Weekly Mail

TIDE TABLE. FOR THE WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 15, LS. I ■§ & B 2 8 9-5 Is' l1^ £ DAYS OF THE WEEK. « 3 "E £ *2 CE-2 ? > 3 "i ui £ 3 I S$« 2 a 5 5 ( Morning 6 4 5 48 4 54 5 48 6 55 8ATUHDY-< Evening 6 28 I 6 10 5 17 6 11 7 17 (Height 29 4 31 6 29 5 32 0 23 7 I Morning 6 44 1 6 32 5 39 6 33 I 7 39 SDNBAY .•< Evening 7 7 6 53 5 59 6 5?| 8 0 I Height 30 9 32 8 30 2 33 5 12i 11 ( Morning 7 23 I 7 12 6 20 7 14 8 19 M9JTDAY.-< Evening 7 48 j 7 31 6 40 7 34 8 41 ( Height 31 9 33 7 30 9 34 5 26 0 1 Morning 8 1 7 54 7 0 7 54 91 TTILSDAY < Evening 8 28 8 13 7 20 8 14 9 28 ( Height 32 5 34 4 31 4 35 0 26 1Q ( Morning 8 41 8 33 7 39 8 33 9 40 YFEDSDY.< Evening 9 10 8 53 7 55 8 53 10 0 Height 132 4 31 5 31 4 34 U 26 11 < Morning | '§ 23 9 l F 8 19 A 13" 10 21 THL'R«DY^ Evening 9 53 9 35 8 41 9 35 10 42 ( Height 31 11 34 4 30 11 34 6 26 10 i Morning !0 8 4 56 ^4 9 58 11 3 FRIBAY. •< Evening 10 39 10 16 9 26 10 20 11 23 Height 30 11 33 6 30 4 33 7 25 11

Wtkr!t !flail "F _r /J' SATURDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1882. THE protracted Session of 1882 has not been brought to a close a day too soon. The public had become utterly weary of appa- rently interminable debates on Rules of Pro- cedure of so purely technical a character that it is only a few experts even in the House of Commons who can grasp their full signifi- oance; and as regards members of Parliament themselves-deprived as they have been of their usual and well-earned holiday, and kept dancing attendance at Westminster day after day till past midnight during the exceedingly trying weather of the last few weeks-the majority of them, if asked tlie familiar question, Is life worth living ?" would probably be disposed to reply, No, not if we are to have an Autumn Session every year." Two or three of Mr. GLADSTONE'S colleagues are completely knocked up; Sir S. NORTHCOTE has had to leave England to re- store his broken health, and other prominent Conservative politicians have only escaped being laid up by discreetly anticipating the period of prorogation. The much-enduring SPEAKER was obliged on Thursday night to go to bed instead of taking the Chair. The PREMIER himself has within the last two or three days had to admit that he, too, is liable to the infirmities of human nature; and had the Session really lasted, as was at one time threatened, till Christmas, Lord RANDOLPH CHURCHILL and Mr. GORST would probably by that time have been left alone to submit their 350th amendment on the New Rules to the distracted Dr. PLAYFAIR. The common sense of both sides of the House has recog- nised the necessity of putting an end to a state of things which could benefit nobody except the doctors, and the conciliatory spirit shown by the Government and the leaders of the Opposition in the discussion of the con- cluding Procedure Resolutions has led to a rapid despatch of business, and caused the Session which came in like a lion to go out like a lamb. The Government, of course, takes credit to itself for having accomplished all the work it had set itself to do during the supplementary Session and no doubt the New Rules of Procedure have been accepted by the House of Commons pretty much in the form in which they were framed. But with regard to the scheme of Grand Committees, on which, more than on the Cloture itself, Mr. GLADSTONE rested his hopes of making the progress of Parliamentary business more ex- peditious, the evident feeling of the House is so plainly one of distrust of all proposals involving a delegation of its authority to bodies of experts that the Ministry hastened at an early stage of the discussion to promise that the Grand Com- mittee project should be treated as merely experimental, and liable to be abandoned if it is found to work mischievously next Session. In other respects it seems likely that the New Rules will not have the effect predicted by either friends or enemies. The regulation legalising motions for adjournment on the demand of forty members, and thus converting what before was only an indul- gence into a right, has already been found to work in the direction of extending, instead of restricting, the privileges of private* members. It is true that Mr. PARNKLL failed on Thursday to get the requisite number of members to support his motion, but this failure was due to the accident that several of his friends have succumbed to the combined influence of hard work and bad weather, and are happily unable at present to come from Dublin to London. In ordinary circumstances the Home Rulers will always muster forty strong to raise a debate for the purpose of worrying the Ministry; and it is probable, therefore, that we shall have as large a supply of Irish debates under the new system as we had under the old. As for the Cloture, the wary managers of the Liberal party know too well the feeling of the country to venture to apply the gag to the Conservative Opposition until they wish to carry some particular measure in behalf of which they believe popular enthusiasm has been aroused; and, so long as the House of Lords exists, the Conservatives have always at hand the means of appealing to the! country to reverse the verdict of a bare majority of the House of Commons. One unexpected result of the Autumn Session has been the exposure of the complete collapse of Mr. GLADSTONE'S Irish policy. Whether the Kilmainham Treaty remains in force or not, Mr. PARNELL evidently considers that it does not bind him to refrain from criticising the measures of conciliation already passed by the Government. Both the Land Act and the Arrears Act are denounced by him, the former as imperfect, the latter as being so limited in point of time that most of the persons it was intended to benefit cannot take advantage of it. What Mr. GLADSTONE has done for Ireland is not, therefore, accepted as satisfactory even by that section of the Home Rule party which is anxious to ally itself with the Whigs. The Government has made one more important concession to the Parnellites by abolishing the valuers ap- pointed under the Land Act; but the more they get the more they want. Mr. PARNHLL evidently feels that, unless he strikes an attitude of independence, he will be outbidden in the competition for popular favour in Ireland by such extreme Nationalists as Mr. DAYITT and Mr. IIEALY, who boast that they will have no compromise with the Saxon tyrant. The renewal of agrarian agitation and of desperate outrages at the beginning of the winter of 1832-83 is clearly due to the initiative of Mr. DAVITT. That gentleman himself still affects to maintain the character of one who consistently denounces violent methods of redressing grievances; but he must be either a great fool or a great knave if he is, or pre- tends to be, surprised at the inter- pretation put by his countrymen on speeches in which he urges the peasantry to seize the property of the landlords. SAMSON might as well have disclaimed responsibility for mischief done by the foxes which he turned loose with firebrands tied to their tails among the cornfields of the Philistines. The Irish Executive has now come to the resolution that Mr. DAVITT shall not be suffered for the present to make any more incendiary speeches. But why was this resolution not taken before the mischief was done? Tw,.) -)tithis ago Mr. TREVELYAN boasted of the =-ncy of Earl SPENCER in determining no. i j us*» I he new Coercion Act for the f .urpose ot checking free discussion. Pie tb.us allowed Mr. DAVITT to have his fling, and he ought not to be surprised at the result. It is these alternations of clemenoy and rigour on the part of the Executive Government that delay the restoration of peace and order in Ireland, and leave Dublin, now that the third year of Mr. GLADSTONE'S Administration is drawing to a close, at the mercy of a "an of assassins. OUR correspondent H Briton" has brought to a close his arguments for Swansea as the site of the proposed University College for South Wales. The ability with which he has urged them there need, there can be, we think, no denying. But it is the ability of the advocate with a case to make out