The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-01-24 00:00:00

Ebe stourbribge (better
SATURDAY, JANUARY 24th, 1883.

THE IVE.A.B.NESS OF THE MINISTRY.

DcarNo'the week Sir Stafford Northcote has
been canvassing the proposed Barnstaple
division of Devonshire, for which he has con-
sented to stand at the next General Election.
The outcome of his visit to North Devon has
been a series of excellent speeches, which,
though devoid of much dramatic effect,
bristle With facts and arguments that it
would be impossible for the united Cabinet
to traverse. In his first address at Bain-
staple he reviewed the attitude of the Con-
servative party in regard to all Reform
Bills, and subsequently contrasted the last
and present Administrations. The former,
through the gravest difficulties, preserved
the honour of England and the peace of
Europe; the Gladstone rgime has ina-
perrilled both. What salvatioh there has
been of either during the last five years is
due to the perseverance of the Conservative
minority in the House of Commons in ar-
guing for their rights, in opposing the
actions which they judged to be improper
on the part of the GovernmeLt, and in as-
sisting to open the eyes of the people to
some of the false pretences, and some of the
delusive promises with which the • present
Government assumed the reins of power.
The negative summary of the last five years'
"legislation" given by the leader of the Op-
position indicates too plainly what has been
the rock upon which Mr. Gladstone's Ad-
ministration has been wrecked, and all that
gone to pieces. It is the shirking of respon-
sibilities. The latest evidence of this comes
to us in the just issued German Whiteßook,
which is a humiliating revelation of the dif-
ference between the ways of German and
English diplomacy concerning the claims of
German settlers on land in Fiji—a dispute
which has been going on for ten years, when
Sir Hercules Robinson annexed the terri-
tory. At that time the new Governor is-
sued a Statnte of Limitations barring legal
proceedings on all debts and contracts exist-
ing before January Ist, 1871. We are told
that some such measure was necessary to
proteot the new colony from a host of stale
demands. The German Consul was natur-
ally solicitous for the welfare of his country
men, and after representations to the
Governor received the assurance "that there
was iv) reason for assuming that the Eng-
lish authorities would refuse to recognize
the rights of foreigners in landed property,
always presuming that this property had
been acquired in a legal way." The Eng-
lish Government, to make assurance doubly
sure, were appealed to direct for a promise
that the interests of German settlers should
in no wise suffer under the English rule, and
to this the reply was that a careful inquiry
should be made into the matter. A year
later Sir Arthur Gordon changed the limi-
tation period for claims against the previous
Fiji Government to October 10th, 1874, and
this was considered by Germany as "some-
thing very like a spoilation of our interests,"
and caused communications between Count
Munster and Lord Derby. Procrastination
and delay seem to have governed matters
until May, 1882, when Count Munster was
directed to ask for such concise instructions
to the Fiji authorities as would bring about
a satisfactory conclusion of the question. It
was not, however, until the April of 1884 a
note came to our Government from Berlin,
and from this it was apparent that the Ger-
man Chancellor would brook no more delay.
Lord Derby then intimated that it was im-
possible, "as matters stood," to acquiesce in
the proposal of Germany. Now, it is a
peculiarity of the Iron Chancellor's, that,
having fixed upon a line of diplomacy, he
does not shrink from pursuing it to the end.
as the officials at the Colonial Office know
too well, and he immediately intimated to
that department that he did not desire to
know their opinions, but he demanded to
know the decision of her Majesty's Govern-
ment. He got it. It was a refusal to accede
to the demands of Germany—a refusal, we
should presume would have emanated from
the deliberate and well considered judg-
ment of a body of statesmen who had had
the merits of the case before them fo,• so
long. Rat the Imperial Chancellor kr.ew
the weakness of her Majesty's Minister's;
he persisted in the settlement on his terms.
Lord Granville cried "Peccavi," and what
six months before had been refused was
humaiatingly surrendered to Prince Bis-
marck. This is another incident added to
the shameful catalogue of the last five years,
wh;ch must demonstrate beyond t!a, doubt
the inoapacity for government into which
the English Ministry has fallen. Sir Staf-
ford Northcote has drawn no exaggerated
picture of Mr. Gladstone and his colleagues
when be says that the only anxiety they
hare is to save themselves from the respon-
sibtay of governing. It is the duty of Con
servativee to let no opportunity go 1.37 to
pracipl tate their dethronement, and to restore
to the Councils of England men who can
onduot the affairs of State with courage,
honour, and dignity,

TilE IRON TRADL'
Wolverhaeoptnn, Wednesday.
The market to-day was az:aiti quiet, though a little
Mani business was trawacted than a week ago, snd
.i.qLri in sever 1 bra. ches to gupdly early con-
sumptive wan a wrre f.a better character. In
bars, prices remain ezeeptvmally weak, cases being
ailed of bargains being concludld at less motley
Utah priviously recordt:d by makers of inferior des-
cription. Per common sheets there was rather an
improvtd demand by the galvanise's, the output fo
blaak sheets beiag as large as at ziny time with n
the list three months, one or two firms in the
district having increased their productions. In
ho•pe there is a fair trad- being done for home con-
sumption, but baling hoops are neglected by exprt
buyers.
.431!rder plates appear to be in more favunr,
sad spelfications are forthcoming with ',treater
readiness than at the beginning of the quarter.
Fps boiler plates current business is exceedingly
dull, and makers do not entertain any prospects of
a speedy improvement. The sel:ers of pig iron
repot inquiries of an irregular ,hara. ter, some
esnence,-ra oily wanting from 10 to 100 ton lots,
shee whore are seeking quotations for quantities
of -Zoo fttri 600 tons, to no d ltvereu within the
%lament cui.i:t.r. Prides are fairly well maintained,
the medium aorta still ruling about Os, while

cinder iron sells at 37s 6d. The agents for the
Northamptonsiaire and Derbyshire smelters are
offering their iron at 42a to 45s per ton, and at the
former figure some slight business was transacted
this afternoon The value of hematite is kept up,
and as advices from the works point to a consider-
able quantity of contracts awaiting execution, the
terms asked are firmer than they were a short time
ago. In all branches of the coal trade busine,s is
remarkably dull, even the demand for household
sorts being below the season average.