The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-10-24 00:00:00

HOME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL

A ROYAL HISTORIAN.—The King of Sweden has
been for some years engaged in writing an historical
work dealing with European events between 1863 and
1872. It is to be published in the spring.
SINGULAR PERFORMANCE.—A whistling performance
of Bellini's " Norma " will shortly be given at Milan.
A troupe of performers undertake to whistle through
the whole of the opera, the choruses being executed by
16 whistlers.

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ROMAN CATHOLIC STATISTICS.—The "Osservatore
Romano" states that it results from the estimates
made by the various missioners that the total number
of the members of the Roman Catholic Church
throughout the world is between 275,000,000 and
300,000,000.
TgE LATE BrsnoP COLENSO.—Sfeps are now being
taken with a view to the preparation of an adequate
memoir of the late Bishop Colenso. His family have
materials of a very interesting character. He kept up
for several years a continuous correspondence with his
friends in England.
CORN AVERAGES.—The following are the average
prices of British corn for last week, as received from
the inspectors and officers of Excise: Wheat, 30s. lid.;
barley, 30s. 9d.•, oats,lSs. Pd. per imperial qr. Corre-
sponding week last year: Wheat, 325. 4d.; barley,
31s. 11d.; oats, Os._

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THE INVENTIONS ExrunimeN.—The number of visitors
to the International Inventions Exhibition for the week
ending Saturday, Oct. 17, was 41,884, the total since
the opening being 3,353,692. It has been decided to
finally close the Historic Music Loan Collection on the
evening of October 31st.
A LUCKY TA ILOR.—A dozen years ago an Antwerp,
tailor bought for a franc a dirty little picture which had
belonged to an old doctor then recently deceased. The
tailor hung the picture upoq the wall, but did not think
it worth the cAt of cleaning, and nobody found it
very attractive. A little while ago, however, an artist
happened to see it, and induced the owner to lend it to
him to clean. No sooner was the first coat of dirt
removed than there was seen in one of the corners the
signature, "Pietro Paulo Rubens 1614." The picture
represents Christ blessing the world, and is said to be
in excellent preservation. The tailor has already
received several good offers for his picture; but he is
waiting until a rich American "comes along." '
THE SLEEP OF FISHES.—An experiment has recently
been tried at the Inventions Exhibition Aquarium by'
Mr. W. August Carter, with a view to disccvering how
far fish are prone to sleep. After a close examination
he found that among freshwater fishes the roach, dace,
gudgeon, carp, tench, minnow, and catfish sleep
periodically in common with terrestrial animals. The
same instincts were found to actuate marine fish, of
which the follming were observed to be equally
influenced by somnolence—viz., the wrasse, conger eel,
dory, dogfish, wrasse bass, and all species of flat fish.
Mr. Carter states that, so far as he can discover, the
goldfish, pike, and angler fish never sleep, but rest
periodically. Desire for sleep amongst fish varies
according to meteorological conditions. Fish do not
necessarily select night time for repose.
WORTRY MEMORlAL.—Admirers of heroic conduct
and high soldierly qualities will be pleased to learn
that it is proposed to erect a monument to the memory
of Sir Herbert Stewart, who commanded the Desert
column in its brilliant and hazardous march from Korti
towards Khartoum. An influential committee, at the
head of which:is General Viscount Wolsele,-j, has been
formed with this object. It is hoped that, with the
consent of the Dean and Chapter, a memorial may be
raised in St. Paul's worthily representative of the
national desire to honour one of England's bravest and
best soldiers._
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GoErne's HOUSE.—A correspondent of the "Corriere
del Mattino " says that the house where Goethe lived
when at Naples is the Palazzo Sirignano, the front of
which, formerly hidden in a by-street, now lies open tese.'
