The Pontypridd Chronicle and Workman's News

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. COMMENCEMENT OF THE SESSION. HOUSE OF LORDS.—1THUMDAT. Only one bishop and a little oTef a «core of peers at- tended the opening ceremony of the second session of the tenth Parliament, which took place shortly before two o'clock. The Lords Commissioners—the Lord Chan. cellor, Earl Sydney, Earl Spencer, the Earl of Cork, and Lord Monwo-having taken their seats on a bench in front of the Throne, the Commons were sent for, and the Speaker and other hon. members having arrived, the Lord Chancellor read the Queen's Speech, the text of which will be found elsewhere. The Speaker and the Commons returned to the Lower House, and their lordships adjourned till five o'olock. On the Houae reassembling, the address in reply to the Speech from the Throne was moved by Lord Carington and seconded by Lord Yorborougii.-Tord Beacons- field avowed that he had never known an occasion of the opening of Parliament when there was greater reason forad&p'sense of anxiety, or when oar foreign, oelonfal, and home affairs demanded snoh deep con- sideration. He charged her Majesty's Govern- toent with having greatly contributed to bring about that grave atate of things. f( 0 sooner were they In office than they commenced to bring about a complete reversal of everything that had been done by their predecessors. The Treaty of Berlin, whatever its shortcomings, had at least "oured the Eaee of Europe. After what had been done by her ajesty's Government, nobody oonld say that peaoe was now insured. On the contrary, ft might oe In peril within 24 hours. Then, as to the Afghan question, they had proclaimed on the house- tops and in every bazaar that they did not know what to do, and that after the brilliant achievements of our army In Afghanistan, they were going to souttle out ef the country. In the letter he wrote to the Lord. Lieutenant of Ireland on the eve of the general election he warned the country that If decisive measures were not taken something would happen as bad as famine and pestilencej but the present Goo vernment took an early opportunity of expressing a contrary opinion. The authority of the Queen waa now absolutely superseded in three of the ivrovinaes of Ireland, and the Executive had abdicated its func- tionsln that island. He would not recommend an amend- ment to the address, but he held that both houses should require of the Government to proceed de die in diem with the measures for the restoration of order in Ireland. --OOrd Granville protested against the assertion that her Majesty's present Ministers had done anything so reverse the policy of the Treaty of Berlin, and also against Lord Beacons field's assertions regarding Afghanistan. Aa to Ireland the late Government had themselves so minimised the Coercion Act introduced by Lord Harthigton that it would have been power- less to prevent the state of things which had arisen. He vindicated the action of the Government in delay- ing the application to Parliament for further powera on the ground that repressive measures unaccompanied by measures of relief and warranted by the certain support of the majority of the people had generally faaed. He quoted the language of Sir Robert Peel In 1833 In support of this opinion.—The debate was continued by Earl Spencer, the Duke of Abercorn, and other noble lords, and Wltllc108ed by the Earl of Kimberley, who declared that there was no Intention on the part of the Government to go on with mea- sures of relief and measures of coercion simulta- so-dY.-Tbe Address was agreed to without amend- Kent, and thel; lordships adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS.-T==Ay. On the return of the Speaker from the House of Lords after hearing the Queen's Speech read, the Lower House was adjourned till four o'clock.-The Speaker having read the Speech from the Throne, the address b reply was moved by Mr. Stuart Rendel and seconded by Mr. Slagg.—Sir Stafford Northcote con- tended that the Government ought to have foreseen what would be the result of the Land League agitation, which he described as the establishment of the most mercilous and unscrupulous Government which ex- isted In the world. The real Government had broken down.—Mr. Gladstone complained of the vague. ness of Sir 8. Northcote's charge, and in- sisted that when he arraigned the Govern- ment for neglcct of duty, he ought to say what the Government ought to have done, and when It ebonld have done It. As to the failure to re- new the Peace Preservation Act, if there was any sonsure to be passed, it must be on the late Govern. ment, which by dissolving Parliament in March, made it impossible for any steps to be taken until May 14, though the Act expired In June. Mr. Gladstone, in conclusion, mentioned the points on which the Government had come to the conclusion that the Land Act of 1870 had been sbewn to be defective. These were the provisions for pre- venting the imposition of exorbitant rents and for securing the tenant's right for compensation for disturbance, and for preventing the augmenta- tion of rents beyond the real value of the holding. The Cesent law, the Government also thought, was de- >tive in regard to the assignment of the tenant's in- terest, and i. rlgbt Clauses of the Act of 1870 had proved inoperative.—The debate was continued by Mr. T. P. O'Connor, and Sir Wilfrid Lawson, and at 10 minutes put 12 was adjourned. HOUSE OF LORDS.-F=DAY. The House of Lords sat for about 20 minutes, during whioh time the Lord Chancellor laid on the table ana obtained a first reading for two bills. One of them is to remove doubts arising from a clerical error in a provision of the Burials Act. The other will qualify for appointment as members of the Judicial Com- mittee Judges of Appeal who are Privy Councillors, even though they may not have been Judges of First Instance. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—FRIDAY. Mr. Forster stated, in answer to Mr. O'Kellv, that the local magistrates were lustified in prohibiting a Land League meeting In Brookboroagh, county Fer. managh, as a conflict with Orangemen was anticipated. —Mr. O'Kelly moved the adjournment of the House, In order that the subject might be discussed, and more than two hours were taken up in doing so.—The motion for adjournment was then rejected by 901 to 38.—The adjourned debate on the address was resumed by Mr. ParnelL Complaining first of the conspiracy of the London Press against the good name of Ireland, he passed on to explam the objects of the aotion of the Land League, and denied that that organisation had either excited to outrage or not sufficiently reprobated it where it occurred. As Ip the necessity of coercive measures, he quoted statistics to shew that at the present moment the state of crime there was below the average of the last 40 years. Coercion would- contribute to crime and outrage, by encouraging the landlords in the Sractice of eviction. The question was whether the [onse would have an open organisation or a secret conspiracy.