The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-02-14 00:00:00

Mistelianeffits fltelligenct.

HOME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL.

HER MAJESTY'S MARRIAGE. A Correspondent
writes to The Times :—" To-day, February 10. was
the 40th anniversary of the marriage of her Majesty,
which was celebrated, ac some of your older readers
may remember, in the Chapel Royal at St. James's,
by Dr. Howley, then Archbishop of Canterbury,
in the presence of the entire Court and of the chief
Ministers of State, with Lord Melbourne at their
head. The account of the ceremony, includ-
ing the arrival at the Chapel Royal and the return
to Buckingham Palace, the breakfast, the depar-
ture for Windsor by the old road through Resing-
ton, Hounslow, and Eton, the reception at Windsor,
and the illuminations both 'in London and in the
Royal borough, occupies just fourteen columns of The
Times, Out of those who took part in the procession
and ceremony few now survive, except the Duchess
of Cambridge and her three children, Lord Torring-
ton, Lord Donegall (then Lord Belfast), Lord Strafford
(then Mr. Byng), and some seven or eight out of Her
Majesty's twelve bridesmaids—Lady Adelaide Paget,
Lady Sarah Villiers, Lady Frances Cowper, Lady
Elizabeth West, Lady Mary Grunston, Lady Eleanor
Paget, Lady Caroline Lennox, Lady Elizabeth
Howard, Lady Ida Hay, Lady Catharine W. Stan-
hope, Lady Jane Bouverie, and Lady Mary C.
Howard, all of whom found husbands among the
titled or untitled members of the aristocracy in the
course of the next ten or twelve years."
SHIPMENTS OF MEAT FROM AUSTRALIA. The
Sydney Morning Herald of 22nd December, says :
"A meeting of stockowners and others has been held
In one of the buildings in the Garden Palace grounds
for the purpose of considering the eubject of e3tablish-
ing a meat market in Sydney, the conveyance of meat
from the interior by rail, and the forming of a central
export depot. There were about fifty gentlemen
present, and, after some discussion, resolutions were
adopted in favour of establishing a meat market and
affirming the desirableness of immediately taking
steps to promote the export of meat to England."

" GRANDFATHER'S CLOCK" AT CHURCH.—A Sunday
, rireuu or ours and his
little boy to morning service (says the Sporting Times).
The church being very full we were all separated, and
the boy was placed some seats in front of either of us.
We had previously heard some talk about this
child's voice. During the last hymn he was evi-
dently performing with great vigour, and exciting
much attention among those near him. We saw a
beam of paternal joy steal over our friend's face. As
we left the building the child said, "Father, what
did you sing just now?" "Sing 1 why the hymn in
the book to be sure." "I didn't. I sang ' Grand-
father's Clock' all through.?

THE ELECTRIC LIGHT.—The Electrician says :
" Messrs. Robert Napier and Sons, Glasgow, have
adopted the electric light in early morning and late
evening to the building of the new steel wail steamer,
Parisian, and the new Admiralty store ship. The
new rival of the Great Eastern now being built by the
Inman Line will be fitted up with the electric light.
The British Electric Light Company, of 41, Parlia-
ment-street, London, have fitted up the electric light
over a considerable portion of the premises of the
North Shore Flour and Rice Mills, Liverpool, and
with such satisfactory results that it is contemplated
to supply this mode of lighting through the whole
mill, in the place of gas. The clearness and efficiency
of the light, it is said, allow of the value of samples of
grain to be judged without difficulty on the darkest
day.'

SEED POTATOES FOR IBELAND.—One of the pro-
posals with respect to the Irish distress is that of
Major Nolan, who desires to enable guardians of
the poor to borrow money for the purpose of furnish.-
log seed potatoes to distressed tenants.- His Bill
would authorise the guardians of any union in Ireland,
with the consent of the Poor Law Commissioners, to
borrow money from the Commissioners of Public Works
with a view to purchasing seed potatoes. These
advances would be charged upon the poor•rates, and
the entire amount advanced to any union would not
be allowed to exceed one-fourth of the sum at which
all lands within the union are rated, No interest
would be paid by the guardians, but the principal
would be repaid within a year of the advance. The
seed potatoes purchased with these moneys the guar-
dians would sell to tenants of land within the union,
who would undertake to plant them; but no one
occupier would be able to buy more than £5-worth.
These sales would be made at cost price or under,
either en credit or not, and either with or without
security, as the guardians might think fit. The price
of the seed potatoes would be recoverable by the
guardians at petty sessions. Finally the Treasury
would be empowered to issue out of the growing pro-
duce of the Consolidated Fund half a million, if re-
quired, for the purpose of the measure. The period
named for the operation of the Bill is "a year after
the passing thereof and thence to the end of the next
Session of Parliament."

