Towyn-on-Sea and Merioneth County Times

FRIENDLY MATCHES. ABERYSTWYTH TOWN v ABERYSTWYTH COLLEGE. Played on the Town ground on Saturday. The teams were:—Town: Goal, White; backs, Row- lands and Green; half-backs, D M Evans, J Davies, and Parry forwards, T Rees, Bevan, Ted Evans, o James and Barson. College: Goal, D A Morgan; backs, W Roberts and C R Johnsons; half-backs, D J Roberts, J H King, and J J Pugh forwards, L B Williams, E R Evans, Perrott, J E Edwards, and W Williams. Referee, Mr Walters. It is a long time since the Vicarage field has held so large a crowd as the one on Saturday. The town and gown games have always attracted a large crowd, and favoured with fine dry weather the reserve ground was well represented. But there is an un- mistakeable shrinkage in the attendance of the working classes, whose healthy support of the Tow. club in past years has roused the envy of other towns in the Welsh Union. The match opened sensationally, Teddy Evans scoring for the Town after a really brilliant run through the opposing backs. A good deal of inter- est was taken in the match for the reason that it had been given out that the team as picked were to represeat the Town in their Welsh Cup contest at Towyn on Saturday. G Evans did not play at back and Green went back with Rowlands. These two are well built and capably defended their lines from the attacks of the College men. These were generally delivered with vigour, but the Collegians lacked as they have always done in the forward line a more combined form of play and less of the individual. The College backs on the other hand were steady, and distributed their forces so well that the Town forwards failed to score. The five for- wards of the the Town had been selected for their fleetness of foot and the trickiness of their play. The way they worked together was excellent and gave much satisfaction. There was a little bit too much roughness shown during the first half, and some of the players on both sides required attend- ance. The teams changed ground at the interval, the Town leading by one to none. For the first 15 minutes of the second half play was even, but just then the College men pressed and pushing their attacks well home Williams beat White by a swift shot which put the score all square. The College scored a second goal which however was given off- side, and the game ended in a draw of one each.— On Saturday the Town meet Towyn in the Welsh Cup competition. Cheap tickets are issued by the Cambrian Railways Company. R.W.W. v CHIRK. On Saturday last on the ground of the former, in brilliant weather and before a good gate," Mr T Evans was the referee, and the teams were as follows:— CHIRK. Goal, J Morris backs, W Millership and J Mates; half-backs, W Negus, R Morris, and J Millership forwards, E Roberts, J Roberts, A Lookley, W Roberts and T Harris. R.W.W. Goal, A Edwards; backs, E Rees and J Harper half-backs, M Pilot; E Davies, and C Owen forwards, J G Miller, W Nock, R Morris, P Little, and W Parry. R.W.W. won the toss and selected to play down the slight incline. Little early on gave the ball to Parry, who centred, and Miller was on the point of shooting when the, whistle went for off-side. Chirk visited Edwards' charge, but were repulsed, and Miller, Nock and Morris had tries at the other end. E Roberts got a pretty pass from Lockley, but off- side spoilt the attack. Rees sent in a long shot at the other end which went behind. The visitors right again were placed in possession, and by very nice play got up. Harper rushed to meet Roberts, who slipped passed him, but Rees cleared. J Roberts again got up, and by tricky play got within shooting distance and shot in, Ed wards had no chance and the ball was placed in the net. Restarting, R.W.W. again got down, and Morris, Parry and Nock had tries at goal, and the visiting defence were extremely lucky in saving a shot from K Morris. Rees was next called upon and headed a good centre from E Roberts. E Davies initiated a very pretty run between Morris, Nock and Miller, the latter hitting the side of the net. Rees and Harper by some very tricky work got the ball out of danger, and Edwards a few minutes later punched the ball twice into the touch line. Miller at the other goal sent a shot right along the mouth of goal, but no one was up to receive it. Edwards was next called upon and saved splendidly, while R Morris at the other end had one or two good tries. Hands against Chirk resulted in a scrim- mage in the goal mouth and a corner was forced, W Parry placed this just outside the group of players and Morris, Little and Miller had pops at goal but failed to score. Another corner resulted acd for this E Davies missed by about a