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August 27, 1853.] THE LEADER. 827
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HOW TO CHEAPEN BLOOD. The Directors of't...
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HOW TO DRESS A SOLDIER. In discussing ho...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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The Norton Case And The Law Of Divorce. ...
position so distinguished , as a writer on social subjects , that she has given others a right to ch allenge her , and to expect from her some explanation of the apparent discrepancy between these public appeals , and the passiveacquiescence in the evil .- Jn such a case no generous rhirid will be content to say , r suffer the evil , and I am content to bear it , without taking the trouble to
mitigate or abolish it . Because the evil does not fall upon one alone ; others , who are less endowed with power , also have to sustain it . Others , less endowed with power , not only suffer from the evil , but would be prepared to co-operate in practical steps to mitigate , or counteract it . But , when they see the most distinguished examples of their case yielding to the enemy , they are perplexed and disheartened .
We believe that the true cause of the passive acquiescence is twofold . In the first place , whatever social evils we may incur from existing regulations , there is one thing of which we are most of us much more afraid , —that is , of the punishment under the most trivial of those laws . We are more afraid of " committing" ourselves to familiarity with those who are in a class " beneath" us , of having our sufferings confounded with the sufferings of " vulgar" persons , than we are of the common infliction ; forgetting that each little circle is but an exception , and that if we take the estimate of cliques , wft shall have to confess that those whom we call
vulgar people are the more numerous classesthe mass ;—in short , mankind . In other words , this exclusive distinction is translatable into the absurd assertion that mankind is " vulgar . " In the second place , bold as we may be , we so far fall in with the vulgar prejudices , that we still reverence the authority which we-deny , and will rather suffer in servile submission than " compromise ourselves"by defying that authority whose results we hate and despise . And in the third place , in these days we will rather suffer anything than take up any effort hopefully or zealously .
August 27, 1853.] The Leader. 827
August 27 , 1853 . ] THE LEADER . 827
How To Cheapen Blood. The Directors Of't...
HOW TO CHEAPEN BLOOD . The Directors of ' the Lancashire and Yorkshire Company act upon a principle exactly opposite to that of the contractors of the works of the Crystal Palace ; and it will be a question of interest to note in the results which is the better economy . The railway in question produced one of the least mysterious accidents that ever happened on a railway . A train went off the line , and on inspection , professional witnesses deposed that the line was one from which trains would naturally
run off . Some of the passengers were inconvenienced enough to be hurt , or to die , and the company has been called upon to pay their relatives for the loss . Amongst the passengers was a merchant—a human being of high mercantile value—and there were other persons injured of less price . The total of sums awardod by the jury vvaa 73 OOL for six human beings , more or less costly , and more or less hurt . In the Crystal Palace has also happened an accident—an accident more fatal and more
inscrutablo . Wo arc assured , on competent authority , that the principle upon which the scaffolding or " trusses" was framed is a perfectly Bound one . , It is also said that the- materials wore sound , that the system was sound , and yot in spite of all this soundness , the trussos gave way , and twelve men wore killed . It is implied , however , that their deaths were not owing to anything in the materials or the structure , but perhaps to some neglect of fastening . But to this wo might reply by asking whether Homo
eompotent officer did ascertain the fastening ol every portion of such a structure before any risk was run . by permitting the men to go upon it , and whethor tho completion of each portion was established before regarding it as avnihiblo for its Purpose P If that had been tho case , thero would luvvo been no question whother or not tho "trusses" were- properly fastened , becauso tho competent officer would bo able i ; 6 Hay that he
know thorn to hayo boon bo . Thus , if tho principle mul the materials were sound , it does appear to bo still possible that tho management was not quite sound . But if the fault was in tho manngomont , why discontinue tho uso of these sound trusses P why resort to old-fashioned fastenings if thoy wcro really not so safer It appeal's to us , Breaking unprofessodly , and only on tho ftietn that have eomo before tho public , thut the uso of auob . truHBOH in lieu of ecaublding in not
recommended by any saving , or any superior safety , but that it is an engineering feat pleasant to the pride of structurers , and by no means luxurious to the limbs of the men who have to trust it . As soon as the disaster occurred , and as soon as the sufferers are known , a provision is made to compensate their dependents , and a small pittance is granted to the widows for the time , in weekly instalments . Labourers are not amongst the expensive forms of man , and it is not necessary to make the allowance very large :
3000 £ . for the widow and three children of a labourer , on the death of the labourer , might set up his family in life . The compensation , however , is paid on the nail , and discount is allowable for prompt payment . Besides , the character of the building for safety has to be retrieved . Hen co the return from sound trusses to scaffolding appears to be dictated by a far-seeing policy , since a recurrence of accidents in the placeniighthave the most disastrous effects upon the public mind . It is averred that there were
no forebodings of this disaster , and that the reports of panic are imaginary ; but however that might have been before the accident , there is no doubt that there are plenty of forebodings after the fact . Men walk about under the great iron framework , with a strong sense of the attraction of gravitation on that space of ground , and a feeling about their heads and shoulders that there is " something above them . It is very
desirable , therefore , to avoid any new illustration of the attraction of gravitation in that building as opposed to the attraction of cohesion in the parts of the human frame . For these are philosophical experiments of which the public have an ignorant fear , and although the sacrifice of life has only been made amongst inexpensive human beings , persons who are expensive are in . the habit of having a proportionate value far themselves . If ; is to be remembered that labourers
who find bread not easy to get are paid for entering the building , whereas visitors pay-to enter . On these grounds , the policy of making surety doubly sure , by compensating the sufferers , is a wise policy , and we truly believe that a prompt payment will also prove to be the very cheapest mode of rendering the price of blood .
