The Cambrian News and Merionethshire Standard

MONTGOMERYSHIRE YEOMANRY CAVALRY. RESIGNATION OF LIEUT.-COL.WYNN. The following letter has been addressed by Mr. C. W. W. Wynn, M.P., to the officers, non-commissioned oth- cers and privates of this Montgomeryshire Yeomanry Cavalry, informing them of his having resigned the com- mand. Capt. Sir William Williams is spoken of as Mr. Wynn's probable successor in the command. To the Officers, Non-commissioned Officers, and Privates of the Montgomeryshire Yeomanry Cavalry. Gentlemen —By last week's Gazette some of you will have seen tbat my resignation of the command- of the Montgomery- shire Yeomanry Cavalry has been accepted by her Majesty, and that a tie, which has existed since I entered the regiment nearly 38 years aO as junior cornet, has thus, at last, been severed. It is needless for me to say how painful this separation is, or how deeolv I feel it but, having the prospect of a successor in the command of the regiment so well fitted to maintain its honour and efficiency as Capt. Sir William Williams, I ought not, for its own sake, to hesitate in at once securing for the resiment srch an advantage. He is well known to you all, after several years' service in the regiment, as an active, energetic, and experienced officer, and I am sure that in resigning the command to his younger and more efficient hands I am consult- ing the best interests of the corps. But I cannot part from tho3e who have so long been my comrades without the expres- sion of ftly grateful sense of all the kindness and goodwill which have been invariably shown me during my long service m the regiment bv all its members, and of my confidence that under their new commanding officer they will maintain that high character for discipline and efficiency which has ever distin- guished them. With my warmest wishes for the continued prosperity of the regiment, and for the health and happiness of each of its individual members, I remain, gentlemen, yery faithfully and sincerely yours, CHARLES WAT KIN WILLIAMS WYNN, Late Lieut.-Col. commanding Montgomeryshire Yeomanry Cavalry. Co >d-v-Maen, Welshpool, May 8, 1S73.. <2

MONTGOMERYSHIRE CONSERVATIVE ASSOCIATION. By far the largest and most influential meeting of the Mont- gomeryshire Conservative Association ever held took place at the Public Rooms, Newtown, on Tuesday, May 21. It had been arranged to meet at tho Elephant Hotel, but owing to the unexpectedly large number of members present they had to adjourn to the ante-room of the Public Rooms, and even there a large number were unable to obtain seats. Captain Mytton, the president, took the chair. The business of the meeting was to receive the report of the Selection Committee oil the choice of a candidate for the boroughs, and also the appointment of a permanent secretary to the Association. A considerable number of applications had been received from persons residing in and out of the county. After some discussion, it was pro- posed by Mr. Thomas Williams, of Twystllewelyn, and seconded by Mr. Evan Powell, that Mr. W. Mickleburgh, of Montgomery, be appointed. This was supported in an able speech by Mr. Pryce Jones, who also urged the ad- visability of increasing tbe proposed salary, it being much too low, in his opinion, for the vast quantity of labour which the secretary would have to perform. Captain Mytton entirely agreed with Mr. Pryce Jones, but said that the sum had been fixed by the committee, and per- haps the better mode was to supplement the salary privately. Mr. Pry 'e Jones briefly replied, and in doing so ex- pressed the pleasure he had in seeing such an influential gathering, but he also hoped to see all present actively engaged during the election time. It was not sufficient merely to attend committee meetings. There being no other proposal, it was unanimously agreed that Mr. Mickleburgh be appointed. Dr. Thompson Harrison, the chairman of the Selection Committee, then stated that after much cogitation, and carefully weighing the merits and demerits of the two suggested candidates for the boroughs, viz., Captain Mytton and Mr. C. «T. Naylor, they had unanimously come to the decision that Mr. C. J. Naylor would stand the best chance." Captain MYTTON, ill the most handsome manner, said, amidst loud applause, that he entirely waived his claim, and as a true Conservative gave his hearty and entire support to Mr. Naylor's candidature. It was then agrefed that Mr. Naylor be the Conservative candidate at the next election for tho Montgomery boroughs. Mr. NAYLOR, who was received with loud cheering, thanked them for tho great honour which they had be- stowed upon him, but declined to immediately consent to their flattering invitation. Dr. HABRISOX pressed for a direct "yes" or no." Mr. NAYLOR said he could not possibly give that at present, as he had to consult his friends, but promised an early reply. It was resolved that a congratulatory message be forth- with sent to Viscount Castlereagh upon his return for County Down. This would be the first official act of the secretary.

T (From Punch.) PLAYING THE PREROGATIVE. A FANCY OF Tllg FUTLTRE. (Dedicated Respectfully to a Distinguished Quarterly Reviewer.) The Policeman passed, and did not notice them. Then the two cloaked figures crept cautiously into the shadows and as the iron tongue of Big Ben tolled out the still morning hour of one, as if a common consent, they removed their masks. Well, my Lord Marquis," said the Earl of B-c-ns-f-ld, for the elder of the two strangers was no other than the celebrated Statesman whose genius had created this stirring epoch; "well, and how does it all work' There was an undertone of assured triumph in his voice, and, as he spoke, he care- lessly flung back the rich folds of his Venetian cloak. at the same time disclosing the revolver, dark-lantern, and kitchen poker, with which he was modestly but efficiently equipped. The sight of the weapons seemed to recall the wandering attention of his colleague, who had been gazing vacantly in the direction of Parliament-streot. "How does it work r' he replied, absently echoing the interrogatory of his Chief, how does it work i Ah of course. Well, it works well—vera well And then the poor worn-out voice grew husky, and human na- ture, struggling with the strain that was this, once to prove too much for her, gave way. The proudest Peer in the. House: the gallant, light-hearted Marquis of S-l-s-b-r-yt stood here in the dark, at the foot of Westminster Bridge, and wept like a little child. The author of Tancred was not the man to deal roughly with an outburst of emotion, however ill-timed. Though the im- patient beating of his foot upon the pavement showed that he was annoyed at the interruption, he let it take its course. "He is a little over-taxed," he said, thoughtfully. "This Government of two, of which he alone discharges the duties of the entire Executive, is beginning to tell upon him;" and he was about to address a few kindly words of encouragement to the now calmer Marquis, when the latter spoke. This is my day's work," he said, brightening visibly, as he pulled a pencilled list from his waistcoat pocket. "Shalllread It to you" His companion gave a slight nod. He went on. The rest of the Cabinet have been seized and placed in honorary confinement in Rosherville Gardens." A slew glimmer of satisfaction half kindled the eyes of the listening EarL "Good!" he cried; "very good! When we have to govern a great country without a Parliament we can't mince matters, eh? Go on, my Lord, go on 1 Rosherville Gardens Very good! Go on The night wind wailed through the grand old constitutional battlements above, and then the voice of the Marquis seemed to sink to a deeper note as he continued. We have to govern without a Parliament, and-withoitt sup- plies There was a slight irony in his voice now, but he re- sumed-" That obstacle, however, has been overcome. To-day all the Chelsea china in Belgravia has been seized by Special Commissioners, and to-morrow Government hirelings will empty the tills at all the Metropolitan Stations while, on Saturday, the contents of the treasury of every theatre in London will be simultaneously seized at one o'clock precisely, and brought straight to the Horse Guards • "There will be money for the troops—piles of money for the troops," Teplied the Earl with an enthusiastic laugh. Ha ha Who s«ys that the sinews .of war are not within the pre- rogative of the Crown Aad he twined his arm familiarly in that of his colleague, and made a movement as if he would de- part." "Come he said jovially, day is breaking. We will break- fast at the Grosvenor." In another minute the two figures, now masked and silent, were stealing stealthily towards Charing Cross stealthily, for these were troublous times, and martial law was the stern but necessary order of the day. "Stop!—we're spotted!" whispered the younger Statesman, as the two halted, suddenly, opposite the Horse Guards. The •entry has seen us Yah yah is dat you, Joe?" came the challenge across the vacant cab-stand while the West Indian Sepoy, who was doing duty for the two Blues who were at that moment encamped with their Regiment at the top of the Himalayas, covered them with his rifle.. "Don't be alarmed. I have the password from the Duke," said the Earl, jauntily, under his breath. Listen And then, with a sweet strong voice, and perfect Ethiopian accent, he cried, "Ole Joe, kickin' up ahind and afore." In an instant the rifle dropped, and on the fresh morning air ws borne the countersign, "Pass, Ole Joe. All well! Yah! Yah Exchanging a smile of satisfaction, the two Statesmen proceeded on their way towards Charing Cross. "TheCaffres have quite astonished Windsor, I hear," said the Marquis, gaining courage, as they neared the statue of Charles the First. CertiLinly-tlle I importatiqn of the Empire' was a fine card to play." It was," rejoined his chief, gazing proudly up at Nelson's cocked hat; but it was nothing to playing the Prerogative."

