The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-02-19 00:00:00

EPITOME Oe NEWS.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

The West Virginia Legislature has unanimously
passed a resolution of sympathy with Ireland. The New
York Assembly has adopted a similar motion, by 57 to 19
votes, after much opposition.

The population of Vienna, according to the last
census, is 1,106,155. Berlin is 1,122,385. tip to the last
census the population of Vienna was the larger of the two.
Lloyd's agent at Fayal, under date February 5, by
telegraph rid Madeira, reports that the Cunard steamer
Batavia, from New York for Liverpool, was towed into
Payal on February 5, having broken her shaft on January 26.
She was awaiting instructions from her owners.

There have been killed in the Alps of the Canton of
Graubtlnden during last year 950 chamois, four bears, one
stag, eight eagles, and seven deers

A Conference of literary men was held in London
om Saturday, under the auspices of the International Literary
Association, to consider the terms of a draft Copyright Treaty
which has been drawn up by the United 'States Government,
and which was now forwarded to the meeting by the Board
of Trade. The draft was accepted as a basis of negotiation,
but the meeting objected to some modifications which had
been suggested by the Board of Trade. •
At the late B.A. examination of the University of
Bombay Ckhaganlal Hulls Pandia of Elphinston College
was pronounced to be the winner of the Cobden Club silver
medalfor political economy.

Last week's receipts of cotton at all United States
ports have been 134,000 bales, and since Ist September
4)227,600 bales. Shipments to England and Great Britain,
63.000 bales; and to the Continent and Channel, 35,000 bales;
total since Ist September, 2,674,160 bales. Stock at all ports,
8,45,000 bales.

A report from Pau, in the Basses Pyren6es, an-
nounces a dreadful catastrophe to some workmen in a lime
kiln. Two men, while watching the kiln, perceived some-
thing half way down the side of the furnace which required
remedying. One ot them, in trying to reach it, became
asphyxiated and fell to the bottom. His companion, in at-
tempting to save him, met with the same tate. Three others
lost their lives in endeavouring to save the two men, and a
sixth was only saved by his wife, who prevented his de-
scending into the furnace. It is needless to ssy that the
live bodies, when recovered, were almost beyond recogni-
tion.

The Crown Prinoe of Prussia, it vems, had a narrow
escape the other day. While out driving with his aide-de-
camp his horses shied and bolted, but his Highness, recog-
nizing the danger in a busy street, deftly sprang from the
carriage, he on one side and his adjutant on the other, and
resumed his seat on overtaking the vehicle, which the coach-
man at last succeeded in pulling up.

Attention is drawn by the Registrar-General to the
fact that the fatal cases of small-pox in London which had
been 42, 52, and 54 in the three preceding weeks, were again
52 last week, and exeeefled the corrected average in the
corresponding week of the past ten years by 3.

The Speech from the Throne read at the opening of
the German Parliament on Tuesday stated that the Empire
maintained peaceful and friendly relations with all Foreign
Powers, especially with the great neighbouring countries.
Adverting to the negotiations proceeding in regard to
Eastern affairs, confidence was expressed that the agreement
among the Powers would avert even a partial disturbance of
peace.

Monster fans—made of feathers painted or plainly-
coloured—have suddenly become the rage in Paris. They
are enormous, measuring a yard across, and almost a yard
long when closod. When carried folded in the hand they
look like walking-sticks.

The schooner Polly Pickham, from Rio Grande to
Liverpool, laden with bones, horns, and skins, stranded ou
the Waterford coast near Annstown on Sunday morning, and
went to pieces the same night. The captain and the mate
swam ashore when the vessel struck, and mined, but five
sailors were droned.

The Bedford, Pennsylvania, Inquirer says that the
experiment of crossing the brook and salmon trout has been
entirely successful at the State hatchery: the offspring are a
well-formed and handsome fish, and likely to form a valuable
addition to the better class of good fishes.

In London last week 2,819 births and 1,633 deaths
were registered. Allowing for increase of population, the
births exceeded by 118, whereas the deaths were 229 below,
the average numbers in the corresponding week of the last
ten years. The annual death-rate from all causes, which
had been equal to 291 and 271 in the two preceding weeks,
further fell to 23.

The New York Herald publishee a telegram from
Toledo (Ohio) according to which the losses caused by the
inundations there are estimated at 2,000,000 doh.