yard. After a nice run by Little and Parry the latter sent in a lovely centre, which Miller failed to turn into account. T Harris next treated the spectators to a splendid run nearly the length of the field, and, eluding the close attention of M Pilot, shot hard in, but Edwards received the ball and safely returned it down the field. Hands against E Davies was cleared, and the home forwards made considerable efforts to score. Two corners resulted, a hot scrummage resulting from the latter. At half- time the visitors led by one to nil. Resuming, hands was given against Chirk, and this gave Morris and Co some trouble. Miller was nicely placed when off-side spoilt his chance. He was however still on the track, and successfully tricked two or three opponents and centred the ball, R Morris placing the teams on an equal footing. From a throw-in, Pilot landed the bail on the top of the crossbar. Another attack on the Chirk goal resulted in Nock putting the ball just outside. R Morris was penalised for tripping. Each side was visited in turn the defence prevailing. The next bit of interest was a penalty kick awarded to the home- sters, Negus handling inside the 12 yards limit. Dicky was entrusted with the kick and put his side ahead. After this the Chirk forwards became very slack, and the game became less interesting. Two cases of slight; infringement of rules by the home- sters were rightly punished by the referee, but the free-kicks resulting were got away, and R Morris failed at the top goal. He and Nock made a splen- did passing run, the latter shooting over when in a good position. Miller again got through, and winding round three players, who endeavoured without avail to hustle him off the ball, he got in a beautiful shot, and scored the third goal. He nearly repeated the dose a minute or two later being partially on the ground at the time. Up to time no further scoring was done, and the home- sters won a good and fast game by 3 to 1.

ENGLISH CUP. PRELIMINARY STAGE THIRD ROUND. OSWESTRY UNITED v. WREXHAM. At Oswestry on Saturday, Oswestry United played their fifth match in this competition, their opponents being Wrexham. The conditions were all in favour of good football and a keen struggle was witnessed right to the finish. There was a large attendance of the United and Wrexham sup- porters and the gate, amounting to X31 7s 2d, was the biggest recorded this season. Mr Scragg, Crewe, had charge of the teams. Unfortunately the United had to play two reserves, one through Storey not being able to turn up at the last minute. The teams were:- OSWESTRY. Goal, Tracey Morgan; backs, W Jarman and Percival; half-backs, G Richards, T Parry, and H Jones; forwards, Hodnett, Watkina, Butterton, J Hampson and Goodrich. WREXHAM. Goal, Evans backs, Davies and Blew half-backs, Grainger, Robinson, and Harrison forwards, Hughes, Griffiths, Pountney, Brookes, and Owen. The game opened in an even manner and some smart work was witnessed on both sides. Owen was let through by a mistake by Richards, but his centre was dealt with by Jarman. The home for- wards broke away and Goodrich put in a grand centre which Davies cleared. Tom Parry, however, received at long range and directed a swift shot at Evans's charge. Evans smartly cleared and Jones returned, the ball sailing a trifle over the bar. The Wrexham forwards transferred play in a smart way and Tracey had to deal with a hard shot, being somewhat slow in clearing. Wrexham again at- tacked, Owen getting away and centring. Tracey cleared but Pountney secured, and though close in he shot over the bar, much to the relief of the home supporters. Oswestry then assnrned the aggressive and Hodnett put in a nice cross shot, Butterton putting the ball over the bar. Soon after Parry distinguished himself for tackling and gave to Hodnett. The latter however was beaten by Davies, but Richards took up the running and gave to Parry who tried with a hard shot, the ball going just over. The attempt was loudly applauded. Jones was conspicuous for stopping the right wing and bringing the ball away. This enabled Goodrich to centre. The ball looked like going in, but one of the Wrexham players headed it over the bar. The corner proved abortive. Evans was now kept busy, and he saved two warm shots from Goodrich in capital style. Wrexham then had a turn, and Owen forced a corner which was cleared by Good- rich, and Oswestry again renewed the attack in a determined manner, but try how they would and get as near as they could the ball would not go through. The United pegged away and a shot from Watkins was nearly received on the goal line by Hampson, but Blew cleared. Watkins returned the ball with an oblique sbot and scored