The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-08-15 00:00:00

•V.

.\I•G. 15, BM.

FRIEND AND FISHER.—It is stated in tfie
Glasgow Herald that Mr. Bright has been staying at
Stonlisway, and, on the day ef his leaving that place,
fished in the Creed. We are not informed that the
Right Honourable Member for irmingham caught
any articles.—Punch.
INTERE,TINO MEMENTOES. —Alphonse Karr
relates, a clerk of assize, having a morbid love of the
B
horrible, succeeded, during a long term of office, in col-
lecting knives which had been used with deadly effect.
The name of the assassin to whom it belonged was en-
graved on the blade of each, and the whole set was
ighly valued by the collector. One day he gave a
large dinner, at which all the treasures of his sideboard,
of course, did duty. Everything went off very well
till a guest noticed the strange and varied shapes of
the knives. "Each of these knives," remarked the
h
host, with modest pride, "has taken the life of a man."
The effect of this speech was very marked.
TANTAtt'S.—Ohi Part it. " I say, lily Lad,
could you Eat one of those liidney-ries, if you were
offered one ?" Velyer Bog. "Eat one of them
Kidney-Pies? Why, I could Swoller the 'ole blessed
Lot !' —Old Party. "Could you, realty ! Now, I
couldn't Eat one if I were paid for it !"--Wit Old
Parfe.l—Peach.
THE PAY OF POST OFFICE SERVANTS.--The
new regulations as to the rate of wages in the mine'
establishment of the General Post Office came lute
operation on Saturday last, but they have not met
with that approbation which the authorities hoped
for. The letter-carriers had solicited that their
pay, commencing at 235. per week, should rise
by is. Gd. per annum to 37A., and that promo-
tion to other branches of the service might be
open to them as formerly. These two important
items form no part of the new regulations, and the
men say that without them they cannot accept the
revised scale as a satisfactory settlement. They
believe that the heads of departments have reported to
the Treasury that the new scheme has given "general
satisfaction, and this impression has caused such ex-
citement amongst the classes interested that they have
drawn up memorials to the Postmaster-General re-
spectfolly embodying a remonstrance. The wed-
conduct stripes for the letter-carriers have not yet been
issued; the manner of distribution, however, is
known, and has evoked dissatisfaction. The men say
in their memorial that the system 'must necessarily
result in favouritism, punishing :!.e deserving in the
same manner as the undeserving by restricting the
number issued."
THE SCHOOL OF COOKERY. —Maccaroni, with
tomato sauce, and a vegetable marrow soup, formed
the subject of Mr. Buckmaster's lecture, on Saturday,
at the South Kensington Exhibition. He described
very minutely the preparation of the sauce, and he
doubted very much if Mr. Pickwick's landlady knew
anything about it. Half a dozen tomatoes were made
into a sauce, which was served with the inaccaroni.
Then followed the soup. Mr. Buckmaster urged the
value of maccaroni as a good and cheap food. It was
to the labouring population of the south of Europe
what bread is to us, and there was no good reason why
it should not enter more largely into the food of the
people. Weight for weight it was a more valuable
food than white bread, and not more expensive.
A SHIP ON FIRE IN THE VICTORIA DOCKS.—
The report of a ship on tire in the Victoria Docks,
London, which have a water area of some 90 acres,
occasioned great alarm on Tuesday. During the after
noon smoke was seen rising from the manhole of the
British Ambassador, a vessel of large tonnage, which
was lying near the south shore. Scarcely had the
alarm been given before the flames were seen. Thu
float in the docks was at once brought into requisition
followed by four other dock engines. A telegram to
to the London Fire Brigade quickly brought down
three land steamers and two floats. On the arrival of
the firemen several of them entered the manhole and
though four of them were brought out insensible from
suffocation, by prompt measures they were restored.
The cargo consisted of jute, and the flames spread
with great rapidity, extending to all parts of the ship.
An immense amount of water was thrown on it, but
