The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-05-03 00:00:00

NAVAL WARFARE IN THE PRESENT
DAY.

In London, on Saturday, at Willis's Rooms, a large num-
ber of distinguished guests were invited by the Chairman of
the Metropaltan Board of Works to meet the Duke of
Edinburgh at dinner, in Willis's Rooms, on Saturday
evening. Among the guests were the Duke of Tuck, the
Duke of Wellington, the Marquis of Abergavenuy, the
3.l,.rquis of Ormonde, the Earl of Devon, Earl Redesdale,
the Earl of Galloway, the Earl of Aberdeen, Lord Strath.
nairn, Lord Winmarleigh, Lord Norton, Lord tiampton, the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, l!dr. Gladstone, the First Lord
of the Admiralty, the Speaker, the Home Secretary, Lord
Justice Brett, the Lord Mayor, the Sheriffs of London, dm.,
dm, dm

His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh in re-
sponding to the toast of "The Queen and Royal
Family," referred feelingly to the sympathy which
had been evinced throughout the country on the
oLcasion of a recent bereavement, and assured In'
hearers that such sympathy had been most cordially
and thoroughly reciprocated in regard to the calamities
which had recently fallen upon the homes and fami-
lies of many of his fellow countrymen.
Mr. W. H. Smith, in responding to the toast, "The
Navy," said,—Your chairman has referred to the ex-
traordinary conditions under which naval warfare has
to be conducted in these days. Happily for us, naval
warfare is now almost entirely unknown; but the
navy has been able to contribute very largely to the
operations which it has been necessary to conduct for
the security of the empire and the protection of Her
Majesty's dominions. (Hear, hear.) I cannot
refrain, in referring to those operations, from men-
tioning the name of Captain Bradshaw, who, remem-
bering the duty which belongs to a British sailor, when
he heard of the disaster which had overtaken his
fellow-countrymen at the Cape, felt justified in dis-
regarding his orders and turning back from St. Helena
with his ship and 700 men, together with as many
soldiers as he could get together, in order to hasten to
the relief of the distressed and alarmed inhabitants of
South Africa. (Cheers.) But the services which had
been performed prior to his arrival were of the
greatest value, and testimony has been borne to them
in language on which I will not try to improve,
(Hear, hear.) Admiral Sullivan, Lord Chelmsford,
and the High Commissioner have all united in
praising the services of Commander Campbell in
the defence of Ekowe with his little brave body
of "actives," as they are called, who were shut
up in that small improvised fortress. We know
perfectly well that the blue-jackets were glad to have
an opportunity of serving shoulder to shoulder with the
redcoats, and that they have nobly maintained the
credit of the British Navy. (Cheers.) The duties
which the Navy has to discharge are very various
One portion of their duty is to convey her Majesty's
troops from one quarter of the world to another in
which they may be called upon to serve, and in refer-
ence to this I may say that a memorandum was placed
in my hands—a simple report—just as I left the
Admiralty to come here, which tells its own tale. It is
from the Director of Transports, and is as follows :
" April 26, 1879.

"Intelligence of the Isandlana disaster reached England
on the 11th of February. The action of Ginglelova was fought
on the 2nd of April and, Ekowe relieved on the 3rd, or on
the 51st day, two ef toe regiments of the relieving force
having been despatched from this country, and one from
Ceylon. Another battalion of infantry, a battery of
artillery fully horsed, three companies of the Army
vice Corps' also horsed, had reached Natal before toe list
of March from England, the distance being about 7,000
miles."

(Cheers.) I do not mention the3e facts with any
desire to exhibit exultation or boasting of any kind
but if it is possible for this country to exercise so
rapidly her forces, there should, I think, be quietness
and confidence in the resources of the country to re-
lieve our tellow. subjects if disaster and distress should
at any time overcome them. (Loud cheers.)
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, in a characteristic
speech, responded to the toast of "Her Majesty's
Ministers."

The Duke of Wellington responded for the Upper
House.

