Towyn-on-Sea and Merioneth County Times

THE WEEKLY REPORT. Tuesday. Lord Kitchener, in his weekly telegram, issued last night by the War Office, states that since the 7th inst. the columns report that 43 Boers have been killed, 16 wounded, 291 taken prisoners, and six surrendered. The captures consisted of 5650 rounds of small arm ammunition, 164 rifles, 205 waggons, 600 horses, and 11,500 cattle.

WORK OF THE COLUMNS.! COMMANDOS DRIVEN BACK. Fouche, according to a communication from General French, is retreating rapidly from the North of Jamestown towards Barklv East, with with Colonel Scobell in close pursuit. Colonel Monro is moving on Barkly East from Dordrecht to co-operate with Colonel Scobell and attack Myburgh. Colonel Calwell moved 30 miles to the north-west of Sutherland on Wednesday, driving back a Boer Commando and capturing some horses and mules. Maritz, with 250 men, was on Wednes- day forced back across the Berg River by Colonel Crabbe's column. The lboer leader was then attacked by Colonel Capper and driven quickly north. An armoured train, between De Beers and Dry Harts, fired, at close range, on some Boers crossing the line, and the train party captured a large herd of sheep and cattle. Near Berg River, on Thursday, an armoured train was fired on, but the Boers were driven off. Morrusburg has been evacuated by the enemy. A combined force, under General Barker, has returned to Winburg, having completed a clearing expedition to Bethlehem and back. The Boers lost six killed, four wounded, and 30 prisoners. Oar casualties were two wounded.

PROMOTIONS AND APPOINTMENTS. KITCHENER'S COMMENDATIONS. The following names occur in a list of officers, N.C.O.'s, and men, whose good services Lord Kitchener desires to bring specially to notice:- Royal Welsh Fusiliers.-Second Lieutenant H de B Edwards, awarded D.S.O. on recommendation of Commander-in-Chief. 2251 Sergeant Cottrell. Ptes 2090 Davies and 6021. 9th Battalion (Montgomery, Denbigh, and Pem- broke) Imperial Yeomanry.-Lieut. H S Craig to be Captain, with the temporary rank of Captain in the Army 2nd Lieut. E A Ash, from Unattached, to be Lieutenant, with the temporary rank of Lieutenant in the Army.

LOCAL CASUALTIES. The War Office announces that the steamship Kinfauns Castle left Capetown for England on November 13th, having on board on passage home -South Wales Borderers, Capt V Ferguson. The vessel is due at Southampton on the 29th of Novem- ber. Mounted Infantry 2nd Shropshire Light Infantry -4387 Pte J Cooper (severely wounded), Brakpan, Nov 6th. 3rd South Wales Borderers—Ptes 6208 J Temple. man and 4209 J Weale, dangerously ill (enteric), Mafeking, Nov 16th. Volunteer Company South Wales Borderers- 7616 Pte J Leonard, dangerously ill (enteric), Johannesburg, Nov 16th. 2nd South Wales Borderers—Ptes 6411 Frank Perkins and 7665 Jesse Hawkins, dangerously ill (enteric), Elandsfontein, Nov 16th. Royal Welsh Fusiliers-Capt Rickman (out of danger, progressing favourably), Johannesburg. Mounted Infantry 3rd Welsh Fusiliers-1296 Pte T Rorberts, dead (enteric), Kimberley, Noy 15th. 1st Royal Welsh Fusiliers—6330 Pte Thomas Woodicg, dead (enteric),Boshof, Nov 16th.

MINISTERS AND SYMPATHY. PREMIER AND PRO-BOERS. Replying to a Resolution of confidence and sympathy, passed by the Milner Habitation of the Primrose League, at York, Lord Salisbury has written as follows Hatfield House, November 11th, 1901. Dear Miss Milner,—We are much indebted to the Milner Habitation for the very kind and encouraging Resolution, and I thank you heartily for the note in which you have forwarded it. We need such encouragement; for England is, I believe, the only country iu which, during a great war, eminent men write and speak publicly as if they belonged to the enemy.—Believe me, yours truly, SALISBURY," Mr Balfour replied to the same Resolution as follows:—"10, Downing-street, S.W., November 15, 1901. Dear Miss Milner,-I hope you will convey my warm gratification to the members of the Milner Habitation of the Primrose League at the hearty support which they are giving at the present time to those entrusted with the direction of our public policy. I can assure you we value it. —Yours sincerely, ARTHUR JAMES BALTOUR."

