The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-11-05 00:00:00

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HOME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL.

TiE WZATILWR AND THE FARMERS.—Another week
of favourabre weather has been of great benefit to the
farming interest (says the Magnet). Outdoor work has
been rapidly pushed forward, and a lame breadth of
land has been ploughed up and sown. Thus far, con•
ditions have been kindly. Thrashing operations
have been in full swing, and the dry weather has
wrought a further improvement in the condition of
the wheat.

A CURIOUS AND FATAL ACCIDENT.—On Monday
morning a curious fatal accident occurred at Ports-
mouth Dockyard. Six large canvas sails were being
hauled up to the sail loft by means of a horse pulling
on the blocks, and Thomas Edgecombe, a labourer in
the yard, was holding to a rope at the stone base of
the loft to steady the bale. It was thought that the
canvas had been safely landed, when the horse was de-
tached, and immediately the canvas began to descend,
its great weight on the blocks counteracting that of
Edgecoinbe below, and causing him to ascend. When
he had been dragged to a height of about twenty feet
he came in violent collision with the bale, and was
knocked to the bottom and instantly killed.
ROD FISHING IN SCOTLAND.—Rod fishing on the
northern Scotch rivers closed on Monday. The sport
during the last two weeks has been extraordinary.
Ten fish to one rod in a day was not uncommon on
the Don. The lower portion of the Dee fished well,
but above Balmoral the season has been the poorest on
record. Some heavy fish have been killed, the heaviest,
landed by Mr. Harry Carnousie, weighed 451bs.
A CURIOUS TRADE IN FUNGUS.—The Colonie.4 and
India says :—" Among the various articles of trade
exported from New Zealand perhaps the most curious
is a species of fungus which grows on decaying trees
in all parts of the North Island, but most plentifully
in the provincial district of Taranaki. In shape this
fungus resembles the human ear, and is of a brown
colour and semi-transparent when fresh. It was not
deemed of sufficient importance to be included in the
lists of colonial exports until 1872, when 58 tons, the
value of which was £1,927, were shipped ; in 1877,
220 tons valued at g 11,318, were exported ; and last
year the value of the export was £6,227. China is
the destination of this product. It is much prized.
there as an article of food, forming the chief ingredient
of the favourite soup of that country on account of its
gelatinous properties and its peculiar flavour. Whether
the immigrant Chinese who were more numerous in
New Zealand five years ago than they are now, dis-
covered the virtues of this fungoid growth, or whether
the Maoris, with their naturally keen wit, hit upon
the idea that the substance would just suit the pecu-
liar tastes of the Chinese does not appear. The Euro-
peans in the colony, however, have never acquired a
taste for it."
HALLOWEEN AT BALMORAL.—On Monday night this
honoured festival was celebrated at Balmoral and sur-
rounding district, but with less demonstration than on
many former occasions, and this, too, notwithstanding
that the weather was singularly propitious for the
proper observation of the many curious customs so in-
timately associated with it. No bonfire of importance
graced Braemar heights, but a monster pile blazed
brilliantly from an eminence at Invercauld House,
Balmoral, outdistancing in the splendour of its torch-
light procession and bonfire all other demonstrations.
For hours fun and frolic reigned in the village,. and
the revelries of Halloween were closed with dancing.
ACCORD OF OPlNlON.—Whining Msadicant : "Just
to get a bit o' bread, Sir. I wouldn't arsk yer, Sir,
but I've seen better days,Sir ; I have indeed, Sir."—
Jones: "Ya-as; so havs 1." (It is pouring with
rain).—Fun. ,
THE METROPOLITAN Flail SUPPLY.—It stated that
the Special Fish Supply Committee of the Corporation of
the City of London, who have been recently engaged in
considering and inspecting various sites for a new fish
market in addition to that at Billingsgate, have deter-
mined- to recommend that the recently-erected and
spacious market adjoining the Meat Market, and con-
templated to be used for the sale of vegetables, fruit,
and flowers,- should be devoted instead., by way of
experiment; to the-distribution" of fish arriving by
rail-. The market; is „almost conlpletAd, , , Wilk not- €I.P.
petted that the proposal will be conelderedler corried
without -etrsna4 -opo_sition, op the 1424-64 -stlctaei' ill- '
favour' or ii 114113 n at tillinglate,'
UNACQUAINTED 'WITH :THE tRINCT,PLAW ,Oi 'T&LE:
equi.ST.—One day, during the ibsence Of theoperator
from his post in a western telegraph office, all the in-
struments commenced, and for fifteen minutes kept up
a terrible tieking, which frightened- a‘ 'man who hap-
pened to !)e,prepant„ and who trade int , notion/ of the
princisoles-of teligrAPhy. He thought it mugfb, 4 call
for this office, and probably conveyed hi:Tart:oat news. '
So, Making a dive forone ,of 41m :instruments, he
,
caught the 'ground-wire" firmly between his teeth
and shrieked out : "Operator's gone to - dinner ; be
back in half an hour! " and at the same instant re-
ceived a shock f On the lee o' gonliii ,14 cofitLtirith Se
his moist tong,i ':' '• " atg, .
' 114* NVIV4i44 ' '-
day.—"Editee: g i ver, . m arp is Mont y . aga•

