The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-01-20 00:00:00

EPITOME OF NEWS,

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

Baron Adolphus Rothschild has founded at Nice a
rally° for a hundred children.

The Captain Relief Fund amounts to £57,826,
sufficient to carry out ths scheme of relief originally con-
templated.

The Emperor of Brazil has been the largest buy er o
photographs ever known in Paris. Ills purchases have been
packed up in t/aee large boxes!

Before Cacsar permitted himself to be interviewed he
always asked :—"Who is it in the press that calls on met'
Cawtr, Act L, Scene 2.
Le Bien Public says that on the recovery of the
Prince of Wales, the English aristocracy intend to present
him with a silver musket of the value of £5,000.
The Trade Union Congress at Nottingham closed
on Saturday night. Icext year's Ineeeing will be held at
Leeds

A poor woman in Liverpool, whose hnsband died
about five montlaa ago, has recently been confined of four
children (three boys and a girl).

- ---
The Marchioness of Lansdowne was safely delivered
of a son and heir on Sunday at Lansdowne House. ller lady-
ship and infant are both doing well.
The Sultan has conferred upon Essad Pasha,
Minister of War, the Order of the MedjidiS of let class set
in diamonds.

No less than 208 fatal street accidents occurred in
London during the past year, being an increase on either of
the two preceding years, even allowing for the increased
population.

- -
The Eclipse, a Paris weekly illustrated comic paper,
has been seised again. Its chief cartoon represented the
Bishop of Orleans hesitating between the Academy and the
Assembly, with the Words underneath, "Heads or tails l"
On Saturday a pensioner named Rice, formerly of
the 46th Foot, resident in Clare Market, London, quarrelled
with a woman with whom he lived. In the course of the
dispute she plunged a knife into him, and mutilated him so
seriously that he now lies in a dangerous condition.
The matistrates of the county of Dublin met on
Saturday, a large number being present, to congratulate her
Majesty and the Prince. of Wales on the recovery of the
Prince of Wales. Copies of the resolution were ordered to
be laid before the Queen and the Princess of Wales.

His Imperial Highness Prince Napoleon, on Sun-
day night was present at the New Hall of Science, in Old.
street, London, and listened to the usual Sunday evening
discourse, delivered there by Mr. Bradiaugh. The subject
of the discourse was "The Right to Punish."
From April lot to the 13th instant the Treasury re-
ceipts amounted to £50,864,080—an increase of £2.362,151
upon the returns in the corresponding period of last year.
The expenditure bus reached £58,332,404. tin Saturday last
the balance in the Bank of England was £954,624.

-
The death is announced, in letters from Anjou,
the Marquis of Breteux-Villters, belonging to one of the
oldest families 'tithe province. Ile was out shooting, when,
in his jumping over a ditch, the shock caused his gun to go
MI, end the whole charge entered his breast, killing him
almost instantaneously.

Mr, Arthur Helps tells no that he went one morn-
ing into one of the ininisterial offices and found the private
secretary of the chief (who had gone into the country to rest)
packing op to him 108 letters which had come by the morn-
ing's post. And then there would be the afternoon's de
lisery !

At the meeting of the Home Rule Agßociation, held
In Dublin on Tuesday night, Professor Galbraith announced
that the Home Rule movement was making consider-
able progress in England. Ile denied Bishop
Storiartye allegation that the agitation was got up by
Fenians ar.d spiteful Tories. He alluded to The 0' Donoghue
as a ghost—the ghost of a young Irishman who once loved
his country.

The Nonconformists of Liverpool held a Conference
on Tuesday, to consider the advisability of recommending a
candidate, holding their views on certain questions of grants,
totlli the vacancy at the School Board caused by the death
of Mr. Eden, a Meal solicitor, and a member of the
Church of England. Ultimately the conference de-
cided to recommend no special candidate, leaving
the body to act as individuals thought hest.

The illness of his Royal Higneas the Prince of
Wales will be a national blessing it it causes a reform of our
house drainage. But it won't. There is probably too much
truth in what the landlord—and builder—of a house said to
a lady the other day. As an intending tenant, she was very
particular in her inquiries as to the sanitary arrangements.
She asked had this and that been done? The landlord con-
fessed that the suggested precautions had not been taken.
"But," be added, "you need not be afraid, ma'am ; it's only
the illness of the Prince of Wales that has caused people to
be so particular. /t will soon bine over."

Some fifteen hundred Irishmen met in Dundee on
Sunday afternoon to consider the question of Home Rule for
Ireland. In the course of the proceedings, which were very
orderly, two resolutions were passed, one binding the Irish-
men.l the town to co-operate with their brethren elsewhere
in seeming for Ireland her native Government, and the other
appointing a committee to assist the Dublin committee in
every possible way to obtain the re-establishment of the
Irish Parliament. Some strong language was Indulged in,
and the consequence of a refusid_of what were regarded as
the just rights of Ireland was said to be recourse to blood-
shed.

