The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-10-18 00:00:00

illistellaneous Intelligente,

HOME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL.

RLILWAY AOOIDIIITII IN 1872. —From the
general report by Captain Tyler to the Board of Trade,
It appears that the total number of persons killed upon
railways in the United Kingdom during the year 1872
was 1,145, and the number injured 3,038. Of theee,
127 of the killed and 1,576 of the injured were pas.
mongers; the remainder being companies' servants,
trespaasers, or miscellaneous oases. Ti's proportion of
'.464ceru killed to journeys performed wan 1 to
',11330,000—f0r the injured, Ito 289,000. The accidents
Inquired into officially were 246 in number, being 75
more than in 1871, or an iMIRIIIII4S of 44 per cent The
Narth-Bastern, the London and North.Weetern, and
the Lancashire and Yorkshire head the list,whilat the
Irish, Welsh, and Scotch railways end it. The Metro-
politan had three mishaps to deplore. One or two
rallwa have had no aesklent wish hen demanded
inv

RIMARIUBLZ ILLIISTILATIONI el LONGETITY.
—The obituary of The Times of Monday contained
some remarkable illustrations of prolonged exiMance in
twelve permais—viz., seven ladies and five gentlemen,
the age of one of the ladles may be an interesting in-
vestigation for Mr. Thom, as she ie stated to have been
born on the 1 ith of March, 1772. The united age, of
five of these persons amounted to 444 years, giving an
average of 88 years and more than nine months to each.
Their ages were as follows :-80, 85, 87, 90, 102. Of
the septuagenarians the united ages amounted to 522
years, giving an average of 74 years and more than via
months. The ladies m usual, had the advantage of the
opposite sex the oldest being 102 and the youngest 711
of the gentb6eet the oldest was 87 and the younneit 71
yenell

BATH Bzuoxs."—The Liberal Majority.—
Punch.

THE ENGINEERS' STRIKE AT MANCHESTER.—
The arbitration in the dispute which occurred in the
Manchester engineering trade in July, which threatened
at the time to result in a general lockout in South
Lancashire, took pl.c.e on Saturday. The question
arose upon a demand of the turners and fitters employed
by Meows Hetherington and Son for an advance of 2s.
per week, and the reference was narrowed to the point
whether on the 16th July the rate of lessee 'mid to the
turners and fitters in the employment of the firm was
a fair weekly rate of pay, and equal to the rates paid
In other shops in Manchester. The arbitrator. Mr. J.
R. Russell, Q.C., county court judge, decided that on
the 16th July Messrs. Hetherington's men were receiv-
ing &I. per week less than in the trade generally.
POLITICaL PENSIONS.— The Finance Accounts
for the financial year 1872 3 show all the four political
pensions of 4'2,000 payable— namely, to Sir G. Grey,
Mr. Disraeli, Mr. Milner Gibson, and Mr. Walpole.
Two second-elms pensions (under the Act of 1869) of
£1,200 are payable to Mr. Charles Villiers and Mr.
Headlam' but both are reduced in amount in conse-
quence of the former gentleman being in receipt of an
annuity charged on the Chancery fee fund, and the
latter having other official emoluments. Athird-class
pension of £1,200 is payable to Lord Clarence Paget,
late First Secretary of the Admiralty. Two fourth.
elms pinions of £l,OOO are payable to Admiral
Hamilton and Mr. Romaine, late Second Secretary of
the Admiralty; but the former is suspended, while
Mr. Romaine is in receipt of eatery in India as Judge- I
Advocate GeneraL The pension granted to a Lord
Chancellor is planed among pensions for judicial ser-
vices • pensions of £5,000 are payable to Lord St.
Leoniirda, Lord Chelmsford, Lord Cairns. and Lord
Hatherley.
KILLED /N THE STREET.—Mr. Alderman
John Goodeir, of Preston, died on Monday at the
Royal Infirmary, Manchester, through injuries he re-
ceived accidentally in that city on Friday evening.
Mr. Goodall., who was connected with the cotton trade,
attended Manchester market on Friday, and after-
wards, while walking along Corporatiemstreet to
Fennetstreet, he was knocked down by a spring cart,
picked up insensible, conveyed to the Infirmary, and
died there, without ever regaining consciousness.
One of the wheels of the cart partially ran over him.
When the accident occurred he was crossing the street. ,
Mr. Goodalr was well known among the cotton mann- I
f acturers of the county, and at Preston his death is
much regretted.
THE POPE', WARDROBE. The New Free
Pens of Vienna dates that the head of the Roman
Catholic Church adheres strictly to ancient tradi-
tion in respect of the colour of his attire, which consists
of • white cassock with • narrow collar and wide sleeves,
and a purple cloak cut in a circular shape. The material
varies in thickness according to the season. In con-
sequence of an inveterate habit of snuff-taking his
Holiness requires five Cr six white cassocks during the
year, each of which costs about 4001. In winter, the
Pope wears white silk stockings over fine thread,
In summer mixed cotton and silk. These are supplied
by a well-known house in Verviers, which charges 24f.
• Pair for the hose, The red mantle costs no less than
8001. The slippery, of fine red cloth, embroidered with
tine gold, and ornamented with • cross, are worth
from 120 f. to 140 f. The Pope requires six of these for
the year; 24 pairs are besides always kept in his ward-
robe, and the chamberlains are forbidden to give them
away when cast off, though many eagerly covet the
honour of their poesession.
THE Son OP THE UNITED STATES. —At the
recent annual meeting of the American Association for
the Advancement of Science, Professor T. Storey Hunt
read • paper on "The geology and economic miner-
alogy of the Southern Appalachians." After sketching
in • clear and comprehensive manner the geological
origin of the great Appalachian chain which extends
from the northern borders of New England, and sweeps
southward parallel with the coast, finally disappearing
in Alabama, he pointed out the curious decay to which
the micaceous and schistose rocks, which compose the
great mass of these mountains, is subject, producing
in many parts of the Southern States what la popu-
larly known es "rotten rock," which it really is, and
While the " drift " somewhat uniformly sneers the sur-
face of the Northern States, it does not extend south
of the southern line of Pennsylvania, and hence in the
Southern States the soil is the direct result of the de-
composition of the rocks underlying that looality. A
great variety of valuable economic suggestions were
deduced from these observations.

