The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-11-27 00:00:00

Leasures
ttrln

Alfred Hudson, senior physician in ordinary to the
Queen in Ireland, died at his residence, Loweville, near
Dublin, on Friday night in last week.

_
Mr. Edward Colston, of Itoundway Park, Wilts, a
descendant of the great benefactor of the city, has been
selected as one of the Conservative candidates for the next
election.

A Rhine salmon of 541 b, was sold in London the
other day. The retail price was ss. per pound—£l3 10s. or
the value of five middling sized sheep.
Alligator oil is an excellent preventive of grey hairs
—at least so says the Brussels National.
There were 56 British and foreign wrecks reported
during the past week, making a total of 1,412 for the present
year, or a decrease of 38 as compared with the correspond-
ing period of last year. The approximate value of property
lost was £3,000,000, including British £2,200,000.
Several Catholic priests who been exiled to Siberia
since the Polish insurrection have, it is stated, been pardoned
by the Emperor and allowed to return to Russia.

The War-office has lately purchased £12,000 of
Consols, in the name of the Secretary of State for War, out
of the fund which has accumulated from the unclaimed
balances of deceased soldiers. ,

Professor Nordenskj old, the celebrated Arctic
explorer, has just been elected a member of the Second
Chamber of the Swedish Legislature.

The late Lord Justice Thesiger left his clerk a
legacy of 1,000 guineas. ,

It is reported that large numbers of aristocratic
French families are constantly arriving in England.

At ô. mass meeting of Rhondda Valleicolliers, held
on Monday, representatives of 15,000 men being present, it
was agreed to adhere to the nine hours a day working
system.

Major-General Sir Frederick Roberts has signified
his acceptance of the offer of the Madras command, and will
leave England early next year to relieve Sir Neville Cham-
berlain, who will be appointed Commander-in-Chief, should
his health permit him to accept the post. —.Army and .Navy
Gazette.

The remains of the ancient Theatre of Naples are
believed to have been found in a palace garden, near

Church of San Paolo.

The marble pedestal on which the inscription statue
of the late Earl Russell is to be placed has been put into
position in the Central Hall of the House of Lords. The
statue is about 7ft. high, and is made of the best white
Sicilian marble. The late earl is represented in full figure,
standing upright, with his hands clasped together, and in
the act of delivering an address. The following is the in-
scription on the pedestal, which is fully 3ft. in height :
"John, Earl Russell, born August 18,1792, died May 28,
1878."

The Standard's Correspondent at Candahar says
that .4 Mussulman camp-follower who has been a prisoner
In thrhands of the tribemen since the battle of Maiwand
has come in. He says that the Pathans in the outlying
districts all expect that hostilities will be resumed is two
months. The Candahar people insist that it will be impos•
sible for Ayoob to organize a force and take the field again
in less than a year, unless he obtain foreign assistance.

A Renter's telegram from Montreal states that
news has been received there of the safety of the propeller
Alma Monro, from Montreal for Hamilton (Ontario), which
was reported missing.

A collision took place on Monday on the Man-
chester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Railway, at Northope,
near Gainsborough, between an express goods train and a
cattle train. One of the drivers, named Priest, was kibled
instantaneously. His fireman escapedoby Jumping off the
engine, which afterwards ran down a steep embankmeit.
Much damage was done to the rolling stock.

A heavy snowstorm visited the district between
Nancy and Metz last Saturday. Several trains could not
get along, and engines had to be sent to extricate them.
Snow fell also at Lyons on Sunday, and likewise in Burgundy.
It is now the height of the fox-hunting season with
the Hungarian Ceurt at Goal& The Empress of Austria
and the Crown Prince Rudolph are amongst the keenest and
most regular followers of the hounds. An accident
occurred to the Emperor of Austria, white he was out hunt-
near Goddllo, on the 10th inst. His Majesty fell from his
horse, but as his injuries were very slight it was thought ad-
visable not to publish the fact of the fall in order to avoid
alarming the public mind. The Emperor is now in his
usually robust health.
The following cable message was received at the
London office of the .New York Herald from the Herald
Weather Bureau, New York:—" A disturbance is crossing N
40; is likely to develope energy, and arrive on the British
and Norwegian coasts between the 22nd and 23rd."

