The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-05-08 00:00:00

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A- canal between the Danube and the Elbe is -being
planned in Austria, so says Engip.,:ring.
The etep,dy decrease in the population of France, as
is:waded by the gradual falling off in the birth rate, is again
attracting considerable attention in that country,
The Lirerpocl Courier says that Mr. William Atkin-
son, J. 8., D.L., of Claremont, Southport, as a thankoffering
for the appointment of Dean Ryle to the biahopric of Liver-
pool ha S given the sum Of £l,OOO to the Bishop-designate to
meet the expenses attendant upon his taking possession of
the see, and of his removal to the clt..-
It is requested that all letters to Mr. Gladstone,
private aa well as official, should now be addressed to 10,
Downing-street, Whitehall.
It is stated, on the authority of the Conservative
Club of Glasgow University, that Mr. Alfred Tennyson has
consented to allow himself to be nominated for the office of
Lord Rector, which will be vacant in Sovember next. Mr.
Gladstone is the present Lord Rector.

It is announced by the Admiralty that the Salamis
has arrived at Borehaven without any news of the Atalanta.

Under the head of Conscience Money, the Commis-
sioners of Inland Revenue acknowledge (in Wednesday's
Times) the receipt of £lB5 for Income-tax from "Correction
of Return."
At the races at N4rac, France, on Sunday, the
stand fell in and 100 persons were more or less injured.
The Cunard Royal Mail steamer Gallia arrived in
the Mersey on Saturday from New York with a full comple•
ment of saloon passengers, and there are every symptoms
that the anticipation of a great rush of American tourists
has commenced.

The charge for hair cutting in Valparaiso is a dollar
and a half. A hat sells for 58s. A quire of common note
paper for 4s.

E. P. writes to the Pall Mall Gazette:—" As testi-
mony of the excellence of the work done by English book-
binders, you may like to note a' fact recorded in the report
of the trustees of the .Astor Library for the year 1879—namely,
that 1,000 volumes were sent over here and returned hand
somely bound at a cost, including commission and trans-
mission, considerably less than similar work would have cosi
in New York."
Her Majesty's Office of Works has arranged for an
annual display of American plants in Hyde Park. Each
season the plants will be removed and replaced as frequently
Aflurernadisyhesodmiothf the bdeydaszowhei:sh,
skirt
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e sarbYien
and, if they bloom fairly, their rich colours will form a great
attraction in the Row, at which, this year, there will be
large amount of floral decoration.
The Berlin correspondent of the Daily Telegraph
says that he learns from a well-informed source at St. Peters-
burg that war with China is as goodikas Fettled. Nothing,
however, will be decided on before tha,arrival of the Margin
Tseng, whose instructions are not expected to be more con-
ciliatory than those of his predecessor. On the other hand,
the Russian Government is firmly resolved not to yield one
inch. The Chinese, on their side, are reported to be mobiliz-
ing on a large scale.
Itis proposed to present to Mr. Thomas Storey,
who unsuccessfully contested North Lancashire in the
Liberal interest at the general election, with a full-length
portrait of himself, as a memorial of the gallant attempt to
wrest one of the North Lancashire seats from the Conserva-
tives, and in general recognition of his great services in the
Liberal cause.

At a Council meeting of the Central and Associated
Chamber of Agriculture, a resolution was unanimously
passed expressing a general approval on the part of the
Council of the measures introduced by the late Government
for the reform of the Land Laws, and a hope that the present
Administration will give early attention to the subject.
Encouraged probably by the success which attended
the visit of Australian cricketers two years since, another
team arrived in England on Sunday, the 2nd inst. -At present
their matches are chiefly against eighteens and twenty-twos;
but it is not at all improbable that arrangements may be
made for them to meet a strong and representative team of
English cricketers.
The improvement that has been so steadily making
Itself manliest in American trade is evidenced by the fact
that during the first three months of the present year there
were only 1,432 failures, with liabilities of 12,777,074 dols., as
against 2,524, with liabilities of 43,112,665 dols. in the corre-
sponding period of last year. Indeed, the liabilities are less
than they have been in any quarter since the returns were
published, and do not equal one-fourth of the sum to which
they amounted in any first quarter during the last six
years.

