The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-01-16 00:00:00

Our Tanon atrespoitlient.
(We deem it right to state that we do not at all timetli
Identity ourselves with our Correspondant's opinionsi

It has often been said as a sort of taunt against
Englishmen that we never commence a conversa-
tion except upon the weather; but a little reflec-
tion, aided by the memory of such atmospheric
changes as we have recently been undergoing,
will show that there is nothing so very unreason-
able in this national characteristic, and that
there is much more justification for it than may
at first appear. For in England we are so situated
that the weather changes from day to day, and
sometimes almost from hour to hour, and what
more natural than that people on meeting should
break the conversational ice by referring to that
which is right before their eyes, and which inti-
mately affects their comfort and convenience?
It has a further advantage as an opening topic
for conversation and that is that it can
be talked about without much possi-
bility of dispute, and that is certainly
what cannot be said of politics or theology,
or almost any other subject which greatly occu-
pies the minds of men. When it is raining fast
there is no likelihood of an individual, however
combative his instincts, asserting that it is a fine
day; and only a lunatic would assert on a hot
summer evening that it was going to snow before
night. Let us, therefore, be happy in the con-
sideration that there is at least one topic of con-
versation in which gentle and simple, rich and
poor, learned and ignorant, can equally join
without probability of dispute.
During the winter season there are sufficient
changes in the weather to give ample oppor-
tunity for conversation. Within the past three
or four weeks we have seen these changes in
plenty, and, doubtless, some of us have thought
that it would have added to our comfort
and perhaps preserved our health if we had
been visited with fewer of them. In the early
part of December there was a cold snap, which
gave skaters an opportunity for exhibiting skill
in their favourite pastime; but by the time
Christmas came a milder temperature had set in.
January, however, has brought us a renewal of
cold and a renewal with interest; fcr the snow-
storm which has swept Great Britain from one
end of the island to the other, and from the
east even unto the west, has proved sufficiently
heavy to delight those who most strongly desire
a sight of wintry weather. Folks sometimes ask
why it is that in these days is so seldom seen
what is called "an old-fashioned Christmas,'' by
which they mean one that is accompanied
by frost and snow, as painters and story-
writers have so often depicted it. There is,
perhaps, no real answer to such a question,
but one theory is that the eleven days, which
were dropped out of the calendar in 1752 have
made all the difference. Those who hold this
opinion point to the fact that it is usually colder
about "Old Christmas Day" than it is on the
25th of December, and a reference to dates, and
this year will furnish one, would indicate that
there is something in the notion. But it is a
matter which cannot be settled off-hand by any
theory, however ingenious; and, perhaps, if we
knew all the circumstances, we should find that
even an "old-fashioned Christmas" was not
always attended by the frost and snow which we
have been taught was its customary accompani-
ment. _ _ _

Snow is romantic enough in pictures and books,
and it is sufficiently picturesque in the country,
but whenever there is a heavy fall in London we
can feel what a. nuisance it is in town. It
is a fact which has a large practical bearing
upon the daily life of the metropolis that
the vast proportion of those who work in the
City reside in the suburbs, and their only way of
getting to and from business is by railway, tram-
car, or omnibus. A snowstorm, which makes all
trains late, and which stops the running of
trams and 'busses, is, therefore, a serious mater
for tens of thousands of Londoners; and even
when a thaw comes, and vehicular communica-
tion is restored, the slush and mud of the streets
are so penetrating and so all-pervading that not
only do they form an annoyance, but a real
danger to health. A snowstorm does even more
than this, for it stops the employment of a very
large number of outdoor workers who can least
afford to lose their usual wage, and thus an
amount of damage is done by one single fall
which can scarcely be estimated by any who do
not live in a great city.
That England is one of the most charitable
countries under the sun is a fact upon which we
can fairly congratulate ourselves, for it certainly
will not be denied by any. who. remember how

many funds for aiding the unfortunate, both
native and foreign, have been started and have
succeeded in recent years. It is not often, how-
ever, that such an instance of extraordinary
liberality on the part of the public is to be re-
corded as that which has just come to hand from
Manchester. Some time since there occurred
the Cliftorl Fall_ colliery- explosion, by which the
bread-winners of several families lost their lived,
and an appeal was made for help. This was
re-sponded to with the utmost heartiness,
especially in the district in which the disaster
had taken place, and a total sum of £25,000 was
raised. But when all the claims for assistance
had been investigated, and all who had a title to
aid had been helped, it was found that
rather under £2OOO, or less than one-twelfth the
amount subscribed had been expended. The
problem then arose how to dispose of the re-
mainder, and after some discussion it was
resolved to devote it to the relief of sufferers by
similar accidents in North and East Lancashire.
The Court of Chancery has within the past few
days sanctioned a scheme to this end, and most
people will agree that a very excellent conclusion
has been arrived at.

