The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-11-15 00:00:00

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figre dmorn ft richt to stake that we do not et all tints&
idtatlfy oursalvta with our Correcpoudent's opiniomi

Norember
.is not a month of chenrfulneet in
London—it is a time of fog, and gloom, and heavy
atmosphere. Yet, as a rule, the weather is ruffi-
ciently favourable on Lord Mayor's Day to call the
people into the streets by hundreds of thousands to
witne.-s the progress of the civic pageant from east to
west. and hack again. Up to last year the procession
made its way from Guildhall to Westminster, whore
in the historic hall built by William Rufus, the now
Lord Mnyor was sworn in before the judges of her
Majesty's High Court of Justice, whom the chief
inagi-trare always invites to the banquet in the even-
ing.len the Royal Courts were opened, hard by
Temple Bar, it was supposed by some that the caval-
cade would stop short at the City boundary and
return. But the disappointment amongst the vast nutn-
hers who, on such occasions, invariably collect in
the neighbourhood of the Strand would have been
extreme ; so the Lord Mayor considerately continues
I lie show along the Strand, past Charing-cross, through
Whitehall-place, and back to Guildhall along the
ntatiles Embankment, itself with ample room for the
gathering of an enormous number of spectators.
The banquet at Guildhall in the evening is one of
the most magnificent entertainments annually wit-
nessed even in that home of splendid hospitality, the
City of London. All the other dinners given by the
Lord Mayor during his year of offic,e are laid in the
Egyptian Hall of the Mansion House, the official
residence of the civic monarch. The archi-
tectural position of the Egyptian Hall in the
building is such that on the bright summer
day artificial light has to be brought into requisition ;
but at night, when the tables are laid for one of those
grand feasts for which the Mansion House is so
famous, and the lights are flashed back from the
numerous mirrors upon the walls, the spec-
tacle is one not likely soon to be for-
gotten. The banquet at Guildhall is, however, of an
exceptional nature, as being representative not only
of foreign countries through their ambassadors, but
of the Ministry, both Houses of the Legislature, the
army, the navy, 3urisprudence, art, science, and litera-
ture. Covers are laid for about 800 guests. The
cost of the show and of the banquet is borne jointly
by the Lord Mayor and sheriffs. It generally
amounts to about £2500.

Daring the last four years and a half many a
pedestrian in Ludgate-hill and St. Paul's Churchyard,
has seen a tall man of vigorous frame making his way
towards St. Martin's-le-Grand. The figure was never
alone; the arm of a friend was always there to guide
its course. It was that of Mr. Fawcett, the Post-
master-General, who had achieved a singular and
unique position in the public life of this country.
The calamity of blindness from which he suffered was
not with him from birth; so that the blank during
the second half of his life must have been all the
more terrible to face. Mr. Fawcett enjoyed all the
pleasures of sight until he was 25 years of age. One
a itumn day he went out shooting with a near relative
whilst staying at his home at Salisbury, and an
wcidental discharge from a gun deprived him
of sight. The last look which he had of the world
was upon his native city. His indomitable
courage stood him in good stead when confronted by
a catastrophe so prostrating and so irreparable.
Within five years of that time he was elected Pro-
fessor of Political Economy in the University of Cam-
bridge, a post which he held until his death. His
administration at the Post °dice has been of such a
character as to elicit tributes of praise from his politi-
cal opponents as well as from his admirers and friends.
The interest of commercial men in the spread of
geographical knowledge is uurprstiorA) col:i-
-nlander Cameron, the well-known exiiorer, is doing
his best to form on a sound and successful basis the
:British Commercial Geographical Society, which
bf collecting the most trustworthy informa-
tion respecting comparatively unknown mar-
kets for our trading enterprise, might enable
our merchants to select the most suitable wares for
despatch to those regions. A meeting in connection
with the society was lately held at the Mansion House,
at which one of the speakers pointed out that it was
not the slightest use to send bales of clothing to
savages who wear none, nor to consign Day and
Martin's blacking to barbarians who use it to polish up
t eir dusky skin, and to improve their toilet. What
is wanted is a thorough and accurate knowledge of
each country's requirements, and then to endeavour
o meet them.