MEICIAL PHlLOSGEHY.—lntellectual power ap-
pews to be very unequally distributed. Some people
du not hesitate to tell you that they were "in two or
three minds." Others conduct themselvee se though
they had no mind Mall worth mentioning.—PuncA.
•

A TRIBUTE TO LANDSZEIL. —Tht Tinw, in a
memoir of Landieer's life, remarks :

There never lived painter whose pictures more reflect the
man in their sympathy, their keen grasp of lite and character,
their humour, theirgrace, and their attractiveness. Re drew
t, him all who Cants whllln the range of hla It flnence, man
a-• 1 aolro,l yrsnr ch.r of tl,„ .td
moss prevailing kind. A more loveable, likeable man has
seldom gathered so closely to him so wide a circle of friends
and acquaintances. Though fashion took tithe of his genius,
and required aacrilloes of time and Giants which might haves
been devoted to higher and better work, he remained un-
worldly GIG was amiable; and for the fortune he leaves behind
—other than the produce ef his own unsold works—he had
to thank the bargaining of Mends more boslns-likelhsnbjm.
sell (at whose head stood the late Jacob Bell, the chi mist),
with the publisher., from whom he drew more money than
from purchasen. Re came before the period of high prices
which Manchester patrons ge has established, and it is said
that the £4 0 paid for n Bolton Abbey" was the highest
amount be had then received for a Winne. It would now
be worth ten thane the money, though, technically, it is by no
111311U111 one of his finest works.

Comma HOME.—Little Spivitt, in reading
the Correspondence relating to the Eton Masters and
their terms, wm particularly atruck with the expression
'The °earning Body." He felt it Will no applicable
In his own establishment to that majestic person,
Mrs. S.-1-'unch.