the firemen after some hours' labour found their efforts
to save the vessel useless, and she was scuttled. Some
four thousand bales of jute were thus destroyed. The
disaster is supposed to have originated in spontaneous
combustion.
MARINE DISASTERS. —The Bureau Veritas
states that during the month of June last 115 'sailing
vessels were reported as lost—viz., 58 English, 12
German, 12 American, 9 French, 7 Norwegian, 4
Butch, 3 Danish, 2 Russian, 1 Austrian, 1 Greek, 1
Italian, 1 Spanish, 1 Swedish and 3 of which the na-
tionality is unknown. In thie number are included 17
sailing vessels reported missing. Eleven steamers
were reported as lost—viz., 4 English, 2 Spanish, 1
German, 1 American, 1 Brazilian, 1 Ottoman, and 1
Swedish. In this number is included one steamer re-
ported missing.
INFANTS' CONTRACTS.—An Act of Parliament.
has just been printed to amend the law an to contracts
of infants, and as to the ratification made by persons
of full age of contracts made by them during infancy,
and also as to necessaries. All contracts made by
infants henceforth for the repayment of money lent
or to be lent, or for goods supplied or to be supplied
(other than contracts for necessaries), and all accounts
stated with infants, are to be absolutely void, with a
proviso that the enactment is not to invalidate any
contract into which an infant may enter, by any exist-
ing or future statute, or by the rules of coannon law or
equity, except such as now by law are voidable. No
prornise made after full age to pay any debt contracted
action is to be brought to charge any person upon any
during infancy, or upon any ratification made after
full age of any promise or contract made during in.
at
"Npvihb
ihn t
ehli
e.,
fancy, whether there was any or no new consideration
er
for such promise or ratification after full age. The
ilstAthte cot
statute (37 and 38 Victoria, c. 62) is now in force, and
E.
oanEfne;galitelew t
genreßC ;Ton: f
The
ea,e.t
hieC
et
only
COMPENSATION
ymebqpE
:lay:co:CT:
Company"
servantswp erAS
is to be cited as the Infants' Relief Act, 1874.
cons-
pantGuildford Assizes the cause " Turner is. the
pany for an injury sustained in consequence of the
et
ac
coaling
bamli
nips company's
station
The injury was admitted, and the negligence of the
httnieoennaith would
wheanusoitetinbelietpentii.tile\hdveetthowjr:eomw'easr. the
et
loss
plaintiff was in the service of the company, in which.
case, according to a rule of law the Judges have es -
peered that he was in the service of a person employed
by the company to unload the coal trucks at their
255. a week—by the contractor for the work. The
contractor was called for the company, and stated he
had so much a truck (93.) for unloading the coals
The plaintiff, he said, was working for him. The
company's men brought the trucks to the coal aiding,
and then the contractor emptied them. Upon these.
facts, the learned Judge reserved the question of law
subject to which there was a verdict for the plaintiff—i
Damages, I:200.
LIGHT REFRESHMENT.—The recent tropical
heat recalls the following anecdote, told of a wealth
but very miserly man :—While the thermometer stood
at 95 degrees in the shade, some visitors called at 11
country house. Everybody appeared Inviting,d
the case of several elder yguests apoplexy
an 111
imminent. The hoot felt that in decency he
seemed
e could not
fail to offer his visitors some refresh
other hand, the expense was a r ..ra e
_nt; but:. on th
said he at length, you will 'kr 'Aeration. Well,"
some refreshment?"
"No, thanks," replied his viB)."°rB
It's very hot—you must i - "But I say yes!
eed !" And with an air
of the utmost benevo',enee,
e ring the bell, and, on the
servant appearing,
windows ! ' ' Mason, open all the
A NEW I.
.ADLIN KNIGHT.—Sir Mutti COolttaTE
Swamy, of
Ceylon, on whom her Majesty
f has
just
e"nfeiTe':i the honour oknighthood, is a gentleman of
hav'il.,fius e b position in his country, his relatives
long been
the connected by faithful service with
East; he is also remarkable as
having been the first person who, being neither a,
Christian nor a Jew, Was admitted a barrister of one
of our Inns of Court; his "call "bears d
186 nn. e has lab 3, at Lincoln's Inn. He ate January,
oured hard in th
local -