Weekly Mail

TLDETAHLE. FOR THE WEEK ENDING; DECI,UB!;U 29, 1832. •- —■ •5-5 *•- -2 Divsof THSWiw. S§ "S^ 1° ?•-§ 2 *1 3|| -I ^1 I « I 4 Morning 5 50 5 32 I 4 32 5 26 6 39 SATUBUY {Evening 6 19 60|52|5 5ti 7 7 I Height 30 8 33 4 30 6 34 0 25 8 I Morning I 6 41 3 27 j 5 60 j 6 24 1 7 34 Sunday Evening 7 8 6 L,4 b 5'o 6 ,'j0 V 1 ( Height 32 0 33 10 31 0 34 7 25 3 rMon.ing 7 27" 7 17 1 ti"2l 1 1 15~; 8 MONDAY.\ Evening V 54 7 40 6 44 | 7 3° 3 47 Height.. 32 10 51 4 31 7 35 2 26 10 L Morning 89 80 76180197 TUESDAY Evening B 35 20 7 28 hi 20 9 27 ( Height 33 0 34 6 31 10 35 3 27 i ATe»rnitig 8 47 8 39 7 46 8 ^0 li 4b WFDSDY. I veidiw 9 lb S 3 61 3 T9 10 3 I Height _32 Ji_ _34_1_ 31 4 34 7 2S__7 t Mo^TiTt- "9 24 "9 13 8 22 1" 16 ("10 20 THUHSOY- .Evening 9 43 9 31 8 40 9 34 10 3 J i H-i-ht 3L 4 33 0 30 G [33 1 Mor/,log 10 0 9 47 3 5'-i 9 oi ^0 -_4 FRIDAY. 3 Evening 10 25 j 10 4 » 17 10 11 11 11 ( Height 30 I 32 5 ?.9 6 32 G 24 7

