The Cambrian News and Merionethshire Standard

LIQUIDATIONS BY ARRANGE- MENT. ,el,, at 'ine Ltmdoaa Court the b&nkrnptev "Of'Mr. GEORGE KNOX, merchant, was annulled on the satisfactory grotm-d that the bankrupt had rpiacecl in the bauds -of -the trustee funds suffi- •Cient vj pay all ille creditors in full, together with "five percent, interest. This unusual: and pleas- "la"O"tP-r-ntination of a banikruptcy is well calculated "Illggect carious trairm of tLougai in'the minds {)f our 'Aberystwyth readers. 'In that beautiful irtrti progressive town there is an annual etop of frtt&ness failures sufficient to thoroughly dis- hetten -the decreasing number of those, who, aa&id !llJldL discouragement, srEll make a, point of paying their creditors in full. Doubtless tiiere xvu a time when to be bisolvp-yt- ivas to be dis- Even yet, occasionally^ an antiquated Deisig as foui-d who expects petitioning debtors to be aaiodost and sosiewltafc ashamed of their Position 'but the ruLe is: merely to put tLe shutters up during stock-faking," and then to go on to -zil appearances ra Aher mete pleasantly than if justliing had happened. Tfeal a xian of Capital who knows his business, and attendc to it, pay under peculiar circumstances fci-l, ig well j^own, bat jnen of this kind do1 not fai? iime after nor are they ,ihe men we have do with. r -Mle worst fea-iures of liquidationS by arrvuc Iemont due to the action of creditors, who, itead of T64lizing c-stalis, accept compositions, 4J tfiiey 'tiay, to save expense. If it were a rule nw to pertain compositions, unless upwards <d tea 8killirr.g8 in the pound w<ere offered, and to pwse^ every debtor whote style of manipulating ,.ls balajice sheets would not bear the investnga- lQQ of a court of justice., there vould be fewer j*6titions filed from Aberystwyth. If wholesale °Uses strictly earned out the rule they aVe made not to accept compositions, fraudu- debtors would find great difficnlty in making? Peatee, fresh starts in business. The tc friendly" *editor would be more cautious how Ko allowed ls Same to be used if he were frequently mixed P io trialc for swindling, and occasionally found ls Way to prison as a criminal. As things are carried on the debtor who wishes to evade liabilities I'.nds no difficulty in securing friends p,1 *og, without question, to reverse the course to* by the .unjust steward in Scripture, and ^ovm hundred measures" instead of four score instead of twenty, and so on cr s-atement is ready for presentation to h"edltors, who, unfortunately, are too much dis- Sed to get rid of an unpleasant business as quickly as possible without reckoning the loss. If they harass the debtor and sell all he has, they know they will get nothing. Every penny will be swallowed up in expenses, but they forget that five or six other debtors are only waiting to see how their brother fares before they decide whether they will pay or file." The salutary effects of declining to accept compositions would not be long in making themselves felt, and honest traders would unquestionably reap the benefits arising out of them. In the first instance or two there might be loss, but ten-shilling dividends, and the prosecution of dishonest petitioners and their accomplices would soon purify the commercial atmosphere. It is astounding that men who have arranged" with their creditors five or six times are still able to carry on business in the town, and, at any rate as far as appearances go, to have very much the advantage of honester men. A man may enter a business he does not under- stand, or he may become a drunkard after he is his own master, and so fail, but one would thiuk when he had failed, say half-a-dozen times, that he would be unable to discover anyone willing to do business with him. Experience proves that this is not the case. The liquidator, as soon as ever he has cleared off his creditors with ten- pence or a shilling in the pound, has no difficulty in obtainihg goods from wholesale houses. The reason given for trusting him is that most likely r, y he will not fail again under eighteen months or two years. Sometimes he astonishes these acute but not very high-principled dealers by sending in another petition in about half the time, but even this, thrice repeated, does not destroy the confidence of merchants. Not only is the liquidator itble to obtain goods, but he is equally fortunate in securing customers. People, honest enough in their way, prefer to deal with liquidators who, of course, will not refuse any reasonable offer." The rule these customers act upon is to buy as cheaply as possible. If the tradesman has liquidated before and may liquidate again, that, they say, is nothing to them. He must settle that question with his creditors. This, our readers will admit, is average commercial morality or, rather, immorality. The liquidator can afford to undersell honest traders, and a large portion of the public is not moral enough to patronize honesty if a penny can be saved else- where. To appeal to liquidators would be ridiculous, and fortunately is unnecessary. The public hold in their hands the means of checking the onward rush of petitions for liquidation by arrangement. Creditors have merely to refuse to accept compositions under ten shillings in the pound, and the general public have only to avoid the places of business misconducted by chronic liquidators, and they will soon be compelled to seek elsewhere pastures new." It is astonishing that men of business at Aberystwyth have not long ago established a Trade Protection Society. A fee of half-a-crown or five shillings a year would be sufficient to raise a fund for the prosecution of a notorious offender or two; besides, the mere existence of an organization of this kind would tend to prevent that recklessness and indifference which more than anything else saps the founda- tions of commercial life. At Aberystwyth during the past ten years an opinion seems to have pre- vailed that tradesmen could not fail to make fortunes if they only obtained possession of a shop in one of the main thoroughfares. The owners of the shops were, of course, quite willing to fall in with this opinion, and proceeded.to increase rents until they reached a pitch that ensured ulti- mate collapse. When property came into the market prices were asked that would not have been jus- tified in any but the best parts of Birmingham cr Liverpool. For some time, however, shops have been a drug in the town. What are considered the best positions have been at liberty for months, and as far as can be judged will remain at liberty. Rents ultimately must ccme down low enough to allow those who pay them to live. To pay more for sites than ought to be given for premises is a course that must in the long run work its own cure. Shops are on the increase, and trade we need not say is at present on the decline. Liquidators will readily agree that times are bad, but bad times do not account for Aber- ystwyth liquidations, which are a perennial crop that ripens regularly to the fall, irrespective of business fluctuations. The comfortable way in which liquidators live is notorious. They eat. and drink of the best, and are not troubled like other men with anxiety. Full of pity for them- selves, they bitterly resent the slightest intima- tion that they batten on the labour of more con- scientious and thrifty men. Having been long accustomed 11 to the soft and the sweet," they cannot realize that they have no inherent right to the good things of the earth, and indulge in much self commiseration in consequenee of what they are pleased to call their misfortunes.