rather than that of the judge sifting and weighing calmly and dispassionately the arguments ad- duced by each of two applicants for an im- partial decision upon the merits of their respective claims. This fact, while it strengthens our correspondent's position in one sense, materially weakens it in another. It enables him to urge his own peculiar views with a concentration of force and intensity which would otherwise ill become them but it at the same time deprives them of nearly all judicial value. Anyone who would dispute with him is compelled by the very necessities of the situation to take up a brief for the rival town, invidious though such a course may appear in him whose real desire was to ascertain which way the balance of argument preponderated. Before attempt- ing to criticise any of our correspondent's positions let us clear the ground by stating that he has launched his case with the most admirable precision. As an expo- sition of the views of the narrower and possibly the larger section of Welsh Non- conformity, nothing could have been more clearly or conclusively advanced. We believe Briton represents, faithfully as in a photo- graph, the peculiar feeling which lies next the heart of Welsh Dissent over this much- debated question of the location of the pro- posed University College and the lines upon which it should be established and con- ducted. Initially we have only' one fault to find with his advocacy. He has been arguing all along from a false standpoint, from one utterly hypothetical, utterly mis- taken, or rather from no standpoint at all. His conclusions, able and indisputable as many of them may be in themselves, are drawn from premisses which his opponents would not for a moment admit to be valid, and for the soundness of which he himself could not possibly hope to contend with the slightest chance of success. Although ostensibly an argument for Swansea as the site of the proposed University College, the one adduced by our correspondent is in point of fact an argument for something else with whioh neither Swansea nor Cardiff nor the University College has primarily any- thing in the world to do. It is an argument for Swansea as the site of a Welsh College, pure and simple, a distinction of the most vital importance. Do the residents of the Principally want, does the Government pro- pose a Welsh College anywhere, whether in North Wales or South ? Answering the last question first, we would say emphatically, "No." Such a thing as a Welsh College can by no imaginable possibility have entered the official mind. The reason is obvious. The Commission which they appointed, if it under- stood its duties rightly, took upon itself the task of inquiring into the condition of inter- mediate and higher education in Wales and Monmouthshire, and upon that did it frame its report. Upon that report, again, do the Government base their proposals of endow- ment, and any departure from these lines, whether on the part of the Commission or on the part of the Govern- ment, would be clearly ultra vires. That the College which the Departmental Committee suggested should be established in Glamor- ganshire should be an English College, intended for the joint benefit of South Wales and Monmouthshire, is so patent upon the general face of things as to render all argu- ment on the subjeot a work of superfluity —we had almost said of supererogation—and to attempt to shelve this point in any dis- cussion of the claims of the rival towns is not only useless, but much worse. It is posi- tively and manifestly unfair. Let us now revert to the first of our qaestions, this being one which not only our correspondent, but a very large number of Welsh people do not understand. At least, we will assume that they do not understand it, that being a more charitable view of their conduct in reference to it than the one which would be implied in the state- ment that they are wilfully bent upon riding steeplechase fashion over all the facts in their path. We reiterate our ques- tion—Do Welshmen want a Welsh College ? in order that we may at once give the answer—No. Distinctly and emphatically, No Until lately, when the question has been so bemuddled that the main iue was lost sight of, Welshmen were loudest in the cry, not that they wanted a Welsh College, but that they did not want one, or, to be more precise still, that they wanted one which was not Welsh. And their ambition, unpatriotic though it may at first sight seem, was a perfectly reasonable one. It had its foundation in that sense of self-preservation which reason and philo- sophy tell us is the first law of nature. They constantly ow themselves worsted in the race for prosperity—we might say the battle for existence—by their Saxon neighbours. With the advantages of a bright, quick intel- lect, and a fervour of temperament peculiar to themselves as a nation in their favour, they were yet compelled to swallow the bitter humiliation of acknowledging their defeat at every turn wherever the question became one of competition between nation and nation. And to what underlying cause was their in- feriority to be attributed? To some artificial one, evidently, as they themselves were the first to see; and seeing they were not slow to understand. At the root of the evil lay a lingual difficulty. Their native tongue, in which they were accustomed 1? think and to express themselves, hung as a clog upon the wheels of the national progress. For giving form to images of natural feeling and passion, and for all pur- poses of religion, it was pre-eminently suited; for philosophical thinking, for the ends of science and of commerce, it was utterly useless. To remove the inequality, only one means was possible. The native Cymro must obtain the like educational facilities with his rival, the son of IIENGI8T, and when no longer handi- capped in the race, then would be seen which of them was the better runner. It was to do away with the accidental drawback of his position that the Government at his own request issued a Commission and formulated a College scheme. It is this aspeot of the whole ques- tion that our correspondent has failed to grasp. AHMED ARABI, the Egyptian, as he loves to style himself, makes his exit with dignity and honour from the political stage on which he has so long played an important part. The offence to which he has pleaded guilty is that of simple rebellion against the KHEDIVE; and the English Government has admitted the justice of his plea, that in becoming a rebel he merely went with the whole Egyptian nation, by advising the KHEDIVE to inflict on him no heavieiLpunishment than exile to one] of the British Qolonies, we have an acknowledgment that the whole policy which plunged this country into the war with Egypt was based on a misapprehension of ARABI'S designs and character, and that, consequently, the war itself was a blunder of the first magnitude. ARARI, denounoed by Mr. GLADSTONE a few months ago as the enemy of the Egyptians, and one of the greatest criminals of the a?e, now stands revealed as a pure, disinterested, and far-seeing patriot, worthy to take rank along with WASHINGTON and GARIBALDI. He is declared innocent of the infamous deeds whioh his enemies laid to his charge, and, while banished himself from Egypt, he justly boasts that he leaves to his conquerors the task of carrying out the reforms he was powerless to effect single- handed, and that his cause will ultimately triumph through the agency of the men who defeated him at Tel-el-Kebir. The only atone- ment, indeed, that Mr. GLADSTONE can now make to the Egyptians for inflicting upon them all the miseries of war is to keep the control of the whole civil and military administration in English hands until it is purified and made efficient. Apparently the English Government has determined to acoept ARABI'S legacy, for the appointment of Sir EVELYN WOOD to command the Egyptian Army, in place of BAKER Pasha— who no longer holds an English commission —will fix definitely and permanently on England the responsibility for whatever may happen in Egypt, even after our army of occupation is withdrawn. In short, the stress