The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-12-26 00:00:00

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MR. J. JAY SMITH ON CEMETERIES.
(From The G,lrtitn )
Mr. J. Jay Smith, of Philadelphia, who edited the Herb
Naturist alter the unfortunate death of Mr. Downing, and
who was the principal founder of the large and gardendilte
cemeteries that now occur near American cities, has lately
made a horticultural tour in Englard, and sends us the
I Mewing notes thereon !
. You suggest to me that my fourth visit to England
should give me some right to say a few words on the
present position of things in regard to planting, and
you ask me to give my views on the topic of rural
cemeteries. In the first place I would remark that I
am surprised that evergreens are neglected in many
quarters, and I would suggest that the Cedar of Leb..-
non, so adapted to your climate, should be more
frequently planted. It is true that its growth is slow,
and may take two or more generations to perfect;
butiwbat have you to show of such magnificance or of
such historical value? There is nothing to equal it. I
would say " Plant more Cedars—many more," and let
posterity judge of your taste. I could said that my
observation teaches me that those Cedars already
planted are not always sufficiently cared for; many
look dwindling, struggling for life, and it is of equal
importance to feed trees as domestic animals. I have
noticed many Cedars that want digging round, and
pabulum supplied to their roots. This is so easily done
that one wonders it is so entirely neglected. If we
could have this magnificent tree in our northern lati-
tudes in America, no money would be spared in
nourishing it. A good Cedar transmitted to a grand-
child would be a really valuable possession. And why
are there no Cedars in the parks? The Auculia
, japonica, so beautiful and valuable, has, I confess, be-
come rather too common ; but this plant (now
fructified so as to bear fruit for the birds) is in-
valuable, and so is the Portugal Laurel, which
Is cut off by our northern winters in America,
as it is occasionally even in Southern Eng-
land ; but prize these plants, for there is no substi-
tute for them—no broad-leaved evergreen yet
known to take their place. What shall I say of your
English, and in fact European mode, of sepulture?
You have not caught the idea which has been so
popular in America • the human heart clings to the idea
that families shoal be interred together, and while
America provides ground in one paternal lot for
parents and children and grandchildren, and more
even in the future succession, the London cemetery
provides only for the present family, and leaves
children and grandchildren to provide for themselves.
Is this Scriptutal, and is it in accordance with those
feelings implanted in us by God himself? It does not
accord with the American idea, nor, as we
contend; with Nature's demands on our human
sympathies. The love of kindred is implanted
in our natute, and we yearn to rest with
them at our decease. Dare I say that the English
custom clues not quite recognise this desire to rent
together; may I add that the American custom
fully does' Here we inaugurate cemeteries of such
eize that the remains of five generations nary moulder
together undisturbed. In England this mode of
sepulture is impossible. The rural cemetery sells a
lot of 6 or 7 feet by 3 feet, digs a vault and bricks
it, that will contain three or six bodies only, and
when successive claimants require space they must
seek it elsewhere, probably at a distance from
their beloved ancestry. Not so in our American
, plan; a son, say, buries his parents in mired
premises, where his allotment is so large that bah he
and his wife, and perhaps several generations to follow
can all lie contiguously; he plants and adorns it and
it is placed in the hands of trustees who follow each
other in succession, and who are desirous of participat-
ing in the transaction, because they themselves biter '
their parents and their children there, and are deeply
interested in the permanency of an institution deemed
sacred to all the family. Sufficient time, it is true, has
not elapsed in America to test the system thoroughly;
but the feelings of the public on this subject
are all for the maintenance of the charters govern-
ing cemetries, and fortunately these institutions
have originated, and are conducted by gentlemen and
men of taste. In England the separation is deereed
of the coining from the past generation ; in America
all that can be done by human foresight is done to
I ensure a family resting place in perpetuity,. What is
1 wanted in England is sufficient appropriation of ground
I to grant family lots in which may be interred whole
families in succession, planted in the most exquisite
style of art with Cedars and evergreens especially, s,nd
I should b' pleased to correspond with Engfilheeen
desirous of benefiting their race in this respect. I
deem the rural cemetery a need of the ago. Aw for
cremation, I (fistulae it as not as yet adapted to the
wants aud feelings of the survivors.

A

The .ii,v;the of eleven pervons over eighty yearq
age, one of them eighty-nine, were announced in the tuna
on Wednesday morning (the 16th). The list of deaths also
vontaim the tames of sixteen other persons between the
. . .

ages of sixty and exislity.