MACHYNLLETH AS A MARKET TOWN. THE position of Machynlleth, in a good.agricul- tural district, ought to secure for that town markets equal if not superior to any in the county. The railway: too, would naturally be expected to add to the prosperity of the markets and to in- crease geneual business. Upwards of ten years' experience, however, has shown at Machynlleth, as at many other places, that railways may inflict injury; first,fey taking away the produce of the dis- trict to more distant centres, and also by introdu- cing addition^, competitors for any little business lihat may be lelt. Before the advent of railway [■every little town held a monopoly, so to speak, of the business in its own immediate neighbourhood, a monopoly that went out with stage coaches. Tiie modern market town is supplied by a wide district with prodvee, and attracts buyers from all parts of the kingdom. The idea that railways w<Dtild be sure to increase the prosperity town and village trough which they passed, without any effort oe the part of the inhabitants, was 30 strongly entertained that in many instances, the mistake was not discovered until any little trade instead of being increased was almost irre- trievably lost. Machyallcth in the old coaelmg days had more to lose than to gain by the intro- trodueiion of railways. The rai.u/ay, it is true, opened up new possibilities, whict- unfortuuatelly are still only possibilities, but it also undoubtedly .abolished a profitable,clIL order of things much as gained in convenience, but nothieg more sub- stantial than convenience was substituted in place of those forms of profiwijle labouryhich the railway 13 extinguished. In some respects the lose by boating, carting,artl coaching at Machyn- lleth has been made trp anci more than neade up by tiie increased activity at the Con-is slate quarrres. 'IThese quarries will pra;bably still further increase, but Machynlleth is se apathetic -that Ccrris is more liksiy than Machynlleth to become a centre. If the tradesmen of Maebyn Ileth were alive to their own interests, allcljoined together ac they ought to do for common interests, Machynlleiii would be the market town, not only for Corris, but for a large district., extending from Aberdovey on one side to above Llanbrynmair .on the other. There are several good fairs held &.t Machynlleth in the course of a year, but the markets, which are supposed to be held on Wed-! nesdays, are dead. Half a score people may come into the town on that day, but no stranger in the town on Wednesday would discover that it was market day. Not only are there no weekly markets but there an no regular monthly fairs. The fairs are held irregularly; for instanee, next week there will be two,one on Monday and another on Wednesday. At some of the larger fairs the streets are thronged with farmers arid dealer? to an extent that proves there is no lack of materia for markets if the right steps were taken to es- tablish them. One thing is certain, that attempts to establish weekly markets could not do any harm. There is nothing whatever to lose and everything to gain. There can never be markets at Machynlleth as long as they are held on Wed- desdays, which is market day at Oswestry. It might be said that Oswestry is too distant to affect Machynlleth, but it should be remembered that dealers are as necessary as stock for markets, and it is not likely that dealers will pass through Oswestry to come to Machynlleth, especially as flourishing markets are held in several other towns in the neighbourhood of Oswestry; at Welshpool anaAberystwyth on Monday,at Newtown on Tues- day, at Oswestry on Wednesday, at Llanfyllin on Thursday, and at Llanidloes on Saturday. Friday, perhaps the best day in the week for a market, is vacant. Saturday is objectionable on the ground that it is impossible to send the produce purchased to the great English centres tD in time for the Saturday evening demand. The question of the day would of course be carefully corøidered before any alteration was made, but it is not easy to see that objection can be urged against Friday, which, apart from local consider- ations, is convenient for producers, dealers, and local buyers, has no drawbacks, which could not be urged with equal force against any other day. How to set about establishing markets at Macbyn Ileth, a town above all others in the district where they ought to be successful, is a question that deserves much more careful con- sideration than it has hitherto received from those inhabitants who look upon themselves, and are looked upon by their neighbours, as leading men. The chief requisite in this, a3 in more ambitious projects, is money, but next to funds in import- ance is an energetic united committee determined not to be discouraged by opposition, or to be defeated by the much more dangerous opponent, apathj. A committee fairly representative and supported with funds subscribed by the trades- men and shopkeepers, would set to work by hold- ing meetings in every parish, as was done at Lampeter with great success. They would insert an advertisement in newspapers,post bills,and cir- culate amongst the inhabitants of the district information setting forth in plain terms the numerous advantages of weekly markets. We cannot afford the space necessary to set forth those advantages iu detail, but we may mention two of them. Markets encourage production and advance prices by stimulating competition. It should be remembered that good markets are too valuable an acquisition to be easily obtained. Improvement will necessarily be slow, and cannot be secured at all without much united hard work coupled with liberal enpenditure of money. The unity ought not to be difficult to find, and the money expended will prove to be as remunerative an investment as any that can be made by business men. The question naturally arises, who is to take the initiative, and we cannot answer it. If, however, public men are so re- markably scarce at Machynlleth that it is im- possible to find anyone to take the lead in an important movement of this kind, the inhabitants may rest assured that Machynlleth will find itself left further and further in the rear by other towns less satisfied with the existing state of things. A public meating called to discuss the market ques- tion would, at any rate, do no harm, and might be the means of beginning a movement, the im- portance af which, on the welfare of Machynlleth, it would be impossible to estimate.

