The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-02-26 00:00:00

SATURDAY, FEB. 26, 1887.

_
News from Rome states that the French Ambassador
to the Vatican has assured the Pope of the Govern-
ment's pacific intentions as to the religious questions,
and at the same time expressed the satisfaction of the
French Government at the letter of Cardinal Jacobini,
in which France recognises an additional assurance of
peace. _ _

- The sixth anniversary of the Church of England
Central Society for providing Homes for Waifs and
Strays was celebrated on Monday by meetings held at
the Chapter House, St. Paul's-churchyard, London, pre-
ceded by an early service in St. Paul's Cathedral, where
the Archbishop of Canterbury delivered an address.
According to the latest returns, the population of
New Zealand in 1885, including Maoris, was 617,051.
In reply to a resolution announcing his re-election as
President of the Duffield Liberal Association, the Hon.
Frederick Strutt says he regards his recovery after 17
weeks of unconsciousness, as one of the most marvellous
things on record. He had his left eye taken out on
Friday last, and bore the operation well. His memory
is completely restored for all events that happened no
to the week before his terrible accident in the streets
of Belper, when he was pitched on to his head from the
trap he was driving. The doctors have enjoined com-
plete rest for the next few months.
In a communiqué addressed to the " Liegnitzer
Zeitung." Count von Moltke remarks that the German
army cannot be remodelled every three years in con-
formity with Parliamentary resolutions.
The three salient features in the report of the Irish
Land Commission are—first, a recommendation that
the judicial rents undergo a revision (if necessary)
every five years; next, an extension of Lord Ash-
bourne's Act, so that the whole amount may be ad-
vanced to tenants who desire to acquire their holdings;
and, third, extending these advantages to certain
classes of leaseholders.

A letter has been received from Sir Henry Ponsonhy,
fixing the route by which her Majesty will leave Bir-
mingham on the occasion of her visit to lay the foun-
dation of the new Law Courts on March 23. The Queen
will alight at Small Heath Station at one o'clock, and
drive round Small Heath Park, where the Board School
children of the borough will be assembled. Thence, her
Majesty will proceed to the Town HaLl, where an ad.
dress will be presented by the Mayor. Afterwards
making a detour through the principal streets, the
Queen will proceed to lay the stone on the Corporation-
street site, and leave for Windsor by the 4.15 p m.
train.

A crowd of unemployed labourers in Dublin waited
upon the Lord Mayor of that city to lay before him a
statement of their position and to ask for work. The
Lord Mayor, in reply, said that the governors of the
country were responsible for the state of things, and
ought to be appealed to. They had the means to re-
lieve, while the powers of the Corporation were
limited.

Speaking at a dinner given by the Fanmakers' Com-
pany, Sir E. J. Reed, M.P., alluded to the condition of
the navy, and expressed a hope that as a result of recent
events the sums which might be voted for the Services
would be wisely and well expended upon them and not
be frittered away in a thousand errors.

A dispute with respect to the quality of a very large
number of bulbs or " crowns " of lilies of the valley
came before Mr Justice Wills in the Queen's Bench
Division, Mr. Schultz, 'a grower at Bodin, se;:king to
recover the balance of an acconn 1 from a grower in
Carmarthenshire for bulbs supplied. A verdict was
found for the plaintiff for £179 10s.
During his residence in town Mr. Gladstone will be
a guest at Lord Aberdeen's house at Dollis-hill, near
Willesden.
It is announced that Lord Randolph Churchill's
promised attendance at a Conservative demonstration
in Birmingham will take plAce in Easter week.
The Prince of Wales and Prince George of Wales
were present at the Battle of Flowers at Nice, and
were literally bombarded with bouquets:
The motion to continue the interim injunction ob-
tained last week restraining the manager of the Gaiety
Theatre from preventing Miss Fay Templeton from
performing the part of Fernand in "Monte Cristo,
Junior," came on Monday for argument before Jus-
tices Denman and Mathew, who, without expressing
any opinion on the merits of the case, dismissed the
application, _

Mr. Justice S,ephen and a Special Jury on Monday
tried an action brought by Mr. G. Dolby against Ur. G.
Newnes, M.P., for libel published in " Tit-Bits " Thn
plaintiff accompanied Charles Dickens on his English
and American tours, and the libel was contained in a
paragraph copied from an American paper, purporting
to be a story told by Mr. Howard Paul in an after.
dinner speech at Philadelphia as to plaintiff having,
while with Mr. Dickens, indulged in "incessant
gorging, whisky-scouting, and other alcoholic frivoli-
ties.' The defence was that the story was simply good-
humoured chaff. The jury found a verdict. for the
pl.intiff, with a hundred pounds damages, including
forty shillings paid into court.
A voting tailor's presser, named Allman, was charged
at Worship-street Police-court, London, on Monday,
with causing an obstruction in Audleysstreet, Hackney-
road. Tbe defendant had placed a form in the carriage
way on Sunday evaning, and in the character of a
Socialist was addressing some 150 persons. The de-
fendant said the roadway was so wide that there was
no obstruction. The magistrate told him that it was
an infringement of the law to gather a crowd in the
street as Le Ind done. The defendant went to goal for
a month, in default of paying a fine o; 40s.
A man named Calabane was charged at the Thames
Police-court, London, with obtaining a registered letter
by a trick. The letter was addressed to one Wallace,
in a lodging-house in Stepney, and the prisoner,,saying
that was his name, signed the receipt. He was subse-.
quently found in possession of a gold ring which the
letter had contained. He was committed for trial.

Viscooutess Cardwell died on Sunday night at her
residence, 74, Eaton-square. She was the youngest
daughter of the late Charles Stuart Parker, of Fairlie.
Ayrshire was born in 1814, and married in 1838
Edward (afterwards Viscount) Cardwell. She. has
survived her husband only a year.
A correspondent having written to Mr. Gladstone to
state that in a sermon preached on the 13th inst. tho
Rev. IL R. newels had accused him of going to see
comic opera on the night when the news of General
Gordon's death reached London, the right lion. gentle-
man has replied: "I thank you for your letter which
I have read with regret. The statement imputed, I
hope in error, to the Rev. Mr. Haweis is simply. false.
It was the night before the news of General Gordon's
death when I kept an engagement with some friends
who had kindly invited me to go to the play."
James Potter, secretary of five building socieFes hi
Bolton, was arrested on Monday on a charge of em-
bezzling considerable rums of money.
Monday being the eighty-sixth birthday of Cardinal
Newman, special High Mass was held in the Oratory,
Edgbaaton, Birmingham. The Mass was at eight
o'clock, and there was a crowded congregation. The
cardinal, who took part in the service, appeared to he
in good health. By the morning's pose. pre•ents and
birthday cards were received from all parts of Europe
and from America.
In a football match on Monday between Balliol and
New College, under Rugby rules, in the Parks, Oxford,
Mr. Victor Dlorier, an undergraduate of Balliol, was
severely injured, and was removed from the ground in
an unconscious condition. He was taken to his College,
where medical attendance was immediately summoned,
and it was ascertained that he was suffering from
concussion of the brain. He is the son of Sir Robert
Morier, Ambassador at St. Petersburg. The injured
gentleman afterwards recovered consciousness.