The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-07-25 00:00:00

EPITOME OF NEWS.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

The &nth of Paolo Rasa, the diAingnished Roman
latrouomer, and colleague ot Father tizechl, th
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• , --
It le announced that the London and N'ortli-Western
Railway Company have decided to appeal rgathst the decision
of the Court of Exchequer which requires them to pay pax-
meager duty on fast third-class trains.

Splendid fele., in honour of the fifth centenary of
Petrarch's death took place at krona. on July 18, and wore
attended by many !tali ins and foreigners of note. some
warmly applautkil speeches were delivered, and a medal was
d.stributed to commemoration of the day

On Monday afternoon the Le, d Mayor of London,
accompanied by the Lady Mayoreas and several member. of
the Corporation, vieiteil Stratford in state for the nurptee of
opening West Hem Park BA ajeuLtie reeteati 0 grornd. The
park was purchased of Mr John Cianiey for 425,e00, that
gentlemen end the Corporation of London, each contributing
LAOotto t inerds that amount, the reminder lichig made up
by local subscriptions. The title-deeds having been handed
to the Lord Mayor, he, In tent gave them over to the Mitring-
ing Committee, at the muse time declaring amid ddid
applauze. that the park was open for ,•-er. At the ck;,hoer
which followed the health. of the Lgr 1 Ileyor anti of the
°tiler gentlenin tlAmett44 WiQi tht gate= Wt =Vag*
Molly dna.

It is stated that the Viceroy of Rapt will shortly
Melt Lyons
A prayer-mom in private houses, fitted up ecclesias-
tically, is the latest fashionable novidtt —t'eurt Journal.
A suit of pure silver is to be worn by the King of
Burmah on lea coming re-coronation.
During the last ox months railway earrikTes were
exported to the declared value of adaiii . in the previous
year, &SS oil.
Mr. Gladstone who received a memorial in favour
of female suffrage, writes that he adheres to all statements he
ha made on the subject.
• •

Ten per cent, of the numbvr of graduates this year
at the nigh Schools of Cincinnati ans has. The Jewish In-
hatdraits of that city form but six per cent. of the entire
population.
" A respectable man, in good position, wishes to
correspond with a thoroughly domesticated woman, not
under 30, with a view to matrimony she must be a strict
Catholic, understand some trade, and be able to produce ea-
cOleut referents no other need reply.- -Address, &e."—
A,lvertisement in Manchester Examiner.
- • • •

On his way to Orkney, the Ridit Hon. John Bright,
M. V., has bees spending a day or two at Thurso. Ihrtn4
waited upon at the Royal llotil, and requested to lecture,
he dechneik but expressed bimself as much Impreseed by
the great improvements and additions to the town since his
: last visit, and highly eulogised the Duke of Sutherland
for his liberality in extending the railway to the extreme
north

Prince Bismarck owes his life to a conjurer. The
conjurer made the Prince a bow, the Prince returned it, and
at that moment he was fired at. the raised arm saving him.
The conjurer, who is famous for the trick of catching a
bullet with his teeth, wiui naively asked by the Prince bow
It was he did not catch that bullet. His reply was, "Because
your Excellency caught it" flood on the side of the con-
jurer. —Court Journal
A violent storm, says the Continental Herald, broke
over the valley of Poschiavo, in the Orisons, the other day.
In the nunnery situated in that valley the idea was prevalent
that Antichrist was about to make his appearance upon
earth, and that the comet was his precursor. 11l their
despair these artless religious devotees hastened to ring all
the bells in orde/ to ward off the danger.

