The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-12-05 00:00:00

Our Wonbon 6orrtsporcbtnt.
[We deem It right to state that e do not at all times
blandly oarselves with our Correspondent's opinions.]

to ask the Baroness Burdett Coutta to convert
Columbia Market into a huge swimming bath. This
benevolent lady, who seems to delight in going
about doing good, expended a quarter of a million
sterling upon the construction of Columbia Market,
in order that flu pour of Bethnal Green might
be supplied with cheap fish instead of having to fetch
it all the way from Billingsgate. But Billisigfogate
was not disestablished quite so easily. Altlaaigh it ia
so inconveniently situated, close to the banks of the
river, accessible only by narrow and tortuous ways,
and a considerable distance from any railway ter-
minus, the fish merchants could not make up their
minds to leave it. The object of building the market
upon the margin of the Thames was to receive the
supplies of fish when these were transported solely by
the agency of water carriage, and before a single rail-
way station had been built or thought of. But now,
although vast quantities of fish are conveyed to London
by rail, the market still remains at Billingsgate. Much
of it comes into the Great Western terminus at Pad-
dington, from which it is carted four or five miles to
Billingsgate at the opposite end of the town, and then
carted back again for distribution several hours after-
wards. I have thought for years that it is a great
pity there is not a good fish market near every railway
terminus, for this description of food is so perishable,
more especially in the summer, that the time consumed
in cartage involves an enormous loss of capital. The
presence of the Great Western station at Paddington
has called into existence all around it a busy and
populous community; yet Billingsgate, miles away,
is still the fish market of the Metropolis. The Baroness
Burdett Coats endeavoured, although unsuccessfully,
to initiate a change; and Columbia market, which
coat so much, is an admitted failure. Whether her
ladyship will consent to turn it into an immense
swimming bath is, I imagine, open to doubt.
There is now no lack of institutions amongst us for
young men who really wish to improve their minds.
The Birkbeck Institute in Southampton-buildings, the
Working Men's College in Great Ormond street, and
the Quebec Institute in Portland-place, are doing good
work in different parts of London. The last-mentioned
is quite new, and the inaugural address was delivered
only last week by Air. John Walter, M.P. It is at
the same time worthy of note that at crowded public
meetings of the ratepayers both of St. Pancras and of
Islington, the proposed application of the Free
Libraries' Act to these parishes has been rejected.
The truth is that the local taxation of the metropolis
has increased to such an extent of late years that the
ratepayers are very shy of adding to it even for so
laudable an object as that of a Free Library. The
rate arising out of the operation of the Education Act
of 1870 is of course compulsory, but where taxation is
permissive, I for one, knowing the demand notes which
householders have to meet, am not surprised at the
cry of "no more rates !" which is for the time
triumphant.
The month of November is always a busy one at
Whitehall. Ministers then suspend their holidays to
come up and deliberate in the greyest and gloomiest of
cities. Cabinet councils are of frequent occurrence,
and if you stand at the corner of Downing-street any
afternoon you may see our rulers making their way
towards the unpretentious No. 10, where the ministers
assemble. Some come singly; others in pairs, arm-in-
arm. These deliberations in November are held with
a view to settle the cast of the ministerial measures
to be laid before Parliament in February; the army
and navy estimates are made up ; and the Chancellor
of the Exchequer is enabled pretty nearly to tell how
the revenue will stand at the end of the financial year
on the list of March. Aa the conversation at a
Cabinet Council is kept a profound secret, even from
those colleagues who are lefts exalted in office, what
tales eould those walla unfold if they were enabled to
speak! One Government succeeds another, and leaves
no records of what passes in the Cabinet; the ex-
presaed opinions of our most eminent statesmen have
been lost; but if their words were merely frozen upon
the walls, and could be thawed at pleasure like
the tuned upon Baron Afunchausen's horn, what
would not an enterprising publisher give for them?

I think it is Mr. Kingsley who has glorified the east
wind, and rejoiced when the weather is hard and grey.