French imports for the month of January amounted
in value to 824,707,000 francs, and the exports to 154,158,000
francs. showing a diminution compared with the correspond-
ing month of 1879 of 10,500,000 francs in imparts, and
4,900,000 francs in exports.

On Monday, the ship Eumena, of Liverpool, put in
at Falmouth having lost four able seamen. They had been
washed off the forecastle by a tremendous sea. Two of the
men were seen swimming some distance astern, but putting
out a boat in such weather being impossible, they were
drowned. •
A novel demonstration in connection with the
miners' strike took place on Saturday afternoon on the
market ground, Pendlebury, when 2,000 women assembled.
Light colliers' wives ascended a cart, which was Improvised
as a platform, and addressed the crowd. The women sub-
sequently formed in procession and marched past the
masters' residences, singing " Britons never shall be slaves."
The military and police wer,e in the district, but their ser-
vices were not required.

The Italian navy is about to adopt a new flag which
will be square in shape and sky-blue in eolour, bearing in the
centrc an eagle covered with the arms of Savoy and wearing
round its neck the collar of the Order of the Annunciation.
Ia each corner the royal crown of Italy will be repeated.

-
_ .
An electric railway is to be constructed at Aden,
between Shipping Paint and the Camp.

The ship Wild Rose, which Railed from the West
Indies in August last, has not been heard of. She called in
at St. Helena and sailed thence on the 6th of September.
Ten days la,ter she was spoken in distress by an Italian
vessel, which, however, wa.s unable to •rendek assistance in
consequence of the severity of the gale then raging. Since
that time there has been no account of the vessel, and it is
believed she has been lost, with all hands. Her crew con-
sisted of 2& all told.

A telegram from Lloyd's Agent at • Weymouth,
Feb. 15, states there was found in a bottle picked tip at
Weymouth Beach, the following message :—" Ocean Lady
oat with all hands.'

The anniversary of the death of Lessing (the poet)
was celebrated on Tuesday in Germany. A statue, with a
touching inscription, has been erected to his memory at
Brunswick, the place where 100 years ago he breathed his
last. "In his lifetime," says a Berlin correspondent, "lie
begged for bread, and posterity has now given him a stone."
In London, on Tuesday, a meeting was held at the
Mansion House, under the presidency of the Lord Mayor, to
advocate increased support for the St. John's Ambulance
Association, its purpose being to spread information as to
the preliminary treatment of the so k and wounded before
the arrival of regular medical aid. Lesolutions in favour of
the work of the society were passed.
A large meeting, at which the Mayor presided
was held in Faneuil Hall, Boston, on Saturday evening, to
express sympathy with Ireland. Messrs. Wendell Phillips,
Benjamin Butler, and Collins spoke in favour of according
moral and financial support to the Irish people. A letter
was read from the Governor of Masachusetts, expressing his
symiiTttby with the cause so long as constitutional and
legitimate methods were employed in furthering it. Reso-
lutions vv.ere adopted denouncing the arrest of Mr. Michael
Davitt and the ejection of the Home Rulers from the British
Parliament, and urging the Irish people to hold to their
purpose, but to allow nothing to drive them to violence for
which they were unpreparedi

The Daily Telegraph says :—"For some time past
the Government has had under consideration a scheme re-
lating not only to industrial but day feeding schools. We
now understand that a comprehensive measure dealing with
these important subjects is ready for introduction as 80011
as the state of public business will allow of its appear-
ance."

The French Government pror. oses to employ the
electric light in forty-two lighthouses along the coast, where
oil has till now been used. Up to thc present time there are
but seven electric lighthouses in the whole world, three of
which belong to France.

Great damage has been done in the Gainsborough
district by the river Trent bursting it 3 banks. The country
has been inundated for miles round, and severaltarm-houses
are isolated. Some streets in Gaissborough were partially
under water, and works are stopped, and the water is on a
level with the metals of the railway.

•
'I opers in Bombay can satisfy their thirst witn
alcoholic drinks at the most innocent-looking sherbert
shops. 11ere brandy, gin, and other strong beverages are
retailed under the names of "strong Cologne," " weak
Cologne," ko.
Even the potato beetle, hitherto regarded as a
hopeless plague, has one redeeming quality. American
ingenuity has discovered that the insect contains a brilliant
red dye, superior to eochincal, Persian red, or any similar
materials.
The fans now most in favour with Transatlantic
belles are made of gold filigree, and set thickly with
diamnads, the gems being graduated in size from the
narrow to the wide part of each leaf, while a riband of rubies
holds the leaves together.
The annual consumption of telegram forms through-
out the United Kingdom amounts to 137 millions.