STATISTICS OF SSATlNG.—Fignres on the ice.—
Punch.

EDISON'S MIDNIGHT LUNCH.—The midnight lunch
is a striking feature of the laboratory life (says the
New York World). At twelve o'clock every night two
men an,l a dog enter the laboratory laden down with
baskets of edibles from a neighbouring caterer. The
dog, a huge Newfoundland, plays as important a part
L. th.-mrformanro .0 hie Mpod compmaions, for with
a lighted lantern hanging from his mouth he leads the
way from over the railroad track and across the fields
to the abode of the wizard. He also assists at times
by ,having strapped to his back a basket or a can con-
taining some of the lunch, The repast without the
dog to participate would be barren. He seems to
know his standing, and he is always to be found at his
post of duty. Around the lunch table gather the in'
ventor and his assistants, and as the good things dis-
appear they discuss the day's work, toll stories, and
gossip kenerally. A freer or gayer set could scarcely
be found. The jovial good nature of the chief spreads
to all, and fun and fancy reign supreme. After lunch
once more begins the work of science, and continues
until, one by one, the assistants drop off to sleep. A.
few retire to their homes; the larger number, how-
ever, follow the plan of the leader, and utilize their
benches for beds, Edison himself gives in generally
about four am., selecting some unoccupied spot,
where, with his coat for a pillow, he sleeps soundly
sometimes until ten o'clock, other times until six, for
his time of rising varies.
TOAST AND SENTIMENT FOR IRISH ABSENTEES,—
The Land we live out of.—Punch.
THE SALMON DISEASE. -- Mr. Frank Bnckland
writes to Land and Water :—" I have no better news
to give about the .salmon disease. There are eight
freli arrivals now on my dissecting table—four from
Mr. Lamb, of Lancaster Mere, Lune; a magnificent
cock fish, measuring 3ft. 41n. long, from my friend
Mr. Dunn, chief constable, Carlisle, taken out of the
river by Sergeant Nicholson; from Mr. List of Ber-
wick a big box this morning containing a bull trout,
-
a large cock salmon, 31t. 7in. long. Some of them I
sent to the dinner of the Piscatorial Society, in order
that our fishing friends may have some idea of the
terrible ravages the disease is now canning among our
stock of salmon."

ROMAN CATHOLICISM IN SCOLTAND. —A pastoral
letter by the Roman Catholic Archbishop oft Glasgow
to the clergy and laity of the diocese was read in the
churches on Sunday.—The number of baptisms la
Scotland was last year given as 14,065, and in be
diocese of Glasgow, 9,079; multiplying these by 24,
which is considered a low factor, that gives the Fom„an
Catholics of Scotland to be 309,430, and those in the
diocese of Glasgow 199,738. In Glasgow there w?ra
59 missions, 121 priests, 116 departments of mission
schools, seven middle-class schools, three industrial
schools, two reformatory schools, two orphanage
schools, • and one seminary, with 78 churches and
klnahn.22ini of February, £l7O 13s. 93, was
presented as Peter's pence; to the Some School
Committee, £192 2s. 7d.; and the Diocesan Fund had
received a* ss, 3d. £1,050 wpm collected for the
Irish distress fund,

THE ()PENH% OF THE BRIGHTON AQUARIUM ON
SUNDAYS.—The following answer has been received
to a memorial signed by 1,000 men of Bristol
and Clifton and forwarded by Colonel Newbold to
the Home Secretary, complaining of the remission
of the penalties imposed in the case of the Brighton
Aquarium : " Whitehall, February 5. Sir, I
VI directed by Mr. Secretary Cross to acknow-
ledge the receipt of the memorial signed by your.
self and other inhabitants of Bristol and Clifton,
relative to the remission of the penalty imposed upon
the directors of the Brighton Aquarium for a breach
of the Statute 21 George 111., c. 49, and I am to in-
form you that the Secretary of State is quite as much
opposed to Sunday labour and Sunday trading as the
melicorialists. The case itself was very peculiar, and
is certainly not one of general application.—l am, Sir,
your obedient servant, GODFREY LUSHINGTON."

