The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-04-25 00:00:00

Mistellaneous flttiligenct.

HOME FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL.

DEATH OF MB. OWEN J ONES. —The Times
E.tys the following passing tribute to Mr. Owen
Jones :

•
We regret to announce the death of Mr. Owen Jones, on
Sunday evening, in Argyll-place. His death on entering his
85th year is not only a serious loss to his friends, but to that
art which he loved no well, and for which he did to
much. His hand had lost nothing of its cunning, nor
his invention of its fertility, so that he might still have
produced much; but what he has executed remains as a
sufficient monument of his genius aud untiring industry.
He was born in 1809, was articled to Mr. Lewis Vulliamy,
the architect, and early went to Greece and to the East,
where his artistic genius imbibed forms of art which
ever retained a dominant influence over him. He set
himself down before the Alhambra and made siege of it.
It was he who revealed not only to Europe at large, but
to the Spaniards themselves. the glories of that unique
architectural monument, as well as the principles on which
it was constructed aml decorated. Into his magnificent
work on the Alhambra he not only threw all his passion as
an artist, but all his patrimony. The labour he bestowed
was repaid him by the success of his resolution to diffuse
the love of colour in decorative art, which in that whitewash
period
aTir so
po strangelyttoauncelesetcrrkiingllllust:Zo" fortmiate In
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prin-
ciples as the daring and novel decoration of the Exhibition
in 1851 and the Crystal Palace at Sydenham. Of 31r. Owen
Jones's numerous illustrated publications and his architec-
tural and decorative labours this is not the occasion to
speak, but it is worthy of mention that the last of the
many public recognitions he received was the diploma of
honour for decorative designs at the Vienna Exhibition of
1873.
DEVotiTLY TO BE WISHED.—There WU an-
other Bore seen running up the Severn last week, and
a third is expected in August. How much happier
we should all be, if bores would but confine themselvee

