Welsh Gazette and West Wales Advertiser

ABERHOSAN. MARRIAGE OF REV. W. THOMAS.—Aberhosan was gaily decorated on Saturday last, on the occasion of the marriage of the Rev W fhomas pastor of the Congregational Chapel, to Miss Harries of Kidwelly. Flags and bunting were floating from most of the houses in the village and cannons and fireworks were let off during the day, by various persons, The marriage took place at the Congregational chapel, the Rev E Wnion Evans being the officiating minister. The best man was the Rev W 0 Lewis, Pontrobert, and the bridesmaid was Miss Jones, Cefngwyddgrug, Miss Jones, Board School teacher, presided at the organ, and played the Wedding March. During the ceremony, the Rev Josiah Jones offered prayer. The ministers and deacons afterwards followed the wedding party to the bridegroom's house, where a sumptuous breakfast had been prepared. &rhe husband and wife were congratulated by a liost of friends, and the Rev E Wnion Evans read a few verses composed for the occasion.

YSBYTTY YSTWYTH. MINING.—Almost all the miners at Frongoch bad to cease work on Saturday owing it is believed to the market being very flat. Over seventy men have thus been thrown out of work. The dressing and other operations are being continued.

Llanfihangel Gen'erglyn. PSUGCEas. — Her many friends will learn with pleasure that Miss Maggie Morris, eldest daughter of Mr Owen Morris, of Tynllechwedd has been suc- cessful in gaining the First Class Diploma for Cookery at the National Training School, London.

THE NEW EDUCATION ACT. In order to assist owners, trustees, and managers of schools to decide whether they will apply for an order appointing "foundation managers" under Section 11 of the Education Act, 1902, and in order to facilitate the work of making and considering such applications, the Board of Education have pre- pared a memorandum dealing fully with the prineipal points which are likely to arise. This memorandum, together with a form of application and a form of return, in which the material facti relating to schools may be stated, will be issued at the earliest possible moment to all correspondent* of voluntary schools. Pending the receipt of the memorandum and the return of the form the Board of Education request that trustees, owners, and managers will refrain from addressing to them questions relating to the operation of Section 11. It is hoped that the memorandum will supply an answer to such general questions as are likely to be raised, but it will not be possible to give satis- factory answers to questions relating to the position of particular schools until information asked for in the form of return is in the hands of the Board. A similar memorandum and form of return will shortly be issued relating to Section 13 (Endow- ments) of the Act.

= EARTHQUAKE IN RUSSIA. MORE THAN 500 VICTIMS. A telegram from Ashkabad says: The station- master at Andijan reports that all the station build- ings and all the houses in the town have been destroyed by an earthquake on the 16th inst. The water supply is cut off. The Russian officials are without shelter or means of subsistence, and have been accommodated in uoods trucks for the time being. Hi lp is urgently necessary, as the people are threatened with starvation. Provisions for the sufferers are being bought at Marghilan, and orders have been givrti for the distribution of funds among the railway officials. The number of victims has so far been ascertained to be five hundred and ten. Ten of them are Russians, the remainder being natives.

r=r==r== MATRON'S INHUMAN METHODS. DIPPING CHILDREN IN A WELL. Some remarkable evidence as to the punishment of disobedient children was given at an inquest on William Henry Bevari, aed six, an inmate of St. Deiniol's Home, Arthog, near Barmouth. The boy was found in a pool of watlir close to the home, vk?llich is in coiiii,-cljoii witli the Church of Eiigland Wail's ami Strays Society. Miss Agnes Flcrenc Macdonald, the matron, said shp had had to complain of the boy's conduct for some days previous to hi< death, although he was a bright, winsome child. He used to go to the waterfalls eluso by and get wet. For this lie. had been birched. Among the punishments, to be sent to bed was the greatest from the children's point of view. On one occasion she sent a boy to school in girl's c!(,th<>s, Mid Bevan once vent to school with it b;l'i-:p on :'IS arm IwarilJ the words" Little thief." This she then thought was good treatment for him. Hut in reply to the jury the witness said she did not think the wearing of the disgrace badjje i-na(l,! a-,iv i,tY.-r(,iic(,. t(i the I-,o,,s. She had never put any of the boys in the waterfalls as a punish- ment, but when she found they had been in the falls she had put them in a well afterwards.—The jury found that there was nut sufficient evidence to shew how the deceased came to be in the water, and they condemned the condurt cf the matron in using the disgrace bad^e and dipping the children in tiie well, which they severely censured as repugnant and iuiiuma.ii. They also expressed their conviction tha' the committee lud no knowledge of the irregularities referred to.

TEACHERS PRESENCE OF MIND. An operettrv-was performed the other day in the Langley Schools, Derbyshire, in the presence of a large audience, under the superintendence of Miss Halifax and Miss Weaver. During the performance the scenes unfortunately caught lire through some unknown cause. With great presence of mind, and at tonsiderable risk to herself, Miss Weaver instantly gripped the burning material and succeeded in subduing the flames.

EX-GERMAN OFFICER IN THE DOCK At the Old Dailey, before the Common Serjeant, Ulrich von Ilodewald, twenty-eight, an ex-German officer, who appeared in the dock in his uniform, pleaded guilty to maliciously shooting a mare. The accused had b"en discharged from the German Army on account of the condition of his mind, and he appeared to have gone to the German Embassy in Hyde-park and i-t (iuestud to see the naval attache to get money. The attache refused to see hilT, and he was ejected. He drew a revolver, and in firing he killed the mare in a cab. Mr. Grain said the prisoner was a man of weak intellect and irritable mind, and sentence was postponed until next sessions.

