Weekly Mail

I WceUir Pail. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1906. The" WEEKLY MA IL is published en Fridays and Saturdays, and can be obtained from your local newsagent. If you find any difficulty in obtaining the paper, please communicate with the Manager, Weekly Mail Offices, Cardiff, The Weekly Mail" will be sent by pest on payment of a subscription in advance on the following terms;- d. One Quarter 1 8 Half Year 3 S One Year 6 6

MONMOUTHSHIRE. Since the days of Coxe much has been done to elucidate the history and topography of Monmouthshire. We have had a number of guide books and tourists' accounts' of their pilgrimages, and Mr. Bradley's charming work. I Along with these we have had a couple of school books, which dealt chiefly with the geography of the county. The most important work of all, however, is that of Colonel Bradney, now in course of publication, which bids fair to be, not only the chef d'eeuvre on Monmouth- shire, but also the finest of all our county histories. This week has brought us another work on the Royal county-a small volume, it is true, but one which is worthy to take its place among the best school works hitherto published on the same subject. Its title is, Half Hours in Monmouthshire," by Mr. Adolphe Geo. Jones, of Pontypool. It purposes, within the small compass of 180 pages, to deal with the historical, geographical, industrial, and antiquarian features of the county, and contains a great number of maps and illustrations. The pub- lisher, it may be added, is Mr. J. E. Southall, of Newport. In his preface the author says, speaking of his county, "We are living on historic ground. In Monmouthshire the past and present are closely linked, and the present is rapidly evolving a very different future to the historic past." This would be true also of the adjoining county of Glamorgan, but the statement is more applicable to Monmouthshire, for more reasons than one, the chief being the rapid change which has come over the language of the people in the latter county. Up to the end of the first quarter of the nineteenth century three-fourths of the people of Monmouthshire spoke Welsh. Until quite recently it contained a very large number of Welsh places of worship, and was looked upon as one of the strong- holds of the Welsh Baptists. At present, however, the Welsh places of worship belonging to that denomination can be counted on the fingers of one's two hands, and the same remark applies to the other denominations. No county in our time has witnessed such a rapid change come over its language as Mon- mouthshire. Mr. Adolphe Jones must have devoted much time to a study of the county. He gives us, in outline, an4 account of the character of the land and the people, its railways, and industries. He devotes considerable space to the Eastern and Western Valleys, and describes in detail the manufacture of a steel sheet and the inside of a colliery with its working. He gives an interest- ing description also of the more important centres—Abergavenny, Usk, Raglan, Monmouth, Tintorn, Chepstow, and Newport, and includes such places as Panteg, Pantymoile, Croesyceiliog, and Llanhilleth within the scope of his survey. His historical sketch of the county is well written and interesting, and shows that he has consulted the best and most trustworthy authorities. The most unsatisfactory chapter, perhaps, is that on Christianity in Monmouthshire. Here the author is not abreast of the advance of historical research, and accepts as history theories which were discarded as myths and legends un- worthy of credit years ago. Such state- ments as the following are unworthy of a place in a school book:—"A native British Church is said to have been established in the reign of Lucius," "about the end of the second century." "Authority is not wanting in support of the assertion that one of the first Chris- tian converts in Britain was Bran, the father of Caradoc, whose name is per- petuated in the name Cwmbran." This is not history, but legend. The author might have known that Bran is the name of several streams in South Wales! where "the father of Caradoc" never was and never could have been. The name occurs in the neighbourhood of Llandovery, and gives its name to Glanbran, the historic mansion of the Gwyi-nes. It occurs also in the neigh- bourhood of Newcastle Emlyn, and we have it in the place-name Aberbran. There is no reason to believe that the Bran, of Cwmbran, commemorates the mythical British King more than the Brans in Carmarthenshire. The author discusses the question, Is Monmouthshire a Welsh county? with much ability and fairness. Educationally, ecclesiastically, and commercially, he states, Monmouth- shire is a Welsh county. He might have added other reasons. The county can never be an English county.

HAVERFORDWEST FIRE. CORN AND FLOUR MILLS TOTALLY DESTROYED. The Ca/rtlett cam and flour mills, Haver- fordwest, were totally destroyed by fire at an early hour on Wednesday. Mr. Richard Sinnett, clerk in the poet-office, was coming from his residence at five a.m. when he saw a red glow in the windows of the mill. He awiftokened the proprietor, MT. Richard Thomas, whose house adjoins the mill, and rang the alarm bell. The fire brigade quickly arrived on thie spot, and obtained a plentiful supply of water, but it was obvious that the mill was doomed, as the fire was so fierce and had obtained such a grip on the buildings, so the firemen con- centrated their efforts on saving tIbe adjoin- ing property. The proprietor's house is connected with the mill by a loft, under which is an archway for carts. By plying on this loft the fire was prevented from reaching the house, though the greater part of the loft was sacrificed. The mill was totally destroyed, only the bare blackened walls remaining. The mill was the property of the Picton Castle Estate, and was of great antiquity. A large quantity of corn was awaiting milling, and also a large stock of feeding stuffs, &e.

