The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-08-13 00:00:00

ENGLAND MEAT HE PREPAREIL

" We are watching a drama of an interest inch as Europe
has not seen for more than half a century, hut neutral by-
standers cannot forget in their security that if dynes:ion are
in hazard, nations must slitter, whatever be the end. The
Ministers of the Crown have declared it to he their high am f
bition to intervene at the proper montent in the intermit et.
peace. Their responsibility Is great. They must be pre
pared for everything, and be ready with a defined
policy under all combinations of circumstances The
genius of Chatham when it shone brightest and clearest
would have been delighted to enter upon such a task, and
if the spirit of the Great Commoner has in any melons*
descended upon the present generation it must kindle at the
prospect. We have consistently protested spinet the waging
of war on the futile pretences advanced in Justification of the
present c.dtlict, and when Baron Brunnow suggested a col.
lectlve Note declaring that in the opinh not all the neutral
Powers the cause of trance, such as it was, had been entirely
removed, the Government abet alt ed from acting upon the
suggestion, on the ground that the di nitration would he use-
less, and not from any doubt of its propriety. having thus de-
fined our position in the loot, we may fairly claim to use nor
Influence to modarate the conditions of peace, and it may
even be permitted us to assist at inch a settlement of Europe
on the principles of national sovereignity as shall in some de-
gree reaFze Lord Clarendon'a last abortive efforts in favour
of mutual disarruantent."—Leader In Times.

PITY TUE POOR NEWSPAPER CORRESPONDENT!

t. We have all beard of the sweet little cherub who sits up
aloft to look out for the life of Pet Jack. There are num-
bers of stout cherubs in this district, from Nancy to Meta,
and front Metz to Forbach—cherubs with large moustaches,
formidable cocked hats and ominous Jack boots—cherubs
who ars called gendarmes, and who "situp aloft—pardon
the solecism, Use cat mine but Mr. Ditulisits—and lurk round
corners to look out for Imi.inltlve newspaper correspondents.
There are eleven of the trite here, hailing from England, and
of these, eight have been in durance vile. It is a case of ex.
changibg condolences and of eras i,b, flat which Is Brown'.
fate to-day may be Jones% to morrow and yet I daresay the
British public are gruroblirg Leanse they do not receive
more "news" from the front. tiv,3 the &dish public! We
kayo no more Lesbos and no more Story to lull than had the
Needy Enifegrinder ; and, like that indigent industrial, no
are kicked crditlnually. I speak, of course, metaphorically ;
hut theft I. an am,gi,:tnn gentleman here who declares that
being caught, In crntravention of military order., at Mon.
vine, he wss ot figuratively. but literelly and physically,
kicked along the entire length of the main street by a tall
and merciless gendarme, whose leathern-covered toe In-
flicted such acute anguish that the sufferer could almost tell,
like the man in litultbrae, whether the boot was of call's
skin or neat's leather."—Daily TelegropA.

THE WAR EXCITERF.NT IN PARIS.

The Parisians Ann thundentruck. It is Sunday afternoon,
and the streets are full of oeftle. The melt are, on the whole,
silent and downcast ; the women wdep. I ;Correspondent of
Echo; have just passed through the Place Vendiunu. Is is
hard, but nevertheless a large miscellaneous crowd
In congregatsi in front of the Ministry of Justice, and eshs
and carriages aro dying to and fro iu all directions. The
crowd Is crying out for anus. vol some of them bear manu-
script placards on the top of petal. The placard is thus
worded; " The citizens demand arms to defend the
country." Tine cry is, "The invader is on our territory,
let us rise and repel him." On the Boulevards the same
excitement prevails. The cafe, are full, and there Is a half.
expreued fear that the Prussians may be soon marching into
Paris. The decision to place the capital in a state of siege
has of coune hicreaaed this fear, and a general soave qui
pent has commenced among the foreign residents. There
is soon- pronpect of a great denionstration to-night, and woe
betide any German who happens to fall In the hands of the
mob. A baud of young men has just passed my window,
shontlerr, " Mull* To the frontier ! _ Down with the
Madam

Tlll2 Pl

A correspondent at Mayence writes —'l) have just
returned from seeing the four hundred French pri-
soners taken at Wissembourg being marched from the
citadel here to the railway station on their road to Erfurt, a
fortress half way between this and Berlin, where they will
be conlined—that is, half of them. Those who left to-day
will go to Ingolsradt in Bavaria, near Munich. They all be-
long to the 74th regiment of the line. Over eight hun-
dred have been taken in all. There was nothing to com-
plain of in their reception by the populace. Not only were
there no hostile cries, hut many kind hands were h.), in
tossing half-pound packets of tobacco among the pets 'nor's
rants. They were even very slenderly guarded, some Sc ire of
Bavarian Jagers, with double-barrelled muzzleloaders, being
thought sufficient. The men seemed contented enough,
though some ol the onions ivery numerous) looked grave and
sad. The ctlicen were allowed to retain their swords. At
the station everything was done to mitigate their lot. Wine
and sandwiches were offered the captives, and there seemed
a general desire to make them as comfortable as possible
under the circninslances. It is sold there was a major-
general among the prisoners. It set ms that the men we have
seen to-day Captive were taken almost without striking a
blow."