DOCTOR AND PRISONER. At the Central Crimina! Court James Deal was indicted for criminal offences and was placed in the dock to plead.—Dr. Scott stated that in his opinion the prisoner was insane.—Mr. 'Justice Darling: Gentlemen cf the jury, you hive heard what Pr. Scott has said. Perhaps you would like to hear what the prisoner says. He has sent me the follow- ing: "Dear Sir,—For mercy sake help me out of lie power of this doctor—(laughter)—who has been tor a long time torturing 11:1'. lie has torture chan;o.-r;- somewhere and put me iu them, experimenting on my mind and body horr.bly. Those chambers he keeps underground and he works oil me in a mysterious way. He says he uses no wire", so help me soon before I am put to deafh.—Your obedient servant, James Deal." Now, gei:t!em» n, you have heard what the doctor says about the prisoner and what the prisoner says about the doctor. (Laughter.) What do you -'ay?—The Fore- man The jury say che 1 risoner is insane and unlit to plead.—Mr. Justice inrling': Then 1 order Ins detention during his Majesty's pleasure.

THE WALTIIAM ABBEY EXPLOSION An inquest has been opened at Walfham Abbey on the remains of Eli Page, Walter Iron, and William Henry Mecklenburgh, who were killed in the explosion at the R >yal Gunpowder Factory. Only fragments of froji's bo ly bed been recovered, and identification in his case was established by a piece of a garment found adhering to a shattered limb. Major Nathan, superintendent of factories, said Iron, at whose machine the explosion occurred, was a steady, capable linn. Fireman Jackson said that on rushing to the scene of the explosion he saw Page lying on the ground dead. Inside the incorporating house he saw part of the remains of Iron, with the portion of a leg hanging down a tank. Going to the engine house, he found that debris was being removed from Mecklenburgh's body. Next morning other fragments of Iron's body were discovered. The inquiry was adjourned till the 29th inst.

HUGH DAVIES'S COUGH MIXTURE I NO MORE Difficulty of Breathing. B NO MORE Sleepless Nights. N Nr" M URE Distressing Coughs. S DAVIES'S COUGH MIXTURE for COUGHS £ DAVIES'S COUGH M XTURE for COLDS B DAVIES'S COUGH MIXTURE for ASTHMA I DAVIES'S COUGH MIXTURE for SRONCHITIS H DA vms's COUGH MIXTURE for ASTHMA j DAVIES'S COUGH MIIITTJKE for HOARSENESS ft DAVffiS'S COUGH MIXTURE for INFLUENZA R DAVIES'S COUGH MIXTURE for COLDS H DAVIES'S COUGH MIXTURE for COUGHS B UAVTES'S COUGH MIXTURE for SORP. THROAT B DAVIE 3 \S COUGH MIXTURE—Most Soothing 9 DAVIES'S CC/OGH MIXTURE warms the Chest H DAVIES'S COUGH MIXTURE dissolves thaphlogw. B DAVIES'S COUGH MIXTURE-for SINGERS § DAVIES'S COUGH MIXTURE—for PUBLIC j £ DAVIES'S COUGH MIXTURE SPEAKERS H THE GREAT WELSH REMEDY. I f- 13-id. onel 2 9 Bottles. Sold Evtryivherc. I Sweetrr than Honey. Children like ii 9 HUGH DAVIES, Chemist, MACHYHLLETE |

THE WEKK AT WESTMINSTER. I THE VENEZUELAN TANGLE. The Venezuelan crisis occupied the attention of both Houses of Parliament on Monday. In the Lords the Foreign Secretary, Lord Lansdowne, stated, by way of supplement to tho informa- tion given in the Parliamentary papers, issued the same day, that no fewer than thrse solemn warnings were addressed to Venezuela, one in Jv-ne, one in November, and the ultimatum on December 2nd. He described the treatment meted out to British subjects in Venezuela, and said that since the joint action of England and Germany his Majesty's Government had received, through the United States Government, a proposal to refer com- plaints made against Venezuela to arbitration. The proposal was that the present difficulty respecting the settlement of the claims of British and German subjects during the insurrection should be sub- mitted to arbitration. That proposal had just been received, and was now under the consideration of his Majesty's Government. IN THE COMMONS. Mr. Balfour made a similar statement in the Lower House to that of Lord Lansdowne, and Mr. Schwann moved the adjournment of the House to discuss the situation. Lord Cranborne replied to the criticisms of the Government policy, defending our action. He said the United States were taking a very reasonable and sensible view. They recog- nised that the insistence on the part of England that the Venezuelan Government should meet its engagements and the rights of British subjects is not by any means in contravention of the Monroe doctrine. Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerinan severely condemned the character of the alliance with Germany in this matter. Ha asked the extent and nature of the German claims, and said Great Britain was bound hand and foot to Germany without the House or the country having a ghost of an idea what claims of Germany were reasonable or unreasonable. They were not to accept any settlement of British claims unless Germany agreed. Mr. Balfour replied to the dis- cussion. The crux of the matter had been the outrageous manner in which the Venezuelans time after time had treated British seamen and ship- owners, and had not only refused us compensation, but had refused to reply to our protests. Would Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman be prepared to sit down under such treatment without apology, with- out compensation or explanation ? The agreement with Germany was perfectly natural. The motion was rejected without a division. THE LORDS' AMENDMENTS. Lord Lansdowne made a further statement regarding Venezuela in the Upper House on Tuesday, and their lordships managed to get through the report stage of the Water Bill and the third reading of the Militia and Yeomanry Bill during the sitting. The Nationalists returned to the Houso of Commons after their prolonged absence. The House considered the Lords' amendments to the Education Bill, Sir Charles Dilke moving that they be con- sidered that day three months. Mr. Balfour made a short statement as to the Government policy, and Mr. Lloyd-George indulged in a few witticisms at the expense of the Ministry; but Sir Charles's amendment was rejected by "228 to 85. The most important discussion was on the Bishop of Man- chester's wear and te»r amendment, and an amendment by Mr. Lloyd-George, dividing the expense of damage by wear and tear between the local authority and the managers, was carried, the Government leaving it House to decide. The Duke of Norfolk's addition to the amendment was rejected. THE KENYON-SUNEY CLAUSE. The House of Commons resumed its discussion of the Lards' amendment on Wednesday, the first matter of debate being the Kenyon-Slaney clause. Lord Hugh Cecil led off the attack on this much- talked-of clause. He declared that the course that had been taken by the Government was an insult to the Episcopal Bench, and it had not been made better by the methods adopted in the House of Lords. A wrong had been done to the in- cumbents of the Church of England in throwing over their rights, and a wrong had been done to the members of the Church of England itself. Mr. Balfour said his noble friend had spoken out of the fulness of his heart on a subject on which he felt strongly, and in respect of which he was pre- pared to make many sacrifices. He did not precisely understand the line of argument on which he relied. He had mixed up two sets of considerations so diverse that they could not be run as a well- matched pair. He partly relied on the theological and partly on the legal arguments. He thought Lord Hugh was ill advised in continuing an agitation against this clause and in favour of denominational absolutism. After this severe lecture from the Premier, Sir William Harcourt came to the rescue of the High Church leader by declaring that Lord Uugh was entitled to the thanks of the Houseotfor bringing the question forward, and after a little further debate the clause was at last agreed to without a division. CLEARING UP. The rest of the ^Lords' amendments were carried after somewhat prolonged discussion, and the bill, amid Ministerial cheers, was sent back to the House of Lords. The Lords met in the afternoon, and, having read the Uganda Railway Bill a second timp, passed it through its rAmaining stages and adjourned. Their lordships met again at eleven to receive the Education Bill from the Commons. All the additional alterations were agreed to, and the London Water Bill was also disposed of, after which, the completed legislation of the session having been disposed of, the House rose. CLOSE OF THE LONG SESSION. Thursday witnessed the closing scenes of a great eession. The House of Commons assembled shortly after two o'clock, and there were not more than twenty members present in the Chamber. Almost immediately came the summons from the Upper House to proceed thither to hear the Royal Assent given to the several bills passed during the session, and to hear the King's Speech proroguing Parlia- ment read. THE KING'S SPEECH. His Majesty's Speech covered many subjects. Lengthy references were made to the conclusion of the war, to the events of the postponement and ultimate celebration of the Coronation, to the Colonial Conference, and to the Mad Mullah, as well as to the Venezuelan crisis, the words concern- ing which were of a very guarded nature. To the House of Commons alone one short line was devoted; but the reference to the Education Bill with which the speech closed was interesting. "I trust," the speech read, "that the controversies which have been aroused during the passing of tho measure will not be of long duration, and that it will greatly contribute to the solution of what is perhaps the most difficult, and is certainly not the least important, of all the questions of domestic legislation which can engage your attention." The Lord Chancellor, on the conclusion of the King's Speech, read the commission proroguing Parliament to February 17th, and the session closed.