On Monday evening, May 20, the Queen, accompanied by the Princess Beatrice, and attended by the Royal suite, left Windsor by special Great Western train for Balmoral. The Queen will not return to Windsor until June 25. The Crown Prince and Princess of Germany concluded their visit to the Queen at Windsor Castle on Monday, and took leave of the Royal family previous to their de- parture for Scotland. The Bagot will case was concluded on Monday, May 20. The finding of the jury was to the effect that the will was made by the testator while he was labouring under an insane delusion that the child was not his but they did not find that there was any undue influence on the part of the testator's brothers. This is a verdict in favour of Mrs. Bagot. A motion for a new trial is expected to be made b the course of a few days, counsel for the testator's brothers having given notice of appeal on the ground of dr- misdirection by the judge. _h- Lord Derby intends contributing ioOO for establishing scholarships in the Liverpool elementary schools. <> At a meeting-of journalists and men of letters, held in Paris, on Saturday, May 18, it was resolved that the Vol- fcaire Centenary should be commemorated by a gathering in one of the largest halls in Paris, presided over by Victor Hugo, the proceeds to be devoted to the poor. The Duke of Cambridge, accompanied by the Adjutant- General and other members of the Horse Guards staff, on Monday, May 20, made an inspection of the troops at Chatham, numbering about 5,000 men. A sham fight afterwards took place under command of General Newdi- gate. HOLLOWAY'S PILLS.—At the change of seasons many persons feel oppressed without knowing why they are so they are aware something within them is wrong, though they cannot detect the defective organ. A few doses of these powerfully purifying and eminently cooling Pills will restore regularity to every part of the system—will cast out all impurities lurking in the frame, and will thor- oughly expel the last traces of disorder, however hidden the d'isea-=e*may be—however obscure^ its cause. With H-I) 'w,)y's medicine relief is insured without risk erron- eous aeti>>ri i-i rectified without disturbing natural regu- lirify, health is re-instated, and with it return the cheer- ful f.!rli I;{. which unmistakably tell the recent invalid I that all within is right again.

7 MAY 22, 1878. NOTES. LLYFRYDDIAETH Y CY.VPY.-The value of this book would be greatly increased if the rare books mentioned therein could be traced to present owners, and a list printed in your columns from time to time. Con- tributions in this direction would be very acceptable to many. T.W.H. QUERIES. MR. THOMAS PRYCE OF LLANFYLLIN.— Who was Mr. Thomas Pryce of Llanfyllin, described by Mr. Hulbert in his History of Salop p. 51, as "a learned antiquary, who lived about the middle of the seventeenth century'/ H.B. REPLIES. ON THE LOCALITY OF MACKERFIELD. (Aug. 23, 1870.) My paper of the above date concluded with the expres- sion of an opinion that whether Oswestry was, or was not, the scene of the final conflict between Penda and St. Oswald, it certainly was not Winwick," and of an inten- tion to substantiate that view by examining in some detail the arguments in. favour of Winwick in the essay by Mr. Littler, which had been read by that gentleman at a meeting of the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society in 1843, and was printed in the Local Gleanings" of the Manchester Courier-in 187o. Although i tear that interest in the subject must havo abated during the con- siderable interval which has elapsed, during which, from indisposition and other causes, I have been unable to fulfil this intention, still, a wish having been expressed more than once that I should do so, I trust to stand excused if I now.venture on some remarks in performance of my promise. The arguments of Mr. Littler fall naturally under several distinct heads, which it may be as well to enumer- ate :—1. Maserfield. 2. St. Oswald's Wells at Winwick and at Oswestry. 3. The Inscription in Winwick Church. 4. Nennius. 5. The course of the invasion by Penda of Northumbria. 7. The translation of S. Oswald's body to Bardney. As to the first of these, Mr. Littler asks, "On what authority does it rest that there ever was a Maserfield or Makerfield in Shropshire ? Historians seem to infer from the name of the place Oswaldstree' that Oswald was cru- cified, or fixed upon a tree there then, because Bede says it happened at Maserfelth, therefore Oswaldstree, was previously Maserfelth. Nil nisi nubes et aer. (a) Then he gives a letter from Mr. Dovaston, in which he says, "The earliest name of the town 1 can find was Blanchminster, afterwards Maserfield till the great battle of 5th August, 642. after which it took that of Oswaldestree." On which he comments thus :—"It tfould have been very desirable that Mr. Dovaston should have informed us where he found out that the town was originally called Blanchminster. This minster must have been changed into a field (Maserfield) and the latter into Oswestry, all before about A.D. 650. The same maybe said of its supposed previous name of Maserfield or Maserfelth. Where, as respects Oswestry, does such a name ever occur except in the ap- plication of it by Camden, and his assumption that Os- westry is the place meant by Bede? Camden has probably been the cause of all the mistake. He assumes, because Bede speaks of a FOSSA, this to be the place where Oswald was slain, and though nobody ever before that time (about 1580 or 1600) ever heard of a Maser- felth' there, he, to reconcile it with Bede's account, as- sumes that it was at first Maserfelth, but had afterwards become Oswestry from the above circumstance. He knows nothing of Mr. Dovaston's Bianchminster." Now it may be difficult to believe, but is nevertheless true, that all these "assumptions" were originated, not in the brain of Mr. Camden, but in that of Mr. Littler himself. Doubtless it was an error on the part of Mr. Dovaston, owing, perhaps, to a lapsus memorice, to write that the town was first called Blanchminster, afterwards Maserfield, and, after the battle of 642, Oswaldestree. But his mistake was not appropriated from Camden, whom he simply quotes as stating the fact that the town has its name from Oswald, King of the Northumbrians whereas before it was called Jllaserfield (' CUlIl antea Maser- field vocaretur'), whom Penda, the Pagan prince of the Mercians, here in a severe engagement slew, and when slain with the greatest barbarity dismembered." Mr. Dovaston's error was in saying that the town was called Blanchminster first and Maserfield afterwards, whereas he had just quoted Camden as saying that it was called Maserfield before the battle. That the name of Blanch- minster, or White Minster (in Latin, Candida Ecclesia) was given to the church built there in honour of S. Oswald in Norman times, is proved by the element of blanch' in the word, and is, moreover, a fact well known to historians, from extant contemporary' documents. Mr. Davies, in the portion of his MS. work quoted below on "The Antient and Modern Wames of the Towne and Boroughe of Oswestry," quotes a Charter having date from William, son of William Fitzalan "Recepi in manu etp'tecon. mea Burgenses me os de Blancmonster, &c." He also quotes Godwin De Prsesulibus Ecciesise Anglicanae' (fol. 546) as mentioning a grant by Bishop Reyner of Blank Monasterie to the Monks of Shrewsbury, and an anonymous Latin author to the fact that Bp. Reyner con- verted Blanc Monasterie to be the first church of Oswes- try Reynerus Episcopus Asaphensis monasterium Oswaldi ecclesiam parochialem Sti Oswaldi fecit." A little further research might easily have convinced Mr. Littler of the true nature of Mr. Dovaston's error, It was, however, more to his purpose to avail himself of Mr. Dovaston's slip, though transparent on the face of it, and in reverting afterwards to the point, to remark We £ &k AV Oswestry Where is Mackerfielql' (ingeniously changing the spelling) and echo answers Where ?' Whereas Mackerfield at Winwick and Newton is now actually existing." And so utterly is he carried away by his hypothesis of Camden's inventive- ness that he ignores altogether two most important addi- tional statements in Mr. Dovaston's postscript, viz., "Maserfelt is the field of oaks, a tree that thrives remark- ably well in our soil," and "The Corporation seal of Oswes- try has the effigies of Os wald Mid. an oak." The relevancy of these facts to the matter is conclusively shown by the prac- tical