The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-07-10 00:00:00

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HOME; FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL.
A LAWN PARTY.—The Upper House of Con-
vocation.—Punch.

.------ - ---
EMIGRATION TO AUSTRALIA.—A novel immi-
gration scheme (remarks the Globe,) has been adopted
by Western Australia. Acting upon the principle
that it is easier to obtain fresh population from its
neighbours than from the other end of the world, the
Western Australian Government offers to pay the
passage money, not exceeding £6 per head, of suitable
male adults from Victoria and the Australasian
colonies generally, and to afford assistance in the like
ratio to their wives and families. After two years'
residence each adult immigrant will be entitled to
select fifty acres for himself and twenty-five acres for
every member of his family between the ages of
sixteen and tWentrone, provided no family obtains
more than 150 acres in the whole, and at the expira-
tion of three years, if certain conditions of fencing and
cultivation have been complied with, they will receive
a free Crown grant of their allotments. As it has
been the policy of Victoria for some time to discourage
any increase in its population, the action taken by the
neilzhbonring colony can scarcely be complained of
THE FISHMONGERS' COMPANY.—During last
month the officers of the Fishmongers' Company seized
at Billingsgate Market, and on board boats lying close
by, no less a quantity than 61 tons of diseased and
putrid fish, which had been consigned to London for
sale. The fish numbered 225,842, of which 130,692
arrived by rail, and 95,150 by water. They include
252 brill, 530 crabs, 17,700 dabs, 23,000 gurnets, 6,630
haddocks, 11,775 herrings, 210 lobsters, 1,445 mackerel,
128,570 plaice, 2 salmon, 10 skate, 34,220 soles, 2,060
thornbacks, 1 trout, 337 turbot, and 5,400 whiting;
besides 1 bushel of oysters, 57 of periwinkles, and 76 of
whsiks 543 gallons of'shrimps. and 7401 b, of eels.
"MANNERS. "—Parlour Maid (to Cook). " I
knowed that Mr. Smith wasn't no gentleman!
Which he never raised his 'at to me when I let 'im
out at the 'All Door just now! I"—Punch.
A FLOATING SWIMMING BATH.—In London,
the first of a set of floating swimming baths was opened
on Tuesday on the Thames near the underground rail-
way station at Charing-cross. It is 135 f t. long by 251 t.
wide, and the interior is very conveniently and neatly
fitted up. The depth ranges from 31t. to 7ft., and it
is BO constructed that there is a continual supply of
filtered water, which runs in through the filters at the
rate of 500 gallons per minute. The water from the
Thames first runs into a large iron tank, and thence
into numerous strong fine canvas bags, which act as
filters. The water comes from the filttrs perfectly
clear, and it is afterwards forced by steam power
from the main filter or reservoir into the bath.
There are convenient dressing-rooms on either side, and '
as the west end a well-decorat-d saloon intended for a
, lounge.
PARIS PEARLS.—There is in Paris a vast es-
tablishment—the most extensive of its kind in the
world—where the imitation of pearls, diamonds, and
precious stones generally, is carried on with , all the
skill which modern ingenuity renders possible' ; and
these productions are sent to the shops of 411 lands.
Here the whole process of transforming a few grains
of dirty heavy-looking sand into diamonds of sparkling
hue is et nstantly going on. The sand thus em-
ployed, and upon which the whole art depends, is
found in the forests of Fontainbleau.;_ it ap-
pears to possess some peculiar qualities of adaptation
to the purpose. The colouring matter for imitating
emeralds, rubies, and sapphires is entirely mineral, and
has been brought to high perfection. Hundreds of
operatives are employed in polishing the coloured
stones and in lining the false pearls with fish scales and
wax. The scales of the roach and dace are chiefly em-
ployed for this purpose; they have to be stripped from
the fish while living, or the glistening hue so much
admired in the real pearl will not be imitated. These
Paris pearls have been of late years so perfected that'
the Roman pearl has to a great extent been super:
eeded. The setting is always of real gold, and the
faeltion.d the.newest kinds—Ptiftorta/