The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-10-12 00:00:00

'Miscellaneous ntelligente,

HOME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL.

GIBE FROM Garrava.—An American friend
says that the presence of Eight First Clasiemen in
the Ministry accounts for its absence of " pluck."—
P h.

A NEW PL&OrE.—Tho President of the Aca-
demy of Medicine of Paris has laid before that body a
full description of what is called a new disease, and
which has ravaged Illyria. It first of all appeared at
Scherbiero, and that name has therefore been popularly
assigned to the disease as well as to the village. It
may be mentioned that the village in question is miser-
ably poor, and in a bad position as regards hygiene.
The people like on salt meat, drink bad water, and are
miserably clad, and their abode is in a mountain gorge,
where the wind has very little access. The disease has
been compared to lupus, wraiths, and syphilis. From
M Barth's description it seems most allied to the last.
Large ulcers attack the skin, and leave ghastly scare.
The mucous membranes are also covered with erosions.
Tumours are observed ; pains in the hones, followed
by exostosis and necrosis. Children have suffered
terribly from the disease on the mucous membranes of
the mouth and throat, and from caries of the bones of
the nose and skull. More than 3,000 cases have oc-
curred in Illyria, but it seems now on the wane. M.
Barth, the learned President of the Academy, went
to study it at Porto RC, and found 33 cases in the hos-
pital At his discourse he exhibited a number el p ,r-
-traits. He recommends iodide of potassium as a
remedy, and it appears to us probable that it would be
found efficacious. There is room for further investiga-
tion of this new peut.--Medical Press cud Circular.
Mani. FOR BATSMEN. Cricketets will re-
member this year as "The Year of Grace 1872."—
Punch. . .

DEEP MINING--A rather interesting race is
going on between the New North Clunes and the Mag-
dala Companies, in the colony of Victor:a, to see who
is to get the sum of £l,OOO, which is said to have been
offered by the Government of the day to the first
mining company which finds gold at or below 1,0001 t:
from the surface. The Magdala's shaft is down
9501 t., the New North Chines pump shaft is down
1,0041 t., and the latter has apparently a great advan-
tage; but some people think the Magdala will get the
gold first, because they allege that their shaft is right
over the lode, and must pass through it either above or
below the 1,0001 t., while the New North Clones may
have to drive a long way before they find golden stone.
Then, again, if the Magdala should strike golden stone
before they get I,oooft. down, the chances are that the
reef will have such a heavy underlie that they may not
get through it before they go the 1,000 ft., or a good
deal more. The Pleasant Creek News wthes

'A singular and unaccountable feature in connection with
our deep quartz mines is being developed daily, which must
surprise those well experienced in miming matters. It is the
decrease of water as the greater depths are reached. In the
3i agdala shaft at 95011. the water has decreased to a
minimum ; in the Crown Cross Reef Company's shalt, at
80011 , notwithstanding the two reefs recently struck, no
extra water has heen met with ; and in the long drive of the
Extended Cross Reef Company, at a depth of over BnOft., the
water is lighter than it was nearer the surface. This, Ifs
general rule, is very important to companies engaged in deep-
sinking operations."

- -
HEARTLESS CONDUCT.—An Elderly Gentle-
man, while comfortably enjoying the warmth of his
own drawing-room fire, turned his toes out. No reason
has aa yet been assigned for this barbarous cruelty.—
Punch.

Taos MOUNTAIN MEADOWS MASEACRE.—AII
affidavit is publithed by the New York Times, pur-
porting to have been made by P. K. Smith, now resi-
dent in the State of Nevada, describing himself as
having resided at Cedar City, Utah, from 1852 to 1869,
as a Mormon Bishop. It will be remembered that a
large company of emigrants on their way from Salt
Lake City to California are known to have been all
killed, with the exception of the young children. When
their massacre was discovered the Mormons set afloat
the story that they bad perished by the hands of the
Indians; but from time to time circumstantial evi-
dence has appeased indicating that they were mur-
dered in cold blood by the Mormons in revenge for
previous outrages upon the latter perpetrated in
Illinois and Missouri. The witness, who represents
himself to be the least guilty among the participants,
in the affair, and acting under compulsion, states that
the Mormon Militia attacked the emigrants, and after
a fight of several days without result, sent in a flag of
truce, offering them protection if they would lay down
their arms. The terms being complied with, the entire
party wan shot, except 17 little children, whom he
immediately took into his charge, and procured them
homes among the pemle of Cedar City.
TURTLE AND TURTLE SOUP--The Observer
gives the following information respecting turtle and
turtle soup :

