The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-06-18 00:00:00

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HOME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL.

VALUE OF CITY OF LONDON PEOPERTY.—A plot of
land, formerly the site of Allhallows church, at the
corner of Bread-street and Watling-street, and having
an area of 3,270 ft. super, together with the reversion
to the buildings thereon in seventy-eight years hence,
has just been sold by Messrs. Jones, Lang, and Co.,
King-street, Cheapside, for £43,200—over £l3 per foot
super, or at the rate of half-a-million per acre.
GLADSTONE'S MOTTO. "Duty's everything! "
Judy.
UNPLEASANT BEDFELLOWS.—An old woman residing
in Hospital-lane, Calcutta, was disagreeably surprised
on waking from her sleep one morning to find that
she had shared her couch with five young snakes,
which on her rising in the morning she observed
creeping out from among the bedclothes. The old
woman, who was horrified at the sight, rushed out of
her house and raised an alarm, when her neighbours
helped to eject the intruders. It is believed the young
brood were driven out of their hole by rain, and had
accommodated themselves in the place where they
were discovered. The snakes measured about six
inches in length and were of a bright yellow colour.
Too UTTERLY UTTER.—A scientific paper says that
by the introduction of the telephone into water con-
taining fish, it has been discovered that fish utter
singular vocal sour.ds. The obvious comment on this
is "very like a wail."—Funny Folks.
FATAL BOAT ACCIDENT.—More than a week ago
two young men left Whitby in a pleasure-boat under
sail and have not since been heard of. Their destina-
tion was Sandsend, a small seaside village about three
miles north of the port of Whitby. Some time after
they left the harbour a rather stiff breeze sprang up
from a northerly direction, and there was what is
known as a " lumpy " sea. It is assumed that while
tacking the boat was struck by a sea capsized, and
sunk. Some hopes were originally entertained that
the boat and the young men might have been picked
up by some passing vessel and landed at some port on
the coast, but those hopes are now abandoned. The
names of the men were George Thoresby and William
Taylerson, and they weie aged respectively 27 and 30.
Thoresby was to have been married three days after
the supposed fatal mishap.
DETERMINATION.—First little girl (very indignant
indeed) : "Well, I declare if they aren't there again ! "
—Second little girl (much more indignant) : "Don't
let us take any notice of them."—[And within six
months the two couples were married. —Judy.
THE PARLIAMENTARY OATH.—Mr. Hinde Palmer
has placed the folio Ting notice of motion for "an
early day," on the books of the House of Commons :
That it is no longer necessary for the security of the
Throne that the declaration or promise of allegiance
made in this House should be in the form of an oath,
and, having regard to the manner in which such oath
has been dealt with in modern times, it has become
and is desirable that in lieu thereof every member,
before first taking his seat, should subscribe the
Parliament roll of members, having at the head there-
of the following declaration and promise of allegiance,
namely—"l do solemnly and sincerely promise and
declare that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance
to her Majesty Queen Victoria, her heirs and suc-
cessors according to law ; " and that every member
subscribing such promise and declaration should be in
the same position, to all intents and purposes, as if he
had taken the oath at present required.
INSCRIPTIONS ON SWORDS.—A writer in Blackwood's,
says :—" The inscriptions on the blades almost con-
stitute a literature, in poetry and in prose. For the
most part they are brag aad bluster; but here and
there some few of them are pious, wise, or silly. The
mighty glaive of Conrad Schenk of Winterstetten (4
feet 8 inches long, and 4 inches wide), which is in the
Dresden Museum, bears, in antiquated German, the
tenderly swaggering advice---`Conrad, dear Schenk,
remember me. Do not let Winterstetten the Brave
leave one helm uncleft.' The sword of Hughes de
Chateaubriand flashed in the sunlight the noble motto
won by his ancestor in the fight at Bouvines,
'Mon sang teint les bannieres de France. In the
Erback Collection is an old Ferrara blade, with the
sage device, 'My value varies with the hand that holds
me.' A sword in the Paris Cabinet de Medailles, is
reverently inscribed. 'There is no conqueror but
God.' rhe rapiers of Toledo were engraved in
hundreds with the wise counsel, • Do not draw me
without reason, do not sheathe me without honour.'
The invocations of saints are very frequent; and so
are prayers like, 'Do not abandon me, 0 faithful
God, which is on a German sword in the Az
Collection at Linz; and ejaculations, like the Allabic,
'With the help of Allah I hope to kill my enemy.'
There are vaunting mottoes, like the Spanish, 'When
this viper stings there is no cure in any docter's shop ; '
and pompons announcements like the Sicilian, e I
come ; ' the critical observations, like the Hungarian,
He that thinks not as I do thinks falsely ; ' and
matter-of-fact declarations, like, 'When I go up you
go down' (only that is on an axe). This 'cutler
poetry,' as Shakspeare called it, presents itself all
over Europe, in all languages, mixed up with the
maker's address or owner's arms.