EX-QUEEN AND EX-PRESIDENT. MR KRUGER'S ROYAL VISITOR. An interesting interview took place last week (says the Westminister Gazette) between two rulers out of business. The Ex-Queen of Naples, sister of the murdered Empress, has followed with keen sympathy the struggle of the Boer Republics against the British army, and has expressed a high admir- ation for Kruger. She travelled from Paris to Hilversum, and there paid a visit to the aged Presi- dent. The conversation between the exiled Legiti- mist Queen and the exiled Republican President was held by means of an interpreter, and lasted for more than an hour. Mr Kruger was deeply touched by the sympathy of his Royal visitor, who immediately after the interview returned to Paris.

« The annual Conference of the National Union of Conservative and Constitutional Associations will be held at Wolverhampton on the 25th,26th,27th inst. Sir Alfred Hickman, M.P., chairman of the Council, will hold a reception of representatives on the evening of the 25th, and the first session of the conferenee takes place the following morning, when Lord Dartmouth will be nominated as president. At the mass meeting in the evening the principal speaker will be Mr Balfour.

THE PAN-CELTIC CONGRESS. I ORATION OF THE CHIEF BARD. The following speech was delivered at the first concert of the Pan Celtic Congress held in Dublin, on August 21st last, by the chief bard Cadvan.- Lord Castletown, Ladies, and Gentlemen,-It is a much appreciated pleasure to me, I can assure you, to be here with you on this auspicious occasion- an occasion that not one of us has seen its equiva- lent in importance to the Celtic Races. It is in very truth the first time for us to witness the renaissance of the Celt as exhibited in this magni- ficent Pan-celtic Congress. There was a time in our history when kingdoms bent their knees to us, and the cities of the world paid us homage! Nothing is impossible to the United Celts. About 3,000 years ago we crossed a continent, and took possession of old Rome—under the command of old Brennus. But we became the victims of disunion, and the disunion left us at the mercy of other tribes and nations. Later on we were conquered by the Romans, the Franks, and the Saxons. Conquered No! Never conquered. For has not the Breton kept his individuality and his language alongside of a great and powerful nation, without being lost in that nation. And the Welshman, pro- tected by his mountains, has kept his language, and his personality, and is as far to-day from being lost in the Saxon as Snowdon is from being mixed with the dust of London. I look at our Scottish brethren, and remember that they have their two rivers, the Clyde and the Forth, keeping guard over them, as they pour themselves into the sea. But I also remember that they had two men, greater, nobler dearer to eyery Scot than their fine rivers: I allude to Sir William Wallace and King Robert the Brace. and the influence of those two men is deeper, stronger, and more far-reaching than that of their rivers. They were the men that gave them a free Scotland, and may it be for ever free. And Manx. land, and Erinland-your beautiful green isle- have been shielded by the all-powerful ocean. And you have had your men. Who has not known ana loved your poet-patriot Tom Moore ? And I for one do not envy the man who can speak unmoved of Daniel O'Connell. Surely all of us can join hands and hearts, and cry with one voice Erin go bragh. But through the ages during which we bragh." But through the ages during which we have kept our different individualities, we have existed as five separate peoples, until the idea at last entered into the warm heart, and the clear head of one of Ireland's sons-Mr Fournier, our Negesydd 0'1' Ynys Werdd-to bring these peoples together once more. In him we have a young man who sees visions." I believe I had the honour of sitting as chairman of his first committee, m connection with our National Eisteddfod in Wales on a never- to-be-forgotten Friday afternoon at Festimog, the 22nd day of July, 1898. We were like people in a dream. Some fearing, some doubting others timid, only seeing difficulties. But Mr Fournier was never discouraged. And one year later in Cardiff as I stood on the Logan stone I beheld five banners waving over the ancient Gorsedd of the bards. You, my lord, and your Irish comrades were there, the noble persons of Mr John McKay and Mr Theodore Napier, and their Scots pipers with their beautiful national instruments were there, the Marquis de Fuster and Mr JafErenou were there, and little Manxland was not forgotten. And we realised the power and possibilities of the enthusiastic spirit that realises his mission. At the Union of the Celtic Races truly we were like people in a dream, then was our "mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing." But that memorable scene was only a promise of what might be in the future-what we see here to-day on this unparalleled occasion-yes, a glorious occasion- when we as Celts are united, not to conquer nations by firearms or swords, but to bring messages of peace and virtue and goodwill to men. Our ancestors have laboured in the past, and we can claim as our own some of the brightest geniuses of history. Where are t. be found mere magnificent, soul stir- ring epic poems than Ossian's of old P Who sang their loves with such brilliancy and passion as Dafydd ab Gwilym and Robert Burns? And when our Saxon neighbours boast of John Milton and his Paradise Lost," we all know he owed his genius to his Welsh mother. We have received much from those that have gone before it is our duty to hand it down to posterity with interest. Other men have laboured, 'and ye are entered into their labours." We have some fields white already for harvest," and other fields ready prepared by the ploughman it is our duty to go forward and sow the good seed looking toward the fruit thereof. Fruit more precious than gold, more fragrant than myrrh. Fruit sweeter than honey, and more to be desired than the pomegranate. Fruit that we shall elorv in when the heavens fall, when the founda- tions of the earth will be shattered, at the crashing of elements, and the conflagration of worlds. The fruit that we ought to bear-for our own personal good, for the uplifting of mankind, the purifying of the world, the final success of the church, and the eternal glory of Him who is Lord of all."

