The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-05-29 00:00:00

SATURDAY, MAY 29, 1880.

"THE BURGLAR'S HORROR ! " Electroplate !
Judy.

ICE IN THE ATLANTIC. The Lake Winnipeg
steamer, has arrived at Liverpool from Montreal.
According to a telegram received at Lloyd's, she left
the latter port on May 9, and had strong winds from
north-east to south-south-west and rain until 7.30
a.m. on the 11th of May. "In lat. 48 N., long. 61
W.," the official record says, "we came up to detached
ice and cautiously steamed among dangerous heavy
pieces until 8.15 p.m., when the ship was completely
blocked and immovable. Remained so until 7.30
a.m. next morning, when the ice appeared softer.
Started the engines, when the ship began to move a
little through the water. - Kept going slow all day,
and passed a large fleet of sailing ships and steamers
apparently fast in the ice. At 5.15 a.m. on the 13th
passed into clear water, started full speed 6.30, came
to detached and dangerous ice, slowed engines, and
moved cautiously until 9 a.m. In lat. 46 N., long.. 59
W., when we came to clear water again, started full
speed and saw no more ice. Had light winds north-
east to south and south-west, with dense belts of fog,
until 4.30 a.m. On 15th, in lat. 43 N., long. 49 W.,
passed an iceberg, with several large pieces of detached
and dangerous ice in its vicinity."
LIVING OPPOSITION DOWN.—The cause of tem-
perance has gained remarkable strength in the United
States under the rule of President Hayes, who, with
his wife, is a strict teetotaller. When Mrs. Hayes came
to the White House she determined to allow no wine at
any State entertainment—though hitherto water
drinking Presidents have invariably provided wine
for their gliests—and during a whole year she was
violently attacked for her prejudice. Aided by tact
and charming manners, Mrs. Hayes has lived the
opposition down, and, so says the New York Christian
Union, is now highly popular in society, while thanks
to her lead, Washington is the most abstemious city
in the Union. Wines and liquors have been formally
excluded from the Capitol for some time, and "as
you go to Capitol Hill along Pennsylvania Avenue a
liquor shop hangs out the sign "The Last Chance,'
while, coming back from the Capitol, the words are
seen on the reverse side of the sign 'The First
Chance.'

A " SNIP " SNAP.—Snob in gig (to old gentleman).
" 'Ullo, governor, who made your coat? "—Old gent.
"Your father, and a very bad tailor he is, too."—
Fun
_
ABOLITION OP THE DRUM IN THE FRENCH AMT.-
-. _

The Paris Correspondent of the Daily Neu; Writes :
"General Farre has determined to abolish drums in
the French army, and—terrible loss for nursery maids
—the gigantic drum major. The pros and cons of this
question have been long discussed. The roll of the
drum, it was argued, was inspiriting, and dear to
tradition. Nothing like the drum to bring out the
population to stare at a regiment on the march! But
the reasons which have prevailed are that in actual
service the drum is not heard so far as the bugle; is
not so well adapted to convey orders by sound; and,
moreover, that the heavily-laden drummtr cannot
carry a rifle, which the bugler does."
THE AMERICAN AND CANADIAN FOOD SUPPLY.—
The arrival of live stock from the United States and
Canada last week was less than the previous week,
and as regards fresh meat there was an increase. The
steamers conveying live stock were the Bohemian
with 339 cattle; the Illyrian with 414 cattle; and the
Prussian with 330 cattle. The steamers bringing
fresh meat were as follows :—The Nevada with 1,600
quarters of beef and 700 carcases of mutton; the
Illyrian with 1,378 quarters of beef; the Bohemian
with 1,455 quarters of beef and 10 carcases of mutton;
the City of Berlin with 1,239 quarters of beef, 246
carcases of mutton and 300 dead pigs; the Spain
with 589 quarters of beef, 299 carcases of mutton,
and 100 dead pigs ;, and the Adriatic with 620 quar-
ters of beef, and 200 carcases of mutton, making the
totals : 1,083 cattle, 6,881 quarters of beef, 1,455
carcases of mutton and 400 dead pigs.

ENORMOUS STRENGEH OF THE GERMAN ARMY.—
The total field army of Germany will for the future
consist of 503 infantry? battalions, 93 cavalry
squadrons, 540 batteries of field artillery, 53 companies,
with a total strength of 694,774 men. To these forces
must be adjoined 43,000 men belong ing to the com-
missariat department, 5,170 to the different branches,
and 25,976 men belonging to the sanitary, post, and
telegraphic services. The total strength of the field
army will therefore be 771,748 men.