GBl#lli#WlI tSATUBDAY, DECEMBER ;1, 188,1. THE WEEK. THE BISHOP OF I.LANDAFF. The luuiiled bells tolling from the towers of Elandalf Cnthedral and the Parish Churches in and about Cardiff, with the flags Hying at half-mast from the principal buildings, an- nounced 011 Saturday the death of Dr. OLUVAXT, who for thirty-three years has presided over the most important diocese in Wales, and the oldest see in the British Isles. Following closely on the decease of the PJRIMATJJ of all England, the death of the Bishop of Llandaff came upon the public as a sudden aud almost unexpected event. For, although the deceased Prelate had attained the advanced age of eighty-live years, it WHS only within the last few days that any signa tturcobaervabteof his approach- ing dissolution. Dr. OLLIVAM may, indeed, be said to have died almost in harneaa. The cares of his see attended his Latest moments. And to those who knew his lordship best there was somethiuo- very aiteccing in the appeal which his persistent attention to duty rendered it necessary for Mr. J. E. OLLIVANT to publish not twenty-four hours before his father's death that letters to the Bishop on i; business,exceptunavoidable, may not be sent "at present." Filial piety suggested that the Bishop's correspondents should afford that re- lief to the dying Prelate which, so long as he possessed any remaining strength, he denied himself. Of no one could it be more appro- priately aid than of the Prelate who laid down his duty with his life at Bishop's Court on Saturday morning that he was "faithful unto death." In form- ing an estimate of Bishop OLLIVANT 8 episcopal life and labours it is necessary to bear in mind, not only the social and ecclesi- astical conditions which surrounded him, but the natural peculiarities which charac- terised the diocese over which he has ruled for so long a term of years. Local historians have described in more or less picturesque and accurate terms the melancholy condition of the Church in the Diocese of Llandaff when iirsfc the late Bishop was elevated to the bench. Throughout England the religious revival, of which l'useyisin was the outward and visible sign, was in full tlood. Ihat movement was a natural reaction against the poverty and barrenness which of later days had characterised the Evangelicalism of the Low Church party. It was doctrinally an attempt to restore to the Church the sacerdotal authority which her ministers had in the vast majority of instances through carelessness or indifference per- mitted to lapse, and practically it was a restoration of disused forms of worship and means of grace which in other ages and other countries and other Churches had been found so powerful in securing a hold over men's minds. I Equally removed from religions systems which teach that salvation is to be obtained by faith without works, and works without faith, it boldly taught that both faith and works were essential to salvation, and supplied to timid and doubting minds the comfort which can only be derived from an authorita- tive rule of faith, and an infallible guide and interpreter of Scriptural obligations. At the time of Bishop OLLIVANT',s introduction to the Diocese of Llandaff this awakening of religious life had not touched the Welsh clergy. For the main part they were in the same condition of spiritual and intellectual darkness as characterised their predecessors two generations previously, when the Welsh counterparts of WESLEY and WlIITFlELD- ROWLANDS of Llangeitho, CHARLES of Bala, WILLIAMS of Wern, and the other great Welsh Revivalists^-established Welsh Nonconformity. It has repeatedly been said that the cause of Welsh Dissent was the appointment, of non-resident and non-Welsh speaking bishops and clergy. We venture to differ from this opinion. The cause of Welsh Dissent was precisely the same as the cause of English Dissent. In neither country did the Church during the last century minister to the spiritual needs of the poor and unlettered masses. It had little or no sympathy with their social condition. It was the Church of the comfortable and well-to-do middle and upper classes. The result was that the revivalists had it all their own way with the common people." They brought them a personal Gospel which offered them self-respect in this world and hope in the world to come—a Gospel inculcating the essential doctrine of Christianity itself— equality of rich and poor in the sight of God. Nationally it was successful in precise pro- portion to the disposition of its hearers to be attracted by such a prospect of Christian Socialism. In England the triumphs of Methodism were amongst the people whose lot was the hardest, and whose pros- pects were the bleakest—the miners of Corn- wall, the colliers of Kings wood, the stock- ingers of Nottingham, the clothiers of York- shire, and similar classes. But Methodism hardly touched the middle and higher sections of the populations of the great towns and cities, or any portion of the community in rural England where the social influences of the resident clergy and squirearchy offered an insuperable baiii- r to its progress. And thus it was that the influential classes of England remained loyal to the Church. That Church has always adapted itself to ministering to their spiritual wants. Now that it has fairly come to recognise its universal mission to the whole community it promises speedily to regain its hold upon the lower as well as the upper and middle classes. In Wales, when the revival came, there was 110 middle or upper class to resist its influence and remain as a stronghold of the Established Church. The whole population was poor and neglected. They had nothing to lose and everything to gain, especially in a social sense, by being "converted." Religious enthusiasm offered an exciting contrast to the every-day life of the Welsh farmer, and artisan, and shopkeeper. The prevalence in Wales of Dissent is due to and co-extensive with the poverty of its inhabi- tants and their lack of intellectual culture. Had Dr. OLLIVANT set himself to bring back the lower classes of the Welsh nation from Nonconformity to allegiance with the State Church he would have attempted an im- practicable task, Happily for the new Bishop, there commenced with his episcopate a development of themineral wealth and natural resources of the Principality, which attracted to the diocese many English residents, and afforded to all the means of mental and social improvement, which in the long run promise to do more for Welsh Conformity than any other agency. From the outset Dr. OLLIVANT strove after two main objects-the education of the rising generation and the reform of the clergy by the introduction of men of competent scholarship and blamelessness of life to be fitting pastors of the people. These two influences have already done much to transform the ecclesiastical condition of the diocese. The contrast which a learned and cultivated clergy offers to the generality of the Nonconformist ministers is rapidly winning for the former the support of the more influential and educated portion of the population. The life and variety which have bean imported into the Church services are constantly rendering them more popular and attractive and though it may be that ages must pass before the Established Church becomes the Church of the majority of the population, it will not be long, if the progress which has been made during the Bishop of LLANDAFF'S episcopacy be maintained, before it will be the most influential religious organisation in the Principality, not because of its connection with the State, but because, owing in no alight degree to the wise policy of the reve- rend prelate whose mortal remains now await burial at Hishop's Court, it has been made a Church in which learning and piety are essential qualifications to preferment in its ministry. THE MA AMTTMSVA MURDEIIS, I The three miscreants found guilty of the murder of the Joyce family under circum- stances of peculiar atrocity in August last have paid the forfeit of their guilt with their lives. The event has tended to allay the feeling of public uneasiness which the pos- sible escape of so daring a gang of murderers had aroused. A very unsatisfactory feature about the case of the three condemned men is the persistence with which one of them (Miles) protested his innocence to the last. This man also, through the bungling of Mar- wood, underwent a frightful death agony, and it i3 simply shocking to reflect that he who after all may have been the knt guilty suffered most in the end. THE CHANGES IN THE CABINET. The admission of a Conservative of such standing as Lord Derby into the Cabinet is really not the most interesting feature in the history of the recent changes in the Cabinet. Sir diaries Dilke, it is well known, is one of the ablest men in the present Government, and so great and legitimate are his claims to a seat in the Liberal Cabinet that they cannot be passed over without a most flagrant viola- tion of official decency. Into the mystic inner circle he must, therefore, be admitted, but the difficulty has been to find a proper place for him. It would be folly to hide talents like his under a bushel, and a positive party loss at the same time. The dilemma of the Radical chiefs was one which they could not escape in a hurry. But their difficulty baa been Rumour's opportunity, and the lady of the hundred tongues has hesi- tated not to attribute the delay in finding the member for Chelsea a place to a personal dis- like entertained by her Majesty towards him ever since the ludicrous Republican sermon which he preached at Newcastle eleven years ago. Nothing could be more stupid or absurd. Sir Charles has sown his political wild oats, and the Queen of England is a lady of too large an experience and too kindly a disposition to remember with anything save amusement a little escapade of this sort. DISTRESS AT LLANGENNECII. The failure of the Llangennech Tin-plate Company has proved a disastrous occurrence to the local population. Two thousand people suddenly deprived of their usual means of subsistence and unable to obtain credit from hard-pressed tradesmen is a calamity suffi- cient to overwhelm a comparatively limited centre of iudustrv like Llangennech Indi- vidual hal, .ip will no doubt be very much increased by the inclemencies of the season. The Revs. E. A. Davies, vicar, D. A. Jones, Independent Minister, and other gentlemen, have issued an appeal for hflp for the distressed. It is Christmas, good friends; and out of your bounty may none of you forget the poor whom the Master hath said we shall always have with us-God pity them THE SANITARY CONDITION OF CARDIFF appears not to have been so bad as some people had imagined. Still there is plenty of room for improvement, and with this fact staring them in the face the Corporation should buckle to and declare war to the knife against nuisances of all kinds wherever they are found existing. From the discussion which took place at Monday's meeting of the General Purposes Committee the east end of Roath and a portion of Cathays are in immi- nent want of the services of the sanitary policeman. Filth and fever should be con- stantly urged to Move on THE ARERYSTWITII COLLEGE. The prospect of obtaining the Government grant of four thousand pounds per annum has had a quickening effect upon the Aberyat- withCollege. Signs of an upheaval of its inner life have recently manifested them- selves, and in the matters of scholarships and successes at the English Universities things are getting to look really healthy. It is be- ginning to be perceived in Aberystwith and the district of which it is the centre that the chances of the second of the Welsh Univer- sity Colleges being located there will depend to a very serious extent upon whether Cardiff gets the first of them. Should Swansea be successful Aberystwith it is thought may cry. I "Good-bye, John!" for the other College would in that case necessarily be removed further north. While on this subject of the College let us remark that the London Echo advises Mr. Mundella, if he is wise, to let somebody else settle the question of the site between Cardiff and Swansea, for if the claims of the first-named towfe are. rejected, then it is certain to revenge itself upon the Government 11 by returning a Conservative at the next election. If we thought there was any truth in this But we won't speculate. THE SWANSEA GRAMMAR SCHOOL. Apart from topics concerning more imme- diately the Grammar School and town of Swansea, the speeches of Lord Aberdare and Mr. C. H. M. Talbot, M.P., on Tuesday night, at the presentation of prizes to the scholars of the above school, touched upon some matters of general educational interest. The Lord-Lieutenant of the County never, per- haps, delivered himself in so pronounced a manner upon the question of Higher and Intermediate Education in the Principality. According to Mr. Talbot, such a thing as a University was not wanted for Wales, which should have remained satisfied with good schools of the nature of the one at Swansea. Bene est cut Dens obtnlit parca, quod salis e8l, manu. Well the saying might have been appropriately quoted at one time; but the Departmental Commission and the Government have decided that in the way of higher educational machi- nery that which Wales had was not sufficient for its wants-a. view of things we may now accept as final. Lord Aberdare's speech was principally interesting as showing why the site question was not settled by the Commis- sioners and it is not at all impossible that his opinion as to the resultant good of the friendly warfare between the towns of Cardiff and Swansea, may turn out to have been in the main correct. MR. PARNELL AT CORK. Mr. Parnell, in his speech at Cork, has publicly repudiated Davitt's policy of stop- ping the payment of rent. The member for Cork candidly owns now that the No Rent" programme of last year was only a piece of bluster, and he refuses to put it forward again. His own policy is to try and persuade Mr. Gladstone not to accept Lord Derby's doc- trine of finality as regards the Land Act, but to extend Healy's Clause of that Act till the tenant gets full compensation for all his im- provements—these improvements being once more defined as all that has been added to the worth of the land beyond its "prairie value." In point of fact, as Mr. Parnell now puts it, he wants to change the laud tenure of Ireland into a system of peasant proprietorship, in the belief that peasant proprietors are every- where prosperous. Someone should send him a copy of Lady Verney's paper describing the life led by the peasant proprietors of Auvergne as more sordid and brutalised even than that of the Irish cottiers. Mr. Parnell also de- clares war on behalf of the Irish Nationalists against the Ministerial scheme of relieving distress only by in-door relief or emigration. Clearly, we are not yet at the end of our Irish troubles.

