The Cambrian

RHONDDA AND SWANSEA BAY RAILWAY BILL. FIGHT IN COMMITTEE. The Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway Bill came on Tuesday before the Select Committee of the House of Commons, over which Earl Comp- ton presides. The objest of the Bill is to authorise the company to construct a new line from their existing line at Aberavon to a junction with their authorised line near Baglan and for other purposes. Mr. Littler, Q.C., Mr. Pollock, and Mr. Taylor represented the promoters, and Mr. Pember, Q.C., and Mr. Moon appeared for the Great Western Railway Company. Mr. Littler said there were two or three objects in the Bill, but the Court of Referees had decided that their only opponents, the Great Western Railway Company had only locus standi as regarded the proposed line from Aberavon to a little to the left of Baglan. That proposed line began on the line of the Rhondda and Swansea Bay Company, and terminated on their line that was in the course of construc- tion. Therefore, the Great Western company had nothing whatever to do with the matter. The Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway Company was originally promoted in the year 1882 for the purpose of forming a communication between the upper part of the Rhondda Valley, which was full of coal, and the port of Swansea. Up to that time the Rhondda coal had been entirely I shipped either from Cardiff or from Newport. The .line which was only fourteen and ft half miles in length, was a very costly line to make, because the tunnel through the Rhondda mountain, was, he thought, the longest in England, It was, there- fore, a very difficult and expensive work to carry out.' In the first instance that line was bitterly opposed by the Great Western Railway Com- pany, who did all they could to prevent it from being promoted. Subsequently the Great Western Company succeeded in making an arrangement with the Rhondda Com- pany for the making of a railway crossing over the River Neath. A bargain was entered into by which the Great Western Com- pany should construct that crossing, and the Rhondda and Swansea Bay Company should be put under onerous obligations as to their traffic to Swansea over the Great Western line. The committee would be surprised to find that, notwithstanding that the Great Western Com- pany abstained from carrying out this crossing, they tried to make the Rhondda Company comply with the conditions that were entered into. The facilities which the Rhondda Company had of forwarding their traffic over the Great Western line had been simply disastrous. After spending a great deal of money on this tunnel and railway their traffic was reduced, so far as between the Rhondda and Swansea was con- cerned, to 50 tons per day. That was intoler- able. The result was that they came to Parlia- ment, and were released from their agreement This proposed railway was of great importance to the owners of tin-plate works at Aberavon because every shilling that could be saved in getting the tin-plates on board ship was of the utmost importance, not only to the manu- facturers, but also to the workmen engaged in this trade. The Rhondda Company had been strongly urged by the owners of the tin-plate works to make this short line. Coal borines were also going on in the district, and the owners of the minerals had asked for the line. The post of this line would be only £ 10,500, and he, there- fore, wondered why the Great Western ComDanv were anxious to be heard against the Bill The whole solution, however, was be found in past history. It was suggested by the opp^ of the Billthatit was thought that the agreement that was entered was a final agreement. This he denied. paUle8 Mr. Yockney, engineer to the Rhondda. and Swansea Bay Railway Company, then gave evidence bearing out the opening statement of C°Cross'-examined by Mr. Member, witness said ] the total cost of theP^po^edhne from Cwmavon 1 to Swansea was about £ 246,000. < Mr. Pember suggested that if this Bew ana < inexpensive line was given to the Rhondda Com- i pany there would be a temptation to them not to J construct the expensive line between Cwmavon < and Baglan. This would not only break the i agreement with the *eat WesternCompany, but all the traffic of the Rhondda Company from Port Talbot and Swansea would have to pass over the Great Western crossing at Aberavon. The Chairman said the committee could not decide what would take place^betweeni now and 1896 when the line had to be completed. The committee then adjourned. The Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway Bill came again on Wednesday before the Select Committee of the House of Commons, over which Earl Compton presides. Mr. Littler Q.C Pollock, and Mr. Taylor represented the nro- moters, and Mr. Pember, Q- Mr. Cripp8) Q c and Mr Moon were connsel for the Great West- em Railway Company.. Mr. Yockney, re-called, saad^with regard to the unopposed portion of the Bill, the allegations in the preamble were true. P Mr Littler said he now proposed to call iocal gentlemen along the proposed hne, who would Qneak to the requirements of the district. Mr. A. Pendarves Vman Baad the new railway from Aberavon to near Baglan would run entirely through his property. He was m favour of the line, which would be a great advantage to the tin-plate works in the locality of Aberavon and to the general population of Aberavon. It would be an especial advantage to the west part of Aberavon, which was a growing ^°Mr. Marmaduke Tennant, town-clerk of Aberavon, said it was not only the feeling of the corporation, but also of the inhabitants of the borough and district, that this line should be constructed. Mr. J. Morgan Smith, a member of the town council and ex-Mayor of Aberavon, said the feeling of the public of Aberavon with regard to this proposed railway was that it would be a very