The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-05-25 00:00:00

Our 'Kean eortesfunbent.

tWe deem It right to tote tha_ we do not at all times
Identity ourselves with our Correenondent's opinions.]

There is just now, perhaps, but one subject which
may be laid to disturb the public mind, and that is the
still vexed and continuously uncomfortable dispute
• ' "

with America. Our Government, it is pretty gene-
rally admitted, have done their utmost to settle
the difliculty—jnst as any other Government, by
the way, would have done, and the matter now
rents with the American Senate. This august
body have to decide on the acceptance or re- '
jection of the supplementary article to the Washing-
ton Tr,aty—tm article the adoption of which would
make final and amicable settlement a mere matter of
detail and arrangement What course the Senate will
adopt we are searcely likely to know before the 24th,
and meanwhile we must hope for the best. We are
most of us utterly weary of the whole affair, but, un-
happily, it is not one which weariness w;11 settle. It
is at all events consoling to think that the Senate
will accept the propoeal that has been submitted to
them. If they will not, there will certainly be a
strong feeling in this country in favour of throwing up
the treaty altogether, and leaving America to take her

own course.
I was not aware till very recently that the Duke
_

of Edinburgh and the Duke of Cambridge are
Fishmongers, but it seems they are, and when they
dined on Saturday with that ancient and honour-
able Corporation, the Fishmongers' Company, they
were simply dining with their brother Fishmongers.
The first-mentioned Duke is a fishmonger by patri-
mony, the late Prince Consort having been a member
of the company. The Duke of Edinburgh has jest
received the freedom of the company, as it is facetiously
called; and has now been boned down to do or
not to do certain things as to which he was perfectly
free before. But let that pass. I suppose it would
be useless to ask these royal Fishmongers to use their
influence in giving us free trade in fish, for the benefit
of the whole community ! It is a strange fact that fish
is as dear in London as ever it was, notwithstanding
the immense facilities of railway carriage—the mode of
conveyance by which five-sixths of the fish supply is
brought to the metropolis; and another strange fact
is that ever since the Columbia }ioh-Market was
handed over to the Corporation of London, the
market has been going down, down, and seems
likely to become a dead failure. Depend upon it
there is some reason for this, and it requires a satis-
fatory explanation. Reverting to the banquet at
Fishmongers' Hall, I cannot help noticing what
an immense amount was said and what a little
there was in the speeches. It was a curious display of
nintual admiration and reciprocal compliments. Some
remarks, however, which fell from the Lord Chancellor
are worth consideration at a time when so ranch is said
about the constitution of the House of Lords. Lord
Flatherly maintains that that House is in its constitu-
tion and forms of a much more democratic character
than the House of Commons. Rather startling this,
and I think his lordship scarcely proves his case.
"The House of Commons," he said, "recognises in
their Speaker one who rules and governs them, and to
whom they always submit. But the Lord Chancellor
bag no authority in the House of Lords. There all are
equal." Very true, but this does not make this House
more democratic than the other. As to the decorum
of the proceedings of the Peers, there can be no doubt
of that. His lordship did not say as much—but a note
might be taken of this in "another place."
We shall hear something definite with regard to the
French prisoners who have been sent over here when
Parliament re-assembles, but meanwhile the conduct
of the French authorities is exciting no little indigna-
tion in England. Whether the unhappy men who
have been rkportes to our shores, and landed penniless
at Dover, were or were not Communists, that is no
reason why they should be sent over to England to be
kept at the public cost, or to be a burden on private
charity. The sufferings of these poor fellows ap-
nea?' to have been very great. Taken from a
prison in Palle, toll to be ready in two hours
to leave for a foreign destination unknown to them;
prohibited from seeing their friends; packed off
by railway to Calaie ; refused all aid by the corn-
miesary of polise of that town, and by the French
Consul at Dover; and actually sent adrift at the
latter plrtee without money (it seems twelve men
had ten francs among them), without friends, and
unable to speak English; begging their way to
London, subsisting partly on 'raw vegetables dug
up in the fields "—all this and much more show
that the treatment of these men has been cruel and
unwarranted, if national righte are to be considered at
all. The French Government, of course, are troubled
with people whom they would much like to get rid of—
at Cayenne, or in England, or anywhere else—but so
have we. We could send France a pretty considerable
number of "habitual criminals" and ticket-of-leave
men; we could ship them off to Calais, shoot them
down on that inhospitable quay just as we would land
cargo, and leave them there to starve or be kept by the
French. But what would the French Government
