The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-12-26 00:00:00

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FOR A FINE GLASS OF ALE,

DUBLIN STOUT,

" A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR:

DISTRIIIIITION OF PRIZES TO VIE
RIFLE CORPS.

large, considering that the corps had elwaye
been kept up te its maximum strength. Some
corps were not kept up to the naaximnm, an I
were returned as all efficient, but when a corps
like that of Stourbridge was kept up to it maxi-
mum there must always be a few recruits who
hail too recently joined to render themselves
efficient. Up to the present year 100 had been
the maximum etreuleth of he corps; brat lately
he had been an much nreesed by respectable
young men wishing to join it, that although he
hut made nn his ntin.l not to increase it—be-
cause he preferred a really efficient corps of 100
to a larger one of 150 or 200 comparatively in-
efficient—lie did not see his way to increasing
the strength of the corps. tle areordingly asked
permission of the Secretary of State to enrol
thirty more members as sunernnmaries. He ob-
tabled pert:nig-lon,
end the thirty were at once
:ertheenning, so that this year the strength of
the corps was 18); and he was pleased to say
that although ninny of the additional members
joined at a very lato period of the year Ile had
been enabled by their assistance to get them all
efficient. Every man, theref ore, of the 130 was
this year returned as efficient —(cheeral—and 91
were returned as extra-eflielent. Now, they
might say that 130 efficient and 91 extra-efficient
CHRISTMAS. was a very small proportion as compared with
Can anything that is alike new and good be last.year ; but when he explained that there were
65 of the members; recruits that could not pos.
said on the subject of Christmas ? We incline
to doubt it. As the festive season conies mind sibly have been returned as extra-efficient, not
authors and journalists bring out their stock lanviug had tune to go throngh the extra course,
phrases, their pet poetical quotations, their they would see they were not in a worse position
than they were last year. If they took 85 from
flowery imagery, their gushing sentimentalism
139, 96 was left to be accounted for. Of these
just in the same way as they were brought oui
91 were extra-efficient, two were invalided, and
the Christmas before. We have the mine tip•
I
•
peals for charity, the same brisk, lively &eerie. to leave th therefore could not perform their duties, one had
.".,...'on
tions of scenes which, at least, owe much to the e neilkar.ad for about 2 months, ; '
toei, practically, they had bat one member who
imaginati us, and old Father Christmas is alw.„:"
made out to be a very jolly tyheeeria in could have been extra-efficient, who had not at-
taMed that position. (Hear, hear). He thought
some places he shows nitaself a very sad deg
the noble lord would agree with him that that
indeed. In default then of saving. anything new
on this well. worn subject, we will repeat presented a very
what effective state of the corps. The
has been said many a time and oft. We welcome members of the corps had attended forty corn-
Christmas not so much for its festivity and its pany drills, seven battalion drills, and ninety.
good cheer. as for the genial kindliness which
eight squadron drills. There were twenty-seven
ought to be, and which to a great extent is a tirst.clata shots in the company, and seven
tuarkernen, which was not a very largo proper.
characteristic of the season. It is the season
for family gatitcringo ; for parents to meet ehil- Loon; but they did not profess to be so much a
ehooting corps as a drilling corps. Shooting
dren arid children's children under the same roof,
for old men and to:videos, young men and chit- WAS really necessary for R volunteer to be effh.
dren to meet together in friendly union, forget- dent, but he attached very mach more import-
ting and forgiving the differences that have oc- ance to drill than to high oleos shooting. The
cm-red daring the past gertr •' it is the season members of the corps could all shoot well enough
when employer and entiolnyett inanifeet nnneu- for all prectieal purposes. The corps had been
ally kindly feelings toweeile each other; when itiepected differently this year. Hitherto they
had been inspected in battalion; but this year
schoolboys and schoolgirls leave the irkeoine
formality of their studies, and troop Liotr.e with the inspecting officer had gone to the head-per-
light hearts arid eager expectation; and when ters of eaeh individual company and inspected
ordinary business ee.mpations cease for awhile, it. Sir Alexander ('atnpbell, the inspecting ofil-
that merchants, tradesmen, clerks, and meehati• err, was this year. if possible, more cotnplimen•
tary in reference to their corps than he had ever
ice ma) thoroughly enter lit the spirit of the
great holiday of the year. No doubt Christleat lean before; and as lie made a more searching
kaidnation than he ever did before, they had
has its dark side. It the period of the ye ir
when distress is generally at its deepest, hut it the nine reason to congratalate themselves.
is the period of the year also when the streams Daring tics yea, they lied made another ilk:Miami
of ben evoleaco sued tool rise to their &mole: to the corps in the in &or of a drum and fife