There are, however, various was a of looking at a winter
of exceptionabieverity such anthill which meteorologists
have predicted in in store for ua now, and like we have
not had since that bitter one orlB7o, when the Thames
was frozen completely over in the upper reaches; when
huge masses of ice floated down the stream past West-
minster and Blackfriars ; and when the navigation in
the great metropolitan river—that scene of busy anima-
iron on a summer day—was entirely suspended. One
point of view is naturally that of the young, the
healthy, and the vigorous. They watch the crilummi
of the papers for the suggestive beading, "The Weather
and the Parks," and when they see that in the receiving
house of the Royal Humane Society so many degrees
of frost have been registered, the exclamation is some-
thing like thia—"Ah ! awfully jolly! Some chance of
skating now l" And let the frost continue for a few
days and nights, and the ornamental waters in the parks
be sufficiently congealed, and the frozen surface will
speedily be covered by thousands upon whose faces are
imprinted signs of the most unmistakable enjoyment
Ladies wrapped camfortably in sable, ermine, and grebe;
and gentlemen with the collars of their overcoats turned
out with fox, —there they present, during the brief
day, an ever-shifting panorama, and when darkness
sets in the margins of the lake are illuminated with
innumerable torched. The devotees of skating make
the most of their time, for winters like that of 1855,
when the frost continues with unabated severity for
several weeks, do not often occur. But this is only
one look at the kaleidoscope. Turn in imagination
from the parka, the palaces, and the mansions of the
rich towards the direction of the rising sun, and con-
template the great population of Bethnal-green and
Whitechapel. The precarious outdoor employments
of thousands of these have been suddenly stopped,
hundreds of barges are frozen in, and the east wind, by
preventing shim, from coming up the river, dearives
an army of dock labourers from earning a day's bread.
Their coals are short, their food is scarce, their home
is privation, and their ventilation is typhus. How
differently they watch the indications of a change
of weather from those in the west end of the
town! To one set of people the hoary rime brings
healthful recreation and unbounded delight ; to
another, living under the same jurisdiction, it is the
sourse of untold misery. Let the wind veer round to
the south-west during the night, and the reaident in
Belgravia puts on a doleful countenance, for the moist
atmosphere breaks up the ice, and terminates his plea-
sure. But that stone wind, by breaking up the ice in
the Thames, gives employment to vast numbers of
workers whom a north-eastern compels to stand idle
in the market-oam of life. There is yet another as-
pect in which the effects of a hard winter have to be
viewed. When a wave of icy air mimes over the
metropolis, its result is immediately seen in the in-
crease in the bills of mortality. The Registrar-
General tells you in his next return bow many of the
aged the frost has slain, and how many have perished
through the more direct agency of the intense cold.
Two years ago, if your readers remember, the winter
was a mild and wet one, and for thirteen weeks there
was not one dry day. In that quarter there died in
London less by nearly 5,000 than the average number
for that period of the year. But supposing those
thirteen weeks had been weeks of frost, the pendulum
would have swung the other way, and there must have
been a difference of at least 10,000 in our population!
School architecture has rapidly developed into a
science. The London School Board has already
erected 71 of these buildings, and before its term of
existence expires, in November, 1K53, it will have
provided accommodation fir 131,000 children within
the metropolitan area. Meanwhile a discussion is
going on as to the best description of building adapted
ts educational work. At a gathering which assembled
in the Society of Arts a night or two ago, the Prussian
system of giving each class a separate room was
warmly advocated as being the hest suited for the A SCOTCH CLERGYMAN IN WEST.
elementary school of the future, as it is already the MINSTER ABBEY.
leading principle on which middle class schools are Dr. Caird, the Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the
conducted. Objection has been taken by many to the University if Glasgow, delivered a lecture in West.
external appearance of some of the buildings raised minster Abbey on Monday evening on Christian
tinder the auapices of the London School Board; but missions. The lecturer, who wore his university gown
Sir Charles Reed, the chairman, lately told a public the nave
hnrrl, ainfd
laierrifV,,•ecyolwleitglet cap i neriasnhaannda entered
meeting that it was one thing to have a handsome Kingsley, who also wore black gowns, but without
elevation, and another to have a building in all its their hoods, and the small procession, if procession it
parts studiously adapted to the purposes of the work could be termed, was preceded by a single verger,
which is to go on within it. Whether it is possible to who conducted the lecturer to the eagle lectern, which
combine beauty without and utility within does not had been
epnitac.
re
oaf at
ea
Abbey,
dista
lies'. S. Flood nce f Baez.,
yet appear. and One of the minor canon's, the Rev. J. Troutbeck.
