Llangollen Advertiser Denbighshire Merionethshire and North Wales Journal

TO CORRESPONDENTS &c. We shall deem it a favour at all times to receive short notices of any local occurrences at which we may not happen to be present. Having to go to press early on Thursday night, our readers will oblige by forwarding their communications as early as pos- sible, and advertisements must be received notlater than Twelve o'clock on Thursday noon. In consequence of the increasing demand upon our space, we beg to say that, for the future, in report- ing Meetings and Entertainments, we shall give the preference to the most concise reports. Letters to the Editor ought to be in hand as early as possible in the week, and we cannot guarantee the insertion of any lengthy correspondence if received later than Tuesday morning. Our Bardic Editor at present is the Rev. John Morris, Independent minister, Llangollen. The bards will, therefore, send their productions to his address. We cannot undertake to return rejected communica- tions, or take notice of anonymous communications. Whatever is intended for insertion must be authen- ticated by the name and address of the writer, not necessarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. Press Telegrams can be transmitted under the new postal regulations from any Postal Telegraph Office to the Advertiser office, Llangollen, at the rate of 75 words for one shilling. Telegrams so sent must be addressed to "The Editor," and not to any person by name. They must contain news only, and nothing in the form of a personal message. We shall feel obliged if correspondents will, at our expense, avail themselves of this medium to transmit any late items of news. AN IMPARTIAL LOOKER ON.-r-Your letter shall appear next week. Please write always with ink for the press, and not with lead pencil.

A TELEGRAM has been received from the Viceroy of India, stating that there has been a fall of rain in parts of Madras, which has improved the crops, and that the prospects of Bombay have also improved. The autumn crop has been lost in many parts of the North- Western Provinces, and although it is too late to save the autumn crops in parts of the Punjaub, the general appearance of affairs indicates an improvement. The prospects of Bengal are good. A COACH ACCIDENT occurred, on Tuesday week, on the road between Festiniog and Bettwsycoed. When one of the coaches which runs regularly this way had arrived near the railway viaduct now constructed within about two miles of the latter place, the wheels came off, and several of the passengers were thrown to the ground and injured. Mr. O. Gethin Jones, the contractor for the viaduct, with the assistance of Mr. J. Meyrick Jones, woollen manufacturer, Dolgelley, who was travelling by the coach, had the injured persons removed to a suitable place, where every attention was ,Y u shown to them by Drs. Jones and Price. M. THIERs was buried in Paris on Saturday. The religious ceremony was celebrated at the Church of Notre Dame de Lorette, the Archbishop of Paris having refused to allow it to be performed at the much larger Church of the Madeleine, on the ground that it was not a state funeral. The remains were interred -at the cemetery of Pera la Chaise, six orations being delivered at the grave side by MM. Jules Grévy, Jules Simon, Jules Favre, Sylvestre de Sacy (in the name of the French Academy), and Yitry (on behalf of the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences). There was an immense crowd along the whole route of the funeral procession. Perfect order was preserved, and the cortege passed along in silence, except that a cry of "Vive la Republique was occasionally I raised, but was immediately checked by the Republican leaders in the procession. The coffin was hidden from view by the wreaths with which it was covered. THE NEW ART GALLERY, which cost nearly forty thousand pounds, and has been presented to the town of Liverpool by its present mayor, was opened on Thursday, the 6th, by the Earl of Derby, who at a subsequent luncheon proposed the health of Mr. Walker as the donor of the new institution. In the course of an interesting speech, the noble earl pointed out that there was no deficiency of public spirit amongst Englishmen, and urged that there should not be any wanton and unnecessary tampering with the' objects that public benefactors have in view. He had noticed, he said, of late years a marked increase in the practice among wealthy men of making some provision, either in life or by will, for the wants of the public as well as for those of their immediate successors, and that was a tendency which, he thought, we should do well to encourage. In reply to the toast of his own health, at a banquet which took