LOCAL AND DISTRICT NOTES. Bala Local Board have approved of Mr. ROBERTS'S plans for bringing a supply of water from Llyn Arrenig. The Board and the Engineer have greatly accelerated their rate of progress in the water question. The Good Templars have been meeting in session at Portmadoc, and repeating the laments in which all of us must share, that so much money should be spent indrink and that so much misery should result from it. The Templars are actuated by the best intentions, but their efforts will be more successful when they have learnt to take human nature as they find it, and to lead it rather than to drive it. If they would throw themselves heartily into the movement for providing temperance public- houses for the people, and not set their faces against beer, we should expect to see a considerable increase in sobriety. 'k A letter was received by the Merionetshire Court of Quarter Sessions on Tuesday, stating that Dolgelley gaol would shortly be closed. The curious question of identity, in a case of alleged bigamy still awaits decision, as will be seen from our report of Merionethshire Quarter Sessions. The prisoner, DAVID, or WILLIAM JONES, pleaded guilty to the charge, but his presumed wife now declares that she has found her real husband elsewhere! Certain persons are to visit the prisoner, with a view of. establishing his identity. Mr. W. JONES, Llwyngroes, has been chairman of the Lampeter Board of Guardians nearly a quarter of a cell- tury. Every year he offers to resign, and, we believe, is r anxious to get rid of the labour entailed by the position he has so long and honourably filled. Whether he can be induced to take the office again is doubtful, as he only ac- cepted re-election last year, because it was represented to him that to resign the chairmanship when the Workhouse had only just. been opened would scarcely be fair. The Lampeter Board would not find it very difficult to bring the rate of pauperism in that union below the average of the United Kingdom. The Clerk to the Dolgelley Board of Guardians, Mr. JOSEPH ROBERTS, has been asked by the Local Govern- ment Board to resign his office. The resignation has not been tendered, and out of consideration for the Clerk's family, and on earnest promises of amendment, the Board of Guardians have resolved to ask the Central Board to give the Clerk another trial. Pauperism in Dolgelley Union is sufficiently high to account for a good deal of neglect somewhere, and from the course pursued on Satur- day last there is no sign that either the ratepayers or their representatives are tired of a system that cannot be ex- cused, and is incapable of being defended. The only ar- gument in favour of the course pursued by the Dolgelley Board of Guardians is that the ratepayers are willing that about X2,000 a year should be wastefully expended in breeding paupers among a peasantry naturally disposed to independence. The fact that the complaint of irregularity comesfrom the London Boardjis alone sufficient to condemn the Board of Guardians. At the last meeting of the Aberystwyth Board of Guardians, Mr. MoRnis DAVIES substantially repeated: the unfounded charges investigated about a fortnight ago. Mr. DAVIES, among other things, has discovered who PERRY WINKLE is. We shall not attempt to defend our correspondent, but may express a hope that Mr. DAVIES is nearer the mark nv than when he was so confident about the soap a fortnight ago. Mr. 'DAVIES'S speech will amuse our readers, and for 'taat and other reasons we have done all we could to repro- duce it. For the nature of _'tke allegations and the result of the investigation, wisich utterly broke ¡ down, we reifer our readers to the speech made by Mr. FIIYEFT after Mr. MORRS*, DAVIES had given over talk- ing an Monday. We are unable to hold an argument with Mr. MoRaic. DAVIES for obvious reasons. The only result we can «EE that Mr. speech might have would be to drive Messrs. D. P. and W. RICHARBS to a jury of their-countrymen for avindication of their character, and yet after Mr. FRTBR'S (remarks it is doubtful whether further vindication is necessary. Mr. DAVIES is afraid it will be thought he discovered a mare's iiestattliewo,rkhow,e. Let hsci read Mr. FRYEI'H; speech until he understands all its meaning, and he will have no farther doubt about the matter. Since Mr. MORRIS DAvIEsbegaa to atteud the Boa-rd meetings ke has Jearnt saflaaetking, and thereis still mueh for him to aaqtiire. It would be a,serious lossio him if he felt constrained toretire from the Board, but we should cot be surprised if the Board itself survived the loss. It was very unkind of I\lr. JOHN JAM IS to allow Mr. MYRMIS DAVIES and Mr. THOMAS GRIF.FISHS to fife-under in the mire at the investi- gation for three or four hours, seeing that he had tjlae means in lAis possession cf showing ;that the allegations respecting the soap were utterly untounded. The only, thing needed to complete the absurdity of the position j was Mr. DAVSES'S speech, -which is published in another; column. If the allegations brought at ;the investigation had been proved, several individuals would have been committed for trial by this time. The fact is, certain per- sons went out to catch a whale, and caught a minnow, which, of course, will be duly offered up. • A new handsome iron bridge has been erected over the Ystwyth near Crosswood Hall, the residence of the Earl of Lisburne. 'if The Tregaron workhouse is ready for occupation, and on Tuesday last the Board were engaged many hours in carefully revising the list of paupers. In forty-four cases out-relief was by offering the house to women with bastard ehildr.jr. and others who are in receipt of out-relief and not /:H;'>pJzed by law as fit objects for that kind of assi^i.nje. There is every prospect that Tregaron will soou veeupy a very honourable position among Cardiganshire unions. Fortunately the Board has one or two members disposed to examine .each cae, and where this is done out-relief cannot hold .its own. 011 Tuesday Mr. R. Rowland was appointed medical officer for the workhouse. vfr The ratepayers of Aberystwyth will be glad t<\ know that the result of the trial at Cardiff between Messrs. ELLIS and OWEN and the Corporation was a judgment for the Corporation. The case was heard on Tuesday. It is to be hoped some of the other would-be litigants will take warning. Perhaps the Corporation may prove victorious in other actions with which they are threatened. There has been an election for Guardians at Aberyst- wyth. No doubt the County Government Bill has had something to do with stimulating public interest. The result of the election will be found in another part of the paper. •X- I;, ANNE DAVIES was brought before the Tre'rddol magis- trates on Thursday last charged with stealing upwards of £ 6, the property of ANNE JENKINS. The accused was committed for trial at the Aberaeron Quarter Sessions where she was sentenced to six months' imprisonment.

