The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-12-25 00:00:00

Tbestourbribge Obserber.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1875.

CHRISTMA S.

The celebration of the well-knnwn festival which
is anticipated with so much interest throughout
all Christendom, happily finds the nations of the
earth at peace ono with the other. True, Spain
is still, as it has been for years, in a condition of
civil war, and it would doubtless remain so no
matter who might be on the Throne of that un-
fortunat country. A dependency of Spain—the
island of Cuba—is also in a chronic state of in-
surrection ; but these are merely domestic dis-
cords, and such troubles do not materially af-
fect the peoples of other lands. This time five
years France and Germany were engaged in a
tremendous struggle; Paris was closely invested
by the Prussian armies; and, at a season of
peace and goodwill, we were noting anxiously
the fluctuating tide of battle, and calculating
how long the French capital could hold out un-
der the slow starvation suffered by two millions
of its inhabitants, That was a terrible winter
in another way. Suddenly unloosed from its
home in the Polar regions, a wave of Arctic wea-
ther passed over Europe, freezing to death by
hundreds the unhappy French and Gerinan sen
tries who stood at their posts, and fast binding
great European rivers in manacles of ice. Even
in our own usually temperate climate, the mas-
sive blocks of ice in the Thames were gazed at
with wonder and curiosity, for they were suf-
ficiently numerous and of such magnitude as to
put a stop to the navigation of the stream.
Now, however, there is in every way a more
cheerful outlook. France and Germany have,
for the time at least, settled their differenc es
Even that old spectre, the Russian bear, who is
perpetually believed to be making progress in
CentralAsia,does not much alarm us, for we have
almost ceased to believe in the ominous nature
of his growl. His enemies say many unkind
things of him, and if we lisened to all the pro-
phets of evil, Affghanistan would be overrun at
a bound, India subjugated, Turkey annihilated,
and Egypt annexed. Somehow or other, the
neljority of our people do not seem to believe in
the existence of such base treachery as that
which many of our Public writers declare is con-
kuiplated by those who are responsible for the
g wernment of Russia ; and certain it is that the
everlasting ogre known as the Eastem Qaestion
will in no degree detract from the enjoyment of
this year's Christmas dinner. As to our own
position in Europe, there is hale doubt that it.
has of late been materially streng,thencd. The
ga hering of the ea;les over which was; supposed
to be the expiring carcase of the Lurk was a very
earnest meeting, and the birds of prey did not
consider it worth while to take the British lion
at all into account. This historic animal was se
quiet that the eagles thought his strength had
passed because his roar had ceased. Suddenly
he rouses himself, and by au unmistakable move
on the part of our Government, the three North
ern Powers are told that, vast as may be the
strength of their armies, there must be no parti-
tion of Turkish territory without consultation
with us. Such is the situation as regards Eur-
ope. Our relations with the United States, the
Alebema claims having Lew cleared away, are
cordial and satishetory. We are not even at
war, al we were two years ego, with the Ashan-
tees, and although there is little difficulty on
hand with the Malays, the chastisment of these
savages is not likety to cause much trouble or
apprehension.
Therefore, with peace abroad, and upon the
whole with prosperity and contentment at home,
there may well be a merry celebration of Chrst-
MRS in Great Britain Let the joy-bells ring
out over the land, filling the air s‘ith melody nut
only in the populated city, but also in the calm
retreats of rural life. Let the welcome sounds
issue forth, not only from the stately domes of
our cathedrals, but also from those village
s pires so plentifully dotted upon our peacefull
plains. Let the music of their song float over
villages and hamlets, and quiet dales, for those
graceful steeples are ever pointing to tro.ta
more enduring than the hills, and of that world
the chimes of the church bells seem to tell. In
the landscape let the plough lie in the furrow;
in the crowded city let no smoke ascend from
the factory. In street, and mart, and square,
and alike in the lonely cottage upon the remote
mountain side, let the business of life be hushed
and a few hours devoted to a Beeson which tells
of the suspension of the asperities of life.
Chriatmas is the time for the prevalence of all
good wishes, and for the iutereuauge of kindly
feelings; and all friends of humanity will rejoice
that this festival of 1875 is commemorated un-
der such favourable eupices, and that although
rumours of war may prevail, now at present is al-
most unknown upon the surface of the earth.

FAELURE IN THE SOUTH STAFFORD-
SHIRE IRON TRADE.

Messrs. Chambers, Ellis, and Co., ironmasters,
of Brierley Hill, have filed a petition in the
StourbridgeCourt for liquidation byarrangement.
The firm have carried on business at the Delpb
Ironworks for the last five or six years. The
estimate of the debts given in the petition is
,212,000., but this amount may be somewhat
exceeded. No calculation of the assets has yet
been made ; they are not expected to yield
very large dividend. Mr. Charles Evers, high
bailiff of the Stourbridge County Court, has
been appointed receiver to the estate. Messrs.
Homfray and Hclberton, of Brierley Hill, and
Messrs. Gould and Elcock, of Stourbridge, are
the solicitors acting for the petitioners. A
cicular will be shortly issued to the creditors.