Evening Express

BETTER FROM LADY RAMSAY MR. LLOYD-GEORGE AND THE WELSH CLERGY. To the Editor of the "Evening Express." Sir,—Having had the good fortune to hear the excellent speeches of Lord Emlyn, Lord Halsbury, Lord Kenyon, the Dean of Norwich, Mr. B. F. Williams, and, notably, the Prin- cipal of Lampeter, at the Holborn Town-hall, on the 3rd of April, I must, while expressing my sense of the gratitude due to our English friends and supporters, also record my regret at the rude, uncourteous, and un-Welsh treat- ment several of the speakers experienced from an unruly minority in the hall, especially the rude reception of the contradiction by the Dean of Norwich of Mr. Lloyd-George's statement that the clergy in Wales had always sought to denationalise their country and to betray her highest interests-a statement to which 1 ven- ture to give an unqualified denial, believing, as I do, that the fervid imagination of a Celt never devised a more absolute fiction than that ot the denationalising and betrayal of the highest interests of Wales by her clergy, i c<i'isu:er myself in a better position to make this contradiction than can be the case with most people. Born and brought up in Anglesey, and a in the habit of mixing in the sociny of my father's fellow-clergy, if I cannot say i was personally acquainted with every clergy- man in Anglesey, I certainly knew about every one, and emphatically 1 maintain I never knew one who could justly be accused of betraying Wales or the Welsh. Had any one of our acquaintance so behaved we must have known it, and, according to the views prevailing among us, that man would have met with the contempt he deserved. I am willing to concede that possibly 50 or 60 years ago there were several clergymen who took their duties easily and were not quite up to the mark required to-day, but, from my own personal knowledge and recollection, I fearlessly assert that the clergy of those days were, like their successors of to-day, emphatically Welsh in heart as well as action and in their ser- vices. Certainly, I do not mean to lessen their merits, but 1 am quite at a loss to see what they would have gained by a different line of action they would have lost the respect of every one whose respect was worth naving, and could not have gained anything in return. They did their work quietly in the "language under standed of the people," and in their schools taught their young parishioners to "do unto all men as they would they should do unto them, and not to covet nor desire other men's goods, but to learn and labour truly to get their own living, and to do their duty in that state of life into which it might please God to oall them." Well would it be ior Wales if this early teaching had not met with so many counteracting influences. How such teaching can be construed into "a be- trayal of the highest interests of Wales" is cer- tainly not easy to understand. W hat I say of the clergy in Anglesey i know to be true; it wa.s true 60 or 70 years ago. and it is true to- day. I only speak of Anglesey because it is the county I know best, and in which I have lived so many years, and because 1 sincerely believe it may be taken as a fair sample of the rest of Wales. What may be said of the gratitude or absence of treachery in those who received all their early teaching in Church schools, who gain their daily bread by the learning they acquired in universities founded by L'hurchmen, and who owe all their success in life to the encourage- ment of the clergy, and then seek by every means in their power to vilify and pull down the Church, 13 a question open to all, and especially to some of those gentlemen who are most active in seeking to destroy the- giver of so many benefits and the one barrier be- tween the country and the encroachments both of Rome and of, still worse, irreligion. If it be "a betrayal of the highest interests of Wales" to pray, read, and preach in Welsh in the churches founded by our forefathers; if it be traitorous to build schools for the poor and to teach them to "love the brotherhood, fear God, and honour the King," and all other things desirable for their temporal and eternal wel- fare or if it is a betrayal of Wales to foster the dear old national tongue, to love its poetry, and to assist in every way m the encouragement of our eisteddfodau—then, and then only, are, or were, the'Welsh clergy traitors.—I am, &c., M. LOT ISA KAilSAY. Earl's Court, London, May 9. ,P.S.-Sin ce writing the atuove a friend has brought to mv notice an article in the 'North Wales Chronicle" by a Mr. Daniel Rowlands. I do not know Mr. Rowlands, but I believe he is a Nonconformist. His tactics are these: — In order to vilify that Branch of Christ's Church which has held its ground in rSritain for nearly nineteen hundred years, he rakes up every kind of crime and shortcoming on the part of the clergy from 300 years ago to the present dav! He repeats the conversation and casual remarks of two men who, being dead, cannot con- tradict him. He names a certain district, brands the clergymen of that district as men of godless, useless lives] he stirs this all up into something like the "Douglas Larder of Scottish history, and presents the nauseous mixture as a typical specimen of the Church in Wales, past and present. That some of the instances he quotes of the sins of the clergy are true cannot, alas be denied, but why weigh even half a dozen isolated cases against the thousands of good and holv lives of those who have served their God, their Church, and their country, both before a.nd since 15709 The injustice of the proceeding is only equalled by its absence of common Christianity, llie sore strife of reli- gious parties is bitter enough. Why seek to widen the rents in the seamless garment of our Lord ?

