The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-01-13 00:00:00

THE FUNERAL OF M. GAMBETTA.

The funeral of M. Gambetta took place in Paris,
on Saturday, amid surroundings of extraordinary pomp
end splendour. The weather, fortunately, was all
that could be desired, and the streets from an early
hour in the m ,rning were thronged with crowds, all
rurving in the direction of the Place de la Concorde or
the bout,- yards. Thousands of flags, partly covered with
black crape, waved from the shops and windows
to the highest floors of the houses on the boulevards.
Very early in the morning a considerable number of
workmen, under the directi.,n of the architect of the
Chambers, had },een engaged, completing the decorations
on the colonnade of the Palais Bourbon, consisting of an
immense black di apery 1,500 metres in length, which
was arranged in festoons on the façade of the Palace.
All the gas pillars in the Place de la Concorde, and
the monumental statues of the cities of France had
been likewise covered with black crape. The number
of wreaths deposited at the Palais Bourbon on the
previous night amounted to over 2000,, and it was
resolved that a certain number of carriages should be
reserved for carrying them in the procession.
- -

The hearse, which was drawn by six horses, arrived
at 9.80 a.m. on the Quay d'Orsay in front of the
colonnade, six outriders in white and black leading
the way, and thurables being carried at the four
corners burning incense. The c,,ffin was covered with
black velvet drapery, over whi,th were thrown tri-
colours veiled with crape, and two real palms with
wreaths of red immortelles. The platform was literally

