The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-11-21 00:00:00

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Our yodon torrtsponkni.
WI doom It right to state that wo do not at all umeo
Identity oursolve• with ear Commandant's clank/id. j

There are time*, in these dull November days, when
the London papers, instead of cheering by their con.
tents the hearts of their readers, become more dreary
and orpiritlese than before. Glance at the columns of
these lively journals, and the eye wanders over wastes
ot advertisementa set in the smallest type, the matter
at the same time being of not the slightest interest to
a living soul. These are, in the technical language of
the profession, Parliamentary-notices. They relate to
the echemesof private enterprise, for which application
is intended to be made to the Legislature in the
ensuing session, and that these are of a very varied
character I need scarcely say. They ret forth with
the greatest minuteness the sections of existing acts
which it is meant to repeal, and the utmost care is
taken that the chapters and sections of these laws are
correctly described. A blunder in a single figure out
of hundreds has been Jrnown to vitiate an entire ad-
vertisement. Many of the schemes are strongly
opposed, and their antagonists, ever on the alert to
find out a joint in the armour of their foes, are ready
enough to take advantage of even a mistake ~f this kind,
and to argue before the examiner of private hilt, that, as
there is an informality in the notice, the project must
naturally fall to the ground for that year. These ad-
vertisements are bound to be published in three succes-
sive weeks previous to the 30th November, by which
day the notices have to to, deposited at the Board of
Trade, Whitehall Any bills not so lodged by that
time cannot be proceeded with. Formerly the Private
Bill Committees of the House of C011112101)11 conehoted of
five members, but when Parliament met in the session
of 1865, it was confronted with 600 of these schemes
to be dealt with, and by way of multiplying the com-
mittees, reduced their number to four. After the
financial panic of 1866, private enterprise was checked
to an extraordinary extent; and Mime the trials of
election petitions were transferred from the House of
Commons to the Judges, there have been amply milli-
eient members to deal with railway, gas, and water
bills. There are many who declare that the system
which necessitates the sanction of the Legislature for
unopposed schemes is cumbrous and expensive. If a
railway, a dock, or a gas company wants to raise more
capital, or requires an extension of time to carry out
work already authorised, it does seem as though a
steam hammer were brought into requisition to crack
a nut when an Act of Parliament has to be obtained.
This does not cost much less than 1:500, whereas a
registration before one of the Judges of A 8142.1), or even
the District County Court Judge, would answer the
same purpose, and cost nothing. Where projects were
fiercely contested, naturally there would be no alterna-
tive but to fight the battle out in the committee rooms
but surely in unopposed matters there is no occasion
to put in force all the expensive and tardy machinery !
of lawyers, parliamentary agents, commons, lords, and ,
the Royal assent. This is one of the reforms which ,
looms in the future.

