Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-01-08
Our European Letter.
LONDON, ENGLAND, Dec. q. 1875

Christmas is at the door, but without
the gratifying circumstances usually at
: tending this great festival. The depression
! of trade and commerce has ahrown a
gloom over the British Industry in all its
F. branches, whilst the declining revenue, in
conjunction with an increasing expendi-
ture, foreshadow an additional burden in
the shape of new taxes. The course of
national prosperity is stopped for while,
q. and whether the present adverse circum-
stances are attributable to over-production,
high prices, inferior quality of manufac-
tured goods, or any other cause, there is
evidently necessity on the part of indi-
viduals 10 reduce their domestic expenses,
and still more imperative requirement
that the government should make an ex-
tensive retrenchment in its departments
where the cost upon rigid investigation
would be found in excess of the actual
work required to be done. Extravaganza,
idleness. and thriftlessness have been as
signed 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 n
large portion of manufacturing plant and
machinery idle. There is lamentablc
amount of unemployed industry in the
country, and as the winter deepens the
pinch of poverty will be felt by thousands
of persons who in former years have been
able to provide Christmas dinners for their
families and to rejoice. There will be "A
large demand upon rate payers for the
sustenance of the poor. and additional
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 starry
alton was lately disclosed at the West
minister sessions, and the particulars, us
stated in the papers, constitute a Christ
mas tale more heartrending than anything
occurring in the fiction of the holiday time.
A child two months old was found dead in
its mothers arms. The father had long
been out OF work, and everything he pos
sessed had been parted with, bit by bit.
for the sustenance of the family. Then, 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, halfclad and
sick with heartache. She, for three DAYS
IN succession, wandered about; but her
poor efforts did not attract pence enough
to keep soul and body together. The baby
was scantily clad and the mother<worse;
on the third day of this desperate attempt
to win compassion by the help of ballads,
the child, wrapped up in shawl so thin
that its wan, pinched face could be seen
through the folds, died in her arms. 1t is
shocking to think that such terrible things
are possible in this great metropolis, where
rates for poverty are high, and sixpcnce in
the pound is demanded even for school
board expenses. The inhumani.y of forcing
excessive knowledge into the heads Ct
poor children Cor attempting TO do SOY at
this great cost, whilst other children are
allowed to starve and die in the streets, is
revolving to common humanity.
Londoners hold that Regent street, the
chief thoroughfare in the richest quarter
of the wealthest city In the world, is not
what it ought to be in all respects, and
there is now on foot Il scheme for its i'm
provement. which at first sight appears
more of II dream than practical project.
The promoters have it in their minds to
cover the whole street with glass roof
stretching above the caves of the houses
on either side, thus atfording complete
protection from rain, while at the same
time insuring good ventilation. After
dark the huge arcade would be illumina-
ted by electric sunlights placed at regular
intervals along the centre of the arch, |
thereby ditfusing a more pleasant and
equal light than under ordinary circum-
stances. One of the greatest defects of
Regent street at present is its macadam
pavement, which, in wet weather, pro-
duces seas of slush, and in dry, clouds of
dust. This, also, would be taken in hand |
for Improvement, the object sought being
the substitution of some form of pavement
which shall be noiseless, clean, safe for
horses, and not so liable TO fall out of re-
pair. With view to render unnecessary
the constant breaking up of the street, the
gas and water pipes would be carried up
to the roof, where they could be repaired
without difficulty. Such are the salient
features of the scheme.
The English are now bitterly complain
ing that their goods are driven away from |
many markets, abroad and at home, by
foreign competition. The Times, in its
issue of to-day, calls attention to the fact
that some of the causes of this are easily |
preventable. Quite recently local firm
had the offer of a large order for engines
twenty thousand pounds worth-and
could only be taken if 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" 1.-The Union" refused
its consent. Then the order went to Ger
many. In another case cutlery manu-
facturer was unable to supply Il large Or
der for n similar cause. Yet again, an
order for thirteen thousand dozens of ra-
zors went to Germany the other day be-
cause there were not sufficient forges in
Sheffield 10 do the work needed. The
" trade will not allow machinery to be
used, by which means alone a large GUAM
tity can be turned out rapidly; but the
more logical Germans use machinery for
the purpose, and they undertook to supply
the razors. Quality and price are not the
only considerations in oivino an order