The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-12-25 00:00:00

Utisaliamoits
HOME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL.

COSTLY FANS.—The Court.Tournal says :—"The fan
is still in favour as a design for articles of jewellery,
and, as made this winter, if is far more costly than it
wacfin the days when its sticks were of gold filigree,
with a single gem flashing in the place where the rivet
should be. It is now thickly set with diamonds, the
stones graduated from sparks to gems of fair size, and
a ribbon of rubies holds the sticks together. As a bit
of colouring these fans are perfect, and their trifling
price of MO should not deter any young woman from
firmly resolving to possess one."
A TURN OF THE SCALE.--Husband (seriously)
Christmas is here, and I find my books balance on
the wrong side." Wife (dubiously) :—" But if you
turned them over, wouldn't they balance on the right ?"
Fun.

THE VACCINATION ACTS.—Mr. Cowen, M.P., has
met a deputation of Anti-Vaccinators from various
parts of the North of England, at Newcastle-on-Tyne.
The deputation asked Mr. Cowen whether he would
be prepared to support the Bill which Mr. P. A.
Taylor, M.P., would bring in next Session to repeal
the compulsory clauses of the Vaccination Acts in
case Mr. Dodson did not bring forward his measure
again. Mr. Cowen's views were also asked in reference
to the proposal of Mr. Thomas Burt, M.P., to reject the
portion of the estimates which will provide houses for
successful and efficient vaccination. Mr. Cowen in
reply to the deputation, said he would support Mr.
Burt's proposal in refereuce to tile estimates, and
would also give his adherence to Mi. Dodson's Bill if
it were brought forward again. He would not bind
himself to support Mr. P. A. Taylor, but would wait
until that gentleman had made out his case before he
decidedly positively, one way or theother.
THE GOLDFIELDS IN THE WYNAAD.—Last year (the
Madras Mail says) the owner bf a small and well-
known coffee estate in the Wynaad, which had been
far from profitable, would, it ia believed, gladly have
accepted £5OO to be rid of it. Last week an offer of
.E 20,000 was made by a home syndicate and"declined.
The discovery of the presence of gold is accountable
for this advance in value.

LORD FORESTER AND HIS TENANTS.—Lord Forester
has addressed a letter to each of his tenants in refer-
ence to the Ground Game Act. In it he says that in
future, with regard to rabbits, he does not confine his
tenants to a mere share of them but he gives them sole
and entire power to kill them on their respective hold-
ings, unless they become too numerous, or when they
happen to cross the way when he and his friends are
out for a day's shooting. But with regard to hares he
feels confident the tenants'. sense of honour and good
feeling will induce them to provide reasonable sport
for their landlords.
AVERAGE PRICES OF BRITISH CORN.—The follow-
ing are the average prices of British corn for the
week -ending Dec. 18, as received from the inspectors
and officers of Excise :—Wheat, 445.; barley, 31s. 6d.;
oats, 20s. 7d. per imperial qr. Corresponding week
last year :—Wheat, 465. 6d. ; barley, 38s. 7d. ; oats,
20s. 11d.

HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF.—The Pall Mall Gazette
remarks :—" Those who think that land troubles are
confined to this aide of the Atlantic may possibly have
forgotten that a state of things very much like thatlt
present prevailing in Ireland once troubled the State
of New York. Owing to circumstances existing pre-
vious to the establishment of American independence,
the land in the State had to a great extent fallen into
the hands of large landowners, who let it on long
leases. In process of time the tenants began to view
the payment of rents as a grievance, and banded
together for the purpose of resisting the enforcement
of the law. Disguised as Indians, they baffled by
forcible means every attempt on the part of the sheriffs
to levy distress for rent, and compelled the local
authorities to appeal to the State Government for
assistance. Silas Wright, who was then Governor of
the State, immediately issued a proclamation and sent
troops into the disturbed district. Sixty of the ring-
leaders were arrested and tried, the sentence
on those who were convicted of murder being
commuted to imprisonment for life. The anti-rent
war' having been thus brought to an end, Governor
Wright in his next message to the State Legislature,
acknowleged the grievances of the tenants, and suc-
ceded in getting a measure passed by,which distress for
rent was abolished."

