The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-10-02 00:00:00

EPITOME OF NEWS.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

Why are the feet of a lion like cannon balls ?—Be-
cause they are the four-runners of death.—Judy.
Quadruplex telegraphy" (that is, the art of sending
four messages, two in each direction simultaneously by one
wire) has been accomplished.
Where Ladies are never found—ln advance of their
age.—Judy.

- -
The sum of £34,669 6s. was received in the year
ended the 31st of March as profit on bronze coinage.

The glass works of Ems have ceased work. They
cannot compete with the Belgian and French products.

What class of people lie the most ?—Sluggards.—
Judy.

On Thursday, the 16th September, the Royal mail
steamer City of Berlin, Inman Line, left Liverpool Bar at
9.20 p.m. and arrived at New York at 6.30 a.m. on Saturday,
the 25th inst. The passage, which is said to be the fastest
on record, was accomplished in a few hours more than 7i
days.

The new Union of Agricultural Labourers was
formally opened by Professor Newman at Leamington on
Tuesday evening. He said they must be content with small
measures for a time, but their great object should be to show
the upper classes that their principles on the land question
were unsafe and unsound.

A tilission on the model of the London 'Mission of
February, 1874, is to be held at Glasgow in the first week in
November, under the direction of the clergy of the Scottish
Episcopal Church. The " missioners " will all be English
clergymen who have had experience in similar work south of
the Tweed.

In addition to £11,048 4s. 2d. received in the last
financial year as productive labour of convicts in England,
£3,205 88. id. was received from the same source in Scotland,
and £l,Bll 12s. sd. in Ireland.

From Ireland, as well as from the Northern por-
tions of the kingdom, the reports of the recent storms repre-
sent the effects as having been very disastrous.

Riots of an alarming character have taken place at
Fall Elver, Massachusetts. On Monday the masters opened
their mills, but the hands declined to recommence work
upon the terms offered, and assembled in large bodies de-
manding relief. Upon this being refused by the authorities,
rioting ensued. The latest intelligence is that the militia
was guarding the town.

A French lady sent her maid to buy some flesh-
coloured stockings. The servant returned with stockings
jet black. The anger of the mistress soon gate way to
laughter when she recollected that her maid was a lady of
colour.

Extraordinary g•od fortune was enjoyed by the
Dover boatmen on Monday night in mackerel fishing. Alter
being away about two hours a fleet of smacks returned
heavily laden with fine fish, one boat having secured as
many as 12,000. The greater portion of them were despatched
to the London and Paris markets.

On Tuesday, at the laying of the foundation-stone of
a new church at Luton by the Duchess of Bedford, it was
announced that the Duke of Bedford had sent a contribution
of £.1,000 to the building fund.

Most Unsatisfactory Act of Politeness—Bowing to
circumstances.—Judy.

M. Carl Schurz has made a speech at Cincinnati in
favour et the resumption of specie payments by the United
States. He considered this course indispensable to the
national prosperity.

At Swansea, on Tuesday, Lord Aberdare presided
at the inauguration of the Cambridge University Extension
Scheme. He said that the University founded to teach all
science had now another purpose, that of imparting know-
ledge to all persons. Mr. Hussey Vivian, M.P., also cor-
dially approved of the movement.

--
A silver mine, which is represented to be of im-
mense value, has been discovered in Alaska, and has
been appropriated by a party of Canadians. The United
States collector at Sitka has claimed the mine, as being
within the territory of the United States.

-
A decrease is this week reported in the number of
cattle suffering from foot-and-mouth disease in Lancashire.
There is, however, still an increase in the number of sheep
affected and of farms on which the disease prevails.

A Sicilian telegram to the Fanfulla announces a
brisk fight at Sciaccla between the Carabineers and some
brigands. The latter was dispersed, leaving their chief,
Vincenzo Capraro, dead. The fugitives were hotly pursued.
Capraro's death is hailed enthusiastically throughout the
province, which had for ten years been in terror of him.

As a lasting record of the sympathy expressed by
the congregation of the Rev. Newman Hall's chapel with the
struggle maintained by the Northern States of America for
the suppression of slavery during the civil war, the sum of
£7,000 was subscribed by American citizens for the purpose
of erecting a memorial tower to the new church which is
being built in place of Rowland Hill's Chapel, in London. On
Tuesday the finial or top stone of what is to be known as the
"Lincoln Tower" was laid with some ceremonial.

At the Alexandra Palace on Monday, there was a
vast assemblage of the Ancient Order of Foresters, the
occasion being a benefit gala in aid of the widows and
orphans of the Central London District section of the order.
The Bristol and Exeter Railway Company an-
nounce that on and after the let of October they will run
two, instead of only one, third-class trains, both up and
down the main line on all the branches, and that after the
let November third class return tickets will be issued.

