Evening Express

TO-DAY S WEATHER. The torecast- of tli-j throughout the We->1 of England Itn": !">onr. u ale « •> (Mon lay) is H.>; tollows ;-E, (tnd N.R ,1ci,s li!lht; fint.

WEEK'S TEMPERATURE AND RAINFALL. The following t-ab'.e grives the temperature and rainfall at Cwrt-y-Vil. Penarth, for 24 hours, as read at 9.0 a.m., and entered to the preceding riav. J TESIPKRATURE. DATR. R-IINVALL. a. Min. Mean 14 80 60 70*0 -20 Tue -lav 15 81 60 70*5 -00 VV-dti si-iy 16 72 t,0 i 65"5 *00 Tiiursdny 17 7, 55 '00 Friday 18 75 59 -00 Saturday 1° 80 57 *00 Suudny 20 79 63 -00

POWOEHAilDSHOT. If Messrs. Nettlefold move their vast works to the neighbourhood of Newport it will be bad news for Birmingham and glad tidings for U sk,;de. The Nettlefolds employ alto- gether, I understand, some 10,000 people, so their staff alone would make up a respectable town. • • • • a « Readers a'e specially requested to turn to our last page, where they will find the first instalment of a new serial from the able pen of Miss Braddon, entitled "The Chain of Our Sins." To speak highly of so world-renowned and accomplished a- writer of fiction would seem almost like impertinence. Certainly no word from mo ic needed to induce the reader to make a bee-line lor P-t.-c 4 on this and fol- lowing chys. Despit.etheSerce continued heat our theatres are likely to be attended this week by large and appreciative houses. At the Royal they have the evei-popular "Silver Kin^ Lhe mars mention of which is sufficient-, whilst at the Graud there is "The Mistress of the Seas," one of thMe breezy patriotic dramas which caiue the pulse to bound and the eye to glisten. Both pieces will not want for spec- tators. • •••••• I s?;d something about our friend Hooligan the other day, and Am pleased to see that tha police are tal ing him in hand. One of this class has just gone into retirement—as a guest of her Majesty—for one month, duriug which time- he will not be 'idle. Fi-s speciality was th: use of cerulean language ^t the Docks, and, further (being ■; man of deeds as well as words), the striking of Dock-constable Tanner in his constabular stomach. It is refre-hing to see that the magistrates are anxious to back up th-i police in discouraging Hooligan, and it is to be hoped he and his puis may be induced to turn their undoubted gilts in worthier direc- tions. «««»•»» A handsome addition will shortly be made to ths architecture of the town. I rsfer to the new premises of the Y.M.C.A. at Station-ter- race, the f:)u.nùalion-t(lne,5 of which will be laid in September. The 112W building is not only beautiful, but its internal arrangements bear witness to the immense care that has been taken in the contriving of them. The premises will cost £ 15,ijj0, of which sum more than two- thirds is either in hand or promised, and the Y.M.C.A. is so universally recognised by all parties and creeds as an excellent institution that, no doubt, the balance of the cost will be speedily forthcoming. There are 30,000 young men in Cardiff, and there is, therefore, an ample field for extension of the society's work. No doubt the handsome new building will prove a powerful auxiliary. I wonder how many of my readers who know the name of the great American college-Yale —are aware that its founder sleeps in a North Wales churchyard. Here is his epitaph at Wrexham: ELIUGH YALE, Esq., Was buried the twenty-second of July, in the year of Our Lord MDCCXXI. Born in America, in Europe bred, In Africa travelled, in Asia wed; Where long he lived and thrived; in London dead: Much good, some ill, he did; so hope all's even. And that his soul through mercy's gone to Heaven. You that survive, and read this tale, take care For this most certain exit to prepare: Where blest in peace the actions of the just Smell sweet, and blossom in the silcnt dust. It is little things like these that help to cement so powerfully the Anglo-American understand- ing. That unpretentious tomb at Wrexham is golden link in a chain that, God grant, may never be snapped by thoughtless hands on either side of the Atlantic. • • • • « • A Bristol contemporary publishes the follow- ing:— Entering a shop a Welsh miner, who had lately corny into a considerable sum of money, aslctd th; prica of a grand piano Ke was told it was £ 50. He bought it. A fortnight after he returned for a mllic book, and the shojman asked him if the instrument gave I satisfaction "Man." he said, "but you I wouldn't know it now. It just looks splendid. My old 'ooman has painted it yeller to match the ihest of drawers." Now, this is a. splendid example of what is known professionally as the localised par." The following is the recipe for making one. Take an American or oth?r paper, cut out a paragraph, and then give it a local adapta- tion. Thus in the ahove I have no doubt the vi'crd Welsh was originally "Staffordshire" or "Yorkshire," or something of the kind, and the internal evidence supports my theory. No Welshmn, would say "yellcr." The Welsh- man leaves the gross abuse of English to the! Englishman and the American. The Welshman gives to his English a strong Welsh accent, but the English itself is very good. More- over, 1,0 Welshman would paint a piano yel- low. He knows too much about music and musical instruments for that. The moral of all this is: Never localise a par, but if you must localise do it properly. It always amuses me to see "Morien" top- ping about m an etymological slough. With i lantern in one hand and staff in the other, he flounders after some will-o'-the-wisp, and J finally emerges, panting and exhausted, but always (in his own view) triumphant. A Mr. Sibree has just been treading on the kind of swamp that "Morien" loves, and this is how he does it-he is elucidating some st.il! knottier point"Who this S. Bryca was we can only surmise from a. comparison of the name of I the neighbouring town of Chepstow. This should mean the chapel of S. Chep. Now, it happens that not far from Chepstow there is a place called Llangibby, Llangybi, or Llan- j guby, meaning the church of S. Cybi. Th's S. Cybi is traditionally the same as the Cornish saint, S. Keby or Cuby. We may, therefore, conclude that Chepstow stands for Cebi-stow, or Ceb-stow, that is, the chapel of S. Keby,' the Cornish form of Oybi. If, then, we must look to Cornwall for the saint who gave his name to Chepstow, it is quite possible that we may find the name of another I Cornish saint in Brycgstow, that of S. Brioc, ] whose name appears in S. Brecck (Cornwall, 1 spelt Breuc in 1294), and S Brieuc (Brittany)." No doubt the above is all right, but I can't vouch for it, and, above all things, I don't want "Morien" to take it up, or else we shall never hear the last of either Chep or Keby or Brioc, who were, no doubt, worthy fellows in their way, but who deserve to be left in > eace