On Monday the mill operatives of Belfast entered
on their third week of idleness, and there is not at present
any prospect of a settlement of the dispute.
A valuable seam of coal has been discovered at
I fieddanol, in the Godavari district, Madras ['residency, about
So miles from the river.
In London, last week, 2,323 births and 1.534 deaths
were registered, the former having bees 67, and the latter 45
below the average number.. One person died from small-
pen. 21 from measles 24 from scarlet fever, 6 trim diphtheria,
25 from whooping cough. 41 from different forms of fever,
land 238 from diarrhcea thus to the seven principal diseases
of the zytuotie class 356 deaths were relerreil. against 170,
203. and 241 in the three preceding weeks. These 316 deaths
were 35 below the corrected average ounioer in the corres-
ponding week of the last ten years, the fatal cases of each
dalyease, excepting diarrhces, being below the average.
milihnother "Flying Man' is reported from Enghien,
near Paris. Last Sunday this would-be Daedalus made an
attempt to Ily with an apparatus consisting eta pairof wings,
aided by two pests and a cord by which he balanced himself.
The cord, however, broke, and the aeronaut fell into the lake,
uckily escaping with no:worse hurt than a ducking.

From a parliamentary return issued on Monday, wq
learn that from 1a.57 to 1674. Inclusive, we have created
Z.z1,026,489 of debt, whilst the national debt has been re-
duced by £7,694,763. During the same period taxation was
remitted to the nett amount of £31,334,621 The national
.lebt Snow [Awl& at 0779. 2 45.

The police at New York lately arreeted the entire
company who had performed on a Sunday evening at the
Tivoli Theatre, it being an infraction of the law to have
theatrical performance on 6undais in New York.

On the question of the total amount of the debts of
America held abroad, Mr. Edward Young, the Chief of the
Government Bureau of Statistim at Washington has, in an
unofficial way, just published calculation. The total so held
before the commencement of the Civil War in 11362 was, he
considers, £10,000,000, and he now arrives at the conclusion
that £230,0.0,000 has since been added, making an aggregate
of £240,000,000 represented mainly by national, state,
municipal, and railway and other eorporation bonds

Private Atkinson, of the let Durham Volunteers,
the winner of the Queen'. prize at Wimbledon, arrived at
Stockton-on-Tees on Monday evening The town was gaily
decorated, and at least 20,000 porsons, with two braes bands
and a guard of honour from the Yoikshire Artilery and
Durham Volunteers, wete present Private Atkinson wore
his gold medal, and was dished through the town to his
home.

The Birmingham Post says that the effect of the ex-
cessively dry season Is seen on the embankments and cuttings
along the railways in the Midland district, where the grass
has been fired by sparks fulling from the locomotives in
some places hedges of adjacent fields have been fired.
Watchers have been posted along some of the lines to
prevent the destruction of the fences and the standing grain
crops.
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According to the Dtbats a curious deputation waited
upon his Holiness the Pope the other day, to congratulate
him on the attainment of his eighty-third year. The depu-
tation consisted of eighty-three maidens, ranging from one
year old to fourscore and three. The rope, it is said, was
much pleased with the interview.
It is stated in Nature that in one of the new
observations made by Mr Lockyer a photographic plate
exposed for ten minutes gave no results on the comet, while
the dimmest of the seven stars in the Great Bear, inferior to
the comet in brightness, recorded itself in two minutes ex-
posure. it is hoped that the observation., made under first-
rate atmospheric conditions, with one of the finest instru-
ments with which British astronomy has as yet been
endowed, will throw light upon cornett:l.y structure, and
help to clear up many anomalies.

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A violent thunderstorm passed over Bradford on
Tuesday, doing considerable damage. A house on Tumbling-
hill was struck. The chimney was knocked down, and stoves
and soot were scattered on the floor. The mantelpiece was
smashed, as also were a number of pictures and ornaments.
No lives were lest, but a girl had several teeth knocked out
by a flash of lightning.

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According to Professor Agassiz, the turtle of the
anuiron swarm to such an extent as to form an important
article as food, and he laments the destruction of millions of
their eggs by the natives, who make a sort of butter out of
the oily matter in the yolk.
A parliamentary return published on Tuesday states
that during 1873 there were in all 1,682 miles of raiiway in
the United Kingdom. The total authorised capital
amounted to £6713,686 bea, of which £500,320,306 was paid up.
The number of passengers, exclusive of seamn ticket-
holders, was 455,320,188, Thetotal receipts from all sources
amounted to £57,742,000, of which 55 per cent was limn
owls traffic, and 91 per cent. from passenger tragic. Fifty-
three per cent, of the gross receipts was consumed in work-
ing expenditure, leaving £26,989,152 for net receipts. This
was 4'59 per cent on the total paid-up capital.