for Oswestry amid much cheering. For several minutes, the game was distinctly in favour of Oswestry after this, and the forwards worked the ball well up to the Wrexham goal, but here they failed, Butterton especially being to blame for not shooting at goal instead of passing. Gradually the visitors drove the United into theirown territory, and the defence was now requisitioned. The Wrexham forwards showed splendid tactics and got well in. Pountney transferred to Hughes, but he was pulled up for being off-side. At half-time the score was in favour of Oswestry United by one goal to nil. On resum- ing, Oswestry held the advantage for some time, but at length Wrexham got away on the left and the ball was passed over and Hughes equalised with what appeared to be a doubtful goal. This was the signal for much cheering by the Wrexham sup- porters, who now urged their pets on. The players responded, and Tracey had to clear. Jones gave a corner which Jarman headed away, but the ball was returned and Hughes placed wide, and in a bit afterwards, Robinson placed over the bar. Oswestry then asserted themselves. Goodrich got away and kicked the ball well in front. Then was a grand race for its possession, but Blew came across and cleared into touch. Hampson and Hodnet put in wide shots. Tom Parry shot in from a distance and Evans cleared. The United kept up the pressure amid much excitement and at last were rewarded with a corner. Richards received in a good position but placed over. Wrex- ham repeatedly tried to break away, but the home halves played a grand game and had them cornered. Hodnet and Watkin went away and the former centred, Harrison having to kick into touch to clear his lines. A couple of corners fell to Oswestry but neither was improved upon. All at once Wrexham managed to break away. Hughes being the moving spirit. He centred nicely and Pountney put Wrexham ahead amid great cheering from the Wrexham supporters. This reverse after so much pressure by Oswestry was a mortification to the home supporters. Parry who had gone centre this half led Oswestry again to the attack and a couple of fruitless corners fell to them. Wrexham then made a fine run and looked like increasing their icore, but the home defence was sound. The pace grew with the excitement and both sides shewed oapital work, but there was no further scoring and resulted: Wrexham two goals, Oswestry United one goal. — 0 —

BRITISH COMFORT AT SEA. AN AMERICAN VIEW. An American forwards us for publication the following extract from the Detroit Free Press:- Poultnty Bigelow contributes to the last Independent an interesting and photographic account of a night spent upon an English steamer. He bad ridden to New Haven (Sussex, not Connecticut) to catch the steamship Calvados, which was advertised to sail at half-past seven in the evening and to reach Caen, in Normandy, at daybreak of the following morn- ing. It was a lovely trip for a cyclist over the breezy hills of Kent, writes Mr Bigelow, past venerable farm houses whose architecture recalled the fact that it was from this county that New England brought the builders who gave us the so- called Colonial style. At Lewes I wheeled past the house where the many-sided renegade Tom Paine lived as a British functionary, and in good time drew up alongside the Calvados and applied for a berth. In the main cabin of this craft sat the chief steward with his cap on his head chatting with a good-looking stewardess. They kindly informed me that the ship would not sail that night-they could not even say if it would sail on the following morning. It was a Tuesday evening and the Monday before had been a so-called Bank Holi- day," consequently it was regarded as the proper thing that indulgence should be ex- tended to all wage-earners while recovering from the effects of the normal holiday drink. The run from New Haven to Caen is but a trifling hundred miles, less than from New York to Albany or New London, but it is across dangerous water, and calls for resourceful seamanship. When I found that there was no chance of sailing that night, and that, furthermore, the steward could not even furnish a warm dinner or supper, and that baggage would not be allowed aboard until the cargo had been cleared out of her, I left my knap- sack by way of reserving a bunk and tramped away from the docks to the town proper, to hunt up the chief hotel where I fondly anticipated a comfortable meal after a forty-mile bicycle run. The hotel is famed for having entertained Louis Philippe in 1848-one more of the many crowned heads who have braved the horrors of the British cuisine and the channel service rather than the fury of their loyal subjects. In the "coffee-room" I