THE CIRCULAR TO THE SHIPOWNERS But little activity is being yet displayed by I the Seamen's Union in their present agitalion. It is intended to do nothing for a few days, until the employer- can have considered the terms of the circular inviting a conference which was referred to some days ago. and are in a position to make a reply. This circular I ha, been eciit to shipowners thrcugnout the kingdom. It is a lengthy 'document, coaeh»d in respectful tc-rms. That sent out in the South Wales district is signed by Mr. Thomas Carey, the district secretary. It points out the steady improvement in freights since 1396, and the fact that there hs 5 btf.'i no corresponding improvement in the rate cf wages paid to the seamen and firemen. Also, that, although the cost of provisions is much lover, no improve- nient has been made in the "victualling scale." It is stated that reductions in the num- ber of hands engaged upon some steamships has taken place. It is also coniended that sea- j men h-,ve no opportunity of discussing the terms of the agreement when signing on. An arbitration or conciliation bo, i rd of ship- owners and seamen is suggested for the purpose of adjusting wages and general conditions of employment. The shipowners are asked to appoint a committee to meet a deputation of the men on Wednts- day next. At such conference the men pro- pose to discuss the following matters: — pose to discuss the following matters 1. The fixture, for a definite period to be agreed upon, of a uniform rate of wages for vessels employed in similar trades, including sailing vessels, steamships, and vessels employed in coasting trades where crews provide their own provisions. 2. The advisability or otherwise of supplying to the men a draft copy of the articles of agree- ment at least two hours before the signing, or otherwise cause the same to be publicly exhibited in some convenient place acces- sible to seamen, in order that they may become acquainted with the provisions of such articles of agreement. 3. To consider the establishment of a scale for the better and more equal manning c»f ships. 4. To submit for approval, .iiendment, or otherwise a scale for the more satisfactory I provisioning of merchant ships.

¡ BOXING IN AMERICA. A Central News telegram from Chicago on Friday night says:—A six-round boxing con- test was brought off at the Athletic Clab here to-night between Jack M'Cormick and "Kid" M'Coy. The latter was favourite, but, to the ) surprise of most present, he was knocked out in the first round.

ENTERIC FEVER IN BARRACKS. Enteric fever has broken out in the officers' quarters at Hilsea Barracks, Portsmouth, and the officers have gone under canvas. There a.re fears of the outbreak spreading

PEPPER'S QUININE AND IRON TONIC, embracing, vivifying, sustaining, dispels depres- sion, cures indigestion, neuralgia, and all aches or pains. Pepper's, tbe only real tonic. Shilling bottles. e5 If Gwilym Evans' Quinine Bitters is fairl3 tested and tried, it will be found that ai symptoms of General Debility, Palpitation Nervous Trembling, and (toeplessness will dis appear. Bottles 2s. 9d. Mal Ab. M. e4919-2