SPELLING REFORM.—The custom of simplifying the
spelling of words is growing hi popularity with the
newspapers, and through the power of the press the
people will probably be induced to adopt the reform
before long (says a Washington paper). The Chicago
- seems disposed to keep in the lead in this re-
as it has determined to simplify the spelling of
all words. It drops the silent letters in all cases,
and spells quartette, give, granite, etc., "quartet,"
" giv," " granit," etc. The letter "f" is substituted
for " ph,' as "fantom " for phantom; the unnecessary
double letter is dropped, as " wil" and " shal " for
will and shall. It dispenses with " ough " in the words
tough, cough, eta,, and spells them' tuf," " cof," and
BO on, The Tribune says that by this system of spell-
ing it saves one per cent, in space. If this "reform "
continues a new edition of Webstees Dictionary will
have to be issued before long, as the changes will
render the present edition old-fashioned.
THE AMERICAN AND CANADIAN FOOD SUPPLY.—
The imports of fresh meat and live cattle from
Canada and the United States during the past week
showed an increase over the returns of the previous
weeks, Eight steamers arrived at Liverpool from
various ports, having on board a total number of 1,901
head of cattle, 201 sheep, and 158 pigs. Ten steamers
arrived bringing fresh sweat, the totals being-12,487
qrs. of beef, 2,226 carcases of mutton, and 409 dead
pigs.
To SPECTACLE WEARERS.—There is a rumour of
good news for spectacle wearers from the United
States, where a Dr. Cheatham has announced that
the use of sulphate of eresine will remedy that flat-
tening of the cornea which necessitates the employ-
ment of glases. This drug posseses the property of
acting on the ciliary muscle in such a way that it
counteracts the flattening due to old age; and Dr.
Cheatham asserts that, from his experience, the
remedy is perfectly safe, and is a complete cure for
the long-sightedness of advancing years.
A "DEFENCE TAX" FOR PRUSSIA. —The Berlin
papers announce that Prince Bismarck intends to
introduce during the current session of the Reichstag,
a measure to be called the "Defence Tax," with the
produce of which, should the Parliament think fit to
sanction its enforcement, he proposes to meet the
extra expenses about to be incurred by the German
nation for the increase of its army. The tax in ques-
tion is to be imposed upon all male adults exempted
from military service on accounkof physical infirmities
or other disabilities recognized as valid by the compe-
tent authorities, Upon each such person, many
thousands of whom are annually rejected by the
Military District Commissions, it is proposed to
levy a special rate of four marks per annum on every
thousand marks of his income for the twelve years'
actual service in the standing army, reserve, and
landwahr, to which every German youth becomes
liable upon his twenty-first birth•day.
A CONNECTICUT EPITAPH.—The following touching
epitaph from a Connecticut tombstone will strike a
responsive chord in the breast of not a few em-
barrassed landowners at home In these depressed
times (says the Echo) :
Shed not the tear for Simon Ruggle,
For life to him was a constant struggle ;
He preferred the tomb and death's dark gate
To managing mortgaged real estate.

irrittle
M.

Ha MAJESTY'S STAGHOUNDS.—The Queen's Buck-
hounds met a large field on Tuesday, at Datchet
Windmill, about two miles from Windsor, Lord Cork
and Orrery, the former master of the pack, being
among the company. The weather was warm and
bright, but the ground after the late rain was rotten,
checking the pace of the hunters. "Sir Robert" and
"Defiance " were the deer chosen for the day's sport.
The former was turned out at Mr. Pallin's farm, in the
Horton district, The chase led away for Ditton-
park, the seat of the Duke of Baccleuch, the deer
turning thence to the left, crossing the highway and
making for the South-Western Railway, close to
Datchet Station. "Sir Robert' ran along the line
towards Wraysbury for aboet 50 yards, and then,
leaping the hedge made for the Thames, which it
crossed to Old `Windsor, and was finally left in the
Long Walk, Windsor Great Park. Frank Goodall,
Her Majesty's huntsman, with the pack and field,
after an unsuccessful run of about an horn, rode back
through Windsor to the Langley Broom country, when
the second deer was set at liberty.
ON THE EvE OF Sr. VALENTINE.—Squire (who
will have his joke). I hear they're getting up a sub-
scription for poor old Walker Chalks, the postman.
He's almost past his work.—Dear Girls (both together).
Poor, dear old man. lam sure he deserves a pension.
—Squire. That he does. He's ill in bed to-day with
acute rheumatism; and so to-morrow I suppose we
must do without our letters the best way we can.
Can't expect him to come out, you know, this awful
weather.—Dear Girls (under their breath), Bother his
rheumatism! The old stupid I—Judy.
SAVOURY FOWL.—For this dish an old fowl is as
good as, if not better than, a young one. Stew it
gently in a small quantity of water till it is so tender
the bones will slip away. Then bone your fowl and
put the pieces together as nearly as possible in shape
again. The liquor in which the fowl was stewed
ought to be good strong stock, but if not sufficiently
firm add a little gelatine or isinglass—the latter if for
an invalid. Stir in a little salt and white pepper to
tasts, and half a nutmeg grated. Boil some eggs hard
and slice them, and chop up some parsley. Take
your mould or a deep pie-dish, pour in a little stock,
and let it begin to set: then lay on it some of your
slices of egg and sprinkle some of the parsley. Lay
on them the fowl as already prepared. Then round
the sides of the mould or dish place the remaining
slices of egg and sprinkle more parsley. Fill up with
stock and bake for half-an-hour in a moderately cool
oven. When quite oold turn out. Some think a
slight flavouring of lemon greatly improves this dish.
—" Tooticruntbs" in Land and Water.

