The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-10-08 00:00:00

EPITOME OF NEWS.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

There is a rumour that the Electric Exhibition,
which is attracting so much attention at Paris, is to be
brought over to the Crystal Palace, when its doors are closed
in the French capital.

Mouse jewellery is fashionable. The little animal
is wrought in silver and fastened in the folds of lace or silk
ties. It's also popular for cuffs, made of bronze, jet, pearl,
or light metal.—Court Journal.

Slender waists and general slimness are going out of
fashion in France, and Parisian belles are trying to get stout.
In recognition of his meritorious service as Com-
mandant of Pretoria in its defence against the Boers, Lieut.-
Colonel James Gildea, 2nd Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers,
has been selected for appointment as Aide de Camp to the
Queen with the rank of Colonel in the Army.

British sparrows have become such plagues in South
Australia that the colonists propose to place poisoned water
about to further their extermination. The remedy seems a
rather dangerous one.

The report of the intended meeting between the
Russian and Austrian Emperors is confirmed by the Vienna
Presse. The czar will go to Warsaw, and will be met there
by the Emperor of Austria.

Lieutenant Schwatka, of the United States army,
has received the thanks of her Majesty's Government for
placing at its disposal the Franklin relics, discovered by
Lieutenant Schwatka's Polar search Expedition.

Blackberries, tomatoes, red and yellow, greengages,
dark red plums, hazel nuts, elderberries, Scottish thistles,
acorns, caterpillars made of silk chenile, and birds' nests
filled with tiny eggs, appear upon French bonnets for the
autumn.—Court Journal.
Reports from the chief pheasant coverts in England
announce that the Ist of October opened auspiciously for
sportsmen, pheasants being not only unusually plentiful and
In good condition, but the weather being remarkably tine.

It has been decided, on the rec,mamendation of
General Sir F. Roberts, to grant the bronze star, com-
memorating the march of General Roberts's force from
Cabul to Candahar in August, 1880, to the troops which
formed the garrison of Khelat-i-Ghilzai, and accompanied
General Roberts from that place to Candahar.
A United States Treasury retuin shows that the
August exports of merchandise amount to 67,497,140 dols.,
and imports 61,693,016 dole. The exports for the year end-
ing with August have been 891,695,274 dole., imports
643,163,661 dole., showing a decrease in the value of imports
compared with the preceding year of 53,990,854 dole., and an
Increase in the exports of 30,461,215 dols.
"Mrs. Ramsbotham says her nephew John is quite
a tooteetaller now, and drinks nothing but 'overrated
waters."—Punch.

Last week's receipts of cotton at all United States
ports have been 132,900 bales, and since Ist September, 1881,
452,000 bales. Exports to Great Britain, 54,000 bales, and to
the Continent and Channel, 24,090 bales; total since Ist
September, 1881, 223,000 bales. Stock at all ports, 383,000
bales.
A New York telegram says that the visible supply
~f wheat on September 30 vim 19,700,000 bushels; ditto, In-
dian cc.rii, 25,900,000 bushels. Export clearances of wheat
for Europe during the past week, 1,800,000 bushels ; export
clearatices of Indian corn for Europe daring the past week,
830,000 blunt's.

,
Two thousand acres of land are now under coffee
cultivation in the Figi Islands. Angora goats have been so
successfully bred that their mohair is now amongst the im-
portant exports of these Islands.
According to the Revenue Returns which were
published on the 30th of September, the national receipts
for the year ending September 30 amounted to £85,302,283, a
net increase of £2,935,000. The income for the quarter was
£18,134!527, a net Increase of .£1,121,055 upon the correspond-
ing period of 1880.

The City of Rome, the new vessel of the Inman
Company, and the largest vessel in the world except the
Great Ea,tern, reached Liverpool on Friday morning in last
week. Bhe will start on her first voyage on the 13th
Instant.