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Notes from London, ALL THE GOSSIP OF TOWN AND CLUBS. Dissolution Rumours — The Premier's Breakdown-The Victory on Beer. Last night there were some hints at di"lo- lution impending. The information I have from the best sources is that a dissolution altogether depends upon the Premier's health. His attempts this week to slide back in:j(1 active work have been most discouraging. ] I e cannot bear the weight of his harness. The struggle he is making to hold up against the "g weight of incapacitating illness is watched with intense and sympathetic interest. If the Premier can cling to office the Govern- ment will hold out. If the Premier has to resign, Parliament will be dissolved, lerhaps. after a decorous interval of a uay or two, during which the Chancellor would p;njoy a fleeting Premiership. An appeal to the country would be made, and the Tories would come to their own again. THE PREMIER'S BREAKDOWN. The Radical papers are still painfully labour- ing to minimise the Premier's breakdown. Some of them affect to laugh at the .neidert. They did not laugh on Wednesday. A very leading young Liberal, whose connection with the Cabinet is not remote, wiped the rweat of terror from his forehead and cried out, "Oh, my God, this is awful. Lord Rosebery is about to-day, but very pallid. THE VICTORY ON BEEK. Ministerialists did not know quite what. to make of their victory on beer to-night. I have a lurking suspicion that they would have been glad to have gone out on beer, as they did in 1885. Anyhow, they were sensibly disconcerted at the largeness of the majority—two dozen. They inquired with eager curiosity what had become of the Unionists. According to the law of the game the Government majority ought to have been five, only, for reasons which com- mended themselves to the Unionist leaders, it was not thought advisable to run the margin too close; therefore, some Unionists were allowed to go away, and the normal majority of the last few days was continued. But it is a Government on sufferance, all the same. THE GOVERNMENT QUANDARY. A clue to the situation was afforded by the Chancellor's tart reply to the truculent Highlanders—Sir Donald Macfarlane and Dr. Macgregor of that ilk—this afternoon. The fact is that, between the devil of the High- lands and the deep blue sea of Tory oppo- sition, the Government are in a wretched mess. They dare not force a final division on their Scotch Standing Committee, lest they be beaten. The Tories will not let them have the Committee if the Crofters Bill is to be referred to it. JABEZ AND HIS DEFENCE. -f.' The coolness, almost indifference, with which Jabez listened yesterday to the long array of allegations brought by the prosecu- tion confirms the idea that he intends trying for an absolute acquittal. His attitude throughout the hearing was that of a specta- tor, and not a prisoner. Two or three pressmen whom he recognised he smiled at quite condescendingly, and his cool request to one of them to allow him to peruse his evening paper during the hearing was worthy of his whole attitude. I am in a position to say that the defence will be a total denial of all allegations of fraud. The transactions alluded to by the prosecuting counsel will Le represented as being but ordinary und quite legitimate methods of carrying on such busi- ness, whilst other allegations will be denied on the grounds that the property dealt with was the prisoner's own, and that he had, therefore, a perfect right to deal Tilth it in whatever manner he liked. REPORTING THE CASE. If the reports of yesterday's proceedings are not so concise or continuous as they might be, the fault is entirely attributable to the prosecuting counsel, Mr. C. T. Matthews. vln This Old Bailey counsel, having appeared in each Liberator case, lias the entire facts of the case at his fingers' tips, and imagines that everyone else is similarly favoured. Therefore, instead of placing the case with precision and lucidity, he rattles off 1 is allega- tions with a fluency which is the despair of every shorthand writer in court. An unplea- sant habit which he has contracted, of speak- ing in cadences, emphasising in doing so the most unimportant words and dropping his voice on the most important, further increases the reporters' difficulties. The wonder is that such intelligent reports were presented, not that they are so scrappy. The evidence will, however, alter all this. NATIONAL RISING AGAINST DISESTABLISH- MENT. Rarely has any Government introduced a Bill so unpopular as the Welsh Disestablish- ment Bill. Petitions against it are pouring in by sheaves every day. Up till last Mon- day the signatures against the Bill had reached almost three-quarters of a million- to be precise, 3,076 petitions, with 739,743 signatures. Ine petitions in favour of the Bill are four, with 