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THE CHOLERA IN ENGLAND.

.NEWPORT DISPENSARY.

ABERGAVENNY-

BLAINA.

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BLAINA. INTERESTING WELSH GATHERING. We have again the gratification to notice another of those Bardic Festivals which shed so much lustre upon the litera- ture of the Principality, and which tend, in so eminent a degree, to preserve the proud pre-eminence justly due to our fellow-countrymen, on the ground of religion and mo- rality. The love of country in the Celtic breast is prover- bial, and we were not, therefore, surprised to find, on Mon- day last, the commodious chapel of the Welsh Baptists crowded with people of every class, anxious to witness the interesting proceedings. The judge of the essays and poetical compositions was Mr. R. Ellis, (Cynddelw,) Sirhowy. Mr. Rees Williams, Blaina, was judge of the singing. The president, D. S. Lewis, Esq., Victoria, opened the proceedings in an energetic aud patriotic speech in the course of which he stated that, next to religion, such insti- tutions as Eisteddfodau, were of the greatest importance to Wales; and that the "Welshman who could look coolly upon such meetings as the present, was undeserving of the name. He believed that those who affected ignorance of the Welsh language, never properly understood it, or surely its beauty and copiousness would tend to its beingcberished. (Applause.) The worthy Chairman continued, in a very laudatory man- ner, his observations upon Eisteddfodau, and dwelt largely upon the advantages derived by the working classes, from attending such gatherings, and was happy (he said) that his fellow-countrymen had been awakened from their lethargy, and were determined to foster their glorious old language. (Cheers.) Hov; was It possible, s:1Id the eloquent chairman, that they could forget the language which they had learnt in their infancy, and the language in which the blessed words of life were first delivered to them ? and that, too, in such heart-stirring terms, that the English language, or no other, was capable of. (Great applause.) He then dwelt on the works of the Bards of the olden time, aud reminded the audience that there were then Bards among them, and that of no mean order, and concluded by calling upon them to recite stanzas in honour of the occasion. After the recitation, the Rev. W. Roberts, of Blaina, addressed the meeting, and expressed the pleasure he felt in moeting his fellow-countrymen on such :¡,n occasion and in such a place. There had boen, he said, a strono- feeling of repugnance to gatherings, like the present, being held in places of worship. He contended, however, that the feelino- was not justifiable, and he believed it would soon pass away. (Hear, hear.) The rev. speaker proceeded to speak warmly in favour of encouraging the Welsh tongue, and its literature. Had England, some three centuries since, sue- ceeded in the work of destroying the Welsh language, it would have been a serious loss to the literature of Europe, A large number of work8 had been published through the instrumentality of Eisteddfodau, and it was advisable to en- courage so good a result, by continuing gatherings similar to the present. After a few other pertinent observations, the rev. gentlemen resumed his scat amidst applause. The Rev. James Emlyn Jones, in a short but forcible address, pointed out the beauty of unity among nations and trusted that the warmest cordiality would always exist between the Welsh and English people, which would not only tend to foster art, encourage science, and spread litera- ture, but also knit more firmly the bonds of peace. (Cheers.) The Rev. B. Price, (Cymro Bach), after expressing his full concurrence in the sjntiments of the preceding speaker, drew a contrast between the workmen of the two countries, in which those of ^Lancashire were shown to be wanting in the respectable and intellectual appearance belonging to the hosts then assembled before him. (Loud cheers.) The rev. gentleman proceeded to exhibit the Welsh workman, in a most flattering character; and congratulated himself upon being a Welshman, who was most happy to live among his brethren, and trusted one day to lay himself down in a Weish grave. (Applause.) The Rev. J. Roberts, of Merthyr, followed in an eloquent address, highly laudatory of the Cyniry, and spoke fervidly of the desire of the Welsh people to obtain religious and moral instruction. The fostering of the