The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-10-03 00:00:00

EPITOME OF NEWS:

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

It is estimated that the number of passengers carried
by all railroads in all parts of the world in 1882 was
2,400,000,000, or an average of 6,500,000 a day.
The Sultan has composed a piece of music for the
Imperial band. His Majesty has dedicated his work to
his favourite wife, a daughter of the late Abdul Aziz.
Professor Mommsen is at present in London working
daily among the manuscripts in the British Museum.
He has also paid visits to Oxford and Cheltenham.
Ten years since it was difficult to find an avowed
vegetarian. Now more than 200 persons refresh
themselves daily at vegetarian restaurants in the City
of London.
Amongst the audience at Madame Christine Nilsson's
first concert in Gottenburg was one of her brothers, a
peasant, who has never before left home, and had never
heard his sister sing.
The dispute between Germany and Spain is generally
regarded in Berlin as practicalky settled. The" Official
Gazette" of Saturday night published the Spanish Note
containing the apology for the insult to the German
flag, and the report of the Pope's meditation is
confirmed.
The steamer Aurora has arrived at Dundee from the
Davis Straits whale fishing, with the captain and six of
the crew of the whaler Cornwallis which was crushed
by the ice off Cape Rater on the 21st nit, and sank.
The crew saved. The Aurora has only one whale, which
will yield 15 tuns of oil. The Cornwallis was a barque
of 394 tons, and was built at Maryport in 1862. This
was her second voyage to the whale fishing.
The Southampton gentleman and his daughter, who
recently left Dover "en route" from the Thames to the
Rhine in the Dolphin' a small steam launch, have just
reached their destination in safety. The little craft ex-
perienced some very rough weather in passing through
the Scheldt. The appearance of the Dolphin created
quite a sensation amongst the inhabitants of the Belgian
towns and villages through which she passed along the
canals.

By a short Act passed through Parliament last ses-
sion it is proved that it shall not be illegal " for an em-
ployer to permit Parliamentary electors in his employ-
ment to absent themselves from such employment for a
reasonable time for the purpose of voting at the poll at
a Parliamentary election without having any deduction
from their salaries or wages on account of such absence,
if such permission is, so far as practicable without injury
to the business of the employer, given equally to all
persons alike who are at the time in his employment,
and if such permission is not given with a view of in-
ducing any person to record his vote for any particular
candidate at such election, and is not refused to any
person for the purpose of preventing such person from
recording his vote for any particular candidate at such
election."

.Lne English yacht Genosta won the race for the Cape
May Cap, which waa sailed over a course of 225 miles.
The Dauntless, an American yacht, which was the only
other competitor' was not sighted at the finish.
Mr. Gladstone has been visited at Hawarden Castle
by Sir Andrew Clark, whom the right hon. gentleman
desired to consult. The consultation had reference
rather to Mr. Gladstone's election campaign than to
any further development of the affection of the throat.
Lieutenant T. Scuter, of the Black Watch (Royal
Highlanders), one of the few officers who have" risen
from the ranks," has succeeded Lieut. Cuthbertson as
Baggage Master at Cairo.
A riot is reported to have occurred at Utrera, near
Seville. Groups, principally composed of women,
collected, threw stones at the police, and attempted to
set fire to a building occupied by the exciso officers

-
At the County Dublin revision it was found that
seven persons claimed for one house, and six of them
were under sixteen years of age, one of them being a
baby in arms. The Nationalists supported the claims,
but the revising barrister struck them all out, except
that of the father of the children.

Sir Charles Hugh Lowther, Bart, of Swillingten,York-
shire, was born on Sept. 26, 1803, and accordingly com-
pleted his 82nd year on Saturday. He succeeded to the
title in 1868, on the death of his brother, Sir John
Henry Lowther, M.P. One of the :present baronet's
sons, though not the eldest, is the Right Hon. James's
Lowther, M.P.
The groloing indifference on the part of the American
Irish to the subject of Irish agitation was strikingly
itlustrated by the appearance cf last week's "Irish
World" in New York. All the various funds are
abandoned, and the attempt begun a few weeks ago to
start a fund for the benefit of Mr. Parnell's mother is
a failure, because of the almost total lack of contribu-
tions. The emergency fund, to which contributions
have been slight since the London explosions, was closed
without comment.