—Mr. Forster admitted that coercion would not be a remedy for the evils and wrongs of Ireland, but protection of person and property was needed in Ireland, and must be given. As a matter of fact, outrages had followed the Land League meeting in exact proportion. Mr. Parnell must have known that the result of his action and speeches at those meetings would be certain out. rage.—Mr. O'Donnell rose to order, and pronounoed thi* statement a base calumny, an expression lot which he was promptly rebuked by the Speaker.— Several Irish members shouted "Withdraw."—Mr. Forster declined to do this, but eventually amended his language by "aying that Mr. Parnell ought to have known what the result of his teaching must be.—Mr. Gibson denounced the Land League agitation as unconstitutional and op- posed to the best interests of the Empire. Its real ob- ject was not the reform of the land laws, but the dis- solution of the Empire. It sought unscrupulous ends. by unscrupulous means. The Government knew all the facts Hint November, and if Parliament had been summoned then two precious months might have been gained from the agitation, and the Irish people spared from allowing themselves to be misled be expectations that would never be reallsed.-On the motion of Mr. Shaw the debate was again adjourned.-Subsequently the Attorney- General brought in his bill for the Prevention of Corrupt Practices, which was read a first time, as was also the Ballot Act Continuance Bill. HOUSE OF LORDS.-MoNDAY. Lord Lytton called attention to affairs in Afghani- stan. He said that the action of the Govern. ment in deciding to reverse the policy of their prede- cessors, and to abanion Candahar, would not be conducive to the respect of Orientals for the steadiness of our will. The possession of Candahar involved the only possible control that either Russia or England could have over Afghanistan, and to abandon the place meant a loss of legitimate influence.-The Duke of Argyll said that the late Ameer Shere Ali had not shewn him- self hostile to the ocuntry till anticipating the tactics of Mr. Parnell, the noble Earl had Boycotted that ruler and sent him threatening letters. As to the importance of retaining Candahar, there was nothing in the papers of the late Government to shew that they had finally decided on keeping that place neither was there any justifica- tion for its retention, unler- it could be shewn that It was an absolute duty.-ord Cranbrook urged the necessity of retaining Candahar as a look-out post on the Afghan frontier.—Lord Northbrook pointed out, as an objection to such a policy, that Candahar was 400 miles from the frontier of India, and that communication with it was attended by immense dif- ficulties.-I,ord Enfield stated that whilst the Govern- ment had decided against the permanent occupation of Candahar, they were endeavouring to provide a ruler who would have the confidence of the people of South Afghanistan.—The Burial and Registration Acta (Doubts Removal) Bill and the Judicial Com. mittee Bill were read a second time. HOUSE OF COMMONS.-MONDAT. The adjourned debate on the address was re- sumed by Mr. Shaw, who warned the Govern- ment that if their intentiona with regard to Irish and legislation wen oonfined to the programme sketched by the Prime Minister, It would not only completely disappoint the Irish tenants but would not satisfy their own party. He had not given up his belief in Mr. Gladstone, but it would be better not to touch the question at all than to touch and not settle it. As a practical contribution towards such settlement, he threw out the suggestion that there should be established a tribunal which should v fix the rent as betweon landlord and tenant. — Lord R. Churchill vindicated the late Government for withdrawing from the prosecution of certain persons for sedition, and ridiculed the State trials now going on in Dublin as a "costly sham."—Mr. 0. Russell supported the amendment, because he foresaw from the Queen's Speech that there was to be strong ooercion and weak remedial measures. The Land League was legal. though me iiy things had been done through its in- fluence which he entirely reprobated. An organisa- tion of the sort was not, therefore, to be put down by ooercion.-Several other members having spoken, Mr. Plunket described the addresses of Mr. Shaw and Mr. Russell as an attempt to Boycott the Whigs." Their remarks were addressed, not to the resolution before the house, but to an attempt to foree the hand of the Government on the land ques- tion. He would vote for the Coercion Bill, and would give the most candid consideration to the Land Bill. On the motion of Mr. Mitohell Henry, the debate was, at ten minutes past 12. adjourned.—Mr. Trevelyan brought in a bill for tne abolition of flogging In the UTI. BOUSE OF LORDS.—TOBSDAT. Lord Dunsany moved for returns relating to the Land League meetings and agrarian outrages In Ire- land sinoe the 1st of June last.—Lord Spencer de- clined compliance with the request on the ground that It would be impossible to obtain all ths Information required, and that muoh of what might be obtained would be of no practical use. HOUSE OF COMMONS.-TUMDAY. Mr. Mitohell Henry resumed the debate on the Address; He complained that the Irish Government had used the ordinary law in a weak, falter- ing spirit. The proper mode of meeting the difficulty—which notoriously arose out of the wretched condition of the Irish tenantry-would have been for the Government first to come forward with a distinct pledge to give fixity of tenure, and then to appeal to the Irish people to save them from the shame and humiliation of proposing coercive measures. That appeal would have been successful.— The Solicitor-General for Ireland justified the proposal for exceptional legislation. He de- Sibed in detail the salient features of the Land ague operations, the agrarian outrages, the mutila- tions of cattle, the intimidation of juries and wit- nesses, the summonses and sentences of the Land League courts, all of which he condemned In vigorous language. Mr. Chaplin argued that the manufacturing Industries of Ireland ought to be re-established and means found for lessening the frightful competition for land, which was the curse of Ireland, and the root of all the miseries of that unhappy country. Wastes might also be re* claimed with advantage. As to the paragraph in the speech, it was a confession of failure by a Ministry of impotence and error.—Lord Hartington pointed out the fallacy of the reasoning by which Mr. C. Russell and others arrived at the conclusion that the outrages had been exaggerated. The Government did not ac- cuse the people of Ireland either of oomplicity in or sympathy with the outrages. There was a state of terrorism which prevented the true opinions of the Irish nation from being made known. Adverting to the complaints by anticipation of the weakness of the coming Land Bill, he said that it was not of so much importance to consider whether the bill was to be strong and sweeping as whether it was to be founded on principles of justice and policy, and likely to afford a permanent and adetfuate remedy for acknowledged f.rievanom.After some observations from Mr. Healy, the debate was again adjourned.