SALARIES IN PUBLIC OFFICES.—A Parliamentary
paper has been published, pursuant to 4 and 5
William IV., cap. 24, sec. 22, showing "every in-
crease and diminution which has taken place in the
year 1880 in the number of persons employed in all
public offices or departments under the Crown, and of
the salaries and emoluments of such persons." Accord-
ing to this account, the total diminution in the number
of persons during this period is 301, their salaries and
emoluments amounting to £71,252. There has been
an increase of 958 persons employed, with salaries and
emoluments amounting to £105,318. Almost the
entire increase has occurred in the Post office, where
432 additional officials have been employed at salaries
amounting to £35,166; in the Inland Revenue, 406
new officials, salaries, £14,143; Customs 16, salaries
and increases, £22,471; Education Department 16,
salaries, £6,000; British Museum 27, salaries £2,305;
Public Prosecutor's Office 6, salaries, £3,730 ; Con-
sular service 7, salaries, £3,810. The return does not
include any increase or diminution arising from
annual increments of salary or from temporary
vacancies.

"LITTLE JERUSALEM."—The despatch box, named
the "Little Jerusalem," which was launched by Cap-
tain Mark each about March 25, when he was about
300 miles off the Scilly Isles, has been picked up by a
fisherman on the coast of Galway, it having run
ashore on the rocks. The contents were safe and dry.
The idea of the inventor is to provide means of com-
munication between shipwrecked sailors and their
friends.
AVERAGE PRICES OF BRITISH CORN.—The following
are the average prices of British corn for the week
ending June 11, as received from the inspectors and
officers of Excise :—Wheat, 445. Bd. ; barley, 31s. id. ;
oats, 235. 2d. per imperial qr. Corresponding week
last year :—Wheat, 445. 11d. ; barley, 325.; oats,
265. sd.

THE DEATH OF LORD JUSTICE JAMES. The
Master of the Rolls, on taking his seat in court on
Tuesday, said he could not proceed to business with-
out expressing the grief which he felt at the misfor-
tune which had fallen upon the profession and the
tpublic by the death during the last short vacation of
his friend and colleague in the Appeal Court, Lord
Justice James. Although his death was not un-
expected. still, as he appeared in his usual health
the- last day that he sat in court, the news
certainly came upon him (Sir G. Jessel) with
painful surprise. The late Lord Justice died in
harness in the full possession of his faculties. Of
his qualities it was difficult to speak too highly. Of a
large libeial mind, unfettered by technicalties, and
untrammelled by prejudice, his intellect was clear
and powerful. He was distinguished alike by his
keenness of perception and rapidity of decision. He
(Sir George Jessel) could truly say that in deploring
his decease he, like everyone else, lamented the loss of
a consummate lawyer.—ln the Court of Appeal there
was a large attendance of judges, and Lord Coleridge
and Lord Justice Bramwell spolie of the loss which
the bench had sustained by the death of Lord Justice
James.
TIM LABOUR MARKET.—In the iron trade districts

