The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-06-27 00:00:00

EPITOME OF NEWS.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

The Spanish Ministry having tendered its resignation
to King Alfonso, popular feeling has become violently
excited in Ma hid, and conflicts between the troops
and crowds assembled in tha Puerta del Sul took place
on Saturday and Sunday, two workmen being killed
and several others wounded. On Sunda; afternoon
his Majesty renounced his project of visiting the
cholera-stricken provinces, and the Ministry con-
sequently consented to retain office.
Large numbers of fresh cholera cases and of deaths
from the epidemic were reported in Madrid on Sunday
morning from the provinces of Valencia, Murcia, and
Castellon.
It is announced from Bombay that 2000 Afghan
soldiers have arrived from Candahar at Herat, and that
10,000 Martini-Henry rifles are now on their way
thither from Cabal.
The Suez Canal was re-opened for traffic on Sunday.
A Reuter despatch from Paris states that the Bureau
of the Senate has elected a committee favourable to the
Egyptian Financial Conventior.
Major-General Dormer, Colonels Sir Owen Lanyon
and Butler. and Major Kitchener arrived at Cairo on
Sunday from Wady Haifa.
On Saturday evening, Sir James M‘Garel Hogg enter-
tained the members of the Metropolitan Board of
Works and a large number of other guests to dinner at
Willis's Rooms. He announced that the new street
from Oxford-street to Piccadilly-circus would be opened
before the end of the year, and that the new thorough-
fare to be formed between Charing-cross and Totten-
ham-court-road would be one of the handsomest in the
metropolis.
Sir George Macfarren presided on Saturday afternoon
over an influential meeting of musicians at St. James's
Hall, at which resolutions were agreed to with but few
dissentients in favour of the adoption of a standard
musical pitch in the United Kingdom in accord with
that of other countries, and recommending the French
normal pitch.
A grand military display, preliminary to the five days'
tournament in aid of the military charities, took place
cn Saturday with great success, at the Royal Agricul-
tural Hall, before a large audience.
A renewed attempt made by a Secularist club at Lei-
cester to test the legality of Sunday cricket by playing
a match there on Sunday gave rise to considerable dis-
order, and the game had ultimately to be abandoned.
The police did not interfere.
At the instance of the Society for the prevention of
Cruelty to Children, a labourer named Rous has been
sentenced in Southwark to three months' hard labour
for shocking cruelty to an infant child.
At Chester, on Saturday, Mr. R. C. Briscoe, a dealer
in explosives in Liverpool, was fined £lO for leaving
great quantities of gunpowder unguarded on the
Mersey.
An enthusiastic mass meeting of upwards of 5000
working men was held on Sunday afternoon in the
Manchester Free Trade Hall, in support of the move-
ment to stop the traffic in the exportation of English
girls to the Continent
xne Nortnumneriand miners held their annual de-
monstration at Blyth on Saturday. Mr. Burt, M.P.,
was the principal speaker. A resolution was passed
thanking Mr. Gladstone and his colleagues for the
great measure of justice passed into law during the pre-
sent session, assuring Mr. Gladstone of their continued
confidence.

Lord Napier of Magdala presided on Saturday at the
30th anniversary of the Soldiers' Daughters' Home at
Hampstead. The average number of inmates main-
tained during the year has been 192, the cost averaging
£22 7s. 101 d. each It transpired during the proceed-
ings that the girls have arranged to offer a present of
some knitting work to the Princess Beatrice on the
occasion of her marriage.
A boat accident occurred nn Saturday evening on the
Wexford side of Waterford Harbour. Six young men
were in a sailing yawl, which capsized in consequence
of some mismanagement of the sails. The whole of
the party were precipitated into the water, and three
of the men, Michael Thomas, John Broady, and Patrick
Grant, being unable t 3 swim, were carried away with
the current, and drowned. The other three succeeded
in clinging to the capsized boat until rescued by the
crew of a passing schooner.
On Saturday a deputation from the unemployed
workmen in Wolverhampton waited upon the Mayor to
present the resolution which was passsd at an open-air
meeting, requesting his worship to provide relief works.
The Mayor decided to relieve at once the most neces-
sitous, and to summon the General Purposes Com-
mittee to consider the desirability of conferring with
the Poor-law Guardians as to taking steps for future
relief. _ _ _

Lord Napier of Magdala, who was accompanied by
Colonel Hamilton, reviewed the Metropolitan Engineer
Volunteers on Saturday evening in Regent's-park, in
the presence of a large assemblage of spectators.
The brigade numbered nearly one thousand officers and
men.