The Metropolitan Board of Works has given notice
of its intention to apply to Parliament in the coming
Session, for powers to effect two separate and distinct
objects, which have been pressed upon that body for
some time past. One is she freeing of the bridges from
toll which cross the Thames within the radius of Lon-
don proper—a most important enterprise, which it is
estimated will coat about a million and a half
sterling. A toll bridge in a populous community
ought to be as obsolete an institution as a turn-
pike gate in one of its main thoroughfares. The
immense importance of free communication may
be seen any day if the curiae' reader cares to
take a short walk. Blackfriars and Westminster
Bridges are alive with busy life, and between these
two lines Waterloo-bridge a veritable desert. Why?
Simply because toll is levied upon foot-passengers and
vehicles—not much, it is true; a hall-penny in the
one case and twopence in the other, Mill there it is,
and the annoyance of the demand is felt far mure than
the payment of the paltry sum. And if you look at
the roads running in parallel lines with these bridges,
and contralti the bustle and activity of Blackfriars and
Westminster with the wilderness appearance of Water-
loo, no surprise whatever would be felt at the weight
whish is attached to this movement. The other
measure which the Board of Works has determined to
take into hand is one for giving to London a supply of
gas independently of the existing companies, and for
acquiring, if necessary, the works of those companies.
by purchase. In some parts of the metropolis gas is
It, per 1,000 feet, and in others 55., without any better
illuminating power. By many the action of the
ventral authority in respect to the gas is looked upon
as being of even greater urgency than the liberation of
the bridges ; but both bear upon subjects of immense
onsequence to the inhabitants of the capital.
The issue of a Royal Commission to inquire into the
question of army promotion is a measure taken in
response to a complaint which has long been made by
military officers. The purchase system was in-
defensible in many respects, but it prevented that
stagnation of promotion the existence of which its
practically ressignised by the issue of this commission.
Scions of great houses, heirs to entailed estates, and
other prospective possessors of large properties, were
sent into the army by their parents as a good school in
which to learn those habits of discipline and order
which would afterwards help them in the proper dis-
charge of the duties appertaining to high position.
When these officers came into their inheritance, they
retired, and a flow of promotion was thus secured in
their respective regiments. Of course it is a question
whether it was good for the army to he made a wheal
of this sort, but this does not affect the fact that the
abolition of the system has had its effect in retarding
that advancement to which gentlemen look forward
when they enter the military service. The public do
not wish for a restoration of purchase, but they have
a right to expect such a scheme of reconstruction as
will effect the same end by some other means.
The winter meetings of the Royal Geographical
Society are amongst the most interesting of any in
London. These hale just commenced, and the in-
augural address of tiiir Henry Rawlinson, the Presi-
dent, was, in accordance with custom, almost wholly
taken up with a review of the progress recently
effected in the field of geographical research. This
inoludes the Arctic regions, Africa, and certain pacts of
Asia. Lieutenant Payer, one of the heroes of the
Austrian Arctic Expedition, was present, and the
MIA° of the long detention of his ship, the Teyeel.ff,
in the Polar regions, are to form the subject of an in-
teresting future discussion. These, said Sir Henry
Rawlinson, were due either to tidal influences, or to
physical effects connected with the distribution of ice,
open sea, and land at the Pole. It is understood that
another Austrian expedition is being organised, and
although the President had nothing definite to com-
municate as to the prospect of one going out from this
country, it was, he said, quite possible that this might
be the case in the course of next year, and that,
thoroughly organised and equipped under naval offi-
cers, there was every probabilitai of the British flag
being carried to the North Pole itself.
Before Lord Mayor Lusk went out of office, he took
occasion to say a few words upon the attitude of the
great trade guilds of London. The Metropolitan
School Board has lately passed a resolution that draw.
lag shall be taught in the Board schools, and the in-
struction, if properly given, will serve as the ground
work for the special training which the artist workman
should possess. Now, each one of the City Com-
panies claims to preside over a particular branch of
trade, and to no better purposes could the vast re-
...laces at their command be devoted than to make
provision for a thorough Collll3o of technical training.
Some of these guilds, the Turners' amongst the num-
bee, have already entered upon the good work, but
much remains to be done. Our late chief magistrate
plainly told these companiesthat if they were to put for-
ward their strength a vast improvement might be effected
in the arts and man uf actures of this country. All foreign
ritics agree in the strength and soundness of English
workmanship, while they point to a want of taste and
knowledge in its direction. These qualities cannot be
procured without training, and until that is provided,
complete success in certain handicrafts is scarcely
possible.

The nomination of Sheriffs in the Court of Ex-
chequer on the morrow of St Martin is an event
which is certain to attract a crowded attendance. Not
only the Barone of the Exchequer, but the judges of
the other common law courts are there, wearing their
ermine robes, which are brought out only upon State
OCollsioll3. Several of the Cabinet Ministers are also
present, the Chancellor of the Exchequer being distin-
guished by a magnificent gold-laced robe, which he
seldom dons but on that day. The word sheriff, I
may say, is a contraction of shire-rove, the governor of
a county, and from the time of William the Con-
queror, the reigning sovereign has nominated one for
each shire, with the exception of Middlesex, which
with London has the privilege of electing its
own sheriffs, these functionaries being styled the
Sheriffs of London and Middlesex. Although the
duties of the shrievalty are by no means
no heavy as in former ages, great importance is still
attached to the office, for the sheriff, as the official
representative of the reigning monarch, is entrusted
with the administration of justice in his county, is
responsible for the proper reception and entertain.
ment of the judges of assize, is charged with the care
esf all prisoners, and upon him devolves the task of
executing the sentence of death in the terms pro-
nounced by the judge. London Is, I believe, the only
place where the sheriffs personally superintend such
an operation, for the rule is to delegate the disagree-
elf:de duty to the under-sheriff. At the nomination in
tl Exchequer Court, to which I called attention Just
mar. the names of three gentlemen In sada

county are selected, and these having been submitted
to the Queen, the first of the three iscenerally chosen,
the others taking their turns ai subsequent years.
Oftentimes gentlemen plead very earnestly to be
exctuied from serving, for the expenses of the shrievalty
_

re no trifle; and if a country gentleman with c.im-
paratively limited means cannot have as good a turn-
out in the way of equipages and servants' liveriee as
his predecessor, he would rather not have one at all.