JULY 8—_The Kidderminster Messenger_ started by Mr. Arthur Brough, a bookseller in that town, and also carrying on a similar business at Stourport. It at first professed to be a neutral newspaper, and, as such, had an extensive circulation amongst men of all parties in Kidderminster and the neighbourhood. Mr. Brough afterwards thought he could, as a commercial speculation, improve the paper by making it a thorough going Tory print, and he gave it the name of the _Ten Towns’ Messenger_, alluding to ten towns round Kidderminster in which it circulated. From this time it was furious in its politics and in the language employed to advocate its principles. It reached its greatest circulation when it extended its labours to Birmingham; the news of which town was given at much length, and it assumed, consequently the additional title of _The __Birmingham Times_. This was in 1839–40; and from 1,700 to 1,800 copies, weekly, were sold at this time. In 1841, however, Mr. Brough started the _National Advertiser_, by which he expected to make much more money than by the _Ten Towns_, and in June, 1842, he sold it to the Rev. Charles Eckersall. The Tractarian principles which it now advocated were, however, by no means palatable to the majority of its readers, and the circulation of the paper gradually declined, till Mr. Eckersall—like most other amateur newspaper proprietors, having lost much money by it—got rid of it. The paper then became the property of Mr. Friend, bookseller, of Kidderminster, but, from various causes continued to fall off in circulation; and when it had sunk to some 400 weekly, it was at last altogether discontinued on the 30th of June, 1849. AUGUST 25—Two superb pieces of plate—a silver vase and salver, weighing together 286 ounces—presented to the Rev. J. Topham, M.A., of Droitwich, by J. H. H. Foley, Esq., on behalf of the parishioners and friends of Mr. Topham, who had purchased them by subscription, “as a token of respect to his general character, and a testimony of the sense entertained by them of his services in the cause of civil and religious liberty.” The ceremony of presentation took place at the Court House. SEPTEMBER 26—St. Peter’s Church, Malvern Wells, consecrated. SEPTEMBER 31—Mr. Macready performed at Worcester Theatre in _Ion_. DECEMBER 14—Worcester Union incorporated under the New Poor Law, and the guardians elected by the several city parishes. H. B. Tymbs, Esq., was elected chairman of the new board, and Mr. Alderman R. Evans vice-chairman.