"In connection with the statements which have appeared
In several newspapers respecting what the price of turtle
ought to be, a few facts well kn wn to ptlllollll engaged in
the trade will be of interest to the public. The supply of
turtle is according to these persons by no means Inexhausti-
ble. The beet green backed turtle can only be obtained off
the coasts s f the outlaying islands in the Carribean Sea,
called the Caymans, or in the deep water off the coast of the
Spanish Main, near Oreytown and thereabouts. From
these placea alone can turtle of the beet quality for the
Britiah market be procured. The fish are brought to
London 113 vu, eels fitted with tanks, by means of which they
are kept alive during the voyages. On their arrival in Eng-
land the turtles are transferred to large heated ponds or
tanks, where they are will fed and speedily regain any
strength they may have lost through confinement on the
oyage. Only a small portion of the fish is used in the pre-
paration of the famous turtle soup. This I. the glutinous
parts to be fund between the shell and the fish. It the
trade it is called callllpash and callipee. In some instances
the green tat is also made use of A large proportion of the
flesh la consequently sent to Kingston, Jamaica, where the
meat IR saleable at about 41 a pound. In Jamaica the
callipash is preserved, packed in tin lined cases or casks, and
sold in England fis •Sundrled Jamaica turtle. There is
really no sale of turtle meat, pure and simple, in England.
Some time ago a large quantity of the flesh had lobe reshipped
to the place whence It originally came, simply became there
was no market for it in linglaud."

_
Tax

A GOOD USE FOR CLERKENWELL•GREE2f.--On
Sunday afternoon a very crowded meeting of the working
classes among Roman Catholics in London was held on
Clerkenwell-green —the fifth of a aeries of such meet.
ings at which the great work of Father Mathew has
been freshly inaugurated. There could not have been
lees than from 4,000 to 5,000 people present, most ot
them evidently of Irish extraction. The meeting was
addressed by Father Lockhart, of Kingsland, who has
taken all along Ake leading part in this movement and
who earsestly and sloriradntly urged his hearers tc:takc
the teetotal ledge, as the beat and, indeed, the only
,way, to avoid crime and poverty, and to raise the Irish
working man in London to a level with his fellowid
He declared that Line.tentlis of the crime and of the
poverty of the country was attributable to drink, and
that Roman Catholics formed too large a part of the
criminal population- and added the testimony from •
Catholic priest at Liverpool to that effect. The meet-
ing was subsequently addressed by some working men
and others, and also by Archbishop Manning, who
afterwards enrolled several hundred persons, kneeling
before him, mostly working men and women, as mem-
bers of the temperance *gaiety inaugurated ,ander his
angles%

wont —Pu n ch.

POSTVLATE.—AII's for the

- _..,...
A RUSSLIN ENCYCLOPIDIA. —The Gofo. says
Professor Beresina has just undertaken the publication
of an immense Encyclopedia. It will not only contain
articles on all branches of science, art, and industry
of the length of those in Brookhaus' Conversation 14-ri•
con, but will, besides, publish elaborate contributions
on all that relates to Russia. This will make the work
very much larger than its German model. The Sla-
vonic countries will form the subject of numerous
articles, the preparation of which will be intrusted to
the most eminent Slavonic rcholars. The Asiatic
countries which adjoin Russia will also furubh
tuateriaL4 for quite a series of articles drawn up with
the greatest care. It will contain, besides, biographies
of all the distinguished Ruoians now living. The
editor of this gigantic publication has already securrel
the assistance of a great number of distinguished men.
Each year three or four volumes will appear, Co that
Professor Peroina hopes to complete the whole publi-
cation in the space of five year.. The Journal dc Si,
Peterabourg, with reference to this announci went in
the Gobs, trento that the learned Prof roor will be able
to keep his promios and to carry to a succeinful com
elusion a work which broke down, although under,
taken ten yeses ago by men quite competent for the
tack.

TO ARI ISTK, Amin E Ai) 0I II ZAP.
Logicians tell us that two Negatives make an Affir-
mative. Will somebody nay how many Negatives
make a Fhotographer?—Fsncl.
Too BAD OF HIP& A doctor recently died
who was the oldest medical man in the large district in
which he practised. The babies he had helped in early
Practice through the perils of childhood had come to
t,e grey-haired men; and one day, just prior to his
death, he had an engagement with one of these, a well.
known merchant. The hour of the engagement was
long past, and the doctor was pacing the Boor of his
study, when the gentleman came in with an apology On
his lips, "No matter! "said the doctor with an um.
patient wave of the hand • "you are always behind. I
remember," said he "thirty years ago, sitting for ten
mortal hours in a little back parlour of your father's
house waiting for you to be born. You are always
behind time."

