The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-12-18 00:00:00

EPITOME OF NEWS.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

At the Leeds fat cattle show, the first prize for the
best ox was awarded to Mr. J. Colman, M.P. The Earl of
Zetland took first prize for sheep.

The directors of the South Eastern Railway have
decided to experimentally light their Charing-cross station
with the Brush system of electric light, and the Cannon-
street station by that of the British Electric Light Company

The Cronstadt Messenger reports that the construc-
tion is projected of a new ironclad of 12,000 tons upon the
same system as the Livadia.

Addresses have been sent from St. Petersburg and
other towns ,n Russia expressing gratitude to the Emperor
for the abolition of the salt-tax. It is proposed to raise the
general customs tariff 10 per cent.

In four days' shooting of Lord Sefton's preserves at
Croxteth, Lancashire, six guns killed 6,344 head of game,
of which 4,832 were pheasants, 197 ducks, and 999 hares.
We believe this is unparalleled in sport.

This week a shepherd, when upon the Kilpatrick
Hills, was attracted by the unusual conduct of his dog. He
followed the animal and found on the ground a gentleman
named Archibald Deavie, who had been wandering about
the hills for a week. Mr. Deavie in a few hours died from
exposure.

Sixty-eight political daily journals are now pub-
lished in Paris, three new editions having appeared on one
day last week.
Mrs. Sarah Jones, grocer, High-street, Cefnmawr,
near Wrexham, died on Saturday from the effects of a bite
from her own dog a few weeks ago.

A massive Blue-book, containing 336 pages, was
plblished on Monday, containing correspondence with
British representatives and agents abroad, and reports from
Naval officers and the Treasurer, relative to the slave trade.
The lifeboat at Thurso has been the means of
recuing eighteen men from five vessels, including the
schooner Phwnician, of Douglas, which were in peril during
a heavy gale.

The Marquis of Lorne in opening the Canadian
Parliament, congratulated the Houses on their return of
prosperity to the Dominion, and announced the completion
of contracts for the construction of the Pacific Railway.
There were hopes that the receipts for the current year would
exceed the expenditure. _

• The first results of admitting the public to the
National Gallery, in London, during students days took the
form of one hundred and fifty-four sixpences on the fist
day last week, and one hundredand--fifty-seven sixpences on
the second day. No inconvenience was experienced by any-
body in the Gallery in consequence of these admissions.

The Director of the United States Mint reports that
during the last seven years the mines in the United States
have produced 280,000,000 dots. in gold and 271,000,000 dots.
In siker, of which amounts 95 per cent. and 61 percent. re-
spectively were received at the Mint to be coined.
The Registrar-General reports that the duration of
registered bright sunshine in London last week was 5:2
hours (against 5,1 hours at Glynde Place, Lewes), the sun
being above the horizon during 554 hours; the recorded
duration of sunshine was, therefore, equal to 9 per cent. of
its possible duration.

On Tuesday Mr. Shaw-Lefevre, the First Com-
missioner of Works, was re-elected member for Reading
without opposition.

No less—than 120,272 persons visited the Smithfield
Cattle Show at Islington during five days in last week.

• Mr. R. Bourke, M.P., spoke on Monday night at
the East Lothian Agricultural Society's dinner, held at
Haddington. He said they seemed to have reached a period
In the history of the country when a full stop might be put
In the historical record of events, to divide the past from
the future. The question with regard to the East which had
agitated the pu'blic mind might be said to be in abeyance,
and larger and more important questions were, he was
afraid, looming in the future.

It is worth noting what a strong tide of emigration
is constantly taking place from Italy, all the steamers that
leave Naples and Genoa for South America, the Argentine
Republic, and Brazil being crowdetl with Italian peasantry.
The reason is not so much that the Italians have a taste
for emigrating like the Germans, as that they are fleeing
their country to escape the excessive taxation, which weighs
particularly hardly on agricultural interests.
A shock of earthquake was felt at Brescia on
Friday afternoon in last week, accompanied with a rumbling
noise.

The Bishop of Manchester, preaching on Sunday at
Oldham Parish Church Jubilee, alluded to the state of Ire-
land, and said that in 1830 there was a great failure of the
potato crop in Ireland, and this was followed by outrages
such as were now occurring; but he asked if we had not the
faith and courage of our forefathers, and whether we would
endeavour to hand down to posterity our heritage, not only
.untarnished and undiminished, but enlarged and invigo-
rated. _ _

Dr. Schliema.nn, accompanied by his wife, has gone
to the spot near Lake Copais, in the vicinity of Thebes,
where once stood the city of Orchomenos, celebrated in
ancient times for its enormous wealth.