Welsh tongue, and the Illaintenance of its literature were, he contended, con- nected with the social and religious progress of the people and on this ground he repudiated the idea that it was wrong to hold similar meetings in places of religious worship. Welsh songs were here given, and received with applause. A prize of ,£1, given by Mr. W. Edwards, for the best song on the views seen on Cae y Cefn, was awarded to Mr. Benjamin Rosser, (Bardd Clydach.) A solo on the harp was here executed with much brilliancy by Mr. T. Griffiths, harpist to Lady and Sir Benjamin Hall. A Welsh pastoral song was very pleasingly given by a juvenile party, under 15 years of age. By Mr. W. James, a prize of 5s. to the lad under In years of age, who will best recite an extract from Gwilym Mor- ganwg's poem on Peace. David Davis was adjudged the first prize and the second prize of 2s. 6d. was awarded to Owen Williams. Solo on the harp by Mr. Griffiths. By the Society, a prize of £1 Is. for the best treatise on the duty of working men to endeavour to obtain knowledge, and showing the blessings resulting from such endeavours. There were nine compositions sent in on this subject, and taking into consideration the fact that none but working men were eligible to compete on the subject, the judge pronounced the treatises, on the whole, to be very ably written. The prize was awarded to John Thomas, Gilwern. A further prize of 10s. was awarded to Robert Davis, Llanrwst. By Friends, the sum of £1 5s., for the best Biographical Essay, on the late William Bevan, student at Pontypool College. The Rev. William Roberts, Blaina, was awarded the prize. Rhys Lewis's choir here came forward, and sung in very jood style, a Welsh air. near Bath, represented by Mr. Cathcart. Mr. Clift had ob- V .1 tained a judgment against Mrs. Pearse, in the Bath County Court, for t24 16s 3d, and S3 19s cost., for the education of her two sons, and put in an execution and took goods, after such goods had been passed over by a deed of sale to Miss Harriet Pearse, the daughter, who was eighteen years of age; the two trustees, Messrs. T. F. Lewis and Mr. T. Wilson, accepting her tender of £ 14 J for the goods, lease, 03C., on behalf of the general creditors, and to prevent the whole being swept away by one or two creditors. It was contended by Mr. Cathcart that this sale was null and void while the Judge was strongly of a contrary opinion. The' jury, after having been locked up till one o'clock next morn- ing, returned a verdict against Miss Pearce. OPENING OF THE NEWPORT AND HEREFORD RAILWAY. -The day for the opening of the Newport, Absrgavenn and Hereford Railway has been definitely fixed for the 1st of November, when a single line of rail will be opened for traffic. T DEATH BY DROWNING.—We regret to state that Captain William Walley, son of Mr. Waller, accountant, of this place, unfortunately fell over board from his ship, the Water Lily, at Table Bay, on the 25th of June last. Intelligence | of the distressing event only reached Newport a day or two since. -j INQUEST.—On Tuesday last, an inquest was held at the Hope and Anchor, on 'the body of Mr. Simmons, whose ] death was occasioned by a fracture of the skull—an injury he received some time ago, by the falling of the mast of the screw steamer Severn (on board of which vessel he was mate) on the occasion of a collision in the river, reported by us at the time. He received the best medical attention, and at a time when it was hoped a train of favourable symptoms would set in, convulsions came on, and he died in half an hour afterwards. The verdict, according to evidence, was accidental death. THE STEAM SHIP « JGNO." This fine new steamer, which has recently, as our readers are aware, been placed by the Steam Navigaticju Company on the Ten by and Ilfracombe stations, has hitherto distanced competition in the runs she has made, and has acquired the reputation of being the fastest boat from Bristol. A SHARK IN THE BRISTOL CHANNEL.—On a recent trip, and when just below Barry Island, as Captain Parfitt, of the Juno, was standing with two or three gentlemen on the 1 paddle-box, his experienced eye detected—strange sight in the Bristol Channel!