OUR LONDON LETTER, During Mr. Fawcett's illness, Mr. Shaw- Lefevie, the industrious First Commissioner of Works, is performing the duties of Post- master-General. "By his Works shall ye know him." w The Daily Tdeyraph has been calculating, in connection with the Gladstone Jubilee, how much money the Prime Minister has drawn in salaries from the State during his fifty years of public life. The proprietors of the Daily 'Telegraph are Jews. Hence the importation of the money view into the matter. As it has been raised, there can be no harm in my observing that though there Jnay be variance among Englishmen regarding the value of Mr. Gladstone's services there can be no two questions that he has worked hard for his money. London journalism lows and provincial journalism gains by the departure to Bristol of Mr. J. Goodenongh Taylor, deservedly one of the most popular members of the Press Gallery of the House of Commons. He goes down to the West to assist his father, Mr. T. D. Taylor, in carrying on the Bristol Times and Mirror, which has been in the Taylor family for between 70 and 80 years, and it is easy to foresee that the infusion of new blood—and such new blood—into the under- taking must have an invigorating effect. Many who do not know Mr. Taylor personally are familiar with him through his brilliant and witty London letter—the very model of what such a piece of work should be—in the Times and Mirror; and the highest praise that can be given to him in connection with it is that he worthily succeeded the late Shirley Brooks, their former London corre- spondent, and was able to carry ou with credit the letter which he originated. We are all very sorry to lose him, and, speaking personally, I ought to be specially so, for he was the first newspaper man in London who held out to me the hand of friendship/and since that time I have had many proofs of his kindliness and bonhomie while working as one of his colleagues on the Tost. The Gallery came out in its strength ct on Friday night to wish him God-speed.' Of course there was a dinner, and equally of course it was held in that roaring thorough- fare-I, Brain-street," as our friend G. A. S. calls it—or, in other words, Fleet-street. Besides the dinner there was a presentation, which took the form of a little something in silver. Every morning paper in London was represented, from the lordly Times to the pushing Chronicle; our chairman was Mr. G. 1". Hmmcy, the well-known chief of "Han- sard's official corps; the Father of the Gallery, Mr. Byrne, who was in the House in the days of Charles Dickens, occupied a place of honour to the right of the guestof the evening; the youngest member of the Gallery was also present, and among the company was the amiable and scholarly Thompson Cooper, author of Men of the Time." Letters re- gretting their inability to attend and wishing Mr. Taylor every success in life were read from Mr. Richard Dowling, the novelist; Mr. William Senior ("Red Spinner"), of the Daily News; Mr. T. F. Morse, of the Chan- cery Bar; Mr. M. P. Jackson, the accom- plished art critic, and mnj" others Walton, II the American Plunger," who made such a sensation, and caused no small amount of ill-feeling, in sporting circles last year through his enormous winnings, tried to repeat the trick during the season which has just closed, but his good luck deserted him. He has returned to the States many thousands out of pocket. Perhaps he now regrets that he did not stick to his original resolve to "rest and be thankful." However, he can stand his bad fortune, for he is enor- mously rich, and his street-cleaning contracts and his mammoth hotels are gold mines to him—better, by a great deal, than some gold mines that City speculators wot of. The narrow escape Hampton Court Palace has had from total destruction by fire will probably lead to a more careful separation of the private apartments from the State rooms and picture galleries. The suggestion offered by the Times, that the pictures and other art treasures collected at Hampton Court should at once be removed to a place of greater safety in London, is probably made in the interest of South Kensington, and I sincerely hope that no one in authority will pay the slightest attention to it. The Palace and grounds of Hampton Court form at present the most delightful place of public resort in the neighbourhood of London, and it would be a shameful thing to rob a spot so dear to all who have ever visited it of one of its greatest attractions. The picture galleries are, with a wise liberality on the part of the Crown, left open to the public on Sundays; and the most bigoted opponent of Sunday amusements might become more tolerant if he were to go out to Hampton Court on a fine Sunday afternoon in summer and see the thousands upon thousands of happy and orderly holiday makers lounging on the turf in the gardens by the ri\er or under the chestnut trees of Bushey Park, or thronging the gal- leries to gaze upon the historic treasures dedicated to the public use. To foreigners Hampton Court is the only oasis in the dreary desert of Sunday life in England. On Saturday evening 1 went down to West- minster-hall to see Sir Herbert Macpherson giveaway the prizes that have been won by the London Scottish Rifles. As a Highlander himself—and especially one who was in the famous 78th Regiment, which his father formerly commanded, and in which he now has a son—General Macpherson naturally came in for a splendid reception. He spoke in very complimentary terms of the physique and bearing of the men and certainly our kilted regiment of citizen soldiers is one of the finest we have. But the suspicious whiteness of the men's knees tells, beyond the possibility of mistake, that their every-day costume is not kilts, but the more prosaic trousers. ':fo Why is it,, by-the-bye, that the Welsh have no national volunteer regiment in London, as the Scotch and Irish have P The Welsh colony on the banks of the Thames is a large one, but I grant that music is more in their way than the march past, and the Cymmro- dorion Society than company drill. Perhaps they are right; but might not a judicious combination he practicable ? J, What I have just written calls to my mind an anecdote which I lately heard of a retired miUtaire. A friend met him, and, noticing that he had shaved off his moustache, in- quired the reason. Well, you see," was the ex-captain's answer, .[ have given up swords -not for ploughshares, but for the other shares.' He had become a stockbroker, and in due time, I believe, filed his petition, as officers generally do who try their hand at business." Allow me to bear my humble testimony to the personal amiability of the late Bishop of Llandaff. Upon that I can speak. A good many years ago, when I was learning journal- ism in the Cardiff office of the 'Western Mail, my business took me to the Bishop's Palace at Llandaff. Dr. Ollivant was about to deliver his triennial charges to the'clergy of the diocese; the times were important, and his utterances, it was expected, would be of the highest value—hence the necessity, if pos- sible, of obtaining copies of the charges in advance, and having them in type, that they might appear in the paper t4 morning after delivery. The Bishop, I remember, met my views with the utmost kindness, and for several days I had the pleasure of working with him in his library, copying as he wrote. The entire absence of affectation, his geniality, and not too ob- trusive courtesy made a great impression upon me at the time and though since then I have been brought agooddealinto communica- tion with cligditarie.-j of the Church, of none do I carry away a more pleasurable recollec- tion than the venerable, man who has just died. -vc The Bishop was much interested in the sys- tem of shorthand which I wrote at the time, and it turned out that he, too, was a shorthand writer -or, at all events, had been one when a young man. From a shelf in liir-i library he produced a thick, leather-bound volume, fall of pen-and-ink characters of an obsolete style .of stenography, and explained to me with great lucidity the salieht features 01 the method. Having in my recollection the admirable speech delivered last year by Mr. Sala at the West London School of Art, I could not but listen in a melancholy mood last night to Mr. Mundella as he floundered sadly on the same subject. Because circumstances have made Mr. Mundella Minister of Education, he is supposed by an agreeable fiction to know t&I! about art; and hence we were doomed for three-quarters of an hour to follow his by no means melodious voice as he gave us his views respecting the importance of artistic design in the economy of the workshop. True, he did not venture upon any startling theories of his own, but the torture of being dragged at the cart-wheel of his platitudes and laboured eloquence had special and peculiar pangs of its own. I wish you to understand that I do not say the Vice-President of the Council has not an eye for the beautiful, but there is something ludicrous in the idea of his lecturing a hotly of art students about matters upon which they know ten thousand times more than he does. The Times has made a good hit with its extremely interesting articles on the third volume of Bishop Wilberforce's Life, which the other newspapers seem not yet. to have got hold of. Thanks to the indiscretion of the bishop's son, the book is the liveliest collec- tion of gossip about the notabilities of our time that has yet seen the light. It brings out very strongly the intense personal animosity with which Mr. Gladstone and his intimate friends, of whom Bishop Wilberforce was one, always regarded Disraeli. One story the Bishop tells is too good not to be relished, even by Lord Beaconsíield's frieoda. He relates that the late Lord Chelmsford, a most brilliant punster, whom Disraeli, on becoming Prime Minister in 18C58, turned out of the Lord Chancellorship, said of the new Administra- tion, "Ths last Government was the Derby, this is the Hoax." The joke was a bad one for his own interest. Looking at the strong feeling that has been imported into the Belt, libel case, it is truly delightful to observe the harmony that sub- sists between judge and jury, Mr. Baron Iluddleston showed how well-disposed he was towards the twelve good men and true" by obtaining tickets for them to be present at the opening of the New Law Courts, and the jury, it is manifest, look with eyes of affection upon the courteous occupant of the bench. Recently one of them, when the judge spoke of cutting short his summing-up to enable the case to be finished before Christmas, was so over- whelmed with gratitude or what-not that he blurted out, U I hope, so far as I am per- sonally concerned, that whatever inconvenience it may cause to us, your lordship will not curtail the valuable observations on which we must rely for our guidance." Who, I ask, dares to say that' the British Jury is not entitled, after this, to be spoken 01 respect- fully as a Palladium—with the largest of capital P's. „ I have never felt particularly enthusiastic about the future of aerial navigation, but un- questionably there arc some purposes to which ballooning may advantageously be applied; as, for instance, taking observations during war. Hitherto, one of the great diffi- cuItieswhich balloonists have had toencounter has been the impossibility of obtaining gas when wanted and the substituted method of innation--namely, through the instrumen- tality of rarified air, as used in the now almost obselete fire balloons—has been attended by too many dangers. The era of fire balloons, however, appears to be again at hand, should experience confirm the trials made yesterday at Hendon with a fire balloon rendered fireproof by means of asbestos. A spirit lamp at the neck of the unin- flammable balloon speedily produced a ,'{?i sufficiency of rarified air, and in five minutes the model, which was of large size, standing about 30 feet high, was ready for its ascent. I am morally certain that we have not heard the last of these asbestos-prepared balloons, which per- haps—in the interests of adventurous spirits of the Burnaby, Templar, Brine, and De Crespigny school-is a pity. Another illusion shattered! The Thieves' Supper was one of the tamest and most prosaic affairs in the world. The Mission Chapel, in which it was held, was like any other chapel; the guests were like any other guests of the rough class who might be com- pelled to come in" from the slums and by- lanes of a large town, and the proceedings were orderly in the extreme. It struck me that the assembled men and boys had not the t heart to be jocular or mischievous, and they ate their food as though they wanted a good meal. One could not help thinking, while watching them, of the old saying, that the thief never grows rich, for a more poverty-stricken, squalid assemblage I never set eyes upon. Nevertheless, it was not easy to avoidthc reflection that there were gathered here only thieves down on their luck," and that there were no specimens en evidence of the planners of great crimes like the theft of the Dudley jewels and Gains- borough's Duchess of Devonshire. And I should have liked, too, to have beheld the shooting burglar" taking his east1, in the intervals of his arduous toils, at some- body else's inn and at somebody else's expense. But that pleasure was denied to me. I shall say no more about the Thieves' Supper, because I find to my disgust that it has already been described times out of number, not only by literary ladies in the columns of religious magazines, but by the picturesque young men of the Telegraph in the highly-approved conversa- tional style, with dialogue and thieves'slang c'rekt," which I cannot imitate with any hope of success. We are having what 1 may call an epidemic of fires just now. It would have been a national misfortune of the magnitude if Hampton Court Palace had been burnt down. The first question that was asked when the report of the fire reached London was What about the Picture Gallery''? and when it was stated 1 hat it was safe there was a general sigh of relief. Hampton Court is a favourite holiday resort with the people of London, and I may state, as showing that the love of art is very widely spread among the poorest I and least educated class, that the picture gallery is always crowded on public occasions. .0<' The choice weather of London possesses, at any rate, the charm of variety. Snow, sleet, slush, and black fog have come and gone within the space of a few days, and to-day, as a special treat, a white fog, raw and rimy, has been laid on for our delectation. It is a good thing we are a robust people, for otherwise our native land would speedily be '• To Let."