There are 2,301,206 voters on the present register,
now being revised, in England and Wales. In addition,
there are 232,874 Parliamentary electors in Ireland, and
289,789 in Scotland.

What does a bird like the bast ?—A fly. —Judy.
We learn that an intelligent French engineer has dis-
covered the means of suddenly arresting the progress of an
Invading army by means of an electric process. The gentle
man refuses to give any particulars, as he has forwarded his
Invention to the War Ministry, where it is to remain a State
secret.—Court Journal.

According to telegraphic advices from Shanghai,
considerable difficulty is experienced in the settlement of
the differences between the British and the Chinese Govern-
ments. The latter is stated to be avoiding the effectual
performance of the conditions laid down at Tien-tsin ; and
Mr. Wade, the British Minister, proposes leaving Pekin on
the 13th of October should a satisfactory settlement of the
existing difficulties not be arrived at.

At Grosvenor House, in London, on Sunday, which
was the last day of the term for which the Duke of West-
minster opened his mansion to public inspection, there was
a cDnstant stream of visitors from two o'clock in the after-
noon. On the first Sunday, August 15, the attendance was
below 200. Since then there have been from 500 to 600
visitors, mostly artisans with their families, every Sunday,
while last Sunday they numbered all about 700. His grace has
received a number of letters expressing appreciation of the
privilege. An appeal has, it is said, been made to the Duke
of Sutherland to open Stafford House for a few Sundays.
The pail of handsome piebald ponies presented to
Prince and Princess Christian by the Emperor of Russia
have arrived safely at Cumberland Lodge, Windsor Great
Park. The Duke of Edinburgh has presented the Queen
with a pair of splendid brown cobs standing 14 hands 2
inches, which have arrived at the Royal Mews Windsor
Castle.

The return of receipts and expenditure from the Ist
April to the 25th September shows that £33,433,177 was re-
ceived, compared with £32,519,658 during the same period
last year. The expenditure in the Pame period was
05,016,317, as compared with £34,728,092 in 1874. The
balance in the Bank of England on the 25th of September
was £2,356,865, and in the Bank of Ireland £885,751.

The discovery of a new metal has been announced to
the French Academy of Sciences by M. de Boisbaudran. The
new metal, which is called gallium, was found by the spec-
troscope in zinc ores, with which metal it has much resem-
blance in common, although showing sufficient distinctive
chemical characteristics. This addition raises the list of
elements to G 5, the metals alone being represented by 52
bodies.

In a certain French comedy a young man about to be
married is found under somewhat suspicious circumstances
purchasing a piano. He assures his prospective father-in-
law that he intends the instrument for his bride. "But you
know very well," objects the father-in-law, "that she doesn't
play." "Of course I do," responds the ready-witted bride-
groom, "otherwise I shouldn't be such a fool as to give her a
piano."

The new boot in Paris which ladies are now looking
forward to with eagerness is the Pompelian. It is of black
velvet and very high ; the legging in front all Venetian cut
work, embroidered with a tiny silver cord. The pink, red,
or scarlet Pompelian silk stocking is thus seen through the
open clover or diamond-shaped pattern. Plain stockings of
decided high colours are all cloaked on the edges of the feet
and around the ankles in white silk, or some strong contrast-
ing colour.
M. Mon Say, the French Minister of Finance, in
proposing the health of Marshal MacMahon at a banquet on
Monday, said that since the adoption of the Constitution of
the nth of February, public confidence had been restored,
and the coffers of the Bank of France had never been so
full as at present. Trade had at once improved, the equili-
brium of the Budget had been established, and the revenue
from indirect taxes had largely increased. In conclusion,
the Minister said that this progress was due to the firm and
moderate policy followed by Marshal Macldahon, to whom
the honour of tho results was due.

s 'CO
. . .

Difficult Operation for Denti ts—Stopping the teeth
of the wind.—.7u4y.
The report that ea-Empress Eugenie recently ap.
plied to Marshal MacMahon for permission to spend 24 hours
in Paris is now contradicted.
Rabbits are pestering the farmers in New Zealand.
On one estate 7,000 rabbits were killed last year without re-
ducing apparently the number.
Numerous models of new ironclads are being tried
for the French Navy, but none of the inventions have yet
been found superior to the ironclad at present in use.

The municipal council of Paris has hung in some of
the streets boards with sketch maps of the principal thorough-
fares.

