The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-06-18 00:00:00

EPITOME OF NEWS,

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

The dead body of a middle-aged man' apparently of
the labouring class, was discovered on Saturday night
in the Thames off Crossdeep. It had evidently been in
the water for some days, and was much decomposed.
Some of the local watermen dragged it to the Surrey
shore, and it was conveyed by the police to the Crooked
Billet at Ham, to await an inquest.
On Saturday a young man of gentlemanly appear-
ance, named Henry Carrey, described as a clerk, and
who spoke with a foreign accent, was charged before
the Southampton magistrates with frequenting the
docks and the Union Company's steamer Trojan, with
ihtent to commit a felony. He was further charged
with stealing jewellery, to the value of £6O, from the
Union Company's steamship Pretoria, about a month
ago. The accused was committed for trial at the
Quarter Sessions on both charges.
Thomas Rushton, thirty-four, who has suffered from
brain fever for a fortnight, bolted out of bed on Satur-
day morning at Blackburn, and ran across the fields
behind the house, The man who had been watching
him gave chase, but before he could catch him Rushton
had dived down a stone quarry and fell into a pool of
water, inflicting fearful injuries. He is not expected
to recover.
In° Rev. Canon Alcock, M.A., one of the six preachers
of Canterbury Cathedral, has resigned the vicarage of
Ashford, Kent, to which he was appointed in 1847, but
will not leave until the autumn. The living is valued
at £7OO per annum.
Mr. Ritchie, speaking at a banquet of the Merchant
Taylors' Company of London on Saturday, expressed
regret that the traditional high character of the House
of Commons was not being maintained. Scenes had
lately been witnessed which would diegrace a respect-
able taproom. A system of obstruction had also been
practised, but it would no longer be tolerated.
At a meeting held in support of the Hospital Sunday
Fund at the Shoreditch Town Hall, the Bishop of Bed-
ford prophesied that unless better supported on their
present basis, hospitals must become State institutions;
the Marquis of Lorne called attention to the deprecia-
tion in the property of the endowed institutions; the
Rev. Septimus Buss urged ladies to exercise their great
influence to stir up enthusiasm in connection with the
approaching collection; and Sir Sydney Waterlow ex-
pressed himself by no means satisfied with the sum
yielded last year.
Mr. F. C. Burnand, editor of " Punch." presided at
the annual dinner of the members and friends of the
Newspaper Press Fund, held at Willis's Rooms, in
London on Saturday. There was a distinguished
gathering. Subscriptions amounting to about 2 100
were announced.
A grand out-door summer fete. inaugural of the
summer season, took place in the grounds of the
Crystal Palace on Saturday. The grounds, the Palace,
and a model of the Tower Bridge on the lake were
illuminated, and a mythological open-air ballet was
represented upon a stage.
The debate on the Army Re-organisation Bill was
continued on Saturday in the French Chamber, and
after speeches by the Minister of War, M Clemenceau,
and others, the measure was declared urgent by a large
majority, and the House passed to the discussion of the
clauses.

On Tuesday, during the hearing of an appeal in the
Queen's Bench Division, Mr. Justice Manisty made
some strong observations as to the present system of
administering interrogatories. London merchants were,
he said, so disgusted with what they had to do if they
entered into litigation that they would not try their
cases in a court of justice, and the result was a system
of arbitration.
It was stated in the "Gazette" that between April 1
and June 11 the Exchequer receipts were 46,537,136,
as against 46, 706,199 in the corresponding period of
the last fin4ncial year, and the expenditure 45,662,662,
as compared with 45,926,827. On Saturday last the
Treasury balances amounted to £3,875,671, and on
June 12, 1886, to £5,350,664.
After a hearing extending over several days, the
action brought by Mr. W. Stewart Rose, editor of the
"Secular Review," to recover damages from Dr. Horace
Walker, for alleged slander and libel, reached its final
stage on Tuesday evening in the Court of Queen's
Bench, before Mr. Justice Grove and a special jury.
The latter interposed during the judge's summing•up,
and said they were of opinion that the letters com-
plained of were written without malice, and in the
event of the plea of privilege not being justified they
awarded the plaintiff one farthing damages.
The Jubilee Yacht Race was commenced on Tuesday,
and the eleven competing boats were started on their
journey by the Prince of Wales, who, as commodore of
the Royal Thames Yacht Club, was the flag officer of
the day. The course will be round the United Kingdom,
leaving the mainland of Great Britain and Ireland on
the port hand, and the finish is fixed to take place at
Dover. the race being estimated to occupy about four-
teen days.
On Monday Sir H. D. Wolff notified to the Porte
that he had received the copy of the Egyptian Conven-
tion ratified by the Queen. The Russian Government is
said to still maintain its original position on this ques-
tion, which is that the Sultan has not the right of
aliena' lug the independence of Egypt, which Russia
considers cannot be withdrawn from the common
control of Europe.
In Vienna it is believed to be the intention of tho
Porte to propose Strecker Pasha as Provisional Regent
or Bulgaria, in the place of the present Regency.
Nothing is, however, known of this at the Austrian
Foreign Office. The convocation of the Great Sobranje
for July 3 has been received with great satisfaction at
Philippopolie.
The Lord Mayor of London presided on Tuesday at
a numerously-attended meeting, held at the Mansion
House, to set forth the needs of the hospitals and other
medical charities, and their claims on the public for
support. It was shown that the expenditure of these
institutions for the year 1886 had exceeded their
ordinary income by £lOO,OOO, and the meeting pledged
itself by a resolution to increased exertion to prevent
any like deficiency in the current year.
It has now transpired that the three Europeans who
recentiy arrived at Chitral, from over the Hindoo-
Koosh mountains, are of French nationality. Their
names are Bonvalot, Capus, and Pepin. They have
come from Russia, and are in a destitute condi-
tion, having been robbed on the way. The
Government, on being acquainted with the facts of
their case, promply sent aid to enable the travellers to
reach India, where they are expected ix three weeks'
time.

