The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-11-22 00:00:00

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One of Mr. Dickens's characters—l think it wads Bani
Weller—once described Console as " those things that
keep on going up and down in the City." Well, the
City, that is to say the commercial community of
London, has 'Pent a very anxious time lately, and
with a nine per cent. Bank Rate, there were thaw who
went about the streets predicting a crash similar to
the disastrous panic of 1866, when, however, the Bask
rate remained at ten per cent, for two months. Forts-
Lately for us, our trek is now on a sounder bads (ban
that upon which it rested seven years ago, and the
mercantile world has stood with comparative safety
the strain of. nine par cent. Me, Fec the late de-
pression on the Sock Exchange, and the consequent
foil in Enemy descripticos of securities—although the
adverse effect pun Consols was very little—there are
several explanations. First, it may be remarked that at
the clues of the mar between Fralle abed Germaity. &spirit
of speculation seemed to take hold of men's mirds, for
the financial horizon was then apparently clear of all
Political °loads, and there was an undue inflation of
pricer, ticoompanied by eangsine expectation of wide-
spread And long-lived prosperity. Theme's° the Ger-
man demand for gold, consequent upon the IntroductiOn
st, Miele nor onseeney, *Beer wkilik ennead the 'dais
upon the New York Stock Braising., whlafi could oat'
but have the effect of diminishing the mutt of securi-
ties held in thie country. Again, there was the wild
reckless financing carried on upon the Paris Bourse,
arising from the success with which the war indemnity
had been raised and paid off, we leave to con-
gratulate our.elve• that the late temporary pressure left
as cuinpatively unhurt, and we have now only to
guard against undue speculation leading to an inflated
credit in the present, and to hazerdone financial corn'
mitments in the future.
- •

The appointment of Mr. Justice Mellor to be one of
tin election judges for next year on the part of the
Court of Queen's Bench woad seem to indicate that
the dignitaries of the law do not expect the Tichborne
trial to last much beyond Christmas It le to be hoped
far the learned judge's sake that the general election
Will not take place very early in the year, for even with
the ballot in operation it is not improbable that there
may be the usual crop of petitions, and after sitting so
many months over one long and monotonous case, Mr.
Janice Mellor and his two learned colleagues will be
very glad of a holiday. The appointment of Mr. Baron
Martin as the Court of Exchequer election judge for
1874 would also appear as then& the rumour of his in.
tended retirement from the Bench was at least pre.
mature. Tog learned Baron has been a judge far longer
than aoy other now in the discharge of judicial duties.
Ile was born in 1800, and was appointed one of the
Barons in her Majesty's Cant of Exchequer during the
Ministry of Lord Russell, in 1860.
The Duke of Fdloburgh's marriage to the Grand
Duchess Marie Alexandrovina of Russia, which, as
already announced, is to take place next January. Is
mating some intend here. His Royal Highness
alloys a fair degree of popularity as our "Sailor
Prince," and he appears also to have made himself very
agreeable in Russia, where he has lately been travelling.
From the likeness of the Grand Duchess, which may
now be WOO in almost every photographer's shop
window, her expression of countenance is meet pleas-
ing, while the testimony from the Rued= court
is that she is gentleness and amiability itself, and
thoroughly domestic in her Metes and character. The
marriage will take place in the Winter Palace, St.
Pelimebrug, the modern capital of Russia; and the
Dean of Westminster, by command of the Queen, will
Mead for the purpose of performing the Pr testant
..nice. The Prince"' Imperial of Germany (Princess
Royal of Great Britain) will represent her Majesty on
the occasion, and not unlikely the Prince and Price".
of Wales Milan be there. As a rule, the illustrious pair
will reside in the Duke's renovated residence, Clarence
House, St. Jame'''.
In the month of April next a gathering of rather a
singular character will take place in London. On the
6th ef that month an International Congress of Often.
taliete will be opened, and its sittings will continue
five days. Already the success of the undertaking
aeons to be assured, and the Committee of Manage-
ment look hopefully forward to the financial so well as
to the philological results of the Congress. It has been
ascertained that not less than fifty manbers from
France will attend, and there is every expectation that
the number will be increased to a hundrei. It is
feared, however, that Germany will not contribute a
proportionate number of members, Up to the present
time about seventy English scholars have given in their
adhesion to the scheme.
