The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-08-10 00:00:00

qinr Todon Oriorresponnit.

ilice deem right to state that we do not a; ad times
,:leatify ourselves with our Correspondent's optran2j

The London Season is a somewhat vague and inde-
finable term, the duration of which cannot be pre-
cisely measured by time, or reckoned strictly by
dates. It may be generally construed to mean the
period represented by the sitting of Parliament, but
it does not begin until after the Legislature has
assembled, and it is certainly over before the two
Houses are prorogued. For instance, looking back over
our experience of the present year, it would be anything
but correct to say that the London season commenced
in the middle of :.;anua7,, when the Lords 'and
Commons-gathered at Westminster. It does not really
open until raster, Tulltrc—reEst;e in brilliancy
until aftier Whitsuntide, then slowly declines, and
may be said to come to an end in the Goodwood week.
This year the Gcodwood races were later than usual,
and thus a considerable number of the aristocracy
were kept in town, and joined the distinguished party
entertained, by the Duke and Duchess of Richmond
and Gordon—a party which included the Prince and
4 Princess of Wales, Shopping and dining, dancing and
••c gossip, make up the staple of the business of the London
•
semen. But when the beginning of August comes,
. •
- its glories may be fairly id to have gone; the metro-
polis getis'' dusty and ; the trees fall into the
sere and yellow leaf; and whether the streets be
- black under cloud, or white in glaring sunlight, those
• who are able to leave the capital hasten away from it
• • either to the mountains or to the sea.
s'a The appearance of the House of Commons at
•
the fag end of the session is eminently suggestive
of the approaching termination of its labours. A
• standing order prescribes that no business shall

hr) traLacted unless forty members are present,
a" • i)ut matters of great importance are often dis-
evii
posed of in a House when less than that number
.4 are present. The Speaker is not invested with

•*. power to close the sitting unless his attention is
e ' directly called to the fact that there is not a quorum
1 present, but when a member draws his notice to it, he
1."• is bound to count. As the Session wanes away, the
•
attendance becomes more and more scanty, and the
S. au few who remain are members of the Government
-6•41 and their more devoted supporters, together with
ibsl 3 few prominent representatives of the Opposi-
../Of
tion. The Ministry is of course bound to carry
its measures if it can, and therefore forty mem-
bers or so are kept in town for that purpose through
the persuasion of the ministerial whip. These,
if not in the House, are generally in its precincts, and
6 • can come at once if a count is moved, but this very

seldom happens when Government business is before
the House—firstly, because it is known that a reserve
two,*
of members is either in the smoking-room or library,
to make up the requisite quorum; and secondly, be-
cause nothing could be gained by wasting a night, the

- only result being to prolong the session, which every
• one concerned wishes to see closed. If you looked in
• upon the House of Commons at midnight in early
August when the estimates are under discussion, you

.‘. might perhaps find about twenty or thirty members
44
there. Very tired and jaded they seem, and will be
fas
rglad enough when on the day of the prorogation they
• see the Usher of. the Black Rod advance up the floor
to command the immediate attendance of that honour.

. able House in the House of Peers to hear the Royal
Commission read which is to release them for further
attendance in Parliament for the next six months.
et;
A 4 The Twelfth of August is a day set apart for the
beg,ivning of grouse shooting, and for several days
previously the trains for the north out of London are
• heavily freighted with intending sportsmen. While
„ the Solent is full of amateur sailors and their ships,
all in readiness for the royal regattas at Cowes and
tvr- Ryde ; while the Channel is studded with white sails;
and while other adventurous men are penetrating the
mysteries of Norwegian fjords, where the fragrance
of the pines, as it is wafted over the waters, is
so welcome after all the months of heat, and crowd,
and hurry, "Caledonia stern and wild" is not for.•
gotten by large numbers who wish to enjoy their
holiday amid grand and picturesque scenery, and pure
mountain air. There the sea runs out and in, so
deeply penetrating the land by way of bays and inlets
that the shadeless moors are cooled, and the young
grouse grow etrong upon the wing. This year the
prospects for the sportsmen are unusually promising,
for the summer has been a dry one, and the grouse are
numerous and healthy.

