The Cambrian

TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION. I Delivered in Town lB. 3d. per quarter Post Free (United Kingdom) ls.9d. (Foreign). 2s. 6d. 11 Payable in advance.

pOOR CHILDREN'S -1- BREAKFASTS. DONATIONS will be gratefully received by his Worship the Mayor of Swansea. (Wit. WATKINS, E"q.), Guildhall, Hon. Treasurer; or by Mr. W. NICHOLS, Y.M.C.A., Swansea, the Hon. Secretary. 10727

Zlic Cambrian. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1900. "A HAPPY NEW YEAR AND A PROSPEROUS CENTURY Once again, and for the ninety-sixth time, The Cambrian wishes its readers, at home and abroad, A Happy and Prosperous New Year." A few more days, and the Nine- teenth Century will have joined the preceding centuries. It was a wonderful hundred years, and the sample about which we naturally have known the most. It contained in its ample margin the glorious reign of Queen Victoria; it saw England grow in power, greatness, and wealth, beyond all rivals it brought in its hands wonderful advancements for hu- manity. Albeit the approach to the new century is just here and now a little sombre and ill-lighted, we ought to eater it with high hearts and confident hopes, and use to each other on the memorable morning of Tuesday next none but words of good cheer and pleasant omen, since to be of courage and cheerful spirit is the heritage of Britishers, and since they cannot look back upon the glorious past of their race and nation without thankfulness to Almighty God as may well inspire them with trust in His favour and protection in the long future which must still be reserved for this our Imperial breed. False and unfaithful, in- deed, to the traditions of that breed we modern rrpresentatives should be if, with such an Empire to maintain, we failed to emulate the resolution, the serenity, and the self-command of those who founded it. Let us look back one hundred years, and think for a little what our forefathers had to face when they entered upon the century now in its last throes. In A.D. 1800 we had lately lost in the New World colonies which seemed indispensable to our national welfare. The Dutch and the Spaniards, joining France, were at war with us; while our deadliest and stealthiest enemy, Napoleoa Bonaparte, was beginning his brilliant career. The mutinies on board the Fleet at Spithead and the Nore had weakened us in a vital place Ireland was bitterly disaffected the Bank of England had stopped payment, and a French fleet, proceeding to Egypt, had taken possession of Malta by treachery of the Knights. In India we had a heavy conflict on our hands, against our dogged enemy, Tippo Sahib, and, although Austria was energetically helping us against Bonaparte, that master of war, in A.D. 1800, led his army across the Alps with amazing genius, and, winning a complete victory at Marengo, constrained Austria to submit shortly after- terwards at Hohenlinden to her conqueror's terms. Meanwhile, Paul of Russia had be- come the bitter foe of England, and had revived against her that hostile confederation which might have been fatal to us but for Lord Nelson's splendid triumph at Copen- hagen. Such was the general outlook which confronted our forefathers in this country when the dying century was born, and yet it was at that very epoch that the Legislative Union of the Kingdom was established, under one Imperial Parliament, and at the same epoch that our glorious Union Jack was first designed and run up to all mast- heads as the emblem of a realm conscious that it was growing and not decaying. What is there in any temporary troubles of the dear flag to be even named for anxiety or disappointment with such burdens as then lay upon throne, statesmen and people? All know how successfully those difficulties were surmounted how the dauntless spirit of the nation and its rulers u launched the thunderbolt of war on Egypt, Iiafnia, Traf- algar," aud how as the century rolled on fresh dangers were freshly overcome, until the reign of Queen Victoria, constantly triumphant, in accordance with her august n1\me, has rather spoiled us all with the habit of victory, so that nowadays reverses or even a momentary check come to our unused spirits with a shock of surprise. Yet, after all, what has happened in South Africa to touch the British Empire with more thsu a passing vexation If Too lightly undertaking 1 a new and difficult problem in warfare, we have been driven to gohstdei-ablg efforU aud cost by a stubborn breed of Dutch peasants. They have obliged us to make a bridge of transport ships across the ocean, and to de- port for a time a very large part of the Home Army. After a year of hard fighting and much bitter experience, the war at last Bhows signs of an early termination. Mean- while the Boers have been the unwilling means of showing England to the world united into one feeling and purpose as the colours are blended upon her Union Jack, the voice of faction almost silenced, the hearts of all beating with one pulse, and the Colonial children of the Great Mother ac- claiming and provifig their worth and loyalty. Such a spectacle at the beginning of the New Century is calculated in our judgment to warrant words of the highest confidence and of the brightest omen. The South African War. minor but costly, has taught us that the Commonwealth must be strong by land as well as by sea that ita the preparing of her defences no blunders and no ineptitude can be permitted or pardoned, and that, as she owes her present safety from interference to her own strength and the justice of her cause, so must she continue to rely upon these and not upon shifty alliances. The war has taught England what treasures, inexhaustible for her security, she possesses in the heroic spirit of her people, in the love I they have for their achieved liberties, and in the devotion of her Imperial offspring round the globe. These things, though they come from a cause to bo regretted, are not calam- ities, but blessings and benefits, such as are vouchsafed by Providence only to a nation destined for high deeds in the story of humanity. In the strength of them, without doubt or diffidence, we again venture to wish to all Britishers, A Happy New Year and a Prosperous Century."

