The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-06-01 00:00:00

EPITOME OF NEWS,

BRITISH FOREIGN.

All edicts against Christianity at Yokohama have
been abolished by an imperial decree.
The recent dinner of the Fishmonger's Company
cost £lO a heal.
Smelling-bottles, to be worn at the belt, have been
Introduced.
The Duke of Nassau is said to be the richest man in
Europe.
A contemporary states that a Sunday school has
been opened in Peel, in which the instruaion given to to the
Manx language. Why not try English by way of change.
Gold coin to the value of ss. is to be coined at an
Victoria mint. c.dusge of this dederiptiou would be a great

..... _
public convenience.
A Scotch divine, recently praying, said, "0 Lord
give unto us neither poverty nor riches," and pausing
solemnly a moment, he added, "especially poverty."
It is with regret we have to announce the death of
Lord balling and hulwer (elder brother of Lord Lytton)
better known as sir Henry Ilulwer, the distinguished diplo-

matist.
Great inundations have taken place in Austria. A
telegram from Prague states that, in consequence ot the
ainfall, several villages have been entirely swept away, with
much loss of life and destruction of property.
In Loudon a jury has awarded £lO compensation to
a little boy who was bitten by a dog, evidence as to the dog's
mildness of character and the little boy's teasing propensities
. "- -

