The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-06-26 00:00:00

EPITOME OF NEWS.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

There are now in Milan, as it is said, three hundred
American girls studying singing with a view to the operatic
stage.

How to Improve the Corn Laws—Wear easy boots
—Judy.

_
Russia, it is stated, has, with the support of Austria
and Germany, suggested that Turkey and Persia should
refer their frontier disputes to European arbitration.
A curious coincidence is noted that the steamshi
Schiller was wrecked on the very anniversary of the death,
in 1805, of the German poet whose name it bore.

On the occasion of the anniversary of his coronation
on Monday, the Pope received a deputation of Roman nobles,
and, in reply to their addresses, observed that the rumours
of conciliation between the Papacy and the kingdom of Italy
were not worthy even of mention. What consoled him most,
however, was the affection of his faithful Romans. The Pope
Is stated to be in his accustomed health.

An alarming fire broke out early on Saturday
morning at the Stanley Deck Warehouses, Liverpool, and as
the dock adjoining had.several large vessels in it at the time,
fears were entertained that these would catch fire, but for-
tunately this was prevented. The fire raged chiefly on the
second floor, which was stored principally with jute. The
damage is very considerable both to the building and to the
goods stored in

-
At least one distinguished Alpine flower now adorns
the flower shops and stands in Covent-garden. The beautiful
pyramidal saxifrage, which in early summer rears its little
tree of flowers so frequently on the sunny side of the Alps,
Is now in perfection in small pots in Covent-garden. It is
used for table and room decoration.—Garden.

Judgment has been given in favour of Japan by the
Czar, as arbitrator in the dispute between that country and
Peru respecting the seizure of a Peruvian vessel, and th
release of the coolies on board.
M. Saree, a professor, Neufchatel, has, says the
Revue Seientifique, found out a plan for keeping eggs. Whilst
they are fresh he coats them with paraffin, and they are said
to keep without any trace of change for two years.

The rifle contest at Edinburgh for the International
Challenge Trophy whichlwas won at the last Wimbledon meet-
ing by the Scottish team, has resulted in another victory for
Scotland by 20 points over England, and 139 over Ireland.

- -
Among the young ladies who are this year attending
the course of lectures in the St. Petersburg Academy of
Medicine are two Tartar ladies (Mahomedan) who have com-
pleted their preliminary studies in a school at Odessa.
The receipts on account of revenue from the let
April, 1876, when there was a balance of £6,265,322 to the
19th instant, were £16,456,947, against £15,867,684 in the
corresponding period of the preceding financial year, which
began with a balance of £7,442,854. The net expenditure
was £15,939,188, against £15,503,022 to the same date in the
previous year. The Treasury balances on the 19th instant
amounted to £5,991,011, and at the same date in 1874 to
£7,108,343.
Dr. Von Sybel, the famous Professor of History at
Bonn, has been appointed Director of the Prussian State
Archives at Berlin.
The Prince and Princess of Wales have fixed the
date of their visit to Sheffield for Monday, August 16.
Their Royal Highnesses will be accompanied by the Marquis
and Marchioness of Hamilton.

The International Telegraph Conference has, it is
said, decided in favour of 20 werds as the normal length of a
message, and that additional words should be counted by
fives. .

_
With reference to the recent article in the Russian
Golos on the subject of an Anglo-Russian Alliance, the
Journal de St. Petersbourg contends that Russia stands in
no need whatever of fresh alliances. The alliance of the
three Emperors is, it says, in itself quite sufficient as a
guarantee of peace.

- -
Good news being received from all the wine-growing
districts, there is but one cry of joy and admiration in the
vineyards at the magnificent appearance of the vines.
Since 1840 such promises of abundance have not been seen.

A telegram from Shanghai mentions that disturb-
ances have occurred at Chinkiang. The American Consul
and his wife were insulted by some native soldiers, two of
whom were arrested and temporarily confined in the British
Consulate. An attempt was then made by other soldiers
and a crowd of persons to rescue them. This was resisted
by the foreign residents. Ultimately the authorities suc-
ceeded in tranquillising the people. An English and Ame-
rican man-of-war were, however, to be sent to Chinkiang
from Shanghai.