Recent statistics show that the consumption of
tobacco is considerably increasing in France. In Paris alone
It has increased by 60 per cent. daring the last fifteen years.
A great strike of cotton operatives has taken place
In Massachusetts, owing to &reduction in wages, and forty of
the mills are closed.
"Time is money," as the youth said on the fifth
occasion of his breaking the main-spring of his watch.—
Judy.
Prince Leopold visited Paisley and Renfrew on
Saturday, and attended Divine service at the Renfrew parish
church on Sunday. At the conclusion of the service several
children were baptised. The first presented was named
Leopold.
The Government of India has sanctioned the sum of
2,000 rupees as a marriage dowry for the daughter of the
Nawab Nazim of Bengal. It has also been ordered that no
larger sum than 5,000 rupees is to be expended on account of
the marriage.
The benefit societies of York, on Sunday, held what
is termed a "Hospital Sunday." They assembled in the
Market-place in the afternoon, and thence marched to the
Cathedral, where a sermon was preached by the Bishop o;
Ely- Afterwards a collection was made for the benefit of the
York County Hospital.
Hard Chairs of Education—School boards.—Judy.
A committee has been formed in Paris, under the
presidency of IL Laboulaye, Mr. Washburne (the American
Minister), and others for the purpose of erecting a monu-
ment opposite Long Island in commemoration of the forth-
coming centenary of American independence.
The North-West African Expedition will, it is ex-
pected, leave England early in November. The object of the
expedition is to make a survey of the coast of Africa opposite
the Canary Islands, and to examine as far as practicable the
bar across the mouth of the river Belta.
The Paris papers publish a semi-official note, taking
the Belgian journals to task for attaching importance to
articles which have appeared in certain Paris papers advo-
cating the annexation of Belgium to France. The note says
'it ought to be known at Brussels, as everybody knows in
France, that the publications in question express fantastic
and essentially personal ideas.
The Earl of Kimberley was present at a Cambridge
examination prize distribution on Saturday, and spoke of the
extraordinary attention now paid everywhere to education.
The public mind, he said, was fairly stirred on the subject.
He regarded this as a most hopeful movement for the pro-
gress and greatness of the country.
In the late financial year the Government received
as public revenue £1,482, 9s. Sd. from the sale of Parlia-
mentary Papers of the House of COMMOIIS.
In commemoration of her visit to the Duke of
Argyll at Inverary Castle her Majesty on Monday planted
some trees in the castle grounds. Prior and subsequent to
this interesting and graceful act the Queen enjoyed a drive
through some of the romantic scenery of the district.
Popular Sunday Music—Bands of marriage.—Judy.
News of the safe return of the Swedish Arctic Ex-
pedition comes from Hammerfest, where it arrived on Mon-
day, bringing a rich collection of objects in natural history,
and several important hydrographic reports.
Friday (Sept. 24) being the anniversary of the sur-
render of Ton], a monument raised by subscription to the
victims of the siege was unveiled. The Prefect of the
Meurthe delivered a speech in which he referred to the
disasters calmed by the want of foresight of the Empire, and
remarked that in the work of reparation commenced as soon
as peace was concluded If. Thlers' name stood first. Three
cheers were given for the ex-President. A greet people,
added the Prefect, never abdicated its independence without
suffering, for it ought equally to avoid despotism and
anarchy.
During last week 4,874 births and 3,448 deaths were
registered in London and twenty other large towns of the
United Kingdom. The natural increase of population was
1,426. The mortality from all causes was at the average
rate of 23 deaths annually in every 1,000 persons living. The
annual death-rate from the seven principal zymotic diseases
averaged 61 per 1,000. In London 2,127 births and 1,319
deaths were registered. Allowing for increase of population;
the births were 170 below, whereas the deaths exceeded by 4,
the average numbers in the corresponding week of the last
ten years. The annual death-rate from all causes, which in
the two previous weeks had been equal to 22-6 and 20-3 per
1,000, further declined last week to 200. The mean tempe-
rature at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, again showed a
marked excess, upon the mean for the corresponding period
in sixty years, on each of the days last week except Thurs-
day and Friday, and averaged 60-1 deg., or 41 deg. in excess
of the average for the week.
Mr. Forster, M.P., presiding at a meeting at Leeds
In support of the Cambridge University scheme, confessed
that he had never read a speech which gave him so much
pleasure as the one made by Mr. Cross a few days ago at
Orrell, on education. Ile knew the Home Secretary too
well not to believe that what he promised he would cer-
tainly perform. Mr. Forster urged that the children of a
workman should stay at school till ten years of age, and that
between 10 and 12 or 13 they should be kept at half work
and half school; that the tradesman's child might remain
at school until 16 ; and that the sons and daughters of the
richer people might continue receiving instruction up to 18
or 19. The education received at school should, however,
be carried forward by evening classes, institutes of all kinds,
evening lectures, and colleges of science.