Evening Express

I —======= — I TEMFKBiTHRK. RAINFALL. Bii. — Max. Mm a.m.'9 p.ui.l Total Wednesday.! 19' 53 48 50*5 -00 *00 "00 Thursday-;20i 52 48 ^0 0 <23 *23 46 Friday 21! 52 46 49*0 -03 "03 "06 Saturday. |22 52 4S £ 0*0 -00 '00 '00 •Sunday '23| 50 42 46*0 -09 -00 *00 Monday |24i 47 42 44'5 -00 *00 *00 Tuewdur '25' m

Telephone: National. 502; Post-office, 95. Teleerams: Eipress," Cardiff.

CHARITY AT HOME. Side by side in the morning papers we can observe two records of two charitable move- ments. The first includes an account of a philan- thropic meeting at the house of Mrs. Mullin. A number of ladies gathered there intend to take in han-l the organisation of a fund in Car- diff for the relief of the terribly distressed Aimenians. It was mentioned that promises had been received from Penarih- sufficient to support live orphans, and tin contributions from Cardiff would be devoted to the relief of poo." children in Erz-eroum. It was also stated that 7.000 Armenian children are maintaine by Christian effort in Europe and America, and that 20,000 are still unprovided for. On the next page we come across tad details of the struggle to open and maintain a new woman's -A-atd at Cardiff Infir- niary. Mr. Moxey announced a discovery which is by no means new, viz., that fifty distressed women, suffer ng from the worst of diseases, and unable either to receive proper attent;on or to afford operations and treatment necessary, are "waiting" for admission to Cardiff ] Infirmary. The little word "waiting" is often used in this connect on. and it has a terrible significance. No one who has, when suffering from painful sickness, and in urgent need, felt the weight of "wailing." often for weeks and months, can fa] to realise the full terror of the word. But these are not amongst the class which can afford philanthropy. On yet another page of our morning's news we come across a brief announcement of the continued distress at Landore, amongst workmen's children literally starving. To hark back a little, and to widen oil1: field of observation, we can conjure up descriptions we hav h?ard and read of the horrors cf starvation in London. We nesd not explore verv far in most of our gr'at cities to discover orp/)«nSj and w'dows as destitute as those in Er 'eroum—'iv.'nf, AS Mi&s Mellinser sa'd in describing the Armenians, "lives no better than those of dogs in the streets." Without in any degree attempt- ing to detract from the excellent and terribly urgent movement on behalf of the Armenians, we must ask the old, old question, "Does not charity begin at home?" Can we take Arme- nians in our care with a good conscience when at home we are neglecting our own, in equally urgent need We need not pursue the subject beyond this question at the moment. The answer will point to ah extension of British charity and philanthropy (now confined to a com- parative few). But, until that extension has become wide enough to embrace Armenia (pray Heaven that it will') is our small group of philanthropists justified in carrying their efforts so far afield whan there are equally urgent needs at home?

LITTLE TOO PREMATURE, There is an amusing story from the Isle of Wight which has its origin in London, and Mr. Walter Long, at least, .should read it with amusement. A telegram from the "Gazette" to an insular paper announced the rescinding of the obnoxious muzzling order, ac all doe fanciers, of course, regard Mr. Long's ukase. But the date of the rescinding was not at the same time tele- graphed, and the editor, assuming the abroga- tion came at once into force, published the an- Inouncement with the foot-note. "The order is now a thing of the past." Unfortunately, the order had yet a week or more to run. Neverthe- less, by nine o'clock the following morning, the newspaper, with its welcome notification, having in the meantime appeared, there was scarcely a muzzled dog in any part of the island. Dogs everywhere, and not a muzzle near them! The police were promptly in full cry, and began operations, and had Captured a large' number before the notice caught the official eye. So many dogs, in fact, were seized that the police yard was filled to overflowing, and the workhouse was requisitioned to receive the residue. Then came the announcement that the notice of re- vocation was premature. Imagine what fol- lowed.

"LOVE HE, LOVE MY DOG;* A peculiar dispute over a collie dog, which, according to the complainant's statement, it sterns was tha means of breaking off a love match, occupied the attention of the Peiige Bench on Tuesday. Mr. Frtncis Rivers, a coachbuilder, and a member of the local vestry, was summoned for detaining a dog valued at JB5, the property of Mr. Richard Long, of Montrave-road, Penge, who stated that he was formally engaged to the defendant's daughter. About two und a half years ago he had a valuable collie given him. He took the dog to defendant's house, in order that it nHg'lt act as a "house dog." Eighteen months ago the dog bit another one belonging to defen- dant, who kicked the collie. I%ri*. Rivers was remonstrated with, and i lie.1 were ructions" in the house. (Laughter.) The cllgageruent with defendant s daugtter was broken, and he demanded back the 009f. The defendant stated that the dog v.as a "lover's gift" from Mr. Long to IÙ daughter. Witi ess had kept. the dog from a puppy, a¡,rl had paid the licence each year. Since the engagenient, fell through Mr. Long was anxious to have the dog back. (Laughter.) The Ben-jh declined to make any order, ===-

THROWN OUT OF A WINDOW. On Tuesday afternoon Mr. Wynne E. Baxter, coroner, opened an inquiry into the death of a female child, whose body is alleged to have been thrown from a window at 116, Commercial- street. W hitechapel, on Sunday night last.— Detective-inspector White H Division, appeared to watch the case on behalf of the police, and Mr. Solomon Mayers for the alleged mother and her relatives.—Annie Winderbank stated that on Sunday last. n. few minutes after five o'clock, she Was passing along CommercÜII-street, when something fell at her feet with a heavy thud. She thought thehovs were throwing something at her, but on burning sideways she saw the body of a child.-A Juror- Was the child en- tirely naked H Was there nothing found it ?— Witness: Not a blessed thing. I dId not abso- lutely see it fall; I felt it against my feet, and a boy who was passing along said, "Oh, it's a doll."—Dr. H. Oliver, divisional surgeon, stated that death was due to shock from fracture of the skull and thigh.—The inquiry was adjourned.