The Volunteers of various descriptions have had a
busy time lately. First the riflemen had their annual
outing at Wimbledon; then the engineers underwent
a thorough course of pontooning with their brethren
of the Royal Engineers at Aldershot and Chatham,
and next the Artillery Volunteers have their week's
practice at Shoeburyness. A very hard week's
work is that which is gone through on the fiats of
Essex. The instructors of the school of gunnery cease
for a time the tuition of their fellows, and the volunteer
artillery eagerly take advantage of the War Office per-
mission to handle guns other than the old-fashioned
pieces with which they are usually entrusted. The
oat Shoeleuryness competition attracts less notice than that
of Wimbledon, but its importance cannot be over-rated.
• IP. The riflemen are our second line of defence, but the artil-
"" lery is the first, and would necessarily take the leading
position in repelling any attempt at landing on the
part of an invading force. No human probability
at present points to any such endeavour being made;
but this does not diminish the zeal with which the
.Artillery Volunteers apply themselves to their
laborious task whilst they are encamped upon the
bleak low-lying lands at Shonburyness.
A total eclipse of the sun is a phenomenon which
is not often visible in England, and oven when it is, it
has more than once happened that the sky has been so
.* • overcast by clouds that the obscuration of the sun
could not be traced. When, however, the shadow of
the moon is cast over lands where the weather is
more settled than in our own variable clime,
the observations of scientific men are of the most
sae
-ILI interesting and valuable character. The recent solar
• 11* • eclipse, as seen from the heights of the Rocky Monn-
tains, must have been a spectacle such as that in which
eminent astronomers delight. Important as were the
results of the expedition which had been fitted out
•i:' after months of preparation and at great expense, they
are scarcely inferior in interest (though custora has
familiarised us with the wonders of telegraphy) to the
manner of their communication through the columns
of •the newspapers to the people of these islands.
Across th 9 land for thousands of miles, and for
thousands of miles under the sea, a long descriptive
message, was telegraphed to London, and it may be
eJ * 11 safely said that Bra complete news of eclipse observa-
• tions was never before communicated from so great
1` a distance by the agency of the electric wire.
The Governor-Generalship of the Canadian Dominion
is the second best post in the gift of the Crown. The
,
first is the Viceroyalty of India, with its salary of
£20,000 a year, then comes Canada, with £20,000.
The vote of the Colonial Office is that six years
• should be the length of a Governor's term of office,
and it may be considered a wise one. However sue-
eessful a Britisli Pro-Consul may be in ruling in
.vethe Queen's name a great dependency, it is well
that, after a given time he should hand over his
viceregal functions to others. The experience which
he thus acquires is most valuable to the State. It
is found to be of the greatest servive at home,
-where, on the affairs of which he has had intimate
personal knowledge, he can speak with a weight very
different from most members of Parliament.
- Our empire is so vast, and requires so many
t„ men of various abilities and accomplishments
eeft taka part in its administration that there
MI will always be found places for noblemen who
1:e have had a political and official training, and
who are patriotically anxious to serve and adorn
i the State. The selection of the Marquis of Lorne as
e the successor of Lord Dufferin has been very generally
E, welcomed both at home and in Canada, as a happy
one. He will be a representative of Royalty, and not
merely in the official sense. He will be accompanied
I,y his wife, the Princes Louise, who will thus, as a
daughter of the Queen, call forth in her own person
the warmest sentiments of devotion to her Majesty.
1-IVo part of our \Tad colonial possessions is more
Aoyal than the Canadian Dominion. Through a
wise and (considerate Policy the Canadians have
boconie more and more attached to the mother coun-
try; and the Marquis of Lorne and his amiable
conso.rt will find a smooth and easy path before them.
They hags only to tread it gracefully and condescend-
ingly to find it strewn with flowers; and when the
▪ time shall 'come for them to leave Canada, they will
doubtless find all the bright anticipations surrounding
the present appointment fully realised.
• Sir Garnet Wolseley's reception by the Cypriotes
amply testifies to the enthusiasm with which the
inhabitants of ypru.s have welcomed the change of
a'
rule. They have exchanged the Star and the Crescent
for the Union Jack, and the people of Nicosia seem
to have been especially demonstrative in their greet-
ing to the representative of the Queen. It appears
that while this island had once very many fair cities,
Nicosia and Famagusta are now the only places which
can be so dignified with this description, and that the
rest are mere villages. None of them are in-
habited by the ancient nobility; for the old fecal-
, lies are either extinct, or have left the place
since it passed into the possession of the Turks. The
famous mouniain of Olympus is very near Nicosia,
with its spires, minarets, and domes, pleasantly inter-
spereed with houses, gardens, and foliage; it is very
. high, and 54 miles in circumference. A curious and
interesting piece of isforrnation has been furnished by
Father Dandini, who tells us that "there are near into

