OUR LONDON LETTER.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 839, 2 March 1877, Page 3

OUR LONDON LETTER.

[Specially \vkitten for the “ Globe,”]

Pall Mall, 12tb January, 1877.

There is a general belief, current that next season is to be a long and brilliant one, and that her Majesty, to show her gratitude for being made an “Empress” hi, partibus, has consented, if her health will permit, to reside for some time in town between the opening of Parliament and Easter. Preparations are therefore being made by the devotees of fashion to put their houses in order, and it is expected that instead of waiting until May for the full burst of the “season,” we shall be favored by its premature outburst in February, as soon as Parliament meets. Not only political, but social and moral reasons are said to have been laid before her Majesty to induce her to take this step ; and I am told that it has been represented to her that her more frequent presence in London is absolutely requisite to give to the Court and fashionable circles that high reputation for decorum which they deservedly bore during the whole of the Prince Consort’s lifetime. The Turks are industriously seeking to realise all they can, being, as their creditors know, “ hard up” for ready money. As all the world knows they have in their possession one valuable piece of property which they imagine they might dispose of for a large sum of money, and it is rumored 1 ere that an emissary from the Porte is now in London seeking among the Jews a pur-eh-iser or purchasers for the Holy Land, That which all the blood and treasure of the Crusades failed to_ accomplish is now to be disposed of by civil contract to the highest bidder, . . It, i, ; with rather qualified satisfaction that one finds the number of illegitimate births iu'Engiand is diminishing, wheii one learns that the number of marriages below age is increasing. The first fact no doubt is the result of the second', but though' the altered condition implies an improved tone of morals, it does not mean an imnfoved physique for the race. It is sui t that since 1817 tho number qt men mar tied under age has doubled, and that pi women has augmented no less than 70 per cent. At the present time 8 per cent of aU the males married are under age. It is impossible but that this should in time t ;H upon the constitution of the people. Again is suggested another consideration, these very eany marriages, mean long families, and as these uufons take pin *e among the poorer classes, they entail a hard struggle with poverty and its too freement result actual pauperism,

The Swiss people manage matters far better. In their cantons women rarely marry until they are nearly thirty years of age, and neither men nor women are allowed to marry until they can show that they have the means of supporting a family. In spite of this prolonged celibacy, the inhabitants are remarkable for their morality.

Our irrepressible dramatic fiieud Boucicault is again in trouble in the law courts, this time, however, the venue is at Boston, U.S. From the reports in the local papers I notice that he is sued by a Miss Kimberley, for a translation which took place seventeen years ago. The case does not present the same interest as that now pending here, in London, with Chattcrton, concerning the “Shaughraun.” It relates merely to the withdrawal of the exclusive permission to Miss Kimberley to play “The Octoroon” in certain cities of the Union. The examination of Mr Boucicault occasioned much amusement all through the trial. When asked what was his citizenship in 1860, he, with unfeigned bewilderment, replied, “Well, I don’t know whether to say English or Irish.” “But,” said the official, “ You must declare.” “ Well then,” said the witness, “as it is both English and Irish, let us say English by circumstance, and Irish by choice. So let it be Irish for once and for ever.” He stated that he had entered upon this defence simply for the sake of preventing managers from stealing, and thereby injuring, the interests of the authors.

Skating in the open air is at the present time out of the question, but, in default of that, we have it in full swing under cover. Professor Gamgee’s system of artificial ice has proved quite a success, and the floating swimming bath in the river near Charing Cross station has been metamorphosed into a skating rink, where real ice (albeit chemically made) cover’s the surface. I looked in the other day, a few hours after the place was opened to the public, and I can testify how complete is the success of the undertaking. Ladies and gentlemen were careering over the frozen surface, presenting a, gay and lively scene. The charge for admission is somewhat high—two shillings each person and sixpence additional for the hire of skates —but even at that figure there is little doubt the place will always be crowded. There are a large number of first-rate skaters in London, and the miserable wet and gloomy weather so entirely deprives them of their favourite sport that they are glad to take to the “ Glaciarium.” Still, it must be confessed there is a mighty difference between the feeling of freedom and exhilaration engendered by skimming the icy surface of a Highland loch, with crisp snow and glorious sunshine all around, and a sheet of ever so good glycerine-made ice under wooden roof, lighted up with gas. The fact, however, remains that ice tit for skating and curling can be made independently of John Frost, that is, so long as Nature gives us a bucket of coals wdth which to generate a fair head of steam on a donkey engine.