notwithstanding.
The operative house painters and decorators of Lon-
don have organized a committee cud delegate meeting, for
the purpose of co-operating with the carpenters and masons,
with a view of securing the nine hours system.
From April lot to the 25th instant the Exchequer
receipts amounted to £10,432,436, as compared with
£9,712,312 In the correspouding period of last year. The ex
penditure has been £10.849.909. On Saturday last the balance
in the Bank of Keel:end Walls ge,950,044.
His Royal Highness Prince Arthur has sent to In-
spector Carlisle, of the Liverpool Detective Force, a gold
pencil-case. ass souvenir of his Royal Highness's recent visit
to Liverpool, and as a recognition of the " admiral ile weeper '
sicehoutteeZasp;ictit,ohrisodnepti.rtiatmoecnetu,ion •• performed the
terlstic sermons at the Bishop of Wincliceter's Trinity Sunday
in
nuCtleihnon Licklon preached one of his telling and charam
Ordination, which took place at St. Philip's, Battens.
Between thirty and forty candidates, the majority being
graduates, were admitted to the deaconate and pneethood,
and the sermon was a stirring address on the neceuity of
deobion in combating the difficulties of the clerical career
u the present day.
A medical man, residing in London, in getting up
his proofs ins divorce suit against his wife, ascertained that
she had been previously married, and that when ehe went
through the ceremony of marriage with him tier first husband.
a sailor, was alive. lie therefore prayed tor a decree of
nullity of marriage, when Lord PallaillCt) pronounced the
marriage void.
Millie. Christine Nilsson is said to have made 250,000
dollars during her last tour in the Culled etates, a sum equi-
valent to about £50,000 sterling. the fair Scaudinavian
sang in no less than 12 concerts, and appeared 141 times
upon the stage in operatic performances.
A Russian printer has invented a type-setting
machine which, the St. Petersburg papers assert, far sur-
passes all similar machines that have hitherto been pro-
duced. It seta in an hour thirty thousand letters; it costa
five thousand rubles, and one thousand letters set thereby
cost only five cents.
A correspondent writes :—" Some time ago I noticed,
as an illustration of the 'how not to dolt' habits of French
tradesmen, that a tenth-rate restaurant, in Paris, wishing to
attract English custom, had einployid a professional trans
labs' to do into English its sign, 'Au Riedel, and that the
translation, beautifully printed on an expensive transparency,
was 'At the Roes Beer."
The Russian Government have determined to add
not one but two batteries to each of their fifty brigades of
artillery. The guns are to be on the Premien pattern,
which either wholly or with some few modifications has now
been adopted by nearly all Europe. Heavy marine guns are
at this moment being manufactured ill Prussia for Austria,
Italy, Spain, Turkey, Egypt, China, and Japan.
The full Court of Queen's Bench on Tuesday gave
judgment in the action of Knott v the Nawab Null') of
Bengal, which was brought to recover damages for the
alleged breach of an agreement entered into nine years
age, in which the defendant covenanted with the plaintiff
that the Government of England should reverse certain
orders of the late Lord Canning as regarded the hereditary
Tighe of the Nawab, and that atm such reversal had been
obtained, the plaintiff should receive 200,600 rupees, with a
conimission of 121 per cent, on the recovery of several
specified claims due to the Nawab. The Court, without
calling upon the counsel for the Indian Ciovernment, gave
judgment for the defendant,
Seven mouths ago Chicago was almost obliterated
from the face of the earth by one of the most terrible con-
fiagretion of modern times One who saw it then would
hardly recognise it now. The rapidity with which it has
been rebuilt is niarvellou ; the uesightly ruins made by the
fire are almost entirely replacelily tine blocks of buildings.
more eubstantial and beautiful than those which once
occupied their sites, and the value of property is rapidly
rising Mall parts of the city.—Neic York World.
A terrible arid altogether novel railway accident is
reported from Odessa. It appears that lathe neighbourhood
of Bender the hue pasees over a none, dug by the engtheers
of the fortress as an additional defence of the place. In the
night of the 17th tut , as a goods train was passing over the
spot, the ground gave way, and the vane were precipitated
many feet below. Seventeen carriages were completely
mashed, and the line blocked up. As usual in Russia,
where the railways are more murderous than elsewhere, the
number of deaths is not given.
What is well described as a " curious " trophy has
just been added to the American Smithsonian Museum. It
in the head of an Indian captive, condensed by some un-
known process to a size not more than three inches sit dia-
meter, the origival proportions of the features being pre-
served. It looks like the head of some pigmy. These
trophies are esteemed highly by the natives, and arc difficult
11l obtain. This Ml,' was a present to the inetitute by Ray-
mond de Eeiger, of Ecuador.
An important question has been sent up from the
Bankruptcy Court, London, for the decision of the Lords J us-
ticesenamely, whether a creditor, by consenting to accept a
composition, bars himself thereby from his full claim, sup-
posing hataltuents of such composition to be unpaid. In
the case of a debtor the creditors had consented to take five
shillius in the pound in two payments. The first hail been
paid, but not the second •' and an action was brought in the
Court of Common Pleas for the full amount. The decision
will form a most valuable precedent in cases of liquidation.
At a recent sale at the Hotel Drouot of the cele-
brated collection of curiosities belonging to the late M.
Allegre some of the articles fetched the followiug prices :--A
small olressing-case, time id Louis XV., 2,1501. ; a shuttle,
Louis XVI., in cut steel, 3,0001. ; a spoon and knife which
had belonged to Louis XIII., 3,700 f. ; a small medallion,
6,3001. ; a desert knife, fork, and spoon, which had been the
property of Cardinal Mazarin, 10,1001.; an octagonal watch,
in rock crystal, 10,7501. ; two thin pieces of gold, enamelled
im both sides (an exquisite piece of work of the 15th centary),
bought by the Duke d'Aumale, 20,0001. ; a small cup in rock
crystal, with an octagonal saucer, 21,100 f. ; two small pastille-
holders in gold, elaborately chased, taken from the Summer
Palace of the Emperor of China, 25,200 f.
A rather amusing incident oc .urred at the fancy
dress ball in St. George's Hall, Liverpool, on Tuesday eight.
Amongst the company was Mr. Saker, lessee of the Alexandra
Theatre, who had contrived to present a sort of embodiment
of two single gentlemen rolled into one, for while his left
side was that of an ordinary every-day Englishman, hisright
side was that of a British racer in full military uniform.
fr.Sokee, while watching the Prince dancing, attracted the
notice of the latter. When first seen by the Pi Mee e
sented the civilian side of his character, but e
afterwards turned round and appeared as an emcee. ire
l'rince appeared exceedingly amused at the extraordinary
appearance presented by Mr. Saber, and pointed him out
with evident glee to his partner.
It may be interesting to the expectants of a large
surplus from the funds of the Disestablished Irish Church
to learn that an arbitration has been held by Dr. Ball, M.P.,
ex-Judge Longneld, and Lieutenant-Colonel Ellis, to hear an
appeal from a decision of the Church Temporalities Com-
miesioners in reference to the claims ef commutation by the
Rev. Dr. Dixon, rector of Clogherny, in the county of Tyrone,
and that the result of their inquiry, after hearing evidence
on oath, was to add 25 per cent, to the award of 416,346.
The Poor Law valuation of the lands was £054 55., and the
Commissioners had allowed only 15 per cent, but it was
proved that the lands were greatly underlet, and the tenants
were willing to pay a higher rent A similar appeal was
made, with a similar result, by the Dean of Clonfert.
The Board of Trade have decided to make a general
amalgamation of offices at the East-end connected with the
business of the port of London. They have taken a large
suite of rooms on Tower-hill belonging to, end formerly
occupied by the St. Katharine Dock Company, and therein
will be housed the Local Marine Board, with its staff ot
nautical examiners, surveyors, and inspectors, and also the
shipping offices, at present located in liammet-street. and in
the Well-street Sailors' Home. Courts of inquiry into the
causes of wrecks and caeualties at sea will also In future be
held here, instead of at the police courts. These changes will
take effect about the middle of next month, and it is anti-
cipated that the areaugements made will greatly facilitate
commercial bueinees in Loudon.
Last week the mortality in London and twenty other
large towns in the United Kingdom was at the rate of 23
deaths annually to every 1,000 persons estimated to be living.
to the metropolis 2,258 births and 1,205 deaths were regis-
tered, the former having been 81 above, and the latter 199
below the average. Fifty-tour persons died from small-pox,
41 from measles, 20 from scarlet fever, Strom diphtheria, 74
from whooping-cough, 16 from different forms of fever (of
which one was certified as typi us, 8 as enteric or typhoid,
and 7as simple continued fevere and 9 from diarrhoea. The
mean teuipemture wit, only 49 Odeg, nub 4'3 deg below the
average fur the corresponding week in fifty years ; the de.
ficlency ranging from 9.i deg. on Sunday, 191.11, to 21 ileg, on
Saturday. The deaths refereed to diseases of the respiratory
organ., including plithisis, were 345, and 49 below Inc cor-
rected average weekly number.
Sir Alfred Slade, Bart., delivered a lecture on "The
Income Tax and Local Taxation" at the Chelsea Club, Fad-
ham-road, London, on Tuesday evening, lie objected totals
tax as a breach of faith, it being an exceptioual impost
levied at an exceptional time and with a distinct pledge that
It was rely temporary. Moreover, it was Inquisitorial, and
tempted nice to dishonesty. liesidea, it tempted a Chan-
cellor of the If:chewier lobe extravagant, as he made up a
defleieliey in Ids budget by adding to the eicome tax. Under
Schedule D the same tax was paid on an income derived
from funded property, and on an equal income which was
not fixed but fluctuating and uncere sin besides which, this
last kind if laconic was charged with the greatest portion of
local taxation. Many charges that ought to be imperial
were thrown on the local rates, the ratepayers having no
control over the expenditure. The relief of the poor ought,
he contended, to be off imperial charge, spread over all kinds
of property.
Last Sunday (says the New York Times of the 14th)
the elercautile Library Reading-room was opened to sub-
scriber.. This is the first time that it has been opened on
Sunday, and the proposal to open it on that day was defeated
only a year ago It is strange with what suddenness the
ail Newel. of opening the public libraries on Sunday have

