The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-06-04 00:00:00

Our fonban 6orrespoubeltls

l'Ws deem it right to state that we do not at tU times
'ldentify ourselves with our Correspondent's opinions.

The creation of Prince Leopold as Duke of Albany
on the occasion of Her Majesty's birthday has been
followed by an official announcement that his Royal
Highness at public ceremonials is to bear both desig-
nations—that is to say, he is to be described as Prince
Leopold, Duke of Albany. This is a departure from
the usage which in all ages has made the younger sons
and brothers of our sovereigns peers of England bear
a territorial title. To go no further back than the
time of George 111., the monarch's younger sons are

found bearing such distinctions as Duke of York,

Duke of Gloucester, Duke of Kent, Duke of Sussex,
Duke of Clarence, Duke of Cambridge, and Duke of
Cumberland, without the prefix of the Christian name
of the prince in either case. The Duke of Edinburgh
is not described as Prince Alfred, nor the Duke of
Connaught as Prince Arthur. The Queen's youngest
son is, however, still to retain his Christian name,
although it need not be pointed out that no prince, as
such, sits in the House of Lords without a territorial
title, and that in the illustrious assembly of the peers
his Royal Highness will appear on the roll as Duke of
Albany.
Her Majesty's birthday was celebrated in London
with the accustomed ceremonial. The night was
dark, thereby enabling the masses of people in the
West-end streets to see the illuminations to the best
advantage. The usual banquets were given by the
Ministers and the great officers of State, and earnest

hopes were expressed for the continued good health
and the long life of the reigning Sovereign. Attention
has been drawn to the fact that the Queen has occupied

the throne of England longer than any of her pre-
decessors with but three exceptions. The third Henry,
the third Edward, and the third George have alone
worn the Crown and wielded the Sceptre longer than

Queen Victoria, with the exception of Queen I
Elizabeth, to the length of whose reign the present
monarch has now nearly approached. The reign of
Queen Elizabeth extended over 45 years, that of
Henry 111. 56 years, that of Edward 111. 50
years, and that George 111. 60 years. But
in no previous reign has such extraordinary
Frogress been made in every direction not
only in the extension of the boundaries the
empire but in all things which tell or the
beneficent influence of peace. It is only to quote the
fact that at the time of the Accession of Her Majesty
there was no penny post, to show the wonderful
changes that have been wrought in a period which,
while it is a serious addition to the weight of one's
years, is, after all, but a short time in the history of
such a state as Great Britain, where the records of

the monarchy extend back fora thousand years.
When Queen Victoria ascended the Throne the
railway system was in its infancy; it has now reached
a wonderful development. In the time of Lord
Melbourne, her Majesty's first Prime Minister, the idea
of steam tramways, which is now forcing itself upon the
attention of the Legislature, was far from being a prac-
tical one ; yet it is now seen that while railways are
admirably adapted to long journeys and rapid transit
through populous districts, the disadvantages under
which they labour render them inapplicable to many
parts of the country where a cheap and easy means
of communication is much wanted. Railway locomo-
tives of forty or fifty tons require heavy bridges and
massive viaducts, goods waggons on the broad gauge
of five or six tons will carry only a load equal to their
own weight, the shunting of waggons necessitates
great labour, and the formation of new branches
involves application for Parliamentary powers accom-
panied with delay and heavy outlay. The advocates of
the steam tramway system maintain that there is
nothing to hinder promoters asking Parliament for
special Acts to enable them to acquire the necessary
land: Armed with these powers they have the means

to provide accommodation both for passengers and for
goods at less than half the first cost of a railway, and
capable of being worked at less than half the cost. It is
suggested that the promotion of local enterprise would
be greatly facilitated byiamending the General Tram-
ways' Act, giving powers to acquire lands cheaply
and expeditiously; and by making the restrictions on
tramway construction and working as little irksome
in their operation as possible; and further permitting
tramway companies already in existence to extend in
any desired direction with a minimum outlay in
securing the necessary authority.
The eleventh annual report issued from the Royal
Mint contains some interesting statistics. It appears
that during last year there were struck coins of twenty-
three different denominations in four metals and four
coinages. The issue of gold coins consisted of English
sovereigns and half sovereigns and Newfoundland
two-dollar pieces. The silver issue comprised the
whole of the current coins of our realm with the ex-
ception of crown and fourpenny pieces. It included
also the fourpences and twopences for the Royal
Maundy bounties, and cent pieces of varying values
for Newfoundland. In bronze there was struck
pence, halfpence, and farthings, and quarter piastres
for the island of Cyprus. For Jamaica the pence,
halfpence, and farthings were struck in nickel. In
all, more than twenty-five million new British coins
were sent out from the Mint, at a total value of
nearly five millions sterling. With the exception of
the Royal Maundy, no fourpenny pieces have been
coined since 1856, and since 1879 no fewer than
456,000 of these coins have been withdrawn from cir-
culation. During the year over two millions and a
quarter of Australian gold coin was imported.
Foreign critics appear to take a melancholy pleasure
in assuming that Great Britain is in a state of military
impotence. It is an undoubted fact that we cannot
keep pace with the Continental Powers in their efforts
at rivalry respecting the number of men they
may at a given moment be able to place under
arms. It is, however, a question whether we should
be justified in seeking to become a great military
Power in the sense the term is so often employed,