Some statistice of the mortality in the principal
Indian cities are furnished by the Registrar-General. Ilia
weekly return show that in Calcutta 192 deaths were returned
In the week ending 6th June, including 27 from cholera,
against numbers declining from 93 to 32 in the flee preceding
weeks, equal to an annual death Tate of 22 per 1,000. In Bom-
be) the deaths registered during the week ending the 23rd
June were 232, and the rate was 19 per 1,000. In Madras the
292 deaths in the week ending the 22ud May showed a rate
of 98 per 1,000.

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Referring to the civil war in Spain, the IXbats says
it is high time that this impious struggle was terminated.
The Madrid papers," it adds. "hare for seine time spoken
of a possible understanding between England, Germany,
France, and Italy, in order to put an end to this deplorable
situation. We do not know whether these Powers have
really conceived the design hut assuredly humanity, even
more than their interests, would render it a duty."

The executive sub-comruittee of the National Agri-
cultural Labourers' Union held a special meeting at Leam-
ington on Monday. The returns from the locked-out dis-
tricts showed 2,512 on the funds against 2,590 last week, and
in the Newmarket district alone the number locked-out was
1,092 against 1,744 last week. The sub-committee voted
£l,OOO for their relief, of which Wm £5O will be required
for Newmarket aloue, where, although the actual number on
the fluids has decreased, the expenses are exceptionally
heavy, owing to expenses connected with the numerous emi-
grants to Cinada. It was decided to continue free emqrra-
tion to Canada, under the special arrangements made with
the Dominion representatives, after Mr. Ball has left with
his party of about lbe, on the 22nd inst.

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Mr. Seth Green, the well-known American pisci-
taltnrist, Proposes that some enterprising persons should
turn their attention to frog culture ; and he gives careful
directions for procuring and treating the spawn and frogs
The spawn will hutch in about 16 days. and if the tadpoles
fnind young frogs are placed in a suitable position it 18 eaten-
ted that they may he easily reared, and a Large profit made.
The mode of feeding the frogs is to place pieces of meat, or
other substance, to attract the flies, upon which the frogs
feed ; they will also eat the maggots of decayed meat, and
eVell the meat itself. It appears that the demand for frogs
in America is increasing, and in that case a hog-hatm might
be made a good in —Suture

The Pictorial World says : A very odd lawyer has
just died—a lawyer who persisted in taking Ins fees in the
shape of marble boulders. When these boulders had sum •
cleutly accumulated, he got the poor labourers to whom
he had also given advice to build him a grand mansion with
them, which mansion may be seen at Fittsfield. Ylassa•
chusetts.

The German marine force includes a body of naval
she pshooters, all of whnm are picked marksmen. The
chief of the Admiralty has ordered these men to be regu-
larly practised in tiring with their improved needle rifles at
objects on the land or floating in the water while the vessel
Is in motion, the men being placed on the mastsor other
convenient points

A New York telegram says the inter-collegiate
boat race was rowed at Saratoga Saturday, the competing
colleges being the Columbia, Wesleyan, Ibiriard, and Yale,
The Yale boat was leading at the end of the first two miles,
when it was fouled by the flarvard boat. and withdrew from
the contest. While the Harvard and Yale boats were en.
tangled, the Columbia men went ahead and won. The liar.
yard crew claimed to placed second.

Sir Charles Wheatstone recently exhibited some
citsions electrical experiments fur the amusement of his
friends, which would seem to throw some light on certain SO.
called "spiritualistic manifestation." In a dark room. by •
stanip of his toot, sir Charles produced a brilliant crown of
electric light in midoilr, while musical instruments seemed
to be plioed by invisible hands, whereas the sfnntla really
came Irons an adjoining room in which the player sat, and
were made to appear to be produced by the instruments
before the spectators by au ingenious contrivance. -Court
Jot, nal.

