The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-05-21 00:00:00

EPITOME OF NEWS.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

Lord Beaconsfield's will will be sworn under
£60,000.
It is stated that the Queen has determined, on the
occasion of her approaching birthday, to confer upon Prince
Leopold the style and title of the Duke of Albany.
The Princess Stephanie's trousseau comprises no
less—and in all likelihood many more—than forty toilettes,
not tc speak of a variety of cloaks, mantles, ctc., ttc.
The Pope will most likely leave Rome this summer.
A change of air has become indispensable for him; and his
doctors have declared that he absolutely must leave Rome as
soon as the hot weather sets in.
A telegram from Constantinople states that several
of the Powers are desirous that the territory to be given up
by Turkey shall be ceded to the King of the Hellenes, and
not to Greece, to prevent any difficulty arising in the event
of a Greek Republic being proclaimed.

The Admiralty have given notice that information
has been received from the Greek Government that
torpedoes have been placed for exercise in the Oreos Channel
and the Gulf of Stylida, between Oreos and Stylida. Com-
manders of vessels, therefore, entering Oreos Channel must
take a pilot at Oreos, and on leaving should take one at
In London, on Tuesday, at a meeting held at the
Mansion House, the Lord Mayor presiding, it was resolved
to form a model Home for Inebriates, and a Committee of
Management having no pecuniary interest in the institution
was appointed. The fund for meeting the preliminary ex-
penses now amounts to about £l,BOO.
Mr. Edward Pickard Hall, who was editor of the
Maidstone Journal during the late Lord Beaconsfield's con-
test for Maidstone, says :—" Mr. D'lsraeli was seated with
me, in my editorial room, on the old premises of the
Journal, dictating to use his address to the electors. On
coming to its close, I was about to write his signature, when
he said, "Leave out the apostrophe; it looks so foreign ;
write it in one word—Disraeli." And thus it has been
written ever since.
The Grocers' Company has sent a contribution of
fifty guineas, and the Skinners' Company five guineas, to the
scheme for erecting coffee taverns in camps and garrisons.

The tomb of Saleh-ed-din (Saladin), the celebrated
antagonist of Richard 1., has been recently found at Aleppo
n the ruined mosque erected over his grave.

The Daily News of Tuesday says that a cable
message was received by Dlr. Parnell on Monday announcing
that a society of Irishmen living in America had placed to
the credit of the Land League funds the sum of £20,000.

anni

The census papers for the Isle of Wight show that
the population this year is 73,045, as compared with 66,219
in 11171, being an increase of 6,116.
Advices from America state that the captain and
crew of the British ship Belsize, of Sunderland, which
foundered in the Atlantic, were landed at New York on
May 4. The Belsize was a steamer of 1,150 tons, commanded
by Captain George Elvidge, and bound from New Orleans to
Copenhagen. On April 13 the vessel encountered a hurricane.
Heavy seas swept the decks, carrying away the smoke-room
and flooding the cabin. The engine-room and stoke-hole
were partially filled, and much damage was done. By the
morning of the 14th the fires were out and the ship was
sinking. The men worked splendidly, but all efforts to save
the vessel failed. On April 15, a short time before the
Basize went down, the crew were rescued by the Norwegian
barque Inga.
The Parisian ladies have attempted to modify the
scant grace of the riding-habit. Black is no longer fashion-
able, blue or bottle-green is the colour, and the skirts are
quite as short as those to be found in the hunting-field,
where ladies are among the hard riders. No cravat is worn,
the plain collar is fastened by a brooch or badge, and the tall
hat has disappeared in favour of the round telt one.—Court
Journal.
The Bombay Military Relief Fund have forwarded
to Captain Gildea, 20, Stafford-terrace, Kensington, the sum
of one hundred pounds for distribution among ten widows of
the 66th Regiment. Applications for relief have been made
from 108 widows with 210 children. The amount at present
subscribed is £3,615 17s. 11d.
A Reuter's telegram from Albany (Western Aus-
tralia), dated May 16, says :—" H.M.S. Bacchante, having on
board Princes Albert Victor and George of Wales, has
arrived here partially disabled, having been struck during a
gale by a heavy sea, which injured her steering gear, carried
away her lifeboat, and did other damage. The Bacchante
consequently parted from the Detached Squadron on the
12th inst., and has put in here for repairs. If all goes well,
she will join the squadron on the 19th at Cape Otway, south-
west from Port Philip. The two Princes ere in perfect
health. There has been no loss of life on board the Bacchante
during the voyage.