At Lord Leitrim's jfuneral in Dublin on ^Wednesday, the neighbourhood of the cemetery is said to have been crowded for hours by a drunken and howling mob, who overpowered the police, drove back the mourners, sur- rounded the hearse, and tried to drag the coffin from it. The police were reinforced, and the service proceeded amidst the yells and execrations of the crowd. A very large conference of representatives of Trade Societies was held on Wednesday, at the Memorial Hall, London, under the presidency of Mr. Burt, M.P. Resolu- tions were passed strongly deprecating the war policy of the Government, Mr. Gladstone delivered an address, in which he remarked that the effects of the two nights' debate in Parliament had been to pour oil on the waters. He still trusted the nation would be spared the great calamity of war, and enabled to take an honest and cheer- ful parl in the work of a peaceful Congress, and in consolidating the triumph of justice and freedom in the East of Europe. Fears are entertained at St. Petersburg of a war between Russia and China, in consequence of the Chinese General at Kashgaria having set out for Kashgar with thq object of invading Kulja.

OCAL A-Nli) JLHSXitlux. BALA AND FESTINIOG RAILWAY BILL.—On Monday. April 8th, in the House of Lords, this Bill was read a third time and passed. THE THREATENED WAR.—On Monday evening, a large number of petitions were presented in the House of Commons in favour of a peaceful solution of the Eastern Question, and against measures tending to war. THE DISTRESS IN SOUTH WALES.—In order to relieve the distressed districts in South Wales, a Brecon Central in Committee are drafting servant girls to the Welsh Ser- vants' Home in Liverpool. Special enquiries are made a* to the character of the girls before they are sent out. PETITIONS FOR LIQUIDATION.—John Jones, Rhosygil- wern, Breconshire, farmer; Joseph Davis, Chester, plumber, glazier, and gasfitter; Paul Hodgkinson, Sand- bach, Cheshire, wheelwright, builder, and grocer David Jenkins, Aberystwyth, draper Robert Hughes, Llanelly, tailor. THE YEOMANRY.—The Secretary for War has ordered the annual training and permanent duty to commence this month, and has fixed the following among other dates and places for the assembling :-Earl of Chester's May 22, at Chester Denbighshire Corps, June 8, at Ruthin Montgomeryshire, September, 21, at Newtown Shrop- shire, June 14, at Shrewsbury Stafford Queen's Own IM Royal Regiment May 9, at Lichfield. SIR WILFRID LAWSON'S AMENDMENT TO THE ADDRESS. —The following were amongst the members who voted in the minority on Tuesday night in favour of Sir Wilfrid Lawson's amendment:—Mr. R. Davies, Mr. L. L. Dill- wyn, Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone, Mr. S. Holland, Mr. W. B. Hughes, Mr. H. Richard, and Mr. Watkin Wil- liams. Twenty-five Liberals and eleven Home Rulers voted with the majority. POST OFFICE GEOGRAPHY.—On Wednesday last the clerk in charge of the letter bags threw them out at Moat Lane Junction instead of at Machynlleth. In con- sequence of this blunder letters were not delivered until late in the afternoon at Dolgelley and other places on the Coast. It is thought the clerk had abandoned any hope of understanding the geography of the district, and, therefore, trusted to luck. CAMBRIAN RAILWAYS.—Approximate return of traffic receipts for the week ending 7th April, 1878. Miles open, 178i. Passengers, parcels, &c., 91,384; mer- chandise, minerals, and live stock, kl,988 total for the week, £ 3,372. Actual traffic receipts for the correspond- ing week last year. Miles open, 178:1. Passengers, parcels, &c., £ 1,802; merchandise, minerals, and live stock, £ 1,947; total for the week, £ 3,749. Aggregate from commencement of half-year to this date, £ 44,473; last year, E43,976.-Note The comparison is,with Easter week last year.

CORRESPONDENCE. ^ELLIS~AND OWEN V. ABERYSTWYTH; CORPORATION. SIR,-The result of the action in the case, Ellis and Owen v. the Aberystwyth Corporation, is a verdict for the defendants; but with regard to the costs, it appears to be a drawn one. The action was commenced on the 19th October, 1877, and the defendants made a payment into court on the 8th March, 1878. That payment will give plaintiffs all costs up to that date, which was a short time before the Cardiff trial. The Judge has also ordered that the defendants must pay the plaintiffs' costs at Car- marthen, but the defendants are entitled to their costs at Cardiff. There appears to be some misunderstanding in the minds of the public as to tb e meaniag of the words costs of the day." It does not mean the costs of one day, but all the costs of the witnesses in the abortive trial ai Carmaathen, as distinguished from counsel's fees. The parties to the action were at Carmarthen four or five days, and at Cardiff three days only.—I am, &c., RATEPAYER. THE LATE VESTRY MEETING AT TOWYN. Siit,-In the absence of any report of the important Vestry held at this place on Thursday, March 28, at which the principal interests in the parish were represented, it is the general opinion that the topics discussed at the Vestry should be made public, and not being able to give a verbal account of the meeting, I shall merely echo some of the sentiments expressed by the speakers, who, as already intimated, consisted of the prin- cipal ratepayers in the parish. The first irregularity that attention was drawn to was that the vestry was not held at its proper time, being considerably later in the year than it has always hitherto been, and this in view of the interest among the ratepayers in the proposal by a section of the Local Board to purchase the Gas Works. At whose door must this delay in convening the vestry be laid ? A vote of censure on, and want of confidence in, those members of the Local Board, who, without consulting the ratepayers, proposed the purchase oflthe Gas Works, was Eassed. Did the Clerk undertake to lay this resolution efore the Local Board ? Why was it not done at the Board meeting held last week ? Very strong remarks were made that the gentleman who presides over the Local Board, and has the principal hand in the making of rates, often decides by a casting vote upon what will increase the rates, whilst he himself escapes scot-free. With every due respect to Mr. Webster, I think it is time this anomaly should cease. It is not at all in ac- cordance with the fitness of things that a man who is not a householder in the district should be chairman of the Board which has most to do with rates. A companion anomaly to the foregoing is for one of the members of the Board to live at •Llanrwst, but I suppose when he is wanted and hunted after he will not fail to attend.—I am, &c., G.