CO-ORZRATIVA EMIGRATION. - The Guild of Co-
operators held a meeting at Exeter Hall, London, on
Saturday, for the purpose of hearing an address from
Mr. Holyoske on the result of his inquiries in America
respecting co-operative emigration. At the close of
his addreas a resolution was passed to the effect that a
great service would be rendered to intending emigrants
from this country by the establishment of an organisa-
tion which should collect thoroughly reliable informa-
tion regarding localities for settlement, promote the
success of well-devised plans for emigration and settle-
ment by groups of persons, advance capital under
proper guarantees, and act in correspondence with re-
liable organisations in America. A provisional com-
mittee was formed to give effect to the resolution.

BE FOGGED.—PoIIto Old Gentleman (in the fog) :
“pray, sir, can you kindly tell we if I'm going right
for London.bridge ?"—Shadowy Stranger: "Lum
Beget'? Goo' joke! 'Nother mas 'shame eh tate's my.
shelf l I wall% t' fin' Dim Bri'gsh, too! Ta' my
arm---P [Old Gent hurries off 11—Punch.
AVERAGE PRICES OF BRITISH COB/C—The follow.
ing are the average prices of British corn for the week
ending Feb. 7, as received from th 3 inspectors and
officers of Ercise :—Wheat, 448.2 d. ; barley, 36. 10d. ;
oats, 21s. 3d. per imperial qr. Corresponding week
last year ;—Wheat, 38s. id.; barley, 331. 7d.; oats,
20s. Od.

THE RAILWAYS OF THE METROPOLIS.—The Railway
News says :—" There are no less than 260 miles of
railway in operation within the area of the metropolis
—that is to say, within a radius of only six or seven
miles from Charing-cross. Allowing for double lines,
and for those with three, four, and even five tracks
or separate sets of metals, and without including
sidings, bays at stations, &c., there are not less than
750 miles, and, therefore, more than sufficient to form
a single line of railway from London to Thurso, which
is the Ultima Thule of the system."
THE MAIN CHANGE—AND WHY NOT? Fancy
Stationerestes Daughter. Oh, ma! What a sweet
Valentine he has sent me! Wherever shall I keep
it ?—Ma. Keep it? Nonsense! Putt it in the
winder !—Judy.
ZULU PRINCESSES AT THE WESTMINSTER AQUARIUM.
Mr. Farini has added to his troupe of Zulu men at the
Royal Aquarium three young women who are de-
scribed as being Cetewayo's daughters. This descrip.
tion, however, is not literally true of two, who
appears to be the daughters of Zulu chiefs, and to
have became the daughters of the King by a curious
custom of adoption lately prevailing in Zululand
(remarks the Daily News). One of the three dusky
ladies, however, claims Cetewayo for her father, and
wears her hair somewhat longer than that of her
companions, in evidence of her Royal descent. The
names which they bear are musical, and express
qualities or relate to some incident, after the feeblen
of the old Hebrew names. Thus of the three
names—Unolala, Unomadlozs, and Unozendaba—one
refers to the owner's mother having passed through
some trial or suffering, and another means that its
bearer is as sweet as honey. The ladies, who are
their lighter-
decently attired, and who share with the
coloured and more civilised sieters a taste for personal
adornment, spend much of their time eeated on a
divan, but they come down from owe to tune to wel-
n
come their visitors, shaking bands with friendliness,
and addressing to eltch a Zai sa
manners are gentle and prepossessilntation. Their
ng, and their
eirseLVlne members ef the
.
demeanour is in marked contrast with that of the
addresses them in
made alight
exuberantly gay and noisy
troupe. The Zulus are qt
and '11143117f, Mr. Behrens, who
brought them to Enegiley
their own langutsge. seem to have
to use English words
progress in Parning NIT
THE LAST or TFO3 ILD HUNTSMEN."—The Daily
ng as a Surgeon in that city
nA. old gentleman died the other day
Telegraph says •
'f:;typeraarca,tiswho is believed to have been
in Vienna,
for nearly 00
the last so f
aivor o the celebrated "Wild Hunts-
, innnnenrn ce.—n'"rai;ee d
enats a Free Corps by Von Liitzew at the
of the great national German move-
me wnt
oat resulted in the War of Emancipation. Dr.
er, born at Hanover in the year 1797 of
hituill VlaeYparents, was little more than a child when
be joined the Liitzow Jager; bat bore a distinguished
part in all their exploits, and fought desperately in
several actions side by side with the peet.hero, Korner.
When the Free Corps was broken up, young Rite.
mayer volunteered into the 27th Prussian infantry
regiment, then newly formed. He behaved with ex-
traordinary gallantry at Waterloo where his regiment
was heavily engaged at a late hatir of the afternoon;
and, obtaining his discharge soon after peace was
signed, entered himself on the Medical Faculty at
Geettingen, where he became the intimake friend and
Dutzbruder of Heinrich Heine. Subsequently he was
appointed Body-Surgeon to the victor of Aepern,
Archduke Charles, and afterwards to his sons, Arch-
dukes Albrecht and Wilhelm. Only a week before
Dr. Rittmayer's death he was run over by a carriage
while performing his daily round of professional visits,
and he tranquilly expired last Thursday, full of year.
and honour.,