place in St. George's Hall in the evening, Lord Derby briefly glanced at.several public questions, and expressed his opinion that the famine in India was a much graver matter for England than the o Eastern question. ON MONDAY, an interesting Liberal demon- stration was held at Brymbo Hall Park, near Wrexham, for the purpose of presenting an address of welcome to Mr. George Osborne Morgan, M.P., who has recently taken up his residence inthat neighbourhood. About 3,000 persons were present, representing several mining villages in the locality. In responding to the address, Mr. Osborne Morgan delivered an important speech. He said he was determined to persevere with the Burials Bill, feeling assured that it would be passed next session. The honourable gentleman also touched on the subjects of university tests, the county franchise, the war, &c. FRANCE has just sustained a rather serious pecuniary loss by the burning of three-fourths of the immense forests which she held in her Algerian colony. These forests occupied 200,000 acres in the province of Constantine, and 150,000 acres have been destroyed. The flames spread with extraordinary rapidity, and then it was seen that not only in Paradise but in the Inferno also the most antagonistic animals might be seen side by side without attacking each other. Quantities of hares were seen running neck and neck with troops of jackals. One splendid lion was noticed, which, overtaken by the conflagration, and finding no way of escape from the flames, plunged with a roar of despair into the burning tide. THE following remarks, on the pollution of rivers, by a correspondent in the Times, are worthy of general attention ''My vacation rambles have led me to such lovely spotsasHaslemere in Surrey, Dunkeld in Scotland -OolgeLey m Wales, and very lately to Henley-on- 1 names. In all these I found reckless defilement of pretty streams which, but for the filthy customs of the residents, would be sweet and wholesome. In all of them the old-fashioned privy was in common use and tne soil, instead of being converted by admixture of earth into valuable manure, is retained in its ori- ginal^torm, to be the source of disease and death. On the sa-eams themselves the privy is, indeed, a water- closet, but on conveying sickness and trouble with it to tne unfortunate drinkers of the waters thus pol- Inted. WITH regard to the famine in India, telegram from Madras says there has rain everywhere during the past wet j districts dependent on the south-west J nsoon, and that there are fair prospects for the later crops. A LAMENTABLE COLLISION is reported in the English Channel, off Portland, by which two large ships and nearly 100 lives have been lost. About half-past nine on Tuesday night the ship Forest, of Windsor, Nova Scotia, bound to Sandy Hook, collided with the Avalanche, of London, on the voyage to New Zealand with about 60 passengers. The Avalanche went down almost immediately afterwards, only three of her crew being saved by getting aboard the Forest, which vessel also foundered subse- quently. Those on board this ship got into three boats, only one of which, with twelve persons in it, has reached the land, and it is almost certain that the other two boats were capsized in the heavy sea, several bodies and a boat having been washed ashore. 0 OUR READERS will be pleased to find in our columns of this week the powerful and eliciting address delivered by Theodore Martin, Esq., C.B., at the opening of the grand entertainment at Llangollen, on the 4th inst., together with a fuller account of the entertainment, the idea of publishing the address in pamphlet form having been abandoned. M. GAMBETTA was on Tuesday sentenced by one of the Paris police tribunals to three months' imprisonment and to pay a fine of 2,000 francs for libelling the President of the Republic and insulting the ministers in their public capacity. As his counsel had been attacked with paralysis, M. Gambetta lodged a petition to have the hearing of the case adjourned for a week, which was refused by the court. M, Gambetta did not appear before the .court, and was sentenced in default. The public were not allowed to enter the Palais de Justice during the hearing of the case. IT is with pleasure we learn Mr. Wagstaif has^liberally presented a further sum of £ 150 Great Western Railway debenture stock—- towards the Llangollen Cottage Hospital endowment fund, which now amounts to £500 of that stock. We trust from time to time to witness so munificent an example followed by others—if not in their lifetime, at all events, as in the case of the late Miss Roberts, in the form of bequest, and thus contribute to the permanent establishment of an institution already so great a blessing to the whole district.