THE QUEEN'S SPEEOH. The following Is the text of the Speech from the Throne read by the Lord Chancellor in the House of Lords, and by the Speaker in the House of Commons, on the re-assembling of Parliament on Thursday :— MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN, I have called you, at a period earlier than usual, to the resumption of your labours, as some affairs of more than common urgency demand your attention. My relations with foreign Powers continue to be friendly and harmonious. The main question relating to the frontier between Turkey and Montenegro has been settled. The Powers are now engaged in communications which have in view the determination of the frontier between Turkey and Greece. Some important portions of the Treaty of Berlin, which have so long remained without fulfilment, con- tinue to form an object of my anxious attention. A rising in the Transvaal has recently imposed upon me the duty ot taking military measures with a view to the prompt vindication of my autho- rity and-has ef necessity set aside for the time any plan for securing to the European settlers that full control over their own local affairs, without prejudice to the interests of the natives, which I had been de- sirous to confer. I regret that the war in Basutoland still continues, notwithstanding the efforts of the Oape Government. It would cause me much satisfaction If a suitable occa- sion should present itself for friendly action on my part with a view to the restoration of peace. The war in Afghanistan has been brought to a close, and, with the exception of the Candahar foroe, my troops have been recalled within the Indian fron- tier. It is not my intention that the occupation of Candahar shall be permanently maintained; but the still unsettled condition of the country, and the consequent difficulty of establishing a Native Government, have delayed for a time the withdrawal of the army from that position. Papers on the several subjects to which I have adverted, as well as further correspondence on the Military Estimates of India, will be presented to you. P GKNTLKMHN OF THB HOUSE OP COMMONS, The Estimates for the services of the coming year are in a forward state of preparation, and will- be speedily laid before you. I My LORDS AND GENTLEMEN, There has been a • adual, though not very rapid, improvement in the trade of the country and I am now able to entertain a more favourable expeo. tation of the revenue for the year than I could' form at its commencement. The anticipation, with which I last addressed yon, of a great diminution of the distress in Ireland, owing toan abundant harvest, was realised but I grieve to state that the social condition of the oountry has as- sumed an alarming character. Agrarian crimes in general have multiplied far beyond the experience of recent years. Attempts upon life have not grown in the same proportion as other offences but I must add that efforts have been made for personal protection, far beyond all former precedent, by the police, under the direction of the Executive. I have to notice other evils yet more widely spread the administration of justice has been frustrated, with respect to these offenoes, through the impossibility of procuring evidence; and an ex- tended system of terror has thus been established, in various parts of the country, which has paralysed almost alike the exercise of private rights and the performance of civil duties. In a state of things new in some important respects, and hence with little of available guidance from former precedent, I have deemed it right steadily to put in use the ordinary powers of the law before making any new demand. But a demonstration of their in- sufficiency, amply supplied by the present circum- stances of the oountry, leads me now to apprise yon that proposals will be immediately submitted to yon for entrusting me with additional powers, necessary in my judgment not only for the vindication of order and public law, but^ likewise to secure, on behalf of soy subjects, protection for life and property, and personal liberty of action. Subject to the primary and imperious obligations to which I have just referred, I continue to desire not less than heretofore to prosecute the removal of grievance and the work of legislative improvement in Ireland as well as in Great Britain. The Irish Land Act of 1870 has been productive of great benefits, and has much contributed to the security and comparative well-being of the occupiers of the soil, without diminishing the value or disturb- ing the foundations of property. In some respects, -however, and more particularly under the Strain of recent and calamitous years, the protection which it supplied has not been found sufficient, either in Ulster or the other provinces. I recommend you to undertake the further develop- ment of its principles in a manner conformable to the special wants of Ireland, both AS regards the relation of landlord and tenant, and with a view to effective efforts for giving to a larger portion of the people by purchase a permanent proprietary interest in the Boil. This legislation will require the removal, for the purposes in view, of all obstacles arising out of limitations on the ownership of property with a due provision for the security of the interests involved. A measure will be submitted to you for the estab- lishment of county government In Ireland, founded upon representative principles, and framed with the double aim of confirming popular control over ex- penditure, and of supplying a yet more serious want by extending the formation of habits of local self- government. Bills will be laid before you for the abolition of cor* poral punishment in the army and in the navy. You will be asked to consider measures for the further reform of the Law of Bankruptcy; for the conservancy of rivers and the prevention of floods for revising the constitution of endowed schools and hospitals in Scotland for the renewal of the Act which established secret voting, and for repressing the corrupt practices of which, in a limited number of towns, there were lamentable examples at the last general election. I trust that your labours, which will be even more than usually arduous, may be so guided by Divine Providence as to promqte ths happiness of my people.

