The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-10-25 00:00:00

eur Tonbou Otorrespontrent.

we Item It right to date that we de woe at ell Ibsen
Identify ourselves with our Correspondent's ophlioual

In anticipation of the marriage of the Duke of
Edinburgh in the spring, Clarence House, St. James's,
the residence of his Royal Highness, is now undergoing
such extensive alterations an amount almost to an
entire reconstruction of the building. The mansion is
to be materially enlarged, and will contain between
thirty and forty additional apartments. It is not ex-
pected that the whole of the works will be completed
before March next. The present portico and entrance,
owsite the east end of the Duke of Sutherland's
residence, is to be closed, and the future access to the
entered building will be through a gateway In front
of one of the new wings, and under a large and hand-
some portico on the south side, facing the Mall and
St. James's Park.
When the Alexandria Palace was burnt down in June
last, the directors, undismayed by such an unlooked-for
misfortune, reeolved to reconstruct the building without
hereof time. Six hundred men are now employed upon
the works, which, however, have not yet much proifreest d
beyond the foundations. It has been stated that the
new Palace will be finished by June next, atd if the
winter be exceptionably free from frost this may,
perhaps, be Accomplished. The style of architecture
of the building will be similar to that of its predeceasor.
but the appearance of the structure will be greatly
changed, and its area enlarged. Instead of a central
dome there win be a hall 18.5 feet by nearly 400 feet in
dimensions. Between this and the east and west ends
will be open courts containing beds of flowers and ap-
propriate ornaments. On each side of these courts will
be glazed corridors, the ends being filled up with
conservatories handsomely proportioned, and ICU-
mounted with small domes of glass and iron. 11
new palace will have but one transept, with a wide
nave. The distinguishing external feature will be four
lofty towers at the corners of the building. The north
side is to contain an aquarium at its eastern end: at
the west will be the picture gallery. The whole of the
south side is to be occupied by Messrs. Bertram and
Roberts' refreshment-rooms, and a verandah 9 feet
wide will be set out from the south front.

The bringing of the London, Chatham, and Dover
railway system into Ludgate-hill has already done
much to alter and improve the Immediate neighbour-
hood. When "Ludgate Circus" is completed, it will
present a range of lofty buildings which promise to form
• favourable contrast to those that formerly stood upon
the sites. The north-western portion of the circus is
already occupied by a commodious new post-office, sur-
mounted by lien of offices, from the topmost of which
may be seen a great part of South London. Mean-
while the London, Chatham, and Dover Company
find that their increasing traffic has compelled them to
provide additional accommodation. Lengthened plst-
forms have been constructed at Blackfriars, where also
an immense new goods depot has just been built. 13ut
the most prominent of the improvements carried out
under the auspice' of this company, is the new City
Terminus of the line upon the Holborn viaduct. This
Is making rapid progress, and although still far from
completion, will soon be sufficiently advanced to admit
of the opening of the line. With such fine weather as
we have lately been having, it is believed that a mouth
or five weeks will be enough to finish the permanent
way and the necessary offices. The general plan of
the new station is somewhat similar to that of Charing
Cross and Cannon street, both of which form such
conspicuous objects from the river from their vast
semi-circular rode. The covering of the liolborn
Viaduct Station will, however, afford no room for the
sarcasms levelled at the Charing Cross terminus, which,
to use a mild expression, does not add to the beauty of
the view as the spectator looks westward from the
Thames Embankment. The Chatham and Dover ter-
minas is in three spans, supported on iron pillars,
and consists of glees and wood. There are six lines of
railway running in the station. The platforms have
been asphalted, and the interior of the structure is
vow in the hands of the decorators. The complete
design of the works includes a large hotel facing the
Viaduct, but this belongs to a distinct company, end
could not be proceeded with until the ground tioer,
coneisting of booking offices, waiting rooms, &c., was
rected. This having been dune, the superstructure
will shortly be commenced.
From the recently published Board of Trade returns,
it would appear that the commerce of the United
Kingdom is not quite so flourishing as it ham lately
been. The high prices of nearly all the leading pro-
ductions of this country have compeliel our foreign
customers to go elsewhere for some of their goods, and
in the nine months ending the 30th September, the
demand for linen, cotton, woollen, and silk manufac-
turesexhibited a marked decline. At the same time
the failure of our harvest has compelled as to buy
largely of foreign produce, and during these some nine
months in which our trade fell off, we spent ten
millions sterling more than in the same period of 1672
in the purchase of the ordinary necessaries of life from
other lands, such as corn, rice, potatoes, cattle, animal
food, and dairy produce. And as compared with IS7I,
our increased expenditure under this head is fifteen
millions in the nine months, so that it actually costs the
nation at the rate of twenty millions a year for food
in excess of what was required for that purpose only
two years ago. Great Britain is, therefore, for the
time, in the position of a householder with a dimi-
niehed income concurrent with an Increased expendi-
ture. The mein cause of the falling off in the number
of our foreign customers in their demead for British
manufactured goods is the enormous price of coal. If
the linen, the woollen, the cotton, and the silk manu-
facturer has to pay more for his steam power, he must
charge more for his goods; and on the other hand, if
the foreign trader can obtain such articles for lees
money elsewhere, he will not come to England in order
to buy them. When it is coneidere 1 that every addi-
tional advance in the price of coal has a tendency to
drive away trade from our shores, it will be seen at a
glance that this question has become one of national
importance. The facts which I have stated are un-
mistakeable, for the figures are given in the most
recently-issued Board of Trade returns; still, there is
as yet no cause for alarm. The prosperity from which
we have slightly declined was um xampled in our history,
and the tide must recede to • very serious extent before
it affected our position as a nation in any material
degree.

