The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-11-23 00:00:00

ICE-BOUND MARINERS.

A Christiania correspondent writes to The 7imes:—
"About the beginning of November the Norwegian
Central Government at Christiania was informed by
telegrams from its officials on the north-west coast that
a number of those small craft which annually sail from
the neighbourhood f Tromso, Hammerfest, &c., had
not returned, and that there exited good grounds for
believing that the crews, numbering about 100 men, were
on S pitzbergen, which they were prevented leaving by ice.
As there is, perhaps, no country which contains so many
men acquainted with those inhospitable northern region;
as Norway, it was at once presumed, it is to be feared but
too correctly, that there existed no chance, except out-
ward help, by which these poor castaway mariners could
get away from such dreary winter quarters, and that
if no help could reach them there would be but a
poor chance for any of the crews to outlive the
winter, unprovided as they were with suitable
clothing, food, and other necessaries. To the great
praise of the Norwegian Government be it therefore
said, the most energetic steps were at once taken,
a naval officer was immediately sent out to the
harbour of Tonsberg, where there is laid up in
the usual winter quarters the fleet of merchant
sealers and the seal steamer Albert was selected
as being the most saitable ship with which to
make the attempt to reach Spitzbergen. The Govern-
ment consequently chartered the Albert, and by great
exertions socceecled in properly manning and fitting her
out in the shortest possible time. The Albert is a very
strong steamer, built about five years ago in Bremen,
she measures 700 tons, is sheathed with hardwood, and
steams about nine knots. She is fitted out with the
necessary clothing and food, carries heavy signal guns
and rockets, and has two wooden houses with her,
which it is inten led to erect on shore at Spitzbergen
at the most likely place for any stragglers to find them.
The ship is commanded by Captain L. Hansen, but
the expedition is under the leadership of Captain G.
Otto, the former of the merchant navy, the latter a
Royal officer, but both men of great experience in the
Arctic Seas."

CUTTINGS FROM AMERICAN PAPERS.
In San Francisco hangs the sign of a Chinese wash-
erman , , which reads thus Washing and Ironing, by We
Shing.''
A Milwaukie paper has this delicate personal item :
" Those who know nice old Mr. Wilson, of this place,
personally, will regret to hear that he was assaulted In a ,
brutal manner last week, but was not killed."
Josh Billings says that " trieing tew define love is
like Easing tew tell how yu bum to brake thru the ice ; all
you kno about It is, yu tell in and got' ducked." No,"
says his critic, "you ungallant old Josh, you get • duck."
"An immense affair, with flags and transparencies,
torch lights, drums, brass bands, glee clubs, cheers, yells,
, and eloquence," is the description of a political meeting in a
western paper,
The Green Bay (Mc.) post-office officials don't like
to answer questiona The following, posted over the general
delivery, expresses sentiments:—" Price of three-cent
stamps, three coats each; licked and stuck, five cents each;
the clock will answer the question—' Ilea the mail closed LV'
A New York paper informs its readers that one of
the novelties of the day is a cut glass decanter with a musical
box in the bottom of it, Ingeniously cased in opaque glass.
The movement made to pour out wine Malts the music, and
selections from the best operas are exquisitely played.
A Missourian, who stole a kiss from a pretty girl,
was fined by a magistrate, horse-whipped by her brother, and
hurried into the brain fever by his wife. The clergyman also
alluded to the affair in a sermon, the local editor took
sides with the clergyman and reviewed the case in print,
and the potato bug ate up every blade of the malefactor's
wheat.
BABY WEIGHTS.—At Independence, Kansas, U.S.,America, on the 12th WO, Mrs. John Miller, late of Gls
gow, Scotland, a twelve-pound daughter.
AMERICAN MiltioE• JOKES—This is how a para-
graph in a Western paper records a suicide.—" lie blew his
head off. 13111005, poor, and disheartened. The gun muzzle
In his mouth, his toe on the trigger, and upigoes his hair."
NEVER THERE. A veteran observer says—"l
never place reliance en a man who is telling what he would
have done had he been there. I have noticed that somehow
this kind of people never get there."
GOLDEN HAIR BEAUTIES.—The New York Mail
complains that the abominable practice of artificial beauti-
tying has become very prevalent among the young ladies of
that city, numbersof whom die their hair golden, fresco their
face, and precise other toilet deceptions.
THE PIANO NOT HER FORTE.—The following
advertisement recently appeared in a New York paper
"Tried to learn but gave it up. Will sell piano, stool,
cover, and hymn-book for 150 dollars. A few dollars cash,
Address ' Old Bach,' Herald Office."
LEGAL QUESTION.—A jury VIM brought into court,
in order that one of their number might be Instructed upon
' the following point of law If I believe that the evidence
i was one way, andthe other eleven believe different, does that
justify any other juryman in knocking me down with a
chair ? " The Judge answered in general terms.