Th. division list on Mr Lloyd-George's amendmeut show a. curious difference of opinion. Amongst the Welsh members, Mr Samuel Evans and Mr Ellis Griffiths joined the Angilicans and the Roman Catholics in voting againstthe amendment. Mr Vaughan Davies did not take part in the division. Sir Alfred Thomas, Sir George Newnes, Messrs Biynmor Jones, Frank Edwards, R. M'Kenna, Charles Morley, D. A. Thomas, Lloyd Morgan, Alfred Davies, Wynford Phillips, Herbert Roberts, Bryn Roberts, and Aeron Thomas voted with the majority. The amendment had the support of the large bulk of the Liberal party, including Sir H. Campbell-Bannerman, Sir William Harcourt, Mr Asquith, Mr Bryce, and Mr John Morley. The Rey. L. S. Wainright, the vicar of St. Peter's, London Docks, has expressed his opinion of the action of the clergy in regard to Education Bill in no sparing manner. In a, communiation to his parisioners he says :— If the thousands who voted at the Albert Hall had only been in the habit of regularly subscribing to Church schools, things would nerer have come to the pass they have, and the Church would never have been made to demean herself as she has in order to extract more money from the State. It seems a piteous sight to see her made to abandon her place as leader and guide, and to appear content to be thrust into a corner that she may preserve in her schools in mere nominal existence. Can our leaders expect to lead us when the leading is so utterly downhill ? Clearly the best and only thing for us here, or anywhere else, to do is to stand clear of such a position as the State would force on us." The Postmaster-General has made the following answer to a question put by Col. Welby "German lottery circulars in open covers have lately been sent to this country from the Continent in considerable numbers, and all those which have been observed have been stopped. Foreign postal administrations have already been informed that such circulars are prohibited by law in this country. It is, of course, not possible to examine every open cover passing through the post, but if any lottery circulars in open covers have been delivered it is only because they have escaped detection."

