The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-07-02 00:00:00

EPITOME OF NEWS.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

The official report on the results of the earthquake
at Chio gives the number of killed at 3,612; wounded 1,306.
The surviving population numbers 66,673 souls.
At Bangor, a massive obelisk, 100 ft. in height, has
been erected by public subscription as a memorial to the late
Sir Richard Bulkeley, formerly Lord-Lieu tenantlof Carn arvon-
shire, and for many years the representative in Parliament
of Anglesea county.
The depression in the North Wales slate trade con-
tinues without prospect of improvement.
Mr. John R. Buchtell has made an additional
gift of 75,000 dols. to the Buchtell College, Ohio, making
200,000 dols. in all.
Reports from Manitoba, Canada, state that the
crops are double the average of last year, and in fine condi-
tion.

The pur.thase of the Panama Railroad by M. de
Lesseps and his friends has been completed. The first pay-
ment of four million dollars is to be made on the Ist of July.

It is said that the Czar is anxious to have his palace
surrounded with electric light.

-
A telegram from Athens says that a headless statue,
believed to represent Hygieia. the daughter of JEsculapius,
has been discovered close to the proscenium in the theatre
at Epidaurus. It is declared to be the work of Eolyclitus,
the architect of the theatre.

It is calculated (says the Cologne Gazette) that there
are about 53,000,000 horses in the world. Of these Austro-
Hungary has 3,436,000, France 3,000,000, Russia 21,470,000,
Germany 3,352,000, Great Britain 2,250,000. Turkey 1,009,000,
the United States 9,540,000, the Argentine Republic,
4,000,000, Canada 2,625,000, Uruguay 1,600,000, &a.

•
A telegram from Dortmund (in Prussia) says that a
fatal accident has occurred at the Luise lief bau coal pit,
by which seventeen miners lost their lives, and five others
were slightly injured. All the bodies were recovered.
_ _ .

-
The ship labourers held a meeting at Montreal
(Canada) on Sunday, at which it was unanimously resolved to
continue the present strike.
The Prince of Wales has subscribed one hundred
guineas to the fund now being raised for a national memorial
to the late Earl of Beaconsfield.—Court Journal.

The Americans have constructed a railway in
Mexico, and its success has led to an immense number of
schemes being prepared to open that country by railways,
and to connect Mexico with the chief towns of the United
States.

On Sunday a great storm, with thunder, heavy
wind, rain and hail, visited Pennsylvania and other districts
in the United States. Several persons were killed, and great
damage was done to the crops.
Mr. Gladstone had an audience of the Queen at
Windsor on Monday. Earl Sydney had an audience of her
Majesty, and presented an address from the House of
Lords.

The Queen of the Sandwich Islands has her gowns
made sal in one piece, in the native style. But they are of
blue velvet striped with gold, of peach pink with white jet,
ii.;'i,'ElfaNwilattpluniucirimson crushed roses. suppei. for
11/1.0 DAIL.) 61... %lave/cc.

Lord Crewe, who owns very extensive estates in
Cheshire, has given all his tenantry notice of a reduction of
from 10 to 25 per cent., according to the varying circum-
stances of their rentals. The younger tenantry who pay
more per acre than the older leaseholders, will get the full
benefit of the reduction, and the old lease holders will re-
ceive 10 per cent.

Last week's receipts of cotton at all United States
ports were 23,000 bales, and since Ist September 6,610,500
bales. Shipments to Great Britain, 21,000 bales, and to the Con-
tinent and Channel, 12,000 bales; total since Ist September,
4,242,000 bales. Stock at all ports, 480,000 bales.
An exhibition will be held at Simla about the middle
of September for the encouragement of those decorative
industries which have a direct connection with the tine arts
of India, Persia, and Arabia handed down by tradition.
Special prizes are offered for carving in ivory and wood, for
lacquer and enamel work, for painting on copper and gold,
and for the inlaid metal work of Moradabad.

Congress has passed a Bill making it compulsory for
the shopkeepers of New York to provide seats for their
employees.

The Agent-Geneeal for New S3uth Wales has been
Informed by a telegram of the arrival in Sydney of the ship
Clyde, which sailed from Plymouth with emigrants in March.

An attempt to acclimatise English pheasants in the
Rocky Mountains is now being made, a number of fine birds
having been lately sent out.

An ingot of gold weighing 581 b. has been found in a
mine in Siberia.

It is stated that no fewer than seventeen busts of
Lord Beaconsfield are now in commission.

