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• rion go distinguished , as a writer on social Sets , that she has given , others a right to Sense her , and to expect from her some exlanation of the apparent discrepancy between fh se public appeals , and the passi ve acquiescence the evil . In 8 UCa a case no generous mind Sll be content to say , I suffer the evil , and I am L + pnt to bear i ^ wi thout taking the trouble to abolisbitBecause the evil does not
itiffate or .. Jail 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 . that the true of the
ffle believe cause passive acquiescence is twofold ! In the first pla . , whatever social evils we may incur from existing regulations , there is one thing of wh-ich . 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' ^ ourse lves to familiarity with those who are in a class " beneath" us , of having our sufferings confounded wit | j 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 , wo shall have to confess that those whom we call
vulgar people are the inore numerous classesthe mass ;—in short , mankind . In other words , this exclusive distinction is translatable into the absurd assertion that mankind is " vulgar . " In the sepond 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 jwe will rather suffer anything than take up any effort hopefully or zealously .
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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 wore inconvenienced enough to bo hurt , or to die , and the company has been called upon to pay their rplatives for the loss . Amongst the passengers was a merchant—a human being of high mercantile value—and there were other persons injured of loss price . The total of suma awarded by tho jury was 7300 / . for six human beings , more or less costly , and moro or less hurt .
in tho Crystal Palace has also happened an accident—an accident more fatal and moro inscrutable . Wo are assured , on competent authority , that tho principle upon which the scaffolding or " trusses" was framed is a perfectly Hound one . It is also said that tho materials were sound , thut the system was sound , and yet in spite of all this soundness , tho trusses gave | vay , and twelve men wore killed . It is implied , however , that their deaths woro not owing to an ything in tho materials or tho structure , but
perhaps to some neglect of fastening . But to tins wo might reply by asking whether sonic co mpetent officer did ascertain the fastening of every portion of such a . structuro before any risk was run by permitting the men to go upon it , ^ "d whether tho completion of each portion was ' -stabliahod boforo regarding if ; as available for its Purpose P If tlmt had boon tho ciihc , thoro would J j'ivo been no question whether or not tho trusses" wore properly fastened ,. because tho
j-ompetont officer would bo able to . say that ho "now them to have been so . Tims , if tho principle n » u the materials wero sound , it does" appear to bo »''» I poBsiblo that the management was not quite "ound fonii j £ . j . j u ? fau | ,. wftS in t ; | io man ,, gOmenl ; > « » y discontinue ( he use of theso sound trussesP Avl resort to old-fashioned ( anteninga if they Wero really not bo safe ? It appears to us , ypwiljiMg unproPessedly , and only on tho facts '"lit Jmvo COJno | ) oforo i [ w public , that tho uao of Ucu fruwen in lieu of ecauoldintf ia 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 asi ; he disaster occurred , and as soon as the sufferers are known , a provision is made to compensate their dependents , and- a small p ittance is granted to the widows for the time , m 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 . Hence 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 for themselves . It is to be remembered that labourers who find bread not easy to get are paid for entering the building , whereas visitors pay to enter . Qn 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 7300 ? . 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 exp ress 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 the holder while travelling in any of the company ' s vehicles , or being at any of tho company ' s stations . It must be exhibited to the company's officers whenever required ; and any person using it , other than t ho person nam ed herein , will bo liable to tho same penalties as a passenger who does not pay his
fare . " It appears to us that , by this notico , the passenger who signs it binds himself to undergo what may happen in person or luggage , and to bo struck , stunnod , bruised , cut , broken , maimed , crushed , smashed , divided , annihilated , or otherwise disposed of , at the discretion of tho directors , or their subordinates on the railway , without calling these railway subordinates or directors to any account Avhatever ; without permitting tho widows or children who survive to exact any account . " Whatever passengers may say to this release , it appears to us that those widows
and children ought to have a voico in the matter . The railway must bo made for worthless parents and children , who are onerous to their family . " Who would think of trusting his furniture to a railway , which required him to ftign a declaration that his books may be Koakod in wet , his carpets singed , his glass broken , without any claim against tho company whatever tho consequences . No man would trust a decanter by such a
railway . But the directors are , perhaps , right , when they act upon the presumption that , in this commercial country , men think more of their decanters than of themselves . The directors , at all events , have a merit of establishing a distinct rule to begin with : any injury , but no compensation , is a rule . Tho Crystal J ^ alaco people pay down for a corpse on the nail ; the Lancashire and Yorkshire Company declare , before any bargain , that thoy make no allowance for corp ' sos . Both
experiments have their interest ; but we are inclined to think that the Crystal plan will prove to be cheaper in the end .
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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 . JSTo brilliant dress is trivial if it make the looker-on think heartily of the splendid deeds of brave soldiers . JN ^ o procession is put 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—Eienzi 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 be of use and beauty . A simple collar of lithe materials would be better than the choking stock Loose light boots , meeting at the knee a loose deformities
half-trouser , and thus covering the of some British legs , would be an improvement on the short boot , letting in tho water on crossing a ford , and the long trousers draggled with mire , and rain-pervious and ugly in their close misfit . The present coat cannot bo opened on parade or regular march ; common sense suggests breast-flaps that would look well when opened to let in the summer air , and be 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 the work of getting them up is not "
cleaning "—it is the laying on of white dirt , for " dirt , " quoth Lord Palmerston , " 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 . The man must bo mado the most of , for naturally a man ' s figure is a p leasant sight . The cloth miSfst bo of no moan or mixed colour : greon is raw ; brown mongrel ; grey , hybrid ; and orange
gaudy . But blue is severe and pompous ; whilescarlet has beauty as well us power . Jn the one colour of tho coat the chief ornament should lie . If any other ornaments appear they should turn up naturally . The culls and broast-fiojlur turned back for convenience should have lining of a harmonious hue , for when anything handsome has also use , its beauty has power , in tho single noldifcir , the guidon trousers-atripo may pleaso . but wo are roused by the brig fitness of the bayonet . And
in a long array of soldiers , the nodding plumes are nothing , but the ( loudly wibron , lighted by the sunshine , are respectably because of real use . Distinctions in dress are also of use . f lho officer should bo known from the private , that his honourable standing may b ( 5 plain to the eye , tlmt his lending presence may bo distinct in baitlo . ( Tho danger of the oflieerH being picked oil' in preference , is no junfc reason fordoing away with the distinction . Tho danger given tho officer tho
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AVQVW & ? , 1853 . ] THE LJjADJJB . ' 827 ' " - ¦—¦¦ ... . — . w ¦ - —— : , — , ¦¦¦ » ' " ' ' ' — ¦ - ¦ " ¦ - ' ...- ¦ .. ¦ _ _—__^_^^___ JMM ^^^
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 27, 1853, page 827, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2001/page/11/
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