of events has brought us, in spite of the vain outcries of Mr. GLADSTONE'S Radical sup- porters, within a measurable distance of the annexation of Egypt. O Wednesday occurred one of those astrono- mical events which are at one and the same time important from a scientific and in- teresting from a general voinfc of view. The earth on which we dwell remained for upwards of six hours in the penumbra! shadow of the planet Venus. The time and manner of the first indentation of the planet's disc upon the sun's surface, and the interval which must elapse before its appearance thereon as a complete round spot, had been foretold with all that accuracy of modern scientific prophecy which more than every- thing else is conclusive to the vulgar mind that, however immense may be the specula- tions of astronomy, there is something of absolute fact about them too palpable to be gainsaid. Even to the uninitiated the sight of the small black object creeping up into, and as it were moving upon, the surface of the great luminary like a mote in the very eye of heaven was beautiful considered in a purely spectacular sense. But it is in its scientific aspect that the phenomenon possesses its greatest interest. By carefully registered observations made on an occasion like this astronomers are able to determine, as they never otherwise can, the distance of the earth from the sun. The mode in which their conclusions are arrived at would take too much space to explain, but the importance attached thereto may be guessed from the statement of a well-known astronomer that any change in our estimate of the sun's distance involves a change in our estimate of his physical power, his might as ruler of the solar system, his capacity as the souroe of all the supplies of light and heat by which it is nourished, the time during which these forms of energy can be supplied, the scale on which those mighty processes take place, whose existence we infer from spots and faouUe, cyclonio storms, eruptive prominences, and even, in all proba- bility, in the changes affecting the solar corona itself. SWANSEA refuses to meet Cardiff half way in the selection of persons tc arbitrate between the two towns on the question of the College site. The Swansea Executive Com- mittee have just arrived at a decision which few people outside their own town and not immediately connected with its interests will not regret. It will probably be fresh in the memory of most of those who have followed the history of the matter in dispute that the interviews of the Swansea and Cardiff deputations with the VICE-PRESIDENT of the COMMITTEE of COUNCIL on EDUCATION resulted in a piece of highly sensible advice from that functionary to both parties. Regarding them in the light of friendly suitors he suggested that they should lay their heads together and agree amongst themselves to refer their differences to the arbitration of someone in whose impartiality and competency both sides could have a perfect reliance. Substantially it may be said that the two towns accepted this suggestion, but such a difference of opinion has arisen between them with regard to the practical mode of acting upon it that a settlement of the great question of the location of the College is now as remote as ever. Cardiff, arguing that the VICE-PRESIDENT himself, being seised of the facts and wholly disinterested as to the issue, concluded that he was the best person to appoint. But Swansea held different views and for reasons which, as far as they have pub- licly transpired, are inconclusive, to say the least of them. To Swansea s proposal that the arbitrators should be the PRESIDENT and VICE-PRESIDENT of the PRIVY COUNCIL and two Judges of Assize, before whom both towns should be heard by counsel, Cardiff gave what might be fairly termed a modified form of assent. While objecting to the employment of counsel and the importation of two or any other number of judges into the business, they readily consented that the PRESIDENT of the COUNCIL on EDUCATION should be included with his colleague on the board of arbitration, and that the decision of these two should be binding and final. It was to discuss this proposal of the Cardiff Committee that the meeting of Wednesday. was convened at Swansea, The decision of that meeting, which we publish in another column, will be found to differ so very little from their previous one that we way assume both to be, to all intents and purposes, identical. Swansea before agreed that the PRESIDENT and VICE-PRESIDENT of the COUNCIL should be two of the arbitra- tors; it agrees to this still. It before wanted two Judges of Assize; it is now con- tent to put up with only one. It before wanted to be professionally represented; it wants the same now. Only half an eye is needed to see that the question is well worth the hardest fighting on the part of both towns, but it is a most unfortunate thing that they cannot be brought to agree upon a common ground on which to join battle. If this waste of time over the preliminaries continues much longer no one need be sur- prised if the Committee of Council on Educa- tion step in and decide the matter offhand without further consultation with the repre- sentatives of either town. After all has been said and done it is the Committee who will be finally looked to by the Government, and why all this objection to a decision from them in the first instance we have never for the life of us been able to understand. IT is to be hoped that the resolution which Mr. W. J. TROUNCE intends proposing at the meeting of the Town Council on Monday next will result in some ^practical measure for the more effeotive supervision of the sources of danger to the public health of Cardiff. There can be no question that the rate of mortality in the borough is at present exceptionally high something like o per cent, higher than the avoraee of twenty-eight. representative large towns enumerated m a recent return of the REGISTRAR-GENERAL. A glance at the facts which we give elsewhere will show the existence of a small army of unwelcome visitants in the shape of typhoid, whooping cough, diphtheria, measles, and scarlet fever. Changes of temperature may account for the presenoe of some of them, but whether this be a main cause or a subsidiary one it is much to be feared that there is another at work which it is the immediate duty of the Corporation to endeavour to remove. The report of the medical officer of health con- necting two cases of death from diphtheria with the bad state of a couple of streets only verifies a complaint to which most emphatic utterance was given during the progress of the last municipal election. The true remedy for these diseases being a hygienic one, and one over which the Corporation ha3 such large control, it behoves them to stir them- selves. The time for locking the stable door is before the horse is stolen. LORD WOLSELEY is reported to have said. in his speech to the Civil Kngineers, that" in the recent campaign English soldiers, for the first time since the Crimean campaign, had encountered a regular army. They had since the war with Russia encountered Zulus, Ashantees, Maoris, men who brought against them bows and arrows, assegais, and shields, who in many cases had no artillery at all, and when they had Held guns did not know how to use them." This statement i^surprisingly inaccurate. In the desperate struggle, lasting over two years, known as the Sepov War of 1857-58, our troops had to encounter a numerous regular army, trained by British officers, and provided with a powerful and well-served artillery. It is a pity to disparage the work done by the captors of Delhi and Lucknow even for the sake of glorifying the ti Egyptian heroes." A gain, the Afghan Army was beyond comparison a more formidable military force than that led by Arabi. The Afghan infantry were fairly disciplined, and the field guns were by no means badly served. No doubt we had in Fgyp splendid soldiers commanded by splendid regimental officers, and led by a splendid general. But British armies, even in modern times, have had more difficult work to do than our army ac- complished in Egypt.

