Year: 1873

LONDON, Feb S.-LOndOn seems once more
like itself Parliament is again In session and Parlla-
ment brings Of lie 10 the West End, not
10 speak of its influence on the morning newspapers an


influence great that merely In respect TO space ana


the distribution of topics they undergo complete trans
formation. Everybody who ever an English jour
nal is familiar with porent0us aspect Of their broad
columns during the session, crammed as they are with
reports In solid type OF debates sometimes sun more
solid Perhaps the-great provincial papers are stu
striking The leading organs OF Manchester, Leeds
Birmingham Dublin, Glasgow and many another great
publish every morning much fuller reports OF Par
hamenary doings than the New York papers publish OF
proceedings in Congress. Perhaps The Scotsman OF
Edinburgh Outdoes them all. Like many Others
it has long had an office in London ana
a special wire for its news from London to Edn-
burgh. In "a recent impression 1t announces that lts
Offices IN London and Edinburgh have now been con
nected by second special; the two wires being used
exclusively for itself The distance is some 400 miles,
1t has also telcgraphio wire from the Houses OF
Parliament TO its London office, exclusively for Para-
mentary reports II has its staff Of reporters In
Parliament, relying longer on news association
report supplied in TO great number OF jour
mails. Practically, it can put Parliamentary reports


in type about rapidly as II they took place next DOOR
All tins. is true is done very cheapiy thanks 10 the
care the Press took to secure is own telegrapmc IN
tercsts when the Government monopoly came INTO
operation. Newspaper telegraphing anywhere within
the limits the three kingdoms costs about five dollars
a coumn-which is not quite four shillings world
may add for the benefit Of transatlantic telegraph
managers


There was the old excuse that the Queens health did
permit her 90 open Parliament in person IL ~ sls-
pected that the real reason Is simply her aversion 10
state ceremonals II that so, she makes mistake


in policy II has come to be the fashion to call the pro-


,ramme put into her mouth by her Ministers Message
instead Of Speech as formerly There arc Tories who
look upon this change an Innovation pointing 20 the
spread OF Republican fashions There il not much In
that. Nor there much in the speech. It's contents
we're well enough known beforehand That II should be
badly written Is, for some mysterious reason, matter
Of course It's American paragraphs are so phFased as
10 make the best of the adverse arbitration yerdics
The debate IN the Commons turned more on these
than on all other matters. It had Tor some
time past been given out that the CONSERVATIVES
meant TO make a strong attack on the conduct
the Alabama negotiations. Tdey did so; MT Dlsiaeu
leading The enemy House and Lord Derby in the
other On the whole. they did no great mischief but
the main reason why no mischief was done is itself mis-
cheyous Opinion on that subject is not in very heal
thy state OF the most popular men IN England To-
day Lord ChefJustice Cockburn and the secret OF
his popularity lies in his outrageous conduct at Geneva
Mr. Vernon Harcourt attacked Mr.. Lowe on IhursdaY
for having attacked the Lord ChefJustice Mr. loves
speech was sharply criticised at the time 1t amounted
4


sought TO defend il aud himself but the feeling OF the
House. Ike the feeling OF the public, plainly with
sir Alexander Cockburn. The Ministry itself has had
to offer him peerage and upon his declining
that the Grand Cross OF the Bath. They
did not do it out OF full hearts, but IN ODE
dlence to 1.-THE dictates Of decorum and policy.
know something OF the opinion entertained in high
quarters about the Chief Justices performances az
Geneva Mr. Lowe undoubtedly spoke the sentiments OF
his colleagues and he might have gone further had he
been in cOnfding mood It is believed that Sir Alex
ander Cockburns overbearing tone toward his fellow
arbtrators his offensive demeanOr, aud his language
created strong prejudice in their minds against the
country which he represented They would not II Is
true have decided against Great Britain on a mere
preiudce but IL is easy to that the British arbtra
tors influence as advocate for his own country was
much impaired. We ouglt, suppose, to thank hlm Tor
the good service he unwitngy did But be Is popular
because he made what is popularity thought good
fight for Great Britain.


Yon will already have remarked no doubt on the
word exclusion" in the Queens speech Ministers say
they were enabled to proceed with the Arbitration in
consequence OF the exclusion OF the Indirect Claims
II the Indirect Claims excluded they must have
been excluded by somebody. They were certainly not
excluded by US, by tho English There was nobody
but the ArbratOrs who could d" exclude" them, and II
they excluded them. they passed upon them, and their
act was az much judicial act any other they did.
Ile Queen admits tDeItlOIt ludt lAS Nu NV
very thing which the English Government objected to
their doing and in case OF their doing which England


was TO retire from the Arbitration That is perhaps, TO
us the most interesting fact Of the speech


Whether the session be peaceful stormy cannot
vet be foretold Next week will throw good deal Of


light on that question. Mr. Ayrton is TO be overhauled
on Tuesday and his overhauling is TO produce
spicy not to say angry debate. 1t is difficult TO see
what line the Government take In behalf Of their
colleague vet throw him entirely they cannot
tub to the whale they have already thrown Mr. Bruce
Home Secretary having announced that new Rules for
the Parks would be laid on the table in place OF Mr.
AyrtOn's obnoxious ordinances. Mr. Ayrton himself
however is more dislked than his ordinances, and a
sharp contest may be looked for, Mr. Ayrtons talent
for barp savings being at least equal his talent for
administering public Office or Irish University Edu-
cation the measure OF the session, viii say nothing till
the measure secs the light which VIII be also next week


More important to most people than any Parliamentary
week Is the coal question IL hardly roo much TO say
that London is in panic about its coal supply Ihe
price has been preternaurally high these Six months
past; so high that provident people who usually buy
their Winters stock in the would not buy last
Summer believing the price would be lower when Winter
came II proved 70 be higher There were fluctuations
but on the whole it advanced week ago It stood at
40 shillings s per tun having but few days before
been at g. on "A sudden II rose TO As shlings-over
night ar IL were without warning TO anybody out
aide OF the Coal Ring For there Rings in En-
gland though when you read the lamentations in English
papers over Rings IN America you would never suppose
they could be tolerated here The Coal Ring composed
OF certain great propretors and great dealers Perhaps
discrimination should be made. 10 may be more cor
rect to say there great Ring of great Propretors
and another great Ring Of great Dealers They fix the
price OF coal There particular cause for surprise
at their raising the price eight shngs in single night
They probably like Hastings in india stand amazed at
their moderation They might just easily have raised


1t II shngs or 90 and the latter Is already said TO be
imminent roday's price is, fact so shillings Very


likely Sl2 60 for best eanne coal does not 10 you IN
Y har xvha