The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-06-01 00:00:00

glistettancous

ROME, FOREIGN, AND CCLONIAL,

A SCOT ON SWEET SOIJNDS.—A' music what.
ever is o' Scottish origin an' derivation. It a' cam
Sooth ;fa, ayont the: 1 weed. A' ramie jest resolves
itsel' intil a meextureo"rweedledum an"l'weedlesDee
—the Scottish Dee.—The oreeginal St. Cecilia was a
Miss MacWhirter. She invented the Bagpipes.—
Punch.
PLAGUE OF ANTs.— The Northern Lighthouse
Commissioners have had a somewhat curious case pre-
sented to them for consideration and investigation
(says the Scotsman). It appears that for some years
past the emmets, or ants, have been increasing in
number t a most enormous extent on the May Island,
the property of the Lighthouse Board, and at present
every part of the island is so infested with these little
creatures as to render the land useless to the lights
keepers. The myriads of insects by their burrrowing are
also raising considerable hillocks. For the purpose of in.
vestigating the matter, with a view to adopt means to
exterminate the insects, a party of gentlemen left Edin-
burghon Saturday morning and proceeded from Granton
in the Pharos to examine the state of the island. The
steamer sailed at 930 a.m., and among the gentlemen who
embaaked were the Lord Provost, Provost Watt, of
Leith; Bailie Miller, and Sheriff Fordyce, Corumis-
goners ; the professional gentlemen were Professors
Sir P. Chriatison, Stevenson Macadam, Maclagan,
Wyville Thompson, &c. Mr. I). 84evenson, engineer
to the Board, was also present. When off Crail two
gentlemen, said to have practical experience in such
matters, were received on board, after which the
steamer proceeded to the island, where the whole party
landed and remained about two hours. The weather
was extremely fine, and the sea being smooth there
was no difficulty in landing from the boats. The
steamer returned to Granton about 8 p.m. The result
of the investigation has not yet been made known.
GNNERAL PORT OFFICE.—The following has
been issued by order of the Postmaster-General :
'. Letters containing jewelry or whole bank-notes should
always be registered, as should also letters containing the
second halves of hank-notes, unless, before the despatch of
these second halves, an acknowledgment has arrived of the
receipt of the first halves. When sending postage.stamps in
letters the numbers should be kept small, by using, when
necessary, stamps of comparatively large value ; and in
making up the letter the stamps should be placed in paper
sufficiently thick to prevent their presence being discovered
by the feel. When this is not practicable the letter should
be registered. When, also, a money order is forwarded by
post, and the letter accompanying it supplies the informa
tion which the payee will have to give on the presentation
of the order, the letter should be registered. The Post-
master-General appeals to the public to co-operate with him,
by a careful attention to the foreg ing rules, in preventing
the temptationsto crime which are now constantly presented
to his officers, and which often lead to thefts, followed, in
cases of detection, by prosecution and imprisonment."
EXCITING SCENE AT BELFAST. --A scene of the
most painful excitement was enacted in Belfast on
Thursday night in last week, about eleven o'clock. A
lady with her child in her arms got upon the narrow
parapet of the Eglinton Hotel, and surprised the people
ass the street as she walked fearlessly to and fro scream-
ing for her husband, a sea captain, whom she had come
to Belfast to meet. Not finding him, and dreading he
was lost, she had gone into hysterics. As her position
was 60 feet high, and a false step would have been
instant destruction to herself and infant, it required
I cautious work to get near her, which could not be
effected from the roof, and no ladders sufficiently long
were at hand. Beds and mattresses were strewn upon
the street lest she should fall. At last, by means of a
fire-escape, she was reached and seized firmly, although
she struggled desperately to push the fireman sway.
The husband and mate arrived to witness the end of

the appalling scene.
Tole POPULATION OF V ICTORlA.—Tablesgiving
some additional results of the census of Victoria, 1871,
have been issued from the office of the Registrar.
General (says the Melbourne Arius). One of them ex-
hibits the birthplaces of the population, and presents
some interesting particulars of the composition of the
people of Victoria. In 1861 there were in the colony
138,075 persons who bad been born within its limits,
in 1871 these had increased to 329,597 persons, the
numerical increase for the 10 years being 191,522.
Turning to the part of our population which is
British born, we find that at the date of the last
census their birthplaces were as follows :—England,
164,286 ; Wales, 6,614 ; Scotland, 56,210 ; Ire-
land, 100,468. Of these nationalities the distribution
of sexes is somewhat unequal, of the English
there being 97,796 males to 66,490 females, while
the Irish stand 49,198 males to 51,270fema1es. Compar-
ing these figures with those of 1861 we obtain the
curious result that while the English colonists have in
the 10 years decreased 5,300, and the Scotch decreased
4,491, the lash have increased by 13,308. A table
giving the numerical particulars of the religions of the
people shows that the Episcopalians number 251.328,
the Presbyterians 81,832, the Free Presbyterians
20.160, the Wedeyan Methodists 80,491, the In, lepend-
eats, 18,174. the Eavtists, 16,311, and the Roman
Catholics 167,467. '1 here are 17,646 Pagano in the
colony, and no lees than 9,907 persons objectsil to state
their religion froni conscientious scruples. The total
population according to the complete census returns, is
731,028. .