was approached by a kinky-headed waitress who acted as though she expected of me nothing less than a marriage proposal, which not receiving she answered my request for a hot meal by referring me to two cold joints on the sideboard -ham and beef. She said there was nothing hot, nor could it be procured. But finally by interces- sion at headquarters I was humoured to the exteat of fried ham and egg-s-the ham from Kansas City, the eggs from Hungary, some bread of Minnesota flour, and butter from Denmark. It was a scrappy meal compared to what I should have found in a town of corresponding importance in America, but I'm not complaining. These are but philosophic notes to contemporary history. There entered a stern-looking lady of full age and dimensions, the type catalogued as Femina Brit- annica severa." She scowled at me, not in malice, but merely according to the local custom by way of staving off any possible conversational effort. She took her seat at the very furthest possible point from me, and was soon busy with her cold meal. It had meantime grown dark, and I had ordered a lamp. Of course, out of my narrow provincialism I offered to share the light with my matronly com- panion, but received a crushing snub which was no more than I deserved. Then entered two British clergymen who huddled themselves into the most isolated spot left in the room, who ate their cold meal, washed down with copious draughts of whisky and water in a manner calculated to leave the im- pression that it was a criminal offence to notice one's fellow-creatures, or converse above a whisper in a British dining-room. When I got back to the good old ship Calvados I ventured to call for sheets and pillows, that I might turn in. The steward had never heard of such strange luxuries of course, I did not tell them that such things were quite common in the smallest coasting craft of China and Japan and that even the American barbarians regarded them as matters of couse. However, I slept just aa well on the plush of the cabin seats with a handerchief to pro- tect my head from the bacilli of the common cushion and a ship's rug over me. Perhaps you think I am describing some intermittent tramp steamer?" On the contrary, the Calvados is the property of one of the greatest railway companies in England, a twin-screw, modern craft, comparing favourably with the average cross-channel passenger steamer. What I write is merely to indicate that strange atrophy of British enterprise, that curious lack of imagination, that extraordinary dulness of national spirit whitch permits British commerce and manufacture to lag many years behind the age, while Germany and the United States march forward to new industrial victories. When I woke next morning it was with the sound of feminine voices and the clatter of teacups on the cabin table. Ladies were taking their breakfast in the stuffy cabin wherein men were sleeping in various stages of un-dress, and not even protected by a curtain from the general public. My modesty has survived several strains, some in Zululand, where the ladies take off a neck- lace by way of deshabille; the natives of the French West Indies are pretty free in the ex- position of chocolate statuary; in Hungary the cold Anglo-Saxon rapidly adjusts himself to the manifestation of a more fervid femininity—but never—not even in Japan-did my system receive so violent a shock as on waking up in the cabin of the Calvados I found the cold stare fixed upon me of the severe lady who had repelled me with so much prudery the night before. There she sat toying with a cup of alleged tea, apparently triumphing in the confusion which I sought in vain to conceal. I covered my head with the highly unsanitary ship's blanket, but could feel those cold Britannic eyes making vain my buttress. Up rose from his couch a fellow-man at last, and that gave me courage. Steward," called he, what coffee have you got ? French or English ? English, sir," replied the steward with patriotic emphasis. Then give me tea," answered the experienced man with resignation. Under the shelter of this diversion I raked together a few accessories, wrapped the microbious blanket about me like a squaw, and sneaked swiftly past the battery of maiden modesty, out iuto the passage way, and thence into an apartment, partly closet, partly wash basins-so far as odour was concerned they could be distinguished only by the eye. When I returned I, too, called for tea, and after tasting it, felt like crying with my friend, "If this be tea, bring me coffee, if it be coffee bring me tea." The ship was twelve hours late in starting, and consequently coi respondingly late at the other end. No effort had been made to adver- tise