Herald of Wales and Monmouthshire Recorder

I SWANSEA POSTMAN LAID TO REST. Amid many manifestations or regret, the late Mr. Albert Lile, the well known Swansea postman, was laid to rest at Danygraig Cemetery on Sunday after- noon. The deceased, who was at one time Battalion Sergeant-Major in the old Artillery Volunteers and Colour-Sergeant in the old 3rd Glamorgan Volunteers, was accorded full military honours at burial. The cortege was headed by the Tramways Band, which played the Dead March," and amongst those who took part in the procession were Territorials, men at present home on furlough, recruits of the naval division, and fellow employes at the Swansea Post Office, amongst whom were Mr. S. Williams (postal superin- tendent), Mr. D. Grey (assistant postal superintendent). Mr. D. J. Nicholas (tele- graphic department), Mr. R. Davies (postal department), and Mr. J. Jones (assistant inspector of postmen). The coffin was covered with the Union Jack, upon which was placed the cap and badge of the deceased gentleman. The coffin bore the inscription, "Albert Lile. aged 68. died December 22nd. 1914. The chief mourners were: Messrs. Thos. lile, Albert- Lile. and Jenkin Lile (sons), Evan lile (brother). Leyshon Morgan (grandson). Stanley Grove and Grove, I Mr. Jones and Mr. T. Morgan.

KILLED CARMARTHEN CORPORAL'S I UNFINISHED LETTER. Intimation has been received at Car- marthen that Corpora l David Jones, of the 1st Rifle Brigade, fon of Mr. John Jones, blacksmith at the Towy Works, Carmarthen, has been killed in action in ¡' France. There is something pathetic in the manner the sad news was conveyed I to Carmarthen. No official notification has yet been received from the War: Office, and the news of Corporal Jones's death was conveyed to the Rev. Griffith Thomas, Vicar of St. David's, Carmar- then. in a communication from Quarter- master-Sergeant A. Clifford, of the 1st I Rifle Brigade, who enclosed an uncom- pleted letter addressed to the Vicar, which he found in one of Corporal Jones's pockets. This was found," writes the Quartermaster-sergeant, in the pocket of Corporal Jones, who was killed on the 19th inst. He died bravely fighting the enemy. The unfinished missive, dated Decem- ber 17th, which was found on Corporal Jones, reads as follows: Reverend Sir,- Just a few words to let you know that I am getting along all right, and in good health. I often wish I was back in the aid place again, but before we can return, wê have some work to do." Here the letter abruptly ends. IF ffhis stage, no doubt. Corporal .Tones was ordered to the fighting line, and before ) another opportunity presented itself of completing the letter, he was killed whilst bravely fighting the enemy.

NOT IN THE TRENCHES. I 6th Welsh Bugler's Interesting Letter I Home. Arthur Gammage, Hewson-street, Swan- sea, bugler in the 6th Welsh, and a St. Jade's boy, writing to the curate-in- charge, the Rev. Watkin Davies, acknow- ledging a seasonable gift from the, church, says The boys in the 6th Welsh are having a fairly active and good time. They are not in the trenches as have been errone- ously stated; they are very near them, and the booming of the big guns of the combatants can be distinctly heard. The Welsh boys, however, are in ]to way down-hearted; on the contrary they are full of fight, and have no doubt M to the final result of the hostilities. Bugler Gammage concludes by wishing all his friends in the Church and in St. Jttde's district The Compliments of the Reason. »

DIED ON ROADSIDIE. I An inquest was held at Alltwen Chapel J Vestry, Pontardawo, on Monday after-! noon torching the death of Mr. Tom Gibbs (47), of Dylfryn-road, Alltwen, who was found dead on the side of the road J near AUtwen Chapel on Saturday morn- ing. Mr. Cuthbertson was the coroner. Evidence of identification was given by Gomw Thoanaa, who said deceased left home about 6.45 a-m. cm Saturday. John Bvans said deceased called at the Butcher's Arms, and had one or two drinks between 7 and 7.30 a-m. W. J. Beebe, stationmastar, said that he came across deceased lying on the side of the road about five past eight in the morning. Deceased had his head about six inches under a slanting stone, and he. had his face downwards. Dr. Dahne attributed death to suffoca- tion during an attack of heart trouble. jfaofcfc WSgnttB&Lfc Jt

