The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-06-05 00:00:00

Gun LICENCES. - Sir Alexander Gordon's
_Gun

Licence iiiii—W;Oses—to restore to occupiers of lands
the same "freedom to protect their growing crops
from injury as they enjoyed previously to the imposi-
tion of the gun licence tax in 1870." The fourth j
exemption from licence which at present affects the 1
scaring of birds or tke killing of vermin merely, would
thus be extended so as to include "the occupier of anY
1 lands using or carrying a gun, or any person having
his written authority to use or carry a gun, for the .
purpose only of killing or scaring hares, rabbits, birds,
or vermin then being upon such lands."

A GOOD ONE.—Why is an umbrella in wet weather
like a worn-out cab-horse?—Because it is used up.
A—ha !--Judg.

A NEW AMERICAN UANAL.—A water-way of great
importance to the Western States is proposed, by which
a through inland communication will be obtained
between the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Gulf of
Mexico. By this route Lake Michigan will be con-
nected with the Mississippi by a canal deep enough to
acconamodate vessels of 2,500 or 2,800 tons burden, and
Chicago will be placed in a position to ship produce to
New Orleans and South America. The first instal-
ment of this great scheme consists in the enlargement
of the present canal that exists already between
Chicago and Joliet, a distance of 33 miles. At this
latter place it meets the navigation of the Desplaines
and Illinois rivers, which will be adapted to the nevi
requirements by a system of locks and dams. The
third section is also to a great extent provided for, and
will only require attention and improvement in the
Illinois river between La Salle and Grafton, a distance
of 227 miles. On the whole canal there will be 17
locks, each 350 ft. long by 75ft. wide, and about 20
dams, and the cost of the whole is estimated at
18,196,918 dole. Not only will entirely new outlets be
given to a vast field of produce, but the reduction of
freight on bulky goods will, it is said, soon recoup this
expenditure.
bHAKESPEARIAN Ms.—Falstaff used to ask, "May
I not take mine ease at mine inn ? " Nowadays he
would probably say, "May I not take my rest in ray
restaurant ?"—Funny Folks.
NEW THERMO-ELECTRIC APPARATUS.—At a recent
meeting of the United States National Academy of
Science, Professor Langley spoke of an improved
thermo-electric apparatus due to a product of the
4.merican iron industry. Experiments with a great
variety of substances (for measurement of radiant heat)
had thus far shown that iron in extreme thinness (cut
into strips about one-third of a millimetre wide and
1-500th of a millimetre thick) was the best. The
speaker exhibited specimens of iron rolled in the
Pittsburg mills, which were so surprisingly thin that
from 10,000 to 12,000 sheets laid on each other equalled
only one inch in thickness. From these was produced
an instrument which had almost the promptness of
action towards radiant heat which the eye has te'
wards light, and which had greater sensitiveness than
any thermopile.
FRENCH DANDIES.—As a rule fashions are confined
to the fair sex, but a French contemporary gives the
latest novelties in masculine dandyism (says the Court
Journal). Canes with secret bottles are now in
fashion. The handle of the cane is a Chinese, Indiauf
or Japanese divinity, from whence, on pressing a.
spring, escapes a jet of scent. Amber holders for
cigars and cigarettes have the monogram or crest of
their owner in diamonds or coloured stones. At horae
the Parisian dandies wear short coats of Scotch plush;
and white flannel trowsers, whilst for races socks el
plain-coloured silk with the initials embroidered ou
the ankles, have a charming effect worn with 101°
shoes. This is the grave result of women adopting
masculine manners, and putting on manly attire. It
has driven men to the opposite extreme of effeminaeY•