466 signatures. The Local Veto Bill has not caught on. There are only 246 petitions, with 3,865 signatures, hi its favour. WAR PICTURES. At their Pall Mall Gallery Messrs. Graves will to-morrow open the exhibition of three new great war pictures, which will, I imagine. excite some sensation. They are, iirst, "The Blowing In of the Cashmere Gate at Delhi," by Mr. Vereker Hamilton. It is daringly realis- tic, but fascinating. Mangled, bleeding, and burned heroes who have blown in the gate are lying about dead or dying, the dying smiling in their agony at the hope of success, as they behold the leader of the storming party appear on the plank which has been flung across the deadly chasm in front of the gate. The colour- ing is lurid, the figuring bold, and details, if anything, suffer from realism. "Saving the Colours at Inkerman," by Mr. Robert Gibb. represents the return of a detachment of Guards to the British lines, after desperately fighting their way out of a crowd of 3,000 Russians. They have saved the colours, which are borne aloft by the officers, while the men cheer and wave their bearskins on their bayonets. The Duke of Cambridge and staff with joy watch the heroes' return. It is a brilliant and soul-stirring picture. Mr. ,g p, Caton Woodville has painted the third picture, "1815." which represents Napoleon handing over the Old Guard to Marshal Ney, who is to lead them in the final charge The picture is panoramic in its background, is full of life and incident, and I will be sur- prised if it is not recognised as Mr. Woodville's best. PRIVATE MEMBERS' FRIDAYS. If the Government take the whole time of the House on Fridays, as it is supposed they will, the present division of Friday into two sittings will continue. The Government, as at present, will appropriate the morning sitting, from two till seven, for Government Bills and similar business. The evening sitting, from nine till twelve, will be devoted to Supply. This is a temporary arrangement, to applv to this session only. But it is likely to be the commencement of a new ysteni of dealing with Supply. It is hoped by states- men on both sides who are, or may be respon- sible for the conduct of public business that an arrangement may be arrived at to devote every Friday and the whole of the sitting from the commencement of a session to Supply. If that can be arranged, it would also be agreed to set up an automatic closure to secure that Supply be concluded by the end of Julv..mis arrangement would, if workable, become popular, and would certainly remove a blot on procedure. BOYCOTTING THE TIMES" Sir Evelvn Wood. in speaking at the news- paper dinner the other night, mentioned the incident when the "Times" was banished from the Carlton Club because of some rea marks by its war correspondent in the Crimea. I have been reminded of a more singular boycotting of the "Times." It was when Mr. Cobden was employed by our Government as its agent in Paris to nego- tiate a treaty of commerce with the French Government. During his stay in Paris the Government in London communicated with him every day, and with its note always sent a ropv of the "Times." But it appeared that Mr. Cobden objected to the "Times," and asked that a copy of the "Daily News" might be sent him instead. The fact seems incredible, but I am told it is recorded in the Blue Books of the period, whence it may be disentombed if any care to undertake the task of digging it out. SENSATION AT THE ALHAMBRA. The management of this famous house have for some time past been making a feature of aerialperformances. Most-jjatrepid trjpwai$kL have been seen here lately, and the innova- tion has been a great success. The vast building, with its lofty dome, is admirably fitted for these displays, and artistes cannot complain either of lack of space or height. This week the stars are the Hanlan Trio, whose daring and skill have eclipsed the doings of any of their predecessors. They exhibit an absolute command of their craft, and it is with admiration, and not nervous- ness, that one gazes at their intrepid and graceful evolutions in mid-air. Their per- formance concludes with a head-dive from the roof into the net, which brings one of the most sensational turns I have ever witnessed to an end. /EMPRESS OF INDIA EXHIBITION. The Indian jugglers who recently appeared before the Queen at Cimiez have arrived in London. They hold a certificate from the Munshi Abdul Karim (the Queen's Indian secretary), which states that "Her Majesty the Queen Victoria, Empress of India, the Princesses, and her grandchildren were much pleased with your performances at Villa Lisart this morning. It is through the efforts of the Munshi AMul Karim that these Royal jugglers have been engaged for the Empire of India Exhibition, where they will throughout the season give free performances of their extraordinary feats.