GARNANT SCHOOL. I INTERESTING OPENING CEREMONY The new Garaant Council School was on Monday afternoon opened before a o-wuu- guished gathering of educationists. Built on an eminence on a edte given by Lord Dymovor, the structure is modern in a.H resoects. The cost is a little over £ 6,500. The achool is capable of accommodating 1500 children, there being ten cJaee-rooms, aI3 well as a master's and a mistress's room, a central halL, and two cloak-rooms. The henting arrangements are on the low pressure system, the ventilation of an up-to- ctarte kind, and the school furniture most modem. Coram andine a splendid view of the Volley and the Black Mountains on the other side, the school, erected up to the plinth of dressed done from a. local quarry, and adorned above the plinth with cement rough-oast, makes an imposing appearance. AU the playgrounds are asphalted. The architect was Mr. W. Vincent Morgan, Car- marthen; contractors, Messrs Chas. Thomas and C-o, IJandilo; and the clerk of the works, Mr. Fred Philiips, Ammanford. The opening ceremony was performed by Councillor Thos. Morris, J.P., who was pre- sented by the contractor with a gold key. After the structure hid been inspected the Catherine1 assembled in the central hall, where some noteaftle speeches were d- livered Rev. J. Edryd Jones, who is the chairman of the Amman Valley School Managers, presided, and he was supported by Mr. Towyn Jones, M.P., Mr. Thoa. Morris, AJd W. N. Jones (chairman of the County Edu- cation Committee), Mr. D. J. Morris (clerk to the Managers, Ald. Rev. W. Davies (a member of the Oounty Education Commit- tee). and others. The Chairman said they had fought long and against many obstacles for the estab- lishment of the school, and they rejoiced all the more at the realisation of their dreamis They were well pleased with the school, and also with the appointed head- master (Mr J. Edwards, Llandilo) and head- mistress (Miss Thomas, Penygroes), and they hoped the Education Authority would deem it well to give them a good staff ag.aicv. (Cheers.) Mr. Thos. Morris said the voice which had been crying in the wilderness bad been answered at last. For a very long period —over twenty years—they had been struggling hard in Ga.rna.nt for the estab- lishment of an undenominational school, but thev had met with very great opposi- tion. which. he was sorry to say, was from a particular denomination. However, they succeeded in proving to the Education Authority tbat the Church of England was not in a position to provide .adequately for the education of the children of Cwm- amman. Purine that period of struggle they were greatly aided on the Education Committee by the late CoL Morris and Aid. W. N. Jones, to whom he felt greatly in- debted and he wae sure the neighbourhood felt so aaeo. (He-tr, hear.) Aid. W. N Jones said they were proud -if the new school, because it waa one of the best schools in the county. They wanted to feel t-hat the educational facilities m the Amman Valley showed" a tremendous f improvement upon those which existed in1 the past. They had now an intermediate sohool, and beautiful elementary schools scattered all over the district, with the result that in the future if the local chil- dren availed themselves of these opportu- nities the fight would not be unequal when in various walks of life they were pitted :1.ga.mst competitors from other parts of the kingdom (Cheers) Mr. Towyn Jones, M.P., congratulated the neighbourhood on the splendid structure they had secured. The school reflected the greatest credit upon all concerned. He re- called the names of the pioneers of the movement for that school, and the struggles they fought, and stated that education should be dealt with as a national service. (Cheers.) Other spea kers were the Rev. W. Davies. Mr. J. Edwards (headmaster), and Mr. Thoe Thomas (headmaster of the Glanamma-n School).

