biglam/hmd_newspapers huggingface dataset:
The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-08-28

Messrs. Wallace, Bailey andliWilkins, BermondscY
London.—" Further and final reports, most valuable
faature—quite original—made a trial of other offices for
commercial information, but our experience teaches us
that. for thoroughly sound information and speedy
replies to inquiries, your ,office unquestionably stands
first."—Members three years.

Messrs. Richmond & Chandler, Agricultural Imple-
ment Manufacturers, Manchester."—Not led us wrong in
any instance."

Messrs. Passavant & Son, Merchants, Leeds.—" For
Continental information the importance of your
method of obtaining information from more than one
channel speaks for itself—pleasure in recommending
your offices."
Messrs. Buckley & Sons, Manufacturers, 3,4, and 5,
Greek-street, Leeds, and 79, Basinghall-street, London.
" Superior to any other office."
Messrs. Lister and Co., Manningham Mills, Bradford,
Yorkshire.—" Reliable, which we attribute to your
exeellent rule of insisting on several independent
souoces of information in each case."

Messrs. Robinson & Clay, 37, Albian-street, Leeds.—
"Your 'Further' and 'Final' reports must ensure
accuracy—specially recommend this valuable feature."
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-08-28

CONSULT A LONDON PHYSICIAN BY LETTER

WITHOUT FEE.
DR. H. SMITH, the Eminent Specialist fo
the cure of all debilitating and contagious diseases
will for the benefit of country patients who ear.not consult
him per4onally, on receiving description of there case, send
his opinion, with advice and directions for the most success
fal restoration to health and vigour.

Addrepo, Dr. H. SMITH, 8, Burton Crescent, Loudon, WA

. -7.-----
sTOURBRIDUE IMPROVEMENT ACT,
1866,

AND THE ACTS INCORPORATED THEREWITH.

la the M atter of the

ELECTION OF COMMISSIONERS.
In the place of those who go out by rotation, on
THURSDAY, the 2nd day of SEPTEMBER, 1875, being
sbe,first Tharbday in Septembtr.

JT the untlers*ited JOHN TAYLOR, Clerk
9 to the Stourbridge Improvement Commissioners
incorporated under the Stourbridge Improvement Act,
1866, do hereby Give Public Notice, as follows :
That for the purpose of the Election of Commissioners,
the Township of titourbridge is divided into Three
Wards, namely, the East Ward, the VI es t Ward, and the
South Ward.

That on the 2nd day of September, 1875, being the first
Thursday in the said mouth, three of the Commissioners
whO have been elected t'r each of the said three Wards,
will go out of office by rotation, and they may be re-
elected.

That for the purpose of Electing Three Commission.
era for each of the said three Wards, in the place of those
who go out of office by rotation as aforesaid, a Meeting
of the persons entitled to vote in cacti of the said three
Wards will be held on the said Thursday, the 2nd day of
September, 1875.
That LABAN HUGHES PACKWOOD, of Stour.
bridge, as the Chail man of the Stourbridge Improvement
Commissioners, is the RETURNISO O.b.FICER at the
said Election.

That;the said ',ARAN HUGHES PACKVI 00D, as
such Chairman as aforesaid, has appointed HENRY
HUGHES, of Love Lane, Oldswinford, one of the said
Commissioners, to be the PRESIDING OFFICER at
the said Election for the EAST WALD, and JOSEPH
WORTON WOOLLEY, of High•street. in the said
Township. one of the said Conimissioner4, to be the
PRESIDING OFFICER at the said Election ft,r the
WEST WARD. .
That the said LABAN HUGHES PACKWOOD, as
such Chairman, as sforesaid, is the PRESIDING OFFI-
CER at the said Election, for the SOUTH WARD, that
being the Ward for which he was Elected a Coma,-
sioner.

Dated this 27th day of Angubt. 1875.
JOHN TAYLOR,
Clerk to the said Commissioners.

J. HICKS,

BUILDER AND COFFIN MAKER,
PARK STREET,

S TO URBR,IDGE

All kinds of Jobbirg of k punctually attended to.

TOBACCO.

BlackcjAgjt."_ copyright_

This Brand ig sold everywhere, in Out Packets 34 each
To avoid frau lulent imitations, see that each packet bears
our name and trade mark (a star).
WILLS & SONS, Bristol and London.

GL ENFIELD. GLENFIE—LD
The

Queen's
*Laundress
544 this Starch
IF the hest
She ever
Used,

G LENFIELD. GLENFIELD
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-08-28

THE WINDSOR REVEL.