ROYALTIES ON COAL AND IRON.—The London
Correspondent of the Manchester Guardian, writes :
It is stated on good authority that the owners of
landed estates in the county of Durham and in the
Cleveland district will receive this year for royalties
on the working of coal and iron in their lands £75,000
more than in last year. So far as the iron royalties
are concerned, half a dozen persons receive the whole
of the pact of the increase that trade gives—nearly
one-half—but the coal royalties are divided over a
large number 'of landowners, and the benefit these
northern counties thus receive from the trade revival
will be great and widely diffused.
AT A CHILDREN'S PARrY.—Edwin (who, together
with Angelina, is doing the amiable at the little ones'
party) : How sweetly innocent and that sort of
thing the children—" Small treble voice from the
centre : " 'Ere, I say, tarn't I 'ave some o' that
cussed pudding ? " (He meant custard).—Fun.
FIGURE SKATING.—A special meeting of members;
of the National Skating Associatiolwas held in Lon-
don on Monday night, to consider how the National
Association can best promote figure skating. The
following resolution was agreed to: "That, in the
opinion of this meeting, the National Skating Asso-
ciation might promote figure skating by extending its
intelligence department, so as to include places where
figure skating can he obtained, and.by the establish-
ment of standards at which figure skaters might aim,
and by bestowing badges of merit on those who have
attained those standards."

4i. CLOSE SEASON FOR GAME IN INDIA.—A, Bill
for establishing a close season for game and fish is now
pending before the Bombay Legislature, and has pro-
voked considerable discussion and some opposition.
The animals which it is proposed to protect are bison,
nylghau, antelope, eamber, eheetul, chikarah, bekri,
hog-deer, and hares ; also all birds and fish used for food.
The measure came before the Council on Monday, and
was postponed for further consideration.
CAPTURE OF A GOLDEN EAGLE IN SKYE.—A shepherd
at Ramsey Skye, had an uncommon adventure the
other day. He was on the hills, accompanied by his
dog, when he came upon two golden eagles fighting.
They appeared to be both nearly exhausted. The
shepherd put his dog at them, when one of them at
once transferred his attention to the dog by attacking
him with his talons. The claws of the eagle beirk
occupied with the cloy, the shepherd got him by the
legs and d neck, took him captive, and conveyed him to
his house So completely was the other eagle ex.
hausted that had another man been there it might
also have bean captured.
EARLY MARRIAGES.—The Daily Telegraph attributes
much of the misery of the Irish peasantry to their in-
corrigible "mania for earlymarriages " (remarks the
Pall Mall Gazette). The existence of this " mania "is
an assumption which is not justified by facts. A
pamphlet published the other day by Mr. Pim on the
Irish question contained some remarkable statistics,
which may be commended to those who think that
premature matrimony is the chief source of Ireland's
woes. The Irish neither marry earlier nor multiply
more rapidly than the English or Scotch. Quoting
from the census returns of 1871, Mr. Pim shows that
marriages were only 44 per 1,000 in Ireland, against
i7l in Scotland and B'l n England. The increase per
1,000 was 5.5 in Ireland, 15'1 in Scotland, and 157 in
England. The percentage of unmarried persons in
Ireland was 44'99, in Scotland 4377, and in England
3722. The statistics as to early marriages are con-
clusive. In 1879, 91 per cent of young men between
the ages of fifteen and twenty-five are unmarriel. In
Scotland the proportion was 84 per cent., and in Eng-
land and Wales 77. Thus only 9 per cent. of Irish-
men marry before they complete their twenty-fifth
year, while the percentage among Scotchmen is 16,
and among Englishmen 23.