- -
At the anniversary meeting of the Royal Geo-
graphical Society, to be held next Monday afternoon, the
Royal (Founder's) Medal for the encouragement of geo-
graphical science and discovery will be awarded to Major
Serpa Pinto for his remarkable journey across Africa, from
Benguela to Natal, during which he explored nearly 500
miles of new country, defined the fluvial systems of the
southern slopes of the Benguelan Highlands, and fixed the
position of numerous places by a series of astronomical
observations.--The Patron's Med will be awarded to Mr.
Benjamin Leigh Smith, for havin in a steamer built and
fitted at his own expense, for the purpose of Arctic ex-
ploration, made important discoveries along the south coast
of Franz-Josef Laud; and for his previous geographical
work during three former expeditions, also equipped by
himself, along the north-east land of Spitzbergen.

The Daily 7elegraph says : "Major-General
Burnaby is about to deal with an acknowledged scandal and
grievance. At present it is the practice to deduct the cost of
the coffins of such soldiers who may chance to die in the
service of the Queen from their hard-earned savings, even to
the disposal of their kit; an4.Avtlw...P,Awa kit
to realise the necessary amollffctiras
by the captain of the company to which the man belongs.
General Burnaby will move a resolution on the introduction
of the Army Estimates to put an end to this deplorable
piece of injustice."

or s-arlrigs fail
feitkr (retard'

In London on Tuesday, al i.nlsll,o breakfast at
Cannon-street Hotel, in connection with M) eighty-Second
anniversary of the Religious Tract Society, the Lord MO,*
who presided, was presented by Dr. Manning, in the name of
the society, with a copy of the revised New Testament.
A despatch from Nani Arno announces further im- •
portant discoveries in 'Vancouver's Island.
The seventh annual show of bulldog a was held in
London last week. There were nearly 80 dogs ripen the
benches, and these were divided into 13 classes, among
Which some promising specimens were exhibited.
A New York telegram says that the visible supply
of wheat on May 13th was 17,700,000 bushels ; Ditto Indian
corn, 19,900,000 bushels. Export clearances of wheat for
Europe for the past week, 1,960,000 bushels; export clear-
ances of Indian corn for Europe for the past week, 1,390,000
bushels.
The additions to the Zoological Society's Garden,
Regents Park, London, during the past week include a black-
faced spider monkey, from Eastern Peru, a collared peccary,
from South America, presented by Mr. D. H. Dance; a
roseate cockatoo from Australia, presented by sir Charter C.
smith, Bart.; a swift, European, presented by Mr. it li.
Johnstone'; a common viper, British, presented by Mr. John
Poyer Foyer. _
The French Board of Trade Returns for the first
four months of the present year, compared Ni-ith the corre-
sponding period of last year, shows in round figures a
decrease of twenty-five millions of francs in imports, and a
decrease of fifty-two millions in exports. The imports
during the four mouths exceeded the exports by about five
hundred millions.
A monument commemorating the battle of Cowpens
was unveiled at Spartanburg, South Carolina, on the 11th
inst., with appropriate ceremonies, 20,000 people being
present.
The French Minister of Public Works proposes to
apply the electric light, now employed in four lighthouses,
to the remaining 42 French lighthouses, at an expense of
7,000,000 fr., another 1,000,0001 r. being also expended in steam
trumpet signals for foggy weather.
The returns for Portsmouth show a civil population
of 1203, an increase of nearly 25,000 over 1871.
, Her Majesty has signified her intention of holding
the Volunteer Review on the 9th of July.
A large quantity of frozen English fish received in
Australia by the Orient Line steamer Ltaitania, has been
retailed in Melbourne in excellent condition, the average
price realised being 4s. per pound.
It is stated from Madrid that the success of French
arms and French diplomacy in Tunis has fired the imagina-
tion of Spanish politicians, who ask why Spain should not
seek a pretext in the aggressions of the Bedouins for adopt-
ing a vigorous policy in Morocco.
A meeting, presided over by the mayor, was held at
Northampton on Monday night to protest against the in-
digaity put upon the constituency by the House of Commons,
and to urge upon Mr. Gladstone to take steps to allow Mr.
Bradlaugh to take his seat without delay. Resolutions were
passed expressing unabated confidence in Mr. Bradlaugh and
approval of the steps he had taken, and calling upon other
constituencie%to urge their members to support the Govern
ment. Mr. Bradlaugh telegraphed his regret that he was
delayed in the law court, and said with continued support he
must win.