Letters from America says that Messrs. Moody and
Sankey will commence "an evangelising mission" in Scot-
land early next October. They will begin at Edinburgh;
then go to Glasgow; thence to Stirling, Perth, Aberdeen,
Inverness, and Wick. At each of the two former places they
will remain a fortnight ; at the others their soiourn will be a
week respectively.

Seeing how all attempts to put a stop to street noises
in London have failed, there is some sense in the suggestion
which appears in a morning paper that our scientific men
should set themselves to devise an instrument which should
give us the power of closing our ears at will, as nature
enables us to close our eyes. Cannot the invtntors and
tin-
provers of telephones go to work in the opposite direction.—
Globe.

A Daily News telegram (dated 25th), says that Mr.
Griscorn, the Chicago faster, is exhausted by his walks
during the last two days. I.e has now lost 321 lbs. since the
fast began."—A teltgram next day said—" Griscorn enters
upon his thirtieth day with slight change in his condition."
There is now a pretty general conviction that no
immediate result is likely to come out of the present negotia-
tions for a new treaty of commerce with France.

A Paris telegram says that M. Dufaure died during
Sunday night at his house at Buell, aged 83. He had been
seven times Minister, and was Premier under the Septennate,
but resigned office when M. Grevy replaced Marshal Mae
-
Mahon.

A telegram from Melbourne says that Princes Albert
Victor and George of Wales have again taken up their quar-
ters on board H.M.S. Bacchante. Their Royal Highnesses
have been entertained at dinner by the Marquis of Nor-
manby, Governor of Victoria.
New-hall, near Salisbury, the seat of the late
General Buckley, M.P. for the city, and latterly the resi-
dence of Mr. Lethbridge, was burnt down on Saturday
afternoon. The premises were insured. Several valuable
pictures and a considerable portion, of the furniture were
destroyed. 'There was some difficulty in obtaining a supply
of water. The fire is supposed to have originated in the
kitchen flue.

The arrivals of live stock and fresh meat at Liver-
pool from the United States and Canada last week show a
very large decrease on those of the preceding week, the
totals being-1,001 cattle, 295 sheep, 4,670 quarters of beef,
and 300 carcases of mutton

Big wreaths of real flowers suspended from the
handles of parasols are worn in Paris by ultra-fashionables
Instead of the usual floral bouquets at the top of the sun-
shade.

The Second Dutch Chamber has adopted the bill of
the Minister of Public Works to make a navigable canal
from Amsterdam to the Merwede river, near Gorcum, to
shorten the distance to the Rhine. The canal will cost
12,000,000 guilders.
A State Convention of lowa has passed a Resolution
calling upon Congress to make a grant of five million dollars
for the improvement of the navigation of the Missouri
River. The Missouri Valley produces five hundred million
bushels of grain annually.

Trickett, the Australian sculler, soon after his
arrival at New York, fell out of his boat, and was nearly
drowned. After his recovery he was having some glove
practice with his trainer, Harry Kelley, when he slipped
and broke his leg, the same which was broken a few years
since.

The Queen, Princess Louise, Princess Beatrice, the
Grand Duke of Hesse, Prince Leopold, and the Princesses
Victoria and Elizabeth of Hesse attended Divine service on
Sunday mDrning in the private chapel at Windsor. The
Rev. Francis J. Holland, minister of Quebec Chapel, preached
the sermon.

Preaching at Clayton-le-Moors, near Accrington on
Saturday, in connection with the laying of the foundation
stone of a new church school, the bishop of Manchester,
said the Church of England eduated considerably more than
one-half of the children of this country. The Church was
a great national institution worth preserving. If Churchmen
did not want their privileges and endowments taken away
from them they must make the right uses of them, and do
their duty.

Down to Monday night the Lord Mayor of London
had received about £23,000, or nearly £2,000 more than
during a corresponding number of days in 1880, on behalf of
the Hospital Sunday Fund, and there yet remains a number
of churches and chapels which have still to pay in their col-
sections.

At the funeral of the late Sir Josiah Mason, which
took place at Erdington on Saturday, the proceedings were,
in accordance with the iustructioos of the deceased, of a
strictly private nature, only a few of his most intimate
friends being invited. Sir Josiah was buried in a mausoleum
erected by him in the Orphanage grounds for his wife.
The coffin was cars ied to the grave by eight workmen and
servants.

