The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1868-04-04 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

EPITOME OF NEWS,  BRITISH AND FOREIGN. During the past week SS wreelta have been reported, making for tho present year 5'30. The "Znlla and North-Western Railway" is the name of the line constructed by our troops in Abyssinia. Jibe Dristo/ trinei report that ths cuckoo was heard on Sunday in the neighbourhood of that city.  hie stated that Prince Napoleon on the morning after his return from Berlin went to the Tuileries w nine o'clock, and remained in conference with the Emperor for not less than three hours.  The Pope Is maid *0 have need the following exprewion :—'There are at this moment ttio men who fill my heart with bitterness—one is a cardinal, the other wishes to become one" It is thought the Holy Father alludes to Cardinal d Andrea and the Archhieh la of Faris.  It has been arranged that hie -Royal Highness the Prince of Wales shall proceed to Ireland in her Majesty's yacht Enchantem Commander Pettey, which has been taken into basin at Woolwich Dockyard, where she Is undergoing repair and embellishment for the purpose.  - - "Forney likens President Johnson to a triqonooepluolao in a glass of alcohol. At first we thought that Forney was pursuing his usual practice of using words of the meaning cf which he knew nothing ; hut learning from the context that he means a snake, we defer to his exhans, tine knowledge of glasses of alcohol, and the snakes which may lurk therein'--.Veto York Paper.  A petition in favour of female suffrage has just been in circulation in Aberdeen, and was numerously and influentially signed. The petition sets forth, " That women are competent, by law and in fact, to carry on a hilliness, to administer an estate," ?sc., and "that the admission of inch persons to the privilege of the franchise would ne a measure in harmony with the principles of our representative system, while its beneficial effects would not be attended by any possibility of dangerous political consequences."  i'be trial of the four poachers concerned in the murder of Lord Wharnclitte's gamekeper was commenced on Friday, and ternunated on Saturday. The prisoners English and Cut's were found guilty of manslaughter, and were Eel). teneen, Engli.ll to ten years', and Cutts to five years' penal servitude. Beard:haw and Gregory were found guilty of poaching. Reardshaw was sentenced to eighteen months' and Gregory to lilteen months' imprisonment. The French imilice have deprived the lovers of the sensational of a rare treat. It had been advertised that a funnily of wolves would be exhibited in the arena at the Cirque, licking the hands of a child of three years old, standing alone amidst the animals, and that subsequently the father of the child would enter open the scene with pieces of raw meat datQling from his neck, which the wolves would tear away ravenously without injuring the man. But the police minister hlii,torbidden the exhibition and d isappointed the public.  v Tu judge from the prices fetched by articles of luxe and virtu at auctions, there never wan more money afloat than at the present moment At Mr Hibbert's sale of china on Friday last, in London, a very small collection of Fa?vres, Dresden, and Chelsea fetched nom anis o,f £d,000; and viz the following day Slesars. Christie, Manson, and Woods disposed of Mr. John Leigh Clare's collection f water. colour drawings for a;19,350 Mr. Addington, of St. Martin'slane, gave 955 guineas for a drawing of Nuremberg, by SMllllesi !lout.  The Commission to inquire into our system of courts-martial has not been appointed (alb( ur leo BOOt,. We learn by the last mail from India that Captain Cunningham, paymaster of the bstli, who was convicted of appropriating public moneys to a large extent, has been released irom the pent servitude to is hich he woe sentenced. Ile was'apparently duly convicted, the proceedings were approved and confirmed by Sir William Mansfield, and now the Judge Advocate prononwis the trial to have loon illegal, for the simple reason that the prisoner was not allowed to cross. examine the witnesses_