The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-02-07 00:00:00

DEATH OF MR M'COMBIE.

Mr. WConabie, of Tillyfour, the distinguished agriculturist
and late member of Parliament for the Western Division of
Aberdeenshire, died on Sunday evening, at bis residence at
Tillyfour, Aberdeenshire, in his 75th year.—The Times
gives the following obituary notice of the deceased gentle.

"Mr. M'Combie had a remarkable successful career
as an agriculturist, more especially as a breeder and
feeder of cattle. Born where he died, at the Home
Farm of Tillyfour, which belonged to his father, he
WU educated at the parish school and at Aberdeen.
Besides farming on a large scale, his father carried
on an extensive business as a lean cattle dealer; buts
he desired that his son should betake himself to
one of the learned professions. But from an early
period young M'Combie showed that the bent of his
mind was in the direction of his father's calling. In
course of time he obtained possession of the farm of
Tillyfour, and extended the business of cattle dealing,
but the introduction of railways, artificial manures,
and shorthorns into the north of Scotland soon
satisfied him that the driving of lean cattle from th.e
breeding districts of the north to the feeding counties
Of the south of Scotland and England had had its
day. About 1840, he turned his attention to the
breeding and feeding of the race of black polled
cattle with which his name has long been
associated. To this businese, as well as to
the management of about 1,200 acres of arable
land, he devoted his whole attention for nearly a
quarter of a century. Ile was the first to demonstrate
the valuable feeding qualities of the Scotch polled
cattle, and was the first Scotch exhibitor of fat stook
at Birmingham. He repeatedly carried the champion-
ship there, and won the blue riband at Smithfield in
1866. His prizes, both for breeding. and fat stock,
have been almost innumerable, and include the cup
given by the late Prince Albert at Poissy in 1862 for
the beat animal of the French and foreign clauses, and
the group prize at the Paris Exhibition of 1878. This
very high honour was Mr. M'Combie's crowning effort
In the breeding stock shows. On his tritin.a-
phant return from the Poissy Exhibition, In
1862, ha was entertained at dinner by about
40 noblemen and gentlemen in honour of his
singular successes as a breeder and exhibitor of
a hardy race of stock. He was also entertained at
dinner in his native district by about 400 agriciltui al
labourers, herdsmen, and others, in recognition of
the many benefits conferred by him on the working
classes. The fame of his champion ox of 1866
reached tho ears of the Queen, and by Royal cotn-
mand the an was sent to Smithfield to be in-
spected by Herlilajesty. In the following year. Her
Majesty.did Mr. M'Combie the honour of paying him
a visit to Tillyfour. Mr. M'Combie, fully sensible of
the honour which the Queen bestowed upon him, col-
lected about 400 cattle, all black and hornless, from
his various farms, for his Sovereign's inspection. About
this time Mr. M'Combie published a book entitled
'Cattle and Cattle Breeders,' Which has reached a
third edition. In 1868 he was elected /vI.P. for the
Western Division of Aberdeen. Ho was the first
tenant farmer returned from Scotland, and the second
In Britain. In his own plain, pointed manner he lost
no opportunity in the House of advocating the views
of his brother farmers. In 1874 he was returned over
Mr. Edward Ross by a majority of about eight to
one; but he was obliged, by failing health, to resign
In 1876. ?His brother agriculturists, in recognition of
his servi.es and their personal esteem, then established
at Aberdeen a handsome annual prize cornmeeno-
rabrelt his name and his connection with his favourite

MILLINNIAL Mum—Si Ms pacem, para bellum.
Is It a belief in this maxim that induces the Great
Powers of Europe to go on arming each against each in
a continually increasing ratio? If so, how extremely
pacific their intentions must be I—Punch.

BRAVERY REWARDED.—On Tuesday the Mayor of
Weymouth (Jdr. George Eliot) publicly preiiented a
certificate and a gold medal from the Fre,nch Republic
to Mr. Samuel Smith, of Portland, for his bravery in
saving the lives of three French sailors belonging to a
barque which some five years ago was driven in a gale
Of wind into the West Bay and became stranded on
the Chesil Beach, In making the gift, the Mayor
said he had to award to the recipient .7h at would be a
distinction and honour for the rest at 1... d Ilk. When
the barque came ashore the rocket apparatus failed,
but Smith was enabled, by courage, pluck, and skill,
to jump on board the vessel and to save the lives of
three seamen. This was represented by the Board of
Trado to thy French Government,

PROPOSED HOME FOR INEBRIATES.