• -••-- -
51O1tTAL11 Y AMONGST PILGRIMS. —A letter
from Damascus, in the Journal de Grnre, has the :
following :—The caravan from this city left Mecca on
the 25th of February with an effective of 4,000 pilgrims,
and arrived on the 10th of March at the tomb of the
prophet at Medina. Dining that fortnight 400 'orisons
died oof cholera. There were at that in, of ticht ELt 51edina
7, 0011straugers, anhitlig W horn tne scourge was rag Mg with
terrible severity. 1 :store the arrival of the lianotscus
caravan it appeared to have abated, lout it immediately
broke out again with violence. The simultaneo ous de -
larture of all the pilgrims from Mecca, which had not
taken place in previous years, is evidently very unad-
visable from &sanitary point of view. There were in
that city more than 20,000 in the middle of March,
and during their stay more than 1.800 rases of death
were ascertained, but no accounts have been obtained
of the number of persons who died in the va.t suburbs
and gardens of Medina, as well as in the great bodies of
pilgrims from Cairo and Bagdad, which encamped out-
side the walla The caravans generally are believed to
have lost 20 per cent, of their numbers.

—DOUBLE COCKNEY CONUNDRUM FOR THE
DERBY DAY.—" What eminent Composer would in
England hare probably been • in the Ring'?"—
"Agda."—" Why ?"—" Because who ever 'eard of
'Aydn alone? Ain't it always a 'Aydn and abettin' /
En? Now then ! Come up, can't yer !”—Punch.

_
Too BAD, REALLY !—The San Francisco
Bulletin, of April 2ud, tells this :
"The sliver half-dollar nailed to the end of a stick driven
down between the paving stones in the street at the crossing
of California and Battery streAs, yesterday, caused a number
of persons to stop and attempt to inert ase their finances,
then start on with. metaphorical !lea in each ear, muttering
something about April fool. At length a small boy came
along, kicked vigorously at the coin, comprehended the situa-
tion, and walked oir lie soon returned armed with a pair
' of blacksmith's pincers, and, seizing the head of the stick
with a firm grip, pullet! it up boldly ti..d walked oil with it in
triumph, muttering bolt° core, ' I guess somebody else is
biol.(' this time.' But what is the world coming to? The
. . .

halbdollar was a bad out."

THE DIRECT CLAIMS.—The appendix to the
case iif the British Government, just published by the
Foreign Office, contains the reports of Messrs Cohen
and Young, appointed by the Board of Trade to
examine the claims contained in the American case.
The total claims, amounting to 17,763,710 dole., will,
the Commissioners consider, be amply met by 8,039,685
dots. The leport of the Commissioners appointed by
the Admiralty to examine the claims for expenses rn.
mined by the United States navy in pursuit of the
Confederate cruisers concludes that the greater part of
the claim of 7,080,478 dole. is inadmissible, and that if
Great Britain were held liable for the four Confederate
cruisers, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Shenandoah,
the amount could not exceed 1,509,300 dole, for the
Alabama only 1,427,685 dols., and the Florida only
81,615 dole.

WHAT'S IN A NAME I—The Congregationalist
for May says —"We: bear an inveterate grudge
against the word chapel as designating a Noncon-
formist placs of worship. It is a term unknown to
primitive Christianity, and not in harmony with
spiritual Christianity.
planted a most exact and happy term, a word true to
the central thought of intense Protestantism, to the
deepest and fullest conceptionof spiritual worbhip—viz-,
meeting house."
- •

