The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-06-05 00:00:00

niisaliantous "itttiligentt,

HOME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL.

A DRIMENDOUS Loss.—The drum is to be replaced
in the French army by the bugle, and the soldiers of
France must say " Tarta "to the "tattoo." The roll
of the drum is very inspiriting, but can it be heard
amid the noise of battle? There is the rub—or rather,
rub-a-dub. Authorities say "No," and also suggest
the very sight of "drum-sticks" makes young soldiers
"chicken-hearted." So the drums are to go—a minor
loss, after all, for it is the tall warrior with the long
stick who is the "major." The military " drummer-
dary " will soon then be as extinct as the " dodo," now
that the drum is to be beaten by the bugle !—Fun.
A FRENCH WAY OF KILLING SLUGS. - The Paris
Figaro gives the following advice to gardeners :—Do
not waste your orange peel, but make an incision
round it midway and remove carefully in two halves:
take the two cups and place them, hollow downwards,
one on the grass and the other among the plants or
vegetables; at the end of a few days you will be rid
of all slugs, black or green. Every morning you will
find that they have taken refuge under the two cups of
orange peel, and can be easily destroyed.
-

-
ARRIVAL OF SEA WATER IN LONDOII.—The first
consignment of sea water from Lowestoft arrived in
London on Tuesday morning by the Great Eastern
Railway, in tank trucks or carriages. In expectation
ef the arrival, which will henceforward be daily, there
were many orders for delivery, and in the course of
the morning a number of cans—perfectly tigkt, well
corked, and fitted with a handle, to admit of their
being easily carried upstairs—were sent out as ordi-
nary goods by the company's carmen.
SUICIDES IN EUROPE.—A Swiss statistician has
taken the trouble to make some elaborate calculations
as to the numbers of suicides which took place in
various European countries during the year 1878. The
statistics show that Saxony bears away the bell, the
proportion of suicides being 3.7 to every 10,000 inhabit-
ants. Denmark follows with 2.6. The third place is
taken by Switzerland with 2.3; and Germany claims
the next three positions on the list with Baden, I'B ;
Prussia, 1-6; and Wurtemburg, I's. France and
Austria-Hungary tie for seventh place with 1-4;
Bavaria follows with 1'l; then comes Sweden with
o'9, Belgium and Norway with 0-7, and then England,
with W. 6 per 10,000. The list is closed by Italy, which
shows o'4 only. Russia is not included in the list, the
information received not being complete.
DISCOVERIES AT POMPEII. An almost perfect
house has been lately disentombed at Pompeii. It is
probahly the best preserved of all the Roman dwell-
ings hitherto discovered. There are two atria and a
very spacious peristyle, in the middle of which there
is an ornamental fountain. There is also a complete
bath, which must assist in clearing up some of the
doubtful points concerning the arrangement of Roman
baths. The paintings in the interior of the house
seem to have been executed with considerable taste,
and they are in good preservation. Those on the
first floor, representing for the most part marine
animals, are especially interesting. The frescoes also
which are contained in the wings of the building are
excellent representations of scenes from animal life.
They are so admirably preserved that they cannot fail
to shed much light on the condition of painting among
the Romans at the time, although they also give evi-
dence of the influence of Greek Art.