NOTES & NOTIONS. A meeting of the committee of the Swansea Providant Dispensary was recently held (un- der the presidency of Mr. Rd. Glascodine) for the purpose of electing a medical officer to Ml the vacancy created by the decease of the late Dr. Davidson.There were three can- didates and Dr. D. D. Edwards, Gorse-lane, was appointed. The other candidates were Dr. Daniel Evans and Dr. McManus Soden. w w The proposal to employ bloodhounds in the pursuit of the escaped Borstall convicts, re- calls a notable case in which the bloodhound proved himself useful as a detective. A little girl had been missed, and portions of a child's body were found in a field at Black- burn. The town was excited, and several persons were suspected. But thsro was no real clue, and it occured to the police to try a bloodhound. The dog was taken to the field in which the body had been found, but this led to no result, and it was then resolv- ed to lead it to the houses of two men sus- pected of tho crime. In the first of these the animal betrayed no excitement, but in the second it led the police to the fireplace of an upper room, and there, concealed in the chimney, the officers discovered the head of a child, a bundle of clothes, and several bones. The tenant, a barber named Fish, was arrested, und was hung after confessing his guilt. # • • There seems to be soce recr idescence of the Century controversy as the disputed date draws near. For ourselves, wo confess to little difficulty we cherish the conviction that the twentieth century of the Christian Era will commence with the first day of next month. There are still some who toubt, and a few who, with no doubts at all, maintain that the new Contury began last January. Reams of argument have been written oil both sides of the question, which as a "hardy centennial" will dcubtloss be revived in aboat ninety-eight years' time. The sub- ject is of recurring interest to those whose lives arc not confined to one historic century. But, we repeat, we cannot really quite under- stand where the difficulty comes in. The matter is simply one of arithmetic, and bears an exact analogy to centuries in cricket. The contrary position is based on fallacy, and attempted to be maintained by reasons which are excellent examples of the art of puzzlement. They were all met by the writer of an article in the "Contemporary Review" a year ago. Suffice it here to mention that the true tho&ry that every century must com- mence with "one," has the authority, among others, of the Astronomer-Royal, the Dean and Chapter of St. Paul's—who are arrang- ing a special service for tho occasion—the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Pope, the last-named of whem is the traditional custodian of Chronos. w < Mr. J. Aird, M.P., is having some trouble with his workmen on the banks of the Nile, where he is doing much to make the desert blossom as the rose. Mr. Aird has fourteen thousand men working for him day and night in Egypt, building a new reservoir which will be one of the engineering marvels of the age when it is finished. The two great dams at Assouan aLd Assiout are wonderful things to think of one of them is more than a mile long and 76ft. above the river bed. Just over two years have passed since Mr. Aird signed the contract with the Egyptian Gov- ernment, and he has undertaken to have the work completed during the summer of 1903. The reservoir will hold eighty thousand mil- lion gallons of wa.ter, weighing nearly four hundred million tons. The strike among the Italian workmen, if it proves serious, may interfere with the progress of the work, but Sir Benjamin Baker, who is superintending the operations, may be trusted to see that this miracle of engineering is ready for all to see by 1903. One of these days we may see it from a railway train. This year Christmas comes with peculiar sadness to very many homes. Many homes have to mourn young men dead before their day in the war many others have to lament the absence of their sons. One prayer at least will be universal in England—that this war, with its death and suffering, may soon be at an end. The war has also deeply af- fected a matter which is always prominent at this season. The appeals for charity which are sent broadcast over the country are likely to meet with a response less gene- rous than in other years. For one thing the country has been paying a heavy price in money as well as in lives, and for another a very great many people, whose means only allow of their giving moderate amounts away, have already given those amounts to the various funds in connection with the war. It is quite natural that these people should decide to draw in their purse-strings now. It is quite natural, but, except in oases where the utmost has really been given, the decision is both regretable and illogicil. The wa.r demanded a special effort frota the charitable. If they merely transferred to its funda money which they would otherwise have given to hospitals or other institutions they can take no credit to themselves. Tn that case they have made no special effort at > all. I A From the point of view of the interests of chaiity it was even bad policy, remarks the i St, J«.Il'(\S'S Gajette." Certain institutions, absolutely vital to our civilisation and ab- solutely necessary to the common instincts of humanity, are left to private charity. Whether or not it would be well if these in- stitutions were a public burden en the coun- try and were paid for by the State is a ques- tion which can be ai-gttotl. ^Icantime^ they are not so paid for, and if private tltttity fails they fail too. But if the private charity h&d not come forward to give aid to the suf- ferers hem the war the State would have been absolutely compelled, in the interest.; of the Aimy only, to give such aid from the public chest. Well, private charity did come forward-the country rose nobly to the occa- sion. But if as a consequence our hospitals and the care generally of the poor are to be neglected it will be a very grave evil. We trust that this consequence will net be. We trust that those who by an effort can spare but little will spare that little. And we trust, further, that those who are not merely prosperous but wealthy—which number in this country is very large—will remember that by cienjing themselves some superfluity of comfort which thousands of their fellow- countrymen, as gently nutured and as Ie- fined as they, never have the chance of en- joying, they may relieve much suffering and much anxiety.