application of them by the Recorder of Oswestry, John Davies, in his work still extant in manuscript (Harl. MS. 1981), entitled "Transcripts of Charters relating to Oswestry, with Historical Notes, addressed to Thomas, Earl of Arundel, 1635." He tells us (I condense his lan- guage) that Oswestry, also pronounced Osester, was more anciently written 'Oziwaldestree'(Gir. Cambr.),by the Welsh Croes-Oswald, q.e. Oswaldi crucem vel arborem, that it was called before that by the Saxons Maserfield (written by Bede Meserfelth), signifying 'glandiuni campus,' which is also signified by the Welsh name 'Trefesen,' as appears by a Welsh Bard, Llosgawdd. ffaglawdd ei phen, Trwy oer fisif tre'r fesen,' i.e., Glandium urbs. Whence the Normans called it Glandeville and Glanvill, and the Welsh Bards Tre Koderi (Coed deri), Town of Great Oakes. Therefore the oaken bough was antiently the Arms of the Town of Oswestry. On the old Common Seal of brass is depicted a king (K. Oswald ?) sitting on a chair, holding a sword in his hand, and in his left hand an oaken bough. Whence the oaken bough in the mouth of the White- Horse, the Crest of the Pitzalans. In the margin is this note Mesbury, (now Maesbury, called in Domesday Meresbury), a hamlet in the parish of Oswestry, is now called 'Llysfeisir' or Llys feisydd. Thus a basis is sup- plied for a correct inference as to the order of nomencla- ture. 1. The Welsh Tre-fesen,' corrupted by the Saxons into Mesafelth, or Maserfelth, and then into Maserfield, the name of the district in which is Oswestry, as Winwick 'is in Mackerfield. 2. The Monastery founded on the spot in honour of S. Oswald, called Album Monasterium, Can- dida Ecclesia, Y Fonachlog Wen (by the Welsh, accord- ing to 'Davies), and Blancmonster and Blancminstfer by the Normans, all meaning the same thing, viz., White Monastery, applied latterly also to the town, which grew up around the monastery. 3. Mesbary, corrupted into Maesbury, when the town in Trefesen, to which a Fitzalaia granted a Charter, grew into a borough; and 4, Oswaldes- tree, and Oswestry, from the tre' or district, or else pos- sibly from the traditional tree, on which the King's arm was recorded to have been hung. A further basis is sup- plied for reconciling the statement of Nennius, that the battle .was fought at Codoy, with that of the Saxon historians that it was fought at Maserfield. For, just as Winwick is in Mackerfield, so may Codoy have been within the larger locality of Maserfield; and Nennius, as a British historian, representing, as his editors believe him to do, a much earlier author, gives, as might naturally be expected, the precise situation of the spot, the territorial appellation only for which reached the foreign and more distant chroniclers. From all this It is certain that Oswes- try had its Maserfield, as Winwick its Mackerfield, the former, however, more nearly reflecting the ancient British name, as well as character of the place, but both alike designating a district rather than a town, that being the ancient meaning of the word 'tro.' Maserfelth is, there- fore, Oak-field, a translation of the original British name of Trefesen (compare English 'mast'), andlthe Arms con- nected St. Oswald with the Oak. Again, Davies informs us "There was an old oak lately standing in Mesbury within the parish of Oswestry, where one of King Oswald's' arms hung, say the neighbours by tradition;" whence it appears that I was not so far out in my surmise, ridiculed by F.R.S." in his letter in "Local Gleanings" in April, 1876, that one of the 'stipite*s' may have developed into a large tree. Lancashire antiquaries, however, may still fail to be satisfied. "Camden (so says one of them), has been the cause of all the mistake," and Davies was contemporary with Camden. Davies, however, as has been seen, pro- duced evidence wholly independent of Camden, but let that pass. When, in April, 1876, I sent for insertion in Local Gleanings" a brief communication in reply to Mr. Littler and his commentator F. R.S. it was courteously rejected by the EditAr on the ground that it gave no au- thority connecting Oswestry by name with the scene of Oswald's death before Camden." In my ineffectual search for Ælfric's Life of Oswald referred to by the late Mr. O. Cockayne in his paper on the Death of K. Oswald" in Notes & Queries, May 17, 1873, but which seems never to have existed, I came upon another Life, which I believe to have been that which Mr. Cockayne had in his mind, en- titled" DeSancto Oswaldo Rege et Martire," in Capgrave's "Nova Legenda Angliae,"printed by Wynkyn de Worde in 1516. Capgrave's represen s an earlier Collection of Saints' Lives by John of Teignmouth, th £ MS. of which was unfortunately destroyed in the fire in the British Museum. This is what he writes :— Commisso tandem gravi prselio ab eidem gente paganit, paganoque rege Merciorum Penda, a quo et predecessor ejus Edwinus peremptus fuerat: in loco qui lingua Anglorum bser- feld vocatur, occisus est anno setatis suae tricesnno octavo nonis Augusti. Est autem locus ille conterminus flnibus Armoricae ¡ Walliaeque. Antiquitus pars maxima Walliae dicta est Armor icok, S! Ab urb'e enim Salepiae septem fere miliaribus versus eandem Waliiani distari probatur idom locus, abbatisqus Salopiaj ditioni cedit. A fossa quoque regis Offoe qua? Angliam et Walliam dividit, miliario non plene dimidio, et a Wenlociensi cenobio miliaribus sexdecini separantur. In quo quidem campo ecclesia quse Candida Ecclesia dicitur in s'cti Oswald! honore fundatur, et non procul inde fous perennis exoritur, qui ab incolis fons Sancti Oswald! nominatur. Penda vero rex caput Sancti Oswaldi abscissum cum brachiis per annum in stipitibus sus- pendijussit. Oswaldus uamque rex regno Merciorum primitus subjugato et re^e Penda in Walliam fugato eongregatis paga- norum copiis in loco memorato sanctum regem Oswaldum inter- fecit." As some of my readers may be unacquainted with Latin, I subjoin a translation :— "A severe engagement having at length been fought by the same Pa<;an nation and Penda the Pagan king of the Mercians by whom Edwin his predecessor had also been slain, on the spot which in the language of the Angles is called Maserfeld he (Oswald) was killed, on the 5th of August, in tho 33th year of his age. Now that spot is conterminous with the boundaries of Armorica and Wales. In ancient times the most part of Wales was callod Armorica. For the same spot is proved to be about 7 miles distant from the city of Salop in the direction of the same Wales, and is subject to the jurisdiction of the abbot of Salop. It is also separated from K. Offa's Dyke by not full half a mile, and from the Abbey of Wenlock by 16 miles. In which plain in fact the Church, which is called the White Church, is founded in honour of St. Oswald, and not far from it rises up an unfailing spring, which is named by the inhabitants St. Oswald's Well. But king Penda ordered St. Oswald's head with the arms to be cut off and hung- upon stakes for a year. For king Oswald having first of all subdued the kingdom of the Mercians and driven Penda into Wales, he assembled the forces of the Pauans, and slew the holy king Oswald on the spot above recorded." Here, then, is the proof required—the historian prior to Camden-from whom Camden, moreover, clearly derived his information, and who is quoted also by Dugdalo as his authority for a similar statement in his Monasticon. The first few lines only are taken from Bede for the re- mainder -Capgrave must have been indebted to some source dried up by the "Reformation." Alford, the historian, commenting on this passage about a century afterwards, says :—" All which things (I trans- .Iato his Latin) make for Oswestry. And so I fear the Lancastrians must lose their cause (timeo ne causa cadant), especially when it is told there, that Penda. had been lately overcome in battle by Oswald, and put to flight. Whence it follows that this part of Mercia had been added to Nor- thumbria, coming into which, and for which Penda now appears to have fought." Whence it seems that the dispute between Oswestrians and Lancastrians for the death-site of Oswald is more than 250 years old! And their case having thus failed as regards Maserfelth, I trust to be able to show in another paper that the facts -make for Oswestry rather than Winwick also on the other points. H.W.L. (To be Continued.) (a) Query misquoted from Ovid's "Quocunque aspicias nihil est nisi pontus et aer," (the word nubes' involving a false quan- tity),, given as an example in the Eton Latin Grammar.