very few works were opened last week, owing to the
holidays. This cessation of labour is advantageous to
the manufacturers, as it helps to check over-produc-
tion. It is satisfactory to notice that some increased
orders have come to hand during the week, which
keep prices steady, and stimulate hopes for improve-
ment. Business in the cotton trade continues active.
Shipbuilding and engineering in the north are very
active, and at all the yards on the Tyne, the Wear, -
and the Tees, an advance of wages has been given.
Work in the building trades of Scotland is brisk.
The steel trade is active, and operatives in the hard-
ware industries are. well employed. There is also
some improvement in the Staffordshire pottery and
the boot and shoe trades. The London printing,
bookbinding, and machine industries are, on the
whole, active. After the Whitsuntide holidays
trade in the Leeds district has assumed its usual
activity. The following branches are reported busy:
Wholesale clothing, boot rivetters and finishers,
leather dressers, curriers, chemicals, cloth and felt,
painting and paperhanging. The machine and tool
businesses are dull. Colleries, under the new sliding
scale, are to receive an advance of 2i per cent. Shop-
keepers and retail dealers are busier, the fine weather
having stimulated the demand for almost every class
of goods. In the agricultural districts of the West of
England a much more cheerful tone prevails after the
heavy rain of the past week, and farmers state that in
the grass crops the undergrowth, or finer grains, are
better than has been known for seven years. In the
large clothing Manufactories, after a Whitsuntide
trade which has not been equalled for several years,
the utmost activity prevails. The building trade in
Bristol is temporarily more active, but in many cases
the men are working for less than the wages fixed,two
years ago, when it was agreed to pay masons 7id. rer
hour, carpenters, plasterers, and painters 7d., and
labourers 4id.

SWIMMING RACE IN LONDON.--On Saturday Captain
Webb competed in a race, distance sixteen miles, with
W. Beckwith, for £lOO a side, at the Royal Aquarium,
Westminster. Beckwith, who allowed his opponent
two miles start, when about half the distance had been
swum, had gained half a mile. Eventually Webb won
by about three-quarters of a mile.
LONDON AND NEW YORK COMPARED.—The growth
of Lonoon, shown by the Census returns, is com-
mented upon by the New York Herald as follows :
"When we reflect that a population greater than that
of Chicago and nearly as great as that of New York
has been added in twenty years, it looks as if the city
on the Thames has been advancing by very rapid
strides, and yet the pace seems slow compared with
that of our metropolis. It has been observed that
while London has increased 17 per cent. since 1870,
New York has advanced 22. The metropolis swells
with toe nation of which it is a part, and it is but a
question of time for New York to overtake and pass
London."

A FLOATING CRANE. —There was launched OR Satur-
day last from the yard of Messrs. Samuda Brothers an
interesting novelty in mechanical appliances. This
consists of a twin-screw steam vessel, travelling at five
miles an hour, and carrying a steam crane capable of
lifting 30 tons to a height of 60ft. above the water,
and of traversing a complete circle of 47ft. radius. The
vessel is 100 ft. long and 44ft. broad ; the crane is 70ft.
high; the vessel, crane, and counter-balance are
worked by steam machinery driven by separate
engines, so arranged as to be under the control of one
man. The crane and machinery have been entirely
designed and constructed by Messrs. Hunter and
English, of Bow, for the London and St. Katharine
Docks Company's use in their Royal Albert and
Victoria Docks, where the vessel can be seen at work
in ten days' or a fortnight's time.

EMIGRATION FROM SWITZERLAND.—From Switzer-
land, as from Germany and other countries, the
number of emigrants last year showed a considerable
increase, the total having risen from 4,288 in 1879 to
7,255, of whom more than half were able-bodied men.
The number included 2,942 bachelors and 1,076 mar-
ried men, while of the women 762 were spinsters and
753 married. Of the 7,255 emigrants. 5,792 went to
the United States, 952 to South America, and 153 to
Central America. The Swiss emigrants are generally
admitted to be more valuable additions to the colony
in which they may settle than those of any other
nationality.
THE SOLUTION AT LAST.—It has, at length, been
settled that the swarm of bees which recently appeared
in Wellington-street, Strand, and settled on the out-
side of the Army and Navy Gazette Office, were looking
out for The Garden.—Southampton-street.—Judy.
THE GARDEN OF CHlNA.—Around Shanghai lie
50,000 square miles of the "Garden of China,' which
has been tilled for countless generations. It is a few

