The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-01-08 00:00:00

Miscellaneous fltettigente.

HOME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL.

MR. GLADSTONE AND THE EMPLOYERS' LIABILITY
ACT.—The General Secretary of the Amalgamated
Society of Railway Servants having written to Mr.
Gladstone, calling attention to the action of certain
railway and colliery companies in contracting them-
selves out of the action of the Employers' Lia-
bility Act, and inquiring whether the Govern-
ment are prepared to make it binding, has re-
ceived the following reply :—" Sir,—l am directed
by Mr. Gladstone to inform you that he has re-
ceived your letter respecting the wolking of the
Employers' Liability Act, and that he is fully sen-
sible of the great interest and importance of the ques-
tion. Mr. Gladstone does not think that it would be
expedient under present circumstances to introduce
another Bill dealing with this subject; but if you
desire, he recoinmends that you should communicate
with the President of the Local Government Board,
who has given th 6, fullest attention to the case in its
various aspects.—l am, Sir, your obedient servant,
J. A. GODLEY.—To Mr. Fred. W. Evans, General
Secretary Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants."

THE WILL OF THE LATE MR. MARK FIRTH.—The
will of our late much-respected townsman (says the
Sheffield Telegraph) was proved at Wakefield this week
by the executors and trustees. The will was made in
the month of May, 1879. It is a very lengthy docu-
ment of ninety folios (a folio containing ninety words).
The amount of the personalty is sworn under
£600,000. There are legacies to the executors as an
acknowledgment for their trouble, but otherwise the
will does not contain any legacy or bequest whatever,
except to or in favour of the testator's widow and chil-
dren.

FILIAL AFFECTION.—SchooI Board Examiner (im-
proving the occasion) : 'Children, love and honour
your parents. Never give them pain. There are two
kinds of pain—mental and physical. Now, Sally
Miggins, if, on rising in the morning, you found your
father ill and suffering great pain., you would be sorry,
would you not?"—Sally Miggms : "I ain't sorry
when father 'ayes tke gout, sir; I'm glad." —S. B. E. :
" Glad ! Why?"—S. M.: "Cos then he can't wear
his boots, so I don't 'ave to clean 'ern."—Fun.