It has been determined to make an effort to establish
by voluntary effort an institute for the purpose of
treating inebriates according to the provisions of the
Habitual Drunkards Act, 1879, which came into
operation with the commencement of this year (says
The Times of Tuesday). This determination was
come to last week at a meeting of the committee of
the British Medical Association on Habitual
Drunkards and of the committee of the independent
society formed to promote legislation on the subject.
The institute, when established, is to be supported by
payments from the patients. It is proposed to call it
the Dalry mple Retreat for the Treatment of Inebriates,
imd the nucleus of the special committee includes
Dr. A. Carpenter, Mr. C. A. Govett, Dr. N. Kerr,
and Mr. S. S. Alford.
On Monday evening, at the Social Science Rooms,
London, Dr. A. Carpenter, in the absence of the Earl
of Shaftasbury, presiding, Mr. S. S. Alford read a
paper on the Habitual Drunkards Act of 1879, the
class of persons for whom it is intended, and how it
may be administered, with an account of a recent visit
to the American Inebriate Homes. The Earl of Shaftes-
bury, in a letter expressing regret that he could not
preside, said :

"The truth is that I have been ((or the first time in my
life) very seriously ill; and I have not yet recovered strength
enough for the duty of the evening. I heartily wish well to
the movement, and I shall be very glad to give any strength
that God may spare to me in aid of your operations."
The Archbishop of York wrote :—" I shall watch
with much interest the report of your meeting," adding
his regret that he should not be in London in time for
it. Letters of sympathy and regret at their absence
had also been received from Lord Aberdare, the Arch-
bishop of Canterbury, the Earl of Harrowby, Lord
Selborne, and Lord Beauchanip. There was a full
attendance of members.

Mr. Alfoid first sketched the origin and history of
the movement which led to the passing of the Act, and
said that as 94 per cent. of the occupants of American
homes are voluntary inmates, it is believed much
good will result from this tentative but incomplete
Act. From the numerous applications received by
him, as honorary secretary of he society for pro-
moting legislation on the subjedt, be was confident
that well managedretreats would succeed as a pecuniary
imestment, and from his observations in America he
anticipated a fair percentage of recoveries. The
frequency of inebriety in America Dr. Beard attri-
butes to the climate, the dryness of the air, and the
extremes of heat and cold. Inebriety and other
neuralgic disorders are most common in the north and
east, where is so much total abstinence. Indeed, Dr.
Beard says there is no country in the world where
there is so ranch total abstinence from the use of
stimulants and at the same time so much inebriety as
a disease. The drinking habit has been diminishing
for the last twenty or thirty years among the better
classes, and yet the disease has been on the increase
among them. Therefore Dr. Beard considers that the
disease should be treated on the same principle as
other nervous diseases—first, by keeping the patient
from exposure to the exciting causes; and, second,
by fortifying the system with nerve sedatives
and tonics. Homes have been established in
America for twenty-two years. Most of the local
governments, in both Canada. and the States, have
laws recognising the necessity for control and treat-
ment; and some States do not authorize detention,
but subsidize the homes. The chief obstacle to their
mere general establishment arose from the ffant of a
more recognized uniform plan of management. A
like difficulty may occur here. If our act could be
brought to bear on the criminal and working classes
it would greatly contribute to the lessening of drunken-
ness. If the charitable public would start institutions
to receive these classes, magistrates might, in drunken
cases, give the option of going into an inebriate retreat
instead of to prison. In this way magistrates would
be relieved of difficulty, and an infatuated, helpless
class put in a position to recover their lost moral and
intellectual power.
A discussion ensued, in which several gentlemen
took part, after which the following resolution was
passed :

"That to establish a home for the treatment of habitual
drunkards, in which it is proposed that the managing
committee shall have no pecuniary interest, appears to be
the best way by means of which the Habitual Drunkards
Act, 1879, is likely to be made useful. This meeting
therefore recommends the society by whose means the Act
was obtained to proceed with the course which they pro-
pose to undertake. and that the term 'Dalrymple Retreat'
appears to be an appropriate name for the same."