Weekly News. — 1890-05-22 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

XII. of France, he was approached by the Jews as his successor in the chair of St. Peter is now. They offered • comparatively small sum at first, but subsequently increased the amount, ten. daring at the 'Was time • blank order on one .if their number in Venice to be filled up in ducats according to the weight of the Bible, as against an equal weight of pure gold. The Pope got ISO far as to weight the precious volume, and found that it scaled 32511,. avoirdupois, or 4331 b. odd troy, which at DI the ounce, then about the value of gold, represented the enormous sum of £20,784 and a fraction. This amount in its equivalent the Jews premed on the Pope, who, however, either because he found himself unable to part with property in which he would nob seem to have snore than a life interest, or on account of the lures' sum brought to bear on him, declined after much hesitation to part with the volume. Should the present negotiations be more successful, the amount now offered will be the largest sum ever paid for a book,whether in manuscript or in print. The nearest approach was the 250,0001., or £lO,OOO, paid to the German Government in 1884 for the sfissal formerly given by Pope Leo X. to Henry Vlll.,along with a parch. nient conferring on that sovereign the title of " Defender of the Faith." The Missal was given by Charles 11. to the then Duke of Hamilton, in whose family it remained for more than 200 years.  Between 5 and 6 o'clock on Friday morning, • shocking discovery was made on the railway at Charingeross. A workman in the employ of the South-Eastern Railway Company was proceeding down the line, when he found the decapitated body of • lad, about 17 years of age, and dressed as a labourer, on the metals, where the deceased had evidently been run over by a wain% train. From the position of the body, it is thought to be a rase of suicide, though it is asserted that the unfortunate young fellow may have wandered on to the railway, and been accidentally knocked down. His body haa bead taken to tit* mortuary. . .  Luring a tlZspute in the camp or toe i.onoork• derry Artillery Militia at Londonderry, between two men of the brigade, Gunner Bernard Bradley was stabbed in the side with a sword bayonet, which penetrated to the lung. The alleged assailant, Gunner Thomas Donagh, has been arrested, and brought before the magistrates, and remanded.  A barrel of gunpowder has exploded in a hardware store at Havannah with terrible results. The building was completely wrecked, and 22 persons. including the Venezuelan Consul and four chiefs of the fire brigade, were killed outright. Over a hundred persons were injured. The catastrophe has produced a profound impression throughout the city.  SUPPOSED  At 1 o'clock onMonday morning • large hay rink the property of Mr. Gabril, of Collings Farm, Sharpenliffe. wee discovered to be on fire. The Sandpits Fire Brigade and about 100 men of the 7th (Militia) Battalion of the Rifle Brigade from Shorncliffs Camp succeeded in preventing the fire from spreading. An artilleryman in fatigue dress, who was seen coming from the fire, was taken into custody on suspicion of incendisrism. This is said to he the fourth fire that has oocurred on the fiirm during the laat three years.