---
Notice is given of a Bill to be introduced Into
Parliament next session for the incorporation of a company
to supply the southern districts of London with water to be
obtained chiefly from springs in the neighbourhood of the
Basingstoke Canal and other places on the borders of
Hampshire and Surrey. Power is sought to transfer the
undertaking to any Trust that may be formed to control
the water supply of the metropolis. It is stated that from
the sources specified in this particular notice about
13,000,000 gallons daily could be obtained.

The Lord Mayor of London presided on Saturday
at the twenty-first annual distribution of prizes to members
of the London Rifle Brigade, at the Crystal Palace. He re-
marked that the discipline young men had to undergo in
the Volunteer force inculcated habits useful in the ordinary
affairs of life.

According to official returns the value of the bread-
stuffs exported from the United States during the last ten
months amounted to 251,000,000 dole.

The Duke of Cambridge, Commanding in Chief,
has approved of non-commissioned officers and men of t,he
Royal Artillery being allowed to'subscribe to the fund for
erecting a memorial to their comrades of all ranks who lost
their lives in South Africa and Afghanistan.
Shipowners having had their attention called to the
Seamen's Provident Fund, through which agency the sailors
of all nations subscribed upwards of £1,200 last year to the
Dreadnought Seamen's Hospital, Greenwich, several firms
have contributed sums of £lOO and upwards in testimony of
their appreciation of this effort at self-help on the part of
the mercantile marine.

In upwards of 130 churches in Manchester district
sermons na aid of the Church of England Temperance)
Society were preached on Sunday; and in many Non-
conformist places of worship reference was made to the
same subject, the society having invited co-operation.
On Tuesday, at Streat, in Sussex, there were re-
joicings in celebration of the return of Lieutenant-Colonel
Alfred Fitzhugh, of the sth Goorkhas, from the war in
Afghanistan. The gallant officer is youngest son of the 4ev.
W. A. Fitzhugh, who has for sixty years been rector of
Streat. The Earl of Lewes presented an illuminated ad-
dress to Colonel Fitzhugh, who briefly responded. In the
evening there were fireworks.

At a Council held by her Majesty at Balmoral on
Saturday Parliament was prorogued from the 24th inst.
to the 2no December. There is no intimation that it will
then meet for the despatch of business.

A telegram from Naples, dated the 20th, says that
the eruption of Mount esuvius is increasing in activity.
Large streams of lava are flowing down the mountain on the
Naples side.—On Baturday night thousands of spectators
watched the new streams of lava descending towards the
Vesuvian Railway. Part of the road above the station has
been invaded, but the main stream fortunately rolled down
parallel with the line.

-
Mr. and Mrs. Gladstone, with Lord and Lady
Granville, returned to London from Sandringham on
Monday. At Cambridge the carriage containing the party
was surrounded by a considerable crowd, and most enthu-
siastic cheers for them were given. .

Two wealthy citizens of Worcester, Massachusetts,
made an odd bet on the Presidential election, and the other
day one of them might have been seen in front of the prin-
cipal hotel in the town, attired in full evening dress, and,
provided with a box, blacking, and brushes, he occupied
himself with cleaning the boots of all comers for two hours.

Two boys, named Dwerryhouse and Hunt, both
about 16 years of age, were drowned at Stanley, near Liver-
pool, on Sunday evening, through the breaking of the ice
covering a pond. The deceased, with two other boys, were
on the ice at the time when it broke, but all got out except
•Da erryhouse. Hunt went to assist him, when the ice broke
under him, and both were drowned.

A public dinner has been given to General Grant
by the Lotos Club of New York. The ex-President made an
unexpectedly long and witty speech in response to the
toast of his health. He said he was fifty-eight years of age,
in good health, still well able to take care of himself, and
give a good account of himself when assailed. For one, he
did not believe that Republics were ungrateful, at least, he
had no reason to think 80. Be was glad to be able to serve
his country in any way, and pleased to find he had been
deemed useful in the recent election campaign. Although
now past the age for volunteering to serve his country, he
would always strive to render it whatever service lay in his
power. The speech was warmly applauded.