BRITISH COINAGE.—The Deputy Master of the
Mint, in his tenth annual report, says :—The gold
coinage of the year, which ()illy occupied a part of the
month of December, has been insignificant, while the
amount of silver coined has hardly exceeded the
average, and the bronze coinage, though larger than
in 1878, has not been so great as in the two preceding
years. The continued absence of a demand for gold
coin has enabled the Mint to execute the whole of the
work devolving upon it, with the exception of one
colonial coinage entrusted to a private firm. Had the
demand for gold been normal, it would no doubt have
been necessary, as in former years, to make provision
for the execution of a large part of the bronze coinage
by contract; but the depression of trade during the
greater portion of the year had its natural effect upon
the requirements of the country, and the gold coin in
circulation, with a small amount imported from
Australia, was sufficient to meet the wants of the
Bank of England. The total number of pieces struck'
at the Mint was 30,050,344, as ;'against 24,491,230 in
1878, and their value, real or nominal, £662,664 3s.

"FORM, RIFLEMEN, FORM."—And very "good
form" it seems to have been, by the official reports,
at Brighton on Easter Monday.—Punch.

A SLOW WRlTER.—Gustave Flaubert, the French
author who lately died at Rouen, was a curiously
slow worker. He always wrote at a little desk, like a
music-stand placed in the middle of the room, and
when he had finished a single sentence, the Parisian
tells us, he would light his pipe, throw himself back
in his chair, and contemplate the phrase. At the end
of a quarter of an hour he would erase a
,useless word 2
after another interval he would change a word, and
after a third pause would alter half the sentence. He
was quite content if at the end of the morning he had
found a sentence that really satisfied him. Thus it is
not surprising that he was ten years writing his last
work, a novel—" Bouvard et Pdtuchet "—which he
has left almost complete.

A HINT ABOUT CHILDREN'S HATS. NOW that
the sun is again occasionally visible, it may be
worth while to remind parents that the use of a
child's hat is to cover its head, and the use of the
brim is to shade the eyes. It is painful to see infants
and little folk of tender years with half-closed eye-
lids, corrugated 'brows, and faces screwed up and
distorted by the glare of the sunshine, from which
they ought to be protected. Fashion is the Jug-
gernaut of life all the world over, and chil-
dren are tortured, with the kindest intentions,
in the worship of the hideous monster ; but
it is needless to inflict petty sorrows and annoyances
which do not actually form part of the orthodox sacri-
fice to folly. While children are beneficently allowed
to wear hats with brims, these useful appendages
should be turned down so as to shade the eyes. Thl9
simple precaution will save considerable pain, spare
some trouble with the eyes, and produce a more
pleasinv expression. Children who are perpetually'
struggling to keep the sun out of their eyes do not
either feel amiable or look happy, as a walk in one of
the parks any fine morning must convince the atten-
tive observer.—Lancet.

A BIRTHDAY PETITION.—It may with truth be said
of all the great Hohenzollerns who have played such
conspicuous parts in modern history that no childish
appeal to their sympathies or generosity eyer failed
to obtain prompt and benevolent recognition (sayo
the Daily Telegraph). The most recent exemplifica-
tion of this amiable characteristic of a warrior race 15
afforded by a kindly action of the German Crown
Prince. One Paul Brandt, a fatherless lad only nine
years old, having exhibited a remarkable capacity fc)r
music, was taken some months ago into Romarowski's
"Victoria Institute," there to be gratuitously in'
structed in tone-art generally, and in violin-playing
particularly. On the 22nd of March this courageous
little fellow addressed a birthday congratulation to
the venerable Emperor, in which he embodied a pet
tion for a new fiddle, upon the pertinent ground thtg,
his own violin "scraped so awfully" that he cr;nl3
bear with it no longer. Through the accid,t that
young. Brandt had addressed his letter to his:"lii!
Royal Highness," instead of to "His Imperial
Majesty," the petition came to the Crown Prince's
hands, and the future German Emperor, unon perusing
it, forthwith directed his Court Marslial to make
inquiries at the Victoria Institute respecting the
youthful applicant and his " awfully-scrapine in.
strument. The truth of little Paul's allegations Tlaving
been fully established by Count Eulenburg's
tions, the Crown Prince proceeded to purchase a go..
sound violin, which he despatched to the institute oo
Whit Sunday last as a " Pfingstgeschenk " for Pant
Brandt. It is by such tender deeds as this that
Princes most surely win their way to the hearts of
their peoples.
THE RAILWAY ACCIDENTS OF AMERICA AND ES°.
LAND.—The Echo remarks :—" One of the America°
papers has a grim chuckle over the railway accidenta
of the United Kingdom, by way of a Ntort to the
criticisms upon railway accidents in the -United States-
The English statistics, it says,
_allow an enormous
mortality for the mileage opened, and it goes on te
calculate how many passengere the United States
railways would have to kill to equal the English rate.
Our American contemporary forgets that the 01111
permissible comparison
is the number of passenger.°
killed per million carried, and, though the bill 1!).
quite heavy enough, it would be only just to say ths'
the railway system of this country is far and away the
superior for safety of any European country, while
America is a long way in the rear. Mr. Bright once
said that a passenger in one of our English trains
safer than if he were walking the streets of Ilon.
don, and figures show that the statement is true.;"
CON. FROM THE COURSE.—Can horse be
win the Derby on "the spur of the mo,.nent
Judy.

