Cymro a'r Celt Llundain

FOOTBALL NOTES AND NEWS. I omitted to send an ac- count last week of the Rosslyn Park and London Welsh game, which the former won on their merits by 5 points to 3. Coppoch scored for the Welsh, Jenkins failing at goal, and Dixon for the Park, Oulton goaling. In this game Clay received an injury to his ankle in the first ten minutes, which, I am told, is so serious that he will not be able to play again this season. The Welsh forwards were good, but the halves and three's gave a very sorry exhibition, and it was here the Park excelled. This is the second Metro- politan club to defeat the Welsh this season. BLACKHEATH v. WELSH. BLACKHEATH 1 TRY LONDON WELSH 1 TRY. The Welsh, on Saturday, played their return game with the Club at Blackheath. The homesters had a very strong side out, but the Welsh were short of Maddocks, Lloyd, Neagle, Gwilym Jones, W. L. Morgan, Harding, Clay, and J. Alban Davies, and under the circumstances I think they did well to draw the game. The Welsh for- wards played an excellent game, and often got out of tight corners with splendid foot- work, while their tackling was grand throughout. Powell scored for the Welsh, and Tomlinson for Blackheath, Williams and Hofley failing at the respective goal kicks. The scoring was done in the first half, and Blackheath have yet to register their first win over the Welsh. Wales has for the fifth time succeeded in obtaining the "Triple Crown," and their victory of Saturday last over Ireland was obtained by some of the finest back play witnessed in an International for many years. Congratulations to A. F. Harding on being appointed Captain of the Anglo-Welsh team for New Zealand. He has a very good side going out under his command, but it is not so strong as the one that toured there four years ago. The forwards are good. The half-backs appear to be weak other than Davey and Morgan. Gibbs, Williams, and McEvedy are great three-quarters, but the others are only good club players. Dyke and Jackett are the right backs selected. I only hope they will all blend together, and thereby keep the honour of England and Wales up in the Antipodes. Newport defeated Neath by a point on Saturday. The Welsh and English school- boys drew their match at Cardiff. Ponty- pool suffered defeat at the feet of Llwynpia. Pill and Llanelly easily defeated Penygraig and Bridgend respectively. THE "A" TEAM. Our correspondent with the London Welsh reserve team writes :-It is not very often that a reserve team match is reported but on Saturday last the A team brought off such a distinct triumph over the second string of their fellow Kelts from the Emerald Isle that this performance deserves a special place of honour amongst the many worthy deeds performed by the London Welsh Football Club. The match, which was played at West Ham, ended in a runaway victory for the Welsh by one goal, eight tries (29 points) to nil. Having the advantage of a slight wind, the Welsh pressed at the outset, and in the first minute a Welsh score was prevented by a lucky touch-down by one of the Irish backs. The homesters, however, were not to be denied, and shortly afterwards scored three tries in quick succession, one of which was converted. Possessing a lead of 11 points, and though playing against the wind, the Welsh attacked strongly, and their efforts were soon rewarded with a score. Five more tries were registered during this half, but owing to the slackness of the kick- ing, none of them were converted. WELSH FORWARD.

THE PRUDENTIAL INSURANCE CO. The annual report of this famous in- surance company is published in another column. A glance at the figures that are presented to the public shows what an enormous concern it is, and its increase during the past year amply proves the con- fidence of the people in its business methods. Full particulars of its many branches and its rates for insurance can always be had from the District Superintendent.