renrrAciu-erolalf
in Stuhnesnan ioNnEt.h—oTf hNe
oavmeomubnetro fwbarsigshmt sar svhain4
34 per cent, of the possible duration in the eseL,„
Scotland to 23 per cent. in the west of Scotland.
slrne
ing the second week in the month bright sunii_
was exceedingly scarce in all parts of the kingdote,,,,,o
the north of Ireland it amounted in all to only twAL
hours. The first and third weeks were much
brightest.
al Of
AMERICAN AND CANADIAN FOOD.—The arri
ive stock and fresh meat at Liverpool last week fr°f,
the United States and Canada were in excess of the
ceding week. The steamers conveying live stock:7,l4
the Thanemore with 238 cattle, and the Ita/Y wittn,
eattie, 162 sheep, and 150 pigs. The steamers 131119
ing fresh meat were the City of Berlin with If‘i
quarters of beef, 229 carcases of mutton, and 301, •Q`'''.ls
pigs; the Nevada with 920 quarters of beef, ano fq.s
carcasses of mutton; the Polynesian with 863 guns,
of beef; the Indiana with 800 quarters of beef; of
Baltic with 600 quarters of beef, and 100 carcasses ,e
mutton; and the Italy with i-i 34 quarters of beef,
totals being 312 live cattle, 162 sheep, and 10P'
4,996 quarters of beef, 650 carcasses of mutton, an
301 carcases of pigs.
A MOTTO FOR MR. FAWCETT. "Post ffecur
writes to The Times :—" You have suggestecrin Yo
leading columns that Mr. Fawcett ought to have „
motto for his admirable plan of giving the worl%
classes in this country a chance of fortune—a o°, ee
which might be set over against the abortive Ex '1 et
lucellum of another statesman. How would 111„g
fortuna do for the Postmaster-General, thus
the London pronunciation of his name with the re
sult of his policy ?"
WESLEYA.N HOME MissioNs.—The Annual
of the Wesleyan Home Missions, the 25th of the serif:,
just issued, states that the total income for the Ye:-
amounts to £33,314. It is chiefly raised by 5ub1,11343;
tions, collections, and public meetings._,
expenditure for the same period is
A grant of 7,500 has been -received from 'of
Thanksgiving Fund, but there is still a debt 0t
£1,087. For 'Wesleyan MethocVst purposes,,
Britain is divided into about 700 circuits, of which At
are assisted annually by grants from this fund.
the present time upwards of 100 home missianii;A
ministers occupy centres in manufacturing towns„a
mining districts, as well as country villages and t0".",-);
Fourteen ministers are employed in connection v710"-,
the army and navy, principally in garrision ton;
twelve are employed in district evangelistic war a
These have all the same status as ministers eroPlele
in circuit work.
" BovcoTTING."—A Correspondent of the DaiLl.
Telegraph suggests as a remedy that upon the
merit being satisfied that the system of 'Boycott
is being resorted to, the Government (with theVre
sent of the party 'Boycotted') buy at market vaL
the stock, &c., and resell it, and charge all loss
therefrom to the county in which the ißoy.oettt,d
occurs, thereby inflicting the punishment into',
for the individual upon the heads of its promoters.
of
THE PEARL FISHERIES OF CEYLON.—Theban'
Aripo have lately been inspected by Captain Ponta"'
the master attendant of Colombo, who went to Sin
turrai for that purpose: From the report of the fishel„
proceedings it seems there are about three-fifths.-
the original number of oysters on the beds still rel-u—„o
ing to be fished, notwithstanding that the last seas",
boa,.
was prolonged to the first week in May, the last .0,
load being landed on the 4th of May. With a 'vied
to induce a large number of boats and divers to attello
next season, their shares of the oystees fished h„a
been increased by Government proclamation.
thought that pearls of fine size will be obtained fl9to
the oysters remaining on the beds which have Yet,,,i
be fished. In 1879 the proceeds of the year's Pei"
fishery were large, some seven millions of oyeeoooll
being fisl ed, and the sales realized about
rupees. ihe returns for the current year are 10" -
yet available.