A Reuter's telegram from Sydney on Wed- nesday says: —Replying to Barry's challenge against the world, Stanbury states that he is willing to row him on the Thames or Tyne for £1,500 a-side if he receives JE50 expenses, or lie will allow Barry jElOO to row him on the Paramatta.

Mr. Charles Wilkins. I CAREiElt OF A LITERARY POSTMASTEK. Successful Editor, Prolific Writer, and Sound Historian.—An Englishman With a Welshman's Enthusiasm. fBy "AP FFARMWR."] The name of Mr. Charles Wilkins, though very' well known to the world of readers, is nob as familiar as it should be to the multitude. For this there may be several reasons. Mr. Wilkins has never cultivated the subtle art. of self- advertisement. He has not been eisteddfodically aggressive. Perhaps his official position as post- master was not specially conducive to fame. Perhaps, also, the nature of the work he has delighted in did not lend itself to popular applause. At all events, while others have been exhausting the resources of civilisation in push- ing themselves to the front, in forming elaborate schemes, and making brilliant, high-sounding promises, Charles Wilkins has been quietly peg- ging away at solid work, seeking no cheap noto- riety, courting no ephemeral fame, but resolutely devoting his opportunities and the talent God endowed him with to the service of the country which he has learnt to love so intensely. It is never desirable to indulge in the language of hyperbole. But the assertion may be advanced with graat confidence that there are very few men indeed who have "put in" more work for Wales than Charles Wilkins. I make that asseveration deliberately and in cold blood, and I hope, in the course of this brief article, to carry into the reader's mind a full conviction of its truth. I dc not propose to enter here, be. it noted, into anything like a critical appraisement of M' Wilkins's literary output. That would require mere space than I can ask for. Besides, con- temporary criticism is notoriously untrustworthy. What I want to emphasise is, that the amount of work which Mr. Wilkins has managed to > put through his busy hands fairly entitles him to the gratitude of the people of Wales. He has done as much as he could: he has doue the best he could. Of how many of us may that ba said? Charles Wilkins, at least, has not been idle. H s whole life has been one long spell of arduous toil, and the reward he has reapsdthits been absurdly incommensurate with the quantity of work done. The facts of his career mav be summed up in very few words. Born in Stonehouse, Glouces- tershire, sixty-seven years ago, he came to Mer- thyr in the days of his youth with his father, who was a bookseller, and who was one of the p oncers of cheap literature in the Principality. For twenty years young Wilkins occupied the posit.'on of librarian of the Subscription Library. Then father and son entered the service of the Post Office, the former as postmaster, the latter as clerk. They composed the whole staff of the establishment in those days. There are a score of men in the Merthyr Post Office, now, and the growth of the telegraphic, money order, and savings bank business has been immense. On the death of the father the son succeeded to the chief command, whicn, in accordance with the regulations of the service, he relinquished at the end of 1897. He takes not a little pride in the fact that he has opened twenty thousand savings bank accounts at the posi -office, the fa-ih transactions now averaging JE60,000 a. year. Merthyr may well congratulate itself on this evidence of development "in popular thrift. Mr. Wilkins, it will thus be seen, though born in England, has spent the whole of his adult life in Merthyr, earning his means of subsistence by work of an exacting and respon- sible nature. We shall now see what use he made of his few leisure hours. Bear in mind that his literary labours could only be begun when six o'clock brought him surcease of the daily routine work in the Civil Service. He was "broken in" early. At the age of fourteen he commenced writing for the "Cam- brian." a Swansea naner. In later years he contributed leading articles to another Swansea journal, the "Cambria Daily Leader." When the "Telegraph" was started at Merthyr Mr. Wilkins wrote the leading matter for a long time, and he was an occasional contributor to the columns of the "Merthyr Times." But the journals which have benefited most bv his pen are the "Western Mail" and the "Weekly Mail" of Cardiff, the columns of which are still favoured with his productions. Years ago he wrote a good deal for the "World" and "Cham- bers's Journal." Had he chosen, he miffht have entered the arena of English journalism. But his official position, as well as his profound interest in Welsh subjects, kept him in the I, Principality. For seven years he conducted that useful monthly, the "Red Dragon," which may be called the morning star of the literary awakening now rousing the ration to its dentbs. The first numbers were written almost entirely by him. Gradually he gathered around him a s'.aff of writers, and the magazine, while it remained in his charge, was a powerful stimulus to intellectual and patriotic advancement. And now we come to his books, The first iR order of time is his "History of Merthyr Tjdfil," published in 18S7. This was a half- guinea volume of considerable eixc. the result of twenty years of collecting and compiling. Three veal's later came his "History of Wales for Englishmen," another half-guinea volume, the preparation of which njust have entAiled im- mense labour. Two series of "Tales and Sketches of Wrales'" followed, the first in 1879, the second in 1880. These also sold at half a guinea each. Four years pass, and we come to his most important work, The History of the Literature of Wales," a half-guinea volume, of which a thousand copies were printed. This is a con- tinuation of Stephens's "Literature of the Kvmry." Wilkins enjoyed the inestimable privi- lege of b%»ng associated with Stephens as lite- rary pupil ar.d personal friend. They were near neighbours, living, in fact, within a few doors of one another. Wilkins wrote in a preliminary prospectus of the work —"The threads which dropped from Stephens's hand I have taken up, and, though his great critical capacity places the master far above the scholar, it may be admitted that in the field of inquiry I have emulated his perseverance and shown some faint traces of his teaching. That, however, is for the reader to decide. Far be it from me to claim any other merit than that of grouping together, for the first time, the bards and scholars of Wales, and by translation giving some idea of their mental standing in the world of letters." The work grew out of an essay sent into a National Eisteddfod competition in 1880, the prize of twenty guineas and a gold medal being offered for the best "History of Literature of Gwent and Murganwg." Principal Rhys, one of the adjudicators, said of the best two com- positions sent in:—"Of these the best by far is that by •Silurist- and to him the prize must go. 'Silurist' has laboured more and written more than 'Brogim'n': besides, he is more judicial and masterly than any of his competitors." "Silurist" was Charles Wilkins, who four years later published his essay, very considerably amplified and added to, in an octavo volume of 260 p-.ges. The work was favourably reviewed by a larg'? number of the leading journals. Another important volume was issued in 1888, (he scope of which is sufficiently indicated by its title, "The History of the Coal Trade of South Wales." Here we have an enormous mass of infor- mation brought together and set forth in lucid order. The collection of the material must have entailed a vast deal of labour. Of this work the "Iron Review" said —"The author is an undeniable authority: the book is both useful and interesting." The "Colliery Guar- dian" said:—"A. most valuable work; should be in every house in Wales." The book is not entirely taken up with coal. Part of the space is devoted to sketches of social life, com- mercial annals, and biographical accounts of the more eminent coalowntrs. A companion volume on the iron and steel ii-dus-tries of Wales will appear shortly. The chapters are now :n course of serial publication in the "Weekly Mail," the first having come O':L some two yAirs ago. "The History of Newport" was the next work, an octavo voluyie, sold at a guinea, published in 1886. Like "the History of Merthyr," this work necessitated an enormous amount of labour and research. A perfect wilderness of details had to be explored; a cosmos had to bo erected out of a desperate chaos; and the success