lHR. FORBES UPON THE RUSSIAN STAFF. IT is admitted that no war correspondent ever achieved a greater success than Mr. A. Forbes in his telegraphed descriptions of the battles in Bulgaria. His despatches immediately after Osman Pasha's first victory at Plevna, and his graphic account of the struggle in the Shipka Pass, were marvels of vivid descriptive writing. The English public were as well informed as the Czar himself of each action, and almost as soon. Not only was the correspondent's account adopted by the Russian staff for circulation, but on both occasions the Czar and the Grand Duke received from the lips of Mr. Forbes tk details of the battle for which tu with anxiety. While the aide; u. waiting for their despatches, Mr. ForL v.d his way to head-quarters, and was first to arrive' with news from the fight. Even from this distance, after reading the telegraphed account, one seems to realise the scene of action as vividly, perhaps more vividly, than if, standing at the correspondent's elbow, we had watched, field- glass in hand, the whole day through. Certainly the Czar and the Grand Duke had good reason to thank Mr. Forbes if they received from him as good an account as the London public, received of the defeat of Plevna and the obstinate encounters in the Shipka Pass. But we are not in doubt as to the effect upon the mind of the Czar, the Grand Duke, and the Russian staff of the latest despatch which" the special correspondent" has sent. His eclipse of the aides-de-camp in rapid writing and hard riding may be supposed to have earned for him notoriety at the camp without making him exactly popular. What may be the feelings of the staff if they ever see the despatch which is now before us. it is not difficult to conceive. It reviews the situation with a elaring positive- ness which must make every general tremble for his reputation in the presence of a special correspondent." It estimates the weakness of the army; exposes roundly the blunders of policy sits in judgment upon the Grand Duke himself, and boldly tells the Czar what he must do if he ever intends to return in safety to his capital. A more fearless piece of writing was never penned and if it is as near the truth as there is fair reason to suppose, it would appear that the Czar might confidently seek to be enlightened by newspaper correspondents on other points than mere details of lost battles or obstinately repulsed assaults. It is possible, however, that Mr. Archibald Forbes has had his last interview with the Czar, and that it will become a joke at head-quarters that he is bidding for the appointment of commander-in- chief of the Russian forces in Bulgaria. What does Mr. Forbes say ? He says that the Czar dare not go back to Moscow until a satis- factory peace is concluded. If he does, it will have to be at the point of the bayonet. If it takes five years, success must be attained. But he implies that neither the Czar nor the Grand Duke is fully alive to this fact; nor to a fact quite as serious, that the army is making a fatal mistake in waiting for reinforcements. Rein- forcements can, of course, reach the Turkish armies more rapidly, and when they come to the Russian camp "v/ill hardly more than fill the gaps caused by battle and sickness." Bad generalship is declared to be at the bottom of all the disasters The non-occupation of Plevna was a mistake. The non-occupation of Loftcha was a mistake. The neglect to ascertain the whereabouts of the army of Osman Pasha was a mistake. The battle of Plevna was a mistake but all these mistakes are nothing as compared with the colossal blunder made by the Russians in remaining on the defensive since the battle of Plevna. All the other mistakes resulted in mere checks, which should have caused a delay of six days, nothing more. This mistake is a disaster because it results in a second campaign. It is such a proof of incapacity, that unless the head-quarter staff is changed at once, I shall begin to believe in the final defeat of the Russians, even at the end of a second campaign. The correspondent, taking the loftiest stand- point, shatters all the hopes of the Russians unless, indeed, the Czar listens to his advice, dismisses his staff, and re-shapes his policy. Waiting supinely upon the defensive is pro- nounced by the ubiquitous special corieslion, dent disastrous in the extreme. Suleiman Pasha's army he declares not to be so broken but to command the Gabrova road and conquer the Russian force when it