The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1888-06-23 00:00:00

SATURDAY, JUNE 23, 1888.

At the Oldbury Petty Sessions on Tuesday, Thomas
Neath was charged with breaking into the dwelling
-
house of Joseph Daniels, and stealing a quantity of
bacon and clothing. The prisoner was tracked by a
policeman to the canal side, and he jumped into the
water, and tried to swim across; but finding himself
unable to do so, returned, and after a smart chase, was
captured. It then took three persons to hold him
before the handcuffs could be put on. At the station
when charged, he said, "You know all about it ;
that's the sort of man I am." Ho was committed to
the Quarter Sessions.
A shocking accident happened on Tuesday at some
cutlery works in Sheffield. A young man named
Wheatcroft, a grinder, was in the act of putting a
band on a driving drum when he became entangled in
the band and was carried round the drum. The
machinery, which was going at full speed, was imme-
diately stopped. Wheatcroft, however, was then dead.
His head was smashed in, and one of his feet was torn
off.
Her Majesty has been pleased to confer the honour of
knighthood on Mr. William Henry Melvin, Solicitor to
the Board of Inland Revenue, and on Mr. Thomas
Galt, Chief Justice of Common Pleas, Ontario.
Sir Morell Mackenzie left Berlin on Tuesday for the
Hague, looking very tired and worn. Mr. Hovell has
been requested by the Kaiserin Victoria to remain at
Friedrichskron for a few days longer.
The Duke of Cambridge on Tuesday laid
the foundation stone of the West Ham Hospital,
which has been designed for the accommo-
dation of 32 inmates. His Royal Highness was pre-
sented with an address from the corporation of the
borough, in acknowledging which he observed that the
enormous growth of the population in the East-end
had rendered this extension of hospital provision
imperative.
General Bulwer, Inspector-General of Recruitirg,
Sir Revers Buller, and Mr. Stanhope, Secretary of
State, were examined before the Select Committee of
the House of Commons on the Army Estimates, on
Tuesday, with respect to the deficiencies in barrack ac-
commodation, and the calculations which had been
made as to the sums required for remedying them. Mr.
Knox, the Accountant-General, gave evidence in refer-
ence to the rewards paid to inventors.
The Rev. John C. Wellesley Burnaby, who has been
curate of St. Peter's, Eaton-square, since 1884, has been
presented by Lord Hotham to the living of Etton, near
Hull, Yorkshire, of the value of £650 a year.
The Rev. Canon Hamby, rector of Bury, Lancashire,
died at the rectory on Tuesday morning in his seventy-
second year. He was cousin of the present Earl of
Derby, and was preferred in 1850, succeeding his father.
and was honorary canon of Manchester Cathedral and
rural dean.
The marriage of Captain Philip Green, with Mabel
Emile, eldest daughter of Lady Scott and the late Sir
Edward Henry Scott, Bart., took place in St. Mark's
Church, North Audley-street, London, on Tuesday
afternoon. There was a large attendance of relatives
and friends. Colonel A. Fife acted as Captain Green's
best man; and the six bridesmaids were Miss Annie
and Miss Mary Scott, sisters of the bride; Lady Cle-
mentine Pratt, Hon. Julia Stonor, Hon. Violet Lane-
Fox, and Miss M. Buckworth.
A fire broke out on Tuesday on board the steamer
Nord, belonging to Kiel, immediately she had left the
harbour. The crew, consisting of eight men, attempted
to save themselves in the ship's boat, but it capsized
immediately after being lowered and all the men were
drowned. The captain, who had remained on board
the burning ship, was saved by the steamer Stormarn.
The ironclad Baden subsequently came up to render
assistance, and the fire was extinguished. The Nord
was then towed by the Baden into Friedrichsort.
Prince Ruprecht of Bavaria, the eldest son of the
future King, has been ordered to return at once to
Munich, because he secretly left Barcelona, where he
was staying, and went to Paris. The Prince's aide-de-
camp has been dismissed.
General Strachey, on Tuesday, gave evidence before
the Select Committee as to the part taken by the India
Office in the matter of the Nizam's concession of the
Deccan Mines. He said the Secretary of State was
simply a friendly adviser to the Nizam, and took no re-
sponsibility for what was done. The arrangement made
by Abdul Huk was directly opposed to the avowed in-
tentions of the Government of India. Lord Lawrence
informed the committee that he bought Deccan Shares
on hearing that the Nizam's Government was buying,
and that the matter had gone through the India
Office.

Sir W. Harcourt, after opening a Liberal Club at
Belper on Tuesday, said the treatment of the Irish
nation by the Government had created a feeling among
the English people which was the secret of the recent
defeats that the Government had sustained at the polls.
The right hon. gentleman criticised the Local Govern-
ment Bill in some detail, and said it was a transparent
sham.

A correspondent at Simla telegraphs that fighting has
taken place on the Afghan frontier in the Agror dis-
trict. Major Battye and Captain Urmston were killed.
Arrangements are being made at the War Office for
instructing gentlemen of influence in the countries of
England and Scotland, and who are willing to accept
the duty, to inquire into the extent and efficiency of
local transport and equipment for the volunteers under
the mobilisation scheme, and also as to the possibility'
of organising in some way the many thousand volun-
teers who, having served a certain time in the ranks,
have for various reasons ceased to be active, but who, if
occasion should arise, would be willing to serve again.
It is known that 40,000 men left the service voluntarily
during last year only, and the whole number of such
men fit for service has been estimated at over half a
million.
On Monday orders were issued for the officers and
sergeants who are instructors of musketry, and the
•armourer sergeants of a number of line regiments, to
proceed at once to the Small Arms Factory at Enfield
to go through a course of instruction in the mechanism
of the new rifle. .

The Metropolitan Board of Works are promoting in
the House of Commons a bill to amend the Metropolitan
Management Act and the Metropolitan Building Act,
both of 1855. A determined opposition to the attempt
is made chiefly from the Conservative side. Mr.
Morrison and Colonel Duncan move the rejection of
the bill. Mr. Kimber, Mr. Isaacson, and Mr. Charring-
ton have separately given notice to shelve the measure
should it pass second reading by referring it to a Select
Committee
Five men named Whitworth, Clare, Tyrer, Sankey,
and Monaghan entered a sewer at Widnes on Monday
for the purpose of cleaning it. Shouts were heard
shortly afterwards, and on some men lowering them-
selves they found the men unconscious from sewer gas.
They were at once brought to the surface, the only man
of the five then showing signs of vitality being Whit-
worth. Several medical men were in attendance, but
despite their exertions three of the men succumbed.
Whitworth states that Clare first fell, shouting " Oh,
Bob, I'm done!" and then he sign became insensible.
It is stated that there aro in Belgium 4077 flour
mills, 2574 breweries, 2249 cloth mills, 1333 potteries,
806 tanneries and leather works, 665 tobacco factories,
660 slate, stone, and marble works, 577 printing works,
and 664 oil mills, making a total of 13,480.