FATAL Drxiarri EXPLOSION. —An inquest
Ins been held at Gloucester on the body of a man
named Harris. who was killed by an explosion of dyna-
mite. Deceased was one of • number of men employed
in excavating some rock below the water in Lydney
Harbour. For blasting sock dynamite wile used, which
was fired by means of an electric current from • battery.
The battery had only been in use • few dam and the
contractor himself used it, giving the workmen strict
orders not to do so. In his absence thliringed his
Instructions, and succesidully fired two ea. Before
preparing the third, however, they omitted to break
the electric current from the battery, the result being
that as soon as the detonation cennected with the bat-
tery wads placed in the dynamite prior te being Towered
te the rock an explosion occurred. One man was killed
on the spot, and • wcond did shortly afterwards, and •
third is not expected to recover. The jury returned •
verdict of "Accidental death," but censured the con-
tractor for not keeping the battery out of the reach of
the men.
Tax Paul Rua rx AMERWA.—It is impoee
sible to read the account given by the New York Herald
of • fight which came off the other day at St. Louis be,
teem n two men named M'Coole and Allen without re-
gretting the decay of the prize ring in this country,
and it is satisfactory to find that the "ring," with all
Its glories, still flourishes in the more oongerial soil to
which it has been transplanted, (remarks the Pall Mall
(daelle). It is unnecessary to give the full details of
the gallant strogele—the description of "Round No. 6"
will be quite sufficient : " Allen again led off with his
left hand, and got In a terrific blow on M'Coole's mouth,
blood following it in a great strum. The rest of the
round wee a repetition of the fifth, Mike's face re-
caving terrible punishment. Allen's' body began to
show Milt's pounding, but otherwise he was un-
hurt, while M'Coole presented • horrible appearance,
and seemed scarcely able to hold up his bands; his
left eye closed, • terrible cat under the right eye, right
side of the upper lip also cut off, and nose broken.
Before toeing the mark Allen said, 'lt is a sin to
seed that man up to be punished. If you don't take
him away I'll disfigure him for life. He is the gamest
man I over met.' The crowd also yelled, Take him
away l take him away I" The round was gone through
with, but Allen refrained from punishing his opponent
further." One more round was fought, when M'Coole's
backers withdrew him, and Allen wan declared victor,
after a contest of twenty minutes, during which
M'Coole received the most serious injuries he crowd,
It is stated, wan orderly, and made up largely of "re-
putable citizens," among whom was "quite • number
of prominent business men."
A WAY Our or ran DIFFICYLTY ! In a Scotch
country parish, a church officer filled that offioe and
that of gravedigger for the long space of fifty years.
Suspicions had long been entertained that he was in
the habit of belting himself out of the collection
plate whenever opporttmity permitted. It was diffi.
cult of comae to prove this. At LW, however, the
, stun of one pound was abstracted from • missionary
box which stood in the vestry, and everything c=-
bland to point out this man as the culprit. The
elders told the minister that something must
really be done. The minister said, "Leave him
to me, and I'll see what can be done." The fol.
lowing Sabbath, after the forenoon service, the
minister was *king off his gown and bands, and being
alone in the vestry with the surpected man, be thought
the opportusity wan too good to be lost, so he said,
"Andrew have you heard of the money that is 'Min-
ing from the box ?" "()h, ay," said Andrew, "I was
hearisg something about it." "Andrew," eontinued
the other, very gravely, "the matter lies between you
and me. We are the only two who have moons to the
box. Either you or I must be the thief." " 'Deed,
sir," rejoined the impertobehle Andrew, "It's just as
you say ; we're the only twa that has had access to
the hoz, and I think the beet way 'll be for you to pay
the tee half and I pay the tither, and say use male
about it."

THE Carats OF ENOLAND.—The Registrar.
General ham issued an alphabetical Index to the Popu-
lation Tables of the Ceueus of England and Wales,
which are already in the hands of the public. This
Index gives the name and population of every Owe
mentioned in the Population Tables, with the page on
which it will be found, and the itegistraen district and
the sub-district in which it is situated. The 200 folio
pages, with their double o lumns, present rather a
striking view of our many divisions; for the Index has
to give not only every county proper, registration county,
and Parliamentary division, but every lathe, rape, him-
dual, wipentake, county ward, liberty, soke, petty ses-
sional division, lieutenaney sub-division and poor-law
union ; also every city, borough (municipal and Parlia-
mentary], ward, Local Board district, Improvement
Commissioners' district, Lighting Commissioners' dis-
trict, Paving Commissioners' district, and every town
without any such local authorities; also every dlooeme,
parish civil pariah (place having poor-rate separately
levied), tcernithip,, parochial township, parochial divi-
sion, chapelry, parochial chapelry, mother church dis-
trict, ecclaiestical district and consolidated chapelry
or new p.ob. lordship, tything, hamlet, and village
precinct. flare in also given, at the end of the volume,
a table of some few corrections and additions which
should be made in the Population Tables. Among the
additions is an account of the Matrcpolitin Postal Dis-
trict, whim had 3.536,129 inhabitants in 1871; there
were 765,536 persons resident in the Eastern District,
235,290 in file Eastern Canaria, 407,652 in the Northern,
320,628 in Ills North-Western, 745,666 hi the South-
Eastern, 449,666 ia the South-Wisdom, 428,620 in the
Wotan. m 417340 la the Widatz-Csaleal District.

PLAIN ADYlol.—Hugh Arnot, the historian
of Edinburgh, held the status of an advocate, though
he seldom practised before the Courts. He was remark-
able for his eccentric humour and singular impulsive-
ness. He was one day waited upon by a lady, who re-
quoted him to advise how she might best get rid of an
admirer, whose importunities caused her annoyance.
The lady was the reverse of fascinating, and Arnot,
being indisposed to flatter her vanity, replied, "Oh,
you had better marry the fellow." " Marry him !"
replied the astounded lady, "I would see him hanged
first." "Marry him, then," persisted the humorist,
"and I'll bet on it he'll soon hang himself."

