The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-09-13 00:00:00

ntisttliantous !..nttiligturt,

HOME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL.

SIMPLE.— Q. When is a man tied to Time?
4. When he Marries a Senna—Punch.

Humes. Wsoss.—ln the first half of the
year 1873 the quantity of home-made spirits paying
Excise duty as being retained for consumption as
beverage in England was 7,245,871 gallons, an increase
of 600.000 gallons over the quantity in the correepond-
ins half of lad year ; in Scotland, 2,948,942 gallone, an
increase of above 127,000 gallons; in Ireland, 3,030,471
gallons, an increase of nearly 216,000 gallons; making
a total in the United Kingdom of 13,225,284 gallons,
an increase of 942,806 gallons over the corresponding
half of last year. The consumption of foreign and
oolcodal spirits Is much le ge than of home-made, but the
entries of these also for consumption in the United
Kingdom chow a considerable increase in the first half
et the year 1873.

ALA'! Ais.• !—A very touching case of
mental alienation in a charming young lady is described
by a careful observer says the Court Journal& Not
long ago her mother found her in her room energeti-
wally darning stockings, and soon after she appeared in
the kitchen and seted that wondering dame in
making and baking bread and pantry. Alarmed by
these fearful signs of intellectual disorder, her fond
parent immediately sent for • skilful physician, who
watched her through a keyhole while she sewed buttons
on her garments and mended those of her little
brother. Much affected, the venerable doctor re-
marked that never during a medical practice of
twenty•five years had he known any young person to
manifest such symptoms as these. Her father was
called, and that grietstricken old gentleman gazed upon
his haplees child, then, hiding his face, muttered be•
tween his sobs, "Her mind is gone I her mind is
gone I"
ANICDOTI OF MR LEER PROFESSOR MAI:MICR.
—ln early life he was the author of • novel called
Eustate Conway; or, Ow Brother and Sister. Mr.
Manrioe sold the novel to the late Mr. Bentley some-
where about the year 1830; but the excitement caused
by the Reform Bill being unfavourable to light litera-
ture, Mr. Bentley, did not issue it till 1834, when he
had quite lost sight of its author, then a curate in War-
wickshire. The villian of the novel was called Captain
Marryat ; and Mr. Maurice, who first learned of the
publication of his book from • review in the Athencrus,
soon received s challenge from the celebrated Captain
Marryst. Great was the listter's astonishment on learn-
ing that the anonymous author of Emotive Conway had
never heard of the biographer of I eter Simple, and,
being in holy orders, was obliged to decline to indulge
in • clueL

MEMORIAL TABLETS Is ST. PAUL'S.—MOII-
- being the third anniversary of the 10.111 of the
Capiatn, two handsome ornamental brass tablets were
placed on the north wall of St. Paul's Cathedral, to
the memory of the officers, artificers, seamen, marines,
and boys who were lost in that vermieL Each tablet is
surrounded by an emblematical border. The eastern
tablet has a handsome beading of two angels cirrying
a scroll, on which is engraved the words, "The sea
gave up the dead." The corners enclose a number of
scallop shells, emblems of victDry. Beneath is a list
of the artificers, marines, seamen, and boys. The
western tablet is surmounted by a large model of the
Car3Min ; beneath is the result of the official inquiry
and the names of the officers of the ship.

THZ PHILOSOPHER ADMITTING His PAST
ERROMI—Mr. Grote ears :—" I have outlived three
great illusion. The first illusion has been—l always
held that if supreme power w..re held by the people, it
would be exercised more righteously than when en.
trueted to one person or a few. This I have found to
be • mistake. 2. I always maintained that Ireland
might be made contented and loyal by governing her
in the same way as England; therefore I opposed
Coercion Bills and all exceptional leglelati ex in
reference to the sister kingdom. But I grieve to eay
I have now come to a different conclusion. 3. I
clumiehed the persuasion that as people advanced i
Intelligence and material prosperity they would esteem
it a duty to educate their children without State aid.
But ,his I find to be the greatest delusion of all. The
rich have done their beet to instil into the people the
notion that the education of their children belongs to
°them'.

