Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-01-31
CABLE LETTER FROM LONDON
Remarkable Effectof Victoria's
Death on Business.
GREAT DEMAND FOR BLACK GOODS
Stocks of All the Stores Were
Exhausted.


Copyrighted, 1901, by The Associated Press.
London, Eng, Jan. 26 The after
effect Of Queen VictoIia's death on
business is vital and remarkably wide
spread. 1t particularly affects dealers
In all sorts of clothing and furnish
inRs. and all goods connected with
amusements, festivities, theatricals and
dinners. Black ls the only color dis
Flayed in the shop windows through
out the empire. The millinery stores
are filled with black bonnets and other
establishments have funeral show of
black clothes, gloves. neckties and
hats. In London evsTy Englishmap
who can afford it is wearing hlnclz
clothes, black necktie and black
gloves. The women are all attired in
black and the officers of the army and
navy have crepe bands oD their arms
All army flags are draLed with black.
Naturally, there will be loss on stocks
of oolored goods, particularly in the
case of London firms accustomed to
depend on court and society BUSINESS
On the other hand, dealers in black
goods will be able to sell their eutire
stocks at very great Lroiit. In fact,
famine in black goods threatens the
British markets and offers an oppur-
tunity for American enterprise. British
orders are already exhausting the re :
sources Of the French and German
manufacturers. 1t is said that Lyons,
Dresden ard other continental centres
are already refusing more orders. One
Of the principal wholesale firms in
London, ii is announced, has already
declined 1000 orders. The same story
comes from other factories, which are
running night and day to supply de-
mands.
Another authority estimates that
during the week 100000 had been
spent 10 mourning.
THE QUEENS LIFE INSURANCE.
Extraordinary reports are current as
to the amount of insurance on the
queens life by storekespers and theatri-
cal managers, to prevent losses under
the conditions prevailing. The sum of
E25O, 600 is one estimate of the total.
Theatrical managers hastened to apply
TO the insurance companies when her
majesty's illness became known, but
the reports from the beginning were So
grave that they found the rates of most
OF the companies prohibitive. The best
companies considered the risk too
speculative, but a majority of the In
suranoes were taken SO long ago that
plenty of reserve has accumulated.
The premium on the queens life a
month ago was per cent. When her
illness was rumored it rose to 15 per
cent in day. Saturday last it was 30
per cent.
The majority of the leading theatres
are draped with crepe and have posted
black bordered announcements that
they will be closed until after the
funeral of our Leloved queen. The
music hall managers held conference
and afterwards published the fact that
the halls would remain open until the
day Of the funeral, on account of the
loss their employees would sustain if
they were closed. This action is un-
popular.
A unique illustration of British ad-
herence to traditions marked the sign
ing of the proclamation at st. James
Palace. The lord mayor is always one
of the signers, whereupon, according
to the view of the Privy Councillors,
he must retire before the king enters
ard the speeches are made. An ancient
picture represents the lord mayor among
the receivers of the king, therefore the
mayors invariably claim this right.
Wednesday, however, the duke of
Devonshire, (lord president of the
Counoil) requested the lord mayor to
leave the room, which he reluctantly
did.
The Hay -Paunoefote treaty amend
ment was among the portentous events
OF the week lost sight of, and the cabi-
net may be unable to consider the
treaty for some time, owing to the i'm
portant business incidental to the ac-
cesson of King Edward VII.