The Speaker, in responding for "the House of Com-
mons," said he trusted that the toast would always be
received with cheers wherever the English language
was spoken. (Hear, hear.) Respect for the House of
Commons was not confined to the British Isles, but
was felt among the numerous colonies and depen-
dencies of the Empire, nor could the nations of Europe
who had lately been trying their 'prentice hands at
representative government be indifferent to the welfare
of that ancient House. (Cheers.) But these repre-
sentative institutions on the Continent were no more
like the House of Commons than the sapling was like
the oak. Some day or other those saplings might grow
to be oaks, provided the assemblies on the Continent
were founded, as was the House of Commons, upon
liberty and order, which were the only sure founda-
tions of representative assemblies. (Cheers.) The
House of Commons was many centuries old,. and who
should say how many more centuries it would
flourish? It was proverbially dangerous to prophesy,
but he thought they might venture to predict that as
long as the British nation lasted so long would
the British House of Commons last; and probably the
British nation would last as long as the Thames
flowed. (Cheers.) In these days the British race
seemed to be spreading over the whole world, and
no doubt wherever there was a wilderness to he
reclaimed or a people to be civilized, somehow or
other the Englishman would be there, equal to
the occasion. Representative assemblies were now
springing up in all parts of the world, established
by our own fellow citizens, so ,o speak; for wherever the
Englishman went the first thing he did was to este-
hada self government ;and, inheriting from the mother
country a love for liberty and a respect for order, he
founded representative assemblies in all quarters of
the globe upon the lines of the House of Commons.
He hoped that all those representative assemblies of
the future would always look to the House of Corn.
mons as the parent stock upon which they were
grafted, and that, acting in unison with that House as
"chips of the old block," they would carry on the
government of their respective countries for the benefit
of generations yet unborn. (Cheers.)

,

rd•-liiiii-ca-ri-with hall

N.‘
I.4LIIWA*'

- -

'4IIIRDAY, MAY 3, 11379:
MA

of
.0 ex-

In answer to Lord Hartington, Mr. Bourke sa id furth
tapers as to Egyptian matters would be laid boa, )re '
ment, but this could not be done while negotly Mons wero
still proceeding.
The adjourned debate on Mr. RI land's resani ions WO re.
Burned by Mr. Goschen, who characterised the B udget as nia•
mound, calculated to mislead public opinion, an d .auting in
the courage which at the present juncture it, , behoved ate
Government to show for the sake of our credli at home and
our repute abroad. Whilst, however, he depl , pred the great
lncreate in taxation, he thought it would r,ot ie wise in the
face of Europe, which was watching to see ho Si • this country
bore the donlne strain of depression and want ke enterprise,
to put the third resolution on the journa'is of ti se House.
Sir H. Selwin-Ibbetson showed be a cc ,roparison of
financial arrangements that the Consekvative Government..
had with less oppressive machinery taised sr nalle taxes
per head of the population than had been levi ed upon the
People during the last five years of Li.beral rule.

Mr. Gladstone, referring to the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer's speech on Saturday evening, assertt ad that the
Government was not now arraigned for not meeting the
necessities of the year by imposing additimu 1 taxation,
but for the increase in the national expendita .re to which
Its policy had led The elaborate parallel' instituted
by Mr. Smith and Sir H. Setwln.lbbetsi did not
touch the question. and among other flavre• I he pointed
out that they took no account of tile a reduced
prices of food, clothing, and other ,tore 5, of the
difference between estimates and actual a xpenditure,
and of the amounts spent out of extrt‘ordlt Lary votes..
The precedent of the Exchequer Bonds of 11 l not apply,
because then the Income-tai had been r jatd. lo 10d. He
objected to the expenditure, both in rega, ed to qu entity and
quality, and under the first head he sho wed that the aug-
inentation of the mil,tary charges amo anted to over six
millions, • and with regard to the real( Aeon in Wei year's
estimates, he characterized it ft 9 a "des th-bed repentance."
With regard to the quality, he challent 'ad its causee from
first to last, vigorously denouncing the ',reign policy of
the last few years, and asserting that it hd re tither in-
creased the power of the count,y nor improved our rela-
Liens with a single county in the world. New he ob-
jected to the mode of bAlancieg the pubtic accot ints, by
Which be asserted that the real deiticiency was co acealed
from the country. The Exchequer Bonds, be it tasted,
were an essential part of the deficiency of the year,
and the estimated surplus of £1,900,000 had really
no existence at all. It was the Chancellor o C the
Exchequer's duty to. have presented an estimate of
the Zulu war, and in speaking of it in a mere g, wieral
way as a charge which could not be estimated he a had
departed from universal precedent. By his habit of L ring-
ing in two Budgets every year the Chancellor was des,tirov-
ing the control of Parliament over the expenditure slut
Income, and was reversing the best financial precedents o reur
history. In like manner his via media of meeting the deticilency
by Exchequer Bonds was a financial revolution, and was at
daggers drawn with the principles of Sir R. Peel. That great
financier's primary rules were to make proper estimates
tor the charge of the year, and to bring the income of
the year up to the charge; to let the publcc havt) the
benefit of the bulk of the surpluses when they occurred;
and, if new wants arose, to meet them, not by increased
taxes, but by savings in other directions. But she delvesive
doctrines which the Chancellor of the Exchequer hail in-
vented to justify his financial policy turned all thus old
sound principlete upside down, and, whatever might be the
decision of the country when next appealed to, he predicted
that the longer the reaction was delayed the more cotmplete
'would it be and the more severe would be the peditical
rent oution.
- -