to the Severn !,2-Punch.
A TE2LAS CATTLE FARMER—The correspon-
dence of the Baltimore American gives the following
relative to the "Cattle Kings" of Texas :—" Captain
King has an enclosed pasture of 70,000 acres, though
he owns 150,000 acres of land in Nueces and Duval
counties. The entire stock held by him at the present
time is 50,000 head of cattle, 20,000 head of sheep, and
10,000 head of horses. He overstocked his enclosed
pasture to such an extent last fall that he was com-
pelled to turn a great many out on the range again,
although he sent 4,000 head to Kansas and slaughtered
4,000 head more for their hides and tallow. He dis-
poses annually of 8,000 head of cattle, either by sale or
slaughter, notwithstanding which his stock is always
steadily on the increase. He has recently purchased
another ranch in Cameron county, on which he has
10,000 head more of cattle, andlattached to which is
about 10,000 acres of land.'
THE BANYAN TREE. —ln the Royal Botanic
Gardens at Calcutta there is now a splendid specimen
of this famous tree (Ficus indica), of which the follow-
ing account has been recently given by the Director:—
"The circumference of the area occupied by the tree,
measuring round the outermost stems (with a tape
line), is 700 feet, and the diameter between the ex-
treme stems, from east to west, is 200 feet, and from
north to south, 189 feet. Many of the branches ex-
tend 40 feet beyond these limits. I roughly estimate
the area shaded by the tree at about 11 acre. The
main stem is a conglomeration of large trunks, which
have united, the whole measuring 48 feet in circum-
ference at eight feet from the ground. A few of the
largest of the secondary stems measure as follows, the
circumference being taken 4 feet from the ground:
13 feet, 10 feet 7 inches, 9 feet, 8 feet 3 inches, 7 feet
9 inches, 7 feet 8 inches, 7 feet. A circle has been
drawn round the main stem 150 feet in diameter, and
all this area is paved with brick; outside this circle
there are eighty-one stems, and inside seventy-five.—
The Garden.
NEW MONEY—The authorities of the Mint
are about to coin a large quantity of half-crowns, none
of which have been made since 1848, when they were
abolished by Royal proclamation, and all then existing
were as they got worn ordered to be called in and
gradually converted into florins. The florin was coined
in 1851 to operate as a counterpoise against the
abolition of the half-crown and to form the basis of a
contemplated decimal currency which it was at that
period hoped would be universally acceptable. The
commercial world,however,did not adopt very willingly
the new theory of circulation, consuently it has
been abandoned. Had it succeeded, the Mint intended
to established a gold decimal currency. The reason
for coining the new half-crowns is the expressed wish
of a majority of the leading commercial and banking
firms throughout the United Kingdom supporting its
utility as a immure of currency.
ATTACK ON AN AUSTRALIAN TE LEGRAPH
STATION.—On the evening of Sunday, the 22nd of
February, the persons in charge of the telegraph sta-
tion at Barrow's Creek were outside the building en-
j..ying an evening's smoke and talking to some young
blacks, when a mob of natives stole up under cover of
a building, and speared Mr. Stapleton, the principal
officer. The station party rushed for the entrance
gate of the station, but were driven back by a shower
of spears. They then ran round the building, fol-
lowed by the natives in a body, and contrived to gain
the entrance, which was also guarded. The blacks
then cleared off, but next morning reappeared all
fully armed.. They were fired at with rifles at a dis-
tance of 500 yards and dispersed. The attack ap-
pears to have been quite unprovoked, as the natives
have always been treated with kindness. The force at
the station consisted of seven white men, including
one trooper. A linesman named Frank was killed on
the spot, and Mr. Stapleton died of his wounds on
Monday afternoon. He was formerly employed in the
Victorian service as an operator, and subsequently had
charge of the station at Mount Gambier for two years,
and was appointed to Barrow's Creek on the opening
of the overland line. A black boy who was present
when the attack was made was speared in three
places, but not killed.
WANING AWAY !—The women's Temperance
' movement, once so active, is Walling, and very little is
now heard of it (writes the American Correspondent
of The Times). The Chicago Tribune has recently been
at great trouble to get information as to the results of
the agitation in the Western Staten, and, summing it
all up, it concludes that as a moral agent in directing
the attention of all classes to the general and lament
able prevalence of intemperance in the country at
large, in suppressing some of the vile places of resort
in small towns and making them odious, and in
pointedly illustrating the fact that legislation may be
made so severe as to defeat itself, "the women's Tem-
perance crusade has been entirely successful." The
Tribune thinks, however, "the claim that it has revo-
lutionised the districts which have been infected with
the Temperance enthusiasm by the entire suppression
of the sale and consumption of intoxicating liquor is
unfounded.
A RAILROAD NOTION. —The Chicago Tribune
gives an account of a project devised by a correspondent
to carry grain from the West to New York by Means
of a wire cable, to which would be attached bins 51t.
long and capable of holding two bushels each. At
distances of 10 miles would be stationed engines of
150-horse power,to be used in working the endless cable,
the operation of which would be precisely like that of
an ordinary elevator, except that it would carry its
load horizontally, instead of lifting it. The inventor
thinks that by this process wheat can be moved from
Chicago to New York at a cost of about 10c. per
bushel, after leaving a margin for repairs and interest
on cost of construction. The strength of cable required
would make the scheme a failure ; but it is
remarked that brings to mind the fact that
before the success of locomotives on railroads was
an accomplished fact, and even at the time when the
first railroad where they were ever used was being
made, it was expected that the trains would be drawn
by endless cables worked by stationary engines.
TIME LOST ABOUT FLOWERS.— Let WI look the
question of "time lost about flowers" boldly in the
face, and see what we can make of it. Have my
plants no value whatever' Do they bring me in abso-
lutely nothing? Not quite so. They are small change,
current money and good, which enable me to acquit
an obligation or confer a favour. How many are the
little kindnesses which cannot be repaid in cash, but
which may be acknowledged by a gift of cut flowers,
rooted cuttings, or established plants. Is it nothing
to be able to gratify a parent by sending early straw-
berries to an ailing child I The knowledge, in your
social circle, that your garden is stocked with the
choicest things you can get, and that you willingly
show them and distribute what you can spare, is in
itself a title to consideration. "I like to inspect all
my friends' gardens," says Mrs. Blank Asterisk, " but I
much prefer going where, if anything pleases me, I
can ask for a bit of it without offence or refusal. One
good turn deserves another, and you are quite at liberty
to do the same at mine." The leading principle is
capable of wide application, and a garden so adminis-
tered may sometimes render service above all price.
Again, time is money, undoubtedly ; but, also, time—
especially time devoted to rest and recreation-16 health.
"A garden," said Lord Bacon, "is the greatest re-
freshment to the spirits of man." And health is no
unprofitable return, even for hours frittered away
amongst flowers. A distinguished French journalist,
M. Francisque Sarcey, prescribes, when the brain is
exhausted with work, an underdone beefsteak, a large
glass of claret, and a two hours' nap. But would not
a turn in a sunny garden supply an oxygenic supporter
and stimulant such as no meat or yule CAB fumhh:--
Gardeners' Chronicle.

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