The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-06-26 00:00:00

El.2e totubticOberaer.

SATURDAY, JUNE 26th, 1880.

GREECE AND THE POWERS.

THE visit of the King of Greece to this country
has received the interest felt by Englishmen in
the fortunes of the Helle::ic people. This, if
less romantic in immediate associations, is no
less keen and far more general than in the days
when Greece was a mere geographical expres-
sion. Nearly 56 years have elapsed since Byron '
tlied at Missolongbi ; and if a comparison be
made between the Greece of his day and the
country wkose Sovereign has lately been the
guest of the Lord Mayor of London, one of those
striking contrasts is found which m ike the real
tornance of history. Wnen Byron died, lilurope
saw only scattered handfuls of wild mountaineers
engaged in a struggle that seemed well-nigh
hopeless against the overwhelming forces of the
Ottoman Empire. To•day there is a people
advanced in the arts of civilization, blest with
an excellent constitution and an enlightened
prince, demanding, not the humble rights of
internal self-government, but such an amount of
Turkish territory as will make Greece fairly con-
terminous with the Hellenic speech and bloo.i.
The civic authorities were happy in the day
chosen for the presentation of an address to
King George, for it coincided with the meetint
in the Prussian capital of the envoys of the
signatories of the Treaty of Berlin, the objects
of whose labours are to give a fair and evi.able
interpretation to those important provisions of
the Treaty on which the hopes of Greece are
founded.

The very mention of the name of Greece
carries the mind back to a people the fame of
whose deeds will remain upon the page of history
as long as the world en-dares. Nearly four
thousand years have elapsed since Sieyen was
founded, and for centuries Greece held the fore-
most place in Europe, and excited the envy of
the most colossal military powers in Asia. In
the days of its highest glory it consisted of the
Peloponnesus, the states outside thereof, Thes-
saly, and the islands. Athens, Sparta, Corinth,
Thebes, Arcadia, and Macedon sustained the
name and fame of Greece long before the
Romans sprang into existence as a nation. The
Greeks were as renowned in war as they were
illustrious in peace ; and when the vast hordes of
the Persians poured across the Hellespont and
sought to crush them, Salamis and Marathon
alike attested their courage. In peace they pro-
duced lawgivers like Lycurgus, sculptors like
Phidias, philosophers like Socrates and Plato,
magistrates like Aristide3, poets like Homer,
historians like Herodotus, physicians like Hip-
2ocrates and Galen. In war they had successful
generals such as Xenophon and Miitiades, while
the courage of Leonidas, the King of Sparta, at
the pass of Therrnopyhe, has been the theme of
admiration in all ages. The military victories
of Alexander the Great really belong to the his-
tory of Greece; for the chief of the Macedonian
army went forth to do battle with the Persians,
then the common enemy Of enlightened Euro-
pean states. By and bye, as successive centuries
came and waned away, Greece, like Rome, sank
under the splendour of her own magnificence.
Greece became subject to the Turkish Empire,
from which she was rescued in 1829, and now a
further effort is being made at Berlin to con-
solidate the stability of the little kingdom.
The Conference in the German capital is
supplementary to the Congress which was hold-
ing its deliberations there this time two years.
There is a material difference between the
calibre of the two gatherings, the Congress hav-
ing been composed of ambassadors and specially
accredited representatives of the highest rank,
as was shown by the selection of our own Prime
Minister and Foreign Secretary of that time ;
while the Conference has been specially called

to deal with particular points of that great
Eastern Question which is likely for some time
to occupy the serious consideration of Europe
The Porte and the Hellenic Governments, as
was perhaps natural in the remembrance of the
past, found themselves unable to agree upon the
frontier-line as recommended by the Berlin Con-
gress ; hence the necessity of summoning a sub-
sidiary conference to adjust the differences Ns ith-
out resort to arms. At the same time the meet-
ing of such a body is a testimony to the existence
of a common disousition amongst the Great
Powers to settle -European difficulties by a
general understanding, independently of war,
and it is to he hoped that the result of its de-
liberations will be a peaceful settlement of the
diff-A.ences which have hitherto so frequently
brought the interests of Turkey and Greece into
collision.