Among the intelligence from the limited States is
the news af the decease of Archbishop Kolb, who settled
many years ago in that country, and amassed a largefor-
tune, amounting to 14,000,000 dollars. This he left by will
to be divided amongst his brothers and sisters and their
families, who aro Jews living in Galicia.

The Universal Suffrage Congress, which has been
sitting for several (lays in Rome, paased a resolittiox on
Saturday, to the effect that the electoral vote is the right of
humanity, for man and woman alike, and that the social
question is insoluble without it. This was reported to a
general meeting of the people held in an open air theatre on
Stinclay afternoon, and adopted by acclamation.

- -
An adjourned conference of ironworkers represent-
ing Staffordshire, Worcestershire, and Shropshire, was held
at Birmingham on Monday, to consider the mutual insurance
scheme proposed by the Conciliation Board. Resolutions
were passed to the effect that the employers' contributions
should be Qual to the aggregate contributions of the work-
men; that the contributions of the latter should, for an ex-
periment of one year's duration,
.pe 4d. per month, and the
benefits as. per week in case of disablement, and £6O in case
of death; that the workmen's secretary should have equal
shave with the employer's secretary in the management of
the scheme; and that the scheme should be registered.

The Lord• Lieutenant of Ireland was present on
Tuesday night at the banquet given by the Lord Mayor of
Dublin. In responding to the toast of his health, his Excel.
lency refrained ham commenting, except in a few general
terms, upon the public affairs of Ireland. He described
himself as professing moderate Whig principles, and regretted
that in Ireland there were too few men of that description.
As to Coercion, some had declared that it should have been
introduced long ago, and °there were of opinion that it was
not needed. His Excellency did not, however, enter into a
close dismission of the qnestion, but he welcomed the signs
of returning prosperity in the country. The usual loyal
toasts were heartily received, and his Excellency's remarks
were cordially applauded.

A remarkable accident occurred at Seaton, near
Hartlepool, on Saturday afternoon. Three niembers of the
4th Durham Volunteers, on concluding carbine practice at
Seaton range, discovered a rivetter named Shaw lying three
or four hundred yards beyond the target on his face and
severely wounded in his head. Be died the same evening. No
one saw him struck, and how the accident happened was
unknown.
According to advices from South America there
was great slaughter in the battles prior to the capture of
Lima. The Chiliaus burned Miratiores, Chorillos, and
Barranco. The population of Lima remained quiet. Before
Pierolo's flight to the interior, he directed the officers com-
manding the Peruvian ships to get away if they wished, but
none attempted to do so, and on the surrender of Lima and
Callao the ships were blown up or burned. Several forts
, were also blown up, with considerable loss, it is said, to the
invaders.
The electric light was last week employed on the
' Marine Parade, at Brighton, for the first time,. under the
direction of Messrs. Siemens, Brothers. The night was favo.ur-
able, and the effect gave general satisfaction. The Town
epp.kincil will continue the .experiment for one -month/ with
the intention ef lighting the whole of the sea front by elect-
tricity should the preliminary trial result in success.
Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Hudson, late of the 10th
Regiment, died in London on the 13th at his residence in
Golborne-roadt South Kensington, in the 53rd year of his age.
Be served (haring the Caffre wars of 1846-47 and 1851-53 on
the Ordinance Staff, and was frequently thanked in general
orders. Ile joined the 10th Regiment, as lieutenant, in
gay.
lie 1855, and obtained a captaincy in the following ay.
Be took part in the Crimean campaign, and was present at
the several sorties, and the attack on the ltedan in Julie,
i 856; when he was wounded by the—bursting of a shell in the
trenches. For his services in the Crimea he received a
medal with clasp, and also the Turkish medal. .4

Tr v "tee,
ri

. c^'er

The estimatres of expenditure for 1882, which have
been submitted to the Canadian Dominion Parliament,
amount to 43,467,000 dole., showing an increase of 5,000,000
dols. as compared with 1881.
The returns of metropolitan pauperism for last
week show that 53,960 indoor paupers and 50,804 outdoor
were relieved, making a total of 104,764, against 103,889 in
the first week of February, 1880, and 92,785 in 1879. Increases
are shown in the north, central, and east districts; The
number of vagrants relieved was 743.