The Sunday Society announces that arrangements
have been made for the opening on Sunday, December 26,
and the two following Sundays' of the Winter Exhibition of
Oil Paintings, at the Hanover Gallery, New Bond Street,
London. On December 26 the gallery will be open to the
members of the society, and on the two following Sundays
the public will be admitted by. free tickets. It is also
announced that during the next session the Sunday Society
will bring forward in both Houses a resolution advocating
the further opening of museums and similar institutions on
Sunday throughout the country.
The Bishop of Peterborough preached in the
cathedral on Sunday to a congregation of about 10,000
persons, advocating the claims of the Agricultural Benevo-
lent Society. Membei s of the corporations of Peterborough'
Wisbech, and Stamford attended n their official capacity.i
His lordship attributed the late agricultural depression to
Divine punishment for national unfaithfulness, and said that
although the English farmers did not make so much noise
as their Irish neighbours, yet they had perhaps more real
cause for complaint.

The Dail?' News understands the Government has
under consideration the propriety of adopting the system
of Grand Committees as a means of relieving the pressure of
business in the House of Commons. In some degree this
would be the readoption of one of the old customs of Parlia-
ment. - -

On Tuesday night Sir Frederick Roberts was ad-
mitted to the freedom of the Merchant Taylors' Company,
and was subsequently entertained at a dinner. The Master,
in congratulating the General on his accession to their
number, spoke of the great antiquity of the Company, and
of the illustrious Men whose names had been placed fon its
roll. Sir Frederick, in acknowledging the honour conferred
on him, observed that it was by such rewards that soldiers
were reminded that they were also citizens, and were identi-
fied with the glory of their country. Of the personal cha-
racter of the arniy he spoke highly. Lord Lytton also
addressed the meeting.
There must have been some heavy payments of
legacy and succession duties during the past week. Wills
amounting in the aggregate to nearly £2,000,000 have been
proved. These all bear the increased scale of duties pro-
posed by Sir Stafford Northcote in the
an
1e spring
Sir Ti
rn gsbeforioemtlaies
dissolution. Arnow, the wills proved were Mr. Joseph
Monteflore, of North i Park, Sussex, 60
Hare, Bart., £300,000.
The chase of the American frigate Constitution by
an English squadron during the war of 1812 is the subject
of a large picture fresh from the studio of Mr. Dana, and is
now on view at 1, Rue de la Pair, Paris.
Mr. Rylands, M.P., addressed a large meeting of
his constituents at 13111'111U on Monday night. Referring to
Ireland, he said, We must put an end to rack-renting, give
the tenant an interest in the land, with free sale, fair rents,
and a gradual creation of poeasant proprietorships. Not only
in Ireland, but in England, was needed a land reform, and he
believed we were just on the threshold of a great struggle
on the land question.
On the assembling of the Justices of Cheshire at
at Chester Castle on Saturday, the Rev. R. Richardson, the
Chairman, said lie had received a letter threatening his life
It was an atrocious thing that such a letter should be sent to
a magistrate, but it would not deter him 11= doing his duty.
The letter was handed to the Police Inspector on duty. It
bore the Chester postmark and was signed " Rory of the
Hill."

Colonel Gildersleeve has received a letter from
Lord Stanhope officially inviting the American Rifle Asso-
ciation to compete with a team representing Cleat B:itain
and Ireland in July next, and expressing the hope that the
Americans will also send, a team to the Wimbledon meeting.
Mr. Ralph Creyke, M.P., addressing a Liberal
meeting at Cleckheaton on the land question and Irish
affairs, remarked that the land question in England was
entirely different from that in Ireland. The depression in
England was mainly owing to bad seasons and competition
from abroad. Could the Government pass a meagure enabling
worring men to purchase land on easier and cheaper terms,
It would be highly appreciated. Speaking of Mr. Forster,
he considered the right hon. gentleman had acted very
wisely, although he was between two fires. Another circum-
stance which was fatal to the prosperity of Ireland was the
fact that a great deal of the land was held by men whose
only interest was in drawing their rent.


l

Two more shocks of earthquake were felt at Agrara
during the night of the 10th inst. They were slight and of
short duration; but they considerably alarmed the poPata-
tion.