restigK

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,
FRIISTRAZ ON OF INGENUITY.—" Nqw, then,
tramp No. Ito No. 2, as they turned into Montealur
street from Woodward Avenue the other day, "he 4
is the game; you walk down the street and ring
bell of some house ; when the lady answers you te:
her you haven't had anything to eat for three daY5;
If she says she don't care tell her that you le
desperate and ready to commit any crime. If 0,4
starts to slam the door on you, hold it open with V,`:e
foot and roll your eyes and look savage. I'll
just about then, and I'll take you by the neck, 510,,P6
you round, and pitch you out of the yard. I'm tit
lady's protector, and hero of the hour, you see. J. j
be very modest, but tell her I'm a stranger ells
need a quarter of a dollar to buy food. She'll heoct,cl
over, and then I'll join you round the corner
divide. See ! " " Magnificent " replied Ne..„)
"you ought to be in the 'United States S'enate 1i!,3 to
here I go." He passed down the street and selecO"ut
house, and the programme was carefully followed c'tio
until he reached the point where he said he riej
desperate. At that instant the hall door was r 2 his
wide open, and a six foot husband shot out wit,u.
right hand, and knocked No. 2 clear off the lower °rho
No. 1 was rushin,-, in, and the six footer though'
might as well lull two birds at one stove, So he
him the game, and then threw their prostrate
over the fence. The tramps limped down to,
corner,, looked at each other in deep disgust, to"
Miaratid idr erver.—Deteat Free Frees.

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Lloyds, Mr. Jenkins thereupon gave notice that he would
ask Mr. Gladstone whether any opportunity would be given
of discussing the composition of the committee.

...
In answer to Ma. Norwood, the Attorney-General said the
Government would not have time to bring in a Bankruptcy
Bill this year, but would support the second reading of Mr.
Whitwell's Bill and refer it to a Select Committee.

In answer to Mr. Baxter, Mr. Gladstone said "Ground
Game" was the only part of the Land question which the
Government could deal with this year, but the other ques-
tions would be considered during the Recess, and he
cherished a hope to be able to deal with them at an early
period.

The Marquis of Hartington, correcting a misapprehension
of an answer given on Friday as to the Afghan policy of the
Government, said it was intended to evacuate the whole of
Afghanistan as soon as possible, with due regard to the
health of the troops, to engagements which had been entered
into, and to the security of the chiefs and tribes who had
given assistance to us.
Lord R. Churchill resumed the debate on the motion of
Sir 11. D. Wolff that Mr. Bradlaugh ought not to be allowed
to take the oath, and on Mr. Gladstone's amendment pro-
posing to appoint a Committee to consider and report their
opinion whether the House has any right by resolution to
prevent a duly-elected member, who is willing to take the
oath, from so doing, and if so on what grounds it is compe-
tent to the House to prevent such member from taking the
oath. The noble lord said that if the house allowed Mr.
Bradlaugh to take the oath it appeared to him that it would
to a certain extent be acquiescing in that gentleman's
opinions,—(cries of "no ")—of which he gave illustrations
from his works. The noble lord maintained that this was not a
subject to be referred to a Committee, but rather one to be
decided by what Lord Beaconsfield had once called "the
unerring instinct of the whole House." The constituency
of Northampton having with full knowledge of Mr. Brad-
laugh's views deliberately placed him at the head of the
poll, must bear the responsibility of any action the House
might take. Answering Mr. Bright, he asked him what he
would have thought had Mr. Bradlaugh professed himself a
member of the Society of Friends in order to entitle himself
to affirm.

