The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-01-11 00:00:00

PASSING EVENTS, RUMOURS, &c. '

'lke seven persons in custody on charge of wilful murder
and treason-felony in respect to the explosion at Clerkenwell
House of Detention, underwent another examination at Bow-
street police-curt on Monday. The new evidence taken at
the Inquest on Friday was repeated. A witness named
Young swore positively to Timothy Desmond as the man who
aasieted, and believes William Desmond b, be the man who
actually tired the barreL Ono of the lays, named Abbott,
aged thirteen, who waa close by, speaks positively to the
Identity of Witham Desmond with the limn who tired the
barreL fhe prisoners were again remanded.

Dr. Chadwick, of Bolton, has offered to give £lO,OOO for
the erection of working.men's model dwellings in different .
parts of the borough, to stimulate the erection of a better
chum of houses. Ile proposes that the dwellings thus erected ,
shall be rented at five per cent. of their cost, and the pro-
ceeds form part of a separate charity. In addition to the
above he offers to erect an orphanage, to the maintenance of
which the rents of the model dwellings are to be devoted.
Ike charity will be for girls in the first instance, but, if the
funds are found to be sufficient, boys will also be admitted.
The offer has been accepted.

The Archbishop of Algiers has addressed a letter to the
French papers. dated Paris, January 1, soliciting the aid of
charity for the "famine" in Algeria. The word famine is,
he says, the only one which sufficiently describes the situa-
tion. Insurrections, earthquakes, locusts, drought, and
cholera have reduced Algeria to a state of misery which
passes all imagination. lie calculatcsAt 100,000 the number
of Arabs who have died of cholera luring the slimmer, or of
starvation since. The number of widows, orphans, and old
people left utterly destitute may therefore be conceivtAL
Before appealing to the public the archbishop has, he says,
given away ball" that he possessed himself, lie is now on
his way back to Algiers, and will gladly receive subscriptions
at the archbishopric there.

At present a newspaper in France has the alternative of
publishing either the otlicial abstract of the debates in the
Legislative Body, or the full report as given in the Moniteur,
but it is prohibited from snaking any abstract of its own, or
giving one part of a debate without the rest. B. Emile
011ivier and some of the Liberals are going to make an effort
to get a clause inserted In the new Press Bill to the effect
that if a journal inserts the official report of a debate, it
Shall be free to cite in part, to analyze, to criticise, and to
discuss the speeches and the incidents of that sitting, with-
out such analysis, criticism, or discussion being considered
as an interdicted repork

Though the Moniteur remains mute respecting the Em-
peror's replies to the Presidents of the two Chambers New
Year's congratulations, the semi-official Constitntionurt pre-
tends to know all that passed on the occasion, and denies
that the Emperor made any allusion to the Army Reorgani-
gallon Bill ; and adds that more cordial congratulations •
were never exchanged on the occasion of the New Year
between the Emperor and the other Sovereign. of Europe,
and that the King of Italy addressed a most friendly dis-
patch to the Emperor.

The Rev. Mr. O'Callaghan, • Roman Catholic priest
attaehed to the chapel in Duke-street, Linenln'ainn.flebis,
Loudon, preached a sermon on Christmas Day warning his
oongregation against Fenianisrn, and denouncing the
Clerkenwell mprage Since then the reverend gentleman
has received several letters threatening his life if he repeats
"the (Renee," and warning him that, if he does not wish to
have lus chapel and house burnt, he had better keep silence
for the future on the subject of Fenianism.

Encouraged by the success of previous depredations, the
Cork Femans have perpetrated another daring robbery. On
Friday night the magazine oi Mr. 310rray, who is agent for
Curtis and Marvel', gunpowder manufacturers, situated a
short distance outside the city, was broken into, and the
entire stock, 10 cwt. of blasting powder, was stolen. Several
persons must have participated in the robbery and removal
of the powder, for the store was strongly secured, and three
doors, One of iron, one of wood, and one of copper, had to
be forced open. Besides these, several bolts had to be
wrenched or broken before the contents of the magazine
could be come at.