great advantage. To his knowledge over 4,000 inhabitants signed the petition in favour of it. There were excellent sites for factories and dwelling-houses on the land served by the proposed line, and since the Bill passed the House of Lords several sites had been taken. The Chairman intimated that the committee were of opinion that they had heard a sufficient number of witnesses on one side. Mr. Littler said, after that intimation, he would only call one owner of tin-plate works. Mr. Alloway, manager of the Avon Vale Tin Works, Aberavon, said that his works depended upon a neighbouring firm for railway communica- tion, and that was liable to be out off at any time. The tin plate trade was suffering con- siderably from competition abroad, and, unfortu- nately, some tin plate works had had to be closed. Witness regarded the railway, not merely with favour, but had an active wish that it should be made. He believed it was of import- ance to the whole manufacturers of the district. It would give him direct access to Swansea with- out wayleaves or any inconvenience or expense. They would with this line have the advantage of railway competition, and the reduction of rates which competition afforded. Mr. David Roderick Davies, J.P., tin-plate manufacturer, gave similar evidence. This closed the promoters' case. Mr. Pember, on behalf of the Great Western Railway Company, submitted that the making of this proposed line would indefinitely postpone the making of the line between Cwmavon and Baglan, authorised in 1891. It was perfectly obvious that that line of 189J was a very considerable compromise. The Great Western Company had given a good deal for it, although it was quite true they received a good deal in return, They received a settlement, as they thought, of all the vexed questions between them and the Rhondda and Swansea Bay Company. This substitute was extremely noxious to the Great Western Company. Not only would the Great Western Company be put to expense by this scheme, but would be subjected to needless competition by this new railway, The determinatien of the Rhondda and Swansea Bay Company had been to get their route into Swansea, and have it absolutely untrammelled so fa.r as the fixing of their rates was concerned. But they had got all they wanted by their Act of 1891, and if they wanted to get rid of the line between Cwmavon at and Baglan, all they had to do was to ask the Great Western Company for running powers over their line from Aberavon. As to the local point of view, he contended that the new railway would be valueless. He submitted that the owners of tin-plate works did not need it, and, with regard to coal, that was a matter of specula- tion. In regard to this point, Mr. Charles Evan- Thomas, D.L. who resides near Neath, was called onbehalf of the promoters, and said he was satisfied that this new railway would give valuable accommodation for shipping the coal both at Port Talbot and at Swansea. The Chairman eventually said the Committee had decided to give their decision at once. They had come unanimously to the decision that the preamble was proved. He then went through the clauses of the Bill, and passed it through the committee stage. The Bill will, in due course, be reported for third reading. v A petition in favour of the Bill has been deposited in the Private Bill Office of the House of Commons by Messrs. Sherwood andCo., Paxlia- mentary agents, on behalf of the Swansea Harbour Trustees.

CADBVBT'S COCOA.—" Of f*H strength; of a higtatf KOBwaicalMtoM, arted March asd mn,1 -SMM. W

SWANSEA BOARD OF GUARDIANS. I The ordinary weekly meeting of the Swansea Board of Guardians, was held at the Workhouse on Monday morning last. Sir J. T. D. Llewelyn presided, and there were a:so present, Mr. Philip Rogers (second vice-chairman), Miss Brock, Rev. Oscar T. Snelling, Messrs. Llewelyn Davies, David Owen, Edward Roberts, W. P. Wearne, William Sims, John Davies, Seymour Arthurs, F. H. Glyn Price, Stephen Thomas, and Dr. J. G. Hall. The minutes were read and confirmed. FINANCE COMMITTEE. Mr Ed ward Roberts read the report of the Finance Committee, hich stated that bills to the amount of £1,130 18s. 4d. had been passed, but there was not sufficieut money in the Bank to meet that amount. There was one item for school fees at the Higher Grade National Schools. Since the Government had made all schools free, the Finance Committee thought that all pauper children s^ald have their schooling free, but there were bills to the amount of between four and five pounds paid for children being educated. Sir John Llewelyn seconded the adoption or the report, and said that the total amount of calls due to the 13thlof May was £ 6,t>79. £825 was due from Clase £ 335 from Llandilo-Talybont; B680 from Llansamlet Higher, of which j2102 has been paid JE299 from Llansamlet-lower Penderry had paid all; JE415 fiomSt. Johns; St. Thomas bad paid all; Swansea Higher and Lower had paid all; £2,878 from Swansea Town, of which £1,100 has been paid. Sir John thought that, inasmuch as there was JE400 short to meet the amount of the bills passed, a letter should be addressed to the overseers saying that the Guardians must have money at once for the maintenance of their finance. The report was then adopted, and it was decided to go into the question of the school fees forfpau- per children. VISITING COMMITTEES. Mr. Stephen Thomas read the report of the Cot- tage Homes Visiting Committee, and stated that he had seen the boar and the seven sows in the styes. They were of first-class Berkshire breed, from the Agricultural Show of last year, and could be highly recommended to all requiring the best breed of pigs in the country. The report was adopted. Mr. Llewelyn Davies read the report of the Workhouse Visiting Committee, which was also adopted. This was all the business before the Board.