feet above the level of the river, which forms a com-
plete network of water communication; and is, after
all this lapse of time, still highly productive, yielding
three crops a year, and supporting a population so
dense that the stranger would imagine the inhabitants
had, even upon an ordinary working day, turned out
for a holiday.

DIVING OPERATIONS AT TIIE " DOTEREL."—The
Admiralty have received the following telegram from
Commander Henderson, dated Monte Video, June 8:
—" Cause of Doterel's explosion unaseertained. Boilers
in place. Starboard one not yet cleared. Fore part
of ship utterly destroyed; from mainmast aft, hull un-
injured. Particulars and depositions forwarded by
Iberia. Arrangements made by the Garnet for ex-
tended operations."
ILLUSTRATION OF AN EXPRESSION.—" Reading be-
tween the Lines."—This must be Reading (Berks),
which is between the Great Western and the South
Western Lines. —Punch.
"LITTLE GOOD Tint."— Speaking of Kentish
traditions, a correspondent of Notes and Queries writes:
—I have always hitherto believed "Little Goody
Tidy "to be a nursery rhyme of an elementary nature,
requiring only a slight effort of memory to repeat it
rapidly, after the fashion of the "House that Jack
Built." But a query of Mr. Walford elevates our
childish friend at once to the regions of history and I
hasten to supply another ancient poem, possibly the
political effusion of M "facetious
Jacobite Walford's facetious
Jacobite :"

"Tom married a wife on Monday
He got a stick on Tuesday.
He beat her well on Wednesday,
Sick was she on Thursday,
Dead was she on Friday,
Glad was Tom on Saturday
To bury his wife on Sunday.'
I don't know if this be a "Kentish tradition; " I
heard it in Renfrewshire.

THRIFT IN FRANCE.—According to a statistical
report just published, the school savings banks,
founded seven years ago by M. de Malarce, have
proved very successful. They are at work in 14,372
schools; 302,841 children use them, and on the Ist of
January last their deposits amounted to 6,403,773 f.
The average deposit per week is from a penny to
three-halfpence.---Another report on the savings banks
proper shows that the number of depositors, which in
1'874 was 2,170,000, had risen in 1880 (December 31) to
3,838,000, thus exceeding the number of depositors in
the English trustee and postal savings banks. The
total amount of the deposits in 1874 was 573,000,000 f.
In 1880 it reached 1,280,824,000 f.
SINGULAR FACT.—Young Lady. "I have called,
Mrs. Brown, to ask you why your children do not
attend the Sunday School now, as they used? Do not
they like going? "—Mrs. Brown. "Oh, yes, miss, they
likes goin' well 'nough ; it's the stayin' after they gits
theer as they don't like."—Fun.