Mr. W. Williams, while supporting the motion for a com-
mittee, urged that the reference was much too narrow, and
did not touch various questions which would certainly
arise. For instance, if Mr. Bradlaugh took the oath in
' the circumstances, would he have taken the oath according
to law.

After some remarks from Baron de Worms, Mr. Thorold
Rogers said he was anxious to see the question referred
to a Select Committee, because he was wholly in the
dark as to the constitution and position of the House in
relation to it. The real question raised by the resolu-
tion was whether the House, sitting in a judicial capacity,
should expel the hon. member for Northampton. He had no
sympathy with Mr. Bradlaugh's views on religion. He had no
sympathy with his political views, having found that atheism
was generally coupled with Conservatism. (Laughter, and
cries of "No.") This assertion Mr. Rogers supported by re-
ferring to Hobbs, Hume, and Gibbon. Three important
questions requiring answering. Was the House to be a
court in which to pass a judicial sentence? He
thought not. If the House was to be a court, should
it pass sentence on evidence which would not be admit-
ted in any court of justice? Lastly, was it in the power
of the House to inflict a disability unknown to the
law of the land ? He had heard nothing on these
points from those who supported the resolution. After
illustrating by historical references the danger run by the
House in allowing passion to overcome its judgment, Mr.
Rogers remarked that hon. gentlemen opposite did not in
the present case act as generously as they did in their sports,
and adopt the rule, "to tive a little law, even to vermin,"—
an expression which the Speaker, taking it literally, called
upon him to withdraw.
Mr. Rogers explained that he had merely used the phrase
as an illustration. He was speaking of foxes. A good many
hon. gentlemen opposite were sportsmen, and they did not
send their dogs directly upon a fox, but allowed him to get
away. That was what he meant, and he had not the smallest
Intention of applying an offensive expression to Mr. Brad-
laugh.
The debate was continued by Sir John Mowbray, Mr.
Osborne Morgan, Mr. Beresford Hope, Dr. Lyons, Mr. Hop-
wood, and Sir H. Tyler—who was ruled out of order when he
proposed to read extracts from a collection of pamphlets
purporting to be written by Mr. Bradlaugh.
Sir H. Jackson protested against the Liberal party being
fixed with complicity in Mr. Bradlaugh's views because they
wished to proceed with a due regard to law and form, and
to remove the question out of the arena of passion.
Mr. Hubbard denied that a question of this kind could be
settled solely by reference to law and precedent. Religious
instinct could not be overlooked, and to permit the oath to
be taken in the circumstances proposed by Mr. Bradlaugh
would be a disgrace to the House.

Mr. Willis, in an animated maiden speech, insisted that
the House had no jurisdiction to prevent a member taking the
oath, and justice could only be done by the appointment of
a committee.

Mr. Trevelyan reminded the House that it was now sitting
as a criminal Court, and pointed out that the evidence
against Mr. Bradlaugh was of the most flimsy character.
In particular he showed that the disloya ]views attributed
to him by Sir 11. Wolff were identical with the doctrines of
Hallam.
Mr. Newdegate deprecated tampering with the oath of
allegiance; and Sir W. Barttelot warmly entreated the
House not to admit a man of Mr. Bradlaugh's views.
. _

Mr. T. O'Connor, Mr. Serjeant Simon, and Mr. Stuart sup-
ported the committee, while Mr. M. Stewart spoke in favour
of the resolution.

Mr. Courtney said that if the question had to be finally
decided now lie should be inclined to vote with the Opposi-
tion, because he held that Mr. • Bradlaugh, by his own act,
had debarred himself from taking the oath. But, desiring
that the House should consult its own dignity and impar-
tiality, and that the matter should be calmly investigated,
he desired that a committee should be appointed.
31r. Gorst maintained that the question was whether the
House would permit the oath to be profaned, as would be
the case if Mr. Bradlaugh were permitted to take it after
proclaiming that it had no binding effect upon his conscience.
There was no precedent for the House appointing a com-
mittee to report on its own powers and privileges, and
its only use would be to screen the Government from all
responsibility.