BUILDING IN NEW YOWL—It is estimated (says
Land) that thirty-five million dollars have been in-
vested in the building of "flats" in New York during
the present year, and this sum is exclusive of the cost
of the sites. Some of these gigantic "apartment
houses" are costing as much as two million dollars
each, and one of them, on the west side of Central
Park, is to be large enough to accommodate about fifty
families. Several of the many New York millionaires
are building princely brown-stone mansions in the
fashionable parts of the Empire City. Half-a-million
dollars is about the smallest cost of any of these new
buildings, some of which possess considerable architec-
tural merit.

AVERAGE PRICES OF BRITISH CORN.—The following
are the average prices of British corn for the week
ending Oct. 29, as received from the inspectors and
officers of Excise :—Wheat, 478. ; barley, 355. 4d.;
C oats, 20s. 2d. per imperial qr. orresponding week
last year :---Wheat, 435. 7d. ; barley, 355. 11d, ; oats,
21s. 83.

A NEW ISLAND.—Captain Meyer, of the German
schooner Phanix, at Callao, from San Jose de
Guatemala, reports having discovered a new island.
According to advices received by the West India mail
it is in lat. 7, deg. 48 S., long. 83 deg. 48 W., lying
about 188 miles from Punta Aguja, which is the
nearest land. The island appeared of volcanic origin,
not being over 50 feet above the sea in its highest part.
It is a mile long and about the same width, and her
Majesty's ship Kingfisher, and the United States vessel
Alaska have been despatched to examine it. The
Chilian transport Chile has also been ordered to pay
it a visit during a trip she is now making to the
North.

THE LABOUR MARKET.—The condition and pros-
pects of the iron and steel industries continue good.
The quantity of iron exported now exceeds that of
any corresponding period, shipments from Middles-
borough alone for the first two weeks of this month
being about 50,000 tons, so that with the reduced- pro-
duction the stocks now in the makers' hands show a
very large reduction. The coal trade in all the dis-
tricts is very active. Latest reports show continued
improvement in the silk trade in Macclesfield.
Foreign orders have increased, and prices are better.
In the home trade there is a good demand for fabrics
of the best quality. Business in the various indus-
tries of the metropolis is, on the whole, brisk, and
employment good on the average. Although trade is
much better in all parts of the country, emigration to
America and the colonies continues on a large scale,
no less than 58,000 emigrants having landed at New
York last month. In the West of England the saddle
and harness trade, which is a very good gauge of the
fluctuations in agriculture, has returned to something
like the activity of four or five years ago. Manufac-
turers are busy with orders, and the home demand
comes chiefly from the agricultural districts, while the
export orders have materially increased. The sugar
trade is dull. There is activity in the iron trade, and
the staple industries generally are in an improving
condition. There is every prospect of the number of
unemployed workpeople being considerably less this
winter than for the past three or four years. In Leeds
most branches of trade continue to improve, and in the
leather industries overtime is being worked.
ACCIDENT TO A BOAT OF H.M.S. ALACRITY."—
The Secretary of the Admiralty has received a tele-
gram relative to the capsizing of a boat belonging to
H.M. schooner Alacrity. The Alacrity was engaged
in surveying Yendua Island, Fiji, and was at anchor
in Strahan's Bay. The whale-boat in charge of
Phillips, with a crew of four seamen and cne native,
left the schooner on the morning of the 6th of Sep-
tember. As she did not return in the evening, a boat
was sent to search, and found three survivors, Eyre,
Ryan, and the native. They state that the whale-
boat capsized in a heavy sea 300 yards off, on a reef at
the south end of the island, and that Phillips, Jones,
and Butler never reached the shore. The boat was
found the next morning, but the bodies of the men
had not been found. The natives promised to keep
a look out.
RURAL POPULATION IN FRANCE.—Although the
country population of France is 52 per cent. of the
whole, while the country population of England is
45 per cent, only, the townward movement is the
same in both countries. The difficulty of procuring
agricultural labourers in many parts of France
owing to the greater attractiveness of the towns has
resulted in hundreds of acres of land lying waste for
want of hands to labour. The vineyards are suffering
from want o gatherers of the ripe grapes, and
altogether French agriculture cannot be said to be in
a flourishing condition just now. Even amongst those
who stay in the country there is a heartlessness and a
discontent which is very discouraging. The simple
delights of a country life are losing their charm for a
people once the most agricultural in the world.
MIGRATORY BIRDS. According to a writer in
Nature, the small migratory birds that are unable to
perform the flight of 350 miles across the Mediter-
ranean Sea are carried across on the backs of cranes.
In the autumn many flocks of cranes may be seen
coming from the north, with the first cold blast from
that quarter, flying low, and uttering a peculiar cry,
as if of alarm, as they circle over the cultivated plains.
Little birds of every species may be seen flying up to
them, while the twittering songs of those already com-
fortably settled upon their backs may be distinctly
heard. But for this kind provision of Nature,
numerous varieties of small birds would become extinct
in northern countries, as the cold winters would kill
them.
THE WEATHER ABROAD.—Lloyd's Agent at Galatz
writes, under date 27th October, that there had been
that day a tremendous snowstorm there, a most un-
usual occurrence at that time of the year. Lloyd's
Agent at St. Petersburg telegraphed on Monday, at
11.20 a.m. :—" Weather frosty, six degrees frost.
Expect navigation will be closed in two or three days."
Lloyd's Agents at Konigsberg telegraphs, 31st
October, "Light frost commenced on Saturday, and
has increased. Expect navigation will be closing in a