Mention of the Court-of Chancery is a re-
minder of a discussion which has recently been
raised as to the amount of unclaimed fortunes
which are supposed to be immured in that
institution. In England there are great number
of persons who believe that they are entitled to
land or money, which in some mysterious way
has been kept from them; but in the United
States the total of such believers may be said to
be legion. Upon all such the statistics which have
been published on authority showing that, at the
very most, only a million sterling lies in Chancery
unclaimed, must have come like a shower of very
cold water, for there have been at least a hunilred
people who imagined that their own family was
entitled to such an amount. Those who would
wish to know what an enervating influence the
struggle to release money from Chancery has
upon an ordinary mortal, should trace in
Dickens's "Bleak House" the career of Richard
Carson, and they will arise from the perusal re-
solved to allow no similar will-o'-the-wisp to
tempt them from the path of daily duty.
It will have been noticed that in several parts
of the country there is just now much distress,
and praiseworthy efforts are being made to
relieve it. There is probably not more
suffering than is to be noted every
winter; but in these days intelligence of
what is passing in one place travels so rapidly
throughout the kingdom, that our knowledge of
any given thing is much greater than it was.
The distress appears to be felt in agricultural
equally with urban districts, and to affect small
towns as well as large. Soup kitchens are being
started in various places as one means of reliev-
ing the distressed, and excellent institutions they
are. Care has, of course, to be taken to prevent
impostors from living on the charity of others,
but that is no reason for disparaging their useful-
ness. Even if occa.sionvdly the undeserving are
helped, it is better that that should be so than
that the deserving should suffer. It is to be
doubted whether the most carefully managed
institution which ever existed always escaped
being cheated by some plausible but unscrupulous
person.
Sir John Lubbock, the President of the Work-
ing Men's College, in distributing a few days
since the certificates to the successful students,
warned his hare, tilt) worthless books,
of which such quantities are being sold, and said
he should be glad if he could induce some of the
leaders of thought at the present day to pub-
lish a list of about one hundred books suitable
for general reading. The originator of bank
holidays did not seem to be aware that more
than once within the past few years this has
been attempted by w 11-known literary men,
each of whom greatly d ffered from the rest as to
the one hundred books which should be stamped
with the label" best." One wished to restrict the
list to literature pure and simple, while another
wished for science to be included; the weakness of
one Was for poetry, another preferred a large ad-
mixture of memoirs, and a third favoured books
of history. It seemed to be forgotten by all that
it would be imnqs,ihl,% and would be of doubtful
utility, even if it could be managed, to frame a
list which would satisfy the menial desires of all
Englishmen. The bent of mind of one man
would not be pleased with the literary pabuluni
provided for another; and though it would 1)4
comparatively easy to name a few of the greatest
books in the language as those which any edu-
cated man ought to have read, the limit of a
hundred is too narrow for every volume
which an intelligent person should make himself
acquainted.

.thstuttti;). itP 112 !!'

The extensive breakage ot telegraph wires in
London by the recent snowstorm has once more
called attention to the risk of fatal disaster,
vhich is continually being run by those who
have to walk under the network, which is con-
tinually becoming thicker and thicker in the
m4tropolis. It is not only, however, dwellers in
the capital who suffer by this breakdown
of wires whenever a heavy fall of snow
takes place, for the lines to various
parts of the country are equally subject
.to
injury, and telegraphic communication is some-
times rendered impossible because of this fact.
In Germany, as we have often been told, the
Government has gone to the expense of putting
all the wires underground; but when it is argued
that, therefore, England should immediately
follow the example, it must not be forgotten
that in Germany the measure is dictated much
more by military considerations than by those
of the public convenience. A country which has
suffered invasion, and may suffer it again, knows
the value of keeping its communications as free
as possible; and if we were as liable to be
attacked, it is not to be doubted that we should
be much more ready to incur the expense of
placing all the wires underground. A. F. R.

