With The Compliments Of The Season.

ing to the small folk to find that an institution so oldfashioned , and , in its present form , so thoroughly English , exhibits , not only no signs of decay , but even a promise of renewed vitality .

If an " old-fashioned " Christmas consists in the amount of frost and snow by which it is ushered in , then that of 1874 is assuredly one of the old sort . Plenty of snow there is , at any rate , in the country , where the fields have never lost their white mantle since the first fall occurred , the

week before Christmas . Plenty of ice , too , is to be seen everywhere , somewhat too much in the roads , perhaps , to render them safe for travelling , either on foot or in a vehicle , and certainly too much in our pipes and cisterns

for the householder ' s serenity of mind . At all events , the ice brings with it excitement enough for the ardent skater in the pursuance of his art , and anxiety enough for him , too , in the fluctuating condition of the thermometer and the ever varying direction of the wind .

The Railway Excursion Season of 1874 has been considered remarkably free from accidents , and there were hopes that , at last , a pretty successful effort had been made to lessen the chances of their occurrence ; but within the last few days we have been startled by reports of a

catastrophe at Shipton-on-Cherwell , which not only eclipses the memorable Thorpe accident in its appalling results , but is , possibly , the most terrible disaster in the railway annals of this country . If anything could possibly render this event especially harrowing , it is its occurrence at the

present time of national festivity ; Christmas holiday seekers forming the majority of the sufferers . The deaths , thus far , are reported at thirty-five , while considerably

over fifty other persons have been more or less seriously injured . As to the cause of the accident , we prefer to be silent until the usual inquiry is completed by the officials of the Board of Trade . It is not a little

singular that evils of this , as of other classes , rarely come singly . On the very day of the Shipton accident another occurred at the Albion Station , midway between Wolverhampton and Birmingham . Twenty-five passengers are reported to have been injured , of whom none , fortunately ,

Avere fatally hurt . Yet another was reported from the neighbourhood of Wigan , resulting in tho death of one passenger , and the injury of twenty others . We need hardly complete the tale of disaster , bnt so heavy a chapter of accidents must render the Christmas of 1874 a sad epoch to many families .

Since the speech of the Duke of Cambridge , in responding to the toast of the Army , at the Merchant Taylors' Dinner , some ten days since , a great amount of correspondence has appeared in the daily press , respecting the condition of the British Army . Evidently ,

there is " something rotten in the state of Denmark , " and we gather , that only two ways of combatting this unsatisfactory state of things suggest themselves . The first ismore pay ; the second—the Conscription . His Royal Highness considers that an increase of pay will induce a better

class of recruits to join the ranks ; bnt then , as he very tersely puts it , "we must put our hands in our pockets . " Certainly an increase in the army estimates ( already over fourteen million pounds sterling ) will horrify the parsimonious minds of our legislators , but the conscription , the only ~ 1 "n * alternative , will bo still more distasteful

to the nation . Thus Ave find ourselves , at tho very outset , between the horns of a dilemma , from either of which it is difficult to see any means of escape . An to recruiting , there appears to be no lack of volunteers , AVIIO come forward in sufficient numbers , but , unhappily , appear to

have a . decided taste for deserting . It is hardly our province to judge as to the best means of effecting a remedy for this state of things , but Ave are patriotic enough to hope that the coming Session Avill not be allowed to pass Avithout something being done to secure the greater efficiency of our Army .

Messrs . DusvittE ASD CO . arc tho largest holders of AVhisky in the world . Then-Old Irish AVhisky is recommended by the medical , profession in preference to French Brandy . It is supplied in casks and i .-ascs for homo use trad exportation , and quotations may bo had on application to Mossra . DUSVILLB & Co ., Royal Irish Distilleries , Belfast ; or at their London JJiees , 4 Beaufort Buildings , Strand . W . C ,

With The Compliments Of The Season.