BROWN (Annie or brothers), children of George Brown, tailor, last heard of New- castle, Ontario, Oanada, 1886. Inquirer, Margaret, daughter of William Brown, now Mrs. Harrison, 79, Shera.to(n-etpeat., Stockton, Durham. OONW A Y (Dominic and Martin), last seen Liverpool, 1873-74, supposed left in sailing ship. Inquirer, sister Mary, now Mm. Smith, 34, Laith-street, Liverpool. DAVIES (David), was in JDowlais, SouJi Wales, 1873, f-uipposed in Missouri, U.S.A. Inquirer, niece, Ann Williams, 12, Thornae-street, Aber, Cardiff. FRANKLIN (Mrs. Joseph, formerly Elizabeth Holloway), age 53, of Milton-under-Wych- wood, Oxon, went to New Zealand, 1873. Inquirer, brother, Joseph Holloway, Ship- ton Downs, Fulbrook, near Burford, Oxfordshire. HARRIS (John and James), last heard of November, 1905. Inquirer, mother, Mrs. Harris, 1, John's-terraoe, Walcott-«treet, Hull. HOOKTON (Herbert), went to Canada 1878, last heard of 1881. Inquirers, father and brother. Adjdretss James Hockton, 190, Queen's-road, Upton Park, London. HOLMES (Margaret), of Uiverston, Lanes., last heard of Egremont, Cheshire, 1888. Inquirer sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Avery, 9, Fell-street, St. Peter's Quay, Newoastle- on-Tyne.* JONES (William Pugih), last heard of Bulla. Bulla, Melbourne, Australia, 1866. Inquirer brother, David Jones, Penygongl, Harlech, North Wales. LUDLOW (Mrs. Sarah Jane, and husband, William), formerly of Clough Fold, Lane?., '1ad heard of Ba.rrow, 1884. Inquirer brother, Thomas Furness, 55, Princess- street, South Shields, Durham. RILEY (John), last heard of Wellington, New Zealand, 1904. Inquirer sister, Mrs. A. E. Roberts, 5, Blatokett-terraoe, Mill- field, Sunderland.

'« A SWANSEA SLUM. "PATCH OF HEATHENISM" OWNED BY AN AGED CLERJC. At a meeting of the Swansea Watch Com- mittee on Tuesday an extract was read from a long letter written by Oaptain Dixon, of High-street, on behalf of himself and others, complaining of the condition of Cra.bbe's- court, off High-street, where a colony of the worst class resided, who were drunk all day and fighting all night. The Chairman said he had been to the court in question, and it was most disgrace- ful—a patch of heathenism, where no moral influence penetrated. It was stated that the owner of the court was "a very old clergyman," who knew nothing about the property. It was decided to direct the attention of the sanitary committee to the matter.

LONDON LETTER. A COLUMN OF INTEREST TO ALL OUR READERS. LONDON, Thursday. Although nothing is or can be settled definitely until the Cabinet has met, all the indications point to a policy of negation with regard to the West Hiding judgment. The Board of Educa- tion, which is the responsible body, has made no sign in the way of giving notice of appeal. Consequently, we mav take it that the judgment is to be allowed to stand. The Attorney-General, who appeared at the hearings in the first instance and before the Court of Appeal, did not act on his own account, but on behalf of the Board of Education. Until he has been again instructed he will take no further action. Apparently, the Government are going to ignore the judgment, except in so far as they will quote it in support of their wicked Bill. They will be able to argue that it is not for them to appeal against the judg- ment, because it goes in the direction they desire. They will also be able to contend that the principle affirmed in the judgment shows the necessity for their Bill. But they forget that the judgment will also greatly strengthen the hands of the House of Lords in dealing with the Bill. For if the judgment teaches us anything it is the necessity j of protecting denominational instruc-! tion from local authorities by maintain- ing the independence of denominational schools as far as religious instruction is concerned. MR, BELL'S VICTORY. By far the most sensational incident of the dispute in the Labour party is the attack on Mr. Richard Bell at the conference of railwaymen. As matters stand, Socialists have triumphed in establishing the principle, but they have failed in attacking the man. They have induced the railwaymen to pledge them- selves to the degrading and humiliating condition that all their candidates for Parliament shall sign and accept the conditions of the Labour party and be subject to their Whip. An attempt to enforce this rule upon Mr. Bell, who is the general secretary of the railway- men's society, ignominiously failed. This attempt may prove the ruin of Socialism. It put Mr. Bell with his back to the wall, and he made a string of revelations which will give working men occasion to pause before they accept, the shibboleths of Socialism. Mr. Bell is one of the worst men to attack. He has represented the interests of railwaymen in Parliament with fidelity and kingle- mindedness. His efforts on their behalf have been strengthened by his modera- tion, and have been most successful. WEALTHY LABOUR M.P.'s. The most interesting of Mr. Bell's charges against the Socialists is that Mr. Philip Snowden, the Robespierre, the "sea-green incorruptible" of British Socialism, is earning from fifteen hundred to two thousand a year by his