An original idea for mitigating the severity of the
coal famine was lately started. It was proposed to
supersede steam as a motive power by the employment
of water. The production of steam, through the use of
coal, is now a serious item in the expenditure of the
manufacturer and the mill-owner, and could he utilise ,
water-power with equal effect, the cost of turning out
his goods would be greatly lessened. There is no doubt
that water, as a motive power, poaseeses considerable
value, and so also does wind ; but it is questionable whe-
ther wind and water combined could hold their own
against steam. Besides, water can be had only in
particular localities, while the capitalist can set up a
steam-engine anywhere. Water is, again, very variable
its action. With too much of it in the winter, and
too little in the summer, a trade dependent upon
water-power alone would be utterly unable to compete
with the regular and trustworthy agency of steam,
which is affected by neither climate, weather, season,
Lon' locality.
One day last week there was some excitement at
e arious parts along the banks of the Thames, in con.
,queu at of a rowing match regafitat time. The stake
was ; the competitor, a young gentleman named
lierbeet ; the distance, 47S miles- viz., from Maiden-
head to Westminster-bridge. Mr. Herbert acoom-
i fished his task easily within ten hours, including
stoppages. It may be pointed out that the Thames,
as a canoeing river, is not such • favourite with the
tourist as the Severn. Ihe current, at least in the
riper stream, is quite imperceptible, and paddling,
therefore, becomes one dull Uniformity of hard work,
without rapids, shallows, or rocks, or, in fact, any diffi-
culty or danger to give life and excitement to the
voyage. The Thames stream, above the locks at
Teddington, flows at an even and level rate of about a
mile and a half in the hour ; and below the locks the
rate Is four miles'an hour. Uneventful, however, as
the paddle upon the Thames may be, the beauty of the
canary upon its banks amply repays exertion
The visit of the " Gentlemen and Players" to Aus-
tralia for • cricketing tour of six months is ex iting
much interest in the Australian colonies. Melbourne,
Sydney, Adelaide, Ballarat, Hobart Town, and several
e; her places in that distant part of the British pee-
F sidons will at last have their long looked-for exhibi-
t: on of English cricket, The criticisms upon the
.mposition of the team have been highly favourable.
All of them hold the best rank in their profession,
Aud a good deal of confidence Is expressed that the
Englishmen will be found quite equal to any colonial
-icketers who may be brought against them. There is
t present no means of ascertaining what are the
precise abilities of the Australian players, but fee.
yientere at Lord's and Prince's Grounds maintain
t ,at the colonies must produce very good men indeed
'they are to stand any chance of beating our men.
The honour of English bats and the defence of English
eel:lets are left with confidence to those who have
eau selected to take this long journey. They will
escape the winter altogether, inasmuch as our cold
toonthe are the best part of the Australian summer.

Phe constant succeasion of railway accidents during
na pact two mouths invade with more interact than
usual Captain Ty lee., annual report on ha, cssualtias of
hot Yrs,.ile chowg that '246 cwt. we's inv e-gtiosted, a
:mewed with 171 in the preview' twelve months.