Why are ladies' eyes 1 i ke friends separated by dis- tant climes ?—Because they correspond, but never meet. Why is Richmond like the letter R ?—Because it is next to Kew. Why is your first-born infant like a legal deed ? cause it is all-engrossing.

t UNAUTHORISED SCHOOL BOARD EXPENDITURE. IMPORTANT JUDGMENT. The decision of the Queen's Bench Court in the case of the Queen v. Cockerton, ex- parte Hamilton and others, will be a sad blow to "progressive" school boards, and in an equal degreo a matter of rejoicing to struggling ratepayers. Shorn of legal tech- nicalities, its effect is to warn the school boards that they must stick to their proper functions. Iu tho particular case which came before the Court, the facts were very simple. The School Board of London, it was stated,, has a total of 547,000 scholars in day schools and 29,000 in evening schools. Of these scholars 4,800 in day schools and 3,800 in evening schools were receiving in- struction in science and art subjects which are not provided for in the Elementary Schools Code. The auditor disallowed tii.i cost of this education on the ground that it was not lawful for the Board to pay the ex- penses of these schools or classes out of the School Beard rate or school funds, such edu- cation being provided for separately under the Science and Art Department, South Ken- sington, and the Technical Education grantp. The Court of Queen's Bench judgment sup- ported the view taken by the auditor, and this decision will affect almost every large Board in the country—Birmingham, it is thought to an exceptional extent. The worst of the case i& that it leaves our educa- tional system in something of a muddle. Under the Act of 1870 a board school must be one in which the principal part of the education given is elementary, but, as Mr. Justice Wills observed, that provision con- tains a distinct intimation that a portion of the instruction may be more or less advan- ced. In his- opinion, however, such second- ary or advanced instruction must be confined to children, so that the position of Boards which have made, a feature of classes for adults—as has been done in Birmingham- is very seriously affected. It is plain that we should have a more exact definition of the duties of various authorities. This un- authorised expenditure on the part of the London Bcard has been going on for years, and yet it has only just been detected and objected to. Such a state of affairs should not be possible.

