The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-06-19 00:00:00

EPITOME OF NEWS,

BRITISH AND FOREIGN,

Journalistic.—ls there any connection between a
pen-and-ink war and a paper-mill ?—Judy.

The International Exhibition in the Champs Elysdes
will be opened on the 10th July.
A Parisian man of the world offers 30,000 frs. to an
author to write a novel, and allow advertiser to publish it as
his own. Amusement, like taste, has no limits.

An Aberdeen lady hearing some one say that the
mails were irregular, remarked—" It was just so in my young
days—no trusting any of 'em.'
The convicts in New Caledonia are paying special
attention to the fabrication of cigarettes. They are made
with native tobacco, and are widely patronised in Australia.

The last bull fight at Madrid was organised for the
benefit of a society for assisting widows and orphans. The
number was doubtless increased, as three of the bull-fighters
were killed.

Victor Hugo's speeches, divided into three parts,
according to their delivery before, during, or after his exile,
will be published in a few days.

"Why," says sentimental Jones, with a tear in his
eye, "does the sight of China always remind me of a battle-
field after the battle is over? "—Because I think of the poor
slain (porcelain). —Jud4/.

A telegram from Melbourne, dated the 15th inst.,
states that the epidemic of measles in the Fiji Islands is now
slightly abating.

Marshal MacMahon has congratulated the troops
who took part in the Paris review of Sunday last upon their
excellent bearing and appearance.

On Tnesday night at a fishing station on the Tay,
between Dundee and Perth, three ti,hermen were drowned
They had been pushing off their boat from the shore, and
when it floated they all attempted to jump into it, and in
doing so they upset the boat, and were thrown into deep
water.

The New Testament Company of Revisers assem-
bled in the Jerusalem Chamber, in London, on Tuesday,
for their fifty-first session, the Bishop of Gloucester and
Bristol presiding. The company proceeded with the revi-
sion of the 14th chapter of the Epistle to the Romans.
The Cobham Stud Company held their third sale of
yearlings on Saturday. Thirty-eigkt lots were disposed of,
the sum realised being 14,885 guineas, or an average of over
301 guineas.

It appears from the annual reports of the inspectors
of mines, which have jnst been issued, that the number of
deaths arising from fatal accidents in mines during last year
was 1,056.

The continued rush of American travellers to Europe
is exciting an uneasy feeling in the United States, on account
of the money they take out of that country and spend in
foreign lands. Five steamers sailed from New York on the
22nd ult., filled with passengers, and it is calculated that no
fewer than 75,000 Ameridans will visit Europe this summer.
If each spends £2OO, as it is reskoned will be the case, fifteen
millions sterling will enrich Europe, and A.merica will be-
come so much the poorer.

A Thing never Lost but often Found.—A verdict.—
Judy.

The Agricultural Society of France has organised a
competitive trial of reaping machines, to take place at Ver-
sailles, in the month of July. The prizes offered for those
of Frei ch manufacture are—first, 500 francs and a gold
medal ; second, 200 francs and a silver medal; and various
honourable mentions ; and next, for those of foreign coun-
tries, similar rewards; lastly, 590 francs offered by the Coun-
cil General of the Oise for a trial between the two principal
winiaing machines, French and foreign.
The receipts on account of revenue from the Ist
April, 1875, when there was a balance of £6,205,322, to the
121 h instant, were £15,234,139, against £14,531,574 in the cor-
responding period of the preceding financial year, which
began with a balance of £7,442,854. The net expenditure
was £15,347,743, against £14,911,091 to the same date in the
previous year. The Treasury balances on the 12th instant
amounted to £5,517,043, and at the same date in 1874 to
£8,483,464. - - -

The speed of trains in Germany is given by a recent
report as follows :—Greatest speed per hour, including stops
for express and fast trains, 34 miles; for ordinary pamenger
trains, 25. Slowest speed were for express and fast trains 21
miles per hour; ordinary passenger trains, 16 miles. Average
speeds per hour, for express and fast trains, 28 miles ; for
ordinary passenger trains, 21 miles,

The Yorkshire manufacturers who were couraged
by Lord Derby to go to Vienna in order to make a complaint
about a sudden increase of duty on woollen goods have had
a long interview with the Austrian Minister of Commerce.
At the annual meeting of the friends of the Bishop
of London's Fund, held at Sion College, it was stated in his
lordship's opening speech that a sum of half a million sterl-
ing had been collected, 115 churches had been built. and 222
clergymen added to the diocese. It was estimated that if
new churches were built at the rate of ten to eleven per
annum they might in course of fourteen years overtake
arrears.

Mr. Serjeant Cox stated, at the Middlesex Sessions,
that from his experience as Recorder of Portsmouth he knew
It to be a practice amongbt soldiers who wished to leave the
army to co'mmit some small theft in order to procure their
liberty at the cost of a short imprisonment. fie had checked
this practice at Portsmouth. and with a view to deterring
soldiers in London, he on Tuesday sentenced two artillery-
men to nine months' hard labour for having stolen a small
quantity of provisions.
In a small hoire of the buried city of Pompeii has
-lately been found a wooden casket, containing two lares, two
penates, one figure of Isis, and one of Aruba, all in bronze,
and a third household god in silver. At the same time were
discovered a small liarpocrates of beautiful workmanship,
an amber vase, and some others in glass Further digging
brought to light a small marble Venus, a Greek amphora,
and a painted terracotta, representing a woman hiding. The
wine vessel is of glass with wavy-coloured lines around it.