CHRISTM ASTIDE TRAGEDIES. Inquests relative to the deaths of two ) persons who lost their lives during the Black Country fog were held at Tipton, Staffordshire Monday. Annie Wright, a middle aged widow, went to meet her sweetheart and walked into the water. Shortly after he fell in at the same place, but managed to save himself. Another girl, whose age was 18, fell into the canal I) near her home. A verdict of accidental death was reo 1 turned in each case. Wife's Awful Discovery. I A singular double tragedy occurred in the earlv hours of Christmas Day at I'ontlottvn. George Williams (1)3), a mar- ried man living at Bute-terrace, and a lodger at bis house, WillianJ Thomas Wallace i48~>, were found dead by Mrs Williams. Mrs. Williams states that on Christinas Eve she went to bed, leaving her hueband and Wallace downstairs with a bottle of whisky. About four o'clock on Friday morning Mrs. Williams awoke and went downstairs, when she found her husband and Wallace lying on the floor, one above the other, and both were dead. Floating in the Dock. I P.C. Ashman, of the Cardiff Docks Police, dis»eovered the body of a man floating in the Roath Dock early on Christmas morning. It was identified as that of James McDonald (56), a seafaring man. who resided with his wife at Wood- street. The deceased had not been to sea for some months past, but was apparently on the point of rejoining a ship. He was last seen live at 7.15 on Thursday even- ing, when he left the steamship Amiens to return home. Killed on the Line. I A platelayer named William Andrews, was run o\er at Lkmdaff Station on Thursday by an up train of empty coaches and killed instantly. Andrews, who leaves a widow and two children, was engaged in watching the line during the oonstiuctional alterations which are now taking place at Llandaff, and it is conjectured that he misjudged the line upon which the train was approaching, and stepped in front of it just as it got near him, the driver being powerless to avoid the accident. The body, which was badly mutilated, was removed to de- ceased's home at Belle Vue-cresceot. Rival Lovers. I The death of a young man named Alfred Wood, at Chelsea, on Boxing ) Night, resulted in the appearance at Westminster Police Court yesterday of a soldier who arrived from India on Christmas morning. The charge on the sheet was that of occasioning grievous bodily harm, but Wood, a few hours afterwards expired in St. George's Hospital. The police stated that at eleven o'clock on Boxing Night, outside some oottages ¡ in Manor-street, Chelsea, a serious fight took place, some sixteen or seventeen persons, including prisoner and deceased, being engaged. Several were arrested for being drunk, etc., and this charge was prefened against prisoner, who was alleged to have severely punished Wood and knocked him down. When arrested and told the result of the encounter with Wood, accused said. I am sorry, but what I done I did in self-defence. We l had a fair fight. Answering the magistrate, a police officer said it appeared that the soldier had been corresponding with a young lady whom he knew before he went to fcidia. It was alleged that during the lact few months she accepted the atten- tion of the deceased. Dickinson unex- pectedly turned up a.t the girl's home for the Christmas festivities and re- newed his old love. The new lover, hearing of the soldier's arrival, appeared I on the scene, and a general fight re- sulted. Accused was remanded, the magis rate) stating he would consider the question of i J8iJ.thQ immtvaU t

NO MERCY. GERMAN ADMIRAL CALLS FOR RECKLESS RETALIATION. i AMSTERDAM, Dec. 24. In "support of the idea of employing sub- marines to sink British merchant vessels now being advocated in the German preas, Rear-Admiral Selilieper contributes a re- markable article to the Berliner Loka- lanzeiger," in which the following sen- tences are of special interest. He states that the German has always teen (Le loser with regard to England, as he never could overcome a certain sentimental j'tei- ing of justice and delicacy, which is es- pecially peculiar to him %veii in cases where other feelings would have been more suitable. "We waste too much time on purely humane things, which torment and torture its, while our adversaries seize the opportunity and recklessly do us harm whenever and wherever that can be done. So, too, now England is waging a business war against us, and hopes to be able to crush us economically. We have been contented till now with occa- sional parryulg. We must, without doubt, return tit for tat, and begin a system- atical and reckless war of retaliation against British commerce. "For this we possess a most efficient tool in our submarines. Here we have a new weapon in our hands, which, though lonly recently and carefully developed by us- has already proved a splendid sue- II cess. It has shown results which have not remained unnoticed by neutral Powers, and which have done much to fm. the alleged supremacy of Great Britain on the sea. One must strike while the iron is hot, and, natur- ally, this new weapon must not merely be employed against hostile battle- ships, but against all ships under the enemy's flag approaching the English coast. We can announce our standpoint to all neutral Powers, but then, no mercy. H < Oh, those German barbarians,' we already hear honest Englishmen say. Towards an enemy like England, who knows no leniency where the question of reaching her aim is concerned, and who, with the greatest want of principle, dis- owns the white race and fights shoulder to shoulder with coloured peoples- towards such enemy we need know no leniency. England means to CTUSII, and for that purpo she will not allow her- self to be turned either by treaties or agreements. SJie also displays unprecedented audacity in the harm she does to neutral States, all with the one purpose of crush- ing us. Have we, then, any reason for answering with special delicacy? The German submari ne has caused widespread terror. Why not at those places where supplies are brought to England? The idea of destroying the enemy's commerce and troopships is something convincing, and produces agreeable feel- ings. In this weapon Germany has an advantage which must be used quickly and with all determination. Anyone under the enemy's flag who thinks this barbarous or inhuman may do M. but our advice must be up and at them'