- - -
THREATENED BUILDING STRIKE IN LONDON.—
On Saturday night an aggregate meeting of labourers,
mostly of the building trade, was held in Trafalgar.
square, ia favour of an immediate strike unless the
conceseion of 6d. an hour should be at once made by
the employers. Several speakers held that if the con-
cession should not be given by next Saturday the strike
should be on this day week; others maintaining that it
should commence on Monday. There evidently was
a strong feeling in favour of immediate action. The
grounds on whidi the rise was demanded were that the
artisan, in the building trade had their rise, and that
the heightened prices of things could not be met
with the present pay. It was eventually carried by •
large majority that the strike should be delayed for •
week. One speaker said he was afraid this was not the
time for a strike, from the season being too far sd-
vanced. The majority were not, however, of his
opiniAL The prooeedbags passed off very quietly.
THE INCOME TAl.—Published returns re-
lative to Property and Income-tax show that in the
year ending sth April, 1872, the number of persons
charged was an follows :—Under £lOO a year, 218,098;
£lOO and under £2OO, 78,653; £2OO and under £llO,
60,519; £3OO and under £4OO, 25,742; £4OO and under
£5OO, 13,033; £5OO and under £6OO, 10 081; £6OO and
under £7OO, 5,933; £7OO and under £BOO, 3 657; £BOO
and under £9OO, 3,263; £9OO and under £l,OOO, 1,404;
£l.OOO and under £2,000, 9,654; £2.000 and under
£3,000, 2,978; £3,000 and Tinder £4,000, 1,465; £4,000
and under £5,000, 821; £5,000 and under £lO,OOO,
1,507; 10 000 and under £O,OOO, 857; £5O 000 and
upwards, 68.
ANOTHER MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE IN
LONDON. —Mr. Solomon has applied at the Clerken-
well police-court for the magistrate's advice under the
following circumstances :—He stated that on the 26th
of August last his mother, Mary Solomon, who is 66
years of age, left her home, ostensibly for the purpose
of shopping, and had not since been heard of. The
police had been applied to, and every effort made to
discover her, but without success. As it was feared
she might have met with an accident, and waa detained
in some asylum, or so placed that she could not com-
municate with her friends, application wan made to
the magistrate to ask his aid and to Kiwi publicity to
her loge. When she left home she had on a light pink
deem, black bonnet, grey woollen biased, kid side'
spring boot.; height about 5 feet 9 inches. Her com-
plexion TIM dark, and she had a careworn expression.
The magistrate stated he could not he'p the applicant,
but he had no doubt that the press would give him
every assistance.

CONJUGAL TABLES TURNED. ID New Albany,
Indiana, according to the New Albany Ledger, there
are two men inferior in f hysical strength to their
wives, who are accustomed to thraeh them. The
assertion of Woman's Rights has more than triumphed
in America, and ladies et New Albany have initiated
Man's Wrongs. The tables will, perhaps, be turned
sooner or later amongst ourselves in like manner, if
women generally have physical training superadded to
their education, and get to acquire development of
their =melee as well as their minds. Then, very
likely, in the Police Courts of the future, great hulking
females will be brought before magistrates of their own
sex, and committed for am long as a few weeks to prison
for knocking down their husbands with 'meshing
blows on the face, and stamping upon the poor fellows
with heavy hobnailed boots.—Punch.