A WALK ROUND THE PARIS EXHIBITION. The changes that take place here from day to day are of so vast a nature that it must be agreed if the French cannot organize they can work, for it seems every morning as if a year's work had been got through during the night; and this, of course, is all to the advantage of that hypothe- tical "completion" that will probably never be effected. Now, upon this subject of the ultimate completion, I want to say a word to the English first, and the French after- wards. To the English I have to say that the exhibition is so vast, so various, and so rich, that those who explore it in a proper frame of mind, will experience a succession of delightful gurprises, and may give their attention ad- vantageously to any special subjects they may desire to study in detail. Let no one defer the intended visit be- cause of reports that the exhibition is still incomplete. The wise man will find enough and to spare of splendid entertainments he will find sections, and courts and gal- leries so complete and glorious, that he will.be unable to propose any improvement of them, and if in some odd corners and alleys he should find himself mixed up with packing-cases, or encounter a team of horses and a gang of carters making noise enough to disturb all Europe, he will quietly turn to the left or the right and forget these trifles in the enjoyment of a feast of pictures, sculpture, pottery, or whatever else may offer to console him, and drive dull care away. Now, I am bound to say to the French, that they are all too loud and vehement in de- claring the exhibition to be unfinished. Their vehemence of self-accusation in respect of this matter, is equally in- jurious and discreditable. From every housetop in Paris there seems to proceed a loud reproach against the man who is on his way to the Trocadfero. "Bah! it is not finished; why do you go there ?" There was some excuse for this at first, but the continuation of it is not only impolitic but offensive, and from this time every Frenchman who abuses the Exhibition should be made to feel that he is making a fool of himself. -Pictorial World.

MR. OSBORNE MORGAN ON LAND REGISTRATION. In the House of Commons on Tuesday, May 14th, Mr. Osborne Morgan, in rising to call attention to the question of land registration. and the working of the Acts of Parliament regulating land registration, pointed out some of the abuses and frauds which were developed under the present system. Frauds were so easy under the existing law, that men were tempted to commit them. His com- plaint was not that the law did not prevent fraud, but that it acted as a direct incentive to fraud-that, in fact, it put a premium upon it. When S* man lent his money upon the security of landed estate he trusted rather to the character of the borrower and the respectability of the solicitor, than to the protection of the law. Was it right that such a state of things should exist ? Tho hon, and learned gentleman then proceeded to give a history of the various attempts which had been made since 1853 in the direction of establishing a good system of registration, observing that they formed one long record of melancholy failures. The first attempt dated as far back as the year he had just mentioned, when the House of Lords passed a Bill authorizing the compulsory registration of deeds. Then there was a Royal Commission, and a Bill was introduced in 1859, which was dropped, and the sub- ject was allowed to sleep until in 1862 it was taken up by Lord Westbury, who said he would bring in a measure which, like Aaron's rod, would swallow up all other schemes. Now nothing could, on paper, look better than that measure, but in practice it would not work at all, the number of titles registered under its operation, during a period of four or five years,-having been only 507. In 18G8 Lord Westbury presided over a commission which was appointed to inquire into the failure of the Act, and on the report of that commission was founded the Bill which was introduced by Lord Selborne in 1873, which for the first time made the registration of titles compulsory. That Bill, which became law in 1875, had failed so com- pletely that since its passing only 28 titles had been regis- tered under it, and not only was that the case, but the public confidence in it seemed to be growing "fine by degrees and beautifully less." Indeed, no one who inves. tigated the subject could avoid coming to the humiliating conchision that every attempt hitherto made to deal with it had been a step in the wrong direction. If protection against fraud was all that was desired, he believed a system of registering deeds would effect it, and that such a system was feasible in this country was proved by the experience of Ireland, and also to some extent, though here opinions differed, by that of Yorkshire and Middlesex. If, however, simplicity and cheapness as well as security were aimed at, a system of regulation like that of Middlesex would not be altogether satisfactory. It would be necessary to have recourse to the system which pre- vailed in the United States of registering nothing but Z, simple conveyances of property, due care being taken that these conveyances were really short and simple. In the United States a conveyance which in this country would fill five skins of parchment only extended over a few lines. The evil in this country was that we paid our lawyers by the length of our deeds, which was as "absurd as paying our doctors according to the time they kept us ill. It was frequently asked whether we could not make the transfer of land as cheap and as simple as the transfer of stock. He did not think that that could be accomplished. It must be recollected that stock was a debt, and when a transfer of that stock was taken, the purchaser obtained a contract from the debtor to pay him the amount of the stock. There was this further difference between land and stock-that the former was concrete, and the latter was abstract that was to say, that any 2100 worth of any particular stock was the equivalent of any similar quantity of it; whereas one acre of land was by no means the equivalent of any other acre of land. The difficulty of identifying land might be got rid of by having a proper cadastral survey of the whole of England. He had seen ordnance maps in which his own property was represented with absolute accuracy, but he was informed that, although the ordnance survey of some 30 counties was finished, it would take no less than 18 years to complete the survey of the whole of England. The ordnance maps should be kept by the Clerk of the Peace, or by some other officer, of each county, and landowners should be compelled to register upon them any alterations they made in the outlines of their property. It was a popular fallacy to suppose because land was entailed therefore, it could not be sold, because in nineteen- twentieths of the settlements power was vested in the trustees to sell the estate in case of necessity. Every estate should be vested in some person who had power_ to give a good title to it; and that light of sale, and nothing else, should be registered. Mr. Spencer Folletfc, a most Conservative lawyer, said, —" In every well-drawn settle- ment there'is a power of sale overriding all the estates to be exercised, with certain consents, and registering the estates in the name of the trustees of the power would give them no more power than they had already. My theory is that the purchaser should have nothing to do with the title of the vendor. He might go to the vendor, and say,—' Sell me the estate. I will give you so much for it when you convey it. I do not care what your title is if you can sell it to me I will buy it. He had not come down to that House with any cut-and-dried plan on this subject, but it had occurred to him and to others that this matter should Ire referred, not to a Royal Commission, but to a Select Committee of the House, composed not only of lawyers but of landowners and practical men of business, who would render valuable assistance to the House in arriving at a satisfactory solution of this ques- tion. The benefits of the course which he proposed would be so great that the experiment would be worth trying. He admitted that the subject ought to be dealt with by the Government rather than by a private member but if the Attorney-General dealt with it in a merely half- hearted way, he would only add to the list of failures. The hon. and learned gentleman concluded by moving for a Select Committee to inquire and report whether any and what steps ought to be taken to simplify and seoure the title to land and to facilitate the transfer thereof." The motion, with the addition of the words and also to prevent frauds on purchasers, and mortgagees of land," was agreed to.