TREATING TOMMY. I Important Regulations Laid Dcwn by I Law. A good deal ol ignorance prevails among the public on the important ques- tion of treating soldiers or sailors to in- toxicatmg liquors. Much harm has been caused in some places—Swansea not ex- cluded—by the practice of standing soldiers and sailors drinks, and it is ad- visable that the position of people who do this thing should be made quite clear. In "The Justice of the Peace" for December 26th the regulations under tho Defence of the Realm Ac- are set forth, and below we give in extenso thoae bearing on the point:— No. 40: Prohibitions against supplying intoxicants to members of his Majesty's fw-ces.-If any person, with the. intent of ¡ eliciting information for the purpose of l communicating it to the enemy, or for any purpose calculated to aarist the enemy, gives or sells to a member of any I of his Majesty's forces any intoxicant, or gives or sells to a member of his Majesty's forces any intoxicant when not on duty, with intent to make him drunk or less capable of the efficient discharge of his duties, or when on sentry or other duty, either with or without any such intent, he shall be guilty of an offence against these regulations. For the purposes of this regulation the expression intoxi- cant includes any intoxicating liquor, and any sedative, narcotic or stimulant drug ;>r preparation. Other breaches of the Act are dealt with, and Regulation 56 covers the trial of offences. It states: "A person al- leged to be guilty of au offence against these regulations may be tried either by a court-martial or before a court of summary jurisdiction: Provided that in tho case of any ofienoe against these regulations declared to be a summary offence the alleged offender shall not be liable to be tried otherwise than before, a court of summary jurisdiction. Where a person is alleged to be guilty of an offence against, these regulations (ether than offence declared by these regula- tions to be a summary offence), tie case shall be referred to the competent naval or military authority who shall investi- gate the case and determine whether it shall be tried by court-martial or auro- marily, or shall not be proceeded with, and if the alleged offender is in custody he shall, if he is to be tried by court- matial, be kept in or handed over to military custody, and if he is to be tried summarily, be handed over to or kept iu civil custody." Besides the public, these regulations I should be common knowledge to the mili- tary and licensed victuallers.

WOMEN INVENTORS. I Matty Useful Adjuncts to the Heme I Patented. Applications ior paienis III rnis oouniry made in the names of women, during the year now closing, according to information supplied by Messrs. Hughes and Young, patent agents, of 55-46, Chancery-taie, Lon- don. W.C., totalled 350, which is within ten of the previous yeaj*"s record. Owing to the war, there was a diminu- tion of some 5,000 applications on the part of men. Analysis of the inventions relating to which applications were made by women gives the following results:- Dress 54 C'.ooking 9 Nursing and Toilet 8 medical 34 Motor-cars and Mechanical 24 cycling 7 Household Ba-biee requisite* 6 requisites 20 Garden 3 Games 14 Needlework 3 Educational 12 Aeroplane 1 This list does not include many articles difficult to classify, and the cersatility of women's genius, as regards invention, inay be gathered from the fact that their vari- ous contrivances include roundabouts, an appliance for preserving the form of f Tie chin and face, an apparatus to avert chills while taking a hot bath, pneumatic boot lasts, flesh-reducing garments, anklets, a noiseless dustpan, means for keeping omni- bus seats dry, and paintwork protectors for doors while the handles are cleaned.