WELSH CHURCH BILL. AN INDEPENDENT WELSH AMENDMENT. The London correspondent of the "Bir- mingham Daily Post" telegraphs:—The sec- tional troubles with which the Government is threatened (and which, in conjunction with the events ait the National Liberal Club on Wednesday night, are responsible for the wide- spread idea that Whitsuntide will see a Ministerial debacle) are to be added to now from Wales. The Webh Parliamentary party, at a well-attended meeting on Thurs- day. unanimously resclvedi to support an amendment to the Disestablishment Bill, sub- stitutinsr for the body of Commissioners for Ecclesiastical Property proposed by Mr. Asquith a national council elected by the Welsh County Councils on the basis of population. It need hardly be pointed out that this decision raises a very grave issue. and one which may imperil the Ministerial scheme. The Opposition have their own objections to Mr. Asquith's plan, and if they unite with the Welsh on this point the consequences are obvious. Some Liberal members are of opinion that the Welsh mem- bers do not quite realise the scope of their own amendment, and dismiss Thursday's reso- lution as a freak of Celtic irresponsibility which reflection will cure, but the Cabinet can scarcely take matters so philosophically, and it is already evident that with the issue thus joined either Ministers or the Welsh Radicals must take an embarrassing step tc' the rear. DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE ON DISESTAB LISHMENT. The Duke of Devonshire presided on Friday at a meeting held at Derby in support of the Bishop of Southwell's quinquennial appeal on behalf of the Derbyshire Church Extension Society. His grace expressed deep sympathy with the members of the Church, who had been so agitated and disturbed by the political action against the Church in Wales, political action which, no doubt, if carried to a successful issue m regard to Wales would at no distant period be followed by a similar action in regard to the Church in England, From the point of view of expediency, apart from the question of principle, he altogether shared the objections which were felt by the most strenuous Churchmen amongst them in reference to the attack on the Welsh Church. The treatment that it was proposd to apply to the Church in Wales was widely diffe- rent in character from that which was wisely and generously meted out to the Church in Ireland. ?_??

rKE.MIKirS BREAKDOWN. ANOTHER HISTORICAL PARAL- LEL TOLD OF HERE. The "Daily Chronicle" says:—Lord Rose- bery's slight lapse of memory when speaking at the National Liberal Club ouoe occurred to Mr. Bnidlaugh, whose portrait, by the way, faced the Prime Minister on Wednesday evening. The member for Northampton was suddenly bereft of any recollection of what he had been saying; he appealed to one of the reporters, who speedily read the last two or three sentences uttered by Mr. BradlaughJ and enabled him to proceed. Failing memory is, indeed, common enough to public men, actors, and singers, and is often brought about by an interruption of the train of thought. Lord Roaebery, most news- papers omitted to mention, was disturbed in his speech by the whispering of a gentleman on the platform. Similar breakdowns have happened to public singers, caused by the sudden fainting of a person in the audience. A well- known reciter was once entirely unable to pro- ceed with his recitation owing to a man rather noisily leaving his seat. The elocutionist was so baffled that he had to commence another piece I before his composure was regained.

LATE LORD SELBORNE. HOW HIS MEMORY SHOULD BE HONOURED. Ladv Sophia M. Palmer, daughter of the late Lord Selborne, writing to the "Times," says: In consequence of suggestions already re- ceived as to memorials to my father, I write with my brother's approval to say that my father emphatically forbade any memorial whatever to him. He detested the modern system of testimonials for the mere perfor- mance of obvious duty, and he characterised memorials as It new death tax.' To all who love him and who desire an expression of that love, I would say, 'Give all you can to the Central Church Defence Fund,' care of the Rev. Granville Dickson. 9. Bridge-street, West- minster. S.W. It is the cause he has at heart, and our daily reports of the gifts to that fund were the pleasure of his last days here."

SIGNS"OF THE TIl'IES. MR. BALFOUR AND THE FLOWING TIDE. Mr. Balfour and Mr. Chamberlain were on Friday evening entertained at dinner by the London Municipal Society at the Holborn Restaurant. l'ef(-rring to the recent county council elections. Mr. Balfour said the tide had turned, and he predicted a Unionist' majority at the next election. He denounced the Progressive party for using the council for party purposes. It was also a good augury for the future of London that the signs of the times indicated that a Unionist Government mirrht soon be again in power, when something jniffht be done to complete the system of municipal government uf which the foundations were laid deep and strong in 1888.—Mr- Chamberlain, in proposing the toast of "Local Self-Government," said the time was when a man was considered to be hardly respectable if he gave any attention at all to the work of the neighbourhood in which he lived, but now a truer estimate was formed of the value and importance of local work, and lie believed that estimate would continue, because it wajj founded on considera- tions of self-interest and national patriotism.