I

I

THE EASTERN QUESTION.—What next.—Punch.
than ordinary size, and it has the merit of making the
tdoel3bcAeriPbeEexßaceaeLdnEienwAgnilkyiEnuß.dse—foufTl.he AmericanpalPterissiczoinn Paperidwerallibcy Pcr°heWT.pe°risedirti
paper waterproof without discoloration. In one ex;
periment 1851bs. of leather board were manufacturen
from hemp, which was made nearly fine in the engine,
and then the new sizing added, mixed precipitated'
and beaten fine. The thin, endless sheets were woven
round a cold cylinder, and when of sufficient thickness'
cut, removed, and dried in the sun. Strips one fourth
of an inch thick, when dry, and before rolling, were as
pliant as most sole leather' and could be bent square
over without cracking. This leather board can be
made insoluble in either hot or cold water. A piece
of it is not perfected, and not only impervious r?..e
water, one-fourth of an inch wide, cut lengthwise or
the fibre, held up seventy-seven pounds of stone. 131
rendering the same board insoluble, the strength WO
increased from seventy-two to two hundred and eleven
pounds. Leather paper of less thickness, made in the
same manner, is described as pliable' somewhat elastic/
apparently durable, and suitable for the uppers el
shoes.
SYMBOLS OF GOOD LUCK !—The Graphic says thr4
tiny gold and silver pigs are now suspended as eharn39
from a watch-chain or bracelet by Parisian actresses'
who have copied a fashion lately introduced in v:
where "St. Anthony's Jewel" was worn even by .
Empress. These ungraceful ornaments, however' as 9
correspondent of the Paris Figaro points out, baby 9
been symbols of good luck for over 2,000 years, as
early Roman days the favourite votive offering-to
Goddess of Fortune at her temple at Palestrina was
pig either in the flesh, in gold and silver, or—fro,
poor devotees—in terra-cotta. Numbers of these
emblems were found during some excavations on the
site of the ancient temple. . s L.,
NOTICE GIVEN OF A. NEW STANDING ORDER (vY •
Mr. Punch).—That every member shall be enbled te
sit down.—Punch.
MONOGRAM SHOES.—The novelty of the moment In
ladies' work is undoubtedly the monogram shoe:
which made their first appearance in high circles 100
month. The material on which they are worked mai
be the choice oi the wearer or the embroiderer • either
velvet, leather, silk, satin, or even fine cloth'. Tke
monograms are in the long attenuated shape whico
has lately met with so much approval for working on
under-linen and house-linen ; and it will be found 04- '•
visable to use only two letters, not three, as the multi,'
- plication of them makes the foot look broad sal
clumsy. They are worked in satin stitch, with phi
or silver thread, or coloured silks to match the dress.-- ,
ori ILadies'1Ladies' Gazette of Fashion.
A NEW TORPHDO.—Dr. McLean, of California,
projected a projectile, of whigit the following is a nel
scription :—" I propose to fire a torpedo seventeen
feet long out of a cannon just as you would fire a rally.'
rod out of a gun. The forward end of the torpc4,4°
will be the heaviest, and the long bolt will pr'
through the air like an arrow, alighting in the wf.
close to the ship at which it is directed. Twelve fee'
of my torpedo is a hollow cylinder and will float. '
forward end contains the charge and will go down
the water, and the magnets with which the torpedo -
armed will cause it to cling to the armour of the slif.P,9
and in proper time my firing apparatus will get in it
work, and the ship will be a wreck. No vessel cOl5
escape these torpedoes by any possible device. IWe
caused a ship built wholly of iron, but not armourl
to be planned for naval use. It will be espalAe
making thirty miles per hour, can Use 100-ton glIP;
I
and torpedoes, will have a formidable ram and be the-
best fighting ship ever offered to the world. ITl'elle
the bows of this and all other ships I propose to 01"
my wonderful hydrophone. By means of this catty!
ordinary instrument the approach of any other era)
an iceberg or a whale can be instantly detected,
the proximity of breakers or any form of dangeroft'
shoals may be accurately known even in the dense"'
fog. I have also caused plans to be drawn of an abse;
lutely and perfectly impregnable iron fortress, and ; I
have sent forward the models of an entirely ne.4l
thing in warfare, which I call iron forms for the ral)1 :
construction of breastworks, portable forts, &e."
_.,.
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h. troubles,
friend," said the oyster to the fisherman, "but yoto
i s
t
ceived of the loss of the Norwegian barquaev
the Island of St. Pierre, on the 3rd May. The Gudrit)
sailed from Drammen for Miramichi, New Brunswler,kl
in ballast, April 1, under the command of CaptaP-
Neilson. All went well until theist May, when t,,
vessel went on the banks of Newfoundland. At dela
light that morning the weather became foggy, atilt
Gue been
en 541
there was every indication of that the vessel W 0
become surrounded by ice, quantities of which had:
seen during the preceding week. At seven o'clock 11.-
the crew found themselves hemmed in by great field
ice, which extendedk. every direction. The weath 0,
continued foggy during the day. The.wind,-which cOll/
from the south-east, occasionally blew aside the
for a moment, revealing ice fields extending as far -00
the eye could reach and huge icebergs. The wL3I
caused the ice to work heavily, with a cra .„
sound. Captain Neilson attempted to get the barVoi
round before the wind, but two immense bloat) 04,
ice crushed against each other under the stern VII
tore away the rudder. It was impossible to hanriail
the ship after this. On the afternoon of the 3rd
crew found themselves again in clear water, but IT.
wind was driving the vessel ashore on the coast ai brig
island of St. Pierre, only a few miles distant. -00.
in the evening a French fisherman came to their 13,
sista,nee, and the crew, numbering 13 men besides
captain, abandoned the Gudrun in a boat, 0.9'11,4'
little besides their clothing. The men were lanatilo
New yo rk . —Par t f cular s of other, vessels rnee""
with icebergs in the Atlantic have alio been "
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