By Press Association Telegram. At the Old Bailey, on Thursday, John Sheehan, found guilty of sending letters threatening to kill Lord Howard of Glossop,was sentenced to five years' penal servitude. The trial of Madame Rachel was resumed on Thursday. Evidence was given that the lotion consisted of fuller's earth, starch, composition of lead and hydrochloric acid. For the defence Professor Redmond said this wash would be harmless. Mr. Day addressed the jury for the defence. Sentence on John Bell, the Ayr murderer, has been re- spited. The Bishop of Lichfield died on Thursday afternoon. Lord George Hamilton was on Thursday re-elected un- oppoced for Middlesex.

BRISTOL CATTLE MARKET.—THURSDAY. There was a moderate supply of beef, and a very firm trade, at 84s. per cwt. for best, and 70s. for secondary. Sheep were plentiful; choice wethers, shorn, made 9<L; heavy sheep, 81d. J>er lb. The store cattle trade was dulL There were sbout 1,200 pigs, and all sold at from lis. to lis. 6d. per score. Milch cows slow. at a reduction.

BIRMINGHAM CORN MARKET.—THURSDAY. Foreign wheat was slow at this day's market, at a re- duction of J So per quarter. English wheat a moderate supply, whicai was very firmly held; business done at about iSd. to Is. per quarter lower on the week.

THE ERECTION OF FORTIFICATIONS NEAR CONSTANTINOPLE. A Tiffjcj telegram from San Stefano says that the erec- tion of fortifications near Constantinople has caused great irritation., and the Grand Duke obtained an order for their being stopped. The instructions to construct them is said to have eome from the British ambassador. Telegraph cable has been laid down in the Dardanelles, avoiding all Russian stations.

ABERYSTWYTH. Arri>•<■(?.—Margaret Ann, Thomas, Liverpool H. F, Taylor (ss), Richards, Bristol SaUtd.—Helena, Lumley, Seeking H. E. Taylor (ss), Richards, Liverpool. BARMOUTH. Arrived.— Jane Gwynne, Lewis, James C-onley (s), Williams, Portmadoc, Sailed. Miss Evans. Williams, Aberdeen James Con- ley {s), Williams, Portmadoc. Isjadiii.q.—Margaret a:.d Jane, Griffiths, Ayr. MOCHRAS. rii-i •• Owens, Morris. Dublin. A DOLGELLEY CASE AT CHESTER ASSIZES. At the Chester Assizes on Wednesday, April 3rd. before Mr. Justice Mellor, the case of Williams v. Hesketh—an action between an incoming and outgrowing tenant was heard-Mr. B. T. Williams with Mr. Marshall, for the plaintiff, Mr. M'Intyre, Q.C., with Mr. Swetenham, for the defendant. In the year 18G5 John Williams, the plaintiff, took a farm from Mr. Hesketh, at Pentreucha, near Dolgelley, at rental of 1;380 a-year. The rental was afterwards in- creased to t400, fifteen acres being added to the farm. A part of the agreement under which he entered was to the effect that if the land was sown by the outgoing tenant before quitting his tenancy, ha should be entitled to the value of one-half the wheat crop and two-thirds of other crops, that the custom of the county should not operate against the agreement, and that in case of dispute the. value of the tenant's share of the outgoing crop should be ascertained by an arbitrator, under the Land Clauses Consolidation Act, 1845. The plaintiff gave notice to quit in March, 1875, and left in the autumn of that year, after sowing the land before leaving, and the present action was to recover £284, the value, as he alleged, of the half share of the wheat crop of 1876. Mr. James Kerfoot had been appointed arbitrator under the agreement, but the defen- dant denied his liability to arbitration, and accordingly did not attend before him. The defendant denied that the arbitration clauses applied as between outgoing ai d in- coming tenants, and that he (as landlord) was not liable to the outging tenant to pay the half value of the crop. The incoming tenant carried his half of the wheat after harvest, but the plaintiff's share was left on the ground for a considerable time, part of it being utterly spoiled by pigeons, pigs, and the weatherl; and the part that was carried was alleged by the defendant to l;.e worth about £ 130. There was also a counter claim by the defendant for breach of covenant to repair and clear out ditches, and also for breaking up pastures. The amount claimed by him by way of damages was £ 600. On the following morning when the court met, Mr. B. T. Williams, Q. C informed his Lordship that an arrange- ment had been come to between the parties, and it would not be necessary to trouble his Lordship any further with the cause. A juror was accordingly withdrawn.