with which the avthor accomplished his tasks speaks highly of his persistence fn research and his adroitness in marshalling fac's. Lord Salisbury on the occasion of his visit to New- port accepted a copy of the volume, and sub- sequently wrote the author:—"I have read the work with singular interest." His latest published work is "Kilsanos: A Tale of the Welsh Mountains" brouo-ht out about two years ago by the '"Western Mail" office. Kilsanos is a mountain in the vicinity of Merthyr, with the Taff Vawr Valley on one side, and the Taff Vechm on the other. The hero is a London student of the Darwin school who spends a summer holiday in a Kilsanos cottage, and the story is a record ot what the hero saw and heard during ms sojourn there, together with j blending 0f philosophical reflection and delineation of Nature. A subject brought m incidentally is spiritualism, ot winch there are, strange to say, quil e a num- ber ot adherents in Merthyr and Dowlais. The descriptions of natural scenery are marked with rtfc'icate sympathy, and local customs are skil- tuliv portrayed. "Storm and Calm" is another work of his in the department of fiction. It was published m 1870, and is a tale on the old lines of struggle between vice and virtue, with virtue triumphing in the end. Welsh landscape and scenes of social life are handled with much dexterity. "John Bull," a pamphlet, is an attempt to portray in parable fashion the first settlement- of Britain, in reply to a cynical reference to Wales by the "Times." A copy of his booklet, "The Inundation of Tynewydd," specially bound, was graciously accepted by her Majesty the Queen. This gives a complete and graphic account of the memo- rable catastrophe at Tynewydd, from the flood- ing of the mine to the rescue. Minor productions may be briefly mentioned. A life (l\ Joseph Edwards, the sculptor, a Merthyr-born lad, ran for six months in the "Cardiff Times." In tho same columns appeared a series of historical sketches of the Bute family. Among his voluminous work for the "Western Mail" and "Weekly Mail" may be mentioned his articles on "Notable Men of Wales," "Welsh Industries," "Holiday Resorts," and so forth. Mr. Wilkins has rendered valuable service in other directions. He is the Glamorganshire secretary of the Cambrian Archaeological Society, and a member of the Aberystwith Col- lege committee. His house and garden supply numerous proofs of the extent of his geological and arcliJBological studies. His book on coal brought him to the notice of the Geological Society, and the dignity of a "Fellowship" was conferred upon him. An American university made him Ph.D., but, having regard to certain facts which ar". a source of pain to all self- respecting Welshmen, he has never permitted the t'tle to be made any use of. As a genuine Cymro by adoption, he has been duly initiated into the mystic circle of Gorsedd Beirdd Ynys Prydair, his bardic name being "Catwg." The bardic sword of "Iolo Morganwg," which came into his possession, he lately pre- sented to the Cardiff Museum. A Roman memorial-stone which he discovered in the Taff Vawr Valley he intends depositing in Merthyr Church. Modest, quiet, unassuming, Mr. Wilkins is not one of those who delight in boasting. He can look back, however, on a record of steady, unremitting work, of many worthy and useful tasks accomplished. The catalogue of his literary output wh'eh I have here compiled— for it is necessarily but little better than a mere catalogue—will convince the reader that the Merthyr postmaster has not been idle all these years. On the contrary, his pen has been kept busily mnployed, and his leisure hours have borne a heavy burden of toil. The wonder is. having regard to the arduous duties of his official position, how he lias been able to perform so much. He was blessed w'th an iron constitution, and with a will-power f»r beyond the ordinary average. Add to these a passionate interest ir everything pertaining to the intellectual and industrial progress of the Principality, and there you have probably the three main secrets of his success. He l.ns served his adopted country faithfully and wi«il. and fully deserves our sincerest and profoundesL graiitude. Most of his work has been that of the pioneer. He was the first, to write; the history of Mertl'.vr and Newport, the first to gather together the facts about the coal. iron, and steel trades of South Wales, and the first to set forth in due order the story of our liTerature from 1300 to 1650. His labours, whatever else they may do, will certainly smooth the paths of all future writers on th^se subjects. And when the critic comes to weigh his work in the balance he should not forget he is dealing with the work of a pioneer, and, if needs be, make allowan?2s accordingly. As an example of his style we may quote the following paragraph, with which the last chapter in his "History of the Literature of Waies" begins: — "There have been few periods of greater interest in the history of Welsh literature than the one now coming under review. The Augustan age of England, memorable for Walter Raleigh, for Spenser and Shakspeare, for Francis Bacon and Hooker, succeeded by Milton and Newton, and a host of lesser, but distinguished, msn, was in the Principality made famous by the advent of the immortal Vicar of L'andovery, by George Herbert, the poet, and Lord Herbert, the philosopher; by Hested Safin, most acute of moralists, and by the memorable author of 'Familiar Letters' and 'Dodona's Grovp.' It was a period of marked literary activity, but one also in which the student of human nature and of progress saw blended all the old characteristics of the people. The bard who had sung and fought, sang and fought no more: lordly aggression was at an end, and the doom of the castles onn the Marches sealed. Vaste>- rWds of contest than the valleys of old were now presented. The world was the arena, the struggle between good and evil the battle, and in rapt contemplation the poet composed his Divine hytiins, his sacred poems. Then, again, the restless mind, which had not been weaned into routine and profession, revelled in the unrest of controversial faction. Fierce the assault of some, dogged the resistance, and then as acrimonious th,") rejoinder of others. Still other factions as the years rolled on. For a time the land had rest, as in the old Israelitish days; but, with England's troubles, busy actors came again into the Welsh vallevs, and snatches of songs in praise of the Stuarts were heard in the pauses of labour. Soon trooper and cavalier carved fresh history with sword and pike, and in the Civil Wars the manhood of Wales fought aJmost as arduously as in Norman times. The remembrance of old renown, of lost liberty, seemed to awaken again, and those who shrank from the battlefield fought as sturdily with the pen. some as Royalists, others as Puritans. And out of the heated atmosphere of strife, in odd nooks and corners, from whence monastic gloom had only lately disappeared. the divine luxuriated in classic lore, and the antiquary ioiled away at the loved task of com- piling huge volumes full of learned research. The growing identity of feeling, too, was becom- ing more and more marked. There was no longer any necessity for roaming to Milan, to Gothenburg, and to Paris. In out of the wav old spots in London, at places adorned with quaint signs. Welsh pamphlets and Welsh books saw the light, and side by side with the English pamphleteer the Welsh tractarian flourished, and th. novet-ailing of nationalities was aided by the brotherhood of literature." The writer of the foregoing words is now a man of s'x.y-seven. He looks no more than fifty. »md has the physical energy and the mental nlprtne^s of a man of forty. Retirement from official duties does not mean surfpase of labour in his case. Literature will gain what, the Civ'1 Service loses; that is all the difference. The pen that, has hitherto had to serve two masters will hence- forth have to serve only one, the one that has been the favollrib all along. The mind cannot < onfeive of Charles Wilkins except as "up to the eyes" in work. We may depend upon it that he will pursue his studies while life and strength remain. And now that he has been released from the routine of official duties, he will have more time than before to devote to his literary undertdungs, and the reading public will profit by his retirement. May nis years be many! May his mind long retain its vigour and quickness! May his days he sweetened by that literary toil in which he delights, so that he may throw many more stones into the cairn of national greatness and the intellectual progress of Wales!