MAIMED MAN'S TRIP IN A TINY CRAFT, ARRIVAL AT GLOUCESTER. PERSONAL STORY OF HIS VOYAGE. PROSPECTIVE VISIT TO CAR- DIFF. Captain Howard Blackburn, who left Gloucester, Massachusetts, in a small craft of four tons register on June 18 for Glou- cester, England, arrived in the River Severn on Friday evening, and proceeded up the Gloucester and Berkeley Canal on Saturday to his destination. Captain Blackburn, who lost his lingers by frost some years ago, reports a lonely but favourable voyage. He is in good health, hut suffering from a stiff knee, caused by his cramped position in the craft. [BY OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] Mr. Howard Blackburn on Saturday evening completed a voyage across the Atlantic alone in a small sailing vessel, and the special correspondent of the "Western Mail" was the first member of the press to interview him after his journey. It is not a new thing for a bold-spirited man to cross the ocean between America and this country in a small craft; but what makes the voyage more than of ordinary daring is that Mr. Blackburn has no fingers or thumbs, he having lost them in 1883 by frost bite. Hence, to attend to his wants and manage his little craft, particularly to set or reef her sails, must have been very difficult without assistance. A brief sketch of the mariner's career ending with the story of his Atlantic voyage cannot fail to arouse admiration for the courage he hits displayed and the suffering he has endured. His biography may be narrated briefly. He was born a Britisher, having first made the acquaintance of this world at Port Medway, Queen's County, Nova Scotia, on February 17, liidy. His father was a seafaring man, and he and his brothers followed in the footsteps of his parent. At the age of thirteen he first went to sea, and for five years made long voyeges in English and American vessels. When he had reached eighteen years he left his native place, crossed the border so close to his home, and took up his abode in Gloucester, Massachusetts, and is the pro- cess of time became an American citizen. He engaged in the calling of a fisherman, and it was whilst pursuing that arduous and hazardous occupation that he under- went a fearful experience which led to the loss of his fingers and some of his toes. The schooner Grace L. Fears, of Gloucester, Massachusetts, to which he was attached, was on a fishing expedition at the opening of the year 188H, and on June 25 of that year was at anchor on the Burgeo Bank, ^me0 '*iiies from the south-west coast of ivewroundland. The vessel had gone so far north at this inclement period of the yetr III search of halibut, and lwr crew hgd started out in their dories from the ves- sels side to haul their trawls, which had been previously set. Howard Blackburn and Thomas Welch were in one of the 00ats, and while occupied in taking in their trawls a heavy snowstorm came on the wind changed, and when they came to look for the vessel she was nowhere to be seen. Although the men rowed despe- rately, their efforts were of no avail, and t11e, tempestuous sea and drifting ice made their position exceedingly perilous. They spent the night baling the water out of the boat, and while so engaged Welch noticed that the fingers of his companion were getting frost-bitten. As they stif- fened Blaekburn held them in a curved form. that lie might be able to hold the oars and to row. All the next day and the following night the men were engaged in battling against a raging storm. When morning arrived again Welch became dis- heartened. and succumbed to cold and hunger. Yet another night passed. Black- burn having to do all the work. while the rigid body of his mate lay in the stern. The wind having moderated on the morning of the fourth day, Blackburn hauled in an improvised anchor and pnIpd for the land, the skin and flesh of his hands crumbling and falling away as he did so, but he did not reach it until the following morning. Guiding his boat into the mouth of Little River (whi^h he afterwards discovered the name of the stream to be), he found a' house. He went there, but rliscovered it to be deserted, in a ruined state, and partly fined with snow. He stayed here during the night, leaving the boat fastened to a rock. In the morning the boat was hadlv damaged. He tried to take out the body of his companion, and. in doing so, it fell into shallow water, where he left it for the time being. Having partially repaired the boat, he pulled out of the river in search of human beings but, discovering none, he returned in the direction of the nlace whence he started. While doing so he saw three houses. He pulled towards them, and was observed by some of the occupants, who came to his rescue. He was carefully tended, nursed, and fed, and recovered his strength, but the fingers and thumbs f-dl off by the painful process of dry ga 'rene, avd he also lost three toes and the heel of his right foot and two toes from the left foot, while the others were mis- shapen. remaining at Little River IIp/il nearly the end of April he went to Burgeo, aiid in Mav he returned to Glou- cester. The inhabitants of th >fc place, having learned h;s tory, raised a of money to enable him to commence busi- ness. He kapt a saloon, prospered, and in due time presented to the Gloucester Fish^rme-'s Widow and Orphan Rphef Association a sum equal to that raised for him. This brief account of the terrible expe- rience of Mr. B'ack-nirn will enable our readers to realise the difficulties under which he has since laboured owing to the loss nf all his fingers and thumbs and some of his toes, and to realise the pluck and courage which actuated hiin in his subse- quent can r, and to wonder at what he accomplished, notwithstanding his sad dpformity. He grew tired of the saloon business, and, having a rather roving spirit, he determined to ?ive rein to it. So, while the excitement caused by the dis- covery in Ivlondyke was at its height, he induced a comoany of twenty men to join him in an exnr 1i: ion to Dawcon City. They started in a sailing vessel, and got as far as San Francisco. A disagreement occurred between them and Mr. Black- burn, and he, consequently, left the party. He g;Jhered around him another company of young men to go on from San Francisco to Alaska in the hope of finding gold, when one of his knees gave him trouble, the joint became fluid, and he was compelled to return to Gloucester. For nearly twelve months he was disabled, and had to walk about 011 crutches. In the end the trouble disappeared, and it was while he was recovering from this Miction that he con- ceived the idea of crossing the Atlantic in a small craft. He had several purposes in mind—to satisfy his roving spirit, to leave the In" "iness to which he had taken a dis- taste, and. by subsequently joining; some exhibition like Barnum's, earn sufficient means to keep him and to nrovide a mode-1 rate competence for himself and wife. He was aware that others had crossed the ocean in boats alone, but no one so disabled as he had attempted and 3CC0111-, nlished such a feat. Consequently, while his knee was getting better he had built a cutter-rigsed boat of four tons and a half register, with a draught of 4ft. 4in., her measurement being 17ft. on the keel and SOft. over all, with 8ft. Bin. beam. He named her the Great Western, and deter- mined to sail direct from the place of his adoption to the city in the old country after which it was named. When he was sufficiently recovered he determined to start. So, having put on board provisions for ninety days, he boarded her on June 18, and. with Hie send-off of 10,000 people who gathered to see him go, he spread his sails and left the quays. Just before this the East Gloucester Yachting Club, of which he was a member, Dresented him with a silk flag bearing the badge of the club. This he hoisted at the top of the mast, and ran up a flag bearing the Stars and -Strines underneath it. The members of the club also turned out in full force. and accom- panied him for four or five miles, and then, with parting cheers, left him to pursue his lonely journey. Soon after starting Mr. Blackburn was attacked with rheumatism, and his right foot and leg swelled very much, and for eight days, being comparativeb. J-olpless, he was only able to hoist the riding sail and jib. Then, when he became easier he set more sail, and endeavoured to make up for time lost, for he had only gore 250 miles. His habit was to sleep from one to five o'clock in the afternoon and to attend to the vessel at night, until he reached the shores of New- foundland, on account of the fog, and, having passed that island, he slept at night, allowing the vessel to drift, having, of course, made fast her rudder. At the outset he encountered light westerly winds, thick fog, and rain, and the pro- gress he made was but slow, being from six to fourteen miles a. day, Sometimes he was at the wheel from thirty-six to thirty-eight hours at a time, the average per day being sixteen hours. But after he had passed the 40th meridian, and until he reached long. 23 W., he had very good weather, and he hoped to make the passage in forty-eight or fifty days. Titen he was becalmed for several days, but subequently the weather braced up to the eastward, and so remained until he came within twenty- five miles of Lundy Island. The weather, with the exception of three or four days, was such that an open boat might have made the passage. Fortunately, no serious mishap occurred to the lonelv navigator. The nearest approach he had to disaster was whilst off the Grand Banks. He was awakened from a sleep at two a.m. by the noise of a whistle, and woke to find that a large steamer had just cleared his craft in a dense fog. He kept in the line of steamers, although a little to the south, and passed two, three, and sometimes five, every day, some of which he spoke. When he observed a vessel in the distance, and ascertained that she was going east, he tacked so that he might get in her way, and so pass close to her. Among the steamers he spoke were the Carlton, of Newcastle, who furnished him with the latitude and longitude, he not having taken an observation for eight days, and the Europe, of Liverpool. All wanted to know if he required help, and he replied in the negative, and that all was well. A couple of vessels hailed him while asleep, and having been satisfied of his safety, they kept on their course. The first land Mr. Blackburn saw after leaving the Grand Banks of Newfoundland were the Scttty Islands, and he sc,;10d, close in to the light. He then tacked, and pa-sed up the Bristol Channel, coming next near Lundy Island, which he passeu on Thursday. Next, with a fair wind, he came to Barry, where Frank Price, a Gloucester nilot, boarded the little craft to take her through the dangerous shoals of the Severn. At about five o'clock on Friday evening the Great Western reached Portishead. and moored near the pier, the intention of Mr. Blackburn being to con- tinue his journev soon after midnight, when the tide turned. At the suggestion of the pilot, however, he consented to defer his journey up the Severn until early in the afternoon of Saturday, that they might have the advantage of daylight in traversing so dangerous a channel. In the meantime pilots and other seafaring men boarded the brat, welcomed' the intrepid voyager, scrubbed and cleaned his craft, polished the metal, and toasted him in mild beverages to be found in the locker. Mr. Blackburn slept aboard, had pleasant conversations with visitors in the morning of Sa^rday, and at 1.30 started for Glou- cester, passing, on the way, one of Messrs. Campbell's pleasure steamers with a full complement of passengers, who greeted him heartily. The little ship being expected at Sharpness between five and six o'clock, several hundreds of people lined the piers each side of the entrance lock, and watched her progress up the Channel. Just at six o'clock the Great Western entered the lock, amidst the cheers of the assemblage, and thus, after j sixty days, the journey from Gloucester to I Gloucester was practically comnleted. Representatives of the mavor of the old citv gave the visitor a welcome, and at I 7.30 his braye little craft was towed by the steamer Sn hrina up the canal to Glou- cester. The food of Mr. B,ackbiir,i on the water consisted of canned meat, fish, vegetables, and fruit. He occasionally made a little clam chowder, brewed tea and coffee, and fried some prepared meat. Biscuits and rather stale bread were his staple food. His eyesight being weak, he wore inoked eyeglasses. Mr. Blackburn despatched a message home from Portis- head T-le brought a letter of intro- tion from Mayor French, of Gloucester, 'V,T, Massachusetts, to the mayor of Gloucester here. After a short stav at that citv he will visit various towns, including Cardiff.