journalistic contributions, Whether it be true, as Mr. Bell says, that he writes for twenty-five papers every week, including two dailies, I cannot say. But if the figures given by Mr. Bell are accurate, it is evident that Mr. Snowden is working at rates substan- tially below those paid to regular journalists. From the Parliamentary point of view, Mr. Bell's statement that he took down to Wakefield gold collected from twenty-four M.P.'s to help Mr. Snowden when he contested Wakefield in 1902 is most destructive. All this sort of thing will make it warm if there is a contest in Mid-Glamorgan, though I would not be surprised if the Socialists now funk that battle. TINKERING WITH THE ARMY. The Government is sorely trying the temper of the Army, and of this an illustration was afforded when the 3rd Battalion of the Coldstream Guards was sent off to Egypt on Saturday. This was one of the two condemned Guards battalions. The other, the 3rd Scots, has already been broken up. But the Coldstreams is being treated like a con- demned criminal. It was first sentenced to death, but, being reprieved, it is sent to Egypt instead. To understand the meaning of this aright, one should bear in mind that to disband a regiment or battalion is invariably regarded as an ignominious and punitive fate. It is oven so when corps are disbanded in the interests of a sensational, but unre- munerative, economy as in the present case, for under such conditions it is natural to assume that the least worthy corps are selected. Mr. Haldane has, in fact, selected crack battalions for disbaudment, as if to show his contempt for esprit de corps. That he has altered his mind, and instead of extinguishing the 3rd Coldstreams has banished it to Egypt, deepens the impression that Mr. Haldane in his pompous ineptitude is punishing the Coldstreams for an offence —the offence of being one of the finest battalions wearing his Majesty's uniform. As if to wipe out the slur cast on this magnificent battalion, all the Guards bands now in London turned out to play them off when they entrained at Nine Elms on Saturday. But Mr. Haldane did not go to see them off. LONDON'S NEW LORD MAYOR. London's new Lord Mayor, selected on Saturday, is one of the most worthy of the many distinguished men who have held that high position. Sir William Treloar, one of the largest and most widely and most honourably known oi the retail traders in the City, will go down to posterity in a halo of sympa- thetic glory as the founder of one of the kindliest institutions it has entered into the heart of man to conceive. Always actuated by the most generous instincts and noted for his work for the poor and his personal benefactions, he was inspired with a brilliant Idea of carry- ing a ChrIstmas to. the very lap of crippled youth. He instituted, and has since carried out year by year with increasing numbers, an organisation which delivers to poor crippled children throughout London who are unable to go out and enjoy themselves hampers. containing Christmas cheer. Could there be a more beautiful thought than this of carrying Christmas into the very homes of crippled and helpless child- hood? MR. DEVLIN'S RESIGNATION. The resignation of Mr. Charles Devlin, i the Nationalist member for the city of Galway, may bring about a very inte- resting election. The past of Galway is full of incident. Mr. T. P. O'Connor was elected in 1885, but preferred to sit for the Scotland Division of Liverpool. Captain O'Shea, who was so closely associated with the fortunes and fall of Mr. Parnell, was then elected. In 1900, to the surprise of the world, the seat was captured by Mr. Morris, a Conserva- tive. Mr. Morris succeeded to the peerage on the death of his father in 1901, when Mr. Arthur Lynch badly defeated the Hon. Horace Plunkett. But Mr. Lynch was convicted of high treason in 1903, and the seat then went to Mr. Devlin, who has since held it. I The retiring member was concerned in emigration to Canada. He Is, in fact, an Irish-Canadian, and I cannot think that he was ever a very zealous Nationalist. He spoke often in the Nationalist. He spoke often in the House with great fluency and with much more moderation than many of his fellows. MINISTERS AND DOWNING-STREET. The Chancellor of the Exchequer will come out of his shell before Parliament meets, and will address one or two meetings in his constituency—East Fife. He has been in Scotland since the recess. When he returns to town he will continue his residence in Cavendish-square, having definitely decided that the, official residence in Downing-street is too small for his family. The Prime Minister, how- ever, evidently contemplates a. lengthened stay at the official residence of the First Lord of the Treasury, seeing that he has had it thoroughly done up and re- decorated. Here we have a strong indication that he is not going to be i shelved in the Lords as easily as some of his friends anticipate. He is expected in town the week before the re-assembling of Parliament, on October 23. He is now at Belmont Castle, his seat in Stirling- shire, but he has been on a. visit to his brother. Mr. James Oatnpibell, at Stracathro, the family seat.