♦ THE HULL DOCK STRIKE, j TERMS OF SETTLEMENT. As we announced in our last issue, the masters and the men in the great Hull dock strike assumed a conciliatory attitude on Thursday evening, and terms of settlement were drawn up and discussed. Intense satisfaction was generally expressed on Friday, when the news reached Hull that the pro- posed terms of settlement had been ratified by the Shipping Federation at its meeting in London. The conditions of settlement are as follows:— 1. Unionists to agree to work with non-Unionists. Employers will engage any suitable men who are ready and willing to work in harmony with other men, whether belonging to a Union or not. The employers to be at liberty to engage any stevedore, whether a member of or connected with any Union or not. 2. Ho objection to be raised to tbe foremen and shipping clerks severing their connection with the Dockers' Union provided they are allowed the right to an organisation of their own choice if they think fit. 3. The British Labour Exchange in Hull to be kept open, the employers insisting on entire freedom of contract in employing such men as they deem suitable, but neither registration at the British Labour Exchange nor membership of any Union shall in itself carry with it either preference or prejudice in regard to employ- ment. The Hull committee of the Shipping Federation met on Saturday, and at the close of their deliberations a letter, signed by Mr. Arthur Wilson, was sent to the Mayor, setting forth the conditions of the settlement as approved in London. Simultaneously a letter was forwarded to Mr. Tillett stating that the employers would have no difficulty in accepting such a committee from the strike leaders as he himself had sug- gested for the purpose of ratifying the terms and settling the local details. On Monday Mr. Tillett's letter to the Mayor increased the public fear lest the negotiations might be broken off. The Strike Committee declined to recognise the Mayor as an intermediary, and in substance the letter was a demand for the official recognition of the union leaders by the federation, exception also being taken to the employers' note to Clause 3 of the provisional agreement, on the ground of inaccuiacy. The Strike Committee refused to settle on unofficial lines. Mr. Tillett's verbal declaration was "The men will not tolerate any further unofficial interviews." A conference of workmen connected with the maritime industries of the Port of London and other branches of trade was held in London on the 5th inst., at which a resolution was passed denouncing the "suicidal idea of a general strike," and pledging those present at the conference to oppose it by every constitutional means. The resolution was forwarded to the Liberal and Unionist leaders, and several replies have been received. Mr. Gladstone, Mr. Chamberlain, Mr. Asquith, and Mr. Mundella merely acknowledged the receipt of the resolution. Lord Salisbury wrote that he was much obliged for the resolution, which contained matter of the deepest interest and importance. Lord Randolph Churchill wrote that he would give careful consideration to the views expressed. Sir John Gorst wrote t quite sgree with the resolution. I view with the greatest alarm in the interest of workers the proposals for a national strike. I think no permanent beAefit to working men can be obtained by a general and extensive war between labour and capital. Such a proceeding would inflict untold misery upon men, women and children. It would destroy the wealth of which the workers desire to obtain their fair and just share, and it would extinguish all hope of an early amelioration of their condition. A material advance towards a settlerne strike was made on Wednesday. letter of the F^tion Coa.rn.tt~Mr, of acceptance Wilson was instructed to iffew W whom Mr. Tillett's letter had been sent) Stating that the Federation would appoint a committee to meet the men srepreaeta- tives at the Town Hall on Thursday for the purpose of settling local terms and conditions as to the resumption of work. + —

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CHESS. PTNITIP ity JAMBS GLA.) AD aeumenicationis for this department are to M add rented to the "Chess Editor," The Cam- brian, Wind-street, Swansea. Secretaries of dabs will oblige by sending aotioes of fixtures, scores of matches, and any tther information conerning the above. Cbesi players and composers are invited to contribut* MwbtetBS. trames. sketches. &c. TO ()oRiticapoNDICNTN. 8.8 Solutions are solicited, and should reach us tet later than Wednesday after publication of _h1- Solution to Problem 85. BY J. H. ABHBRIDGI (Swansea.) WHITB BLACK 1—EtoKR8 1—BiQ 2-B to K R sq 2-B x P 3—E to R aq mate The second solution in two moves was overlooked by the examiner. I-B to Q B 8 I-B x Q 2—R x P mate. Correct solution received from A.H., U E. IL Louden, MoLeod Craik (Swansea), "B." (West Cros*), Ivy (Sketty), M. Hairaes (Westminster), O. Stadtberg (Cardiff). Problem No. 86, by Rev. W. P. Williams (Landore.) BLACK (six pieces.) f I WHITE (eight pieces). White to play, and mate in two moves. GAME 47. Played in the Correspondence Match, We3t of England v. Ireland. (French Defence.) WBITJ: (J. Thompson, BLACK (W. Hogg, Dublin.) Pontypridd.) 1 Pto K 4 PtoK3 2 P to Q 4 P to Q 4 3 P xP PxP 4 P to Q B 4 Kt to K B 3 5 Kt to Q B 3 BtoK2 6 Kt to K B 3 Castles 7 P to Q K 3 B to Kt 5 8 B to K 2 PxP 9 B x P Kt to Q B 3 10 P to Q 5 Kt to K 4 11 B to K 2 Kt to Kt 3 12 Castles B to Q 3 13 QtoQ4 PtoKR3 14 Ktto K4 Kt x Kt 15 QxKt PtoKB4 16 Q to K 6 (ch) K to R2 17 P to K R 3 R to K sq 18 Q to B 7 Kt to R sq 19 Resigns. GAME 118. This illustration of an ingenious openingplayed bv Mr. Burn at Belfast in the Master's Tourna- ment under the auspicies of the Irish Press Association in 1886, is a curious example of chess. The whole subsequent course of the game turns upon the 12th move of Black. White immediately accepts the proffered sacrifice and loses his Queen for three minor pieces. WHITE (Mr. Burn.) BLACK (Mr. Pollock.) 1 Kt to K B 3 P to K B 4 2 P to K 3 Kt to K B 3 3 Pto Q 4 PtoK3 4 PtoB4 B to Kt5 (ch) 5 Q Kt to Q 2 Castles 6 B to K 2 PtoQKt3 7 Castles B to Kt 2 8 Q to B 2 Kt to B 3 9 R to Q sq Q to K sq 10 Kt to B sq Kt to K 5 11 Kt to K sq Q to Kt 3 12 Kt to Q 3 Kt x B P Position after White's 12th move. J BLACK (Pollock) I BLACK (Pollock) WHITE (Burn) \l KxKt Kt x P £ KtXB Kt x Q lft £ txKt P to B 5 37 Kt to K 8q PxP (ch) 1ft S^Ktsq R to B 7 19 RxB on KtiR Q to Kt 5 ™ Ktto.QB3 PtoK 7 2» S*o Q 2 B x P ™ 5fc*p BtoB 3 (dis. ch) S gttoKt3 P to K R 4 ^KttoQ3 P to R 5 £ gttoKs Q to R6 Zj £ t*B RPxKt Kt to K 7 (ch) K to B 2 52 ^to Kt 2 PxP(ch) S ftofisq K x Kt f? P (ch) K to B 3 R toKt 2 Qto B 6 |xP RtoRsq (oh) g to Kt sq Q to Q 8 (ch) K to B 2 Q to Q 5 (ch) 35 BtoK3 QxP (ch) Resigns. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. O. S. (Cardiff).—We have received all the Thanks3^ mention> they are of no value. M. H.—It is too late for correction. WALIBRODT v. score in this match is: Walbrodt, 4; Delmar, 2; drawn, 2. .A ^W-known Scottish player, being unable to at ena the recent congress at Dundee, sent a telegram as follows John D. Chambers wires greeting To the tenth S.A. chess meeting Much regrets he cannot be In the battle at Dundee. Offers two pounds in his name, Tourney prize for best played game; And requests a wire up Of names that enter for the cup, As he much desires to know How the fight is like to go- Chambers, Royal Hotel, Thurso.

