The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-12-10 00:00:00

6AT URL AY, DEC. 10, IbBl.

MR. SPURGEON'S HEALTH.--011 Sunday morning
Mr. Spurgeon's place in the Metropolitan Tabernacle
pulpit was occupied by his son, the Rev. Charles
Spurgeon, of Greenwich. During the service, as well
as that of the eVening, which was conducted by the co-
pastor, the Rev. J. A. Spurgeon, there was special
mention made Of Mr. Spurgeon in the supplications,
that the good news recently reeeived respecting his
health might be continued, and that he would be with
them in perfect health at the time intended by him at
his departure—Christmas Day.
THE ITALIAN NAVY.—The completion of the new
cruisers Flavio Goija Amerigo Vespucei, and Savoia
is being actively
.pushed forward, and the armament
of the Flavio Goya will be commenced at the end of
March at the latest. For that vessel the sum of
3,000.000 lire has already been expended, for the
Amerigo Vcspucci 1,055,655, and for the S'avoa 520,000
lire. In the completion of the Italia 8,000 workmen,
are being daily employed at Naples and at Castellatn-
mare, where the armed redoubt is being constructed.
liesides these workmen many others are employed in-
directly for the ship, the number varying daily as
need requires. The 26 boilers, with their six corres-
ponding funnels, have already been placed, and also
the principal parts of the machinery. For the Italia
the sum of 12,600,000 has been already laid out, and
for the Lepanto, which cannot be launched till next
summer, 41,040,010 lire.
TAMING A WOLF.—A Bavarian landed proprietor
has had to appear before the tribunals on a charge of
having a wolf at large (says Land and Water). He
had aought the animal from Poland last year, and
had tamed it to such a degree that he was able to dis-
pense with a chain, and used to let it accompany him
on his walks. On some recent occasions the animal
has, however, displayed some wolfish propensities,
which led the inhabitants of the district bringing the
matter before the authorities. The Government"
Prosecutor urged that the animal was wild within the
meaning of the law, and that. under these circum-
stances it was illegal to have it going about unchained.
For the defence it was urged that when tamed the
wolf is a harmless animal, but the court sentenced
the defendant to a nominal fine and to the payment of
the costst of the proceedings.
PILLAR LETTER-BOXES--Another illustration of the
desire of the Postmaster-General to effect improve-
ment wherever that is practicable is (the City Press
says) afforded by a commencement being made of the
system of checking the clearance of letter boxes by
postmen. On Tuesday, for the first time, a box in
Newgate-street displayed an additional plate in a
small oval opening below the usual table of times of
collection. On this new plate was shown in bold
figures the time when the contents of the box would
next be taken away, and as this has to be shifted by
the postman at the time named, of course it is a check
upon him, answering for the last collection as well as
telling when the next will be.
A SAD AFFAIR.—At an early hour On Saturday
morning the body of a young man was discovered on
the South-Western Railway near Woking Station.
The head was severed from the body and was lying
inside the rail of the four-foot way. In the hand of
the deceased, tightly grasped and pressed to his
breast, was the photograph of a young lady. This
was enclosed in a slip of paper, upon which was
written, "This is the girl I die for." Inquiries showed
that the unfortunate man, who was only 19 years of age,
was a soldier, serving with his regiment at Aldershot.
He had been absent without leave, and on the previous
night his father had accompanied him to Woking
Station, with the intention of taking the train to
Aldershot. While waiting for the train, in the Albion
Hotel, the deCeased left his father, stating that he
should return in a few minutes. He never returned,
and the father stayed at the hotel for the night. In
the morning he was made aware of the sad discovery.
A SToRm WARNING.—The following cable message
was received at the London office of the New York
Herald from the Herald Weather Bureau, New York : •
—" A storm is crossing north of latitude 45, and will
arrive, with increased energy, on the British and Nor-
wegian coasts between the 6th and the Bth, attended
by south, veering north-west, gales. Severe weather
may be expected in the Atlantic."
THE ROYAL REVIEW AT EDINBURGH.—The official
reports on the review of Scotch volunteers at Elm-
burgh by by the Queen have just been issued. Major.
General Macdonald reports, for the information of
his Royal Highness the Field Marshal Commanding-
in-Chief, that the strength of the force assembled was
39,916 men and 477 horses. The general speaks in
"admiration of the whole force as it passed in review.
Many corps were of the finest physique, and few
below a fair example of the regular forces."
A DECEITFUL BURGLAR.—A Brooklyn young man,
returning home very early in the morning, met a ,
burglar, who was just on the point of leaving the'l
house (says the Detroit Free Press). He seized him by
the throat, when the retiring burglar begged for his
life declaring that, unable longer to bear his starving
children cry for bread, he had entered the house,
intending to steal the silver ; that he had never been
gitilty of
_crime before, and that he would lead an.
. .

lionest life if released. Touched by his repentance
and his want, the young man not only released him,
but offered him a silver dollar, which the burglar at
first refused, on the ground that he could not bear to
touch the money of one whom he had intended to rob.
He was finally persuaded and went his way. The next
morning the benevolent young man's father discovered
that the thief had walked away with 200 dols.' worth
of silver, with which his pockets were stuffed when
he refused the dollar. He probably had'nt room for
it, or was already so heavy loaded as to be afraid that
he couldn't walk.

