The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-07-03 00:00:00

EPITOME OF NEWS.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

Germany has decided that the establishment of tri-
bunals of oommerce in places where they are necessary in
the interest of trade is not contrary to the laws of the Zm-
pire.

Between the let of April and the 26th inst. the Ex-
chequer receipts were £17,523,727, an increase of rather more
than £300,000 over the return of the corresponding period of
last year. The expenditure has been £16,768,590.

- -
The current number of the Zoologist contains an
interesting account of the capture of an enormous cuttle fish
off Boffin Island, on the Coast of Galway. According to
Sergeant O'Connor, each of the arms measures eight feet in
length, and the eyes are li inches in diameter.

Her Majesty held a Council at Windsor Castle on
Monday afternoon. There were present Mr. Disraeli, Lord
Derby, and the Duke of Richmond. Mr. Charles Lennox
Peel was Clerk of the Council. The French Ambassador
attended to present his credentials. Mr. Lumley was also
present.
The total number of paid admissions to the exhi-
bition of fine arts at the Palace of Industry this year was
139,070, at if. each, against 152.189 in 1874. The free
entries were 371,361. The number of carriages which
brought visitors was 44,965, and 51,500 catalogues were sold.
The Pandora left Portsmouth at four o'clock on
Saturday afternoon on her unofficial voyage of Arctic dis-
covery. She is provisioned for eighteen months, but many
of her men, including the redoubtable Esquimaux Joe, ex-
pect to be back within twelve months at the outside.
According to the °ravine (California) Mercury,
several deaths have been caused in that State recently by
by the adoption of green flannel for lining the gum boots
worn by gravel miners ; the dye of the flannel has been found
to be arsenicated,

On Saturday morning the Queen of the Netherland
paid a visit to the Royal Academy. Her Majesty was enter
tamed at luncheon by the Archbishop of Canterbury, and
the evening dined with the Prince and Princess of Wales, who
in the course of the day, were present at a polo match at
Huth ngham.

The most terrible thing yet discovered as to the
effect of tobacco on the human system is, that it makes the
blood corpuscles oval and irregular at the edge. Think of a
man's blood corpuscles hanging on the ragged edges, or tear-
ing their way through the veins and arteries like a million
saw mills.—Court Journal.

An International Grain and Seed Fair will be held
in Vienna on the 23rd and 24th of jugust, in connection
with a special exhibition of machinery for the use of millers,
brewers, bakers, and distillers, and an international dis-
play of this year's corn in the rotunda of the exhibition
building.
A murderer in Georgia, was recently condemned to
death. When he was taken to prison after the sentence, his
hair was perfectly black. The next morning the keeper of
the prison observed that part of his hair, that on the crown
of his head, was changed to a snowy white—the effect of one
night's agony. -
-

- -
The Khedive opened the new International Court
of Appeal at Alexandria on Monday. Addressing the
assembled judges, his Highness expressed his conviction
that the day would be marked in Egyptian history as the
commencement of a new era of civilisation, and that the
success of the work to be accomplished was assured.

Mr. Sclater-Booth, M.P., presented on Saturday
the prizes which had been awarded for good conduct and
general proficiency to boys of the Goliath. During the year
259 boys were admitted, and of the 243 who had left, 122 had
been sent to sea, and 61 to the army as musicians. There are
now on board 468. The report gave general satisfaction to
the numerous company present at the interesting cere-
mony on Saturday.

On Tuesday the International rifle contest took place
at the North Bull Ranges, Dublin, in the presence of an im-
mtnse number of spectators. At the 801 yards range the
Irish team made 338 points, and the American 337; but at
the 900 yards range America scored 327 against Ireland's 292,
thus giving the former a majority of 35 points. The total
majority of the Americanevat the three ranges was 38.
- -

Since his arrival in Canada from England in
October last Major-General Selby Smyth, Inspector• General
of Militia for the Dominion of Canada, has travelled through
the whole of his vast command, obtaining information by
personal inspection and inquiry. The gallant General suc-
cessfully contended with a severe winter, and has made a
favourable impression on every side.
Mr. T. B. Potter, M. P., presided over the annual
meeting of the Cobden Club, which was held in London, on
Saturday. The hon. gentleman, in moving the adoption of
the report, mentioned that IL Chevalier would speak at the
club dinner in English, and that Herr Vanderport, the late
Colonial Minister of Holland, and Herr von Kabee, a well-
known Austrian free trader, with Sir George Bowen, would be
present. A letter of acknowledgment was read from M.
Gambetta, who had been elected a honorary member of the
club.