The Solicitor-General denied that there was anything but
a strict legal question before the House, and, pointing out
that an Important precedent was about to be set, dwelt at
length on the necessity of proceeding with caution and
calm deliberation. He defended the order of reference, and
contended that, amended as the Attorney-General proposed
it should be, it was wide enough to admit of any decision.

After some observations from Sir H. Giffard, Mr. Mac Iver
moved the adjournment of the debate, but Mr. Gladstone
and Sir S. Northcote both objecting to it the motion was
not pressed.
On a division, Sir IT. Wolff's resolution was negatived by
289 to 214.

Some discussion arising on the terms of the reference to
the committee, the debate was adjourned until Tuesday.

Some other business was disposed of, and the House ad-
journed at live minutes to two o'clock.

In the HOUSE OF LORDS May 25, Sir Arthur Guinness, as
Lord Ardilaun, took the oath and his seat as a peer. The
other business was of a formal character and their Lordships
adjourned at a quarter past five o clock.
In the HOUSE OF COMMONS, Mr. J. Cewen having inquired
as to the intentions of the Government on the flogging ques.
tion,
Mr. Childers said they adhered unreservedly to the opinions
expressed by Lord Hartington last year, but before giving
effect to them it was necessary to make careful inquiry to see
what punishment could be substituted for flogging. This was
received with much ironical cheering from the Opposition
benches, which was renewed when Mr. Childers went on to
point out that this inquiry would not be finished in time to
legislate this year; but if the House would give the Govern-
ment its confidence they would deal with it at the com-
mencement of next session. On this understanding Mr.
Otway, who had intended to bring forward .a
motion on the
subject, gave notice that he would defer it for the present
session.

The usual motion for adjourning over the Derby-day was
moved in a humorous speech by Mr. R. rower, who urged
that the Liberals, having got into the "promised land,"
should celebrate their victory on the classic plains of
Epsom, and the Conservatives needed the recreation
after six years' striving with their multitudinous foes. As
to Sir W. Lawson's opposition, he had no title to speak
on the subject, for he objected to racing though he
had never been to a race, just as he objected to drinking
though he never drank. The whole opposition sprang out
of a melancholy Sabbatarian spirit, and as a warning to the
new members he mentioned that at least one-third of his
opPonents of last year had lost their seats at the general
election.
Sir W. Lawson opposed the motion mainly on the ground
that it would not be for the honour, credit, and dignity of
the House to adjourn for a horse-race. This holiday was not
needed, and as to this being a time-honoured custom, it had
been in force only about 33 years. He admitted that hun-
dreds of thousands of all classes took the greatest interest
n the affair, but he held that it was not a national sport.
After some observations in reply from Mr. Chaplin, who
contended that the Derby was a great national institution,
Mr. Childers pointed out that the only effect of not adjourn-
ing would be to keep the Speaker and the clerks in at-
tendance from twelve to four without any result.
On a division, the motion for adjournment was carried by
285 to 115.
"

On adjourned debate on Mr. Bradlaugh's case ccming
up again there was some further discussion as to the terms
of reference to the committee. Mr. W. Williams moved
to substitute for the Attorney-General's words—which
had been substituted for Mr. Gladstone's—a direction
to the committee to inquire into and consider the
facts and circumstances under which Mr. Bradlaugh
claims to have the oath administered to him, to inquire into
the law applicable to such claim and into the jurisdiction of
the House to refuse the claim, and to report its opinion
thereon. Mr. Gibson supported this amendment, the
Attorney-General accepted it, and ultimately it was agreed
to with a few verbal amendments.

The nomination of the committee was postponed until
Thursday.
Mr. H. Fowler called attention to the threatened dis-
armament of the Basutos ; and after Mr. Stanley had spoken,
Mr. Gladstone explained the scope of the measure of the
Cape Parliament, and, speaking in reference to Sir Barbo
Frere, said the confederation of the South African colonies
would have been greatly endangered and might not have
taken place if the Government had recalled the High Com-
missioner.

After some observations from Sir S. Northcote, the motion
was negatived.

Mr. Gregory called attention to the report of the Com-
mittee on Land Titles and Transfer, and moved a resolution
calling on the Government to give effect by legislation to its
recommendations.