Last Saturday a with of Teetotallers who had
abstained from the use of Intoxicating liquors for 20 years
and upwards was held in the Temperinwe-hall,
Nearly 700 persons were present, the average number of years
they had abstained being 24. Mr. James Barlow, JO'.,
presided. Aldermen Ferguson. J. 1., and Rcbert Smalley,
JO'., Mr. Raper, Rev. E. Franks, and about 20 other gentle-
men qualified by abstinence, addressed the meeting. The
greater proportion of the remarkable assembly were men,
and all classes of society were repr,sented. Twenty thou-
wind years of total abstinence were stated to lie present, and
3,53 had been abstainers during the while of their
Nine persons had a Teetotal average of 55 years each. The
average age of tbose present was 38.

"In his efforts to impose heavy duties on raw mate-
rials, M. Thiers is likely to lied the nation less amenable to
his wiahes than the National Assembly. He has not only all
the agricultural, but also most of the industrial in-
terekts arrayed against him. In the Assembly itself
his proposal to close the general discussion on Monday
evening was negatived by a large majority, and it
was understood that influential Deputies were bent on
prolonging the debate for several days. Outside the House
he has to withstand the pressure of the Chambers of Com-
merce and the open hostility of a large number of the public
journals. Even the D:bats, by far the ablest and most de-
voted supporter of the Government, candidly warns the
Head of the Executive that his financial and economical
views are shared by absolutely no other man than his own
Chancellor of the Exchequer, M. Pouyer•Quertler.—Leader
In the Times.

The State apartments of Windsor Castle were opened
to the public last llouday.
It is said that Lord Cairns, as chairman of the
Judicature Commission, has signed a report recommen
that the number ot County Court Judge, should he red=
0 thirty.

The atuettes of Magdebourg and of North Germany
have both the following implement and uncouth words :
•' France is our debtor, mid so long as she remains 80, MOS
oontinue to be our subject.*
The Art Union of London will give a set of eight
plates of coast scenery to each subscriber of one guinea tor
the current year, in addition to the chance of a mire in the
distribution m April.

What is believed to be the most laconic "address to
the Jury " on record, was delivered by Mr. Montague Bete,
Q.C., at Bristol, the other day. The Recorder summed up the
case in the following words :—"Centlenien of the Jury,
which of the parties has spoken the truth I "

Mr. nuskin'e munificent offer of £5.000, for the
urpoae of an endowment
taylor llafleries, has, with tsootrey„aion,lirs'iloonfed"ap"ip%viend`4"
Mr. Ruskin, been cordially accepted by the University
Oxford.

The postal authorities have now under consideration
an invention by which the handwriting of persons telegraph-
ing a message will be transmitted by the telegraph. It
vety probable that the lost office will introduce this
serious application of electricity into the public service.
The population of the little kingdom of Greece,
According the last census for 1870, amounted to 1,457,894 In-
habitants, of which 7r.1,176 were males and 703,716 females.
Comparing the present returns with those of 1860 an Increase
Is shown of 132,515 souls. Athens has a population of 44,610
souk
It is proposed to place a stained window in Berkele
parish church in memory of Dr. Edward Jenner, the Ws
coverer of vaccination, who was born at Berkeley, lived and
died there, and was buried in the chancel of the wish
church. The subject of the window, which will cost £.500, of
which £lOO has been subscribed, tutu be "Christ healing the •
tick;
The Paris journals are joking Trochu with the word
" sortie." One of them says the general gut out of a railway.
carriage and was going to leave by the wrong gate, when an
official respectfully remarked. " This way, general, for the
'sortie !' " upon which the distinguished soldier, horrified
at the reminiscences of Peel,, jumped into the carriage again
and sped on his way.

A Radical English paper quotes the following from
an American contemporary, heading it "A Hint to Home
Reformers' :—The Columbian Government, finding itself in
monetary difficulties, has reduced its army to a thousand
men, and the salaries of its officials ten per cent. iFrance
might take a hint from this].
According to the New York Tribune, a civil
engineer of chicago has petitioned Congress for aid to enable
him to test his method for the artificial production of rain.
lie wants to be furnished with 300 cannon of not less than
24-pounda calibre each, am! 30,000 lbs. of powder to tire in
them, together uith an electrical battery and other ap-
pliances, to enable him to discharge all the pieces simul-
taneously I
The following curious advertisement is taken from a
Paris paper—" Marriages—Tao sisters, very distinguished,
of the fhat nobility, retired from the world, aged nineteen.
and twenty-three respectively, with a fortune of bar millions
each, desire to be united to two gentlemen, not older than
fifty, possessing titles and fortunes—Address for par-
ticulars, 4c."