THE IRON TRADE.
WOLVERHAMPTON, Wednesday.

At the meeting of ironmasters and merchants
this afternoon, inquiries were more numerous.
A firmer tone prevailed, due very much to the
better business which has been done in the
Middlesbrough and Scotch markets during the
past week ; but with the leading people a dealf
prevails as to whether the improved tone is
indicative of :mother spurt in &ICA as occured in
the lager lnaf of last year. Prices generally
were higher on the week, worked bus
firm at ..e6. Unmarked iron could not be bought
for less than £6 10s. from persons who last week
would have sold at £6 55., and it was reported
that in some case:,, quotations given a few days
, ago had been withdrawn. Galvanisers' sheets
were in steadier demand at about £8 for singles,
and there was ntore doing both in etamping and
working up sheets. Tinplates have recovered in
value by 2s. per box on the recent minioaum,
and hoops to-day were sold at £1 10s., which is
2s. 6d. higher than the transactions of a fort-
night ago. There was very little doing in boiler
and girderplates, most of the constructive people
being tolerably well supplied. Several good
parcels of puddled bars changed bands, and
there was a perceptible improvement through-
out the pig trade. All-mine hot air pigs were
strong at £4, with part-mine quoted at £3, and
ciudf-r qualities at from £2 upwards. Middles-
brough brands were is. to is. 6d. dearer than
last Wednesday, No. 4 forge being 40s.
For Northamptonshire kinds 455. was asked, and
for West Coast hematites 755. to £4. In
minerals there was scarcely anything doirg.
Coal had a remarkably fiat sale at every irregular
quotations.

BIIMINGIIA3I, Thursday.

No change of importance is to be reported i
connection with the local iron trade. -Manufac-
turers of market iron are very poorly oft for
orders, and they ara not making xnure than one
third time on an average. Prices for unmarked
iron, however, are sustained on the basis of £8
a ton for bare, while unmarked iron is down to
the minimum of last year, varying from £6 106
to as low as five guineas in exceptional cases.
Prices of pig iron this afternoon we2a slightly
firmer owing to the increased strengi h of the
Middlesbrough and Glasgow matkets, but the
demand in all departments was very liwited A
number of orders are in the hands of inercnants
to be distrinuted, but they hesitate to place them
until there is no nrospect of quotations further
receding, and they will probably be held over
till after, or on the eve of, the quarterly meet-
ings. Only the unmarked qualities of finished
iron and the commoner classes of pig iron meet
with any sale.

ne most remarkable ever effected by A Heal
inv, Remedy Are prrdriced by POW3LL'S EMBROCaTION•
kidt.N. tat, Duke D'Aumale, the Right Bon. the late
Earif larendon, K G., the Right Hon. Francis
Countee.s Walckgrave, tile Right Hon. the Countesl of
Radnor, and many otter eminent pers.,us have given
testimonials as to the extraordinary efficacy of PoTtELL's
F.lena,caTioN. The relief which it affords,
the cure which it ect ii all cases of rheumatic and
neuralgic pains, gout, lumbago, and all sudden end
painful attacks, aches, pains, and weaknesses in any part
of the body calling for an external application, are a
once speedy and permanent. It is sold by all chemis
in bottles at is. lfd.and 2s. 9d. Mr. S. Hughes is o
Agent at Stourbridge.
If there is any Lady or Gentleman who has not yes
trDd BUDDKN'S BALSAM of HOREHOUND and
) for Coigns, Colds, Bronchitis, or an,
eir clio•t the Chest or Lungs, let tiiein
dad tu,it one dose will give relief, and ue
bottle, in most cases, effect a most complete cure
Don't be persuaded to take any other kind. Bottles Is
led, and 2s. 9d Agents for Stourbridge Mr. J. H
Bland 75, High Street, and Mr. S. Hughes, 15,1, High
1 street, Pharmaceutical Chemists.