The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-03-10 00:00:00

CP
Itt QiArrtvoilus:'

tiZ
'W e deem It right to state that we dr got at all
,I,entify ourselves with our t:orrespoudent's opinions.)

It has often been said that it is a long lane which
has no turnine, and on the principle that the very
essence of things terrestrial is mutability and change, ,
the dreariest, gloomiest, and wettest winter of recent
years is at length drawing to a close. Several days of
uninterrupted dry weather, and unclouded sky, and
bright warm sunshine, have done much to restore the
elasticity oLtne..puislic mind. We seemed almost to
have forgotten what rine weather meant. It was to-
warda the end ef September that the rain set in, and
it was not until -fte -end of February that it showed
signs of atiaterient. Over both hemispheres the
deluge extended, every latitude getting its share of
the general drenching. The south-westerly winds,
charged heavily with moisture, appeared to be in in-
ex'naustible supply, incessantly coming towards us
from over the Atlantic, until Kingsley's-old acquaintance
the north easter once more reasserted itself, driving
the long clouds back into the sea, and releasing the Bun
from an eclipse which had -extended over more than a.
third of an entire year. If ever a change of wind
was welcome, more especially to the agriculturist, it
was then.
A warm winter is invariably accompanied by a tur-
bulent sea, as has been evidenced by the increased
number of shipwrecks recorded during the last month
or two. An easterly gale is an extremely rare occur-
rence, but a storm from the south-west is unhappily
the usual accompaniment of a high temperature.
Those whose business it is to cross the Atlantic in
midwinter have an opportunity of judging of the
masterful power of good shipbuilding and excellent
seamanship when they are brought face to face
with the fact that amid the wildest tempests

the run between the two worlds can be made in seven
days. More than 3,000 miles in a single week through
hurricanes above and mountainous billows beneath, is
a great triumph of man's intellect over ithe most
violent forces of Nature.
The new Archbishop of Canterbury haa been con-
firmed in the Church of St. Mary-le-Bow, Cheapside,
that ceremony taking place on the very day three
months that the late Primate died. On the 3rd
December Dr. Tait was called to his rest, and
on the 3cd March Dr. Benson was con-
firmed in the chair of St. Augustine. The
various stages through which a Prelate has to pass
occupy a great deal of time. To take the present
instance, first Dr. Benson had to be described as the
Archbishop-designate ; then, after his being chosen by
the Chapter, he was the Arcilbishop-elect ; now he has
been confirmed ; and after Easter he is to be en-
throned. There is one form through which he will not
have to pass--that of consecration; this having been
performed when his Grace was appointed to the see of
Truro. By the time the Archbishop is enthroned in
the ancient and historic city of Canterbury four
months will have passed since the Primacy became
vacant.
The spire of Bow Church, Cbeapside, is one of the
most conspicuous features of that remarkable thorough.
fare. Tapering and graceful, it raises its head high
above the tops of the surrounding buildings, the roof
of the Mansion House, hard by, being far below the
topmost stone of the steeple. Its chimes, beautiful in
sound, and suggestive in their melody, have for ages
rung out over one of the busiest parts of the City of
London ; and there is a tradition that Dick Whitting-
ton beard them at Highgate, calling him back to the
great town after he had determined to leave it, and
telling him of the civic honours in store for him. The
air must have been clearer then, and the sounds of
the traffic more subdued than is the case now.
Whittington would not hear the chimes of Bow Bells
at Highgate in these modern days. The tradition
that a cockney was one born within the sound of Bow
bells has now a more restricted application than when
it was called into existence.