NEW YEAR S EVE AT THE MANSION HOUSE . OnThnrsdayevening , ourworthybrother , the Lord Mayor , and the Lady Mayoress gave a grand juvenile ball at the Mansion House , preceded by a reception . About 1 , 200 invitations had been given , and the company included most of the leading members and officers of the Corporation , and

many of the principal citizens outside the Civic circle , with the younger branches of their respective families . The company began to arrive about half-past 7 , and Avere received by the Lord Mayor and the Lady Mayoi-ess in the Saloon . Shortly aftenvards dancing commenced in the

Egyptian-hall , Avhich had been especially prepared for the occasion . At half-past 9 there Avas a very interesting exhibition of dissolving vieAvs in tAVO series , the first of Avhich comprised scenes and incidents in the history of ancient and modern London , and the second delineating

many pleasing and humorous occurrences . At 10 o ' clock supper was served , and dancing was resumed half an hour afterwards . Ou the ringing of a bell at a quarter to 12 , the guests , in deference to the programme , grouped themselves in the Egyptian-hall , opposite the

orchestra , the youngest in front and the elders behind . Perfect silence was then maintained , until the clock in the gallery struck the hour of 12 , and the moment the last stroke had sounded the Royal Osborne Troupe of Handbell Ringers ushered in the new year Avith a inerry peal , an

arrangement which was not only novel in itself , but exceedingly pleasing in its general effect . At a quarter past 12 dancing Avas resumed and maintained for a considerable time , while in another part of the building the juvenile part of the company was interested and amused by " The

Story of Dick Wbittington " and "The Story of the Two Apprentices " ( the latter from Hogarth ) , both being well told . At intervals a series of humorous and other pictures were exhibited , and the handbell ringers , or "campanologists , " as they rail themselves , played Avith marvellous

effect many popufar airs , among others " God bless the Prince of Wales , " the Westminster Chimes Polka , " Home , sweet Home , " with variations , the Huntsman ' s Chorus , " The Blue Bells of Scotland , " " The March of the Men of Harlech , " and a Scotch medley . Altogether the

entertainment Avas one of the most pleasing Avhich has been given at the Mansion House for many years , and the guests , especially the younger portion of them , appeared to enjoy themselves Avith great zest . During the evening the band of the Coldstream Guards played at intervals , under the direction of Mr . F . Godfrey .

The beginning of a new year is always a time for good resolutions and reforms . The Board of Works , determined not to be behindhand , have decided upon making numerous " alterations in the names of streets and numbering of houses Avithin their jurisdiction . " We hope that these

alterations ¦ will not be carried on too recklessly , as many of our Lond . on streets by their names alone serve as easil y accessible historical chronicles , and are indeed " sermons in stones " to those Avho haA'e the Avit to read them ari ght . There is no gift rarer , no art more subtle , than that of giving

appropriate names . The French understand and cultivate it better than any other nation . They have graven the whole history of the Revolution in the local names of Paris , and they SAvecp aAvay at a stroke the memory of an unpopular ruler by re-naming all the streets , squares ,,

avenues and gardens , to Avhich he has stood sponsor . But , unless it be to mark some such important change , social or political , Avhy should the dAvellers in certain

districts be compelled to suffer the annoyance arising from the loss of letters , the confusion of parcels , the bewilderment of cab-drivers , and the thousand and one other inconveniences Avhich a php . n . crp of street-names or

numbers invariably entails ? Most of the changes proposed this year are trifling and unimportant ; but if the first essential in a name is that it be distincti \ -e it can hardly be Avise to call any place Prince Arthur road . Prince Arthur has already , or will have ere long , nearl y

as many roads called after him as tho great Pen-Dragon himself has seats . The dwellers in Cow-lane however , seem to have some show of reason on their side in petitioning for a change of name , though in certain northern toAvns the " Cow Gate " has Avon for itself an

ancient and honorable reputation ; but after all " What ' s in a name ? " If "that Avhich we call a rose by any other name Avould smell as sweet , " it is to be feared that a , street Avith any other name may remain as dirt y . —Pall Mall Gazette .