i44l'

04' -

the Cape of St. Epiphany in Cyprus, two famous foun-
tains, one of which is called the Amorous Fountain, be-
cause those who drink of its water grow passionately
in love, and the other quite contrary, because it ex-
tin,guishes this passion in a moment." These foun-
tains, should they be at all accesEible, will probably
be much vi,ited by the crowds of tourists who will
pour into our new possession when the arrangements
for organi3ing a service to the island have been com-
pleted.

THE PLENIPOTENTIARIES' VISIT TO
THE CITY OF LONDON.

The Earl of Beaconsfield and the Marquis of Salis-
bury on Saturday afternoon received the freedom of
the City of London in the Guildhall Their lordships
were cheered by the crowds who assembled in the
streets to see them pass, and at various points of the
route were given "Three cheers for Cyprus !"
"Cheers for Lord Beaconsfield !" "Cheers for the
Marquis of Salisbury !" and "Groans for Russia 1"
On the Premier's arrival at the Guildhall the band
played "See the conquering Heroe comes." A large
and distinguished company assembled in the Guild-
hall to witness the ceremony. After the presentation,
both Ministers made brief speeches acknowledging the
honour which had been conferred upcn them, and
and expressing the gratification they felt and their
sense of the importance of the support of public
opinion.
In tee evening the annual ministerial banquet was
given at the -.l\ fansion House. the Duke of Richmond
and Gordon being the only Minister absent.
The Lord Mayor, in proposing "The Health of Her
Majesty's Ministers," said,—l have now the privilege
and the honour of welcoming Her Majesty's Ministers
to the Mansion-house. During the last two years this
country has passed through a period of great anxiety.
Whether any nation, however great and however rich,
shall pursue the arts of peace, or be engaged in a san-
guinary and a costly war, must be matter of serious
moment. But our anxiety and suspense have been
relieved, and Her Majesty's Ministers have been able,
supported by the country, to continue to us the bless-
ings of peace—"a peace with honour." The two chief
Plenipotentiaries have to-day had their services
acknowledged by the city of London—(cheers)—but
their responsibilities have been shared by all their
colleagues. They are all heartily welcomed by me
this evening. (Cheers.) My lords, ladies, and gentle-
men, I give you "The Health of Her Majesty's
Ministers," and I couple with that toast the illustrious
name of the Prime Minister, the Earl of Beaconsfield.