THE LARGEST FARM IN THE WORLD.—A Chicago
paper states that the largest farm in the world is in
Dakota. It would be forty miles long if it were laid
out in a rectangular piece one mile in width. There
are thirty thousand acres in wheat, which are culti-
vated by a farce of 800 men, in military arrangement
of cornpaniea and officers.

THE - CONSUMPTION OF TOBACCO IN FRANCE..--
Recently published statistics show that the consump-
tion of tobacco in France has largely and steadily in-
creased during the present century. - In 1815 the
amount derived by the State from this one article was
33,872,000 francs. In 1854 the amount had risen to
193,000,000 francs, while in the latest return given it
was 313,546,000 francs. This represents an average
of about 9 francs per head of the population.
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN SWITZERLAND.—The ques-
tion of capital punishment has been discussed in the
Grand Council of three different cantons in Switzer-
land. In Berne and in Appenziel a motion in favour
of re-establishing the death penalty has been rejected,
although in the former case opinion was more nearly
balanced than on any previous occasion, the majority
against the motion being only 27 out of 203 votes
recorded. In Valais, on the other hand, a similar
proposal has been practically carried by a large
majority, and only has to be ratified during the next
session.
A GENTLE REPROOF.—UncIe George: "Blow, and
it will fly open, Effie."—Effie: "I used to be able to
open a watch in that way, but I can't now! "—Uncle
George : "Why not? "—Effie: "I'm rather too old !"
—Punch's Almanack.
THE SALVATION ARMY IN READING.—On Monday
night the Salvation Army at Reading celebrated the
opening of their new barracks, a substantial structure
capable of seating 2,000 persons, which they have
just erected in one of the poorest and most densely-
populated districts of the town. A mass service was
held, the building being densely crowded. General
Booth was present, and delivered an address. Efis
was fully sanguine of building in London a temple
capable of holding 15,000 people, and only that
afternoon the leading ministers and laymen of
the Wesleyan Methodist Conference in London, had
met him and other leaders of the Salvation Army at
their headquarters in London, to consider how they
could help the army by raising funds towards their
new congress hall and training school at Clapton. One
gentleman who had first offered £5O towards the work
had now increased the subscription to £l,ooo.—The
Salvation Army is gaining increased dimensions in
Reading notwithstanding that the processions have
been for some time discontinued, and the opening
service last evening passed off in a most orderly
manner.

DEAR LITTLE LAMB.—Grandpa (on 3,19.913 side).
"What will you do if I give you a shilling, Tommy 2"
—Tommy. "Why, let you kiss our new housemaid,
like Pa does of a morning, and not say nothing to
nobody ; he only gives me sixpence."—[Grandpa
thinks over it.l—Fun.

• SHIPWRECK AND Loss OF THIRTY-TWO LIVES.—
Particulars have reached Liverpool of the total loss
of the Sinn Navigation Company's steamer Albion and
the drowning of 32 of the passengers and crew. The
information, whieh comes from Panama, states that the
Albion left the River Sinn on the 4th ult., having on
board forty persons. She was but a small river steamer
and had hitherto only been out on a long passage in
fine weather. She was going to Carthagena on the
present trip, and at the time of starting the weather
was favourable. She had scarcely got to sea before a
gale of wind sprang up, causing her to labour heavily,
The vessel kept well up until off Barbadoas Point on
the following day, when a tremendous sea came over
her, getting into the engine-room and putting out the
fires. Only a few minutes elapsed from the putting
out of the fires until the vessel was engulfed in the
waves, carrying down with her thirty-two of the
forty persons on board. The eight survivors reached
the shore and walked to Carthagena, where they gave
information of the disaster. The cargo on board the
Albion was estimated at 30,000 dole., whilst the
steamer was said to be worth about a similar sum.
EXPENSES OF THE CITY OF LONDON POLICE.---The
estimated income of the City of London Police esta-
blishment for the year 1882 is £101,463 Bs. 6d., and the
expenditure £100.936 Bs. Bd., showing an estimated
surplus of £526 16s. 10d. The income includes rates,
£67,844 ; proportion of expenses from City's cash,
£23,194 ; and payment for men on private service,
27,393.
THE MOHAIR GOAT.—The latest official returns of
the numbering of the famous silky-haired goats of the
produce of Angora, shews, as compared with the
previous year, a diminution of 272,250, or about 27 per
cent, of the entire number. The immediate cause of
the falling off is said to have been the shock given to
the trade by increasing the goat tax. he Levant
Herald observes that " by a total remission of taxation
for, say, five years on the mohair goat, a new impul-
sion would be given to the trade, and at the end of the
live years, the Porte would probably find that the
flocks had E 0 inereased, that a tax of three piastres per
head would recoup the Treasury for the revenue it had
foregone in the interval."
RELIGIOUS CENSUS AT NOTTINGHAM.—From the re-
sults of the religious census taken at Nottingham, it
appears that the Church of England accommodation
is for 17,138 persons, while that of all shades of Non-
conformity amounts to 38,000. There are 136 places
of worship. On Sunday last, the night being rainy,
the numbers were 22,236 morning and evening at the
Church of England, and 35,000 at the various places
of Dissent. Deducting one-third for duplicate attend-
ance, it is estimated that about 25,000 people went to
Divine service out of a population of 188,000, or about
one in seven of the inhabitants.