According to a letter from Reunion in the Bona.
partist Orem, the crew of her Majesty's ship Ruby have
taken possession of a headland in Madagascar, south of the
River Koupia and opposite Mazanga. They are said to have
landed artillery, and to have boats on the River Chu,
commanding the trade between Tamatave and Mazamga.
Three persons are under treatment at the Queen's
Hospital, Birmingham, owing to serious injuries received
from a mad dog: - A.Ansui named Wm. Oliver was talking to
his wife when he noticed a dog rush at a woman and savagely
bite her hand. -He-went to- the woman's assistance, where-
upon the animal bit him through the arm, and after knock-
ing his wife down bit her nose completely off
Several well-known Scotch farmers are about to
start on a tour through the United States, for the purpose of
obtaining definite and reliable information as to the pros-
pects of agricultural emigrants to America.
At a meeting of the Carlton Club held on Saturday
it was decided to increase the number of members from 960
to 1,100, apart from what are known as the "Parliamentary"
members. The entrance fee is also to be raised from £2O to
£3o.—Standard.
Gessi Pasha, the tried friend and coadjutor of ,
Colonel Gordon in the Soudan, died on the 30th of April, ite:
the French hospital at Suez, after protracted sufferings
caused by the terrible privations endured in the months of
November and December last, when he was shut in by an
impassable barrier of weed in the Bahr-Gazelle River,
Upper Egypt.
New York is rapidly developing a political nomen-
clature of its own, which is not creditable to the state of
party feeling. There are already divisions known as "half-
breeds," "feather heads,'' and " wobblers," besides the
" kickers " and "stalwarts."
On Monday 4,625 emigrants landed at New York.
There were 69 fatal cases of small-pox in London
last week. The 69 deaths included 22 of children under
five years of age, 26 of persons aged between 5 and 20 years,
16 of persons aged between 20 and 40 years, and 5 of persons
aged upwards of 40 years.
In London last week 2,561 births and 1,427 deaths
were registered. Allowing for increase of population, the
births exceeded by 42, whereas the deaths were 79 below,
the average numbers in the corresponding week of the last
ten years. The annual death-rate from all causes, which
had slowly declined from 23'0 to 201 per 1,000 in the four
preceding weeks, further fell to 20-1.
Calcutta has been visited by a storm of unusual
severity, during which three men were struck dead by
lightning.
The old tattered battle flags of the lowa regiments
have been preserved by a method proposed by the wife of
the Governor. Each flag was laid on a transparent piece of
tarlaton, another piece of the same material laid over the
flag, and the three were then quilted together and bound
with white silk. They are all thus secured in their original
shape, and secured from falling to pieces by decay.
A thing most people are laughing at is a jeux
d'esprit in the form of an auction announcement of the sale
of "the landed estates, goods, chattels, and effects of John
Bull, Esq., who is retiring from business on account of
actvancirg age and ill-health." It is all the talk to day in the
Lobby of the House of Commons. It is on all the Club
tables, and most people have a copy in their pocket. It is
the best thing of the kind that has seen the light for many
a long day, and it is a hit—a palpable hit. It is published
without a name ; it is said to be from the pen of one who is
equally well-known in cartoons which reproduce much of the