An ingenious Frenchman advertises as follows :
An honourable menhant, aged forty years, bachelor
having suffered heavy losses during the last eighteen
months, is insolvent for the sum of 00,006 f., which he cannot
Pay. Ile engages himself, on his honour, to serve all his
life, for his board and lodging only, the person who will pay
this amount for him !"
I'., in Notes and Queries, says, "Have any of your
readers met with apiece of the W &tete oat worn by Charlm I.
on Jan. 30, 1649? rhave in my possession a piece of rich red
striped silk, brocaded with silver and yellow silk, said to
have been worn by him at his execution, mid shall be glad
to know if any one else possesses a portion of the same, awl
can give an authentic account of its history."
One who signs himself " Silverleas " writes :—" I re-
quire weekly for my customers an average of from 1:60 to £lOO
silver coin. Igo to the Bank of England, and am put off
with £lO or £2O at the most, suds week ago was refused al-
together. Colonel Ladino was fortunate in getting two
thin sixpences changed, as a few weeks since the Bank of
England were in such straits for silver that they actually
had to re-issue the thin money they had theruselvm with-
drawn from circulation."
A cottage at Hartland, Devon, was struck by
lightning during a thunderstorm on Friday in last week.
and first the chimney, then tne roof gave way. A farm ser-
vant named Beer ow the occurrence and also two children
fall down, and on going to their assistance they told him
there was another child inside the cottage. lie went for
help, and on returning found more of the building had given
way. lhe missing child, much marked about the face, was
found burled under several tons of rubbish.

Mr. Artnitstead, one of the members for Dundee,
has most generously presented 1.6,000 to be expended in pro-
viding two club-houses for the working men Several
gentlemen are to be appointed trustees, but the intention is
to leave the working men who become members to manage
the clubs themselves. It is expected that after they are set
aging the clubs will become self-supporting ; and in con.
nection with each are to be a reading-room, refreshment.
room, smoking-room, amusement-room, and lavatories. A
house is to be opened in the east anal west districts of the
town.
In the new number of the Alma sack de Gotha, its
109th, Republican France is relegated to the end of the
volume, where it follows "Zanzibar ;" a chapter headed
"Molson Bonaparte" in each of the first two parts of the
work being devoted to a genealogical account of what the
editor, loyal to the Royalist traditions of the Aintetnaels_
still styles the Lieu impiriale de Prance, and its cadet
brambes. The " Kingdom of Italy" now appears for the
first time as one separate and united fitate, the "Pontifical
States" of former editions having been compressed into •
single entry, entitled "Saint Siege Apostoliqdb," which fits
alphabetically into a new place between "St. Dondnique ^
and the "Sandwich Isles."
The Spectator says the speech is understood on all
hands as an announcement that Lord Derby remainsan active
leader of the Conservaaves, that he endorses Mr. Disraell's
advice to wait till the pear ripens, that he accepts but scorns
the ballot, and that he thinks his party may successfully
resist strong Constructive legislation, especially restrictive
liccusing laws, sanitary laws, laws remodelling county
government, and laws such as were suggested by the pro-
moters of the Social Alliance. Ile is opposed to Home Rule,
to any concession to Cltramontanes, and to Intervention in
tlic next great war on the Continent, and in favour only of
judicial reform and of a limited creation of Life. Peon,

It has been decided in the Central Criminal Court
that clowns have privileges which merchant princes might
claim in vain. Moat people might suppose that -ME
Merryman " was not of the social standing which would
entitle him to be summoned to serve on a jury, but this would
be a mistake. One of the first jurors whose name was called
at the Ohl Bailey the other morning, expressed a hope that
their lordships would excuse him. "On what ground?" asked
Mr. Commissioner Kerr. The applicant replied, " Because!
am clown In the pantomime, at Covent Garden. I have to
perform in day representations of the pantomime, and the
penalty on me for non-appearance on any occasion of a per-
formance Ia .£lOO. Hero Is my laind for your lordships to
see its conditions." Mr. Commissioner Kerr "Van stand
excused."
Last week the aggregate mortality in London and 20
other large towns in the United Kingdom was at the rate of
29 deaths annually to every 1,000 persons estimated to be
living. In the metropolis 2,305 births, and 1,622 deaths were
registered, the former having been 85, and the latter
201 below the average. Ninety persons died from
small-pox, 51 from measles, 23 from scarlet fever, 8
from diphtheria, 115 from whooping-cough, 41 from
different forms of fever, and 3 from diarrlnea. The
mean temperature of the air at Greenwich was, again so
high as 40 degs. 3 mins., and was 4 degs. 3 mins. above the
average in the corresponding week of fifty years. To this
cause may, in great measure, be attributed the fact that the
deaths were so far below the average. To diseases of the
respiratory organs, including phthisis, 582 deaths were re-
ferred, or 65 less than the corrected average weekly number
in the corresponding week of the last ten years.