Stanley Richards, of Abercarn, who is j in tho 2nd Monmouthshire, claims to be the youngest soldier at the front. He is I eixteea.

WOUNDED AT MONS. j I WOUNDED AT MONS.! WELSH SOLDIER'S DESPERATE BUT SUCCESSFUL VENTURE. Corporal Tom Morgan, who is a native of New Tredegar, and is home severely wounded from the battle of Mons, has I )e,-n spending a few days as the guest of Mr. and Mrs. Pinkstone, of the AVOIl v ale Hotel, Aberavon. Corporal Morgan, who has sufficiently recovered from terrible injuries by, shrapnel, moves about the locality hear-I ing a huge scar on the right side of his face extending from the base of the skull to the top of the ear, and with nve bullet wounds in his left arm. He has seen 14 years' service, three of wllich I were in the Grenadier Guards, during which time he acted in a special guard of honour to President Loubert during; his visit to Aldershot, and during King t Edwald's Coronation, and to the King of Italy during his visit to India. He was invalided from the Grenadiers for 12 i months, and afterwards joined the Royal: i Welsh Fusiliers, with whom he served for seven years in India, three years in China, and two years in Burma, and at the outbreak of war was a reservist of the regiment, and employed at the Bargoed Collieries, Rhondda Valley. He was called up on the 5th of August, and went i out with the first draft of the expedi- tionary forces, arriving in France on August 13th, and proceeded immediately into the fighting line. It was only after considerable pres- sure that Corporal Morgan could be in- duced to tell the story of his experience in advancing to Mons and in fighting a 1 rear guard action in the historic retreat. He said that in advancing on Mons his regiment got into a heavy and deadly artillery fire, both by the Germans and i British, the latter being caused in conse- J quence of the Germans having broken through the French lines and causing almost complete disorganisation. I It was a dreadfully hot corner, and we were in this terrible position for three or four days without food or rest, and men were dropping from sheer ex- haustion and privation. It was during this experience that we had the order to retire—our lot being commanded to fight a rear-guard action to cover the refloat of the general army. After taking up positions at Vervilliers, and later on at Septmouts, we rested for a few days before advancing to further fighting, where the enemy held very strong posi- tions. Here the fighting was of a terribly desperate nature. We advanced to a position previous to the battle of Lille, and prepared entrenchments, and it was here that I received my wounds. The enemy were holding a farm- house, from which they were playing havoc with maxim guns, and it became imperative that this position be taken or destroyed. I and three others were told off at approaching darkness to set fire to the farmhouse, and we success- fully accomplished our mission, and had j returned to the trenches, and were re- J ceiving the congratulations of our officers and men, when a shrapnel burst, inflict- ing the injuries describe^* This was -on October 28th (Wednes- day), and believe me, I shall never for- get it. From this time forward I was blind, deaf, and unconscious, and knew nothing further until I came to myself in hospital at Boulogne, where I was given up by the medical men as hopeless. I, however, gradually recovered, and was eventually removed tQ hospital at Cork, where I remained until December 11th. I can assure you," emphasised the corporal, til# it was only through the care and attention of the hospital nurses that I succeeded in pulling through." On December 15th the corporal was married to Miss Browne, a native of Cheltenham. In addition to being a soldier, Corporal Morgan is also a poet, and wrote some very clever verse in hos- pital.