spirit and character of Gilray, and whose jeu d'esprit fre-
quently sparkle with wit and humour.—Court Journal.
At a General Convention of the Order of Hibernians
held at St. Louis, on Sunday, resolutions were adopted
strongly sympathising with Ireland, denouncing England,
and recommended that the funds under the control of the
society be contribnted to the Land League. The funds in
question amount to 500,000 dols.
On Monday evening a fire broke out in one of the
Greenock Corporation Bonded Stores, containing large
quantities of rum, whisky, gin, tea, (tc., all of which were
destroyed. A contiguous store, belonging to Messrs. Baine
and Johnstone, and containing 500 tons of sugar, was also
destroyed. The loss is estimated at £25,000, and is covered
by insurance. The rigging of the barque Beltress, in the
West Harbour, was also ignited owing to the fierceness of
the fire, but this outbreak was extinguished before mt -
damage was done.
Sweepstakes are common enough in the London
Clubs in connection with the race for the Derby, these
amounting to a couple of hundred pounds each, with guinea
subscriptions. In India, however, the [great Umballa Derby
, Sweep reaches the high figure of £B,OOO. It is subscribed to
from far and near. One year it was won by a milliner living
In Calcutta. Last year a clerk in a commercial house at
Simla drew the favourite, but sold his chance for £1,500.
His Highness the Maharajah Guikwar of Baroda
has sent a second donation of 1,00,) rupees to the funds of the
Oxford Indian Institute, and the well-known leader of the
Calcutta Adi Brahma Samaj, Babu Debendra Nath Tagore,
has contributed i'.so to the same object. The building is to
be erected at one end of Broad-street, near the Bodleian
Library.
The Dint to denies the report which has been current
of an attempt having been made on the life of the King of
Italy.
The two favourite peacocks of the late Lord
Beaconsfield were sent on Saturday from Hughenden Manor
to the Queen at Windsor Castle by her Majesty's desire.
After their arrival her Majesty, Princess Beatrice, and Prince
Leopold drove to the Royal aviary to see the birds.
The Queen received on Tuesday a copy of the newly.
revised New Testament from the Archbishop of Canterbury, as
representing the Committee of Revision. His Grace and
Miss Tait subsequently dined with her Majesty, and returned
to London on Wednesday morning.
On Tuesday the King of Sweden and Norway (ac-
companied by the Queen), paid a visit to her Majesty, at
Windsor, and was invested with the Jrder of the Garter.
At a public meeting held in the Temperance Hall,
Wolverhampton on Monday night, the following resolution
was unanimously carried: "This meeting, believing that
the proposed sale of intoxicating drink in railway trains
will introduce a new element of danger into travelling, with
serious risk to lives and limbs of passengers, respectfully
requests the borough and county members to oppose the
Prime Minister's measure to grant Licences to railway pro-
prietors for the sale of intoxicants in their carriages."
On Monday the Dundee vessel Thetis arrived at St.
John's from her second trip to the Newfoundland seal
fishery with 2,200 old seals. This season six Dundee vessels
employed at Newfoundland have been remarkably success-
ful. The total catch amounts to 134,250 seals. Last
season, when five vessels were engaged, the total catch was
58,940 seals. In 1879 the catch was slightly in excess of that
for the previous year; but the fishing this year, so far as the
Dundee vessels are concerned, is unprecedentedly suc-
cessfuL