FASHION NOTES. LBy MESSRS. BEN. EVANS A.ND Co., LIMITVD SWANSEA.] It is eminently satisfactory to observe how the New Century woman has seized on the fact that she must dress for her own satisfaction and not confine herself to any one particular style which for the moment may have been singled out for special attention by Dame Fashion. Individuality is allowed to display itself in even the smallest items of the toilette, while at the same time nothing peculiar or outre would be tolerated for a moment by a woman of good taste. A well- known authority on dress expresses himself thus, the perfection of dressing is arrived at when a pleasing sense of refined elegance soother the eyes of the beholder, while no particular item of the toilette attracts attention. All should be one harmonious symphony of shade and colour." Of course, when one has nothing to do but to lay down the law as to what shall or shall not be worn, regardless of the cost thereof, the task of acting up to the above remarks is rendered com- paratively easy, but to the ordinary everyday girl whose dress allowance is not nearly elastic enough to permit of any indulgencoil, and when last year's hat has to be induced somehow or other to "go" with this year's dress, theraare considerably more difficulties to be overcome. We think, however, that even a small amount of good taste will enable her to appear suitably and smartly turned ont even though she fall slightly short of perfection. We will endeavour to show how a black Cash, more Dress, slightly the worse for wear, might be smartened up and made into a very pretty and serviceable house dress. The bodice was originally plain, bublightlypouched from a lace-covered yoke. The skirt quite untrimmed. In this instance the lace was carefully unpicked off, all threads being removed, and then damped and ironed on the wrong side. The fulness was cut up at either side just where a dart would come were it tight- fitting, and into the opening thus obtained & piece of pleated emerald green silk was inserted. The point where the silk and cashmere join the yoke was finished by a small rosette of narrow black velvet ribbon. A black velvet band sur- rounded the waist, fastened by a fancy buckle set with imitation emeralds, while the neck was finished by a drawn band of the green silk bright- ened by a little gold braid. The skirt was also treated in very much the same way as the bodice, pleatings of green Bilk being inserted at each seam from five or six inches above the hem and finished at the top by tiny black velvet rosettes. Narrow black velvet ribbon is a very popular form of decoration on every article of dress this season, appearing sometimes in the form of stripes across the bodice or in a series of small bows or rosettes from shoulder to waist. It is a trimming highly becoming to most people—a fact which probably adds greatly to its popularity. Collars and revers are also made of black velvet embroidered with knotted stitches in thick white silk or chenille intermingled with fine gold oord, the effect being exceedingly pleasing on cloth costumes of any medinm shade of colour. An exceedingly smart coat is made of black cloth with a fur collar and lines of military braid the intervening space of the front being filled in with an applique of black eloth cut in a pattern and outlined with very bright gold cord, the effect being exceedingly haadsome. It is worn in conjunctiott with a stylish velvet toque trimmed with a bird and osprey. Suoh a coat could be made from two yards of foity-aight-iuch-wide material and about four yards of the broad braid. ^iraient41 for outdoor wear in order to be up-to- date must be worn quite tight-fitting or Very1 loose and distinctly of the 8acque order. There is no middle course for the votaries of Madame La Mode. Both for day and evening gowas, the Princesse robe continues to be very popular and is an exceedingly ch rming -tyie when well made and carc ully fitte I to a slender and graceful figure. The diffi.-u t es to be overcome, however, in order to produce a really good fit, place it altogether out of the powers of the ordinary amateur dressmaker, who will do wisely to leave it alone and content herself with simpler styles in which any defect will not be so apparent, and can be more easily reme lied xitil less fuss. A very stylish t'jqne, made of white felt, trimmed on the upturned btim with lines of narrow white satin ribbon. Soft draperies of black tulle, finish in a large chon in front after passing round the crown, a pretty buckle Hpparently securing the wholf. A handsome ostrich feather comes from the back of the hat and curls over the brim at the left side. Many and varied are the styles of headgear which have entranced our eyes this season, some of which it will be possible to pick up for half their value at the forthcoming sale.

WILL OF THE LATE LIEUTENANT WILLIAMS. The executors of the will of Lieutenant William Arthur Glamor WilHams, of the Cliff, ferrybridge, St. Ishmaols, Carmarthen, and of the South Waleo Borderers, who died at Bothaville on November 5 last, aged 27 years, son of the 113,te Mr. Hugh Williamg. of Ferryaide, arc Mr. Edward Lewis, of Broadley, and Mr. Rowland Browne, of 7, Rail-street, Carmarthen, solicitor, by whom the testator's eotato hao been valted at JE.10,449 18s. 3d. grew, and J68,881 5s. 9d. net.