a large square in consequence of the removal cf the
block of buildings in which the celebrated little Theatre
of San Carlin° was situated. The rooms of the first
floor of the Palazzo Sirignano sufficiently correspond
with Goethe's description of those of the " locanda del
Signor Moriconi," in which he lodged. On the same
floor there subsequently existed for many years the
Hotel du Globe (still represented by a few rooms),
which perhaps succeeded to the locauda inhabited by
Goethe. Possibly a commemorative tablet may be
affixed to the Palazzo Sit ignano similar to that placed a
few years ago in Palermo on the house in which Goethe
lodged in 1737.
INDIAN ART.—The advance of art in India as a career
for educated natives is very marked at the Simla Fine
Art Exhibition, just opened by Lord Dufferin, and the
Vic oy, in his inaugural speech, dwelt with much satis-
faction on the increasing number of natives qualifying
as professional artists. He remarked that at present
educated Indiana were practically restricted to three
professions—the bar, the press, and Government enr
ploy; hut art opened up a useful and profitable career
to hundreds of young me , whether as painters, en-
gravers, sculptors metal workers, and the like. In
many ways the India of-day, he thought, resembled
Rater of the 15th century, with its numerous princely
courts and great public works; and he considered that
wealthy men, by patronising art, might well revive in
India the glories of' the European Renaissance.
ANCIENT STATUE.—In the Museum at Vienna there
is a remarkable bronze statue now being exhibited,
which is generally believed to be a relic dating from
the old Persian period. The statue is in a tolerably
good condition, and represents a man astride on a
kneeling bull, both front and hind legs of the animal
being completely under the body. This position recallS
the horse and bull capitals of columns at Persepolis.
The attitude of the man is somewhat analogous to the
majority of those reliefs of the ruined city. The large
quantity of hair covering the ntek and shoulders, as,
well as the shape of the hat, appear precisely similar.
Unfortunately, a portion of the forehead is missing, as
are likewise the arms reaching from the hands to the
elbows. The ornamental design and the stiff drapery
show a striking resemblance to the extant monuments
of Assyrian art.—" Builder,"
SINGULAR Conscierece.—A correspondent in Not(S
and Queries directs attention to Mr. Sam Weller 's
literary piracy from Boswell's " Johnson " by the fol-
lowing extracts: "How many crumpets at a sittin' do
you think 'ud kill me off at once ?'_says the patient-
' I don't know,' says the doctor. 'Do you think half-a'
crown's wortle'Eid do it?' says the patient. 'I think
it might,' says tho doctor. Three shillings' worth 'lin
be sure to do it, I s'pose ?' says the patient. Cer-
tainly,' says the doctor. Werry good,' says the patients
good night.' Next morning he gets up, has a fire lit,
orders three shillings' worth of crumpets, toasts 'eln
all, eats 'em all, and blows his brains out."—" Pick-
wickr Charles Dickens edition.—" Mr. —, who loved
buttered muffins, but durst not eat them because theY
disagreed with his stomach, resolved to shoot himself,
and then he eat three buttered muffins for breakfast
before shooting himself, knowing that he should no,
be troubled with indigestion."—Boswell's "Johnson;
Bell's (Napier's) Centenary edition, 1884.
FOREIGN LIVE STOCK AND FRESII MAT.—Tl°°
following steamers arrived at Liverpool daring last
week with live stock and fresh meat on board from
American and Canadian ports, bringing a collece
tive supply of 2396 cattle, 719 sheep, 6285 quarters
of beef, and 150 carcases of mutton :—Blissouris
450 cattle and 730 quarters of beef; Lake Superior,
525 cattle and 719 sheep; Roman 268 cattle.;
Iberian, 476 cattle and 1206 quarters of beef. ;
Toronto, 372 cattle; I3arrovvmore, 205 cattle; Samaria,
1060 quarters of beef; City of Chicago, 960 quarter.
of beef and 50 carcases of mutton, and Nevada 2240„
quarters of beef and 100 careaees of mutton. The tote.
arrivals in comparison with those of the preceding wee)!
show a decrease in the imports of both live stock an°