luch I

The Home Secretary has accorded permission tol
Mrs. J. C. Kenny, of Dublin, and Mr. A. M. Sullivan, of -
London, to visit Mr. Michael Davitt at Portland prison.
Instructions to this effect have been forwarded to Captain
Clinton, the governor, who will be present at the interview;
but who will on this occasion, as on that of Mr. Sullivan's
visit three months ago, receive the ladies with all possible
courtesy, it being Sir W. Harcourt's special desire that they
should notify to him if the prisoner has any reasonable or
genuine ground of complaint.
The Carrier Pigeon Club of Frankfort will organise
two grand competitions this year. In one the birds will be
despatched from Paris, a distance of 430 miles, and in the
other from Strasburg, a flight of nearly 150 miles. In addi-
tion to other prizes the Emperor will give a gold medal, and
silver medals will be added by the Ministers of War and
Agriculture.
"It is understood that the members of Parliament
who lately promised their aid to the telegraph clerks in their
effort to obtain justice at the hands of the Postmaster-
General, and who number about two hundred, will take
measures at once to bring decided pressure upon the Postal
Department in order that the country may not lose the ser-
vices of so many able employes as at this moment threaten
to resign."—Monday's Daily Telegraph.
The electric railway from Berlin to Lichterfelde
was opened last week. Amongst the invited guests were
Dr. Stephan, the Postmaster General, and a number of men
prominent in the scientific and industrial world. Trains
passed to and fro several times along the line, which is two
and a half kilometres in length, with the most satisfactory
result, there being not the slightest hitch of any kind in the
working of the railway.
That useful, but by the general public little appre-
ciated body, the East India Association has just thrown
some valuable light on the state of educatlon in the greatest
of all our great dependencies. It appears that out of
27,100,000 children of a school age, only about 1,000,000 are
on the roll of the Government or State-aided schools. Un-
fortunately, this terrible disproportion between the in-
structed and the uninstructed increases, and in IsBo there
were over 3,000,000 more uneducated children than in 1854.
Mr. John Ruskin's many friends and admirers will
(the Manchester Guardian says) be glad to learn that his
health is now considered satisfactory, and that he is actively
at work upon a continuation of the series of papers entitled
"Proserpina.' His medical advisers have, howe ier, as a
condition of his resumption of literary labour, prohibited
him from paying attention to the mass of correspondence
by which his leisure was invaded.
On Tuesday at Moor Park, Bickmansworth, the
seat of Lord Ebury, great rejoicings took place, this being
Lord and Lady Ebury's "golden wedding" day. The
tenantry presented them with a handsome illuminated con-
gratulatory address and a massive silver inkstand, the
tradespeople with a similar address and a silver epergne,
and the servants of the household with
oasfil vie Standard
silver candelabra.taar
The Paris Correspondent at Rome
writes The interview between s
atnhde Hraou, lylFharteltthereragnedf
the
two Russian Grand Dukes, rg
present Czar, previous to their departure from Rome, was
remarkable. The manner of the Pontiff was most affec-
tionate. Referring to the death of their father in feeling
terms, he showed that the horrible crime was due to the
generally corrupt state of society ; touched on the duty of
all Governments to unite their efforts to find a true and
radical cure for the evils of this corruption: and saidlithit
he for his part should never cease to raise his voice against
the crimes of these sectaries, but especially against the per-
verse doctrines and false ideas of liberty which generate
them."