Much regret has been caused in Dublin by the death,
resulting from an accident, of Mr. Charles Gaussen, a
gentleman highly esteemed as a philanthropist. Oo
Saturday Mr. Gaussen was walking at Grey stones,
county Wicklow, with his grandson, the Rev. Mr.
Oairnes, when a runaway horse, drawing a cart, dashed
against him, and he was killed on the apct. Mr.
Gaussen had attained his 92nd year.
On Tuesday morning the last body of the men
killed in the Udston Colliery explosion was recovered.
The man whose name is John Noble, leaves a widow
and family. This brings the total loss of life up to 83.
The famous historical Tobacco Box belonging to the
Past Overseers Society, in its valuable cases, has just
been exhibited at the Town Hall, Westminster, by
Mr. Zephaniah King, the overseer of St. Margaret's, at
present in charge of the unique curiosity. A large
number of distinguished visitors were invited to view
the box and its many silver inscribed plates, which
form a history of the chief events having more or less
reference to the Royal parish since the year 1714.
Some interesting account books dating from 1530, re
cording the ancient parochial payments and expenses,
were also shown, and excited a large amount of
interest.
On Monday a reception was held at Sari Francisco in
honour of the Earl of Aberdeen. The Mayor, Judges
of the Supreme and Local Courts, and some 300
citizens were present.
The marriage of Lady Rose Nevill, daughter of the
Marquis and Marchioness of Abergavenny, to Mr. J.
Blundell Leigh, was celebrated in St. George's,
Hanover-square, London, on Tuesday, in the presence
of a distinguished and fashionable company.
An action for libel, brought by Mr. Eisler, wholesale
wine and spirit merchant, against Messrs. Ridley and
Co., the proprietors of a trade circular, was tried in the
Queen's Bench on Tuesday. The alleged libel was con.
tamed in a series of comments on the practice—which
the plaintiff admitted he carried on—of exporting
spirits from Hamburg to the Charante, and re-shipping
them labelled "Cognac." The jury gave a verdict
for the defendants, and judgment was pronounced
accordingly. -

A telegram has been received at the Admiralty from
the commanding officer of her Majesty's ship Reindeer,
at Zanzibar, which states that Lieutenant F. F. Fegen
and the men who were recently wounded in action
with a slave dhow are now progressing very favourably,
but that Benjamin Stone, A. 8., is dead.
In re-opening, after complete restoration, the ancient
parish church of Clifford Chambers, near Stratford-on.
Avon, on Tuesday, the Bishop of Gloucester and
Brist I gave an interesting retrospect of 50 years of
Church work in England. His lordship mentioned that
since Queen Victoria ascended the Throne no less than
2000 new churches had been raised in this country,
and 8000 works of restoration had been carried out,
entailing altogether an expenditure of 30 millions stet,
Accompanied by many distinguished officers and
several Indian Princes, the Duke of Cambridge opened
the eighth military tournament at the Agricultural
Hall, Islington, on Saturday.
The premises occupied by Mr. John Reavey as a boot
and shoe abop in Manchester partially collapsed on
Saturday night and buried a number of people in the
ruins. The place was filled with customers, when,
almost without any warning, the floor of the room im•
mediately above the shop gave way. There were about
20 people in the shop, and nearly all were covered by
the debris. Several men and women who were got out
were driven to the infirmary and had their injuries,
some of which appeared to be serious, attended to. Five
of the sufferers were detained as in -patients, and two
women, named Macdonough and Cheetham, were found
underneath the fallen mass, quite dead.
_ _ . _ _ -

--Whilst playing at the side of the Soar, Leicestershire,
on Saturday, George Moore, aged five years, fell into
the water. Ernest Ross, aged 10, endeavoured to get
him out, but was dragged in, and both were drowned.
Robert Wright, seven years old, met with a similar
death on the same day in the canal at Shakerston.