A series of tremendous snowstorms have prevailed
for several days throughout European Russia. The whole of
the railways in the Russian Empire are now blocked, and
traffic is everywhere entirely suspended.
It is estimated that 18,000 head of cattle have been
destroyed by the floods in the province of Seville.
The Right Hon. and Most Rev. Marcas Gerva,is
Beresford, P.D., Archbishop of Armagh, the Primate and
Metropolitan of All Ireland, completed his 80th year on
Monday, having been born pi Dublin on Feb. 14, 1801. His
Grace is a member of the house of Waterford.
Storms and flood& are now universal throughout
the United States and Canada. At Toledo the losses caused
by the immolation are estimated at bOO,OOO doll., and the
danger is increasing.
The British Medical Journal states that Dr. Edward
Ballard has been nominated by the Local Govermnent
Board as the inspector by whom the Genes-al inquiry into
the causation of autumnal diarrhoea will be conducted.
Reading at night has been greatly facilitated by a
Turinese invention (according to the Parisian), combining
light-giving materials with printer's ink. The print becomes
so luminous in the dark tlwtt it is possible to read tinting a
night journey.or in bed without the aid of any artificial
light. A new daily paper,- in which this luminous materia
will be used, will accordingly be brought out at Turin.

Not everybody will be able to see the nautch girls,
but everybody can get a pretty good idea of their dance by
putting two hornets down the housemaid's- back.—Turf
Fl,eid and Farm. _ _ _

-Excavations for building operations in Newgate-
street, London, have resulted in a very rich find of. Itornan
antiquities, which, from the occurrence of coins of Claudius
and Nero, may be atiributed to an early period in the City's
history. Three large and capacious leaden cylinders, or
sitstice, with chariots and other designs in relief on the
outer surfaces, have been found, each enclosing a very per-
fect and beautiful glass urn of considerable dimensions.
Combs, styli, horns, and a bronze spur with rowell points
have also been found.
A quarterly statement as to pauperism, has just
been issued, showing the number of paupers in receipt of
relief en the last day of the last week of the quarters ended
Christmas 1878, 1879, and 1880. The paupers in MO, ii
compared with those in 1879, decreased 43,320, or 5-5 per
cent.; but as compared with 1878 there was an increase of
9,631, or 1-3 per cent.
The Indian Chief, Sitting Bull, with seventy
lodges, is reported to have reached Woody Mountain on the
27th January. The Canadian authorities are stated to have
refused to receive them, but did not take forcible measures
to compel them to return to their own country.
- •

Estimates of the quantity of wheat and wheat
equivalents of flour remaining in California at the close of
18.90, place the aggregate at a million tons of 2,000 pounds
to the ton. A very large proportion of this amount avail-
able for shipment, it was apprehended, could not be sent
forward, because of the utterly inadequate transportation
facilities, present and prospective, to the close of the
current crop year.
The 'Wisconsin Dairymen's Association ornamented
the walls ot their hall on the occasion of the recent annual
meeting with mottoes, of which the following are samples:
"Speak to a cow as you would to a lady," "It is hard to
over-estimate the lasting qualities of poor cheese," "What
is worth good breeding is worth good feeding," &c.
There are vast numbers of musk rats in Manitoba.
Around the small lakes, amongst the hills ifi the wooded
country, and along the shores of the Pembina, musk rat
houses can be counted by the hundred, and are sometimes
of extraordinary size.

A Newhaven fishing boat, which had been discovered
bottom-up in the Firth of Forth last Friday, was brought to
Leith on Saturday morning. It was found to be the Et her,
of Newhaven, which had left that village on the previous
Wednesday for the fishing at May Island. It is supposed
that the boat was upset in the gale of the previous day. The
crew consisted of four men. The owner of the boat was
David Fairbairn Ramsay, who acted as skipper he has
left a widow and four children. Two of the other men have
each left a widow and three children.

Recently a lady and gentleman announced a gift of
£130,000 to found a college in Dundee. On Monday, at a
meeting of the Dundee High School subscribers, ex-Provost
Robertson announced that a citizen intended setting apart
Z 30,000 of his fortune to render the High School an inter-
mediate educational institution between the public schools
and the proposed college, besides establishing a separate
bursary fund. Arrangements were made for taking advan
tags of this generous offer.
The Queen, accompanied by Princess Beatrice,
drove to Osborne Cottage on Monday morning, and took
leave of the Empress Eugenie. Princess Beatrice accorn,
panted the Empress to Trinity Pier, where her Majesty em-
barked on board the Alberta. The Rev. Canon Farrar was
included in the Queen's dinner party on Sunday.
- - -

The semi-official Journal- de St. Peter.; bourg, in an
article upon the position of Russia and England in Asia,
says, "Russia has always thought that England and herself
had better work before them, in Asia as in Europe, than to
do to each other the greatest possible harm under the pre-
text of guarding against imaginary dangers. Thank God,
Russia now finds similar convictions prevalent in England?
A return has been issued of the sum expended for
the half-pay, pensions, and retirements of military officers
In 1878 and 1879, and this shows a total expenaiture ot
£1,488.403 18s. ld.