WHERE THERE'S A " WILL " THERE'S A "WEIGH."
—The weight of the English Government is te be
brought to bear upon the Dean of Westminster with
regard to the monument to the Prince Imperial in
Westminster Abbey. We do not know what the
English Government weighs, but we hope it will suc-
ceed in turning the scale.—Funny Folks.
THE JAPANESE DECAPITATION TRICK.—The decapi-
tation trick is among the Londoners—but we have re-
ceived an account from the Japan Mail which tells us
of something more astounding than ever in the execu-
tion of this trick (says the Court Journal). It is being
exhibited at Joshida. ba.shi. The performance takes
place in a small room about 26 feet long by 12 feet
wide, half being allotted to the spectators, who are
admitted on payment of the moderate fee of two
cents. The properties " consist of a deal table and
a sword, &c. After the usual soul-stirring flourish
on a drum and samisen a man and woman appear
from behind a screen, the man binds the woman's
head in a cloth, and she then kneels down close to the
table and sideways to the spectators. The man then
draws the sword, makes a violent blow at the woman's
neck, she falls forward, arms extended and limbs
twitching. He then, having first wiped the sword on
a gory-looking piece of rag, takes up (apparently) the
woman's head, wrapped in the cloth, and places it on
the table. To all appearance it is a human head, the
eyelids and features have a convulsive motion; pre-
sently the eyes open in a dreamy sort of way, and to
the accompaniment of the everlasting samisen., the
head sings a mournful song. A curtain is then Inter-
posed between' the audience and the performers, and
when again drawn back the woman is disclosed quietly
seated alongside the man. When it is recollected that
all this takes place within about three feet from the
spectator, and that the " properties" are of the
simplest 'description, some idea may be formed of the
wonderful excellence of a performance which has ex-
cited great attention.
DISESTABLISHMENT IN WALES.—Replying to a Com-
munication which pointed out the strong feeling
which prevailed in Wales in favour of Church
disestablishment, and inquiring as to the possibility
of having separate legislation in this respect for the
principality, Mr. John Bright writes :—" The
Church is so entirely one in England and Wales that
I do not think it likely that Parliament will abolish
it in Wales before it is ready to disestablish it in
England, but this is no reason why the Welsh people
should not bring before the country their views and
their condition as regards the question of the State
Church."
REST AND REPAIR.—It may be safely assumed that
those have been mistaken who supposed that physio-
logical rests consists in reaction, and that repair goes
on during quiescence. Nutrition—and, therefore,
repair—is the concomitant of exercise. Appetite is
one thing, the power to digest food another. A man
may feel ravenous, and consume large quantities of
Material containing the elements of nutriment, but be
unable to appropriate the supply furnished, or in
other words, to nourish himself. It is so with rest.
Mere inaction may be secured without rest, and idle-
ness without the restoration of energy. The faculty
of recovery and recuperation after exercise is in direct
proportion to the vitality of the organ rested. This
faculty is not to be called in action by inactivity! It
follows that relief and recovery from the effects of
what is improperly called " overwork " cannot be
obtained by simply "going away for change'
or by
indulgence in idleness. A new form of exercise is
necessary, and the mode of action chosen must be. Te
that supplies moderate exercise to the verY Part the
system which it is required to " rest " and restorei
Health-seekers often err in trying to recover their
powers by simple diversion of energy: Tt is a popular
error to suppose that when the brain
n way of
the muscular system should be exercised
counteraction. The part itself should be worked so
'on • but it should
is overworked
as to stimulate the faculty of nutriti
be set to fresh work, which will incite the same powers
to act in a new direction.—Lent*

DISASTERS AT SEA.—The Direction of the B:Fea,u
Veritas has just published the following statistics of
maritime disasters, reported during the month of
April, 1880, concerning all flags :—Sailing vessels
reported lost-46 English, 18 Norwegian, 15 German,
11 American, 11 French, 11 Dutch, five Danish, five
Swedish, three Austrian, three Spanish, two Russian
one Belgian, one Republic of Columbia, one Italian,
four of which the nationality is unknown; total, 137.
In this number are included 10 vessels reported miss-
ing. Steamers reported lost-10 English, two Danish,
two Norwegian, one German, one Belgian, one
Spanish, one of which the nationality is unknown;
total, 18. In this number is included one steamer
reported missing.

LOGlC.—Adjutant (to newly-joined recruit, who
presents himself) : Well, my man, what's your busi-
ness ?—Recruit: Shure now, if I knew what I wanted,
should I be afther asking you, sorr ?—Judy.

THE BRITISH GOAT SOOIETY.—The second general
meeting of members of this society has been held in
London. The report of the committee states that the
society is making good progress, and bids fair to
become successful. Since the last general meeting
36 members have been elected, bringing the total
up to 82. The objects of the society had been defined
to be the circulation of knowledge and general
information upon goats, their milk and flesh with
a view to counteract the prejudice and ignorance
which still prevail in a great degree on these matters;
the improvement of the goat as a breed, and the de-
velopment of its milking qualities by encouraging
propagation from selected strains of superior milkers,
and the extension and encouragement of goat-keeping
by cottagers with a view of increasing the supply and
consumption of milk ix rural districts, &c. Arrange-
ments have been made for carrying out the proposal
to establish a sale register, in which members might
make entries of goats wanted or for sale. It was also
agreed that a herd-book should be established; as
also details of an arrangement whereby the society
could assist cottagers in purchasing goats through the
medium of the society; and paying for the same by
periodical instalments.

AVERAGE PRICES OF BRITISH CORN.—The follow-
ing are the average prices of British corn for the week
ending May 29, as received from the inspectors and
officers of Excise :—Wheat, 445. lid.; barley, 30s. 4d.;
oats, 255. id. per imperial qr. Corresponding week
last year :—Wheat 41s. 5d.; barley, 28s. 6d.; oats,
21s. 11d.

