The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-12-06 00:00:00

Cur Yonbort 6orrtsvonbmt.

(We deem it right to 'tote that we do not at all times
identify ourselves with our Correspondent's opinions.]

As the waves continue to roll after the storm which
caused them has ceased, so the echoes of the recent
political agitation are yet occasionally heard, but the
commotion itself is a thing of the past. When the
rival leaders meet together in friendly counsel in the
familiar region of Downing-street, and the principle
of extension of the franchise and redistribution is fully
admitted, there is not likely to be such difficulty in
the settlement of details as to place the great work of
Parliamentary Reform in danger now. The vast pro-
portion of the public having had the question before
them more than twelve months—indeed, ever since it
was revived by the Leeds Conference in October, 1883,
were to some extent weary of the marchings and the
countermarchings of political parties. Not that we
have had the last of it even now, for the intricacies of
redistribution are certain to occupy the attention of
Parliament and the country for some time to come;
but there is at all events an end of the hard-and-fast
line of contention of which there was so much said in
the autumn, that one side had taken up an im-
pregnable position from which, under no circum-
stances, could it be driven.
The strength of the navy is a topic on which every
Englishman of any party or under any administra-
tion is bound to feel an interest. There are some
amongst us who contend that the fleets of Great
Britain ought to be equal to any possible com-
bination which might be formed against us; but
this would not be endorsed as a canon of
general acceptance. France, Italy, Russia, Ger-
many, and Turkey, are all naval Powers; and for
us to keep pace with the whole of these and to beat
them in the number of our ships, would impose
oppressive burthens upon the people equal to the
military exactions under which the German nation
audibly groans. At the same time there seems to be
an admission on all sides that our navy is not equal
to the maritime importance of the great naval Power
.which it represents, and there is little doubt that the
Ministry has acted wisely in recognizing facts and
qaying before Parliament a statement calculated to
•allay any anxiety which the controversies of the
autumn might have engendered in the public mind.
In the present Administration, as the First Lord of
the Admiralty is a peer, the Parliamentary Secretary
is the spokesman for that important department in
the House of Commons, and that important post is
now held by Sir Thomas Brassey.

The mention of the name of Sir Thomas is a re"
minder of the singularly interesting volume which
Lady Brassey has published desoriptive of life in the
Sunbeam. To the smoke-dried Londoner, who
seldom sees the sun in the winter months, more
-especially in those two months which are so lowering
to the vitality—December and January—the descrip-
tions of her ladyship read like scenes taken from
another planet. The very name of the yacht in which
fourteen thousand miles were sailed over every sea on
the surface of the globe is refreshing in these days of
gloomy skies, when the return of the Registrar-
General officially certifies that the number of hours
of bright sunshine at Greenwich Observatory is not
more than three in an entire week.

The December cattle show has again come round,
with the usual influx of the element representing the
cultivation of the soil into the north of London, and
towards the Agricultural Hall. The very sight of the
farmers' fans, fresh from the breezes which blow
upon their lands, do the metropolitans good in times
like these. They bring back memories of happy
holidays, with pleasant recollections, and suggest
agreeable anticipations of those yet to come, when the
winter has gone and we are in the mellow days of
barley harvest. The most elaborate precautions are
taken at the Agricultural Hall against the dissemi-
nation of cattle disease whilst the prize animals are
under its roof, and if the show week escapes without
fog great is the rejoicing of the officials.