On Monday, an old-fashioned custom, abolished
some years back, and known as "The Windsor
Revel," was revived by the "Bachelors" or youth of
Windsor, who assembling in the Acre which goes by
their name, formed a procession, and, with a band
and flags, marched round the Royal borough. After-
wards cricket and other pastimes were indulged in by
the Bachelors to their heart's content ; notwithstand-
ing the adjacent walls were placarded with the Mayor's
proclamation forbidding the holding the "revel,"
under pain of being prosecuted for trespass.
Early in the morning the grey stone obelisk on the
east of the Acre was decorated with flags and ever-
greens as a most important item in the history of the
Acre. It may be stated that the obelisk bears several
inscriptions which, in the view of the Bachelors of
Windsor, proclaim their rights to do as. they please
upon their dominion, the Acre. The inscription oil
the east panel is as follows :
"Grand National Jubilee, Oct. 25. 1809 —The Ba-
chelors of Windsor hereby gratefu,ly record the con-
descension of H.M. Queen Charlotte and her august
family in honouring them with their presence in this
Acre to witness the roasting of an ox. the gift of R.
0. Fenwick, Esq., of the Royal Horse Guards Blue, of
which, and also of the plum pudding provided by the
Bachelors, they graciously partook amidst the accla-
mation of the joyful popu!race, to whom this old Eng-
lish fare was afterwards distributed."
The opposite panel contains the subjoined: "Grand
National Jubilee, commemorated October 25, 1809.
Th. e obelisk is to commemorate the happy event of his
Majesty George 111. entering the 50th year of his
reign, and was erected by the Bachelors of Windsor
as a tribute of gratitude for the particular esteem he
has on all occasions manifested for their native town."
That to which the Bachelors point as showing their
claim to the. Acre is the inscription on the north panel
which runs thus: "1810. Alterations and improve-
ments were made by the Bachelors of Windsor on this
their Acre."
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-08-28

A PHILOSOPHER AT EIGHTY.
(Soliloquy on a late Sultry Day.)

I am evaporating, like a piece
Of camphor in the sun, or so as wastes
A mass of carbonate of ammonia
Unstoppled, or as though my lard had all
Become transmuted into paraffine,
Which force of heat sublimes. I rise apace
In vapour; am dissolving by degrees,
And mingling with thin air. If this goes on
Much longer, nothing will be left of me

,
Save earthy salts, besides residual
Phosphate of lime. But if the temperature,
By Fahrenheit now eighty in the shade,
Stand but a little longer, and then fall,
So as to cheek offgoings at the point
Of just attenuation, then my waist
Will to its normal amplitude return,
And I, who from mine youth have aye grown bigger, .
By loss °flat shall have regained my figure.—Punch.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-08-28

THE IMPROVEMENT OF VEGETABLE

COOKERY.

The greatest benefit which might accrue from orga-
nising vegetarian societies without any fanaticism or
nonsense would be the consequent improvement of
English cookery in one of its chief departments (re-
marks the Daily Telegraph). We are blessed with the
most splendid vegetables in the world, and, as a rule,
we dress them badly. We do not know what to do
with our Mushrooms. There are at least a hundred
ways of dressing Potatoes; and we have three—boiling,
mashing, and frying—and not one plain cook in fifty
can fry Potatoes. Of the culinary uses of Lentils,
Haricots, Chick-peas, and Indian Corn, cooks are
almost entirely ignorant. A rational and appreciative
course of vegetarian experiments, carried on at a sea-
son when the consumption of animal food is usually
comparatively small, might result in the discovery that,
while a large proportion of the community rarely ob-
tain any butcher's meat, another section eat so much
as to be afflicted with chronic dyspepsia; while, in the
matter of preparing vegetables for the table, our ob-
stinate ignorance, carelessness, and wastefulness have
made us the wonder and lath4hing-stock of foreign
nations. Let us have a vegetarian society in London
by all means.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-08-28

DEAR MEAT FOR THE WINTER.

The Spectator remarks :—" A foreign war could
hardly threaten this country with greater distress than
the operation of the Orders in Council upon the foreign
cattle trade. The capricious condemnation of cargoes
among which SO much as one 'tainted wether ' is to be
found have had a serious effect upon the price of meat
by the direct and indirect restriction of the supply.
What is to be apprehended, however, is not the tamper-
ing with the market in this way, but the total cessa.,tion
of the business, through the disinclination.of the im-
porters to retain their capital any longer in a traffic
whi,:h is exposed to such incalculable hazards. The
consequences to the consumer is not difficult to estimate.
If we looked at the Metropolitan Meat Markets only,
we might arrive at the conclusion that more than half
the supply being cut off the price would be doubled,
and that prime joints would sell for more than two
shillings a pound. But remembring that the foreign
supply comes mainly into the London market, and
that prices would gradually equalise themselves over
the whole country, it is probably accurate to say that
the stoppage of the trade in imported cattle and sheep
would not push the price of beef and mutton much
higher than is. Bd. a pound. This is a moderate cal-
culation, and if consumers—that is to say the whole of
the public, high and low—take it to heart, they will
not perhaps remain in an attitude of deferential apathy
towards the proceedings of the Privy Council. For
what does an increase to this extent in the price of
meat mean? It means the imposition of a 'war in-
come-tax' on every one, three or four times heavier
than any Government has ever dared to ask this
country to pay. It means a tax from which the
poorest cannot obtain exemption, except by voluntary
privations most disagreeable in themselves, and very
possibly injurious to health."
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-08-28

SEASIDE FOR THE MILLION.

The idea is to secure an estate by the sea, cover it
with suitable houses, and with everything that makes
life tolerable, such as clubs, reading rooms, bathing-
places, &c., public-houses only being excluded; and
altogether to provide seaside lodgings for the million
at a cost which the million are able to pay. Some
people, no doubt, will ask what the million want
at the seaside, and what goods will it do them.
Their fathers never thought of an annual trip to the
coast, and why should they? Well, in the days of
our fathers they had not half the health-giving devices
that people have now, but then they lived some five
years less, on the average, than we do, although their
life was far more the life of turnips than ours now is.
As to whether, in point of fact, they do desire to
visit the sea, we have only to take the testimony
of the excursion trains, which, though they often
but take people through tedious discomfort to
eight brief hours of boisterous unpleasantness, with
a return through uproariousnes to a headache next
day, are yet always crammed. There seems really
no good reason why the man in narrow circumstances
should not enjoy his holiday as much as his richer
brother. He has often worked harder for it. And
during the working part of the year little do his
children see -of the country, or his wife of aught but
household work. We judge that the success of the
movement is to be to some extent in the hands of those
for whose benefit the movement is intended. We shall
watch with some interest to see what is the view taken
by these the most interested portion of the community.
—Pictorial World.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-08-28

HOW TO JUDGE OF A HORSE.