say to all this? It is well that public attention on both
sides of the Channel is now being directed to this cruel
deportation of French prisoners, for I believe that
there has been much more of it than is gszerally
thought. The subject was mentioned in both HollsOlii
of Parliament many weeks ago, and We deportation
seems to have been going on at intervals ever since. It
is to be hoped that there will be no more of it—at least
under the same cruel circumstances.
The poetic adage regarding lovely woman, that
t• when she will she will, you may depend on't, and
when she won't she won't, and there's an end on't," is
verified by the Scotch lassies in domestic service per-
sliding in their agitation, and actually forming an
association to better their position. No doubt there is
much to be said on the other side, but it cannot be
denied that these servants hays a good deal to say for
themselves (women generally have, and that there is
much justice in their remarks. A meeiing has been
held at which "discussion of an irregular nature "took
place. Of course. We cannot expect servants to
make speeches with the cut and dried precision of
practised orators: but our servants seldom want for
words. One rather laughable grievance that Scotch
domestics or helps—they probably will soon repudiate
the term "servant "—complain about is the "flag" or
servant's cap, which they say is a badge of servitude.
But really, Mary Jane, you like nicer--and you know
what it is to look nice—with your flag than without it.
You had better courageously stick to your flag. But on
some other points I, for one, feel inclined to agree with
you. I think there is ranch justice in your denunciation
of unnecessary Sunday work that six o'clock is early
enough to rise, considering what a long day you have
before you ; and that there is some reason after all in
your complaint that while rigid inquiries are made into
your character, none is permitted to be made as to the
character of the "missile." But depend upon it you
will be a long time before you effect such 3 social re-
volution as would be involved in the mistress having
to give a "character" to the servant before the !atter
is engaged. And in other respects you seem to be going
too fast and toe far. Work less burdensome and wages
more liberal—really this is serious in its very
vagueness; a weekly half-holiday, a free Sabbath
every fortnight, and three hours absolutely at your
disposal daily— is not this insisting on too much ? And
"full latitude as to the style of apparel 1" Really,
Mary Jane, this s becoming serious!
There has recently been a discussion in the North of
En,jand as to the price of coke and coal, and especially
the former. A etartling fact was mentioned by the
chairman that while a short time ago 20,000 tons of
coke could be purchased for £12,000, there has now t
be paid for a like quantity .£32,000. The probabil:oes
of a coke famine were also seriously discussed, and this
by gentlemen practically acquainted with the subject.
If we look else 'to the reports of the iron a.nd metal
trades, we shall find prices rising, and considering what
a number of branches of industry depend on these
parent trades, the matter becomes worthy of deep con-
sideration. The rise in prices may mainly be accounted
for by the increased commercial activity of the country,
and consequently by the increased demand for coal,
coke, iron, and various metals employed in industrial
branches, and also by the rise in the price of labour.
There will no doubt dte. sooner or later, a reaction,
and prices will give way generally, including the prices
of labour, but meanwhile the country is undoubtedly
in a sound commercial position. One feature
is especially observable. For some years past there
have been complaints that Germany was always ready
to be a very large seller to, but never prepared to buy
much of Great Britain, and that she was underselling
us in our own markets; but during the last few months
Germany has become a very large buyer of British
products. We are also now doing a large continental
trade generally, and our internal trade is sound and
healthy. If we can but get this miserable Anglo.
American difficulty settled, and if we can keep on the
right aide of over-speculation we shall have abundant
cause for satisfaction.

THE Ex-EMPEROR NAPOLEON'S HEALTH.—A
correspondent writes as follows of the Emperor
Napoleon :
"
=W.
much

many fictions and inventions—the offspring of pure
,—have been lately circulated in England, and very
more in France, regarding the state of the health of
mperor Napoleon, that perhaps it may be satisfactory
a very numerous I: lends of that personage to hear the
on of one who had not till to-day seen Ills Majesty
July last. The Emperor gays he is perfectly well, and,
nit from his appearance, not only is such the case, but
.ks several year. younger than he did at it. Cloud, in
1870. I should think the superb calmness of his
e, which cannot even be ruffled ^y personal misfor.
la the great cause of Ills Majesty looking as he does
younger than he really is. Ilia remark on the
.te of England was characteristic: ' When you have
s Mention and such a continued welcome as I have
Y...m.lnn I v n do not much ne..d climate."'

Z`V.;'

judgn
hlook.

natifre,

i("crdii

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