The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-08-14 00:00:00

SATURDAY, AUG. 14, 1880.

' over to an angle of about 45 deg. He, then saw a car-
riage jammed in between his own and the bank. He at
once looked out of his carriage window and saw a
number of carriages completely wrecked, lying in the
cutting. On looking at the lines he found them torn up.
The engine seemed to have charged into the bank, swing-
ing itself completely round. After the first shock there was
for a few seeonds the most perfect stillness. Dr. Sutton
saw a guard walking along the line exclaiming, "Oh dear !
oh dear 1" The passengers were scrambling out of the ruins
of the train, Dr. Sutton among them. Walking along the
line, lie looked around him to see whether he could render
any assistance, and he at once caught sight of two men
dressed as guards jammed between a carriage and the
tender. The engine-driver was lying near his engine dead
He must have been killed on the spot. Dr. Sutton next
saw the stoker, who was very seriously injured. He had
received a scalp-wound and a compound fracture of the left
arm. He was also slightly scalded. The first four carriages of
the train were a complete wreck. Fortunately there were no
passengers in the first two or three. It was a most happy
circumstance that this was so, as otherwise the loss of life
must have been appalling. All the carriages left the line
with the exception of the guard's van. A lady named
Swanston, who lived near the scene of the disaster, and had
seen the accident, ran to the place, kindly offering the use
of her house to the lady passengers, and several of the pas-
sengers accepted her kind offer. Dr. Sutton found on inquiry
that there were only two or three male passengers slightly
injured. After waiting about an hour, a special train arrived
from Berwick, and took the whole of the passengers, in-
cluding those who were injured, on to that town.

A passenger by the ill-fated train says :—I left Edinburgh
by the Flying Scotchman express this morning shortly after
the appointed time, ten o'clock. All went well until near
Berwick, when there was a shock, followed directly after by
a dreadful crash. I was thrown violently against the other
side of the compartment, but felt thankful that I had
escaped with a severe shaking and a few bruises. The train
was literally smashed in pieces, and parts of the train
covered the permanent way for a considerable distance.
After I got out I did all I could to help others.

RUSSIAN ECCLESIASTICAL STATISTICS.--ACCO''—e
to a recent report from the Holy Synod there ar,
Russia, besides the cathedrals, about 35,000 churcn!
of which 30,000 are parish churches. The serviceg4;
carried on by 37,718 priests and 11,857 deacons ;
are 65,951 lay church servants, such as sextons,
The State contributes to the support of
churches (a little more than half of the whole nuraZ"
the annual sum of 4,384,312 roubles (about £657,w:"
The total amount contributed by the State for ale;
tabling churches in Russia is about 5,200,000 roll'
(about £780,000).
PAIRING.—For birds in Spring, and Members of
Parliament generally in the Autumn.—Punch.
A PROFITABLE RAILWAY.—The most profitsi
railway in the world is a little affair not half a 4:
lons, which connects the Manhattan Beach an rbo
Brighton Beach Hotels on Coney Island, jo
summer resort of the well-to-do New Yorkers.
of 3 feet guage, ad has two locomotives and fear
riages, a train running each way every five minutet
The railway paid for itself in a few weeks after
was opened and last year returned 500 per oent.l
its coat. 'file expenses are 30 dollars a day, *„
the receipts average 450 dollars, the fare being t"
cents.
A KINDLY MEMORIAL.—The Empress Euenief,,l
her departure for South Africa, was charged by ,01,
Queen with two wreaths, which were to be placea u°o
the graves of Lieutenants Melvill and Coghill, Wm,.
were killed after the battle of Isandula, while atterall
ing to save the colours of the 24th Regiment. DIL
Melvill, who is now on a visit to Penzance, has
ceived a note from the Queen, enclosing an ext7b,
from a letter received by her from the Empress,
extract (in French), is in the Queen's own hand''r'
in!. It says :—" We have placed the wreaths Oil.
which we were entrusted upon the graves of Lit
tenants Coghill and Melvin. If, as I believe,
dead see that which is done for them, these gallsot
officers will be happy in the consciousness that thel
have not been forgotten by their Sovereign, iclic'se
colours they gave their lives in order to save. le,
site of the graves is a grand one and very wild; alitr,
farther and they would have 'been saved. It was
loss of their horses that caused their death."
EXPERIMENTAL PHILOSOPHY.—Party (who had be!...,13
to a lecture on Astronomy, and a little supper aft"'•
wards) : " Galileo'sh perf'ly right—th' ear
move! "—Punch.