The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company are trying the opposite principle ; after the verdict calling upon them to pay 73 OOZ . for six human beings , they have issued the following notice to be signed by passengers : " This ticket is issued by the company , and accepted by the holder , upon the express understanding and agreement that tho company are not to be in any way
held responsible to the holder , or his representatives , for the consequences of any accident , however caused , which may happen to tho holder while travelling in any of the company ' s vehicles , or being at any of the company ' s stations . It must be exhibited to tho company's officers whenever required ; and any person using it , other than tho person named herein , will bo liable to tho same penalties as a passenger who does not pay his fare . "
It appears to us that , by this notice , the passenger who signs it binds himself to undergo what may happen in person or luggage , and to bo struck , stunned , bruised , cut , broken , maimed , crushed , smashed , divided , annihilated , or othorwiso disposed of , at tho discretion of tho directors , or their subordinates on the railway , without calling these railway subordinates or directors to any account whatever ; without permitting tho widows or children who survive to exact
any account . Whatever passengers may say to any account . Whatever passengers may say to thin release , it appears to us that those widows and children ought to have a voice in tho matter . Tho railway must bo made for worthless parents and children , who aro onerous to thoir family . Who would think of trusting his furniture to a railway , which required him to sign a declaration that his books may bo soaked in Avet , his carpets singed , his glass broken , without any claim against the company whatever tho consequences .
Ko man would trust n decaliter by such a railway . But tho directors are , perlvaps , right , when they act upon tho presumption that , in thin commercial country , men think more of their docantors than of themselves . Tho directors , at all ovents , have a merit of establishing a distinct rule to begin with : nny injury , but no compensation , is a rule . Tho Crystal Palace pooplo pay down for a corpse on tho nail ; the Lancashiro and Yorkshire Company declare , before any bargain , that they inalco no allowance for corpses- Both
experiments have their interest ; but we are inclined to think that the Crystal plan will prove to be cheaper in the end .
How To Dress A Soldier. In Discussing Ho...
HOW TO DRESS A SOLDIER . In discussing how the soldier should be dressed , we must bear well in mind the spirit of the military institution , and the popular feeling regarding it . The British army has at present a complete organization , however faulty its details . The costume , uniform , peculiar , and distinct from the apparel of the civilian , and the loud display in marches and music , so averse to the dull life of civil citizens , have their use in keeping the mind on the ends of the organization and exercise . No brilliant dress is trivial if it make
the looker-on think heartily of the splendid deeds of bi'ave soldiers . No procession is out of place , and no music out of time , if they remind the people of the victories won for the nation . The effect on the soldier himself is equally essential . You cannot expect animal spirits without animated sources of inspiration . The men who face physical pain and death must have sensuous stimuli ; colours and forms which glad the eye , sounds and stirs full of life and grace . Of old , " bravery" of attire accompanied bravery of action . A coward may wear brave attire , but he
usurps it ; for loud dress is the compliment which cowardice pays to courage . Men of thought can do without surface splendour , or the eclat of lightning deeds ; but men of action must demonstrate their nature in some way—Hienzi in his snow-white robes ; Napoleon in his Notre Dame solemnities ; or Murat with his animal heroism and grand dress . The penchant may be vulgar ; but physical fighting is a vulgarity of the same class . While you require sensual courage you must minister to the senses , and elevate them by association with sentiment ; else you may have an army of bull-dogs—not-an army of spirited
men . But the present dress of the British soldier is defective and improper in many particulars . The tail-coat exposes a bad figure , and does not display , a good one ; while a frock-coat , concealing the stature , would give an uniform appearance , and impart comfort and dignity to the lower part of the body . Any other hat than the present would have the merit of being more handsome ; but a stiff felt helmet , bound with steel , would bo of use and beauty . A simple collar of lithe materials would be better than the choking stock . Looso light boots , meeting at the knee a loose
half-trouser , and thus covering the deformities of some British logs , would be an improvement on the short boot , letting in the water on crossing a ford , and tho long trousers draggled with mire , and rain-pervious and ugly in their close misfit . The present coat cannot be opened on parade or regular march ; common sense suggests breast-flaps that would look well when opened to let in the summer air , and bo doubly comforting in tho change when buttoned up to protect tho chest . Tho white belts are praised as gay and enforcing cleanliness on the soldier ; but dragoons without them are handsomely dressed , and tho work of getting them up is not "
cleaning "—it is the laying on of white dirt , for " dirt , ' quoth Lord Palmers ton , " is matter in its wrong place . " In aiming at a pleasant effect in tho dress , wo must simply make tho most of tho materials : a man , some cloth , and some bits of metal . Tho man must bo made tho most of , for naturally a man ' s figure is a pleasant sight . Tho cloth must bo of no moan or mixed colour : green is raw ; brown mongrel ; grey , hybrid ; and orango gaudy . But blue is severe and pompous ; while scarlet has beauty as well as power . In tho one colour of tho coat the chief ornament should lie . If any other ornaments appear thoy should turn up naturally . Tho ouhh and breast-collar turned har
back for convenience should havo lining of a - monious hue , for when anything handsome has nlso use , its beauty has power , in the single soldier , tho golden trousers-stripo may p lease , but wo aro roused by the brightness of tho bayonet . And in a long army of soldiers , tho nodding plumes are nothing , but the deadly sabres , lighted by tho sunshine , are respectable , because of real ubo . Distinctions in dress aro also of use . Tho officer should be known from the private , thut his honourable standing may bo plain to the oyo , that his leading presence may bo distinct in battle . ( Tho danger of tho officers being picked off in preference , is no just reason fordoing away with tho distinction . The danger givpa the officer tjhe it ,. , : !
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 27, 1853, page 11, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_27081853/page/11/
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