is compelled to retreat from the Shipka Pass. The other Turkish armies are every day gathering strength for united operations, while the Russian army of 150,000 is idle. Napoleon's policy of beating his enemies in detail is disregarded. The correspondent—who cannot certainly forget the result of the Plevna engagement- insists that to hurl a hundred thousand men against either the Turkish armies before they can concentrate for united action is the only chance for the Russians. Instead of that, they keep within their extended lines, and leave the Turks to assail them on all sides. So much for the fatal mistakes of the Russians as a whole. But the correspondent does not stop at generalities and gloomy prophecies. He takes an individual estimate of the chief of the staff, which is interesting and instructive, so far as we repose confidence in the judgment of the writer. The Grand Duke Nicholas is every inch a soldier, beloved by officers and men alike. He has great tactical ability, a coup d'oeil for actual battle; would be a good commander on the battle-field, a fighting general, but his position of com- mander-in-chief makes it impossible—and that is not all. He is not, we are told, a strategist, lacks sufficient confidence in his own ability to take the general direction of the campaign with a firm hand." This is disastrous, and the more so because the course of battle is left to two generals, ISTepokoitschitsky and Levitsky. The correspondent's estimate of these two wise heads, with whom rests the movements of the Russian army, is astoundingly grotesque :—. Now, Nepokoitschitsky looks on and watches everything, sees everything, knows everything, and says nothing. He offers no counsel, gives no advice. He keeps silent. The army begins to say that he says nothing because he thinks nothing. Lavitsky does everything, and his way of doing things is only too evident. When told before the first battle of Plevna by an officer at the head of the Intelligence Department that 20,000 Turks were approaching Plevna, he replied, contemptuously, "Where did they spring from 7" When informed that they were ready to seize Loftcha, he said, You had better attend to your own business." Levitsky had pre- conceived notions as to the numbers and whereabouts of the Turks. He refused to accept information conflicting with those notions. There is nothing to be hoped from such a man. The campaign up to the present moment proves it.

LOCAL & .DISTRICT NEWS. LLANGOLLEN. .u FOOTBALL CLUB.-At a meeting held in the Armoury, Llangollen, on Monday, the 10th inst., for the purpose of discussing the advisability of forming a football club in Llangollen (J. W. Tanqueray, Esq., being in the chair), it was resolved that a football club be formed in Llan- gollen. The officers appointed were—Mr. R. G. Smith, captain; Mr. H. Cope, secretary; and J. W. Tanqueray, Esq., treasurer. It was resolved that the subscription be 2s. 6d. if paid before the 1st November, 1877, and 5s. if paid afterwards. The opening match will be played on the Recre- ation Ground on Saturday, the 22nd instant, at 3 30 o'clock p.m., when all persons wishing to join are requested to attend. THE GUN LICENCE.-As there appears some mis- apprehension respecting the liability of persons using guns, many farmers being of opinion that they are at liberty to kill crows on their own fields without a licence, we would remind them hat the killing of birds is not within the exemp- urtuage thereof. The act 33 and 34 Vict., cap. 57, sub-section 4, is as follows:—"A licence is not required by the occupier of any lands using or carrying a gun for the purpose only of scaring birds or of killing vermin on such lands, by order of the occupier thereof, who shall have in force a licence or certificate to kill game, or a licence under this act." A curtilage means any yard or garden immediately attached to and surrounding the house. Persons going in pursuit of game, and having only gun licences in their possession, render themselves liable to a penalty of £ 20. VVARDROPER'S ENTERTAINMENT—This favourite mimic gave a performance at the Assembly Room on Monday last. His sketches were very well rendered; and the second part, which was exclusively occupied by an original dramatic play entitled Awkwardly alike, or which is Brown ?" contained seven characters, which were cleverly personated by Mr. Wardroper and Mr. Scott Wallace. The audience was rather large. ZION CHAPEL.