OUR LONDON LETTER. It is whispered that the aristocratic patrons of the National Liberal Club are slightly dis- concerted at the excessive eagerness of pro- vincial Liberalsto accept their kind invitation to become members of the club, and enjoy intimate social intercourse with Lord Hart- ington, Lord Northbrook, Lord Derby, and Sir William Harcourt. A wpH-known Colonial Governor, on being entertained at a farewell banquet by his subjects when he was about to return home, said, with tears in his eyes, that the only consolation he had on leaving them was the hope of meeting them all some day again in England. N*~>t all, I hope," plaintively mur- mured his wife to her neighbour at the feast. I am afraid the Whig aristocrats who founded the Caucus Club must sympathise with the Governor's wife, now that they are over- whelmed by the social deluge they themselves let loose. The club has found a good secretary in Mr. William Digby, an energetic and capable journalist, who for some years edited the Madras Times, and who did good service in India five yeprs ago as secretary to the Madras Famine Relief Fund. The directors of the Road Car Company have at length realised that the omnibuses with which they started business are too cumbersome and unwieldy for street traffic and they are gradually replacing them by liarhter cars. These, however, retain the ad- vantages of easy access to the roof, where comfortable seats, facing towards the horses, take the place of the ancient knife-board." When Mrs. Langtry was in London the singular sobriety of her male attire when playing Rosalind was a subject of general comment. It appears, however, that she has adopted a more dashing style of costume for the delectation of her American audiences. Listen to what the Spirit vi the Times, just to hand, says :—" Mrs. Langtry does not pretend to be an actress. She cannot play Rosalind, and she openly challenges attention to her limbs by leaving' off the trunks and boots which she wore in London, and showing herself in brown silk hose. Is it not a shame that there should be naught more to say of a representative of Shakespeare's most dainty heroine than that her limbs are thin and unshapely, that her knees protrude ungrace- fully, and that her walk, now wholly dis- closed, is more unwieldy than ever ?" The notice concludes :—" Apart from the revela- tions of her revised costume, there is nothing in Mrs. Langtry's Rosalind. She recited the lines in a pleasant voice, without understand- ing or expressing their subtle meaning." Royalty, we know, cannot be judged by ordinary standards, but surely the Times is misinformed when it told its perplexed readers that the Queen was driven from Paddington to the Royal Courts in five carriages. Here are the words:—" At noon an unusually loud burst of cheering in the streets announced the arrival of her Majesty, and immediately afterwards the five post.il/ioned carriages in which she had driven from, Faddinc/ton entered the great quadrangle to be in readiness for the return journey." It is not surprising that the burst of cheering was" unusually loud," for the circumstance, it must be admitted, was also unusual—that is, unless the Times is at its old tricks again. JT These irrepressible Hebrews find their way to the front somehow or other whenever any- thing worth seeing is going on. I espied The Harris of Drury Lane snugiy bestowed in one of the windows of the courtyard at yester- day's ceremony, and conspicuous in scarlet and silver among the guests in the Hall was that, talented being, Mr. Deputy-Lieutenant Edward Levy-Lawson, whom Mr. Labouchere continues, with provoking persistency, to describe as my Son Ted." When he emerged from the building he had the pleasure of being mistaken by the crowd for a field marshal. The Windsor uniform is rather a trying dress for middle-aged politicians, who are not as a rule strong in the matter of legs, but some people it suits admirably. Earl Gran- ville wears it so constantly that he is quite at home in it, and as I cast my eye round yesterday's brilliant scene—of which I was fortunate enough to be a witness—it struck me that the costume suited none so well as Mr. Gibson and Sir W. Harcourt. On the other hand, the spectacle—even to me, a person of Conservative instincts—of the Attorney-General in knee breeches and silk stockings, terminating in shoes with big silver bucldes, was painful; for Sir Henry is not a son of Anak. Now, knee, breeches suit Mr. Speaker very well, but I have an opinion that the style of costume is one which is best reserved for those shapely young ladies who "go on" in the lighter forms of opera. Tho Windsor uniform may be trying, but Court dress is positively over- whelming. That, no doubt, was the thought that passed through the mind of Field- Marshal Levy-Lawson as he donned his scarlet and gave his cocked hat a knowing twist in front of the looking-glass. # The guard of honour of the Inns of Court Volunteers (affectionately known as "The Devil's Own") was smart and soldier-like; the highest honour I can pay them is to say that nobody would have mistaken them for lawyers. Their commanding officer proudly bears the triple designation of lieutenant- colonel, Queen's Counsel, and member of Par- liament, which his name is Bulwer," and a very fine fellow, too. It is not creditable that the work of erect- ing a monument to the late Mr. Street in the great Hall of the Law Courts should be brought to a standstill for the want of a few hundred pounds. Yet such is the case. If the money cannot bo otherwise raised, why do not the Government come forward and find the balance ? W ithin the last few days an emissary from one of the most "eminent (that, I think, is the accepted word) firms of estate agents has been scouring the neighbourhoods of Rich- mond, Twickenham, Kingston, Kew, and Isie- worth in search of a house suitable for a gen- tleman of large means. That gentleman of large means, says Rumonr, is Arabi Pasha, who, having gone through the farce of being sentenced to death, will shortly take up his re- sidencein this much-favoured land of ours. Soif next summer any of my readers, being visitors to London and tempted to take a trip up the river, behold a dusky personage in a straw hat, sitting in a punt deeply immersed in the thrilling pastime of bobbing for dace—or varying his labours by execrating passing I steam launches—they will be able to draw their own conclusions. I thought that, with all his wrongheaded- ness, Mr. E. Dwyer Gray.M.P., was a sensible man but he has made himself very ridicu- lous by omitting to stand up while the Queen's Commission was being read in the Dublin Commission Court. There is nothing edifying—whatever Mr. Gray and his blus- tering friends may think—in the spectacle of a high sheriff having to be brought to book by an inferior official of the court for a inches of this sort. The only London theatre of the first-class that will devote itself this season to panto- mime is Drury Lane, an arrangement having been come to by which Covent Garden is not to enter into the field of competition. Such houses, however, as the Surrey—which is being managed with great energy by Mr. Meritt and Mr. Conquest—and the Britannia, identified with the name of Mrs. Sara Lane, will, as usual, put forth their best efforts in this direction. The Connaught Theatre, in Modern (re-christened "The Alcazar"—a name which somehow brings to my mind reminiscences of Messrs. Gilbey's sherry), promises "Cinderella"; and here a memorable event will be the re-appearance in London of Mr. Sheil Barry, who has been engaged at a fabulous salary to help to give the place a good start. I have heard a gooi story of the force of habit. It rather tells against the Tories, but here it is notwithstanding. A certain Tory M.P., who is also chairman of quarter sessions, on the last occasion of his judicially visiting his county began his charge thus — (I Gentlemen of the Grand Old Jury"—and then paused in a state of perplexity as a titter ran through the court. He had found himself unable to get the Grand Old Man out of his head.

