The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1884-05-10 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

MSS. The Duke of Ossuna has 3000 MS. plays, including many of Lope de Vega, of the great age of the Spanish theatre. Accoretng to the last regulations, the study of German has been made obligatory for all students in the University of Toldo, Japan. Formerly German and French were optional subjects. Lectures, however, in nearly all subjects are delivered in English, both by foreign and native professors. The Newcastle Society of Antiquaries is making progress with the restoration of the Black Gate of the castle, which, when completed, will contain three or four roomy and well-lighted apartments. In a few weeks hese apartments will be stored with the fine collection of Roman altars, pottery, and other relics that for so many years has been hidden in the dark recesses of the old Norman keep.  The traffic receipts of the railways in the United Kingdom for the week ending April 27, upon a mileage of 16,9091, amount to £1,231,168, bar, equal to £72 15s. per mlle. For the corresponding week of last year the then published receipts were 4,253,469, the number of miles open 16,627±, or £75 Bs. per mile. A comparison of tin two weeks shows a decrease in the total receipts of P'l,lol, and an increase in the number of miles open of 282. _ _ _  Pats advices state that the French wheat trade has been quiet in the French departments during the week. Prices have given way in the north, and have slightly hardened in the north-east and east. The Paris market has been firm. Havre and Marseilles quotations have shown a somewhat better tendency.  The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens, Regent's-park, London, last week included a Rhesus monkey, from Continental India, presented by Mr. A. Macdonnett Green; a common fox, British, presented by Miss Bertha Haig; a herring gull, European, presented by Mr. It. Morton Middleton, jun. ; a green lizard, European, presented by Mr. J. H. Leech; three Russell's vipers, from Ceylon, two Indian rat snakes, an Indian python, an Indian river snake, two Indian cobras from India, presented by Mr. Gerald Wailer; a grey ichneumon from India, a short-headed phalanger from Australia, three lesser birds of Paradise, two redsided Eclectus from New Guinea, a chattering lory, a three-coloured lory from Moluccas, deposited; a dusky parrot from Guiana, received in exchange; a smoothheaded capuchin from South-east Brazil, a severe macaw from Brazil, two Schlegel's doves, a Buffon's Touracou from West Africa, a diademed Amazon, a yellow-shoulded Amazon from South America, a banded aracari from Central America, receive on approval; a Mediterranean seal from the Mediterranean, two chinchillas from Chili, an anaconda from South America, )urchased.  Sir Saul Samuel, K.CI.M.G., agent-general for New South Wales, has been informed by telegram of the arrival in Sydney of the steamship Belgravia, which sailed from Plymouth with emigrants in March last. An accident which proved fatal occurred at Lowdham Station, on the Midland Railway, on Saturday night. A young man named Frank Brentnall, a resident of Nottingham' slipped between the carriages and the platform on the arrival of the 6.49 down train. His legs were almost severed from his body, He was taken to the Nottingham Hospital, where he died. The opening of the great English Fancy Fair at the Palace of the Academies in Brussels attracted a great number of visitors. The Queen of the Belgians, who had given a picture and two magnificent vases, was received by Sir Edward Malet and the other members of the committee. In Russia a further duty of fifty copeks geld per pood is about to be imposed on foreign agricultural machinery. This industry in South Russia is almost entirely in the hands of English firms. The first sale in England of the 1881 crop of Australian hops was made on Saturday morning in the orough by Messrs. W. H. and H. le May, hop factors. The quality of the hops was very fine, and showed a great improvement on the 1883 crop. The price realised was £7 per cwt.  Seven steamers arrived at Liverpool last week with live stock and fresh meat on hoard from American and (Ia cattle,gaani ands tsa tn6hle2ppqorrutearsc.etdeirTnshgoefwbte week's etkaf ;16 a anc rodr insvs4ai ns maorfecnalts6sess4woogfenartteuitelt:o23sn3, sheep, 6242 quarters of beef, and 684 carcases of mutton, showing an increase in the imports of cattle, but a decrease in that of fresh meat. A six days' pedestrian tour at New York has resulted in Fitzgerald, an Irishman, making best record known-610 miles. Rowell made 602 miles. Only thirteen British and foreign actual shipwrecks, of which six were owned in the United Kingdom" were reported last week, compared with twenty-seven for the corresponding week in 1863. The number for the year to date is 615, against 802 in 1833. No vessels "missing" posted; but the Meducn, of Liverpool, with fifteen hands, and the State of Florida (steamer), with about 200 persons, are, it is feared, wrecked. A pupil teacher named Herbert Stanley, iø years of are, has committed -suicide at Newcastle by behooting himself through the heart with a revolver. The deceased had recently studied for the Civil Service, but failed at the examination, and this appears to have preyed upon his mind.