SOCIETY OF misiciAys. QUARTERLY MEETING OF THE SOUTH WALES SECTION. A quarterly meeting of the South Wales section of the Incorporated Sooitty of Musicians was held at Bentley s Central Hotel,Merthyr, on Thursday, Mr. Edward Lawrance in the chair. —The proceedings commenced with an excellent address to the members by the chairman.—Mr. W. B. Bread (hon. secretary) reported that the petition to county councils for a, few free locni musical scholarships for Poor students had been forwarded to tho county councils of Radnor. Brecon, Cardigan. Carmarthen, Pembroke, and Glamorgan. No reply had been received, except in the case of the latter, and that concluded with a statement that music was not included in the Kensington definition of art.—It was resolved, on the motion of Mrs- Abred Morris (Caerleon), steended by Mr. T. levies (Cardiff), that Car- diff be nominated as the place for holding the annual general conference of the society in 1897. —Mr. W. F. Hnlley and Mr. W. T. Samuel (Swansea) were elected auditors for the year's accounts.—The annual meeting will be held on Thursday, October ;24-, and Mr. G. H. Cole will be the chairman.—-A council meeting was held at the close of the mounters meeting.

FOR SAILORS' FRIENDS. FOREIGN ABBlVALS AND MOVE- MENTS OF LOCAL VESSELS. FOREIGN: AKRIVAI'S VE>JKNXS OF LOCA.I' VESSELS. Cr llivaud arrived 'V, oil r: 'i Merthyr arrived l'b'"1 °th- Abenlare arrived I1;. Castanos arrived AlwravfJn 9th. Ijavernock arrived f»en°a 9fb. Hart left Bilbao for vewport 9th. Radnor left Huclva for 10th. Cl'arinjf Cross poH.-ed 8™i. F.ar! of Koseberv lof(. ^hies :for Bayonne 10th. Rof-ebud arrived t5iU'a0 mh. Gcinini left Congtaotinome for Galatz 9th. Eail of Dumfries arrived Bilbao from La Roclielle 9th. Oiirveden expected to leave Barcelona for Con- stantinople irth.. S. W. Kellv left Ma-ryport loth. Camrose arrived Deptford 9th Tredegar arrived St. ^azaire 9th. Ninian Stuart left Sevastopol for Bayonne 8th and pass-ed Constantinople 9' "1- Fortugalete arrived Havre 9th. Fortugalete arrived Havre 9th.

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Finances of Cardiff, ? ANOTHER MEETING OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE. A Rate of One Shilling and Six pence in the £ Re- commended. The special committee appointed by Cardiff County L'ouncii to revise the estimate oi money required lor the purposes in respect of which a general uistrici rate is to be made to cover the expenditure of the '.strain Urban Authority trom me Ois: of March to the 30th of Septem- ber, loy5, and also to revise t-no borougU lund estimate, have, at ilengtli, alter many long and labourious sittings, succeeded in arriving at something tangible, for at the end of their meeting ou Friday night, lasting from seven until ten o'clock, the members present, decided to recommend to the council that a rate of Is. 6d. in tiie £ be made as sufficient to cover the expenditure for the half-year, instead of Is. 3d. in the ;E, as recommended by the finance committee proper. iXirinsr the first part of the pioceedings the Mayor presided, and, subsequently, when he left, Alderman l)a\id Jones took his place in the chair, There were also present Mr. W. J. Trounce, Mr. T. H. Riches, Mr.. H. White, and Mr. Robert Hughes. The question of arrears again came in tor a good share of attention, and Mr. Trounce commented upon the tardy manner in which the rates were collected, and said there had been an unfortunate habit in the past of letting the arrears of one half-year run into another.—Alderman David Jones said it came to this, that if they collected the rate during the half-year for which it was made, they vfould have money enough to meet the half-year s ex- penditure. The fact of this not being done was, he thought, the great blot on these ac- counts. The only other point was to decide what should be charged to capital account and what to revenue. He thought that what had transpirtd at that inquiry should induce them to make a strong, recommendation that the collectors should use greater energy in colltcting the rates, and it those men had more work than they could do others should be employed to assist them, so that the money should be properiy got in and a balance left over.—Mr. Riches said lie agreed with Alderman Jones, and he was, furthermore, of opinion that in the statements submitted to the council there should be a debtor and creditor account, and the arrears should be clearly stated.tlie liorough Trea- surer said it took a month to get the rate ready for demand.—The Mayor remarked that this rate, then, would be enforced in April.—Mr. Lewis (assistant borough treasurer) said that they should not get any money in before July. —Mr. Riches: Surely we should not allow the rate-collections to be delayed for want of assis- tance. The making out of the demand notts should not be left to the collectors. The col- lectors should be out collecting all day.—The Borough Treasurer The collectors have nothing to do with the office work. They simply come in here at night and deposit their money.— Mr. Riches said he had seen some of the collectors at the books in the office. — The Borough Treasurer stated they had no business at the books.—Mr. Lewis remarked that the staff in the borough treasurer's office was too small.—Alderman David Jones Then it should be increased.—Mr. Riches thought that what they wanted was a number of smart clerks who could be employed temporarily. The rate should be systematically dealt w ith.—Mr. Lewis mentioned that the collector for Roath had to do all the collecting himself.—The Borough Treasurer: This matter was before the finance committee last time.—Mr. Riches: But this committee should call attention to the fact.- Alderman Jones: How many assessments are there in Roath ?