The history of the Russo-Turkish War is being com-
piled by the Russian general staff.
"My boys," said a kind Oil City teacher, "if you
would be President of the United States, you must be good
and studious." "Who wants to be President,"Telled out a
young chap from a back seat. "I'd rather be Buffer Bill,
and shoot an Nun." And the boys all chorused, "Them's
our sentiments."
A shocking accident, by which three men lost their
lives, occurred on Monday at the new sinking in connection
with the New Pits CoWery, near Bishop Auckland. The
shaft had been sunk to a depth of seven fathoms, and water
being reached, boring was commenced. A man named
Morris went down in the "kibblet" and.at the bottom was
suffocated with gas. Two others, in going to his rescue,
shared his fate, and the bodies were recovered only at great
risk by Francis M'Gamty.
It is stated that some valuable marbles discovered
at Jerabulus have been acquired for the British Museurion,
and will be shipped on board her Majesty's ship
conveyance to this country.
At a meeting of the committee of the Farmers'
Alliance, held in London, the chairman, Mr. James Howard,
was
t gone ted
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will receive a deputation from the Alliance. The Bittern or
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comprised in the programme of the Alliance, and to indicate
reest as
those which are of the most immediate importance. They
fully recognise the fact that there will not be time for
much legislation during the present session; but they
consider it desirable to prefer their request before the pro-
rogation.

The Calcutta Correspondent of The Times says that
the Maharajah of Irlwar has written to the Government
offering to bear the entire cost of maintaining a native regi-
ment in Afghanistan. He also volunteers to put his per-
sonal services at the Viceroy's disposal. Lord Lytton has,
in reply, thanked him for his loyal offer, and said that it
would be borne in mind. It will be remembered that when
the Indian troops were sent to Malta this same Chief ex-
pressed his readiness to furnish a contingent for service in
or out of India.
At a meeting of the London Council for promoting
International Arbitration, it was resolved: "That this
Council, while rejoicing in the recent change of Government
as indicative of the wish of the nation for the adoption of
a peaceful foreign policy, desires to express alppe that the
present Cabinet will use its best endeavouff to have all
disputes with other Powers settled by arbitration in lieu of
war."

The masons in the Barnsley district have signified
their intention to submit to a reduction of Ad. per hour. The
masters gave the men notice of this reduction in January, to
take effect on May I. The men some weeks ago attempted to
compromise the matter by accepting a reduction of Id. per
hour, but the masters, at a meeting on Thursday, resolved to
abide by their first decision. The bricklayers refuse to sub-
mit to the reduction, and have struck work.
Sir Wilfrid Lawson will move on an early day in the
House of Commons, "That, inasmuch as the ancient and
avowed object of licensing the sale of intoxicating liquors is
to supply a supposed public want, without detriment to the
public welfare, this House is of opinion that a legal power of
restraining the issue or renewal of licences should be placed
in the hands of the persons most deeply interested' and
affected—namely, the inhabitants themselves, who are en-
titled to protestion from the injurious consoquences of the
present systerh, by some efficient measure of local option."
Mr. Forster, in seeking re-election on his appoint-
ment as Chief Secretary for Ireland, has issued a brief ad-
dress to the electors of Bradford. He makes no allusion to
political questions, but says he cannot but think the electors
will not disapprove of his having accepted office in the Ad-
ministration which Mr. Gladstone has formed in accordance
with the verdict so clearly given by the country, and he feels
confident that he shall have sympathy in his efforts to fulfil
the heavy responsibility of the duties which he has been
called upon to discharge.
According to a calculation in the preamble to the
Bill laid before the German Reichstag, the proposed defence
tax in Germany will yield at least 10,000,000 marks annually.
All men liable to military service, but who for any reason are
not required to serve in the ranks or are drafted into either
the first or second class of the ersats reserve, will haveto pay
four marks annually for a period of twelve years; and, as on
an average about 214,000 men are exempted from service,
the total amount to be paid by them will be somewhat ovec
10,000000 marks. The first tax of the kind appears to have
beenimposed by the French Republic in 1802. In several
of the States also now forming part of the German Empire a
military tax was enforced previous to their incorporati‘n.