THE WAR tN THE TRANSVAAL. FRIDAY, JANUARY 7. V ^BOER INVASION OF NiTAL. V ARRIVAL O0« BRITISH REINFORCE- MENTS. Under date of the 6th inst., the Times' corre- pondent at Durban telegraphs:- The Boers havi crossed the border, have occu- pied Langsnek about 150 strong, and have patrolled up to the River Iflgogo, whioh is about 16 miles from N*wea«tle. The Boers, under Commandant Vilgeon, went to the Landdrost of Utrecht, and demanded the keys of his office, which were given up under protest. Landdrost Rudolpb was then taken prisoner, and sent under escort to Hiidelberg. All his cash and papers were taken. Mt. Silverlock, a clerk in the land- drost's office, was nt across the river under an armed escort. The following, is from the Standard's corre- spondent in the lame town Her Majesty' ship Boadicea has arrived from Cape Town; she Unds a rocket battery and a naval brigade of her seamen acd marines. They will at once proceed to the front, The Boers' patrolling party have now advanced to a spot within 10 mi'es of Newcastle, aim upon fheir way øeized Mr. Walker, a magistrate at Savouy'san the Natal territory, but he has since been released. The statement of Captain Lambart, of the 21st,whe has arrived at Matftzburg, has now been made publlo. He and Captain IJlliot, Of the 9th, were released,and were furnished with a horse, a cart, and an escort to see them safe into the Free State. It was the men of this eicort who opened Ate upon the two officers when the oart was crowing a river. Captain Elliott was killed; Captain lainbftt then leaped from the cart, and, by diving and owitming, made his way to the opposite bank. Thence he made his way down on foot. He received no asshtance from the resident Boers on hili journey. The "Hirder of Captain Elliott has greatly added to the gelleral excitement and indig- nation. A correspondent at Harrismith has received the fol. towing acoonnt from drummer boy of the 94th, who has arrived there with the released prisoners. They were conducted ftoJJ1 Heidelberg to the ford close to Frankfort. The boY B%ya.On the way they knee- haltered me like a borse, with my head fastened olose to my knees, as an example to my comrades what to cxpect if they Mve trouble. In this condition I was driven over 80 mllfs. The ford was very deep, but the Boers gave us the choice whether we would be shot or toy to get across. So we tried, and managed to get over. All our officers were shot. The Colonel's hat, with five bullet holes in It, was left at Cloete. The Boots have a band with instruments." The mounted men patrolling Buffalo Drift threatened to kill the 16 pritonen of the 21st on their why to Kiciberley. The Oape Town correspondent of the same paper states that the 16 soldiers sent to Kim- berley were only released on condition of their giving their promise not to serve again during the war. The mail steainir Teaton, which has Just sailed for South Africa, took out 1,050,000 rounds of amrauut- tion for the use of the troops in Natal. Instructions hate bean received from the War Office by the officer in command of the powder JUga- ziues at Upnor, Chatl\m, for the despatch of between three and four Hii lion cartridges to the seat of war in South Africa. The] will be sent out in cases of con- venient size, sothat thty may be the more easily noved up the country. From information leceived in this country from Basutoland, says the daily News, it appears that there has been much exaggeration as to the losses of the Basutos. A correspondent says that in the tattle at Kalabane and at jerothodi's village, and also in the first fight at Kolo (Golah), there were not alto- Sether 100 killed on "he side of the Basutos. In the rat" engagement at Kolo the casualties were 12, whilst the reports <f the colonial troops made the loss amount to wmahundrods. The natives, in fact, considered the Koloengagement a success for them. AtONiAY, JANUARY 10. REPORTED SURRENDER OF PRETORIA. THE BOBtl PROCLAMATION. According to tb, Durban correspondent of the Daily Chronicle, it is reported there, on the authority of one just arrived from the Trans- vaal, that the British garrison in Pretoria has surrendered. Tit., Boers, under Kruger, are said to have cut Iff the water, thus forcing the garrison to Bubirt. The correspondent states, however, that tfe report requires confirmation. The Times' coriespondent in the same town telegraphs The Boers attcked Wakkerstroom on tee 7th Inst., but were remised. They have become more confident and baviamumed a very menacing attitude. They at first seemfl inclined to invade Natal, but on a remonstrance froi Sir George Colley they recrossed the border. All th mounted police have been ordered to the Transvaal Lvder, where our farmers are falling back. There are late numbers of Dutch sympathisers with the Boers in Natal. The TnujnvirAe declare that the first shot was fired by the liritia soldiers at Potchefstroom. They have sent letters to Messrs. Brand and Sprigg,claiming sympathy from ^»e former and intervention with the British Qove'1*nent from the latter. They charge Sir Owen Lknyco with a deliberate falsehood in say- ing that they harainoited the natives against the Go. vernment, and ^>rt that he has armed the natives against theia, 'i\ey appeal to Sir George Colley. and repeatedly k of their respect for the Queen and the people of E* £ knd. The proclamation issued by the Triumvirate ends In these terms '32. All the Inhabitants of this oountry who wil» leep themselves quiet and obedient to the isi*! stand under tne protection of the laws. eple desire to be forgiving to all burghers of the South African Republic who, by circumstances, bM3 been brought to desert for the time being the part of he people, but it cannot promise to extend this foroviness to those burghers of the South African Republi" who assume the position of open enemies the feople and continue to deceive the English Gjverflfltat by their untruthful represen- tations. 33. Al* jfficials who Berve the Government now, and who stable and willing to serve under-the altered circumstances of the country, shall have a claim to retain their places and such advantages as their PpsitioU tow affords to them. 34. To the English Goverpmj;it the right Is reserved to main- tain in our coiinby a consul, or diplomatic agent, the interests of British subjects. 36. The different over boundaries with natives shall be submitted to arbitration. 