Born GOT A lassoN !—The Edinburgh Daily
Renew record/ an amusing conversation which took
place in the galleries of the Free Church Assembly
lately :—Young lady—" There's old Dr. A— going to
speak. Isn't he a bore r Old lady (laughing) '
I suppose be is; but do you know I rather like him "
Young lady—"l can't bear him." Old lady (after
some time)—"Who is that nice old gentleman speak-
ing ?" Young lady—" Ah I that's Mr. B—, of
C—." Old lady (breitatingly)—"Don't you think
he is—rather prosy f" Young lady (indignantly)—
"No, indeed, Ido not. Allow me to inform you that
that is my father." Old lady—" Oh ! indeed. Then I
am glad I hit the mark so gently, because 'Old Dr.
A—' la my husband. So I suppose we have both got
a lesson, my dear, don't you think?"

_ - -
Tim Nxricarii Dsrr.—The Finance Accounts
shows that the funded debt of the United Kingdom
amounted on the 31st of March, 1873, to £726,584,423,
and the unfunded debt (in Exchequer Bills and Bonds)
to £4,829,100, making a total of £731,413,523, which is
above 4.1 millions lees than at the corresponding period
of the preceding year. The annual charge for Interest
on this debt and for management of the debt is rather
more than 22 millions sterling. But the debt is really
larger than the amount above dated, and the annual
charge entailed by it exceeds £26,700,000, because, in
addition to interest on the permanent and floating debt
—the funded and the unfunded—we pay upwards of
4i millions sterling as Terminable Annuities, whereby
we discharge annually • part of the principal along
with the interest. Upwards of £900.000 of this Pay-
ment for Terminable Annuities, consist of life
annuities, sold to the public at the National Debt
office, and some of these are, of comes, falling in and
ceasing from time to time by the death of the annuit-
ants. But the great hem is that of over 3 millions for
annuities granted for a term of years, ending in 1885.
This I. • grand prise" looming in the distance" far
the Chancellor of the Exchequer of this time twelve
years._

A Lamm OLASS.—Trickitt, who is at once a
great Whist player and a close observer of the Game
of Life, declares that sometimes when he looks round
and see. how well many of those get on who are not
overburdened with wisdom, he is tempted to think
that Fools are Trtunps.—Punch.

- -
A ROMANTIC SUIC/D2.—The Russian paper
La raiz relates a lamentable story. The steward of a
large landed proprietor inhabited, with his family, a
handsome house, attached to the estates, not far from
Mosoow. His eldest daughter, a young woman of
great beauty, was betrothed to the sou of • rich mer-
chant, and their marriage WM fixed for an early date.
The lover obtained permission to celebrate the young
Irdy's birthday and also her nameday (St. Elizabeth),
which immediately followed, by files to be given at her
father'. residence. The first evening at dinner the
young man drank deeply, and became intoxicated,
when his conduct was so violent that the guest& all re-
tired, and he woe with difficulty conveyed to him father's
house. The next day, however, he presented himself
at the ball which he had arranged, and danced with
hla betrothed. When the &coo was ended the young
lady requested the band to play a favourite air'
and
retired alone to the balcony, whence immediatelyaftsr-
wards was heard the sound of firearm, and the unhappy
girl was found to have shot herself through the heart
with a revolver she had concealed. A letter found upon
her assigned the discovery of her intended husband's
brutal nature as the motive for her fatal action.

AGRICULTURAL-HALL SISTICIA IN LONDON.—
The religions services for the people, which are held in
the Agriculturanall, Islington, and are attended by
probably the largest afternoon congregation in the me•
tropolis, having now been maintained for five years,
the Rev. Thai° Davidson gave a retrospective sketch
of the work on Sunday laid. As evidence of its
thoroughly Catholic character he mentioned that
during the past year the preachers had included one
bishop and five clergymen of the Church of England,
sir ministers of the Presbyterian Church, seven of the
Congregationalists, three of the WesLevens four of the
Baptiste, and one from the Society of Friends. In ad.
dition to these several noblemen and other laymen had
given addresses, while the disposalof more than 100,080
copies of the Agricultural Hall Hymn book showed
that the congregations were of an ever-fresh and
fluctuating character. Mx. Davidson also mentioned
that on the first Sunday in each quarter the meetings
had been specially devoted to young men, under the
auspices of the Young Men's Christian Association in
Aidersgate-street, large numbers of that class residing
in the n orthirri flisfrict of London. The Rev. .T. II
Wdson, secre.e•y of 11, Home lorySuciety
followed with a brief address on the present religious
condition of the metropolis. The service is uniformly
restricted to one hour.