height. Here atel there toe, there noty be a:6a b•ind• For some years before the corps had no
music, n.nd it WAS a great relief to hitn it hal
scenes of gluttony and drunkenness, for which
there can he n° possible exeltse. hot re are harp!, u--I, Isic•mse the band had been a greet trouble
in the belief that as eilneati 1... -, end ;is &pre when there WAS one. But several trades-
the light of the Pm-via Ile ; coes e almost men and hilothitents of the town were anxious
every home, such acenes are every yew: laccont- that there ehonlal be some music attached to the
bag l,te aml less freameet. We livm greatly ad- coollsoth and the reeelt wan that a eommittee
sauced in the observance of Christmea as in cia was formed, anti a sufficient sum of money was
oet to rnise a drnin and fife baud. He hal to
masty other things, ae comfeteed with the days
of our ferefethers. Thu-i's is now elev. eltetoy, ;heti!: tile pe• aif the town fee the liberel res..
more kindly sympathy with the poor, 7clore poise they la el tea Is to the call fer etch cc bawl ;
ganieutlen for the Chrisfian obeervance .4 the tel lie Tilieht stet.; that it would not wholly be. ,
great Christian fettiyal, Mem ever ; is lo.ig ti the corps, leit would belong to the town
less riotiog and I.x ect. as well, and was cii lal the " Stontemides Tew
Chriettnue, lteig, finds the country in favour- and Ride Corps n:md." He lted not tile shghte
awe eire,inp.Lutes. with the ex,.epti„„ of a (10,11 it that. having taken the eul.jeet up, the
dark &eel iit the l•laet, which we met' fitly &ape gentlemen hetet-este!' themeelyes woald
will sooa be diepersed, the weeld is at rote, I see tit tt the lama Was maintained for the benefit
Continental Enyope is apparently heartily tic-ti of the town mad corps. Before sitthig down he
of were and reenters of ace ; and even France I world a.y that, Ii ing increased the uutithers of
and Prussia whi 1 h cc long looked at each other I the corps, more money would be required to keep
with such jealooly and distrust, seem t.. be on ! the cern"' tip. The subscriptions received from
better terms than they have been for us!3!'g pl. the inliebietets of Ile town alai the earroutoliosf
clod. And at home there is no cause of e.tei- neighbo.iehoed ha •I hitherto Nein amply sullis
plaint b; yolnitlieee permanent Causes for pertiel eigat with the itealetanee of the capitation ,grant,
discouteot which no leeisistien has ever yet to mainfaiti the corp.; at its old statolard. Bah
reached. We have bad Caine two years cf fl arms I the amount this obtained would fall short of
chid and commereial dulness, and we here 1; ad I mainteilling the cores at its present standard.
sad reason to feel the truth of Pitt's axiotn. lie therefiars Impel Celt in C.LSC3 where they had
" eamfidence is a platnt of slow growth ; but the I lost the snheeriptiens by death or removal they
plant has undoubtedly beeu growing for a 'rime wonl.l be made up by new comer& ani that the
time past, tool with rettinting coneilenee cein- I old inhahitents wraith' see fit to give them such
inerce and trade are reviving. At the proont assistance es would epaltle him to ntaietaie the
motnetat, of convict, we expect that Inishies; will carps in the very high state of efticieney in
be dull, hut everything tends to show tied at the I which he desired to see it. (Lend cheers).
tarn of the year tr itte will revive, and will as- Lord Lyttelton expressed the very great plea-
some R sound and healthy pesitiort to whiell we sure it give Lira to attend there that evening,
have too long been strangers. which Was the first occasion of that exact kind
Just phi' ing at our political position, in no —althonell the velunteer force had existed for
party spirit, we have ample curiae- for congrattn- many yotrs in tile county-lie hatl had an op-
lation. We do not look at the matter its a ,11105- IMrt allay of attemlints. end from the fact of
tiou of whether tills or that 'Ministry is in power. its le inie in his cnn immediate neighbourhood,
bat taliiag a broader view of the conditiou of and from a maned feeling of regard to the pea&
the country, we feel that it ShOUld inspire hope ;de atuoug whom he had lived for so many years,
and encoaragentent. Let us look for a moment there was no pert of the volainteer force on the
at some of Mr. Giladstone's utterances. teepee- behalf of whom he should with so much pleasure
lug politieians may dispute every ono of thane, take that pert as he did for the Stourbridge
but the great tuajority of the country, we feel Corps. And he took that part not only on ae-
aseurid, is just now in the linatiour to believe eannt of its immediate neighbourhood, but on
that the desire of our rulers is " the strengtiteu. account of the great efficiency and the high cha-
hag the iustitntious of the conntry, and the e& rector the corps had &ways maintained. There
tablishing of unity, hermony, and concord was no part of the regiment towards whom he
enuang all classes of the comturmity and in al! I should he better disposed to do the duty of that
mute of the empire." We have ample catnec, evenieg than the Stout-bridge Corps. Speaking
too, to eutigratulate ourselyee that the greet not only froto his own observation, which Was
political battle which was continnally being not worth a very great deal, bnt from what he