EXPANSION OF THE GERMAN EMPIRE. An imporlanl Foreign Office paper was issued (;)1, Wednesday, being a report on the mal irtm,e interests of j he German Empire. It is a pre''is of the interesting statement presented to The Reichstag in connection with the new Navy Bill, and Mr. Gastrell, Commercial Attache to the British Embassy at Berlin, who pfe'J?rej the report, savs the data therein given afford a clear view of the enormous strides of German interests in every direction dunng the 26 years since the Empire was founded. The popula- t'on from 1872 to 1897 had increased by 30 per cent., while foreign trade liad done bstfcer and improved by 60 per cent. From 1881 to i837 the population has increased 19 per cent-, while the foreign commerce has improved more than 33 per cent. Shipping statistics show that it was principally by sea trade to foreign countries that this improvement occurred, for from lo'3 to 189-5 the traffic of the German ports with other States increased 124 per cent. The Im- provements i.i ever-sea trade were for NOlLh America 128 per cent., for the East and West Indies 480 per cent.. for :ru.s" tralia 475 per cent., for Great Britain 60 per cent., for Northern Europe 119 per cent., and for South-western Europe o0 per cent. The greatest increase has been m later years. The German mercantile wanne has sin^e 1871 more than trebled its (..inabilities, and since 1880 has more than doubled them. J"is shipping is, to a great extent, now the product of German yards.