- -
Mr. P. Martin spoke in favour of a speedy amendment in
the system of transfer, and Air. Dawson denounced the law
of entail and settlement as the source of most of the evils of
the land system.
Mr. H. Palmer recommended that, as the Government
had promised to deal with the whole question, this branch
of it should be left in their hands.
Mr. 0: 31organ, who spoke for the Government, gave
some accountolfy proceedingshtlicehhe
pre
anye do!
and
de
promised Comm i t Committee et
that
Land
al d
Transfer,
with over
other measures connected with law reform should
l;
be carefully considered during the recess.
Colonel 3lakins, Mr. Byrne, and Mr. Beresford-Hope
appointment of a select com-
mittee at some length on the general question, and the
moEtaiorin
pwe•arscyulntiimoaeteeilyfoNrvittliVeraftspvpno.
condition
of the various ancient British, Celtic, Roman, Danish, or
mittee to Liquire into the number, situation, and • •
Saxon monuments in the United Kingdom which are of
interest from a scientific or antiquarian point of view, and
to report what legislative measures are necessary for their
preservation.
Whitwell and both gen-
The motion was seconded by Mr.
tlemen urged that such an inquiry would facilitate the pas.
sage of a satisfactory Ancient Monuments Bill.
inquiry as unnecessary, pointing out that
ent
meeonnuvm,r_eynntars teo.
Mr, A. Peel, on behalf of the the
socpnpeodsueldeathnef
Sir
, ler J
r.esLeurlviliondcwke's re Bill,
eiiainin
ewrahtiechd,ahlal
dthaeirpeinildily public
fully considered by a select committee and,the Royal Society
of Antiquaries.
Mr. Baring also opposed the motion, and Mr. 0. 31organ,
on the same side, pointed out that the Bill had been eleven
times before the House.
Mr. C. Bentinck, Mr. Beresford-Hope, and Mr. 31. Stewart
spoke in favour of the motion, the last amid so much im-
patience from the supporters of the Deceased Wife's Sister
Bill, which was the first Order of the Day, that Lord B.
Churchill moved the adjournment of the debate. This was
carried, on a division, by 177 to 78.
A short conversation arose on the appointment of the
Kitchen Committee, and as it was past 12.30 when the
Deceased Wife's Sister Bill was reached it could not be
taken,
Some other business was disposed of, and the House
adjourned at twenty minutes to one o'clock.

On Saturday night the Prince of Wales presided at
a dinner at Willis s Rooms, London, in aid of the Princess
Helena College, Regent's-park, established to train as
go'vernesses the orphan daughters of clergymen and naval
and military officers. The speakers, iu addition tb the Prince,
were the bake of Cambridge, the. Lord Steward (Earl
Sydney), and Admiral buncombe, 4ulvcriptions amouaing
to £2,061 were announced, including o g'uhaeas from the
Queen and a like sum from the Prince of Wales.

THE PROSPECTS OF AGRICULTURE.

The Times of Wednesday had a leader on the present pros-
pects of Agriculture. from which we make the following ex-
tracts :

This is the turning point of the year. A season
fraught with recovery, or with ruin, hangs in the
balance. A few weeks hence many thousands of
our agriculturists will once more see a future in their
earthly horizon, or none. An excessive inclination
of the scales either way is equally ruinous.
Between drought and deluge there is not
much to choose. It is the mean that is golden.
But drought and deluge do not equally announce
themselves. Rain is very disagreeable and hinder-
ing. In May it means that nothing can be done with
the land, and the weeds, certain to grow apace, must
be left to grow. At this time last year there was
"steady rain ; " rain from three a.m. to two p.m. ;
rain all over the island, or all over the south; not a
day without rain, and when it did not actually rain the
sky was overcast, the temperature very low for the
season; in a whole week only sixteen hours of
sunshine. This forced itself on the senses,
and through them on the mind and heart too.
Very rapidly did the hopes of the farmer
sink. Well might they. Before the month
was over the weather was overcast, wet, and squally
generally, then very showery, then rather cloudy,
generally with showers. The weather was "not
settled yet on May 31, and June opened with a
further fall of the barometer, and rain falling very
generally in the United Kingdom, with thunder and
lightning. Then began the tenour of the season—the
weather "extremely dull, showery, and unsettled."
All this was disagreeable as well as ominous. This
year's weather may really prove as ominous, inter-
preted by the result, as last year's, but, instead of
being disagreeable, disabling, and disheartening, it is
most delightful. Holiday folk could hardly wish for
better Even the farmer is suffering none of
those daily and hourly annoyances which are more
trying to the temper than the largest sum of
realized losses. No wonder, then, that people are
forgetting that we have not had our average of rain-
fall for a long time, and that if the present weather
continues much longer it may bring almost as much
disaster to a large part of this island as the perpetual
sunlessness and persistent downfall of last year. The
run of seasons now for many years has turned the
farmer's hopes and fears only in one direction. He
has been so drenched, and starved, and drowned, that
he thinks only of rain and chill, of unripened grass,
of unsunned hay, and the unfilled wheat ear. But it
is only eleven years since a May very like this was
followed by a universal failure of the grass and hay
crop, which ruined all the dairies.