The Gluon Line United States mail steamer Wis-
consin left the Mersey on Saturday for New York,
having amongst her passengers a company of 541
Mormons, who are on their way to Salt Lake City,
Utah. This is the third party which has left Liverpool
this year for Utah, and includes 30 returning elders
who have been visiting Europe, conducting Mormon
missions. Saturday's company consisted, besides the
elders, of 335 Scandinavians, 158 British, and 18 Swiss
and German. The British contingent came from Eng-
land, Wales, and Scotland, the English portion coming
from the districts ot Manchester, Nottingham, Bir-
mingham, London, Newcastle, and Bristol. Mr. Jorgen
Hansen is in charge of the party which sailed on
Saturday. The two previous companies numbered 187
and 274 reepectivel!

The cireumatAncea attendlng the daring leap of a
would-be suicide, named Enoch Murphin, a joiner, were
brought out at Stockport Police-court on Monday. It
was stated that on Saturday Murphin went home and
threatened his wife, but was prevented from injuring
her; whereupon he rushed to Portwood-brite, threw
off his coat, vest, and hat, mounted the parapet, and
threw himself deliberately into the Mersey, a distance
of 50 feet. Fortunately, the water was sufficiently
deep to break his fall, and Murphin was fished out
more dead than alive by some people on the bank.
The prisoner was ordered to appear when called up.
An extraordinary occurrence has taken place at the
Wokingham Police-court. A young man had just been
adjudged the father of an illegitimate child, and
ordered to contribute towards its support, when the
child was seized with convulsions and died in court.

_
The Island of Formosa has been entirely evacuated
by the French troops.
The "Official Gazette" of Berlin has published the
text of an agreement between the British and German
Governments concerning the delimitation of their re-
spective territories in New Guinea.
It is announced by the semi•official" Fremdenblatt "
of Vienna that the German Emperor will visit the
Emperor and Empress of Austria at Ischl early in the
mouth of August.
A Reuter's telegram from Berlin states that the
master of the tu o English smacks brought into
Wilhelmshaven by the German a‘iso Pomerania on
a charge of fishing in forbidden waters have been re-
moved to Aurich, where they will be tried a few days
hence.

Three of the British regiments which have returned
from Upper Egypt will be temporarily quartered in
Alexandria.

The Australian Contingent landed on Tuesday morn-
ing at Sydney, and was reviewed by the Governor,
Lord Augustus Lot tus, who subsequently addressed the
men in stirring terms.
His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales attended an
influential meeting held at the London Mansion House,
on Tuesday, in aid of the scheme of the Beaumont
Trustees for providing rational amusement and tech-
nical instruction for the population of the East-end.
His Royal Highness, in moving the chief resolution,
said he took great interest in the movement, for the
success of which he earnestly hoped.
With the approval of her Majesty the Queen, it is
expected the great naval review at Portsmouth will
take place about July 22.
Her Royal Highness the Princess Louise, who was
accompanied by the Marquis of Lome, on Tuesday
laid the commemoration stone of a new out-patient
wing of the Victoria Hospital for Children in Chelsea.

Sir Robert Harte has been appointed her Majesty's
Minister to China.

In the case brought by Baron Henry de Worms,
M.P., against Mr. Hughes for libel, the Queen's Bench
jury on Tuesday returned a verdict for the plaintiff with
500 damages, with costs. They also found for the
plaintiff on a a counter claim. In another case the
proprietors of a newspaper which had publisted the
libel apologised, and agreed to pay nominal damages.
The Lord Mayor on Tuesday evening presided at a
festival dinner given at Willis's Rooms in aid of the
funds of the London Fever Hospital, situated in the
Liverpool-road, Islington, when subscriptions amount-
ing to £2517 were announced.
The public dinner of the Statistical Society was held
on Tuesday evening at the Criterion Restaurant, and
was attended by a large number of distinguished
British and foreign statisticians.
It is stated in the return of the Registrar-General
that last week 2375 births and 1284 deaths were
registered. Allowing for increase of population,
the births were 266, and the deaths 164, below the
average numbers in the corresponding weeks of the
last ten years. The annual death-rate per 1000
from all causes, which had declined from 19-9 and
16.8 in the four preceding weeks, further declined to
164, and was lower than in any week since the end of
September last.
Last week the mean temperature as registered at
Greenwich Observatory was 58.7 deg., and 1 0 deg.
below the average in the corresponding week of 2J
years. The mean showed a remarkable excess on
Sunday, but was below the average on each
of the other days of the week. The duration of regis-
tered bright sunshine was 41-8 hours, against 492 hours
at Glynde Place, Lewes.
Dr. E. M. Grace one of the famous family of Glou-
cestershire cricketers, was married on Tuesday morn-
ing, at Fishponds, Gloucestershire, to Miss Annie
Louisa Robinson, daughter of Mr. Alfred Robinson, of
Beechwood, Fishponds, and Itemertou Castle, near
Malvern.

