The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-07-30 00:00:00

niis cdiane oats Intelligente.

HOME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL.

SUPERABUNDANCE OE WESLEYAN /41INISTERS.—At
the Wesleyan Gmference, at Liverpool, on Saturday,
attention was drawn to the overcowded. state of the
ministry, there being now on the list a number of
ministers for whom no circuits can be found. In view
of this fact a resolution was carried that the Con-
ference should receive no candidates for the ministry
this year. The result of this decision is that no appli-
cations will be entertained until the next conference,
although seventy-two students have passed the dis-
trict meetings and are eligible for the pastorate. Such
an important step has only been taken twice in the
last forty years.
THE NEW COMET.—At Harvard Observatory, com-
putations as to the course of Schaeberle's comet made
its position on the 21th of July, to be, right ascen-
sion, six hours six minutes eighteen seconds, declina-
tion forty-two degrees forty-one minutes. The light
of the comet is rapidly increasing, and it will reach its
perihelion about August 19th, when its light will be
fully twenty-five times greater than when first dis-
covered. Professor Stone, of Cincinnati, thinks that
it is the comet mentioned by Chinese astronomers as
having appeared in the year 1337.
CHILDREN'S FLOWER SERVICE.—The Bishop of Here-
ford on Saturday gave an address at a children's flower
service at St. Margaret's,. Anfield, Liverpool. The
children walked in procession round the church, carry-
ing beautiful banners. His lordship said that he had
never before been present at such a service, though he
had heard of them. Now that he had seen one with
his own eyes he should never forget the sight, and he
was quite sure that the effect of such services must be
good.
A NEW PHILOLOGICAL DICTIONARY.—The prelimin-
ary reading for the Philological Society's new English
Dictionary, which has now little more than six months
to run, has so far produced very satisfactory results
(says the' Athenceum). Up to the present no fewer
than 842,870 slips have been supplied to readers, of
which 698,745, or about 84 per cent., have been
returned filled up. Of these no less than 85,000 are
the result of the reading of four readers. The number
of readers who have helped in the work is over 750, of
whom 510 are still reading. The number of authors
read is over 2,700, representing over 4,400 separate
works, and, of course, a much larger number of
volumes. Allowing two lines to each quotation (a
small estimate), the quotations represent an aggregate
of writing of nearly 80i miles, and the weight of the
slips issued exceeds 15 cwt. The grand total of slips
received since the work was first started in 1858 closely
approaches 3,000,000.

OUR DISMAL CHURCH BELLS.—Most people prefer
church bells at a distance, especially such doleful
clanging things as most English bells are. At any
rate few people who have lived close to a town church
will fail to sympathise with the following remarks
from the Lancet :—" To the sick suffering from
headache and nervous irritation, the ding-dong and
jangle of church bells," it says, "constitute a very
serious annoyance, and we do not hesitate to declare,
in many cases, the loss of rest, and the general dis-
quietude they produce not only lessen the chance of
recovery, but may expediate a fatal issue. The labour
of covering the roadway with tan or straw to drown
the noise of passing vehicles is vain while the bells of
the neighbouring churches remain unmuffled. It is
difficult to exaggerate the magnitude of the evil to
which we draw attention. It is a daily course of in-
jurious excitement to the sick, and a provocative of
ill-temper to the healthy. The time is approaching
when it may be needful in the interests of the weak
and suffering to apply to the Legislature for a special
enactment prohibiting the ringing, or tolling' of church
bells hi populous localities. For the present, however,
the appeal lies to the humanity of the clergymen and
churchwardens of city and suburban parishes.
A SEA MESSENGER.—A Correspondent on board the
Reserve Squadron writes :—"On Sunday, as the
squadron were steering from the Sew towards Leith,
a machine called Vandenberg's Sea Messenger, was
dropped from the flagship, containing letters addressed
to various places, and a document stating that the Sea
Messenger had been despatched in order to try whether
it would well answer its purpose of conveying notice of
shipwreck or distress at sea. The Sea Messenger is con-
structed of iron in three compartments, the outer ones
closed, the centre one having a screw top; in this is
placed the necessary information, addressed to Lloyd's
agent or British Consul, in seven languages. A brightly
painted iron flag projects from the top, and a heavy
keel keeps the machine from turning over. It will be
interesting to know where this sea messenger is picked
up, and how long the various letters take in reaching
their destination, also the state they are in when they
arrive."