THE ABERYSTWYTH CASE. At the Glamorganshire Assizes on Tuesday, April 9th, the case Ellis and Owen, slate merchants, Aberystwyth v. The Corporation of that town, came on for hearing before Mr. Justice Lush and a special jury. Mr. B. T. Williams, Q.C., and Mr. G. B. Hughes, instructed by Mr. Griffith Jones, solicitor, ap- peared for the plaintiffs; Mr. Mclntyre, Q.C., Mr. BowenJRowlands, and Mr. Abel Thomas, instructed by Mr. J. J. Atwood, Corporation solicitor, for the de- fendants. This was an action brought by the plaintiffs in October last to recover jE198, alleged to be due for work done by them for and at the request of the defendants. The de- fendants paid the sum of k73, and on the 8th March this year paid a further sum of £ 9, making altogether £ 82, leaving a balance of tll6, which was now sought to be recovered. Mr. B. T. Williams, Q.C., opened the case for the plaintiffs at some length, stating that they had entered into several contracts with the defendants for the paving of certain streets at Aberystwyth. The first of these contracts was executed on the 11th February, 1873, and a second contract on the 25th March in the same year. The streets mentioned in these contracts, not having been fully completed, a third contract was entered into, dated the 18th August, 1874, and it was with reference to that contract that the present claim was made. In flagging footpaths it was absolutely necessary that the kerb stones should be laid down before the work of flagging could be gone on with, and it was an understood thing that the defendants were to lay down the kerb stones for the plaintiffs. In fact they did provide and lay down those kerb stones. By the terms of the contracts ;plaintiffs were to pave cer- tain streets with stones from the Penrhyn Quarry, which he would call red stones, and certain other streets with stones from the Aberllefenny Slate Quarry, which he would call blue stones. The red stones were to be laid down at the price of 6s. 6d. per square yard, and the blue stones at 5s. per yard. The work mentioned in the con- tract was to be completed by the 14th November, 1573, but owing to the delay on the part of the defendants the work was not finally completed until 1877. In the mean- time the price of flags had risen to double their value. Another important fact was that the streets herein men- tioned to be paved red were afterwards paved with blue stone and vice versa, so that the whole basis of the calcu- lation had been altered, for by the contract certain speci- fied streets were to be in red, and certain specified streets in blue stone. Under those circumstances the plaintiffs treated the contract as void, and now claimed what w as fair and reasonable, and not the contract prices. William Griffiths, examined by Mr. Hughes, said he was plaintiffs' foreman, and as such sent in tenders, super- intended the work, and afterwards measured it with the Town Surveyor. He was present at the Council meetings when several of the contracts were signed. Plaintiffs were ready to proceed with the contract dated in August, but the Council did not lay down kerb stones as they had agreed to do, and, of course, without the kerb stones it was impossible to lay down the flagging. Consequently, plaintiffs were unable to complete the work for the period of two years, the whole being completed in January, 1877, They also altered the streets to be flagged; some of the streets to be flagged in red with blue, and those in blue with red. The red stones were very difficult to fix and lay, because they were very hard, too hard to saw, and they had therefore to be chiselled. In sending in prices, his firm had to take into consideration the regularity of the streets, the number of the gratings, and the bow win- dows and the recesses. As the red stones entailed more trouble in fixing, the price was increased greatly. In the streets mentioned in the contract to be paved there were no gratings and the streets were regular. The prices of stones rose in November, 1874, fifty per cent. on the red stones and twenty per cent. on the blue. It continued down to January, 1877, when the stones more than doubled the prices in 1874, and they still retained the same price. Witness had in- formed the Town Surveyor that plaintiffs would have to charge more than the contract prices. He had also sent the letters produced to the Council, and when he delivered one of those letters he told them at the Council Chamber that more would have to be charged.. Cross-examined—The greater part of the streets men- tioned in the contract of August was paved previous to the execution of it. Work, amounting to tK)2, had been done previously. The first and second contracts had been paid for. When lie mentioned at the Council that more would have to be charged he did not think Mr. Atwood was present. Mr. Thomas, town clerk, was present, but he did know whether David Jones was or was not. Julian's corner was done in November, soon after the order was given. He did not believe the order had been given in Angust. Laura-place was done in 1875, the order being given in April. Julian's corner was about 30 yards. The Corporation had a few kerbs to go on with that piece, but not sufficient to enable them to go on with the contract. It was quite true, as stated in the letter, that the plaintiffs had hundreds of pounds' worth of flags. Re-examined—Plaintiffs were flag and slate merchants, and had other contracts. Many of the flags were used for other places. The depositions of Wm. Edwards, mason, Aberystwyth, were then read, as he was unable to attend. Witness stated that in 1875 he and Mr. Zophar Humphreys, the then Town Surveyor, were standing in Great Darkgate- street, when Mr. Owen, one of the plaintiffs came up and asked the Surveyor why he did not supply kerb stones. Humphreys replied that he had none. Owen then said that the prices were rising either every week or every month, witness did not know which, and that he could not lay the stones down at the contract price. Humphreys 'then told Owen not to trouble himself, as he would be paid. He had spoken to some members of the Council, and they had said that the contractors would be paid what was fair. Witness had taken a contract in 1876, at 8s., and the Council had let similar contracts to David Evans and David Watkins at 8s. 3d. or 8s. 4d. per yard. Cross-examined- There was no one present at the interview in Great Darkgate-street, except witness Owen, and Humphreys. Humphreys did not name the Coun- cillors who had said the contractors should be paid what was fair. The Judge here intimated that the question he should leave to the jury would be whether the Corporation had had notice that the contractors intended not to proceed under the terms of the contract. He thought there was no evidence to that effect. Mr. Bowen Rowlands said he should have to call wit nesses. He afterwards addressed the jury, pointing out thatthe greater part of the August contract had been done before its signature, and that the parts done afterwards were small and insignificant; that although it was alleged that notice had been given to Zophar Humph- reys dircct, notice had not been giuen to the Council, except as to the occasion spoken of by Griffiths, concern- ing which, however, he would call witnesses to contradict. The letters produced, although they stated that the prices had risen did not in express terms state that the plain- tiffs would not go on with the work unless higher prices were given. He commented on the fact that Zophar Humphreys had not been called, and then stated that he would call witnesses to pr«i> e that the Council had had no notice. The plaintiffs proceeded with the work under the contract. They had keen asked for their bill but had not given it until January. 1877, when 8s. 3d. per square yard was charged instead of 6s. 6d. Mr. J. J. Attwood, the corporation solicitor was then called. He said he very of tea attended the meetings of the Council, and that at the time when he read the draft of the contract of August, it was resolved to flag Julian's corner at the price mentioned in the contract. Plaintiffs and Mr. Griffiths were present. Cross-examined—He was certain they were present when the draft was read, but he could not say whether they were at the meeting when the resolution was passed. At any rate they were present when it was resolved to do so. Mr. W. H. Thomas, t. he attended nearly every meeting oi the 0l111Ú. «uid when lie was not present his clerk, Mr. 1). C. "L! -yd. attended. He did not hear of the i.l)tentk> of the piaintifis to charge more than the contract price. Mr. D. Lloyd and Mr. ter gave evidence to the same effect.. David Jones, I- accountant, said by the direction of the Finance -'Atmny.ttee he asked plaintiff for their bill of particulars. They, however, did not give it until the work had been done, when they charged the disputed prices. Counsels having replied, the Judge summed up the case. He said that several contracts had been entered into by the plaintiffs and defendants. In August, 1S74, they entered into a written contract to do certain work. It was clearly the duty of the Council to provide kerb stones. They had not done so, and the plain tiffs were under £ 5 a week if they did not complete the work by 1st November. The contract stated that plaintiffs were to observe t £ e directions of tIp S urveyor. According tc Griffiths*s statement, pries* of stones Lad doubled —^ I subsequent to the execution of the contract' but whether that witness had exaggerated or not he (the Judge) did not know. Plaintiffs subsequently went on with the work, but as alleged by them not under the contract. The question he would put to the Jury was whether they had give sufficient notice to the Council of their intention to charge more than the con- tract prices. They had written two letters to say that the prices had increased, and complaining of the delay, but they did not in express terms tell the defendants that they could not go on with the work unless more money was paid. The witness, W. Edwards, .stated that he was pre- ser'^ when a_ conversation occurred between the Surveyor and the plaintiff Owen, but there was no evidence to show was. communicated to the Council. The witness i Griffiths said he had, when delivering a letter to the Council, informed them that the plaintiffs could not do the work for the contract prices, bu* he was contra- dicted by the Corporation solicitor, the town clerk, his clerk, and by a member of the Council. The jury wouM » also have to consider whether Ju'ian's corner was" agreed to be done at the contract price or not. If it were not to be done according to contract price it would give a small balance in plaintiff's favour. It appeared that it was agreed to do that work when the draft agreement of Aug. was read in the Council Chamber, and the witness Grif- fiths said it was done immediately after the order was given, which would therefore be before Nov., the time men- tioned in the contract. The Jury having considered their verdict, said in reply to the first question, that they were of opinion that suffi- cient notice had not been given to the defendants "din re- ply to the second question as to Julian's corner, said they believed it was to be done at contract price. The Judge remarked that that was a verdict for the de- fendants. He then asked who had called for a special jury. Mr. Bowen Rowlands replied that he had. The Judge remarked that he would not certify for them. Mr. Bowen Rowlands then said a misunderstanding had arisen between the solicitors as to tl)* construction of the order made by his Lordship when granting a special jury at Carmarthen. That order was that all extra cost incurred by making the action a special jury case, was to be borne by the defendants in any event. He contended that the order only meant one day's costs. The Judge asked Mr. B. T. Williams if he had any- thing to say ? Mr. B. T. Williams replied that the case had been entered first at Carmarthen as one for a common jury. If this case had remained first on the list as a common jury case it would have been heard instead of the one that was heard, and therefore have been disposed of at Carmar- then. The Judge held that the trial at Carmarthen was abor- tive, and the defendants would have to bear those costs, that was the costs of the day.