THE PROPOSED PARCELS POST.—The Melbourne
correspondent of The Times writes :—Professor Fawcett
has been proclaimed by the Press—l think with the
public acclamation—as the best and "most creative
Postmaster-General colonists have ever known. His
proposal to utilize the Post-office for the transmission
of parcels is regarded with great favour here, and
would be hailed as a great boon by many thousands
both in town and country. In Victoria the Minister's
scheme could be easily worked by various agencies
already in existence. With even the moderate charges
said to be proposed by the Postmaster-General, a con-
siderable aildition to the revenue might be brought in
through the Post-office. To use a common phrase,
"the proposal meets a want."
STORM WARNING.—The following cablegram was
received at the London Office of the New York Herald
from the Herald Weather Bureau, New York :—" A
disturbance will arrive on British, French, Norwegian
coasts, between 14th and 16th, attended by east
backing to north-west gales or strong winds; rain:
possibly low temperature."
DOG-KILLING IN NEW YORK.—The Pall Mall
Gazette remarks :—They say it is a mere delusion that
more dogs go mad in the dog-days than at any other
time in the year; but the belief is so deeply rooted
that almost every summer municipal authorities at
home and abroad, impelled by dread of hydrophobia,
take energetic measures against the unowned mongrels
of the street. In New York where "the canine
reign of terror" begins in June and ends in November,
the business of dog-catching and dog-killing has be-
come one of the regular industries of the city. The
New York dog-catcher patrols the streets with a
waggon, in which captured dogs are conveyed to the
deg-poi,nd. After forty-eight hours' grace, during
which shey can b? redeemed on payment of three
dollars a head, the luckless dogs are passed on in
batches of an hundred to the iron cage, where they are
drowned by submersion. Last year 8,518 dogs were
thus ssnt to a watery grave. The dog-catchers receive
fifteenpence for each dog captured, and some of them
earn daily as much as two or three pounds sterling.
THE VICTORIA CROSS.-.---A Royal Warrant, just
issued, states that, "whereas doubts have arisen as to
the qualifications required for the decoration of the
Victoria Cross, and whereas the description of such
qualification in our warrant of 29th January, 1856, is
not uniform, our will and pleasure is that the qualifi-
cation shall be 'conspicuous bravery or devotion to
the country in the presence of the enemy,' and that
our warrant of January 29, 18.56, shall be read and
interpreted accordingly. It is our further will and
pleasure that officers and men of our Auxiliary and
Reserve Forces (Naval and Military) shall be eligible
for the decoration of the Victoria Cross under the con-
ditions of our said warrant as amended by this our
warrant."

PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS.—The following Parlia-
mentary papers were issued on Tuesday :—Return of
all schools in England and Wales transferred to
School Boards, under section 23 of the Elementary
Education Act, 1870; account of receipts and expen-
diture under the Dogs Regulation (Ireland) Act, 1865,
for the year ended 31st December, 1880; return,
showing the age of each inspector of the poor in Scot-
land, the length of time he has held that office, the
salary he receives, whether he holds any other office
or situation for which he receives salary or emolument,
and if so, specifying such office or situation, and the
salary and emolument in connection with it; and a
list of all persons detained in prison under the statute
44 Viet., c 4, intituied an Act for the better Protec-
tion of Person and Property in Ireland.

A " SUF-FISH-SCENT " EXCUSE FOR A DRAG HUNT.—
A red herring trailed across country.—Fun.

"TREADING THE FIRE."—An Indian paper states
that certain classes of Hindoos, in Bangalore,
observed on a recent Sunday the barbarous rite
known to the English as "treading the fire,' per-
formed in honour of some barbarous deity of vitiated
appetite. The ceremony took place near the pettah.
A pit, a foot deep' six foot broad, and thirty long,
was olug. Some five or six cartloads of wood were
thrown into the pit, and set fire to. As soon as the
wood was reduced to living coals of fire, the whole
was spread out and the fire was flattened to the sur-
face of the pit. The votaries of Thurmarajh (the
name of the presiding deity) then ran over the bed of
fire, the whole length five or six times'over, each time
cooling their feet in water._
- -

"PLAYING AT SHor."—Referring to the pecuniary
results of the Old English Fair at the Albert Hall,
London' the Daily p i ews says :—lt s pleasant to be
able to record that the solid result of "playing at
shop" in fancy dresses has exceeded the wildest hopes
of the indefatigable secretary of the Chelsea Hospital
for Women, Mr. J. S. Wood, and filled the soul
of the treasurer, Mr. Debac, with joy, The pro-
fit at Lady Scarborough's flower and fruit-stall, and i
at Lady Cadogan's refreshment-bar, s not easy to
compute, inasmuch as many large donations have
been received in kind. For instance, Messrs.
Gieseler gave the committee eighteen dozen of
champagne, as Messrs. Kirkman gave them a piano-
forte. But the sales at least of some of the stall-
keepers have been made up pretty closely. Mrs
Craigie averaged nearly eighty pounds per day;
Lady Forbes of Newe took nearly £lOO a day
for the first three days; Lady Churchill sold nearly
a hundred pounds' worth on the first day; Mrs. Ave.
ling has averaged seventy pounds, and Miss Chambers
and Miss Durlacher at the Bower eighty pounds per
diem. The theatre brought in from eighty to ninety
pounds every day of the fair, and the receipts of gate
money were very large. At five o'clock on Saturday
afternoon the treasurer had received £5,961. Many
stall-holders' accounts remain to be made up, and it is
of course obvious that, although the Albert Hall was
let to the committee at a very low price, the disburse-
ments, despite the utmost economy, will amount to a
considerable sum. It is, however, estimated that the
nett profit to the hospital will not fall short of five
thousand pounds,