GOWERTON PRIMROSE LEAGUE.—The annual celebration of Primrose Day was deferred this year until Thursday, when it was decided to have the usual demonstrations. During the afternoon sports were indulged in at the Cricket Field, with the Gowerton Brass Band, under the leadership of Band-Sergeant Davies, in attendance, and on adjourning to the Conservative Hall, tea was found to be on the table, and the repast much enjoyed by about 120 of the members who sat down to partake of it. On the removal of the cloth a pleasant evening was spent, the audience being further increased by the advent of those members who were unable to be present at tea. Colonel Wright, the Ruling Councilor, who occupied the chair, reviewed, in a capital speech, the objects of the Primrose League, and spoke in condemnatory terms of such measures as the Suspensory Bill, which were such as the League should oppose. An interesting programme of music was given during the evening. A hearty vote of thanks having been accorded to the artistes, and to the ladies who presided at the table during the tea, Colonel Wright referred to the able manner in which the hon. secretary (Mr. W. D. Roberts) had discharged his duties during the past year. The success of the evening was an illustration of his untiring efforts, and he (the Colonel) had pleasure in proposing a hearty vote of thanks be given him, which was accorded unanimously. On the recommendation of the ladies who presided at the tables, it was decided that as there was some surplus of the good things provided for the tea, it should be given to certain of the children of members who were unable to be present, and, accordingly, the following day about ninety children sat down to tea, provided by the kindness of the League.

GOSSIP FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS. [BY A SWANSEA LADY. I In a country market a lady, laying her hand upon a joint of veal, said, Mr. I think this veal is not quite so white as usual. Put on your gloves, madam," replied he, and you will think differently." The lady did eo, and the veal was ordered home immediately. Dr. Franklin, when a child, found the long graces said by his father irksome. O^eday, after the winter's provisions had been salted, he said, I think, father, if you said grace over the J whole cask, once for all, it would be a vast saving of time." The fluffy style prevails more than ever in coiffures Such a thing as a parting is unknown in modern hairdressing. The hair is brushed up, aocente" wiiich fall over it. At the back, the hair ?s ra^ed from the neck, but not very High and loosely coiled. Ornamental pins are much less fashionable than they were, and high, narrow tortoise-shell combs are worn with the coiled chignon. How very strange it seems that the more schools there are and the higher class they are supposed to be the less ladylike are our young people getting, it really is painful to meet a group of two or three school girls, say from 14 to 16 years of age; they go along the street talking and laughing loudly and, not only go, but will stand and talk to young men in the street with all the assurance of women of 30. Surely there is something wrong. Are the schools or the home-training to be blamed for this? Mothers, watch your girls closely; let them know that their conduct will neither win them love nor respect, but that they are being spoken of throughout the town with sorrow and shame; even the young men who stop them in the streets blush for them and say what they would do if so and so were their sisters. The brides's pie was formerly, in some parts of Yorkshire, so eccentric a dish on the dining-table after the celebration of the marriage, that there was no prospect of happiness without it. This pie was always made round, with a very strong crust, ornamented with various devices. In the middle of it, the grand essential was a fat laying hen full of eggs. It was also garnished with minced and sweetmeats. It would have been deemed an act of neglect or rudeness if any of the party omitted to partake of it. It was etiquette for the bridegroom always to wait on this occasion on his bride. The term bridegroem took its origin from hence. In Tunis, a girl, after she is betrothed, is cooped up in a small room, with shackles of gold and silver upon her ancles and wrists. If she is to be married to a man who has discharged, de- spatched, or lost a former wife, the shackles which the former wife wore are put upon the new bride's limbs, and she is fed till tney are the proper thickness. The food used for this custom, worthy of barbarians, is a seed, called drough, which is of an extraordinary fattening quanty. With this seed, and their national dish, cuscusoo, the bride is literally crammed, and many actually die under the spoon. A committee is being formed for the purpose of receiving subscriptions from the ladies of England of all classes for a wedding present to the Princess May of Teck on her marriage. A book containing names of all the lady subscribers will aocompany the present. The Mayor of Swansea has taken this matter up con amore, and a number of circulars have been issued asking for co-operation. There is no doubt we shall all contrive to do something to show tue love and sympathy we all feel for Princess May. A hygienic teapot is reported to have been invented by Princess May of Teck. who is send- ing it out to the Chicago show. It is simply the principle of the coffee-pot applied to a tea-pot. The water is poured on the leaves in a vessel above the teapot proper, and when it has run through tho upper portion is removed. By this means tea leaves are effectually prevented from getting into your cup with the tea, and the dele- terious products of the tea are kept out of the beverage. Mr. A. J. Drummond has been investigating the colours of flowers in Ontario and Quebeo in relation to the time of flowering, and has con- tributed to the Canadian Record of Sciente a paper on the subject. He fiuds that April, May, and even June and July, are remarkable for the prevalence of white flowers, July and especially August of yellow, and September and October ot purple and blue. Mr. Vice Consul Leeson, of Caen, reports that the export of Normandy butter to the United Kingdom in the year 1889 was estimated at 77,OUO,OOOf., falling in 1890 tu70,000,000t., though in 1891 there was a slight increase in the export. South America and the French colonies are always open to the trade, the finest and purest Normandy butter being reserved for the Paris markets. In 1889 the exports of margarine manufactured in France to the English markets was estimated at 3,100,000f. In 1890-91-92 the export slightly decreased. Mr. Leeson mentions that "the fairest and most thriving dairy district about Bayeux and Isigny is being drained of the cream of its produce for the purpose of feeding and aiding in the produotien of margarine, that is actually destroying a. wholesome trade." A recent proposal for the purpose of detecting the presence of margarine in pure butter has been made to colour the compound with a preparation of the bugloss and ox-tongue plant, that produces a. deep pink colour. The formal announcement of the consent of the Queen to the marrage of the Duke of York has drawn attention to one of the very few matters in which the law applicable to members of the Royal house—or, more accurately, to deoendants of George II. other than the issue