The Queen, aocompauied by Princess Beatrice, paid
a visit to the Empress Eugenie at Coombe Cottage, Kingston-
on-Thames, on Tffonday afternoon.
The arrivals a live stock and fresh meat at Liver-
pool last week from the -United States and Canada show a
slight increage hi live stock, and a large one in fresh meat, in
comparison with the preceding week. 1,427 cattle, 119 sheep,
9,244 quarters of beef, %,260 carcases of mutton, and 415
dead hogs.
A Renter's telegram says that the Emperor Francis
Joseph has conferred the Grand Crose of the Order of St.
Stephen, in brilliants, upon the Sultan of Turkey, in grateful
recognition of the reception given to the Crown Prince
Rudolph during his recent visit to Palestine.
Thirty-six thousand emigrants left Liverpool last
month for the United States, showing an increase of six
thousand on April last year.
According to official returns, 69 men were killed and
125 wounded on the St. Gothard Railway in the course of
1880. Of these, 22 were killed in the great tunnel. These
accidents haVe arisen for the most part from falls of rock and
premature explosions of dynamite.
" Eye-peeping " ig now the favourite game for
social oenings in New York. As our readers are probably
aware, two hoe m are made in a screen, against which some
person hidden behind places his eyes, and the audience
front have to guess to whotz the eyes belong.
False hair is being largely adopted by Japanese
belles. .ht the last New Year drawing-room a Japanese
lady found herself growing bald, and after much tribulation
decided to put on ft false chignon. Her exakiple was so
admired that the fashion hac spread enormously.
At the coronation of the King of Roumania a
crown of steel made from cannon captured at Plevna will be
placed on his head.
The wheat crop in the United States promises well.
The principal spring wheat regions are Minnesota, Nebraska„
and Dakota. All these show increased acreage and un-
usually good prospects. Minnegota yielded over four million
bushels last year, and Nebraska over two millions. The
yield in both this year is estimated at 20 to 25 per cent.
greater.
Madame Adelina Patti has decided upon taking
leave from the European and the American public next year.
She means to give her farewell performances in London and
on the Continent next season, and to finish her career with
an eight months' tour in America.
Pope Leo XIII. occupies his leisure time in com-
posing Latin verse, and, as an Easter gift, presented his
favourite Cardinals with a poem lauding the virtues and
glory of divert mints.
An open corcpetitive examination for fifty vacancies
in the General Post Office as male learners of telegraphs will
be held in Loudon on the 7th proz. The limits of the age
are 14 and 18, and the subjects of examination, writing from
dictation, handwriting, and easy arithmetic.
During the year 1879-80 the total number of liver
saved by the rocket apparatus was 95, as against 162 for the
previous year. An extra reward of £1 for each life saved
has been granted by the Board of Trade.
At the ballot which took place in the House of
Commons on Tuesday, Sir Wilfrid Lawson obtained for his
local option motion the first place on the notice paper for
Tuesday, June 14.
The death is announced at Epernay of M. Moat,
head of the well-known champagne firm. He leaves a for-
tune of a million and a quarter sterling.

-
Aidlle. Sarah Bernhardt arrived at Havre from
America on Sunday in good health on her return from the
United States, and received a flattering reception. Mere
than 30,000 people lined the pier and the streets leading te
her house.

Prince Bismarck sustained another defeat in the
Reichstag on Monday. After one or two divisions on certain
clauses of the bill for introducing a system of biennial
Budgets and quadrennial Parliaments, a vote was taken en
the measure as a whole, when it was almost unanimously
rejected, and a resolution of Herr Rickets adopted, re-
quiring the Budget for the Empire to be prepared and de-
termined upon before the Budgets of the several Static
This final result was, it is stated, brought about by the Con-
servatives and Clericals voting with the Liberals, whereas
they had before given their support to the Government.
Owens College, Manchester, has just received a new
benefaction. A gentleman, as yet anonymous, has offered
the sum of £5OO a year, in order to establish live fellow-
ships, on the model of those at the John Hopkins University,
Baltimore, to be awarded to students in any department of
knowledge who shall have given evidence of their capacity
and disposition to undertake original work.
_ _ _

Last week's receipts of cotton at all United States
ports have been 49,000 bales, and since Ist September
5,416,670 bales, Shipments to Great Britain, 33,000 bales;
and to the Continent and Channel, 33,000 bales; total since
let September, 3,924,50 bales. Stock at all ports, 566,000
bales.
A novel exhibition will be held at the Alexandra
Palace this year. It will be the first of its kind ever held in
this country—an exhibition of sporting appliances and
apparatus connected with all English sports and pastimes.
It is fixed for the 25th of August, and to close on the 10th of
September.
Four cases of antiquities from Mesopotamia hats
lately arrived at the British Museum; amongst their
contents are Babylonian contract tablets, dated in the
reigns of Antigonus and Alexandra gus, and a tablet of the
reign of Nabu abla-idina, dedicated to the sun, found at the
ancient Sipporah.
The members of the Vegetarian Society met on
Tuesday in conference at the Memorial Hall, Farringdon-
street, London, Professor F. W. N ewman, the president,
being in the chair. The first paper was by Dr. Doremus, on
"Metropolitan Work." the society had twelve restaurants,
In one of which 700 persons dined daily, the aggregrate
being 3,000 diners every day.—Mrs. Parker then described
her scheme for "Healthy Work for Women," and a long
discussion followed.
The Times of India says that Mr. H. C. Rose
Johnson, a well-known barrister, practising in the courts of
Southern India, has been accidentally drowned at Mysore
while out fishing.
The war-song of the Kroumirs is sung by the
women of the tribe, who follow their lords to battle, and
stimulate the combatants courage by chanting stirring
hymns during the conflict. In their arms they hold huge
vases of henna, and fling a handful of the compound at the
burnous of any warrior who show signs of the white feather.
Any Kroumir whose garment thus bears a suspicious red
stain is excluded from the tribe for some months.