covered with flowers.
The body was placed on the hearse at twenty minutes
past ten o'clock amid the booming of cannon and the
beating of drums. Trumpets were sounded, and the
troops presented arms. The flags were draped with
crape. Three large funesal cars, on which were heaped
great masses of wreaths, preceded the hearse, and
bearers to the right and left carried on their shoulders
staves wreathed with flowers. The procession started
at half-past ten o'clock. It was headed by the relatives
and friends of the deceased, who were followed by
members of President Gr4vy's household, the Minis-
ters, Generals (among the latter being General
Galliffet), the Senators and Deputies, including M.
Cldmenceau and other members of the Extreme Left.
The cortege proceeded in perfect order through the
Place de la Concorde, the Rue de Rivoli, and the
Boulevard Sebastopol. About 2,000 officers and
1,000 delegates from various gymnastic societies were
present. The procession was of immense length, being
greater than on any previous similar occasion. The
spectacle was of a most splendid and imposing cha-
racter. All the streets not in the line ot procession
were almost deserted. At. half past twelve o'clock
the head of the procession had reached the Boulevard
Sebastopol, while numerous deputations were still wait-
ing in the Esplanade des Invalides to take their place
in the cortege. Numerous musical societies, in addi-
tion to the military bands, played funeral marches in
the procession.
Along the whole route the hearse was received with
shouts of "Vive is France," "Vive la Republive,"
and the Alsace-Lorraine delegation were greeted with
sympathetic demonstrations.
In describing the progress of the procession the Cor-
respondent of the Standard says :
The Boulevard Voltaire was probably the section of
the line which presented the most remarkable appear-
ance. With the ample width of its carriage road and
teottotrs, bordered on either side with houses of eight
storeys high, it afforded rare facilities for a view of
the procession by a large number of people. Every
point of 'vantage waa fully occupied. The ground
was of course covered, and the fronts of the
houses were almost hidden from view by the
masses of hwnan beings filling the roof.,
the balconies, and the windows. The roofs, too, of the
omnibus offices were covered with men, and daring
youngsters hung in clusters from the trees. A con-
siderable number of crape-dressed flags were displayed
in this Boulevard. Notwithstanding the vast multi-
tudes assembled here, there was no accident or alarm
beyond the occasional brsakdown of a too heavily
charged platform or ladder. While waiting for
the arrival of the procession, the crowd, some of
whom had been there from five o'clock in the
morning, fillea up the time by eating their
breakfasts, which they had brought with thorn,
talking, chaffing, and joking, just as crowds always
do. Vendors of bunches of everlasting flowers, of
-Gambetta medals, and Gambetta biographies seemed
to do a brisk trade. It was not until close upon
twelve o'clock that the avant garde of the procession
reached the Boulevarde Voltaire, and it was at least
an hour and a half later when the Cuirassiers who
closed it passed by. Every part was eagerly scanned
and criticised by the spectators. The marching of the
troops, the uniform of the Orpheonic Associations the
clothing of the Freemasons, the beauty and colossal
of the countless wreaths, were all freely commented
upon ; but it was very rarely indeed that one heard
a word spoken about the great man who has gone,
until, indeed, the funeral car approached, when, with
but few exceptions, the men uncovered. The deputa-
tions from the Polytechnic School, the Algerian
Scholastic Battalions, and other schools, were here
greeted with clapping of hands as they passed, bear-
ing their massive floral tributes and banners. The
deputation from the Municipality of Cahors, M.
Ganahetta's birthplace, were also especially recognised
by the crowd. While at this point I observed one
banner ca s tied past bearing an English inscription.
It bore the words "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity.
We:couie to our French brethren."
The entrance gates of the cemetery of Pere-la-Chaise
were decked with befitting gloom. The high waits
enclosing the semi-circular space in front were hung
with black drapery, fringed with silver, and in the
centre and on either side were sheafs of small tricolour
flags. On each side was a kind of monumental vase,
filled with some inflammable liquid producing red
flames. In this semi-circular space stood the bier for
the coffin, and the platform from which the speeches
were delivered.
The approach of the cortege was signalled by the
trumpets of the Guard preceding the staff. General
Leaointe, Governor of Paris, then took up his position
in face of the Great Gate, with General Millott,
Commander of the Paris garrison, surrounded by the
Staff, behind. At the same time the bier was placed
in front of the platform, around which the guardians
of the cemetery, all old soldiers formed a circle. The
two vases were then lighted. In a few minutes the
Republican Guard, the Pompiers, the 101st and 102nd
of the Line, filed past, and then there passed into
the cemetery the carriages with their loads of
flowers.
The funeral car then drew up, closely followed by
the Belleville deputation. The coffin having been re-
moved and placed amid profound silence on the bier,
the Ministers, members of the Corps Diplontatique,
General Pitie, the representative of the President of
the Republic, members of the two Legislative
Chambers, and a number of personal friends of the
deceased Statesman, placed themselves around, and
the delivery of the speeches commenced.
M. Brisson, President of the Chamber, who was the
first speaker, paid a warm tribute to the patriotism of
M. Gambetta, who, he said, never ceased to represent
the dominant national idea of the Democracy regard.
ing home policy, as he personified resistance to their
foreign foe. Whilst urging that France should remain
unit d in its resolves, he predicted that a happier
generation would celebrate the immortal Republic.
M. Deves, who spoke in the name of the Government,
deplored the death of M. Gambetta as a national
misfortune, but said he had left France mistress
of her own destinies, prosperous and free. M. Chauf-
four spoke in the name of the Alsace-Lorraine
Associations of Paris; and orations were also de-
livered by M. Falsteuf, in the name of the French
Bar; M. Metivier, on behalf of the Republican Com-
mittees of Belleville ; M Peyrat in the name of the
Senate and M. Lon Say; General Billot for the
Army; and M. Henri Martin, the historian. The
Director of M. Gambetta's principal organ in the
press attempted to speak, but was prevented by his
emotion.
On the conclusion of the speeches the general pro-
cession passed before the coffin, the delegations taking
the lead, and placing their wreaths at the gates of the
cemetery, and inside round the vault where the re-
mains are temporarily placed. Then came the turn of
the troops, the infantry leading amid the ssund of
muffled drums and bugles. As the flag of each regi-
ment was lowered in passing the bier, an occasional
cry was raised of " Vive 1' Armee " or " Vive la
Republique." A cannon wee then fired from the heights
of the cemetery. Last of all followed the Cavalry,
their helmets and cuirassies standing out with striking
effect in the growing darkness.
The coffin followed by Ministers, Deputies
Senators, and friends—was then borne into the
Cemetery, and lowered by torchlight into the vault of
the town of Paris,
The Figaro makes an estimate of the value of the
wreaths carried at the funeral. Those carried by the
Delegations numbered seven hundred and twenty, and
the funeral cars conveyed three hundred. The largest
cost six hundred francs, and the smallest twenty
francs. Taking the average at one hundred francs
would give a total cost of upwards of a million francs.

