The Ottawa free trader., 1875-07-31
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FOREIGN NEWS.
Great Britain,

! One Of hose ambitious mortals to whom no
misery is 80 great as obscurity, has been made
happy by suddenly leaping into conspicuous
InOt0ricty, He is a member of parliament,
and his name is PlimsOll, lie has had hob
by for years, founded on unquestionably
shameful abuse, in reference to the safety OF
merchant ships He has written book OD
the subject, and failing in that way to get the
public ear, got himself elected to parliament,
where he at once demanded of the ministry
the Introduction Of bill to remedy the evil
be complains Of, which is, that half the mer-
chant. ships ahoat are unSeaworthy-mere
traps to increase inordinately the rates of in
sErance and murder poor seamen. The min
stry, acknowledging the evil complained of
10 exist, but nQtto the extent alleged, agreed
to have bill passed On the snbjcct, bat very
much short Of what Mr. Plimsoll wanted.
Thereupon on the introduction of the GOV.
ernment bin instead of Plimsol's in the
house, the latter made a "scene" He de
noanced the bill as "an attrocious sham, " and
charged the government with willingly play,
inside and outside the house. to secure Il con-
tinuance Of the present murdeTous system.
desire to unmask the villains WHO sit in this
house, fit representatives of more numerous
but not greater villains outside. I demand
that my bill be proceeued with. Failing in
this, lay upon the neads of the premier ana
his colleagues the blood of all who shall per
ish next winter from preventible causes, and
denounces against him and them the wrath Of
Cod"
Plimsoll for these and a column more Of
similar remarks, was forcibly elected from
the house But lie had gained his object
He had created a sensaton-made himself
notorlous-got the whole nation 10 thinking
seriously about the abuse he complained of,
and the government will be compelled TO
have decent law passed on the subject.
The recent financial squall in England has
led to direful results in the manufacturing
districts. Notice having been given at Ash
ton, Oldham and otLeI points ola reduction
of wages, a general strike followed and there
upon ljj mills were closed at Oldham, 81 at
Dundee, and fifty at Ashton, in all throwing
over 10000 operatives out Of work The most
serious distress among the operatives is in
eyitabe.
Floods are still reported from different
parts of England. On the Goth the waters OF
the river Meme, at Peterboro, rose from 10 to
20 feet above the ordinary level. The rise
was 50 sudden that bedrooms in buildings
along the river were flooded and the sleeping
inmates barely escaped with their lives -Four
thousand acres of grazing land are flooded
bctwesn Earth and Denburgh, and 1900 cat
tie deprived Of pasture. The water is three
and four feet deep on 1000 acres of land near
Whi0lesey.
The weather a, latest dates, however, had
settled and there was revival of hopes re
specting the harvest. The rapid rise IN
wheat which had been full four shillIngs per
quarter for the previous week, had been
checked. though the Nark Lane Erpr6SS
thinks ~ return to the former low rates is
The Bank Of England on the Goth reduced its
rate of discount 10 2i5 DER cent. One hun
lred and eighteen thousand pounds in gold
went into the Bank Of England on balances
he same Gay.
Messrs. Moody and Sankey are making
our in north Wales. On Monday next they
will assist at the laying of the cornerstone Of
he Presbyterian church at Roseth, near
WreXham.
SIR Francis Bond Head, formerly lIeuten-
mt governor of Upper Canada, and well
known as an author, is dead.
Parliament is expected to be prorogued.
.bout the ilth Of August.