of Princesses married into foreign familes—differs from that applicable to ordinary subjects. By the Royal Marriages Act, the marriage of any such descendants, without the previous consent of the Sovereign declared in Council and signified under the Great Seal, is void, and all persons solemn- ising, assisting, or even being willingly present at the ceremony, are subject to the penalties of a premunire. The Act was passed at the express instance of George III., who was deeply incensed by the recent marriages of the Duke of Cumber- land with Mrs. Horton, and of the Duke of Gloucester with Sir Edward Walpole's illegitim- ate daughter, Lady Waldegrave. As originally proposed, says The Law Times, the Bill did not contain the section which permits the marriage to take place without the King's assent after twelve months' notice has been given to the Privy Council unless both Houses of Parliament have protested against it, provided that the Prinoe or Princess has attained the age of 25. The Bill was received with the atmost coldness by even the Kings friends, while Fox abandoned office, as Horace Walpole tells us, to oppose it with greater freedom. As it stood, the Opposition' urged, it would have enabled the ruling King, as long as he lived, to prevent his eldest son from having issue who could inherit the Crown, and so possibly to prefer a younger to an elder child, and even as it stands, as a minority of the House of Lords pointed out, it affords no security that the succession will not be unfavourably affected by the improvident marriage of the most important member of the Royal House-the King himself. Devout Catolics, in their reverent respect for the Pope, attach, as is well known, infinite value to any article, however trifling, that has been sanctified by contact with his Sacred person. It is related of the predecessor of the present Pontiff that he willingly distributed to applicants coBt-off articles of clothing that had belonged to him. The present Head of the Roman Catholic Church, however, does not follow his example in this respect, and in connection with this subject, the Rome correspondent of the Paris Figaro relates a rather curious story of which a young lady of high social standing is the heroine. She was, it appears, extremely anxious to have in her possession something that had belonged to his Holiness, and, meeting with insurmountable difficulties to the accomplish- ment of her desire, she hit upon a plan of her own. She made with her own fair hands a white skull-cap, absolutely similar to that the Pope is in the habit of wearing, and, with it in her hands, she obtained an audience at the Vatican. When'in the presence of the Pontiff, she besought him to exchange the one he bad on his head for that she held in her hands, and meeting with a refusal she actually ventured to remove the calotte from the Pope's head, substituting for it the one she had made. His Holiness, it is related, at first appeared astounded, and almost angry at thiB bold act; but, touched either by the beauty or the earnestness of the devout young lady, he finally raised no objection to the exchange, and after giving her his benediction, permitted her to withdraw, carrying off the coveted skull-cap. Don't make your own dresses and trim your own hats and practice all manner of small economies, under the guise of virtuous and able management, if you have an income which per- mits you, without extravagance, to furnish such work te women whose comfort and even existence depends upon their doing it. It is not admirable economy to take the bread from your sister's month.

AMERICA "FIN DE SIECLE." [BY MR. T. R. R. DAVISON, Fellow of the Institute of Hankers.] (Continued from, our last.) One of the best speeches, from the Democratic point of view, on the tariff, is by Senator Carlisle, a leading member of the party, who said at New York, last October:- While absolute equality in the distribution of the burdens of taxation is practically impossible under any system of taxation, it is possible to equalize the benefits to be derived from all the money raised by taxation, and it is that for which the Democratic Party is contending in this contest. It contends for a system of taxation which will raise a revenue for the Government, and not a system which will raise revenue for private individuals. It has declared in its platform that the Government of the United States has no constitutional power to tax the people except for public purposes. And for this declaration it has been denounced in every part of the country as a free trade organization." That the Government has to provide for its support every man concedes and that a large part of that revenue must continue at least for a long time to come to be raised by the imposition of taxes upon imported goods every man likewise concedes, but the question is whether you shall have an unjust and unequal system of taxation devised for the increasing ot certain industries or a just and equal system of taxation devised to be ex- pended for the use of all people." The McKinley Bill was not passed merely for the purpose of encouraging domestic industries, but for the purpose of encouraging contributions to the Republican Campaign Fund." At every election enormous sums of money are raised either by voluntary or forced con- tributions to degrade or debauch the suffrages of the people, and one of the most momentous questions involved in this campaign is whether we shall have in this country a free and popular expression of the will of the people, or whether our Legislature shall be chosen and controlled by the improper use of money." "The inevitable effect of the Republican policy of protection is to divide the people into two classes, one to receive the benefits and the other to receive the burdens. One of these classes will grow richer and the other will grow poorer, and the longer this process continues the more dangerous it becomes to the perpetuity of our free institutions." When a number of people are very rich, and all the others are very poor, you have a condition of affairs which is utterly incom- patible with the existence of a free popular government." The McKinley Bill was simply a treaty of alliance offensive and defensive between the Republican Party, on the one side, and certain great trusts and monopolists on the other. And in order to make that alliance perpetual, it was proposed in the Fifty-first Congress to seize upon the suffrages of the people under the provisions of the Force Bill,' and deprive them of all opportunity hereafter to get control of the House of Representatives so that they might repeal or amend it. Having seized upon the power of taxation, and transferred it to the hands of its favourites, it proposed then to tie the hands of the people, and submit them, bound hand and foot, to the spoliation of the Republican Party for the benefit of its supporters. To its supporters it promised bounties and largesses directly from the public treasury, or indirectly by artificially increasing the prices of the articles they have to sell to their fellow- citizens." "Every labouring man in this country I knows from his actual personal experience that while the McKinley Bill does not increase the money he takes in, it does increase the amount he pays out." Every labouring man knows that the tariff cannot, and does not, add one cent to the amount of his wages, while it