ACCIDENT ON THE CALEDONIAN RAILWAY. —On
Tuesday afternoon while a goods train was approach-
ing Stanley station, on the Caledonian Railway, an
axle broke, and twenty-six of the waggons were
thrown off the rails, six of them being pitched over an
embanb:ment and smashed. Much damage was done
to the permanent way, and the down line was blocked
all night. The destruction of goods was considerable,
but no one was injured.
TERRITORIAL ACQUISITIONS OF RUSSIA. Major
General Strelbitsky ha i just published a pamphlet
entitled "The Territorial Acquisitions of Russia during
the Reign of his Majesty the Emperor Alexander II."
from which it appear that during th 3 reign of Alex-
ander 11. Russia ceded 1,178,765 square versts, and
annexed 1,833,992—the dominions of the Czar being
thus increased by 655,228 square versts. On the Ist
January, 1881, the Russian Empire measured
19,498,189 square versts, of which 4,845,879 are in
Europe and 14,652,202 in Asia. These figures, how-
ever, do not comprise the Kuldja, 60,000 square versts,
for negotiations with regard to it were not terminated;
nor do they include the territory acquired by General
Skobeleff's Expedition and the taking of Geok Tepe.
In a word, the conquests made under Alexander 11.
exceed those which have been made under any Czar
since Peter the Great.