THE CAKDlfiTsOHOOL" BOARD. THE LORD'S PRAYER IN SCHOOLS. A DISGUSTED RADICAL. SOMETHING FOR POSTERITY. The usual monthly meeting of the Cardiff School Hoard was held in the Grand Jury-room of the Town-ball, Cardiff, on Thursday under the presi- dency of Mr. Lewis Williams. were also present the Kev. C. J. Thompson, the Rev. V. Satilf Z, the Hev. G. A. Jones, the Rev. Father Richardson, the Rev. J. Waite, Messrs. J. Cory. Dr. Edwards, T. Hoes, Dr. Wallace, J. A. Ie Boulanger, and Dr. Evans. APPOINTMENT OF TFACITRItS. The following appointments of teachers were made:— JVhitcliurch-road School: Head-mistress infants' depaitment, Miss Annie Clissold (now head-mistress of the infants' department of the Kleanor-street. School); assistant-master, Mr. Terry Thomas, Fernda1e assistant-mistress, Miss Mary Jane Lucas, Dursley, and Mrs. Lucy Chtipple, King's road, Canton. Elemtor-street: Head-mistress infants' department. Miss Jane E. Dovey, Gordon Villa, Cat hays; head-muster boys' department, Mr. K C. V/illmott, Rhymney. NEW ATTENDANCE OFFICER. It was resolved that, in view of the opening of the Whitchurch-road School, Mr. James Perkins, of 2, James-street., Roath, be added to the staff of the attendance officers. JIKU 1ST RATION OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS. It was also resolved that a system of registra- tion of private schools be at once set on foot, and that, in addition to his other duties, the new attendance officer should be employed to obtain information for that purpose. THH: LORD'S PRAYER IN BOARD SCHOOLS. Mr. J. A. LE BOULANGER rose to move a resolu- tion, of which he liad given notice, to the elfew vhatth^ Lord's Prayer be said by all the children in the board schools morning and evening. The CHAIRMAN said that. as this motion would be a violation of the conscience clause, and in direct antagonism to the Act, he could not allow it to be discussed that- day in that form. If Mr. Bouhnger would modify it so as to recognise the conscience clause no would accept it. Mr. Boulanger used the words "all the children." As the board they must work in harmony with the law; but if Mr. Boulanger would take part, of Clause 8 of their school rcguhltions-" And the first ha.lf hour of every morning shall be "pent in Bible reading with explanations "—and add thereto that the Lord's Prayer be said either at the commencement or at the close of the said Bible reading," then he thought his motion would be admirable. And what was more, he thought that such a proposal would receive the support, and approval of almost every member of the board. Mr. BOULANGKR said he was quite willing that the word all" should be taken out, but he could not see that in any other respect it was incon- istent with the rule that had been referred to. The CHAIRMAN If you will prepare such a. reso- lution as I have suggested I will accept it. The Hov. C. J. THOMPSON: Perhaps this would meet the views of the chairman. "That it bo a rule of the school that the Lord's Prayer be re- peated by the children as a religious exerciso every morning and every evening." The CHAIRMAN Take the word repeated out, and substitute the word "said." Dr. EDWARDS We look upon the reading of the Bible as a religious exercise. Why use that term ? The Rev. C. J. THOMPSON: Are you aware that in one of your schools the Bible is not read at all ? The CHAIRMAN: The law of the Cardiff School Board is this— That the first half-hour of every morning shall bo spent in Bible reading with ex- planations." If Mr. Thompson has known of a case of that kind he has failed in his duty in not reporting it to the board. The Rev. C. J. THOMPSON: If Mr. Thompson knows it, other members of the board ought to know it. The CHAIRMAN I have not known it. The Kev. C. J. THOMPSON Suppose a teacher has only one Bible in his school, and he reads that. Is that Bible reading ? Mr. Evans, of the Stacey-road School, told me himself that he had no Bibles in the boys' department but that he brought one or two to the school himself, and that he used them at the beginning of tlw school. I said, Is it a fact, Mr. Evans, that there are no Bibles in the school 'i Is it, a fact, that the children do not read Bible;;?" He said," Yes. But I read the Bible to them." That is what I mean. Mr. RUES As chairman of the General Pur- poses Conmittee I may say that Mr. Evans is exceedingly lavish in his requisitions of other ) hings, and he ought to have known from his expe- rience at the Eleanor-street School that it was only necessary to requisition Bibles and he could have them. he Rev. J. WAITE Did Mr. Thompson insert that in the visitors' book ? The Rev. C. J. THOMPSON: No, he did not. I thought it was in accordance with the wish of the board. I do not regard Bible reading as a religious exercise. Mr. BOULANGKR I will take what Mr. Thompson has read as my motion. The CHAIRMAN, after glancing at the motion as altered, said he could not accept it in that form. The Kev. C. J. THOMPSON said he would insert the words subject to the provisions of the conscience clause," but he did not think that was necessary. The motion having been thus altered, the Chair- man said he would accept it. Mr. BOULANGKR then moved the resolution, and said that he was very much surprised that any opposition had been offered to it. The CHAIRMAN I will not allow that to pass. Mr. BODLANGKR: You refused my motion. The CHAIRMAN: Yes, on the ground of legality. Mr. BOUIANGI R said he would not enter into the question of legality. If he had proposed that the Catechism of the Church of England or the Catechism of the Roman Catholic Church should be recited and learnt, he would not have been sur- prised if they had objected. But he had been sur- prised that they had objected to the Lord's Prayer; and he might say that through their refusal to allow 'that prayer to be said hitherto their schools had well earned the reputation they had got in Cardiff, of being to a great extent Godless schools. The Bible had been allowed to be read every morning, and Lhe schoolmaster had been permitted to read from the 20th chapter of Exorius the Ten Command- ments. and by reading them had taught them to the children. That they should have allowed the children to leam the Ten Commandments and not to recite the Lord's Prayer was an anomaly that he could not explain, and one that had given a great deal of distress to a large number of the parents of the children attending the Board Schools. One of the masters of their 8choolssaid to him that he received the greatest rebuke be ever had in his life in his school. It had been decided that the Lord's Prayer should be discontinued, and one morning, after the reading of the Bible, two little fellows came to him and said to him, Teacher, how is it we are not going to have prayers