37. For the native policy the Qovefnhent is prepared to accept general principles to be "^ided upon after deliberation with the Colonies »pd States of South Africa. 38. The Republic is prepMng to confederate with the Colonies and States 0f St«th Africa. Finally, we declare and make knotf11 to all and everybody that from this day the cotintrf « declared to be in a state of siege and under the J'lons of martial law." The 48 survjvori of the 94th Regiment are now in Natal and reporl being treated by the Transvaal Boers with great Indignity. The Bastes Uve recrossed the Drakensberg into Griqualand Esstj but were repulsed with the loss of 60 men. The Pnd08 and natives everywhere are much exited. The Cabe Town correspondent of the same paper writes:—> The Boers ^committing excesses on the western borders of Natal. They have occupied Zurust, com- pelling popple t°ioin them, and beating and menacing with death Mft uoffat, the official protector of tfie natives. Theyha>g also entered the Baratong country, to seize an jlngfoh trader resident there. They were, howeveh repulsed by the chief, Monsipa. From its special correspondent at Pieterma. ritzburg the batty Telegraph, has reoeived the following The whole country is the hands of the Republicans except the fort ay works at Pretoria, the fort at Stan. derton, and possibly the fort at Potchefstroom. I hear from Captain Lambart, who was taken pri- soner by the #>»W, aI?d released on parole from their main army at Iteidelberg, that Colonel Winslow and other officsfg At potchefstroom were believed to be dead, and tfc»t the fort was reported to have fallen. It is noi> pfOV^J that no civilians were murdered in rotchefstro,Do, aw was erroneously reported at the first alarm. The Boers have not executed the alleged threat to shoot Commandant Raaf. He and Major Clarke are defaced as prisoners. More released soldiers Art d.i1 arriving at Kimberley and in Natal. Sixty-two ell of the 94th under parole are now at ColeUso on the Tugela river. The t' srr4y consists of three divisions, which are distributed as follows :-(1) A corps of obser- vation Is Plaoed at Meek, on the native border, two miles from the Watat boundary. 2. The second corps is on the Waterfall River, with the headquarters at Heidelberg. S. he third division is at Potchefstroom. Commanfojjt funeral Joubert has personally as sumed command of the Boer force at Meek. Their advanced twt is on the Ingogo river, where an en- gagement tntf he expected within at most six days, both side8 belDlt on the alert, and the Boers fre. quently "Proing our front. They deny invading Natal, inasmuch ag they claim the Ingogo as their true bound\ry, Jilany colonial surveyors nave allowed this as the bropet border of the Transvaal territory. The Calcutta Correspondent of the Timet states that In addition to tllt troops already mentioned, the 92nd Highlander lately returned from Afghanistan, and the 83rd poo". from Belgaum, have been ordered to the Cape. If$ it stated that the 73rd Regiment, from LucknoWi is »Jso to be sent there. The services of the 11th Bengal lancers, who volunteered to go, have apparently not been accepted. The time-expired men of the 2nd B^lion 60th Rifles, who were about to go hontf ^Vance of the battalion, have ail volui^ tesred to %ojpH)f*ny It to the Cape.

LONDON CLUBS AND SOCIETY. FBOM OUB OWN CORRESPONDINT.). It is part of the duty of the draftsman who prepares the Address to the Throne to spice it with the requisite amount of humility. He must begin by calling it a humble address; he must go on saying that the Houae of Commons humbly thanks her Majesty, and he must then continue to make every other paragraph express Uriah Heepism. He may simply "express re- gret," but, by the way of making amends, he must atone for it by a "humble assurance" at the next break. This year the humility of her Majesty's faithful Commons is made ap- parent by no fewer than eight references to the motion A remark of the Prince Oonsort applies to the case. He objected to so many prayers for the Queefc In one morning. Can we pray too much for the Queen T" asked a courtier. "Not too earnestly, but too often," was the Prince Consort's reply. It is a great pleasure to find members of Parliament in an earnestly humble mood; but they may say so too often. They might confine their humility next yehr to seven paragraphs, and still gain the reward of the Beatitude. Ten thousand persons were evicted In Ireland last year. That is to say in more than two thou- sand cases the landlords fissued processes of which the police had notice. It sounds dreadful to hear that 10,000 persons have been rendered homeless in a single year. The case is not so bad, however, when we find that one in ten of the tenants have been taken back again in their old position, and that five thouaand more have been kept in their holdings as caretakers. In Monster, of oourse, the greater number of evictions took place more than 4,000 persons there were "turned into the road." But then more than 2,000 came back again. In Ulster the total number of persons left in the cold was just 1,000, and about the same number is found to have gone out in the other provinces. The Foreign Office of course denies that as yet the appointment of Lord Napier and Ettrick Is made, and that is quite correct. Mr. Goschen will return to the PoRe for a time at least; but I am able to assure you that this will not be for long, and that he does not return to Constantinople with the Intention of staying there. As a matter of fact, Mr. Goschen will come back here very shortly, for he wishes to be a Minister onoe more; and he certainly would make a good Afinister-say for India. Earl Russell's statue by Boehm, placed so as almost to bar the approach to the Crown Office, is freely criticised by members of Parlia- ment. Not the sculptor's work. It is admirable. 