THE FRENCH IRONCLAD NAVY.—France has now
eighteen ironclads at sea, seven of which, with broad-
side batteries, are plated from stem to stern ; seven,
including the .Richelieu, plated down to the water-line,
with steel-plated central forts and side turrets; two
plated to the water-line, with central fort and angular
batteries ; one plated to the water-line, with steel-
plated turrets; one plated to the water-line, with steel-
plated battery. The latter, the Solferino, is a sister
shb to the Magenta, which was last five years ago
under circumstances similar to those which have just
happened to the Richelieu. Amongst those eighteen
vessels the Amiral Duperre and the Devastation are
now being completed. There are besides seven other
ironclads of the largest model on the stocks' amongst
which are the Amiral Baudin and the Foudroyant,
forming a total both at sea or in construction of
twenty-five first-class ironclads.
THE 66TH REGIMENT.—At the Berkshire Quarter
Sessions Colonel Loyd-Lindsay, M.P., said the 66th
Regiment was shortly coming home from India, and
the most deserving actions had been done by that
regiment. Although he thought it would be difficult
for the magistrates to take action in the matter, they
would wish in some way to mark their appreciation of
the gallant way this regiment had performed its duty.
After a question from one of the magistrates, it was
stated that the regiment was expected to arrive home
during February, and that it was in contemplation to
invite the officers and men to a banquet at Read-
ing-, as a recognition by the county of Berkshire of
their bravery and daring whilst in India.
A NEW PHASE OF AMERICAN INDUSTRY.—An agita-
tion is going on just now in the Southern States
of America in favour of spinning cotton as well as
growing it (says the Pall Mall Gazette). There are
132,000 owners of cotton plantations in the ten States
comprised in the cotton 'belt, growing, say, 5,000,000
bales of cotton, worth in a raw state 223,000,000 dols.
in round figures. Spun into yarn the same cotton '
would be worth 450,000,000 dols., or just double the
money ; and some enterprising people seem to think
that there is no good reason why this large sum, or a
considerable part of it at all events, should not remain
in the districts-where the cotton is produced. They
accordingly urge planters and capitalists to combine
for the purpose of erecting mills and spindles through-
out the cotton States, and promise of course a most
successful result. The cost of the operation is one
little element in the question which seems to be kept
out of sight. It is not likely that Lancashire will
feel much alarm at this new phase of American in-
dustrial eccentricity.
COLOUR BLlND.—Pugilistic Sweep: "Why didn't
yer give 'im a bit more, Bill ? "—Sweep : "Well, yer
know, it looks so jolly bad to go about with a black
eye."—Fun.
A HAUNT OF JACK SHEPPARD.—One of "Jack
Sheppard's " haunts, the "Old Lion Inn," in Wych-
street, Drury-lane London, the carpenter's shopiad-
joining it, in which' that young burglar is traditionally
said to have been apprenticed, and a large rambling
house in a court in the rear, with curious staircases
and carved and painted panels, have been pulled down
within the last week or two, and the materials have
been carted away. Extensive warehouses are to be
built upon the site thus cleired.
A YOUNG ARMY.—The formation into battalions of
the pupils belonging to the Communal Schools of
Paris is progressing rapidly (says Galignani). The
boys are formed into battalions of 600, divided into
four companies. They are aimed with a special
light rifle with sword bayonet, and uniformly dressed
with trousers, blouse, and Scotch bonnet. fhe drill
takes place every Thursday, and the general
manoeuvres will be executed on the first Wednesday
of each month. By arming children from eleven to
thirteen it will form an effectif of 23,000 young soldiers.
THE HOUSE OF LORDS.—During the year 1880 the
House of Lords affirmed 23 decisions and reversed six,
viz. :—Court of Appeal, England, affirmed 13, reversed
3; Court of Appeal, Ireland, affirmed 7, reversed 1 ;
Court of Session, Scotland, affirmed 9, reversed 2. The
Court of Appeal, England, decided as follows on
appeals from the decisions of the following Equity
Judges :—Bacon, VC., affirmed 16, reversed 23; Fry,
J. affirmed 15, reversed 4; Hall, V.C., affirmed 7,
reversed 9; Jessel, M.R., affirmed 8, reversed 9
Malings, V.C., affirmed 5, reversed 5. Total
affirmed 51; reversed 50.—Law Times.
THE IRISH LAND COMMISSION.—The London cor-
respondent of the Freeman's Journal states that a
rumour is in circulation that the Royal Land Com-
missioners are not unanimous in their report. Four
of the five are said to be in favour of fixity of tenure,
fair rents, and free sale; and the other Commissioner
is reported to be favourable to very large land reform.
and to be in some instances in advance of those from
whom, on the main points of the report, he differs.
WON-DERFUL !—lf we lose in one way, we ofter win
in another. For instance, now we see eighteen hun-
dred and eighty lost, and eighteen hundred and eighty-
one.—Funny Folks.
THE FORTHCOMING ROYAL MARRIAGE.—It is under-
stood that, according to present arrangements, Prince
Christian will leave for Berlin about the middle of
February, to make arrangements for the approaching
Royal marriage in that city. The Princesses Vic-
toria and Caroline of Augustenburg-Sonderburg, who
are now on a visit to Prince and Princess Christian at
Cumberland Lodge, will leave with Princess Christian
on the 23rd of February for Berlin. The Prince of
Wales is also expected to attend. The marriage of
Prince William of Prussia to the Princess Victoria
will take place on the 26th of February.

THE BUCKLAND MUSEUM.—Land and Water says:
—"We are authorised to state that the late Mr.
Frank Buckland has bequeathed his celebrated,
unique, and most valuable Museum of Economic Fish
Culture to the nation. The gift is rendered still more
valuable by the fact that, according to his will, on the
decease of 'Mrs. Buckland a sum of £5,000 will revert
to the nation, to be applied for the purpose of found-
ing a professorship of economic pisciculture in con-
nection with the Buckland Museum and the Science
and Art Department at South Kensington."

