The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-04-24 00:00:00

. Her Majesty has been graciously pleased to confer
the distinction of Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honour-
able Order of the Bath on the Right Hon. Richard Assheton
Cross, M.P.

The British Museum will lend its Flemish tapes-
tries for the great National Exhibition at Brussels. The
King of Spain will do likewise.

The hands employed in the Great Western Cotton
Works at Bristol have just been granted an advance of five
per cent.
A stalactite cave, with prehistoric animal remains,
has been discovered near Mehadia, on the Roumano-Hun-
garian frontier.

No less than 52,222 emigrants have landed in New
York since January, against 15,716 during the same time last
year.

A statute of Beethoven is to be unveiled at Vienna
on the Ist of May.
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On Saturday last the Provincial Assembly of
Eastern Roumelia voted the Budget, in which the revenue is
set down at 73,738,876 piastres, and the expenditure at
72,865,346.
rg.
Telegrams from Cyprus report that the cattle disease
is nearly stamped out, but energetic measures for the pre-
vention of a further outbreak continue to be taken.

•
The Berlin Volks:citung cautions the public press.of
Germany against the attempts now being made to inflame it
once more against Russia, and counsels its contemporaries
to desist from the attacks upon the neighbouring country,
which are now being renewed, as being little calculated to
further interests at home.
The famous orange tree at Cassel, which was riddled
with bullets by the Cossacks on September 30, 1813, has at
last died. The Hessische Morgenzeitung writes that even
last year the-tree bore new leaves and full blossoms.

The American Senate has passed the Bill for cele-
brating the 100th anniversary of the Treaty of Peace that
closed the Revolutionary War by an international exhibition
at New York in 188.3. The Bill provides that not less than
1,000,000 dols. shall be subscribed, and that the exhibition
shall be in charge of a commission headed by Hugh J. Jewitt
and Edwin D. Morgan.
The Rev. Ralph Stott, who was born in Yorkshire
in 1801, died in .f.N atal in March. He entered the ranks of
the Wesleyan ministry as long ago as 1828, and was shortly
afterwards sent as a missionary to-Ceylon, and was soon able
to preach in Tamil. In 1862 he began mission work among.
the Coolies in Natal, and though above sixty years old, learnt
Hindustani and preached in that tongue. He knew, more or
less, Ilfteewlanguages.—Tinta Obituary.

The obelisk ordered by her Maiesty to be erected at
the spot where the Prinoe Imperial fall has been put in
position by Major Stabb and a small party of Royal En-
gineers, who proceeded on this duty from Maritzburg.

The Fall Mall Gazette of Monday says :—" The dis-
crepancy in the accounts published of Lord Beaconsfield's
health and appearance at Windsor yesterday is rather
amusing. Perhaps political opinions influence the judgment
even on a matter of this kind. At any rate, whereas to the
correspondent of the Standard the Premier 'looked remark-
ably well,' to him of the Daily News 'the Premier seemed
far from well and somewhat weak, Mr. Montagu Corry assist-
ing his lordship while walking through the north aisle to his
seat in the'choir."

The nine hundredth anniveriary of its constitution
as a Free City is to be kept by the town of Steyer, in Upper
Austria next August. Steyer originally gave its name to the
province of Steinmark, the modern Styria, and is the birth-
place of the popular bard, Hans of Ofterdingen, to whom is
attributed the authorship of the Nibelungen
A recent number of the Estates Gazette contained
161 farms to let. In the corresponding week ten years back
(Bth April, 1870) only 27 farms to let were given. This is but
one of many signs of the present very serious state of agri-
culture.

In a letter addressed to the niener Allgemeinx
zeitung, Mr. Gladstone says: "I hope that a sound policy,
and one favourable to the liberty "of the neighbouring States,
will prevail in Austria, and in that ease I foresee nothing
but friendly relations between Austria and the English
Liberals."

At the Church of the Holy Nativity, in the southern
suburbs of Bristol, while the Rev. It. J. Ives was pronouncing
the benediction, on Sunday evening, an alabaster figure of an
angel, weighing more than Icwt., placed at the top of the
" baldacchino," which overarches the altar, fell at the feet
of the reverend gentleman, who had a narrow escape. The
valuable piece of statuary was smashed to fragments, and
carried with it one of the altar candlesticks.

