The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-04-05 00:00:00

The Duke of Albany's death breaks v..p every
arrangement which had been made for the London
season, which, after Easter, would have had its en-
gagements in full swing. No drawing-rooms, levees,
receptions, or assemblies can be held while the Court
is in deep mourning, and, as this will be continued
until the 11th of May, the Health Exhibition, which
was to have been opened by the Prince of Wales on
the 7th of that month, will probably have to wait
The Prince of Wales, it may be remarked, was very
speedily in London from Liverpool, and with equal
celerity was off to Cannes on Saturday to superintend
the removal of his brother's remains to Windsor.
It has been often said that London is like no other
city in the world for the many phases of life which it
presents; and if we take only its night side—say
between eleven and twelve o'clock—between Charing-
cross and Ludgate-circus, the scene to be witnessed is
one not easily forgotten. It is in the Strand that
the majority of the metropolitan theatres are situated,
and shortly before midnight they discharge their
audiences one after another out into that crowded
thoroughfare. Westward the streets are not so
brilliantly lighted as eastward, for Fleet-street
is the home of the newspaper offices, which
at that time are in the full blaze of activity.
Not only are the gas lamps thickly dotted
along the line of the pavements, but elec-
tric globes, some high, others low, but all flooding
the thoroughfares with a resplendent light, combine
to make the spectacle one full of animated life. Let
the traveller contrast this midnight spectacle in the
capital with that presented to him at the same time
in any provincial town into which he has been, either
Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds,
or Bristol. Even in Liverpool the public-houses are
closed at eleven o'clock, and before twelve there are
very few wayfarers in the streets, which are thus left ,
for the live-long night to the solitary pacings and
guardianship of the police.
Age gradually creeps over the present Parliament
Four years ago this week, the polls were opened for
the general election. The first day's fighting was on
the last day of March, 1880, and the elections ex-
tended over a period of three weeks, the two Houses
assembling on the 29th of April, when the present
Viscount Hampden was unanimously re - elected
Speaker. The House of Commons has, therefore,
turned the corner of its existence; indeed, it has
very nearly arrived at the average age of the ten
Parliaments of the present reign. The record of its
legislative work does not promise to be commensurate
with the length of its existence.

' The Volunteer arrangements for the forthcoming
Easter are so entirely different from those of previous
years that those members of the citizen army who
will take part in them scarcely know at present what
to make of the brigading process which is to be
carried out at some of the military stations. What-
ever might have been the worth of the Brighton
Review in a practical way, there is little doubt of its
popularity as an annual institution. It provided an
outing for men much in need of it, without that
demand upon their time or the strain upon their
attention Ekely to be the result of brigading with the
regulars.

Flat racing commenced in earnest last week at
Lincoln, and some very good sport was witnessed
on the Carholme. The principal event was, of course,
the rincolnshire Handicap, which was run for on the
Wednesday. This big race attracted a pretty good
field. The favourite, up to the morning before,
was Fulmen, the top-weight, being backed at eight
to one. After he had been given a good gallop early,
and was being prepared for his journey to Lincoln,
he became restive in his box, and injured himsel
very severely. Of course, this accident prevented all
chances of his running, and after being knocked about
in the betting till he stood at the odds of 50 to 1, his
owner put the pen through his name on the morning of
the race. The second favourite was Tonans, who had to
carry Bst. 41bs., and was ridden by Wood. This
horse was very unfortunate in two or three races in
the autumn of last year He has, however, retrieved
his reputation at Lincoln. The race at the finish
was not very exciting. Tonans reached the post
first, three quarters of a length in front of Toast'
master, and Boulevard was third. By winning this
race, Tonans will incur a penalty of 81bs. in the
City and Suburban, run at Epsom next month'
thus making it Bst. 121bs. Turning to steeplechasing,
the principal event was the Liverpool Grand National,
which was decided at Aintree on Friday, the 28th.
Although the Prince of Wales's horse, the Scot, was
well backed, he finished eighth in the race; Mr.
Boyd's Voluptuary being the fortunate animal. It
was on the stand at Aintree that the Prince of Wales
heard the sad news of his brother's death, and he at
once left the course and returned to London. Wood,
the jockey, has opened the season well by winning the
Lincolnshire Handicap, and there will, no doubt,
be a close race between this rider and Archer for the
greatest number of winning mounts.
The announcement has been made that in conse-
quence of the funeral of
,the Duke of Albany, the
University Boat-race has been postponed till Monday,
April 7th. The Oxonians arrived on the tide-
way three: or four days after their rivals. The
excitement on the day the crws were first seen
together at work on the Thames did not seem
to be so great as in former years. But the
race will be rowed under more favourable
conditions than was the case last year. Then
it had to be rowed on Thursday, March 15th,
at about six o'clock in the evening. It was a cold
day, lnd to make matters worse, the contest was
finished during a snowstorm. This time, however'
points to a much better state of things, as being
rowed three weeks later, the weather is likely to be
more genial. The Dark Blues have been the favourites,
and the betting, as a rule, generally foreshadows the
result, This was completely set at nought last year,
Cam,ridge being backed at the long odds of
4 to 1, and were beaten by three lengths. The
Cantabs have the fortune to retain the ser-
vices of four old blues, and were able,
after some little difficulty to select a suitable stroke.
In the Oxonian boat are to be seen two old blues.

They chose for stroke a man who had been succecs-
ful in the Trial eights, and he seems to be working
very well, but is considered by some critics too light
to stay the long and tiring course. Taking the
average weight of both, they are found to be quite up
to the usual standard.

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