A telegram from -Abercorne says three children,
named Robert Rees, 13, Morgan Evans 13, rind Janics
Evans were run over and killed by the 9.35 p.m. pas.
senger train the other night at a point near Victoria
Station, on the Great Western Railway, their bodies
being terribly mutilated. It would appear the children
waited for the passing of an up train, but did not
observe the approach of the down train.
The DuL e and Duchess of Connaught arrived at
Dover on Saturday afternoon, being received on landing
by Alajor-General Moare, Commanding District, his
staff, and a guard of honour. There was a large number
of spectators. Their Royal Highnesses prvieeded to
London.
Inspector Harland, of Halifax, was on Saturday
appointed Chief Constable of the Borough of Grantham.
Her Majesty's Judges attended in State the after-
noon service at St. Paul's on Sunday. They were re-
ceived by the Lord Mayor and the Sheriffs of London
and Middlesex and representatives of the Court of
Aldermen and the Common Council at the western
entrance to the Cathedral, and conducted to seats
specially reserved in the choir. Dr. Gifford, Arch-
deacon of London, preached the sermon. A large con-
gregation was present, and the arrival and departure
of the Judges excited a good deal of interest.
Viscount Cross, Secretary of State for India, and
Lady Cross received the Maharajah of Knob Behar and
the Maharanee, who are here for the celebration of her
Majesty's Juhitee, at dinner at their residence in War..
wick-square on Saturday evening. Among the guests
who met the distinguished strangers were the Mar-
quis and Dlarchioness of Salisbury and Lady Gwen-
dolen Cecil, the Earl and Countess of Crawford, Sir
Henry and Lady Holland, and General Sir Edward
Bradford.
In the Quee.. Bench's? Division on Saturday, a
rule nisi was granted, calling upon the Trinity House
to show cause why they should not renew the pilotage
certificate of a foreign captain. The reason the Trinity
House certificate was withheld was alleged to be the
ob'ectirn of the Government, in the event of war, per—
mitting foreigners to pilot enemy's vessels in British
waters.
The case of Alfred Allen came again before the
magistrate at the London Mansion House on Saturday.
He had attempted to commit suicide by jumping into
the river at Blackfriars Pier. The solicitor for the
Gas Light and Coke Company, who had employed the
swumuanshdsaid
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prisoner at Beckton, said he was a good swimmer. and
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caootrnetEr
might be sent. The Prisoner was remanded on bail.
Notwithstanding Sir
West Ridgewav's return to
London, and the Russian occupaticn of Kerki, a settle-
ment of the Afghan boundary question is confidently
expected in the best informed quarters, on the basis of
Russia withdrawing her claims to Kham-i-Ab and
receiving compensation in the valleys of the Murghab
and Kushk.

ft was stated at Bolton on Monday that theExecti.
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employersnmasters'
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o had decided
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issued to all members of the Association for a general
lock-out, as in 1851.
John Penny. of Warmingham, near Crewe, died on
blopday morning from injuries caused through the
explo,ion of a pistol on Saturday night. A lad named
Flay nes was scaring rats with a pistol, when the
weapon, evidently overloaded, burst, blowing away
Hay nea's right hand, and the charge entered Penny's
stomach. After suffering grew, agony, he died as
stated. Hay nes is progressing favourably.
Sir Michael and Lady Lucy Hicks-Beach arrived at
the Hotel Rose, Wiesbaden, at the end of last week for
another consultation with the oculists.
An anonymous donor has promised £lOOO in aid of
the fund for converting the Blind College, Worcester,
into a public institution, on the condition that the
whole sum required, viz., £6500, be contributed by
ri stm as next. Nearly £3OOO have now been pro.
mised.

The festivities in celebration of the coming of age
of Sir Henry Tichborne began at Alresford on Monday.
Tichborne-park was gaily decorated, triumphal arches
being erected. All the gentry of the county were ifl..
vited to a garden party and ball. For the latter an
immense platform was erected on the lawn in front of
the house. The baronet, who is now of age, was a child
at he time of the famous Tichborne