First of all, take his head in your hands and look
him full in the face. If he doesn't flinch, but looks
at you back again, he is an honest horse, let me tell
you that. Next offer him a biscuit or a ginger bread
nut. This will induce him to open his mouth, and you
will have an opportunity of seeing how many teeth he
has. If he has thirty-six in the top row and forty-
eight in the bottom, be has enough teeth for any horse.
If, however, you catch sight of a gold plate attached
to the roof of his mouth, you may be sure he has got
s Toe false teeth perhaps a whole set. You
will find this a great nuisance, as they will
have to be taken out every night and put in
every morning. As a rule, you'll find ostlers
don't like the job. They say they won't be
bothered with it. In order to judge of a horse's temper,
go to the rear of him; then take his tail, divide it
into four, and plait it all the way down. As a further
test, put one of his hind legs in a sling. If he stands
quiet and doesn't exhibit any impatience, then—take
my advice- buy the horse at once, if you've got the
money. If you haven't, borrow it. It will be a sin to
let him go. He is the nearest approach to a Christian
that you can get in a quadruped. He is almost too
good for an earthly stable. Take my advice, have
him.—Judy.

The total receipts into the Exchequer between
April let and August 21 were £27,474,261, as compared with
£26,411,089 in the same period of 1874. The expenditure
was £31,373,897, compared with £30,387,583 in 1874. The
balance on August 21 in the Bank of England was £951,416,
and in the Bank of Ireland, £711,190.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-08-28

ANNUAL LICENSING MEETING AT

STEWPONEY.

The. Annual Licensing Meeting was held at the
Foley Arms Hotel, on Tuesday last, for the purpose
of granting new licenses, and renewing the old ones.
The Magistrates present were Messrs. H. Woodward,
H. J. W. H. Foley, Colonel Fletcher, C. Cochrane,
L. Freer, and H. Smith.

All the old licenses were renewed, except in eases
where convictiors had taken place during the year.
There were six applications for licenses. Samuel
Duggan's, Dennis Park, applied for wines and spirits,
refused. George Andrews Emmett, grocer, Brettell
Lane, granted. Richard Lighttown Cook, grocer,
granted. James Hancocks, The Thorns, granted.
John Beddall, Brierley Hill, granted. Samuel
Round, Round Oak, granted.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-08-28

PAYERS OF INCOME-TAX.

A Parliament return shows that, in the year 1873,
the latest for which such an account is at present
given, the Income-tax in England was charged as
follows :-30 99 per cent. of it under Schedule A, on
the owners of land, houses, tithes, &c. ; 4 per cent.
under Schedule B, known as the tenant-farmers'
schedule • 1030 per cent. under Schedule C, on divi-
dends and annuities payable out of public revenue;
48.90 per cent. under Schedule D, on trades and pro-
fessions; and the remaining 5.81 per cent, under
Schedule E. on public =lanes and pensions. The
incidence of the old Income tax was different ; in 1814,
3504 per cent. of the total'amount was charged under
S.:heclule A, as much as 14'11 per cent under
Schedule B, 22'07 per cent. un ter Schedule C, only
20 67 per cent. -under Schedule D, 'and 8-11 per
cent. under Schedule E. On the re-introduction of
the Income tax In 1842, as much as 43 22 per cent, of
the total was charged under Schedule A, 600 per cent.
under Schedule B, 1574 per cent. under Schedule C,
29.82 per cent. under Schedule D, and 5.22 per cent
un3er Schedule E. The amount charged on trades and
professions increased until in 1865 it had grown to be
35.25 per cent. of the whole amount charged. In 1866
the assessments on railways, mines, quarries, ironworks,
fisheries, canals, gasworks, &c., were transferred from
Schedule A to Schedule D, these being, in fact,
trades; and the result was to raise the share or pro-
portion charged under Schedule 13 from 35 to nearly 45
per cent. of the total product, Schedule A falling
from upwards of 42 to little more than 33 per cent.
Since that time trades and professions have paid more
and more of the tax, until, as already stated, their
share in 1873 was nearly one-half. In Scotland the
share of trades and professions is still greater, there
being no fundholders' schedule to bear a proportion;
and the ratios in 1873 were 35'38 per cent. under
Schedule A, 4.26 under Schedule B. 56.31 under Sche-
dule D, and 4'05 under Schedule E. In Ireland
houses and land pay more than half the tax; the
returns for 1873 show that 5097 per cent, of the total
was charged under Schedule A, 473 under Schedule
B, 430 under Schedule C, only 34'19 under Schedule
1.), and s'Bl under" Schedule E.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-08-28

THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS AT
SHEFFIELD;