KILLED IN THE SEVERN TUNNEL. A point of importance to railwaymen was raised under the Workman's Compensation Act at Thornbury County-court on Saturday (before his Honour Judge Ellicott) in the case of Barber Y. the Great Western Railway Com- pany. Robert Barber a platelayer, who lived at Ne nort. was, with another man. killed in the Severn Tunnel by the North express in June last, and an action was now brought on behalf of his widow and four children to recover under the Act L194, the amount of ihree years' earnings. The company admitted J6169, and contended that the balance of 134 was what the deceased would make by work- ing on Sundays, which was overtime, and that the Act did not include overtime. Mr. Albert Parsons (instructed by Mr Frank Le vis) ap- peared for the plaintiff; and Mr. Vachell (in- structed by Mr. Nelson) for the defendant com- pany. The defendants contended that, R;, their platelayers were pair! at the rate of time and a half for Sunday work, the average weekly earnings for an ordinary week of six days should count. For the plaintiff, how- ever, evidence was given by deceased's son. who had worked with his father for snnis ye; rs, to the effect that platelayers had to present thsmselv&s for work on Sunday the same as other days tinle- ,s They had received notice not to do so, and they were told that if vhey did not go to work on Swndays they neerl not seek work the other days of the week.— Sis Honour held as a fact that a plate- layer's Sunday work was not overtime, and lie further stated that if it had been overtime it would be rightly included in the earnings.— Judarment was, therefore, given for the plain- tiff for the fun amount— £ 194—and costs.