_ _.e pre-
immediate!'

achieved their victory. For years a small party has advocated
this measure, but the general sentiment of the religious com-
munity was decidedly oppmed to it. A month or no ago
they called a public meeting, and engaged Mr. Beecher to
make a speech. Immediately the thing nas accomplished.
The Cooper Uoi,,n Reading room and the Mercantile Library
were at Ones thrown open on Sunday; 81111 it is understood
that tile other libraries will soon fdlow their example. This
611. id,. ebahge of opinion is not easy to ineleratand. Scatty
Mr. Beecher alone did not, by a. Mimic apeech, brush away
the life-Mug prejudices of a whole cormunnity.
" There has seldom been a cane of suceeption to which
,1 . the 61ft-inch cry, •Le Itoi eel nicer nice le Hui is more
closely applicable than that of the Dukedom of Betiford.
The Duke is dead, and the new Duke reigns in his place. Of
the last head of the great House of 11,188e11, scant record will
appear in the chronicle. of our era. Little recollection will
be left even amongst the men of hie own time and order.
Some thirty years ago the late Duke, theu the Marquis of
Tavistock, resigned his seat in Parliament fir the borou1;11
from whence his title was derived : and since that peri,4l
he has led a life of complete retirement. He ',hoed
part in politi...l struggles ; lie befit aloof from all
country I.llbilICSB ; he was not better known upon the Thrf,
as a frequenter of clubs, or as a mama aismt town.
It wasrumoured that 111., %VOA a liberal friend to all 111rIlibul,
if hi; ducal house; that he lineal upon a small portion of
his vast income, and that he was a careful and prudent
steward of the great prowtles which owned hum as their
landlord. But, he the causes of his isolation what they may,
he was to the world at large little More than the shadow of
a name; and there is scarcely • member of the Peerage
whose death will cause kns of a void in public or Foetal late
than that of William Russell, eighth Duke of Bedford. his
Grace was never married, and in succeeded in his titles and
estates by Ma first cousin once removed, Mr. Ibuttirgs Rus-
sell, one of the members for Bedfordshtre."—Lascter in
Daily Telegraph.