Wherever Royalty goes in Great Britain it is sure
(says the Saturday Review) to receive a hearty and
affectionate welcome. There is so strong a sense in
every rank of the services whi,th in her long reign the
Queen has rendered to the nation, the sorrows she has
undergone have lent so much pathos to her personal
history, the Prince and Princess of Wales play their
parts with so much frankness, ease, and grace, it is so
pleasant to have a holiday, and so delightful to see for
once those of whom every one has heard, that every town
would be glad to be honoured by a Royal visit. But
the visit of the Prince and Princess to Sheffield has
been peculiarly successful. In the first place, its success
was enhanced by the removal of an apprehension that
the visit might not succeed ; and in the next place
Sheffield had taken extraordinary pains to make every-
thing go off well. There are melancholy passages in
the recent history of Sheffield which inspired a fear
lest the population might be found to be too rude, un-
disciplined, and wilful, to accept the burden of good
behaviour during the Royal visit. As it turned out, no
set of people could have behaved better, kept better
order, or shown themselves more good-humoured. It
was also thought that Sheffield might be too democratic
tp care for a Prince and Princess; but the event has
proved that, of all places in
•the world, Sheffield was
most prepared to.welcome the Heir to the Crown and
his wife. How far Sheffield may be really. democratic
is a question which it requires local knowledge to
answer; but even if it is democratic, there is nothing
inconsistent in a democratic town welcoming Royal
personages heartily. The antagonism of modern demo-
cracy is not to the Crown, but to those institutVms
which depend on the gradation of classes; and the pre
sence of persons high enough to make all below them
momentarily equal is calculated to please democracy
rather than to irritate it. At the same time, it must be
acknowledged that the populations of modern towns
might probably be found wanting in that old-fashioned
loyalty which was quite regardless of the personal
qualities of kings, and loved and cheered bad kings as
much as good. The Prince and Princess are welcomed
not only for their high station, but because they do
well what they have got to do. They take their
proper part in public life. They come when they
promise that they will come; they say what they
ought to say; they look as they ought to look; and
the thought that to please and honour them will be to
please and honour the Queen is ever present in the
minds of those who have to welcome them, and who
gladly seize an opportunity of bearing their humble
testimony to the merits of a blameless life spent in the
service of the nation.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-08-28

DIED.

MATTIF.WS.—On the 22nd instant, Bridget, daughter of
Jamea Mathews, of Stourbridgp, aged 10.
ABTON.—On the 21st just, Hannah, the beloved wife of
Henry Aston, The Lye, and eldest daughter of William
Westwood, late of The Lye; aged 36 years.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-08-28

SHROPSHIRE SHEEP.

The characteristics of Shropshires are of high value,
otherwise they would not have so rapidly and ex-
tensively diffused themselves all over the country.
In the first place they have excellent constitutions,
and may be deemed of superior hardihood to other
kinds of short-woolled sheep; but on this point it is
admitted that they will stand wet better than cold.
In the next place they are extremely prolific, ewe
flocks, under the favourable circumstances of good
keep and excellent tending, being frequently known to
average fifty per cent, of twins; and nature is true to
herself in this, for Shropshire ewes are excellent
mothers, and with plenty nf nutritious diet will
always support their lambs well, even although they
have twins. As regards their realisations, both of
mutton and wool, they are extremely profitable.
Hampshires come to greater size, but they have more
bone and offal, while as regards wool the advantage is
decidedly on the side of the Shropshires, whose fleeces
on good land not unfrequently are found to average
Gibs. to 71bs. each, not that the latter are at all to be
accounted small in size or defective meat-producers.
With good feeding, the hoggets often mature to from
181bs. to 201bs. a quarter in the month of May; and
as to quality the mutton, in clos.ness of texture, if
not raciness of flavour, equals Southdown.—From the
Live Stock Journal and Fancier's Gazette.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-08-28

CRADLEY.

SHOCKING CRUELTY TO A HORSE.—At the Police
Court, yesterday, at Stourbridge, John Thompson
and George Giles Bloomer were charged with
crucly illtreating, and torturing a horse, belonging
to the Cradley Colliery Company, by partially cut-
ting its tongue out, on the 13th ult. Mr. Homer
appeared to prosecute, and Mr. Waldron defended.
Mr. Homer said he was instrucced by the manager
of the human society. Thomas Colley a boy said
he drove the horse in question down the pits; the
horse was well when he left it. On cross-exami-
nation witness swore it was not himself that cut
the horses tongue out.: Henry Male said he "fettled"
the horses down the pit. He received the horse
from Colley at 3 o'clock in the afternoon on the
day in question and put him in the stable to give
him corn, and the horse began to eat it as usual.
lie was there ten minutes, and the horse kept on
eating. After that he put the horse to work with
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-08-28

PICTURES FRXtIED

r-lna the (heal:kat ~

A NEW STLFCTION OF PA
In Best Engligh Gold Work.
OXFORD Fit IMES
Plain, St ined, or Polished, iron] 4d. each.
OLEOGRAPH, CHROMO, COLOURED AND
PLAIN PRINTS.
Also
Sf.*RAP PICTURES

ARCHER C'',

THE OXFORD FRAMING DEPOT.

71, HIGH STREET, STOUBLIDGE.

'WANTED, BED and SITTING-ROOM, by
a YOUNG MAN, within 20 minutes' walk of
Btourbridge Station. Dines out, and away Saturdays
and Sundays. State Terzns.—Addre-s, "J. D.," Observer
Office.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-08-28

WAR TO THE KNIFE.