Last Saturday afternoon the Dean of Westminster
received and conducted through the Abbey a select party of
about seventy of the men employed in the printing works of
Messrs. Cassell, Petter, Galpin, and Co. After poipting out
to them the principal objects of interest, and briefly indicat-
in their historical associations, the Dean provided them
with an abundant tea, served in the_Jerusalem Chamber.' lie
referred to the connexion of Caxton's name to the Abbey,
and stated that the printing-press was not erected within the
walls of the Abbey itself, as is sometimes supposed, but
within the bounds of the adjoining Almonry. Warm thanks
were offered to the Dean for his kindness.

An important discovery has been made at the Tay
Bridge. The train, as is known, was encased in the fourth
girder. It was a theory that the disaster occurred owing to
the hinder part being blown against the bridge by the force
of the wind. It was accordingly expected that if this were
correct the east aide of this girder would be found scratched
by the.carriages having grazed it. On Monday' a portion of
the fourth girder was brought ashore, and inside the lattice
diagonals there are unmistakable black rubbed lines. Photo-
graphs were taken, and would be 'despatched to London for
the information of the court of inquiry.

It has been arranged that Mr: Herbert Gladstone
shall address a mass meeting of the Liberal electors of Leeds
on the Ist of May. During his visit to Leeds a banquet will
be given to Mr. Edward Barnes, at which Mr. W. E. Glad-
stone is expected to be present. It is also probable that the
right hon. gentleman will address one of his son's meetings
A meeting of the Irish National Land League was
held on Tuesday, when it was announced that up to the pre-
sent a total suns of £4G,24 has been received by the League
for the relief of Irish distress, and a total sum of 48,949 for
political purposes.

A model fireplace, with fender, fire-irons, &c., com-
plete, has just been presented to the Natal Society's Museum
by Mr. J. C. Wilson. The model, a perfect work of art, is
entirely made from bullets fired at the British troops by the
Zulus at Ulundi, and was constructed by. a 60th Rifleman,
who was present at that battle.

During the past week no fewer than 13 large
steamships left the Mersey for North American ports with a
large number of passengers and considerable general car-
goes. Most of the steamers were bound for the United
States. It is believed to be unprecedented that so large a
number of Atlantic steamers should leave Liverpool at this
season.

More than three hundred Roman Catholic soldiers
of the Guards have joined a Club established recently for
their use, in London, under the direction of Major-General
Patterson, Viscount Gormanstown, Colonel Fraser, and the
Rev. Sebastian Bowden, of the Oratory, formerly a Captain
in the Scots Guards. A well-stocked library has been pro-
vided for the Club.

. Even Germans are now beginning to speak out
about the neglect of domestic legislation in their country.
Several Liberal papers there have been commenting upon it
in connection with Prince Bismarck's frequent resignations.
They admit the Prince's ability, and they allow his indis-
pensability to Germany ; but they suggest that he should be
relieved of all concern about domestic matters, and left free
to devote his great energy and mental capacity to foreign
affairs. These, they say, he is perfectly competent to grasp
and to look after; but, immersed in these, it is, they argue,
impossible that he can give that minute attention to details
necessary to keeping a proper and useful control over
domestic legislation.
-

The Paris Correspondent of The Times says that five
persons at Stuttgart are expected tocome into possession of
an inheritance of 10,000,000 dols. in America, left by their
great-great-uncle, named Springer, who emigrated to New
York 150 years ago and died wilhout heirs. His property,
Including a considerable tract in the City of New York, has
been many years in the hands of the State, pending the ap-
pearence of claimants.

Jean Jacques Rousseau's first home in Paris is still
in existence. It is an old house il_the Rues des Gordiers in
the heart of the Quartier Latin: 711 d is inhabited by wosk-
men and poor -residents. Rousseau in his "Confessions,"
speaks of the house which was then the Hotel St. Quentin,
and in later years George Sand lived there, and there wrote
her "Indiana."

An interesting journal, "The Art Autograph," is
to be specially published at New York on behalf of the Irish
Famine Fund. It will be illustrated by the most noted
Transatlantii artists, original contributions will be furnished
by well-known writers, and statesmen will send their auto-
graphs, while clerical and journalistic celebrities will till up
the remaining space. Twenty thousand copies will be first
brought out at is. apiece, then, following the plan of the
Autograph's evident model, "Paria-Murci4," there will be
two editions at 4s. and £1 per copy.
In . answer to a letter, inquiring whether, in his
opinion, the unveiling of existing abuses was advisable. In
this momentous period of the country's history, Mr. Glad-
stone recently wrote:—" Dear Sir,—ln a hasty reply to your
letter, and without conveying any opinion upon particular
measures, I can answer your query by saying that, in my
opinion, the function you describe has of late years been un-
duly in abeyance; that to this abeyance is due in part the
great decline in the spirit of practical reform, and that the
active and careful prosecution of such work is much to be
desired.—Your faithful servant, W. E. GrLADSTONE.—ApriI 17,
1880."