It is now a considerable time since a six days'
walking, or " Go-as-you-please " contest was witnessed
in London. It was first introduced into this country
by the well-known American pedestrian, Edward
Payson Weston. At first a great deal of interest was
shown in these exhibitions, but after a time the novelty
wore off, and " wobbling " here became almost a thing
"If thn ruutf Thar sit All eon+. inuod, Lov•ro•vor, ft
be popular in America, Madison-gardens, New
York, being the scene of some of these competi-
tions. In London, the Agricultural Hall, at
Islington, was the spot selected, but in the one just
concluded the Royal Aquarium, Westminster, was
chosen, and the place was crowded the whole time.
The conditioes of this race were twelve hours a day,
"Go as you please," walk or run. Twelve competitors
faced the starter, the two most known to fame being G,
Littlewood, of Sheffield, and C. Rowell, of Cambridge.
The prize was a belt, given by Sir John Astley,
who has always taken a large amount of interest in
these incidents. The belt in question has to be won
three times before it becomes the absolute property
of any competitor. As Littlewood had gained the
trophy twice previously, it was only natural that he
would exert his utmost. He has succeeded in
securing the belt on these conditions, but it is by no
means certain who it would have gone to if Rowell could
only have kept up. The entire distance covered by
the winner was 405 miles 4 laps, the second man
about twenty miles behind. Of course this is not the
greatest distance that was ever accomplished in a
week. Six hundred miles is about the best record,
but then it must be borne in mind that there was no
limit to time, as there was in the present ease.
One of the most successful pieces of the London
theatrical season is Messrs. Hugh Conway's and
Com3rns Carr's "Called Back," now being performed
at the Prince's Theatre, Haymarket. It was first
produced last May, and has had a long run, but it
will have to be withdrawn in consequence of Mrs.
Langtry's appearance at this theatre in January next.
It is so popular, however, that it is quite possible that
it may be transferred to another house, althosgh it
reached the 179th time in London on Saturday night,
whilst the provincial tour has been a great success. At
the Adelphi "In the Ranks" seems to be as popular as
ever, for it has now continued nearly 360 nights.
This stirring melodrama is by G. R. Sims and Henry
Pettitt. At the Lyceum and the Princess's "Romeo
and Juliet" and " Hamlet " respectively attract
cra.wds every night, and at the Strand" Our Boys
is the comedy. "The World " has been on at Drury-
lane for some time past, but the last three nights are
now advertised. At the Surrey, on Saturday, was
produced for the first time, " Proof ; or, a Celebrated
Case." This will last, however, for twelve nights
only, when the theatre will be closed for preparations
for the pantomime "Aladdin," which will be placed
on the boards on Christmas Eve.

' The Royal Courts of Justice afford a very agree-
able lounge for that class of persons which is so
nutnerously represented in London, possessing just
sufAcient private income to enable them to live with-
out work, or at all events with very little of it. Thus
It comes to pass that in these wintry days, when there
can be no out-door recreation, and the parks are
deserted, the great building in the Strand is crowded
with respectably-dressed peeple, who turn in there
partly because there is nothing to pay for the enter-
tainment, and partly in order to while away the time.
Mrs. Weldon is so constantly in the law courts that
the popular acquaintance with the lady is a tolerably
wide one. Those who are unable to get into the
courts wait outside to'give her a reception, and in some
of her recent appearances there is little doubt that
considerable sympathy has been manifested for a lady
who always conducts her cases herself.
It is just thirteen years ago that the Prince of
Wiles lay dangerously ill at Sandringham, the con-
dition of his Royal Highness being such that her
Majesty and all the members of the Royal Family
now in this country were summoned to the bedside
of the illustrious patient. The Queen herself has
placed upon record her experiences of "those pain-
ful terrible December days." There is reason to
believe that her Majesty will visit Sandringham a
roonth hence on a very clifTerent errand. On the Bth
January, 1885, Prince Albert Victor, eldest son of
the Prince and Princess of Wales, will complete his
t wenty- finzt year, and it is expected that the Sovereign
will be pr sent at the rejoicings on an occasion rare
in the ail als of English history.

A PIIILOSOPHER.—A Little Rock man sold his
cooking stove to get money enough to take his family
to the circus. When one of his friends remonstrated
with him he said: "We had no use for the -stove.
Had nothirg to cook." "But why didn't you buy
something to eat with the money you got for the
stove?" "Then we would have had nothing to cook
it on. Don't talk to me. I'm a philesopher."—
Detroit Fry Press.

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