How TO CURE A HORSE OF BITING.—The Detroit
Free _Frees gives the following:—" A cornmisn
house in Detroit owns a horse who was the terror
of every pedestrian who ventured within three
feet of him, and would bite at anything within his
reach. Whipping had no effect, and he would get
rid of muzzles as fast as they were put on. The
firm suffered considerably in paying ior damages
sustained by various parties who were victims to
his rapacity. One day a man came along and
agreed to cure the horse of his vicious habit for
five dollars, and was told to make the experiment.
Procuring an old suit of clothes, the man stuffed it
with straw plentifully besprinkled with Cayenne
pepper. The lay figure was then tied to a hitching.
post in the street. The horse was driven down the
street, and halted within a few feet of the figure. Soon
his eyes twinkled at the prospect of a good time, and
as soon as he was left alone he ed2ed towards the post,
made a sudden plunge, and caught the 'man' by the
shoulder. He meant mischief, but had a surprise in
store for him. As he lifted the figure off its feet and
gave it a few shakes, it fell apart, and the biter'smouth,
nose, and eyes were filled with the pepper. Tears
rolled down his nose, and he sneezed, snorted, and
coughed and appeared to be deeply chagrined at the.
general laugh of the spectators who had gathered
around him. He backed from the mutilated figure,
openei his mouth to cool it and hung his head with
shame, and for half the day did not cease weeping.
The experiment acted like a charm. That horse was
cured of his propensity for biting, and is now as gentle
as a lamb, and rather invites caresses; but on the
approach of a stranger he will shut his eyes and mouth,
and shakes his head as if fearful of another dose of
Otinauriperreri

JOHN BRIORT'S TISION.—A prciposifjon has been
made to the President of the United States VIM come
admirers of Mr. Bright should be permitted to per 4
petuate, on a marble tablet, to be erected in the Capitol
at Washington, an exttact from a, remarkable and
prophetic speech delivered by the great reformer in
18620 its a link binding the two great nt4.tions in friendly
brotherhood, and as a perpetual memor- of John
Bright. The following is the extract :—"1 hikve
another and far brighter vlsidn before my gaze. It
may be a vision but I will cherish it. see one vast
confederation, vision,
from the frozen north in un-
broken line to the glowing south, and from the Wlld
billows of the Atlantic westward to the calmer waters
of the Pacific tnain j and I see one people and one
language and one law and one faith, and over all
that wide Continent the home of freedom, and a
refuge for the oppressed of every race and cif every
clime."

NEW YEAR'S DAY IN EDINBURGH.—NeW Year's
Day was ushered In with the usual demonstratiorn
in the Tron Church, Edinburgh, where a large crowd
had assembled. According to ancient custom, when
the clock struck twelve there was an outbreak of
cheering, which was followed by a general interchange
of compliments and drinking of healths. Many
persons who were furnished with bottles of whisky
then left on "first footing" expeditions arntig their
friends. In St. Giles's Cathedral a service was held
between eleven and twelve o'clock, which was largely
attended.
END OF GALE'S LONG DISTANCE WALL—Gale's
walk at Lillie-bridge Grounds, which was begun on
the 20th November, was brought to a close at four
o'clock on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 1), when it was
found that the pedestrian had accomplished 2,405 i
miles and 40 yards, out of the 2,500, which was the
stipulated distance to be covered in 1,000 hours.
During the walk Gale was only reduced 71b.1 his
weight at the start being Bst. 91bs., and at the finish
Bst. 21bs. After a few hours' rest Gale left the
grounds to all appearance very little the worse for his
extraordinary performance. _ _

THE BANK HOLIDAY-MAKER'S LOVE.—" I Lubly
Lub with an L because he is Lubbock."—Funny Folks.
DR. SCHLIEMANN'S TROJAN ANTIQUITIES.—These
interesting remains, which have been exhibited for
some time at the South Kensington Museum, in-
cluding all the gold and silver ornaments of the so-
called Treasure of Priam, have been presented to the
Emperor of Germany. At page 66 of his new edition
of "flies," Dr. Sehliemann declared that his Trojan
antiquities should never be sold, and that, "if he did
not present them in his lifetime, they should after his
death pass to the nation he loved and esteemed most."
They will now probably find their permanent home in
the new Ethnological Museum which is in course of
erection at Berlin. They were packed up at South
Kensington by Dr. Sehliernann's orders on Friday in
last week. Dr. Schlimann subsequently left for
Paris, from whence he will proceed immediately to
Athens.