SCIENCE rr-TO-DATI: a A NEW SYSTEM OF WATER PUttiFt CATION. Some interesting details have lately been publishedconecrningtheuscof ozone ii> puri- fying water. Ozone is oxygen in a ln-M- .u t vc condition,andit occurs in small qmtn; • < r, the air of tlie sea nn<; of tho mountains .Ki'.r- Berlin an establishment has been "ivied the purpose of experimenting on the i-fi'eei.s ( ozone in ridding miter of the microbes it t:i:ns. Ozonised air, containing from to three grammes p«r cubic; m.' I., (. cubic metre equals 220 09 gidlons, and !i ;.v tinii.n- is about fifteen grains English) upward into a tower which is filled wth flints, and in its passage meets the water aim- ing down, and thus acts upon it. It has iKM■» nhown that, as regards water from the the number of microbes was doereased I. 600,000 per cubic centimetre (0"061 of a euh <,• inch) to ten, which is practically nil. The ccstis set down a.t 1. 5t1. per cuhie Ozone has long been known as "nature's dis- infectant," and its application to the puri(it;i- tion of water becomes, therefore, a mutter of great interest. If the cost (J'III he reduced, thi* mode of purification may have a chutue of widespread adoption. SOMETHING ABOUT PLANTS. Plants often exhibit something very much HUe intelligence. If a bucket of water during dry season he placed a few inches from a growing pumpkin or melon vine, the latter will I urn from its course and in a day or two will get first one of its leaves in the writer, then another, until the bucket is entirely hidden. Among the products which science has put t.f> valuable service is tho nettle, a weed which iF extremely objectionable, but which is now being cultivated in some parts of Europe, it.. fibre proving useful for a variety of textile fabrics. In Dresden a thread is prodii"«oi from it so fine that a length of sixty !llilo,; weighs only two and a half pounds. A Oer- man scientist has succeeded in propagntinf sponges artificially. Tho original ojutlay wa- extremely small. His first cost was undo five poundfl, and the maintenance was nlmos-t nothing, and a crop consisting of 4,000 sponges was the result. BAROMETRIC DEES. Generally the bee 'stays at home when rain Ts in the air. When the sky is simply dark IIIH1 cloudy these busy workers do not leave their dwpllings all at once. A few go out first, as though the queen had sent out messengers to study the state of the atmosphere. The greater number remain on observation until the clouds begin to dissipate, and it is only then that the battalions rush out in search of their nectar. A bee never goes out in a fog, because it is well aware that dampness and cold are two fearsome enemies. We do not mean, however, that the bee is a meteorologist in the absolute sense of the word. Its cleverness consists in never being taken unawares, for it possesses untiring vigilance. Often one may observe the sudden entrance of bees into the hive when a dense cloud hides the sun, even though rain ia not in evidence. THE SUN'S HEAT. Ordinary folks have little conception of the tremendmls dflgree of heat represented in the orb of day, just as they are ignorant, as a rule, that it is hydrogen gas that, blazing in the sun, keeps the universe ot lifo existent. Professor W. E. Wilson has given some interesting de- tails respecting the temperature of the sun. He tells us that the mean temperature is about 6,200 degrees Centigrade. Of such a degree of heat we can form no adequate conception. Assuming that it is prohable that so much of this Ileat is absorbed by the sun's atmosphere, the actual temperature is set down at 6.600 degrees. Of the total heat we receive, of course, only a very small proportion. The rest belongs to space, and is shared by other worlds than aurs. INSECTS AS FOOD. Seientiffc men and certain savages are awara Mi at insects may serve aR palatable food. M. Dngin, a French entomologist, has triod several hundred species, both, raw and cooked in various ways, and has further made himself an authority by collecting travellers' experi- ences. Spiders, which he has eaten, he does not recommend. Cockroaches, however, tnako most delicious soup; caterpillars are light and •asily digested, and are relished not only by African and American natives, but by French- men and locusts, fried or made into flour and boiled in milk, are prized by the Bedouins. Camboii, the Jesuit father, suggests that locust flour m igbt become a popular conùi. in^nt in Europe. HYPNOTISM AND THE LOWER ANIMALS. The influence of hypnotism upon the lownf animals has attracted little attention. But N. Vaschilde, of Paris, who is still working with dogs, cats, guinea-pigs, rabbity chickens, and smikes, declares that the mysterious power has real action, and that it may pro- duco complete anaesthesia and brain par- alysis. Mdlle. M. Stefanowski has fou id half-starved frogs susceptibte, the cata- leptic state produced often persisting for hlllf nn hom". In various experiments, especi- ally by simply looking them in the eye, M, Vaschilde has succeeded in hypnotising frogs, even when well fed and free to abotrl a table or iu a tank. sleep, though not lasting long. was so profound needles and hot iron Drought no s gll of see- sation. A SMOKE ALARM. Animal fibre that has been treated with sort* solution is found to have the curious properly v! elongating on exposure to smoke. The treat- ment consists iu boiling tho fibre—which may to 10 per cent, solution of commercial sodn, alld then drying while slightly stretched in a tuba from which the airhas been exhausted Just what change is produce 1 is not understood. The presence of smoke is found to have invariahlo effect, however, and a smoke-detector alarm has been patented which is made to act through the closing of an electric circuit by tho length- euiug of the fibre. STORING PETROLEUM. A primitive process that is a marvel of old- time ingenuity is claimed in the Russian method of storing petroleum. No strong and expensive iron tank is built, but instead a bottomless tank of sheet iroll is suspended iu water on piles, the top projecting a foot or so above water-level. This tank is filled through a pipo passing to its centre, tho water sinking as the oil enters. The plan has other advantages be- sides inexpensiveness, for if the oil should take fire some of it may bo drawn olf from the bottom, •»nd as there is only water at the bottom sand and dirt do not accumulate in the tank, DANGER IN TINNED FOODS. The Inland Revenue Department's inquiry concerning diseases caused by the use of tinned foods in Canada reveals the fact that within recent years there have been 254 cases ot ptomaine poisoning in Canada. The depart- ment recommends tho inspection of such food stuffs, the use of glass and earthenware re.. ceptaclos, dating of too tins, that the goods be kept in cold storage, and that their exposure ou shelves and windows he prohibited. A TREE THAT TURNS TO STONE. There is a tree that grows in Mexico called Pie "chijol," or stone tree. It is of enormous proportions, both in circumference and height. has a number of branches spreading out widely and carrying leaves of a yellowish- icn colour. The wood is extremely fine and »*Asily worked in a green state. It is not given to either warping or splitting. The most re- •vwkable thing about it is that after being cut I wood gets gradually harder, and in the of a few years it is absolutely petrified, whether Jeft in the open air or buried in the ground. From this timber houses can be built that would in a few years become completely fireproof, and would last as though built of Btoue, THE SPEED OF BIRDS. An English naturalist says the speed of birds is often greatly overrated. The swift, for in- stance, has been credited with a speed of 150 miles yer hour, and the popular imagination compares the flight of a sparrow-hawk with that of a cannon-ball. The naturalist thinks that 40 miles an hour, independent of aid from the wind, is the full speed of a good pigeon fly- ing a long distance. The homing pigeon cau bo relied on, under fairly easy conditions, to make 60 miles an hour, or considerably more. On a short course a sparrow-hawk can outfly a homing pigeon, but the sparrow-hawk fre- quently fails to catch smaller birds that form Sts prey. Of the 10,000 million pounds of fibre anna- ally produoed in the world for manufacturing purposes cotton amounts to over half the total amount. I