TEMPTATION OF PARCELS OUTSIDE I "PUBS." Two lads, Edwin John Booker (12), and Lewis Locker (11), were charged at Swan- sea on Tuesday with stealing and receiv- ing a number of packets of head and nerve powders, value 10s. 6d., from a bicycle in Park-street, the property of Harry Morgan, agent and traveller. The prosecutor said that he left his bicycle with the packets in a parcel on a carrier, outside the Park Hotel at 5.30 on December 23rd. At six o'clock he missed the parcel. He Waited about outside the hotel for some time. and then P.C. Andrews came along with the boys. I P.C. (40) Andrews said he was on duty in plain clothes in the Market. He saw the two boys. Booker had two packets of powders, and he opened one packet and gave some to Locker. Witness went up to Booker, who said that he had thi, powders from a boy outside the Leader Office. Locker said he was not there at the time. Booker gave a wrong name and address, but when told that he would have to go to the Police Station he gave a correct one, and also produced four other packets of powders saying that, he took; them from the bicycle. When going through Portland-street, and near thp Park Hotel, Booker said that he took the powders from outside that public-' house." Locker banded over 18 powders, and said. Booker gave them to me." P.C. Francis, speaking of the boy ■ Booker, said that the parents had no control over the boy. The fatber, a VE'TY r?ppctaMp man. wa? at present in the Swansea Battalion. A short time ago he had then com- plained that the boy had been sleeping) out for a month, and could not be found, Booker's mother said that when he! did come back he was in a filthv state, and everything he wore had to be burnt. got ten children, gentlemen, and he i.- the worst of the lot," sbe sai(i.. The Bench decided to send the hoy I Booker to an industrial school for thrrp: year-, whilst the case against fbp bov 1 l,f)c 'k -r was 9,14 Locker was adjourned for a month to see how he would get on. The Chairman remarked til ,If he thought it was not right that parcels1 should be left outside public-houses for half an hour on end. It wa> a direct temptation to young boys, and there was no excuse for doing so. —————,

THEIR MAJESTY'S GREETINGS. Bandsman W. J. Leaker, of the 6th Welsh (Service) Battalion, has sent home to his family at 90, Western-street, Swan- sea,, the picture postcard which be re- ceived from their Majesties the King and Queen on Christmas Day. The card bears excellent portraits of their Majesties on one side, and on the other the greeting: H With our best wishes for Christmas, 1914. May God protect you and bring you home safe. H Mary R. George RJ." A pretty Christmas card was also re- ceived from The Princetw Mary and Friends at Home," containing the greet- ing, With best wishes for a Happy Christmas and a Victorious New Year." These are believed to be the first of the cards received- in Swansea. In the course of his letter, Bandsman Leaker save they are all in splendid health, and he has returned to his trade as a wheelwright. The parcels sent out by the 6th Welsh Fund Committee from the Leader Office reached their destinations safely, and in addition on Christmas Day, the cake and pudding sent from home macI8 its appearance and was thoroughly eft iov.

According to the "Vorwarts," the War Aid Commission for East Prussia states that a permanent loss of population amounting to between 200.000 and "Ofl.OOO must be reckoned with. as a vast num- ber of refugees won ld not return to their .devastated couatrjr.

Mr. P. J. S. Tiddeman, the manager of the Llanelly and District Electric Light and Traction Company, will shortly be leaving Llanelly to take up a similar position in the more import-,tnti centre of Carlisle. While congratulating Mr. Tiddeman upon his promotion, Lis I many friends regret his impending de-i parture ftom thftir Kuidst.