LOCAL LAW CASES. MOWATT V. THR MILFORD DOCK COMPANY. It) the High Court of Justice Chancery Division (bo- fore Mr. Justice Chitty) this case came again before the court on Monday. Last week, on the application of the plaiutiff, a debenture holder for more than £10.000, an injunction was granted restraining the sheriff of Pembroke from selling certain plant under an execution against the contractor ob- tained by creditors. The plant was claimed by the company, the contract between them and the contractor containing a proviso that certain plant placed by the con- tractor on the promises for the purpose of per- forming the works should be the proper tv of the company but that on the completion of the works the plant should be taken back by the coiir.totor, and allowed for in his account. An execution creditor of the contractor seized, and the plant was to have been sold lust Tuesday, but Mr. Mowatt, on behalf of himself and all other debenture holders, obtained an interim injunction over last Friday restraining the sale. The motion was renewed about five o'clock on that day, and was then postponed. On Saturday Mr. Justice Chitty thought he ought to discharge the order, it not having been mentioned to him when the application was first made that the execution was under a judgment of the Queen's Bench Division. The plaintiff assented to this course and on Monday the order was finally discharged. His Lordship said that by a slip it had not been mentioned to hiiu that a sheriff was in possession under a judgment of the Queen's Bench. It was evidently only a slip, but it was the duty of applicants for injunctions to place the court in possession of all the facts of a case, This had not been dono in the present instance, and the consequence was that he must discharge the order, and giro the costs of all parties, including rbosheiu;' and tiiu sheriff's auctioneer, against the plaintiff. POWELL AND AXOTHER V. THE POWELL DUFFiiYN STLAM COAL COMPANY. On Monday, in the Court of Appeal at West- minster, this case came before Lords Justices iUggallay, Brett, and Liridley, by way of appeal by the piaintiff from a judgment of Justices Field and Cave, Oil special case. The action was brought upon a contract made between the plaintiffs and defendants to recover £ 1,737. Upon the contract the question arose as to whether the defendants had a right to take into account that they did not work out the full amount of coal in certain rights. The judgment of the court boiow being in favour of the defendants, the plaintiffs now appealed. Mr. Horace Davey, Q.C., and Mr. William Evans itor appeared for the plaintiffs the Solicitor-General represented the respondents. The case having been just opened, the court adjourned. The hearing of the case Was continued on Tuesday. The action was brought by Mr, Henry St. John Powell and Mr. Waiter Powell, buth of Newport, Mon., to recover from the defendant company the sum of £ 1,737, and interest at, 5 per cent. This amount was com- prised of a sum of £ 753 alleged to be due as minimum dead rent, in respect of the Abergwawr Colliery; a further sum of £ 987 Is. lOd. alleged to be due in respect of certain royalties and galeagesother than dead rent upon coal worked and gotten by the defendants at the Abergwawr Colliery. The defendants had paid the sum of £750 since the commencement of the action, and the balance of the plaintiffs' claim had been agreed to be £975. The defendants, as against that sum by way of set-off, claimed to be entitled to credit for sums on account of short workings between the years 1856 and 1833. If the defendants were entitled to such credit it was found in the special case that it would more than cover plaintiffs' claim. Upon the terms of the special case judgment was given by the court, below in favour of the defen- dants. From that decision the plaintiff's now appealed. The hearing of the case was continued on Wed- nesday, the evidenca not being concluded when the court rose. FHILLLPS V. HOMFRAY. In the High Court of Justice, Chancery Division, Lincoln's inn, on Tuesday (before Mr. Justice Kay), thecaseofPhitlips v. ifomfraycamo on for hear- ing. This was a summons taken out by the plain- tiff for the payment into court of the sum of £ 5,610, being the value of 5,910 tons of coal and 150 tons of iron ore, which had been worked from collieries at Abercarn. Air. Maclean, who appeared in support of the summons, said the action was in- stituted so far back as the year 1866, and a decree had been made declaring the defendants liable for all the coal and iron worked under the estate. That decree was made in the year 1870, but by reason of another suit, that of Phillips v. Lady Llanover, nothing had been done under the decree for the last twelve years. After the decree of 1870 was made an application, which was ultimately unsuccessful, was made by Lady Llanover, who claimed, as Lady of the Manor, to be entitled to the minerals ull(ter the surface. That litigation resulted in a decree against Ltdy Llanover, which was made by Vice-Chancel lor Sir Charles Hall, and that decree was afiirnied a short time ago by the Court of Appeal. Mr. Justice Kay: Has the certificate been made? Mr. Maclean said no certificate had been made yet, but he submitted that as it was admitted that the coal and iron in question had been taken he was entitled to ask that the value should be paid into court. In this case the defendants admitted that they had taken a very large amount, of the plaintiff's coal and iron, and the defendants them- selves had put the price upon it, and he conceived he was entitled to have the value of that co:tl and iron paid into court. Mr. Justice Kay No, the court has a discretion. Why have you waited for twelve years ? Mr. Maclean said the reason was that plitintiff waited for the decision upon the claim of Lady Llanover. The inquiry was likely to be an extremely lengthy one. Mr. Justice Kay Had you not better let this stand over until the reforee's report has been made't Mr. Maclean said ha had no objection. Mr. Osier, who appeared on behalf of the defendants, submitted that the summons ought to be dismissed, with costs. Mr. Justice Kay Let the summons stand over until the referee has made his report. IN HE JEVONS AND WOOD. This case again came before the Court of Bankruptcy, London, on Monday. The debtors, who recently presented a petition for the liquidation of their affairs, were tin-plate and iron manufacturers and merchants carrying on busi- ness at Liverpool and Swansea. Their liabilities were estimated at £300.000 in the aggregate. Mr. F. W. Hollams, on behalf of Messrs. John Watson and Co. and others, being the unpaid vendors of certain cargoes of iron shipped to the debtors at Swansea, and which had been stopped in traiuitu, renewed an application for leave to sell the iron upon an undertaking to pay the proceeds into a joint account to abide the further order of the court. The matter was, noticed last week, and Mr. Registrar Brougham adjourned the application for further evidence. The learned counsel now read an affidavit by the roceiver and manager setting out the facts in detail, and it appeared that the object of the application was to avoid the ex- penses consequent upon retaining possession.—Mr. Finlay Knight (in the absence of Mr. Linklater), for tho receiver and manager, consented to the application, and his Honour made the debired order. THOMPSON V. THE CASTLE STEEL AND JRON CO. AND OTHERS. In the High Court of Justice, Chancery Division, on Wednesday (before Mr. Justice Chitty) Mr. Romer, Q.C. (with whom was Mr. Northmore > Lawrence), moved for an injuction to restrain the Ebbw Vale Company and the high-sheriff of Pem- brokeshire from selling a steamship and the materials, machinery, tools, plant, &.C., belonging thereto, flying at Cardiff. The plaintiffs are having a ship built for them at Cardiff by the Castle Steel and Iron Company, which ship was, according to the contract, to have been ready on the 5th inst., but it is still uncompleted. The contract provided that the ship while being built, and the materials appropriated or intended to be part thereof .should be fully vested in the purchasers, and, should the builders fail to complete, the purchasers might finish the vessel and use all the materials in the yard. The execution creditors of the Castle Steel and Iron Company (Limited) seized everything and were goina: to sell. Henco the application. The sum of X-550 was all that remained owing from the plaintiff to the Castle Company. His lordship granted the injunction over the 11th of January, with liberty to serve notice of motion for that day.