THE ORIGIN OF CRAVATS.—In 1636 a foreign regi-
ment arrived in Paris, in the dress of which one
characteristic was much admired by the people—a
neckwrapper or scarf of muslin or silk for the officers,
of common stuff for the men, alike tied in a bow with
pendent ends, and used by them it is said to support
an amulet worn as a charm against sword-cuts.
Parisians speedily adopted the novelty, styling them
first Croats, from the nationality of the regiment,
and afterwards cravat. The rich then used
embroidered and richly-laced cravats, such as
we find shortly afterwards used by Charles 11.,
who is charged £2O 12s. in the last year
of his reign for "a new cravat to be worn of the birth-
day of his dear brother." James 11. paid £36 10s. for
a cravat of Venice lace to wear on the day of his
coronation. Towards the end of the last century the
cravat was revived and worn of such extravagant size
that whole pieces of muslin were sometimes used, and
even shoulder cushions, over which folds of stuff were
draped, so that it was as impossible for a man to turn
his head without wheeling bodily round as for an
early coach to turn within its own length.— Ware-
housemen and Drapers' Trade Journal.
A "CUTTING TRADE."—We are told that, among
other emigrants, "there is a large demand for Eng-
lish cutlers in Connecticut." When settled down and
naturalized, they are known as Connecti-cutlers.--
Funny Folks.
A SITTLNG SNAICE.—One of the Indian pythons
(Python molurus) in the Zoological Society's reptile
house, which has been until lately in company with a
male of the same species, deposited a quantity of eggs
last week, and immediately commenced the duty of
incubation, which, as it would now appear, is as care-
fully performed in these highly-organized reptiles as
in the case of the superior class of birds. The
" pythoness " is an excellent mother, and has not de-
serted her post day or night up to the present time.
The eggs, which are believed to be about 20 in number
are completely covered by her coils, and the mother
herself by her blanket, so that she cannot be seen by
the casual spectator. In 1862 a large West African
python in the Zoological Society's collection laid a
quantity of eggs, and sat on them nearly ten weeks,
after which, as there appeared to be no reasonable
prospect of her hatching the eggs, they were removed.
But upon subsequent examination several of the eggs
were found to have the embryo nartay developed. It
is hoped, therefore, that a successful result may be
obtained on the present occasion.
FATAL ACCIDENT FROM MACHINERY.—In London,
on Saturday, Mr. Payne held an inquest at St.
Bartholomew's Hospital on the body of a boy named
William C. Morgan, aged 15. The deceased was a
" taking-off " boy at the firm of Messrs. Bradbury and
Wilkinson, bank-note printers, Charles-street,
Hatton-garden. On Friday in last week he fetched
the luncheon beer for the men, and in crossing the
machine-rom he took hold of the leather band of the
machinery and attempted to swing on it. At that
time the machines were not in motion, but the engine
was still moving the shafting. The manner in which
the lad took hold of the leather band forced it into
gear, and it at once began to go round with the shaft-
ing. The deceased was drawn up by the band to the
ceiling, and there whirled round the horizontal bar
until one of the men had time to go and shut the
steam off. When the machinery stopped, the body of
the boy fell on to the floor of the room, and it was then
discovered that one of his legs had been wrenched off
and his head battered in. When conveyed to the
hospital the lad was quite dead. It was shown in
evidence that there was a fence round the machinery,
and that the deceased had, on the morning of the
accident, been warned of the danger of playing with
the band. A verdict of "Accidental death" was
returned by the jury.
DEATH OF THE HON. H. GATHORNE HARDY.—The
Hon. Harold Gathorne Hardy died on Saturday even-
ing, at 10.30, at Low Moor House, near Bradford.
He was the fourth and youngest son of Viscount
Cranbrook. was unmarried, and in his thirtieth year.
He was a partner in the firm of Hird, Dawson, and
Hardy. The cause of death was the rupture of a
blood vessel nine weeks ago after returning from
church, on the evening of Palm Sunday. As soon as
the condition of the hon. gentleman assumed an
alarming character' his parents were summoned to his
room, and up to the time of his death paid him un-
remitting attention. He was also attended by Sir W.
Jenner and Dr. Clifford Allbutt, of Leeds. During
his illness, in reply to telegraphic inquiries, the Queen
has been regularly informed of his condition since the
beginning. He was president of the Oakenshaw Con-
servative Association and during the late general elec-
tion was most energetic in promoting the candidature
of the Eastern division of the West Riding Conserva-
tive candidates, for whom he frequently acted as
chairman. Symptoms of a most alarming character
appeared on Saturday morning, and his brothers and
other members of the family were summoned, in
whose presence, and that of Dr. Meade, he died.
POPULATION OF AUSTRIA.—The total population of
the Austro-Hungarian Empire last December was
37,739,407, being an increase for the decade of
1,925,450, to which the Hungarian provinces had con-
tributed only 191,396. The population of the chief
towns in the Austrian provinces laq.t December stood
thus :—Vienna, 726,105; Prague, 162,318; Trieste,
144,437; Lemberg, 110,250; Gratz, 97,726; Brurrii,
82,655; Zara, 60,226; Czernowitz, 45,600; Linz,
41,687.
THE RULE OF THE 130 AD.—" Jehu," in Notes an,d,
Queries, asks how is it that on the Continent of
Europe and in America a vehicle when it meets
another on the highway passes on the right hand, and
when it overtakes another passes on the left band,
while in the United Kingdom this rule is reversed?
Can any information also be given as to the rule ob-
served in Australia? On the Continent, curiously
enough the English rule obtains on the railways,
owing, no doubt to the first lines having been planned
by English engineers, who presumably had overlooked
the difference referred to. Perhaps an explanation
may be found in the historic incidence of transport,
such as the early use of bullock-carts in one country
and of horse vehicles in another. It seems rather re
markable that America should not have followed the
mother country in the rule of the road. First settlers
are not likely to change their habits of driving without
some strong cause.