AN EXPENSIVE AFFAIR.—The flag, bar
nionstration business shares the fortunr
trade in New York (says the Pall Mar
equipment for a warrior in the "P
paign" consists of a cap, a flanr.l c'
and sometimes one firm will fit
paigners. These soldiers of r
lower part of their own cost
shirt, and torch being clearly an
ment in a modest country. Blu.
colour, red the Democratic colc__
A
are this year to be shaped like German helmets.
man has made an independent fortune by inventinbe
a patent safety torch for torchlight processions. 111
wheri
"flash" torch, another kind, is reckoned pretty ,8
a number of men send the light soaring up at
word of command. The banners are adorned
portraits; but General Garfield has not yet sat forbil4
likeness. Banners sometimes cost nearly £l.OO in 0,„
money, and it is easy to understand that an Americo'
election may be rather an expensive affair.

GOOD NAME FOR A COFFEE-HOUSE KEEPEIL'
Rowland Butter.—Funny Folks.

THE PRINCE IMPERIAL'S LAST WRITTEN WORDS''
Some of the reports which the Prince Imperial
prepared of the reconnoitring work in which he hi
taken part have been recovered. The last of the
documents, dated May 31, the day before he died, 14".
marked by an exceptional grasp of military detail al
an unusual master of his subject in one so young. •
is not generally known that in the pocket of his °ye
coat, sUbsequently recovered, was found a sera')
paper, torn out of a note-book, on which were 13'
down the passing notes of the day's movements, fro,
the moment of leaving Kopje Allein "to find a catv
ing ground for 2nd Division," to 1.20, when he jottA
down these words, "extremity of either ridge betwe4
the Itombokala, and the Ityotozi, south; go ahes4
good camping ground on slope south of donga."
rough but vivid pencil sketch is given below, with ti
chief points in the landscape not only delineated, 1).1
named. Under this is written, "taken from extrenill
of spur between Ityotozi and Itombokala." The
were the last words written by the Prince.
_

THE LOVE OF THE SEA !—How Britons love
sea is illustrated by the following statement, on ty`
authority of Mr. Thomas B. Grier, of the Northl
Yacht Agency, Glasgow :—There are in the Unit...,
Kingdom 33 yacht clubs, and at the present time thus;
are sailing or steaming round our coasts, or on crur,
to distant shores, more than 1,800 yachts, ranglit;
from five up to 700 tons burden. In addition slat
number of owners take their pleasure on the sea
private boats and craft of various descriptions not re'
gistered at Lloyd's.
WOMEN IN METALLIFEROUS MINES.—The retni°
of the Inspectors of Mines show that there is
very large employment of women and girls in metsP_.;
ferous mines. Out of 18,795 persons employed abo..;
ground about the metalliferous mines, 2,193 Te;
women and girls; and, in addition, there are 317 rilai,26
of the tender ages of between 8 end 13. Of girls,
are employed between 8 and 13 years old, 32 of wb
are in the Cornwall and Devon district. Of girls
tween 13 and 18 years, there are employed 792, Co
wall and Devon employing 645, and the North Wro:„t
district 106, the only other largely-employing distril;
being that of Ireland, where 27 are at work. Of
above 18 years old, there are 1,365 employed—i,lllrh
11;
the district of Cornwall and Devon; 176 in N'9
Wales; 41 in Ireland; 16 in Glamorgan and ne.,...11;
homing counties ; and eight in the Nnriii.eaaLlgy-,e
castrian district. The north-east of England 18'
markably free from the employment of women, onlg,
five being returned as employed in the whole of tll‘s'
part of the country.
,ket
MEASURING DISTANCE INSTRUMENT.—A new pO.
instrument, by which travellers and explorers are ec't
abled to measure the distance of an inaccessible
of known size, even in motion, or inversely of gangu;
an inaccessible object, the distance to which can, it,
ascertained, has lately been invented by Dr. Lana°4
assistant director of the ophthalmic department of t.t,
Sorbonne, Paris. The instrument consists of a
about three inches in diameter, provided with j
handle, that may be unscrewed, for holding it by, _or
a small telescope, while a circular vernier scale r t
mite of the reading being taken with the utnic.'s,
exactitude. In principle'the instrument resembles t.D:
heliometer, .the mensuration being obtained
doubling the image of the object; but the ire3r,,
whereby this doubling is effected are simpler than n
the heliometer, and more easily applied to praxtirfs
purposes. As an instance of its application, the heigiel,
attained by a glass ball projected from a machine,
serve as a mark for rifle-shooting, may be ascertaill
by means of this little instrument ; while the diamett
of a lightning conductor or the top of a chilre.
..„'
steeple may be guaged correctly to within 3 11'
dredth part of a millimetre.