It is within a ew days of
.:two years ago that the
troops uhich ha returned from Egypt passed in
review before her Majesty in St. :James's-park, amid
the acclamations of the people. It was one of the few
bright days which we sometimes see in November—
Queen's weather, as usual, and happy auguries were
entertained of the future, both for the short but bril-
liant campaign, and from the oheerful atmospheric
conditions under which her Majesty gazed upon her
troops. Unfortunately it was easier for the Govern-
ment to get into Egypt than to get out again, as is
clearly enough seen now. Lord Wolseley's presence
in the Land of the Pharaohs as the commander of
the Nile expedition which is to relieve Khartoum, was
little anticipated when he returned fresh from the
victory of Tel-el-Kebir. The cost of this expedition
is no easy as yet to estimate; but some idea of it
may be obtained before Parliament rises.
Lord Napier of Magdala, who commanded the ex-
pedition to Abyssinia in 1368, Which, according to
Mr. Disraeli, "planted the banner of St. George
upon the mountains of Rasselas," is one of the
strongest advocates of temperance principles in the
British army. At a meeting held a few days since in
the Library of Lambeth Palace, the London resi-
dence of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord
Napier presided, and from his experience, more
especially as Commander-in-Chief of the military
forces in India, pointed out the advantages of tem-
Perance in a soldier's life. His lordship is by no
means possessed of that brusque style of manner and
address which one is accustomed to associate with
the profession of arms. He is singularly mild and
genial ; but that he can do his work thoroughly King
Theodore of Abyssinia found to his heavy cost.
Some vital statistics in the quarterly return of the
Registrar-General may have possibly escaped attention
owing to the pre-occupation of the newspapers over
the question of Parliamentary reform. For instance
it is interesting to note that in the last three months
for which the figures have been made up, the marriage
rate 'in England and Wales was exactly the same as
the mean in the corresponding quarter of the previous
ten years, while showing a slight increase on the same
period in 1883. The rate in the last quarter was
lowest in Rutlandshire, then comes Cambridgeshire,
Suffolk, Middlesex, Northumberland, London, Not-
tinghamshire, and highest of all in Lincolnshire.
The births registered in England and "Wales during
the three months ending September last, showed
an increase of 11,310 upon the number re-
turned in the corresponding period. The
average price of wheat in three months was
is. 7d. less than in the three preceding. The average
temperature was three degrees above that for the
same time in 112 years; and the amount of rain
measured at Greenwich in the quarter was less than
five inches, which was much below the mean quantity
recorded for a very long time.
The birthday of the Prince of WalesNwas celebrated
on ,Saturday evening much in the same way as in
previous years. The weather was favourable for a
November night in London, and the illuminations,
most of which were to be seen at the west-
end, were witnessed by large numbers of
spectators. The Royal tradesmen dined together
at Willis's Rooms, Mr. W. H. Smith, M.P., in
the chair. The heartiest tributes were there
paid to the manner in which the Prince discharged
the duties which have exceptionally devolved on his
Royal Highness, and to the popularity of both the
Prince and Princess. The House of Commons, having
disposed of the Franchise Bill, will be free to take up
other subjects during what remains of the pre-
Christmas sitting; arid one of these, it is confidently
believed, will be the grant of a suitable allowance to
Prince Albert Victor when he attains his znaioiity on
the Bth January next.

The great division which took place in the House
of *Commons on Saturday morning was one of the
most remarkable in the history of modern
Parliaments. It is the custom, when members
have been in attendance for five or six sessions, for
the numbers to fall off, The Parliame'it becomes
moribund; the interest which ,once kept 1. together
has failed, and it Is felt by many that the time has
nearly arrived when new life might well be imparted
by a general` contact with the constituencie#, Brit Of
all the dirivions which hail Mal Nam the Pre'

• . • •

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sent lloase of Commons during a period extending
over four years and a half, this was the heaviest, and
this, too, at a time of year whm aged and invalid
legislators could ill afford to risk the exposure of a
-November midnight in the British capital.