The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-01-15 00:00:00

-:' SATURDAY, JAN. 15, 1881.

PAUPERISM IN LONDON.—The weekly return of
metropolitan pauperism shows that the total number
of paupers on the last day of the first week in
January was 92,755, of whom 51,818 were in work-
houses and 40,937 received outdoor relief. Compared
with the corresponding week in 1879 these figures
show a decrease of 2,307; but as compared with 1878
and 1877 they show an increase of 8,611 and 10,248,
respectively. The number of vagrants relieved on
the last day of the week was 412, of whom 700 were
men, 171 women, and 37 children under sixteen.
Mn. GLADSTONE'S ESTATES.—The annual rent
audit of the Premier's estate at Hawarden was held
on Tuesday, at the " Glynne Arms" Hotel, Captain
Vickers, the agent, presiding. An announcement
was Made by Mr. Gladstone through Captain Vickers
that in consequence of the continuance of the agri-
culture depression he kad resolved to return 10 per
cent. on the rentals, which, with 15 per cent. rends-
81°1i-each at the last audit, makes 25 per cent, on the
year. The tenantry expressed deep gratitude to Mr.
Gladstone for his sympathy and assistance. ,
VANISHING FORESTS IN AMERICA.—A correspond-
ent of the New York Shipping List calls attention to
the increasing frequency of drought in the United
States, the result of excessive demolition of forest
land. "It is a generally understood fact that the '
increase of drought is, in the long run, in direct ratio
to the destruction of the forests and general tree
supply." A statistician, who claims to have made
accurate ealculatia, declares that the pine forests of
Miehigan will be exhausted in thirteen years, and
those of Wisconsin and Minnesota in thirty or forty
years. Twenty years ago this region had scarcely been
touched by the axe. The ilisappea,rance of forests will
make the economy of wood a matter of duty. It should
be borne in mind that wood must always enter more
or less into building enterprise; hence it is important
that forests should be spared from wanton destruction,
and other materials for building used as much as pos-
sible, thus at the same time saving moisture for the
parched country, and adding beauty to our cities and
villages. This subject is one of great interest and im-
portance, not only to our American neighbours, but to
all landed proprietors at home and abroad.—
"H. L. 8.," in Land and Water.

RAPID TELEGRAPHING.—The Sydney Mail of the
20th of November says :—" The cable message to
Australia respecting the Hanlan-Trickett match was
an extraordinary achievement in telegraphy—in fact,
it has never been excelled. The total extent of lines
—namely, 12,000 miles—was travelled in one hour
twenty minutes. The greater portion of this time
was occupied in transmitting the message through
India. From Singapore to Sydney, 5,070 mil", the
message occupied only 35 seconds in transmission.
This message was repeated 14 times from station to
station between London and Sydney."
SERIOUS FIRE IN BERLIN.—Last Saturday night a
serious conflagration occurred at the Central Staff
Office, the residence of Field Marshal Moltke, and the
depository of all the most important military papers
and maps. The fire broke out in the bookbinders'
shop, extendel to the printing-office, and ultimately
seized the register-office. All three were destroyed.
The military papers, preparations for the removal of
which had been made, remained intact. The Crown
Prince, with his own Adjutants and those of the
Emperor, and many of the leading Generals, appeared
on the spot. Only after two hours' incessant work
did the Brigade succeed in extinguishing the flames.
THE TITLE OF LORD BEACONSFIELD'S Novr.L.—As
the origin of the name Endymion, as used by Lord
Beaconsfield, is not generally known, a remark or two
on the subject may be interesting (says the Athenceum).
Endymion himself says that it was a family name,
borne by Endymion Cary in the time of Charles I.
This is another of Lord Beaconsfield's little mystifies-
tions, for he blends in one Luaius Cary (the great Lord
Falkland) and Endymion Porter. Now, Endymion
Porter was the ancestor of Lord Beaconsfield's old
friend George Smythe, afterwards seventh Viscount
Strangford, and the name of the third Viscount
Strangford was also Endymion. Of Endymion
Porter, the faithful friend of Charles I. there is a
very interesting account in the "Lives of the Lords
Strangford," by Mr. de Fonblanqae.

COOKING POTATOES.—An eminent French horticul-
turist wrote the other day asking for a few of a sort
Of potato that would fry well. If any one thing in
the matter of cookery more than another could pos-
sibly mark the divergences that exist between
English and Freßch tastes, it is found in the national
methods of serving up the potato. Pommes de terre tt
la fricassk hardly find a place on our home dining-
tables. We not only prefer potatoes boiled or steamed,
but like them Served whole, and specially soft and
mealy. What "rosbif " and plum pudding is to the
Frenchman so is a boiled mealy potato. It belongs to
the diet of porter, beer, and bacon. The Briton would
turn with contempt from sliced potatoes fried in oil,
and served up hot and crisp; such stuff would be
kickshaws, fit company for the light acid wines of the
Boulevard café. Our insular notions of what constitutes
a good potato are very decided, although there yet is
to be found some who will smack their lips with gusto
over a dish ef baked tubers swimming in fat. But
the love for a well-cooked mealy pototo is universal,
even though there still exists small difference of
opinion whether the taking off the jacket should or
should not precede the cooking. If either way gives
the required desideratum it is of small moment by
which method it is obtained. In cold weather when
the frost cracks without and the fire cracks within, it
is very possible to find a penchant for a nice hot baked
potato. Fresh from the oven, cut through the middle
spread with butter, and sprinkled with condiments,
our baked tuber forms a welcome dish. We have also
a weakness for the potato in a mashed state • not a
wo ...-wwpound, but somewhat dry and floury
—soft and pleasant to the taste. With a little gravy,
good mashed potatoes make a tempting' dish.—
Gardeners' Chronicle.
THE LONDON AND NORTH-WESTERN RAILWAY.—
We believe (says the Builder) we are correct in stating
that, including the extra lines laid down over a large
portion of their system, and the vast number of sidings,
the London and North-Western Company maintain
the astonishing amount of no less than 10,000 miles of
rail. The capital embarked in this vast aggregate
amounts to no less a sum than one hundred millions,
while its average weekly receipts fall little short of
£200,000, The company annually carry nearly
50,000,000 passengers and between 30,000,000 and
40,000,000 tons of merchandise and minerals, in the
conveyance of which their trains run 25 million miles,
while there are employed upwards of 2,000 engines,
8,000 carriages, and nearly 50,000 goods waggons and
other vehicles of various descriptions, to say nothing
of a magnificent fleet of steamers, a stud of between
2,000 and 3,000 horses, and last, though not least, an
army of 40,000 men. .

