The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-02-07 00:00:00

1..7)1e tottrrif.ge Observer,

SATURDAY. FEBRUARY 7th, 1880.
PROSPECTS.

IT is inevitable that the final session of the
expiring Parliament should be largely taken
up with ° debates upon the condition of agri-
culture in this country. It is true that,
since last the Lords and Commons met at
Westminster many things have happened tc
demand the attention of our legislators. It
was after the prorogation on the 15th of
August that Cetewayo was captured and the
Zulu war practically brought to an end. It
was also three weeks subsequently to the
break-up of the Parliament that the out-
break in Cabul occurred, in which Sir Louis
Cavagnari and the members of his suite were
ruthlessly: massacred—a proceeding which
has not unnaturally been followed by stern
reprisals by tne British troops. The
condition of Ireland, too, within the past six
mouths has excited a considerable amount of
discussion, which to an extent is now certain
to find its reflex within the walls of Parlia-
ment. These are only a few of the multi-
farious subjects that must come under the
notice of the great council of the nation.
There is, however, no doubt that the condi-
tion of agriculture will hold a very prominent
part in the forthcoming debates.
It was towards the close of last session
that a Royal Commission of Inquiry into
the state of the agricultural affairs of Great
Britain was appointed by the Crown, with
very extensive powers of investigations.
During the recess assistant-commissioners
have been to the United States, where they
have gathered a large amount of information
that maybe useful in enabling the commission
to arrive at a conclusion. Assistant com-
missioners are also making their way through
the various counties of England with a
similar object in view. That Commission
was appointed when agricultural prospects,
so far as this country was concerned, looked
dark and gloomy indeed. A wet summer
had followed a winter of exceptional severity
and a cheerless and ungenial spring. The
winter had been the worst for a quarter of a
century; the summer was the wettest of
any which had visited these islands for
twenty years. The vast show at Kilburn,
near London, which had been brought to-
gether a cost by the Royal
Agricultural Soemby, was spoiled by the
persistent rain which fell during the first
week of July. Yet that is a time when, '
at all, fine weather may be expected.
Throughout that month, however, and in-
deed through the whole of August, includ-
ing a great part of September, the rain
continued to descend upon the sodden land,
spoiling the harvest, and increasing the
depression already existing in trade. The
farmers, with smaller income arising from
damaged crops, had less to spend amongst
the tradesmen; so that there was disappoint-
ment both in country and in town. At the
end of September the barometer rose, and
has since generally stood at a height which
has giT-en the land but little rain and scarcely
any wind. Had these high readings oc-
cnrred in the summer instead of in the winter
we shonld have had one of the most bountiful
harvests on record. It would have been
worth tens of millions sterling to this
country.
There are, however, signs that the long
period of depression which has visited the
land, will gradually pass away. A marked
evival in the general trade of the country
has already taken place; and there appears
to be every reason to believe that the move-
ment will be continuous. The working
classes will probably have more money to
spend this year than they had last, and
farmers may reasonably expect better prices
for their produce and a more remunerative
returii for their outlay. If we are only
fortunate enough to be favoured with fine
weataer, those who are engaged in agricul-
turp may in the course of tho next nine
mo iths look forward to better times, which
wiii enabh; them to compensate themselves
for the losses which•they have had to bear
in the past. Meanwhile it is only too clear
that the farmers themselves and the societies
w'tich look to them principally for support,
have suffered alike from depression of trade
and the succession of bad seasons. Mean-
while science has come to our assistance in
that some of its most eminent votaries
prevllct one of the hottest summers of
many years past. Certainly la hot sum-
mer will be welcome enough after the
total absence of any summer at a'
a,nd also after two winters ol
e :treme severity. On the principle that
when things have come to the worst they
must mend, and remembering the saying
that the darkest hour immediately precedes
the dawn, there is now every reason to hope
and to believe that the land, both in town
and country has seen the worst of a trying
time, 4nd may fairly look forward to the
breaking of a brighter and more prospiTons
day.

at el:torn:lOUS
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