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

THE METROPOLITAN VOLUNTEERS.

On Saturday evening nearly 7000 volunteers of
metropolitan regiments underwent the annual
Government inspection by officers of the regular
army deputed by the War Office for the purpose. On
the Horse Guards' Parade, Whitehall, the 2nd City
of London Rifles were inspected by Colonel Clive
Grenadier Guards, the command, which was under
Lieut.-Colonel Cantlon, showing 10 good companies,
or a total muster of 715 of all ranks. The in-
s-pection, which was vely satisfactory, lasted an
hour and half. In Hyde-park five battalions were in-
spected-the 6th Middlesex (S t. George's), under Lieut.-
Colonel S. Bird, by Colonel Wigram, Coldstream
Guards; the 2nd Volunteer Battalion Royal Fusiliers,
under Lieut.-Colonel Routledge, by Colonel Tucker;
Ca, commanding the Hounslow Regimental District,
the 13th Middlesex Rifles, under Lieut.-Colonel Howard
Vincent and the 20th Middlesex (Artists) Rifles, under
Lieutenant-Colonel Edis, both by Colonel Moncrieff,
Scots G
; and the 22nd Middlesex (Central
London Rangers),;
lniann, under Lieut.-Colonel Alt, by
Colonel Aite
Coldstream Guards. All the
regiments mustered
19th Middlesex (14 well, and drilled steadily. The
•—lemnsbury) Rifles were inspected
in the grounds of the Foundling Hospital by Colonel
Fitzroy, Coldstream Guards, Lieut.-Colonel Smith
Richards being in command ; and the ordeal was
also gone through by the 4th Volunteer Battalion
ent
Queen's Royal West Surrey Regim in the grounds
of Lambeth Palace, before Colonel Lynch, C.B, com-
manding the West Surrey Regimental District, Lieut.-
Colonel Florence being in command. The 3rd Surrey
Rifles were inspected on Wimbledon Common, and
besides the above there were parades of many other
regiment,.

If your neighbour's dog injures one of your chickens
9911 can collect damages. If he injures one of your
Children you cannot. If you have chickens, watch
the dog. If on have children, kill him.
.—........

fn. GLADSTONE AND MIDLOTHIAN,

The annual meeting of the Midlothian Radical
.isseciation was held on Monday afternoon in Queen-
street Hall, Edinburgh, Lord Rosebery presiding. Mr.
John Cowan, of Buslack, chairman of the committee,
read the following letter from Mr. Gladstone:
"1, Richmond-terrace, Whitehall, June 27.
"My dear Mr. Cowan,-1 beg you to convey to the
county asseciation at its annual meeting on Monday
my heartycongratulations and best wises. I rejoice
that you meet under the presidency of my friend and
late colleague, Lord Resebery, who Lies to play—if his
life tot spared —an important pyrt in the future
politics of the United Kingdom. The battle of the
franchise, which cormed the sea.ject of our chief
anxiety when I met my constitucets last autumn, has
been won, and the Government, which had the honour
of fighting it for the nation, has by the necessary con-
sequence of a vote of the House of Commons been re-
!cloyed from (ace. Although it has thus happened
that a vote of the representative Chamber has put an
end to the late Cabinet, I must take this early oppor-
tunityof placing on record mydeep and grateful sense
of the fidelity of the Liberal majority of 1880 to its
trust. It has had to act under difficulties almost
without -example, and I can no more forget than
I can repay its confidence and kindness. The time
has not arrived for me to enter upon polities at large,
either in the way of defence or criticism. Whatever
we may think of the conduct and course of the lee
Opposition, it has become the Queen's Government,
and the interests of the Empire are primarily in its
hands. I now look to its future, and not its past.
My duty is to support and assist it, so far as I have
the power, in doing right, and not to anticipate that it
will do wrong. You may rely upon it thdt the Liberal
party numbers in its ranks an abundance of men
qualified by knowledge, ability, and vigour of age to
exercise the necessary vigilance. I have never
anticipated in or since 18S0 that I should solicit at
your hands, when the existing Parliament had done
its work, a renewal of the commission that Midlothian
generously gave me, much less, I need hardly add,
have I thought of seeking a like honour elsewhere;
but I am not at this moment released from my
duties to the party which has trusted me, and the
first of these duties is to use my strongest and most
sedulous efforts to prevent anything that can mar the
unity arid efficiency of the great instrument which,
under Providence, has chiefly and almost wholly
made our country for the last half century. In these
sentiments I am quite sure I shall have your approval
and co-operation, and that of the association.—l
remain, sincerely yours, "W. E. GLADSTONE."
"John Cowan, Esq."
_ .

The Earl of hosebery addressed the meeting at
length, and alluded to the circumstances connected
with the change of Ministry. He said he believed
the stew Cabinet would soon have more of dissolution
than they wished, but he also believed that nobody
had any desire to harass the new Government. As to
Mr. Gladstone, he was convinced that in the present
state of his health it was impossible for him to retire
from public life even if he wished to do so, and that
the very children of Midlothian would go and pull
him out of his repose. (Cheers.)
A resolution was adopted expressing continued con.
fidenee in Mr. Gladstone as the representative of the
county, and looking forward with confidence to the
return of the Liberal party at the next general elec-
tiun by an overwhelming majority.

REPORTED INSURRECTION IN
AFGHANISTAN.
ALLEGED RUSSIAN COMPLICITY.
The following telegrams created considerable con-
sternation in London on Monday:
(Reuter's Telegrams.)
BOMBAY, rune 29.
It is reported from Cabul that Ishak Khan, aided
by his Russian allies, has risen in insurrection against
Abdullah Khan.
Ishak Khan has gone to Khanibacl, and has seized
an immense amount of treasure, valued at one
million sterling, belonging to the Ameer of Afghan-
istan.

Sr3rt,A, June 29.
Alarmist reports are published by the newspapers
concerning the rebellion of Ishak Khan, Governor of
Afghan Turkestan, against thr Ameer of Afghan-
istan. The Indian Government has, however, re-
ceived no information on the subject.
ST. PETERSBURG, June 29.
No confirmation has as yet been received here of
the reported insurrection in Afghan Turkestan.