1 do not agree with the criticism that it makes his lordship a tall man, and that the size of the head ought to be unduly increased in order to make him look tiny. To me the work recalls Lord John Russell as I remember him in the House of Commons. But its position In the Central Lobby is intolerable. It willneed three other statues at corresponding portions of what should be a large free hall to balance It. One of three would need to be placed in front of the door of the telegraph office to the risk of being damaged when there is a rush to wire some important news. Mr. Shaw Lefevre will probably be alked by Mr. Cavendish-Bentinck, if by nobody else, whether he intends the statue to remain there. A very funny incident comes to my ears. The Prince of Wales went down into Sussex to shoot. The part-owner of the wood in which the battue was to take plaoe, having very few pheasants of his own, bought 2,000 birds alive and had them taken down to the wood. But the birds,direotly they heard the first shot fired, bolted into the half of the wood not owned by the Prince's host, and there they are, to the great content of the gentleman who lives next the entertainer of Royalty A similar affair occurred not long ago in one of the shires. A man brought a lot of Nor- mandy foxes over and put them down in his country. But the foxes, used to a warmer olimate than this, all caught cold, and instead of run- ning away when chased, stood still to cough, sneeze, and howl, se that the hunting came to nothing. It was a tremendous failure, in fact; and the gentleman who brought them here learnt to his sorrow that it is not safe to import Nor- mandy foxea into a northern Engliah county. I hear a very goo4gotory which shews how little sense some people have of the fitness of things. A lady-I mean really a titled lady —had attended a lecture on photography at the Royal Institution when the lecturer took some likenesses by artificial light, just for the sake of expe riment. The lady was pleased and thought she would like to do the institution a good turn, so she sent her governess dow* with a bunch of little olive-branches to have their likenesses taken by way of encouraging rising talent The air with which the hall porter escortqjl the party out into Albemarle- street when he heard their business was, I am told, a aight to see. Light is out. That would be a rather dubious expression did not the italica explain my mean- ing. Light ia a new paper terming itaelf A journal devoted to the highest interests of humanity both here and hereafter." That is a big platform and I must confess that the contents of the initial number take a pretty wide sweep. The new paper, in fact, is a Spiritualistic organ with a large element of general literature superadded. The pill is cleverly gilded, and the paper, which looks very like the Spectator, is, so far as the opening num- ber goes, fairly well turned out of hand. la it possible that Spiritualism in London needs three representative organs ? Happening to go into Gatti's cafrf in Villlers- street, Sttand, I was struck with the beauty of the New Tear's decorations. They are composed entirely of artificial flowers hang- ing in baskets from the roof and festooned from pillar to pillar. They are not mere tawdry affairs, but really artistic productions, looking as much like real flowers as possible, and the whole affair must have cost some.hundreds of pounds. The permanent decorations of the room were also renewed with great liberality during the pad summer. You will probably recollect that a few months ago the London tramways companies brought over to this country great numbers of mules from Spain. It was thought at the time that they were better adapted in many respects for the work of dragging tramcars than were horses. They were credited with having better staying powers, and the cost of keeping was 'said to be less. After a protracted trial, however, the companies have come to the conclusion that the value of these animals was misrepres ented to them, for it has now been proved beyond a doubt that they eat as much as horses, and that their stability is not nearly so good as that of the superior class of animals. As a result the tramways companies of the Metropolis are now selling their mules as quickly as they can and are purchasing horses. My mind has been considerably exercised dur- ing the last day or two by the appearance of a long word in the agony column of the Times, which proves anything but comforting, because it puzzles one to discover what possible con- nection it can have with the rather romantic announcement of which it forms the head- ing. Theword is "Neurasthenipponskelesterizo." Treating this as a Greek verb, and taking sepa- rately its component parts, I read it to signify something like this I strengthen the weak .g it nerves of horsos' legs." Whether there is any occult meaning in this apparently Aristophanio compound, I am, of course, unable to determine.

The death is announced of Lady Lees, at Beacbo lands, Ryde, Isle of Wight. Her ladyship was Maria Charlotte, daughter of Mr. Edward R. Sullivan, of the Madras Civil Service, and she mrrried inl839 Sit John Lees, late Captain of the Hants Militia, by whom she had a family of three sons and four daughters. According to a Parliamentary return issued on Satur- day, there were during las c year 10,657 persons evicted from their holdings in Ireland, of whom 1,021 were readmitted as tenants, and 4,996 were re-admitted as caretakers. From a return we learn that on the Slat of December last the number of persons under per- sonal police protection in Ireland was 153, and that the number of persons "specially watched over by the police to protect them from outrage was 1,149. 1

THE PENYGRMS EXPLOSION. THE INQUEST. CORONER'S OPENING SPEECH. EVIDENCE OF THE MANAGER, &c. It will be remembered that the formal opening and adjournment of the inquiry into the deaths of the men killed at the Penygraig Explosion took place on the 13th of December, but the actual work of the inquiry was commenced on Tuesday, when, besiden the two coroners, Messrs. G. Over- ton and E. B. Reece, there were present: Mr. Wales, Mr. Hall and Mr. Rhys, Inspectors of Mines; Mr. Simons, solicitor, of Merthyr, repre- senting the colliery owners; Mr. W. Abraham (Mabon), on behalf of the men; Superintendent Matthews, of Pontypridd; Dr. Davies, Porth; Dr. Hamilton; Mr. Gallaway, Dinas; Mr. Moses Rowlands, Penygraig; Mr. John Morgan, Cardiff; Mr. Moses Morgan, Cardiff; &tc. P.S. Price and P.S. Row Were in attendance; th, first-named officer having charge of the inquest, under the direction of Superintendent Matthews. JURY. The following is a list of the jurors z- William Davies, gentleman, Cwrt Villa, foreman. Howell Davies, grocer, Waun Cwrt. John D Williams, farmer, Clydaoh Vale. David Davies, farmer, Pandy. Hopkin Knill, contractor, Pandy. Richard Lewis, boot manufacturer, Pandy. William Rees, grocer, Pandy. William Jones, outfitter, Penygraig. David W. Davies, draper, Pandy. William