The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1879-01-11
LETTER FROM EUROPE.
cons.poadenes q tls Dsn9eralie Adgoeale

/ kVfNtsefoHAttttt " tNc RtNaotfNafI IuCutdtt.
LONDON, ENGLAND, Dec. "a, 1873.
Christmas is at the door, but without the
gratifying circumstances usually attending this
great festival. The depression Of trade and
commerce has thrown a gloom over British
industry in all its branches whilst the denlin.
ing revenue, in conjunction with an increas,
| ing expenditure, forshadow an additional bur
den in the shape of new taxes. The course
of national prosperity is stopped for while,
and whether the present adverse eircumstan-
ees are attributable TO over-produetiOn, high
prices, inferior quality Of manufactured goods,
or any other cause, there is evidently ne
cessity on the part Of individuals to reduce
their domestic expenses, and a still more i'm
perative requirement that the Government
should make an extensive retrenchment in its
departments where the cost upon rigid in
yestigatiou would be found in excess of the
actual work required to be done. Extraya
ganee, idleness, and thrillessness have been
assigned as causes of trouble to the artisan
class, whilst the absence Of reciprocity in the
foreign trade transactions has tended in the
opinion Of some inquirers to leave large por
ton OF manufacturing plant and machinery
idle. There is n lamentable amount Of uuem
ployed industry in the country, and as the
HAhsNA NSSfNho hhN HiiNh VI HbNtItl viii uN
felt by thousands Of persons who ia former
years have been able to provide Christmas
dinners for their families and to rejoice.
There will be large demand upon ratepay.
ers for the sustenance Of the poor, and add
tional means will be required for the casual
wards to which recourse will be had by the
destitute in the cold and snow.
A painful instance of death from starvaticn
was lately disclosed at the Westminster Ses-
sions, and the particulars, as stated in the pa
pers, constitute Christmas tale more heart
rendlng than anything occurring in the sGtou
of the holiday time. A child two months old
was found dead in its mothers arms. The
father had long been out of work, aud every.
thing he possessed had been parted with, bit
by bit, for the sustenauce Of the farAiiy. fhen,
in dread Of the work house, the mother took
her child in her arms and went out in the
streets singing, according TO the report,
crippled, feeble, starving, hAlfelad and sick
with heartache." She, for three days in sue
cession, wandered about but her poor efforts
did not attract pence enough to keep body
and soul together The baby was seantily
clad, and the mother worse; and on the third
day Of this desperate attempt to win compass
sion by the help of street ballads, the child,
wrapped up in shawl so thin that its wan,
pinched face could be seen through the folds,
died in her arms. Ii is shocking to think that
such terrible things are possible in this great
metropolis, where rates for poverty are high,
and sixpence in the pound is demanded even
for School Board expenses. The inhumanity
Of forcing excessive knowledge into the heads
of poor children Tor attempting to do sol at
this great cost, whilst other children are al
lowed to starve and die in the Streets in re-
voting to common humanity.
Londoners hold that Regent.street, the
chief thoroughtare in the richest quarter OF
the wealthiest city in the world, is not what
it ought to be in all respects, and there is row
on foot a scheme for its Improvement, which
at first sight appears more of dream than n
practical project. The promoters have 4 in
their minds to cover the whole street 9Th q
glass roof, stretching above the caves Of the
houses on either side, thus affording complete
protection from rain, while at the same time
insuring good ventilation. After dirk the
huge arcade would be Illuminated ss electric
sunlights placed at regular intervals along the
centre of the arch, thereby difiusing more
pleasant and equal light than under ordinary
circumstances. One Of the greatest defects
of Regent-street at present is its macadam
pavement, which, in wet weather, produces
seas of slush, and in dry, clouds OF dust.
The English gre now bitterly complaining
that their goods are driven away from many
markets, abroad and at home, by foreign COM
petition. The Times in its issue of to-day
calls attention to the fact that some Of the
causes of this are easily preyentible. Quite
recently "local firm had the offer OF large
order for engines-twenty thousand pounds
worth-and the workmen were told that the
order could only be taken it they would work
at reduced price, but that by so doing they
would secure six days work per week for
months. They would have consented, am
told, but had first asked the permission of
''the Union" ''rhe Union refused its con
sent. Then the order went to Germany In
another case cutlery manufacturer was una
BILE TO supply q large order for similar cause.
Yet again, an order for thirteen thousand
dozens of razors went 10 Germany the other
day because there we're not suiiicienb FORCES
in Sheffield TO do the work needed. The
trade will not allow machinery TO be used +,
by which means alone large quantity can be
turned out rapidly; but the more logical Ger
mans use machinery for the purpose, aud
they undertook to supply the razors. Quality
and price are not the only considerations in
giving an order-time is another, and often
the chief question and in these days Of ra-
pidly extending machinery the manufacturer
and tho men who work without 1t must con.
stantly expect to be distanced.
Since the return Of the Queen from Scot,
land the usual staff Of the Royal Household
Police, stationed at Windsor Castle, has been
supplemented by several members Of the
Criminal Investigation Department Of the Ne
tropolitan Police. This action on the part OF
the authorities is now, the ordinary staff EN-.
ployed at the Castle, having been hitherto
deemed sufficient to insure Her Majesty from
molestation. What, therefore, has induced
the authorities to employ additional detective
officers, who regularly watch the arrival Of all
trains at the termini Of the Great Western and
the South Western Railways, is not known,
but various rumors are prevalent Of fears OF
an attempted outrage, an idea based upon the
recent Socialist movement on the Continent.
ALPHA.