Lord Randolph Churchill has addressed a letter to
Mr. Satchell Hopkins, president Of tho Birmivham
Conservative Association, stating that, from various
Causes which he is not at liberty to define with pre-
cision, he will be unable to attend the public meetings
at Birmingham arranged.
The lifeless body of a young woman named Lucy
Boit was found in the Birmingham Canal, on Tuesday,
between Tipton and Wednesbury. The deceased left
home a week ago in good health, and nothing further
was heard of her whereabouts until the body was found.
As there are indications of foul play the police are en-
gaged in making inquiries.
The new City of Loudon Court will be built during
the year. Directions have been given(says the "City
Press ") to get ready the old and now disused courts at
Guildhall for the temporary accommodation of Mr.
Commissioner Kerr while the new court is being
erected, and active steps are being taken to ni,ake the
plans for the new court as perfect as possible.
At Oldbury Petty Sessions, George Newry, late secre-
tary of a large local money society, was committed to
Wotcester Quarter Sessions on three charges of
obtaining cheques from the treasurer nf the society by
felse iaretences.

The Inman steamer City or Chester, which arrivw.!
off Queenstown late on Saturday night, reports that
during her voyage two of her crew died of malaria
fever and three others were laid up with it.
Several severe shocks of earthquake occurred at _
Berne on Saturday morning. The vibrations were also
felt at Geneva.

_
The Shah of Persia has presented to Colonel Bate-
man • Champain, R.E., and to Lientenant - Colonel
Murdoch Smith, R.E., two handsome sworda of honour,
in token of his Majsty's appreciation of the long
services rendered by those officers in connection with
the establishment and maintenance of the telegraphs in
Persia.

By the explosion of a boiler in a wool-scouring
establishment at Tonrcoing, in France, 11 persons, in-
cluding the proprietor, have been killed, and 18 others
iujured, several mortally.
It is reported that an understanding exists between
the Russian authorities and the Jarnslaidi and Hezareli
tribes, the latter being willing to submit to Russia!).
rule. BiOt battalions of Afghan troops are on their
way to Herat from Cabul.
The Briinn strike virtually came to an end on Mon-
day, uhen the vast majority of the men resumed work;
a few hundreds, however, are still holding out for an in-
crease of wages.
The Duchess of Edinburgh on Monday afternoon
formally declared open a bazaar held on behalf of the
Rochester Diocesan Girls' Friendly Society, in the
grounds of the lAngdales, Brixton-rise.
Sir C. Dillre addressed a public meeting held on
Monday night in Chelsea, and convened by the Borough
Liberal Association. There was a crowded attendance,
including the leading Liberals of the borough. A. resolu-
tion was passed expressing unabated confidence in Mr.
Gladstone.

A Franchise demonstration of the labourers of Kent
and Sussex was held on Monday at eanterbnry. Major
Hume presided, and the speakers included Sir Sydney
Waterlo m, M.P., and several of the local Liberal candi-
dates.

On entering Crewe station on Monday afternoon, the
Irish mail came into collision with a number of car-
riages which had been shunted upon the wrong line.
The passengers were much shaken, and the rolling
stock damaged, but on procuring a fresh engine the
train was enabled to proceed.
The amount of contributions received at the Mansion
House on behalf of the Hospital Sunday Fund down to
Monday night had reached a total of £21,000.
The Handel Festival performance of the "Messiah"
at the Crystal Palace, drew nearly 23,000 persons. The
performance passed off admirably..

- The June Session of the Cential Criminal Court was
opened on Monday by the Lord Mayor, the Recorder,
the Common Serjeant, several aldermen, the sheriffs,
and under-sheriffs. The Recorder, in his charge ta
the grand jury, expressed his regret at the state of the
calendar, on which were the names of 157 prisoners for
trial.
Earl Spencer has released on licence a convict named
M‘Laughlin, who was undergoing a sentence of penal
servitude for life. Twenty years ago M`Laughlin, a
coaehsmith, was sentenced to death for the murder of
a solicitor named M'Crossan, at Omagh, but the sentence
was commuted into penal servitude for life. M`Laugh-
lin's friends were unsuccessful in an effort to obtain
kis release some years back.
While a workman was engaged on some repairs in the
roof of the Great Northern Terminus, at King's-cross,
he fell from the scaffolding, and received such injuries
that he died before reaching the hospital in Gray's-inn-
road, whither he was being immediately conveyed.
The Madagascar Credit Committee of the French
Chamber of Deputies has approved M. de Lanessan's
report which recommends the adoption of the credit of
12,000,000 francs, and has also agreed to the despatch
of the 3000 troops asked for by Admiral Miot, the
Commander-in-Chief of the French Forces in Mada-
gascar.
An important decision has been given by the Irish
Court of Common Pleas, the judges holding that there
is no cruelty in the present system of dishorning cattle.
The case was regarded as of great importance to the
Irish cattle trade, it being contended that were the
system prohibited by law the loss would be something
like £BO,OOO a year.