Thomas, grocer, Trealaw. John Williams, land agent, Trealaw. Morgan Richards, innkeeper, Edmundstown. William Roberts, gentleman, Edmundstown. Thomas Owen, innkeeper, Pandy. Rev J. R. Jones, Llwynpia. Rev. J. M. Jones, Pandy. David Williams, ironmonger, Paady. Joseph Kinsley, jeweller, Pandy. These names having been called over, plans of the colliery were placed on the table for the use of the coroner and jury. OFXNIlfa ADDKKS8 OF THE COBONKB. Mr. Overton then rose and said:—Gentlemen, We are met here again to day to proceed with the inquiry which we commenced on the 13th. Dec., A serious calamity has occurred in this distriot. and caused profound dismay to many a household, and it becomes your duty to investigate the circum- stances and ascertain as far as possible the origin of the unfortunate occurrence. When we met together on the 13th. December, to oommenee the inquiry, and to perform the sad and solemn duty of visiting the dead I did not contemplate so long a delay, but as you are aware circumstances have arisen to render it necessary that we should postpone our inquiry, but I trust we shall now be able to proceed with it and terminate it shortly. I need not impress upon you the importance of the inquiry, as I feel convinced you are all deeply conscious of it, but I would most anxiously beseech and entreat your earnest attention to the evidence, and every assis- tance you can afford to unravel the mystery in which those cases are universally involved. It is a melancholy fact that this coal field which comprises as well the :County of Monmouth, ha s lately been visited with several serious calamities, and they far exceeded all the other parts of the kingdom in the number and proportion of the accidents. It would appear from the information we have already ob- tained that there was an explosion in the Penygraig Naval Steam Coal Colliery, on the 10th of Decem- ber. and that there were about 106 persons in at the time, only 6 of whom brought out alive, leaving a loss of 101 lives; 98 bodies have already been found and 3 still not recovered. The Home Secre- tary has kindly sent us down Mr Wright, an emi- nent counsel, to assist us in our enquiry, and also Mr Hall, Mining Engineer and Inspector for North Wales. So, that I trust, with their aid and the other evidence which will be produced, we shall be able to come to a satisfactory conclusion. There are generally in these unfortunate occurrences three separate causes to which the deaths may be attribu- ted, viz.: burning, suffocation, and violence, and it will be well to divide our inquiry into these three heads. The position of the several bodies when they were found will be proved to you, and you will then be able to form an opinion as to the locality and ex- tent of the explosion, and that will be the first point to which I shall direct your attention. Having as. certained the locality, you will then have to endea- vour to discover the origin of the misfortune; this is generally a difficult point, but I hope and trust we shall be able to aceomplish it, and, having done so, you will then have to decide the most serious and difficult question whether it arose from accident or from carelessness. There can be no doubt that cases may and do continually occur of this kind from some casualty which ordinary prudence and foresight could not anticipate or prevent, but on the other hand it is equally clear that they may and do arise too often from want of skill, mis- management, want of discipline or negligence. It will be your province to decide to which of those causes this sad catastrophe is to be assigned. I shall have an opportunity after the evidence iq taken of explaining to you the Law on the subject and for the present will content myself with some suggestions that may assist you in pursuing your inquiry and some general observation^. Ton are no doubt aware from the experience you have had in nimilar inquiries, that there are certain Acts of Parliament which govern all mining operations, and these Acts require that certain Rules shall be established in every colliery for the manage- ment of the colliery, and guidance of all officers and men employed therein. You will have copies of the rules of this colliery laid before you, end you will then discover what duties are required to be performed and by whom, and you will be able to discover whether there has been any breach or non-observance of these rules. If you find that the present explosion has arisen frem the breach of these rules, in any material respect, or that there has been on any other point (irrespective of the rules) an instance of gross carelessness or wilful neglect which has caused or contributed to it, you will be bound to represent it as such, and send the case for inquiry before au. other tribunal. In inquiries of this kind I fitid there are generally three essential points to which you have to direct your attention as the safety of all collieries mainly depends upon them. First, the management; second, the discipline; third, the ventilation. Unless the pit is laid out and man- aged by a competent person, the persons em- ployed kept under strict discipline, and the venti- lation sufficient and properly distributed accidents must inevitably occur, and it is to the absence or neglect of some one of those important safeguards that these unfortunate occurrences are generally to be attributed or the destruction of life become more secure. It will be your duty to ascertain in the present instance whether all these requi- sites have been complied with; and another most material point is that the intake an I return air courses are sufficiently separated and the return air courses are sufficiently large and commodious so as to allow of a free exit to the upcast pit of the foul air and gasen engendered in the pit. Al- though your inquiry will extend to the whole of these persons, we have no power to combine them together, I therefore purpose confining our in- quiry to one of each class, and I intend commenc- ing with the case of David Lloyd. IDENTIFICATION AND MEDICAL TESTIMONY. Police-Sergeants Row and Priee having given evidence of the identification of the bodies. Dr. H. N. Davies stated that some of the men had died from burning and some from suffocation, but it ,appeared to him that David Lloyd, and the lad, Samuel Samuel, had died from concussion and suffocation. Dr. Hamilton said the ribs of John Jenkins, overman, were