AUNT TOWZER ON BISHOPS.—PRI Jad to see as
there's a bill to do away with a-making of them
bishops by a Conger d'Eel, which I never could make
out—though I must say it ain't much better to say as
they should be appointed by patent letters under a
great seal. But I suppose it's something to do with
the curing of soles as them offishiating incumbrances
have to look after, which I will say there's quite as
good clergy now in the sees as ever was put into 'em.
—Furvny Folks.

JAPANESE MARBLE.—It appears that Japan is
likely before long to commence a new branch of ex-
port trade with Europe. Dr. Gagliardi, an Italian
geologist, who is a professor at the Japanese Polytech-
nicurn of Tokio, was charged some time since to inspect
and report upon the mineral products of the Hraki
mountain range. He has come upon an extraordinary
and almost inexhaustible treasure of marble. One
mountain, which has the appearance of being a pure
white from base to summit, is almost wholly composed
of the very finest statuary marble. In another part
of the same range Professor Gagliardi found immense
quantities of black marble, equal to the best known in
Europe. He repots that if the discovery is properly
utilised, and sufficient means for transport are pro-
vided, Japan cannot fail to become ope of the first
markets of the world for the marble trade.

A COSTLY INSTITTJTION.—There are in Paris about
twenty public weighing offices where persons may
have the weight of articles verified without charge
(says cGa:ignani.) At first sight one would suppose
that the officials would find plenty of employment, and
that the service rendered to the public would be com-
mensurate with the cost of 200,000 f. incurred in in-
stalling it, but a curious statistician who made inquiry
as to the number of persons who had recourse to these
offices learned that it averaged a fraction less than one
per month. The average would have been lower but
for the assiduity of a woman who brought a child daily
for a month to the station at the institute to study its
progressive development.
BUTTER AND CHEESE IN THE UNITED STATES.—The
value of the land and stock employed in furnishing
milk, butter' mad cheese in the United States is esti-
mated at 1,300,000,000 dollars. Over 3,000 factories
are engaged in the manufacture of these articles,
besides the tens of thousands of private dairies. One
manufacturer in Western New York has over 40
factories. There are several firms in New York city
which handle from two to three million dollars worth
of butter and cheese annually. The annual production
of cheese in the United States is estimated at
350,000,0001 b. and of butter of 1,500,000,0001 b. There
are 13,000,006 cows in the United States, which is
over six times the number in Great Britain. The
cheese and butter exported this year have paid freight
to ocean transportation companies amounting to
1,000,000 dole., or almost enough to support a line of
ocean steamers. They pay to railway companies an-
nually over 5,000,000 dollars, and milk pays nearly as
much besides.
WOULDN'T MAKE MUCH DIFFERENCE. Hunter
after work: "Got a job you can put us on, guvnor ? "
—Employer of labour: "Job Why I've more men
now than I've work for ?"—H. A. W. "Well, but
the little I should do wouldn't make much differ-
ence !"—Sparting nines.

CHOICE or Evms.—Duckwidge and Pottles meet.
Many years had passed since they were at school and
college together. Duckwidge invites Potties to
dinner "in a quiet way." Duckwidge. " Now what
will you drink, Pottles? We have here some "
(holding decanter against the light)—" Yes, this is
'East London '—that by you, I think, is 'New River.'
Perhaps you take sparkling—" (to serving maid.)
"Mary, did you bring up the Seltzer and Apoll—"
(Pottles gesticulates dissent.) "No ! Well, I assure
you you'll find that 'New River' an exceedingly
pleasant—ah—Water !!" [" By Heavens," as Pot-
ties said at the club that night, "the man was an
irreconcilable Lawsonite ! !"]—Punch.
COMING ROYAL MARRIAGE.—The Berlin Corre-
spondent of the Daily Telegraph says :—" Relative to
the second heir to the throne' the following interesting
details have become known. Prince William of Prussia
made the acquaintance ef Princess Augusta Victoria
of Schleswig-Holstein—Prince Christian's niece and
great-granddaughter, on her ntother's side, of the late
Duchess of Kent—more than a year ago, when on a
visit to the Duke of Coburg at Gotha. The Prince
being as remarkable for amiability as the Princess for
her good looks, not to mention other excellent qualities
possessed by both, the result was the same as though
they had been but common mortals—they fell in love,
were engaged on Feb. 14, and to-day meet again at the
New Palace in Potsdam for the official proclamatieh
of their onga,gement."