-The alterations and additions to this place of worship are to be commenced next week. There will be a new frontage, and a total renovation inside the f ^ur bas once more been the scene of a gipsy encampment. On Friday a numerous Company of this curious fraternity, who style themselves « The Royal Tribe of Gipsies fiom Lppmg Forest," arrived in town with several Altlwa^f'th Pltched their tents at the Smithfield. Collint feir m°de 0f life as novel, their not thrir ?n°re 1commodious. and, if we mistake told MissV»Pf/rf' &>Uch as "Have your fortune told, Miss ? "Don't be afraid, Miss. There is sef?heDilwaWaitiingy<?U this ^ear! Lst 1. j-1 q your hand ?" as enticing as ever, ind coifs^ne'if "fm t0 draw much attention, and consequently business was at a stagnation nresentZSlf with thG disagreeableness of the present pluvious days; forced them to pick up direction of' 0^ T+hursda7> and depart in the nnKi- ln^aent during their sojourn crifted with thn+ ^ie sex' w^° was f • wonderful and noble faculty of b^rftherV^ T* futUTO Hfe °f ma^d< husband on sT°[ With the conduct of her the grand apparel,and so al one threw heiself mto the burning flame, but the pain vvmcn it produced instantly brought her to Tw1 P0HV?n,and reminded her that life nfth" W r? resulted in her rushing out of v. an^er. Ihe rest of the day she oecunied m bemoaning her loss r y occuPiecl ofaTwm' l™e through in i +GW da^S' ^ness brought on thro ^.h an accident. The coffin containing the rP 4brouSht here on Monday by near the Jt 'Jr' A procession was formed rn-n vev a hearse was in readiness to f. i 0 y the Vron Cemetery, where, after a short address and prayer by Mr. H. Jones, it was deposited m its final resting place. The fr~a tergeiy and respectably attended. t c I ymPathy is felt for the bereaved widow a ,11, and^also for his aged mother and younges sister, who are all that are now left of the large family of Glandwr. /^ND -HUMILIATION MEETINGS.—At on Monday, Tuesday, and + -a wSi ay flings, prayer meetings were held t? rrle -^bnighty to put an end to the horrible ^U?vr°^ u war> to bring relief to the millions o a i as who are perishing for want of bread, an v ° iPT6 us ^]'s country the appointed wee s ot harvest by stopping the continuous ram&j^j meetings were well attended, and an address was given each night by one of the ministers, o J LOCAL BOARD, Sept. 6th, 1877.—Present: Mr. S. G. Fell(chairman),CaptainBest,MajorTottenham, Messrs. Thomas Hughes, Edward Roberts, E. II. Roberts, and William Jones. THIS BOARD AND THE CLERK. The minutes of the previous meetings were read. The Chairman observed that the minutes as read were not a complete record of the proceedings. A letter which he had written to Mr. Richards in reference to this resolution respecting him (Mr. Richards) had not been entered, and as that letter was read at that meeting, and had a direct reference to that motion, he (Mr. Fell) thought it ought to be entered on the minute book. The Clerk said lie thought that it was unnecessary, as he had had no special order to that effect. The Chairman said that as that letter was the initiative to the step the Board had taken, to make the transaction complete it ought to be entered. Captain Best expressed similar views, and ultimately the letter dated 28th June, informing the Clerk of the decision arrived at at a private meeting of the Board, declaring it inexpedient that he should continue to act as its clerk, was entered on the minute book. Mr. Fell said he had also read another letter from Captain Best, dated 26th July, explaining the cause of his absence, and declaring his intention if present to adhere to the resolution arrived at in the private meeting alluded to. He (Mr. Fell) was of opinion that this letter should also be inserted upon the minutes. The Clerk-Is that an official letter ? Captain Best—I think it is; there's my signature attached to it. This was also entered on the minute book. The Chairman said there was also a motion made at the close of the meeting, which was also not entered. Major Tottenham said he was not aware of any motion that was made. He stayed to the end of the meeting, and did not leave until the Chairman distinctly stated that the business was over. He protested against the informality of the proceedings. As to the private meetings alluded to, lie should like to know what took place there, as it seemed to him that the whole matter had been arranged beforehand. The Chairman admitted that there had been an omission on his part in not bringing that motion on