•
It is estimated that about 30,000 people marched on
Sunday morning from Stepney-green to Dod-street, and
subsequently to the Wiest India Dock gate, as a protest
against the interference of the authorities with the
meetings held at those places by Socialist lecturers on
previous Sundays. The proceedings were quietly and
orderly, there being no opposition on the part of the
police. A resolution was passed protesting against the
arbitrary action of the police in endeavouring to sup-
press the right of open-air meeting, demanding equality
of treatment for the exponents of all opinions, and
urging that the police should be prosecuted for perjury
in certain cases, that the attention of the Home
Secretary should be called to the conduct of Mr.
Saunders, the magistrate, and that John E. Williams,
now in prison, should be immediately released.
The Haymarket Theatre was reopened on Saturday
evening, under the management of Messrs. Russell and
Bashford, with the play of "Dark Days," by Mr.
Comyns Carr and the late Mr. Fergus (" Hugh
Conway ").
The members of the Sanitary Congress at Leicester,
having concluded their sittings, spent Saturday in
excursions, and in the evening Captain Douglas Galton
delivered a lecture on sanitary precautions to working
men, which he entitled, "Prevention is bettor than
cure."

An alarming accident occurred close to the Caterham
Junction on the South-Eastern Railway on Saturday
evening by a goods train separating in the middle and
afterwards coming together, which occasioned consider-
able damage to rolling stock and other property, and
blocked the line for several hours. Happily no person
was injured.
A Conference of Elective Auditors, largely attended
by representatives from all parts of the country, was
held at Manchester on Saturday. Mr. J. F. B. Firth,
M.P., presided, and in his opening remarks he insisted
upon the need there was for all Corporation accounts
being submitted to a searching audit, and he passed
some strictures on the want of such a system, both in
the Metropolis and in the City, and expressed his
willingness to bring in a bill, if requested by the meet-
ing, to obtain additional powers for elective and
ma.yor's auditors. Several papers were read, in which
the shortcomings of the present system were pointed
out, and a resolution was passed in favour of giving
elective auditors the pm:4Na* of surcharging illegal
items in theaccountB of Municipal Corporatioas.

In order to ascerta'n the exact effect of the depres-
sion in the cotton trade, a carefull3-c ,mpiled list has
been prepared of the mills in the manufacturing district'
of North and North-East Lancashire, and it shows that
last week there were 5,500,000 spindles at work,
against 700,000 stopped. 210,000 looms were workicg,
and 40,000 were stopped, 107,000 operatives were
employed, and not fewer than 16,000 were idle. These
figures do not include the Oldham district, which is on
strike. Many hundreds of the operatives employed are
not in full work owing to the Blackness of trade.
Particulars have just reached Limerick of a murder
committed at Pallaskenny in that county. A laboarer
named Michael Farrell died on Sunday, from the
effects of wounds inflicted upon him by another labourer
named James Conway. The parties met on a highway,
and Conway, raising a shovel, struck Farrell a violent
blow on the head. While the latter was falling he
struck him another and a fatal blow. Deceased's son,
who was present, did not hear a word exchanged
between the men.

The Lord Chamberlain, in all licenses granted from
the 29th Sept., permits the opening of theatres on Ash
Wednesday.
The armed cruiser Massilia, belonging to the Penin-
sular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, left
Malta at four o'clock on Tuesday afternoon for Ports-
mouth, where she may be expected about October C.
Mr. T. R. Marriott, captain of the Nottingham
Tricycle Club, has just completed a tricycle ride from
Land's-end, Cornwall, to John o' Groat's House, Caith-
ness, Scotland, in the brief space of six days 15 hours
and 25 minutes. In the Highlands he was delayed over
10 hours in a snowstorm.