IT E M S 1N TE11 EST .AN average sheep weighing 1521b. gives 91 lb •f mutton. rJHnR are nearly 2,000 stitches in a pair of lan-l-newn boots. TAKING the strength of oak at 1,000, jOsh U .s3, and sycamore 744. ONE hundred pounds of raw beef weighs ■>n! v 671b. after roasting. SOMETHING like 8,000,000 tons of coal are innually consumed in London, IN England 500 people a year die of hunger, Wi I of whom aro inhabitants of London. !t costs £ 9,840 a year to keep Regent's Park II order. A "STOCK" or place brick ill estimated to ""1gb 611). 18oz. A nOD of brickwork means 5,371 bricks laid dry, or 4,900 in wells. To deal with the poor of Britain now costs over lli millions yearly. IN 1890 silver was worth 471J. an ounce; .0<" it is worth 27d. an ounce. THRRH are four classes of roads in France ort.. 4Oit., 33ft., and 25ft. wide. DUNDEE exports over 2,500 tons of marmalade year. NINE hundred and eighty-five English Sayer. eigns are equal to 1,000 Egyptian pounds. INDIA holds the world's record as a cattle own'er with 48 million beasts, THERE are in the United Kingdom only 603 farms of over 1,000 acres apiece. IN tho time of James I. there were no .fewel than 69 Royal forests iu Great Britain. LANCASHIRE is the most populous British ^ounty, Middlesex second, Yorkshire jthird. FORFARSHIRE has 2J summits exceeding 2.000ft. in height. A FOX-TERRIER for SIKITO purposes should not weigh over 171b. ENGLAND alone comprises 42 per oent. of the total area of the Britiat isles. THE average value of British cOAl exported is very little over 10s. a ton. FORESTS cover one-tenth of the surface of the world, and one quarter of Burope. A PENNY weighs almost one-third of eunce, and a halfpenny one-fifth of an ounae. AFRICA has but 9,904 miles of railway out of the world's total of 457,730 miles. OVER three million of the Sultan of Turkey's subjects belong to the Greek Church. Six hundred and thirty thousand gallons—that is, 3,000 tons-of water fall in a year on an acre of British soil. FIREWOOZ cheaper in Russia than any. where else iu Europe, 100 faggots costing only 3s. THE largest size of drawing or writing paper made is called Emperor. It is 72 by 48 inches. IT is calculated that by 1950 there will be no coal left in Britain within 2,000 feet of the sur- face. Wa now spend £3,300,000 a year on im- ported vegetables. Nearly half this is spent o. potatoes, and £780,000 on onions. THE first proclamation against football in England was issued by Edward 11. in 1314. A FOSSIL forest of 73 trees was uncovered at Parkfield Colliery, near Wolverhampton, in 1844. ON an average 279 miles of fresh rail- lines are built each year in the United Kingdom. A HORSE can pull three tons on level steel rails for every ton he can pull on diuar1 high road CAREFUL records kept In an Orkney light- house show 14,000 hours of storm in the past 20 years. So asefal are toads that they are sold in France by the dozen for stocking gardens, to free them from mCMT injurious insects. THE highest inhabit spot in Europe is the observatory on Mount Etna, 9,075 feet above sea. level. THE South African desert fox lives almost entirely upon ostrich eggs, which it breaks by rolling them against stone. OCTOBER, with an average of 2*67 inches, is the wettest month in the year in England; November comes second, and August third. FRANCE, though supposed to be the most highly cultivated country, has 21 millions acres of forest and 17l million of waste laud. PAsaENGER-locomotives in Europe earn on an avorage 53 pence per mile run, those for mer- chaudise 74 oence per mile. HORNS AND EARS. A very interesting observation is contributed Dy Mr. G, Wherry, of Cambridge, regard ng the functions exercised by the horns on big- horn wild sheep. He suggests that they act as 9ar-trunipets, or literal henring-homs, and thus serve to intensify sounds and to indicate jlearly to the animal the direction whence the sounds originate. It is noted that iu the domestic sheep, spiral horned, the oar is large, Mid that it lies in the long axis of the open horn-spiral. But in the wild s^.ieep the horns are of very large size, and the ear really exists at the apex or top of a hollow cone formed by the spiral of the horn. That Mr. Wherry has suggested an importnnt nnd hitherto unnoted 1 unction ol che. horns in Ruch animals is therefore evident. It is It functiou moreover, which obviously in animals living a free, open, mountain life would be advantageous in respect of making' them mare of the approach of enemies amidst con- iitious of mist aud fog. A REMARKABLE LAMP. Dr. Bang, tho well-known Danish physieiai*v Aas constructed a new electric lamp which is likely to prove of great importance, even out- side the field for which he has intended it. In the ordinnrv arc lalllp the carbons aro heated to some 3,000 degrees, but Dr. Bang has suc- oeded ill avoiding this high temperature by making the carbous hollow and letting a strong current run through them. 'rhe effect is very singular. Almost the whole of the energy of the electric current is removed to tho light arc be- tween the two electrodes, whilst the hitter them- selves remain so cool that one can touch them with one's fingerc whilst the lamp is burning. In iddition to this the carbons are consumed so slowly that the usual automatic adjustment can be dispensed with. ttusy Doing Nothing. i Robert Peel is one of the "happy-go- .ucky variety of mankind, as handsome as an Adonis, with a heart of gold and absolutely no knowledge of political economy, as the following little story will show Meeting one of his farm labour- ers, he informed him that in future his services would be dispensed with, and assigned as a reason the steward's report that there was not sufficient elllploymen t for all workers of his class. Upon hearing this sentence, tho farm labourer innocentlv remarked, Begorra, sir, there is no need to sack me for scarcity ot work; very little would keep me busy." His ready reply amused Sir Robert, who gave instructions for his deten- tion—to be busy doing nothing. The New Owner of Battle Abbey. After an interval of 43 yoars, the historic pile of Battle Abbey again comes into the possession of the Webster family. The now owner is Sir Augustus Webster, formerly of the Grenadier Guards, who was married six yoars ago to Miss Mabel Crossley, tho only daughter of the late Henry Crossley, of Halifax, an extremely wealthy carpet manufacturer, who, when he died, left Lady Webster an income of 12 to 15 thousand a year. The first member of the family to tithe up his residence at Battlo Abbey was Sir Thomas Webster, a citizen and cloth- worker of London, who purchased the estate in 1719. This gentleman seems to have had a weakness for the purchase of ancient residences, having also bought among others, the mansion and estate of Waltham, in Essex, from Charles, Earl of Dorset. Dr. Temple on the Place for Women." Not a hundred miles from Canterbury is a nma.ll pariah tv> the viearship of which a young and deserving curate was lately promoted by Dr. Temple. Shortly after his promotion the new vicar's wife was sitting at a dinner-party at the side of the Archbishop, who inquired how they liked the plaeo. Is there any views from the windows ?" askor) his Grace. no, that's the only drawback. The bouse has no view at all," the young wife somewhat dis- consolately replied. ''Never mind," said Dr, Temple, cheerilythat's an advantage. Your husband will busy himself with the parish, and "fOil must spend your time in the kitchos I that's the wroDer ohtce for women!

