The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-03-19 00:00:00

AN AMERICAN ON ENGLISH TRADE.

In his annual report, just issued, Mr. Albert Shaw,
United States Consul at Manchester, makes some ob-
servatiot s on the prospects of trade between England
and America which are interesting, Mr. Shaw
considers the moisture of the atmosphere in Lan-
cashire as a natural advantage in favour of Eng-
lish cotton-spinning which, for the reasons he gives,
cannot be supplied in the United States by any
artificial conditions. In American manufactures,
of which wood is the material, Mr. Shaw thinks
there are special reasons for expecting a great
development of the demand here, all that is necessary
being a careful study of English tastes and require
ments. As regards cheese and butter, he counsels
above all careful attention to quality. Altegether
Mr. Shaw does not consider it so easy a task to beat
English manufacturers or producers in their own
markets as some English writers and speakers are
wont to assume. The great growth of our foreign
trade he attributes mainly to two causes—the system
ara -w.
fr partnerships existing between foreign and home
Nvand at he mile "the fex-reaohing banking'
facilities of England,"

I reported to you a week ago that the Crown Prince
*of Sweden had become engaged to the Princess
Victoria of Baden, grand-daughter of the German
Emperor, and now it is announced that the betrothal
ceremony took place yesterday, in all privacy, at
Carlsruhe. After the festivities here were over,
Prince Oscar first hastened home to acquaint his father
with the step he had taken, and then lost no time
in returning to Germany, arriving on Friday even-
ing at Carlsruhe. Yesterday the town was richly
hung with flags, and after the betrothal the Grand
Ducal family received the congratulations of their
Court, the muni&pality, &c. Shortly before two
o'clock yesterday afternoon the Emperor was informed
by telegraph of what had happened, and in the
despatch acquainting the representative of Baden at
this Court with the event his Excellency was requested
to notify it at once to Prince Bismarck, who loot no time
in telegraphing back his congratulations. On hearing,
too, of the event, the Imperial Deputies from Baden as-
sembled here and telegraphed their felicitations to Cans-
rube. From Heidelberg also, where the Queen of Sweden
stayed with her son not long ago, in the immediate
vicinity of the Baden Court, and where the Crown Prince
was well known, his fornial engagement to the only
daughter of the ruling House was hailed with much
satisfaction. Though a match of the kind had long
been meditated, it was only in the autumn of 1879,
when attending the grand Imperial manceuvres at
Strasbourg, that Prince Oscar became personally
acquainted with Princess Victoria, of whose character,
beauty, and accomplishments the most flattering
things are said. The newly engaged pair will arrive
here about the end of the week with the rest of the
Baden family, to be present at the celebration of the
Emperor's 84th birthday on the 22nd, End it is already
said that they will be married towards the end of Sep-
tember, when the parents of the bride celebrate their
silver wedding.

The Princess Victoria, being directly descended on
tke father's side from the last King of the House of
Wan, and her grandmother having been a daughter
of Gustavus IV., who abdicted and lived at Leipsic
afterwards as Colonel Gustayson, her union with the
Crown Prince of Sweden will have the singular and
happy effect of reconciling the claims of the two
dynasties.