The London Welshman

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Y FASNACH LAETH A CHYMRY LLUNDAIN. Sibrydir fod yna symudiad tuagat undeb o ryw natur ymhlith Llaethwyr Cymreig Llundain. Ond, er holi cryn dipyn, nis gellir ar hyn o bryd roddi unrhyw fanylion oddigerth yn unig grybwyll nad oes unrhywiaeth barn yn bodoli rhyngddynt hyd yn hyn. Ar un llaw ceir rhai o'r experts mewn materion perthynol a'r fasnach yn tueddu i'r syniad fod yn rhaid cael mwy o ddealltwriaeth rhwng y gwyr llaeth Cymreig (y rhai a ffurfiant fwyafrif o bedwar ugain neu ragor o bob cant o'r oil sydd yn y fasnach yn Llundain) er eu budd arbenig a chyffredinol eu hunain. Ar y llaw arall ceir rhai o'r gwyr mwyaf cyfrifol ac ymarferol a gariant y fasnach yn mlaen yn dadgan eu parodrwydd i gytuno mewn mudiad i uno y gwahanol laeth- wyr mewn gwahanol barthau—neu yn yr oil o Lundain os gellid-mewn un cwmni mawr. Seisnig o darddiad ydyw'r cynyg hwn, ond buom yn siarad ag un o'r Cymry yn y fasnach ag sydd yn dra ffafriol i'r syniad. Prin y gellir credu y sylweddolir y breuddwyd hwn yn rhyw gyffredinol iawn, er fe ddichon y gwelir rhai o'r cyfoethocaf o honynt yn anturio i ryw combine anferth o'r fath. Y prif amcan mewn golwg gan y rhai hyn ydyw lleihau'r treuliau, ac felly ychwanegu y profits. Prif amcan y lleill ydyw ymuno mewn undeb neu gymdeithas er amdiffyniad yr aelodau yn erbyn pob math o osodiad y tybid ei fod yn anfanteisiol i unrhyw un neu ragor o honynt. Anhawdd gan liaws o honynt gredu fod yna bosibilrwydd i gael y Cymry i ffurfio undeb effeithiol, er y dylent gymeryd calon yn y ffaith fod Cymru yn unol ar hyn o bryd yn y Senedd. Beth bynag, y mae yn ffaith fod yna ryw un eisoes yn parotoi y scheme a'r rheolau, a chyn hir byddwn yn alluog, yn ddiau, i roddi'r manylion. Moc AP IAGO.

RUGBY FOOTBALL UNION. There was a very strong flavour of the influence of Welsh football upon the proceedings at the annual general meeting of the Rugby Football Union, held at the Inns of Court Hotel, Lincoln's InnFields, on Thursday evening in last week. The Gloucester Club's proposal, seconded by Bristol, to place the appointment of touch judges on a similar footing to that of the referee, as far as the right of the opposing club to appeal was concerned, met with considerable sympathy, but was unhappily worded, and was lost by a large majority. The chief food for discussion was the pro- posal of the Devon County, that all players in the county championship competition be qualified and willing to play for England if asked." The proposers, it would appear, still smart a bit over their defeat, some years ago, by Middlesex County, whose team happened to include several aliens of note, including one Rhys Gabe, whose prowess had not a little to do with his side's victory. After able defence by Mr. Hodgson, Mr. Harnett, and others, Dr. Charlie Williams (of Cambridge Heath, late of Neath), the Welsh representative, pointed out that the practice acted both ways, inasmuch as there were English and other aliens in Wales qualifying for English caps. The motion was ultimately withdrawn on the understanding that it may be submitted in an amended form next year. The Gloucester and Devon counties were also responsible for the consideration of the improvement of Rugby football, by demanding an annual grant to aid in the development of the English Schools' Union. In the end an amendment, proposed by Mr. Cail and seconded by Mr. Thorp, was carried by 43 votes to 19, to the effect, "that in case the Rugby Union in LT future makes any grant or grants for the furtherance of the Rugby game among public elementary schools, such shall be paid through the various county committees, and administered by them.