The tufted States Congress is already acting upon the
President's suggestion, and the liabilities of naturalized
citizens remit seen become the subject of serious negotiatio.r.
tin the linh of last month there was a debate in the Senate
upon a petition soliciting protection in general terns for
Anierican citizens domiciled abroad. The immediate occa-
sion id this petition appears to have been the revival of an
old dispute with Prussia respecting the alleged claims of that
Power to the military service of Prussians naturalized in
America, but actually residing in the country if their birth.
The debate, however, inevitably expanded Into a discussion
of the still larger question opened by the Fenian prosecu-
tions in Ireland. Senator Comm's, who spoke in a very
hostile spirit towards England, stated that American citizens
had been convicted in our courts not only for acts done, but
for words uttered in America and Mr. Reverdy Johnson
expressed great indignation at the refusal of a jury de
medietate to natural born British subjects afterwards natara-
bred in America.

At the Central Criminal Court, in London, on Monday
morning, Sir Eardley Gideon Culling Earilley was placed at
the bar to take Ins trial for feloniously contracting marriage
at the district church of St. I .eorge, Hanover-square. London,
after having been married in New York In the United States
of America. Mr. 3lontagu Williams made an application to
postpone the trial on the ground that inquiries were being
Instituted in the city of New York with a view to ascertain
the state of the law of the United states at the time the first
marriage was contracted, and sufficient time hail not been
afforded to obtain the necessary information upon the sub-
ject. Mr. Gilfard, Q.O , who was specially ri tained to con-
duct the prosecution, opposed the application on the ground
that postponements of this kind generally led to a defeat of
justice. The Recorder said that was not likeiy to occur in
the present case, as the prisoner was in custody, ant he con-
sidered that, under the circumstances, the trial ought to he
postponed to the next erasion.

The American correspondent of The Times says that Con-
gress shows a disposition to revive the former disputes with
Great Britain about the occupation of the istand of San Juan.
In the Senate, on December IS, a resolution was adopted
calling upon the President for all the information in his pos-
session relative to the joint occupation of San Juan by the
two countries. During the debate to which the resolution
gave rise, Senator Howard, Republican, of Michigan, sail he
considered thatsrreat Britain had no right to occupy the island,
as it lay within the limits of the United States, Ile thought
the joint occupation should be terminated as soon as possible,
and the question decided as to which country owned the
Island. Mr. Corbett, Republican, of Oregon, spoke in a similar
strain, and Mr Sumner said he had perused the documents
and thought they ought to be communicated to the public
With regard to the dispute, he mid it would be remembered
that before the late civil war ttoi question was about being
submitted to arbitration, Switzerland being the arbiter chosen
on the part of the United States, but the war terminated the
. matter. He wanted the question speedily settled by arbitra-
tion or negotiation.

A meeting of the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce was
held on Monday, for the discussion of the question of
technical education. Mr. Dixon, M.P., presided, end the
attendance of Mr. Samuel..., MP. was also expected, hut
that gentleman was unable to be present, owing to illness.
Mr. Mundella, president of the Nottingham Chamber of
Commerce, spoke on the state of technical education on the
Continent, and expressed his conviction that, whilst France
was a formidable competitor of England, she was less so
than Germany, the advance made by the empire in primary
education, without which it was impossible that all the
benefits to be derived from technical Instruction could to
obtained, not having been so marked as was seen in
Germany.

The trade reports of the year given in Monday's Times are
as gloomy as' the Weather. Everywhere business seems to
have hen depressed and restricted. In the cotton trade
both spinners and manufacturers are complaining; "a man
never bought cotton and turned it into yarn or cloth without
finning by the time he had in omait it to market it had fallen
ld to 2d. per lb." Nor have the fortunes of silk been more
proptious—"lB67 has been along dreary twelvemonth of dull,
dragging, disappointing IHISiIIESS to be engaged in silk." As
for wool, there "is no ground for congratulation." The con-
dition of the metal trade may be gathered from the fact that
a sanguine liens, has nothing better to say than that their
business does not improve, at any rate it cannot possibly
be w. Toe than it has been during the last two years. Even
where trade has liven profitable there are circumstances
whi h tend to modify our satisfaction at this result. The
corn trade is described as successful, lost along with this we
must put the fact that "wheat ins 3 per cent deficient in
weight, 20 per pent, deficient in quantity, equal to fully
300,000 quarters on an average growth." And though "the
shipping interest has been more prosperous than for some
time previously," it is questionable whether this is a na-
tional gain when we find it attribted to the Abyssinian ex-
pedition.