The admissions to the Paris Exhibition during last week were under 40,000 daily. The Debats points out that the weather may have something to do with the fewness of the visitors, but that the number of strangers in Paris has been greatly exaggerated.

ENGLISH CONGREGATIONALISM IN MOLD. SPEECHES BY THE DUKE OF WESTMINSTER AND LORD R. GROSVENOR, M.P. In connection with the Congregational Church of Mold, which was built a few years ago near the Railway Station, schools and a manse as a residence fnr the pastor, the Rev. D. Jiuriord Hooke, are in course of being erected, the schools being re- quired for Sunday school teaching and for week night services and lecturas. "lie entire cost, including the purchase of land, will be about £ 1,700, and of this about £ 700 has been given or promised. The memorial stone of the schools was laid on Mon- day, May 20, by his Grace the Duke of Westminster, K.G., in the presence of a large assembly. The ceremony was preceded by a public luncheon at the assembly room of the Black Lion Hotel, at which Sir Robert Cunliffe, Bart., presided, being sup- ported by the Duke of Westminster, Lord Richard Grosvenor, M.P. for Flintshire, Mr. J. Scott Bankes, Mr. John Roberts, of Liverpool, the Rev. Dr. Stoughton, of London, Mr. W. Crosfield, jun., of Liverpool, the Rev. Roger Edwards, chairman of the Mold School Board, the Rev. D. B. Hooke, &c. Mr. E. Price Jones and Mr. J. Forrest were the vice-chairmen. After luncheon the health of her Majesty the Queen was drunk with enthusiasm, and the Rev. Mr. HOOKE then reart a statement in regard to the movement, warmly welcomed the members of other communions, and read a sympathetic letter from Mr. Samuel Morley, M.P., inclosing a cheque for £ 100. The CHAIRMAN.announced that no further toasts would be given, and alluding to the presence of the Duke of Westminster, said there was no good work in that neighbourhood which his grace was not only glad to help, but helped most readily and generously. (Amjlause.) The Duke of WESTMI.VSTER, who was enthusiastically cheered, said, after some prefatory remarks, that ho was the other day reading, as he had no doubt most of those present ha^ read, an interesting account of a deputation to Earl Russell on the 50th anniversary of the repeal of the Tests and Corporation Acts, in which his lordship took a large and important share—(applause) —and it seemed to them hardly conceivable that only til'ty years ago the Dissenters and Nonconformists in this country should have laboured and lived under those disabilities. (Hear, hear.) Those disabilities existed in his own time, though he could not remember them, but they all knew how long their removal took —something like a period of forty years—for the first move was made about 1790, and it was not till 1828 that they were removed for ever. Certainly we lived in far happier times now, and he did not suppose that some years ago it would have been possible for many gentlemen who were now present to have taken a part in such a demonstration as the present. (Applause.) He did not think they were less good Church of England men because they took part in the proceedings of that day. (Loud cheers.) He remembered in his own youth—whether the impression was derived from nursery associations when he was a baby, he did not know—that he was in the habit of looking upon a Dissenter as very much in the same category as a murderer— (laughter)—and every Dissenting place as a perfect den of iniquity, and certainly to be passed by as soon as possible. (Re- newed laughter.) However, the baby of a later generation had no such views but he could not answer for some of the'Tory babies. -(Renewed laughter.) The feeling to which he had alluded had been considerably modified throughout the country, but he Was afraid there were still some of the Tory babies who were growing up in Tory ignorance, and required to be converted, as he awl others had been as they had grown up. (Hear, hear.) No doubt there were still grievances which must be considered with a view to their removal, and if Mr. Osborne Morgan were there he would possibly have something to say on that subject— (1 Dud cheers)—but he (the Duke) could see that those remaining grievances must inevitably fall, and fall before very long. (Hear, hear.) lIe would only say, in conclusion, that it gave him very great pleasure to be there to support Mr. Hooke in this under- taking. As he (Mr. Hooke) had succeeded with his church, so lie believed he would succeed with his schools and manse and it seemed to him that if the people of Mold desired to retain Mr. Hooke's services it was only fair that they should put a roof over his head. (Cheers.) Lord RICHARD GROSVENOR, M.P., said he was happy to say that in years gone by he had been able to do something towards the building of Mr. Hooke's church, and he trusted that in the present instance they would not 'find the subscription list- dragging its slow. length along, as in some cases, for many years, but that another twenty-four hours would show a marked differ- ence in the amount contributed. In this country he believed there was one subject upon which they were all agreed, and that there was onlv a verv small minority that would not subscribe to the fact that the children of this country should be educated in the truths of the Bible. (Cheers.) He believed the Noncon- formists felt this question more strongly than almost any other denomination, and it was with that view—the freedom of educa- tion in the truths of the Bible—that their endeavours had been devoted towards the freedom of religion. (Applause.) With that view they wished to build these schools with that view they wished to keep Mr. Hooke amongst them, and they all knew what he had done in Nlt,ld-(Zipl)I.Luse)- how lie had not only laboured to build his church and the schools and manse, but how he had worked for the reading-room and in the temper- ance cause and they also knew that in whatever branch he had laboured he had almost always proved successful. (Cheers.) It was needless for him (Lord Richard) to point out the import- ance of educating children in the truths of the Bible. They.saw in other countries the great spread of Socialistic ideas, ahd perhaps they had noticed that the ultra-Socialists always started as Atheists—the destroyers and pullers-down of every established religion. (Hear, hear.) Now none of those present would wish in any way to join themselves with that class, or to hold such ideas. (Hear, hear.) Therefore, basing their faith as they did on the Bible, and wishing to instruct their children in that faith, they should do everything they could to educate them in the truths which the Bible contained. (Applause.) The meeting was then addressed by Sir. SCOTT BANKKS and Mr. JOHN ROBERTS (Liverpool.) On the motion of Mr. PRICE JONES, seconded by Mr. FORREST, a vote of thanks was passed to Sir Robert Cunliffe for presiding, and the company then adjourned to the site of tho schools and manse. Here the proceedings were commenced by the singing of a hymn and the offering of prayer by the Rev. T. Gasquoine, of Oswestry; and an address was then delivered by the Rev. Dr. Stoughton, of London. In the course of this he denied that there was in the present day a decline in Christianity. With regard to education, there was, he remarked, a difference, as they knew, among Nonconformists as