The Comte de Paris is expected in London.
Political circles talk of an English third party being
formed.
The Nova Scotia Giantess has had a baby. It is
dead. Its longitude was 20 inches, weight 18 lb.
The first meeting of the Coaching Club took place in
Hyde-park last Saturday. There were 21 drags, and the 84
horses are described as having been in splendid condition.
" There is a rumour that Princess Christian and
Princess Alice expect an addition to their families."—Court
Jeur
Shakspeare is to have a monument in New York.
Americans reason thus i--"Shakspeare was borne when the
flag of Old England and the flag of America was one flag;
therefore Shakspeare is an American."
The United States Senate has unanimously passed
bill appropriating 50,000 dols. to meet the expenses of the
observations upon the transit of Venus in 1874, on the part
of the National Observatory in Washington.
The Mohammedan Nawab of Rampoor has presented
to the hardily Mission a large building for the purpose o in
medical sehool for women. several women are now gong
through a scientific course of instruction.
Ni less than 102 designs have been submitted to the
Committee appointed to select the best plan for the cou-
struction of the German Houses of Parliament, at Berlin,
Fifteen came from Euidand, seven from Austria, four irons
Belgium and Holland, three from France, two from Italy, and
one from America, the rest being German.
Scene in a London omnibus. Omnibus stops. A
smiling young lady enter.; every seat full. Au old gentleman
rises at the opposite end. "Oh, don't rim," said the lovely
girl, "I can just as well stand." "I don't care whether you
sit or stand," the dreadful old gentleman replied, "I'm going
to get out."
On Sunday last 50,000 Iterating amembleel at Chan.
• tilly to see the French Derby contested. Thirteen horses
, Started, and the race was won by M Aumontls Itevigny, the
Duke of Hamilton's Little Agnes second, and Mr. Delaumren
, Condor third.
j Last Sunday (being Trinity Sunday), according to
annual custom, the Judges went in state to St. Paula
for the purpose of undergoing the ceremony of

