The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-07-18 00:00:00

ear foam T,Arresportlnt
(We 'deem It right to state iitsat we do not at all Uncial
Idettft ourselves with our Oefrresponclent's opinions.]

• The new Government has settled down to
'work in a business-like way, and as they will
procec.l only .4Vith non-contentious measures, the
session is not ',likely to be prolonged beyond the
usual period, aotwithstanding the loss of time
represent,s-d 't..)3T the interregnum. Amid the
dulness of many of the proceedings in the House
of Commems there are often ludicrous incidents,
and one ee. these was in the announcement of
the num&rs in the division on Sir Wilfrid Law-
son's vote of no confidence, which found only
two supporters. To move such a resolution
before the Ministry had time to get to work was
felt by the House of Commons to be entirely out
-of place, and not giving the new set of men a
lair chance. There is a time for all things, and
it is felt that the present is not a season for dis-
cussing votes of no confidence. Only four
months now separates us from the general elec-
tion, and it will be for the country then to decide
•as to what political complexion the Government
of the empire shall be.
• All the new Ministers have been re-elected,
mostly without opposition, and in those cases
where there were contests the majority has been
on the side of the newly-appointed members of
the Ministry. It is not every Government which
is so fortunate as this. Mr. Gladstone's admin-
istration in 1880 saw its Home Secretary and
Lord Advocate defeated, the former at Oxford
and the latter in the Wigton burghs. Sir
William Harcourt took refuge at Derby, and Mr.
IVl`Laren in Edinburgh. For the Home Secre-
tary to be out of Parliament is a matter of grave
inconvenience. He is the virtual ruler of thirty
millions of people, and should be in his place in
the House of Commons to answer any question
that may be put to him.
The Evolutionary Squadron has now concluded
most of its operations, and Acl.nind Hornby is
expected to bring his fleet back to Portland in
the course of next week. The torpedo experi-
ments have illustrated in a remarkable degree
the newest mode of naval warfare. It is less
than a quarter of a century since our wooden
ships, which had done such good service ever
since England had a navy, were found to be use-
less against the ironclad and the ram. Now the
most mighty armoured vessel ishelpless if she is
blown into the air by a torpedo. It is difficult tt:i
say how far human ingenuity can go in elabQii
rating the instruments of destruction. However;
these experiments on the part of Admiral
Hornby's squadron have been of the deepest
interest, not only to ourselves as a great naval
power, but to other nations. The sojourn of the
fleet in Blacksod Bay does not seem to have been
a particularly lively incident. The bay appears
to have corresponded with its appellation, for it is
one of the dreariest places on the whole of the
wild coast of Ireland.

In this swiftly-moving age, and when history
is made so rapidly, there are few who have time
to carry the dates of anniversaries intheir heads,
yet the 15th of July is one which will long be
memorable in the annals of continental nations.
It was on that day in 1870 that France declared
war against Germany. We all know the result.
It is only half a generation since this happened
—not a great space in the lifetime of
a human being, a mere speck in the
history of a State. At that time
the terror of the military power of France had
long weighed like a superstition on the heart of
Europe. Within six weeks the E mperor Napoleon
was a captive in the hands of his enemies, one of
his vast armies were prisoners of war, another was
shut up in the fortress of Metz, only to capitu-
late less than two months later, and the Prussians
were making their way by forced marches towards
the French capital, which they invested so
thoroughly and completely that the great city
ultimately surrendered thrpugh starvation. In
the Wimbledon rifle week it is not amiss to recall
the fact that the Volunteer force was formed to
protect the country from invasion at the hands
of the Sovereign who was thus beaten to the
ground by the Germans, and who died in exile at
Chislehurst more than twelve years ago—one of
the most singular mutations in earthl fortunes
ever witnessed in the vicissitudes of dynasties.
The annual contest between Eton and Harrow
is this year the last great match of the cricket
season. Of course there are several more inter-
county fixtures to be decided; but these are only
secondary to the public schools or universities
matches. Next year it is said that an Australian
-victory this year is very popular, they having
equalised matters. Each side is now credited
with exactly 25 wins. It was well-known that
the Dark Blues would strain every nerve to beat
the Etonians, and make the number a tie. In
this they have been successful, and great credit
is due to them. For some reason or other, un-
lil4p,-posi big inatcli, e tyliq extQxj4. over
a period of two days, instead of tfiretil7
.The" consequence is that in the past
"Sereral have been left unfinished, through want
of time to decide them, but by commencing
punctually at 11 o'clock each day the match of
1885 has been brought to a definite conclusion.
The weather, although very hot, was magnificent
throughout, and the attendance very large. The
great match at Manchester, North v. South, has
resulted in a draw, but greatly in favour of the
former; as the Southerners with but two wickets
to fall, had the large number of 259 runs to get
before they could claim victory as their own.
This contest was for the benefit of Watson, the
Lancashire professional, and for him was a most
-successful one. ,
m* The return of Lord Wolseley to Engla-nd
reminds us that he has been absent from this
country well nigh twelve months. It was in
September last that he and Lord Northbrook
embarked for Egypt, the latter on a special mis-
sion, which ended in no practical result, while
Lord Wolseley went out to take command of an
expedition which failed to accomplish its object.
This is the first failure Lord Wolseley has ever
had to come home and face. It is well known
that he is in favour of destroying the military
power of the Mandi. This was clearly enough
perceptible in the dispatches which he sent home
to the War Office after the death of General
Gordon. He has come from Cairo to consult the
Government as to the future, and whether there
is to be another expedition to the Soudan.
= The marriage of Princess Beatrice would have
been more generally celebrated had it taken
place at a more accessible locality than a hamlet
church in the Isle of Wight. The Queen has
during nearly half a century reigned over the
people of this Empire, and her subjects have
taken the deepest interest in the welfare of her
children, whilst sincerely sympathising with the
sorrows which have fallen upon the illustrious
lady herself. The Queen's eldest child was
married in London, at the Chapel Royal, St.
James's, amid salvoes of artillery and illumina-
tions at night; but the forthcoming wedding at
Whippingham gives the people no chance of
testifying their loyalty as they could do were it
celebrated in the capital of the Empire.
G. R.