A medal is being struck in silver and bronze at the
Paris Mint, in commemoration of the accomplishment of the
St. Gothard Tunnel. On one side of the, arms of the three
countries which took part in this great enterprise, with the
Inscription, " Viribus unitis." On the other is the inscrip-
tion in i;erman and Italian, " To the Constructors of the
St. Gothard Tunnel." A copy of this medal will be pre-
sented to all who have taken part in the work. from the
chief engineer to the humblest workman.

The latest "sea serpent "story comes from Northern
Michigan. A man up there saw one a quarter of a mile long
gliding over the ground, emitting clouds of smoke from its
nostrils. He felt like licking the man that convinced him it
was nothing but a distant freight train.

There were 28 British and foreign wrecks, of which
14 were British, five being steamers, reported during the
past week, making a total of 1,211 for the present year, or
an increase of 281 as compared with the corresponding
period of last year. The approximate value of property lost
was £5,000,000, including British £4,000,000.
One of the results of the tragic death of President
Garfield promises to be the revival of an idea which was
prevalent two or three years ago,llPut has since dropped very
much out of sight—the erection of a distinctively American
church in London. In aris an American church has existed
for many years.
A Temperance Colonisation Society has been started
at Toronto, Canada, with the object of colonising a tract of
land of about 2,000,0 0 acres in the north-west territory of
the Dominion, with the proviso that no intoxicating liquors
shall be introduced into the settlement.
The system of subterranean telegraphs begun at
Berlin four years ago has just been completed at a cost of
30,200.000 marks, It unites 221 towns and cities and extends
from Koenigsberg to Strasburg, from Breslau to Emden, and
from Thorn to Aix-le-Chapelle. The total length of wires or
cables is 5,403,950 kilometres. Seventy lines pass under the
beds of rivers.
A curious case of involuntary annexation has
occurred in Prussia. The River Prostia, which forms a
natural boundary line for some distance between Silesia and
Poland, has suddenly deserted its old bed, and taken a new
course, thereby transferring a considerable tract of Russian
territory to the Ptussian side of the frontier. A Russian
official has accordingly been sent to the spot to report on the
occurrence.
The silver wedding of the Grand Duke and Duchess
of Baden brought the Ducal pair one specially appropriate
present from their relations. It is a large pine tree, of the
kind met with everywhere on the mountains of the Duchy,
made of solid silver—trunk, branches, and cones. This
copy of the evergreen pine-tree covering the heights of the
Black Forest is intended not only to remind the recipients
of their home, and to symbolise their truly German family
life, but to commemorate the traditions of the House of
Baden, in which the pine plays a prominent part.

. . -
Speaking at the openinq of a new Board school at
Bradford Lord Spencer said his object in visiting Bradford
was to obtain information as to the way the work of popular
education was carried on. lie had heard a good deal :bout
the expense to which the school boards had gone in erecting
schools, and while the Education Department felt it their
duty to see that no extravagance was practised, for his own
part he thought it was mott important that school should be
made salubrious and cheerful, cud places to which children
would like to go.

An earthquake has occurred at Changeri, in Ana-
tolia, which caused the death of eleven persons and great
injury to the Grand Mosque and numerous dwelling-houses.
The amount of damage done in the neighbouring villages is
not known.

One thousand tons of compound armour-plates have
been ordered in'Sheffield for a Brazilian ironclad. The vessel
is being built by Messrs. Samuel Brothers. This is the largest
order which has been received in Sheffield for some time.

The Paris Electrical Exhibition is to be kept open
until Docember Ist.

It is a striking fact that out of the £1,285,000,
reircsenting the entire increase in the amount derived front
pacsenger traffic on our railways last year, as compared with
19, nearly one million has been from third-class traffic
(says the Daily News). It appears that in ten years the
third-class traffic has nearly doubled, having risen during
that period from £7,473,00) to £14,30,000. Meanwhile the
receipts from first-class traffic have remained almost exactly
stationary, while the receipts from second-class have actwilly
become alma £1,400,000 less.