The toast was received with enthusiasm, the audience
rising in a body, and cheering for some minutes.
The Earl of Beaconsfield, who was received with
enthusiasm, said,—My Lord Mayor, it is nearly three
years since I, addressing one of your predecessors,
I think in this hall, said that there were some disturb-
ances in a distant province of the Turkish Empire
which could not be looked upon without a conviction
that they might become more serious. At that time
the three Imperial Powers who, from their contiguity
to that province, necessarily had a more direct and
immeuiate connexion with it than England, had
communicated with this country upon the subject,
and we had said that although their connexion
with the province might be more direct, it was
not more considerable than that of England.
(Cheers.) I also took the opportunity of expres-
sing to your predecessor that Her Majesty's
Government had well considered those circumstances
—that the great interests of England which might be
involved should be sedulously guarded (cheers), and that
we were resolved to uphold and maintain them.
(Cheers.) Well, my Lord Mayor, since that time many
things have happened of great moment. For the last
two years an impending general war has been appre-
hended by every country. There has been the abso-
lute occurrence of a great war, limited, no doubt, in
its area, but stupendous and sanguinary. (Hear,
hear.) There have been fears, and well-founded fears,
that the balance of power in the Mediterranean,
in which England is so deeply interested, might be
subverted. (Cheers.) There have been fears that
Russia would establish ports in the eEgean, and that
the restrictions on the navigation of the Straits, which
have been looked upon as a cardinal point by this
country, were about to be abolished. There were
apprehensions, and well-founded apprehensions, that
Asia Minor was about to be conquered, and that the
establishments and influence of Great Britain in
the Persian Gulf might be seriously endangered.
There has been in the interval a Conference at
Constantinople, and there has been as you well know,
a Congress at Berlin. (Cheers.) been,
what has been
the outcome of these great events, these startling con-
tingencies, and these enormous vicissitudes? The out-
come has been a general peace in Europe (loud cheers),
a peace which I believe will be enduring? And why,
my Lord Mayor, do I believe that peace will be en-
during ? Because I see that every one of the Powers
is benefited by that peace and no one is humiliated.
(Cheers.) If you take the two belligerents, beginning
with Russia, there is no doubt that the decision of
the Congress of Berlin forced Russia to relinquish
the most important conquests which she had made in
Europe; but, at the same time, there was a due regard
to the military honour of that great Power, and that was
left in herhands which could not be denied to a conquer-
ing foe whose very armies were at the gates of the
metropolis of their opponent. With regard to Russia
also there are other considerations in this peace that
must not be omitted. The peace that has been made
is a great check to the restlessnes of the military
authority of Russia. (Cheers.) A party by no means
essentially powerful, a party by no means the most
numerous—a party which does not count in its ranks
the most important men in that country, but a party
which has taken advantage of military opportunities
when they have occurred and under Governments which
ought not to have permitted them—a party which has
made Europe fearful and restless—that party has now
learnt, for the first time, that the principles of asettle-
ment are established which will not let them act with
impunity and divert the energies of Russia from the
development of its resources which that country espe-
cially requires, and which if pursued would add greatly
to the happiness of its people. (Cheers.) Well, then, my
Lord Mayor, let us see what is the condition of the other
belligerent. To form an accurate conception of his
position, you must remember that only a few months
ago countless legions of his foes were rattling at
the very gates of his capital, his fairest provinces
had been conquered, and, notwithstanding the
valour of his troops—which all recognize and admire
(cheers)—his resources were exhausted. The wisdom
of the Congress of Berlin has made that conquering foe
relinquish the greater portion and the wealthiest por-
tion of his conquests. (Cheers.) The Sultan of
Turkey, who had scarcely a square mile of territory
left in Europe, has now in Europe a rich and abound-
ing country which in area is equal to England and
Wales; while in the Asiatic portion of his dominions
his anxieties are terminated—(cheers)—and he knows
well the opportunity has now come when the re-
sources of his country may be developed with the
advantage of that tranquillity which they scarcely