churching." -
The diligence performing the service between Porno.
colons atni the Swiss frontier fell over a precipice in the
neighbourhood of hello a few days ago. The conductor and
horses were kiiled on the spot, awl several of the passengers
wounded.
The 26th anniversary of the birthday of the Princess
Ch bitten was celebrated on Saturday the 251 h, at Frogmore
IL nee and Wilidsor. At the latter place flags were displayed,
and the bells If St fteorgee and the parish church were rung,
while salutes were fired from the Long Walk and Virginia
Water.
Madness and despair, caused by an intimate friend
having committed suicide, induced a young girl residing us
London to throw herself from Waterloo bridge, last Tuesday.
She was breught betore the magistrate at Bow-street. and
restored to her friends, on promising never to repeat the at-
tempt on her life.
The building committee of a church called upon a
wealthy member of the congregation, soliciting a subscription
toward a new house of worship. The sum he subscribed dis-
appointed them, and they told him so, at the same time in-
timating that Mr J had given double the amount.
"So he should," said the wily gentleman; "lie goes to
church twice as much as I do.
In the House of Commons, the other evening, Sir
G. Jenkinson wished to ask the right hon. gentleman the
Prime Minister whether a telegram that appeared in The
Times of that day, to the effect that it was the intention of
Government to grant an immesty to the remaining Fenian
convicts, on the occasion of the approaching visff of the
Duke of Edinburgh (to Dublin was correct. To which Mr.
Gladstone replied—So. c' Rear, hear," and laughter.)
Dr. Buchanan's report on certain sizing processes
used in the cotton manufacture at Tormorden, and on their
influence upon health, has been published. It shows that
though China clay has not a rapidly fatal effect, still it en-
genders consumption and lung disease, which are ultimately
fatal. The report took place on the demand of 1,650 weavers
who were employed at Tormorden.
Of the 5,000 French guns taken in the war, twenty-
two huge specimens have been set apart for a monster bell to
be cast for the Cathedral of Cologne. The bell is to weigh
500 cwt., and will be 70 feet high, with a diameter 01 13 feet
at its base. With the exception of the lea, Veliki at Mos.
cow (which, by the way, is a gong rather than a bell, having
no clapper, and being struck with a hammer), it will be the
largest on the Continent, and it will, it is said, exceed even
Big Ben. The casting is to be proceeded with shortly, In the
mmedlate vicinity of the Cathedral spire.
Sir H. C. Rawlinson presided at the annual meeting
of the Royal Geographical Society, and made touching allu-
sion to the death of Sir Roderick Murchison during the past
year. A letter was also read from the office, in command of
the dviogstone Search Expedition, which is detained at
Lawsitar by the rains. The native reports are stated to be
contradictory, and to be often concocted by the merchants
at Zanzibar for their own purposes.
The Japanese are always startling us by the adap-
tation of sonic new Western notion. The latest is an
Exhibition to he opened in Kioto on the 17th of this month.
Kioto is the Imperial city, and closed to foreigners, except
an occasional privileged visitor. But for 50 days during the
Exhibition foreigners will be permitted to visit it freely. The
only stipulation is that they shall obtain passports through
their ow n C,oinuls, and shall not go beyond the boundaries of
the city. Every precaution w ill ha tnlo, n fir their safely
and convenience.
It is clearly beet for art collectors, who are weak in
their appreciation of art, to buy modern works, and take re-
ceipt in proof of the possession of a picture by the master,
for the story runs that a millionaire asked a distinguished
art critic to dinner a short time since, and after dinner
showed him one of his old maaters, estimated at a fabulous
price, say A:10,000. The critic put up his glass, looked into
the corners of the picture for a peculiar mars of the artist
upon all works of his, tapped it, and then quietly told his
host that it was not worth teupence ; and there must he
scores of these tenpeuuy pictures of the old masters.
The Chinese carte de visite is a curiosity. It consists
of a huge sheet of bright scarlet paper, with the owner's name
inscribed in large letters—the bigger the more exquiette.
For extra grand occasions this card is folded ten times, the
name in written in the right hand lower corner, with a
Inunihriing prefix like, "your very stupid brother;" "your
unworthy friend who bows hie head and pays his respects,"
Ac. Sic., the words "your stupid" taking the place of "yours
respectfully." It is etiquette to return these cards to vinitors,
it beteg presumable that the expense is too great for general
distribution.
Lord Northbrook left Bombay for Calcutta on the
30th April, and reached tlol latter place on the 31,1 instant.
Immediately on arriving he took the oaths. During his stay
In Boinbay he presided at the unvelliiig of the statue of the
Queen presented to the city by the Guicowar of Baroda. At
this his first public appearance in India his lordship seems to
have made a very favourable iinpression. Tile Bombay
Gazette says that he performed his task with no much genuine
good feeling and hearty interest in, and admiration of, Bom-
bay, that he won from his audience a more cordial greeting
than it ever before heard given there to a GOVernOr or
Governor-General. MC gift of the statue was intended to
commemorate the assumption by the Queen of the direct
government of India.
It appears that the. great storm at .Madras, of which
we have'received full particulars by the Overland Mail, was
the most fearful that has been known there for forty years.
A large number of vessels were in the roads ; but only three
of them escaped. Nine European ships and seventeen native
craft were driven ashore and became complete wrecks. The
pier, moreover, was broken in two, as in IS6O. On land, alao,
a good deal of damage was done—trees being blown down,
homes unroofed, and some lives lost. The city leaf, says
the Madras Mail, has not presented such a scene of desola-
tion since the great cyclone in 1865. The river and this
islands were flooded, and some of the principal thoroughtsms
were almost impassable, owing to the number of trees and
brew:hen of tree, blown down. The Madras A thenceum con-
siders that the calamity must impress every one with the
necessity ot n out Muth° safety of vessels hi the roads by the
construction of a harbour or breakwater.