H. Dawkins, late huntsman of the Blankney Hounds,
has been presented with a testimonial on his leaving,
after a service of 23 years, to beceme huntsman to the
Surrey Staghounds. Upwards of 150 gentlemen sub-
scribed to the testimonial, which assumed the form of
a puree of 300 sovereigns and an illuminated address.
Mr. Hutchinson, the boron_ h coroner, resumed, at
Bradford, on Tuesday, the inquest respecting the death
of Jacob Wilkinson and Samuel Banks, who were
killed on the 12th inst. by a runaway steam tram
engine on the Manchester-road line of the Bradford
and Sheffield Tramway Company. Major-General
Hutchinson was present en behalf of the Board of
Trade. The chief evidence was that of Mr. J. A.
Hopkinson, engineer, of Huddersfield, who had
examined the engine on behalf of the Corporation of
Bradford. He was of opinion that the accident arose
simply from puttirg the file to the boiler, and thus
generating steam, before the attachment of parts of
the engine had been completed after repair, together
with the regulator valve being open and the absence of
means of clo,ing it on applying the brake. The acci-
dent, he said, would not have occurred had there been
an independent stop valve between the boiler and the
engine valves of the cylinder. He suggested that all
tram and other engines should be thus provided. The
inquest was again adjourned.
Blackpool was on Tuesday the scene of rejoicing in
connection with the launch of a lifeboat given to the
town by the Queen, in compliauce with the wishes of
the late Mr. Samuel Fletcher, of Manchester, who died
intestate, his property going to the Crown. The in-
auguration of the first electric street tramway in Eng-
land was also celebrated. There was a large number
of visitors. The lifeboat was named by the Mayor of
Liverpool, whilst the Mayor of Manchester guided an
electrically driven car for a considerable distance over
the line, which is twn miles in length. The inaugural
ceremony was followed by a banquet, at which Colonel
Stanley, ALP., Mr. Tonilinsm, ALP., the Lord Mayor
and Lady Mayoress of York, and se me forty Mayors
•and Mayoresses of Lancashire, Cheshire, and Yorkshire
were present.
Before Mr. Justice Johnson, in Dublin, counsel
applied, on Tuesday, on behalf of Mr. Todd, a claimant
to the franchise of county Donegal, for a certiorari to
bring up a decision of Mr. O'Sbaughnessy, revising
barrister, and for a mandamus against him. It was
alleged that a number of names were transferred by
Mr. O'Sha.ughnessy from the 'wiling district of Burs-
foot, in the north division of Donegal, to the periling
districts of Newtown Cunningham, in the east division.
This was objected to by the Conservatives, and it was
maintained that the result of it will be to change the
representation, and return Nationalist members to
Parliament, whose siews are not in harmony with
those of the nie6)rity of the constituency. The Judge
deferred his decision until he has considered the
matter.

As her Majesty's ship BiAlisle was returning on Tues-
day to her moorings in Belfast Lough, after torpedo
practice, a small dingy, whirl the vessel had in tow,
capsized, and one of the occupants, William Richards,
was drowned before assistance could reach him. The
deceased leaves a widow and family, who reside in
Kingstown.
Major Waldron E. R. Kelly, of Canterbury, on resign-
ing the Adjutancy of the 3rd and 4th Battalions of the
Buffs (East Kent Regiment) has been presented by
Colonel Howell and the officers of the 3rd Battalion
with a silver tea service and an illuminated address.
Major Kelly's term of service expires next month.
Information from Askhabad states that the brigade
of Caucasian riflemen will remain this winter in the
Trans• Caspian. The soldiers are reported to be still
suffering much from the heat.
Mr. Gladstone has addressed a letter to the Metro-
politan of Bulgaria, in reply to telegrams from
Bucharest and Philippopolis. He points out that his
position now is that of an unofficial member of Pulls.
meat, and states that in forming his views he shall con-
tinue to be guided by the same considerations as have
governed his conduct during the last 30 years with re-
spect to the Balkan Peninsula.
Sir W. Armstrong, speaking at Elswick, referred to
the recent strike, and said it had cost the workpeople
£20,000 in wages, and a contract representing £.10,C00
in wages had been lost, and had gone to a competing
foreigr firm.
The election of an alderman to serve the office of
Lord Mayor of London for the year ensuing from the
9th of November took place en Tuesday at Guild-
hall. Mr. Alderman Staples was chosen.
On Tuesday, at a meeting of the London Chamber of
Commerce held at the Cannon-street Hotel, Mr. Martin,
M.P., in the chair, Mr. A. Colquhoun, the Eastern
traveller, gave an address on a national policy in the
East. He held that the great new field for our
commerce lay in Eastern Asia, and in order to develop
that commerce he advocated the construction of a
railway between India and China by a route which he
described. - _