In noticing the cause of M. Gambetta's death, the
British Medical Journal says
The history of M. Gambetta's case may thus be
summarized, judging from reports which we have re-
ceived from some of the authorities who attended him.
The great Republican leader had been subject for some
years to chronic inflammation of the cellular tissue
and peritoneum, surrounding that part of the large in-
testines known as the ceecum (perityphlitis), extending
to the colon (pericolitis). About five weeks before
his death he received a pistol-shot wound in the
palm of the right hand, the bullet passing under the
skin, and making its exit a little above the middle of
the limb. Tee wounds healed readily, but three weeks
after the injury symptoms of inflammation of the
intestines appeared, soon aeseming the local features
of the disorder to which he had long been subject.
The old standing disease, aroused to great activity
by the depreteion of health caused through the
accident, became so acute and severe as to
prove fatal, after extending to other parts of the
abdomen. The French surgeons who examined the body
of the illustrious deet.astd that this expla-
nation is sufficient, without the ntcessity of supposing
that the bullet-wound caused pyremia, or blood-
poisoning, with formation of matter, which is not a
rare sequel of gun-shot injuries. The extension
of inflammation of the peritoneum with forma-
tion of matter and sloughs was slight, and con-
fined to the neighbourhood of the old intestinal
disease as to warrant, to a great extent, this
supposition, though there are many who will believe
that old inflammatory deposits, such as existed
in this case, may become poisoned by the changes
produced in the blo :d alter a bullet wound, and
then set up a true pyrnic inflammation within the
abdomen. This, however, is but another interpreta-
tion of the nature of the appearances of the abdominal
organs as seen after death. No operation of any kind
could have averted the fatal termination of the ease.
Gembetta died in the prime cf life' being but in
his forty-fifth year. It is well known that his right
eye was removed in 1867 by Dr. de Wecker for
panophthalmitis, or destructive inflammation of the
whole globe.

A porpoise has been captured at Stonehaven which
sleighed 1i cwt. _ ,

THE FLOODS ON THE CONTINENT.

The Wiesbaden Correspondent of the Daily News
wr-tes

The terrible catastrophe which has overtaken all the
German Rhine districts from the Lake of Constance
down to the Dutch frontier, far surpasses in magnitude
all other calamities of this kind during the last 100
years. The extent of the inundations, the widespread
devastation and nearly incalculable destruction of pro-
perty caus=d by them, and the serious loss of life
which they occasioned, will for ever make the last days
of 18s2 and the beginning of the New Year memor-
able in the annals of the Rhinelands.

At the beginning of December the Rhine and its
tributaries had again retired to their normal level
after the extraordinary inun tations, which on the
28th and 29th of November had attained a height only
exceeded by the great flood of 1784. All fears of
further danger had then passed away; a repetition of the
disaster was considered an impossibility, and the work
of repairs; drying of houses, and re-building was
therefore commenced with iut delay, in preparation
for the winter. Meanwhile heavy falls of snow took
place or. the mountains, and great masses soon covered
their slopes down to the valleys.