The Prince and Princess of Wales, accompanied by
the Grand Duke of Hesse and attended by Colonel Clarke,
left Windsor Castle on Monday afternoon, on a visit to the
Empress Eugenie, at Coombe Cottage, near Malden, Surrey.
Their Royal Highnesses were reeeiveu upon their arrival by
the Empress and the ladies and gentlemen in waiting, the
Prince and Princess and Grand Duke, after a short stay,
driving back in the evening through the Surrey lanes and.
south-western suburbs of the metropolis to Marlborough
House.

The health of Prince Bismarck is described as being
anything but satisfactory. His physicians have ordered him
complete abstention froth Work, and the closest confinement
to his room. It is shid the Chancellor is despondent with
regard to his failing health.

- --
Iserablo, -rm.,- “I,vut, .3UU houses, has
.D.ity News telegram from Geneva states that
been set on fire by lightning and totally destroyed.

The pages of the London Gazette do not often con-
tain materipl for public amusement (remarks the Pall Mall
Gazette), but the recent supplement of unclaimed funds
standing in the books of the Chancery Pay Office may cer.
tainly serve to while away an unemployed half-hour. Most
of the accounts deal with moneys deposited for pieces of
land taken for railways and turnpike roads, and these are
certainly as dull as can possibly be conceived.

An important circular has been prepared, and will
in a few days be issued from the Education Department. It
recommends to those responsible for the direction of School
Board schools the inculcation of thrift as a portion of the
regular course of instruction. Practical suggestions will
also, we understand, be offered for the establishment of
penny savings banks in connection with the schools.—Daily
News.

Fat cattle have not been so cheap for many years
in Scotland, as they are now, and even good store beasts are
net dear. Bought in, as most of the fattening stock was last
autumn, at high prices, and heavy as the outlay for
extraneous feeding stuffs has been, farmers' profits for the
season's cattle feeding will be very much under even the
most moderate calculations.—Mark Lane Express.
A Prussian grenadier, who lately gave an exhibition
of his pedestrian powers at the Agricultural Hall, London,
has been astounding the Berliners by the facility with which
he can put a tough trotting horse off the path. Next he
starts from Magdeburg for Berlin, a distance of twenty
German, or rather more than ninety English miles, which
he has undertaken to accomplish in twelve hours, while his
next task will be to endeavour to walk from Berlin to Vienna
In four days.

A telegram from New York says that travel to
Europe continues unprecedentedly heavy. Eight steamers
sailed on Saturday with nearly 700 cabin passengers, making
the total this week nearly 1,500. The steamship agents
agree that travel this year is considerably greater than that
of the year of the Paris Exhibition.
The Agent-General for South Australia, Sir Arthur
Blyth, K.C.M.G., has received the following telegram :
"'['he revenue for the year ending 25th June is £165,000 more
than last year. Splendid rains continue; prospects of wheat
and wool excellent."
The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens,
Regent's Park, London, during last week include a Chacma
baboon, from South Africa, presented by Mr. Thornburgh-
Cropper ; four harvest mice, British, presented by Mr. Henry
Layer; a banded grass tinch from Queensland; two yellow-
bellied liothrix, from India, presented by Mrs. Hylton
Joliffe ; a red-legged partridge, European, presented by Mr.
Arthur Morrell, school ship Cornwall; a horrid rattlesnake,
from Bahia, presented by Dr. A. Stradling, C.M.Z.S. ; a Patas
monkey, from West Africa; a blue jay, from North America,
purchased; a Rhesus monkey, a Cape buffalo, born in the
gardens; seven Australian wild ducks, live Chiloe widgeons,
a Mandarin duck, two Geoffroy's Doves, two turquoisine
parrakeets, bred in the gardens,

A few days since a fire destroyed nearly the whole
town of Tombstone, Arizona; and seven thousand acres of
wheat near the Merced River, California, have also been
burned, together with a number of farm-houses.
On Thursday in last week there was admitted into
the Small-pox Hospital at Fulham a patient of the patri-
archal age of 91. The last accounts speak favourably of the
old lady.
It has been decided to offer the Great Eastern steam-
ship for sale by public auction early in Jctober, unless she is
previously disposed of by private treaty.
Two Royal decrees have been published at Madrid,
one dissolving the Cortes, and another putting an end to
the forced cultivation of tobacco on the Philippine Islands
on a system which amounted to a virtual slavery.

At the recent sale of her Majesty's yearlings at
Hampton Court, the highest price was given for a colt by
Winslow—Crann Tair, who was sold to Mr. Sylvester for 660
guineas. Mr. Weston gave SSO guineas for a filly by Hermit
—Land's End, and Mr. Leigh 550 guineas for a colt by Spring-
fleld—G ung,a Tee.

