The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-08-28 00:00:00


',Uletropolitan Mossip.

rt OCR OWN CORRISPONDRKR

(The rsmarirs under this head are to he regarded as the el.
promos mieliendent opinion. from the pen of a gentlerns[
. 'whom vic nave the greatest vol t deuce, but for which orn
,
do not hold ourselves responsible.)

ijvtl

An important association has been formed mainly by
the efforts and under the direction of Mr. Elihu Bur-
ritt, t!,the literary blacksmith," whose desire for the
welfare of the working classes has been shown in many
ways, during the last quarter of a century. He has
set on foot an International Land and Labour Agency.
Pointing out that the whole American continent, from
the Atlantic to the Pacific, and from the great Lakes
to the Gulf of Mexico, is now open to European agri•
cuiturists, mechanics, and men and women of all occu-
pations, the promoters of this association explain that
their plans involves commission agency for the sale and
purchase of farms and land, for information and advice
as to the route, for the procuring of ;situations, for the
interchange by sale of American and English inventions
anti products, and for the acclimatisation of English
and American song-birds, and for other purposes. If
this association act in good faith and with good judg-
ment, which there is every reason to hope it will, it
may be highly conducive to the welfare of the indus-
trial chases of our own country who find it difficult to
get a living at home. There is no doubt there is yet
ample scope and verge enough for a large number of
immigrants into America and Canada, provided only
that it be the right sort of persons who go.
The recommendations of the jury in reference to the
recent fatal boiler explosion on the Thames ought to
have some weight. They suggest that all engines
driver@ should be examined and certificated; that all
boilers should be tested by a Government official, cer-
tified as to their pressure, and not be permitted to be
worked, at, a higher pressure than the certificate allows.
These precautions have frequently been insisted on be-
fore, anti they are Practically the same as those which
Mr. Sheridan proposed in his abandoned bill of last
essiiin. it is marvellous that in a country where steam
machinery ranks higher and is more largely used than
any other conntry in the world, we have not yet
Arrived at this official inspection and certification. The
number of so-called accidental deaths in this hard-
working country of ours is frightful, and three especial
causes are now attracting unusu d attention—ladle'
explosions, colliery explosions, and powder-mill ex•
plosions. The impression gains ground that
many of these fearful calamities might be pre-
vented by due caution, and if this caution
can be compulsorily secured by legislative enact-
ment it will be a great boon to our working
classes. It is quite true that there are not wanting
proofs of the recklessness of life with which dangerous
occuleitit ma are undertaken; but it is the duty of the
Legislature not to allow men to be reckless of their

-- • ---
One of the most eagerly discussed topics of Vie day
is the failure of the Albert Life Assurance Company.
As its affairs are in a transitive state and sub judice, it
is not advisable to comment on them at length, but
the undeniable facts which have transpired are startling
enough to account for the deep int. rest that the public
take in this disastrous failure. The company has ab-
sorbed about 22 other life-assurance companies; it has
some 30,000 policy-holders and reversionary expec-
tant, ; and it fails for between seven and eight can-
nons. Whatever may be the distress that may arise
out nf this collapse, it is to be hoped at all events that
it will lead to one result—that erelong life-assurance
oornpanies will he compelled to publish the state of
their affairs, periodically certified by independent
auditors.
Simultaneously appear, through the reports of the
London and Paris companies, some interesting facts
lative to the omnibus traffic in the two capitals. The
number of passengers carried its the London General
Omnibus Company's vehieles during the half-year end-
ing Tune 30, was 20,157.026 and the receipts during
the same leriod were £270 925. The Paris company
carried (luring the year 186$ no less than 120,000,000
p 6isengers, and its receipts were about £1,080,000
Taking the half of this, for the purposes of comparison
we find 60,000,000 passengers, and £510,0n0 in receipts
so that is sound numbers we may say that the Paris
company carried three times as many passengers and
that its receipts were twice as much as those of the
Leaden company ; from which it incontestably appears

" harbours of vice and vermin, pestilence and crime."
It is a sad, sad truth, and with all our writing and
lecturing, with all our legislating and organisation, the
lowest acmes (quite distinct from the welting clasaes)
are still too much for us. The improvement of their
dwellings is a central reform, from which others would
radiate, and at present what has been done in this direc-
tion is but a drop in the ocean.