The Tamworth Examiner and Working Men's Journal. — 1874-08-22 (Tamworth, Staffordshire, England)

THE EXAMINER  SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 1874.  NEWS OF THE WEEK. • On the day of the Prorogation the Government passed an Act which will come into operation on the let proximo, which will for ever abolish the offices of three gentlemen, doubtless very important in their way—the Messenger of the Great Seal, the Clerk of the Petty Bag, and the Clerk of  the Patents. On Monday the members of the South Staffordshire and East Worcestershire Institute of Mining Engineers visited a pit at the Old Parks Colliery, near Dudley, to witness experiments with three hand coal-getting machines. We give in another column a report of the contest, which was of a very interesting character. Mr. Muudella, spoke in Sheffield, on Monday night, on the Friendly Societies Bill. He said the bill was never intended to pass last session. He suggested to Sir Stafford Northcote that they should have no connection with the Registration Officer, but should take the opinion of a first-rate actuary upon each society. Returns of the numbers polled at the election for Calvados show that M. le Prevost De Launay, Bonapartist, gained 40,974 votes, and M. Aubert, Republican, 27,272. Nine thousand fewer Legitimist votes were given than in 1872, and it is supposed that 1540 Orleanists and 9,000 Legitimists voted for tU successful candidate.  Mr. Stanton, who backed himself to ride from I Bath to London on his bicycle in eight hours and a half, won his wager on Monday, anomplishing the 106 miles in two minutes under the time. The last part of the journey was performed under great difficulties through an accident his left arm and shoulder were disabled, and for the last 26 miles he could only use his right hand. Another fatal accident from carelessness in dealing with firearms occurred at Exeter on Saturday. An auctioneer of that city, named Pidsley, was sitting at a table cleaning his gun, a double-barrelled breech-loader, when the gun went off, the.contents of one barrel entering his body, inflicting fatal injuries. At the inquest in the evening the jury returned a verdict of "Accidental death."  Fifeshire has been visited with a terrible fall of rain, which commenced on Thursday evening, and continued without cessation till Friday morning, doing irretrievable damage to the crops which were everywhere ready for cutting. The rain was accompanied by violent gusts of wind and blinding flashes of lightning. The Orr and several other streams rose on Friday to shell a height as to threaten floods.  - . The present anomalous state of the Divorce Law was illustrated at Hammersmith Policecourt on Friday. John Fletcher, a painter, was charged with bigamy. The prosecutnx had twice sold off all prisoner's property and left him for other men. The second wife said he was a good husband, and Mr. bighorn, declaring that the prosecution was only commenced for purposes of extortion, refused to commit him for trial. The King of Denmark, whose arrival from Iceland has been expected daily, arrived in the Firth of Forth on Sunday, in a Danish war frigate. The Princess of Wales has been staying at the Douglas Hotel, Edinburgh, in readiness to meet her august parent. Her Royal Highness went off in a steamer, and was joined by the King. The Royal party afterwards landed at Granton, and drove to Edinburgh, subsequently returning and dining on board the King's yacht. Professor Fawcett, M.P., was presented at Brighton, on Monday, with an address expressive of regard and appreciation, together with a purse of money to the amount of his election expenses when he unsuccessfully stood for the borough, In retuiming thanks, the hon. gentleman spoke on the leading political questions of the day, and criticised the policy of the Go;rarnment with regard to the Endowed Schools Commission, the Regulation of Public Worship, and other matters. The report of the Select Committee appointed to inquire into the operation of. the Adulteration of Food Act, 1872, is published. The committee have held fourteen meetings, and examined fiftyseven witnesses, arriving at the unanimous conclusion that the Act has done much good, though in some cases respectable tradesmen have been made to suffer undeservodly. This appears to have been owing utainly to the want of a clear understanding as to what does and what does not constitute adulteration; and in some cases, to the conflicting decisions and inexperience of the analysts. The committee, however, are of opinion th it the Act needs amendment. American railway journals express a belief that in the year 1880 there will be 100,000 miles of railroad in the Republic. The total has already reached 70,000 miles, and as the increase in prosperous years has been as high as 13,000 miles, it would attain the number stated in less than three years if the country could at once regain the rate of construction to which the panic of last autumn gave a check. Even taking the increase of 180 as an average, the 100,000 would be passed in four years. The railroad mileage has doubled in ten years. Should this progress continue, the total mileage in 1884 would be 140.000. A Blue-book issued on Friday contains returns of the accidents which have been reported to the Board of Trade by the several railway companies in the United Kingdom, in pursuance of the Regulation of Railways Act (1871), as having occurred on their lines luring the year 1873. The total remitter of persons killed on railways during the year was 1,379, and the total number of perscns injured was 3,110. Of the persons killed 160 were passengers, 773 servants of companies or of contractors. 308 are described as trespassers and suicides, 74 were killed while passing over railrat ys at level crossings, and 57 deaths are put down under the head of " miseellaneous." The list of injured persons is thus classified i—Passengers, 1,710; servants of companies or of contractors, 1,171; injured while passing over railways .it level crossings, 17; trespassers. 132; miscellaa.m., 40. The return also states that 40 passengers were killed and 1,522 injured from causes I.ermd their own control, and 190 were killed and I 228 injured from their own misconduct or want of caution. With respect to accidents to servants of companies or of contractors, it is stated that 52 persons were killed and 294 injured from causes beyond their own control; and that 721 were killed and 877 injured from their own misconduct or want of canti 1. The nunroer of passengers conveyed dun', . he year was 455,320,188, and the sroportion kihcu from .!auses beyond their own eontrol to the nnmbers carried, exclusive of season ticket holders, was lin 11,383,804. In 1872 the proportion was 1 in 17,619.784 ,and in 1871. 1 in 31,268,398. A return is also given of the accidents unattended with loss of life and personal injury wYch occurred during the year.