In London last week 2438 births and 1081 deaths
were registered. Allowing for increase of population,
the births were 216, and the deaths 355, below
the average numbers in the corresponding weeks of
the last ten years. The annual death-rate per 1000
from all causes, which had been 15.8,15.6, and 151 in the
three preceding weeks' declined last week to 13-8.
which was considerably lower than the rate recorded I
in any week since the first publication of the Regis- I
trar-General's weekly returns. The deaths included 3
from small-pox, 15 from measles, 16 from scarlet fever,
18 from diphtheria, 26 from whooping-cough, 14 from
enteric fever, 3 from continued fever, and 49 from
diarrhcea and dysentery.
At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich. the mean
reading of the barometer last week was 2900 in. The
mean temperature of the air was 521 deg., and 3.4 deg.
below the average in the corresponding week of the
20 years ending 1863. Pain fell on four days of the
week, to the aggregate amount of 0.18 of an inch. The
registered bright sunshine in the week was 34-1 hours,
against 42.4 hours at Giynde Place, Lewes.
The funeral of the Rev. Samuel Roberts. said to be
the oldest Nonconformist minister in the Principality,
took place at the Conway Cemetery, and was of a public
character. A large number of representatives of Dia-
senting bodies were present, including a deputation
from the Congregational Union.
An extraordinary state of affairs was disclosed before
the Hanley magistrates on Tuesday, when an old
woman, named Harriet Hill, was sentenced to two
months' imprisonment with hard labour, under the
Criminal Law Amendment Act,for keeping a disorderly
house. According to the evidence of the police and
neighbours the prisoners had had as many as five or six
girls living in the house with her, some only 14 or 15
years of age. /n the house tt ere was not a particle of
furniture, and the women were found lying on rags in
the corners of two rooms.

An inquest has been held at Birmingham on the body
of Joseph Robotham, carpenter, who died suddenly,.
Deceased partook of pork every day in the week pre-
vious to Ms death. Dr. Prosser said his flesh was
covered with brown patches, the internal organs were
very much congested and inflamed, and the cause of
death was meningitis, probably caused by pork poison-
big. Verdict, " Natural causes."
The Ramsgate mackerel boats have been having
large catches during the last few days; some boats
have landed from a last and a half to two lasts. A last
consists of 12,000 fish. /t has been estimated that con-
siderably over 20 lasts have been landed on the Cross-
wall during the course of a day, and the scene has
been both a picturesque and an animated one. To put
the matter into intelligible figures, something little
short of 250,000 fish have been landed, and dispatched
to the London market in one day.
On Tuesday a conference of the ministers and elders
of the Presbyteries of Berwick, Northumberland, and
Newcastle was commenced in Trinity Church, Sunder-
land. There was a large attendance, and the Rev.
Robert Scott (Berwick) presided. Speaking on the
duty of the Church towards evangelistic cervices, the
president said this was an important part of the
Church's commission, and the agents to be employed
was an important point. They did not feel they had a
right to forbid any wan, or woman either, to proclaim
the truth. The Rev. W. Ainsley Wilton (Sunderland)
read a paper on the subject. The speakers in the
discussion following concurred with the paper, but it
was felt that there must be a thoroughly quickened
Church, and activity and consecration within, before
these efforts could be made to reach those outside.
Wednesday was the 74th anniversary of the birth
of Augusta, the German Empress and Queen of
Prussia, who was born on Sept. 30,1811. Her Imperial
Majesty was the daughter of the late Grand Duke Karl
Friedrich of Saxe-Weimar, and her marriage with the
German Emperor, then Prince Wilhelm of Prussia, took
place on June 11, 1829. The issue of the Imperial
marriage was an only son (the Crown Prince of Ger-
many, married to our Princess Royal) and an only
daughter, the Princess Louise, Grand Duchess of
Baden.
General Sir Frederick Sleigh Roberts, Bart., G.C.B ,
V. 0., completed his 53rd year on Wednesday.,
having been born Sept. 30, 1832. For his achieve-
ments in Afghanistan, which have scarcely yet
passed from ,the memory of his contemporaries, he was
created a baronet on June 11, 1881, in which year he
also received the freedom of the City of London. Since
then he has been Commander-in-Chief in the Madras
Presidency.
On Tuesday afternoon a meeting was held at the
Charing-cross Hotel, under the presidency of Mr. R.
B. Irwin,. with a view to establish a club for the
encouragement of amateur photography. Captain
A.bney was chosen president; Mr. R. B. Martin, BLP-i
treasurer; and Mr. A. R. Dresser, hon. sec. An
influential committee was also appointed, and funds
have been guaranteed, so that the club has been
launched under very favourable auspices. The 311104 n
idea of the proinoters is to centralise and assimilate the
large number of distinct photographic clubs now
existing on the san3e basis as the Central Angling
Association, with a view to obtaining concessions from
railway companies for the purpose of facilitating the
transport of members and their apparatus.