School class at Pembroke Terrace Calvinistic Methodist Chapel, Cardiff. Mr. Rowland had been in charge of the class ever since he came to Cardiff from college, in 1902, and an indication of the attachment that existed between the boys and their teacher was given on Sunday, when the boys seized the opportunity to make a presentation to Mr. Rowland while he was in Cardiff over the holidays. The presentation took the form of Mr. John Morley's Life of Gladstone" and Dr. Fair- bairn's Philosophy of the Christian Religion." Mr. Thomas Lloyd Jones, who has just died in Chicago, has left a fortune of £ 25,000, and this is now awaiting a claimant. There being no will, the next-of-kin will inherit the estate. A brother of the dead man is supposed to be a resident of Cardiff district, and active efforts are now being made to discover him. If the brother is alive, he is the next- of-kin and will inherit. Mr. Lloyd Jones, who emigrated about 25 years ago, is believed to have been a son of a Welsh Congregational minister, who at one time lived in Cardiff. The Rev. Parker Morgan, now of New York, and a former vicar of St. Mary's, Cardiff, has sent full particulars con- cerning the dead man and his estate to his sister, the mother of Mr. Rowland Thomas, of Brynllefrith, Llanfabon. MERIONETH. The first emergency school established in Merionethshire was that at Bronaber, near the St. Thomas National School, Trawsfynydd. Official information has been received that the Board of Education are prepared to recognise this school as a permanent Council school. The county will now proceed to move with regard to the other emergency schools. MONMOUTH. The site chosen for the Bath and West of England Show at Newport for 1907 is on St. Julian's Park, a place rich in historical associations. It is the land of the holy martyr Julian, mentioned in the Book of Llandaff as having been given to the Church by the three sons of Belli, as atonement for breaking into the bishop's house at Llanarth. It was formed into a deer park by William, Earl of Pembroke, who erected the mansion of St. Julian about 1450. The park is also mentioned in the Carte MSS. as the spot where Allen Bottelier, Charles I.'s messenger, was chased by the soldiers of Cromwell from Newport. Bottelier took refuge in old St. Julian's, and his dispatches were hidden in Lady Herbert's bed till by stealth he got away in safety. The spot is on the rising ground above the valley of the Usk, and commands charming views on every side. Ty Coch (or Red Castle), Llantarnam, which was sold by auction at Newport on Wednesday, is one of the forgotten manors of the Plantagenet era. Local histories are silent about it, but in the Inqui- sitiones Post Mortem, under date 1425, there is a full account of the local estate of Edmund de Mortimer, Earl of March, which includes Usk Castle and town, Caerleon Castle and town, and among other fees that of Red Castle. The old farmhouse of the manor is now called Tycoch (red house), and is situated on the canal side a little below Cwmbran. A stone in front of the house bears date 1613, when it was in the possession of Sir William Morgan, of Pencoed. Local tradition says that Cromwell stayed here for some months at the time the Parliament granted him the Parlia- ment estates, and that he trained his Ironsides in the field near the house. RADNOR. Wild otters are prevalent enough in Rhayader streams now, but not so very many years ago a tame otter (the property of an innkeeper, whose daughter still lives at the same house) used to roam unmolested about the town. It even snapped at the hounds it was well accustomed to if they tried to steal the bits of meat thrown to it from the Market Hall. Unfortunately, a stranger when fishing shot the otter under the idea that it was a wild one. The Congregational Church at Llandrindod Wells, the scene of the ministry of the late cele- brated the Rev. J. R. Kilsby Jones, has just been considerably enlarged and improved. The old church had become altogether inadequate for the needs of to-day and the growing work of the Church, and the new building provides seating accommodation for 700, instead of for 250 as hitherto. The cost of the extensions has been about £ 2,000. The present pastor is the Rev. D. Garro-Jones. The reopening took place on Sun- day and Monday, the special preachers being the Rev. E. Griffith Jones (London) and Professor Lewis (Brecon).