The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-09-17 00:00:00

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THE GERMANS IN LONDON.

On Saturday night 'here was a large gathering tfstlie
Germans roliding in London at the Gymnasium, Old
St. Pancras-road, King's-cross, and the progress of the
war on the Continent and its probable future results
were very warmly discussed in the G•nanan languige.
The large cmc,rt-hall of the building Wan quite
crammed with the meridiem of the Turnverein and
their friends. ()a the walls were hung cleverly.executed
photographs cf large dimensions representing Louis
Napoleon in varioui laughably grotesque pesitions.
In one the exd'impi.ror is represented riding an use,
looking very undignified, with his on seated behind,
and holding tightly on to his father. In the distance
is a finger-post pointing to Berlin and to Parie. The
boy notices hie father driving the shaky.looklug old Ma
towards Paris instead of to Beilin, se was contemplated
when they set out on their invading expedition, and
asks his parent is to not going the wrong way.
Another photograph represents Napoleon, in a pitiably
hard.up condition, astride the back of a Bouage, and
both hastening out of danger. In a series of other
photographs the expression of face which the artist
supposes Napoleon put on each time he heard of a
Prussian victory are nisi:seated.
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Von Kanig presided at the meeting. All who ex-
premed opinions, and they were many, were unnuim,ms
in denouncing France as being the cause of the present
war. Some of them stated that the King and the
Government of Pf 113.13 would be required by the
people of Germany to insiat not upon a money indem-
nity alone, but also upon the cession to Germany of
Alsace and the portion of Lorraine which they con-
sidered is and ever has been essentially German. It
was declared that the people of Germany would be
satisfied with nothing less, and this declaration was
warmly endorsed by the 400 or no Germans present,
nearly fifty of whom were refugees from France, and
many of whom had recently gone over to Germany
from London to offer their services in support of
'Fatherland," but whose aid has been refuted as not
needed. Some of these guitleineu stated that they had
mixed with the German people north and month lately,
and that they could speak from good practical err-
rience of the feelings of the Germans at large. 'I he
conclusion they had arrived at was that, no matter
what the King or Gut erument of 'Prussia thought or
did, the people of Girmany were as one man deter-
mined to have possession of every German-speaking
territory which the French had up to the present poi-
morml, sad aloe reliable guarantee' that the German

nation would never again be dieturbed by French at-
tempts to become mastera of the Rhine.
Late in the evening Mr. Wagner, not long returned
from Germany, said thet he had been just informed
that at a large meeting of the working people of
London held that evening at St. Jamealsehall, Mr.
Edmond Bealeo,who presided, lead what he represented
to be an extract from 3 manifesto puldiahed by that was
called the Working Alen's lateruatonal League el
Germany, protesting in the name of the people of
Germany against the annexation of Alsace and Lorraine.
(Clam )1,1119 marks of dimeent ) Mr. Wagner was
puzzled as to what organ Iz Aare Mr. lleales referred to,
but he knew very well that the manifesto in question
did not truly repreeent the feelings of the people of
Germany. (" Hear, hear" and diners). He ventured
to say that he could produce is London alone SCO
Germans in favour of the annexation of Alsace and
Lorraine for every one that Mr. IL.alea could produce,
awl that he could produce in Germany 5,000 in favour
of annexation for every one Mr. Reales and his working
men's manifesto gettenonp could produce. (Cheers).
It was stated that the members of the German Gym-
nastic S ciety had already contributed over 4200 to
the relief 41 the rick and wounded through the war,
and the Germane of London had contributed 1:33,000.
Mr. Itavenstein, the moat active and prominentmember
of the society. has been for some time past on a mission
of charity to Germany. and in carrying a large assort.
rint of articles useful for field hoepital parpoees. For ,
weeks past Mr. Lunt., Mr. F. Beifett, and several I
other of the most active members of the wmiety, have
been unremitting in their t fforta to realize funds in aid
of the sick and wounded.
. _ _

The political talk on Saturday evening was a%ree•
ably alternated by smue capital vocal and instrumental
music, mostly national. In the former Mr. Wald.
1111A1111, a German refugee, and possessor of a tine bass
voice, shone to much advantage. He had to sing
a new (I,rnis.n national song, " Wird ich filch
win lerach en ?'' (" Shall I ever see my country again Y)
several tilues.!