THINGS ONE WOULD RATHER HAVE LEFT UNSAID.
—Genial Host (meaning to plead for poor Jenkins,
who has complained that he can't find a partner),
"Let me introduce Mr. Jenkins to you, Miss Jones.
I'm sure your card can't be full ! "—Punch.
THE WOOL-SORTERS' DISEASE.—In the House of
Commons on Monday evening, Mr. W. Egerton asked
the Vice-President of the Council whether his atten-
tion had been called to Mr. John Spears's report to the
Local Government Board on "the wool sorters'
disease." and to the danger of " anthrax " being like-
wise communicated to sheep and cattle from the use
of foreign hair and wool as manure; and whether the
Privy Council would issue an order against the sale of
such foreign hair and wool for that purpose without
having been previously disinfected.—Mr. Mundella,
in reply, said the report of Mr. Spears was only brought
under my notice a few days ago. It has now been re-
ferred to the veterinary department for their considera-
tion and report. It is only right, however, to state
that " anthrax " is comparatively a rare disease in
animals in England, and does not appear to have in-
creased during the past 40 years.
THE DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE'S BIRTHDAY.—The
Duchess of Cambridge completed her 84th year on
Monday, tier Royal Highness having been born on the
25th of July, 1797. The Queen sent a beautiful
bouquet and present to her Royal aunt, as well as
congratulating her on the anniversary. The Duchess
received personal visits at her residence in the Ambas-
sadors' Court, St. James's Palace, from the Prince
and Princess of Wales, also from the Duke of Cam-
bridge on his return from an official visit to Wool-
wich, Princess Mary Adelaide, Duchess and the Duke
of Teck and their children, the Grand Duke of
Mecklenburg•Strelitz (her son-in-law), attended by
Major Winsloe and Baron Both, Princess Christian,
and Princess Frederica of Hanover. A great many
congratulatory calls were made at St. James's
Palace.

FATAL GUN ACCIDENT.—A shocking gun accident
has occurred at the village of North Petherton. Thomas
Bulpirt, son of a farmer, went out with a boy to shoot
pigeons on the farm, and met with his death in the
same manner as Captain Speke, the traveller. He had
with him a double-barrelled gun, at full cock, and as
he was going through a gap in a hedge the trigger
caught in a bramble, the weapon exploding. The
entire charge entQred the neck of Bulpin, passing
through the head, and the young man falling forward
on his face met with instantaneous death. Mr.
Monckton, the ,]istrict coroner, held an inquest, and
the jury broug IA in a verdict of accidental death.

"THE SERVANTS ! "—Footman out of livery (to
coachman) : "Well, Smithers, how are you getting
on? You're off soon, I suppose? " Coachman :
"Well, no; I'm a-goin' to send our people ` abroad '
at the end o' the month, and then we shall have the
'ouse to ourselves, and—we shall see somethink of yer
perhaps? "—[Her ladyship. making her appearance—
Tacet Li—Punch.
MUNIFICIENT BEQUESTS —A number of munificent
bequests have been made by the late Mr. John
M'Gavin, of Glasgow, recently deceased. To his
native town of Kilwinning, in Ayrshire, Mr. M'Gavin
leaves a sum of £7,000 to form a public park; to
the Glasgow Institute of Fine Arts, £5,000: to
Anderson's College, Glasgow, £2,000; to the Scottish
Temperance League, £1,000; to the Royal Infir-
mary, Glasgow, £1,000; to the Western Infirmary,
£1,000; to the Chamber '(.:Pf Commerce, Glasgow,
£1,000; to the Kent-road United Presbyterian Church,
Glasgow,£l,ooo; and many charitable bequests of
1;500 each. Mr. M'Gavin has left to the Corporation
of Glasgow Linnell's celebrated picture of "The
Coming Storm," for which he paid no less a sum than
3,000 guineas. The rest of Mr. M'Ga.vin's pictures,
forming one of the finest private collections in the West
of Scotland, will, it is expected, be disposed of by
public auction.

THE ASTOR PUBLIC LIBRARY.—The Annual Report
of the Astor Public Library, New York, gives a
striking idea of the progress of that useful institution.
More than 10,500 dollars have been spent in books,
binding, and equipment. The maintenance fund is
421,500 dollars; the endowment amounts to more than
a million and a quarter of dollars. Among the acoes-
sions is a collection of "seven or- eight hundred
volumes and pamphlets, temp, Charles 1., acquired by
Mr. Astor in England last summer and presented to
the library."

THE DIVISION ON THE TRANSVAAL DEBATE.—The
Globe states that an analysis of the list of members
voting in the division on Sir Michael Hicks-Beach's
Motion shows that the Conservative party were unani-
mous in their.vote, no member of the Opposition being
in the Government lobby. Ministers, however, re-
ceived the support of just forty Home-rulers, including
Messrs. Parnell, M'Cartby, Mitchell-Henry, Shaw,
and A. M. Sullivan. The moderate Liberals also,
including Messrs. M'Cullagh, Torrens and Walter, and
Lord E. Fitzmaurice, went with their Party. The
minority inckles but one Liberal—Sir John Ennis,
the member for Athlone,