The Calcutta Correspondent of The Times says
The Maharanee of Cashmere is dead. She seems to have
been greatly beloved by the people, and her death is said to
have created a profound sensation in Cashmere."
A telegram from Beunos Ayres says.that the wheat
harvest promises to be the most abundant ever known in the
Plate.
His Majesty Dom Luiz's Portuguese -translation of
Shakespeare's Richard the Third is being printed at the
Lisbon National Printing-office.
Another attempt is being made by a large organised
force of frontier men from Kansas to invade and settle in the
India reservation of Okohama, in consequence of whioh the
frontier is now being guarded by United States troops, The
Indians threaten to massacre the colonists if they enter their
territory.
A Paris paper says that a night fete in the Paris
sewers is to be organised by some enterprising Englishmen.
Gondolas, hung with lanterns, will circulate on the subter-
ranean waters, and the vaults will be illuminated with

Bengal tires and, the electric light !
The Kentish orchards promise well for next year.
The buds on the apples are thick and stout, and the hazels
promise equally well. The recent apple crop has been ex-
ceedingly short, so that good prospects for next year are
doubly welcome.
The Prince of Wales has sent presents of game to
Westminster and Brompton Hospitals for the use of the
patients.
The Bombay correspondent of the Standard tel ,
graphing on Monday said :—" Lord Ripon's condition iSI
upon the whole, more satisfactory, but fluctuations inn,ll
be expected. Dr. Payne of Calcutta has arrived, ntil"
is, with Dr. Anderson, in attendance upon him. The av
tendance of other doctors who had bece summoned by tele.
graph has been countermanded."
The weather was intensely cold on Sunday in New
York. Four men were frozen to death in that city during
the night.

The King of Greece has just sent M. Grevy
magnificent collection of the works of Homer, on parch''
ments dating from the fourteenth century.
The New Y9rk Times says that it is unofficially
stated that the Panama suscriptions in New York have
reached a total of 8,000,000 dols., and in San Francisco
1,000,000 dols.
In the window of a fashionable fruit and vegetable
shop in Paris—one of those wonderful windows where
gastronomic treasures are heaped in indescribable profusiol!
—was this week to be seen a bundle of asparagus, Prieeu
three hundred francs.—Court Journal.
Tuesday night's London Gazette announces that her
Majesty's Ambassador at Rome, on Dec. 11, signed a de"
claration by which the duration of the Commercial TreatY
of Aug. 6, 1863, between Great Britain and Italy, has been
prolonged until Dec. 31, 1881.
This year there is no occasion, happily, for any ex,'
cessive discharge of workman at Chatham Dockyard, which
generally takes place at the end of each financial year, the
estimates having been but very little exceeded at any PO'
tion of the twelve months.
On Wednesday a severe snowstorm was reported
from Dundee. The snow lay to a depth of four or five inches
in the town, and in the outlying districts was seven or eigbt .

inches deep. All tramway tialtic was stopped.
An inquiry has been held at Plymouth concerning
the death of Richard Hodge, who was killed on Saturday, 00
Dartmoor. He had found a 16-pounder shell where th?
artillery practice camp was pitched last summer, az'
knocked it open, having seen this done on previous oc•
casions. Those, however, had been time-fuze shells, which
required fire to explode them, whereas Hodge had found a
percussion one, which burst when struck, blowing him
pieces. The jury in their verdict urged the War Office b°
take precautions against similar accidents.

The election expenses of Lord Claud J. Hamilton,
the Conservative and successful candidate at the by-election
for Liverpool in August last, are announced as amounting
to £5,216, of which £1,495 is set down for conveyanc
The expenses of Mr. S. Plimsoll, the Liberal candidate, 94:
stated at £4,268, of which £1,058 is put down to conveyanc`
of voters.

Tile—Census for Switzerland was taken on December
1 and the returns so far received indicate that the presens
population of Switzerland exceeds 3,000,000.
000

The French Chamber has granted a sum of 212,w-i
for the purposes of the coining Electric Congress WI,
Exhibition.
A whistling match is the latest novelty in New;
Yolk.
A public meeting held at Leicesbar on Mondat,,
night passed rbsolutions protesting against the appointmelt
of additional vaccination officers, and thanking Mr. Tlool'
for his motion in Parliament against compulsory vaccinr
tion.