New Parlour Game—Cricket on the hearth.—Judy,
In London, on Tuesday evening, there was a great
gathering at the Bloomsbury Baptist Chapel, on the occasion
of the service connected with the recognition of the Rev. J.
P. Chown as the new pastor. The Rev. Dr. Brock, the former
pastor of the chapel, presided, and the meetirg was addre!sed
by the Rev. C. 11. Spurgeon, the Rev. A. Maclaren, the Rev,
Newman Hall, and other ministers, who cordially welcomed
Mr. Chown to his new sphere of duty.

A high authority says, apropos of the Arctic Ex-
pedition, that from the quantity of ice which has come down
into the Atlantic during the late winter, it is not unreason-
able to believe that the higher seas have been greatly
emptied of that impediment, and that the straits and
channels leading into the Polar sea will be found less ob-
structed this summer than for a number of years past. It is
also the impression of the same authority that the coming
season will be the mildest and most open experienced since
1864-5. _ _

--ifo-w to Let Out a Tight Dress Easily—Charge
nothing for the hire of it. —Judy.
- _

FThe report of the Agricultural Department at
Washington states that the condition of the wheat crop is
below the average, and indicates that the yield will be one-
fifth below a full crop.
Intelligence of a reassuring character has been
received respecting the mission of Sir Douglas Forsyth to the
King of Burmah. Official dispatches state that explanations
have been given to the English envoy concerning the recep-
tion accorded to the Chinese General Leeseetahi, and that
the King has signed an agreement guaranteeing the independ-
ence of Western Karennee.
Tne exports from France during the first five months
of the year amounted to 1,608,000000!, as compared with
1,402,000,000! in 1874. There was an increase of 76,000,000 L
in manufactured goods, 124,000,0001. in food and raw mate-
rials, and 15,000,000 f. in gold and silver. The imports were
1,391,000,000 f., while in 1874 they were 1,403,000,000 f., the
decrease being 80,000,0001, on food on account of last year's
abundant harvest ; 31,000,000 f. on raw materials and natural
products, 31,000,000 f. on manufactured goods, and 9,000,090 t
on gold and silver. The Customs and indirect taxes have
yielded 404,000,000 f, as compared with 420,000,000 L in UM

At Courberoil, outside Paris, an old couple,
respectively eighty-five and eighty-six, recently
the sixty-ninth anniversary of their wedding amidst sevent
nine of their direct descendants.

, aged
)brate(ft

It is said to be satisfactorily demonstrated tha t
every time a wife scolds her husband she adds a wrinkle to
her face. The Euanouncement of this fact will doubtless have
a most salutary effect, especially as it is understood that
every time a wife smiles on her husband it will remove one of
the old wrinkles.
A Paris paper says the Brussels Sugar Conference
has had no result. Holland alone aocepted the excise
system proposed by France, while Belgium refused, though
willing to adopt improvements in the existing system.

- -
A Committee of the Royal Dublin Society are taking
active measures for the encouragement of horse-breeding in
Ireland, in co-operation with Lord Calthorpe. The com-
mittee are offering prizes for an essay on the subject.