this change of time, and there was conse- quently an obvious disposition to vent one's feel- ings in language embodying the letter rather than the spirit of Holy Writ. For my part I tightened starting, and consequently coi respondingly late at the other end. No effort had been made to adver- tise this change of time, and there was conse- quently an obvious disposition to vent one's feel- ings in language embodying the letter rather than the spirit of Holy Writ. For my part I tightened my belt, and waited patiently with an appetite that increased with every diminution of waist measure- ment. The Calvados touched French territory at Oyesterham, an insignificant village at the mouth of the Canal de Caen. It was earlv in the after- noon, and the French of this neighbourhood lunch usually at half past eleven. So with some trepi- dation I raised my hat to Madame Janvier at the Hotel de la Marine, and begged to know would she give me something to eat. Mais, certaiuement, tout de suite; what would monsieur like to have? It was rather late, but if monsieur would wait a few minutes. Then followed a dejeuner a la fourchette, com- mencing with hors d'oeuvres; then an omelette aux fines herbes of the most delicate quality then a grilled sole with a sauce calculated to undermine any average resolution; then some lamb cutlets with potatoes that melted away between the teeth, and finally an excellent Camembert, with a plate of fruit such as the swellest restaurant in London could not have matched at any price. It was such a treat! Not merely that the food was excelleiit- perfectly cooked and eaten under a canopy in the fine salt air. But there was madams Janvier taking an interest in my existence, or, if she did not, she acted the part so well that I loved her if only as an actress. She gave unlimited cider, which is the custom through Normandy, and when I left she took ten per cent from a bill which amounted only to the gross total of 50 cents, because I was a member of the highly-respected French Touring Club.

B.P." IN WALES. ENTHUSIASTIC RECEPTIONS. General Baden-Powell, who has been staying t Nannau, Dolgelley, for some days as the guest of Mrs Vaughan and Major John Vaughan, left on Friday morning. As it was well known that the General was at Nannau, the townspeople were eagerly expecting to see him visiting the town. When the rumour came that he was leaving by the 10 30 train, a great crowd gathered at the station and cheered him to the echo. General Baden- Powell looked well and cheerful, and seemed delighted at the reception given him. Later in the day, the General passed through Shrewsbury station, and, having to wait half an hour for a train to Crewe, he entered the refreshment rooms for luncheon. Ue was speedily recognised, and people hurried to the station. The General, who was loudly cheered, shook hands with large numbers of adults and children. He arrived atNantwioh in the afternoon on a visit to Major Kearsley, of Stapeley House, Nantwich. Captain Harvey Kearsley, Major Kearsley's son, is aide-de-camp to General Baden- Powell, and accompanied him from South Africs, General Baden-Powell wa3 recognised at Crewe and on alighting from the train at Nantwich, and was warmly greeted. It was considered probable that during his stay at Nantwich the General would hunt with the Cheshire hounds. A

NORTH WALES ASSIZES. PERJURY CHARGE: ACCUSED ACQUITTED. At these Assizes on Friday, before Mr Justice Phillimore, the trial was resumed of Annie Letitia Redfern of Halifax, on a charge of committicg wil. ful perjury at Penrhyndeudraeth Police Court on i-aly 27, 1899. Mr E J Griffith, M.P., and Mr T E Morris prosecuted, and Mr S Moss, M P., defended. The perjury was said to consist in a statement made bv the prisoner as to her relations with the Rev T E Jones, formerly curate at Llaubedrog. On that occasion an order was made against Jones, and he lost his curacy. Some time afterwards the prisoner signed a confession before a magistrate withdrawing the statement made at the trial, but, as she stated in the box on Friday, the con- fession was drawn up and given her by Jones, and she consented to sign it, and did sign it, in the belief that she was clearing things up quietly for Jones. She was distressed and worried at the time. On Friday she said she believed the original statement made by her in the Police Court, roup, cit- ing Jones to be true, and she adhered to it si ill.— The jury, after a few minutes' deliberation, found the prisoner not guilty. The verdict was received with loud applause in court

■ ♦ — The death took place at Llandudno on Sunday afternoon of Frederick William Sharpe, clerk to the I Chester magistrates. He was 70 years of age.