and maintaining half a million soldiers in the United
Kingdom, merely for the purpose of being ready to
protect those national interests which few can believe
to be really jeopardised. We are told that we are no
longer prepared to take that active part in Conti-
nental struggles that we did in the reign of Napoleon
the First; but at the same time it should be
remembered that many of the ablest of our public
men deprecated the war against France, which,
lasting three-and-twenty years—from 1792 to 1815—
resulted in a National Debt, the burden of which we
still feel, for the interest on it alone amounts to twenty-
eight millions sterling per annum. As to our Indian
Empire we shall maintain it at any cost should it ever
be seriously attacked. We shall keepS our right of way
to the East. As to the assumption that three or four
Continental Powers might unite against us, it may be
pointed out that with smaller means than wr now
possess, we have successfully defended ourselves
against combinations as formidable as any that could
Row be brought together.
The meets of the Coaching Club and the Four-in:
hand Club in Hyde Park are highly popular with all
classes of the community. Each of these has just
held its first gathering near the Magazine, the Four-
in-hand Club being the bette4favoured with regard to
weather, which upon the day of the Coaching Club
meet was showery. Royalty is never absent on these
(tecasions ; for if the Prince of Wales or any of the
Royal prines should happen to be unrepresented in
the processibn of coaches, the Princesses are invariably
amongst the spectators. The teams in the coaches
are the beat blood in the country, the owner of one of
those in the Coaching Club having refused £2,000 for
the four horses harnessed to his vehicle.
London has long been agitating for a better supply
of fish, the price of which day by day rises. Two
reasons have been given for the advance in price—one,
that the sea. is. eVerfished, and the other, that a close
time must be instituted. One thing is, however, clear
to Londoners, .and this is that .year by year the fish
become smaller.
.Neither soles, turbot, nor haddock
seem to be as large as khey formerly were; while the
crabs and lobsters of to-day would have been con-
- demned by our: grandfathers as unsizeable. The
matter imnortant one, and might well be made
the subject of an official inquiry, seeing that it affects
the supply of a'valuable and nutritious article of food.
"File seas all round our coasts team with fish; yet the
acitial price in London is pound for pound dearer than
,that of butchers' meat.
. It is remarkable to note how, in these days of caprice,
---Fishiori changes her mind. Some three or four years
Rgo a'Vet4liavourite recreation was lawn tennis, which,
however, does not now command quite so much atten-
tion. Nor are there so many coaches out of London
to towns within an easy reach of the metropolis as
there once were. Bine china and spindle-legged furni-
ture were accustomed to command very high prices;
but this is no longer the case to the same extent.
The fashionable world, like Xerxes, needs a new plea-
sure, and the-man who could invent this, and patent
It, in time would make his fortune. When lawn

tennis, esthetic furniture, steam launches, amateur
theatricals, coaching, pigeon shooting, the University
Boat Race, and the Eton and Harrow Cricket Match,
fail to concentrate the interest with which they were
.once surrounded, a new and taking recreation or
nmuqement would be immensely popular with the
claoses who have an abundance of leisure for its enjoy.

ent. •
It has been contended that the want of cheap
urasoement in London tends greatly towards an
augmentation a drinking. There is a very large body
who have no means of enjoying themselves in their
leisure hours, and who are therefore strongly tempted
to devote their attention almost exclusively to public-
houses. There are many beautiful parks around

the metropolis, but beyond their own merits there
Is nothing to draw the public to them. The estab-
lishment of bands in these parks would attract large
audiences, and thus far during the present spring
there has been a sufficiently fine season to render such
bands a useful institution. The Chief Commissioner
of Works provides every accommodation for both band
and public in the parks, and an appeal has been made
to the public for support in the endeavour to establish
a thoroughly efficient band to play in the London
parks during the week-day summer evenings. Its
formation ard support would of course entail a large
expenditure ; but a start once effected, the movement,
no doubt, would progress until every park is provided
with a.most innocent r.neani vf outdoor recreation.