ONE ZEPPELIN HIT. I CONFLICT IN THE CLOUDS. CONFLICT IN THE CLOUDS. It is now possible to supplement the official account of the British raid on Cuxhaven with some particulars of the conditions in which that historic combat was fought. Christmas morning broke beautifully fine and clear in the .bight of Heligoland. There was practically no wind, and the surface of the sea was hardly ruffled. Our daring airmen, however, soon ran into fog. It was dense off the mouth of the Elbe, but lay only in shallow patches over the harbour and town of Cuxhaven. Flying very high while out at sea, the seaplanes came as low as was consistent with safety while dropping their bomb^. In spite of German dcniak, there is ex- eel lent, reason to believe that considerable damage was done by them, and that a I i'arseval shed and airship were destroyed, and a number of Zeppelin sheds and their contents badly knocked about. While our men were busy the Germans! discovered the presence of the escorting cruisers and destroyers, and two Zeppe- i lins with some seaplanes and submarines set off to attack them. The Zeppelins; were the first to get to work, but they did; not make good practice. For some moments they dropped bombs incessantly j witi-u),,it striking any of our ships. Tho high-angle tire from our cruisers soon; drove them off, and one was undoubtedly: hit, and hit badly. Both the Arethusa, and the Undaunted managed to get in successful shots. A far greater danger to our squadron was the enemy's submarines. They made constant attempts to reach our cruisers, but were baffled by the masterly seaman- ship shown in the handling of our de- stroyers, which manoeuvred at high speed round the larger vessels and sue- i cèssfully repelled every attempt to tor- j pedo them. Meanwhile our airmen were returning to their ships and were soon engaged in a conflict with the enemy aircraft, which had been groping for them in the fog off the coast. Particulars of the fight are: not available, but the fact that six out of seven of our pilots have been safely accounted for speaks for itself. Eye-Witness Relates the Story of the Raid 1, A Tynesider, one of the crew of a vessel engaged in the Cuxhaven air raid, has written home as follows: We arrived in port to-day, having spent Christmas Day off the German coast. We were very lucky once out there. On Christmas morning the flotillas were attacked by airships and aeroplanes, but nothing at all did they accomplish. It was a funny thing that the first bombs that were dropped were at the The fellow new over one and followed us up. Two of their bombs came pretty near. Our fellows treated it like a football match, and kept banging away at him with rifles, but he was far too high to hit. The Zeppelins are practically useless against our ships. Two followed us, but kept well away out of gun-fire, ancTwIien we had done what he had set "i- to do, which I expect you will see in to-night's paper, the and turned to chase them, but could not catch them. We never saw one German warship. One of the incidents on Christmas Day was one of our submarines saving three of our waterplanes' crews.* Comparisons Do Not Favour the Germans. New York, Monday.—The raid of the British airships on Cuxhaven is looked upon here as an answer by the British Nary to the German bombardment of the Yorkshire coast towns, but all the news- papers which mention it in this connec- tion do not fail to draw the distinction between the German shelling of unforti- fied towne, and the military importance of the British raid in attacking the enemy's warships and a naval base. The newspapers generally regard it as a more daring attack than that of the Germans, not only because the British Fleet accompanying the waterplanes were obliged to make their way through the thickly-mined waters of the German coast, but especially on account of the skill with which they avoided the German submar- ines.

PROMOTION FROM RANKS. I Lieutenant H. G. Winton, 2nd Suffolk Regiment, who was recently promoted from the ranks for gallantry on the Battlefield, writes home from the trenches on December 18th as follows:— During the last few days I have been through my worst part of the war. We left our billets at 2 a.m. on December 14th, and marched to a position in re- serve to a regiment which had to attack and capture a line of the enemy's trenches. If they wanted support we were to support them; but the regiment gallantly captured the line and held it. It so happened that the French on the left and another regiment on the right, who had to attack and take the trenches on the left and right respectively, failed to do so, owing to immense barbed wiri entanglements in front. This, of course, left this gallant regiment in an isolated trench far advanced into the German lines. At five o'clock on the night of the 14th my company was ordered to relieve these brave fellows in the most advanced of this line of trenches in front of a wood. We relieved all night with luck, but about 6 p.m. the Germans advanced into the wood. which was only fifty yards in front, and gave us hell. We only suffered one casualty, but it was the most terrible of the lot, for it was my captain in charge of our company. He was killed instantaneously, «hot through the head, and this left me and another junior subaltern in charge of a company nearly 200 strong. Things quited down a bit in the night, and another captain came up temporarily. You can fancy what a terrible sight I saw on going over the ground ovnr which a regiment had charged ten hours before. I will not describe it. On the 15th the enemy got up in force in the wood and gave us hell again, but we did not lose many men. We were re- lieved that night by another regiment, which on relieving us lost 16 men out of one company. We only lost one, but it was one of the best of our men. You can fancy what our trenches are like in this weather. Essex mud is a clean bed to it, and we have to throw the German dead out of the trençhes to make room, and so that they can be buried later on when things are calm. Yesterday I was taken in front of General Smith-Dorrien to ex- plain and describe the position. In our late captain we have lost one of the nnest gentlemen in the regiment, and he was a good and beloved friend to me. A stirring incident occurred to us about 3 p.m. on the 15th, whilst in the trenches. My men noticed some men in khaki digging behind a hedge in front of 11, so we ordered a few shots to be fired at them. Instantly about two dozen Germans dressed in khaki stood up with their hands t surrender, so we sent two patrols along old trenches to letch them in. at the same time covering mem well with our rifles. We found their ruse out, though. They thought that we should all go out to fetch them in, and they would then have mown us down by a party of over 100 which they had concealed in the wood, and would have retaken the trenches. When they saw that we were not to be "had" the party in the wood fired on our patrols. Instantly we put volleys into them, and I hoped wiped them out.

