The morning call., 1891-11-15

Parliament by those who would be proud
10 give him seat; but who, by general and
genial sufferance from lords and common
efs, is practically the Hon. George Smith Of
Coalyille, member for every where, AMI rep
reSenting a constituency more powerful
than any statesman or leader-the millions
OF British children whom billions Of Brit
ish capital would otherwise remorseleSsly
enthrall.
One cannot speak of the English canal
folk without telling of this unique and grand
personality. Tramp from one end of Eng
land to another. and the first and last words
You will hear among them VIII be George
Smith of Coalville." Simple and Ignorant
a lot as they are they realize the heathen-
dom OF their former condition and the con-
trasting manhood, wOmanhood and genuine
reSpectahlity that have come to be almost
universal among them.
The chief communities of these people are
found in Staffordshre, Lancashire, Warwick
shire, Worcestershire, Northampton shire,
Yorkshire. Middlesex or the London Dis
trict, Shropshire, Cheshire and Oxf0rdshire.
Perhaps they are densest at Birmingham,
Manchester. Goole. Wigan and Runcorn.
The extensive distribution Of manufactured
goods in Birmingham; OF imports as well as
manufactures at Manchester; of Yorkshire
imports and exports at GoOle. by way OF the
seaport of Hull; the tremendous shipments
of Lancashire coal at Wigan, and the bring
Ing OF the Cornish white clay to the stat
lNIusHIl6 tOllclitS lllUuSu luC 4hCloCS, VIA
Runcorn, with the return craft laden with
pottery wares, account for this
All the English midland canals are OF far
less capacity than our own. The bottoms
are in the form of an Inverted arch, and the
lecks are only seven feet wide COnSe-
quently canal-bOatS here are very diminu-
tive. They are usually only from % TO 80
ton boats; 6h feet wide, Is feet long, and
with only 3 feet of keel. The cabins are
therefore scarcely one-tourth the size of
Z a r 60
wide and high and S feet long. From three
to four feet Of their height protrudes above
the deck. The exposed sides are always
covered with most wonderful paintings rep
Tesentiug the highest expression of
ART AMONG THESE LowLY FOLK;
And dog-keunel invariably surmOunts the
decorated cabin top. Within this 200 cubic
wife, bunk beneath for the children,
stove, locker and hanglug-ta6le. with an
extraordinary collection OF croekery and
cooking utensils considering the space; and
opposite is bench which is the paror and
dining-ro9m by day and boudoir for a
grown-up son or daughter or male "crew"
at night
Like the gypsIes the English canal-folk
live well. but everything Is boiled. Hodge
podges Of beef and herrinGs, with the vege-
tables which are got for song, or for The
pulling along their pleasant way, are the
fayorte. In former times, when their
condition was more heathenlsh. their food
and all canal boat family affairs were
on a level with beasts. They are now
moro intelligent. Independent, and as
a consequence better paid. More than
two-thirds live in their OWN homes,
and while still conducting the boats, as
families, the little cabins are almost wholly
IN the nature OF temporary accommodations
for a short journey. Besides fully one-third
of the bOatmen now own their own boats. as
with our own canalers. Another one-thlrd
hire boats at about 10 ShllingS per week,
supplying their own helm. animals and food,
and earning good profits from their re-
sponsibility and labor. The remainder are
owned by manufacturing concerns, which
employ their own b0atmen.
The dress of these lowly people is quite
distinctive and often unique. The men are
always attired in flannel jackets and shirts
open at the neck and with gaudY colored
or black handkerchief under theiI wide
collars similar TO the London coStermOu-
gers; a billy-cocA hat or. fur cap with
fur. visor in winter and summer; mole
skin or flannel trousers, and heavy hob
nailed boots, in the front of which there
! must always be a leather tongue or flap.
! which fails down over the foot, and
| which is invariably decorated with all man
/ mer OF curious nutcheS and punctures. An
! the women and girls ear flaming quilted
! calico hoods, similar In appearance to
| small old-fashioned sun bonnet" Aprons
| match the hoods. tiny red shawl, pinned
| At the throat by massive brooch, falls
/ over the shoulders. The dress is OF heavy
wooden stuff, usually dark in color, with
| shor, petite ats; anu beneath these appear
! high navy" hob-na;ied boots, laced with
! stout leather thongs. Uuderclothing is sb-
| s0iutely supefliuity.
The girls and women steer the craft, and
| drive the animals, usually broken-dOwn
! cab-hOrseS, OF asses, sitting aStrlde. Only
about thirty miles distance per day is made,
as the English canal-b boat always stables"
| for the night; ana all 'reliefs" of labor are
| indicated by landmarks, such as tunnels,
| locks, inns and bridges, and are not made
! at stated hours. At the side OF every En-
| glish canal are found little inns, no more
| than a mile apart, which are always public
| houses, where there are also canal-side
| wharyes. These inns provide stablng for
| the animals, and sell their owners bags
of horse food consisting Of mixed chopped
| hay. oats and horse beans, Arrived at one
the tsp-room. where ''fOur-sle" or rum, as
| is the custom among the laboring classes
| everywhere in England. is drunk spar
| iDgly, while yarns are spun and ancient
| aud sayory pipes are smoked, until the
| closing, at 10 o'clock. At that hour a
| hundred thousand candle-fOlk are turning
| in for the night in their tiny cabins
| moored beside the bOsky banks of canals In
the slumbrOus English valleys-the women
| first, the men Rfterward. And all these
! hundred thousand now civil, simple and
honest folk are up and away at O'Clock in
| the morning EDGAR L. wAKEMAN.
! 'Copyri9ht, 1891.