ENGLAND AND BURNAH.
THE EXPEDITION TO BLIA.MO.
(Reuter's Telegram.)
MiNiILA, January 8.
The headquarters reached Nyadoung on the 24th
ult. The Woon assembled the inhabitants in front
of the Court-house and read the British proclamation.
All the inhabitants appeared friendly and willing to
support the British. The advanced guard of the ex-
pedition reached Bhamo on the 28th. No opposition
was offered, and there are consequently no casualties
to record. The headquarters and the Naval Brigade
arrived there on the following day. The Woon came
in a native boat to meet the General's steamer, and
assured him that the town was peaceful. The General
subsequently disembarked, and was conducted by the
Woon through the town. The streets along which
they passed were lined by the inhabitants, among
whom were many Chinese.
The following telegram from General Predergast
has been received at the India Office:

"8111.310, December 29.

"I left Mandalay for Bhamo on 19th inst. with the
following force: Half battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers,
half 4th Battery let Brigade Royal Artillery, Hazara
Mcunted Battery, half battalion 25th Madras In-
fantry, one company of Sappers, thirty-six Mounted In-
fantry, and about 300 bluejackets. Arrived at Bliamo on
the 28th inst., delay being due to intricacy of channel.
Country along river bank quiet and people generally
express pleasure at our coming. The Bharno Woonduk
sent a messenger to meet us at Sabatee, and came on
board himself two miles below Bliamo. He has kept
the town and neighbourhood quiet, and was glad to
see us. The head man of the Chinese whom I
met on shore was equally friendly. After reading my
printed notices he remarked, The scene is the seine,
the actors only are changed.' The water is so
shallow that steamers cannot approach nearer than
two miles from Bbamo. Telegraph line in disrepair
all the way up Hale arranged for its re-establish-
ment from Mandalay to Tsengoo, and will continue
the line to Bhamo when operators and instruments
have been received. I propose to leave at Mal 6 an
armed launch and a company of Royal Welsh
Fusiliers on my way down, to restore confidence in
the distfict. Mr. Stevenson will be political officer.
I leave the following force at Bilamo : Two companies
Royal Welsh Fusiliers, half battalion Royal Artillery,
Hazara Mountain Battery, half battery 25th Madras
Infantry, one company of Sappers, and Mounted
Infantry. Captain Adamson will be left as political
officer."

In a telegram from Mandalay, the correspondent of
the Times states that the forces under the rebel
princes are increasing in strength. Their troops, it is
reported, no longer plunder the villages, this fact
showing that the movement is developing from
brigandage into an insurrection. Prince liteitsin, son
of the late "War Prince," who has proclaimed him-
self King,ls at Tabs.in, to the north-east of Mandalay.
One body of his troops, under his younger brother, is
stated to be threatening Tsagain, seven miles to the
south east of Mandalay. Another body of Hteitsin's
troops is expected to cross the Irrawaddy to the
north of Mandalay and to threaten the city from the
north-west. The rival Alompra prince, son of the late
King, is still in the Shan Hills. The latest
intelligence states that Mr. Walker is the
survivor of the party attacked at Paleik,
and Mr. Gray is dead. On the 2nd instant Cap-
tain Dorward's column arrived at Madia, and found
that the village had already been burnt by the
dacoits, whom they attacked and defeated with a
loss of twenty men to the dacoits. There was heavy
firing at Amararpoora on Monday, where the force
commanded by Captain Parsons attacked a body of
dacoits. Ten dacoits were killed, including one chief.
Our loss included one sepoy killed and two wounded.
When the three columns sent out by General White
converged on Kangia, the village was found to have
been_ abandoned by the enemy. Oji tho 30th of De-
cember Major Williamson attacked Tsilok Raga, a
village 20 miles from Montshoboo, and, assisted by
some Burmese levies raised by Messrs. Calogreedy,
drove the rebels out of the village, and dispersed
them with loss. Messrs. Calogreedy's Burmese levies
are principally foresters employed by the Bombay
and Burmah Corporation,