THE Purmie SCHOOL-BOY. Mamma: "I am
dreadfully disappointed with your report this term,
George I Why, at your age—thirteen—dear papa had
won two scholarships; and a few years later he was
Senior Wrangler! Dear Papa (waking out of
stupor). "Yes, my boy, and if I'd been a lazy dunce
like you, I should have Frown to measure over six
feet in height, and forty-eight inches round the chest
(as you will) • and by this time I should have been
Lord Chief Justice at least (as you may, if you only
F o on) ; whereas—" [Sighs heavily, and relapses
into stupor.)—Punch.

PosmoN OF Alma.Ls Di JAPAN.—A letter from the
French Consul in Japan, M. Jouslain, to Baron
Laney comments on the traditional respect with
which the lower animals are treated by the Japanese.
The fox is greatly revered. Horses and oxen are pro-
vided with straw socks, to prevent their hoofs wear- -
ing down, and are driven at walking pace, to avoid
fatigue, while men draw conveyances at a rapid trot.
The ass is a great rarity. In 1876 one or two senators
had little carriages drawn by small donkeys, and
seemed very proud of them. The rabbit is held almost
sacred, and hares, stags, and boars are also greatly
respected. A Japanese always treats his dog er his
cat most considerately, and in addressing it uses a
form equivalent to Mr. Dog or Mr. Cat. He talks to
animals as if they quite understood his words. The
grasshopper is kept in a cage, and fed and petted.
SERIOUS ACCIDENT AT PALERMO.—The rejoicings
occasioned by the visit of the King and Queen of Italy
to Palermo were somewhat checked by a serious ac-
cident which occurred on Monday. Through the
pressure of a throng of persons who were ascending
the staircase to the gallery in the Church of St..
Catherine, the balustrade gave wa3r, and a number of
persons were precipitated to the floor of the church.
No one was killed, but fifteen persons were injured,
some very serionely.
COURT MOURNING.—The London aazette of the 7th
contains the following: Orders for thb Court's going
into mourning on Friday, the 7th inst., for her late
Royal Highness the Dowager Grand Duchess of
Mecklenburg-Strelitz, viz. : The ladies to wear black
dresses, white gloves, black or white shoes, feathers,
and fans, pearls, diamonds, or plain gold or silver
ornaments. The gentlemen to wear black Court
dress, with black sword's and buckles. The Court to
change the mourning on Friday, the 14th inst, viz.:
The ladies to wear black dresses, with coloured
ribbons, flowers, feathers, and ornaments, or grey or
white dresses, with black ribbons, flowers, feathers,
and ornaments. The gentlemen to continue the sate
mourning. And on Sunday, the 16th inst., the Court
to go out of mourning.
PROVERBIAL REFORM.—The weekly Bills of Mortal-
ity present, at the conclusion of the last and beginning
of the present year, a great decrease of the average
death-rate. Hence is inferred the fallacy of the old
saying that "a green Yule makes a fat kirk-yard:"
It would seem rather that a mild Christmas makes
thin cemetery. How many more of our good old
proverbs will have to be reversed in this way? ".A stitch
in time costs nine." "The worm picks up the earlY
bird." "Late to bed and late to rise, makes a man
healthy, wealthy, and wise." The observance of this
rule would probably make him so wise that he would
alter his mode of life within six months. "Waste aril
never want." "Nothing venture, everything have.:,
"What is one man's meat is another man's medicine.
"Every one to his liking, as the young man said Oen
he kissed his partner under the mistletoe." "NO
smoke without fire" must be read "no fire with
smoke." May these be regarded as examples of the
amendments which progressive enlightenment will re.
quire to be made on the aphorisms we have hitherto
fondly imagined to express the wisdom of our sagacious
ancestors ?—Punch.
TPE PROTECTION OF THE BANE OF ENGLANDP'
Probably it may be interesting to know how the Bank,
of England is protected at night during these times 0;
alarm on account of the private burglar and the politico
rascal. A guard of thirty-six men from the Household
Troops—that is from one of the battalions of Guar&
stationed at the Wellington Barracks—marches int°
the bank at six o'clock every evening from October t°
April, and remains on duty until seven o'clock in the
morning; from April to October it goes on duty 91'
seven p.m. and remains until six a.m. on the following
day. A sentry is posted at each gate, who is relieve°
every hour. Each man receives one shilling-per nielt
the sergeants receive half-a-crown each, and the othoer,
in charge, who is always a subaltern, has a bottle 0_
wine and dinner provided, to which he is allowed tue
invite a friend. He also receives one guinea. All th
employes, excepting those whose duty it is to remain
the bank all night, as well as the officer's guest, intls,,.
quit the premises at eleven p.m. Between that ho":,
and six in the morning, no one is allowed, under
pretence whatever, to enter or leave, without Phu
name and other particulars being tranticribed in a 1100"
kept for that purpose.