fresh meat.
A MAGNETISED 173n3RELLA.—With reference to the
umbrella of a passenger which recently affected 111°
compass of the steamer Princess Beatrice, when crossing
between Belfast and Stranraer, the captain of the
vessel has just received a letter from Mr. Rotten:slay
assistant at Glasgow University, to Sir Williasle
Thompson, stating that Sir William has examined t:f.s,
umbrella, and found it powerfully magnetised.
William Thomson thinks it probable that the steel'?
of the umbrella have been magnetised through being
brought near to a powerful dynamo when at sverl!i
The umbrella was so powerfully magnetised that 1
would produce a very considerable effect on the corona.°
if brought near it. Sir William desires to add .that, 111
these days, when electric lighting is becoming
common, and when anyone without knowing it xasY,,
get the steel ribs of his umbrella magnetised by gellist
near to dynamo machines, he thinks it of gresi.
importance that steps should be taken to preseLl:
passengers on vessels with umbrellas going near tli;
compass in use. Mr. Bottomley also states that he lit%
known the rim of his hat to slightly disturb the conlPas-
of a vessel.
THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCITSTY.—The additions to the
Zoological Society's Gardens during the past week 11,r
elude a bonnet monkey from India, presented by Dlr.
C. Phillips; a ring-tailed coati from South ArDetiClit
presented by Lieutenant W. F. Tunnard, R.N •
, a bla
wallaby from South Australia, presented by Dir. Re.fd
Wootton Isaacson; a Javan cat, from Java, present 7,
by Csiptain T. H. Franks; a puma, from So 11
America, presented by M. Rodolfo Aranz ; two We!.
Indian rails from Brazil, presented by Mr. J.O. Fras.e..l;,:
a Levaillant's Amazon, from Mexico, presented bY
H. D. Astley, F.Z S. ; a silver pheasant, from 011 are-s,
presented by Mrs. James; three Rehben Islands
a hoary snake, a elaps, a reddish pentonyx, 11°,8
South Africa; seven geometrical tortoises, from Fa
, .
Orange River South Africa, presented by the
H. R. Fisk, C.M.Z.S. ; a rose-crested cockatoo, fr_.`o7;
Moluccas, deposited; a blue and yellow macaw, frus,
Trinidad, received in exchange • eight summer drier,
from North America, purchased; a Bennett's walla /
born in the Gardens.
MADNESS IN FRANCE.—The histery of madnesS
the Department of the Seine for the last eighty Yree7t.
is well told in a report just issued by the Pre.'s
There are now six times as many lunatics in Pars;,ree
there were in 180], whereas there are scarcely Iselie
times as many inhabitants in the capital. During of
three years ending with 1883 the average numbet
persons confined as lunatics was 3509, nail's jos
average of 2714 in the ten years ending 1880. A cur
tics
fact is that down to 1866 the number of female Ineatho
exceeded that of the male; but since that date sosl
men have predominated in an increasing rati%lost
now supply nearly 56 per cent, of the total, a‘gs,, of
about 44 per cent. of women patients. The nurne,f(luse
the married and the single are almost eiractlylentss
The chief of the " physical " causes producing .rie for
diseaes is excessive drinking, which is resnells! Of
562 cases out of the 1067 admitted in the YesS; firste
the "moral" causes "domestic trouble" wood
with 59 cases; and after it in order come soli'
losses," alarm, surprise, domestic affliction, austioly
gious mania, which last appears to be corneal.' 1
rare in Paris. sts. -psofeesq
DISCOVERY OF A PLANT.—M.PelOrnlnik:ol.2 ks 0
of Botany at Moscow, has discovered upon 01, e/ S, sra a
the Oka in the neighbourhood of that citYeertesl se
aquatic plant of the same kind as that whicheaEorolle
much attention among the botanists of WestnturY egb
when it made its appearance there half a eeern ors,
This plant, the "Elodea Canadensis," 7f:iog
discovered in the rivers of Canada at theelogrerpseetr
the century. In Germany it is called th W
that. 'i
r ate, It t
favourable conditions as to soil and china e o,
the vegetation of this plant being so ralea
forms such a dense tangle of leaves and st
make navigation impossible._ -

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SATURDAY, (

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