A TWOFOLD ADVANTAGE.—Speaking to a Swansea
audience on Mr. Fawcett's Savings Bank scheme,
Mr. Hussey Vivian, M.P., remarked that up to the
present time the difficulties in the way of making
small investments in England had been great, but now
through the instrumentality of savings banks and
post-offices, sums might be invested in Government
securities. He thought that this had a twofold ad-
vantage. It enabled persons to obtain absolutely safe
security for their money—safe so far as the existence
of thil Empire was concerned, and it also gave them
an interest in the general prosperity and credit of the
country. It was a very great strength to a nation to
have its debt within itself, and not to be compelled to
send the interest which was paid out of the country.
He rejoiced that the Government had taken this
step.
_ _ _ _

SOCKS FOR HORSES FEET. —Xenophon, in his
account of the expedition of Cyrus the younger,
mentions incidentally that certain people of Asia
were in the habit of drawing socks over the feet of
their hoises when the snow lay thick on the ground,
so as to prevent their sinking in the ground too deeply.
The horses in this particular country, he remarks,
were smaller than the Persian horses, but more
spirited, and whenever they drove over the snow the
chief would order his men to tie little bags" under
the horses' feet, as without such bags they would have
sunk up to their bellies. It is curious that a some-
what similar custom prevails in Kamschatka, where
the dogs employed to draw sledges or catch seals wear
socks with small holes for the claws to protrude.
Land and Water.
RETURNING HOME.—The Chinese in California are be-
ginning to complain of lack of work, and 850 Celestials
in one vessel alone recently left San Francisco, having
heard that there was a demand for skilled labour in
their own country. So anxious were they to go that
they spent the night before sailing camped outside the
wharf, and the rush to the vessel when the gangway
was opened resulted in a perfect riot. Among her
stores the steamer carried a supply of coffins, rudely
made of trunks of trees sawn in half, in which the
bodies of those Chinese who die on the voyage are pre-
served till China is reached.

TROPICAL COLD.—The following extract from a
letter just received by the Field from a correspondent
in Honolulu shows how much the relative prevails
over the actual in the matter of comfort :—"At pre-
sent (November 20) the weather is extremely cold,
last night the thermometer falling as low as 69 deg.
Fahr. My eldest child came to my door in the
middle of the night complaining that he was so cold
he could not sleep. I shivered as I emerged from
beneath a blanket to find additional coverings for his
bed. Behold what life in a tropical climate brings
one to, shivering with the thermometer at 69 deg.
Fahr. ! "

A WINTER NOSEGAY.—The Rev. Henry Ewleank
writes to The Times from St. John's Vicarage, Ryde,
Isle of Wight, December 31 :—" I venture to send you
a nosegay the like to which I do not think can often
be plucked in this country on the last day of the year.
After a residence of 25 years in the Isle of Wight, I
am nearly certain that nothing of the sort would have
been possible during all that time. The following are
the flowers of which I beg your acceptance :—Crocus
Imperati, Crocus Sieberi, Galanthus Elwesi, Cyclomen
Coum, Pyrus Japonicus, Gentiana Acaulis, Helle-
borus Niger, Helleborus Orientalis, Anemone Folgens,
Iris Stylosa, Polygala Chamabuxus Purpurea,
Lonicera Fragrantissima, Erica Codonoides, Daphne,
Medicago Arborea, Coronilla Glauca, Triteleia
Munyana, Vinca Acutiloba, Calycanthus, Jasminum
Nudiflorum. Many other things, such as violets,
primroses, monthly roses, might be added to the list.
In many years my garden has not been more forward
in the month of March than it is now."
Aiss UNUSUAL JUBILEE.—Herr Schwieger of Berlin
celebrated a rare anniversary on December 27 last. It
was the 50th anniversary of his being admitted a
member of the editorial staff of the Offleal Prussian
Gazette, now the official journal of the German Empire.
His connexion with the paper has never been inter-
rupted, and now he is its chief editor.
LAST YEAR'S WRECKS.—The approximate value of
vessels of all nationalities, with their cargoes, lost
during the year 1880, was no less than £68,327,000,
including British property £47,495,000. The grand
total number of wrecks reported was 1,680, which
compared with the total at,
_the end- of 1879 shows a
decrease ck eight. British-owned ships numbered 913,
and those of all flags wrecked on the coasts of the
British Isles were 480. The registered tonnage aggre-
gated upwards of 000,000 tons, inclusive of 160 steam
vessels mostly owned in the United Kingdom. About
4,000 lives were lost, and about 200 vessels were lost
through collision.
MOUNTAIN " SCALE-ING."—Mamma. What is the
bottom of a mountain called, dear? Trotty. The
Base, mamma. Mamma. And the top—what would
that be? Trotty. The—the—TßEßLE —Funny
Folks.