A Iteuter'e telegram states: "A waterspout burst
on Saturday at Dobrzan, descending in a terrible shower of
hail. A considerable tract of laud was inundated, and great
damage inflicted, the crops being partially destroyed."
The authorities of the City of London, Ontario, have
ordered a medal to be struck and presented to those who dis-
played heroic conduct at the disaster to the steamer Victoria
on the Thames River on the Queen's birthday.
On Saturday Mr. Bradlaugh served formal notice
of appeal against the judgment of Mr. Justice Denman and
Mr. Justice Watkin Williams, his object in giving notice
thus early being to obtain a decision of the Court of Appeal
before the judges leaves for circuit.

A journalistic strike in Yiensa during the recent
wedding festivities created a kood deal of annoyance there.
The Court authorities treated the local reporters so shabbily
by promising them twenty invitations for the Palace Ball,
and not sending the cards, that the journals decided not to
mention the ball at all. This decision caused much consterna-
tion at Court, the Minister President trying in vain to induce
the " officious " papers to publish a report, but the Vienna
papers were totally silent on the subject, the omission being
felt all the more by the Viennese as the English, French, and
Belgian reporters had been invited.
According to a New York telegram the visible
supply of wheat on June 24 was 16,400,000 bushels; Ditto,
Indian corn, 11,800,000 bushels. Export clearances of wheat
for Europe during the past week, 2,150,000 bushels; export
clearances of Indian corn for Europe during the past week,
1,180,000 bushels.

On Sunday the Barnnne Caters Lab'ache died,
after a short illness. She was the gifted daughter of the
celebrated Signor Lablache, who for many years had the
honour of giving musical instruction to the Queen. Her
Majesty received the news of her death with much regret
and Prince Leopold and Princess Beatrice, who had had sing-
ing lessons from her lately, were much distressed by the unex-
pected intelligence.

The Cologne Gazette records the first carrier pigeon
match of the season. The competitors started from St.
Denis, near Paris, at 4.45 a.m. on Sunday, and the first of
them reached Cologne, a distance of 401 kilometres, in 6
hours 13 minutes. By noon 31 had arrived.
A p:rand historical cavalcade through the streets of
Utrecht on Tuesday celebrated the foundation of the
University of that city. The costumes were very magni-
ficent, the weather was delightful, and the spectacle was
witnessed by many thousands of people.

There were 88 deaths from small-pox in London
last week, and these included 17 of children under live years
of age, 31 of persons aged between 5 and 20, 28 aged between
20 and 40, and 12 aged upwards of 40. The number of
small-pox patients in the Metropolitan Asylum Hospitals,
which had been 1,614, 1,633, and 1,612 on the three pre-
ceding Saturdays, was 1,578 on Saturday last.
The Bill having for its object the introduction of
sea water to the metropolis has now passed both Houses,
and awaits only the Royal assent to become an Act of Parlia-
ment.

At the meeting of the Health Committee of the
Liverpool City Council, it was stated that the medical officer
had received the official statement of the population of the
city froni the Registrar-General. The total population was
552,425. Of these 210,161 were in the parish of Liverpool,
and 342,264 in the out townships. In 1871 the population of
Liverpool was 492,935. There has thus been an increase of
59,490 in the ten years.
The Earl of Harrington died at Harrington House,
Charing-cross, London, between one and two o'clock on
Sunday afternoon, after an illness of six weeks. His Lord-
ship at first suffered from an affection of the liver, and after-
wards was taken with rheumatic gout, followed by conges- •
tion of the lungs, which was the immediate cause of death.
He was 72 years of age.

On Sunday afternoon the Princess of Wales, with
Princesses Louise, Victoria, and Maud of Wales, was present
at the annual Fruit and Flower Service at Berkeley Chapel,
London. After their Royal Highnesses had presented their
offerings of fruit and flowers at the altar rails the service
commenced, the sermon being preached by the incumbent,
the Rev. T. Teignmouth Shore, Chaplain to the Queen. The
church was filled to overflowing.
The American Arctic expedition has sailed from
San Francisco in the Rodgers. The vessel is provisioned for
three years, and has been fitted out by the aid of a grant
of 175,000 dols, recently voted by Congress, her object being
to search for the exploring vessel Jeannette (formerly the
Pandora), of which nothing has been heard for so long.
Many people in the 'United states believe that the Jeannette
is frozen up near Wrangell Land or Herald Island, where the
Rodgers is to search for her.

