The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-05-02 00:00:00

e, mina' cases, but preying* to reduce it to seven in
causes, subject to the onsent of the parties
litianL I'ritrin facie, therefore, if this measure
passes, civil actions will in future be tried by a jury
of moven but either side will be able, on giving formal
notice, td have the case tried by a jury of twelve.
There is one provision the joins of which willbe
obvious to those Who rexaer the danger fjpre-
hyded from a broak.dows of the Tichlzwe
the effect thaajong cam, may uedjp
t
udiwthat oo.num rof j ~.liosgd ha
rsidaMe by integror . Again, in
contingeneiea unanimity wid not be required. Again
urymen are to be better paid, and being drawn from
a wider area, the chances of being called upon to serve
will be materially lessene,,d. In many _cases seryi‘ca.
-jur-Xcomes a great tax tipcm a Inane time, and
is the cause of no end of complaints in our courts of
ustice.

t s The _Handel Festival at the Crystal Palace is an
event which is of interest, not only in London, but to
every lover of =bile throughout the kingdom. At
these trieunialgatherings vocalists and instrumentalists
are present from all parts of the provinces. The first
took place in June, 1857, preparatory to the commema-
ration of Handel's death in 1839. In the last-mentioned
year, the centenary of the great composer's decease,
was celebrated by an assembly of musicians, which
up to that time had no precedent. The central
transept was converted into a vast music-hall, 360 feet
long by 216 feet wide, containing an area of 77,000
square feet. The choir numbered 2,765, and the band con-
sistedof 393 performers. On the first day of the Festival,
17,000 auditors were present, on the second 18,000, and
on the third, 27,000. The receipts of the three
days were upwards of £33,000, while the expenses
amounted to £lB,OOO. The next Festival took place in
1862, the year of the International Exhibition. On
this occasion there were 4,000 performer. The subse-
quent Festivals have been in 1863, in 1868, and in
1871, and each time every effort is made by the
managers to make it better than its predecessor.
Meanwhile, the northern rival of the Crystal Palace
is rising rapidly from its ashes on Muswell-hill. It
was on the 9th of June last year that the beautiful
new building, which hail been open only sixteen days,
was suddenly destroyed by fire, to the unfeigned regret
of all who had admired its proportions and its internal
decorations. The directors, with true British pluck, at
once commenced a new Palace, and so successfully has the
work been pushed forward by Mesas. Kelk and Lucas,
the contractors, who have such a large number of work-
men there that in a few weeks the building will be
opened. One of the novelties will be a series of
models intended to illustrate the dwellings of various
peoples. Thus a few days ago a party of gentlemen
assembled to inspect an Egyptian and a Moorish home.
These are occupied by groups of figures showing the
costumes and to some extent the social habits of the
various countries selected, while the furniture and
utensils will also be exhibited. Thus the visitor will
be enabled to turn from the civilization of to-day,
and to judge how the Egyptians lived in those
far-off times of which we read in sacred
story, when the Hebrews were in bondage, and
Pharoalis heart was hardened, .0 that he would not
let them go. It has been suggested that these different
houses shall be supplied with native attendants, and
that light refreshments peculiar to each country shall
he sold therein. This novelty of the Alexandra
Palace ought to be an attractive one.