GAS WORKS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. Two Parliamentary returns issued on Tuesday g ve a synopsis of the account's of all the autho- rised gas undertakings in the United Kingdom for the year 1896. and from these it appears that there were then 438 gas undertakings worked bv companies, and 208 bv local autho- rities. The total amount of paid-u" har- rowed capital of these concerns was £7R-,180.724, and their receipts were 9J9,659,571, whue their expenditure wa-i £ 14.528.478. The coal car- bonised was 12.000.000 odd tons. *„,lm!I"her of cubic fept of gas made 127,041,000,0 0. Therp wre 24,457.000 miles of sas malÐS, and 540.R45 public, lamps lighted hv gas. Ihe total runiher of consumers wa-s 2.845,,8, of whom 57.815 were in Ireland, and over 400,000 were in Scotland.

ENGLISH LADIES' ORCHESTRA. A concert on behalf of the Aberdare Hall build- ing fund will be given at the Park-hall, Cardiff, on Wednesday, February 9, by the Englisi, Ladies' Orchestral Society. The v°ca'ists will he Mis3 Bertha Wise and Mr. Francis Harford. Mr. G. R. Sinclair (organist of Hereford Cathe- dral) and Miss L"ila Bull (solo hautboy) wilI also perform. The programme states that C. H. Lloyd's concerto for organ and orchestra and Rheinb'rger's canzone for violins and organs will be performed.

A NEW COMEDIAN. A smart young comedian, who was given an "extra turn" at the Cardift umpire last Fri.:ia" night, is the son of a respected townsman, Mn Stacev, 1, Hamilton-street, Cardiff. The youna artiste, has adopted the stage name of "Arthur Rino," a raUier happy one, by the way, so far as anticipating bullion is concerned. On Fri- day his debut before a critical Cardiff audience proved eminently successful, and if he continues in the capital manner in which lie commenced he ought, to enjoy a considerable share of success upon the variety stage.