The French, who used to take the lead in Europe of all social matter, are becoming imitators even in crime. The case of Widow Bclange [la femme conpee en morceaux) is evidently a plagiarism from that of Harriet Lane of Whitechapel notoriety. The author of the crime seems to have studied the original from which he took his idea to some purpose, and, resolving that the hair of his victim should not betray him, shaved her head, '-'he papers say, “ All Paris have been to see her at the morgue,” on account of the extraordinary appearance of the wretched creature’s eyes. The French, doubtless, are a charming nation, and have much good taste, but their epigrams are not always their own. Their amusing question and answer, “ Why did M. Billior (the murderer) cut the lady up ?” “ Because he did not like her altogether,” was freely bandied about in London in Greenacre’s time, who, as I well remember, made omnibus passengers regard any round parcel done up in a blue cotton handkerchief with suspicion for many a long day after his interesting case had been made public. He took his wife’s head in his lap from Kilburn to Hulborn, and talked affably to his fellow-passengers—- “ All the way for 3d !” The cremation question docs not yet appear to be burnt out. A society has recently been started at Brussels, and 400 names have already been enrolled as members. The Belgic capital is certainly handy for London members, who can depart this life peaceably and respectably at home, and can, without much delay in the matter of time, be conveyed to their resting place, and cremated without fuss or ceremony.

As illustrating the curious English belief that it is quite within a man’s duty to swindle his government, of a railway company, if he can _escape paying his taxes or for his railway ticket, I may mention that there is one railway, working from the suburbs to London, which has adopted the system of employing flying ticket collectors, to enter carriages at the stations and examine tickets. They are continually detecting passengers who travel first ■with second on third-class tickets, and it is said that the company makes so much by the excess charged that it is able to pay out_ of them, not only the salaries of the flying brigade, but for all the uniforms given out to officials on the line.

The Christchurch City Drainage Loan of £IOO,OOO was advertised in the papers here yesterday, and considering the abundance of money lying here idle, the whole of this issue ought certainly to be taken up at the, reserved°price of £9B. The Tinzes , in its issue of yesterday, in calling'attention to the advertisement,' makes the following unfriendly remarks : Zealand invites tenders for £IOO,OOO, the first half of a loan of £200,000 for th? City of Christchurch, It in to. be in debentures payable to bearers, and bearing interest at o' per cent, and the money is to be devoted to the construction of drainage works for the town and district of Christchurch. The rapidity v. ith which the Government and mun’cipalitics of New Zealand bring out new loans is not a good sign, and it is to be regretted that works so indirectly beneficial as drains could not have been made with money raised in 'the town itself. Secured though it be ou the rateable, property of the town, said to bo of an annual value of £301,301, this loan can hardly form an enticipg subject of investment.” On iirst reading it, I felt inclined to take up the cudgels on behalf of the undertaking ; but now I think it more prudent to wait and see if those ungenerous remarks are followed up by any of a similar character, and then you may rest assured I sha’l in a matter of championship certainly not by any means take a “back seat,” It waa told me in the city gome days that cold water waa to be cast the scneifle by the

Times city article writer, and on the other hand I wti also told that the Daily News writer (a Unitauan Minister by the bye) was going to speak of it with the “tongue of good report. ” My own opinion is that a grave mistake has been made by the Drainage Board in negociating the del onturn through the Bank of New Zealand. I am quite satisfied of my own knowledge, and also that of others with whom I have conversed, that the Union Bank would have been a tower of strength to the Boaii in managing their business here, and that comparatively little difficulty would have arisen in floating the whole of the debentures at a price higher than, I fear, will be offered at the open ing of the tenders on the 21st instant. I suppose, however, it is not of much consequence to your prosperous ratepayers whether they are taxed an extra penny or two in the £, but I do not think a less fortunate community would quietly submit without grumbling,