THE QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY CELE-
BRATION.
.4' 7 TROOPING THE COLOURS.
The 62nd year of the Queen was celebrated on Saturday
(28th) with the accustomed loyal enthusiasm. In Loudon the
church bells rang, and the Royal standard floated from
many churches and some public offices; but the principal
public ceremoney was the Trooping of the Colours in St.
James's Park, the following description of which we take
from the Daily News:—
The British public, especially a London public, is
extremely fond of a military spectacle, though it
somehow happens that it rarely has the opportunity
of enjoying it. There are grand field-days at Alder-
shot and Royal Reviews at Windsor and Bagshot,
but in London the display seldom takes higher form
than a muster of volunteers. The Trooping of the
Colours is one of those annual ceremonies that are
looked for as a matter of course. More than ever of
late years it has in popular regard become associated
with the celebration of the Queen's birthday, and the
crowds in St. James's-park on Saturday were more
numerous than on any previous occasion. A very
large proportion even of the privileged spectators
who held tickets for the enclosure within the
line of sentries on the Horse Guards Parade,
could not have seen what was taking place, while
the general public in the park had to be content
with an additional glitter of cuirass or glimpse of
scarlet uniforms, together with the magnificent mili-
tary music, which is one of the special features of the
event. The authorities have this year been unable to
grant anything like the number of applications made
for tickets, albeit the applicants required nothing
but standing-room. On the roofs of all the buildings,
save the Horse Guards itself, where such a desecration
was not to be thought of, ladies and gentlemen, boys
and girls, clustered and hung thick as bees in swarm.
People sat upon the parapet of the Admiralty with
their legs dangling over. Others held the chimney
stacks-'in loving embrace and surveyed the scene from
a giddy height. A sort of grand stand had been
erected in the gardens at the rear of the Admiralty,
and perhaps the spectators along this northern boun-
dary had the best view of the parade-ground. A
crowd, though it be composed as this was of fashion-
able people, is always to a great extent selfish. How-
ever, every one bore the little difficulties incident to
the occasion with great good humour, and patiently
persevered to the end.
the Foot Guards taking part in the ceremony were
upon the ground by nine o'clock, and at that hour
there were thousands of spectators on the parade, and
tens of thousands along the Mall and in the park
outside the lines of sentries. The battalion on duty
were picked men of the flank companies of the 2nd and
3rd battalion of the Grenadiers, the 2nd Coldstreams,
and the 2nd Scots Guards. The massed bands,
making a total of about 150 of the most accomplished
military bandsmen in Europe, occupied the south-west
corner of the parade ground. The troops were drawn up
on the side facing the Horse Guards, the windows of
which were for a long while untenanted. In the
centre of the ground, pending the arrival of
the Staff, a picturesque group of officers, mounted
and on foot, adorned the middle distance," and
amongst them, or at their posts with the troops, were
General Higginson, commanding the Home District;
and Colonels Methuen and Wigram in command of
the Parade; Colonel Clive, Colonel Fraser, of the
Scots Guards; Colonel Hume, of the Grenadiers;
Captain Campbell, and Brigade-Major the Hon. A.
W. Henniker-Major. Glasses were levelled and eyes
directed mostly, however, to the three windows of the
Horse Guards, from which depended draperies of
crimson and gold. At a few minutes to ten a move-
ment amongst the troops and a shifting of the gorgeous
uniforms of the bands told the spectators that their
patience was about to be rewarded. The sun for the
first time now shone, imparting to the scene just that
warmth of colour which was wanted to make it per-
fect; and though it proved to be a very temporary
gleam, it was hailed as a happy omen.
As the clock struck ten the troops of the Ist and
2nd Life Guards were descried advancing among the
trees from the direction of Marlborough House. The
Secretary of State for War drove across the ground
and alighted at the Horse Guards. A gentleman in
ordinary morning dress almost simultaneously ap-
peared at the centre window, and it soon became
known that this was the King of Sweden. Next came
the Duchess of Teck and her two boys in time to see
the Life Guards ride upon the ground and wheel at
the southern boundary at a clanking trot. Another
lady appeared at the window, the Princess Louise,
Marchioness of Lorne, and a quarter of an hour later
the Princess of Wales and her daughters drove across
from Marlborough House the band playing the
National Anthem. The Royal party was completed
by the arrival of the Duchess of Connaught and the
Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.
The Princess of Wales wore dark blue silk and
velvet bonnet of the same colour with pale blue
feather, and the Princess Louise black velvet, the
quiet costumes of the party being in marked contrast
to some of the harlequin sensations amongst the
spectators below.
It was nearing half-past ten before the noble pro-
cession of military chiefs rode upon the ground,
escorting the Royal party from Marlborough House.
The Duke of Cambridge wore the uniform of a
Grenadier Guards colonel, the Prince of Wales that
of the Life Guards, the Duke of Connaught that of