Mr. D. A. Thomas and the Welsh Party. In view of the approach of the date— February 4—fixed for holding the long-talked-of convention which the Welsh members have been laboriously maturing for the past twelve months, one ot our reporters took the opportunity on Tuesday last of eliciting the opinion of Mr.* D. A. Thomas upon the present position of affairs. Tha hon. member, as is well known, has hitherto been opposed to the action of the Welsh Parliamentary party, and it will be seen from the replies given to our representa- tive that he has in no wise modified his views. Mr. Bryn Roberts and Mr. Humphreys Owen have publicly expressed their disapproval of the convention, wljile several other Welsh members, though they have not. openly declared themselves, are known to entertain a feeling of more than mere indifference towards it. The senior member for Merthyr, it will be remembered, carried his protest to the length of severing his connection with the Welsh party, of which he was for many years the secretary. The hon. member seemed disinclined to be interviewed, on tiie ground that his views were sufficiently well known, and, so far from having undergone any cnange, his opinion of the inadvisabiiity of the step taken by his colleagues had been accentuated by the dis- agreement that it had brought about even in .North Wales constituencies, such as Anglesey, Eition, and Montgomeryshire. Upon being pressed, however, by our representative, Mr. i'homas said that, apart from the harm done to the Liberal party in Wales, he regarded the proposed convention with amusement. All of the half-dozen or so of the Welsh members who were promoting the scheme would, probably, le present at the convention, and this in itself would attract a number of Liberals. The Cyinru Fyddites would, no doubt, come in force, while Liberal associations like that of iNe»vi>orL, thougi) opposed to the whole scheme, would, out of regard to the position of their member, send delegates. ihe tiling would be largely boomed during the next few days, and inspired paragraphs would appear from day to day in the press. He expected there would be a fair attendance, thougii he should be sur- prised if very many direct representatives of labour would be found present. The hap- hazard and varying manner in which delegates had been selected made it impossible that the convention could be regarded as in any real sense representative. of course, the Cymru Fyddites present. might be expected to solemnly aver that never was such a representative gathering held before in Wales. There would be a large display of frothy rhetoric, much irrelevant talk of the need for a united Wales, upon which all Welshmen were agreed, and much of the special brand cf patriotic fireworks peculiar to the Cymru Fydd taction. But after the lapse of a couple of years those who had created the historic occa- sion would probably be the most anxious to blot it out of the page; of Welsh history. Only a very small proportion of the electorate took any interest in the m: Her. He did not believe that thoughtful Welsh Liberals regarded the conven- tion seriously, while many, like himself, regarded the action of the. Welsh party in going outside their proper field and impressing their unasked- for scheme upon the constituencies as most un- wise. "That," said our representative, "was the reason for your disconnecting yourself from the Welsh party in Parliament ? "Yes. The party was formed foe the purpose of taking concerted action upon Welsh matters arising in the House of Commons, and there is plenty of work for them there. This dictation on the matter of organisation I regard as a gratuitous piece ofj interference in the functions of thos3 who elect them as their representatives. The National Liberal Federation goes so far as not to allow a member of Parliament to sit on their general purposes committee." "But, apart from the action of the Welsh members, what is your objection to the idea of a convention for ascertaining the wishes of the people as a whole?" "A convention formed of one representative for every 500 electors is altogether too unwieldy a body for proper discussion. Moreover, after the novelty 0 .^Jie thing has worn off, it will be next to impossible to get go large a number of repre- sentatives to attend. Attendance involves a considerable sacrifice of time and money to those who have to come from a distance. Railway facilities m Wales do not lend themselves to con- ventions. You cannot reasonably expect working men—and workmen constitute the backbone of the Liberal party-to give up three days' work, and that is what it would mean, in going to and fro between the extremes of North and South Wales. Liberal Associations find it difficult enough already to find the sinews of war without having to pay the expenses of 20 to 40 dele- gates, even once a year. One of the difficulties already experienced, I under- stand, in constituencies at no distance from Cardiff has been to find men ready to give one day to the first convention. In later conventions, if any more are held, this difficulty will become more marked. Unwieldy conventions mean that direct labour representa- tion can form little part in them; they are, consequently, undemocratic, and. further, they are unduly representative of the immediate locahtyinwhichtheyareheld. Indeed, though u nl<l^ja')l)eai" paradoxical, experience proves that, beyond a certain number, th*4 larger the repre- sentation given to constituencies the less repre- sentative doos a conference become. Con- ventions Would, in all probability, lead to wire- i'n^: ln'?Ue. and placing the politics of iv? + In ^le ^ands of a few active self-seekers. What we really want in order to focus public °f'w°V aT-^ to a,certain the genuine aspirations ot ales is a na(,ionai council, composed of not too arge a number of representatives elected f by the constituencies. Associations could anora to pay the expenses of two or three repre- sentatives, and ought not to experience any dim- cuity m finding so small a number of represen- tatives who would be prepared to sacrifice the necessary time" advoo 'f ^0W conie to t:lle P°int. Then, vcu vention na^ona' executive as against a con- Wale«'*S j0' that is what my friends in South ration ? myself have always insisted upon—a dina^ alc°uncil, with two, three, or four subor- orparT f. erati°ns to do the practical work of •trpa* j10n and education in their respective 'md rt Carnarvon, Merioneth, Flint, on enhigh might form one district; Mont- annftr e' Radnorshire, and Breconshire Carry!61' Cardiganshire, Pembrokeshire, and ■1n^,rtllensl'ire a and Monmouthshire ther ni°rganshire a fourth. In order that anv ,-nil"lli he no possible conflict of opinion ?.t cvJUl '?16 between the representatives from any consbtuency, I would advise the election of the exen? representatives upon the district federaton iiaf; ,es as l,P°n the national council, ''he ational council should be cntirelv composed /Tresentatives elected directly by the cou- "uencies-no ex-officio members; tiie number be elected should be proportionate to the number of electors or population in each con- ■"tuency. Radnorshire might be taken as the "a«s, and be entitled to one representative upon "e national council, and other consti- rnfJi!;ies,m proportion, or each constituency might be entitled to one representative ior every four or five thousand or r paction of five thousand electors on its gister The place of meeting of the pationai ouncil should, of course, vary, and due regard lould be had to the convenience of the bulk of t e population in fixing the places of meeting." Is it not possible that the convention may uecide upon some such scheme as you have out- "ied ? It is understood that the discussion is JJ°t to be confined to the proposals put forward by the Welsh members. It has, in fact, been suSgested that after the convention meets a com-, Inlttee should be appointed, who should retire and formulate a scheme, and then report to the Conference later in the day." "Humph! I confess I don't think much of the suggestion some discussion must take place before the appointment of the committee and in naming the committee. The committee would necessarily require instructions, unless the dis- cussions were of a very perfunctory character and the gag pretty freely applied. All this would take a considerable time. The time occu- pied by the committee might, no doubt, be very Profitably employed in listening to addresses from the members of Parliament present, who, from my experience of them, will expect to be given some opportunity of airing their eloquence. and who, it is only fair to fay, will be expected to speak. True, such can hardly be considered the ma n purpose of the calling together of the convention. They must either do that, how- ever, or adjourn, for they cannot sit for several hours in silence, twirling their thumbs, while the committee deliberate. But is it reasonable to expect a committee, however expert and expedi- tious they may be, to be able to formulate a scheme for the organisation of Wales in two or three hours' sitting, a thing the united wisdom of the Welsh members lias failed to do in twelve months? And would it be reasonable to expect the hundreds of delegates to swallow such a scheme holus-bolus in the few remaining moments of a late afternoon. "Then, what would you suggest ?" "The physician does not prescribe until he is called in. But if the Welsh members' scheme proves to be unpalatable to the convention, and the work of the convention is referred to a com- mittee, the mora businesslike proceeding would be to spend the day in discussing the lines upon which the committee shall g0 an(j jn giving them instructions. The convention might then adjourn to some future day. The report of the committee should be printed and placed in the hands of each delegate some days, at least, before the resumed conference." "I presume you will not be present at the con- vention yourself ? "No; I hope to be occupied on less amusing, but. possibly, more healthy, recreation in the Llangibby district on the fateful day." Thanking Mr. Thomas for his courtesy, our representative then left. It will be observed that the scheme of Welsh organisation outlined by the hon. member on Tuesday is very similar to that propounded by the delegates of the Cardiff Liberal Association on the same evening;