TUDOR WORKS ANNUAL WAYZGOOSE. • The employes, to the number of about 90, iisld their annual wayzgooss on Saturday at C'hepitow and Tintern. The party left Cardiff about nine in saloons for Chepstow, and after a couple of hours wandering abjut that pretty town left in well-appointed breaks for Tintern, a lUost delightful drive through beautiful soenery. Lunch was awaiting the party at the Royal George. The toasts of the firm and the officers for the day were enthusiastically received. An alfresco concert and dance on the lawn brought on tea time, the party shortly after leaving for homo, thoroughly tired out after a mos! enjoyable day. The arrange- ments were in the hands of an energetic com- mittee, consisting of Mrs. Seal and Messrs. Rees, Jones, Quin, Orchard, and Bant, whilst the secretarial duties, as in previous years, were in the capable hands of Mr. C. R. Crawley.

CARDIFF MODEL YACHT CLUB. The Cardiff Model Yacht Club held the eigh- teenth race this season on Saturday for club prizes, a nice sailing breeze prevailing. The course was a broad reach up and down the lake, which had to be done three times, equal to two miles. The handicap in this race was 30 seconds per ton as a test against the load water-line measurements of the olub. The following boats started at 4.36 p.m. — Scillonian. 13 tons; Ivor, 18 tons; White Rose and Madge. 20 tons; Carrie, 25 tons; Aerial, 26 tons. The line at the lower end of the lake being crossed made the completion of the first round with Scillonian first, Ivor second, and lvhite Rose third, with Carrie gradually lessening the distance between them. In the second round Scillonian lost her place, Carrie being first, Madge having fouled Ivor. who was still second, with White Rose third. Aerial having given up the race. The third round was rather an exciting one as to who would win. Mr. G. Scarparti's Carrie first, Mr. Page's Ivor second, and Mr. T. Smart's White Rose third. Captain M'Neil tried a new boat, and, although he had not got it in hand, she performed very well.

