The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-11-05 00:00:00

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OUR LONDON CORRESPONDENT.

(We deem it right to state that we do not at all times identify
oarselves with our Correspondent's opinions.)

Within a very few days the municipal boroughs
throughout England and Wales will be changing,
their chief magistates, and "the Ninth" is
always a red-letter day to many a citizen, from
those who dwell in the greatest city of all down
to those who live in places which in point of
population may be little more than villages, but
which, as regards age and dignity, can fairly lay
claim to the title of town. The fact that so im-
portant a portion of our magistracy shciaid be,
practically though not nominally elec4tive, can
never fail to be a striking one to -students of
our institutions; and although a directly-chosen
magistracy would bring in its train many evils,
the indirectly-chosen in the sluite of mayors is a
valuable part of our judicirli system. Outside
the day rviirfk
is fraught with such
striking refiiiil3 if'...not one of great ceremony, but
in the metropolis there remains to us a large
portion of the pomp and circumstance with
which municipal chief magistrates were accus-
tomed to be suriounded. The Lord Mayor's
Show, much laughed at as it always is, forms the
one bright spot in a London November, and it
gives pleasure to tens of thousands of persons
who line the streets on the occasion. Its popu-
larity is perennial; coming like Christmas only
once a year, it attracts the attention of many
who deride it in private but go to see it in
public; and as brig as the present system of
London municipality lasts, so long is the Ninth
of November likely to be accompanied by its
Lord Mayor's Show.
But the pageant which moves from Guildhall
to the Law Courts, and from the Law Courts
back again to Guildhall, is mainly an affair for
the populace; the banquet, which winds up the
whole proceedings, is chiefly for the politicians.
Custom has laid it down that twice in every year
her Majesty's Ministers shall dine with the Lord
Mayor of London; but while in August the
newspapers head the proceedings "Ministers at
the Mansion House,' in November these are
headed "Ministers at Guildhall." The differ-
ence in the titles, little as it might be imagined
by those who are not acquainted with the internal
economy of the City Corporation, is an impor-
tant one as affecting the character one
might almost say the importance —of the
proceedings. For the Mansion House is the home
of the Lord Mayor, while the Guildhall is that of
the Corporation; and thus the August banquet
is a more private and personal gathering than
that in November. And the interest of the
former, as compared with the latter, is the less
because it comes at the end of a session, when
Ministers can only congratulate themselves and
the country upon what has been done, while the
November gathering assembles before another
has begun, and when, therefore, the members of
the Government may be able to tell us something
new. And as we were assured on the authority
of no less a person than the late Earl of Beacons-
field that it is the voice of sense and truth which
is always heard on these occasions, it is no wonder
that politicians, journalists, and the public gene-
rally pay them so much attention.
It will be with something of a shock that
many a one who has come up from the country
at various times on a visit to London will hear
that the penny steamboats, which have so long
plied for short distances on the Thames, have
(for the time only, as it may be hoped) ceased
running. There had been rumours for a con-
siderable period that this was likely to come to
pass ; for the increasing competition of the omni-
buses and railways, together with their gradually
diminishing fares, had played sad havoc with the
receipts of the steamboats; but often as a stop-
page has been threatened, it was scarcely believed
to be possible until the fiat at last went forth,
and the deed was done. Those of a philosophic
turn of mind will, of course, argue that this
is another instance of the survival of the fittest,
and will prove to their own satisfaction that
nothing else possibly could have happened, the
circumstances being as they are. But those of
us who are not philosophers can hardly help a
sigh over the stoppage of our old friends, the
penny boats. The Thames may be silvery no
longer, the odours which ascend from its banks

at lOw. tide are scarcely those of the violet or the

rose tree; but a trip- upon its bosom on a
summer evening from London - bridge to
Westminster was one much to be enjoyed,
and not to be forgotten. To pass
under bridge after bridge heavily laden
with the constantly moving traffic, to sail
under the very shadow of the great dome of St.
Paul's, to sweep by the full length of the Vic-
toria Embankment (one of the most massive,
and, at the same time, beautiful monuments of
engineering erected in our time), and to be
brought up beneath the PalarA nf Parlisimpnf:
Westminster, while all the time the hum of the
countless thousands in the streets and the whirl

