The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-06-02 00:00:00

Our Nonbort (Eurasponbent,

[We deem it right to state that we do not at all times
identify ourselves with our Correspondent's opinions.]

It is true that on the exact anniversary of her
Majesty's birthday London was favoured by the con-
genia meteorological conditions which have come to
be known as "Queen's weather," bat the day fixed for
the official celebration of that event was damp, dirty,
and disagreeable. The citizen soldiers, however, rose
superior to climatic changes, and, notwithstanding the
discomforts to which they were subjected, met for the
customary reviews in' the various parks. Some- dis-
appointment was occasioned by the postponement of
the ceremony of trooping the colours on the Horse
Guards parade-ground. But that is a pageant which
can only be fully enjoyed under favourable con-
ditions. There is a stateliness and deliberation
about the proceedings which cannot well be
observed in disadvantageous circumstances. In
fast it has been suggested that the ceremony of
"trooping the colours," was invented by a com-
mandant as a preventive of over-night dissipation on
the part of his subordinate officers. The parade on
which the movement is executed is between Parliament-
street and St. James's Park, and the locality is appro.
priate inasmuch as it was the site of an old tilt yard. The
Horse-Guards is the office of the Commander-in-Chief,
but save for the mounted guardsmen on duty by day
its inconsiderable appearance would not suggest that it
was a place of so much importance.
On a fine night the club-land of London is crowded
with sightseers on the occasion of Her Majesty's
birthday. Of late years there seems to have sprung
up a competition between the various clubs in
Piccadilly and the Royal tradesmen in the neighbour-
hood of Regent and Oxford-streets as to which shall
have the most effective display of illuminations, and
the splendid architectural proportions of many of the
London club-houses are shown up in novel and
artistic effects by the light of coloured fires and
myriads of gas-jets. On a wet night, such as that
this year, the cabman combines profit and pleasure,
long lines of vehicles defiling through the principal
streets with people who enjoy the display without the
discomfort of standing in the rain. Almost all the
official residences are ablaze with light, the various
members of the Ministry giving dinners and receptions
in honour of the occasion. This is, in fact, one of the
events of the fashionable season.

To the hundreds of thousands of people who daily
cross the noble bridges which span the Thames, it pro-
bably rarely occurs what really remarkable triumphs
of engineering skill those bridges represent. But when
are considered the difficulties under which they were
built and the heavy weights which they have to
sustain, it is alraost surprising that no great disaster
has occurred. Although one main-line railway has
avoided crossing to the City side of the river, it is almost
a necessity for the lines from the south to come into the
heart of London. So great has grown the traffic on
the London Chatham and Dover Railway that it has
become imperative to extend the number of lines, and
it already has four crossing the river. The works of
construction have lately begun and for some time to
come they will be an object of interest to the pas-
sengers and also to the pedestrian who thinks that
bridges were constructed for him to lean upon and
watch other people at work.
This railway company is now seeking powers to
construct a line into the heart of the Surrey and
Sussex district, and secure access to Croydon, which
Although it has recently obtained a charter of in.
corporation and become a municipal borough, is really
a part of London. Croydon has a population of over
seventy thousand, a very large proportion of whom
have daily to visit London in connection with their
business pursuits. The provision of additional
railway accommodation is sure to make still more
popular this charming and increasing suburb.
The Fisheries Exhibition at Kensington has already
proved a greater success than was generally antici-
pated, but the promoters deserve the credit of having
done more than secure success, they deserve it, and
made arrangements to provide for it. When it is
considered that- the numbers passing through the
turnstiles every day approximate to the population of
a town of twenty thousand inhabitants, some idea
may be gathered of the interest which is being ex-
kiibited in fishing and its various forms. Russia seems
to have been wholly occupied with the Czar's corona-
tion, for the section allotted to that country has been
the most backward in its arrangement. With that
exception the Exhibition is in fair working order.
Apart from the Oriental departments the foreign repre-
sentatives of the industry have returned to their homes,
and there is little doubt but that they have taken
with them pleasant impressions of the hospitality
with which they were entertained. One noble lady,
whose name has become almost a household word for
acts of kindness, offered to pay the expenses of the
foreign visitors to any of the places of entertainment
they might chose to visit.

Setting the Thames on fire has passed into a proverb
indicating the impossible. But in this respect the
impossible has been attained. Those who were for-
tunate enough to be on the river when the fire occurred
at the oil-works at Battersea will not soon forget the
spectacle. The quivering sheets of flame which spread
far along the surface of the river was one of the most
weird and wonderful effects that can be imagined. Had
the conflagration occurred at midnight instead of
midday the effect would have been heightened indeed,
but the disaster would have been much greater. One
curious incident in connection with the circumstance
is mentioned. People who were on the neighbouring
bridge, when they saw the stream of fire flowing
towards them, were so alarmed that they sought refuge
in speedy flight.

Fleet-street is not much to look at, as people say,
but apart from its historical and literary associations,
there are scenes and types of character to be observed
there which are its own. It is interesting and sug-
gestive of many reflections to watch the crowd which
patiently waits outside the offices of the newspapers for
the publication of the great racing results. strange
as it may seem, such crowds will gather on Sunday
evening to know the winner of the Grand Prix; and
It is very certain that so many people could not be
drawn there on sueh an evening to know the fate of
a Foreign Ministry. If Dr. Johnson, or Goldsmith,
or Izaak Walton could come back to their old homes in
the neighbourhood they would have some strange
things to say of modern life and manners.

The announcement that a Cabinet Council is to be
held at the Premier's official residence on a certain
day always draws a knot of interested observers to the
neighbourhood of Downing-street. Opinions and con-
jectures, often very wide of the mark are expressed, as
to the identity of various gentlemen who pass with
certain members of the Ministry, but, thanks to
modern illustrative art, the chief leaders of Govern-
ment are pretty well known. Very few strangers,
however, are inclined to believe that No. 10 is the resi-
dence provided by the country for the First Lord of
the Treasury. It has its advantages in its contiguity
to the Treasury and the other public departments,
but its unpretentious outside seems scarcely in keeping
with the important part its occupier for the time being
plays in the making of history.
The watering-cart is not a very ssathetio object in
itself', hut to the Londoner it is full of suggestions of
:;reel fields and seaside resorts; for it indicates the
season when the annual holiday is taken, and the
weary worker exchanges the irritating rumble of
ceaseless traffic in the Strand for the soothing beating
of the sea upon the shore. Summer has at last
set in ; but for nearly three months yet, at least,
law-makers and law-givers, the slaves of politics, and
the votaries of fashion must sigh in vain for rural
delights. But then is some compensation even in this
great city. The parks have not yet lost the fresh
green of spring, plants are bursting into bloom, and
the rush of life seems only in keeping with the
awakened activity of nature. It is now that the
reaches of the Thames are sought by the lovers of
aquatic pursuits. And with that time, too, comes
the usual record of fatal accidents, of inexperienced
oarsmen who cannot swim, and who yet venture into
the most difficult and dangerous spots. It is a matter
for general regret that the society which is established
for the gratuitous teaching of swimming is not better
supported and more largely patronized. If it were, so
many holidays would not have such sad sequels.