For Artistic and Commercial Printing go to the I. Welsh Gazette," Bridge Street Aberystwyth. Public Notices. ■ -— !■ m EDWARD MORRIS, BARBER, BILLPOSTER AND DISTRIBUTOR' DOLL STREET, MACHYNLLETH. Bills posted and distributed in town and neigh bouring district at moderate charges. NEW GOODS IN ALL DEPARTMENTS. NEW OILCLOTHS, LINOLEUMS .r CARPETS, SHEETS, SHEETINQ, TICKS, TABLELINEN, PLUSHETS BLANKETS, HANGINGS, &c. ROWLAND MORGAN, London House, ABERYSTWYTH. J. M. MICHELL, (LATE HOLLIEK), QUEEN ST CYCLING WORKS AGENT FOR LEADING MAKERS. COMPLETE SELECTION OF ACCESSORIES REPAIRS PROMPTLY EXECUTED BY COMPETENT MEN. PRIVATE ADDRESS— 14,:CHALYBEATE ST. SPLENDID BARGAINS; REES JONES EMPORIUM, RJ^REGARON* Now offers for Sale at Low Clearance Prices* a fine^lot of MEN'S, YOUTH'S, AND BOYS' OVERCOATS. Daniel, Son and Meredith AUCTIONEERS, ABERYSTWYTH, TOWYN, & BARMOUTH. REWARD & PRIZE BOOKS. ALL PRICES A visit is respectfully solicited. Orders by Post strictly adhered to. NEW FANCY STATIONERY 6d. and Is. CABINETS. W. JENKINS. 23 Great Darkgatt St. And 13, BRIDGE STREET, ABERYSTWYTH. FOR REAL WELSH FLANNEL AND WOOLLEN GOODS GO TO J. & iE. EVANS, GENERAL DRAPERS AND MILLINERS — 40 — GREAT DAR:KGATE S:TRŒE,T1 ABERYSTWYT SEND YOUR jidtKrtlsetnetit TO THE WELSH GAZETTE IPRINTERIES Bridge Street* Aberystwyth. f Excellent Medium FOR Announcements of Sales .AND Public Notices of all kinds. 1. CHARGES MODERATE