COAL TRADE PIONEERS -0 MEMORIAL FOUNTAIN AT MERTHYR, I, The beautiful drinking fountain which Sir William Thomas Lewis and Mr. W. T. Rces, of Maeeyffynon, Aberdare, have given to the town of Merthyr in commemoration of Robert and Lucy Thomas, the pioneers of the Welsh steam coal trade, was opened on Wed- nesday afternoon by the Mayoress of Mer- thyr. The weather was beautifully fine, and the function passed off with great eclat. At noon a procession was formed at the Town-hall, and Sir William and Mr. Rees, with the mayor of the borough (Alderman Enoch Morrell), wearing his robes and chain, and the other members of the corporation, together with the officials, accompanied also by the Lord Mayor of Cardiff (Alderman R. Hughes), who wore his chain, and Mr. J. L. Wheatley (town-clerk of Cardiff)-who atten- ded at the invitation .of the Mayor of Merthyr—marched to the fountain, on the site of the old" throttle valve," where a large crowd had assembled. The procession was headed by the Merthyr Volunteer Band and a posse of the Glamorgan constabulary, two officers who marched immediately in front of the mayor carrying the baton and staff which form the insignia of the ancient office of high-constable. The proceedings at the fountain were com- menced by Mr. Aneuryn Rees (the town-clerk), who was in wig and gown, reading an illumi- rrat-ed address to Sir William Thomas Lewis. Sir William then asked the mayoress to open the fountain. Mr. T. F. Harvey presented the mayoress with a silver key bearing an inscription, with which the water was turned on, amid i_ 'i Sir W. T. LEWIS, Bart. great applause. and Sir William took the first drink, saying, "Good health to all." A ROMANCE OF THE COAL TRADE. Rasp:iii-ding to a vote of thanks, Sir William, ga.ve an interesting retrospect of the Mer- thyr coal trade. He said: Mr. Robert Thomas, while acting as a contractor in. working a coal level at the Cyfarthfa Collieries discovered in. 1824 on the Wa;un- wyHt property to the deep, the outcrop of the upper Four-foot Seam, a.nd con- oeived the idea. of opening a colliery for sale" purposes only, the whole of the coa.l then worked in the district being applied to the manufacture of iron alone. At that time the sole employers of labour a.t Merthyr were the four great ironmasters, and they were extremely jealous of any new employers, eo that, apart from the difficulties of negotiation for obtaining a lease of' the property, Mr. Thomas had a great deal of opposition to contend with, as many obstruc- tions were imposed upon him, not only in connection with the opening of the colliery, but also in getting the produce carried from the colliery to the canal, as well as along the canal. Fortunately, however, after con- siderable time, Mr. Thomas, with the assists ance of friends from the Plymouth Works, at the other side of the valley, surmounted the difficulties, and managed to place the coal on the markoetr-first of all at Merthyr, and subsequently, in 1828, at Cardiff. In. a few years, when the superior quality and smokelessness of the coal became known, by I trial cargoes forwarded to various seaports, and especially to London for use on the Thames steamboats—where the late Mr. Nixon informed me that he first saw South Wales steam coal used-the demand greatly exceeded the supply, with the result that additional collieries were opeued out in Merthyr, subsequently in the Aberdare I Valley, and many years afterwards in the Puhondda and other valleys. To meet the growing demands for this new steam fuel Robert Thomas, and subsequently his widow, Lucy Thomas, together with their eldest son, William Thomas, took a lease of all the coal under the Graig property, adjoining Waunwyllt, where they sank a pit and Waunwyllt, where they sank a pit and opened out a new colliery, close alongside the Glamorganshire Canal—the whole pro- duce being then sent by oanal to the Bate Dock, whioh had by this time been con- structed and opened by the Marquess of Bute—some years before the construction I THE MAYOR AND MAYORESS OF MERTHYR. Photo, Cox, Weymouth. Photo, Evans, Merthyr. of the Taff Vale Railway. As the Graig I Colliery again developed and increased its output Mr. William Thomas, the son of I Robert and Lucy Thomas, took a lease n 1843 of s-everal coal properties in the Aber- dare Valley, upon which he sank pits, and was among the first to send steam coal in any quantity from that valley by means of the Aberdare Canal. Mr. Nixon informed me that when he first i saw the Welsh ooal used on the Thames steamboats he was so surprised at the entire absence of smoke and other special qualities which he found on inquiry of the engineman and stoker that he straightway took coach to Merthyr and tried to buy the whole out- put of the Graig Colliery—which by that time was at work-but he was greatly sur- i prised and disappointed to be obliged to return to London without securing any of the much-sought-for steam coal, as the whole of the output had been sold forward j at that time. However, Mr. Nixon was not to be deterred by slight difficulties, and through his persistence over some years he succeeded in obtaining cargoes of South Wales steam coal sent