The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-01-09 00:00:00

1

THE STOTTIII3RIDGE OBSERVER.

likelihood be a very marked diminution, not only in
murders, but in assaults also. There are cases in which
a man is so utterly blinded to what he is doing_ that
he would commit murder at the foot of the gallows,
and though he knew that he would mount it the very
next moment. But these are cases of very rare oc-
currence, and eases, too, for which no law can provide
a coniplete remedy. But the more common case is
that in 'Which the criminal thinks that he will come
to no great harm by giving full licence to his brutal or
revengeful love of inflicting pain. If he only maims'
his victim, he will get off with next to no punishment..
If he inadvertently kills him, it will only be brought'
in manslaughter, and the range of penalties for man-
slaughter is necessarily so wide that he may always
hope to escape pretty ewily. Very often this calcula;
tion is perfectly justified by the result. A man is
tried for murder by kicking, and the Judge's charge
gives so uncertain a sound that the jury bring it in
manslaughter and not murder, and thus, even if the
sentence is still a heavy one, the association between
killing and death, between the sacrifice of life An
satisfy the criminal's own passions and the sacrifice_
of the criminal's own life t.) satisfy the demands of
the law, is no longer indissoluble. One exception
to a rule of this kind is of more weight than
many examples of it. If death only happened to
ninety-nine men in every hundred, very few of us would
believe that we should die, and so long as it is quite
uncertain whether the Judge, or the Jury, or the
Secretary of State will treat a murderer as worthy of
hanging, it is very natural that a criminal should
persuade himself that his case will not come up to the
standard which is held to justify the infliction of the
capital penalty. . . .

circumstanCes on the tenacity of the metals within
the range of their solid condition. In 1844 Wertheim
published an elaborate paper relating to this sub-
ject in the " Annales de Chimie et de Physique," in
which he shows that, although in most instances the
metals increase in tenacity as the temperature de-,
creases, it is not strictly so in the case of iron, the
tenacity of which increases with increase of tempera
ture up to 212 deg. Fahr.' but beyond that point it
follows the -general law. The effect thus produced,
however, by a reduction of temperature such as occurs
in onr coldest'weather would probably be almost inap-
preciable, and would certainly be quite unimportant
in comparison with the well-ascertained effects of
vibration, friction, and annealing, caused by the
heating and slow cooling of the metaL The great
tenacity of wrought iron is mainly due to its fibrous
texture, which it acquires in the process of rolling
adopted. in its manufacture ; and this fibrous condition
may be to some extent destroyed and the tenacity
weaitimed, by long-bontipued vibration or friction, and
especially by the procogS of/annealing. Yet even these
influences to which the wheel tires and axles of railway
carriages must be subjected have not been found to in-
terfere with the strength required for ensuring safety
under ordinary circumstances in railway travelling.
Lancet. _ _

employment in the houses of ladies in the neigh-
bourhood, where they are initiated into housework of
every sort—nursery, kitchen, parlour, &c. For this they
receive food, but no payment; and in the early evening
they return to the " Home," and the matron teaches
them reading, writing, and sewing. For some months
this plan has been tried successfully. Twelve girls have
passed through the Home, eight are still in it, and
others are waiting for admission ; but, as the balances
sheet shows a deficit of nearly, £3O, the committee aree
yet unable to admit them unless friends will aid in
maintaining this most useful institution, and to this
end the thoughtful and charitable are earnestly re-
quested to consider what benefit such a home is _
only to employers, but to the girls themselves. This
great city is filled with little waifs and strays of woman-
kind from 12 years old and upwards. The Home
rescues and utilises them to be thorough practical
servants, a credit to themselves and a comfort to their
employers. They receive better food than their parents
could give them, and so grow up fi ee from the diseases
so common- among our poor. Withdrawn from their
overcrSwiTed homes mudeet_faalings, almost Lupo*.
sible there, grow up in their he-arts, and the motherly
matron teaches them habits of order and cleanliness,
They are strongly encouraged to remain, if possible,
in one place during the term of training, and house.
held linen and stookings are received into the
Home for repair, so that they may acquire
practice in useful needlework. Is not this better
than suffering them to drift on into the great
stream of idle or criminal classes while we are
grumbling helplessly over the impossibility of getting
a decent servant? Lord herby speaking of children
of this age at ,I,lanchester, said :—" They are entitled
to help as a matter of humanity, for they have done
no wrong, and left to themselves they have not a
chance. If you look at the matter selfishly, it is very
much to your interest to give them a lift, because they
are exactly at that age when habits of industry and
honesty on one band, or idleness and vice on the other,
are likely to be permanently formed, and the tem-
porary assistance we ask. . . . may, and in most cases
probably will, decide whether they are as workers to '
increase the public wealth, or whether they are to
lessen it by living on it for the rest of their days as
vagrants, beggars, or possibly worse." such words
need no comment. I will merely add, in conclusion,
that contributions to the Home will be thankfully
received at the Bank of Messrs. Ransom and Co., 1,
Pall-mall East; or by the Matron, 27, Pembroke-road,
Kilhurn-park, N.W. P. 0.0 payable to E. Ellis,
Cambridge-terrace, Post-office, Kilburn; or to M.
Firth, Vere-street, W.—Apologising for the length of
this letter, I remain, Sir, your obedient servant,
MARIA FlltTii, Treasurer,
74A. New Bond•street, Dec. 28.