Wt3 MACHYNLLETH. I SHOOTING.—At the free shooting competition held on the Plas Range on Saturday the silver '¡' spoon was won by Sergeant Daniel, E Company, with a score of 37. Pte Pierce, D Company, made ar score of 42, but was handicapped 9. CYMREIGYDDION.—On Monday evening last a meeting of the Cymreigyddion Society was held at the Town Hall, under the presidency of Mr J Rowlands. After a brief address by the Chairman, the Rev E Wnion Evans read a paper on "Some of the Welsh poets of the last century The paper was a very interesting one, and was much appreci- ated. DEATH.—The death took place on Monday morning last, at eight o'clock, of Mr Morris Burton, Garshon, after a prolonged illness. Deceased who was a widower, his wife having predeceased him by about six years, and leaves five children to Mourn their loss, with whom much sympathy is felt, He was a member of the Baptist Church. The funeral will take place on Friday at the cemetery, the Rev E H Hughes, being the officiating minister. CONCERT.—A grand concert and dramatic enter- tainment was given at the Town Hall on Friday evening last nnder the patronage of the Marchioness (D) of Londonderry, Lord Henry Vane Tempest, and Mr Joseph Hoult, M.P. The accom- panist was Mr T Cule. The programme was as follows :—Flute duet, Sergeant-Instructor Wilson and Mr Leighton song, "The Bandelero," Mr Tom Powell song, "Banner ein Gwlad," Gwyn Alaw :dute solo, "Sergeant-Instructor Wilson: song. "Love the Pedlar," Miss Cicely Tilney monologue, "The Crystal Gazer," Miss Flora Annie Steel; Hipte duet, Sergeant-Instructor Wilson and Mr Leighton song, "The White Squafl," Gwyn Alaw violion solo, "Romance and Bolero," Miss Cicely Tilney; song, "The Wonders of the deep" Mr Tom Powell; song, "The Last Watch." Gwyn Alaw; song (violin obligato), "Fiddle and I," Miss Cicely Tilney; duologue, "Birds of a Feather," Mrs Flora Annie Steel and Major Thomas. The violin solos by Miss Tilney, G.S.M., were exceptionally well done, especially "Fiddle and I," which fairly brought the house down. Everyone was charmed by the way the pieces were rendered, so much that the excellence of the other items was partly lost in the glamour caused by her playing. The monologue, "The Crystal Gazer," was very cleverly done, and all the other pieces deserve a word of praise. The concert was arranged with a view of liquidating the debt on the football club, but the attendance did nnt come up to expectations. A good sum was realised,however, the proceeds being handed over to the football club. A FRAUDULENT HORSE DEALER SENT TO GAOL FOR SIX MONTHS. Considerable excitement prevailed among the farmers of Upper Montgomeryshire and 'I- -'h Cardiganshire when it became known that u who had been going about the country t horses had been arrested on a charge of t. la- under false pretences. The accused who ga* e aame of James Trudell, was brought up on ret on Thursday at the Machynlleth Police Station before Mr Richard Rees and Mr Bonsall, of Morben. The accused who was apparently a young man had against him four charges, but the police resolved to proceed with one only. There were no solicitors engaged in the case, which, however, attracted a large attendance of farmers from the neighbour- hood. The case was conducted by Mr David Erans, clerk of the justices, and the Deputy Chief Constable was present to give evidence. The first witness was Edward Jones, Dolydan, Llanbrynmair, a farmer, who said that on Thurs- day, the 11th inst, about eight p.m., the accused came to bis house and said that he was a horse dealer, and enquired if witness had a horse for sale. Witness replied, I have one," and took the man to the stable. The accused examined one horse and then left promising to call on the follow- ing day. He kept his promise and bought the horse-a four-year-old—for IC39 15s. The accused returned on the 13th and remained about over the Sunday, and said that his name was James Trudell. On Monday. the;15th inst,witness took the horse to Llanbrynmair Station, and with the assistance of the accused the horse with two other horses were trucked to Tipton by the 10-35 train the same day. The accused told him that his father was a dealer in horses residing at Tipton. In company with the accused and the owners of the other two horses he returned to the Wynnstay Hotel, where they ex- pected to receive payment for the horse. Whilst there the accused slipped out of the house and did not return. The accused said that he had no question to ask. Edward Benjamin Davies, a nephew to the last witness, said that he lived with his uncle at the farm. He saw the accused at the farm on Friday morning the 12th inst, before he bought the horse. The accused said that he came from Tipton, and that he and his father were dealers in horses at that place. Accused said that his name was Trudell, and that his father was a butcher and horse dealer. The witness corroborated his uncle's evidence as to the taking away of the horse on the Monday morning and trucking itforTipton. They all returned to the hotel in the village. and the accused went out without saying anything. He followed him to Mr Daniel's shop which is also the post office for the village, when the accused, pretending to be filling up a telegram form, wanted the imrae of one of the horses, which witness could not give. The accused left witness in the shop and went out in order to ascertain the name of his uncle's horse, but he did not come back. He afterwards saw the accused at a distance away on the maia road, between Llanbrynmair and Commins Coch. He followed up. butaccused got away, nd disappeared. George Morgan, the Stationma-te at Llanbryn- mair. said that the accused spjke to him about nine o'clock on Friday night, and said that he wanted a horse box to load horses to Tipton, on Saturday morning. Witness said that he could not get one and asked him to leave it until Monday morning to which the accused was agreeable. On Saturday afternoon about five o'clock he saw the accused in conversation near the station, and on Monday morning the horse box was ready. Three horses were brought down by the accused and were put in at his request. The accused assisted in the loading of the animals. He produced the contract book with the signature of the accused on the counterfoil. The horses were booked to Trudell," at Tipton, carriage forward." George Morgan, of the Wynnstay Hotel, Llan- brynmair, said that in consequence of what he heard about the horses he went to Tipton and en- quired about the horses. The horses were returned to Llanbrynmair, and handed over to the different owners. He knew a dealer named Tyndell, of Tipton. who about ten years ago used to come to those fairs. The senior was in the butchering business, and the sons attended the fairs. He called at the shop, but Mr Trudell knew nothing about the affair, and said so to the police in the presence of witness, and added that no one was authorised to buy in his name. He described the accused to him, and he said that he was not his son. P.C. Evan Jones, Pennal, said that he was at Trawsfynydd from August 1894 up to August 1901. Whilst there he saw the accused on the streets on a Sunday evening. Seeing that he was a stranger he spoka to him. and the accused said he was the son of Evan Griffiths, of Caerhingilliad. The accused said he way staying at the Highgate Hotel, and on the following morning he saw him on the street speaking to people who recognized him as the son of Evan Griffiths. He saw the accused at the Machynlleth Police Station on Tuesday last, and he asked him if he was the son of Evan Griffiths, formerly of Caerhingilliad. He admitted that he was the son of Evan Griffiths, but said that his name was not Evan. Deputy Chief-Constable W R Williams said that he saw the accused that morning at the station and charged him with obtaining by false pretences a horse from Edward Jones, the first witness, and also two other horses. The accused said that his name was Evan Griffiths and that he was in league with a man of the name of Jim Berry, of Wrexham, from whom be expected money to pay for the horses. The accused had no questions to ask. The Deputy Chief-Constable put in a letter from the father of the accused and a testimonial. The letter was directed from Brymbo, Wrexham. The testimonal was from the Rev E K Jones, pastor of Hope Welsh Baptist Church, who said that he knew the familyfor many years and they were all highly respected. He expressed the hope that the justices would deal leniently with the accused who, so far as he knew, had never before been before a Court of law. The accused was then formally charged and he asked that the case should be dealt with that day. He pleaded guilty and said that be had nothing to say. He signed ,the necessary document in the name of James/Trudell." The Bench sentenced the accused to six months' imprisonment with hard labour. Fe was liable on the four counts to twenty-one months, so that they thought he had got off fairly well. The Chairman said that it seemed to him remarkable that the farmers of Llanbrynmair were so simple as to allow their valuable horses to be taken away without receiving a single penny piece. It seemed to him very curious. :>,>% The accused obtained a horse from Evan Jones, Ystradfawr, for £68, and another from Rowland Edwards, of Pwllmelin, for 951 10s. There was also a charge against him of obtaining food and lodgings from the Wynnstay Hotel without paying for it.

LLANRHYSTYD. FARM FRS' M EETING.-AN adjourned meeting of farmers of the district was held on Friday evening last at the Schoolroom, Major Hughes, Allt- lwyd, in the chair. The attendance was very meagre, and the feeling was expressed at the meet- ing that the farmers were much to be blamed for their indifference. The least the farmers could do would be to attend the meetings and express their views either for or against seeing that others are doing so much to try and help them. A resolution was pas passed that an effort be made to carry on the project and to try and form a Bull Club, all who are anxious to join to give their names to Mr Hughes Davies, Ystradteilo, by the end of the year. There was a heated altercation at the close of the meeting, the chairman having to call for order con- tinually until the incident ended. It seems that a local magnate, who is very popular in the district, had been charged with looking somewhat more than askance at the proposal to have a club, and this charge he now denied with all the vehemence at his command, thus giving rise to some friction and what often follows-an electrical explosion. However, all's well that ends well, and so it was here. By the way, the first reports of these meet- ings have appeared in the Gazette "—where they got a la Marconi?