to France, and after much opposition he induced the French Govern- ment by his personally stoking Welsh steam coal to adopt it as the fuel for the French Navy during a time when the British Admi- ralty had declined to use it. Owing to the impetus given to the Welsh steam coal trade,! through the efforts of Mr. Nixon and many others who became interested in the wxxrking of such coal, these early developments of the' Thomas family in Merthyr led to many other new sinkings for the steam coal by Mr. Nixon, Messrs. Wayne, .and others in the Aberdare Valley; later on the Marquess of Bute's trustees sunk pits in the top of the Rhondda Fawr Valley-years before the Taff Vale constructed their Rhondda branch up to that district; and subsequently pits were opened further west, so that the trade in steam coal went on extending by leaps and bounds in the various valleys; and Robert and Lucy Thomas's output of about 22,000 tons per annum, employing about 50 men, in 1828, which was the first South Wales steam coal colliery, is now represent-ed by a shipment in the port of Cardiff alone of 17,020,000 tons per annum in the foreign trade, affording employment for above 100,000 jlworkmen, directly and indirectly. (Ap- Iplause.) j The Lord Mayor of Cardiff proposed a vote of thanks to the mayoress, and loud cheers were given for the mayoress and the mayor.— His Worship briefly returned thanks, and the ceremony was then brought to a conclusion,. ceremony was then brought to a conclusion,. THE LUNCHEON. Subsequently Sir W'illiam and Mr. W. T. Rees entertained a large company to lun- cheon in the lesser hall of the Drill-hall. I MERTHYR AND CARDIFF DOCKS. The Lord Mayor of Cardiff, in proposing "The Mayor and Corporation of Merthyr," said it seemed to him that the result of Robert and Lucy Thomas opening the oolliery in Waunwyllt was to inspire the advisors of the second Lord Bute to build the West Dock at Cardiff. The Bute people had launched out very heavily indeed in making provision for the reception of coal and iron and steel, and if they wanted any further accommoda- tion for the reception of trade commodities Sir William was in the happy position of being able to offer it. SIR WILLIAM ON LOCAL INDUSTRIAL HISTORY. Sir William, in responding. said:—"Impor- tant as the iron trade was at the inception <yf the steam coal trade in 1828, and, fortu- nately for Merthyr Tydfil, through the enter- prise of the owners of the Dowlais Works and the Cyfarthfa Works, the steel trade is now, yot it is no exaggeration to say that the small output of the first- steam foal colliery in 1828 by Robert and Lucy Thomas, was the commencement of a trade which has grown to be of even greater importance than both the iron a.nd steel trades. The records of the Glamorganshire Canal, which was then the only means of transit between Merthyr and Cardiff, show that the first shipment of steam coal from Robert Thomas's Waunwyllt oolliery was in 1828; and although the vessel was only 87 tons' register, she could only be p-artly loaded in the Sea Lock Pond a.t Cardiff, and three boatloads had to be taken outside the Sea Lock to finish the loading of that cargo. At that time the number of vessels entering Cardiff in the year was 1,600, making a regis- tered tonnage of 125,000 tons. The superior quality of the steam coal soon created a market, by which the demand exceeded the supply, and new pits were commenced in the Merthyr Valley and subsequently in the Aber- dare Valley, whereupon the Marquess of Bute, who was the founder of Cardiff, and whose foresight was very remarkable, determined to MR. W. T. REES, MAESYFFYNON. -1 construct the West Dock, which he did at a very large expenditure, and opened the same in October, 1831. Concurrent with the con- struction of the West Dock, Lord Bute was so sanguine as to the success of his great ven- ture and as to the development of the coal trade that he gold a number of agricultural properties in the Vale of Glamorgan and purchased steam coal properties in the Aber- dare, Gellygaer, and Rhondda Valleys, and also acquired leases of other mineral proper- ties, where he was unable to purchase the same. The shipments of coal increased, but very slowly. I happen to have a letter written by the marquess in 1840 to a friend of his at Cardiff, wherein he refers to it ae a subject for rejoicing that there were four vessels at the time in the West Dock. Com- paring the condition of Cardiff and the trade of the district, other than the iron .trade, at the present time with that of 80 years ago, when Robert and Lucy Thomas started the steam coal trade, it is difficult to exa-ggerate the importance and the wonderful progress in the coal trade of this district, which hae created the necessity of providing 300 acres of docks in the port of Cardiff, in addition to the twelve acres,. which was the only accommodation in 1828. The shipments in the port of Cardiff of foreign coal alone in 1905 had grown to above 14,000,000 tons, apart from bunker coal of 2,800,000 tone, thus 'I' thus making about 17,000,000 tons, and pro- viding employment directly and indirectly for above 100,000 workmen. (Applause.) SCENE AT THE OPENING CEREMONY.