few days."
INDUCTIVE.-officer.—" How's this, Murphy? The
Sergeant complains that you called him Names!"
Private Murphy.—" Plaze, Surr, I niver called him
anny Names at all. All I said was, 'Sergeant,' says
I, 'some of us ought to be in a Menagerie ! !' "
Punch. _ .

- - -
THE FATHER'S ADVICE FOLLOWED.—" Don't waste
your time in chipping off the branches," said the
woodman to his son, "but lay your axe at the root of
the tree." And the young man went out and laid his
axe at the root of the tree, like a good and dutiful boy,
and then went fishing. Truly, there is nothing so
beautiful as filial obedience. —San Francisco News
Letter.
THE TICHBORNE CLAIMANT.—On Saturday the
Claimant was visited in Portsmouth Convict Prison
by Mr. Guildford Onslow, Quartermaine East, and
others, the interview lasting half an hour. The
Claimant, although told of the immense dimensions
of the petition being got up in his favour, seemed to
have lost all hopes of any remission of his sentenoe,
and expressed his belief that the Government intended
to keep him there for the full term. Ten years of the
sentence expired on Saturday, and by a continuance
of good marks he will have three years and eight
months more to serve before he is free.
WANTED QUIET.—A nervous looking man went into
a store the other day and sat down for half an hour or
so, when a clerk asked if there was anything he could do
for him (says an American paper). He said no, he did'nt
want anything. He went away and he sat there half
an hour longer, when the proprietor went to him and
asked him if he wanted to be shown anything. "No,"
said the nervous man, "I just want to sit still for a
time. My physician has recommended perfect quiet
for me, and says above all things I must avoid being
in crowds. Noticing that you did not advertise in the
newspapers, I thought that this would be as quiet a
place as I could fin 3, so I just dropped in for a few hours
of isolation." The merchant picked up a bolt of paper
cambric to brain him, but the man went out. He said
all he wanted was a quiet life.
INDUSTRIAL SOHOOLS.—An order in Council is pub.
lished in the London Gazette empowering the managers
of any certified day industrial school to which a child
may be sent in pursuance of an order of detention
under the Elementary Education Act, 1876, with the
consent of the local authority, at any time after the
expiration of one month after the child is so sent, to
give him a licence exempting him from attendance at
such school, but conditionally oh the child attending;
as a day scholar in such regular manner as is men-
tioned in the licence at some school willing to receive
him, and named in the licence, and being a public
elementary school, or, if no such school is in the
opinion of the local authority available, same otUr
certified efficient school. 1_ SA

