The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-02-29 00:00:00

PAZSitti EMTS, RUMOURS, ea.

It may, we believe, be anticipated with certainty that
the estimates of the English Government for ISttB 9 will set
a good example to Europe In the diminution of public ex-
penditure under the bead of armaments. The navy esti-
mates will, it is stated, while providing for an addition to
our itoo-clad naval squadron in the next financial year, show
a largo pecuniary reduction.

A letter from Itnine announete that the Congregation of
Mei is busily engaged In weighing the Claims of Christo-
pher Columbus to the honours Cl cal onization. The idea of
giving the discoverer t f Al:Arica a place among the saints of
the Church is originally due to ear final Donnet, Archbishop
of Mordent, who published it to the form of a letter to the
Pope. printed at Marseilles in lsial The Archbishop en-
larges at Sonle length on, the virtue, of Christopher
bus. Ms devotion to the Moly See and his miraculous dia.
covery of the New World, which the author lout great pains
to show cold never have been the consequence of aeientlflc
education. but of faith alone. Ilia biogrvphers have lieen,
unfortunately, chiefly Protestants, who have wilfully con-
cealed the hero's zeal In the cause of the Church. Phut IX.,
his Eminence adds, the only Pope who has crossed the

Atlantic and navigated the Pacific, appear% to be providen- I
tially chosen to understand the greatness of Christopher
Columbus and to appreciate and honour hisservices. In
ormetnsion, the I.%rdilial remarks that though st. Andrew,
brother to St. Peter, ni the chosen protector of the boatmen
arid fishermen of Italy, the crew of the fleet and sailors in
general have no patron saint who has himself navigated the
deep. Pius IX., it is said, favourably received the Aroh-
Lishop's proposition, and the opinion of the Coit;sregsth. of
Rites, to whom it was referred, is expected with considerable
Interest in Rome.

Sir S. Sorthcote his received the following telegram
front Sir Robert 'Napier, dated the 6th Fehru4ry
"Major Grant, ahem I had deputed to Prince Russet,
has been well received by the Prince. My letter and presents
were suitably received in an open durbar, attended
by 2.006 chiefs and people. Giving to the Prince being en-
gaged in certain ceremonies, a private interview haul not
taken place. 'Me people around the Prince seem to be
well disposed towards 1111, and the women of Adwa received
the niiesion on its entry to the town with a hearty cheer in
honour of its arrival. No complications are to be appre-
hended.-

Some anxiety Is felt with respect to the approaching
assizes of Sligo, where the Fenian prisoners connected with
the J [lthaca expedition are to be tried. A question of inter-
national law aill probably arise in the case as " Colonel "
Nagle, who is a native born citizen of the tested States,
did not land, awl the overt acts alleged, and in respect of
which it became necessary to change the venue to Sligo,
were committed on board ship. The American government
have given directions to engage special counsel to defend the
American citizens, and this will render it the me. o necessary
to be prepared with an adequate form of legal practitioners
of experience as well as ability, in order to conduct the
crown safely through the peculiar difficulties which beset
such a trial.

The seven prisoners, William and Timothy Desmond,
Nicholas English, John O'Keefe, James O'Neill, Michael
Barrett, and Anne Justice, who stood remanded on the
charge of wilful murder of the persons killed by the
Clerkenwell explosion, were again placed at the bar for final
examination at Bow-street police-court on Tuesday morning,
and were formally committed for trial. Mr. Lewis applied
for the admission of O'Neill to bail, but Sir Thomas Henry
refused.

A Washington despatch announces that the President has
received a petition from G. F. Train, asking the " aid, in-
fluence, and power of the United States' Government to en-
force his claim for one hundred thousand pounds against
the British Government for illegal arrest and false imprison.
ment." Nothing has been done yet by the Executive. The
Chicago Republican in of opinion that it will be a happy
circumstance for the United States if Mr. Train will remain
abroad until he gets the money.