Mr. Frank Buckland, in his vivid description in
Land and Water of the Manatee recently acquired by
the Zoological Gardens, says that "the flesh is con-
sidered a great delicacy; when roasted it has the flavour
of pork, with the taste of veal."
THE flavour of pork, and the savour of veal!
0 Butchers! come down in your prices;
Or else we'll consult both our pocket and weal,
And import Manatee, which so nice is.—Punch.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-08-28

PARIS AND LONDON IN 1874.

The "Bulletin r6capitulatif de Stastistique Munici-
pale," relating to Paris for 1874, has just been issued
by the Met de la Seine. It corresponds with the
Registrar-General's Annual Summary for London, and
although its statistics are published in a far more ela-
borate form than those for London, they afford the
means for comparison between the vital statistics of
the two largest cities of the world. Th population of
London in 1874 was very nearly double that of Paris;
the density of population in persons to an acre was,
however only 44 per acre in London, whereas it was 96in
Paris. -The marriage-rate was 8 per 1,000 in London, and
10in Paris; the birth-rate 35 in London and 22 in Paris;
and the death-rate 21'6 in London and 32 in Paris.
Whereas the marriage-rate in Paris exceeded that in
London by 25 per cent.; the birth-rate in Paris was
20 per cent, below that in London. The death-rate in
the two cities in 1874 showed little difference, and
yet, in consequence of the variation between the birth-
rates, the natural increase in the population during the
year, by excess of births over deaths, was equal to
nearly 14 per 1,000 in London, whereas it was not
more than 7 per 1,000 in Paris. Notwithstanding that
the marriage-rate in Paris considerably exceeds that of
London, the proportion of illegitimate births in Paris.
was nearly 27 per cent., while in London it is only
about 4 per cent. With regard to the mortality
statistics, the annual Paris Bolletin contains informa-
tion in far greater detail than the London Annual
Summary. The rate of mortality is given for each of
the twenty arondissements, and for each of the eighty
quartiers into which Paris is divided. In the twenty
arrondissements the death-rate in 1874 ranged from
15 per 1,000 to 27. It is somewhat remarkable that n
the arrondissement in which the density of population
is greatest in Paris—namely, more than 300 persons
per acre—the death-rate did not, in 1574 exceed 16 per
1,000. London figures show a very different result.—
The Lancet.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-08-28

THE RAILWAY PASSENGER DUTY.

The Morning Post says :—The question of the rail-
way passenger duty is one of the principal subjects of
discussion at the half-yearly meetings of the railway
companies which are now being held, and there is evi-
dence that the companies are determined to exert them-
selves to the utmost in order to get rid of a tax which,
at all events in its present form, is prejudicial to their
interests, while it is eminently unjust in principle. The
duty falls most severely on those whose traffic is chiefly
in passengers, and in the proportion to which it adds to
their expenses it diminishes their power of doing all that
they would otherwise be able to do to take increased pre-
cautions for the security of their trains. The subject is
fortunately forced on the attention of the public at a time.
when the control of the public purse and the regulation
of the public finance is in the hands of one of the ablest,
fairest, and most conscientious ministers that have
ever held the office of the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
If it is absolutely necessary that railway companies
should contribute to the revenue a sum of £700,000,
no one will for a moment doubt that that con-
tribution should be levied upon them, not by a
hard and fast line, which is excessively oppressive to
some and unduly lenient to others, but in such a
manner as to meet their ability to make a sacrifice
for the public good. how this is to be done is not a
question which presents any difficulty. The fair way
of dealing with this matter is to tax the net profits of
the companies. In this way equal justice will be done
to all.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-08-28

TO A COUPLE OF THAMES NAIADS.

Row, Ladies, row! It will do you good:
Pleasant the stream under Cliefden Wood:
When our skiff with the river drops down again,
Glad will you be of some iced champagne.
0, a boat on the river is doubly dear
When you've nothing to do but adore and steer.
Row, darlings, row! Whether Stroke or Bow
Is sweeter to look at, better to row,
Is a question that plagues not me, as I laze,
And on their graceful movement gaze.
'us the happiest hour of the sultry year:
The swift oars twinkle; I smoke and steer.
Row, beauties, row! 'Tis uncommon hot:
I can row stroke, but I'd rather not.
As we meet the sunset's afterglow,
Two absolute angels seem to row;
Wingless they are, so of flight no fear—
Home to dinner I mean to steer. —Punch,

i:31•
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-08-28

TH

HAMPTON COURT VINE.

The Garden remarks :—" A few years ago, when
the respective merits of the extension and restrictive
systems of vine growing were being discussed, this vine
was alluded to as evidence of the effects of the exten-
sion system on lmigevity. With many, no doubt, this
illustration had considerable weight, especially in the
case of those who had never seen this royal vine. I
saw it the other day, and was disappoiuted with it.
The size of the house in which it is growing is by no
means excessive, and as the vine is planted at one
corner, there is more of the main stems seen than
accords with our modern notions of vine growing.
Then the laterals are weak and the leaves small, and,
lastly, the bunches, of which I am informed there were
1,-270 would barely average Soz. each, and the berries
will not be large. On account of its age, this vine may
be considered a curiosity, but as an example of vine-
culture I can only pronounce it a failure. hit, there-
fore, cern.th while keeping this vine longer as an object
for exhibition, inasmuch as it seems evident that its
crop is growing `.small by degrees and beautifully less'?
The guide book tells us 'that it bears in some seasons
2,500 bunches.' Why that is just double the number
it has produced this year! It is, therefore, evident
that its bearing powers are failing. What the public
would like to see are good examples of grape cultiva-
tion, and if they could be treated to a sight of a first.
class vinery full of fruit they would have much higher
notions of grape-growing than they can derive from
inspecting the old vine at Hampton Court.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-08-28

KIDDERMINSTER.