to-day?" The only reply he could give was that it was the rule that prayer should not be said. He did not think that was a matter that re- quired a great amount of argument. The Lord's Prayer was accepted by all Christians, and for his own part, if he wore at liberty, he would add more Ho would, probably, also add the benedic- tion in the evening. Mr. T. REES: It can come after. You can give us another notice. Mr. BOUL\NC;K.R said he would not propose a benediction nor an A ve Maria, but he did hope that the board would take that matter into their consideration and would carry it unanimously. The Rev. C. J. THOMPSON seconded the motion. He said he was exceedingly glad that Mr. Boulanger had brought forward that motion, and he did not think it was necessary to say a word in its support. The Rev. V. SAULEZ supported the motion. Dr. EDWARDS spoke in favour of the resolution, but suggested that it should be put in this form— That the first half-hour. of every morning be spent in Bible reading with explanations, and that either at the commencement or a.t the close the Lord's Prayer be said." Dr. EVANS would not recommend such an altera- tion of the resolution. Mr. BOULANGKR said the proper time to say the Lord's Prayer was the morning and evening. The Rev. J. WAITE did not see why tho I:> words religious exercise should be used in tha resolu- tion. The Rev. Father RICHAKDSON said that the read- ing of the Bible was not a religious exercise the saying of the Lord's Prayer would be. The CHAIRMAN asked Father Richardson if the Lord's Prayer was said in his school. The Rev. Father RICHARDSON Always, morning and evening. Dr. EDWARDS How are th", voluntary schools opened ? I The Rev. C. J. THOMPSON: With collects and a prayer, and a distinct religious lesson. Dr. WALLACE: What is the religious lesson ? The Rev. C. J. THOMPSON: In our schools we open with a hymn and one or two collects, and the Lord's Prayer. Then a religious lesson is given from a portion of Scripture, or from the Catechism or from the Prayer Book. The lessons are sometimes given by the clergy, but they are chiefly given by the school teachers. After some further discussion, the CHAIRMAN asked if there was any amendment. Mr. T. REES said he could not permit his silent vote to be taken without defending that vote. They all knew how strongly he felt on the matter; and as he was bound to vote against the resolution he would feel he had neglected his duty if he did not defend that vote. He was greatly pained to find himself at difference with his own party on that board, but he could not help it-he had a conscience, and he intended to honour that conscience in that matter, whatever the consequences. Therefore, it was on principle that he stood alone to vote against them 0:1 that occasion. He once felt proud of belonging to the Cardiff School Board, because he always thought they recognised the only true principle upon which a national system of education could be based. And thev would have to come to it yet —that was that there should bu no religious teaching in their day schools. he was once proud of beJonging to that board. lie declared to them that he felt greatly humitiated at that moment. They were removing the very stone upon which their prosperity as a board had rested—the thin end of the wedge was being put in, and by-and-bye they would soe something more. He had been a professing Christian for 45 years- he taught a large class of young men in the Sunday School, and he had preached a large number of sermons in pulpits in the townand neighbourhood. They could not charge him with being godless-yet on that board he would appear to be the only godless member. He found the gentlemen with whom. he was united forming a coalition with gentlemen- who were the bitterest foes of I Board Schools. It put him in mind of the Whig Forster when he got the whole Tory party at his hack to cnpple a good measure. To tl.ink of the sublime sentiments of the Lord's Prayer being said—being parroted by thousands of children, possibly led off by an un-Christian teacher—it was a mockery of the Divine Being! Christianity was becoming a thing of form, and the true life of the thing was repidly dying out. Now they were going to increase its formality by teaching the children to parrot over those sublime sentiments. Why did they not do the work to which they were called? After some further remarks, the speaker said that he had now done his duty to his conscience, and he cast the responsibility of the action they were taking upon his colleagues. He would leave posterity to pass its verdict upon them. In the language of the greatest man the country had produced, Mr. Glad- stone, he would say that he had "time on his side." He was in advance of them. The CHAIRMAN said that as there was no amend- ment the resolution was passed. He would give notice that when the regulations for the manage- ment of the schools were prepared he would suggest some verbal alterations in that resolution. It was then requested by Mr. Boulanger, the Rev. C. J. Thompson, the Rev. G. A. Jones, and the Rev. Father Richardson, that the resolution should be put to the meeting, and that the names should be taken. The CHATRWAN held that it was unnecessary to put the resolution, as there was no amendment and no opposition, inasmuch as Mr. Rees gave a silent vote. He was, he said, supported in this ruling by the clerk. Mr. BOULANGKR If Mr. Rees does not record his vote why have we been inflicted with so much talk? Mr. REKS: Oh! record my vote. The CHAIRMAN held to his ruling, and in the midst of a rather animated conversation lie asked the clerk to pass to the next business. The meeting soon afterwards closed.

MR. GLADSTONE'S VISIT TO MIDLOTHIAN. The Press Association is authoritatively in- formed that Mr. Gladstone's meetings during his approaching visit to Midlothian will probably be held at Dalkeith on January 16; West Calder. January 17; Edinburgh banquet, January 18 Edinburgh meeting, January 19; all except the banquet being held in the afternoon.

LLANDOVERY SCHOOL. Mr. Arthur Hill, at present a pupil of this school, was on Tuesday elected to an open classical exhibition at Wadham College, Oxford. There were about 60 candidates in for the examination, Mr. Hill is a son of Mr. John Hill, Green-street, Neath.

THE NEW DOCK AT CARDIFF. LETTING OF THE CONTRACT. We are in a position to announce that the con- tract ffrr the construction of the Roath Dock Works has been let to Messrs. Nelson, of Carlisle, a well- known firm of contractors in the North, who have recently been engaged on extensive works for the London and North Western and also for the North Eastern Railway Companies. The works will be commenced immediately, and will be pushed on with the utmost possible expedition.