NEW FOUND ISLANDEl.—Australian papers
Mate that Captain Moresby, of Her Maj.sty's ship
Basilisk, who has been cruising about Torres Straits,
has discovered several new islands, heretofore suppond
to be part of New Guinea, and has, as usual in such
cases, hoisted the national 11.4 of the discovering
Captain Morseby also, while cruising, discovered
several fine barbuirs, two of which were named by
him Ports Moresby and Fairfax. Captain Moresby
had attached to him Lieutenant Connor. of the Pearl,
who has completed a survey of the combats of Cape York,
as Mae along portions of the coast opposite New
Guinea, which in • short time will be sent to the
Hydrographic Department of the Admiralty for issue.
When at New Guinea, some of the seamen of the
Basilisk picked up pieces of gold, and it has been pro.
polled at Brisbane to send out an expedition to explore
the auriferous territory.
A TRAIN ON Futa.—An alarming accident
occurred on the Helensbargh and Glasgow Railway on
Saturday evening. When the train leaving Helens-
burgh for Glasgow at 8.30 had proceeded about a mile
and a halt on its journey it was observed that one of
the third-class carriage. was on fire. The passengen
effected their escape through the windows. Many of
them were found lying along the line; aix of the num-
bar—five men and a Young womaa—were suffering
from severe injuries. Two of the men, both labourers
belonging to Dumbarton, were severely wounded, the
one having his right leg broken' while ths other had his
head much out, and him body heavily bruised. In •
short Bins the carriage was completely destroyed. The
accident was caused by a maa who was mookhrg throw-
ing • llikted snatch on the bre when lons pugs
oil had bon spilt

A NICI MA.W.—Mr. Swiggins NIA a sot. He
was also a 'liven. He never had anything neat about
him but gin—Punch.
N OLD IDEA lirruzED.—The French Cus-
toms' authoeities recently discovered that a iam mode
of smuggling has been adopted. The ntunber of rock-
ing horses for Paris aud.t.enly increaaed ; indeed, it ap-
peared that a sort of mania had tuken i_otaes.ion of
children's minds. Suvpicion being at length excited,
one of the horses was opened. l'acktd inside was a
large quentizy of cho.ce cigara au.l tobacco. The
rocking bone, in fact, wan a Tr..j ii holes modernized.

- •
HAY WoMEN ARE TREATED IN AMERICA.—
The women get all the favour. The gentler per cry
out more lon ily for " rights " all over the United
Stites than Engliah +people have any idea of, and at
the same time there is no civilized country where they
have greater privileges and mere attention shown
them. In travelling, a lady has always the best place.
Sometimes it ia given to her volunt ally, and some-
times she mks for it. It IN by no means unusual for a
lady in a railroad car to tell a gentleman that she pre-
hos Ida seat to her own, and to ask him to change. "I
have seen • gentleman," mays the writer, "secure his
seat in • train after the recognized English mode, by
Imaing his greatcoat and his newspapers behind him,
and I have seen • lady enter the car in his absence,
cram the coat and the papers into the light baggage
rack overhead, and sit down mistress of the position."
That lady was "no gentleman." There is assuredly in
the minds of the well-bred and well-tutored women of
' the world elserrhere a consciousness of the necessity of
respect and courtesy towards men, while women are
the recipient' of It,
PARIS UNDER THIS 00111101e11.—A decree of
the French Minister of the Interior, dated the 29.1 of
November, 1871; instituted under the presidency of
the Prefect of the Seine, a committee charged with
the task of determining the amount of losses which had
resulted from the strategical operations undertaken by
the French army for the purpose of entering Paris,
and to distribute • first payment on account of the six
millions voted by the National Assembly on the 6th of
September, 1871. That body, after having met 32
times, has just completed its biboure. It his fixed the
number of people entitled to an indemnity at 8,146,
and has delivered to each person interested a certificate
attesting his claims. The total damage done is esti-
mated at 29,385,9801. The sum of six millions granted
during the year 1872 enabled the committee to dietri-
buts among the most necessitous shout 30 to 35 per
cent., and to the others 17 per cent. The difference—
that ia to say, 25,2951.—bas been applied to the pay.
ment of the valuators, office expense., printing, tke„
The sum, therefore, remaining to be liquidated by the
city of Paris is 23,411,375 f.
LOSS OF A SHIP AND EIGHT LIVES.—John
M'Grath, ordinary seaman of the ship Gratitude which
was lost on the 10th of August, off Pattew, Holland,
reports that in trying to keep oft the land on that day
the ship was carried by the force of the sea on to the
beach. The jolly-boat could only be got out and as it
was full of water the master began to bale her, when
be was washed out of her and drowned. The master's
wife, who had a child in her arms, was immediately
afterwards washed off the deck and drowned. The
boats being of no use, and as the ship began to break
up there was nothing left for the crew but to make for
the rigging. Along with the master's daughter they
went into the mauttop. Soon afterwards the mast
went over the aide and threw them all into the sea. On
coming to the enema M'Grath missed two of the mew
and saw no more of them. The topsail afterwards
came down on the remaining three, and they were
carried down by it and drowned. He being the only
one left, got between the masts and-the toptnaete, and
put his arm through the lubber hole. Soo e people on
the beach afterwards threw a line over him, and he
was dragged through the end to the shore. The ship
was then breaking up, and she has since gone to
Pieces.