DEATH OF DR. PROPERT LEARNED AND VERSATILE PERSONALITY. The death is announced of the well- known scholar and musician William Peregrine Propert, M.A., U,.D. (Cantab), Mus. Rac. (Oxon), F.R. Met. Society, F.R.G.S., barrister-at-law, and J.P., which occurred at his residence, the Manor House, St. David's, Pembrokeshire, on Wednesday morning. He was born on the 24th of Feb- ruary, 1831, and was, therefore, in his seventy-sixtih year. He was sent at an early age to the Cathedral School at St. David's, which, at this time was. one of the best classical schools in South Wales, the headmaster being the Rev. Nathaniel Davies. As a young boy he possessed a very beautiful treble voice, and he always sang the solos in the anthems at the cathedral services. This, probably, stimulated his musical talent, for he very quickly became a proficient player upon the organ. The limits of the intellectual life of St. David's were soon reached, and he sought a wider culture than that which was possible in what was then a very remote place. His first move was to Lampeter, where he was Bates Scholar and acted as organist to the college. Here he met Harold Browne, who was the vice- principal, and who afterwards became Bishop of Winchester. Mrs. Browne .was very musical, and the youthful musician became the centre of a small coterie which met every week for musical study. Here, too, at a. later date he met the Rev. Rowland Williams, D.D., scholar and higher critic, at a time, when higher criticism was not understood or even tolerated. The youthful student gained the friendship and high approbation of both these divines. At this time the position of organist to St. David's Cathedral became vacant, and Dean Llewellin and the Chapter gave him the appointment. Here he pursued his studies, and he was the first musical student in the United Kingdom to obtain a. degree in arts and music offered by the University of Oxford. He was immediately followed by Frederick Gore Onsley and John Stainer, who subsequently received the honour of knighthood. Sir Henry Bishoip was pro- fessor of music at Oxford at this time. He now proceeded to Cambridge, and obtained the musical degree of that university also, and here formed a friendship with Thomas Attwood Walmisly, the well-known composer. In addition to music, he studied theology, law, classics, and mathematics, and received the degrees in due course of M.A., LL.M., and LL.D. Settling at St. David's, he took up edujea* tional work, and quickly established a great reputation as a teacher, a reputation which radiated to so distant a country as Japan. But it was not only as a teacher that Dr. Propert obtained dastinotion. In early life, in addition to the many attatmneats aiready mentioned, his mind leaned instinotxvetly in the direction of nabaral science and scientific research, bat he was too fioDy oocnpaod to give this tendency fofl X>a4<!y Ja life be. save much atteotBom tot fiPttgOfc ,>aaataa6r entomology, and oology, as well as chemis- try and meteorology. In conjunction with his two sons, Mr. M. D. Propert (now well knOWID as a Local Government Board official) and the Rev. Sydney Propert (well known as a London vicar and Poor-law administrator), he brought together a magnificent collection of British birds' eggs and also of butterflies. For upwards of 25 years he carried on meteorological observations at St. David's with the utmost care and regularity. A well-known member of the Royal Society described him as one of the moot accurate observers in the United Kingdom. But even this long list of accomplishments does not cover the whole extent of his remarkable intellectual attainments. During the period of his greatest activity, his industrious life at St. David's was broken by frequent visits to London, where he took part in examination boards and came into touch with leading educationists and m^n of science. He was oalled to the Bar in 1877, but never took up advocacy, though as a THE LATE ME. PROPERT. I consultant be was known far and wide. His opinions were greatly valued upon com- plicated questions, and his judgments were nearly always sustained in the courts. In one important case in wihicih he was legal adviser, which reached the Court of Appeal, and eventually the House of Lords, and in which tJh-e late Lord Chief Justice, then Sir Charles Russell differed from him, his opinion was sustained in the final hearing.

SWANSEA MAYORALTY. I Owing to the circumstances which have arisen in oonmectiion with the Swansea mayoralty, a, section of the Swansea Council are agitating for am invitation to Councillor the Hon. Odo Vivian to accept the mayor- alty .}- "¡'

MISSING RELATIVES. This column is open for genuine Ða.Se6 of Missing Relatives only, but not for runaway husbands and wives. Persons inquiring must write very distinctly. a.nd express themselves clearly in giving par- ticulars, and must state relationship. The full name and address of inquirers must be given for publication in each instance. Foreign and Colonial papers are requested to copy.

