, jambing in the lauds, opened tne
welding and burst the gun. This, however, would have
injured the reputation of Woolwich had it been msut
known. It was therefore leapt secret, and every attain)
was made, and at the time successfully, to prove that,
~
the gun burst through double loading.—"Admiralty ana
Horse Guards Gazette."
"SPECTACULAR SPLAT."—The rage for sPectsettlar
display, which is characteristic of the modern stage,Wal.
amply illustrated by the two principal premieres —di.
ferent enough in all other respects—which came
oil
last week in London and Paris respectivel/. The old
fashioned pantomime, in which no one 100 ed for anY'
thine but the good jokes and the same old stories, hal
long ago died out, and Mr. Augustus Harris's proudestboast in connection with "Dick Whittington will„„bea.
that he has beaten the real Lord Mayor's show Dauer
on the boards of Drury Lane. The stage of the Porte St._
Martin Theatre has not the same capacities &Lest 0.1
Drury Lane; but M. Sardou's new play seems to have
been, mounted with a splendour which has altogether
beggared the critics' stock of epithets, and even htr:
Harris might envy the lavish management which sPenti
£320 for a single dress for Theodora to wear
-BIRMINGHAM BUTTONS.—Great are the buttons 1:4
Birmingham. Flourishing as we see the trade to remain,
even though It is under a cloud now and again, it see'is
strange to remember that at one time, and in three
reigns, the button trade of "the toy-shop of Buropel7
as Burke called Birmingham, was bolstered up by Act,
of Parliament, mad all buttons but those of metal
solemnly forbid, of all the majesty of " whereby."
"to wit." The law was enforced, too, by declaring it
illegal, under a fine of forty shillings per dozen, to ruahie
or sell any garment on which said buttons were
and herebs hangs a tale. The tale was told by that
genial old gossip, Dr. Doran, hi 1855, and was then an
occurrence so recent as only to be numbered by wee,,,he'
Honest Mr. Shirley, says the doctor, sued plain
r.
King for nine pounds sterling, due for a suit of clothes.
King pleaded non-liability on the ground of an illegal
transaction, the buttons on the garment supplied
having been made of cloth, or bone covered with cloth!
instead of gay and glittering brass as the law directs'
The judge allowed the plea, and the defends& having
thus gained a double suit without cost, immediately
proceeded against the plaintiff to recover his share d
the forty shillings for every dozen buttons which the
poor tailor had unwittingly supplied. The most curious
feature of the strange story, although it is one which
might be anticipated by anyone who knows how?:
variably useless all sumptuary laws have been, is that
the judge by whom the case was decided, the barrister
who pleaded the statute' and the client who gained the,
clothes which he ought to have paid for, were all c"
them buttoned contrary to law !—" Warehousemen
and Drapers' Trade Journal."
CABMEN AND THEIR "MANNERS."—At a Louden
police-court last week Mr. George Clifford Whitworth!
of 99, Cambridge-street, Pimlico, appeared to an ad-
journed summons before Mr. D'Eyncourt at the in:
stance of George Robert Snow, cabdriver,
who elaimea
sixpence additional fare. The case had been adjenveed
from a previous day to allow an officer of the Court tC,
measure between Park-lane (by the Marble Arch) sdthe defendant's address. For this distance Mr. Wnly
worth paid one shilling, his belief being that it was
under two miles. He asserted that the cabraan W 5
somewhat offensive in his manner when the coin was
tendered, and that otherwise he would have paia
an additional sixpence, taking the chance of his own
remedy. Deegate, one of the warrant officers, prove/
that he had measured the ground with "the wheel'
and found it to be two miles 160 yards. Both
had an opportunity of going with him. Defendant saia
he had walked the distance at an ordinary pace in less
than half an hour. He believed that there was an error
in the officer's measurement. His object in beiang
before the Court was to teach good manners among tug!
cabmen. (Laughter.) Mr. D'Eyncourt said he
order payment of the disputed sixpence and 95.
costs. The defendant said he should like to ask, w.f..""
deference, to what tribunal he could appeal-
D'Eyncourt remarked that he could try it again w"'"'
another cabman. Defendant retorted that he had lost
his time in the interest of the public. Complainant.'
How can it be in the interest of the public to give 7.
man sixpence less than his fare? Mr. D'Eyncour'
said the money must be paid, and there could be n°
appeal. parties
Mn. OIIAMBERLAIN ON TEEN SINOLE-MNABER SYSTEg•
—The following fetter has been received from the Right
Hon. J. Chamberlain, M.P. by Mr. Francis Allen. 110,!'
secretary of the Romford Liberal Association "
bury Moor-green, Birminaham December 13, 1884.--
Dear Sir,—l have to acknowledge the receipt of Yea
letter of the 11th instant, together with the resolutiou
enclosed. I am much gratified with the assurances cf
sympathy and support which I continue to reeeive from
so many representativeassociations, and am encourage?.
thereby to disregard the persistent abuse to which t
have been subjected. As regards the questions aske"
in your letter, I have to say that I do not think the
single-member system will materially increase the
chance of divisions. Everything depends upon your
organisation. It is essential that in each district there
should be a thoroughly representative oraanisation on
a popular basis, which all Liberals should- be earnestly
invited to join. No condition by way of subscrip!ien
or otherwise except the profession of Liberal opitul
ought to be prescribed. If an association so torrne
enjoys the confidence of the electors it will make div'-
sions impossible by selecting only candidates who have
already secured the support of the majority of tbe
part,. I may add that although I entertain no alai
on this point yet I am entirely in favour of the secon
ballot system as practised in France, and should like te"
see it tried in this country. I have never heard all
objection to it, and it is of course the best way
ascertaining beforehand the opinion of the majority
.--
I am, yours faithfully (signed) J. Crissinaiseaas."

A.