The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-04-10 00:00:00

EPITOME OF NEWS.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

As a consequence of using bad ink, it is related that
the signatures to the original copy of the Declaration of In-
dependence have faded so that they are scarcely visible.
A Government experimental farm is to be started at
Mysore. A graduate of the Royal Agricultural College at
Cirencester is shortly expected as superintendent.

It is said that the christening robe of General
Sickles's baby, baptised in Paris recently, cost 3,000 dols.
(gold).
The number of cigars manufactured in the island of
Key, West Florida, during the year 1874 amounted to 21,144,075.
This branch of trade was only established in the island about
five years ago.
A fire occurred in London on Tuesday morning, at
a house in Bethnal-green, when two children, aged eight
and ten years respectively, were burned to death.
-

A potato exhibition is to be held in or near London
next autumn.
The Berlin Post says that among the Jesuits expelled
from Germany, 84 have gone to establish themselves in Asia,
2 in Africa, 82 in North America, 66 in South America, and
24 in Galicia and Holland.
-•

The Emperor of Russia is expected to visit Berlin
on the 10th of May, and, after remaining for three days, in
that city to proceed to Ems, where he will be met by the
Duke of Edinburgh.
- - - - -

M. Thiers is busy on a History of Art, in which he
Illustrates his pet theory that the history of a people can be
read by their works of art. The old statesman is also writing
his memoir.
The Emperor of Germany was informed on his birth-
day by the chiefs of the factories of small arms that the
quantity of Mauser guns air...ay i..u.mcient tor
arm...cub of me whole of the German army.

Addressing his constituents at York, Mr. Lowther,
3L P., Under Secretary for the Colonies, said the present Go-
vernment were thoroughly of a mind that under no circum-
stances would they countenance the dismemberment of the
Empire.

In consequence of it having been found necessary to
give the younger children of the German Crown Prince a
change of climate, his Imperial Highness and the Crown
Princess will shortly leave Berlin for Italy, where they will
perhaps remain until the visit of the Emperor.

- -
Monday's Magnet says the position of agricultural
affairs both here and on the Continent remains favourable.
The warm *weather has stimulated the growth of the wheat
plant, and satisfactory progress is foreshadowed. The sowing
of barley and oats has been rapidly proceeded with.

A valuable two-day chronometer with auxiliary com-
pensation to the balance, has been presented to Captain
H. W. Jahnke, by the owners of the Cospatrick, bearing the
following inscription on a handsomely engraved plate :
"Presented to Captain W. H. Jahnke, of the ship British
Sceptre, of Liverpool, by the owners of the ship Cospatrick,
burnt at sea 17th of November, 1874, in testimony of his
kindness and humanity to the only survivors of that calamity,
rescued by him and landed at St: Helena." The chrono.
meter was made by Mr. W. B, Crisp, of Clerkenwell.

The adies of the National Health Society, besides
by lectures promoting a knowledge of the laws of health and
training lecturers to the work of sanitary missionaries, are
about to visit each parish in the metropolis, and draw around
them the women of the district, for the purpose of visiting
and reporting on the plague sp.,ts of London. Following
the example of the women of America with regard to the
whisky war, the ladies of this society have decided to com-
mence a war against preventible sanitary abuses.
Information has been received of the death of the
Rev. Charles New, missionary of the Methodist Free Church
in East Africa. Mr. New went out some years ago to
establish a mission station in a portion of EAst Africa ex-
plored by Dr. Livingstone and Mr. Stanley, and several
letters from that region have been received by the Geo-
graphical Society, of which he was a corresponding member.
His death took place on the 14th of February, while he was
on his way to the Zanzibar coast.

The revenue returns and total expenditure for the
twelve months ending the 31st of March, 1875, have been
published. As already known, the total receipts are £496,873
above the estimate. The total expenditure is £74,32.8,040.
The Budget estimate was £74,964,C00 ; thus the actual ex-
penditure falls short of the estimate by £635,950. Adding to
this the excess in receipts of £496,873, as above, there is a
realised surplus on the financial year of £1,132,833. The
balances on the list of March in the Banks of England and
Ireland were £,626,532.

Colonel Yolland has issued his report upon the Ship-
ton railway disaster of the 24th December last. He believes
that if the train had been fitted throughout with continuous
brakes there is no reason why it should not have been brought
up without any casualty. The accident may be attributed
principally to the well meant, though grievously mistaken,
action of the two engine-drivers in having put on the tender
brakes and reversed their engines, instead of merely shutting
off the steam. Colonel Yolland also reports that the train
was not properly made up when it left Oxford, was not sup-
plied with a sufficient quatitity of brake power, and that the
want of an efficient means of communication between the
passengers and servants of the company contributed to the
magnitude of the disaster, and possibly permitted it to
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