ACTION AGAINST CAMBRIAN RAILWAY DIRECTORS. In the House of Lords, April 11. Present, the Lord Chancellor, Lord Hatherley, Lord Selborne, Lord Justice Blackburne, and Lord Gordon, the case of Eaglesfield and others, appellants, v. the Marquess of Londonderry and others, respondents, came on.—This was an appeal by the appellants, George Eaglesfield, Wm. Harris, and Richard Jefferd Croole, against an order of H.M. Council of Appeal, reversing a decree made in their favour by the Master of the Rolls in a suit brought by them in Chancel y against the respondents, the Marquess of Londonderry, Jasper Wilson Johns, Henry Gartside, Robert Danes Pryce, George Lewis, and the Cambrian Railways Com- pany, to compel them to make good the loss the ap- pellants had sustained by the alleged misrepresentations of the respondents in relation to certain stock known as Llanidloes No. 1 Stock, to the value of klo,000 at par, which Mr. Eaglesfield had on behalf of himself and his co-appellants purchased of Mr. Savin, the contractor of the Cambrian Railways, in consideration of a transfer to him of a like sum of debentures of the Neath and Brecon Railway Company. The respondents, with the exception of Mr. Lewis, are all directors of the Cambrian Railways Company, of which the Marquess of Londonderry is chairman. The questions for the consideration of their Lordships were of the most technical and legal character, mainly .turning on the construction to be placed on documents relating to the issue of shares &c. Mr. Southgate, Q.C., Mr. Davey, and Mr. Phear were eounsel for the appellant"; Mr." Benjamin, Q.C.. Mr. Pearson, Q.C., Mr. Martin, Q.C., Mr. 6peed, and Mr. Cracknall, were for the respondents. The argument having concluded, their Lordships affirmed the deci- sion of the Court below, and dismissed the appeal, with costs.

CHARGE OF MURDER AT GLAMORGANSHIRE ASSIZES. At Glamorganshire assizes, at Cardiff, on Wednesday, April 10, Thomas Morris and David Evans, colliers, and Lewis Thomas, tin worker, were charged before Justice Mellor with the wilful murder of a watchman, named Morgan Evans, at Kinpy Hill, on the 12th Feb. They were poaching on a Sunday, and damaged a coke oven in charge of the deceased, who remonstrated, and was fatally beaten, while another man, who was censured by the judge, stood by. The prisoners were found guilty of manslaugh- ter, and were each sentenced to twenty years' penal servi- tude.