fonght anal renewed without over being settled, hal heard for theee ninny years with regard to
over since 1532, bas now been decided, and that the commanding offieer of the eerps—he (BO not
thus a tonirce of enutitotal bitterness has been f.r wish to malls` an,Y undue nrefereuees, there might
ever reetormi. Mr- tiladetone foreshielowe ten &. other offieere as efficient—but he was well
or three subj, eta, arising not of the recent lie. I ssltisiled there was tie more efficient officer, even
form Act which will yet give rise to some party I in the regol tr army, or one mere fit for his posi-
ekinniehing, but the pitched battle is over, aud Con :tad duties than Captain Walker. (Cheers).
we can aetieipete with calmness the guerilla lie should have said that much some time ago,
warfare. The Premier also encourages us to from the general character of the corps and
look to the new Parliament for several much- from the circumstance that it had always kept
needed reforms—in bankruptcy, in calneation, nip its niembers to the highest point it was el-
aud in the relation of capital and labour. But lowed to attain. He was not surprised to find,
more important then all, considering the high considering the popularity of the carps, that the
position of the speaker, and the heavy burdens good opinion which the yonnennen of the neigh-
under which the country now Itheurs, are his honrhood Lad of the service, and of that corps
promises, in unmistakeahle language, of is re- in particular, had led to a great increase in the
duction of taxation. Ile deeply regrets, he says, number uf applications to join it; and it woaid
that there have been unnecessary ad.;itiens made be a matter to Inc laideutedif any of the militery
to " the standing ch ir ees of the conutry, and zeal and geed spirit of any noitien of the den-
eenstantly recurring in the tietimate.s." %%him Infinity slionid he wasted Of thrown away. There
the Paiute Minister, who lice filled the Mae ..f havieg been no obvious necessity, there had not
Chancellor of the Exchequer, tells us that he been any indicatioe of any great increase of
keows of no reeson why tha ee shottlit the force throughoahthe country. In that town
Irate been tattled to our burdens, we may fairly there could hardly be said to be a noel for
draw the coutfortelde couelitsioa that he knows second corps ; but it had 110 W been found prae-
of no reason why they slentld not be taken off. tie Ible, as they heal heard, by the Secretery of
True, he adds, that " they oneht not to destroy ;State awl authorities here to make an addition
all this in a toontent," limit lie also tells us that to I, 'a core; adreoly in existence. The prizos
the work of retrenchment tenet be a well con- were to be distributed were an indication
sidered and a careful work. These utterances of GI.: popularity of the company in the town
are hopefal and encouraging, and we ere apti.e anti neighbourhood, an.l he &Wee:toed that WaS
sure that they would not be made without the oot the first time prizes of thot kintt had been
hateanion to curry them out. On the whole, giveu to the corps. It might be expected that
ticking both almond and at home, we can rejoiee prizee would he giveu by the oili..ers who had an
thtit the country is peaceful and prosperous, end interest in the corps, and by persons in antlio-
WO may ill our Christnots all the more rit.y• like himself ; but the prizes given that evens
heartily ter the relleetion ; and an, in all shiver- i;es wed) those of all fathers whieh they were
ity, do we wish oar readers, ' 'ietied with, ansl which they were most
ee—prizes given by neighbours and by
• •1.0 were s; maga:tinted with the char-
•r• the force—by those :who had no pro:es-
. : in it, :mt woo liad a desire to see
'• , 'a eit had done so long in the country.
.• let too often shown that the essence
.• her anti yeomanry forces, and of
• • aed permanence, were that they
•• thought of and be popular in the
• ' ' ...• 'ls in which they eelated. They
s see p oi•iotin feeliog of the country,
• . e.• were so fused anti melted into the
• ' !eddy of citizens Butt unless there was a
iimi of them both privately end socially,
.• ..•• !I e teo nee+ to SUppo3l3 that the force'
: ; • -1 • they had been hitherto.
: •. ; o • eat there Wila 110 W a con-
' ,! e;;:. ••. ton for the lane Corps
. • • • '• • .leene; Ile need not remind
th-• ..t einent it first did a gaol
di', in the way of subvention thee they did
not: ; e.. i if they hal never done more it would
have been quite impoesitale to set corps on foot
withent very considerable local subscriptions.
The Crovernment, however, uttdertook in the
courae of time to do a little more, and there was
perletps lese need for nulascriptions than there
used to be; bat their captain had very properly
pointed out that there wats more needed in con-
sequence of the great increase in the members
of the carps in that town. lie believed people
were glad to see their own relations connected
with rile companiee, and he believed that when
a j melee mar conatectel limo-If with a company,
a good off. .et had been found to follow in the ac-
qmsition of hahite of order, r•gelarity, and self-
sts Post. liit .10r,L;lip ColleCtlit.tl by recout-
weeding the e nits to the e'ipport of the mei t-
lug, and by wishing the niovuineat all success

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