The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-09-10 00:00:00

Cur ;7onbon CDrrtspenbent.
rwe deem it right to stste that we do nDt ut all times
identity ourselves with our cortesptohlvtd's °plutons.]

A usually well informed medical journal has im-
Portant item of news with egard to tlst bad state of
health of the Emperor of the Preach, Mr. P. Ile wett,
of St. George's Hoetital, London, has, it is said, visi-
ted his Majesty Professionally, and it is added that the
oonsequences of maladies from which the Emperor has
suffered, "added to the fatigues and trials, bodily and
cliental, to which he has been subjected duri is the re-
gent campaign, have been such tliat at any moment
very startling announcements might be made." This
is guardedly put, but it seems feasible, and if it be the
ease, this will account for the Emperor hav-
ing been 113 much in Um background of late.
Dail,w News aubsequently remarked that it had
good reason to believe that this serious statement is
"only too well founded." Much statements, and the re. I
Sections to which they naturally gave rise, produced
some sensation, but this was as nothing compared to
the startling news conveyed in • telegram frum the
King of Prussia to the Queen, that the once mighty
Emperor had surrendered to his mightier foe. I will
tiot 'attempt to describe de excitement that this
startling news, combined with that of the capitulation
of Sedan and " the whole army if Sedan prisoners of
war" crested. Monster placards announced the news
special editions of the papers were hastily issued sea
furiously sold; and no one could have been Bur; risAi
read that on the stuck exchange it was imputed:de to
obtain any authentic quotations, but that the tendency
was to buy almost every security. Wherever our went
the exciting topic was eagerly discussed, and I am
bound to add that among all the knots of people that
were talking of it the prevailing opinion seemed to be
that the news was decidedly good, as indicating the
speedy termination of the war. Heaven grant that
this awful war may now speedily be brought to an end,
and with that earnest wish I turn from this phase of
a subject, which is amply discussed in perhaps every
organ of public opinion.
Simultaneously with the receipt of the above start-
ling news, we heard, withoot much surprise, perhaps,
that there sots "great activhy in diplomatic circles
:bat the English, Russian, and Italian ambassadors
were continually conferring with Count lieust, on the
part of Austria; and that propositions from the neu-
trals to the beiligerents were apparently imminent.
Irrespective of this announcement, the terms of the
hoped-for peace have, as a matter of course, been Since
much discussed. In this state of things the remarks
of the North Gcrezan Joarnal, as the organ of Count
Eismarck, are of especial significance. It says,
" We can at least demand the Vosges boundary, to-
gether with an indemnification for war costs of a
thousand millions" (forty millions of pounds sterling!)
We think, however, that besides this we must have
the line of the Moselle with Metz, and, if God will,
we shall have it." Most people will perhaps think •
that throughout this sanguinary war the Prussians
Lava been rather tor fond of appealing to the
Almighty; but, passing this by, how doss this greed
of money and territory agree with the King's declara-
tion at the outset, that he did not go to war for terri-
torial aggrandisement?

There—is a pleaaing set-off to the horrors of war, out
of all proportion thouoh one may be to the other, in
the efforts that era being made throughout the country
to help the sick and wounded. The pain and suffering
of our fellow creatures bring out the k!nlest feelings
of all classes in our own country. The rich, the mid lie
class, and tie poor, are coming forward nobly to miti-
gate the h Trurs of the battle-field. From the narrative
of fire an,l slaughter, of burning villages and besieged
fortresses, ot our fellow men mowed down in the
harvest of death, it is pleasant to turn to the record of
sumo local effort to succour the wounded, without re-
fertroc to nationality. It is said that there is no
unmitieated evil or unmixed good in this world of ours
and tertainly war, thonith it would bo difficult to dis-
cover a particle of good in it, brings out powerfully the
pity and love and compassion that form part of our
better nature.