A few days before Christmas a great thaw set in ;
the temperature rose, and remained steadily at over
50 deg. F., and warm south-west winds brought a
daily downpour of rain. Then occurred what under
usual circumstances only can take place in the spring.
Every brook alio rivulet in the great water system of
the Rhine became a raging torrent; the great tribu-
tortes Neckar, Main, Nahe, Lahn, Moselle, increased
rapidly and covered their banks, and then the
great • river, taking up all this enormous quan-
tity of water, rose, not by inches, but by yards, sand
breaking like playthings the dams and dykes with
which man had attempted to confine him to his bed,
and indeed many of which remained still uurepaired
since the previous flood, spread over the cultivated
and thickly populated country on both sides, converting
it for miles into broad and deep lakes, sweeping away
buildings and whole villages, and creating general
havoc and devastation such as has not been wit-
nessed by the last three generations.

A grew difference is at once apparent between the
locality of the chief devastation caused by the last
floods and that by the nre,ent inundation. Last
Notiember the Main and Moselle were the tributaries
which brought down the greatest quantity of water,
,nd consequently the vicinity of Mayence, where the
village of Bilrgel was especially ravaged, and
the district from Coblence downwards, especially
Neuwied and the right bank suffered the greate,t
losses, This time, however the Neckar attained
Lhe greatest height of all the affluents, and
became the cause of unparalleled disasters. From
its confluence with the Rhine at Mannheim, a
broad, low plain called the Bled extends along both
aides of the main stream downward as far as Worms,
a distance of about ten miles. This plain, which
contains about a dozen thriving, populous villages,
the largest of which is Fiankenthal, halfway between
Mannheim and. Worms, was destined to become the
scene of terrible calamities. During the November
floods the embankments had successfully resisted
the highest pressure, and no fear was entertained of
any disaster. On December 28 the Neckar began
rising with extreme rapidity, sometimes several feet
in one hour, and altogether reaching a height of over
twenty feet beyond the usual level. The greater parts
of Heidelberg .and Mannheim became inundated,
and next day the Rhine attained an unprecedented
height. During the following night the embankments
on both sides t egan to give way. At 3 a.m. the alarm
bell at Ludwigshafen suddenly rang forth to announce
the break of the dyke between the villages of Oppau
and Friesenheim. Huge masses of water poured
through the opening, and within half an hour both
places were entirely inundated. Soon after bells were
heard from the neighbouring villages to announce fresh
breaks in the dams, and when morning broke the entire
Bled plain was completely flooded. An immense
lake, with reddish-brown waves, foaming under a
stiff northwest gale, covered the entire country on
all sides as far as the eye could reach, only tree-
tops, roofs of houses, church spires; and the higher
parts of a few vil,ages appearing above the water—a
German Szegedin. A great crevasse had opened
below Ludwigshafen, another between Oppau and
rankentha , and during the day the dam connecting
Lampertheim with Alundenheim was broken through
at three different places, throfigh which tons upon tons
of water poured into the conquered territory. At
Oppau and Eaigheim the water soon covered the
houses up to the eaves of the roof. At Hofheim the
depth wa i ten feet in the streets. When the
first ru-h of the waters reached Friesenheim and
9ppau the houses at once began to fall, and entire
streets were swept away, the inhabitants barely site-
ceeding in saving their lives. Some fled to higher
ground ' • others sought refuge on trees or on the roofs
of their houses. Biirstadt, Oggersheim, and Bodstadt
were deeply flooded. All the I,:gbroads and railroad
lines through the Bled were covered by many feet
of water. Even the greater part of Worms was
flooded, an I became sun °untied on all sides by the
inundations.
During the night help waived from neighbouring
towns, and when daylight broke the work of rescu-
ing the unfortunate villagers proceeded quickly.
From Mannheim and Worms, the soldiers came in
boats, and from Speyer the pioneers with their
pontoons. The Mayor of Worms, with detachments
of fii ernen, distributed provisions among the starving
people and, a small steamer from laudwigshafen,
passing with gt eat danger throught the brolten dykes,
succeeded in reaching Oppau and saving 150 persons
from the roofs. Later forces of sappers and miners
arrived from the fortress of Ingohtadt, and others
from Mayence.
It is remarkable that the loss of life has not been
p,reater ; yet it amounts to about 100. At Oppau
four persons were drowned, and at Oggersheim five.
Four men on the way from Frankenthal to the latter
place were overtaken by the flood. They climbed up
some low tree., hut were soon swept off and all were
drowned. At Friesenheim thirteen persons perished,
including a family of six who had taken refuge on the
roof of their house, when the latter fell and all were
drowned. A waggon with five persons was over-
turned and all perished.
The greatest disaster took place at Sandhof. A
large boat with fifteen persons took supplies to Oppau,
and in returning had taken twenty-five refugees on
board. When only a short distance from the dam a
whirlpool swept the bat against a row of trees,
causing it to go to pieces. Out of its forty occupants
only twelve succeeded in saving themselves.
The present state of the Bled villages and
their inhabitants is indeed deplorable beyond
description. The houses have been destroyed
by the hundred, which is not to be wondered
at, their material being merely sun-dried bricks.
But in many cases even buildings of solid
masonry have succumbed to the fury of the floods.
Friesenheim, Edigheim, and Oppau are, so to say,
annihilated, all the inhabitants have fled, and hardly
one house is left standing. In these three villages
alone nearly 500 houses were destroyed, and the others,
Frankenthal, Oggersheim, Mundenheim, Mutterstadt,
Hermsheim, Bihlis, Barstadt, Bobstadt, Eich, Hamm,
Bobenheim, Roxheim, Rotirheim, Morsch, &c., have
all severely suffered. Nearly all the cattle, horses,
pigs, poultry, &c., have perished.
From 10,000 to 12,000 persons are homeless and in
entire destitution, very few having succeeded in
saving anything besides the clothes on their backs.
The neighbouring towns, especially Worms and
Mannheim, are crowded with refugees, who still
arrive in long caravans. They are sheltered in the
schools, churches, and other public buildings. At
Ludwigshafen there are 500 in the school and 1,500 in
a colour-factory.