The prospects of agriculture just now are neither
decisive nor uniform. Where the soil is clay or marl,
and where the land lies low, it is said that the baked
surface covers a sufficient quantity of moisture, which
the roots of the grass or corn will not fail to reach.
Where the soil is sandy, or gravelly, or on chalk, or
on the hill top or on the slope, where the water passes
quickly through or over the surface, there the ground,
and whatever is upon it, looks most unpromising.
Unless there come much and regular rain, the crops
will be as bad as in the worst years we have
known. The fly will soon be at the turnips, and
the mangold-wurzel, on which so much dependence is
now placed, will not be able to strike root or to fill.
It will come to nothing. The sheep that have suf-
fered so much, and are still suffering, from wet in-
nutritious food, will have better food, but not enough
of it ; and the poor cattle.that were selected by their
closely calculating owners to bear the brunt of last
winter's hardships, as they show by their hollowed
flanks and projecting bones, will not have the oppor-
tunity of repairing their wasted forms The
extent of our difficulties may be measured by
the undeniable fact that the cultivation of
wheat, for its own sake, is actually under trial.
It is maintained by good authorities that in no part
of. these isles can Ife produce wheat to compete
with the foreign supply. The excess of production
over home consumption in North America alone is
sufficient for our necessities. It increases and will
increase. We cannot hope that our long worked and
exhausted acres, continually requiring the most
costly renewal, and often so scant of soil that it is
a pity they were ever turned up, will compete suc-
cessfully with an immense area of virgin soil, con-
nected with us by a line of railways, inland naviga-
tion, and ocean steamers. It has come to this, that
swe r
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must be grown at our doors. It is true wheat has
another chance, as this year possibly may prove.
When the dairy fails, as it must in a drought, then
a wheat crop, if ever so poor, is something to fall back
on. As for feeding, it is now much the same sort of
speculation as growing wheat, equally under the law
of a universal competition.
It is becoming a serious problem what agriculturis.ts
are to do. They will not get rents much lowered in
a hurry, for land still commands a high value in the
market, and is difficult to be got at all except under
special circumstances. Large proprietors would
rather cultivate their own land at a loss than submit
to a reduction of rent telling on its value. Nor
have the farming class any right to expect to
occupy land except on such terms as the
owner may choose to insist on. They have
now the world before them. Why do not they start
for the regions where land can be cheaply rented
and cheaply bought, within easy reach of the best
market in the world—viz., our own? From all time
this has been a moving world, ever seething with the
warm currents of life, ever peopled with those who
had received the order to "move on," and had good
reason to be thankful for it. There is nothing dark,
or gloomy, or inscrutable in the future before us.
The irresistible demands of commerce have now bound
together in closer unity than ever the unity of
mutual dependence—the vast, teeming British race.
We really hang together to live or to do. There
has long ceased to be any difficulty or just scruple
arising from the respective peculiarities of our poli-
tical and social institutions. An Englishman is as
much at home anywhere in North America as in any
county of Great Britain or Ireland. Why should
anybody spend his life and fortune in the attempt
to grow here the food that he could grow quite as
good and much more cheaply a fortnight's voyage
off? Grant that the appeal is in vain to those
who are grown old in dull stay-at-home ways,
who are afraid of the sea, or who do not know or
wish to know where America lies. There are plenty
of young men coming on, and by this time they know
the geography of the world as well as their fathers
did that of their neighbouring market towns. Well,
if people have money and wish to lose it, let them
stay at home. If they have not money and wish to
i
make t, we apprehend that they will have to go
abroad.