DEATH OF DR. MARSHALL.—This gentleman, who has
been connected with this town for more than twenty
years, died last week. At the commencement of his
career the deceased was a chorister of the Chapel Royal,
London, and subsequently for twenty one years held
the appointment of organist of Christ Church Cathedral,
Oxfora, and some thirty years ago was introduced into
this distriet by the then Vicar of Kidderminster—Dr.
Ciaughton the present Bishop of Rochester. In addi-
tion to other appointments he held that of organist and
choirmaster of St. Mary's, Kidderminster. He subse-
quently became director of the Philharmonic Society,
and no less than forty choral works were produced in
public by this society without professional assistance.
He was buried in Randsworth Old Churchyard on Satur-
day.

BRUTAL ASSAULT.—At the borough bench, on Mon-
day, bebre the Mayor, two Irishmen, named Peter
Murphy and James Jennings, were charged with assault-
ing Benjamin May, in Blackwell Street. on Sunday
afternoon. The complainant was entering the town with
a scythe upon his shoulder, and %hen walking along
Blackwell btreet the two prisoner attacked him akd,
seizing the scythe, smashed it, and violently assaulted
May about the face and body. A large crowd of persons
assembled, and Police-constables Done and Danby took
the men into custody.—The Bench sentenced the men
to two months' hard labour, without the option of a fine,
and ordered them to pay Ss. 61. each and costs of trial
for the damage done to the scythe, or an additional four-
teen days' imprisonment.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-08-28

STRIKES A CENTURY AGO.

As it is now in the matter of strikes so was it a cen-
tury ago (says the Pa// Mall Gazette). In 1771 the
shipwrights in "the King's dockyards" having com-
plained of the inadequacy of their daily wage, the ex-
periment was introduced of paying by task-work, the
system usually pm sued in private yards. Four years
afterwards, however, the men demanded a return to
the old mode of payment, with this difference, that their
pay should be increased and their work diminished.
Good men, it seems, were able to earn by job work from
3s. Eid. to 4s. sd. a day; but the majority preferred a
regular wage of 2s. 6d. a day, with extras. The ordinary
day's pay had been 28. id., and the extras consisted
of 4d. a day fo- chips and of extra work, which,
in summer time was equal to 70. more. As these de-,
mands were not immediately acceded to, the Woolwich,
men " formed committees and retired into the fields,
where their leaders harangued them and persuaded
them to come to a resolution to leave the _persuaded
ser-
vice unless their grievances were redressed, and parti-
cularly taskwork, which they termed an unheard-of
monster, was abolished." After a short time, how-
ever, about a score of men grew weary of idleness
and destitution and went back to their work, but
were attacked by the others and grievously
maltreated. "At Plymouth they had the cruelty
to run a pole under the legs of some of the people
who had returned to their duty, and after hoisting
them up on their shoulders conveyed them through
the streets." Another correspondent, indeed, writing
in favour of "the deserters," as they were called,
denounced this statement as exaggerated, and pro-
tested that nothing worse had happened than that
two men were placed on a wooden horse by some
boys and "indignant women," and so paraded
through the town, their offence being that they had
applied for employment without having been re-
gularly apprenticed to shipwrights' work. The
strike does not appear to have lasted more than two or
three months when an "amnesty "was accepted.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-08-28

lIAGLEY.

STOCK SALE. -At this sale on Monday last,
owing to the prevalence of foot-and-mouth disease
and to the circumstance that people are busy
with the harvest, there was a shorter supply of
stock than usual. The attendance of buyers was
was good, and high rates were realised. It will be
seen on reference to our advertising columns that
the next sale is on Monday. _

CHARGE 01 INDECENT ASSAULT.-At the Police
Court, yesterday, before Col. Fletcher and C. Coch-
rane, George French, ostler, at the Lyttelton Arms
was charged with indecently assaulcing Sarah Inn
Harris, lon the 16th inst, Mr. Wall defended.
From the evidence it appears that the complainant
and others were returning with a donkey from Hagley
Station when defendant came up to them, caught
hold of her, threw her down, and put his hands up
her clothes, and committed the assault complained
of. Two witnesses were called to corroborate. Mr.
Wall defended the charge and said the defendant
Hall foolishly got on one of the donkeys to ride a
few yards, when the woman beat the man with sticks.
Two other men also beat him John Griffiths and
George Hinton gave evidence to the effect that
while complainant was beating the defendant, he
stooped to get from her when complainant fell over
him. The case was:dismissed.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-08-28

LYE.

DRUNK AND Dtsounmany.—Charles Bashford, Jun.,
was charged with being drunk arid committing a breach
of the peace by fighting oi the 2lth in 41 Police c na-
stable Moyland proved the c.ise. Fined 53 and c )sts.—
Charles Bashford, Sen , was charged with assaulting
Police-constable Moyland while in the execution of his
duties, on the'24th u:t. The case was proved and de-
fewirint fined is and c,sts.

