The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-08-21 00:00:00

A MISSING CREW DISCOVERED.

Recent revelations have, says a Chicago paper of
the 24th ult. excited an intense and growing interest
in the fate Of the fifteen or twenty men who, more
than a quarter of a century ago, chartered the schooner
Florinda, and set sail for California. For twenty six
years the families of the adventurers have mourned
them as lost. The last news of the Florinda was re-
ceived late in the year 1849, from Rio Janeiro. She had
put in at that port sometime previous, and then pro-
ceeded on her way, leaking badly, it was said. A vessel
touching at Rio Janeiro shortly afterwards reported
having spoken the Florinda in the Pacific, just beyond
Cape Horn. From that time forward nothing more
was ever heard of the Florinda, and it became an
accepted theory that she hal been cast away some-
where on the Southern Pacific Coast. No tidings
reached the families of the illfated men, and
twenty six years slipped by without anything
occurring to disturb the melancholy conviction which
had sealed the record of their lives. At first, of
course, there were doubts and fears and expectations,
more or less reluctantly resigned for certainty
but to this conclusion all eventually came and
the loss of the schooner with all on board has fully a
quarter of a century been regarded as a fact, about
which there could be no sort of question. Within the
past few days, however, the startling statement has
transpired that Harmon Jones and his fellow voyagers
were not lost, but are now alive on some nameless and
undiscovered island in the lower Pacific. About a
month ago a friend to Mrs. Harmon Jones read loan
English paper an account of some British vessel having
been driven out of her course in a storm and sighted an
unknown island. Much to the surprise of the crew the
island turned out to be inhabited, and still more astonish-
ing, by men who spoke the English language. The
rest of the story, as given in the paper referred to, is
that the castaways told the ship's company that they
were the Florinda party, who had sailed from New
Orleans in 1849 for California; that they had been
wrecked on the island, and had dwelt there ever since,
it being then more than twenty-five years. The paper
gave the names of several, all of whom are known to
have been of the Florinda's crew, and in many other
ways, according to the version of Mrs. Jones' friend,
the identity of the party was established as none but
themselves could have established it. It was further
stated that the British vessel offered to take the men on
board, but they declined, saying they had been lost for
a quarter of a century; that they knew not in what
situation they would find the families they had left, and
that they preferred staying and ending their days there
rather than venture back to such a doubtful and 'un-
certain future. This paper was four months old when
Mrs. Jones' friend saw it, one month ago, and the events
narrated were described as baying occurred four months
previous to the issue of the paper. It is just nine months,
then, since the Island was discovered by the British vessel,
and at that time all, or nearly all of the Florinda
party appear to have been alive. It need not be
said that this news has aroused the deepest interest.
Within the past few days the relatives have been living
in a state of constant excitement, and many of them,
especially the sons of Harmon Jones, John A. Sidney,
and Captain Kenmure, the skipper of the Florinda, have
devoted themselves to following the clue given by the
friend who saw the English paper. Extensive inquiries
are now on foot, and the British consul has agreed to
forward to the War Office in London a full statement of
the circumstances, so that the name of the vessel
which touched at the castaways' home can be ascer-
tained, and the bearings of the.island taken from her
It would greatly facilitate this end, however, if
the copy of the paper giving the original copy were
found. It is still hoped that some one who sees this
publication may have noticed the paper o and be able
to state where a number ca be had. On that con-
tingency- depends much that will simplify and expedite
the quest; but it is certain that in any case the friends
of the Florinda's crew will never rest again until the
mystery is fathomed to its utmost depths.