earlier. Nevertheless, it had come on in proper order, as the cheques were all signed afterwards. He (Mr. Fell) was aware that he had said he knew of no more business to be done then, but at the time this motion had escaped his memory. Major Tottenham again strongly objected that the proceedings of that meeting subsequently to his leaving the room were not regular. The Chairman—Then you object to the signing of the cheques ? Captain Best thought the better plan would be to waive that consideration altogether, as there appeared to be some misunderstanding about it. The matter could be easily made up then. It would be better to have everything done in a regular manner. The Clerk-It is irregular to-day, too. Captain Best—Can you advise us on what ground ? The Clerk-I say it is illegal. Captain Best-And you decline to tell us why it is so ? The Clerk-I do. The Chairman read the by-law relating to the appointment of clerk and various other officers of the Board, and said that it was absolutely within the power of this Board to appoint or dismiss an officer at discretion, within one month or six weeks, or any other reasonable time. The Clerk said the resolution was at present a nullity it simply expressed that there was a ot the Board and those who had appointed him to the office. Captain Best—What then ? We are going to supply the omission now. A long discussion then took place between the Clerk and some of the members, which for want of space we are obliged to leave out. The Chairman then moved "That Mr. Richards cease to be Clerk of this Board on the 31st January, 1878." Captain Best seconded it.—Carried. Miscellaneous.—A letter was read from Dr. Drinkwater, the public officer of health, applying for an increase of salary. It was stated that the present salary was X7 10s. per annum. The matter was referred to a committee. Captain Best moved, and Mr. E. H. Roberts seconded, that it be considered urgent that a committee should be appointed to report upon the duties, salary, &c., of the Clerk.-Carried. It was stated that the cottages at Penllyn, ordered to be taken down by the Board, had been since purchased, and it was the intention of the present owner to commence rebuilding them at once. The Surveyor read his monthly report, and Captain Best brought forward the report of the Sanitary Committee, of which he is chairman. These were duly considered and acted upon. VALE OF LLANGOLLEN RAILWAY. The Thirty-seventh General Meeting of the shareholders of the Vale of Llangollen Railway Company was held on Saturday, the 8th instant, at Bank Buildings, this town, pursuant to notice, Col. C. J. Tottenham being in the chair. The notice convening the meeting was read by the Secretary, after which the Company's common seal was affixed to the register of shareholders. After the reading of the directors' report for the half-year ending 30th June, 1877, it was proposed by the Chairman, and seconded by W. Wagstaif, Esq., and resolved, That the report and accounts now read be received, adopted, and circulated among the shareholders, and that a z, dividend of 5s. 3d. per share, being at the rate of 5t per cent. per annum, be and the same is hereby declared on the ordinary shares, after payment of a dividend at the rate of 5 per cent. on the preference shares. REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS. The accounts show a balance carried forward to next half-year of £1,288 8s. 5d., as against £ 1,238 Os.Od. carried forward in the corresponding half-year of 1876. The passenger traffic on this line shows, for the half-year ending 30th June, 1877, an increase as compared with the corresponding half of 1876 of £63 19s. 7d.; but the goods traffic shows a decrease of £ 183 5s. 8d., thus making a net decrease on the half- year of X-119 6s. Id. They recommend a dividend at the rate of 5; per cent. per annum, the same as for the corresponding period of 1876. The agreement with the Bala and Festiniog Railway Company and other associated Companies has been approved by your directors. The Bala and Festiniog Railway Company are now taking steps to obtain'possession of the lands required for the line and works. LLANGOLLEN AND CORWEN RAILWAY. The Thirty-fifth General Meeting of the share- holders of the Llangollen and Corwen Railway Company was held at Bank Buildings, this town, on Saturday, the 8th inst., when the chair was taken by Col. C. J. Tottenham, at 11 o'clock a.m. The notice convening the meeting havino- been read by the Secretary, the