major-general. In the distinguished train of brave
men composing this brilliant staff, many of whom
were decorated with whole rows of medals, were Lord
Strathnairn, Sir Garnet Wolseley, Sir C. Ellice, Sir
A. Alison, Sir J. Stoke, General Gailwey, and
General Radcliffe.
After the Royal salute and the National Anthem,
the programme of the day was performed, in the order
and thoroughness one has a right to expect from such
a body of troops who had on the previous Tuesday
gone through what may be termed a full-dress re-
hearsal on the same ground. The Commander-in-
Chief and his splendid Staff, with the two Princes,
inspected the troops, which stood in line at the further
end, the bands playing Widder's "Parade March "and
Gounod's "March Militaire."
The Duke and his Staff having inspected "the
Duties," and pronounced them good, very good—re-
turned to the saluting flag, but the majority of the
Staff considerately rode to the rear of the spectators,
and from that position under the Horse Guards viewed
the main event of the day. The troops standing at
ease, the bands marched with stately slowness along
the entire length of the parade ground, playing the
march from the Huguenots. Then they returned in
quick march to an arrangement from the Pirates of
Penzance and the ever favourite British Grenadiers.
The Queen's colours, Lieut. Wood of the Grenadier
Guards in command of the colour party, were now,
according to old custom, escorted from the south to
the north in slow time. At the end of the line the
colours were elevated and saluted, the bands changing
from the "Marche Romaine" to the National
Anthem. The colour party repeated the ceremony
in returning along the rear of the line, and once
again the annual trooping of the colours was per-
formed. The rain now began to fall heavily,
and the parade ground was suddenly enclosed by a
thick hedge of umbrellas which completely extin-
guished the not-easily-hidden bearskins of the
sentries. There was, however, a march past to
follow in slow time, led by the two squadrons of
Life Guards. The Grenadiers went by to the March
from Scipio, the Coldstreams to the March from
Figaro, the Scots Guards to the "Garb of Old Gaul,"
and it is needless to say that the marching of the
troops and the performances of the massed bands were
above criticism. The rain still pouring, and plumes
becoming sadly draggled, and uniforms and accoutre-
ments glistening with wet, the troops now marched
past in quick time, the cavalry at the trot. A Royal
Salute and the National Anthem concluded, as they
had opened, the proceedings.
The Royal Princess and the Staff, escorted by the
Life Guards, rode off the ground amidst general
cheering, which was maintained along the entire route
by dense masses of damp spectators who were waiting
in the hope of seeing the Princesses pass, which they
soon did, though unfortunately in closed carriages. In
the small yard of St. James's Palace a number of
ladies and gentlemen were waiting to witness the ar-
rival of the guard and to hear a selection of eight
pieces by the combined bands under the,conductorship
of Mr. Dan Godfrey. Hither, also, as fast as they
could through the rain and mud came contingents of
spectators from the park, for it was generally under-
stood that the Prince and Princess and their children
would appear to overlook the proceedings from
the mound that abuts on Marlborough House
wall. Fortunately the rain at length ceased, and
about half-past twelve o'clock the Princess of
Wales and Duchess of Tack appeared in a graceful
setting of green boughs. The Princess Louise and the
Royal children followed, and the whole party seated
themselves at the wall within full view of the
crowd, which, according to its custom, turned its back
upon everything else, and stared at Royalty point
blank. The Prince of Wales and the Duke of Con-
naught, having got rid of their uniforms' joined the
party with the King of Sweden, and the last arrival
was the Duke of Cambridge' whose fine form and
black bearskin quite blocked up the leafy vista by
which the mound is approached, and imparted to it a
colour a good deal in keeitig with the pink chestnut
blossoms. The music of course was a great treat, in-
cluding as it did selections from Semiramide, Olivette,
Tannhauser, Madame Favart, and Fra Diavolo,

THE ILLUMINATIONS.
The illuminations by which in the West-end of
London the Queen's birthday was celebrated at night
were not less various and extensive than usual, but
they had less political significance than last year, when
the change of -Ministry was shown by the transfer of
the lights from the houses of the Ministers of the Con-
servative Government to those of the Liberals. The
rain which fell in the evening was not enough to per-
ceptibly dim the brightness of the lights, but diminished
the numbers of the crowd which went out to see
them ; the thronv were greatest in Pall-mall, St.
James's-street, Regent-etre,et, Savile-row, and Bond-
street; fart her in the west, Lord IC.Lnmare's V. R. , wreath,
and crown in naked gas blazed almostounseenb Belgrave-
square. The splendid illumination in Eaton-square,
two large houses lit up with pyramids of flame blazing
in the balustrades on the first floor, collected crowds
outside the doors through which passed the guests of
the Duchess of Bedford, Mistress of the Robes. Mr.
Forster's loyal device of the crown with the initials of
the Queen gave unwonted brilliance to quiet Epeleston-
adcleunarceeo;f atnhde Fa isrsi mt aorr
dd iosfpltahye lTi tr
Treasury
rtyh e
n officialDo w nriensgi
_-
street (where the Prince of Wales dined with Mr.