reduces their purchasing power in the markets where he is compelled to buy the supplies for himself and his family." And, as regards the higher and nobler political objects involved, the following extracts from Carl Schurz's speech of 1st November last, at New York, in ex-President Cleveland's presence, are well worthy of perusal, both from their intrinsic value, and from the high character held by the speaker. Schur* was, I believe, an exile from Germany during the 1848 period; has since attained an honoured position in the States, and, when recently in Europe, was received in friendly audience by the German Emperor. He said, on the 1st November last, as above: —" What is the principal question in this campaign ? Not tin-plate and pearl buttons, or woollens and pocket-knives; not merely whether the McKinley tariff has raised the wages of labour; not merely whether the high protective policy is beneficial or injurious to the material well-being of this country; and not merely whether Cleveland or Harrison will the more surely put an end to the silver swindle. No important as all these things may be, there is something far more important. The question is now whether it shall be permitted to a strong and greedy money power, which supports a political party in this campaign with money, and endeavours to keep it in power, to purchase the legislation of the country for its own advantage, and to enrich its members still more at the expense of the majority of the people. "The question is whether the political party which is thus in the service of that money power shall succeed in maintaining itself by means of the pledges of votes and the possession of the Presidential office, and regain the possession of the Congress of the United States. "The question is whether our national elections shall become mere auction sales, in which the Government is knocked down to the highest bidder. "The question is whether the Government of this Republic shall continue to be, according to Lincoln's great saying, a. Government of the people, for the people, and by the people, or whether it is to be a Government of those who have the most money and the least conscience, for the advantage of the rich to make them still richer, and through a party which has ceased to be the party of moral ideas, and has become the party of immoral practices. This is the question to-day. Let it not be said that this is an exaggera- tion. The history of'the election of 1888 is known to all. The money of the beneficiaries of the tariff helped the Republican Party to victory, and the Republican Party paid back the investment with usurious interest by the McKinley tariff. The same game has begun again, only more daring, more shameless, and more defiant. Larger sums than ever the enriched beneficiaries of the tariff are pouring into the Republican war chest. Never before has so immense a corruption fund appeared in the history of American politics, and never before has its purpose been so nakedly revealed." Well, the fight is over; and it now remains to be seen how far Mr. Cleveland will justify by his acts and policy the confidence to which expression has been given by the large majority in his favour. My own impression is that he will not prove unequal to his task-that he will give effect to many of the reforms which commend them- selves as desirable, and that he will, in good time, mould the tariff into more reasonable dimensions. He will, doubtless, be a thoroughly American President, having, above all, at heart the interests ef the United States, but safe- guarding them in conformity with the dictates of prudence and common sense. Amongst the points of general interest which create great attention in America just ) now are :— I (1.) The question of Presidental re- elections per se, and the desirability or other- wise of returning them for the future, except in cases either ot unanimity, or of a specified very Imrge majority. (2.) That of prolonging the Presidential term from four to six years, corresponding with Senatorial elections. (3.) The desirability, or otherwise, of modifying the present objectionable arrange- ment, according to which both Federal and Local Elections take place on the same day. It is found in practise that the larger event overshadows and affects the smaller. 11 fancy that these three matters win, ere long, engage the attention of Congress, and be modified on something like above lines. If, in addition, some means were adopted for I putting a reasonable check on lavish electioneering expenditure, and for univer- salizing an improved system of voting, a great step would be made towards future honest representation. Mr. Davison here gives copious statistics which we skip, in accordance with his genial suggestion. "To be continued.J

0 RHONDDA RAILWAY BILL AND THE GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY. OPPOSITION OF GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY DEALT WITH BY REFEREE'S COMMITTEE. The locus standi of tne Great Western Railway Company as petitioners against the Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway Bill having been objected to by the promoters, the matter came for decision Friday betore the Referees Committee of the House of Commons, Mr. Gomer Bonsor presiding. Mr. Pember, Q.C., represented the petitioners, and Mr. Littler, Q.C., appeared for the promoters. —Mr. Peinber said it was proposed in the Bill to construct a line from Aberavon to a junction near Raglan with the authorised line from Cwmavon, and also to make a small railway in Swansea. With regard to the first point, the Rhondda and Swansea Bay Company had made many efforts to get their lines into Swansea, but owing to the intervention of the. Great Western Company their effurts had failed. Last year an agreement was entered into by which the Rhondda and Swansea Bay Company should have an elaborated user of the running powers of the Great Western line into Swansea, and the Great Western Company should have the user of certain of the Rhondda and Swansea Bay lines, and it was thought that that was a final agreement. If, however, this line was constructed, it would not only give the go-by to the agreement of last year, but the Rhoudda and Swansea Bay Railway Company would also be able to take all their traffic both to Port Talbot and to Swansea ever the Great Western Company's level at Aberavon. On those grounds, and also on the ground of increased competition, he urgei that the Great Western Company had a perfect right to come to Parliament to ask them not to sanction this Bill. The Chairman said the committee were of opinion that the locus standi of the Great Western Railway Company must be allowed on this point.-Mr. Pember said the next point was the proposed construction of a short railway at Swansea. The Great Western Railway Company were the first comers on a large scale to Swansea, and they were now the principal users of the lines of the Swansea Harbour Trustees, over which they carried an enormous coal traffic. Now however the Rhondda and Swansea Bay Company proposed to bring passenger traffic over vymp«*uy s onoe allowed, the those lines and if that wa^.re Qf Board of Trad .j iife that would restrictions for the j traffic of the senously interfere wHhjn Chairman the Great Western Company I point tfae committee were of opinion rwinanwmnat locus standi of the Great Western Company must be disallowed.