To Country Cousins.— One of the greatest sites ot
London just now is that of the Law Courts. —Judy.
A suggestion has been made that the owners of gar •
dens who come up from the country daily should deposit a
bunch of flowers at the railway termini in London for the
use of the hospital patients.
The total number of messages forwarded from
postal telegraphs stations in the United Kingdom during the
week ended the sth of June, 1875, was 415,296; week ended
June 6, 1874, 385,279: increase in the week of 1875 on that of
1874, 30,017.

A drawing-room song on Cremation from its serious
and pathetic aide, is the latest novelty. It advertised, and
Is for mezzo-soprano, so we know what that class of voice
Inclines to.—Court Journal.
A party of American gentlemen has arrived in Ire-
land for the purpose of competing with Irish riflemen in a
shooting match. The visitors ou lauding were welcomed by
a deputation from the Irish Rifle Association, and entertained
at dinner at Cork. _ _

A cruel joke at the expense of those ladies who are
perpetually striving to gain a healing in the Press has been
going the round of literary circles, to the effect "that they
look much better in muslin than in print."—Court Journal.

"Are the young ladies of the present day fit for
wives?" asked a lecturer of his audience. "They are Et for
husbands," responded a lendable voice ; but the difficulty
is that you men are not fat for wives." The applause was
great, as was the discomfiture of the lecturer.
A scientist has discovered an insect that will destroy
the potato hug. It bores into the potato to lie wait for the
destroyer of th,t edible, and while it is waiting the potato
suffers. The farmers fondly hope to discover another bug
that will destroy the hug that destroys the potato bug.
It having been stated that H.M.S. Dido was the
means of communicating the measles to the natives of Fiji,
we understand that the Colonial Office has requested that an
Inquiry into the whole circumstances ot the case may be
made by the senior officer on that station, in order that the
origin of the epidemic may be traced.
"Civil Servic."—The service of a writ !—Judy.
The correspondence of Mr. John Stuart Mill, which
will shortly be published, contains many letters more theo-
logical in tone than philosophical. It is generally rumoured
that the book will contain passages, especially on religious
topics, which are far more uncompromising than the boldest
in the "Autobiography," and that they will in any case
throw considerable light on various developments of the be-
liefs entertained at successive periods by Mr. Mill.—
Athencrunt.

Prince Albert Solms has forwarded to his kennels
at Braunfels, Prussia, a large number of first-rate English
dogs of different breeds, including several first-prize winners
at the late Crystal Palace dog show, embracing English,
Scotch, and Irish setters of the best blood, fox terriers, York-
shire terriers, deerhounds, Skye terriers, colley dogs, and a
brace of St. Bernards—in all forming, with previous importa-
tions, a grand nucleus for the establishment of a first-class
kennel in Germany.
Motto for a Doctor.—" Patients is a virtue.—Tudy.
An International Exhibition is to be held at Brussels
next year. It will comprise all matters relating to the saving
of We, the lessening of human suffering, the improvement of
the dwellings of the working classes, tfcc. A Congress for
discussion will be held in connection with the Exhibition,
and will be permanently organised, holding its meetings
trienially in the various capitals of Europe. A meeting is
shortly to be held at the Mansion Rouse, under the presi-
dency of the Lord Mayor, for the formation of a London
Committee.
The Emperor of Russia is attended at Ems by his
black dug. A correspondent writes—" A gentleman meeting
the Emperor and his dog in a corridor, he drew back to let
his 111 ajesty pass. The act seems to have aroused the
suspicion, for he made a grab which took effect at the rear of
his 'continuations,' and the animal bounded off joyfully with
a sample of British cloth in his possession. The gentleman
intends to present the breeches, with the breach thus made
In them, to the local museum of his native town, as a
memento of his travels.
A return has just been published showing the average
daily number of criminal prisoners in custody in the county
prisons of England and Wales, the gross amount of net
profit on their labour, and the annual average earnings per
head. The daily average in custody at Lancaster was 137;
Preston, 377; Kirkdale, 352; Chester, 146; Knutsford, 267 ;
and Salford, 704 The annual average earnings per head was
£2 17s, 6d. at Lancaster, £7 14s. 21 at Preston, £2 Os. 'ad.
at Kirkdale, 148 Oid. at Chester, £2 Os. 2d. at Knutsford,
and £7 18s. 611. at Salford.
An entertainment has been given at the town
mansion of the Earl and Countess of Dudley, by pupils of
the Royal Normal College and Acalemy of Music for the
Blind. The Duke of Westminster was among the visitors
present, and, while proposing a vote of thanks to the Earl
and Countess, strongly recommended the institution to public
support.
Some remarkable novelties have just arrived at the
Brighton Aquarium, namely, four white Mexican Axolotes,
a variety which has never before been seen in this country;
two more individuals of that strange animal the Poteus,
from the subterranean caverns of the Tyrol, making eight
recently received; four specimens of the Macropode, or
Chinese Paradise Ash ; and a large Torpedo or Electric
Ray.
The number of acres of colonial wheat under culture
In all the Australian colonies last year was over 1,600,000
acres and the produce 18,000,000 bushels. South Australia
and Victoria are the largest wheat.producing colonies, the
farmer producing six to eight million bushels, and the
latter about five millions. New Zealand ranks next for
about three millions, and New South Wales follows with
two and a half to three millions.
A letter from St. Petersburg in the Figaro states
that the benefit performance of Madame Judie produced a sum
of 20,000 f. The stalls, which cost ten roubles (31.. 50c. each),
were paid at least 26. The artist also received three magni-
ficent presents: a sane of diamonds, worth 20,0001. ; a dart
for the head-dress in brilliants. with a sapphire as large as a
pigeon's egg, valued at 80,0001. ; and a diamond bracelet,
worth 32,0001. If to the above be added the 100,0001. she re-
ceived for her engagement, her private soirees, and other
presents, it will be found that she made in six weeks suffi-
cient for an intorno of 16,0001. a year.