among Church- men, as to the best mode of carrying it oqt, and, though not going hand in hand with some of his brethren on the question of education, he was prepared to maintain ttlis-thitt he believed the advocates of secular teaching were just as earnest as he or any one else for the religious education of the people --(applause) —though they wished to separate the one from the other. For his part he did not believe that mere secular education, apart from religious influence, would secure the advantages that some supposed it might even be more mischievous than beneficial. He had always been an advocate, as a minister of the gospel, for the Cultivation of broad and catholic sympathies, and he was not for confining their efforts to that which was religious, but for extending their influence so as to help their fellow-men in the acquisition of useful knowledge and improvement of their social character. He was very glad that they were favoured that day with the presence of so many distinguished personages and friends of different denominations, because it was a mani- festation of Christian union. He was a very poor denomina- tionalist, but he did come forward as a thoroughly hearty advocate of union. There was Christian union really existing in Bpite of all their differences, because.if they were Christians, all differences lay upon the sur.'aco—«they were one in heart, imita- king the same example, marching onward to the same goal; and while havini2t different opinions with regard to church govern- ment and matters of worship, in that which wa:f essential to salvation they were all agreed. He believed there was nothing more calculated to promote a kindly feeling amongst them than to meet together and interchange thoughts and sentiments. How frequently Nonconformists imagined the strangest things with regard to members of the- Establishment; and in like manner members of the Establishment who had little to do with Nonconformists had a very extraordinary idea of what they were. If they could blow away these sectarian mists, and see one another as they really were, they would find that a great many whom they once regarded as enemies wore true and faithful brethren and friends. (Applause.) The Rev. ROGER EDWARDS having offered the dedicatory prayer, Mrs. Hooke presented to the Duke of Westminster a handsome trowel, upon which was the following inscription :— "Presented to his Grace the Duke of Westminster, K.G., on the occasion of his laying the memorial stone of the Congrega- tional School and Manse, Mold, May 20th, 1375." The West- minster coat of arms is above the inscription. His grace then, in true workmanlike fashion, proceeded to lay the stone, in a cavity of which was placed a hermstically-sealed bottle containing the Duke's photograph and various documents. Having declared the stone well and truly laid," his grace again expressed the pleasure it afforded him to be present, and said he thought it only right that whenever a Churchman had the opportunity he should come and assist his brethren the Noncon- formists in works of utility and beneficence. He wished pro- sperity to this building; he hoped trade might revive in the neighbourhood, and beyond everything that peace, European peace, might be secured; and if it was seoured he thought it would be m some measure owing to the zealous advocacy of the great cause of peace in this crisis of our history. (Applause.) His grace and several ladies and gentlemen deposited contri- butions unon the stone, and the proceedings were concluded with the benediction. ] n the evening a largely attended soiree was hold at the Market Hall, followed by a public meeting, over which Mr. W. Cross- field, jun., of Liverpool, presided. The speakers included Mr. I. Oliver Jones, Liverpool, the Revs. P. W. Darnton, B.A., Chester, T. Robinson, B.A., Hyde, A. Francis, Rhyl, D. Roberts, Wrexh;vjn, Ellis Edwards, M.A., Bala, F. Barnes, B.A., Birken- head, T. Roberts and Roger Edwards, Mold. The proceedings, which lasted to a late hour, were very enthusiastic.

In a letter addressed by Colonel Morant to the various Volunteer Corps in Cheshire on his retirement from the command of the 18th Brigade DepAt after five years ser- vice, thanks them for their patriotism in filling the ranks, and so steadily increasing the strength and efficiency of their Corps and Battalions." Colonel Morant feels assured that the Militia if called upon to support the honour of England at this critical time, will distinguish themselves by their good discipline, loyalty, and readiness to go where their duty calls them. He feels equally sure that Her Majesty may depend upon the good services in time of necessity of the splendid battalions of the Cheshire Rifle Volunteers." The fifteenth anniversary dinner in aid of the funds of the Newspaper Press Fund was held on Saturday evening, May 18, at Willis's Rooms, London; the Marquis of Salisbury presiding. Lord Napier of Magdala responded for the Army, Lord Clarence. Paget for the Navy, and Lord Gerard for the Auxiliary Forces. Count Beust re- sponded'to the toast of the "Foreign Ministers." Lord Salisbury, in proposing "The Newspaper Press Fund-and its future prosperity," assured the foreign visitors that the harmony of the meeting was a proof that in all those violent party fights which seem to rend the nation asun- der we do not even disturb by a ripple the profound har- mony of national and patriotic sentiment. In this great and almost supreme crisis in the fortune of Europe," said Lord Salisbury, I cannot but regard that as a happy augury. I believe that our happy issue from the diffi- culties which may now seem to environ us will depend upon the harmony and the unity of that patriotism which will meet every danger except loss of honour." The Prince Imperial responded to the toast of The Visitors," expressing the pleasure with which he availed himself of the opportunity of rendering to the English press the homage of admiration which it deserved. Cardinal Manning proposed "The Houses of Parlia- ment," to which Lord Colchester and Mr. Goschen re- sponded. • The Prince of Wale3, before leaving Pans, sent a dona- tion of 1,000 francs for the relief of the sufferers by the recent terrible explosion- in the Rae Bdranger. The number of persons killed is ascertained to have been four- teen, and all but two of the bodies have been recovered; there are twenty-eight injured persons in the hospital. The books of M. Blanchon, the owner of the premises, have been dug up intact, and they show that he was in the habit of furnishing houses in Kogland with his supposed inoffensive" toy cartridges. It ha9 also been ascertained that the London Custom House recently refused to admit a package of goods labelled Amorces inoffensives," on the ground of their being dangerous. The total damage caused by the explosion is set down at £ 160,000. KKCKITT'S PARIS BLUE.—The marked superiority of this Laundry Blue over all others, and the quick appre- ciation of its merits by the public has been attended with the usual result, viz. a flood of imitations: the merit of the latter mainly consists in the ingenuity exerted, not simply in imitating the square 8h, but making the general appearance of the wrappers resemble thai of the genuine articles. The manufacturers beg, therefore, to I caution all BUYQTFL to see P, itt s Paris Blu,Q 1! 011. vach packet.