DEATH or THE OLD LION.—Mr. Frank Buck.
land regrets to report that the old lion at the Zoo-
logical Gardens died on Monday morning, the 20th
inst., and gives the following tig his dimensions :—Nose
to tip of tail, measured along the back, 9ft. jun.; nose
to tip of ear, lft. 7in. ; across upper portion of mane,
21t. sin. • across lower portion of mane, 2ft. din. ; tail,
3ft. 2in. long; round fore-arm, lft. 3in.—a tremendous
size; tip of foot to top of back, 2ft. 10in. ; at withers,
2ft. 7in. A tine old fellow, known to be 20 years old—
died of old age. His teeth yellow and much worn;
looked like an old man. Mr. Buckland adds :—"
should have liked to have cast him entire, but could
not do so without injuring the skin and whiskers;
besides which, he did not look a very noble object, and
I would not like to perpetuate him as a representative
of the Uritish Hon. He had so claw an the end of his
tail"
ATTACKED By A SHARK. The Honolulu
Gazette, of April the 3rd, gives the following account
of the narrow escape of a Sandwich Islander from
being devoured by a shark
"We learn from Kawaibae that about two weeks since a
native, Kaholo, was attacked by a shark while on his way
from the shore to the fishing ground in the bay. The old
man was going out in a small canoe, which, by his weight,
was depressed in the water so that his legs were but a few
inches above the surface. He had just passed beyond the
reef, and was paddling along unaware of any danger, when
a large and hungry shark made a break for him. The jaws
of the ravenous flab closed upon the mall's thigh and the
case, making a hideous Wound in the former, some eleven
Inches long, and tearing the flesh from the bone half the
circumference of the thigh, leaving it hanging dons in shreds
as the teeth drew away, and leaving in the wood of the
latter three or four teeth, broken off. Ihe man was nearly
dragged out of his canoe, which at the same time was almost
swamped by the onset of the fish, which, disappointed of its
prey, immediately disappeared. The old man, though bleed-
ing profusely from several wounded arteries, was able to get
his canoe back to shore, and on landing received from his
neighbours whatever help they were able to bestow. lie is
in • fair way of recovering. The teeth which remained In
the canoe were two inches across the line where broken,
• thus indicating a shark of unusual size as well as strength."
OCT OF ITS ELEMENT.—Tho Boston Journal
records the following
" A severe gale, on the 17th arid 18th of April, drove the
ice from the west shore of Lake Winnebago, and a storm on
the 20th drove it back. The body of ice, three feet thick, 20
' miles long, and r 2 wide, moved with irresistible force to and
' upon the shore, to the great emsternation of the inhabitants.
On it pressed, crushing trees, fences, and buildings in its
coon. Trees two feet through were uprooted, and great
rocks carried ten rods from the lase. The ice is piled in
many places 40 feet high, and presents a beautiful spectacle,
attracting visitors from all parts of the surrounding
country."
-

DEATH OF A COEUNNA VET ERIN. —WO have
to record the death of a veteran who took part in the
memorable retreat at Corunna, under Sir John Moore,
and who died in London last week at the age of 90, at
the Ride Grosvenor-mews, Pimlico. Jonas Williams,
a Welshman, joined the Ist Regiment of Guards
(Grenadier) in 1601, and served at Corunna, at which
time the late Lord Clyde (Sir Cohn Campbell) was a
simple Ensign, and was one of the retreating party.
He was taken prisoner, and for three years confined
in an Alpine fortress, whence he managed to effect his
escape, tramping through France, and getting over in
a fishing smack. We next hear of him in 1814, when
he was in the Coldstream Guards, but was too late for
Waterloo; and in 1625 he received a pension of 9d. a
day. Till twelve months ago he was a hale, hearty
man, an 1 worked at hi tr., lc as a Lilor, but latterly
he was in dire need, and was assisted by a charitable

society in Westminiter.
ONLY A LETTER.—Due d'Audiffret-Pasquier,
in the curious Rouher debate, made good use of the
bitter cry to Varus to "give back the Legions." But
as the French soldiers were sacrificed to the brutal greed
of contractors and jobbers, the typical name should be
Avarua.—Punch.
JOKING PREFERRED !—Talking the other day
with an able and popular lecturer, who seldom failed
in getting a full :Ind attentive audience, we (Court
Journal) ventured to ask him what kind of subjects
and what kind of treatment he thought the public liked
best. "Well," was his reply, "I hardly know; but
there's one secret I've found out— what the public
. . . . .