THE FUNERAL OF THE BISHOP OF LLANDAFF. The funeral of the late Dr. Ollivant, the ninety- seventh bishop of the ancient see of Llandaff. took place at Llandaff on Thursday afternoon in the presence of a large concourse of mourners, friends, and spectators. The procession started from Bishop's Court at one o'clock p.m. in the fol- lowing order, viz., the Bishop's butler (Mr. Harding) and the servants of the house the apparitor, the Bishop's secretary, the Bishop's chaplain, the coffin, members of the family and principal mourners, the Bishops of Bangor and St. Asaph, the Archdeacon of Carmar- then (representing the Bishop of St. David's), the Rev. F. J. Jayne (Principal of St. David's College, Lampeter), the Rural Deans, and the clergy and laity of the diocese. The service in the Cathedral was read by Canon Hawkins, Bishop Perry, and Archdeacon Griffiths, and the service at the grave by the Dean (Dr. Vaughan, Master of the Temple). The body was interred in a vault which contains the remains of Mr. William Spencer Ollivant, the eldest son of the Bishop, who died suddenly in 1876. The scene at the grave was an impressive one, and the ceremony throughout, though simple and unostentatious, was a powerful testimony to the universal e-tcem in which the deceased Prelate was held. THE NEW BISHOP. There is a rumour in well-informed circles that it is quite probable the Bishopric of Llandaff will be offered to the Rev. David Howell, vicar of Wrexham. L :t '1'1 L