LLANDAFF CHURCH EXTENSION SOCIETY. RENEWAL OF GRANTS. THE NEW CHURCH AT CANTON. A meeting of the LlandalT Church Extension Society was held in the Town-hall, Cardiff, on Friday, under the presidency of the Very Rev. the Dean of Llandaff. There were present the Arch- deacon of Llandaff, Canon Hawkins, the Revs. C. Knight. W. Featham, Powell Jones, Canon Edwards, C. J. Thompson, D. Meredith, T. Thcophilus, W. David, J. W. Wynne-Jones, T. D. Griffiths, F. Bcd- well, John Jones, S. C. Baker, Henry Lewis, W. C. Bruce, D. Rees, T. Williamson, G. A. Jones, V. Saulez, C. F. B. Wood, E. M. Protheroe, E. E. Allen, C. Llewelyn, E. A. Fishbourne, T. Edmondes; Messrs. R. O. Jones, Jonas Watson (secretary), J. Prichard, Chancellor Ollivant, and others. The sub-committee appointed to examine the annual returns furnished by incumbents whose curates are partly paid by the society, and the ap- plications for new grants, or renewal of existing grants, presented their report. They stated:— The number of applications for grants is 42, and the sum of the grants asked for is 21,500, and 2,50 for HI" home missions. The expenditure under this held is limited to the amotititof theannualinoome of the society, which for the year ended January 31,1832, was 21,362. It would thus appear that applications must be refused to the extent of £140. The new applications are 6, amount- ing to £280. The existing grants if all in force would exceed the amount of tile society's income by £110, But it has been found in practice that the sums voted are seldom or never fully claimed within the year to which they refer. Thus for the year 1879 there was voted £ 1,047, and paid £ 864, or £ 183 less. For the year 1880, voted iCI,087, paid £ 004, or 9183 less. For the year 1881, voted £ 1,097, paid £1,019, or 278 less. Thus, on an average of three years about one-eighth of the aura voted eaon year has remained unclaimed. Yet it will not he safe to assume that this will so continue, for the causes of a grant not being immediately taken up—viz., the difficulty of finding a competent curate dis- engaged, and of complementing the required stipend- are often removed, and the curates engaged by the end of the year. The meeting now went through the list of appli- cations for grants, and resolved to renew the fol- lowing, viz.:— Towards the stipend of a curate at- Ecclesiastical Commissioners contribute Newcastle. £110 J660 Llanwonno 40 60 Jh G-efyllon 40 60 Beaufort 30 60 OakwüoJ, Margam 40 60 Myi (djtiislwyn, Abercarn 25 60 Do. Maesycwmmer 30 60 Cyf&rt!, £ a 30 60 Jjltinfrechfa 40 60 Ebbw Vale 30 60 Bowlals 40 60 Fentrebaich 40 60 Briton Perry 30 60 Aberdare, Aheraman 80 60 Do. Cwrubach 40 60 Panteg 30 60 Ystranyfodwg, Perndale. 40 60 I)o. Pentre 40 60 TJwynypia 25 60 Glyncorrwg 10 60 Llangynwyd, Maesteg 30 60 Do. Spelter 30 60 Fontlottyn, Fochriew 20 60 Do. Pantywaun. 40 60 Do. Troedyrhiwch 40 60 Llangeinor 40 60 Llantrissant, Ely Valley. 20 60 Whitchurch, Tongwynlais 30 60 llorne Mission 50 120 St. Mary's, Cardiff 40 Bettws, Garw Valley 40 Gellvgaer, Owmysgwydd- » gwyn 20 Geiiygaer. Pontaberbar- goed 30 Gellygaer, Trelewis 40 R,at 11. 40 Pena.rth. 40 The grant of J630 to St. John's, Cardiff, was not renewed. The following new grants were made, viz. --St. Mary's, Cardiff, West of Taff, £ 30; Maindee, New- port, £ 30; ditto, Barnardtown, £ 20; Pont- newynydd, £ 30; Canton, Cardiff, 940; and St Bride's Minor, £30. The meeting also resolved to make building grants to Canton, for the proposed new church, E100, and to Pellvgwartly £ 80. This was all the business. A meeting of the Llandaff Church Building Society was afterwards held in the same place, with the Very Rev. the Dean of Llandaff in the chair. At this meeting it was resolved that build- ing grants be made to Canton for the proposed new church of Z30. and to Bridgend for a proposed new church of JE40.

THE DUKE OF WESTMINSTER AND HIGHER EDUCATION IN WALES. On Thursday night the Duchess of Westminster distributed the prizes to the scholars of Grove Park School, her Grace being supported by the Duke, Sir Watkin and Lady Williams Wynn, the Countess Mexborough, Countess Grosvenor, Lady Mn.ry Saville, and Sir Robert Egerton. The Duke of Wtminster made a brief speech on higher education in Wales, expressing his belief, from what he had heard, that the subject would be fully dealt with in the next session of Parliament, and settled for many years to come. After the distri- bution a vote of thanks was proposed to her Grace by Sir Watkm Williams Wynn, who also alluded "'le Welsh education -ue,-tio-

Ii 0DDFELL0WSHIP AT SWANSEA. FRIENDLY SOCIETIES AND TIIEIft BENEFITS. SPEECHES BY SIR H. H. VIVIAN, SIR J. J. JENKINS, AND MR. L. LL. DILLWYN. [SPECIAL TELEGT?A?,R.] SWANSEA, FRIIHY NIGHT. Mr. Thos. Walton, of Southampton, Grant Master of the Manchester Unity of Oddfellows, wat entertained at a banquet by the Swansea. District of that Order at the Albert-hall this evening. The Corresponding Secretary of the Order had also been invited, but was unavoidably absent. Past Master Bro. Charles Bath presided, and wai sup- ported by the guests of the evening, Sir H. HusseV Vivian, Bart., M.P, Mr. L. Ll. Dilhvyn, M.P., Sir John Jones Jenkins, M.P., the Mayor of Swansea (Alderman Daniel); Messrs. J. T. Llewelyn, J Trevilian JJenkin, tmes Jones, J. U. Hall, E. Roberts, Robert Capper, R. D. Bumie, G. Sibbering, W. Morgan, J. I. Evans, P. Jenkins, D. H. Thomas, and W. Pike; the Revs. Eli Clarke and Dr. Rees, and Dr. Jabez Thomas. The walls were appropriately decorated for the occasion with flags, banners, and the names of the various lodges of the district in illuminated letters. Between 400 and 500 per- sons satdown to a substantial and plentiful repast, served by Mt-. J. Biddle, of Northampton-place. The usual loyal and patriotic toasts having been proposed by the Chairman and duly honoured, and Captain Pike having returned thanks for the Reserve Forces, The Mayor gave "The Bishop and Clergy and Ministers of all Denominations," to which thcRcv. Eli Clarke and the Rev. Dr. Rees responded. The latter remarked that promoters of friendly socie- ties were eminent philanthropists. They had saved thousands from misery and want" The tendency of these societies was to niiike men thrifty and independent by placing them in A position in whicli they could support themselves without being a burden to others. Mr. J. T. D. LLEWELYN, who was loudly ap. plauded, proposed The Houses of Parliament." In the course of his speech he mentioned that it was a Swansea man, the iate Mr. E. M. Richards, who first called the attention of Parliament to the weakness of the friendly societies of this country. Society generally, he went on to say, owed the Manchester Unity a great debt for the work thev were doing. Six years ago the Swansea Guardians parsed a resolution ealiing uponallclasses to make provision for old age and sickness, cither by joining a friendly society or in some other wav Public opinion was advancing on the subject oi thrift. lie was not an advocate of compulsorj thrift, because he thought it, was better to lead men than to drive them. More good would bs done by the example which friendiv societies were setting than by any compulsory thrift society. (Applause.) Sir HUSSEY VIVIAN, who received an enthusiastic welcome, said he was not at all sure that the song which they had just heard, Winds gently whisper," was appropriate to the toast as far as the House of Commons was concerned. Blow, rude Boreas," would be more suitable. (Laughter.) In those delicious