ever before enjoyed. (Cheers.) So much, my Lord
Mayor, for the belligerents; let us look, for a
moment, to the position of the neutral Powers.
The first and in these matters the most important
of the neutral Powers is Austria, and what has hap-
pened to Austria? She, as the trustee of Turkey, has
occupied an important province which was no source of
wealth, but a source of weakness and devastation to
the Porte, but in the possession of Austria permits us
to check, I should hope for ever, that Panslavist con-
federacy and conspiracy which has already proved so
disadvantageous to the happiness of the world.
(Cheers.) From the commanding positions she will
now hold you may look forward to peace, tranquility,
and order in countries where they have never before
flourished, and the condition of which has been a
perpetual menace to Europe of turmoil and of warfare.
(Cheers.) If you look at the position of the two Mediter-
ranean Powers, France and Italy, they have the satis-
faction of knowing that the balance of power in the Medi-
terranean has not been disturbed. (Cheers.) They have
obtained that peace in which no Powers are more inte-
rested than themselves (cheers) ; and they know well that
England is pursuing a policy in that part of the world
which may lead to the increase of the wealth and hap-
piness of society, but which they are sincerely and
even eagerly invited by England to participate in and
to share. (Cheers.) Well, I need say nothing about
the great peace-maker, Germany. (Cheers.) Germany
was the first to invite this Congress, and Germany,
from the first, has said that all she required was the
peace of Europe. (Cheers.) That object has been
attained. (Cheers.) There remains, then, only
our own country; and I can appeal to what has
occurred—l can appeal with confidence to the great
settlement which is now known to all of you and
in every one's mouth, and ask you whether I
have not redeemed the pledge I gave three years ago
(loud cheers) that her Majesty's Ministers would
maintain the intereata of their country. (Cheers.) I
feel confident that they have not only maintained the
interests of their country, but they have secured the
independence of Europe. (Loud cheers.) My Lord
Mayor,. I need hardly have been at the interesting
scene of this morning to feel that, although the
citizens of London do justice, and more than justice,
to the operations of the Congress of Berlin and to the
labours of my noble friend and myself in that assembly,
the people of England are more interested, I believe,
in the Convention of Constantinople than even
in the peace of Berlin. (Cheers.) My Lord Mayor,
Europe has a prospect now before her which she has
never previously enjoyed. She has brought before
her for her study and her (levelopment a great
Continent which nature has gifted with infinite
wealth, but which, so far as its government and
administration are concerned, has unhappily now for
countlege ages fallen to races deficient in the arts of
government. 4Cheers.) I know it is said that the
engagement which the Sultan of Turkey has entered
into with us may be a mere paper engagement; and
we are told that before Ws year—in 1856, at the
peace of Paris—engagements of thie kind were made
for the reformation of the govemme;at of his
dominions, and that, easily made, they have been
completely evaded. But, my Lord Mayor, there
is no similarity in the two positions. In the Treaty of
Paris there was no engagement on the part of the
Sultan to Europe. (Cheers.) In the Convention of
Constantinople there is a distinct engagement on the
part of the Sultan to England (cheers) ; and, indephn-
dently of the immense differences of the two situations
—independently of the right and privilege of our inter-
ference which, under the Convention of ConstantinoPle,
we possess—we are not justified in saying that is not a
hopeful task, even if we had not the right to appeal to
the Sultan for the good government of his dominions.
We
mro
wartiolk'aucneioectot
doliotr,curniyithatt
et oar, ucinoenatmh that
commence
ef his
reforms,
obteci oantilsee
ourenrtsecotlhlecatteiovnertho one of the mortthrei;
subject. I will not quote the deasspaatpcphes of Consuls,
ivhether English or Russian; some of them are full of
invaluable matter, but they may be naturally affected
by the bias of their nations and parties. But there was
a body of men in Turkey—eaz, the highest principle
of ,v2u a sublime character—m who devoted
their lives to the benefit of their fellow creatures and
sought no reward but the convictions of their own cdii.
sciences—and these were the American missionari s.
(Cheers.) The American miseionaries were scatter d
over every part of Turkey, and when this war core-
menced—on falai) pptences., in a great degree—(cheeb()
—the American missionaries addressed the Emperbr
of Germany and said it was their duty to tell laka thw
. they had 11-C1 awl laboured in every part of the