PENLLWYN. CYXGHOR PLWYFOL.—Mae yn y plwyf hwn fet pob plwyf arall fwrdd plwyfol, ond mewn enw yn unig y mae. Prif gymhwysder ymgeisydd am sedd ar y bwrud hwn ydyw, ei fod yn frodor o Goginan. Yr ydys wedi galw sylw y bwrdd droion at stad y llwybrau cyhoeddus. Mae y rhan fwyaf ohonynt wedi eu cau i iyny yn nghymdogoeth Penllwyn, ac yu awr amcenir cau i fyny un o'r llwybrau mwyaf 11 angenrheidiol yn y plwyf, sef y llwybr sydd yn ar- wain o Dolypandy i orsaf y Vale of Rheidol (Rbiw- arthen). Os na wnaiff y bwrdd ucbod eu dyled- swydd, sef gwneyd y llwybr yn dramwyadwy, bydd yn rbaid galw sylw y Cyngbor Dosbarth i gymeryd vr achos mewn llaw. Y MEaUR ADDYSG. Yr wythnos ddiweddaf daethom ar draws i bapyr swyddogol etholiad y Hwrdd Ysgol cyntaf yn Parcel Melindwr, tua'r flwyddyn 1871 neu 1872. Gan fod hoedl y byrddau ysgol ar ben, hwyrach mai nid annyddorol fyddai ychydig o banes ffurfiad y bwrdd cyntaf yn y Parcel hwn. Yr oedd wyth o ymgeiswyr am y pomp sedd, ac fel y canlyn y safentMr Wil- liam Daniel, miller, Maesbrwyn mill, 159; Mr James Evans, farmer, Troedrhiwlwba, 143; Mr James Edwards, farmer, Blaenydyffryn, 141; Rev David Jenkins, Baptist minister, Goginan, 124 Mr Isaac James, farmer, Penybrvn, 115; Mr John Paull, fanner, Cvvmbrwyno Mr Evan Rowland, surgeon, Goginan; Mr John Trevethen, mining engineer, Goginan. Mae yr oil o'r nchod wedi ymadael a'r fuchedd hon oddigerth y diweddaf. Yr oedd yr etholiad uchod o dan yr hen ddull, sef pleidleisio agored. Yr oedd y poll yn cau am bedwar y pryd- nawn, ac yr oedd amryw o'r pleidleiswyr ffyddlawn i w plaid yn cael eu cadw yn ol hyd y fynyd ddi- weddaf, er mwyn plumpio i'r gwanaf o'u plaid. Erbyn hyn yr oedd tynghed y pump diweddaf yn y fantol. Is id oedd eisiau ond rhyw ddau neu dri plumper i droi y fantol un ochr neu'r llall. Ni bu brwydr boethach nac mwy egniol na hon. Ychydig fynudau cyn cau y poll, cadwyd yn ol trwy rym corphorol. amryw o'r pleidleiswyr mwyaf selog dtos eu plaid. Mr H^ghHughes (hynaf) oedd y returning officer y pryd hwriw. Caiff plant yr ysgolion o dan y bwrdd golled mae lie i ofni odan y gyfraith new- ydd. 0 dan yr hen ddeddf byddent ychydig amser cyn dydd yr etholiad yn cael pleserdaith i Aberys- twyth a chael eu gwala o de a theisenau. Ffurdd lawn i gael pleidleisiau. Cauwyd i fynv yr Yso-ol Genedlaethol ers tua 5 mlyneddyn ol. Beth wneir yn awr ?

LLANDDEINIOL. LMVYDDTANT.—Da gan luaws o gyfeillion Mr David Ellis, Pencwm canol, gael ar ddeall ei fod wedi pasio yn llwyddianus drwy yr arholiad am B.S. yn y cwrs meddygol yn Mhrif Ysgol Llundain ychydig amser yn ol. Y mae Mr Ellis wedi bod yn llwyddianus iawn o'r dechreu. Nid yw wedi cael yj un plwc fel y dywedir o'r dechreu, ac mae wedi sefyll pob arholiad er yr amser cyntaf oedd yn bosibl. Deallwn ei fod yn ddirwestwr trwyadl. A oes a fyno hyny ai Iwyddiant ? Eiddunwn iddo ddyfodol hapus eto gyda'i yrfa addvsgawl, ac na fydd yn hir cyn enill y radd uchel o M.B.

EflffSjKt* FREE farms OP 160 ACRES IPJP^TVK* JA N Healthy Climate. Good Crops. Free Schools. Iir p f Light Taxos. Abundant Water. j v KB m0St PP0 £ ress've and prosperous Colony, j Pamphlets and information supplied gratis. f- For particulars apply to the Office of the High Commissioner for Canada, or to Mr. W. T. R. PRESTON, Emigration Dept., 17 Victoria Street. London. S. W.^or to Mr. W. L. GRIFFITH. Western Mail Buildings, Cardiff 11- Victoria Street. London. S.W.. or to Mr. W. L. GRIFFITH. Western Mail Buildings, Cardiff.

SEQUEL TO A MURDER TRIAL. Mr. Justice Barnes has heard the petition of Mr. Albert Coombs, a journeyman carpenter, for a divorce by reason of the misconduct of his wife, Alice Coombs, with the co-respondent, Benjamin Hopkins. The parties were married in Oxfordshire in 1892, and in 1895 there was a separation. In 1896 she gave birth to a child, of which the co-respondent was father. She afterwards strangled the child, was tried for murder at Aylesbury Assizes, convicted of manslaughter, and sentenced to seven years' penal servitude. She was served with the petition while in prison about three years ago, and was released in December last. His lord- ship granted a decree nisi.