D. Diplock, Coroner for West Middlesex, has held
an inquest at Fulham, on the body of Percy Adam Cornfield,
a child four years of age. The eridence showod that the de-
ceased•was eating an orange, when a portion lodged in his
throat, 'causing immediate suffocation. Dr. Richard Reed
said he had made a post-mortem examination. He found a
large piece of the orange firmly wedged in the windpipe,
which must have caused immediate death. The jury re-
turned a verdict of "Accidental death from awallong a
piece of orange."

A critic thus sums up the varieties of styles adopted
by dancers :—One man waltzes with his head in the air, and
much the expression worn by a dog when he is howling at
the sound of music. Another has a bend in the middle,
which looks as uncomfortable as it is ungraceful. One genu-
flects at every then, and slides out one of his feet as if to trip
*up rival dancers. An even more dangerous performer works
his-left hand up and down as if it were a pump handle. A
tall man with a top-heavy kind of stoop leans over his partner
like a great hen taking a chicken under her wings. One man
holds his partner as if he were afraid she would, slip from his
grasp, while another looks as if he wished he were rid of his
bargain. It is as the ball-room becomes gradually empty
that the most furious dancing begins; and when only three
or four couples are left, their movements more resemble
gymnastic or acrobatic feats than dances.
"It was said when the dissolution of Parliament was
announced that Lord Beaconsfield had asked the country to
sign a cheque in blank on the future, leaving him to fill up
its amount. Whatever may be the truth of this statement as
regards Lord Beaconsfield, it is certainly true that the con-
stituencies have elected in favour of the Liberal Opposition
without any definite pledges from them on subjects of
domestic interest. They have received the blank cheque
asked for by Lord Beaconsfield. .The Government of the
future Is committed to nothing, except, perhaps Mr.
os..borne Morgan's Burials Bill, and no one except Mr.
Osborne Morgan supposes that this roused the country from
end to end."—Leader in The Times.

An item of information revealed in the returns of
the Registrar 9f births and deaths for the past year, which
ou,ght to prove most welcome to many unmarried ladies. It
is often remarked as a truism at the expense of the fair sex
that it is three times easier for a man to find a wife than for
a woman to find a husband, and this for the simple reason
that in the British Isles the women preponderate over the
naelf at the rate of three to one. But there appears to be a
chance of this state of things being materially altered, for we
find by the returns mentioned that during the year 1879, the
number of boys born was 442,289, while the girls only
numbered 433,577, In the death rate a corresponding
change in favour of the ladies is observable, the number of
females who died exceeding the men by some thirty thou-
sand. If this state of things be continued for a few years
longer, the disproportion which now grieves the hearts of
nunlerous marriageable, but unmarried ladies will have ceased
to exist.—Court Journal.

On Tuesday her Majesty held a Privy Council at
Windsor Castle. The Ministers attending the Council tra-
velled from London by special train on the Great Western
Railway, leaving Paddington at noon, and as the attendance
Of the Ministers at Windsor was supposed to be connected
wtththe resignation of their offices, snore than usual interest
Was attached to' their proceedings, and a large crowd
awaited their arrival at the Windsor station. When the
Ministers alighted from the train there was great dis-
appointment expressed that the Premier was not present.
The Cabinet Ministers included the Duke of Richmond (Pre-
sident of the Council), Lord Cranbrook, the Chancellor of
the Exchequer, Mr. Cross, Mr. W. H. Smith, and Lord John
Manners, and Acompanying them were the lion. A. F. 0.
Liddell, Sir William Hart Dyke, Admiral Bruce, Mr.
Beregford Hope, Mr. J. Tilly, Mr. S. Cave, and Mr. L Peet.
The crowd gave several hearty cheers for the Ministers as
they walked across the platform to the Royal carriages
which were in waiting to convey them to the Castle. They
were again cheered on driving away. Soon after their
arrival at the Castle, her 31ajeAy held an investiture of the
orders of the Bath and Star of India The Ministers lunched
In the Queen's dining-room, and after the Council retp.mod
to Lbndon by special train, leaving Windt:4' at half-put tvo.