The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-08-27 00:00:00

TFIE STOURBRIDGE OBSERVER.
IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

for some time. Indeed, the chief officer was
led off the burning vessel, totally blind and
in great pain, and did not recover his eyesight
for two days. All behaved well under the circum-
stances, and were cool, steady, and obedient; and
when we consider that all had to be done in a dense,
blinding smoke, and in a high sea, we feel very
thankful that there was no casualty attending our
rescue. The passengers and crew lost everything they
possessed, except what they wore. The origin of the
fire is unknown, but there is no doubt that fire broke
out in more than one place at the same time amongst
the cotton."

The City of Montreal was built for the old Inman
Company in 1872 by Messrs. Tod and Macgregor, of
Glasgow. She was 2941 tons net, and 4496 gross
tonnage, 419 ft. long, and 44ft. beam. She has all
along been a successful carrying boat for the com-
pany. The steamer York City, having transferred
the crew and passengers of the ill-fated City of
Montreal to the Inman Company's tender off Queens-
town, proceeded direct for London.
THE RESCUED PASSENGERS.

The Cunard liner Servia arrived on Saturday morn-
ing at Queenstown from New York. She saw nothing
of the missing No. 8 boat of the City of Montreal,
neither was her burning hull observed.
The Cork steam-packet St. Finbar arrived in the
Mersey on Sunday afternoon from Cork, bringing
the majority of the passengers and crew of the Inman
steamer City of Montreal. The arrival of the St.
Finbar drew together a large concourse of people on
the landing-stage, and the shipwrecked folk were the
objects of general sympathy, and in some instances
kindly attentions, from the onlookers. The actual
number of passengers arriving was 121, of whom 20
were intermediate and 101 steerage. Fourteen other
steerage passengers whose destinations were in Ire-
land were sent on thither direct from Cork. Eighty-
eight members of the crew of the City of Montreal
came to Liverpool in the St. Finbar. Captain Land
remained behind upon some business, and a few of the
crew, who were ill, also remained at Cork. The chief
officer, who ; was one of those who arrived, is
reported to have recovered his sight, which was totally
lost for some days from the effects of the smoke on
the burning steamer. For the reception cf the pas-
sengers the commodious waiting-room on the landing
I stage, usually allotted to saloon travellers only, had
been secured by the officers of the company, and here
Mr. Taylor and Mr. Cochran, the heads of the com-
pany, were in attendance with a staff of clerks to give
every assistance and information. In most cases the
passengers had no other clothes than those in which
they stood, and inquiries showed that most were prac-
tically destitute, having lost all their va!uables. It ap-
pears there is no responsibility on the company to
make good losses, and that the safeguard for the for-
lorn people would have been to insure their effects,
which few, if any, probably did. The passengers were
of various nationalities; many were Germans return-
ing to their native country; two were Chinese. A
scene of some bustle was witnessed in the waiting.
room at first; but the arrangements for sending the
people on to their destinations were rapidly got
through. There were travellers for most parts of
England, and also for Scotland, and as the necessary
orders upon the railway companies were made out
and received, the shipwrecked people left promptly
and quietly. A distressing sight was that of the
children, before many of whom lay the prospect of a
prolonged night's journey by train, with a supply of
wraps and other conveniences quite inadequate for
comfort. Complaints, however, were singularly
absent, probably from the recollection of hardships
much more severe, and an escape quite providential
—when the whole of the fade are considered—from
a terrible fate at sea.

THE ARREST OF A FRENCH LADY.

In the HOUSE OF COMMONS, on August 22, Mr.
Matthews informed Mr. Bryce that he had suggested
to the chief constable of Hampshire that be should
offer a fall apology to Madlle. Drouin, the French lady
who was recently arrested upon her arrival in the Isle
of Wight on suspicion of being in unlawful possession
of dynamite, and he would consider with the Treasury
whether some additional solatium should not be given
in consideration of the inconvenience and annoyance
she had suffered.

SUPPLY.
The house having gone into Committee of Supply,
the consideration of the Civil Service Estimates was
resumed. On the vote for the Supreme Court of
Judicature, some discussion took place with regard to
the arrears in the Chancery Division, in the
course of which the Solicitor-General intimated
that tha appointment of a new Judge of the
Chancery Division was under the eonsideratioft of
the Government. The vote for the Metropolitan
Police was opposed by Mr. Pickersgill, who moved its
reduction by £l5OO, the amount of the salary of the
Chief Commissioner. The hon. member criticised at
great length the appointment of military officers to
superior posts in the police force, the alleged mis-
conduct of tIA, police in several recent cases, and
the dissatisfaction caused amongst the members of
the force by the order issued in May last with regard
to promotions. Mr. Matthews, in a brief reply,
pointed out that the appointments to superior posts
were made in accordance with the recommendations of
the Select -Committee which sat last year, and stated
that in one of the cases of which the hon. member had
complained the constable had been severely punished
for his misconduct; whilst in another a prosecution for
penury was now pending. The motion to reduce the
vote was negatived by 118 to 30; and the vote was
subsequently agreed to.
Several other votes were subsequently agreed to.ri,.and
progress was then reported.

ffrE ROYAL MOUNT.

In the Houen OF LO &DS, on August 23rd, the Royal
Assent was given by commission to the Irish Land Law
Bill, the Merchandise Marks Bill, and a number of
other measures agreed upon by both Houses. Their
lordships adjourned at 10 minutes past four o'clock.
AGRICULTIMLB.

In the HOUSE OF COMMONS Sir W. Hart Dyke stated,
in answer to Mr. DI Laren, that the Government had
decided on the appointment of a small committee on
which the Agricultural Department and the Science
and Art Department would both be represented, to
consider and report at an early date on the subject of
grants to agricultural and dairy schools in Great
Pritain.