—the dorsal fin of a shark gliding through, the water a little ahead of the vessel. The fish came within a short distance of the larboard paddle-wheel— a blow from which, the captain remarked, would have given the gentlema-n a smart headache and, so far as could be judged from the glimpse he afforded of his proportions by momentarily rising to the surface, he appeared to measure some eight feet in length. Several parties on board got a sight of the shadow of the monster in the water, and saw his remarkable fin as he parted company with the ship. A REVIEW AT ALGIERS.—" An Old Subscriber" for- wards us the following extract from a letter received from his brother (a teetotaller) in Algiers :—" I shall now give you an account of a grand review which took place here on the 15th of August last and should like it to be inserted in in the MERLIN. Many hundreds of people gathered together here to witness a very grand review of the soldiers. The natives were beating drams, accompanied by their favourite dancing, &c., all day, about the city aud in the square. We also had different kinds of amusements, such as runnin" in bags, climbing greasy poles, &c. At night, the city, chapels, hotels, dwelling-houses—in fact, all places were illuminated with lights of a variety of colours. At half-past eight o'clock we had a very grand representation of the taking of La Hioe, when we heard the roaring of the cannon, and rattle of small guns and saw very grand fire works of every kind the burning of the castle, the soldiers running up and taking possession, &c., formed a very grand spectacle. After all this there were two fashionable balls. I must add, that all through the day and up to twelve o'clock at night, I never saw a drunken person." REFORM IX THE COURT OF BANKRUPTCY.—By a late act, the salary of the Registrar of Meetings is reduced from £ 200 to .£100 a-vear, and the foes of registry from Is to Gd, in the Court of Bankruptcy. PARISH VESTRIES.—An act of parliament has just come into operation (luth and 17th Victoria, chap. G5) to amend the acts for the regulation of parish vestries, by which it is provided that it was necessary, for persons to be present and to vote at vestry meetings, that they had paid all the poor- rates made and demanded of them. It is now enacted, that "from and after the passing of this act, no person shall be required, in order to be entitled to vote, or to be present at any vestry meeting held under the provisions of the acts of the 58th and 59th year of King George III to have paid any rate for the relief of the poor in the parish in which such meeting shall be held, which shall have been made or be- come due within three calendar months immediately pre- ceding such vestry meeting." THE INCOME TAX.—The Surveyors for the Property-tax have been instructed that no claims for re-payment of duty up to the Cth of April last, will be admitted, unless the same be made on or before the 10th of October next, although the parties claiming may have previously proved their ex- emption. CAERLICKEN.—The above named freehold Estate which possesses peculiar inducements for the competition of capi- t, ,talists, will, as appears by advertisement, be submitted to the fate of the auctioneer's hammer on Wednesday next, the 14th inst. We much question whether, even in this matchless Monmouthshire, there is an estate, so replete with advantages, so attractive in picturesque beauty, so advan- tageous as to locality. Whether as affording numerous sites for the erection of delightfully situated villas as a pet estate in this far-famed county, for a man of fortune; or as a suburban retreat for a wealthy merchant, the freehold Caerlicken has no parallel. OPERATIVE MASONS. On Monday evening last, about 100 masons of this town attended a meeting at the Old Bush Inn, Mr. E. Davies occupied the chair, and speeches were delivered by Massrs. James Williams, Robert Elliott, John Adlam, and others, on the desirability of bringing about a good feeling amongst the society and non-society men of Newport, to go hand in hand together, in furthering the in- terests of the trade, in protecting themselves from encroach- ments upon their rights, and at the same time to do all they could, not to take advantage of their employers. It was agreed that they should meet on Monday next, walk in pro- cession, attend Divine service at the English Baptist Chapel, and then dine at their Lodge room, Oddfellows' Arms, Charles-street. A vote of thanks to the chairman, closed a | most agreeable and peaceful meeting.

WATCH COMMITTEE AND BOARD…

DOW LAIS

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,PONTYPOOL.

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CAERLEON.

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