•
THE HIGH PRICE OF MEAT.
- Referring to the scarcity and consequent high price of
meat, the Standard writesl—
considerable amount of uneasiness prevails as to
the prospects of our meat supply. On the one hand,
the importers of foreign sheep and cattle are agitating
for a repeal of the restrictions on their trade, while on
the other hand there are alarming reports as to the
spread of disease ancOng sheep and cattle in various
parts of the country. The question chiefly relates to
the foot and mouth disease, and on this point there is
considerable outcry made by those who bring over the
foreign supplies, particularly in reference to sheep. If
one sheep out of a whole cargo of 1,500 brought into the
Port of London is found affected with the foot and
mouth disease, even in ever so slight a degree, there is
an interdict against the whole lot; they are not allowed
to enter the metropolitan market alive, but must be
landed at Deptford, and there slaughtered. Under
such circumstances it is impossible to obtain a full price,
and the owners suffer a heavy loss. This has prevailed
to such an extent that there has been a falling off in
the foreign supply, and it is said with regard to cattle
the number coming into the Thames has now dwindled
down to a very small figure. It is further threatened
that unless the Privy Council will relax the regulations
with regard to foreign live stock the importation will
cease altogether, and we shall be left to our own re-
sources. If such a crisis is to come now the question
arises why it did not come sooner. The same regula-
tions %aye been in existence for several years, and it is
singular that they ghoul.' only just now prove to be
intolerable. Either the foreign supplies pre not so
pure as they were, or the demand abroad is telling
against us. But England is a great meat-eating coun-
try, and the price here is likely to be high enough to
tempt the foreigner to send us a portion of his bye
stock. Yet we must suppose there is something bond
4de in the present outcry, and it would certainly be a
serious matter if Germany, Denmark, Holland, Spain,
and other foreign countries were to send us no more
sheep and cattle for some considerable time. We have
the more reason to be anxious on this point at the pre-
sent period, seeing what kind-of weather we are having
at the commencement of harvest. Dear bread as well
as dear meat would be tui awkward dilemma, and
would tell upon the resources both of the lower and
the middle classes.

The foot and mouth disease is not as a rule fatal to
the life of the animal; neither is it of long continu-
ance. But it occasions pecuniary loss to the owner,
and much inconvenience, and it is desirable that our
home stock should be protected against it as much as
possible. It is not supposed that this disease was ori-
ginally brought from abroad, it having been known in
this country between thirty and forty years ago. But
it is a contagious disease, and unless some restric-
tions are imposed on the foreign • supplies there
would be imminent risk of its dissemination by the
cattle and sheep coming from sbroad. For the foreign
supply to cease altogether would be a national disaster.
If once the total supply sent, into the market from
all quarters falls a tittle short of the demand
prices will rise after the fashion of the coal famine,
and no small amount of dissatisfaction will be
the result. Neither will there be any want of those
clever speculators and well-compacted trade organisa-
tions ready to reap the harvest of a 'sudden rise, an
striving in every possible way to aggravate the evil.
We also know too well that if prices once go up to an
abnormal height they rarely fall back to their old level
again. Altogether this is a nicely balanced question.
We have need to encourage the foreign supply, for the
home stock is not sufficient. Yet we ought to take
every care to exclude contagious disease, for we can ill
afford to suffer loss. No doubt the Government will
give the subject a very careful consideration, and if it
appears that the public will be the gainers by
some relaxation of the present regulations the
change will be made. Possibly with regard -to
the foot and .mouth disease something may be
done, and it may be deemed sufficient henceforth
to place the foreign sheep and cattle under regula-
tions more in accordance with those which apply to
the home stock. It is singular that the foot and mouth
disease eh6uld be troubling us just now both by sea
and land. From Cumberland and Westmoreland,
down to Sussex, we have reports of widespread
disease of this kind, affecting an immense number of
sheep and cattle. It is much to be feared that we
shall have a dear meat market before next Christmas,
and it is extremely likely that the beef and mutton
question will soon grow uncomfortably prominent as a
subject of public discussion. These are hard times for
the consumer. We hope the danger is less than some
parties make it appear to be ;but the peril is enhanced
by the risk that in letting in foreign supplies more
freely, we may be assisting to damage the flocks and
herds which we already possess at home.

GOVERNMENT,. OFNCERS.—An Act of Parlia-
ment received the Royal assent last week, to repeal
the Guarantee by, Companies Act, 1867, for Govern•
meat officers. By that statute, the heads of public de-
partments were authorised to accept, as security for
persons required to give security for the due perform-
p).4ce of. the ,duties, of, an office or employment, the
guarantee of a company which complied with the con-
ditions mentioned, and received from the Treasury a
certificate as provided. That Act is now repealed,
except as to matters already sanctioned. The Treasury
is empowered by the new statute to vary such security
by a warrant, upon the representation of the head of
any of the public departments, and it is to extend to a
class as well as to any single person in regard to per-
esons remunerated out of the Consolidated Fund, and
also with respect to persons who hold any public office
or employment under the Crown, entitled to fees or
otherwise.