A WELSH TRAINING GROUND. MERIONETH SUPPOSED FAVOURED. The London correspondent of the Manchetter Guardian "ays :—I hear that the War Office intend obtaining another large tract of country for the training of troops this week. I believe a large extent of the county of Merioneth is to be inspected by the authorities with a view to its purchase. The size of the proposed training ground is twice that of the Government property at Aldershot. Merioneth is, next to Carnarvon, the most mountainous county of the Principality, containing the lofty peak of Cader Idris, nearly 3,000 feet high. The district, with its rugged character, would provide a training ground which would resemble parts of South Africa much more than either Aldershot or Salisbury Plain.

♦— At a meeting on Monday of the Colwyn Bay Urban District Council, the Chairman introduced the question of new buildings for the Umversary College of North Wales, and the Council resolved- That as the consideration of the location of the new buildings for the University College of North Wales comes before the Court of Governors at Chester on December 4th next, this Council do take steps to urge the claims of Colwyn Bay as new buildings for the University College of North Wales comes before the Court of Governors at Chester on December 4th next, this Council do take steps to urge the claims of Colwyn Bay as being the most desirable location for the College in North Wales."

FAILURE OF A BARMOUTH BUILDER. At the Aberystwyth Bankruptcy Court on Tuesday morning, before Mr Registrar Joseph Davies, the public examination in bankruptcy of Evan Williams, Eden House, Church street, Bar- mouth, builder, contractor and grocer, was con- ducted by James Williams, who appeared for the Official Receiver. Mr Oswald Davies, of Dolgelley, appeared for the bankrupt. Gross liabilities were put down at R618 5s 2d and of this sum J6503 58 2d was unsecured. The assets were estimated to produce R216 6s 7d of which sum 9205 16s 7d was book debts. The bankrupt attributed his failure to losses on contracts, bad debts in grocery business, and bank charges on money bor- rowed. In his observations Mr Thomas Thomas, the Official Receiver, said:—He states that he commenced business as a builder and contractor, in partnership with another, about 10 years ago, without any capital. This partnership was dissolved about three years ago. The whole of the unsecured liabilities are for goods supplied in the grocery and building trades. The house- hold furniture is of but little value, and is claimed by bankrupt's wife. The books of account are very defective, and afford but little information regarding the bankrupt's various contracts. He admits that he was aware of his insolvency some months ago. The following items appear in the defective account submitted by the bankrupt:— Bad debts, CI8 2s 8d household expenses, from November, 1899, 2 years, E73 16s; loss on the contract for the building of two dwelling houses at Greenhill, Barmouth, on account of the costs of rock cutting and excavation having exceeded my estimate over, £ 230; on account of unexpected advance in price of lime and of lime and bricks in connection with that contraot XIO; on account of unexpected advance in price of lime and bricks in connection with the contract for building two houses at Llwyugwril, near Barmouth, £30; loss in connection with the masonry work of the English Congregational Chapel at Barmouth, £ 40; total, 9401 18s 8d.