THE NATIONAL EISTEDDFOD,1883. LIBERALITY OF THE TAFF VALE RAILWAY COMPANY. A deputation from the Eisteddfod Committee, consisting of the Mayor of Cardiff, the ex-Mayor, Alderman Taylor, Alderman Lewis, Mr. Peter Price, Mr. Robert Davies, and the secretary, waited on the directors of the Taff Vale Railway Com- pany on Thursday for the purpose of asking them to grant the use of the now engine sheds at Cathays for holding the eisteddfod next August. The Mayor, in a few well- chosen words, explained the object of the deputation, and the chairman (Mr. Brittan) very graciously accede 1 to the request, and expressed the pleasure lw end his brother directors felt in contributing to so desirable an object. It was further asked if the company would erect a tem- porary platform on the spot, so as to enable passen- gers from the Hills" to step from the train to the eisteddfod building. The chairman appealed to Mr. George Fisher, who said it would be impos- sible to allow passengers by the down- train to alight at Cathays, but he thought he might be able to stop the up-train there. This was ft concession on the part of Mr. Fisher which the deputation scarcely expected to get. Visitors from Merthyr, Aberdare, and other places on the Taff Vale system will thus be enabled to step from the eisteddfod and concert- room into the railway carriage without risk of bad weather or cost of transit. For the evening con- certs it will be a great convenience. The new engine sheds are admirably suited for an eisteddfod pavilion, and will accommodate upwards of 17,000 persons. Cathays is only a. short distance from Crockherbtown and St. Mary-street, and may be reached either by the North-road or Park-place. The committee have gone through their prelimi- nary work without a hitch. The various sub- committees are presided over by able and energetic men they work harmoniously together, and there is every probability that the Eisteddfod of 1883 will prove a grand success.