The Standard publishes the following from its cor-
respondents :

BERLIN, Monday Night.
The reports from the inundated districts chow that
the water continues falling. The want of warm
clothing is now being keenly felt, as the weather
has become exceedingly cold. On the roads and rails
at Mayence traffic is restored, except on the line
from Mayence to Worms. In several quarters, par-
ticularly near Ludwigshafen, more houses are reported
to have fallen in. A large number of Deputies
belonging to Prussia, Baden, Bavaria, and Hesse have
met, and started Committees for the collection of a
national fund to be raised by private subscription in
all the States of liermany. Their appeal concludes
as follows :—" The distress is great, and the want
terrible to contemplate, as it cannot but last for a
long time to come. It cannot be met by the moat
lavish private benevolence. The amplest State help
is absolutely necessary in addition."

PESTII, Monday 'Night.

The floods in liumary continue to increase. The
town of Raab is almost entirely under water, and is
surrounded by an immense lake. The Danube last
night burst through its embankments in three places
between Pressburg and Kiimorn, and at one spot below
Pesth. Steamers, pontoons, and soldiers have been
sent to all the inundated districts to help in saving
the inhabitants, their cattle, and other property.
The thermometer has sunk to thirteen degrees below
Zero Fahrenheit. Yet this has not yet stopped the
floods. In some districts the misery of the population
is indescribable. The high water of the Danube will
soon reach the mouth of the Theiss, and it is feared
that terrible disasters will happen again at Szegedin.

The Frankfort Gazette acknowledges the receipt
of thirty-three thousand marks which have reached
that journal and two banking houses in this
town, in donations from New York for the suf-
ferers in the inundated Rhine Valley, and
writes on the subject in a leading article as
follows :—'Thee gifts furnish a fresh and pleasing
proof that the Germans who have found a new home
on the other side of Atlantic are not lost to the old
F4therland, but show an ever warm and active sym-
pathy as well for Germany's good fortune as for her
disasters."