THE LIFEBOAT DISASTER. THE BRAVE MEN OF CAISTER. The story of how the disaster happened to the Caister lifeboat Beauchamp in the great storm last week, off the Norfolk coast, can be epitomised in a few sentences. About two o'clock on the Thursday morning, after nearly three hours' desperate efforts to get her launched, she was put off to the aid of a vessel in distress. The watchers on the shore anxiously awaited her return. There was an angry sea, and the night was inky black. The return came sooner than was expected, for the distressed vessel managed to get into deep water and signalled the lifeboat away. A couple of hours had passed, and then the watchers on the wind-swept hills heard a sound which, when heard, is never for- gotten. It was the scream of men suddenly plunged in mortal peril. Chilled to the heart the beach men rushed to the edge of the surf. The white foam dimly showed the tragedy that had occurred, for the Beauchamp, with both masts gone, was seen to be lying bottom upwards with breakers raging around her. The beacbmen man. aged to rescue three of the crew from under the boat, but in all nine gallant lives were lost. Braver men do not exist than the Caister lifeboatmen. In the last 50 years no fewer than 1,200 lives have been saved from that station. There were two boats there until this disaster happened. The re- maining one is slightly larger than the Beauchamp, but of the same type. The Royal National Lifeboat Institution have decided to give £ 2,000 towards the fund being raised locally for the widows and orphans of the deceased meng THE FUNERAL: PATHETIC SCENES. The bodies of the eight victims of the Caister lifeboat disaster were interred on Sunday in the local cemeteiy at Caister, amid striking and pathetic scenes. Many thousands of people poured into the village from Yarmouth, Gorleston, Lowestoft, and other places, to witness the inter. meat. Eight hearses passed two abreast to the parish church through roads crowded with specta- tors, while the family mourners walked in little groups behind each coffin. The Rector, who con. ducted the service, in his address, said that, though the deceased had died poor men, they had left behind traditions of worth and manhood that would unspeakably enrich the annals of the country, and would remain as a source of inspiration and pride to future generations in Caister. Pathetic scenes were witnessed at the committal portion of the service, when the crowd of sobbing women and crying children pressed forward to take a last glance at the eight coffins, which were all deposited in one grave. Every coffin was covered with magnificent floral tributes, sent from all parts of the country. The Mayor of Yarmoath and Corporation, with other representatives of various public bodies, attended the funeral. The Board of Trade has announced its intention of holding an inquiry into the disaster. ♦

THE PRINCE OF WALES. CARNARVON v. RHYL. The actual conferment of the title of Prince of Wales has not altogether quenched the hopes of those who had been looking forward to a formal proclamation. The advocates of a ceremonial in Carnarvon Castle are still active and vocal, and a determined effort will be made to obtain the King's consent to some form of pageantry at Carnarvon next year. But it appears that Carnarvon's claims to be the scene of such a function are not to go un- challenged. Rhyl has suddenly discovered its proximity to Rhuddlan Castle, and reminds His Majesty and the public that the first Prince of Wales was "presented to the Welsh Chieftains at Rhuddlan Castle. Therefore, they argme, the in- stallation or proclamation ceremony, whatever it will be, ought to take place at Rhyl.

— liThe Mid-Worcestshire Liberal Council have passed a resolution inviting Mr Cecil B Harmsworth again to accept the candidature for the division. Printed and Published by David Rowlands, at 21, Berriew Street, Welshpool, in the County of Montgomery, and at Towyn, in the County of Merioneth.—Thursday, November 21, 19G1.

