The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-07-04 00:00:00

CORONATION DAY.

Sunday was the anniversary of the Queen's Corona-
tion, which took place in 1838. Her Majesty suc-
ceeded to the throne on June 20, 1837, on the death
of her uncle, King William IY. The Queen has,
thoefore, entered upon the 49th year of her reign, a
period which has been exceeded by only three of the
Sovereigns of England—namely, Henry 111., Edward
111., and George 111., who reigned 56, 50, and 60
years respectively. The anniversary of Coronation
Day falling this year on a Sunday, the event was
officially celebrated in London and elsewhere on
Monday, when the various Government stores and
workshops were closed in celebration of the event.

An Oswego "local," in describing a fire, said: "The
red flames danced in the heavens, and flung their long
arms about like a black funeral pall, until Sam Jones
got on the roof and dashed them out with a pail
of water."

Miss Emma Nevada's chosen motto, " J'ai Poi,* ap-
pears to have puzzled her Transatlantic., adpairers,
greatly. One gentleman, on being called uponio ex-
plain its meaningrdeolared that it was "I am cold."
Nothing of the sort," remarked another youth, ia
dignantly. "It means lam hungry," Anotho eaid
it meant she had a liver.

THE ANTI-SLAVERY SOCIETY AND
THE KING OF THE BELGIANS.

A congratulatory address to the King af tL
Belgians, on his acquiring the sovereignty of the
Congo Free State, was forwarded to his Majesty by
the committee of the British and Foreign Anti-
Slavery Society. The society expressed its warm
interest in the labours which had culminated in the
foundation of a Free State guaranteed by the civilised
Powers, a work which had been steadily and
generously carried forward by the King in the fa„ce of
almost insuperable difficulties. The attention of the
society had been lately turned to the scheme proposed
by General Gordon for attacking the slave trade in
its southern stronghold, the comparatively unexplored
regions between the Congo and the Soudan. General
Gordon had left the development of this plan as a
legacy to the civilised world, and the committee hope
that the great work commenced on the Congo might
prove a blessing to humanity, and an undying honour
to the King. The following reply has been re-
ceived:
"Brussels, June 28, 1885.—Sir,—I have lost no
time in placing before the King the address of the
Anti-Slavery Society of Great Britain. His Majesty
was much touched by this new proof of the sentiments
of your society. He begs me to thank you sincerely
in his name. The interest which the members of
your society take in the foundation of the Free State
of the Congo causes its Sovereign to hope that their
sympathy will be extended to its organisation and
development, the success of which is so intimately
bound up with the development of civilisation in those
regions. The King attaches the greatest value
to the continuance of the appreciation of your
society in the progress of the new State.
His Majesty thanks you equally for sending to him
the pamphlet respecting the railway from Souakitn
to Berber. In these days railways are the great
vehicles of ; his Majesty therefore joins
his prayers to yours that Central Africa may speedily
be opened by railways not only in the regions watered
by the Congo, but also in those of the Upper Nile.
The ever to be deeply regretted General Gordon
wished to develops simultaneously the prosperity of
these two regions, thinking, without doubt, that there
exists a certain connection between them, and that
the works undertaken in the one could not Mil to
have a felicitous reaction upon the other.—Accept,
STruucii. Colonel.—To Edmund &urge, Es."