Sir James Ilogg, M.P., the Chairman of the Metro- wearing their masters' gowns, occupied seats in the
polities Board of Works, has been entertained at stalls used by the choir at the special Sunday evening
dinner at Willis's Rooms, and the occasion was ren- services,
attch ntilled7hattletrst
womedsproefseate.
nave,
olered remarkable from the presence of the Chancellor consisted mainly of well-dressed people, many of
of the Exchequer, the Home Secretary, the Post- whom took an evident interest in the pro-
master-General, the Presidents of the Board of Trade ceeding,s, and watched with eager attention every
and the Local Government Board, and the Under movement on the part of the cathedral clergy and the
Secretary for India. A devlaration was made by the lecturer. Many clergymen and,Nonconformist
minis-
ra:l pzeystatourestestOr
Chancellor of the Exchequer which was of national
trtewreereertp.reszttlireidpeseoveleal R
p entered
importance. Referring to the criticisms which had Beata in the majority of cases without offering the
been made upon the state of the revenue, he adhered customary private prayer' in fact, there was but little
to the opinion which he expressed at the beginning of to distinguish the amembly from an audience in an
the financial Year, that although there would not be ordinary lectureiroran (says the Pall Mall Ga:,:iti).
a-The first hymn Bishop Heber 's well known lines
an overwhelming, there would bee satisfactory balance
'From Greenland's icy mountains," a-as sun directly'
at the end of the twelve months. The Exchequer, Dr. Coital took his place at the lctern after its an.
Sir Stafford Northcote went on to gay, had suffered nouncement by the precentor. Without preliminary
from two causes the rich were so contented prayer or text, the lectorer commenced his address,
with their lot that they seemed determined to live on, which he read with great effect, his fine musical voice,
an that there was less probate and succession duty; at
earnest
atnmannoesri and occasional "dacestjeont,," producing in
and the working classes, their wives, and families ap- fact, at Home of the most powerful points applaud;
his ;dis-
peered to drink more tea and less spirits, the duty aaaasa there was an obvious sensation among his
upon the former being considerably less than upon the hearers.
latter. Sir Stafford's statement is gratifying in every Commencing with a reference to the universality of
way. It shows us that we shall have no increase of Christianity, which owns no limit but humanity itself,
and which stands forth as the one religion claiming to
taxation next April, that we are keeping our rich rela. be destined and fitted to convert the world, the lecturer
tions with us instead of going into mourning for them, proceeded to discuss at length the grounds on which
and that the increased consumption of tea over spirits this claim rests, and to ask what ia the secret of the
points to an augmented rata of sobriety amongst the universality and of the all-converting power of the
industrial section of the population. One of the aTtPlosfelcreeßturiaCthrat,tlikel its
rnstaitcterttosrai it is d the la)togoWnere
guests at this dinner was the Lord Mayor,
divine and human; its divinity is a'divinity which
Nine it is often said that there is a feeling of rivalry humanity can express. In other words, the success of
between the City Corporation and the Board of Christianity is based on its self-evidencing power; it
Works, and at this moment a scheme is before the does not depend on anything outside man, but on the
public for creating a municipality for London, in fact that in and through man's nature the r Spirit of
which It is difficult to say whether the Board of Works Gard
which tsorchrisetspiorfittheTheisnotheoulesctpu,r,ewerclecwlzerg
shall swallow up the Corporation, or the Corporation Christianity possesses as compared with all other
absorb the Board of Works. However, Lord Mayor religions, and against which nothing can prevail. Its
Stone showed that he knew no jealousy, for he was teacher comes, not relying simply on supernatural
one of those who assembled to do honour to Sir James Power and hidding men accept his message at the peril
Hogg, who is one of the most popular men that ever gtdfite iranso but asentbse
hearts,
ttonfda
ifeenlirgeionhewhiit2
preeided over the assembly which meets every Friday
the most irorefragmable assurance of success in his
in Spring Gardens. There is. I may .la, all the work. After alluding to pre-Christian religions, which,
difference between the remuneration of the Lord instead of appealing to the higher part of man's nature,
Mayor and the chairman of the Board of Works. The strove to reach him through his lower sympathies.