From the accounts published by the Indian papers
It appears that the installation of the new Guikwar of Baroda
took place amid all possible splendour and display. No signs
of disaffection were visible, but a feeling of satisfaction
seemed to be general.
The MO, of Pesth, announoes that the solemn in-
auguration of the new International Court of Appeal in
Alexandria will take place on the 28th of this month. All the
great Powers, with the exception of France, b.ave relined
their representatives for the court.
On Saturday evening the annual banquet of the
Belgian Society of Beneficence in London was held at Willis's
Rooms; the Belgian Minister in the chair. A list of sub-
scriptions amounting to £B2O was the result of his
Excellency's appeal for support in enabling the organization
to continue its work.
A. celebrated violinist complaina that he has tco
much work—We should say too much play.—Judy.
Mr. M`Laren has obtained a return which has been
printed giving some information as to museums and the
sums voted for the last five years. The number of visitors
last year to the British Museum, South Kensington Museum,
Jermyn-street Museum, and Bethnal-green Museum was
2,085,251, against 2,181,439 of the preceding year.
Prince Gortschakoff has issued another circular on
behalf of the Russian Government with respect to the St.
Petersburg conference. This circular states that the conies-
rence will not have for its object the conclusion of a formal
international treaty. The minor states are to be admitted to
the conference, and it is believed that a protocol enunciating
the principles of international law will be drawn up and
signed by all the states.
An official notice has been issued from St. Martin's'
le-Grand that on and after the Ist July next postage stamps
of the value of 2id. and foreign post cards of the value of lid.
will be sold to the public. These stamps and cards are ap-
plicable to the correspondence for the countries comprised
within the General Postal Union; information concerning
which has already been given. Whatever may be the number
purchased, whether singly or otherwise, the charge will be
2id. for each stamp, and lid. for each card.
The use of ice in small quantities frequently re-
peated is very general in many diseases, but it is usually
found to be a difficulty to keep it from melting, especially in
small blocks. Dr. Schwarz recommends, to obtain this
result, that the ice should be put in a vessel covered with a
plate, which vessel should be placed on a feather-pillow or
cushion, feathers being bad conductors of heat. Dr.
Schwarz states that by this plan he has been able to keep six
pounds of ice for eight days when the thermometer marked
summer heat.
A movement has been set on foot and an executive
committee appointed to secure for the nation the principal
works of Mr. George Cruikshank. It appears that the col-
lection, which embraces upwards of eleven hundred
specimens may be purchased for £3,000. To raise this
amount, and so to preserve the more esteemed production's
of Mr. Cruikshank's genius, the committee invite the co-
operation of all lovers of art and the public generally.
In London, last week, according to the return of the
Registrar-General, 2,321 births and 1,821 deaths were regis-
tered. Allowing for increase of population, the births ex-
ceeded by 108, and the deaths by 71, the average numbers in
the corresponding week of the last ten years. The annual
death-rate from all causes was 20 per 1,000. The 1,321 deaths
included 27 from measles, 53 from scarlet fever, 12 from
diphtheria, 53 from whooping-cough, 22 from different forms
of fever, 54 from diarrhcea, and not one from small-pox; thus
to the seven principal diseases of the zymotic class, 221
deaths were referred, against 201, 211, and 224 in the three
preceding weeks.
A return from the Customs Department shows that
the net produce of customs duties on spirits, dc., entered
for home consumption in the United Kingdom during the
year ended 31st March last was as follows: Spirits, foreign
and colonial, £5,681,337 ; malt, £3B; wine, £1,709,856'; and beer,
£3,360. A return from the Inland Revenue Department
shows the following items of net receipts during the year:
Spirits, £14,895,475; malt, £7,746,3744 sugar used in brew.
lag, £471,915; Excise licenses, beer, cider, and perry,
£365,498; ditto brewers, £454799; ditto malsters, £15,500;
ditto spirit (distillers, dealers, and publicans), £783,837 ;
ditto wine and sweets. £2oB,2o4—total, £24,941,605.
A beautiful and high-spirited horse would neverallow
a shoe to be put on his feet, or any person to handle hia feet.
In attempting to shoe him recently, he resisted all efforts,
kicked aside everything but an anvil, and came near killing
himself against that, and finally was bought back unshod.
This defect was just on the eve of consigning him to the
plough, where he might walk barefoot, when an officer,
lately returned from Mexico, took a cord, about the size of a
common bed-cord, put it in the mouth of the horse like a bit,
and tied it tightly on the animal's head, passing his left ear
under the string, not painfully tight, but tight enough to
keep the ear down and the cord in place. This dose, he
patted the horse gently on the side of the head and com-
manded him to follow, and instantly he obeyed, perfectly
subdued, and as gentle and obedient as a dog, suffering his
feet to be lifted with entire impunity, and acting in all res-
pects like an old stager.