—Mr. Lewis: 8,000. — Mr. Trounce: The rates generally should be col- lected more expeditiously.—The Borough Trea- surer: We have been undermanned ever since I have been here.—Alderman Jones said that they ought to get as many assistants for the borough treasurer's office as were required.— Mr. Trounce agreed, and said they would save the extra salaries a hundred times over.- Alderman Jones I would not say that.—Mr. Trounce: We are losing money by the hundreds every year.—The Borough Treasurer, in answer to a question, said he would want four clerks permanently. The rate-collecting was practically dono indoors. The collectors demanded the rates, and people came to the offices of the corporation and paid them, and the time of the clerks was taken up in receiving the money.—Alderman David Jones thought Mr. Greenhill and Mr. Lewis should report upon the number of assistants required. -It was decided to bring the matter under the notice of the council. Communications wer,5 received from the heads of departments (in accordance with an instruc- tion of the committee), girirg the amounts actually due from and payable by their several departments on the 31st of March, 1895, and the committee, after going into the matter, ascertained that the surplus of revenue over expenditure on the 31st of March, 1895, £ 18,934 12s. 4d., this sum including uncollected rates. After adding the sum of Ll,772 9s. 7d. to the amount of the corrected general district rate estimate, the committee found that the amount of money to be raised was £ 56,144- 3s. 7d. On the ratable value of £ 782,473. Is. &d. in the £ would realise £ 58,685 9s. 6d. —Mr. Riches thereupon proposed, Mr. Trounce seconded, and it was unanimously agreed, that, in the opinion of the committee, a Is. 6d. rate would cover the expenses of the council, acting as f.oll urban sanitary authority, for the six months ending the 30th of September, 1895, and that, therefore, th" council be recommended to adopt a rate of Is. 6d. in the E. The borough fund estimate for the half-year ending the 30th of September, 1895, next came up for consideration. The balance to be pro- vided for in connection with this fund, accord- ing to the original) estimate, was JB17,590 9s lid., which was equivalent to 5d. in the but, as a result of the committee's revision, it is probable that this amount will be consider- ablv reduced. The committee adjourned until 6.30 o'clock on Tuesday evening next. LKrHT 'WANTED ON ANOTHER SUBJECT. To the Editor of the "Evening Express." Sir,—The town is very much indebted to you for the exposition you are instrumental in making with regard to these finances, and more especially the statement published in the "Western Mail" of to-day. It is a veritable eye-opener, and from what I have heard for Bone time past the eye will, and must be, fi rtlier opened. I see, for instance, that Mr. F. C. Lloyd, late deputy town-clerk, received (in addition to his salaryh under the heading, Cardiff Corporation, 1894," the large sum of £ 147 6s. 7d., besides the honorarium. I also notice that one of the other clerks received, under the same heading, £ 64 12s. May we not obtain full details of these sums? I am deter- mined to insist upon them. I believe I am right in saving that if any ratepayer attends at the Town-hall and pays Is. for the privilege he is allowed to see the minutes and accounts (or, perliaps, there is a double fee for both privi- leges), with the full details. I shall wait until the next meeting of the special committee, and, if none of the members of that committee will then ask for and obtain the information, I shall move very strongly in the matter. I will just throw out the hint that the outlay may be for what is termed "overtime," but what extrava- gant payment! Whilst upon this I desire to refer to the extravagant .salaries paid to the clerks. I saw the other day that two of the clerks had been in receipt of J3150 per annum, and it was resolved to raise those salaries on the 1st of January next to £ 175. In the first place, did any corporation or any employer in the world previously to this make such an extra- ordinary arrangement so far in advajice? It was not suggested that these learned and accom- plished young gentlemen had threatened to leave if their salaries were not raised. But what I wish most strongly to bring before the ratepayers is the fact tliat hundreds, of competent men of good position and character, and having large and varied legal experience, could he obtained at a salary of JE100 per annum. I know of several gentlemen in Cardiff itself (admitted solicitors) who occupy the position of manag- ing clerks who only get £ 154-. Then, if firms of solicitors can obtain the aid of admitted men at JB150 and only pay other experienced men at very often less than JSlOO, why should the ratepayers of Cardiff be taxed by paying fancy salaries? The idea of a clerk, a young man, receiving for additional services £ 64 odd, nearly half his salary, is preposterous. If Mr. George David is really earnest in his present investigation, and I am fully persuaded that he is. I trust he will have this matter fully threshed out. There are also other solicitors in the council who know fully well that able men in the law can be obtained at much less cost, and I must express my surprise at their acquiescing in the arrangements already made. Please let it be understood that, personally, I hope I am the lart in the world to object to any person being well paid, but, as a ratepayer, I do say that if we can get equally as com- petent men as servants of the town at a much less expense, then, in the name of common sense, their services should be secured, and thus assist in keeping down the rates.—I am, &c., LEX. Cardiff, May 9.

