The sun., 1881-01-30
WHAT Ts GOING ON IN EUROPE

WHAT IS GOING ON IN EUROPE
Our Street Cleaning Department has the
satisfaction Of knowing that tho recent snow
storm in London left the streets Of that city in
pretty much the snme condition as our own.
There the duty OF keeping the roadways free
from dust and mud in summer. and from
snow and leo in winter. is in the
hands Of tho authorities OF tho various
parishes in which tho streets are situated.
The result is that in the smaller dis
tricts in which tho parish authorities are alive
to thoir responsibilities. some attempt has been
made to clear away the obstruction; but In the
larger West End parishes. the area OF which is
as large as the whole OF New York city. little has
been done even toward cleaning the main thor
oughiares. Tho recent fall of snow was very
heavy one: some accounts place it at as much as
five fee: deep. 1t is not to be wondered at that.
in n city whore tho average fall of few inches
ofsnow throws them on their beam ends. this
recent visitation has completely nonplussed the
vestries. OF course such an opportunity for q
good grumble would not be lost by the British
er. and his heart is wrung by the police edct
which forcos him to keep the pavement in front
OF his own house free from snow and ice. He
argues that he pays rates to have the roads kept
free by contractors from dust and mud. and
cannot understand why the same mon cannot
udttIe Will tuo buOW. ueuuWnId tue NcSulcb
are racking their rather obtuse brains for o
means OF overcoming the onvenience. and an
ingenious person writes to one OF tho London
dailies. suggesting that o machine be construct
ed something after the model Of an ordinary
street watering cart. with Jets OF flame instead
OF Jets OF water. These Jets are to be produced
by burning some cheap mineral oil. and power
full reficctors are 10 BIO used to intensity their
heat. which is TO be directed upon the snow and
ice until tho streets resume their wonted ap-
pearance. Should such q scheme prove feasi-
BILE. IL would doubtless be Of immense advan-
tage to our petroleum districts. 1t would be as
well. however. to have Goodly number of fire
engines in the neighborhood OF the fire carts, as
in case OF explosion the last state OF that city
would be worse than the first.
Mr.. Gladstone's Government Is not likely to
| get rusty from want OF practice in dealing with
| instructions and conspiracies. At present 1t
| has three on its hands. namely the Land
League and the Irish obstructionists in tho
| House OF Commons-these may for all practical
| purposes be classed together-the Doer insur-
| rection. and the conspiracy at Kolapore in
| India. The obstructionist movement WAS. OF
course. .toreseen. and Cabinet councils hayo been
held at which the measures to be taken to cir
| cumvent il were eagerly discussed. The Gov
| ernment seems. however. to have found no So
| luton for the difficulty. as the cable informs us.
| that recently few Home Rulers. in the teeth OF
| both Liberals and Conservatives kept the House
| in session for whole night and half the next
day. The only practical course which Mr..
| Gladstone has taken is TO collect Information
| from tho foreign embassies rs to how things
| nre managed in other countries. From the
reports sent in II appears that in all countries
| ruled by q representative form OF government
! with tho exception of the lower branch Of the
D l,a
principle OF the c'Givre is adopted. This means
that either tho President or q majority OF the
| Assembly has the power 10 close debate.
From these reports it Is gathered that the
| hours for transac,ing tho business of the chief
| European legislatures arc MS toows: The Aus
,r!an EGchsrath usually is from IL \. NJ. to 8
7. NJ; tho French Chamber from TO 6 Z. VI.
tho German Reiehstu.: assemblies ut IL and ad-
| !)urnA at /; the Italian Parliament occupies
, about iyo hours in tho afternoon in getting
through It's work. THO English have for 81
long considered the methods OF their House OF
| Commons 10 bo as near perfection ns possible
thUt tho bare idea OF introducing any improve.
ment borrowed from the legislative assemblies
| OF foreign powers must give their sci-concet q
ruio SHOCK. But the fact is evident that. in or.
dor 10 snvo themselves from tho ridlculo OF civ.
| iuaoi nations something must ho done. The
| difficulty ia that nny course which may he
| adopted 10 suppress tho irish members may
som0 tmo or other bc used Gs precedent for
preventing q perfectly legitimate opposition
rom being heard. No doubt il will be urged
| that tho ,'i'TF has not NJ yet been used tyran-
nicnl,y in otler countries. but that is no Rssur.
anco that II win not be 50 used In tho iuturc
| Az present tho irish members are mastors o,
the situation. as under the existing rules. they
ureenabei to obstrgct cinctua..y the procedure
| af ~ FbuEn rhnX rl'I bn aJuully .,lla 10