Correspondence. LLAWFER Y DYFODOL. Editor of the LONDON WELSHMAN AND KELT. SIR, Brother Jonathan holds the opinion, and is not slow to give expression to it, that his cousins on this side of the great ocean ferry are entirely effete. Unfortunately, he is to some extent right, in that we are undoubtedly less quick than we might be to take advantage of new ideas. Yet it is equally true that the Yankees would be unable to hustle along in life as rapidly as they do if it were not for the effete Briton. Take shorthand, for example. Many have been the systems devised on the other side of the Atlantic since the day when young Isaac Pitman published his "Phonetic Sound Hand"; but, cute as the Yankees are, they utterly failed to go one better," to quote a bit of their own expressive slang. It remained for a Liverpool man to do this. About two decades ago John Robert Gregg, of Liverpool^ after trying in vain for several years to improve Pitman, came to the conclusion that the system was unimprovable, the fundamental principles being entirely wrong. Thereupon he set to work to devise a system of his own, and in course of time published an unpretentious little book, the title of which was "Light Line Shorthand." He himself had a sub- lime faith in the possibilities of his creation, but few, very few, were the converts he made. As a matter of fact, he made no headway whatever, the practically unanimous belief being that out of the Pitmanic Nazareth alone could come aught that was good. Half starved and in despair he emigrated to the States. There he quickly obtained a hearing, and a hearing was all he asked for. Slowly at first, but rapidly and still more rapidly as the years went by, his system progressed in popularity, until to-day Gregg Shorthand is taught in upwards of 80 per cent. of the public schools and commercial colleges of the Union, from the Atlantic to the Pacific Seaboard, and month by month the percentage is growing. This phenomenal progress is no matter for surprise to the man who knows both Gregg and Pitman and can compare the two. Compare them ? No, that is not possible. One does not compare the light of the sun with that of a farthing candle. Here in Great Britain, the land of its birth, Gregg is at last be- ginning to secure a footing, and it needs no gift of prophecy to state with conviction that the dreary drudgery of years, ever hitherto associated with the acquisition of a practical knowledge of shorthand, will ere long be merely a memory. In all three great essentials—simplicity, legibility, and speed power-Gregg is infinitely the superior of the old geometrical systems. The characters are of a uni- form thickness, every word is written on the line, and the vowels are incorporated into the system while backstrokes have been entirely eliminated, obtuse angles are rare, and curves predominate, the swing being ever forward. Moreover, the rules are few, and to these rules there are absolutely no exceptions, while there are no bothersome hooks to add r 1 n f v and shon," and incidentally to drive the poor learner to despair. Indeed, so simple is Gregg that a sound working knowledge can with ease be acquired in much less than one-fourth the time that must be devoted to Pitman. Proof of this was given only a few days ago by Prof. J. Morris Jones, M.A., of Bangor, who, after being in possession of the manual for only 24 hours, wrote me in advanced reporting style Gregg. In his letter Prof. Morris Jones says, I have long considered Pitman to be fundamentally wrong in principle-a sprawling scribble which. properly speaking, is not writing at all. Apart from the geometrical principle, the distinction of thick and thin always seemed to me an idiotic one. If Gregg is all it really seems at first sight to be, I think the sooner it is introduced into our interme- diate schools the better." Let me add that I have no financial interest in any system of shorthand what- ever, but that if any reader should desire further information I shall be happy to supply it.—Yours, &c., JOHN A. MORRIS. 104, Hamilton Road, Liverpool.

CAPEL H.C. SHIRLAND ROAD, PADDINGTON. .r- Y Naoifed Eisteddfod flynyddol flOS IAU, EBRHiIi 30ain, 1908. Cadeirydd-JOHN WILLIAMS, YSW. I'r Plant, o 12 i 16, Y Nant a'r Blodeuyn (Wm. Price) Gwobr £2 2s. Unawd Soprano, "Tâd yr amddifad" (Emlyn Evans) Gwobr 10/6 Unawd Tenor, "Can y bardd wrth farw" (Dd. Thomas, Mus. Bac.,) Gwobr 10/6 Unawd Bass, Y ddwy Delyn" (Pughe Evans) Gwobr 10/6 Adroddiad, "Iesu" (gan "Golyddan"), allan o'r "Adroddwr" gan Deniol Fychan"Gwobr 10/6 Ysgrifenyddion— Mr. W. DAVIES, 72, St. Paul's Churchyard, E.C. Mr. T. JAMES, 26, John Street, Marylebone, W. WELSH TABERNACLE, KING'S CROSS, N. Grandi CONCERT & TiE A In connection with the Cambrian Cricket Club. will be held at the above place on THURSDAY NEXr, JWARCtf 26th, 1908. Chairman B. J. REES, ESQ. ARTlSTES- Miss ANNIE THOMAS (Winner at Sboreditch Eisteddfod) Miss SALLIE PHILLIPS Miss CARRIE ABRAHAM (L.R.A.M.) MR. ANDREW JONES (the new Tenor from Bangort Mr. TIM EVANS Mr. STANLEY DAVIES Mr. EDDIE EVANS (Elocutionist) Miss LENA POWELL (Accompanist) Tea 6.30 to 7.30. Concert at 8 sharp. Admission by Programme 15d. each, to be obtained of Councillor Owen M. Richards, Mr. Alun R. Evans, and of the Secretary, Mr. W. Bevan, 3. Grange Road, Canonbury, N.