All Utters to the Editor must be auiheuticaUi mitt Ms Hione mid address of the writer, xotxocaswilyfsrpunits. tion, but as a guarantee of fctd fmith.

MAD A itiEi-IM AND WILD SOCIALISM SPREADING AMONGST THE YOUNG. WHY DOES NOT THE INTELLECTUAL SECTION OF THE CHURCH COME TO THE RESCUE? TO THE EDITOR OF "THE CAMBKIAX." SIR,—I was much intertsttd to read in The Cambrian of a couple of welks ago an article or letter, belting forth in plain language the kind of effect which is generally produced in the minds and hearts of young people when they have become disillusiomseU of the creeds and tenets of Evangelicalism, by reason of the inconsistent lives and conduct of the people who profess and preach these doctrines, and when they have once come into contact with the fearless candour of Free Thought on the great questions of life, death, and the hereafter. Pieachers and professing Christians for the most part content tLemselves with the baldest and most literal and most repellant statements of the facts aud effects ot their religion. And their individual lives ate rarely suoh as can conciliate or convince a fellow creature who has been siokened by the crudity of tue creed that is professed. Under these circumstances, it is not to be wondered at that a very large number of the young people of the present generation should hold very lightly, or should throw overboard altogether, the ordinary language and ordinary symbolism of the ordinary pretcher and professing OLiriatiali. This is a condition of things that might have been expected. But it is also a condition of things for which preparation might also have been expected on the part of the parsons and preachers who are set apart for religious and moral teaching. But the fact of the matter seems to be this :—that the majority of our religious teachers do not appear to be even so much as aware that a great change has come over the heart and mind of the country. They have not so much as taken the trouble to learn the lessons and conclusions which have been set for ns all by the researches and the labours of Modern Science. Under this condition of things, what wonder is it that the ordinary religious teacher should be so ineffective in his operations on the minds of the young people who have imbibed however small a draught jf the spirit of Science ? The real wonder is that the ordinary terminology of religious cant and common-place should have lasted so long as it has done. As a consequence of all this as a result of the unfitness of so-called religious teachers to deal with minds and hearts that have received the inoculation of Science, it follows that unauthorised and unqualified men and women take up the task, and it is only natural that they should make a woeful mess of it. All tuey can, at their highest and best, give to their tdisciptes and followers s negativeism" and "agnosticism." Now negativeism and agnosticism are all very well as stages through which to pass from Faith to Faith, that is to say, from Ptolemaic Faith to Coperniean Faith, but they, that is to say Negativeism and Agnosticism, are very poor resting-places for the soul. They cannot, they do not pretend to, satisfy the natural aspirations of the human mind or the desires of the heart. And not only do they not do this they even lead the heart and soul down to lower levels of thought and emotion, and often, eventually sink the life down to tne floor of sensualism, and all its grovelling comitants, or else leave it in an atmosphere of self- assertive dissatisfaction and offensive denuncia- tion against the Ideal Good, the True, and the Beautiful. This being granted, I sincerely hope that the good-wisbers and honest thinkers who held posi- tions of influence in the Christian Church of all denominations will direct more attention than they have recently been doing, to cope with the mischief which was complained of in The Cambrian of a couple of weeks ago. It is a shame that any body of young men or old men should be left uncared for outside the influence of the great religious machinery of our country-left outside not only to injure themselves by indulgence in the fads and follies of what they are pleased to call Free-Thinking, but also to more seriously injure others who may fall into their bands. I bold that the only ground upon which one human being may properly interfere with and nasattle another human being's faith is this—that he is able to instill into that creature's mind a larger and a better faith. To tampt r with a faith, and to leave the soul that has been tampered with thereafter faithless, is a wrong which should not be permitted by any enlightened community. I hope to see this matter taken up and discussed in a fuller manner than it is possible to do in one letter, however long.—Yours faithfully, FROM FAITH TO LARGER FAITH. Swanaen.