hates is information. People go to thescientific let7tures,
no doubt; they would go to see& Greek play if it was
the fashion ; but the exuberant chuckle of laughter
with which the weakest attempt at a joke on the
lecturer's part is welcomed by the gravest audience, is
proof quite strong enough of the weariness of the
natural man over the dry husks of instruction, and his
delight when anything turns up which has an unex-
pected flavour. It suggests the feeling of the Irish-
man who tasted the quince in his apple-tart: 'How
delicious an apple-tart would be which was all made of
quinces !
DECLINED WITH THANKS !—Oss dit that the
Dean of Chester has been offered the proceeds of a
performance at Cooke's Royal Circus, Chester, in aid
of the restoration f the cathedral, but has declined the
same with thanks! He said that he could not con-
scientiously accept the same when he had refused to
countenance a bazaar for the purpose of augmenting
the fund.
CURED BY INADVERTENCE.—Dr. Pu Hadvvay
reports the singular restoration to health of a man
afflicted with abscess. The doctor tried several
remedies without success, and at last prescribed two
drachms iodide of potassium in six ounces distilled
water; dose, a tablespoonful three times a day. The
patient, a foreigner, misunderstood the dirtetions, and
swallowed the whole at once. Strangely enough, the
120 grains iodide of potassium did him no harm; but,
on the contrary, his appetite, which had been very
poor, was restored, and in ten days the abscess was
healed. He needed no further medicine, and is com-
pletely restored to health. Here may be a chance dis-
covery of importance; in the dearth of remedies for
this dreadful malady it is worth consideration.
QUAKER KAREL/WEIL—An Act of the present
Session (35 Vie., chap. 10) extends the provisions of
the statutes relating to marriages in England and
Ireland, so far as they relate to marriages according to
the usages of the Society of Friends. In order that
the relief intended to be given by the 7 and 8
Vic., chap. 81, may be made "fully effective," a pro-
vision in 23 and 24 of the Queen, chap. 18, is to be re-
pealed which enacted "that the party or parties who
shall not be a member or members of the said Society
shall profess with or be of the persuasion of the
Society." It is now provided that from and after the
let of January next the proviso shall cease. but no
marriage is to be valid unless a certificate be produced
to the Registrar' signed by a registering officer of the
Society of Friends, to the effect that the party is duly
authorised to proceed to the accomplisbinent of such
marriage according to the usages of the Society ; but
no such certificate is to be required in cases where the
party giving such notice shall declare that both the
parties to the intended marriage are either members of
the Society or in profession with or of the persuasion
thereof.
THE "CAT."—The following petition against
flogging has been presented in the House of Commons
by Mr. P. A. Taylor, signed by Miss Harriet Martineau

and 500 other women
'To the honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland in parliament assembled. The
humble petition of too undersigned women showeth that
your petitioners have observed with shame and regret the
return of late years to the punishment of flogging with
the • cat ' In respect to certain classes of criminals.
That your petitioners regard such punishments as a re-
turn to an evil system, which they trusted had passed
away for over. That your petitioners have learned that a
bill is now before your honourable Louse, having for Its
object to extend the punishment of flog jug to certain cases
of brutal attacks upon women and children ; hut your peti-
tioners, while thankfully welcoming this evidence that the
attention of the legislature is heirg directed to the flagrant
insufficiency of the punishment inflicted for Bach offence.,
utterly repudiate the proposed infliction of torture by the
'cat ' as a protection to their bex, regarding it as certain to
increase the brutal, cruel, and revengeful spirit from which
such crimes invariably spring. Your petitioners therefore
pray your honourable house not to pass the bill, and to
abolish entirely the infliction of torture by the 'eat.'
AN AWKwAist RECOGN ITIoN !—The Pall Mate

Guatte, in a late "Occasional Note," threw out the
suggestion that Marguerite lliblanc might possibly be
a man in female attire. In reference to this idea a
curious circumstance is said to have occurred several
years ago in an English country house. For a period
extending over some months various small &Aides of
value, in the shape of jewellery, &c., had from time to
time unaccountably disappeared. Suspicion attached
to no one, and in spite of every precaution these mys-
terious depredations continued. Things at length
became so serious that it was resolved to send for a
aabar deteirti,... who, after inspecting the premises
and puttiwir soul...questions, requested that the servauts
of the house might be assembled in the dining-roses.
This having been done, he inquired if all were present,
and WWI told that every one was in the room except
the lady's-maid, who was in attendance on one of the
I young ladies, an invalid. "Well,' he said, I should
like to see the lady's-maid" who was accordingly sum.
owned. No sooner, however, had she entered the room
than the detective, with a droll twinkling of his eye,
exclaimed, "Ah ! Jim, is that you? I've been look-
ing for you this long while." Then pulling out a pair
of handcuffs, he snapped them on the supposed damsel's
wrist, she being a male returned convict who, in the
capacity of Abigail, had lived for a year with the
astonished and luckless family.