The Times gives some scandalous details which have been
elicited by a Board of Trade inquiry respecting the conduct
of Beal salvors toward, those whose property they have
assisted to save. The result of the enquiry, so far as it
affects two American ships, has just been published by order
of the Rouse of Commons. About a year ago the committees
of maritime insurer. at Paris and Havre signet! a memorial
in which they represent that salvage, 89 practised along our
coasts, borders closely On piracy that French mariners
dread the shark-like propensities of English boatmen almost
as much as the rocks and the sands ; and that English pilots
are wont to make ruinous claims for having simply perforated
a professional duty. Mr. Montagu here, who conducted the
enquiry, indicate, as the proper remedy the establishment
of acme local tribunal, which would assess, in a summary
but impartial manner, the remuneration equitably due to
both parties.

In the seven years between 1861 and 1868, Italy—that Is,
the kingdom of Italy—has borrowed £115,800,040 ! If any
doubt is entertained of the fact, here are corroborative
details : Ilastogi loan, £20,000,000: Minghetti loan,
£48,800,000; Sella loan, £17,000,000: routes created by
Signor Scialoja, £4,000,000: routes of the worship fund, &a,
£4600000: sale of State railways, £0010,860; State lands
obligations, £n.OOO,COO forced loan of 1866, £14,004,000;
bank loan, £10,000,000; and Treasury bonds, £4,000,000.
Thus Italy has been adding to her Indebtedness at the
average rate of upwards of £10,000,000 per annum since
1481.

The habit—or vice—of smoking has rapidly increased. In
the year 1841 the quantity of tobacco cleared for consumption
in the United Kingdom amounted to but 131 oz. per head of
population. In the year 18651 t amountel toil oz. per heed.
Twenty years ago nobody with any pretemions to the
character of a gentleman would have been seen smoking in
the streets; nowadays, everybody smokes when and where
be pleases, save in his wife's drawing-room and at church ;
and in the best clubs the best rooms are now given up to the
smoking members of the community.

In April, 156.1, a letter was addressed by the Poor Law
Board to every union and parish in England and Wales, sug-
gesting the advisability of providing a store of cod liver oil
at the workhouse, or some other convenient Once, for dis-
tribution amongst the sick poor on the prescription of the
medical offioers through the relieving officers, and that
quinine and other expensive medicines should be supplied
either by an order of the medical officer on a chemist, or by
the medical officers themselves. According to a return
moved for by Sir John Sinienn, it appears that in 401 unimis
the guardians have acted wholly or partially on the recom-
mendation of the l'oor Law Board, and in 225 they have not
acted upon it.

Mr. Sullivan, proprietor of the Nation, and Mr. Pigott
proprietor of the Irishman, convicted at the present Dublin
assizes of publishing seditious libels upon the Government,
were sentenced on Saturday morning. Mr. Justice Fitz-
gerald said that it was the grossest folly or the most flagrant
misrepresentation to say that the Fusions at Manchester
were not legally and righteously txeented—not for a political
offenps, but for murder, and that Government would be im-
possible if the administration of justice were to be so grossly
libelled as it hail been by the defendants. Sullivan was
sentenced to six mouths and Pigott to twelve months'
imprisonment, and at the expiration of those periods to be
bound over iu heavy recognisance' to be of good behaviour.

In Its last number, L'lnternational, a French journal
published in London, gives a comparative table of the Eng-
lish and American fleets. According to the Admiralty
returns, we have, including every species of vessel afloat or
In active construction, a force of some 700 ships. At the cud
a the American war the North had a total of 600 ships.
Since that she has sold on all lint the best, and her fleet now
assurers 330 thoroughly servieeso.l. vessels. Is effect, the
naval forces of the two countries are almost equal, says the
International. "The United States have their Nelson and
Collingwood in the persona of Porter and of Farragut." In
the course of the article Nelson's memorable signal to his
fleet before Trafalgar is done into Vsofich. We present it to
our readers as one of tho curiosities Of translation?
Aujourd'imi la vielle Augleterre compte sue cheque
hiname tare son devoir."