• -
Admiral William Baillie-Hamilton, who died on
the Ist inst., was Perminent Secretary to the Admiralty for
many yt are. Last year he received a copy of the " Life of
the Prince Consort," "in memory of former happy days.''
He was son of the late Archdeacen
(cousin of the tenth Earl of Haddington) by his niarriage
with Lady Charl-tte Home, daughter of the ninth Esrl of
Home. The Adiuiral died at thc Isle of Sky- of congestion
of tee lima, having got wit while grouse shooting„— OW-
tuary of The Times. _ - .

-
The Congregational Union ef England and Wales
assembled on Tuesday at Manchester, the .R.v. D. Alion
presiding. Re read an address, 'alai/11y dealing with the
Church of the future. The Rev. Dr. Stoughton delivered an
address on Congregationalism fifty years ago. A resolution
expressing gratification at the revision of the New Testament
was adopted. The annual Union sermon was preached by
the Rev. Baldwin Brown, and there was a Welsh meeting in
the evening.
Bunnell's Museum in New York is at present the
proud possessor of the largest turtle ever yet offered to
public inspection in the enjoyment of health, high spirits,
and an astounding appetite. The huge animal was captured
a few weeks ago by Captain Hines, of theAteamerHumphrq,
seven feet long, forty-three inches broad, tithe feet higli,
and weighs within a few pounds of a ton. Its mighty paws,
eorftoLboerpnree,selihaot
while lazily sunning itself on the sandy sea shore. It nt,
or tins, measure nearly four feet in length. The giant turtle
endures captivity with singular complacency, only displaying
fl, ,pertain degree of ponderous excitement when its daily
meals of water-rnelon skins and live fish are served out to it.
Bunnell's secured it, within a few hours of its arrival in New
York, at the extraordinary low figure of sixty pounds. and it
has been drawing crowded houses ever since.
trprobatily return
will
lVane uivnedaetreltvai tnr,d, i
ptelgi
,a that
atnhient.:ebnxiati,,iaalitttrnnquebacdi*asfew
dap,
has
signi.
fied his intention of paying a short visit to this country on
completion of his tour in the Canadian North-West. The
Princess Louise, who had arranged to leave for Canada in
the Allan Royal mail steamer Parihan on the 20th Just ,
withv:l l consequentlythe
Marquis
Ja.nu a r
5i n
the opening of the Dominion Parliament —Standard. '

Silk rifles have been invented by an ingenious
Japanese at Tokio. They are said to be as rigid as iron
weapons, while they are easy to carry, and have a very long
range.
The Princess Louise has sent a large quantity of
grapes for the use of the children in the Victoria Hospital for
Clii:dren, Chelsea, of which she is patroness. _

•
The latest proposal for the erection of a statue
comes from Aquila, the ancient Arniternum. A committee
has been formed to raise a statue to Sallust, the author of
" The Conspiracy of Catiline," who died about thirty years
before the Christian era.

The squadron under the command of Lord Clan-
winiam, having in company the Bacchante, with the sons of
the Prince of Wales, is due at I.',.kohama on the 25th inst.
During their stay in Sydney the Royal princes paid a visit to
the grave of Captain Goodenough ; and planted a couple of
trees near the spot where Captain Cook first landed in
-Australia.

The King of the Belgians' prize of 25,000 francs
will be granted in 1885 to the best work, to be published
within four years, on the means to be employed, and the
measures to be taken for popularizing the study of geography
and promoting the teaching of it in schools of all kinds.
-.The cattle-bells in the Hartz Mountains are made so
as to harmonize with one another in sound.