"Queen's Hair," "Stifled :.-sighs," "Indiscreet
Murmurs," "Vain Desires," "Heavy Eyes," and "Needless
Regrets," are the singular names of some of the new cordurs
in Paris this spring. The favourite style of hair-dressing
just now is d la vietime, the tresses being arranged at the
back in two long wavy curls.
On Monday evening the brig .Eliza Emma, Captain'
Bartleby, of slioreham, with coals, drove ashore near Hartle-
pool. The coastguard speedily tired a rocket over her, but
the National lifeboat John Clay, Barrow, coming alongside
simultaneoln4, the crew, numbering six, availed themselves
of the latter, and were soon landed with their clothing.
They were taken charge of by Mr. Armstrong,' the local
agent of the Shipwrecked Mariners' Society.

On Saturday between seven and eight hundred men
employed in the engineering departments of Messrs.
Bolckow, Vaughan, and Co. Middlesborough, gave fourteen
days notice of their intention to leave work. The men
some time ago asked for an increase of 5 per cent, on their
wages. A deputation waited upon the engineer, and set
forth the reasonable nature of the claim, but the advance
was refused. The men asking the increase in wages are the
moulders, fitters, pattern-makers, blacksmiths, and boiler-
smiths, but should no arrangement be come to before the
expiration of the notice the whole of the works of Middls-
borough and the steel works at Eston will in all probability
be stopped, and two or three thousand men
.thrown out of
work.
Mr. Spurgeon was announced to preach on Sunday
night at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, which was thrown
open to the public. The place "as crowded. hut Mr.
Spurgeon being it was stated, "unable to put a foot to the
ground." and oommed to his room, his place was taken by
Mr. Cuff, the pastor of the Shoreditch Tabernacle.
Mr. C. N. Palmer, M.P., in a letter read at a meet-
ing of the North of England shipowners, held on Monday
night at Newcastle, says the interests of the British ship-
owner must be carefully watched and protected in view of
the extraordinary laws passed by the French Government to
foster and encourage French shipping in competition mall
the shipping of this country. We should now endeavour to
relieve British shipping from every impost, such as light
dues, to which it is now subjected. The meeting passed a
resolution suggesting that the Royal Commission, on ton-
nage should endeavour to countervail the effect of foreign
bounties by concessions in the measurement of close spaces
over the tonnage deck of British steamers.

The South-Eastern Railway Company, owing to the
recent storms which prevented their passengers from
leaving Folkestone for Paris, necessitating their remaining
In that town during the night, are erecting a " Jordan's
Glycerine Barometer" at the end of Folkstone pier. When
the atmosphere is disturbed the glycerine falls in the tube
fully a foot—the tube being 20 feet long—which presages a
storm. Readings of this will be taken twice a day and com-
municated to the principal stations of departure in LondBn,
so that any traveller wishing to know what the weather is
like in the Channel before lie leaves London, will only have
to send to Chas•ing-cross or Cannon-street. This is the first
Jordan barometer ever erected on the sea coast.

News has been received at Liverpool that the
ship Little Rose, from that port for Inverness, was caught
in a gale off Buchan Ness, near the famous Bullers of
Buchan, last week and dashed to pieces, the captain and
three of the crew being drowned. Jeremiah Rogers,
who was saved from the wreck, states that his comrades
were all stripped ready to swim, but when the ship struck
and sank they seemed to have been taken down with her,
as he never afterwards saw them. He succeeded in climbing
up the face of the rocks so far as to be out of the reach of
the waves, and began to cry for help. Fortunately his cries
were heard some hours afterwards by Francis Stephen,
quarry worker, who happened to be walking along the top
of the cliffs. Ile immediately got the assistance of two other
men and gallantly volunteered to allow himself to be lowered
over the dangerous precipice. This was done, and Rogers,
almost exhausted with cold and fatigue, and badly bruised
on the head and legs, was rescued fled brought to Stephen's
house.