INCONVENIENCE OF THE TIHE-GIIN.—The recently
established time-gun at Chatham has its drawbacks se
well as its advantages. It would seem that on SO
days it is a great annoyance to the ministers in tbe
various churches and chapels, for immediately the gssi
is fired there is a simultaneous taking out of watch
by the congregations to see they are correct, thus is'
terrupting the preachers, who are about to ask the
authorities that Sanday firing be disoontinned.
To LADIES —lf you don't happen to remember
name of your dressmaker, speak of her as Miss
and-sew.—Funny Folks.
NOVEL WINDOW DECORATION.—Nothing sets off
well the appearance of a cottage or a mansion as
choice assortment of vegets.ble life. Be it
huge elms, weeping willow, copper beach, or
cypresses and hoary pines, they one and all exercise
special influence over the dwelling; and in a less
degree the woodbine and rose over the porch of tb
cottager give an indescribable claim to the peasao
dwelling. The Scientific American thus describes
very simple way of having verdure round the windoit
—Many persons know it, but some do not, that
pretty and easily•grown window plant may be obtain'
by soaking a round piece of coarse sponge in wai
water until it is thoroughly expanded. After Neez.
it about half dry, place in the openings millet,
clover, and barley, grass seeds, rice, and oats.
the sponge in a window where the sun shines a part
the day, and sprinkle it lightly with water every m.
ing for a week. Soon tender leaves will shoot out,
growing rapidly, will form a drooping mass of liN
green. If regularly sprinkled, it will later be dotl
with the blossoms of the clover.
THE LONDON COAL SUPPLY.—The official
merit of the import of coals into London shows
daring January there were brought in by 525 vv
384,710 tonsil and by railway and canal 575,905
The coals brought into the metropolitan district
sea show an increase of 48,214 tons over the quanl
for the corresponding month of last year, and
supply of railway-borne coal is increased also
29,175 tons. Out of the quantities brought into
distriot, 214,045 tons were exported again to oi
places; but after allowing for the difference betv
this quantity and that for January last year, the
consumption of coal in the metropolis seems to ha,
been 78,061 tons more than in the corresponding

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AN EXCITING CONTEST.—A contest of an excit
character has recently taken place in California.
man named Alfred Ross backed himself against
grizzly for 3,000 dollars. Thousands of people
bled to witness the fight, a dollar a piece being
for admission. Gilds were freely laid on the ,
The description of what ensued is quite roman,
Wrapping a shawl around his arm till it was swath'
to the shoulder, Roes went into the crowd and asked
young and pretty girl to tie it for him. She gladly
so, using her own handsome scarf for the pur
Ross, in return, took a diamond ring from his finl
and, "bowing with exquisite gallantry," present
to his far patroness. Kissing his hand to her,
bold Ross drew his bowie, a terrible weapon, weig)
four pounds and a half, and sharp as a razor, tigh'
his belt, and leaped into the arena. A muffled _