The opinion of Lord Wolseley on the condition of
the British army is essentially that of a practical man.
In a speech recently delivered at a Rifle Club dinner,
while pointing out that England could never become a
great military Power, he said that he saw no signs of
deterioration ; in fact during the late struggles in Egypt
and elsewhere the army had behaved as valorously and
with as much regard to discipline as any which had
ever been enrolled under the banner of this country.
Lord Wolseley at the same time did not forget the
Navy, which he described as the most powerful in the
world, protecting the country in those vast commer-
cial undertakings with which our merchant ships are
entrusted on every sea. The prowess of the army, as
tested in Egypt, is a thing to be proud of; at the same
thee the efficiency of the navy must be maintained if
we se e to retain our reputation amongst the nations of
the world.
The National Rifle Association has held its annual
meeting, and while holding out anticipations of a
successful gathering at Wimbledon in July next, the
Council was enabled to tenure the members that not.
withstanding the unfavourable weather the results of
last year's competition were eminently satisfactory.
The shooting will begin on the second Monday in
July, and amongst the most practical of the prizes is
that offered by Mr. Mullens for the best shots at
moving objects at unascertainable distances. The value
of this was demonstrated more especially in the cam-
paigns in Zululand and the Transvaal, and Mr. Mullins
has very handsomely placed at the disposal of the
Council the sum of £5,000, the interest of which is to be
devoted to prizes for this especial purpose. The money
value of this is equal to the Queen's Prize, without,
of course, the gold medal and badge, and the great
difference between the two is that the competition for
the Queen's is at fixed targets at various ranges, while
Mr. Blullens seeks to obtain proficiency in shooting at
distances which at the moment of firing it is impossible
to ascertain.
In Whitehall-yard, directly opposite the Horse
Guards, stands the Royal -United Service Institution,
which, although but little known beyond the ranks
of the Army, Navy, and Vo:unteers, is one of the
most interesting places of its kind in London.
In an open space outside are many curiosities—
from guns taken in former wars with Russians,
Chinese, and other nations, to an anchor which
belonged to one of the ships of the Spanish Armada,
and was fehed up from the sea after that invincible
squadron had been so splendidly beaten by Sir
t Francis Drake in 1588. There are only five years to
the tercentenary of that remarkable incident in
. English history, and it will doubtless be duly cele-
brated. But to return to the United Service Instilei-
- 'Con. Entering it the visitor finds himself making his
way along a gallery with knights in armour frowning
upon him at every turn, with burnished suits of mail
right and left, with specimens of old artillery and
ancient round shot, and with guns of all descriptions
from old- Brown Bess to the rifles in use at the

present time. The practical kind of work under-
taken by the institution may be judged from the
essays for which prizes are offered, and it will be seen
that both army and navy are attended to. The best
system of field training applicable to the British
army is one subject; and another is "On
,4.1%n outbreak of war what ia the best organization
for dietributing the personnel of the navy and of the
- reserves among the available war vessels and among a
Proportion of merchant vessels as an auxiliary to the
navy." Subjects of a more substantial character than
this, so far as the national defences are concerned,
cannot well be imagined.

In Mr. Childers the country has a new Chancellor
of the Exchequer, and one who has never before held
that high office. In the numerous Cabinet changes
which often take place, a Minister sometimes comes
back to a post which he has held before;
for instance, the present Secretary of State for
War, the Marquis of Hartington, dischargel the
duties of that position seventeen years ago. But as a
rule the Chancellorship of the Exchequer is an office
which, Whatever other Cabinet changes are made, is
seldom taken over by a Minister from his colleague.
True, Mr. Childers has only just been appointed, but
simply because Mr. Gladstone found it impossible any
longer to combine the duties of two men. He is the
only ex-Liberal Chancellor of the Exchequer, while
Sir Stafford Northcote is the only survivor of the
office on the other side. A new Minister of Finance,
if helms the opportuuity, likes to display his skill in
his first Budget, and as Mr. Childers w,ill explain his
proposals on the sth April, more than ordinary interest
attaches to the engagement. The financial year will
come to an end on the 31st instant, so that the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer will not have lost much time
in presenting his Budget.
- -

So- little business has thus far been got through in

the House of Commons that members begin to tremble
for their holidays. Parliament met late, and Easter
falls early, and as a certain amount of financial work
is inevitable for the Supply services, the House will
have to rcaort either to Saturday sittings or curtail
the recess. The Lord; will on the other hand make
their holiby tl :,:istomary length. As yet they
have not had much to do, owing to the fact that the
Commons havc bcen so occupied in debating the
Address thqt they have not done much in the way of
legislation. The Lorde, however, always get their
turn at work towards the end of the session.

TU.& SEASON.—III a garden near London. the cro-
cuses wi.ire,n! fuUbloom.pu,Wejapuo, .22143eing then.
in the state
.of complete development' hoted m te
same garden in the past tour years (says the Gardeners'
Naga:int). In 1880 they were full out on the 14th of
March. In 1881 they were one day earlier, March 13.
In the year 1882 the date was February 19. Judged
by this test, the years 1882 and 1883 may be reckoned
three weeks earlier than the years 1:•:0 and 1881.