A new religious sect calling themselves the " Over-
comers" has made its appearance in Chicago.
_

- -
It is said that the mortality of New York will be
higher this year than in any year since 1872. During the
nine months there have been 4,717 more deaths than in the
same period of last year. The jiot weather in September
was the chief cause.
A meeting of the Metropolitan District Asylums
Board was held on Saturday, at which the reports presented
In reference to the smallpox epidemic were of a satish,ctory
character, showing a decrease in the number of cases as ctja-
pared with the returns of the previous month.
Severe tornadoes are reported from various places
in the Western States, causing the death of several persons
and much damage to property.
The Zoological Garden at Moscow is said to be in
possession of an unique specimen of animal life, namely,
a horse without hair. It was sent from Turkestan by
General Kaufmann. The colour of the horses skin is red,
his points are said to be admirable. He is, however, very
sensitive to the cold, and has to be kept warm by thick
woollen cloths.

The other night a boy fell off the jetty extension at
Margate while fishing, and was on the point of drowning,
when Mr. Robert Dixon, a solicitor, of Lancaster-house,
Savoy, London, gallantly went to his assistance and saved
him. Mr. Dixon was so much exhausted that he had to be
lifted into a boat sent out to rescue him.

Whatever exception may be taken to the financial
views advanced by The Times in its leading article on
Saturday on the revenue (says the Globe), nothing can be
said against the admirable moral with which it concludes :
"If tho mass of mankind had only a larger share of the
virtue of moderation, there would be less grumbling than
there is in times of depression, and the depression itself
would also be much less severe."

The Japanese. who till lately were accustomed to
give orders to English shipbuilders for their vessels of uzr,
appear now to have definitively adopted the system of built.
ing them at home.

The Spanish papers state that the discovery has been
made in the Colonial Office at Madlid of a small picture in
oils of Columbus, in a perfect state of preservation. It re-
presents him at about forty years of age, with thick dark
hair and a hooked nose. It bears the inscription, "Columbus
Lygur, non i orbis repertor ;" and it is conjectured to be a
contemporary portrait.
- - -

- - -
On Tuesday afternoon a mass meeting of farmers
was held in Alford, and was attended by some five hundred
persons. Resolutions were unanimously passed denouncing
protection, calling for free trade in land, and for fixity of
tenure and payment for imexhausted improvements.
-

- -
A large number of delegates Of the Associated
Chambers of Commerce met on Tuesday at Plymouth, and
under the presidency of Mr. Monk, M.P., considered an ex-
tensive programme. A resoltition submitted by the Bir-
mingham Chamber, favouring the development of colonial
trade, was passed with a rider insisting that absolute Free
Trade should be the basis of all commercial intercourse. A
resolution was cordially and unanimously passed declaring
that the powers of the Railway Commissioners ought to be
continued and extended, and that Chambers of Commerce
ought to have a locus standi before the Commissioners.

The receipts of the United States Treasury for the
month of September are estimated at 33,000,000
.of dollars,
and the reduction of the Deb Iduring the same period is
expected to reach 13,000,000. The receipts for the quarter
ending Sept. 30 are 107,000,000 dols., as compared with
98,000,000 last year. The reduction of the Dent during the
quarter amounts to 37,000,000 dols.
The helmet, flag, and other insignia belonging to the
late Lord Beconsfield, as a Knight of the Garter, having been
removed from St. George's chapel, Windsor, and sent by
special order of the Queen, to Htighenden has just been
hung up in Hughenden Church under the direction of Sir
Albert William Woods, Garter King-of-Arms.
It is understood that Mr. Gladstone has i.c.z.epted
the compliment offered to him on the part of the Corpodtkm?
of London, who desired to present to him, in a suitable gork
box, an address expressing the estimation in which he is held
by the citizens, and their appreciation of his high character,
rare genius, and varied gifts, which have been so long
devoted to the service of his country::and who requested
him also to sit for a marble bust to be placed in the
Guildhall. The ceremony is likely to take place some time
this mouth.