The employes of the Elba SfcrlworksJ Gowerton, contributed during Christmas- j tide 10s. to all thelcwal residents in re- I duced CircuIstalH"r. and thw h;:vc also I ?eut a-? ?ati'm ?t ?1U ,.o the Belgian1 Urj^hant. ,e Fund.

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FOR POOR ACTORS. King and Queen to Witness Covent Garden Production. The King and Queen will be present at a performance of The School for Scan- dal at Covent Garden Theatre in the afternoon of Tuesday, Febraurv 2, in aid of the Aetors' Benevolent Fund. This will be their Majesties' first visit to a theatre since the outbreak of war. Mr. Dion Boucicault, the hon. secretary of the Actors' Emergency War Fund, has received the following letter:— Privy Purse Office, Buckingham Palace. December 24, 1911. Dear Sir,—In reply to your letter, which I have laid before the King and Queen. I am commanded to inform you that their Majesties will be pleased to grant their patronage to the perform- ance which it is proposed to give at Covent Garden Theatre on Tuesday. February 2 next, in aid of the Actors* Benevolent Fund. Both the King and Queen recognize that the war has caused much distress in the dramatic profession and among those who in various capacities look to the theatre for a livelihood. The dra- matic profession enjoys a just pnblir. regard from the invariable readiness and generosity with which ill time of peace it places its services at the disposal of every good cause of national charity, and their Majesties feel that in this time of dis- tress an obligation rests on the public to alleviate in some measure the anxiety whicfl^ffie war entails on the profession, more especially through ita humbler ranks. The King and Queen have therefore signified their intention of being pre- sent at this performance and further commanded me to forward you the enclosed cheques of C100 from the King and L50 from the Queen towards the fund.—Believe me yours very truly, F. M. Ponsonby, (Keeper of the PrirvPurse). The theatre has been lent by Mr. F. Rendle. and the cast for the play will be chosen from the leading members of the theatrical profession.

SWANSEA CHOIR ENTERTAINS PRISONERS. A couple of hours were spent in gaol by the Swansea and District Male Voice Choir on Sunday afternoon. But not for a moment must it be thought that they entered as a punishment for any misdeed. Quite otherwise, at the object was to glV6" a short time of pleasure to those un- fortunates who were the guests of hi* Majesty within the grim walls. Through the good offices of the Rev. J. H. Watkins- Jones, the prison chaplain, the choir had been invited to sing before the prisoners. The usual formalities having been under- gone on entrance through prison gates, the singers were conducted by warders to the Prison Chapel, where all the prisoners had been congregated. Rev. Watkius- Jones briefly introduced the choir, after which the most remarkable audience they had ever sang before were treated to a programme of vocal selections of a-laost excellent character. The programme included Dr. Protheroe's Nidaros," Dr. Parry's "Pilgrims.- and Mr. D. Pugh Evans' Delyn Aur." It is hardly necessary to say that there was no applause, but the fact that the singers' efforts were greatly appreciated was evident from the faces of the audience. In addition to the choruses, Mr. Goome Parkes and Mr. Beta. Thomas rendered solos. Before leaving the prison the enoat were, with the consent of the governor, Mr. Gibson, conducted -A tha Iwifct1 ings.

UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT A1 LLANGYNWYD CHURCH. On Christmas Day an old lady was found dead in her bedroom at Porthcawl. It was understood thai the inquest would be held on Monday, to be followed by the luneral Monday afternoon. therefore, mourners and sympathisers attmded for the funeral. Bui ui«mnd?rsianding had arisen as to the inquest., and a,, na inquest had been liirl there was no cer- tificate of burial, and the funeral had to lw pnstponed until to-day (ln°sday). When the Coroner heard of th° extra- ordinary affair, he offered to E'rl a cer- tificate to -meet the funeral at Llan- gynwyd, but by this time arrangements for the morrow had been made.