common seal°of the Company was affixed to the register of share- holders. The directors' report for the half-year ending 30th June, 1877, having been read, it was proposed by the Chairman, and seconded by W. Wagstaff, Esq., and resolved, That the report and accounts now read be received, adopted, and circulated among the shareholders, and that a dividend at 3s. per share, being at the rate of 3 per cent., be and the same is hereby declared on the ordinary shares, after payment of a dividend at the rate of 5 per cent. per annum on the preference shares. REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS. The accounts show a balance carried forward to next half-year of 4&2G I4s. llcl.^ as agaiast £ 635 carried forward in the corresponding half-year of 1876. The directors have to point out an increase in gross traffic for the last hah'ir amounting to the sum of £ 208 18s. 0d,, arising in Marly equal proportions from passengers and goods. They recommend a dividend at the rate of 3 per cent, per annum, the same dividend as for the corresponding period of 1876. The agreement with the Bala and Festiniog Railway Company and associated Companies has been approved by your directors. The Bala and Festiniog Railway Company are now taking steps to obta,in possession of the lands required with a view to the vigorous prosecution of the works. LLANGOLLEN COTTAGE HOSPITAL. GRAND ENTERTAINMENT. [SECOND NOTICE.] On Tuesday evening, Sept. 4th, a grand enter- tainment was given in the Assembly Room, in aid of the funds of the Cottage Hospital. Taking advantage of the visit of the British Archaeo- logical Association, it occurred to a few gentlemen that the opportunity was a good one for enlisting the sympathies of the members and visitors and through the active co-operation of Captain Best, S. Gregson Fell, Esq., Lambert Haughton, Esq., St. Thomas's Hospital, London, and others, an entertainment was resolved upon as a means of increasing the balance in favour of the hospital. Whilst the promoters were determining upon their course of action it was known to them that a distinguished lady had commenced her summer sojourn on the banks of the Dee, but her long retirement from the scene of her brilliant triumphs raised a fear that she might not care to emerge from the privacy of home. But the object was irresistible, and at the potent solicitation of the esteemed founder of the hospital, W. Wagstaff, Esq., Mrs. Theodore Martin (Miss Helen Faucit) graciously consented to lend her services on the occasion, and, having secured the ready assistance of Professor Gethin Davies, Miss Jennie Davies, and Air. Dillon Croker, the success of the enter- tainment was placed beyond all doubt. hor the information of those resident at a distance and who have not seen the hospital, the writer may be permitted to convey his impression of it. The situation of the building is lovely, within the sound of the "sacred Deva," and standing amid the beautiful scenery with which nature has so lavishly enrichedLlangollen. A better site could not well have been chosen. On entering the hospital, everything attested to its excellent management. The rooms are of good design, full of light, and scrupulous cleanliness is everywhere noticeable and, but for the presence of grateful patients, a visitor might imagine himself to be in. a delightful country home. The hospital was the handsome gift of W. Wagstaff, Esq., and was opened in April, 1876, for the reception of the sick. The pictures on the walls and many articles of furniture were the presents of kind ladies resident in the town and district; and as long as the hospital elicits such christian solicitude and support, it cannot fail to bless those who receive in their hour of affliction and those who give in the day of their opportunity. Eight, o'clock was the hour announced for the entertainment, by which time the Assembly Room was crowded with a distinguished and representative audience. Theodore Martin, Esq., presided, and the company present included Col. Tottenham and family, Mrs. Lloyd, General Yorke, Captain and Mrs. Best, the Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Everett, Mr. and Miss Farren, Mr. and Mrs. Fell, Capt. and Mrs. Taylor, General and Mrs. Warre, Captain and Mrs. Conran, Major and Mrs. Charles Tottenham, Mrs. Robertson, J. Hutchin- son, Esq., Mr. and Mrs. Pister, Mrs. Price, Mr. and Mrs. Jagger, Thomas Morgan, Esq., honorary treasurer of the British Archaeological Association, and the