There nas been a great Church of England temper-
ance demonstration in Reading. On Sunday sermons were
preached in all the churches on behalf of the diocesan society.
On Moniay a public breakfast was held at the Town-hall,
under the presidency of the Mayor. In the afternoon there
was a public conference, at which several county gentlemen
were present. A densely crowded meeting was held in the
Town-hall in the evening, the Archdeacon of /sena in the
chair. Mr. George Palmer, M.P., was among the speakers.
The report showed that there were no fewer than 160
branches of the society in Berks and Oxon with nearly 15,000
members.

Mee3re. Blackwood have reprinted from their maga-
zine a narrative by Colonel W. E. Montague, entitled,
" Besieged in the Transvaal," and in a "Publishers Note"
they state that since the narrative appeared in Blackwood,
they have received a letter from Colonel Montague, dated
Maritzburg, from which the following is an extract :—" Be-
sieged in the Transvaal' was written in a tent full of bullet-
holes, on ground actually strewed with lead, and on which a
week previous it would have been certain death to take a
stroll. My table was a brandy case, and my seat a soldier's
blanket rolled up and put on the ground—so it was indeed a
soldier's paper from Ite birth"--Daily News.

- -
The Crown Prince and Princess of Sweden made
their state entry into Stockholm last Saturday, amid great
public rejoicing and demonstration. Their way across the
Maelar Lake on board the royal yacht lay through forty gaily
decked steamers, laden with sightseers. The streets were
profusely decorated with bunting, evergreens, and triumphal
arches; and at the Castle the newly wedded pair were
received in great ceremony by the King and Queen. A
reception and banquet followed, and at night the city was
brilliantly illuminated. The train which conveyed the
Prince and Princess from Gothenburg to the Castle of
Drottingholm is described as having at night resembled a
meteor, an electric light having been affixed to the last
carriage, which illuminated the country round.

There were 2,518 births and 1,217 deaths registered
in Lonuon last week. Allowing for increase of population,
the births exceeded by 27, whereas the deaths were 176
below the average numbers in the corresponding weeks of
the last ten years. The annual death.rate from all causes,
which had been equal to 151, and 174 per 1,000 in the two
preceding weeks, declined again last week to 1611 The
deaths included 15 from small-pox, 17 from measles, 55 from
scarlet fever, 12 from diphtheria, 27 from whooping cough, 4
from typhus fever, and 48 from enteric fever.

Although the same number of steamers arrived at
Liverpool last week conveying live cattle from the United
States and Canada as on the preceding week, the supply
showed a very large decrease. Of skeep the arrival was
larger, and with regard to fresh meat there was also a slight
decrease. The totals were-921 cattle, 2,686 sheep, 5,034
quarters of beef, and 639 carcases of mutton.

Great preparations are being made in Zurich for
the approaching national exhibition. The Grand Council of
the Canton granted, at its last sitting, the sum of 80,000
francs to the committee of organisation. The commune of
Ange has appointed a site for the building to be erected,
which is to cover 51,500 metres superficial. This site is close
to the railway station at Zurich, and commancLs a splendid
view of the lake.

Mr. G. Collier, Deputy-Coroner for East Middle-
sex, held an inquiry at the London Hospital touching the
death of Alfred Harris, aged 18, a cabinet-maker,who died on
Thursday in last week under very peculiar circumstances.
The evidence showed that the deceased on Thursday night
was apparently in his usual good health, and about eleven
o'clock the same night was observed by a Police-constable
crossing Dove-row. When the deceased reached the middle
of the road, he threw up his arms, and screamed out, "Oh 1
-my half-crown," and tell insensible to the ground. The
constable immediately picked the deceased up, and placed
him by the side of the pavement, while he went and fetched
a doctor. On the arrival of the medical man he ordered the
deceased to be taken to the London Hospital, but he died
before they got there. Mr. C. E. Jennings, house physician
at the hospital, made a post-mortem examination of the body,
and found that the stomach contained sufficient carbolic
acid to destroy life, and that, undoubtedly, was the cause Of
death. The jury returned a verdict in accordance with
the medical evidence, adding that there was no evidence
to show how the poison got into the stomach of the de-
ceased. •