The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-03-01 00:00:00

PRESENTATION TO LADY JOHN
MANNERS.

In London, on Saturday evening, a distinguished
company, including the leading members of the Con-
servative party in both Houses of Parliament,
assembled at the Mansion House, on the invitation of
the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress, to meet Lord
and Lady aolan Manners, on the occasion of the
presentation to Lady John Manners of a marble bust
of her husband. The bust, which is the work of
Signor Raggi, has been subscribed for by members of
the Shipwrights' Company. Mr. Perkins, the master
of that company, which is now in the seventh
century of its existence, explained that Lord
John Manners had successfully in his capacity
of a member of the Court of Assistants, of Warden,
and of Master of the Company, rendered the
shipwrights valuable service. Lady John Manners
had presented the prizes at the close of two suc-
cessful exhibitions of the company. The last
exhibition, which was international in its character,
was opened by the Duke of Edinburgh, to whom as
well as to the King of the Netherlands, who had
assisted in promoting the exhibition, the freedom of
the company was presented in valuable caskets.
Lord John Manners was Master of the company at
the date of the exhibition, and it was to commemorate
his services and that of Lady John that the sub-
scription for this bust was opened. The bust
represents Lord John wearing the official robe and
jewel of a Master of the company and his ribbon of
the Order of the Bath.

Lord Norton, himself a member of the company,
made the presentation on behalf of the subscribers,
and remarked on the appropriateness of the action of
the Shipwrights' Company in signalising its own
revival in vigorous public service by placing at its
head a Master who through life had been a pattern
of honourable, chivalrous, unselfish devotion to the
public service. Lord John's membership of the court
of the company was identified with its renewed
vigour, and the present occasion was happily identi-
fied with his renewed vigour after a dangerous illness.
lie begged the acceptance of the bust as a testimony
of the high regard, respect, and affection felt for
Lord John Manners.

Lady John Manners made an eloquent response,
thanking the Shipwrights' Company for "a speaking
likeness of that hardworking citizen Lord John
Manners." He had been as long as she had known
him wedded to his country, which he had served day
and night, in sickness and in health. She felt that
she did not deserve this precious gift, for she had
sometimes endeavoured to win him to hours of in-
glorious ease. But in the service of the country he
found happiness, and she hoped that some years might
be added to the forty he had already spent in public
Life. She fancied that the fountain of perpetual youth
must bubble up within the precincts of St. Stephen's,
for she observed that the longer and harder her friends
worked during the session the fresher and cheerier
they seemed, and they were ready for any amount of
work during the recess. She valued this gift the
more highly as the best representation she had
hitherto had of Lord John was painted so long ago as
1847, about the time when he and others were deeply
interested in the passing of the Ten Hours' Bill. If
some libilanthropists would bring in alTen Hours' Bill
for members of the House of Commons how grateful
they would be. She thanked Lord John's colleagues
and friends for the happiness of their presence at this
presentation.

Lord John Manners, in seconding a vote of thanks
proposed by Sir R. Hanson to the Lord Mayor for
the use of the Mansion House, added his expressions
of gratitude to those of Lady John Manners, and
eulogised the Lord Mayor as in public either a faith-
ful, determined, consistent, ever-ready friend and
supporter, or, as occasion might be, a sturdy and
gallant but always courteous opponent, while in
private life his friends found it not difficult to discover
in his genial personality a genuine philanthropist, an
accomplished man of letters, an able man of business,
and a keen rider to hounds.

The Lord Mayor expressed his satisfaction at
haying had the opportunity of welcoming Lord John
Manners and his distinguished colleagues on such an
occasion.

The company then quitting the saloon for the
Egyptian Hall were entertained at dinner by the
Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress. In the course of
the evening the Marquis of Salisbury responded to
the toast of "The House of Lords," and Sir Stafford
Northcote for "The House of Commons."

The Sultan of Djokjakarta has had his palace
lighted by electric lamps, employing altogether 190
incandescent lamps and four arc lights. The Prince
of Socrakarta is also about to have his palace and
gardens illuminated by the new light, which is, too,
being installed in several factories and other estab-
lishments in Java.

On Saturday the governor of Kirkdale Prison
received an intimation that the execution of Michael
M'Lean and Patrick Duggan, convicted at the Liver-
pool assizes of the murder of a Spanish sailor, and of
Sarah MaHinson and William Smart of the murder of
a young woman by procuring abortion, will take place
on March 10.

In London on Tuesday afternoon an explosion
occurred at Covent-garden Theatre, and following so
closely on that at the Victoria Station it created a
great deal of alarm, and gave rise for a time to wild
and exaggerated rumours. About the time stated two
constables named Redmund and May were leaving
the Bow-street Police-court, when they observed two
flashes, which were followed instantly by a loud
explosion, in the office of Mr. Gye, of the
Royal Italian Opera, facing Bow-street. A crowd
immediately assembled at the spot, and much excite-
ment arose. The policemen at once proceeded to the
office of Mr. Gye, and found it full ef smoke. On the
floor a man named Harry Cardwell, a firework artist,
was lying bleeding profusely and apparently much
hurt. He was at once removed to King's College
Hospital, where it was found that he had sustained
severe injuries to his face and other parts of his body.
His beard and hair had been singed, and his eyebrows
were burnt off, and fears are entertained that he will
lose his sight. His left thumb was partially blown off,
and the left side of his face was lacerated in a fright-
ful manner. From subsequent inquiries it appeared
that the injured man had been engaged with Mr. Gye
in experimenting with chemicals for the production of
lightning in various scenes in the Royal Italian Opera.
While so engaged, a bottle containing some chemical
accidentally exploded. Mr. Gye escaped unhurt, but
the irdured man's brother was slightly injured in the
neck.