The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-09-16 00:00:00

hlur onbon (orttsponknt.

OW deem It right to Ft t e that we do not at all UMW
.dontity ouraelvva a ith our Correavondent'e opinlon4.)

Disastrous as have been the effects of the late terrible
war, it is cheering to read of the wondroci vitality and
the recuporative power of the vanquished country,
mighty even in her defeats The rapid payment of the
indemnity and the speedy evacuation of the conquering
forces, as compared with somewhat similar events in
3815 are joyfully co! 1111 l ented upon by several of the
French journals. la al OA we may be to hear of the
emarkable prosperity of France under all her troubles,
earnestly is it to be hoped that she will not become
puffed up with pride, al as to contemplate a renewal of
the struggle which at me time brought hr so low, but
• that she may rather de vote all her ener_ries to the culti-
vation of peaceful pursuits, and the development of her
national resources.

We English have an inveterate habit of grumbling,
and nothing, seems to please no an much ax finding fault
with existing. institutions. So far as the army is con-
cerned, this bad habit "viii rut" to.an earn:ha ex-
tent ; nothing is right, everything wrong. And now
that the Autumn Manecuvres have commenced, the
usual.amount of suggesting and fault•finding asserts
anti ekhus a very prominent position in the state of
affairs. The old system of picketing was wrong-, that
adopted by the Gennans was right. The German plan
is tried, and the result is, that two stampedes
take place, which then causes everybody to say
the German plan is wrong ; and an a conse-
quence, the war authorities revert to the old
tlystent Then, too, there is the Militia. What said
the inablie? Oh, its tat g ato send them to Aldershot ;
they've is t got sense enough to become ertsl salient.
But they were sent zuu,i it is found that not only
have they become veritable soldiers, hut fat in the
bargain ano mean aetinisition when it is considered
the number of " lean blue" found in the ranks of the
Militia. Seriously the ntamenvres are bringing out
the qualities of the British soldier in a manner that
leaven nothing to be desired ; and it it quite evident,
from the weather anti other things he has to put
up with, that he bast lost none of that endurance which
characterised the legions under Wellington.
Front a correspondence in The Tilneß, it very evi-
dent that. the now st. Thomas's Hospital lew cost an
enormous sum .4 money. That we all knew before,
and in gowl truth we cannot now ascertain how much
this splendid pile of buildings has cost. Bearing in
mind lady richly endowed is this institution, I confess
to a misgiving, whether there ought to have been any
necessity for that urgent appeal for funds which has
recently been made. lint be that as it may, we can
at all events congratulate ourselves on undoubtedly the
finest pile of hospital buildings in the world ; and it
is a matter of very little consequence to the general
public whether this hospital has cost a few thousands
more cr less. What is of more consequence is that
the removal of St. Thomas's Hospitvl front the Surrey
Gardens (once no famous for its zoological connection,
and subsequently equally famous for the preaching
of Mr. Spurgeon, and that memorable calamity one
quiet Sunday evening) has left a densely populatol
neighbourhood totally deprived of hospital accommos
&Von. Not to dwell on this subject, let nte just
express sorrow and regret that that noble building,
Greenwich Hospital, should remain a standing me-
morial " how not to do it." What a splendid Ims-
(ALM —to carry out its name—might here be instituted
for the sick, diseased, and wounded for miles round.
Instead of this, looking at it as an institution, Green-
wich Hospital is a splendid ruin! "How not to do it"
is also strangely- ilhatrated by OUT marvellous inaction
with regard to the New LAT/ Courts. A correspondent,
in a healing journal, reminds us that for thirty years these
Law Courts have been under contemplation; and he
trks whether the matter may mt well stand over
till LiAt sc,si.gl. 1111141 e, lioNVO:er, Would be
mush annoyed to have the whole subject re-opened.
It ought to have been settled year; and years ago, and
tl _,.neral impression has bww: that the matter was
• !.•, i.I can readily imagine =you.; who is nut per-
u- tile c..neerned in the matter, turnini; away with
v 11,1,1,11 disgust when his eye fallsupm the old familiar
words, "The New Law Courts."