A GOOD SCORE OF WILD DUCKS.—AMOnget others
institutions of American communities a very cornal°of
one is a shooting club, which generally hires traef4..,d
country, preserving the game thereon for shootlli;
much in the same way as the " associations" in
shire protect their grouse. A shooting club in
land, Ohio, leases 10,000 acres of marsh, and th!A,
close season for duck commenced on the 16th
They killed 7,600 ducks, a number being canvas-hac,,;s,
One of members shot during the season, sixteen
and bagged 690 duoks=an average of 40,i per 'daY.
afid
A RABBIT FACTORY.—A Correspondent of La,— _A
Water says :—The dwellers in Camperdown, Vstest7
Victoria, have been raging war with those P!'eltee
little beasts, rabbits' and having failed to extirPa t
them, have resolved to utilise them. It is a roe 4„
for surprise that this has not been done long ere tI;A
when it is remembered that not only is the flesh oft (1
rabbit delicate and useful in cookery, but the skin_lll3l./
fur is available for many purposes. A rabbit fae", of
has been projected at Camperdown, with a capital t
£5,000, in shares of £1 each. It promises to be a Fre''„or
success. This idea is worthy the attention or
English farmers in neighbourhoods where rabbits 11„$'/
hitherto been considered as pests, though in the P`,,'
man's pot they are the greatest treat.
TILE AMERICAN CORN CROP OF 1880.— Aocordill
to a New York journal the wheat harvest of tbf
United States has reached the amazing total, °,
455,649,000 bushels, New England contribulil
1,100,000 bushels; the Western States, 323,675,M
the Southern' 41,929,000; the Middle, 36,595,w:hi
Colorado and the Territories 12,850,000 and "
Pacific Coast, 39,500,000. It is estimated that Amerirl
itself will consume 265,000,000 bushels, leaving MDA,,°II6
190,000,000 available for exportation. As regards
foreign market, American authorities compute tig.
other countries than their own have a surplus for
posal 8f 647,500,000 bushels, while others again,,lo
eluding nearly all Europe, show a deficiency of nc"ty '
than 227,500,000 bushels. It follows that, should „
whole of the foreign surplus be exported to the ne7o
countries, there will still he a demand for 162,750,
bushels from America.
DrvisioNs OF OPINION.— Boring the Mont-Cen
tb.
tunnel was a joke to the task undertaken a of
English Spelling Reform Association. The energfeB of
the members are now engaged in the considerationoo
no fewer than twenty seven original orthoglioli
reforming schemes. One specimen among those v 7 '1,5
appear to find favour in the sight of the refortalr!„o
the word "plough "pronounced plow. The AmerlTcf!
spell it plow. Why should we not do so it is asAk be
Some few improvements of this character appear
universally approved, but when it comes to 810',,
"tough," tuff, divisions of opinion manifest the
selves.
CHRISTIAN' NAMES FOR CHRISTMAS CHILDN.''
Chris tine and Chris-topher !—Fun.
INCREASE IN THE AMERICAN CATTLE TRADE
ENGLAND.—According to the New York Trw— 3,,
though it is only four years since the traffic in eli
rkeat between the United States and England
as an experiment, it rapidly developed it,3elf, It a
months the shipment of live cattle commenced, 10
the trade has gone on increasing ever since, Thns
1876 the shipments were 22,500, mostly dressed cif;
cases. 1877 they reached 60,000, a fourth of thee,
being live cattle. In 1878, 95,600 of which 30,00016
live cattle. In 1879 there were 33,295 live call
72,029 dressed carcases, or together 105,324; whilea
the present year, from Ist January to 15th Aug.l,l,rlio
rather over seven months, they reached 64,164°
cattle, my-
and 53,533 carcases, the increase in the
ments of live stock being accounted for by thee.,,,'
freights charged. The cattle are exported chiefly 11:00,
Ohio, Kentuck, Illinois, lowa, Missouri, Nall—a
Nebraska, and Colorado, there being only a few Telch-;
and they are slaughtered on the American side of t"
Atlantic.