DRUNK AND iIEFUSING TO QUlT.—Benjamin Bache,
and Samuel Bache were charged with being drunk and
refusing to quit the. Bell Inn, Lye, on the night of the
23rd ult. The case 11,61 proved and defendant fined 5s
and costs.—Heury Pritekard was charged with being
drunk and refusing to quit the Prince of Wiees Inn,
Hagley. on the 15 inst. Thomas Tomkins, landlord
said that about eight o'clock he (defendant) was in his
house, and was very &sorderly, and making use of bad
language, but did not refine to quit. The case was dis•
missed.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-08-28

COST OF LIVING IN NEW YORK.

New York, having passed through the agonies of
the panic of 1873, is now enjoying its benefits. Since
that catastrophe, according to the New York Times,
the cosb of living has undoubtedly decreased, people
are living more economically than formerly, business is
more carefully conducted, and the tendency is towards
cheaper and more sensible habits of life. In the matter
of rents there has been on the whole a marked reduction,
although certain classes of houses and certain localities
have held their own. The demand has increased for
middle-class houses, while first-class ones havesuffered,
the rent having fallen about 25 per cent. In the mat-
ter of clothing there is something of a different showing;
the reduction has not been in the high-priced goods, of
which the importation has decreased, but upon the
medium and poorer qualities. About as much is paid
for food as two years ago. Taking these several
branches of expenditure into account, the net reduc-
tion of family expenses is about one-fifth, provided the
standard of living remains the same as two years ago.
—Pall Mall Gazette.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-08-28

BRINGING UP.

John Bull writes :—" One can pity a poor, hard-
working woman with a heap of children, however they
may suffer from her neglect; but it is hard not to feel
indignant with the fine lady, who spends her time in
rushing from place to place, and thinks herself ill used
if any stress of circumstances occurs to keep her
quietly at home for a month or two. And then people
wonder that their children turn out badly, and ars
shocked and surprised if they are not particularly
affectionate to their parents when their turn comes to
take their own line ! People seem to forget
that the mere fact of being parents confers
no very great obligation upon their offspring
unless they act the part of parents. Ihe simple
accident of having brought a poor little human being
into this world, thereby entailing upon it a vast deal
of trouble and trial with a very uncertain issue, really
cannot be properly said to lay claim to its gratitude;
and while no amount of devotion can be too great
to offer to a good parent, surely those who only
live out their own selfish lives, and take little or
no trouble for their children, cannot reasonably except
much attention from them. Yet it is curious how
seldom we find this side of the question put forward in
the numerous books, lectures, and the like that are
daily coming forth to improve our social condition.
Even in the thousand and one tracts that appear for parish
circulation (though there are some specially intended
for parents, and inculcating some of their duties), it is
hardly ever that we find it pointed out that it would be
wise now and then for parents to take a little interest
in the amusements of their children, and just to talk
things over with them a little, without waiting for the
probable catastrophe, the accident, or the fault that
entails stern investigation and punishment—a punish-
ment that may well seem hard to the poor child who has
only done what he has long been in the habit of doing,
and had never been warned against. Thus his sense of
justice is destroyed, and his confidence in his parents
cruelly shaken."
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-08-28

CAPTAIN WEBB'S
_SWIM ACROSS THE

CHANNEL.
The Pall Mall Gazette published the following on Wed-
nesday evening :
Captain Webb started yesterday afternoon (Tuesday)
on a second attempt to swim across the Channel, and
has succe,sfully accomplished his feat. A correspond-
ent at Calais telegraphs at 11.30 a.m. :—Captain Webb
has succeeded in accomplishing the most wonderful
swimming feat ever known. Leaving Dover at four
and a half minutes to one o'clock yesterday afternoon
he arrived on the west side of Calais at 10.35 this
morning, having been twenty-two hours and a half in
the water. Though naturally fatigued after his
excessive labour he was in good spirits, and is now
comfortably in bed at his hotel. The greatest interest
is manifested here in Captain Webb, and he will re-
ceive an enthusiastic welcome when he publicly pre-
sents himself. Captain Boyton was twenty-three
hours and thirty-two minutes in crossing the Channel
from Boulogne to Dover in his life-saving suit.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-08-28

WANT OF RAILWAY ACCOMMODATION

I AT DUDLEY.
lari For some years past there has been discontent
in the town of Dudley, at the very meagre railway
accommodation afforded by the two great lines
which pass through the district. On the Great
Vestern side there is a dirty, weather-beaten. ma-
_