fractured. THE MAYAGZleS EVIDBNCI. Mr. Moses Rowland Rowlands, the next witness called, stated that he was the manager of the col- liery in question. The certificate he held was one granted for service. He was cutting coal when 10 to 12 years of age, and after that he became a clerk, then an overman, and he acted at the Peny- j graig house coal pit as assistant to his father, who was manager, but now his father assisted him at the Naval Steam Coal Colliery. The ventilation at Penygraig was by a fan, 18 feet in diameter, and 60,009 cubic feet of air passed tho first gauge at the bottom of the pit. The velocity when he measured it last was 3,050 feet per minute. He used to go through one pit one day and the other the next, but on the day before the explosion he went through both except one section. He stated that blowers had been found, but they had been properly dealt with, two being made use of to light the top of the downcast shaft There were no naked lights, except one comet, used in the pit, and the keys nf the lamps were chained outside the j lomproom, but there waa one key chained to apart in th pit for the hitcher to light the lamps of the hauliers when they happened to be extinguished. Three of the overmen, who were to report the con dition of the pit. were unable to write. The inquiry was adjourned at half-past three ifi- the afternoon. On Wednesday, Mr. Moses Row- land Rowlands was again examined. He stated that in the pocket of a man found on Tuedsay a match lwa" discovered. An overman's lamp had been found unlocked, and one of the lamps in the lamp-stat*on was not locked, but he thought the lad Samuel might have been going to get a light in that eeond lamp when the explosion happened. He (witnesB) seemed to be of opinion that the overman was firing at a fall which they were rippiag when the explosion occurred, and the con- clusion drawn by many is that he attributes the explosion to that cause, though he did not say so. Near Turberville's heading they found the fuse and boring tools for blasting, and two men crouch- ing down. He admitted that no special precau- tions were taken here other than had been taken at the house coal pits he had seen, but he pointed to the fact that during sinking and connecting of the two pits only one accident occurred, as an evi- dence of careful management. There was no bar- ometer at the pit. but he had one in his house, and there was one at the house coal colliery. One had been ordered for the other colliery also, but it had not come. xviDKNca or us. «OWIJJN> ROWLANDS. Mr. Rowland Rowlands, father of the last wit- ness, corroborated his son's evidence as to the management. He said he was paid a higher salary than his son, but he thought it was partly to make up for past services. He did not know of any other explosion having taken place at this pit. There was an accident about twelve months ago, when the winding gear was damaged, and when he was coming from the pit he saw the flue struck by lightening and cut. There was a fall in the pit when they went down next, but headings might fall in because the pit had been idle for about a month. John Rees, banksman, described the effects of the explosion at the top of the upcast. Charles Moses, overman, stated that he was on duty in the day-time at the time of the explosion, and up to the time he left, six o'clock, there was no gas at Rapp's heading. The inquiry was resumed on Thursday, when, hi ad iition to the officials already named abo", $bore were present: Mr. Edmund Thomas, of Maindee Hall j Mr. Ivans, Bodringallt; Mr. Woods, Llwyn- pia &0. Mr. Moses Rowland Bewlands, who was rO-Wbdo stated that the colliery had been snnk through some [ old workings of the Dinas N*. 8 pit, and the air from the Penygraig pit went up into the flue of the other. The opening into the Dinas pit was stopped* but afterwards opened as, until communication had been established between the No. 1 and No. I it was a help to the ventilation. In reply to a question put by Mr Wright, the witness stated that that had nothing to do with the Dinas explosion—that took plaoe in a different eeam altogether. THB XrFKCT or COAL DUST. Mr. Simons stated that Mr Galloway was naking some experiments, under the auspices of the Royal Hnmane Society, to ascertain, if possible, the effects of coal dust in explosions. He wouid, theref like the coroners to see those experiments. They might adjourn for the purpose, nnd that might assist in solving the mystery in which this and other simi- lar matters were involved. Mr Overton did not see that they could enter into theories, or they might sit for ever, but, after con- sulting Mr. Wright, he would gi e Mr Silltons a reply. AN BXPLANATION. Mr Moses B. Rowlands explained that be had nothing to de with the colliery during the sinking. He mentioned this with reference to tbo opening in- to the Dinas pit. Charles Moses, overman, Emn Lewis, fireman, and Thomas Morgan, banksri an, were next ex- amined, but there was nothing new in their evidence. They seemed to have considered everything to be right on the day of the explosion. COMPLAINT BY A WORKMAN. David L-wis, timberman, who had worked in No. 2 pit, complained of deficiencies in filling the gob, and said there was a somewhat extensive blower at the stall next to the fault; the lamp-room was in the wrong place altogether; the doors were too loose in some instances, and there was only one wooden door in the main air-way. He said he had not told anyone because he feared he would Ions his place. He had seen a lamp opened in the pit twice. In reply to Mr Simons he stated that he had, after the explosion, applied te Mr Moses K. Rowlands for a certificate of competency; that he referred blm to Mr Rowland Rowlands, and that the latter sent him to Mr Williams, who could know nothing of him ae a workman, but he had a character. The examination of this witness by Mr Simons will be oontinued to-day (Friday).

THE ASSESSMENT OF YTRADYfOIJWG. On Thursday, a meeting of the licensed victuallers of Tstradyfodwg was held at the Pen tie HoW, to eonsider what measures should be adopted to obteia a reduction of the valuation of property in ttte parish. Mr. W. Parfitt of the Woodfield Bote occupied the chair. It was agreed not to pay any rates until after the meeting of the Assessment Committee, and to retain the service*.of aby W Simons. Merthyr, to represent t*»e JfOentH vic- tuallers on the occasion. -t'