The annual soiree of the Sunday League was held on
Monday night at the Freemasons' Tavern, in L..ndon. In the
absence of sir John Roaring, who was miffering from indis-
position, Mr. Baxter Langley presided. 'the visitors, to the
number of 600, assembled in the tea-room, and at eight
o'clock the chair was taken and addresses were delivered.
The first address was by Dr. Charles Mackay, who declared
it as his opinion that Sabbatarianism had an exceedingly
narrowing and otherwise prejudicial effect on the ethic ition
of the English people. NI, Peter Graham, who followed,
pointed out that complaints were coming from all quarters
of the absence of an art taste amongst the people of England,
and this deficiency had resulted in our being outstripped in
many departments of manufacture by continental artisans.
Be attributed this lamentable absence of a refining taste for
Sri amongst the people in DO small degree to the prevailing
spirit of Salibatarianism, which on the day of rest confined
So many persons within stone walls, preventing them from
learning from nature the true principlea of art. Mr M. D.
Conway followed, and devoted his address to pointing out
the social and religious superstitions fostered by Saboata-
rianism.

Professor Bagley delivered the "inaugural address" on
Saturday at the opening of a working men's college i,, South
London, which has been formed On the model of the institu-
tion in Great Orrnond.street, originated by Mr. Maurice.
The topic of the address was education, and the learned
professor spoke in anything but respectful terms of the
popular theories on the subject. Ile believed that we should
have compulsory ediVation in no time," if only half-a.doen
statesmen could agree auto what education 4.tuht to he Ile
considered the electoral franchise was of about as much use
to a working mail, educated as working men are, as a
chignon. There was no reason why in gond times he should
not sell his vote for a pot of beer. "in had times, on the
contrary, he applies his simple theory of government, and
believes that his rulers are the cause of his sufferings—a be-
lief which s anetiroes hears remarkable practical fruits."

When the regimenta last ordered to Ireland shall have
arrived there, the total number of the troops in that
country will hardly fall short of the figure attained in March
last year, when the Fenian outbreak required the sudden
reinforcement of the garrisons in the south and west. It
consists of six regiments of cavalry—the Ist, 2nd, and 6th
Dragoon Guards, the 9th and 12th Lancers, sad the 10th
Ilussars ; the 9th and part of the 13th brigades of the Royal
Artillery; the 13th, 20th, and 2,lth companies of the Royal
Engineers : five troope of the Military Train ; battalions of
the Coldstream Guards, the 2nd Queen's Regiment, the 3rd
hells, thal7th and the 21st Fusiliers; together with the 2,th,
39th, 59th, 62nd, 63rd, 65th, 671,h, 52nd; 71st, 74th, and 02nd
Highlanders ; Bth, 81st, and 89th Regiments. The rapidity
With which a latge 'Mee was concentrated on Cork during
the last few days allows also how cormiletely prepared the
Military authorities in Ireland are for any emergency.

two statnte., the one in 1815 and the other in 1819,
regulating the sale of bread in the metropolis, and
cottage bread was then known as fancy bread. From
that time down to the present the practice has spread
rapidly, until now, as one of the witnesses admitted on
cross-exatnination, out of seven sacks of thair that he
consumed per week, one-half was made up into house-
hold-shaped loaves, and the other into cottage loaves.
That witness admitted that his cottage loaf, commonly
understood as the half.quartern, only weighed one
pound and three quarters. It was attempted to be es-
tablished that the loss in weight on cottage bread was
only an equivalent compensation to the baker for the
extra labour and time required in making it, and for
the extra space required in the oven to bake it.
For the appellant it was contended that if this was
fancy bread at the time of .the passing of the statutes
tith and 7th William IV., the case WWI within the ex-
ception in the fourth section, and cottage bread need
not be sold by weight. It was conceded that the sale
of cottage bread was now much more common than it
was when the Act passed.
In reply it was urged that bakers could not evade
the obligation of the Act to sell bread by weight by
merely calling the cottage-shaped loaf fancy bread,
and that the Act intentionally omitted to enact that a
loaf of bread should he of any particular shape, in'
order to prevent bakers from evading its provisions by
alterations in such shape.
The magistrates retired to consider their decision.
The Chairman,, on their return into court, said that
the Bench was unanimously of opinion that the
appellant did sell a loaf of bread otherwise than by
weight, the same not being usually bold now under the
denomination of fancy bread, and confirmed the con-
viction, with costs.

After some discussion, it was agreed that a came
should be granted for the opinion of the Court of
Queen's Bench as to whether, cottage bread being con-
sidered fancy bread at the passing of the statute,
although not now so denominated, the order of the
Court affirming the conviction should stand.