A fish salad and a tapioca soup formed the subject
of Mr Mockinastert lecture on Saturday, at the International
Exhibition. salads were described as simple luxories, and
When plenty of oil was used in the preparation of the sauce
were not unwholesome. The English were deacribed s bail
salad sinkers The sauce was often served in a bottle, awl
the wet vegetables were heaped on a dish, with a polite
invitation for everyone to help himself. The tapioca soup
was simply tapioca stirred Into boiling stock, but the ex-
cellence of the soup was use to the stock, aid not the
tapioca.

Residence in Paris is now perfectly unbearable for
German. Germans who formerly lived In Paris find, an re-
visiting that city, that they are quite ignored by their I armer
intimate French friend. " All nodal intercourse has been
broken off by the French in a manner not to he mieunder-
-0,0,01." One Frenchman was called on by a German, and he
returned the visit by leaving at the house of the latter a .rd
bearing the words in writing, "Au reroir Bedia."—Court
Journa

The death is announced of Mr. John Grantham,
M. Inst. C. E. Ile was well known for many years as con-
sulting engineer and naval architect, formerly in Liverpool,
where he acted as surveyor of steam vessels under the Board
of Trade, and latterly in London. For the last four years he
was very much occupied in bringing to perfection his steam
car for tramways, In connection with which a company had
just been formed at the time of his decease; but ha was Un-
fortunately taken away just as he was hoping to be rewarded
for his labours and anxieties, and his goat mechanical ex.
rierlence has been lost for further developing the invention.
Mr Grantham was a memb rot the Counell of the inatitute
of Naval Architect, to which he contributed several papers.
His loss will be much felt by those with whom he was for
many years associated.

_
Captain Tyler, in hie general report on railway se i-
dentd in 1873, states that altogether 247 casualties formed the
subject of inquiry during the twelve months The total
number of passenger journeys having been 455,272,000, the
proportion of passenger, killed arts ii. round number: 1 to
2,843,450, and of passengers injured 1 to 100,151; and the ITO
po, tions of passengers killed and injured from eau-te beyond
their own control were, respectively, 1 in 11,331,800 and 1 in
299,127. This was a decrease on thu accrete tg the numh, r
killed and an irlarl,:tik of the number injured from causes
beyond their own control 11, the previous three yetirs, in
which the proportions were Ito 11.133,931 killed, and 1 to
357(50 injured. Of the officers and servants of railway com-
panies there wee in proportion to the total numbers em.
ployed--sny 250,000—killed from all causes lout of 3°2, and
injured lout of 213. but accidente to servants do n..tt appear,
in many case*, ever. now to have been reported by certain of
to tailwav eoixi.aniea and their nara4ra wank!, lithe
Mulls Unti odd Ito wataiwid, s c'obMal* liktbdiat

In consequen,s3 of the encouraging state of the flour
market and the prospect of good crops, the Liverpool and
Birkenhead bakers reduced the price of bread on :Saturday
by a farthing a pound.

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The Australasian ffixtener is the title of a new illus.
trated colonial paper published at Melbourne. The Illustra-
tions are remarkably artistic and spirited. and the Journal
will endure comparison with the best English pictorial
Mem-
-—•••• - • - - -

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A Frenchman returning from his first visit to
England declares that he found no rine fruits except
preserves nothing polished except steel ; but winds
with " what superb human productions !"
Sir Richard Wallace, who has so nobly presented
Paris with free drinking fountains, has received a fetter from
a country ironmonger in France, offering to sell his goods for
• small commission.

A law has been promulgated at St. Petersburgh
abolishing the stringent regulations which have hitherto
been enforced against prohibited societies hi Russia, and
defining more clearly the offences with which persons be-
longing to such associations are liable to be charged.