During the last three or four years wheat has been
gradually growing dearer. In the second week of February,
1865, the average for the United Kingdom was 384. 4d. per
qr. ; in February, I,4id, it had crept up to 455. 51. per qr. ;
bt February, 1667, it had risen boldly to 615. 4d. per qr. ;
and now, in February, 104 h, the last averare recorded was
73.1. 4d. per qr. Fortunately for the middle and lower
classes, the price of meat has fallen to a more reasonable
leveL

If the Fenian cause has its "martyrs," the other side is
not destitute of (*hem. On Saturday another victim was
a.aleil to the list of murdered Irish policenien Constable
Casey died of the shot tired at him by Mackay. the Fenian
captain, on the night of the latter's arrest. The wound was
in the leg, and it was found necessary to resort to amputa-
tion: but, despite the skill and care of the best surge on that
could be procured, the unfortunate man gradually sank, and
expired at about three o'clock ou Saturday morning. A
verdict of 'Wilful Murder " has been returned against
I ackay.

President Johnson has nominated General Irelellan as
rated States Minister to Great Britain. The President has
also issued an order removing Mr. Stanton from the post of
Secretary for War, but Mr. Stanton refused to surrender the
office, and appealed against the President's order to the
Senate. Thereupon the Senate declared the order to be
illegal, and Congress referred the matter to the Reconstruc-
tion Commitee. To the latter body was also referred at the
same time a resolution for the impeachment of the Steal-
dent, who reported in its favour. Thus the quarrel between
the rretident and t ongreas 13 arriving at a climax.

Brighton and Portsmouth have each put In a claim to the
honour of the Volunteers' presence for the Easter Monday
Review, and the South IVestern, and London, Chatham, and
Dover Railway Companies have offered to take the men
down on the same terms as last year. At a meeting of
metropolitan commanding officers, held on Monday at the
rooms of the National Rifle Association, in London, it was
resolved that the usual review should be held on Easter
Monday, and that the optestions of ground and transit should
he referred to a conimittee which will deliver its report (.11
the led March.

We (Mont;ng Star) are informed that Mr. Eyre, the late
Governor of Jamaica, having come to London, an application
will be made to Sir Thomas Henry, at Bow-street, in the
course of this week, for a warrant to bring him before the
court, charged with being accessory to the murder of Mr
George William Gordon. The former application, it may be
remembered, which was stopped by the grand jury notwith-
standing the strong and conclusive charge of the Lord Chief
Justice of England in favour of the dare going to trial, was
against General Nelson and Lieu.enant Brand, Mr. Eyre net
having at that time come forward to meet the charge. The
application for the warrant will be made by Sir Robert P.
Collier, Solicitor-Generll of the late Government. instructed
by Messrs. Sheen and Roscoe, on behalf of Mr. John Stuart
Mill, M.P., and Mr. P. A. Taylor, M. P., the chairman and
treasurer of the Jamaica Committee.

There was Issued on Monday Morning, In the form of a
parliamentary return, a list made up to December 31) with
the names of every merchant vessel or steamer engaged in
the Abyssinian expedition chartered in England, with the
net and gross register tonnage of each ship, the horse-power
of each engine, the price per ton each ship is chartered at:
also the name of each registered owner of such ship as ap-
peared upon the register when the ship was tendered to the
Government for hire, and the name of each owner as now
stands upon the register, with the name of the broker who
tendered such ship. The ships taken up are eighteen. The
gross tonnage is 34,200. The gross horse-power is 4,670.
The average rate per ton if discharged at home 153-n. 6d.
The rate if discharged abroad varies considerably It is
455. per ton in the case of several vessels, and as low as 253.
In one only, the Parana.