BUYING FOR THE RlSE.—lnvesting in an AlPely
Stock.—Punch.
ITALIAN TITLES.—TO cover the deficiency_ cl cause
P
the removal of the grist tax, the Italian arliaroet4P
has sanctioned a number of small imposts proposed."7o
the Government. Among them is one on prove,
to a title of nobility. For the future a person Will 13"'
30,000 lire (4200) on being created an Italian Pri,„nc,e;
and 25,000 lire (21,000) on being made a duke. 4
charge for a marquisate is 20,000 lire; for the title _yo
" Conte " 15,000 lire; of baron or viscount. 10,01
lire. Any other noble title will cost 5,000 lire. Shall
the person ennobled desire that the title shall 1:1°
descend to any successors, a discount of two-fifths
the regular tariff will be allowed. For a grant 0
arms, &c., 700 lire will be charged.

ANTIQUITY or BICYCLING.—The Members oftle
Bicycle Club always date their letters "8.C."
will astonish future Antiquarians.—Punch.
THE LARGEST TREE IN THE WORLD.—The 371,
York Herald, referring to a section of a tree brong!,
from California, and exhibited in New York, says
"This wonderful specimen of nature's handiwork 'ivr,
discovered in 1874. It was growing in a grove 11""
Tule River, Tulare county, California, about seventc
five miles from Visalia. Its top has been broken
probably at some remote period, and when discovere'
it was still 240 ft. high. The body of the tree where,_
it was broken was 12ft. in diameter, and had tit,"
limbs measuring, respectively, 9ft. and 10ft__.
diameter. The trunk measured below 111 ft. 'Oil,
ancient monaich of the forest is called 'Old Moses,A
after a mountain near which it stood. It is suppose'
to be 4,840 years old, and it is the largest tree that /11
ever been discovered. The section on exhibition ,e
75f t. in circumference, and 25ft. across. It is capall
of holding 150 people in its interior. The interior, ""
it is now fitted up, is arranged like a drawing.roonl'
A carpet has been laid down; there is a piano, soft"
tables, and chairs, with scenes from California hila
around, and people move about quite freely."
NATURAL RELIGION.—Bishop (reproving delinquel3,
Page): "Wretched boy! Mho is it that sees and he
all we do, and before whom even I am but as a crushe
worm?" Page: "The missus, my Lord!
HIGHWAYS IN SUSSEX.—A case of more than rrie
local interest was decided at the Horsham Session°
on Saturday. For many years the roads in the CoW"
fold district have suffered from the extra vehicill°f„
traffic conveying building materials to the Carthush'
Monastery in course of erection at Parkminster,
Sussex. For the restoration of the roads, the IVO:
ways Surveyor of Cowfold desired to obtain inateris';
from the private grounds of several well-known `;
influential landed proprietors in the parish.
Rev. John Goring, rector of Wiston, and Mr.
Ramsden, of Woolringfold-house., appeared before th:
magistrates to resent the proposed intrusion. or
local surveyor asked for a compulsory order, undee
the Highways Acts, to allow stone to be dug on tbe
private grounds of the above-named gentlemen. Thr
magistrates granted the compulsory powers asked Nt
by the highways authorities, and Mr. Ra,msclen
once gave notice that he should take the case bef°'"
the Queen's Bench Division.
A TRUSTY ANlMAL.—Hostess : "Na, na, Tam, °an°
mair whuskey the day. Ye've hed 's muckle 's )7°'
be trusted to cairry."—Tam: "lout awa' wi
wumman ! It's no me 'at 'll cairry it. The pown9
cairry me an' the whuskey tae I "—Fun.
MOVEMENTS IN GOLD AND SILVER.—It apPe3rs
from the reports of the Commissioners of Custolll
just issued that the total value of the regi.steite
imports of gold and silver coin and bullion in
year 1879 was £24,155,538, against £32,422,955
1878, being a decrease of no less than £8,267,4'i;
The total value of the quantities entered at
Custom House for exportation was £28,584,8,5,
in the year 1879, against £26,686,546 in 18' s
being an increase of £1,898,366. The figiltdee,
show that the importation of gold has t,e
creased by seven and a half millions, whilst PP,
importation of silver has decreased in the same tline,
by less than one million. With regard to the expert;„
thera is an increase of over two and a half millions m;
gold, but there is a decrease of less than thred
quarters of a million in silver. On a comparlsol,l
the imports with the exports for the year 1879, tde
seen that, taking the bullion and specie of both
together, the imports are less than the exports 1i
nearly nearly four and a half millions; this is almost entirTi
due to gold, there being but a slight difference
value between the imports and exports of silver.