A Society Wedding. MARRIAGE OF MISS MACKINTOSH OF MACKINTOSH. There was a very large and fashionable assembly on Wednesday afternoon xt St. Paul's Church, Kniglitsbridge, London, man) of whom had come a considerable distance to town specially to witness the very pretty wedding of Mr. Godfrey Baring and Miss Eva Hermoine Mackintosh of Mackintosh. The bridegroom is the only son of the late General Charles Biring and Mrs. Baring, of West Cowes, Isie of Wight, and grandson of the late Mr. Henry Bingham Baring, M.P., and also of the late Right Hon. Sir James Graham, V.C., G.C:B., second baronet, of Netherby, Cumberland, while the bride L a daughter of the late Mr. Alexander Æneas Mackintosh of Mackintosh, of Moy Hall, Inverness, and the Countess of Verulam, of St. Albans, and is a sister of the Mackintosn of Mackintosh, Chief of the Clan Chattan, of Moy Hall, Inverness, and Cottrell, Cardiff. The entrance to the chancel was artistically arranged with tall palms, banked with white flowenn"- and foliage plants. The ceremony was very impressively conducted by the Rev. John Bailey, M.A., vicar of Holy Trinity, West Cowes, assisted by the Rev. and Hon. Robert Grimston, M.A., secretary of the Navy Missionary Society (brother of the Earl of Verulam), and the Rev. Henry Mo itagu Villiers, M.A., vicar of St. Pauls, Knightsbridge. There were no less than a bevy of nine bridemaids. These younf ladies were six half-sisters of the bride (daughters T I ^ar* a>1<^ Countess of Verulam)— the Lad.es Helen. Hermione, Elizabeth, Liiy, 1 i and Vera Grimston; Miss Pait (cousin of the bride), Miss Ramsay, of Banff, and Miss Daisy Mowes. The bridemaids were charmingly j 111white corded silk, w;th yokes of puffed and shirred over apple green silk and white clnfton fichus, and apple green crepe de chene sashes, tied in front with and deeply ringed m silk. Their hats were of apple green chip, with shaded pink carnations under the brims and trimmed with white chiffon and ostrich feathers. The bridegroom's presents to them were red enamel brooches, with brilliants m, the centre, and nosegays of pink carnations. Uiss Eva Mackintosh selected a wedding gown i -n- i'e embroidered in silver and brilliants the bodice having a yoke, and sleeves of slurred chiffon du satin, and trimmed with old iamily Brussels point lace and clusters of orange blossoms. The court train, of exquisite brocade, was trimmed with verv old Brussels family lace, the same as worn by her mother (Mrs. Mackintosh of Mackintosh, and now the Countess of Verulam) at her own wedding. Her ven, of fine tulle, covered a train of real orange blossoms, and her ornaments were pearls and diamonds, and choice exotics composed her bridal bouquet.' The br_de was immediately followed by two small pages—Master Fergus Graham and Master Randolph Graham-who were picturesquely attired in dark-green velvet court suits, with large lace collars and hats en suite. The service at the church included the well-known hymn, "Lead us, Heavenly Father, lead us," the Psalm, "Blessed are all they that fear the Lord and walk in His ways," and the hymn, 0 perfect Love, all human though1; transcending." During the signing of the register the anthem, by Mendelssohn, "Land of Sion, Thy Salvation," was sung with great effect. The reception g:ven by the Countess of Verulam at 32. Pont-street, S.W., the residence of Lady Hermione Graham, was largely attended. .Amongs those present at the church, and after. wards at the reception, were Miss Mackintosh of Mackintosh, Miss Marv Bailey. Mrs. Damant of Cowes: Mr. A. L. Watson, of Cowes; Cap- tain and Lady Jane Von Konghes, Major and Mrs. M Leod, Miss M'Leod. Mrs. Evans Napean Mrs. Howard Cockrell. Ladv Greville, Miss Robertson. Mr. Wm. Gillett, Ml:, and Mrs. Paul Mr. Æneas Mackintosh, Lady Hermione Graham, the Hon. Frederic and Mrs. Anson, Lord Grimston, Mr. and Miss Blount, Mr. and Miss Blount, Mr. and Mrs. Lyall, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Howes, Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Graham, Miss May Grimston. Mrs. and Miss Cecil Reid, Miss Low, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Woollam, Miss Graham, Miss Eva Hambro, Mrs. and Miss Martin, the Misses Thynne. the Hon. Mrs. Charles Barnett, the Hon. Mrs. Gibbs, the Rer., Mrs., and Miss W. Dudley, Mr. and Mrs. H. Gordon. Mr. and Mrs. J. 'W. Gi-r)lPston Lady Susan Sherborne, Lady Henry Fitzgerald, Dr. and Mrs. Drage, the Countess of Verulam, Mr. and Mrs. Kekewich, Miss Grace, Mr. J. Arthur Paterson, Mr. and Mrs. James Graham, the Dowager Countess of Shrewsbury, Mrs. Marcus, of Shrewsbury: Mrs. Marcus Hare. Miss Hard, Mrs. Barston. Mr. Chalfield Clarke. Mr. and Mrs. St. Maur, Mrs. Duff, Mr. R. W. Duff. Mrs. Cunninghame Grahame. Sir Reginald, Ladv Col- ville of Culross. and Lord Colville of Culross; the Hon. Mrs. Bretter. Lady Ramsay, Com- mander Flutton W. Grimston, Mrs. Henry Lub- bock. Colonel Cumberland Lamos, Lady Gray, Mr. Carter Wood. Lord and Ladv Grimthorne, Sir Reginald and Lady Magdalen Beauclerc. the Hon. Mr. Halcott, Ihe Hon. Mrs. Halcott, Miss Halcott, the Hon. Mrs. Hoiland HibbeW Mrs. Dvmoke Green, the Hon. Mrs. Banfield, ire. Early in the afternoon, Mr. Godfrey and Mrs. Evp. Rtrinor 1..n for Esher Plac". Surrey, kindlv lent bv Sir Ed?ar and Lady Vincent, for the early days of th-°ir honeymoon. The going-away dress was of dark-b'ne cloth, the bodice being trimmed with velvet. laca, and fur. and the tonne of cream lace, white blue velvet, and white plumes. The presents exhibited in the drawing-room of 32. Pont-str2et, were verv handsome and costly, and included: —The bridegroom to the bride, a high crown of diamonds, a neck- laca of diamonilc;, and bangle of diamonds and rubies: the Earl of Verulam, a green croco- dile and gold mounted dressing-case: tlie Duke and Duchess of Montrose, liqueur bottles; the Duchess of Somerset, a pierced tray of Oriental design: the Marchioness of Dufterin and Ava. lace and motlier-of-pearls fan: Sir Richard Rnd Ladv Cvntbia Graham, ruby and diamond pin the Earl of Faversham, double heart brooch; the Countess of Faversham, silver cake basket; Lady Hermione Graham, horse-shoe brooch; Lady Ramsay, gold bangle: the Hon. George Colville of Culross, a pearl-shaned-headed pin in diamonds; Lord and Lady Coiville of Culross, a silver tray with cut bottles and heavy silver tops; Lady Greville, Venetian bottle: Lord Basil Blackwood, devotional books: Lady Sher- borne, silver candlestick: Lady Edith Villiers, silver etui: Lady Ulrica Thvnne, heart-shaped bead box; Mr. William Gillett, small candle- sticks, kc. The whole included over 400 article. from a large circle of friends and relations of the contracting parties.