-----------
M -Hermon, Mr. Rathbone, Mr. Pell, Mr. M. Henry, Mr.
Balfour, and Mr. Mundella aho took part in the debate.
Mr. Childers contended that there was no justification for
the increased expenditure of the Government.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer commented on the
Changes in the Resolution, and sits- rtE d that though the
House vies called on simply to vote that it regretted the in-
crease of expenditure, the Government was realty called to
book for not having proposed additional taxation. In reply
to this be pointed out that a year ago, when empendi-
ture began to be needed to place the country in a
Position to meet the contingency of war, he had ii-
posed an additional twopenny tax, and it was only when
still further precaution became necessary and when the
south African war sprang up that, he had proposed to
spread a charge which was essentially a war charge over
'tome two or three years. He denied that this was an
Unusual or an unreasonable proposal, and maintained that
It was reasonable to adopt this course instead of burdening
the people with additional taxation, thereby crippling
Industry and embarrassing commerce just at a time
when we desired to see a revival of both. No
doubt the national expenditure had been consider-
ably increased since the present Government took office.
The broad ground on which they rested their defence
:.3 that they felt it their duty to make adequate provision
for sustaining the position of the country abroad. Theirs
Was not a policy of aggression; their object was tranquillity
atnd prosperity. But this object could only be secured by
mations which were strong and showed that they were ready,
If necessary, to use their strength; and he thought that here-
after it would be said the Government had not acted tin-
Wisely or unpatriotically in endeavouring to avert war by a
judicious expenditure and demonstration of strength.
On a division, Mr. Rylands's Resolution was negatived by
1303 to 230, and the result was received with much cheering.
The House then went into Committee of Ways and Means,
and the Budget Resolution continuing the Income-tax was
agreed to.
Some other business was disposed of, and the House ad-
:ourned at ten minutes past two o'clock.