It must be satisfactory to the friends of national
education, to observe that here and there local
authorities, or the inhabitants of districts are
moving towards the establishment of School Boards.
Without entering at length on a well-worn sub-
ject, it may be remarked that the Education Act
of last sce.,ion is susceptible of heir. g well or badly
used; that in fact it will become very much what the
people choose to make it. If we enter on educational
reform with the same vigour that Parliamentaisplayed
in discussing and passing the meieure, there is no
reason why our national educatioual &lit:leach .thould
not be gradually supplied.
Baboo Keshub Chnnder Sen, the Indian re-
former, being about to leave England, is to be honoured
with a farewell soir,ie at the flanover-square Room..
I cannot hear that this gentleman has effected much
since he has been in our country, but doubtless we
shall be told a differsnt tale at the farewe:l meeting.
The religious bodies in England, with the exception of
the Unitarians, have not talcui very kindly to Lim, ,
for obvious reasons.
Reciprocity of feeling, some Irishman is soid t 3 have
observed, ought not to be all tm one side ; and this the
Postmaster-General r, minds us in official lauanne.
Reminding us that there will be from the first of '
next month a great increase in prat office business, be
tells us that we might have our letters quicker and
earlier if we would only adopt letter-boxes in our doors.
The hint is venerable enough. In largo towns, where
the delivery is thick—a word that just expresses the
idea—an immense amount of time would be saved were
letter-boxes generally adopted, to say nothing of the
avoidance of opening the ffio r iu wet and windy weather
Strange that 110 self-evident a fact is not more generally
acted upon. The halfpenny newspaper and card
postage coming into use will vastly increase poet-office
business, and one advantage will be that employment
will then be found for many Mow nnemployod men and
lade. But in promoting the circulation of newspapers
and developing correspondence—eepecially abet., harp
crisp business correspondecco—the change will be ins.
menee.

The Metropolitan Board of Works are; to elect a
a new chairman on the 23rd, in the place of the late
Sir John Tnwaites. The p oition is worth having,
for there is the comfortable salary of £2,000 a year
attached to it, to Pay nothing of the influence and the
patronage; but whoever occupies it must be prepared
to relinquish it ere long, as Government have ex•
premed their intention to bring in a bill next session
for the municipal government of the metropolis, and
it is probable that the Board itself will be swept away.
We of the great city have canna to envy many a minor
town which is far better goverced.
Under a recent order in Council, there are and are to
be considerable iruprovenirots effected in the transport
of cattle and sheep, and when the order is fully carried
out—it is of gradual application—the cruelties connected
with the import and transport of stock will become
things of the pat. I am grad to eve that attention is
now being directed to parall..lernati,—overcrowding,
and the absence of food and water -in the carriage of
poultry. It is rather surprising that the Socbty for
the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has not taken
up this matter before now, but perhaps they have too
much other businem on hand (though I see no tirgris of
it). lithe Privy Cauncil can by an order regulate the
shipping, cmriare, and delivery of cattle and sheep,
why not of poultry? The cruelties connected with
our poultry supply are so ext.wded and continuous
that the matter in not Ibrneath the attention of the
Lords of the Ur:incl.

Now that we are sonroaching cold weather, and
seeing that railwLy tra‘ ening he become develop. I
to such monster prop. rtion*, w,uld not some sch. me
of warming railway carriages be worth the atteutioa
of the companies? It is said that in Bavaria a system
of warming the carriage by heated sir conveyed in
gutta perch^ tubing he been successfully tried. It
must be confessed that this is suggestive cf an un-
pleasant effluvium, but the ar,swer would probably be
that there is nothing of the kind. This or some other
plan surely is available in our own country. If any
system of moderately warming railway carriages could
be bit upon awl adopted, it wer.ld be a glorious boon
for the travelling public du:iag the winter, and the
companies would certainly find their account in it.

BABOO ICESHUB CHUNDER SEWS
FAREWELL SERMON.

- -
In London, on Sundry, the 'taboo Keshuh Chnnder I
m Sen preached a farewell atriu in Urity Church,
Islington. He took for his tsxt the 9lst Psalm, v. 2,
"I will say of the Lord He is my refuge and my fort-
lees; my God, in Him will I trust.' Nobody, the
Eaboo said, could, lie thought, deny that the Spirit of
God was a orking in the midst of them at the present
time, for Ile was directing not cd4 men and women,
but kingdoms and nations. One of the most import-
ant and interesting movements of the present day, he
said, WAS that which the Unitarians of England were
carrying on in the vindication and upholding of the
Divine uidly. That doctrine lay at the bottom of all
the grand religious which prevailed in the world. Sal-
vation was out belief in mere dogma, our in any
particular man or lime, or on any theological or his.
torical propor-ition. NO man was ever cast away r r
doomed to eternal punishment because he did not
accept a particular proposition or believe in any parti-
cular point. He trusted that Christians in the future
would not be influenced by nationality, gdoue, or race,
for their faith was vast Al space and endless as infinity,
but that they would break down all existing lairriere
to unity. They murt nut think that truth we the
monopoly of any particular Chruch or country. Keehnh
Chunder Sen thanked the Unitarian burly for the many
pulpits they had placed at hie disposal since he had
been in Edirlaml, and said he should remember their
kindness with gratitude when he returned to hie Indian