The wages a the Staffordshire wrought nailmakers
have been reduced from 12 to 20 per cent. A great
strike is threatened, which will affect 16,000 opera-
tives.

Mr. Arthur Byrne, an extensive draper in Newry,
died suddenly on Monday from the effects of sunstroke.
He was about 40 years of age. This is the second fatal
case of sunstroke within the past month in the same
neighbourhood.
Since the return of the Soudan battalion the restric-
tions placed during the Egyptian campaign upon men
purchasing their discharge has been considerably re-
laxed. Recruits under three months' service can P,t
once obtain their discharge by the payment of £lO, but
in the case of non-commissioned officers and older
soldiers the discharges are restricted to one per montb
from each of the divisions of the corps.
The remnius of Mr. Robert B. Mackie, late M.P. for
Wakefield, who died suddenly in London, were interred
at Wakefield Cemetery on Monday evering. There
were upwards of fifty carriages, and about 650 persons
in the funei al procession, all the local public bodies,
charitable, educational, and other institutions being
represented, and mourning was general. Business was
almost entirely suspended, many shops being closed,.
and flags were hoisted half-mast high.
The Norwegian barque Horden has arrived at Queens-
town from Adelaide with loss of two seamen, who had
been washed overboard during the voyage.
During a heavy gale which raged on the west coast
of Scotland on Monday, a boat sank off Greenock, and
two were drowned.

Three excumionists have met their death in the
North of Ireland. At Carrick a man named Egan lost
his life while walking over the rope bridge, by losing
hie balance and falling amongst the rocks. Another
man, named Shelwork, when ramming to Belfast from
Antriro, fell out of a brake and was killed. A baker,
named Wawe, was crushed to death between a train
and the platform at Larne station.
The new municipal flag was hoisted, on Monday, for
the first time from the City hall, Dublin. It is a bright
green, displaying in white the Irish harp and three
castles.

At the Bromley Petty Sessions, a woman named
Anne Davis was sentenced to one month's hard labour
for stealing a quantity of clothing and 18s. in money,
from a house at Knockholt, whilst the whole of the
occupants—father mother, and four children—were in
the smallpox hospital suffering from the disease.
A horsedealer named Henshaw has been remanded
at Burton-on-Trent, charged with wounding his wife.
It was stated that the woman had been stabbed, and
that when arrested the prisoner said he was sorry he
had not done more for her. The woman lies in a
critical position.
W. P. Morrison, coroner, has held an inquest at
Croydon on the body of William Isaac Watts, tailor,
aged 32. The man, it appeared, had strangled himself
with a necktie, and when found by his wife in the bed-
room was quite dead. He had spent some time in
India, and had suffered from sunstroke. Verdict,
"Temporary insanity."
At ten o'clock on Sunday night a fire broke outt a
Nos. 3 and 4, High street, Aldershot, resulting in the
destruction of both houses, the former that of Solo-
man's glass and furniture warehouse' the latter that of
Reeve's coach manufactory. The damages are esti-
mated at E. 3000. Both houses are insured.

Mrs. Pallis, wife of the Lord Chief Baron of Ireland,
died the other day in Dublin.
William Swallow Whitehead, the deputy gas manager
to the Bradford Corporation, was charged at the Brad-
ford Police-court on Monday with embezzling upwards
of £lOOO. The town clerk prosecuted, and stated that
the prisoner, in whom the corporation had had perfect
confidence, had been apprehended in London, where
he had stayed preparatory to journeying to Spain, with
deeds of property and shares in his possession ot the
value of E5'.00. His irregularities were supposed to
have extended over a period of two or three years, and
his defalcations will probably amount to about £2OOO.
The Town Clerk applied for a remand in order that the
books may be thoroughly investigated. The stipendiary
grauted a remand for a week, but upon the statement
of the Town Cletk that, if bail were allowed nothing
more would be seen of the prisoner, refused to allow