The Wolverhampton and Midland Counties Advertiser. — 1876-07-29 (Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England)

NOTES-LOCAL AND GENERAL.  The war in the East has passed through its first phase sooner than was generally expected. It is clear that during the past few weeks' fighting, the Servians and their allies have had the worst of it, Their attacks on Turkish territory has been repelled at almost every point, and they will now have to confine their operations to the important work of self-defence, in warding off invasion. It is to be hoped they will be successful in doing so; otherwise a general European war will be inevitable. The Turks themselves appear to think that hostilities with Russia must ensue toe moment they succeed in invading Servian territory. Altogether the hopefulness of the "political out-look" is not improving.  The death of Archdeacon Moore seems to have left a gap in the Church in this diocese, as he was a link binding the present generation of Staffordshire clergymen with a generation now passed away. But though, as a man, the place he occupied in the Church cannot be filled, his official ranks are soon designated for others. It is rumoured in ecclesiastical circles ' that Bishop Abraham is to be appointed to the canonry rendered vacant by the death of the Archdeacon, and that Bishop Hcibhotum and the Bev. Sir Lovelace Starner, Bart., rector of Stoke-on• Trent, are to be appointed to the two archdeacon ries into which Staffordshire is to be divided, the former to the southern division and the latter to the northern. There is one consolation in this; though the veteran Churchman is gone, there will be one archdeacon more amongst us.  , It is satisfactory to see that there is a much better prospect than there was of the continuance of pumping operations in the Bilston district; and that loyalty to the Mines Drainage Commissioners will be maintained. The owners of the pumps that have hitherto been pumping at their own cost will be remunerated for the work done ; and Messrs. Sparrow's pumps, which before they were stopped were raising ten million gallons of water each day will be started again, and maintained at work out of the rate. That Messrs. Sparrow's claim to have their pumps worked by the Commissioners is a good one may be gathered from the fact that they have been raising 75 tons of water to one ton of coal. We do not wonder that this firm felt that it was being treated unfairly when expected to continue pumping water for the surrounding collieries at that rate, and that, sick, because of assistance being deferred, they stopped their engines. The common sense of South Stafford, we trust, will see this matter successfully through, and prevent industrial suicide being committed beeauxe some grudge the paying of a necessary and equitable rate for the general good of all the collieries in the locality.  That policemen are in many ways privileged iindividu.als, an owner of pigs at Lower Gornal has proved. Aroused from his slumbers in the night by the unusual grunting of his porcine tribe, he went down stairs, when he found a policeman stroking and playing with the disturbed inhabitants of the stye, and he concluded that he whose office was to protect. not appropriate, the property of others, was "agoing" to steal the pigs, and accordingly charged the officer, at the Sedgley Police Court, on Menday, with being on the premises for that purpose. The officer explained to the magistrates that the real cause of hi being on the premises was that he thought he had observed a thief whom he wished to capture prowling about. The magistrates, believing the officer, dismissed the charge. and decided that the owner of the pigs should pay the piper, in the shape of the costs. When next he hears those animals grunt at night, and sees a policeman amusing himself by stroking their backs, he will conclude that officer is intent on his duty or is catching a thief, and he will get up and give the gallant policeman some refreshments.  There have been many eases of thieves being caught in unexpected and curious, if not laughable ways. Lately one of these light-fingered gentlemen had entered a house for the purpose of leaving behind all that he could not carry, when, hearing sounds that alarmed him, he made for the passage window. But he was not lightly made himself, and got so tightly jammed that he could not get in or out, until two policemen liberated what was left of him. This example of a thief trap is not, however, so remarkable as one that was described a few days ago at Woolwich Police Court. tine man in Plunistead snatched a watch from the pocket of another, and ran away with it ; and in his flight befell down an embankment 10 feet deep on the North Kent Railway. He did not die; bat that is the least extraordinary feature of the incident. He fell just at the junction of the points with the rails, and his head was  axed in the mechanism in such a way that he conk! not extricate himself, while if a train had pagsed he must have been killed instantly. He attracted the attention of the railway servants, or no magistrate would ever have been troubled to inquire into that part of the story concerning the watch. It has often been said that railway points require improvement, and that Plumstead thief would no doubt philosophize in that direction as he lay pinned to the ground.