NORTH WALES QUARRYMEN'S UNION. The fourth annual conference of the North Wales Quarrymen's Union was held on Saturday, May 18, at Penygroes, near Carnarvon. Mr. W. J. Parry,jBethesda, presided, and there was a large attendance of delegates from the eleven lodges comprised within the union. The annual report of the committee of management stated that the union had gained strength numerically and financially. At the end of the first year the members numbered 7,190, with funds to the amount of kl,471 is. lid. at the close of the second year the mem- bership had increased to 7,460 and the funds to 63,094 10s. lid. the third year there were 7,735 mem- bers possessed of t4,739 3s. 5d.; and at the close of the year ended April 20th the figures stood at 8,295 and' £ 6,9S0 4s. lid. The subscriptions in 1874-75 were £ 1,720* 8s. 9d. 1875-76, tl,971 13s. 6d.; 1876-77, k2,079 18:3. 7d. whilst this year thty had increased to £ 2,286 19s. lid. With the exception of the smaller lodges, the payments of members had been iiir)reregtilar, and there had been an increase in Festiniog lodge No. 3, and tin eleventh lodge, iRhos and Dolyddelen, had joined} the union. There had been no serious disputes in any of the districts, the three disputes at Rhos, Cooke and Ddol, and Cwmeiddaw quarries having been satisfactorily settled by the mediation of the general secretary and Mr. W. J. Parry, the umpire. In connection with these disputes £13 5s. had been paid to members. The report concluded by drawing attention to the present state of the slate trade, which claimed the most careful attention. The present unsettled state of things on the Continent, and especially the threatening aspect of affairs between England and Russia, had clearly affected the trade, and the Council trusted that the members of the union would, under pre- sent circumstances, use the wisdom they had always hitherto shown in their dealings with the employers. The report and statement of accounts having been adopted, The PRESIDENT delivered an address, on trades unionism. After dwelling upon the opinions entertained by masters and men upon such combinations, he s tid that the great principles they had in view were that the members in all things appertaining to their trade and wages should stand together; that the individual was not to be allowed to suffer when the trade to which he belonged could help him and that each was to do his share to- wards the improvement of the position and wages of his body, and to throw his protection over his trade. Im- proper use had been made of such combinations, but in- variably to the injury of the interests of the working classes, who, if they desired to keep up the strength and worth of trades unions, must be careful to place at the helm of affairs leaders of ripe judgment, the most cautious and careful they could select,- and to put aside inferior and unprincipled men, whose sole object was the attain- ment of their own selfish and unworthy ends. Trades unions had a great influence with the members, who, as a class, were slow to take to them, but when once they joined placed themselves to a great extent under their in- fluences-a fact which placed the greatest responsibility upon the officers, and made it of the first importance that they should exercise the greatest caution before em- barking upon any doubtful movement. Whether fAir or not, trades unions were bound to take into their consider- ations questions and movements bearing upon the rise or lowering of wages, and if they were to exist at all they must make themselves felt in connection with these two all-important questions to the working classes. (Hear, hear.) The question, viewed in this light, was often mis- understood and grossly misrepresented. As a trading community, we were accustomed to look upon- every- thing in the light of the principle that each man liael a right to work and sell under the other. The old principle of "free trade" was'the great trading principle of the country btit the principle that governed the working classes was that the good of the in- dividual waa best secured by looking after the class to which he belonged; and when it was remembered that hundreds of thousands of the working classes laboured for weekly wages averaging from 15s. to 30s., and with what force a reduction of Is. weekly came home to them, it was not fair to condemn them for showing some hesitation in falling in love all at once with the great national principle of "free trade." (Hear, hear.) A good deal of condemnation had been passed upon trades unions, and he was quite ready -to join in such feeling with respect to any movement started with the object of taking improper advantage of the power and influence of workmen's combinatious to oppress the masters. He knew that such oppression or dictation to masters had taken place, and such action could not be condemned in too strong terms. (Hear, hear.) What the class who had had their necks in the yoke, and knowing what it .was to suffer wrong, injustice and op- pression, when having the opportunity, seeking to put all this on the shoulders of another. Such conduct was un- pardonable and unworthy of English or Welsh workmen. (Hear, hear.) Leaving this on one side, it could not be denied that trades unions had been of some benefit to the working classes. No man or body of men ever had unli- mited and uncontrolled power without making, or attempt- ing to make, improper use of it; and, without a combi- nation such as the North Wales Quarrymen's Union, the masters in the slate-quarrying districts of North Wales would be in possession of almost unlimited power. What defence could the men have if the masters told them, If you don't work on my terms I can get plenty who will, and you can go your way." But now, with the aid of the union, the man could answer, I don't want anything unjust or unreasonable all I want is fair pay for honest work; and if your terms, in the opinion of my fellow- workmen, are unfair and unjust, not only will I not serve you, but no other member of my union will work for you either." (Hear, hear.) The master could not be con- demned for discharging any man he liked from his employ or for imposing his own terms, and laying down his o\vn rules; and, on the other hand, the men were not to be blamed for stating definitely the terms under which they were willing to accept employment. A good deal had been said against the masters forming unions, but he could not find any reasonable grounds for objecting to such action. The masters had a perfect right to combine, and it was their duty to do so, if they'could thus improve their position;* but they had no right to conspire, to use their power unjustly, to oppress and starve their men, no more than the men had the right to use their power to injure and damage their masters. Un- til unions interfered with the maximum of work and the minimum of wages, no one could pass judgment against them. It was unfair to condemn a man for telling his master, "These are the terms for which you can. get my services," or to blame the employer who said, These are the terms on which I will take you into my quarry." Trades unions had their defects some of their demands had been extremely unreasonable, and the means adopted to secure them unwise, unjust, and even cruel; but their requests generally had been fair, reasonable, and moder- ate. (Hear, hear.) They were not all that was good, nor even better than all the principles that could be brought to bear upon the connection of master and man. The great principle must be an honourable recognition of com- mon interests, a candid display of mutual confidence and this, independent of all formal unions, was the safest, the strongest, and the most successful principle that could govern the relatious between the two classes. (Hear, hear.) One great danger of unions was their aptness to in- terfere in matters not properly appertaining to them, and which they were never intended to touch—such as the man- agement of quarries and works, which was a matter not for the workman, but for the manager or employer. This question received special notice when the rules of the union were framed, and its success had in a great measure been attributable to the strict observance of this point, and the moment its leaders departed from it, so surely would the union fall off. (Hear, hear.) Wages, the workman's birthright, was the great question to be always kept in view, and no union-no worthy combination of honest workmen—should decline to shape its course with the state of the market and not by the length of the master's purse, whilst no master worthy of respect would take undue ad- vantage of depression in trade to reduce further than was fair the wages to be paid to the men. He claimed for the North Wales Quarrymen's Union that it had done financially a great deal of good to both masters and men, that it had raised the tone of the officers and workmen, that it had fostered good feeling where it did not exist be- fore between employer and employed, and that it had banished from the land that tyranny, oppression, ancf shameful bribery which, like a cancer, was eating the very life of the owners of quarries, destroying the respect and authority of officials, and undermining the moral character of the quarrymen. (Applause.) Th.e monthly subscriptions for the fifth year were fixed at Is. for members over sixteen years and 6d. for juniors, and it was decided to invest a third £ 2,000 of the surplus in New Zealand bonds. Mr. vy. j. rarry (isetnesua) was re-eieccea president and umpire and Mr. R. Parry (Llanrug), vice-president, votes of thanks being accorded to them for their past services, and the Executive Committee of fourteen was re- appointed. Mr. W. J. Williams (Carnarvon), was re-ap- pointed general secretary, the remuneration being fixed at 2d. a member and Mr. Griffith Thomas (Llanddeiniolen), was elected auditor. Carnarvon was chosen as the town for holding the Conference of 1879. Several minor amendments were made in the rules, and a new one was adopted providing that in case of a proposal to break up the union the question shall be decided by the whole of the members, and not by the lodges. The threatened lowering of wages consequent upon the depression of trade was discussed at great length, and a resolution was adopted requesting the employers to give a months' notice of any alteration they proposed making in the present scale. Tho Conference was followed by two public meetings at the Market Hall, when an address was delivered by Mr. T. Lloyd Jones, the first president of the union; and papers were read by Mr. R. Williaras, F estiniorr. "On the dangers to which quarrymen an liable in following their occupation;" Mr. O. J. Willitins, Rhostryfan, The claims of old workmen Mr. Pritchard, Bethesda, Co-operation Mr. R. Parry, Dinorwic, Slate quarry speculations .as compared with other enter- prises;" Mr. R. Davies, Caebraiehycafn, "Our dangers as a class of artisans at the present prosperous time •" Mr. J. Williams, Dinorviic, Bribery in connec- tion with quarries;" and Mr. J. Owen, Corris, on "Good morals."

