The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-02-07 00:00:00

Cur rodon atartspoda

['We deem it right to este that we do not Wall times
Identify ourselves with our Correspondent's opinions.]

The death of two specidl correspondents with fh
fore of Gentral Stewart, following that of 3141.
O'Donovan with the army of 111ck5 Pasha a title

more thaa twelve months- ago, shows how intreas-

ingly hazardous has become the profession of zi war
correspondent within the past few years. The deeds
of the French and German ,armies duriag the hos-
tilities of 1870 were chronieed without -such perils
as those which surround the expedition tc the Soudan,
where we have to contend with a fierce md savage foe,
animated by a desire to repel what th-c people regard
as an invasion, and inspired with a burning
fanaticism which impels them. to attack,
British square with skill and -daring that could
scarcely be excelled by civilised soldiers. This
Saudanese, campaign is responsible for the death aT
three journalists, who represented respectively tht
Daily News, the Standard, the Morning Post. Messrs.
• O'Donovan, 'Cameron, and Herbert had won their
reputation In the face of clangors which werild be
unknown in European warfare; for it so happens that
while England has not gone to war with a Etropean
rower for the past thirty years, we seem to'be con-
stantly 'engaged in hostilities with the barbarous
tribes of Asia and Africa.
The war news and the dynamite outrages were the
topics of the week. So far as the latter are concerned,
one satisfactory feature is to be observed. This is
that public opinion in the United Statesis at length
thoroughly roused to the enormity cR. the crimes
which the dynamite conspirators commit every few

weeks in this. country. It is now nctee as significant
that the advertising of subscriptione to what is
described as the Emergency Fund—that is, a fund
or the destruction of the pub!ic buildings in the
capital of a friendly nation—has ceased to be one of
the scandals of New York journalism. If the London
papers had for years openly advertised contributions
or levelling the public buildings of Paris, the Govern-
ment of the French Republic would have had some-
thing to say about the matter to the Foreign Secre-
tary which,must have been attended to.
The translation of the Bishop of Exeter to the see
of London was not unexpected by those who had
known anything of his administration of the great
diocese to which he was appointed fifteen years ago.
H. has had an immense amount of work to get
through ; and, although he is somewhat older than
his predecessor at the time of his promotion, a man
who has taken care of himself should, at the age of
sixty-three, have some years of vigorous effort
before him. Dr. Temple's appointment is extremely
pleasing to all advocates of temperance reform; for
be has, both in his own cathedral city and at
Exeter Hall, pleaded the cause of total abstinence in
a telling and forcible manner. Head masterships
of our public schools seem to have been a preparatory
training for the prelacy for some time past. The late
Archbishop of Canterbury was at one time Head
Master. of Rugby; so was the new Bishop of London.
The present Archbishop of Canterbury was Head
Master of Wellington College, and the Bishop of
Southwell was Head Master of Winchester School.
The %visit of Prince Albert Victor to Whitechapel,
for thepurpose of opening a Boys' Club, on Saturday,
was an event in that part of the town, where the
members of the Royal Family are at all times so
heartily welcomed. There is no part of the great
metropolis where the feeling of attachment to the
reigning House is more warmly manifested than
in the East. It is the working-class portion of
London, a part so different from all the others that
the spectator might imagine himself amongst the
docks• of Liverpodl instead of being in a part of that
never-ending community which, to a large propor-
tion of its population, consists merely of busy streets
by day and suburban quietude at night. Along the
miles of riverside in the East of London the vast
quantity of shipping finds employment for
an enormous number of people, who are as
different from those to be met with in the
north, the south, and the west, as though they
lived hundreds of miles away. Yet these poor
workers, many of whom are unhappily not now
in full employment, have always a cordial _greeting
for the representatives of the Crown. Now that
Prince Albert Victor has come out in practice as a
public speaker, he will be found in the east-end as in
other places, much • oftener than hitherto. A very
interesting ceremonial will be that at Guildhall not
long hence, when he will take up the freedom of the
City of London, to which he is entitled by patrimony.
It will be remembered that in September last, a team
of English professional cricketers under the captaincy
of Alfred Shaw, and Shrewsbury, set sail for the
Antipodes. Up to the present they have not suffered
a single reverse, their record showing seven matches
won, and one drawn. The last played was on January
28, against New South Wales, and resulted inn victory of
eight wickets for our men. This tour is thereturn visit,
the Australian team having been in this country during
the season of 1884, when they were engaged altogether
in thirty-twomatches, lasting from May 12th to Sep-
' tember 12th, a period of four months. When the
season was finished their numbers were eighteen won,
seven lost, and seven drawn, a very good record, con-
sidering the dry summer, which made the _ground
anything but favourable for bowling.
Last Saturday was a day of considerable activity
amongst politicians, reminding us to some extent of
the Saturdays between July and October, when the
franchise agitation was at its full height. There were
Mr. Goschen speaking at Edinburgh, Mr. Forster at
Bradford, Mr. Henry Richard at Darlington, Sir
Stafford Northcote at Crcditon, Colonel Stanley at
Lytham, and others. It is difficult to estimate the
yalue of political addresses in the minds of vast
numbers of the penny newspaper reading public; but
it may be noted that some of the journals of the
largest circulation at this price do not now give such
long reports of speeehes as they were once accus-
tomed to do, finding it better to give a variety of
intelligence than to sacrifice much of this to the
utterances of a single man. Of course there are ex.
ceptions, as in the case of the Prime Minister, who-
. ever he may be, and to whatever party in the State
- he may belong; but as a rule the journal which throws
-itself upon the million for support must please the
great body of its customers, and, in offering the news
of the day, take care that its record is made as com-
plete in each issue as possible.
The utmost despatch is being exercised with respect
to the completion of the repairs of the House of
Commons by the time fixed for the re-assembling of
' Parliament, on the 19th instant. It is not, however,
believed to be possible that the work of restoration
can be thoroughly finished; so temporary arrange-
ments will in some cases have to be made, and the
' work taken up and carried to a final issue in the next
autumn recess. So far as the immediate meeting of
Parliament is concerned, with those who know any-
thing of forms and ceremonies, there is a feeling of
satisfaction that business can be taken up. There
will be no Queen's Speech, and consequently no
Address to the Crown, occupying ten or eleven nights
of debate ranging over every part of the vast field of
politics. For once the Legislature will be able to
Proceed with that dispatch of business upon which
stress is laid in the Royal proclamation summoning
it to Westminster without the intervention of forms
and ceremonies which in a more swiftly-reforming
age may possibly be deemed obsolete and out, of
date.