BALA. LOCAL BOARD, APRIL 5TH.—Present: Mr. D. Rowlands, chairman, Messrs. W. Owen, D. Evans, J. Jones, and W. T. Phillips. The Late Election .—The Returning Officer, Mr. D. Rowlands, reported on the result of the election, whereby the retiring four members, Messrs. D. Evans, 1). Morgan, R. Jonea, and W. T. Phillips, were re-elected. The Llyn Arrenig Scheine.-The following letter was read:— Llyn Arrenig. ShropshireJUnion Railways ami L anal Company. Engineer's Office, Shrewsbury, 2Sth March, 3878. Dear Sir,—Referring to Mr. Roberts's letters of the 28th ult.. and the 4th instant, and the tracing which accompanied the former, showing the mode by which you propose taking water from this lake for the sup- ply of Bala, I see no objection to your plan on behalf of the Shropshire Union Railways and Canal Company. Should any injury arise to the Company's works in the execution of these works, or afterward, from them, it must of course be ma le good at the expense of the Bala Local Board.—Yours truly, GEORGE R. JF;BB.- A. A. Passingham, Esq solicitor, Bala." The meeting was adjourned to Monday. ADJOURNED MEETING, APRILS.—Present: MrD. Rowlands (chairman). Messrs. D. Evans, R. Hughes, W. Owen, E. Jones, T. Ellis, and D. Morgan Mr. A. A. Passingham, clerk, Mr. R. Woodcock, surveyor and inspector. The following accounts by inspector and surveyor were sub- mitted and passed:— Material £ 17 0 4 Labour 7 2 ti £ 24 2 10 Ft -L-pon the motion of Mr. D. Evans, seconded by Mr. W. Owen, it was resolved, That Mr. Roberts's plans for the water supply from the Arrenig lake be accepted by the Board, and that the Clerk write to the Local Government Board and the Public Loan Commissioners with reference to obtaining the loan for carrying out the scheme of water supply. Bala and Festinioy Railway.—The agreement, as altered by Messrs. Longueville, Jones, and Williams, was submitted and discussed, and the Clerk was instructed to reply to theru in re- gard thereto. Footway and Channel.— The Surveyor reported that the Turn- pike Trust Commissioners had consented to the footway and channel being made in the road from Tegid-street towards Maesyrhedydd, in accordance with the application made by the Board. Plan"The Surveyor produced plans of an addition to Mr. Moses Roberts's house, which were approved of and passed. PETTY SESSIONS, SATURDAY, APRIL 6.—Before O. Richards and E. G. Jones, Esqs. Charge of Embezzlement.—B. R. Jones, fishmonger, of Dol- gelley, charged James Hopkins with embezzling the sum of £ 2. —It seemed that prosecutor had engaged the defendant to hawk for him, and sent him on the 2nd April to Bala with some goods. Prosecutor said that about AL2 worth had been sold, but the defendant denied this, and said that he only sold two or three shillings' worth.—The prosecutor, who gave his evidence in a very unsatisfactory manner, failed to prove the defendant received more than 3s. !}d., and as he had accounted for that amount the Bench dismissed the case. ELECTION OF GUARDIANS. PARISH OF LLANYCIL. Morris Vaughan Jones, Brynigan 342 William Ellis, Red Lion I aao David Morgan, currier. 310 Evan Jones, Mount Place. 2i; John Evans, Argoed 171 1 he nrst four were elected, uwing to tne mtonnal manner in which the voting papers were filled up, seventy-three were re- jected in the town of Bala, thirteen in the township of Crffty "and MaeStron, twenty in the township of Is-mynydd, and four in Uwchchmynydd, making a total of 110 rejected, and twenty-seven not tilled at all, out of 1,581 voting papers. The voting papers were counted at the Board-room on Wedeesday, March 10. PARISH OF LLANDDERFKI,. Petar Jones, Bryntirion 145 John Jones, shopkeeper 13c Wm. Jones, Merllyn Gwyn If The first two were elected. Rejected voting papers, fit.

PWLLHELI. SPECIAL PETTY SESSIONS, APRIL 3RD.-Before Mr. 0 Evans and Mr. B. T. Ellis. Hawking without Liceibee.-P .C. Edward Jones v. Hugh Rob- erts and Richard Owen, who were trying to sell drugs. Fined 10s., and costs, each; in default, were sent to Carnarvon Gaol for seven days. Larceny.—P.C. Henry Jones Patrick Nolan, a sweep De- fendant was charged with stealing two watches, a watch- cl*iin, a pocket-book and a brush, the property 'of Michael Cassey, another sweep.—Defendant was committed for a month

PISTYLL, NEAR NEVIN. FATAL ACCIDENT.-A man of the name of John Griffith aeed 37 yeass, who worked at tne Pistyll Granite Sett Q.uarrv w'a^on Tuesday last i» the act of putting powder in a crevice if the rock, when the powder exploded, killing him on the snot has left a wile and lour young children to mourn his loss Another man, of tha name ox Griffith Jones, aged "1 veir* seriously injured, but he yet lives. y Was moei

Mr. Sergeant Charley, M.P., was on Thnrsday elected Common Sergeant of London. The indictment against Ir. John Thomas, the mana- ger of the lynewyud Colliery, for having caused the flood- ing of the pit, whereby five persons lost their lives was again proceeded with on Tuesday, April 9th, at the Glamorgan Assize. It will be remembered that at a for- mer assize the jury failed to agres. Mr. Thomas acquitted. The result of the voting for the five vacancies in Llan- tairteehan Local Board, was published on W«/3n»ario-^ April 10th. There were fifteen nominations. The sue' cesfiful candidates were Major Platt, Mesw Tsv.-u'i Luck, E. J, Briggs, Daniel Davies, and J. B* Robert* chemist. <D z A £ ■. 5» 1° f £ atShfn/i; ^tbfUet^V' °odit0 °S' fresh butfe; 4s! to -.ee £ Os.M°to 0s. Od. each; potatoes. 0s. Od. to 7s. Od. V cm

A letter on'' Half Day Holiday," Aberystwyth is held over, aT "■ivimstie Methodist Association: Machvu- Heth, lowyn. 2,(1 Talybont -New- Crick* + Lampeter. ■ ~i