PICTURE PUZZLES. TO HELP YOU WIN PRIZES WORTH THOUSANDS. PEARSON'S WEEKLY. First week: 1. Wallace; 2, Hilton; 3, Swan or Swann; 4, Burrows or Warren; 5, Cole- man; 6, Bell. T.A.T. 36, Fry's Cocoa; 37, Cash for all; 38, Za-nt- Buk; 39, Money-making for Girls; 40. The Stinging Tree, 41, Eiffel Tower Lemonade; 42. London on the Ball; 43, The Sand-walker; 44, Find something to do; 45, Alfonso XIL j

WEEK BY W EEl{, LIGHTER SIDE OF CURRENf EVENTS risb Among the owners in Gellygaer who lose their votes is a district coun iJJ There are only four transporter the world, viz.. at Newport, Runcorn. 0 and Bilbao. "Pensioned men never die—that is the tbe chief of it!" exclaimed a member a Ruthin Board of Guardians this week. 'to (). An inter-colliery shooting cotap^1. exists in North Wales—an idea that Dll:nd very well be taken up in Glamorgan Monmouth. J. T1 JV* These are days of keen competition. ytb the post of chief clerk in the Aherys, ^er# University College registrar's office tb were no fewer than 147 applicants t -6 It may not be generally known that the Marchioness of Londonderry was a chUd n4 warden. The number of lady churchwar e fin Great Britain is exceedingly small- tt' Mr. B. Jonsan Phillips, New College. {iJlfll don, son of the Rev. Tertius lit* Cardiff, has taken the coveted King" prize at his college.. Jones still continues to run strong- wedding just celebrated at Vroncysyllt?' Llangollen, the bridegroom, bride, mInIS tb8 best man, and bridemaids, and nearly all e wedding guests bore the familiar surnalIl tba.11 Many Welsh names look much harde^ they really are. One email village 'a,lS for its fairs is name which slips trippingly enough 1/1 a Welshman's tongue, but would torture Saxon. Amongst the candidates for the chair of Greek at Glasgow University Professor W. Rhys Roberts, LL.D-. -ie$, University, and Professor Gilbert A. » Liverpool University. The salary is £ >w year. The oldest teetotaler in the world is to be an Anglesey man—Richard Roberts, ge living at Liverpool, and in his 92nd year* took the pledge in 1835, and has never in the whole of his long life touched eating drink of any kind. At a meeting of the Bangor Diocesan f ference last week the Rev. E. Evans. VI0J1 of LLansadwrn, in the courseof his spee-cB^, religious education eaid it was be taught Mr. Lloyd-George the Church chism. < Richard Roberts, one of the greatest British inventors, is to be commemorated a clock at the Parish Church of cjj, mynech. Roberts was baptised in the obtir a.nd it was in the tower he received early education. > Merrickville, Ontario, one of the ol villages and Church stations in that owes its name and existence to Wi1 Merrick, an adventurous Welshman, founded the place just a hundred years a It is now a flourishing commercial and r gious centre. A cat acting as foster-mother to a of young rabbits iB the latest from No Wales. Mr. Cadwaladr Evans, Gyffyl1 g near Ruthin, brought a batch of five rabbits to his barn, and they are being j looked after by his cat, whose kittens been drowned.. There is no holding Aberystwyth since 6 has got that library. A new line of pipes is suggested to be laid to PlynlimD1 t and the council a<re to pronounce judgn^^ on it at the mext meeting if they manage to find room for it between the sonalities! r At Rhyl, in North Wales, a the various ohurohes fixed a day for luur* thanksgiving in the town, and in a pri»' notice "express an earnest hope that all a endeavour to stay at home to attend services." To "stay at home" meant abstain from going with excursion Liverpool and Manchester. Railway companies have a high regard the Welsh colliers as a thrifty people. does not seem to be the popular opi11*0^. but a high official with the Great West^j Railway says that the number of who save up to go for a ten days' on the West Wales coast is phenomena1! large. Ordinary and excursion trains iQ summer are filled with colliers, each ° with his tin trunk. Mr. Richard Bell, M.P., in making his appearance at the rail way men's congress* opened his speech in Welsh. This manceuvr. delighted the large number of men who had trooped into Gardiff from all parts of Glan^ gan, and they cheered him to th$echo; bt1 it came as a revelation to the delegates frorJl afar, who stared non-plussed at the speaker and Mr. Bell had to explain that he "W513. 0 Welshman before they understood that h ha.d not become one of the insane whom D*' Forbes Winslow has been talking about. Attention has already been called to i;J1.6 neglected condition of Owen Glyndwr's Paf* liament House in Machynlleth. When 1M. Lewis Edwards was this summer in converse tion with Mr. L. J. Roberts, his Majesty'3 inspector of schools, the author of an iute" resting monograph on Glyndwr, as to possibility of raising a monument to h><» memory, he was informed that the prisoiL "house in Oarrog had been bought by tb Baptiste, with the intention of turning It into a burial-place. Pressure has bce^ brought to bear upon them, and they fotr the time abandoned their scheme, Edwards asks: Is there no Welshman rea«y to purchase this historical place for ffQ!