quarters where red morocco pre- vailod no doubt winds did gently whisper, but with the Commons the case was altogether different. (Renewed laughter.) He did not wish to depreciate the merits of the House of Lord. He believed it did excellent service to the country. So far as he had been able to judge it did its work in many respects better than the House of Commons, and the people ought not in any way to depreciate the great services it. rendered to "the country. There could be no question that the Commons was the great governing body, because it initiated and carried those measures which were proposed by the Ministers, and which really meant enactments of law for the government of the country. That House had to contend with very great difficulties during rhe past few years, and they had been recently doing their best to amend tlte Rules of Procedure, so as to enable it to perform its funetion more satisfactorily for the future. He hoped they had succeeded. At any rate, he was sure they would be backed by the country in what- ever measures might yet be required to make that great legislative machine efficient for the future. (Hear, hear.) He would now say one or. two words with regard to the occasion which had brought them together. He was there to do his best to forward the excellent cause in which they were all so much interested. As a large employer OF labour, he most heartily appreciated the good that this and kindred societies were rendering. He thought no greater good could be done than to instil into the minds of men the necessity of pro- viding against the adversities which must, coma upon them all sooner or later. Their health would fail and sickness would come upon them. and against, that day all of them ought to provide. He thought no greater object could be obtained than that of inducing a man to lav bv, so Uiat when the time of pressure came thev rniffht have something to fall back upon. THEIMJ did a vast amount of good. Their rules inculcated sobriety, thrift, and order, showed m"!1 what thoy otight to be. It was utterly impossible to exaggerate the amount of good" these societies- were effecting amongst the working population and he, therefore, wished them every sllccess. Be entirely agreed with Mr. Llewelyn that it WAS most important that the smaller and wenker societies should not be much encouraged. These great societies had their established rules, and had so rogulated their financial arrangements (hat those misfortunes could not occur to them which so often occurred to the smaller societies. Mr. DILLWYN. M.P., the next speaker, also met with a. very flattering reception. He said he hoped the House of Commons had succeeded in reforming itself. The Conservative members protested good deal against what had been done, but he be- lieved they thought it was right., notwithstanding what they had said. (Laughter.) He hoped tha House would devote a little more time to legia* iating for the country now that it was able to do its work—(hear, hear.)—and he trusted that; whatever party might be in power, they would ba able to give effect to what they thought would be for the benefit of the country. All that he wanted was that the country shouid be fairly represented, and that its representatives might be able to do what they ought to do. (Applause.) Sir JOHN JONES JENKINS, whose rising was the signal for loud cheering, said one of the first things; which struck him when he first went into the House of Commons was the necessity for reform in curtailing the power of speech possessed by some of the older members. (Hoar, hear.) He had come there to show honour and rcspect to the Grand Master of this great order. He (Sir John) became a mem- ber of the order about 30 years ago, and it was the first order he ever joined. What impressed him then was the excellent charge which was delivered when a new member was introduced into the lodge. If there was anything which could incul- cate A good and religious feeling it was that charge, and he ventured to ask tho large number of noble grand masters he saw around him to consider it and to rend it slowly and impressively. He believed its effect would then be very great upon new members. Touching on the question of carn. pulsory thrift, Sir John said the Rev. W. L. Blackley had shown that it was a great hardship that members of friendly societies should have to provide for themselves and also support the thriftless. Undoubtedly some reform was wanted, and to be convinced of that they need only look at the large number of paupers in Wales and Monmouthshire. He thought the number was not quite 63,000. and that was an enormous proportion of the population. The question should receive the serioU! consideration of the members of friendly societies, and there should be a. radical reform. He believed there were many men who earned ood wages, and did not make any provision for sickness or old age. He could name families who received large amounts of money, but who looked forward to the union as their natural place of refuge on a rainy day. He hoped the members of friendly societies would discuss this question in their lodges. No doubt there were many poor people who must be supported, but he wns sure the friendly societies- would deal with them in a broad and sympathetic manner. He only wished to do away with the class who were not entitled to relief. In conclu- sion he would remind them that, The noble heart that's truly ble3t is never all it own, No ray of glory lights the breast that beats for self alone, Mr. DILLWYN then briefly proposed The Man- chester Unity," coupled with the name of the Grand Master. The toast was received in the most enthusiastic manner. Mr, WALTON, who was loudly applauded on rising, commenced his reply by a brief history of the societv. Speaking next of its present posi- tion, he said it had 547,900 members. Its watch- word ought to be" Progreasion." It had a magni- ficent organisation spent £500.000 a year in sick PAY, and had a capital of over £5,000,000. That ought to lead the members to still further exer- tions. In this district they were extending their benefits, so that their members might subscribe for 10s. a week in sickness and £ 20 at death. With regard to the superannuation qt'- tion, he said that at the next A. C. the direcfors would lay before the MEETING the details of the scheme, and they would then see whether the brethren were prepared to pay tor thdo extra benefit, as they had for many years declared they were. Alluding to the compulsory pro- vidence notion, he said there was A great deal to be said in favour of Mr. Blackley's argument, but he would rather see what could be done by voluntary effort. With tho spread of education among the working classes THE prin- ciples of the friendly societies ought to become more rife, and everyone ought, in the course of a very few years, to look upon it as a duty he owed, not only to himself, but to those around hiffii to make some provision for sickness and old age. (Applause.) There was no greater curse to friendly societies than our present Poor- law system, which really offered a premium to a man to be improvident, because, according to THS Act of Queen Elizabeth, no man could starve 1.° this country, and if one was likely to starve blt fellows were obliged to take care of him. Other toasts followed.

There has just died at Hastings an old INA'1 named William Shoesmith, who, some sixty Y^1! ago, was one of a band of smugglers who carrie" on an extensive contraband trade on that PART ot. the coast.