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Possible Cause of the Explosion. OPENING OF THE INQUEST. The excitement which prevailed in the Garw Valley on Friday subsided very considerably on Saturday. The Llest Col- liery was, of course, idle, and only a small proportion of the men engaged at other pits in the valley returned to work. The majority formed small congregations in the streets of Pontyrhil, Pontycymmer, and Blaengarw, and discussed the accident with- out coming to any definite conclusion as to how it was caused. The general feeling is one of surprise that it should have happened at all in a No. 2 Rhondda seam. There was, it is stated, a similar occurrence in the same seam at Hafod some years ago, but, generally speaking, the seam is not supposed to cast off sufficient gas to cause a serious explosion. It may be satisfactory to the proprietors to know that no blame is cast upon them. It is cuato- mary to use naked lights in working the No. 3 Rhondda. and shot-firing is allowed, so that if it does turn out that the explo- sion resulted from one of these practices no one can be blamed. Almost without excep- tion, the men at the Llest were members of the Miners' Federation, and also belonged to a local fund, from which the bereaved families will benefit. On calling at the office on Satur- day morning there was very little that was new to be elicited. Mr. Adams, of Aberdare, one of her Majesty's inspectors, arrived about 6.30 on Friday evening, and at once made an inspection of the colliery. He remained under- ground till midnight, and continued his exami- nation the following morning. He was accom- panied by Mr. Lougher, the manager (who, it is pleasing to state, has recovered from the effects of the afterdamp), Mr. Rees, and one or two other officials. Mr. Harrison (from the office of Messrs. Forster Brown and Rees), Mr. Boyd Harvey (managing director of North's Navigation Collieries), and Mr. Heppeil (of the Cwmaman Colliery Company) were pre- sent on Saturday morning, and among those who gave a good deal of assistance on Friday was Mr. Ti eh true Rees. There was a g od deal of ankicty on Saturday morning with regard to the inquest, the relatives of some of the deceased desiring to remove the bodies on that day to Llansamlet and other places. As happened in the case of the Cilfynydd explosion, the men lived in two coroners' districts- one Veing in the locality governed by Mr. CuLlibertsoii of Neath, and the other in the dis- trict of Mr. Stockwood, Bridgend. At midday information was received by the police that the inquest would be held at three o'clock, and this intimation came as a relief to many relatives of the killed. The evidence, of course, was purely formal, in order that certificates for burial could be given. One of the rescuing party on Friday was Mr. J. T. Salathiel, for many years manager of the In- ternational Colliery at Blaengarw. Few men have had more experience of colliery acci- dents. He went down the pit about seven o'clock, and assisted in clearing the after. damp. When he got to the first cross head- j ing he found it impossible to proceed, the safety lamps which he and his comrades carried showing the presence cf gas by going out. Mr. Edward Lawrence and his son, David, were with him, and after a while another attempt was made to reach the third and fourth stalls from the top. "First of all," said Mr. Salathiel. "we came across Abednego Williams, who was lying on his back with his face in the direction of the pit. His upper clothing had been blown over his shoulders." This interview took place on the platform of the Bridgend Station, and, strangeli- enough, the father of Abednego happened to he a listener. "Yes. poor fellow," he said. "he had not been back from America. many weeks, and he was only going to work underground long enough to enable him to return to the States." Mr. Salathiel, con- tinuing his experiences, said that after find- ing the body of Williams he looked for his butty, and found him blown under a tram and lifeless. He also found others, and is of opinion that if there had been sufficient help immediately after the explosion more lives would have been saved. The men in the pit seem to have lost presence of mind, and. instead of follow- ing the current of air to the upcast shaft, they turned round in the direction of the North Cross Cut, and met the choke-damp which came from that district. Mr. galathiel is satis- fied that the explosion was canned by a shot being fired in one of the headings, and certainly there was a large fall of coal there. This; stats of things might, however, be produced without any shot being fired. Abednego Williams was evidently in the act of preparing a "churn," or shot-hole, when he was struck down, so that firing was, at any rate, in progress at the time. Some of the men had evidently retired from the face to get a meal when the explosion took place. The opinion of the officials is that a blower was struck, and they state that sufficient evi- dence in support of their contention will be forthcoming at the inquiry, but, as we have pointed out, this clashes with the opinion of other exnerts. Mr. Adams spent the whole of Saturday in the pit, and even if he were permitted to give information to the press, he would not be in a position to do so. as he had not completed his exploration of the workings. We may say, therefore, that up to Saturday night the cause of the explosion remained a mystery. The pit will be further examined by some of her Majesty's inspectors and Mr. T. Griffiths and others representing the company to-day (Mon- day). when it is possible that the cause of the accident will be revealed. There have been many mora severe explosions with far less loss of life than on this occasion, and some who have visited the workings are surprised that so many men were killed. The officials of adjoining collieries did not receive prompt information of what had happened, or they would certainly have been earlier on the spot. OPFNTNG OF THE INQUEST. The inquest was fixed for three o'clock, but it was nearly an how afterwards that it was opened by Mr. W. A. Williams, deputy-coroner for the Manor of Ogmore, Mr. Stockwood, the coroner, being engaged at the police-court at Bridgend. An examination of the names of the killed showed that out of the nineteen men killed only one (Jeremy) lived in Mr. Cuthbertson's district. After the jury had been sworn Mr. Williams said they were there to inquire into the deaths of eighteen persona, who came by their deaths m the Llest Colliery. He proposerl merely to take evidence of identification that day. but before doing so he desired, on behalf of himself. and he was sure he could on behalf of +he jury also, express the sincere sympathy which they felt for the relatives of the deceased —With this sentiment the jury unanimously agreed.—Mr. Williams added that he proposed to adjourn the inquiry until such date as the colliery officials and her Majesty's inspectors were prepared to lay formal evidence before them. The colliery company were represented at the inquiry on Saturday by Mr. D. Lougher, manager, and Mr. Owen, cashier. The inquiry will be resumed on Monday next. The bodies of John Mort, William Jenkin Daniel. and David Thomas, of the Swansea dis- trict, were removed to their homes on Satur- day. One funeral, that of T. Jeremy, took place on Sunday at Llangynwyd Cemetery, the attendance of the mining community being very large, notwithstanding the fact that the journey to the cemetery was a particularly heavy one across two valleys. Pulpit. refe- rences to the disaster were made on Sunday in practically every district in South Wales. INJURED MEN PROGRESSING FAVOUR-ABLY. The whole of the rescued men were on Satur- day evening progressing as favourably as could be expected. The work of putting the pit in proper order is being proceeded with, and it is expected that work will generally be resumed at the mine to-day (Monday) or to-morrow (Tuesday). The death-roll leaves half a dozen widows and about 30 children. Out of the local fund Y,3 is paid for funeral expenses, and 4s. a week to depen- dents. Owing to numerous accidents through falls and by members having been killed, the colliery fund is not in a. very flourishing state. The committee found that they required JE19 to meet their liabilities through the accident, and on Saturday they went round with collecting books, and were liberally "met by the subscriptions of their fellow-workmen and the general public. The men are not members of the Miners' Provident Fund, and their dependents cannot, therefore, draw from that source, but they expect to be relieved under the Compensation Act. That. however, will be a long process, whereas if they belonged to the Miners' Fund immediate relief would he forthcoming. A brother-in-law of one of the deceased, who' leaves a widow and seven children, stated that after some months' waiting they would receive at the utmost j5225. Under the Miners' Fund-scheme the widow would receive for herself and her children 958 10s. in the first year, or more than a fourth of what she will eventually receive under the Compensation Act in a lump sum. "Under the new scheme of the Miners' Provident Fund, as the em- ployers are not members, the benefits the widow would receive would be less by 25 per cent. than under the old system, when the employers contributed that amount, but she would also have her claim under the Act. This is the first serious explosion which has happened since the Compensation Act came into force, and it will be interesting later to compare the benefits under that Act with those under the fund management. THE USE OF NAKED LIGHTS, PRESS COMMENTS. The "Daily News" says: -The use of the naked light in the mine will have to be made penal. It is in any case a feeble as well as a. dangerous illuminant, and altogether out of date in these days of electricity. The "Standard" holds that no doubt the outcome of the disaster will be the introduc- tion of safety lamps in the mines in ques- tion, but that belated action will not restore the dead to life, nor will it necessarily lead to the abolition of naked lights in similar collieries. The "Chronicle" remarks:—In the Llest Colliery the men seem to have worked sys- tematically with naked lights, the managers, according to the mines inspector's statement, "hoping for immunity." Therefore, when the gas was liberated by a fall in the workings an explosion followed as a matter of course. If pits are run in the hope of immunity when fire meets gas it is a matter of certainty that men will sometimes be blown to pieces or poisoned by the afterdamp. SYMPATHY OF MERTHYR GUARDIANS. At the weekly meeting of the Merthyr Board of Guardians on Saturday Mr. John Edwards, cheekweigher, Treliarris, moved a vote cf con- dolence with the families of those who had lost their lives in the disaster at the Llest Colliery. —The motion was seconded by Mr. David Hop- kins, and supported by Mr. N. F. Hankey. whc is one of the proprietors of the Plymouth Col- lieries.—It was passed in silence, the whole o: the members in attendance rising to their feet,