Ø £30 to £50, lWoo give it to the nation? Few people know that a railway exi^ near Neath which carries passengers nea™ ten miles free of fare. It is the South Mineral Railway connecting Port Talbo' with Glyncorrwg, without which the JR.tter place would simply be a village buried ill the mounta.ins. Passengers join the traiI1; consisting of coal trucks, goods wagons, an one brake-van—at the top of the incline, spot just over a mile from Neath answering purposes of a station. The journey to GlyI1" corrwg through Cymmer is one continuoo3 jolt and shake-about, passengers frequently finding themselves in unwonted embrace or violent collision. The South Wales Mineral Railway was built to convey minerals oniy» as the name implies. It has no passeoSef licence, hence is not permitted to impose fare. In an interesting note in the "Guardian it is mentioned that the little wayside Church of Nicholaston, on the high rQad from Swansea to Rbossilly, situate about hall a mile east of Penrice Castle gates, is noW worthy for the bell which hangs within few yards of the road, and is to be seetf without the trouble of finding the verger of getting the church key. It has a particular interest, being the only Dutch church bell in Gower, and probably in South Wales. The inscription records that it was oast in 1518* On either side, are cast two hexagonal sealS. each about 3in. by 2jfin. across. That on the eastern side represents the Virgin Mary» crowned, holding the Infant Saviour in her arms. Standing on the crescent moon abov# the Virgin is a small, open-mouthed faoe« from which descend fine radiating lines. is, probably, intended to represent the breathing of the Holy Spirit. On the rigb^* hand side of the seal is the Crucifixion, wi^ a skdll below. The western seal represents the Infant Saviour holding a Latin cross, hanging from which is a circle. Dr. CoeneO; a well-known Dutch antiquary, says that thi| bell was cast by a member of the celebrated family of bell-founders named Van Won, he attributes it to Arent Van Won, who cafit an almost identical one for Steins, in Fries* land, in 1517. The old bell was quarter turned in 1894, when it was furnished witn a new clapper. There is a dramatic side to the appoint, ment of Dr. Roland Rogers as organist and choirmaster of Bangor Cathedral. He resigned the same post nearly fifteen years ago. Appointed in 1871, when the music at Bangor Cathedral was far from good, Dr^' (then Mr.) Rogers threw himself into hi5 work and raised the musical status 01 Bangor to a very high class. As a ohoir con- ductor he is familiar throughout the prin' oipality, and under his baton many eel"' brated Welsh choirs sang themselves irlto fame, notably the Penrtiyn choir of quarD* men, which won gold medals with tiresoW^ monotony at eisteddfodau all over Wale9 and England. In 1891, however, Dr. Roger6 came into sharp conflict with the Dean and Chapter of Bangor Cathedral. To help a young Welsh musician he consented to give an organ recital in the Presbyterian Church at Menai Bridge. On this coming to th8 ears of his ecclesiastical superiors he peremptorily forbidden to carry out J1 í; promise. It is re-called in a contemporary that the doctor, in spite of the dean's veto, went to Menai Bridge and gave the recital, and the next day sent in his resignation of his post at the cathedral. The dean and chapter then met and asked Dr. Rogerf to withdraw his resignation, promising to 31110\1 him the freedom he desired in future, but he refused to alter his decision. On leaving the cathedral he became organist at st. James's Church, Upper Bangor. Now he goes back to the cathedral to suoceed Mr- Westlake Morgan, the authorities having passed over 203 applicants in his favour.

STRENGTHEN THE STAFF OF LIFE.. Make the bread eaten at every meal twice as useful as a food. The King's Physician recommends everyone to eat currant bread as often as possible, and he explains, irx, effect, that the small fruit sold at the grocers shops is simply full of nourishment. 'In fa-ct. there is n > fruit. so abundant in materials for making energy and preserving general health as the currant. He says, "Many are the ways in which currants can enter into daily use In the household with great advantage to healtn and pocket." Currant bread is within the reach of people of the most modest income, and the saving that will result from itS frequent use is surprising. Leading bahera supply both White Hovie currant bread- watts i