SINGULAR AND FATAL AO:ADMIT TO • CHILD.
—An inquest was held on Monday, at Westminster
Hospital, on the body of Elizabeth Rice, a child of
seven years of age, who met her death under the fol-
lowing circumstances :—The deceased resided with her
parents on the first floor of • house in Lewisham-
street, Westminster, and about eight o'clock the pre
-
vim; Thursday her mother sent her out with •
breakfast cup to fetch a pennyworth of treacle. In a
few minutes; afterwards her mother heard • noise on
the stairs, and on going to ascertain the cause found
the deceased lying at the bottom of the stair, bleed-
ing profusely from • wound in the throat, with the
cup broken in pieces, lying by her side. The child
was just able to say she had missed her footing on the
stairs in the dark, and had fallen with her neck on the
cup, when she became insensible. She was at once
taken to the hospital, but was pronounced dead on her
arrivaL The House Surgeon, said the deceased had •
wound on the left side of the neck two and a half
Inches long, which had cut through the jugular vein.
Death must have occurred in a few minutes from the
great loss of blood. Had no donbt that the wound
had been caused by the child falling on the broken
edge of the cup. A verdict of "Accidental death"
was returned.

IRISH AND Scorca LOYALTY.—When George
IV. went to Ireland, one of the " pisintry," delighted
with his affability to the crowd on landing, said to the
tollkeeper, m the Ring passed through, "Orb, now, an'
His Majesty, God bless him, never paid the turnpike;
how's that?" "Oh a king never does; we let's 'elm go
free," was the answer. "Then there's the dirty money
for ye," says Pet; "it shall never be said that the king
came here and found nobody to pay the turnpike for
him." Toni Moore on his visit to Abbotaford told this
story to Sir Walter Scott, when they were comparing
notes as to the two Royal visits. "Now, Moore,"
replied Scott, "there ye have the advantage of us;
there we, no want of enthusiasm here; the Scotch
folks would have done anything in the world for His
Majesty, except pay the turnpike."

aOO-11 FOR .TEADZ.—'The an Hi wind that
blows nobody good, and the like is true concerning hail,
of which recent storms in come districts have much
profited the glaziers. A certain gentleman in their line
of business is an amateur of classical music. He never
omits going, whenever he can, to hear Handel's
Oratorio, Israel in Egypt, because, in the performance
of that sublime compo-i, ion, he always feels Co highly
transported with the IlailstoneChorne.—Punen.
THR PAYMiNT OF TEL FRENCH WAR hi-
bantam —One of the most remarkable features of
this great operation has (says the Semnine Finaneirre)
been the ease with which the final allotments have
been met. When the convention of the 23rd of May
was signed, in virtue of which the Bank agreed to
place £8,000,000 in gold at the disposal of the govern-
ment for the requirement* in connection with the pay-
ment of the fifth milliard, it was easy to understand
that this sum would probably prove to be below rather
than above the necessities of the Treasury. Neverthe-
less, after having obtained £2,000,000 for each of the
: first two monthly payments, the Treasury required only
£1,680,000 for the August ina'alment, while we believe
that the amount taken from the Bank for the payment
just concluded does not exceed £320.000. The state
has, therefore, availed itself of only £6,000,000 out of
the £8,000,000 offered to it by the Bank, and there is
every reason to anticipate that the amount borrowed
will not exceed tee former figure. The ability with
which the operation has been conducted has been such
as to enable the indemnity to be paid off without me.
terially diminishing the metallic resources of the Bank.
The cash reserve, which on the let June lent was
£32,800,000, we believe will not stand ate lower figure
than £28,400,000 in the next return.
A FORK To MATCH.—The German journals
relate the following anecdote :—Saxhausen is one of
the stiburbe of Frankfort, and is partly occupied by
gardeners, who are considered, rightly or wrongly, to
be a clownish lot, Wh,n the Pruatian troops recently
entered the city, every house was obliged to billet one
or two soldiers. The inhabitants of Saxhansen ac
quitted themselves of this duty with very had grace,
and one of them showed such manifest sigma of ILI-will
towards his guest, that the latter when he sat down to
dinner, placed his sword on the table by him aide, with
a very significant gesture. The countryman said
nothing, but left the room and returned in a moment
with an emormous pitchfork, which he laid down beside
the sword. The soldier flushed up with angst; but the
other quietly observed, "I thought that for so big a
knife stork was required, if you like, we can each make
use of our implement." This was all the satisfaction
the son of Mars.could obtain, so he thought fit to put
his sword away in a corner of the kitchen, whilst the
other withdrew the pitchfork.