INTERVIEW WITH FIREMAN MORGAN, On Sunday afternoon one of our repottera had an interview with Mr D. Morgan, the fireman of the No. 2 Seam, where the explo- cion occurred. Ever since the unfortunate incident Mr. Morgan has been so prostrated with the effects of the afterdamp and his gal- lant efforts to rescue the lives of the other men that lengthy conversation with him has been forbidden. On Sunday, however, our representative was told by Mr. Morgan that the accident happened, so far as he could judge, about 2.10 o'clock. At this time he was down in th" "deep," between what is known as the No. 2 and No. 3 Headings. The journey had just stopped at its accustomed place, and he was conversing with one of the riders named Fred Aston. The rider who brought the journey down, named William Thomas (Tyddu), one of the deceased men, exclaimed, "What is the matter?" He (Morgan) then felt the air rush past him with terrific force, and a apcond later the air came back again with the same velocity. Thomas said the air nearly knocked him out of the tram. At the first door which they encountered it was burst out towards them like a V. With the assistance of Thomas and Aston this bulge was straight- ened back, and they passed through. Just beyond these doors James Phillips and Thomas Lewis were cutting "bookings." and they asked what was the matter with the air. Mor- gan said he did not kuow. but advised the men to go out on to the main heading or near the pit bottom. About 100 yards further on there were two men unloading rubbish, and they were nearly failing, one of these men being really on his knees. Just beyond this the air be- came terrible thick, but Morgan proceeded. and heard Evan Morgan (one of the labourers) exclaim, "Well, he is gone on; we shan't see him again." Morgan, however, continued on his journey, and with the utmost difficulty he got through the thick foul air, which covered a small space of about twenty yards. Beyond this the air was again fresh. Pro- ceeding. Morgan came across three men in the face of the heading. One of them was John Thomas, the man who is still in such a critical condition. Having sent all out from this dis- trict. Morgan then attempted to get, by means of a short cut, to the main, or North's, heading, but he failed to do so. and had to return by the same route as that oy which he came. On the way back he came across the two labourers, Dowling and E. Morgan, who were struggling along on their hands and knees. He assisted them as far as possible, and then left them, going on to the pit and sending a further relief party to assist them. Morgan was all this time in the deep, from which district the whole of the men. with the exception of Wm. Thomas, Tyddu. came out alive. He had great difficulty in getting along the men, who were weak, and it was only when he was finally overcome kiAW self that he had to leave them. Sympathy of Midland Miners. The Warwickshire miners, at their meeting on Saturday, passed a resolution of sympathy with the relatives of the men who lost their lives in the Llest Colliery disaster.—At the opening of the meeting Mr. W. Johnson (chair- man) proposed that this meeting and demon- stration of Warwickshire miners learn with sincere Tegret of the explosion at the Llest Col- liery, resulting in the ICSJ of twenty lives, and we express our deep sympathy with the be- reaved in their distress and great and abiding loss of their bread-winners. He wished them to express sympathy with the widows and chil- dren and relatives of their fellows who had lost their lives on the previous day in South Wales. It was a lot which might fall to any minors, and anyone who had any human sym- pathy would join in passing the vote in silence. -Mr. Pickard, M.P., in seconding, said every one of them knew the daily toil in the mine was dangerous. Every day in the week they were reminded of that by having one or more lose their lives in some form or other. The South Wales miners had recently joined the Federation, and he was sorry that so soon after joining this terrible explosion had occurred. He only hoped they would discover the cause of the explosion, and if a remedy could be found to prevent the.se explosions they would do their best to have it put into operation.—The vote of sympathy was then accorded in silence.