2ainted, wooden booking office, parcels office, and
railway porters' rooms. There is a blue brick
block of buildings which contains two refresh-
ment rooms, which are the only waiting rooms
for men, and two waiting rooms for ladies. On
the London and North-Western side things are
worse. The booking office is situated above the
Great Western Railway Company'sbooking office,
and is, as a matter of course, equally dirty outside,
unpainted and weatherbeaten. After having
purchased his ticket the passenger has to traverse
a gallery, and descend a flight of tiresome stairs.
On the platform, there are no waiting-rooms, and
no protection from the weather but a narrow glass
roof on iron girders. This, of course, does not
protect travellers either from heat or cold, and
when the wind is in certain quarters it does not
protect them from the rain. The waiting rooms
are at the far end of the gallery already mentioned,
and a considerable distance from the platform. In
consequence of this they are not much used, and
instances are known of passengers who have lost
their train in consequence of being so far from the
point of embarkation. So much for the internal
arrangements. As to the outside of the station,
or stations, viewed from the road, they seem like
a goods shed, neither better nor worse. Over and
over again the Town Council have complained,
and over and over:ag,ain the local newspapers have
contained scores of complaints. In order to bring
matters to a crisis the Mayor (Mr. Joseph Stokes)
brought his pcwer and influence to be on the
companies, and a Railway Sob-committee was
formed to meet the railway engineer. This was
done, and surveys were made. Now the sub-
committee have had an interview at the station
with Mr. Moon, the chairman of the London and
North-Western Railway Company. It was shown.
to him how unworthy the station was of the town
and how inadequate its accommodation was for
the population and the vast influx of visitors
three days per week. It was stated that Mr.
Moon sympathised with the committee, and there
were indications from his remarks that improve-
ments would be made in'the company's premises,
but there does not seen much hope of a radical
change in the arrangements by the erection of a
handsome, or, at least, a commodious station.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-08-28

CHOLERA.

The Revue Scientifique devotes an article to the ques-
tion of cholera as at present discussed at Munich. Dr.
Franck, in a recent report, had laid down certain prin-
ciples which do not generally differ from those univer-
sally adopted by the school of " contagionists." The
first thing to be guarded against is the terror the
malady inspires. Cheerfulness, and avoidance of all
violent .grief or excitement, sober and regular habits,
will greatly contribute to immunity from the disease.
Protect the feet and abdomen from cold, and
wear warm clothing; pay great attention to your
diet, avoid too copious meals, cold drinks, heavy
food, bacon, goose, smoked meat, bad potatoes, sour
milk, hard eggs, raw fruit, cabbage, saurkraut, &c.,
prefer *stead beef, veal, lamb, fowl, venison, and fish,
excepl dais and other fat things ; take lean ham, greens,
turnips, horse-radish, and such like. Drink good beer
and wine at least a year old; avoid the frothy sorts.
Cleanliness both of the body and dwelling, airing the
rooms, sprinkling acetic acid on the floor, and disinfect-
ing the fwces of the sick until the reaction be acid, all
these observances are strenuously recommended by Dr.
Franck. His adversary, Dr. Pettenkofer, represents
the " localist " school, according to which cholera is
chiefly engendered by the state of the soil, and is
not contagious so that man becomes no longer a
principal, but only a secondary agent of dissemination.
Dr. Pettenli ofer does not impugn Dr. Franck's hygienic
advice, but shows by authenticated facts that in many
cases they have proved useless. As for disinfectantg,
he scouts them altogether, except as having a tendency
to calm the apprehensions of those who believe in them.
In short, in his opinion, Dr. Franck's report contains
nothing calculated to protect.the city of Munich from
a new visitation. The whole question, he asserts, lies
in the constitution of the soil. The more porous the
soil and the lower the waters, the greater is the proba-
bility of invasion. If, on the contrary, the soil be im-
penetrable and the waters high, there may be a few
solitary cases of cholera, but no epidemic. Hence
drainage on an extensive scale is alone to be relied on,
as is proved in the instance of Dantzig.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-08-28

DUDLEY.

SALE OF TURNER'S HILL ESTATE.—On Monday night,
Mr. John Bateman sold the above estate—about twenty
acres—with the mines and minerals below. There was
a keen competition, aud finally, the lot became the
property of Lord Dudley, at a cost of £16,250.
INDECENT HANDBILLS.—OD arllday, at the Police
Court, George Henry Chiswell, of Birmingham, was
charged with disturbutiug Indecent handbills in the
Market Place. Police-sergeant Budge found the defend-
ant, who had about 2000, bills relating to a well-known
quack doctor residing in Birmingham. Defendant was
tin.,.d 10s. and costs, or in default fourteen days' impris-
onment.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-08-28

THE STOURBRIDGE OBSERVER.

THE MURDER OF COMMODORE

GOODENOUGH.

The following are copies of two tel,,r,ms received at the
Colonial Office, from the Governor oti.l.lew South Wales :

" August 23.

"I regret 0 have to announce the death, on 20th
inst., of Commodore Goodenough, from wounds re-
ceived at Santa Cruz. Have only just received the
sad intelligence by telegraph from Nelson's Bay, on
the coast. Her Majesty's ship Pearl, with body on
board, now coming into Sydney Harbour. Further
particulars later."

"August 23, 2 P, 31.

"No. 2.—Pearl just anchored; have learnt follow-
ing particulars from Captain Hastings. On 12th
August Commodore and party landed at Carlisle Bay,
Santa Cruz Island, to open friendly intercourse with
natives; this being place where Sandfly was attacked
last year. After being nearly an hour on shore, and
satisfied with conciliatory progress made, the party
were preparing to leave for ship, when a native standing
about four yards off fired a poisoned arrow at Com-
modore Goodenough, which struck him on the left
side. The boats at once shoved off, receiving at the
same time several flights of arrows. Seven were
wounded altogether, including Commodore and Sub.
Lieutenant Hawker. The Commodore and two of the
boat's crew have since died; the remainder are doing
well, but cannot be pronounced out of danger from
tetanus for 20 days from the date of the wound. Before
leaving Carlisle Bay, village was burnt by boats from
Pearl. Commodore's funeral takes place to-morrow
afternoon."