THE WAR. COLUMN OPERATIONS. SUPPOSED ATTACK BY DE WET. Saturday. A telegram from Lord Kitchener, despatched yesterday morning from Pretoria, was last night Issued from the War Office. The Commander-in- Chief states that during the past week General Elliott's column has been operating to the north- east of Orange River Colony, in conjunction with other columns. The enemy were met in small parties, and a few prisoners and much stock were captured. The rearguard of Col Byng's column, which was escorting the captures, when moving on Heilbron, after taking part in the operations, was on Thursday attacked by four hundred Boers, said to be under De Wet. After two hours' fighting, the attack was repulsed on all sides, and the enemy retired, leaving eight dead. Lieut Hughes and one man were killed, three officers and nine men wounded, all belonging to Kitchener's Fighting Scouts.

BRITISH PATROL SUR- ROUNDED. ENEMY DRIVEN OFF. Col Hickie, whose column is covering the con- struction of block-houses, having found a concen- tration of the enemy on Wednesday, sent out a patrol of Imperial Yeomanry from Brakspruit to reconnoitre. The patrol was surrounded six miles from camp by three hundred Boers, and lost six killed, sixteen wounded, and some prisoners, who have since been released. Col Hickie moved out in support of the patrol and drove the enemy off. The columns were sent against the concentration in the Eastern Transvaal, one working under the com- mand of General Bruce Hamilton, and on Thursday one of them-Col Allenby's-was in touch with about 500 of the enemy, who retired.

KITCHENER'S DESPATCHES. OPINION IN SEPTEMBER. Two long despatches from Lord Kitchener dealing with the operations undertaken in the Transvaal, the Orange River Colony, and Cape Colony in the months of July and August were published in the London Gazette last night. At the close of the second despatch, which is dated September 8, Lord Kitchener enumerates the losses of the Boers during August, and says that so long as this rate of progress can be maintained there can be very little doubt as to its ultimate effect even on an enemy to whom no other form of argument seems to appeal."

WAR ITEMS. The appeal issued by her Majesty, as Princess of Wales, on behalf of the wives and families of soldiers ar.d sailors, will henceforth be called Queen Alexandra's Appeal." All the men serving with the following details at Aldershot found medically fit are to be prepared to embark for South Africa on December 15:— Royal Irish Regiment, Cheshire Regiment, South Wales Borderers, Hants Regiment, Royal West Surrey Regiment, South Lancashire Regiment, and Durham Light Infantry. A beavy draft of R.A.M.C. is also to be despatched by the end of this month. The transports Manchester Merchant and Tern plemore arrived at Southampton on Monday. On board was Second Lieutenant Stevenson, who was originally a corporal ia the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and who has fought in 31 engage- ments. He accompanied the Highland Brigade when it met with disaster at Magersfontein and was one of the five men of his company left to answer the roll call. Earl Roberts has directed that officers command- ing regiments of Imperial Yeomanry at home shall be urged to use every effort to increase the efficiency of their men in musketry, which he con. siders to be the most important part of their training. Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, Bart, the Lord Lieutenant, has on behalf of the county of Mont- gomery, sent a subscription to Lady Glanusk, who is raising a fund to provide the members of the South Wales Borderers in South Africa with some Christmas presents.

OFFICERS AND PRIVATIONS. THE KITCHEN-RANGE STORY. The mother of an Officer in the Mounted In. fantry writes to The Standard :—" We are hearing a great deal about the mobility of the Boers and the want of mobility amongst our own troops. I think, however, if the grumblers (even pro-Boere) could see the letters I receive from my son at the front-and I know there are hundreds such-they would realise that the well-worn story about the harmoniums and kitchen ranges is now i ghastly joke, and quite a thing of the past. Sleeping under the stars with one blanket, often soaked to the skin, half rations of bully heef, biscuit, and hard mouldy bread, is now the order of the day. Officers fare no better than the men. My son writes, I believe in sharing everything with my men; if by chance I capture a tin of sardines or some delicacy of that sort it is always handed round as far as it will go.'