THE CAMBRIAN NEWS £ &tnantih3hiu <Stzmbati> & Jlberusitoytfr Is the LEADING JOURNAL for an EXTENSIVE DISTRICT in NORTH and SOUTH WALES,, INCLUDING Merionethshire, Cardiganshire, South Carnar- vonshire, and parts of other Counties. The CAMBRIAN NEWS iJ, sold by AGENTS in the following places:- CARDIGANSHIRE. ABERYSTWYTH (a Parliamen-\ Mr. J.-Gibsop, 3, Q.ueen'.vroacL tary and Municipal Borough, (Publishing Office of the a seaport, and one of the fa- Cambrian Nevs.) vourite watering places of the Messrs. Smith and Son, Rail- Kingdom. In the neighbour- way Bookstall hood are a number of impor- Mr. H. Edwards, Great Dark- tant mines. The university f gate-street. College of Wales is situated here. Aberystwyth is the ter- minus of the Cambrian Rail- way, and the Manchester and Milford Railway. ) ABKRAERON (Watering place, ) Mr. W. Griffiths,, chymist seaport and quarter sessions > stamp distributor and stal -town. ) tioner. BORTH Mr. Evans, Rhyd> urPost-offic» BOW STREET Miss Williams,. Post-office CAPEL BANGOR Mr. Blackwell, Post-Office. CARDIGAN (Assize Town, Par-) liamentary and Municipal [ Mrs. Williams, bookseller Borough and seaport.) j CWMYSTWYTH. Mr. C. Burrill, Post-Office GOGINAN (Situate near several lead mines) Mr. P. Nicholls, Druid IlUJ LAMPETER (Parliamentary'),, borough. St. David's Colleae VMr- J W- Evans»> Medical Hall is here.) j Mr. D. Rees, draper. LLANDDEWI BREFI Mr. Thomas Jones, groeer. LLANYBYTHER lklr. Evan Evans, newsagentl LLANGEITHO Mr. Stephen Jones, pictum framer. LLANILAR Mr. Jenkin Morris, draper LLAXON Mr. Daniel Jones, grocer LLANRHYSTYD ROAD Stationmaster. PONTERWYD (Waterfalls and) Mr. William Clarid^e Gocer- lead mines in neighbourhood) ) ddan Arms. ° PONTRHYDFENDIGAID Mr. J. Thomas, draper PONTRHYDYGROES Mr. T. H. Davies, Post-Office SWYDDFYNNON Mr. Evan Jones, shopkeeper TALIESIN (Lead mines)- Mr. Thomas Jones, Poat-Office TALYBONT (Lead mines) Mr. John Pritchard TREGAROX (A market town. where large fairs are held) Mr. E. C. Evans ..CARNARVONSHIRE. BEDDGELERT Mr. Evan Roberts, bookseller BANGOR Messrs. W. H. Smith and Son, Railway Bookstall BETTWS-Y-COED Miss Jones, Post-Office CARNARVON Mr. D. W Davies, printer and stationer. CRICCIETH (a pleasant witter- Mr. Bowen, bookseller and mg place with finli mountain stationer views) DOLYDDELEN. Mr. Ellis Pierce PORTMADOC (Terminus of Mr. D. Lloyd (Publishing-Office the Festiniog Railway. An f of the Cambrian News) important shipping port; a f Mr O. P. Williams, 5 Bank-nlace growing town) J Mr R. Humphreys stationer WC.k.M' S"ith "« PWLLHELI Mr. J. T. Evans bookseller. Church-street TALYSARN Mr. David Thomas, bookseller MERIONETHSHIRE, ABERDOYEY (Seaport and Watering place) Mr. W. Williams, Caprera House ABERGANOLWYN (great slate quarries in the neighbourhood) Mr. E. Jones, Post-Office ARTHOG Mrs. Jones, Post Office BALA (the Calvinistic and Inde- „ pendent Colleges are situated ( Jones, High-street here, and it is much visited bv ( publishing Office of the tourists) j Cambrian News) BARMOUTH (one of the favour- ite watering places of Walies).. Mr. John Evans, grocer ,Glaa- n ymon House CORRIS • ]Vfr Roberta. Evans,, grocer » Mr. D. Ifor Jones COR WEN (a market towa) Mr. T, Edmunds, printer DINAS MAWDDWY (Terminus of the Mawddwy Railway) Messrs Evans and Sens DOLGELLEY (Assize and Quar-1! Mr Ow»n Po.» „ • J. ter Sessions held here. One of [Mr R O R the head quarters of Tourists, f Rees> cheauafc Manufacture—Welsh Tweeds)) DYFFRYN Mr. J. Roberts, Shop Isaf FESTINIOG (the great slate dis-) Mr. Ellis Roberts, bookseller, trict of ales. Terminus of [ Four Crosses the Festiniog Railway. A ( Mr. Evan Lloyd, Sarn very populous place) ) Mr. S. Howard,, bookseller • New Market-place, Four Crosses HARLECH Mr. W. Evans. Gorfwysfa Cot- tage LLANBEDR Messrs. J. Evans and Sons LLANEGRYN Mr. Pughe, chemist 4 LLANELLTYD Mr. T. Griffiths LLWYNGWRIL. Mr. J. Lewis, The Mill MAENTWROG Miss M. Richards PENNAL Mr. R. Humphreys PENRHYNDEUDRAETH ( A* populous place). Mr. A. A. Mitcherd TALSARNAU Mr. G. Williams, postmaster TOWYN ( favourite. watering) Mr. J. Jenej, Post-Office place) j Mr. Evan Newell MACHYNLLETH (market town Mrs. C. Hughes confectioner In the neighbourhood are [ Penrailtltree't several nunes) J Messrs, Smith and Son, Rail- way Bookstall LLANBRYNMAIR Mr. Maume Jones, Winllan NEWTOWN Messrs-]?bgHps & Son, printer&. WELSHPOOL Messrs. Smith and Son, Rail.. mwy Bookstall OSWESTRY Messrs. W. H. Smith and Soil » Askew- Roberts, Woodall, and, Yenables LIVERPOOL Jfossrs Foulkes and EvansV 16, Tithebarn-street M-T-, T. Lloyd, 52, Everton-rd. LONDON Messrs. Davies and-jCo., No. i Flash Lane, Comhill » Wm. Pugh, Aldersgata -Bttfldings, 91, Aldersgate-st^ i> •• Mr. E. Evans, 21, Fairb", street, East Road CHESTER Mr. J. Rathbume, Romas Bath, Bridge-street CARMARTHEN Messrs. W. H. Smith and,, Sgla Bookstall] LLANELLY Messrs. W. H. Smith aad Sen Bookstall. MANCHESTER Mr. Tas Royle, 2, Old MUptk BIRMINGHAM. Messrs. W. H. SmftfcandSom* Great Western Bookstall LLANIDLOES, Mr. J. H. Mills Mrs. Pierce, Chiua-sfcreab ADVERTISEMENTS and other communications, In ,V &t3h and English, should be sent not later than T&wsday morning to the Publishers— JACO"d JONES, High-street, Bala. J. GIBSON, 3, Qijeeu.1-road, Aberystwytfcfl or D. LLOYD, Portwadoc,

A salmon weighing thirty pouiids was recently netted at Llandrimo. „ A soldier has just died at Marseilles from the pressure of a bunch of hair upon the-brain. It is supposed that in infancy a portion of his locks were forced into the skin, and thence grew inwards 1:mtil the fatal result was pro- duced. This is the seoond ease within fifty years. At Ludlow, on Monday, May 20th, William Fawcett, described as a betting man and professional pugilist from Birmingham, was convicted by the district magistrates (Sir Charles H. Rouse Bough ton, Bart., in the chair), of having, on the 9th May, on the Ludlow racecourse, as- saulted John Harding, jockey, and also Mr. J. Charlton, of Caynham Court, a member of the club. The assault arose from the fact that during one of the races, the favourite (Boyne Water) fell and lost the race and the defendant having bet hvily on the horse accused Hard- ing of having pulled the animaa purposely.-Tho cldeudaut was fhwd .f5. includin^Jcogta, in each case,