_
The third of the eries r3f running matches between
W. Cummings and W. G. George took place at Lillie-
bridge, the distance being 10 miles and the stakes £lOO
a side. In the result Cummings beat George.
The magistrates at the Leicester Brewster Sessions
declined to renew music and singing licenses to any
houses except recognised music halls, the experiment
tried last year under the local Act not being satis-
factory. It was stated that .k2OOO had been spent in
structural alterations of one house, but the principal
attendants were young people of both sexes, from 15
to 20 years of age. The magistrates also declined hear-
ing the temperance party against the renewal of
grocers' licences.
A young man who had given a false name and
address was charged, on remand, at Uxbridge on
Monday with having been found at night in a bedroom
at the residence of Mr. Charles Heron, with chloroform
in his possession. A chemist, to whom the prisoner
applied for a large quantity of laudanum, had given
him a harmless mixture. The prisoner said he would
charge the chemist with obtaining money by false
pretences. He was committed for trial.

- A terrible ae-cilie-nr-e—c-cur-Tea--Tn Monday. at
Alexander's Mill, Neilston, ten miles from Glasgow.
Some arches at the mill fell in, burying a number of
men. One of them, a man named Donnelly, was killed,
and six others injured.
Mr. Cornelius Walford, the author of the" Insurance
Cyclopeadia." and other works on insurance, has died
at his residence, South Hampstead. Mr. Walford, who
was about 60 years of age was a barrister of the Middle
Temple and a member Of the Royal Historical, the
Statistical, and other learned societies. Among his
latest works was a series of papers on the ancient
Guil-s of England, which has appeared in the
"Antiquarian Magazine."
During evening service on Sunday in Limavady
Parish Church, near Londonderry, Mr. John Cherry,
the organist, stopped short in the midst of playing a
hymn, placed his hand to his heart, and was about to
fall when the rector, the Rev. Mr. Galbraith, ran for-
ward and caught him. Mr. Cherry was carried into the
vestry, where he died in the course of an hour from
heart disease.

In a letter to Mr. John Ferguson, of Glasgow, Mr.
Chamberlain says that before Mr. Parnell's recent
manifesto he was conscientiously opposed to a separate
Parliament for Ireland, believing as he did, then and
now, that it would be absolutely ruinous to the best
interests of Ireland, and dangerous to the security of
England. His Warrington speech was full of sym-
pathy for Irish grievances, and respect for Irish
leaders, but he cannot alter his opinion regarding
separation.
Mr. Emery A. Storrs, who was known as the "silver-
tongued orator of the North-West," has died at Ottawa,
Illinois, at the age of 50. He was educated for the law,
and became the mcst brilliant speaker at the Chicago
Bar. He achieved great reputation by his speech
seconding the nomination of General Grant in the
Republican Convention of 1880, and not long before
i his death ML Storrs accepted a retainer to defend the
Mormons in he United States Courts of Utah.
Mr. Masai. a short time ago inserted an advertise.
ment offering a reward of £lO for any person who was
caught poaching on his preserves on the Mushers.
Mountains, and double that amount if the person
should be found to be obnoxious. The Dulhallow
National Hunt took up the challenge, and announced
in a public pluard that they would hunt over the
grounds on Saturday. They did so in the presence of
an immense crowd of persons. A force of 150 police
and two resident magistrates were posted at different
points over the wide area, but the police did not
interfere. The Nationalists killed eight hares and 25
rabbits.