" Go AND DO LIKEWISE r-A Brixton clergy.
man was recently discovered turning a mangle (says
the Court Journal). The mangling came about in this
wise. The clergyman, going his visiting rounds. called
on a poor woman who kept a mangle, and who was
at her wit's end, seeing that her husband was
ill, and she could get Boone to take a turn, "so that
she might get her work home in time," so as not to
loge her pustomers." The kindly clergyman listened
to her tale, saw her difficulty, and said be supposed
turning a mangle required no particular skill—could
he do it? The woman protested that such a thing was
impossible; but in spite of her remonstrances, the rev.
gentleman insisted on trying his hand, and continued at
the work far into the night, until all the clothes were
ready for delivery next morning. We can only say to
the clergy in general, "Go and do likewise."

MR. RUSKIN ON WORKING MEN'S HOMES.—
In this month's number of Fars Clattigera, Mr.
Ruskin makes an attack on Professor Fawcett respect-
ing the doctrines of politi al economy. He also states
that he has been asked to contribute to the purchase of
a park near the metropolis, and he replies :
" •

I will not; and beg 'you, .my working readers, to under.
stand, once and for all, that I wish your homes to be com-
fortable and refined; and that I will rettiot to the utmost of
my power all schemes founded on the vile modern notion
that you are to be crowded in kennels till you are nearly
dead, that other people may make money by your work, and
then taken out in squads by tramway and railway, to be re.
rived and refined by science and art. Your flrat business is
to make your homes healthy and delightful; then, keep your
wives and children there, and let your return to them be your
daily 'holy day,'"
•

. .
HORSE GUARDS' 000 D BARGAINS.—The A 0114
and Nary Gacettc gays :

If the Army I ransport horses fetch Inch good pricer at
the Barbican sales as they did at Reading, Sir H. Storks will
rejoice, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer will be glad ex.
ceedingly. And no wonder. The War Office wail prepared for a
Ines of one-third, or of £30,000 on the cost price of the horse'
for the Diameuvres, which are said to have been purchased for
£OO,OOO but at Reading the price. were within a few
pounds of the sums orialually paid for many of the animals,
and it is said they were better, rather than worse, for their
share in the work of the Autumn campaign.
ELEMENTARY EDUCATION.—So intellect is only
phosphorus on the brain, after all! (remarks the
, Graphic). At least thug reasons a Paris medico in
forty quarto pages of a report to the Academy of
Sciences. According to him, you have only to intro-
duce phosphorus into the akull of an idiot and you at
once transform him into a man of genius. We are not
told, however, how the phosphorus is to be introduced.
The theory is founded upon observations on the battle-
field, where at night the writer has remarked phospho-
rescent vapours issue from the mouths and nose, of the
kilted. If we might be allowed to make a suggestion,
we should think that the needed phosphorus might
thus be inhaled. In this manner talent would never
be lost to the worlo, and a man might bequeath his
'mental faculties "a he now dose his money-bags or
broad acres.
No TIME FOR S WAPPINO, —An Indiana man
was travelling down the Ohio on a steamer with a
mare and two-year old colt, when by a sudden careen
of the boat all three were tilted into the water. The
Hoosier, as he rose, puffing and blowing, above water,
caught hold of the tail of the colt, not having • doubt
that the natural instinct of the animal would carry him
esfe'aahore. The old mare made for the shore, but the
frightened colt swam lustily down the current with its
owner still hanging fast. "Let go of the colt WI
hang on to the mare !" shouted some of his friends.
"Boob !" exclaimed the boiler, spouting the water
from his mouth, and shaking his head like a Newfound-
land dog; "it's mighty fine, telling me to let go the
colt; but, to a man who can't -swim, this ain't exactly
the time for swapping horses."
AN HISTORIC TREE. —One of the most re-
markable relics in the neighbourhood of the city of
Mexico was destroyed by fire early in the sammer,
the grand old cypress hung with mosses, well known
to travellers by the name of the Artept de la Noche
Triste, or Tree of the Sad Night, under which Cortes
is said to have passed the night of July 1, 1520, after
his defeat by the Aztec forces. It is unknown whether
it was set on fire purposely or by accident. The tree
was one of the largest of its kind. It stood by the
wayside. A portion of the trunk was hewn away
some years since, and WM sent to the naval museum of
Madrid, where it is preserved with great care.
"No RULE," &c. —We have all got into tho
way of thinking and saying that no man likes to be
paid in his own coin. The assertion is rather too
sweeping, for there is one person, at least, who would
not make the slightest opposition to such a proceeding
—the Master of the Mint.---Punch,
COMPETMON IN THE CIVIL SERVICE—The
result of the first preliminary examination for the
second.class clerkehips, to be competed for at the end
of the present month, has been announced, and it ap-
pears that out of the 74 who presented themselves
before the examiners 40 have been declared entitled to
compete. The appointments offered to these gentle-
men, says the Civilian, are more numerous than usual,
and they are also of a higher value. Four competitions
have been held under the new system for these second.
class clerkships, and in no case have there been more
than 122 competitors. On the approaching occasion at
least 200 will enter the lists.