In London last week 2,504 births and 1,399 deaths
were registered. Allowing for increase of population, the
births exceeded by 24, and the deaths were 7 below, the
average numbers in the corresponding week of the last ten
years. The annual death-rate from all causes, which had
been equal to 18-3 and 101 per 1,000 in the two preceeding
weeks, was again 101.
On Tuesday Lord Eustace Cecil, M.P., presided at
the first annual meeting in connection with the Essex In-
dustrial School at Chelmsford. In the course of his remarks
he said he considered that one cause of the commercial
and agricultural distress througla which the country was
passing might be owing to the absence of general agricul-
tural education. "Ile attributed to the existence of this in
America and on the Continent the success with which their
home manufactures was prosecuted, and inferred that a
similar improvement would result to ourselves in the event
of the adoption of the same principle.
The Freetraders of Madrid have held a crowded
meeting in the Alhambra Theatre. Eminent economists and
Liberal statesmen advocated the early conclusion of the
negotiations for the treaty of commerce with England and
France. They cited the beneficial results of Free Trade in
England, France, and even Spain, her commerce having
i trebled n twelve years. In Barcelona imposing meetings
and street demonstrations of the Protectionists have taken
place amidst great enthusiasm. The example of the United
states was cited and resolutions were passed asking Sefior
Sogasta and the King for protection for the merchant navy
and the manufactures of Spain.
The work of re-opening the Maudlin seam of the •
New Seaham Colliery, where for the past nine months the
bodies of 28 of the sufferers by the disaster have been lying.
has now been commenced. On Monday the workmen had
advanced to within about 1,000 yards of the spot where it
is supposed the remainder of the bodies will be found. Mr.
Fleuss's apparatus for enabling persons to work with safety
In noxious atmospheres, and also a safety lamp of his inven-
tion have been used with great advantage lathe operations.

Dr. Brewer presided over a meeting of the Metro-
politan Asylums Board on Saturday, at which it was re-
ported that the number of small-pox patients admitted to
the hospitals during the fortnight was 653; the deaths had
been 113, and 559 persons had been discharged. There
remained under treatment 1,030, together with 538 con-
valescents, making a total of 1,568, as compared with 1,680
for the previous fourteen days.
According to official returns the exports of mer-
chandise from the United States duritag the month of May
exceeded the imports by 8,616,859 dols. The exports of
specie during the same period were 517,508 dols. in excess
of the imports.

A notification has been received at Chester, from
the Treasury, that the costs of the sittings of the Chester
Bribery Commission amount to £3,352, and that the payment
of that sum must be provided for. A penny rate produces about
£6OO, so that a sixpenny rate must be levied in order to pro-
vide the requisite amount.
Speaking at Birmingham, Mr. Broadhurst, M.P.,
said if foreign nations removed their tariffs England would
again be the workshop of the world. This removal was a
great work, and although trades unions had always refused
to discuss political matters in a party sense, it would be un-
wise to withhold discussion on a subject like this, which had
so close an intimacy with the development of the trade of
the nation. He strongly advised them to break down the
large waste of human machinery as represented in the taxa-
tion on military forces.
It would seem that German twittering sparrows
make themselves more unpleasant than their species else-
where, for in Vienna an official has been appointed by the
City Council whose business it is to exterminate all sparrows
who make their appearance in the Prater. The reason
given for this wholesale slaughter of the innocents is, that
by their incessant chatter they completely drown the melo-
dious notes of the singing birds, so they are shot down with
an air gun at the rate of between forty and fifty a day.

The marriage of the Hon. Norman Grosvenor, third
son of Lord and Lady Ebury, with Miss Caroline Susan
Theodora, fourth daughter of the Right Hon. James and Hon.
Mrs. Stuart Wortley, took place at St. George's, Hanover.
square, I ondon, on Saturday morning in last week, in the
presence of a numerous family circle. The bride appeared
in a dress of white brocaded satin, and over the wreath a fine
old Brussels lace veil fastened by diamond and pearl
br,oches, and also wearing a necklace of pearls and diamonds,
the gift of Lord Ebury. The four bridesmaids' dresses were
ot white silk and muslin, with coral pink sashes and pretty
bonnets to match. The ceremony was performed by the Hon.
and Rev. Stephen Willoughby Lawley, I.A.N ,uncle of the bride.
The newly-tr arried couple left early in the afternoon on their
wedding tour.