COAL SHIPMENTS. THE EFFECT OF THE THREA- TENED WELSH STRIKE. To the Editor of the "Evening Express." Sir.—Your paragraph in to-day's issue deal- ing with the great falling off in the Cardiff c-cu-1 shipments refers to a subject which seriously affects the whole population of Glar morganshire, and which the colliers and their leaders should lay very much to heart. Messrs. David Morgan and William Brace, sinoe their recent adoption of modern Socialism, labour very hard to convince the colliers that if the fixing of the selling price of coal were left to them the prosperity of the colliers would be greatly enhanced, but these gentlemen seem to forget that purchasers- of coal, like other persons, are not going to be rushed into paying fancy prices for their tori when they can be supplied from other coalfields with an article which will suit their purpose at a lesser price. It seems to me that the modern Socialistic Labour agitators do not trouble to think or consider what effect the driving away of trade from any district must eventually have upon the workmen who aire employed in those in- dustries which supply the means of enabling them to continue to live in such districts. Surely, if these Labour agitators were to devote their best energies in endeavouring to get the foreign miners, not only to press for a reduction of working hours, but, in addition. to agitate for higher wages, a much more sensible and practical result would follow than by a continuation of their present insane policy, which can only eventually end in the trade of the district being crippled and a large portion of the coal orders diverted to other places where coal can be purchased at a more satisfactory figure by the buyers, who prac- tically hold the key of the whole position. I am quite aware that these few lines will pro- bably be pooh-poohed and considered irrelevant by Messrs. Morgan and Brace, but, on the other hand, it is quite possible that some of the colliers and others who are enabling Messrs. David Morgan and William Brace to live in positions more or less of comfort and affluence may be led to consider whether, after all, these gentlemen, if they succeed in driving the trade of the district a.way, will be in a position to supplv them with work which will be more satisfactory to them than that which is now provided by the toalmasters who are at present their employers and, I would venture to say, their greatest friends.—I am, &c.. Cardiff. May 10. MODERATION. P.S.—If the threatened interruption of trade has produced such disastrous results, what would be the effect of an actual stoppage for some weeks ? Buyers of coal even now look upon South Wales as a district subject to fre- quent labour interruptions.

CATALOGUING WELSH MSS. COMMISSIONER'S APPOINTMENT ALREADY AT AN END. Mr. Gwenogfryn Evans's appointment as Commissioner to catalogue and calendar Welsh MSS. has come to an end, and has not bet-ju renewed. The consequence is that only the MSS. of Peniarth and Mostyn have been calcu- dared, and the vast body of the work has yet to be done. The appointment of Mr. Evans for such a short period to such extensive work was little better than folly, and it would be far Etter if the Government were to make the appointment continuous for three or four years, so as to enable the Commissioner to complete his work. As so many MSS. are duplicated, it is clear that it will be for the interests of Welsh scholarship if one capable man were appointed to do the whole work.

LADY REED'S ILLNESS. SIR EDWARD LEAVES FOR FRANCE. Sir Edward Reed, M.P., has paired for the Government for several days, as he has been obliged to g-o to France to join Lady Reed, who is not recovering from her recent illness as quickly as could be desired.