Too CONSCIENTIOUS BY HALF.—Mamma: "Really"
dear John, I can't make you out! .Your own BQD,
only twelve, just caught in the very at of enzokiitg a
cigarette; and yet you, who think graoking such an
abomination, take it quietly I "—Papa: "Well, my
love, it's rather awkward, you see. / was caught in
the act when I was only ten l—and, by Jove, it was a
cigar I" [Let us hope dear John will warm the
youngster to rights, all the same.—Punch.
THE COLOUR AND VALUE OF DIAMONDS.—The
most valuable diamonds are those which are entirely
colourless (says the Builder). Those with a blue
tinge, though still more rare, are not so highly valued,
as the actual beauty of the pure ones outweighs the
rarity of the blue variety. One of the finest of the
blue variety is, we believe, in the collection of Mr.
lieresford Hope. Diamonds of a red tinge take still a
good place; green diamonds are tolerably numerous,
and rank lower; yellow ones are very common, and
the least esteemed. The estimation of th 3 value of a
diamond is made according to a regular system of
appraisement. It will surprise many of those who are
not'conversant with the subject to learn what a large
proportion of a diamond is often ground away to dust
in cutting it so as to make the most of its brilliat!'ey.
The greatest diamond in the French Treasury, the
Regent, weighed, we are told, 410 ce rats before cutting,
and 136 i after cutting, which seems an immense loss
in size; but we presume it really increased the market-
able valve of the gem. Of course the diamond-dust
taken off in cutting is not allowed to be lost, but it is
useful chiefly for practical purposes, in forming in Ha
turn the means of grinding down the faces of other
diamonds; for this superb stone will yield to no tool
but on from its own substance.
A SELFISH GENERAL.---One night in the spring of
'62 Gen. Richardson, who then commanded a brigade,
took it into his head to inspect the picket line. Corn-
ing upon a reserved picket of about thirty men under
.command of a captain of the Second aichigan Infantry,
the General saw fit to interrogate as fellows :--'-'-'` Cap-
tain in case of an.alarm by the advance picket what
- would you difil"-z;“ Send "hff aieinforeAlent at Once."
:r—'And if the firing continued?"—" I should move
up with the remainder of my force."—" And suppose
a whelp company of the enemy should press for-
ward'? ?—" We'd whip tem.—" But if it was a regi-
ment? "-:-'94 I'd forth a lihe ef battle and check them
until I 'sent back and got-htdarii to charge and eapture
the whole lot.”--4.! Well,' suppose a brigade should
, move down on you in battle line? "—" I'd order a
' charge,. split the column in two, and whip both halves
lin dedail."—At midnight the brave captain was
relieved frotrifutther day, on picket. He was very
indigodntesad considerably puzzled, but after thinking
the matteriover for awhile he said to a brother officer
—"Say l'(l've struckiti -Old ,Rich WRB afraid my
coin paiyquight gobble thel*rittrle, of the Confederate
army and throw him out of a suminer'skjob ! If that
ain't selfishness then I'd like to know what ie 1”
Ddroit Free Press. .

THE PRINCE Or WALES AND M. GAMBETTA.—" The
Prince of Wales" (the Paris correspondent of the
Daily Telegraph says) "employed his Sunday morn-
ing in breakfasting with Sir' Charles Dilke at the
Moulin Rouge, where M. Gambetta was also the guest
of the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
His Royal Highness was doubtless anxious to converse
with the man who is about to assume supreme power
in France, and no quieter place could have been chosen
for the interview than a cabinet particulier in a
restaurant close to the Champs Elys4es on a Sunday
morning. In the fierce light, however, that beats
upon a throne nothing can be hidden, and some of the
French papers on Monday give long accounts of the
breakfast, one of them stating that it lasted four
hours, and even giving scraps of the conversation."
THE VOLUNTEER YEAR.—The twenty-second official
year of the volunteer organization was brought to a
close on -Monday, -81st, and on Tuesday or as soon
afterwards as possible, full returns of the strength and
efficiency of every regiment in Great Britain must be
forwarded to the War Office for the information of
the Government. It is believed that in many ze-
spects the large total of 206,537 of all arms on the
rolls at the end of the previous year—the largest in
the history of the force—will be found to be exceeded
when the returns for the official year just closed have
been made up.
I A CANVAS BOAT.—A somewhat curious boat has
been built and launched at Granton, for use by the
Rev. T. J. Comber, of the Baptist expedition, on the
Congo. With a view to its being at once portable and
durable, this boat has been made of canvas, coated
with a mixture of lampblack and tar, and is stretched
into shape by malacca canes, while the interior con-
sists of three movable umbrella-shaped structures,
which can be tightened at will; it has a partly-covered
deck, and weighs only 601bs. ; further, it can be easily
taken te pieces, so as to be carried by two persons, and
by a little arrangement will form a tent.
BELLS OR KNOCKERS.—A discussion upon the com-
parative convenience of bells and knockers for street
.doors would be interesting (remarks Land). Many
old houses possess both; bat we fancy the majority
of people would declare in the favour of the bell.
When it is pulled, perhaps late at night or early in
the morning, it does not arouse the echoes of the
street and rudely awaken our sleeping neighbours.
The old-time knocker, however, despite its noisiness,
bad the advantage of being fashioned, as a rule, with
some sort sort of art—often rude, it is true, but
artistic nevertheless. What is to prevent the handles
of our door-bills being things of beauty? A light,
open-worked patterned handle, such as is often seen
in old houses, could be made very inexpensively, and
would be far more sightly than the plain and often dis-
coloured brass knobs with which we are only too
familiar.