PROPOSED LOCAL BOARD FOR NEWCASTLE HIGHER AND YNISAWDRE. GOVERNMENT INQUIRY AT 7. A petition having been presented to the Local Government Board by a number of ratepayers resident in the hamlets of Newcastle Higher and Ynisawdre, praying for the settlement of the boundaries for the purposes of the Public Health Act, 1S75, with a view to the two hamlets being constituted a local government district, the Local Government Board directed an inquiry into the subject matter of the petition. The inquiry was held at the School-room, Tondu, on Thursday, before Mr. Thomas Codrington, M.I.C.E., one of the iuspect-ors of the Local Government Board. Mr. J. Blandy Jenkins, Mr. Watkin Henry, and Mr. H. Bevan represented the Rural Sanitary Authority in whose district the two hamlets are and Mr. T. Stockwood, jun., solicitor, Bridgend, represented the ratepayers of the rural parts of Ynisawdre who objected to be included in the proposed local government district. There was a large attendance of ratepayers. The Inspector said the petitioners simply prayed for the settlement of the boundaries of the hamlets of Newcastle Higher and Ynisawdre, but no doubt the question of forming a Local Govern- ment district would afterwards arise. He would, however, like the question of boundctry to be taken first. Mr. Hurley said the population of the proposed district was 4,255. Mr. Stockwood agreed that that part of Ynis- awdre to the east ot the river was an agricultural district, and that it would be unfair to compel the ratepayers of that part to contribute towards the drainage of Aberkenlig and Tondu. Several ratepayers were examined pro and con., after which the inquiry was closed.

A MONSTER CHEESE. The Live Stock Journal sa.ys :-When. nearly a century ago, a cheese which weighed between 13cwt. and 14cwt. was made at Norleach Bean, Cheshire, it was thought that the limit of size, so far as cheese-making was concerned, had been reached. In any case, few ambitious schemes in that direction were for a time formed. But now the spirit for large cheeses seems to be reviving. Dr. L. L. Wight, of Whitesborough, New York, has just made three cheeses, each of which weighs over 2,'lOOlbs., from the produce of six days' milk of 600 cows owned by him. These cheeses are said to be of very fine flavour, and have been made at the instance of a Scotch provision merchant. But whether the novelty will be carried any further now remains to be seen.

ESCAPED LUNATICS IN COVENTRY. Considerable excitement was caused in various parts of the city on Monday and Tuesday by the report that two lunatics, who had escaped from Hatton Asylum, were wandering about the streets without attendants. It appears that all Monday several lunatics of the less dangerous class were allowed out of the asylum, accompanied by warders, for the purpose of cutting holly, KG., for the Christmas decoration, and whilst so engaged two of the former William Atkins, formerly of Coventry, and llenty Joseph Brooks, a native of Keniiworth — eluded the vigilance of the atten- dants and escaped. Search was made at once, and descriptions of the men forwarded to various parts of the country. Meanwhile Atkins and Brooks reached Coventry, and astonished and alarmed some of the pedestrians in the Allesley-road by telling them who they were and from whence they liad come. Soon afterwards, however, Atkins left his companion and went across the fields on the Birmingham-road, and Brooks quietly walked to the police office and gave himself up, saying that although no one had seen him escape, he had dono wrong, and God knew of it. Atkins, how- ever, gave the authorities much more trouble.

BOY HIGHWAYMEN. At the Richmond Police Court, on Wednesday, the magistrates had before them a novel case, in which three boys, named Robert Gale, Henry Hunt, and Stephen Alfred Hill, aged respectively thirteen, thirteen, and twelve, were charged with robbing a girl named Gertrude Lynch of her purse, contain- ing money, on the public highway, on the previous evening. From tho evidence it appeared that about half-past seven o'clock the girl was return- ing home when she was accosted by the three prisoners, the youngest of whom (Hill) threatened to kill her if she did not at once deliver up the purse which she was carrying in her hand, at the same time producing a knife, and placing the blade on her hand. He also threatened to cut her hand off if she did not comply with his request. They obtained possession of the purse, and then ran away, but were ultimately apprehended by the police. The evidence against Gale and Hunt being incomplete, they were discharged with a caution, and Hill was sentenced to receive six strokes with a birch rod.

The Dover Town Council have decided to abandon their application for powers to introduce the electric light into the town. Two leaders of the Skeleton Army, who have for some time annoyed the members of the Salva- tion Army in Newbury, are now undergoing four- teen days' imprisonment. One of the prisoners, who styled himself a lieutenant, assaulted a police- officer the other, who was the captain, had assaulted a member of the Salvation Army. i