-?- MURCHISON GIFT GOLD MINING COMPANY. I Truth," May 9, says :—" Considerable dealings are reported in the shares of the Murchison Gift Gold Mining Company at 5s. to 5s. 6d., and the outlook bids fair for a good rise. The company has acquired the Christmas Box property near the well-known mines. A fair amount of development work has been carried out, and the experts state that in two shafts sunk the reef has been proved. The capital of the company is £ 60.000 in shares of 10s., worth 8s. paid." L11984 Ir Printed by the Proprietors, Daniel Owen and Co. (Limited), and published by them at their works, Tudor-road, Cardiff: at their offices, Castle Bailey- etreet, Swatisoa; at the 3hop of Mr. Wesley Wil- liams, Brit) ail in the County of Glamorgan; at the "Western Mail" Offices, Newport; at the shop of Mr. J. P. Gaff rev, Monmouth, both in the County of Monmouth and at the shop of Mr. (1.. Davies. Lknellv. in tha County of Carmarthen SATURDAY, MAY 11, 1895.

-—— SPENCER'S X BÅtlBY CARRIAGE PRICES FROM 10S. 6D. TO £7. THE LARGEST BUYER OF ??????9???P? PERAMBULATORS & MAIL CARTS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM. NOTE ? ????!!F?!??? CASH OR EASY TERMS. ADDRESS "HAMMOCK WOODENR=TTE" SIMPSON,FAWCET-F&C,'PATENTN%6 SAIN1' J 0 H SQUARE, CARDIFF. Repairs in all Branches. ?. to. ? asusmess atitircsses. FOUNDED 1850. FOR LAIIGEST SELECTIONS AND ABSOLUTELY LOWEST PRICESJ FOR EVERY DESCRIPTION OF HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE, CARPET. FLOORCLOTHS. LINOLEUMS r/ PIANOFORTES. &c. ? GO ro rr BE VAN AND COMPANY, (LIMITED), REGISTERED AS THE CARDIFF FURNISHERS Whose uninterrupted Trading for nearly Half a Century and whose immense and ever- -growing Business throughout the Principality and West of England afford the strongest possible proofs of highest satisfaction being given to the many thousands they serve every year. DINING, DRAWING, AND BEDROOM SUITES FROM 3; TO 50 GUINEAS PER SUITB AN UNRIVALLED SELECTION. DELIVERY FREE. ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUES GRATIS AND POST FREE. YE TWENTY-FIVE PER CENT. BY GIVING YOUR ORDERS TO ] BEYAN AND COMPANY 1 Whose only Addresses are as follow :— DUKE STREET AND OPPOSITE CLARENCE STREET AND } ST. MARY STREET, TOWN HALL, HANBURY ROAD, j CARDIFF. NEWPORT. PONTYPOOL NOTHING SUCCEEDS LIKE SUCCESS. j j J THE ? VERDICT OF THE j PUBLIC '¡,. IS THAT FOR QUALITY AND CHEAPNESS IN PERA?IBUIJATOR.s AND' MAIL CARTS ? HUTCHINS AND C Ol (LIMITED) 19, DUKE-STREET, CARDIFF, ARE NOT APPROACHED. LARGEST SHOWROOM AND STOCK IN i SOUTH WALES. BIG DROP IN BUTTER OUR PRICES THIS WEEK ARE: FINEST DANISH BUTTER. THE PICK OF THE BEST DAIRIES I OF DENMARK. I gg D. FINEST tm AUSTRALIAN DO. t M PER La THESE BUTTERS FROM OUR I AUSTRALIAN COLONY ARE I PRONOUNCED TO BE THE J "FINEST BUTTER EVER TASTED." FINE AUSTRALIAN BUTTER, gD. TO 9Do PER LB. NOTE OUR ONLY ADDRESS— DAVID JONES & CO., LIMITED THE PEOPLE'S POPULAR FOOD PROVIDERS, WESTMINSTER STORES, WHARTON-STREET CARDIFF. j Telegrams PREMIER, CARDIFF. National Telephone, 6M. —— ? PHJLL PHILLIPS SPECIAL LEADING LINES FOR THIS WEEK- GOLD 18CT ENGLISH LEVER VERY HEAVY 9CT HALL- Warranted give Tea, r,. £ 6 10s., .oat doable. ALBERT AND SINGLE STONE DIAMOND SEVERAL GOOD ENGLISH RING' LEVERS, I Very Fi s e, in 18ct, £ 6 10s. From 25s., Unredeemed. MONEY ADVANCED on PLATE, JEWELLERY, DEEDS, and all kind << VALUABLES, at a. Low Rate of Interest. We keep Milner's and Chat wood's Safes for Valuables. PHIL PHILLIPS, JEWELLER OA ST MARY STREET,, CARDIFF. 607