SUPERFLUOUS And so you learn dancing, Bob 1
And how do you like valsing ? "—" Oh, it 's not bad 1
I can manage very well by myself; but I think a girl's
rather in the way ! "—Punch.
HOTEL ON MOUNT VESUVIUS.—The Naples Corre-
spondent of the Daily News writes :—An hotel is to be
built close to the Observatory on Vesuvius, furnished
with every comfort and affording the means of breath-
ing cool and pure mountain air to persons tired and
weak with the summer heat of the city. The hotel
will, I think prove to be a great benefit both to
Neapolitans and tourists. How often when I have
been up Vesuvius have I wished that I could spend a
few days and nights in the pure sweet air of the
mountain.
THE SCOTCH GROUSE Moons.--A correspondent of
the Field, writing from Glen Urquhart, says :—" The
grouse prospects this year are positively splendid. On
my own moor in Inverness-shire and on three other
shootings, covering something like ten square miles, I
have started more grouse than I have seen for years
at this time, and the keepers and shepherds give the
same experience. While fishing on Loch C. N. B. the
other day I started two broods of young grouse. In
the one I counted eight young cheepers,, and in the
other there were either ten or eleven. I never saw so

•
many as in the latter brood before."
FEMALE POOR LAW GUARDIANS.—A large meeting,
consisting chiefly of ladies, was held on Monday
afternoon at the Westminster Palace Hotel, for the
purpose of establishing a society for promoting the
return or appointment of properly-qualified and suit-
able women as guardians of the poor, both in London
and the country. Resolutions in support of the move-
ment having been carried, Mr. Michael, Q.C., who
moved the names of the executive for the ensuing year,
said that he wished to caution tno women of the
country who sought to be poor law guardians against
any attempt to go to boards having animus or indi-
vidual feelings against the present arrangement or
system of things. Whatever might be their feelings,
the poor law was the law of the land, and they would
have to administer it as they found it.
THE CAUSE OF STEPHENSON'S SUCCF.SS. The
Stephenson Centenary has been held, and due honour
has been done to the "greatest man of the century,"
but it is strange that in all the speeches made on the
occasion little notice has been taken of the real cause
of his success (says the Echo). It is summed up in the
word " perseverance." Without Stephenson's faith in
his idea, and his determination to put his schema
to the test, the age of railways might have
been delayed; and without his intuitive skill
they might have been condemned by failure
at the first attempt. Like Faraday, he seems to have
grasped the problem, and to have worked it out,
although it is obvious he must have been ignorant of
what we now regard as first principles. His indomi-
table perseverance, however, fortunately triumphed
over all difficulties, and the man who might, but for
the assistance of a friend, have been drafted into the
Militia, stands forth to-day as a benefactor of the
human race—a greater far than a Bonaparte or a
Wellington.
AGRICULTURAL BURDENS.— Vague complaint sel-
doms does much good; for the English are, above all
things, a practical people (says the Graphic). Facts,
however, no one can afford to despise. Let us com-
pare the ordinary burdens of the farmer with those
of the fund-holders, professional man or retired mer-
chants. Let us take a farmer renting at £5OO a
year. He is rated to the poor in a sum of £450; and
his poor rates, including county rates, will come to
about 2s. 6d. in the pound, or 1.56 ss. Highway rates,
School Board rates, perhaps sanitary and drainage
rates, will together make is. in the pound, or £22 10s.
The tithe, about 3s. 6d. per acre, will come to £BO.
The total will be £l5B 15s. or about 35 per cent. on
the amount of his rent. Now let us look to the fund-
holder, retired merchant, or professional man. Be
has let us say, £l,OOO a year. He will live in a house
rated at about £6O a year. His poor rates will come
to £7 4s. ; other rates, on the same scale as the former,
to £3. His tithe will be about 10s. and his total dear
tribution to local taxation will be £lO 14s. or'about
fifteen-thousandths of his income only.