BUGS EXTRAORDINARY.—Just as a traveller was
writing his name on the register of an American
hotel, a bed-bug appeared and took its way across
the page. The man paused and remarked, "I've been
bled by St. Joe fleas, bitten by Kansas City spiders,
and interviewed by Fort Scott greybacks, but I'll be
darned if ever I was in a place before where the bed-
bugs looked over the hotel, register to find out where
your room was."

MR. SPURGEON'S HEALTH.—The Rev. 0. H.
Spurgeon was not sufficiently recovered from his
attach of illness to preach on Sunday at the Metro-
politan Tabernacle. At the morning service, a letter
was read from the rev, gentleman, in which he said
that he accounted it a great privilege to be able to
write to his congregation. The fetters of pain had
manacled his right hand, but after a period of the
sharpest pain he had ever felt he was able to salute
them, and wish them a happy new year. Be was glad
that the subscriptions were being kept up without a
shilling of diminution, and he thanked them for their
loving prayers for his restoration to health, which
must bear good fruit. Mr. Spurgeon added that he
had no idea of going away, as he had formerly done
inasmach as his illness was not owing to climatic
influence and would have occurred to him anywhere.
He hoped not alone, to be very soon up, but to
have a long season of work before him.

A LOCOMOTIVE TO RUN EIGHTY MILES AN HOUR.
—The Baldwin Locomotive Works have (the Belfast
News Letter says) just entered into a contract with
Colonel G. A. L. Roberts, of Titusville, for the con-
struction of a passenger engine which will be able to
run eighty miles an hour, and maintain this rate of
speed for 100 miles without stopping. The locomotive
is to weigh 38 tons, and will comply with standard
gauge. The driving wheels will be six feet in diameter.
The forward trucks and those on the tender will be
made of pa.per, which, it is said, will endure more
strain and wear than iron or steel. The wheels will all
be 0,1. the pattern known as the broad tread, which
will enable the engine to run on roads of either 41 t.
Si in. or 41t. 10 in. gauge. It is stated that Colonel
Roberts, who has visited Europe several times, and
studied the railway systems of that country, is build-
ing his new engine far use upon the European Con-
tinent.
A LIFE SAVED BY FOOTBALL.—"An Old Football
Club Captain" writes to the Daily Telegraph :—Sir,---
As an old football player, I have read with concern
the onslaughts which have been made on the game. I
was crossing Fleet-street, London, the other day, in
one hand holding an umbrella and in the other a
parcel of pictures; the wood pavement was wet and
slippery, as it was raining fast. I had carefully
avoided two Hansom cabs, and saw an open space
to cross, when suddenly, and without the slightest
warning, my foot slipped, and I fell just in front
of a heavy four-wheel railway van pulled by tWio
horses. As I fell I saw the wheels within a few
feet and coming exactly oyez where I was, the
road being much tlo slippery for the driver even
to turn his horscs. Instinctively I adopted an
old football d.dge which has often obtained a
touch-down just over the goal-line; I levered my-
self over, in fact, just as one has to do when holding
the ball after falling; the wheels went within sik
inches of my head and over my hat, which had fallen
off. I am perfectly certain that football saved my
life. lam equally certain that it has done so before
when I have had rapidly to dodge some London
vehicle. When I fell I felt I was as good as dead, and
so did all who saw me. Football, as played under the
Rugby Union rules, is a splendid game, and I am per-
fectly certain that many more lives have been saved
from the confidence and strength it imparts than have
unfortunately been lost by some accident attending
it. privoticti

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