An- English traveller, during a roe nt tour in
Niagara in company anti his wife, saw an Indian hewing a
piece of timber with a view to making canes "Pray, sir,"
said the traveller, 'to what tribe do you belong " " The
Chip-sway tribe," replied the Indian.
The Fife and Clackmannan coal masters have re
solved to reduce the mineri' waxes 15 per cent., the said to
duction to take effect after la days. This course has been
forced upon the coal masters by the heavy accumulation of
stock, dull trade, and expected greater competition in the
markets now that the dbpute in the West of Scotland is at
an end.

At the gates at the Eton and Harrow match it may
be mentioned that in halTcrowns alone, £l,lOO WY taken
from people who entered the grounds, and that for the car-
riages which were there. WO more were paid.
l'aris advices state that the downward t,endency
In wheat prices has become more decided upon the French
markets. The French wheat crops still generally promise
well.

A Reuter's telegram from Gibraltar, dated the 15th
inst., reports that the Orinno (run Newcastle, had put to
there on the 7th. tier boiler had burst and killed two men.

The Indians, according to a New York telegram
continue committing outrages, aml several minor tights have
occurred.

On Saturday a number of beta of Parliament were
Isaacs& The Scsaion commenced on the sth of March, and
up to the present time there have been 35 public Acts, In
local, anti sevtii private statutes passed.

At Burg,btein Furt five iVestphalian ladies have
heeu Oiled borne varying from 100 to 200 thalers for Mining an
address of s3mpothy to the bishop of Munster ill his Con-
demnation by the German tribunals Herr Windthorst,
formerly Minister of Justice under the King of Hanover, aius
one of the counsel who defended them.

Bon Carlos, According to a Bayonne telegram, has
issued a manifesto, in whioh he guarantees rilmious tolera.
ration, and a representative but not revolutionary Govern-
ment Ile says, moreover, that he will endeavour to
ragstablish the finance. of Spain, and ensure liberty while
maintaining public order.

7 '
A Spanish paper, the Imparrial, recently published
an article proposing that A member ot the Royal Family of
Portugal should ascend the Throne of Spain. and thus unite
the two countries under one rule. The Lisbon papers oppose
this suggestion roans], they say, although wishing well
to Spain, will never consent to lose her own independent
position, and no member of her Royal Family would ever
unction such a scheme.

At the Newmarket Petty Sessions on Tuesday, the
summon. agaillFt Mr. Henry Chaplin, H. P., one of the
stewards of the Jockey Club for baying permitted betting on
the Newmarket racecourse during the July meeting. came on
for hearing. Mr. S. Tennant appeared in support of the
complaint, while Mr. Poland conducted the defence. The
magistrates, at the close of the arguments, dismissed the
summons, and, on Mr. Tennant's application, agreed to grant
• case for the consideration of the Court of Queens Bench,
A petition signed by 30,000 of the inhabitants of
Rome has been presented to the Municipal auth
that city, praying that work should he suspended on public
buildings during religious holidays. The petition emanated
from the Society for the Protection of Catholic Interests.

The agricultural labourers on the march arrived in
Bury. Lancashire, on Tuesday afternoon and proceeded to
the Fair-ground, where an open-air meeting was held in the
evening Mr. Taylor, secretary, In a brief speech, said he
had that day been waited upon by t wo gentlemen who offered
to place £l,OOO at their disposal to aid in emigration The
meeting was then addressed by two of the locked-out men.
who declared the action taken by the farmers In locking out
those who had always been willing to work was simply be-
cause they finned the Union. The proceedings passed off
satisfactorily.

"The Vendome Column, it %lath] seem, was not
erected In strict accordance with the original idea of
Napoleon the First. Looking back to the first decree for Its
erection, dated Oct. 1, 1803, and signed by the Fre Consul,
we find that the column was to be similar to that if Trojan
at Borne, and was to be ornamented with 108 bronze figures
representing the departments of the Republic, and sur-
mounted by a pydestal adorned with olive wreaths, nod
topped with a statue of Charlemagne, the First Colloid, thus
intending to glorify the old French monarchy in its most
Illustrious representative. It was not until after the victories
of 1805 that the style of the column was changed. It was
then cast from 1,200 cannon taken nom the enemy, and
consecrated to the 'Grande Annie