TURNING THE TABLES. —From information
received from Homburg, it appears that a M. Bujega,
a wealthy Maltese, has been winning much enormous
suns at the tables, that M. Blanc could not stand the
run upon the bank, and was obliged to limit M.
Bujega'a stakes. We are not sorry to find that
et Rutr have at length proved too strong for M. Blanc,
though we do not compliment the Managers of the
gambling-table on their courage or fair- play in knocking
under directly they find a customer who is not a
pigeon. M. Flujega has the credit of winning by Cal-
culation fairly; if we thought otherwise, we should
have styled him the Maltese Cross. Moat people who
gamble, draw blanks and lose their stakes, and it is re-
freshing to find the tables turned ; and we congratulate
the lucky Maltese—much as we hate gambling -on
drawing a Blanc every evening and filling his pockets.
—Punch.

Too FAITTIPT:L.—TWO members of a danger.
ous gang of burglars were brought up at the Mixed
Court theother day (says the Shanghai Budget) They
were respectively. man well knownto the police, deco-
rated with scores of previous convictions, and a log;
and the charge against them was that of loitering about
the Settlement at unseasonable hours with felonious
intent. The man was observed about three o'clock in
. . .

the morning skulking about in an out-of-the-way Part
of the Settlement, attended by three dogs After
watching the four for some time, the constable advanced
and seized the human member of the band. Two of
the doge made oft as feet as eight legs could carry them,
but the third followed the bipeds to the police station.
Here the Chinaman was carefully searched, but no-
thing of a criminating character was found upon
him. But the dog, in his anxiety to see all that
was going on, came out from under the friendly
shadow of a chair, where he had hitherto rested, into
the full glitter of the gas. The sharp eye of the officer
on duty then observed something about his neck,
which on examhiation turnea out to be a packet core
taming a flint and steel with some tinder paper—well-
known appurtenancea of the cracksinaMs matt. The
constable then remembered having noticed that there
wan something tied round the necks of the other dogs
also, and it was naturally presumed that they were
equipped with similar professional implements. Bat
they seem to have been better up in the stage move-
ments of their profession than the greenhorn that
voluntarily ran both his own head and that of his chief
into a trap. The latter, bower, seemed to have an
aptness to learn, for, as soon an he wan relieved of his
implements and he saw his master being conveyed to
the cell, he gave them leg bail with all speed. He
thus escaped the cangue—a most tincomf orts we dog col-
lar—to a month of which his master was condemned
next day.
AN EMPEROR'S BUSY LIFE.—Tho activity r,f
no sovereign in Europe can be compared to that of
the Emperor of Austria, as he imposes upon himself
about the hardest life one can imagine. In winter a!
in summer he rises at five in the morning, walks until
seven, almost always alone, and then takes; hia coffee
and transactv business for two hours with the Colico
cillor of State Braun and the other secretaries of his
private chancery. He then gets into his carriage and
drives from Schtinbrunn or Laxenburg to Vienna to
accord audience to the Ministers or deputations which
have given the proper notice of their wish to obtsin
an interview. Afterwards he goes out to pay ri,lta
in the city. At eleven he takes a very- frugal break-
hmt,, and dines between four and five. His Majesty eats
little and drink still less. Ile prefer-s the national
dishes to all others, and his dinner rarely lasts more
than half an hour. In the evening, after having been
to the theatre or to a soiree, he works for some time
with his Ministers, never going out later than ten. If
a fire breaks out he is always first on the spot. Luring
the sporting season he taken the train at nine at Eight
for Reichensu or Murzzsehlag, dressed in the costume
of a mountaineer, and passes the night on the highest
rocks to htuit the chamois, or in the thick woods to
shoot blackcock. In spite of those incessant fatigues
of mind and body his health is peefect. He is at the
Name time, like his ancestor., a man of the cabinet and
fond of strong =who in the open att.