—President Hayes has arranged to leave America for
England in May next. He will prolong his European Wu:,
till the autnnin, and has intimated his intention to be PIN
sent at a great gathering of Wesleyan Methodists to be 110':
in London in September.
Lord Beaconsfield has received from France inerl
than one hundred and thirty letters containing proposals 1.".
translate into French hi § new novel- Endymion. It Is O; ,
stated whether an choice was made by the noble 1,0-`"
among this mass of offers.
The Corporation of Liverpool, under the Act (Li,
Parliament obtained by them recently, have now decidedE
make the experiment of lighting a large portion of the ell
by electricity, and they have accordingly invited tent;
for lighting all the important thoroughfares from the 10
February. - - ..
Mr. George Smith, of Coalville, " has publishecl:
another letter showing the urgent necessity of educatinf•
gipsy and canal children. At the present time he says
highways, byeways, and canals are acting as a gap, throut
which 70,000 children are escaping the influences of toy-.
schoolmaster and sanitary officer.
Mr. Froude is about to publish anotihr edition
l
his work on Ireland. It will contain a considerable aniPtrs,,
of new matter dealing with the present aspects of the Ll'l"'
land question.
atthtlee
displayil arke to
fweaffran cal
of
nf TtthieoensCdc
oahtyre, i
hst thbmer
eamesda7i
na enf tedra ott
uhprooesl
sei tbaa
associated
ciated with the name
the late Mr. M'Combie attracted much attention.
were altogether 2,700 Scots in the market. The total nee2'
ber of beasts was 7,660, and of sheepand lambs 12,540. ,
,
Dr. Pusey who is now eighty years of age, hiffi
announoed that he will commence a course of lecture-0,40,
Regius Professor of Hebrew in the University at;;C!;:ns
Church, on Wednesday, January 201 h, on "prophetic
and other Prophecies of Christ."
Sir Wilfrid Lawson, speaking at Grimsby, said all!'
hoped the Government would mention the local option clu's," ,
• as r
tion in the Queen's Speech, and introduce a measure 1 :
cordance with the spirit of the resolution carried last Julge
but, if not, he should move a resolution affirming
necessity of the local option resolution of last Session
without loss of time, embodied iii legislation.
...., The Earl of Crawford and Balcarres died on Monti",
a Florence. His lordship has been in delicate health r
some time. He was born in 1812, and succeeded his fatla,
as eighth earl in 1869. He is succeeded by Lord LindsaY,
'eldest son, who is at present in Germany. Lord Lin4twes
was first elected one of the Parliamentary representatNi
for the borough of Wigan in 1874, and was re-elected 15' ,
April. A vacancy for Wigan is thus caused.
The death of Mr. Mark Cattley, of Upper Tootit,
took place suddenly at his club on Monday evening;
Cattle,,)', it will be remembered, antested Southwark U'
Conservative interest at the last general election, in c
junction with Mr. Edward Clarke, Q.C., M.P.
In London, on Tuesday, the baptism of the ;fat,
son of the Earl and Countess Stanhope took place 9_,,,t
Peter's Church, Eaton-square. The ceremony was perferi'.,
by the Rev. Canon Wilkinson. The infant Lord Mallon re'
ceived the names of James Riphard.
At the annual distribution of prizes to the fer,
Middlesex Rifles in St. James's Hall, Lord Lytton, in rtrill:
ing to Afghanistan, eulogised the conduct of Cien' os.
Roberts during the recent campaign there. He said it' slow :
reported that the Government were meditating an unco.,
1
ditional surrender of Candahar, but he trusted the fats ,s 0
cision would not be taken, and was quite sure that ,f 0
public opinion of this country would not sanction the
lute surrender of the objects for which the troops had 10116 i
for two years in Afghanistan,
Last week's receipts of cotton at all United
ports were 2.11,000 bales; ditto since Ist September, 2,706j41-:
bales; shipments to England, 98,000 bales; ditto to `itt
tinent and' Channel, 89,000 bales • total ditto siee!
September, 1,525,000 bales; stock at '-'
all ports, 906,000 'aeo.,' j •
Mr. R. Winn, M.P., speaking at an agricultniorojg ,
dinner at Louth, said he was in hopes that they might, nofi -
forward to the future of agriculture with more eonfluerips
and with greater satisfaction than had been the case du to ,
the last three or four years. In his opinion the repeit,l_2„,f es.,
malt duty was one of very questionable benefit to the
of this this country. ,
The Mayor of Southampton, in consequence O„ftlitb-'
recent fatal football accident which occurred at
ampton, has issued a notice prohibiting the game
public lands until the rules, both Association and
shall have been modified. .
tho
The . Liverpool Journal of Commerce says .tris,
tenders have been received from firms in Germany,
Alsace, and Switzerland for 37 locomotives required fcrios •.
St. Gothard Railway. The highest, tender was a _
6,163
the lowest was £65,360.
No fewer than 4,107 students haYo vaatriculate;Des ,
the Berlin University this session, being the highest nuopa '-
enrolled at any German University. Of these, philos,c
claims 1,891 ; law, 1,347; medicine, 585; and th' ~
only 284. teo •
a .
Ara recent meeting of the Radnorshire Mag_distr.t
ea
it was resolved that constables be permitted to ear" (itli'
20
lasses in the disturbed districts of the county, that
__, sn , •
•tional constables be engaged till the end of Februn„r•Y:siool -
and
that application be made to the head Quarter
for the clivisiet of the county into police•districts. 0
A sudden and severe hailstorm, with thunder
lightning, broke over Berlin on Sunday. The Linde.° wits
covered with large hailstoness in a few seconds. TO I
followed by a hurricane.
ell -S
ta -
At a meeting of cotton spinners and manufae ,er oa •
of North and North-East Lancashire held in Manchesti oie
Tuesday, the resolution passed by the committee %yet '
Association last week to advance the wages of the wee
throughout Lancashire five per cent., commencing %slid .1
:week in January, was unanimously adopted. A ws till 4
h however,stif et xpre s
advancesedt h
beingthat the m
e present
ad ebut condition
itc
la
s
t esggree i
doin,
dusnnodty he the impression that trade would improve. t p
A Geneva telegram in the Daily News states tilorf ;
og 0 i
Government powder mill near Lucerne blow up on . •
and that five men lost their lives. d 10 !
•
On Tuesday evening Sir F., J. Read addressed triel.',
constituents at Cardiff. He reviewed the conduct ppsPet, :.i,
Government during the Session, and referring to th,c„,,,sceL ,
system, said he believed it was the intention of Mr. Ne.„
1, ~
to ask for a quarter of a million of money, to reran;n
hands, for the purpose of introducing improvementS•
Mr. Osborne Morgan,l speaking at Ehe,..51 to til
Wrexham, on Monday night, referred at some lengres
disturbed state of Ireland, and the different reilwaloo,,il, '
posed. He asked whether it was not possible to 'flioTiri".
the extreme suggestions of repressing outrage and re 10010
the causes which produced it. Larger powers for nla alo9, .
ing the law must be granted, if nesessary, but force c
; tll,'s
would not remedy the existing evils. In his oriluls to ' •
was an urgent necessity for securing fixity of tenn'' .
Irish tenant.
The body of General Brookes, who was killed ehclu psi ".
the sortie from Candahar, was landed at Portsrneu6;Derro ;
Saturday morning from Her Majesty's ship Seraris• egot,o
Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar and his staff were Prro, .:,, '
receive the corpse, and a strong guard of honour
~.,..hoiso:', ,
108th Regiment, under the command of Major Isalie PIP
presented arms as it was borne down the BroW.
..1- 0 troqi
was plved in a covered van and conveyed by the ;eyed
to the Victoria Station, LGndon, whence it was cony
London and North-Western Railway to Holyhe"-
_A
Ireland.
,ittl"