Proceedings of a somewhat extraordinary character
are reported from Skye. For some years crofters in the
hamlet of Scouser have been complaining of the
ravages caused among their crofts by deer from Lord
Macdonald's forest, tenanted by a Mr. Kettlewell. They
estimated their losses last winter at eISO. Exasperated
by the constant incursions, the crofters assembled last
Saturday, and drove several deer which were feeding in
the corn into the sea, and drowned or slaughtered the
'hole of them, afterwards dividing the carcases.
The Governor Geperal, in opening the North-West
Coal and Navigation Company's Railway from Dun-
more *lnaction, on the Canadian Pacific Railway, to the
Belly Ricer Coal Mines, near Fort M‘Leod, on the 24th
Inst., had a most enthusiastic reception. Lord Lans-
downe gave an address on the occasion expressing con-
fident belief in the success of the mines, and in tlaeir
value to the North-West. The coal, which is of a good
quality, will be sold at depots established at the
Canadian Pacific Railway Stations. The railway, in
addition, will afford communication between the cattle
ranches on the slopes of the Rocky Mountains and
Manitoba and the East. A telegraph line has also been
constructed in connection with it.

_
The Paris " Temps" publishes a telegram from Aden
stating that, in consequence of the French occupation
of Ambadu, Abu Baker Pacha has been arrested by
order of the British Vice Consul at Zeilah. The com-
mander of the French gunboat Meteore, which hap-
pened to be at Zeilah at the time, demanded the
immediate release of the Pacha, on the ground that he
was imder French protection, and the prisoner was,
consequently, liberated. The telegram adds that a_
British war vessel has been ordered to Zeilah, and that;
English troops have been despatched to Boulah, near
Berbera.

An extraordinary scene was witnessed in Oldham
Market-place on Monday. It was alleged in the town
that a grocer named Ward had stated that he would
take 30 per cent. off the cotton operatives wages, and
starve them into submission. In the foresoon hundreds
assembled in front of the shop, hooted both himself and
his customers, and stones were thrown through the
windows. The crowd becoming excited, he put up his
shutters and closed the shop. He was besieged until
half-past six, when the chief constable entered and
brcught him out. The Mayor was standing outside.
Ward was conducted to a tram car, and Inspector
Schoies accompanied him home. He appeared terrified.
The following are the changes which have taken place
hi the Dominion Cabinet: The Hon. J. H. Pope has
been appointed Minister of Railways and Canals, and
is succeeded as Minister of Agriculture by the Hon.
John Carling, the Postmaster-General. Mr. Carling's
post has been taken by Sir Alexander Campbell,
Minister of Justice. The vacancy thus caused has been
filled by the accession to the Cabinet of the Hon. J. S.
D. Thompson, late judge of the Supreme Court of Nova
Seotia.

At the Spalding Police-court, on Monday, Reginaki
Wyndham, of Norwich, gentleman, was brought up Ia
custody charged with being drunk and incapable at
Long Sutton, near here, on Sunday morning, and also
with having been drunk on licensed premises. Defen-
danc pleaded guilty, and said he had been drinking for
several weeks, and was shortly going to return to
America, He stated that he was the younger son of
the famous General Wyndham, the hero of the Redant-
and had a fortune of £6OOO a year. The magistrates
fined him ss. and costs in the first case and 10s. ana
costs in the second case, which Were paid, defend
having over £2O in hie possession when taken Care ei
the police. ,
On Monday, at the Guildhall, the new SberiffjTf
London and Middlesex, Mr. Alderman David Evans;
and Mr. Thomas Clarke, were sworn in with the usuaj!
ceremony.
Richard Bell, 65, resident in Larches-street, Birming.,
ham, died very suddenly in St. Philip's churchyardi
on Monday. His wife was with him at the time.
Under the presidency of the Pope six cardinals met.
at the Vatican and selected a committee fet examine'
the documents connected with the Caroline Islands.
dispute.
Two cruisers have been despatched by the Admiralty
to protect the interests of British fishermen in the
North Sea.

The Amsterdam Court of Appeal has confirmed the
sentence of one year's imprisonment passed by the
court below upon the Social Democrat, Van Ommeren,
for having, on May 28, posted up a placard ebntaining
insulting remarks respecting the king.
Snow fell at Pontarlier to the depth of 15 centimetres
on Monday.
Sir Henry Drummond Wolff has postponed his
departure for Cairo, the Porte having informed him
that its negotiations with him would be immediately
resumed.