STEMBOAT DISASTER IN AMERlCA.—Accounts have
been received from Davenport, lowa, of the wreck of
the steamboat Jennie Gilchrist, on the Mississippi
River, at Rock Island, Illinois, on Oct. 27. It appears
that shortly after she, with her crew and 30 passengers
on board, had left Davenport, her stearing gear broke.
She then beoame completely helpless, and was hurled
with great violence by the high water and the unusually
rapid current of the Mississippi against the abutment
of Rock Island-bridge, crushing in the steamer's side
and breaking in her boiler heads. The steam and hot
water poured out of the boilers, scalding a number of
the panic-stricken passengers, some of whom, how-
ever, managed to escape to a barge which was in tow
of the vessel. Both the steamer and the barge finally
stranded. Seventeen persons lost their lives by the
disaster.

AND THAT IS WHERE THE FUN COMES IN.—
Young Lady with some taste (to sort of kind of un-
decided Young Lady Friend, engaged to extra under-
sized, well-meaning Young Man).—Well, dear, and
how do you like the way I have arrranged the room?—
Undecided Young Lady, too utterly tootle-too sar-
castic.-oh, dear! so beyond so far, and so unspeak-
able worshipful. Don't you think so, Gus?—Very
well-meaning one-o'clock chop every day (taters a
penny, bread a penny, waiter a penny,) Young Man.
—Ya-a-s, dear; but what a trouble it must be when
you have company to unhook all them plates, and
send 'em down to wash up for dinner !—Judy.
limas TO THE SELFISH.—In the first place, if you
want to make yourself miserable, be selfish (remarks
the Detroit Free Press). Think all the time of your-
self and your things. Don't care about anything else.
Have no feelings for any but yourself. Never think
of enjoying the satisfaction of seeing others happy;
but rather if you should see a smiling face be jealous
lest another should enjoy what you have not. Envy
every one who is better off than yourself; think
unkindly toward them, and speak lightly of them.
Be constantly afraid lest some one should encroach
upon your rights; be watchful of it, and if any come
near your things snap at them like a mad dog.
Contend earnestly for everything that is your own
that may not be worth a pin. Never yield a point.
Be very sensitive and take everything that is said
•to you in playfulness in the most serious manner. Be
jealous of your friends lest they should not think
enough of you; and if at any time they should seem
to neglect you, put the worst construction upon their
conduct.

PEASANT PROPRIETORSHIP. —Addressing the Ipswich
Liberal Association, Mr. Jesse Collings explained his
motion regarding peasant proprietors of land in Eng-
land, of which he has given notice for next Session.
Where agricultural labourers, having become grafted
on to the town population, had saved some money
from their enhanced wages, he would empower the
Government tolend them sums to buy and cultivate
small holdings. We had lent money to the Irish land-
lords at 1 per cent. Why should we not lend to Eng-
lish labourers at 40r31 ? He would be satisfied with
the gradual development of his plan.
A HINT ABOUT DAMP DWELLINGS.—Land says :
People who are unfortunate enough to live in
damp houses, particularly near undrained land,
are apt to think there is no help for them
save in removal. They are mistaken. Successful
experiments have shown that it is quite possible
to materially improve the atmosphere
.in such
neighbourhoods in a very simple manner—by the
planting of the laurel and the sun-flower. The laurel
gives off an abundance of ozone, whilst the " soulful-
eyed " sun-flower is potent in destroying the malarial
condition. These two, if planted on the most re-
restricted scale in a garden, close to the house, will be
found to speedily increase the dryness and salubrity of
the atmosphere, and rheumatism, if it does not entirely
become a memory of the past, will be largely allevi-
ated. Few people are aware of the anti-malarial pro-
perties of the " ultra-poetical super-sesthetical" sun-
flower.

I ate,