VALUE OF FRENCH PALACES.—The "Direction des
Batiments Civils et des Palais Nationaux " has lately
had the chief palaces and chateaux formerly occupied
by the Crown valued, and the estimate has been made
public. The "Palais de Versailles," with its park
and dependencies, comes first, being valued at 112
millions of francs. The Luxembourg, with its
immensely valuable art collections, is set down at 60
million francs. The beautiful Chateau of Fontaine-
bleau is valued at 30 millions. The "Palais de
Trianon," the special favourite of Queen Marie An-
toinette, is placed at 13,500,000 francs, and the Chateau
of Compiegne at 13 millions. The Palais Royal and
the Elysee are each estimated at 10 millions. The
Palais de St. Cloud, even in its present defaced
condition, is valued at 4,750,000 francs, and the
Chateau of Rambouillet at 3,045,000 francs.
A 'USEFUL CONTRIVANCE.—The Sydney Morning
Herald of April 9 reports—" An improvement of no
little value has been recently affected at the Redfern
station and other stations along the railway lines. A
weather indicator has been put up, showing the state
of the weather all along the railway lines. This
information will be useful, not only to the general
public, but especially so to the engine-drivers
e weat
her
they
guards, who, being thus forwarned of r
they are likely to meet on their route, can take pre-
cautions where necessary. '
IMPORTATION OF CATTLE FROMSCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN.
Gazette sets forth an order of
t
—Tuesday night's London
the Privy Council that cattle brought from a port or
place in either of the parts of the German Empire
respectively known as Schleswig and as Holstein, and
sheep and goats brought from Schleswig or Holstein
in the same vessel with Schleswig-Holstein cattle,
may be landed for slaughter in a foreign animals'
wharf, but not elsewhere. Such landing will be sub-
ject to the condition that the cattle in question are
accompanied by certificates in the form indicated in
the schedule to the order, declaring that the cattle
have been bred and fed in Denmark, Schleswig and
Holstein, and not elsewhere. The order will have
effect from June 6 to the close of the present year.
WICKEDNESS.—A wicked wag, writing to Mrs. J.,
asks her (above all people in the world, too!) a riddle,
and in case that, as he says, she ma,y never guess it,
encloses the answer to it. This is the riddle : What
is the difference between parsons and poultry ?—WhY,
the one is clerical, the other—lay."—Judy.
FRENCH RAILWAYS.—The total length of rai.n
open for use in France at the end of 1879 was 22,776
more
kilometres (14,120 miles), being 618 kiloznestor
than in 1878. The total receipts fronss4al,l- uesrces in
9 294), or an
the past year were 913,732,336 f. (
the English d
average of 48,837 f. per kilometre
r kilometre, or
mile), as compared with 41,832 f. per
£1,036 per mile, in the previous year.
The threatened incursion
of Australian race
SPEED OF RACE-HORSES.— . duced me to
PM
mbye seen that the result
_make a
to ascertaining, so far as it
calculation with, a view in
.;(3a6l's. out 21,210 per
figures and
is possible, the relative
are accurate,
and I. think they ex„,eroui an English point of view.
is very comforting s
Leger has been run for the last 22
The Australian St•
s distance as the race at Doncaster
years over the Sal-
d 13
yards. The average time the race
-ii miles and accurate, absolutely accurate, the time in which
has taken (to b
Australian thoroughbr,eidtsw!
mpkished on 21 occasions, for the 1860
it has been accorded) •
t recois precisely 3 min. 37 sec. The
-horses
speed
of
time is us°_, in which the English St.. Leger Isa,s been
average s''" •
Is 3 mm. 20 sec., showing an advantage to our
run equa
horses of 17 sec. What difference the nature of the
dabroad'
es here an may make cannot be esti-
cours
si but that this affects the time of the race,
mate— ;
- t be shown by the following facts. The Eng-
seems o
lish St. Leger has for the last 21 years been run at the
rate of a mile in 1 min. 49 sec. The English Derby
for the last 21 years has been run at the rate of a inile
in 1 min. 53 sec. The reason that though the distance
is longer in the St. Leger the speed is greater doubtless
arises from the facts that there is a severe hill up to
the post at Epsom, and that horses must slacken a
little coming round Tattenham-corner, desperate as
the rush of some jockeys with unfailing nerves may
be. The horses, too, have four months' growth to aid
them. The conclusion of all this showisthat unless the
Australian St. Leger course is very much more severe
than the Epsom or Doncaster courses, our horses
have a decided advantage. The rates per mile are in
the English St. Leger, 1 min. 49 sec.; in the Derby
1 min. 53 sec.; in the Australian St. Leger 1 min. 69
sec.—" Rapier," in the 27tratratod Sporting and
. Draw& News.

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