It le now nearly • century ago that a clergyman
named Hetherington gave a sum of money to the
Governors of Christ's Hospital, to be expended in
annuities to blind persons who, "having been in a
better situation of life, are, or may be, disabled from
maintaining themselves." The following classes are
excluded from the benefits of the charity; day labourers
of every denomination, common soldiers and sailors,
militiamen, donne:in and menial servants, journeymen
In any handicraft trade, persons who live by turning a
mangle, • pollaher's wheel, or other like employment,
mendicants, and pawns receiving alms or absences
as paupers. The classification of the excluded ones has
been compiled by the governors of the hospital, and is
not that of the benefactor. There Ise angularity about
It, Insomuch as it mamas that none of them could
ever have been in " • better situation of life." Many
of the calling. which cannot partake of the advantages
of the bequest are respectable enough in their way
sad it has been strongly urged in the city that indus-
trious men, and those who risk their lives for their
Queen and country ought not to be clamed with beggars
and Reopen.
November is proverbially • month of fog and gloom
In London, and the sight of a few flowers, as it to re-
mind one of brighter days to come, is at such times
refreshing. It is in the month of November that the
annual show of Chrysanthemums in the Temple
Gardens Is one of the attractions of the metropolis.
This year it is of more than avenge exoellenos
While writing upon the subject of the Temple Gardens,
I may my that the unsightly hoarding, which has for
as long a time nearly hidden them from the gam of
peamrs.by &keg the Thames Embankment, is now
being removed, and an award iron railing is rising in
Its pleas. Another improvement is the removal of the
male:dal division scanting the garden' of the Inner
from those of the Middle Temple, thereby avoidiag
the oirenitoun &taw which was previously necereary
In order to get from one to the other. There is a
famous tree in the Gardens, under whose boughs
Johnson, Ganick, and Goldsmith were wont to sit in
days gone by, and • new seat has just been placed
beside it for the aocommodation of those who in the
*want times of 00101006, contemplate from that
spot the everahifting pimonuaut promoted upon the
✓apid tide of the Thames.
Pawners in the river steamboats have notind upon
the southern bank of the stream, about opposite the
Houses of Parliament, • glomoy, irregular pile of brick
buildings Its old towers bearing the look of antiquity,
as though the storms of centuries hatl beaten Mem
them. That is Lambeth Palms and in it • long tun'
cession of Archbishop" of Canterbury have lived. In !
the interior are numerous chambers, amongst which are
specious ball; with gothic roofs of oak. There are
alio a library of 25,000 volumes, many valuable manu-
mit" • platers gallery containing portraits of the
moss famoue of the Primate', and an ancient chapel
with richly-stained windows. Below the floors of the
Palace are dark vaults and dungeons, which tell of
ether times and of darker days. The most remarkable
part of the building is known as Lollard'. Tower, and
this is 4110 years old. The Palace gateway has for
noose tints been undergoing restoration, and as it ap-
proaches completion there is • marked improvement
lulls appearance. Every mending Primate who oc-
cupies the ancient azuoture leave., in one form or
another, his name upon the history of the venerable
lids The greatest of the modern improvements were
made by Dv. Howley, who occupied the see of Canter-
bury during the agitation which attended the palings
of the first Reform Act. He expended the large I
WM
of £60,000 in rebuilding and embellishing
the private portion of the edifice. The present
Archbishop resides in Lambeth Palace only a few
weeks In the year, for the neighbourhood is now •
deneely•crowded one, and the air Is often heavy with
the smoke whiC''h amends from the adjacent manufac-
tories. Yet Dr. Tait has contributed his share towards
Freestyleg one of the few historical manic= which
now exist in London. There is, however, one surges-
don whin his Grace might estertada with advantage,
and that is to feeder Lollard's Tower, the Picture
Gallery, the Guard Room, and the Chapel more aces'.
age 10 the general public. Wheat bee biapsety is not
Windsor Castle the State apartments are thrown
open; and, the Primate and his family reads only
ocomionally at Lsooteth, there seems no reason why
Meow poetises of the Palace of which I have spoken
should not be thrown open to the inspection of those
who Cara 60 visit them.
Harsh as meg seem some of the penalties under the
Adulteraden AA oar forefethen had more peremptory 1
may. of &maw with this slam at offence". An he
tussling reeled hos PIM been made public, and froze
this it appeals that more time 560 peers ago, the pep-
Psrers or spices., who Inhibited Soper-lane, enacted
that no one of the tradeabould mix old wares with now,
or new with old, "whereof the wood thing may be im.
Piled." =die pia of forfeiting certain privileges
Idgblg Tana No one was to dab
mor weetwee of wages see as to mem thl