ciinit:fee
Mr. Ashton Dilke, M.P. a
, was on SaturdaY
at Newcastle-upon-Tyne to the Ancient Order the
Gardeners. In the course .of the proceediags,,',, ve KO,
gentleman said there would undoubtedly "ites;
further legislation on the subject of friendly soda
,ore 111,?0,
at the same time, he thought they:Ought tore r" og PIG
uP
themselves and upon individual exertion thaa_4 useino
Government legislation, however trustworthy and
might be. If this were done, he did not dowireadY
course of time, those habits of thrift which were the
veloping so rapidly would become the rule and 110'
ception in England.

11011;
tb 011
iyinc?u
t
1"111 0 a
itpoei:r.aeofteg
rnt:Ct le0:::31 of
tudegfeirbrir;;:sicitil: su°:

Addressing his constituents at Pl•
day evening, Mr. Macliver, 31. P., said th
cause to look with regret on the work

The condition of Ireland was deplorable,
Government the deepest anxiety. II
Forster had laid before a special Cabin,
formation as might lead to immediate act
decided character. They would all depl,
It, while at the same time they would all
consideration of any Government was the
and property, and next to that the introd
which would lead to the removal of the

iliciiOi.i4
evils.

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c.of sr'
sultr,s
grti,oefo,
,pieservligiorid
•

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