following members and friends of the Association :—Mr. and Mrs. Merryman and party; George Lambert, Esq., London; G. R. Wright, Esq., London Mr. and Mrs. Brock, London J. Matthew, Esq., London; Charles Hart, Esq., Birmingham Mr. and Mrs. Hicklin, London H. S. Mitchell, Esq., London; A. W. Brown, Esq., London; Oknrlfis Tmey, Briotol j Occil Brent, Esq., Bromley, Kent; Wm. Geo. Black, Esq., Glasgow; W. H. Cope, Esq., London; E. G. Allen, Esq., London Miss Tilden, New York; the Misses Roberts, Parkgate Miss Smith Miss Clift; &c., &c. THE CHAIRMAN'S ADDRESS. The Chairman in opening the proceedings said Ladies and Gentlemen,—The gentlemen who have arranged this evening's entertainment have, I see put me down to open it by an address. Now my experience of addresses is, that they are rather formidable affairs. They generally deal with some important topic-social, political, philoso- phical, literary, or, let me not forget, archaeological (1, Hear, hear "), and they are elaborated with that fulness of detail, and animated by that play of rhetoric which we naturally expect from the pulpit or the platform. But I am sure I shall best consult your feelings, as well as my own, if I condense into the smallest space what I have to say to you. But I do wish to say a few words about the institution in aid of whose funds this evening's entertainment has been organised. Most of you know that we owe it to the kind heart and the wise beneficence of one who I trust may long be spared to enjoy the honour and esteem with which we all regard him. Desirous to rear a monument of affection and gratitude for that best of God's gifts, a true and loving wife, he could find none that was more typical of the virtues of that exemplary lady, none that would better symbolise that good-will to men, which was the law of her life, as it is of his own, than this Cottage Hospital. (Applause.) It met a great want. Hospitals are one of the greatest wants of our modern life—a want that is quite as sensibly felt in rural districts as it is in our great cities. Sickness is the wellnigh inevi- table lot of us all, but in how few of our homes is provision made against its coming ? We build our houses to be well in, not thinking that we cannot be always well. This is true of the houses of those of us who are best off; but how sadly true is it of those whose lot enables them to do little more than provide for the wants of each day as it comes? Lowly homes, I well know, can be and are made by affection as happy as the homes of the wealthy. The tender touch of a loving hand, the answering look of loving eyes can assuage pain there, can lighten the heavy hours of sickness there, as truly and effectually as under the lofty roofs or silken canopies of the rich. But affection cannot do all. It is not always the wisest nurse. It cannot bring light and air into houses that have been built as if to exclude both; it cannot be always at hand to smooth the uneasy pillow, or to help the help- less sufferer; it cannot always command the quiet, so needful for the enfeebled frames or the over-strained nerves that upon it the very life or death of the father or mother of a family may depend. But in a Cottage Hospital, such as we have among us, all these wants are met-quite cheering light, good air, constant watching, and, thanks to the admirable matron in whose charge it is, that ministering care which comes only from a kind heart, q uickenedby intelligence, and restrained and guided by experience. Though this Hospital has been in operation for only eighteen months, I find that no fewer than forty-eight patients have already profited by it. Of these, thirty-five have been discharged benefited or cured four have died, and the remainder are still under treat- ment there. This is the work that it has done and it is but an earnest of the work that it is destined to do. There are in it six beds, and they are nearly always full. When. I tell you that on an average each bed costs Y,50 a year to support it, you will see that it behoves us all to contribute our quota to raise the funds necessary to maintain this institution in its full efficiency. It is from a strong feeling of this necessity that the ladies and gentlemen whom we are to have the pleasure of hearing, to-night, have given their services to bring you here to contribute to this good work. When the evening is over, amid the pleasant recollections which I am sure it will leave behind it1 I would ask you not to forget why this eater*