To UTILISE eAST-OFF FURS.—" Bella," writing tie
the Philadelphia Progress' says :—" An ingenious
lady of my acquaintance has originated a reallebos
lent way for utilising one's cast-off furs. oae.ose,
gathered all her own old muffs, tippets, trimtal ja
and boas that have been stored away for ye 91,40
packing chests, ripped them up, sewed the s i/c1
together, the greater variety in colour the better, aotio
contrived the most unique of rugs. She 11° is
spread out beside her own bed. In the centrl?,,,er
piece of ermine surrounding it are bits of otter, slLrt,
fox, sealskin, Chinchilla—all manner of fur in 8"-
and the result is as odd as it is beautiful."
for the
" CURRANT " EVENTS.—Stoning the raisins
puddings.—Fun.
in the
NEW YEAR'S DAY IN AMERICA.—" Argus," exe
columns of Land and Water, says :—"Table-plabe-fies•
still all the rage as New Year presents in Arne'l is
Many are so exquisite in design and so beautifa
colouring that they are often sold separately and
as a drawingroom ornament, either stood on a B—ir
easel, or hung against the wall. Some of these ereor
regular in shape, following the pattern of larg, 84.0 of
even edged leaves. A particularly effective Pia,o4r"-
this kind has three huge begonia leaves so e'—tbe
painted that every vein is distinctly visible ;
shadings are bright, yet so softened and blended
the • goo,
the effect is nearly Oriental. Sold in a set of a
these plates range from £25 to £75; but theMpea
usually bought separately in a handsome case, t" th°
with some dark shade of satin that brings °li-bovl.
colouring in all its intensity. New Year cards, are' ,-(liag
ever, likely to go out of fashion. This year the sel.oe.
out of cards will be the exception rather than the
The custom in America is on the whole a nevf,eirs,
having been in vogue only within the past few J
and has never met with the entire approval of • ,rt.
There has always been a certain amount of "item
burning, through some friends having been forgo oit,
or by wrong addresses and delays through theolhw
Although the stationers in New York and
delphia are showing more charmingly designed,
..ve
engraved cards than ever, the ladies seem to lat'be
made up theirminds, and will no longer sanctfoll,.eti
custom. As usual, every American lady in s°"icir
will receive calls on New Year's Day; but where to
cumstances prevent, the general practice will 11.1eA et
hang the card basket on the knob of the
door."
REWARDS FOR BRAVERY.— The Committee of
have voted the Silver Medal of thelCorporatio 9 of
executors of the late Lieutenant Heyland, R,,•'
,
her Majesty's ship Minotaur, as they wow", oss
done to that officer had he lived; and the Prf,jo
Medal of the Corporation to Arthur Triggs, Ornor
instructor on board her Majesty's ship, Ninotauf,o,ol
their extraordinary efforts to save life at sea. I.l' ide
be remembered that Lieutenant Heyland lost 1115261 b
in endeavouring to rescue from drowning, ob tb,efloo
ult., an able seaman who had fallen overboara
her Majesty's ship Minotaur. The man was re,s)io• 3a
but the officer in being hauled on board lost he vs,
of the line and dropped into the sea. Mr. A„rvolle
seeing the danger of the lieutenant, made strtiliia'
exertions to save him at very considerable risk ty
self, but was unsuccessful.
A NOVEL USE FOR OLD LETTERS, len
minor trials of life is the destruction of olu i.nt e
which accumulate so rapidly (says a Corresponu'exoel;
Land and Water). The Paris Figaro gives an „cis 0"
lent method of disposing of these ancient reoTtor,
love and' hate. Take the letters one by one, an iite,a
not cut them, into small squares. Make sorS
bags of different coloured silk, fill them wl jolaj
paper, and sow them together, arranging the W 102
like a draught-board, and you will have a w,_,arlo
elegant calm* pied for the winter, The ides
bad, and may give employment to the little4ttorl
fingers of an evening in tearing up the love'
which they cannot read,