that 1 in

Ottoman Empire, and since the Crimean War and
the Treaty of Paris the improvement in the con-
dition of the Christian subjects of the Porte was most
remarkable. (Cheers.) They mention in that docu-
ment that the regard for life and property was now
most striking. They mention in that document that
education was very largely pursued and that toleration
was almost complete (cheers); but these changes could
only be effected by the influence of the Sultan him
self; for there was no Power in Europe at that time
which had the right to appeal to him or interfere in
the government of his subjects. Therefore, I do not
believe that we shall find, as some suppose, obstacles
raised on the part of the Sultan himself against those
great changes which are impending, and which if car-
sled into effect will contribute so much to the weilth
and welfare of the world. (Cheers.) I will not dwell
in detail on these matters. I saw the day before yes-
terday an Armenian tf great reputation, a man who
may be described as a statesman, and one who has held
a great position in the countries where he has been em-
ployed. He said to me, "There is only one thing to be
done, one word is sufficient to describe the great experi-
ment England is about to undertake. Let your motto
be justice. (Cheers.) If justice be exercised and main-
tained, you will find meta a change in the character
and conduct of the people that at the end of a very
few years you will scarcely believe they are the same
race." (Loud cheers.) I, therefore, look forward
with great confidence to the policy of the Government
which has occupied Cypress. (Loud cheers.) I be-
lieve it will exercise a most beneficial influence over
Asia Minor. (Cheers.) The first duty of the Govern-
will be to secure tranquillity and order. When tran-
quillity and order are secured, which mainly depend
upon the administration of justice, I should leave the
rest with confidence to the energy and enterprise of
Europe. (Cheacf3.) I would not limit my hopes
merely to the energy and enterprise of my countrymen,
but I would welcome the ingenuity of Italy--(cheers)
—I would welcome the invention of France—(cheers)
—and I should rejoice if I saw those Powers profit-
ing, and profiting greatly, from operations first con-
ceived and first set on foot by the determination of
England. (Cheers.) Before sitting down, my Lord
Mayor, there is one remark I would ask permission to
offer to your guests. Since I had any acquaintance
with or control over public affairs—l never knew any
time when the relations between the Great Powers of
Europe were so essentially friendly as they are at the
present moment. (Cheers.) I make no exception with
regard to Russia. (Cheers.) We did not go to war,
fortunately, with Russia, and the great statesmen
with whom we were placed in communication knew
well the great advantage in negotiating with England
that warfare had not occurred between the two
Powers. (Cheers.) I believe there are no men
more anxious to develop° the resources of their
country than the leading men in Russia (cheers);
and they feel the conviction that a restless and
warlike spirit is one that must debase and
perhaps even ruin their Empire. (Cheers.) With
regard to the other Powers, I will notice only one, and
that is France, because we have been favoured with
accounts which certainly are totally at variance with
those which reach my noble friend and myself.
(Cheers.) I should look upon it as one of the greatest
misfortunes that ever happened to England if any es-
trangement occurred between France and England
(cheers) in those feelings of sincere and complete
friendship which of late years have grown up between
the two countries. (Continued cheers.) England and
France are united by so many bonds—there is so
much sympathy between the two populations, the
history of both countries is so interesting to each other
—that I cannot myself easily conceive that between
England and France there should ever occur feelings
that would lead to misconception and to consequences
more direful. (Loud cheers.) I hope, my Lord
Mayor, the time has come when I and my colleagues,
who share your hospitality, may no longer have our
conversation after dinner confined to wars and
rumours of wars. (Cheers.) It has been my fate
for several years on these occasions to utter a warn-
ing voice to my country, and I am happy, I may
say I am even proud, to feel that time has proved
that the warning uttered was not without rea-
son ; but I trust that time is now past, and that
it is upon the revival of trade, the development of
I industry and all the arts of civilization that I
shall have periodically to address the chief magistrate
of the greatest city in the world. (Loud cheers.)
Then, my Lord Mayor, I shall feel I have a right to
be a citizen el London. (Cheers.) For my colleagues
and myself permit me now to offer what I have offered
before, but never with more sincerity and pride, my
best acknowledgments for the great distinction you
have done us in drinking our healths. (The noble
earl sat down amid long-continued cheering, the band
playing "For Auld Lang Syne.")
Lord Salisbury, in responding to the toast of his
health, said that previous treaties to which this
country had been a party had been denounced like
the Treaty of Berlin was now by a small section of
the people. We had now a great field of duty opened
to us; and we must make up our minds not to neglect
the opportunities which had been given us. The act
of the Government had been declared the will of the
nation with no uncertain voice • and if we were true
to the mission we had undertaken the two years of
war abroad and of bitter controversy at home would
only be remembered as heralding the dawn of a period
of order and prosperity for one of the fairest regions
of the earth.
Colonel Stanley responded for the army, Mr. W.
H. Smith for the navy. Lord Napier of Magdala for
the reserve forces, the Lord Chancellor for the House
of Lords, and Sir Stafford Northcote for the House of
Commons.