TO THJC SDITOB or "THE cAmsKUwm SIR,—Will you permit me, as one most interested in all phases of religious thought, to heartily endorse the sentiments expressed by your corre- spondent Marc Aurele," in an article headed, "An Aggressive Band of Self-Styled Atheists Anarchists, Socialists, &c. which appeared in your issue of the 5th inst. This was followed, in last Friday's Cumbi ian, by a letter from a member of "The Swansea Sunday Debating Society," suggesting that this was the body to which Marc Aurele's artiicle referred. Whether this be the fact or not, I do not know: but having attended three of the Sunday debates of this society, I have a fair idea of what it is, what it does, and of the influence its development in Swansea will probably have amongst us as a community, and more particularly amongst our young men and women. And because I think this influence is likely to be more harmful than anything else, I wish to give public expression to the views concerning it, that as a critical visitor, I have formed. Last Sunday night, I read to tbe members of the Swansea Sunday Debating Society a brief embodi- ment of these views, and as they have not changed -in fact, are strengthened, after coming out of the fire of the debate which followed my remarka-J reproduce them here in much the same form as I gave them utterance, with sundry additions The Swansea Sunday Debating Society is, in the first place, what it styles itself—a debating society but it is a great deal more. It is, in my opinion', what Marc Aurele called a body he referred to — An Aggressive Band of Self-Styled Atheists, Anarchists, Socialists, &c." True, I have been present at only three debates, but what I have already heard is quite enough to convince llIe that the individual sentiments of its prominent members, and of nearly all its present supporters, are essentially antagonistic to religion in general, by which I mean all forms of Theism, and to Chtistianity in particular. These gentlemen are most asxioos to assert their wishes to include people of all shades of religious and political opinion amongst their members, and I am bound to give them credit for perfect sincerity in tbis. They would like nothing better than an audience of "self-styled Christians, Buddhists, Ac., &c. before whom they could parade their Atheistical and Socialistic principles, because they are convinced that all, or most of the existing religions of the world are mere fabrics of supersti- tious absurdities, unnecessary evils, which it is their duty to upset and demolish. They are, however, perfectly aware that the "orthodox" fight shy of their unvarnished icnoclasm, and so hey cloak their real motives, as well as possible, under cover of "debate," though at the three debates I speak of the transparency of this rust-dc- guerre was perfectly obvious, and. indeed, several of the speakers gave plain utterance to their genuinely Atheistical sentiments and wishes. These gentlemen having logically proved to their own entire satisfaction that all attempts to measure the Infinite by our very finite minds are necessarily futile-(Who denies it?)—and being quite certain that our religious morality rests on foundations rotten to the core, are wilfully blind to the fact that however arrived at, no matter to what ism attached, the morality itself of all ethical relgions is, at least, quite as good, as ennobling, and as necessary as anything they can offer us in its place. They forget that our various shades of religious belief are but stepping stones from which we all try to grasp the same Knowledge of Good (only we spell it God ") as they profess to do. They wish to deliberately kick from under our feet these stepping-stones, thinking all men are, or ought to be. as "tall "-minded as themselves. But does not experience teach us that out of ten men thus upset, one or two only are able to recover themselves ? The others lie sprawling in the mud of unbelief, and finding it soft, are soon content to stay there its poisonous effects and odours become "acquired tastes," and very soon their staple food; and so superabundant that they willingly organise "universal supply stores" (of which we are dealing with a sample "in embryo"), and do a roaring trade in mud, done up in "prize. packets," to suit the public taste. Any ethical religion may be likened to a casket, perhaps of frail material, and more or less beautiful, according to the artistic tastes of the makers, but containing gems of superb beauty and of incalculable value. There comes along a man, a materialist, who owns a similar collection of gems. but carries them very loosely, and in no casket at all. Some get soiled or dimmed by exposure, many get lost, but he doesn't much care, and if all went could make new ones to suit himself But when he sees our casket, it irritates him to think of such time and delicate workmanship being expended on a mere receptacle for gems, very much like those he carries as so many pebbles, and in the greatness of his independence, he kicks the offending casket to atoms, and contemptuously tells the makers to find their scattered gemll amongst the dthris, or says, Don't bother, I'll give you some of my own that will do just as well," and offers us as com- pensation a handful of his dingy imitations. Shall we encourage this sort of thing?-—Faithf ally yours, EDWIN R. LOUDEN, Jr. Swansea, May 15,1893.

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THE POPULATION OF WALES. INTERESTING RETURNS. The returns giving the result of the census of England and Wales for 1891 have just been issued. Appended are the figures for the Welsh counties Administrative Area in Population. County. Acres. — x^T Ansrlesea 175,836 23,94 26,157 50,098 Brecknock 469,-9 25,633 25,760 51,393 Cardiirar) 443,071 27,7*1 35,7:,6 63,467 Carmarthen 587,816 62.316 68,250 130,566 ^raarvon 36U.138 56,047 61,186 117,233 De^bhrh *435 60,018 58,825 11^,843 Flint 16^,051 38,242 39,035 77,277 Glamorgan (with County Boroughs of Cardiff and Swansea) 516,966 360,250 326,968 687,218 Merioneth 427,SiO 24,035 25,177 49,212 Monmouth (with County Borjugh of Newport 347,011 133,633 124,421 258,054 Montgomery 5 0,111 28,222 29,781 58,003 Pembroke d92,710 41,319 46,977 88,296 Radnor 301,164 10,869 l0,9i2 21,791 5,121,013 892,256 879,195 1,771,451 The following shows the population in 1891 of some of the chief towns in South Wales:- Aberdare. 40,917 Aberystwith Brecon „ SLhen |g Pembroke. 14,978 5Z%h"z=:Z^ SWanst:& 90,349 KUPTUBES CuBM.—Wm. KinR. Hernia Specialist. 14, High Holborn, London, sends his book, post free, ',d. r:l71 The following epigrammatic quatrain was written by a well-known bachelor-poet in a lady's album- "All honour to woman, the sweetheart, the wife, The delight of the fireside by night and by day, Who never does anything wrong in her life, Except when permitted to have her own way." General complaint is made of the indigestibility of the ardHnry cocoas of commerce, it having been lately itiown by the medical profession that the alkalies too tften used by the foreign manufacturers, combined with the fatty matters, form a soapy result which is m- letoterioM to beakth. In tbe can of cocoas made wtth an, HTTA as MCMM. OaMmry's, these do sot