GENERAL. Con sols unaltered. Bank rate unaitersu.. Mr. Fawcett continues to make satisfactory im provement: Lord Stamford passed a quiet night on Wednes- day, and his symptoms are rather more favourable. The Bridgwater Town Council yesterday re- solved to invite the Prince of Wales to visit the Bath and West of Eugland Show, to be held at Bridgwater next May. A fire broke out yesterday at the Lennox Calico Mill, Campsie, near Glasgow, doing damage to the amount of £ 20,000. The loss is covered by insurance. H. Hardon, a farmer, residing near Tulla*, more, was stabbed by a man named Doolan on; Vv ednesday night, close to his own house. Doolau was arrested. The remains of the late Dean Close were yester, day conveyed from Penzance to the North. Thej will be deposited in Carlisle Cathedral until tin funeral, which takes place on Saturday. The Central News" understands that Prince Albert Victor of Wales will take up his residence at Oxford next term, and will matriculate at Christ Church. A house has already been taken for him in Oxford. The Queen was to have visited the sick and wounded from Egypt at Haslar Hospital yesterday but a telegram was received stating that, in conse. quence of the rain and fog, the visit would be post poned. Commissary-General Moloney, late Assistant Commissary-General of the Western district, hat taken up the duties of Commissary-General at Woolwich Arsenal, in succession to Commissary. General King, retired. The Earl of Kimberley, Secreta.- of State foi India, has appointed Mr. W. J. Maitland precis writer and assistant private secretary, and the Hon. Armine Wodehouse an extra private secre- tary (unpaid). Our Portsmouth correspondent telegraphs: The court-martial on Commander Maxwell Heron,, of H.M.S. Clyde, was concluded yesterday after- noon. The Court, after two hours' deliberation, found the prisoner guilty on eleven charges, not guilty on two, and partially guilty on one. He was sentenced to be dismissed the service. Some surprise has been created in Flintshire by the announcement that 240 Irishmen are being sent over from Dublin to join the Flintshire Volun- teers for drill purposes. An endeavour having been unsuccessfully made to establish voluntee; corps in Ireland by Colonel King-Harman thi: expedient was hit upon. The Central X OWg" learns that a treaty between Portugal and the Transvaal State was signed at Lisbon on the 11th of December. It expmpts products of the soil of both countries from import or transit duties, and it also exempts merchandise of any nationality from entering the May of Lorenzo Marques bound to the Transvaal. It is understood that the treaty has been approved by the British Government. At the annual meeting of the Scottish Farmers Alliance, at Aberdeen, yesterday, resolutions wert passed declaring the Royal Commission's repori on agriculture to be defective, in that it does not recommend the abolition ot sederunt and the English law of distress, and proposes to make com. pulsory the English Agricultural Holdings Act, which is not sufficiently comprehensive. Speaking at the Yorkshire Poor-law Conference at Halifax, yesterday, Mr. Stansfeld silid what WitS wanted to complete the simplification of areas was to bring the union boundaries into harmony with the county boundaries. He was glad to sea the subject, was likely to form part of the county government scheme of next session and to ba dealt with in the manner he himself had recom- mended in 1873. The Court of Appeal at Westminster sat for the last time there yesterday. The room, or the court in which for the last eight years the Lords Justices of the Supreme Court of Judicature have dis eharged their functions, is about to undergo ex, tensive alterations, so as to render it suitable fo: the sitting of one of the Grand Committees of thE House of Commons. A near entrance from the dining-room to the new Grand Committee room is about to be made for the convenience of lion members. The First Commissioner of Works anc Sir H. Erskine May have decided upon the neces- sary alterations, which will be commencec' day.

FOREIGN. FRANCE. PARIS, DSC. 20.—The latest bulletins from Vills d'Avray hold out hopes of the speedy and com. plete restoration of M. Gambel,ta to health. PARIS. DEC. 20 (EVENING).—Fifteen of the womllt injured in the recent explosion at Fort Mont Valerien have died. PARIS, DEC. 21.-The Republican journals hava received a hint to maintain discreet silence on tha relations between Russia, Austria, and Germany. A report has reached Paris of the death of tha Cardinal Archbishop of Bordeaux. MM. Bontoux and Feder, the directors of the Union Generale, have appealed. LYONS, DEC. 21.-Prince Krapotkine was arrested this morning at Thonow, and has been brought to Lyons and lodged in gaol'here. GERMANY. BERLIN, DEC. 20.-The Emperor has now so fat- recovered from his recent indisposition that he will be able to resume his regular drives, if the weather continue favourable. His Majesty re- ceived this morning the usual Ministerial reports. BERLIN, DEC. 21.—The National Gazette of to-day states that the contemplated movement of troops on the Prusso-Russian frontier is for the purpose, of stationing larger garrisons there. The Gazette adds that the erection of large barracks is pro- jected, and that it is also intended to lay second lines of rails on several of the Eastern railways. EGYPT. CAIRO, DRC. 21.-There is no foundation for the statement that M. Bredif had resumed the function, of French Controller-General. RUSSIA. ST, PHTKRSHUEG, DEC. 21.—The Emperor hat commuted the capital sentence upon the woman Kutitenskaja, convicted oi having wounded the Governor of the Schita. AMERICA. NEW YORK, DEC. 20 (NIGHT).—A dispatch from St. John's, Newfoundland, states that on Monday that district was visited by the worst storm that has been known for 50 years. Fifteen vessels are lying total wrecks around Twillingate Island. Seven lives were lost in one case. Several fishing towns report a loss of smacks. The British barque Lennox, from Dundee to San Francisco, was burned on September 18, in lat. 46 S., long. 62 W.

THE STEAMER TANGIER. Captain Ronald Neate, son of Mr. Neate, of Cardiff, has been released, unconditionally, by tha Spanish authorities at Carthagena. It is supposed to have been done on the demand or at the instance of the British Government. He has left Carthagene in his steamer for Valencia and Philadelphia.

AN INDIAN MASSACRE. SEVENTY-FIVE PERSONS KILLED. It seems from accounts just received from North Mexico, dated the 7th inst., that a shocking massacre has been perpetrated by the Apachi Indians, the victims numbering some seventy-five souls; while, in addition to these, a number ot -women and girls were carried off, The place attacked was Cacas Grande, on which a horde oi about 500 Indians swept down, having conig direct across the border. The little town was cotwj pletely taken by surprise, and the inhabitants cotfl" offer but feeble resistance. About seventy-ftve per. sons were killed, after which the Indians set about plundering the valuables of the victims, also breaking into their dwellings. The bodies of the unfortu- nate Mexicans were quickly divested of their clothing and any articles of jewellery. The mur- dered people ware amongst the most prooninent: and wealthiest families of the town. As soon as possible word of the terrible outrage was con- veyed to the authorities, and a number of troops were despatched to the scene. The Indians had carried off several girls and women, and some time before the troops arrived had left with theii* plunder. Having such a long start of the troops, it was not expected that the latter would be able to capture them.

The Rev. Bennet, Blakeway. vicar of Ilorton, neat Leek, was on Wednesday fined 5s. for not having his daughter vaccinated. THE MAGNETAIRK.—Mr. Lonsdale is still at No. 56, Crockherbtown, Cardiff, and may be daily con* suited until Saturday, the 30th inst. Tha com- "ess plaints that magnetism successfully attacks seem numerous and widely different in their symptoms,. the secret of its potency being that each individual organ is strengthened and made to do that work which nature intended it should, and the bloody receiving its proper nourishment, in turn circulates freely to every part of the body and becomes the- determined enemy of most of those painful cOtn* plaints that creep on with increased age.