"HAPPINESS DISTURBED! "CHARACTER" OF THE CARDIFF LICENSING COMMITTEE. MR. D. FHEPHERD AND THE "WESTERN MAIL." An illustration comes to hand of what, a. wound-intticting implement the "harmless joke" really is! In taking the chair at the Blue Ribbon meeting in the Cory Memorial-hall on Saturday Mr. David Shepherd referred to an article which had appeared in the "Evening Express" and the "Western Mail" last Wednes- day and Thursday. They had, he said, no objection to having reports published of their meetings, but they did expect, if reported at all, to be reported fairly. Nor did they object to fair criticism, but the article he referred to could not be so described. In a paragraph last Monday morning he was reported to have said that, while at first the temperance party had thought not to oppose the renewal of licences, &c., at brewster sessions this year, when they saw what the character—he supposed he did use the word "character"—of the committee was to be they at once determined that they would oppose. With that report he had no fault to find. But on Wednesday in the "Evening Express," and on Thursday in the "Western Mail," an article was inserted which made it appear that he had aspersed the character of members of the licensing committee. Now, he claimed that no one in his senses who heard him speak could have thought that he referred to the individual character of the men, and no one who read the newspapers on Monday morning could do so. A friend of his on read- ing Thursday's article said, "Mr. Shepherd, this is hitting below the belt." It was the first time the "Western Mail" had done such a thing to him. He always thought the "Wes- tern Mail" very smart and very fair in its reports, but the article he complained of was neither smart nor fair. Though he had felt very much hurt, he was not going to please them by writing to the paper. There at the Blue Ribbon meeting the statement was made, and there he came to contradict the "Western Mail's" misrepresentation of it. He respected the members of the committee whose names were mentioned by the "Western Mail" very much, and nothing was further from his thoughts than to traduce their personal charac- ter-he could not descend so low. His own character for 25 years would bear investiga- tion—(loud and prolonged cheers)—he did not know whether the same could be said of the "Western Mail" people. The paragraph had not disturbed his reputation, though it had disturbed his happiness just for a few days. —A temperance address by the Rev. Allen Redshaw, of London, followed, and the enter- tainment included an unusually well-rendered recitation by Mrs. Renfrew.

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