INTERNATIONAL BRIDOZ.—It ill expected that
the great international railway bridge to span the
Niagara River between Buffalo and Port Erie will be
ootnpleted and opened some time in October, It is
the enterprise of so independent company, wee corn-
menced in May, 1870, and its cost will be something
over one mditon dollars. The sup. rstructiou is of
iron, supported on atone pin., wi, It the e• ceesary
draws for the passage of veteels. Toe length of the
main bridge across the river is 1 968 fort; thence across
Squaw Island to the west end of the bridge over Black
Rock Barbour is about LI 0 feet; and the bridge over
the harbour to Niagara-street is 517 feet. Commenc-
ing at the Canada shore, there will be nine spans
across the river proper; three of them are 190 feet
each in the clear; then come three spew, each 240
feet in the clear; then two draw oDeniers. each 160
feet; then one span of 190 feet to Squaw Island; and
in crossing Black Rock Harbour there will also be two
openings of 90 feet each, with • pier between. The
" swing" over the openings will be operated by steam.
and the length of time required to open or dint the
saute is given at 50 seconds. All the piers are so laid
and built up as to secure the greatest solidity and offer
the least possible resistance to the ice. The depth of
the water in the river where the bridge crosses is from
10 to 43 feet: The iron-work for the bridge is manu-
factured at Phomixville, near Philadelphia, and the
nperstructnre is known as the Pratt True..

Sntrociusia.—There was a considerable iii.
crease in the year 1872 In the number of aeizures of
tobacco, cigar's, and spirits in the port of London, the
number of cases of smuggling detected rising from 188
in 1871 to 293 in 1872. The total quantity 4 tobacco
and cigars seised in London was 2,3691 b., an increase
of ; but the quantity of spirits Nixed WM only
C 3 gallons, a decrease of 66 gallons, At the outporta
the seizures of tobacco and cigars exceeding 101 b. and
of spirits exceeding two gallons show a
anshAlatclecrease,
from 134 to 130, anti the tobwaxii d • large
decrease in quantity, from 31,4301 b. in 1871 to 3,6491 b.
in 1872; but the quantity of spirita seized shows an
increase from 390 gallons to 1,332 gallons. The smaller
seizure show an increase from 817 to 888, and petty
smuggling seems to have increased. Soule of the great
offenders escaped with the loss of their prey. The
Coastguard seized near Cowes 69 casks containing 296
gallons of brandy concealed In a cliff, but the gull'r
parties escaped; in another seizure, near Cowrie, of 77
tubs of spirits., a notorious smuggler was aloe captured.
The Commissioners of Customs report three attempts
sulnvterheseplatthre7
to defraud the revenue, not strictly smuggling meek
London, having been entered for exportation as plate
found on examination to be old sod used plate entered
f fraud. Penalties amount.
"new and never used," with drawback claimed. bat
for drawback for purposes o
ofoaltelase 6;amlome yofas,C3L4l76o3,ou•gre" of
seizedritimink
lug together to £250 were recovered from the owners,
and the plate was forfeited; and it being believed that
this method of defrauding the revenue was by no mama
uncommon, the officers were Instructed to use special
watohhilnsm In the examination of piste prionead fo.
daybook.