• In the HOUSE OF LORDS, April 29, Earl Cadogan, replying
to a question from Lord Granvilie, read a telegrem from Cape
Town of the Bth that., in which it was stated that the High
Commissioner was expected at Pretoria on the 10h, and that
the garrison of Ekowe was at Fort Pearson on the 4th ieet,
a Lord Bateman, who proposed two resolutions, the first of
Which asked the House te declare that while fully recognis•
ing the benefits which would result to the community if a
' System of real free trade were universally adopted was of
Opinion that it was expedient in all future commercial
negotiations with other countries to advocate a
policy of reciprocity between all inter-trading na-
tions; and secondly, that the long-continued depressed
state of the commercial, manufacturing and agri-
cultaral interests should form the subject of a full Parlia-
mentary inquiry, with a view of ascertaining the causes, the
bets means ,of redress, and of counteracting the injurious
effects of the excessive tariffs levied by foreign nations
upon the produce and mauufactures of this country.
The noble lord contended that in free trade as ad-
vocated by Adam Smith, reciprocity was an essential ele-
ment; but that was not the free trade adopted by this
country. The discovery of gold in California and Australia
and great trade, which caused a general inflation of prices,
.bad prevented the fall effects of the policy adopted by Par-
liament in 1846 from having had an adverse effect on the
Interests of this country for many years; but that temporary
Prosperity had come to an end ; oar maeufectnrere were now
Crying out, and it was impossible to foresee what the end of
the present state of things would lbe, At some length the
noble lord proceeded to vindicate "reciprocity," which
he described as " the coping stone "of free trade On
the goods of countries whieh would not enter into re-
uiProcal arrangements with us lan would impose a small re-
strictive tariff, and, while admitting wheat from Australia,
New Zealand, and other British colonies tree, he would levy
a small "Customs entry" on wheat coming from the United
States and other foreign countries. Tile noble lord con-
cluded a very long speech by saying that after such severe
Fines as had been experienced in tide country lee asked by
gin Resolution nettling unreasonable.
Lord Airlie moved as an amendment that the Government
Should terrier be asked, whenever opportunity arose, to
advocate the reduction of such proteetive duties as are in.
Parlous to the trade of this country. The noble lord
vindicated the free-trade policy as established in this
country, and expressed his opinion that, severe as the com-
mercial and agricultural depression had been, our manu-
facturers and agriculturists would regain what they had
lost from causes with which free trade had nothing to do.
The Duke of Rutland defended the line taken by Lord
Bateman and expressed his dissent from the economic
doctrines of Professor Fawcett and Mr. Bright. He
denied Mr Bright's assertion that the distress in 1842
167e,?,1 ten times as great as that which eeisted How.
-reee held, on the contrary, that the present dintress
Was top times as great as that of 1842, which had been
Caused by the cheep from handloom to powerloom
Weaving, and in those 3ears gold was scarce. He
Wished for a Zolivertin which would put the protium
, Lions of England and her Colonies on the same footing,
flic a system of import duties .on tim euenufactured
-"?.* • articles of foregn countries. He did not believe that a geod
year would improve the prospects of our agricuiturbtic, be-
cause 'while we should be growing more wheat other countries
would be doing the sante thing. ff we turned our wheat-grow-
beg land into grass land, there again we should be met,
. because produce from America would come iu end compete
- . with the produee of this country. Ile really hoped
'en.liet'arttl the Government would support his noble friend Dad
1W- teman, who had shown that all our industries were being
lAOSn. PlNPareeked. If the Government and the Opposition did not
support those who asked for an inquiry the coustituencies of
the country would, for there was a majority of all classes in
favour of something being done.
After Lord Dwireven and Lorq. forley had spoken,
Lord Beaconsfield said ho. thonght it sees impossible to
bold that the existence of a protective syetem Was not pone,
ptible with the prosperity of a nation The policy esta-
blished by Parliament in 1816 wa,s that hostile tariffs were
to be met with free imports. let the time be thought that
policy a perilous one, but it was adopted by Parliament and.
the country after great deliberation. By a General Election
the constituencies were afforded an opportunity of re-
versipg that policy. They did not do so; and it became ne-
t:emery for public men to bow to the deliberate opinion of
arliatreant and the country. No doubt the country was n
a state et great suffering, and it was not unnatural, there-
fore, that the queition -whether wo hzd been acting on sound
principles during the last•3s years tiliould pe bioneht before
Parliament. He could net, however, coincide ih most of
the statements Of WIS noble friend who hAd brought forivard
this motion. Ile had anxionsly wetted to be enlightened by
his noble friend as to what " reciprOeity "' wea ; but all he
could make out was that " reciprpaty " waj barter. Barter
bad been described as the last effort of clyilieation,
His noble friend had quoted some masty phrase; u'sed by
0
Win in favour of reciprocity ; Put 8 years ago,
Vrhen those phrases were used, we had a very large
trembler of articles on which there were import
*ln Wt. There were no sucn materials for reciprocal f
treaties
,"0".• ROCIPrOCitY WES deed It was a pha,itons. The op
Portunity had been ).oet ; thh nctsans were no longer available,
, Inn it was idle to talit'of reeipreetty no a cure for e‘istina
. evils- Haying devoted snitch anteetion to an invpsiig.tion of
the subject, he had not been able to hnd reasons fer
concluding that the repeal of the Corn . Laws aid
the adositton of free trade had injuriotely 'affectf.d
any interest in this country but she land' He
could not shut his eyes to the fact that 'is bad in-
ittrlously affected the land, but its having done so
ereat no reason fur the adoption of schemes bitch an there put
tOeveued by the noble lord who had moved the Resolutiou.
ving listened with attention to the agreeanle 4aeech of
is able ' friend, be bad felled to gather what the nohe
orrd re
required; And be thought it would ho most unwise for
the House to come $o ts.' resolution for an it quiry which had
So definite object and which could lead only to disanoint•
Went.
_ Lord Granville informed their lordships that more than
forty yeses ago 123, in opposition to moat of the leaders of
his ratty, voted for a total repeal at the Corn Laws' and had
/liver since that time given a vote inconaisten t with that one.
ztv Was glad that the policy advocated forty years ago by the
a was a
isn gratefulw hieh he
to
Prime Minister had not prevailed- but
he e e
Lord Beaconsfield for '.the decided manner bad that night explained the impouibillty of any Go-
trarnment en this country returning to a system of