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The total number of private bills for the forthcoming
session deposited at the House of Lords up to eight o'clock
on Thursday evening (17th inst.), being the latest time a
loved by the standing orders of their lordships house, vk as
263, being 21 less than last session.
The total amount distributed amongst the hospitals
and dispensaries of London as a result of the Yiet.opolitan
Hospital Sunday Fund was 1128,318, the gross receipts having
been about £2,005 over the proceeds of last 3 ear's collection.
Al meeting of the Council, held at the Mansion 11.011E0 oil
Wednesday, the Lird 3ia3or rr...siding, Sunday, the 13th
Jima, was flied for the date of nest year's appeal.

"Widower, forty, in sall way of trade, wishes to
correspond with a good..loobng person, ot Christian prin.
eiples, with view t, matrimony. ' drso. Elderly
gentleman could he happy to correspond with a lady, with a
view to matrimony; income i.'.200 "—Address, &C.—Adver-
ti.ccacuts in the Manestar Erawiner.

The expenses of Mr. Hunter Rothrell, M.P., at his
recent unopposed election for Cambridgeshire, have been re-
turned at ic673. exclu.stre of disputed Under-Sheriff's charges
amounting to £ll6. Statioyery, printing, and atiVerlising
cost Mr. itodwell i.'34b, and 'agency " involved • further

outlay of £323.
The shortened hours of the new Factory Acts will
cause cardrocm hands at Blackburn to earn less wages by
about Is. Bd. per week. They have asked the unisterrto pay
the old rate of weekly wages, but have met with firm
denials. A preliminary meeting has been held it Riad,
burn, and It was resolved to Cell esp.md with all the towns
in Lancashire and call an aggregate meeting of delegates
from °rely district to consider the propriety of resorting to
a strike to enforce their demands. •