Df the busy life around one fell upon the ear
subdued by distance but distinctly audible,
Zormed an experience which to the observant
mind could not fail to be a striking one.
Very general satisfaction is felt in the metro-
polis that the Lord Mayor, after consultation
with those best qualified to give advice in such
a matter, has decided that it would be unwise to
open a special Mansion House Fund for dealing
with the wants of the unemployed. His lordship
has, however, recommended that those of benevo-
lent mind should aid, as far as possible the
philanthropic institutions already in existence,
and thus strengthen them to face the extra calls
which are always made upon them during the
winter. If his advice be as generally followed
as it deserves to be, much good will be done,
while a Mansion House Fund, with however
excellent intentions it might be started, would
result in a great deal of evil. When the last was
established not far from two years ago, it was
the means of relieving some deserving folk,
and a very large number of undeserving.
The sturdy beggar was decidedly to the fore im-
mediately money was to be obtained; and the
cozening rogue who could tell a ready lie had a
much better chance of getting a share than an
industrious and deserving man who was out of
work through no fault of his own, for the former
was accustomed to begging, and knew how to set
about it, while the latter, to his honour be it
said, had no acquaintance with the required art.
And, however, determined the administrators of
such a fund might have been to relieve none but
the deserving, practice proved that it was not
those who wanted help the most that managed
to obtain it.
Mr. Chamberlain's departure to America as
Chief Fishery Commissioner, will have called the
attention of many English folk to the fact that
there is a very grave dispute between Canada
and the -United States on the fisheries question.
Of course everyone acquainted with public
affairs was aware of it, but the great bulk of the
people knew nothing of a difference which has
lasted far too long, and which even yet may
entail serious consequences. If explained in
brief space, the dispute would appear at a super-
ficial glance to be merely technical, but very
important issues are often involved in techni-
calities, and in this case the issues touch the

very livelihood of thousands of fishermen, both
of the United States and Canada. It has lasted
so long that the statesmen of the States, the
Dominion and the Mother Country have almost
been tempted to give it up in despair, lout this is
a policy which could not be adopted by three such
communities, and a determined effort is now to
be made to settle it. Whether it will succeed
has yet to be seen. The difficulties in the way
are enormous, but in proportion to their size will
be the glory of the negotiators if they manage
to secure a settlement of a difficulty which has
been open for far too long.
A piece of news has just come to hand from
Canada which will encourage both those who
believe in emigration as one method of relieving
our social ills and those who wish well to our
colonies. It appears, from statistics compiled
by the Dominion Government, that the
total number of immigrants who arrived
in Canada for the first nine months
of the year was 117,000, this being an increase of
25,000 as compared with the corresponding period
of last year; and of the number, 62,000 were
actual settlers, or 11,000 more than in 18.1
Most striking fact of all, perhaps, is t' at
Manitoba and the North-west Territory 1 as
already drawn 12,000 this year, an increase of
50 per cent. This latter is a circumstance u hich
cannot but Impress the British farmer, for
Manitoba and the North-west Territory are the
portions of Canada which are year by 3 ear be-
coming more developed as regions for corn
growing; and the added competition which
these ()atm settlers will bring into the market
will not be a comforting circumstaree to agri-
culturists here. But from the Canadian point
of view, we can quite see how gratifying must
be the figures. To the people of the Ddminion
it is in the highest degree important that their
unoccupied lands should be speedily settled. The
stream of emigration has flowed so largely to
the States that many must have inagiued that
Canada was not a fitting field for it. To a
certain degree its climate is against it, but there
axe compensations for even the severities of a
Canadian winter; and such compensations many
thousands of those who have emigrated from
England have already and in abundance found.
Cycling will gain much in popularity from

among those who do not practise it if a stop is
Bpeethiy put to what is known as "road racing."
There is an increasing feeling among the public
that the growth of this practice is nothing less
than a nuisance even if it might not be described
as a danger.; and unless the National Cyclists'
Union, which has some authority upon such a
point, puts it down, the law will be invoked to
do it, and that will be a much move mgpleasant
process. The question has already neen
brought before the limo., bat it was post-
poned for decision until next April, when
those who have the interests of cycling at heart
will do well to settle it. Many a man who
never dreams of mounting either a bicycle
or a tricycle, and who yet has a sympathy with
a pastime, so health-giving and cheerful, has
a strong objection to people riding cycles at
racing speed along the high roads. The law
metes out strict punishment for those who
furiously drive their horses; and as sharp a
penalty is necessary for those who similarly
misuse their machines. The highways were mace
for the convenience of the community and not
for the comfort of a few; and if people want to
race, whether with horses or on cycles, they must
go to the proper places to do so. Enclosures
oxist for the purpose, and there all racing must
he done; and this point is so plain that all who
have the interest of cycling at heart will be well
advised to agitate for the abolition of road
racing by mutual consent, lest a worse thing
befall them in its abolition by force of law.
A. F. R.