America is now waking up to the serious fact that
its timber is disappearing at a terrible rate. Last year over
8,000,000,000 feet were cut, and the existing supply is esti-
mated under 73,500,000,000, or only enough to last till 1890,
at the present average rate of consumption.
There were thirteen British and foreign wrecks, of
which six were British, reported during the past week,
making a total of 764 for the present year, or an increase of
189 as compared with the corresponding period of last year.
The approximate value of property lost was £3,300,000, in-
cluding British £2,300,000.
Frogs near Strassburg have a hard battle for life.
The storks which placidly inhabit the town chimney-pots are
particularly attached to frog diet, while the Strassburgers
consider no Sunday dinner in spring complete without a
dainty dish of grenouilles en blanquette. Last month over
200,000 pairs of frog-legs were sold in Strassburg, and even
then the citizens had to be contented with the "storks'
leavings."
Before the Cincinnati Scientific Society, the dis-
covery has been announced of a process for fusing and
moulding iridium, which has hitherto been deemed im-
possible. A bar of this metal, which was used as a sub-
stitute for the negative carbon in an electric lamp, burned
sixty hours without loss of weight or change of form.
Her Majesty has accepted a portrait statuette of
the late Lord Beaconsfield, modelled by Lord Ronald Gower,
and has been pleased to express her gratification at possess-
ing so excellent a likeness of an attached and devoted
friend.
-

The Times of India says that the claims for compen-
sation tor losses incurred by camel owners during the Afghan
War are being investigated It is estimated that for the
Punjab alone the total of such compensation will amount to
I about £BO,OOO.
- -

The Mexican Minister at Washington recently
ordered a package to be sent to his residence, giving his
name Mr. Zamaconas. The package duly arrived with the
address of "Mr. Sam O'Connors " upon it.

The Baroness Burdett-Coutts has recovered the
matchless sapphire and diamond brooch which she lost at
the Drawing Room on Tuesday. It was found by a servant
In one of the corridors of Buckingham Palace.—Court
Journal.
A landslip occurred on Monday morning at Inn'.
steads, near Bacup•on-the-Hill, where a fatal landslip took
place a short time ago. Several tons of soil suddenly
fell from the summit, but no one was injured. The hill has
been gradually giving way for some time. There have been
heavy rains during the last few days.
A New York telegram says that a fire has occurred
at Nashville, Tennessee, by which 34 buildings were de-
stroyed, causing an estimated loss of 500,000 dols.
It is anticipated by the authorities that at least
25,000 volunteers will attend the review which her Majesty
proposes to hold in the Queen's Park of Edinburgh in August,
when on her way to her autumn sojourn at Balmo-al, and it
Is probable that both the Prince of Wales and the Duke of
Cambridge will be present.
Sir Edwin Watkin, M.P., chairman of the South
Eastern Railway, accompanied by Lord Colville and a large
party of gentlemen, have paid another official visit to the
Channel tunnel. Sir Edward Watkin made a similar visit
about a month ago, since which time the works have con-
tinued to progress very satisfactorily. Preparations are
being made to commence boring from the west side of
t,hakespeare's Cliff, where a shaft has been sunk. The dis-
tinguished company also visited the works in connection
with the turret, aud after partaking of luncheon at the
"Lord Warden" Hotel, returned to Londr by special train.