former receives £B,OOO a year with a splendidly Eff. Cairtff procer
tzel t 6, contrast with these clreeidise
lurnished residence; while the salary of the latter is therevelatrosnliaTtyoSto man.°lTuetl'orman T27ll2tsoellfy,atnd
£3,500. It may be increased to £2,000, as in the cam which calls on men to believe its claims with a voice
of the late Sir John Thwaitea ; but beyond that, by which speaks not merely to them, but in them, for it is
Act of Parliament, it cannot go. the voice of Him in whose image they were made ; it
is the voice of the invisible divinity within telling
Much has lately been written and said respecting the thesis that sin is a wroog, not only against God, but
probable extinction of the native oyster, and although against themselves. Having met the algunient that
opinions on the point have been given by the chief there is in Christianity much that is in apparent
Commissioner of Fisheries as well as by sorue of antagonism to humanity by declaring it to be only a
our most eminent scientific then, no remedy 87:yrfielletieftir lasnreeriletai'f eremsrye,mi)ra nCZl:dlteddmiTtrat admitted at
he t
appears to have been found for what most Christianity is an*ascetic religion, but pointed out that
people will admit to be an undoubted evil, while heathen asceticism leads to mutilation and
Oyster merchants., however, declare that there laceration, Christian asceticism is only AMC:Mit, an
is really no help for the prohibitory prices now eat —to the attaintrant of the highest perfection and
chargal, an there cast be no question that for the last nsmbhivy.After a description marked languatie
of
great I reauty of the influence of Chnstiamty on the indi-
tew years the yield has failed. For this several con- vidual, the family, and the State, in all of which its funo-
jectures have been assigned. For many years past we than is not to destroy man's nature Out to fulfil it,
have had cold and unsettled weather in June, and to extract the canker of selfishness and thus to ennoble
thi ~t is contended, has proved detrimental to the and purify, the lecturer affirmed that in all these
. development of the oyster beds. Tlie bivalve which is si;l:eortf ttairianstiiiifneilisdtrheerlahrs'ziittioaqftetshtean
auch a general favourite, cannot well live in water e ietZeinnteiaena:
lug of
as God's meeisage to man in this—that it is man's
at a lower temperature than 70 degrees; and it often message to himself. Dr. Cairn then treated his subject
happens that a thunderstorm with bail, a high wind, from its missionary aspect, and expressed a strong
I,r a cold night provea fatal to large numbers. Another conviction that all appeals to the external, whether to
caum of the falling off is that immense quantities are miracles, tiacreeds,tto dogmast ,to evidences of
exported to Paris, to Belgium, and to other parts of ttotwaerctliesetias.tica.l.anudharori to t
the o
sacred
fact that Christi-
the Continent, Continent. The foreign trades buy up all they amity
appeals to ores, and that man needs no other
can obtain before they are tit for our markets; them proof of its authenticity than that which he possesses
trailers prefer the oysters as then they can get in himself. The lecturer disclaimed any desire to
more into a bushel, and as they are prepared to pay a ; undervalne those means and institutiona which others
good price, there are a ery few English oyster tner rAgarpi.elenccleChe rherel,iiviteari theiiniol!leiZl7enecenfana.lneasilihr-
hants who find themaelvea enabled to refuse the in; of our English cathedrals; but he argued that the
tempting bait la hl out to thou. Overgredging is missionary must look for success only to that secret
alleged to he another reason for the prevailing scarcity. ' power within Christianity which makes it true to man
Many ef the merchants now ask that legislation may as man, by which it can literally be felt to be true,
be resorted to, and they support their case by referring that element
tiott.witatichtitcih intellectualeture d
cannot
moot ailvanced e
to the Salmon Fisheries' Act of 1801. If salmon can outstrip and which the simplest intelligence can ap-
be preaerved, why may not the oyster also It is con- prebend.
tended by the advocates of legislation that a fence or At the conclusion of the lecture he Old Hundredth
close time should be established, that no oyster should Psalm (new version) was sung, and the Dean then said
Ire allowed e, be solabetween the lot of May and the 4th I the Benediction as a prayer, instead of pronouncing it
f eat, aul that no dre le should be permittd to as a blessing in the usual way.
be used between these two periods. Some go BO far PI - - -
to urge that • heavy export duty should be laid upon
oysters, or that exportation should be interdicted alto-
gather. Parliament, however, is scarcely likely to take
so extreme a course as that, for it would be acting con-
trary to the whole spirit of our modern legislation.
Still, measures of protection might well be adopted in
a matter which affects even in a small degree the food
supply of the people.
Some time ago there were great expectations that a
number of swimming baths were to be formal in the
Thames, tat the work has proceeded so slowly that
next spring will have arrival before one at Charing
crom and the other at Pimlico are ready. Probably
that will ire time enough, for in the bitter winter
weather which has lately settled down upon us, the
very mention of a plunge in the river is enough for the
time. A snggeetion is now made that the subject
should be taken up by the t.rporation or the Loudon
School Board, and that its nieces§ be no longer left to
ths obawn of tuttift Istoffniso,, Itl,rron propooocl