MISTAKES OF MARRIAGE. If the" mistakes of marriage could be pre- vented by a thorough knowledge ot the sciences of phrenology and physiognomy, parents awl guardians would, doubtless, welcome their addi- tion, even if to be paid for as "extras," to the modern school curriculum. In a lecture deli- vered in the French Room of the St. James's- liall on Tuesday night by Miss Florence Marryat, the utility of such instruction was strongly urged, as likely to enable potential lovers to judge whether each possessed such primary and com- plementary attributes as would conduce to wedded bliss. Sad to relate, the speaker took an exceedingly gloomy view of the average status of connubial happiness, and emphatically pronounced that the majority of united couples found marriage to be a failure worse even than penal servitude, since the convict was at least sometimes left to himself." This alarming state of domestic felicity was, Miss Marryat considered, due to the fact that young couples saw too little of one another before the cere- mony in church, and too much afterwards. A typical courtship was vigorously described, and then, in the "ofteu ridiculous and fatal honey- moon," the youthful pair quickly exhausted all they had to talk about, not to mention the dis- covery that their tastes differed in sports a,d amusements. Some good advice not to meddle, not to be inquisitive, and not to be jealous fol- lowed, but when the lecturess pleaded for a little more independence which should allow husbands sometimes to spend a few days un- accompanied on the moors or in Paris, ilie gentlemen present made up for the smallness of their numbers by the vigour of their applauds, while the ladies, in a strong majority, mani- fested polite signs of distinct disapproval.

SHOCKING TREATMENT OF PRI. SONERS IN MOROCCO. Tin Rabat correspondent of the "Al-Mozhreb Al-Aksa publishes some particulars concerning the recent barbarities practised on Moorish prisoners. He says that the prisoners taken on the punitive expedition were paraded through the principal streets of Rabat. hI never saw," he says, "such sickening sights, and pray I may never again. A large number of the prisoners were so weak and emaciated that they had to ride on mules, and even then had to be held on. Dead prisoners were thrown naked into the panniers anyway. Others held up their hands, already mortifying from cutting, salting, and burning. Each company numbered fifteen to twenty in heavy chains, while the soldiers of the Khalifa and those of the Sultan kept up a con- tinuous rapping over the heads and backs of the dying, ordering them to call out, "God, give victory to the Sultan.' °'f'- men had the courage to call out, God give victory to the truth.' There ^as a continuous cry from the prisoners" 'GIve us water; give us water! We are dy'nS ironi thirst; we are starving!' Many respectable Moors turned away their faces, pale and sick, saying, 'What have been their sins that they have merited such punishment?'" The correspondent felt the tears running down his iaee. and his apostrophe is, "God have mercy on these poor people, and God have mercy on the responsible heads of Europe, who by their jealousies are to blame for all this liiisgovernmerit and manslaughter." There can be no doubt that a number of the prisoners are absolutely innocent of anv offence whatever, and that they were captured by treachery perpe- trated by the Sultan's troops—men, be it remem- bered, of the same race and creed as themselves.

LINSEED COMPOUND for Coughs. Coldi, Asthma, and Bronchitis. Of Chemists only. e6459—5