Papurau Newydd Cymru

Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru

Cuddio Rhestr Erthyglau

6 erthygl ar y dudalen hon

,. r TO WK TALK.

Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu

r TO WK TALK. BY O-UPO SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT. --+- Otw readers will understand that too do not hold ourselves respon 7 $ibhfor our able Correspondent's opinions, THE great feature of the Wimbledon meeting this year was the enthusiastic reception awarded to the Belgian riflemen, who had come all the way from their own country to be present at what they called our Tir National de Wimbledon." On the ground, from Lord EIcho, the representative of the Rifle Association, down to all ranks, they re- ceived a most cordial greeting, so cordial, indeed, that it seems to have astonished as well as del Ighted them. Their commanding officer, in j replying to the noble lord's welcome, said that their object in coming over was not; so much to carry away prizes, as to cultivate a friendly feel- ing with British volunteers, to fraternise with the great English nation, and to make closer acquaintance with this country, which is the mother of liberty, whose institutions had spread and been copied in every land where freedom existed and was valued. Hearty cheers for our Queen from the foreigners, and equally hearty cheers for the King of the Belgians from our volunteers, testified to the mutual good feeling which prevailed. At other places they have been feted likewise-at tue Guildhall, and at the Crystal Palace, and at a public dinner, where the Belgian Ambassador, speaking in the name of his Sovereign, Parliament, and people, returned .thanks for the "magnificent reception" which his countrymen had received from all classes in London. Lord Elebo, in the course of a few remarkg, in which he pointed out similarities between the Belgian and English character, f observed that Belgians, like Englishmen, "did not desire any glories of conquest or any rectifications of frontiers; like them also they deprecated any I attempts in this direction, come from what quarter they might;" observations which called "the Belgians to their feet, and caused them to '-cheer continuously for some minutes. The pro- ceedings were altogether of a most interesting -nature, and cannot fail to increase the friendly .feeling which already exists between the two • countries. I THINE if we had what has been termed a little "'enlightened despotism." in this country we should be better off than we are in a great many respects. Here, for example, is Sir John Hay, the •; new junior Lord of the Admiralty, declaring that for the last four or five years the number of men who enlistinthe navy has been diminishing at the rate of 2,000 per aimurn, notwithstanding tfee increase that has been made in seamen's pay. And yet this difficulty of procuring recruits could easily be remedied by practisingalittia of the aforesaid en- M lightened despotism, for cities swarm with a mul- a tude of wretched boys, who are practically forced ¡¡ by a terrible destiny to swell the ranks of the criminal population, and- our workhouses are crowded with pauper lads, whose future fate, at the best, is doubtful enough. Why should not the State take possession of them; and send them to training schools, where they could be turned into sailor lads? Such a career would be one of the greatest blessings that could happen to them. It would save them from continual pauperism or worse, and the cost to the country would be no more than it is at present, seeiug that they are already fed, clothed, and taught either in workhouses or prisons. The experiment has been already tried in a small way at the Poplar, workhouse with the greatest success, and there is an association, of which Lord Shaftesbury is president, to effect the same object. Why not, as has been suggested, turn Greenwich Hospital into a large training school? By adopting some such plan as this an almost endless supply of sailors would be furnished both for- the navy and the merchant service; pauperism and crime would be diminished, and large numbers of human waifs and strays, instead of being a terror or a burthen to society, would be ■ • ■ provided with an honest and honourable calling. > MR. FARNALL, the Poor-law Commissioner, has u presented his report on the condition of the sick poor ia-workhouses. He reeommends the aboli- tion of pauper nurses, and the erection of hospi- tals for the sick apart from the workhouses- changes which the recent, investigations have proved to be absolutely necessary. Now that this question may. be considered as far advanced towards a settlement, it is only justice to remem ber that to Mr. Ernest Hart, of St. Mary's Hospi- tal. Dr. Austie," of Westminster Hospital, and Dr. Carr, of Blaekheath (the three commissioners ap- pointed by the editor of the Lancet), is the credit due of having called public attention to the horrible condition of the London workhouse in- firmaries. THE" Jamaica Committee" are in a fix. Now that Mr. Buxton has retired from the chairman- ship, because he condemns their project of having the late Governor of Jamaica tried for the murder of Mr. Gordon, and that Mrs. Gordon herself has declined to prosecute, on the ground that her husband would not have approved of anything vindictive, they don't see their way to getting Mr. Eyre indicted for murder at the Old Bailey. As Mrs. Gordon ia the person chiefly interested, and as she declines to interfere, perhaps the committee will come to the not unreasonable conclusion that the matter had better stand as it is; most assuredly, if they do not, they will incur all the odium which Mr. Buxton, their late chairman, anticipates, and provoke a triumph for Mr. Eyre which they would not relish. THE report of the Select Committee on theatres and music-halls has been published, and is to the 'same purport as I mentioned it would be in one o my recent letters. Theatres and music-halls are to be placed on the same footing. They are to be under the supervision of the Lord Chamberlain with regard to licensing the buildings and with re- gard to the censorship over the performances. This last provision will, in all probability, be un- palatable to some of the music-halls; but it will, if properly carried out, prevent the exhibition of much, dreary indecency; of course, I speak of the lower class of places; not of the Oxford, Alhambra &c., where, so far as the stage is concerned, there is little to offend and much to please both eye and ear. A NEW dyama e4i considerable interest has been brought out at the Princess's. It is called the Huguenot Captain, and is by Mr. Watts Phillips. The company is a very good one, comprising, as it does, Mrs. Stirling, Mr. Vining, Mr. George Honey, and to her well known actors. The ballet, cos- tumes, and scenery, are remarkably good; of the last mentioned a view of old Paris is especially so. The plot is of the sensational kind, and although the dialogue is in parts stilted, the good acting and the gorgeous accessories make the Huguenot Captain well worth seeing. BLIND TOM, a negro boy pianist, and a musical prodigy, who has created a great sensation through- out the United States, has arrived in England, and will shortly make his appearance in public. IT maybe hoped that the fate which has over- taken Mrs. Allen, the lady who falsely accused a gentleman of assaulting her while in a railway carriage, will put a check on such charges, which were becoming alarmingly numerous. Five years' penal servitude is by no means too much for such an offence, and the judge who tried the case very properly declined to attend to the jury's recom- dation to mercy. THE patience of Chief Baron Pollock has been at length rewarded. It was known that that learned and able judge would retire when his party came into office in order that his seat might be filled by'a Conservative lawyer. Accordingly he gives place to Sir Fitzroy Kelly, who by his ability and standing at the bar well merits the promotion he has at last obtained. Z.

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