r 44-

.., .
IMPERIAL PAL A
I ..r.l feetioil' •.' He believed that the present agricultural
'‘Ait.I•BIENT. :.
etresiers Was not owing to free trade, and he thought the
~"
' Lb /vett at the head of the Governmeynotnhathdedfoleacgiooouds
es
--- tna D, ti, 0 irr eaued aoe'erinie in putting his foot so decidedl
elemes advanced for the relief of existing distrers.
In the IlonSE on Lonnie April 23, . eery Department of the
attention to the Report of the Veterii le to the transport .e. i After some remarks in reply from Lord Bateman, the
Privy Council, especially with referent "A ofwva pp.- I Resolution was negatived without a division.
cattle. as to which the Duke of Rlchm
I , b iI,
atilt 'at
bt 1 :
forto inquire
service Their lordships adjourned at ten minutes past ten o'clock.
planations.ln the Hones or CoefidoNS, the Chancellor of the
Lord Stratheden moved for a Select C.Exchequer, answerieg an appeal from Mr. E. Jenkins, said
Into the effect of rendering the Militia a
se, , guy to disband he had so much difficulty in finding &ye for the Government
In colonial garrisons.
Lord Bury objected that it would be nee business that he could not undertake to give him a day for
nude:: new con- his Vote of Censure on Lord Claelmsford, whereupon Mr.
the regiments in order to re-enlist the men Jenkins said he would leave the matter to the judgment of
' . melons
ditions. the country and would withdraw the motion.
O
The Duke of Cambridge pointed out how s a matter Sir M. Hicks-Beach read a telegram from Cane Town,
it would be lithe proposed change resulted ei e the loss of dated the Bth inst., announcing that Sir Banns Frere was
tenthousand men from that branch of the se 0...ce. . expected at Pretoria on the 10th, and that the garrison of
Lord Dueraven, Lord Wavenee, Lord D cube:ter, and Ekhowe were at Fort Pearson.
Lord Houghton took part in the discussi on, and in the Mr. Burt called attention to the great sacrifice of human
result the motion was withdrawn, life in the (Jetted Kingdom, arising from boiler explosions,
Lord Cranbrook presented a Bill "to ens' ele guaranteed and moved a resolution declaring that is desirable that
railway companies in India and the Secrets ry of State for enginemen should undergo en examine, ion as to their fitness
India in Cowell' to enter into agreements v eith respect to before they arc placed in charge of engines and boilers, and
the workiee of railways and with respect to • ' telegraphs, and that it is incumbent on steam users to provide for a cons-
to confer upon those companies additiona ' a powere with potent and an independent inspection of all steam boilers,
respect to their undertakings." The Bill w EIS read a first and to report to the Board of Trade or the Home Office.
time. The motion was seconded by Mr Hermon.
Other Bills were forwarded a stage, and t. heir lordships A discussion followed in which Mr. S. Hill, Sir Thomas
adjourned at a quarter to eight o'clock. Bazley, Mr Macdonald, Mr. Sheridan, Mr. Hibbert, Mr.
In the HOUSE OF COMMONS, Mr. Bourke, in reply to Mr. '
Orr Ewin, and other hon. members took part and even-
C. B. Denison, said communications were still going on be-
tually, on the suggestion of the Home Secretary, the motion *
tween the Powers as regarded Eastern Bonn tells ansi the was withdrawn.
military occupation of the Balkan Passes by T, .I:tektite treseps, On Mr. Delahunty rising to move a resolution advocating
and there was a general agreement to pron. 10,,a Ole dee a system of Government loans for the formation of railways
execution of the Treaty of Berlin. and tramways, the House was counted out at twenty-five
In answer to Sir .T, Goldsmid, the Chancellor fee tint Ex- minutes to eight o'clock.
chequer said there had been no joint note ta, ire exed to
Egypt by England and France, but both Goys rte eeen, ea, had
felt it necessary to express their opinion upon t ha
Kheo
recent actions. lye's