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" Fortinatus.—Many, _natty thanks. They return
aoon—Boo.Boo.-- T. to W.—Meet me on Monday or
Tuesday, and let me have a(). lam still very UV-- Adver-
isements in The Times.
On Friday, in last week, the Lord Mayor presided
over a meeting at the Mal3sioll House, at which priliminary
steps were taken for the establishment in the Thames of a
training ship for boys for the merchant service. The scheme
Inns received the approval of the President of the Board of
Trade, who has cominunicated with the Admiralty on the
subject.
It is stated in a New York telegram that no un-
easiness has been felt among the Spaniards in Cuba by
President Grants Message, and that the havens papers do
not consider intervention probable. Letters from Madrid
state that the summary of the Message at first telegraphed
to that city produced great excitement, hut that when a
fuller version arrived public anxiety was diminished.
Ajmosileilglies, a shoemaker, living at Llanberis,
left VW,: Ven on. Tuts iisy night in last week, intending to
to cri..411 spur of Snowden as a short cut home. AB lie did
not relied his destination in due course, search was hotituted
and his body was found on the Llanberis side of the moun-
tain. It is conjectured lie lost his way and perished in the
storm of Tuesday sight
On Friday the 18th, the Jews celebrated by fasting
the commencement of the siege of Jerusalem by Nehuchad-
nearer. The occasion is designated the "Fast of Teheth,"
Tebeth being .the tenth month of the Jewish year. The
Jews pay especial attention to this solemnity, as it is sup-
posed that all the troubles and vicissitudes of the Jewish
nation commenced from this date. As the tenth of 'Tebeth
fell this year on Friday, the fueling was held •in Thursday,
a fast not being permitted to interfere with the Sabbath.
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At a meeting of the Shipwrecked Mariners' Society
at Hibernia-chambers, London-bridge, Captain the lion.
Francis Maude, N. N., in the chair, the Secretary, Captain
Symons, R.N., reported that during the last three months
534 widows, orphans, and parents and 520 shipwrecked men
had been relieved at a cost of £3 Usti Reports were re-
ceived from their numerous agents on the coasts describing
the disastrous effects of the recent gales, the survivors from
which have had their wants supplied, and been sent home by
the Society.
The other evening considerable excitement and
alarm prevailed at Euston-square station owing to the escape
of a young leopard which had arrived with another ma crate
to be forwarded by rail, it is understood to Liverpool. It
was the larger of the two which got loose. The animal was
discovered at large in the office, and a number iif porters and
other persons endeavoured for upwards of au hour to secure
it without effect At last the brute was got into a corner,
and all means to capture it proving uusuccessful, it was
found necessary to have it shot. In the attempt to take it
alive cue of the ensployAs had his hand severely hurt.
"It is our painful duty to report the-sudden death
of this young and rising surgeon (Mr. John R. Foster).
Well and widely known as the able assistant of Sir
Henry Thompson for many years, has career has been
cut short at the age of thirty-two, after an hitless of
eve days, resulting from severe injury. His professional
attainments and unvarying kindness and devotion to those
who where committed to his care resider his death a severe
loss. Mr. Foster was the son of Mr. • Millhael Foster of
Huntingdon, and brother of Dr. Michael Foster, Prielector
, of Physiology, Trinity College, Cambridge."—The .Timse,
December 18.
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The total number of messages forwarded from postal
telegraph stations in the United Kingdom during the week
ended the 12th of December, 1874, was 33S ;533 : for the week
ended the 13th of December, 1373, 335.742 ; decrease in the
week of 1374 on that of 1873, 490
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At a meeting of the Binning Cam School Board on
last week, it was dec ded to invite the pr vindal
school Boards to unite iu a deputation to the 'Education De-
partment, asking for alterations in the revised code. The
changes are basfid on a proposaud new scale abolishing the •
" ago' 'lasso, and distrihuthig fees obtainable on a gradu-
ating scale ranging from six shillings in the first standard to
tweit,ty shillings in the second. It was contended by the
advotates of the new scheme that the present scale and con-
ditions are inducements to scho.dmasters to present children
in lower standards than they are able to pare in order to
secure a grunt of some am curt.
Mr. Selater-Booth, President of the Local Govern-
ment Board, has received a deputation from several Poor
Law officers' Associations, who waited upon him to suggest
certain amendments in the law with regard to the super-
annuation of such officers. The right lion. gentleman. in
reply, while admitting that hardships appeared to have
been inflicted, promised that the clatter ehoulii receive
attention, and that such a course should be adopted as
would be most consistent with the interests of all parties.
The Admiralty, in conifideration of the small
number of 'melt cadets which have been recently admitted
into the service, how determined that thirteen of the catch
dates at the late examination who passed the test, but wee,
above the number tli.m authorised to be entered, shall i
given appointmei it, W.thout undergoing any further exams
nation.
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A lady goe,t recently entertained by Lord Dofferin
at Rideau Win Ottawa, wore ...ended from her neck the
original rewal .1 of m wit presented by the King of Portimal
to Alvarez Pedro Camel for the discovery of Brazil in MVO.
It is described as a richly-designed ship under fell sail, com-
posed of gold, silver, and precious stone.
The amount of salvage awarded by the Court AI
Admiralty—k3o,ooo—for the services rendered in aiming the
French steamer AmErique, which had been abandoned at
Sea, was on Saturday reduced by the Judicial Committee of
the Privy Council to £lB,OOO.
"Of course Parisians hail a moment to devote to
the great iTtronomleal event which is the order of the day.
One journal has surnmarned the total expenses incurred by
the various scientific expeditions, and estimates that to de-
termine the exact distance of the sun from the earth costs
at the ra'e of six sous the yard ! This takes all the poetry
out of the transit of Venus across the sun."—Court Journal.
The origin of the word "buncombe" is thus given
by the Boston correspondent of a contemporary There
is no such word as • bunkum ' In use in America. Many
years ago the member for the county of Buncombe, N orth
Carolina, being called to order for speaking made or the sub-
ject, said, 'I an. not talking to this house, Yam talking to
Buncombe.' Thus originated the phrase 'talking to Bun-
combe,' which is applied to mere ad raptandooo or dema-
goguing speeches, made without respect to the subject and
the Immediate audience.
A valuable plant hes lately been brought under the
notice of the Paris Academic des Science. The Groat. Is a
; plant of the mallow tribe, growing in hot countries, princi-
pally in Syria and Egypt, and is cultivated for the ...lie slits
fruit. Its fibres have been made into paper, rivalling the
I hest products of the kind, the stem and outer covering of
the fruit produces a speciesof the gum called gombine, which
makes an excellent cough syrup, while oil, available for the
manufacture of soap and candles, Can be extracted from the
seed, and resin from the sap of the plant. it has been pro-
posed to cultivate the plant to some extent in Algeria.
Next spring there are to be army manmuvres in
France on a larger scale than those which were executed in
the autumn of this year. They will be conducted by
, Marshall 3Elialion, and it is stated that not only corps
d'amees, but armies will take part in them. The opera-
tions are intended to test the efficiency of the new scheme of
army organisation which has been adopted by France, both as
regards the training of the troops and the speed with which
they could lie placed on a footing for active service. This
French are careful to add that the programme here indicated
has -qua disquieting character," because the game thing
will be done in Germany at the same time under the Km-
peror.