Herald of Wales and Monmouthshire Recorder

Picture Palace, Pontyberem. WEFK COMMENCING SEPT. 25. Usual EXCELLENT SHOW of PICTURES. POPULAR PRICES: 4d., 6d., and 9d. Thursday. Doors Open at 6.45, to com- mence at 7. Saturday, Doors Open 6-30. I to cotamence at 6.45 and 8 45. MATINEE Thursdays at 4 o'clock, Id., 2d., and 3d.

NODION AR BYNCIAU YR WYTHNOS. (Gan "AWSTtN.") 1 Cyfarfodydd Jiwbili Eglwys Libanus, Cwmbwrla, ydyw teatyn siarad Bedyddwyr ac Anghydflurfwyr Abertawe a'r cylcli yr wythnos hon, a da genyf gael y cyfle i Iongyfarch y gweinidog (y Parch. Hennas Evans) a'r frawdoliaeth ar y llwyddiant a'r llewvrch a ganfyddir mewn cysylltiad a dathliad yr haner-can-mlwyddiant. O nos Sadwrn diweddaf liyd nos lau nesaf y roae y cyrddau yn rliestr nodedig o ddiddorol i bawb Jd.lt ) n teimlo yn a/dd- gar dros grefydd y Grocs. Ymhlith y pregetliwyr cawn y Prif-Athro Dr. Edwards, Oaerdydd; yr lier:v,y Par James Owen; y Parchn. E. T. Jones, Llanelli; D. C. Jones, Penygraig; B. Grey Griffiths, B.D., Caerdydd; D. Price, Bethesda (gweinidog y fam eglwys); ac ereill. Ac er fy mod yn llunio'r llinellau hyn cyn cwrdd nos Fawrth, rhaid dweyd gair yn awr, a diction y caf ymlielaethu dro eto, ar oedfa hanes deilwng 0'1' lie ac o'r achos sydd i'w chynal y noson hon. Amrywiaeth mewn iaith, mewn athrylith, mewn nodweddion, mcwn trefn cyfar- fodydd, ac mewn llawer agwedd arall o gynhal a chadw a chofnodi ac addysgu ydynt neillduoldeb y rhestr ddathliadol hon. Y mae y capel mawr yn un o neilldu- clion -AI)ertawo, ac y mae y ffaith mai canghen yn wreiddiol o hen eglwyo Christmas Evans ydyw yr eglwys yn peri i Fedyddwyr, yn enwedig. deimlo yn gynhes ati a thyim yn dyrfaoedd i wrando efengyl ac hanes a mawl a cherdd y cynulliadau drwy yr wythnos. Daw Job i'r De eto, fel yr oeddwn yn disgwyl y deuai. Gwyr pawb mai y Parch. J. T. Job wyf yn gyfoirio ato, ac y mae bron a c-hroesi Cymru yn ei symudiad, oblegid daw o Bethesda'r Gogledd i Solfach, Penfro. Hawddamor i'r cadeir- fardd a'r pregethwr a'r darlithiwr ar ei ddychweliad i gyifiniau Dyfcd. Ni fydd neb yn fwy balch o'i gacl yn ol i gyrhaedd galwadau na phohl Cwmaman a thrigol- ion yr ardal yn mha un y cychwynodd ei yrfa gyhoeddus, Rliydaman. Job—onide?—ydyw awdwr yr englyn difyr i'r drefn new-dd o symud bysedd y cloeiau ymlaen i wneyd dyddiau hirion, as i ddweyd anwiredd am yr am&er o'r dydd Ow 8ioe gorfodi'r clociau-beddyw oil I ddweyd anwireddau! lor, a wyt ti'n caniatau I gelwydd ddala golau? Ac yn awr am ychydig fanylion o'r Cerddor" am Mr. T. D. Jones, Aber- tawe Ganwyd ef yn Nantyffyllon, Maesteg, yn y flwyddyn 1873, a meithrinwyd ef ar aelwyd wir gerddorol. Suwyd ef i gysgu ? ganwaith yn swn alawon Cymru, a 1 deffrowyd ei dalent gan sain can a ??q?iant. iiab ydyw i Mr. Jobn .Jun?? '"Argrauydd, ac arweinydd y T?anu yn bglwys Hermon (A.), Plasmarl. Yn ystod ei febyd yr oedd ei dad yn enwog fel arweinydd corawl ac fel cystadleuydd pwysig iawn ar lwyfan yr eisteddfod. Adnabyddid ei fam fel Eos Afan-un o'r eosiaid melysaf a glywodd Cymru, ac a ddaeth i sylw arbenig fel enillydd y brif wobr yn Eisteddfod Genedlaetliol Birken- head in 1S79. Yn fuan wedi symudiad y teulu o Faesteg i Plasmarl yn 1879, dech- reuodd T. D. redeg ei fysedd bychain ar hyd harmonium ei dad, ac nid hir y bu cyn enill meistrolaeth ar elfenau cerddor- iaeth Rai blynyddoedd yn ol, gwasanaethai Mr. Jones fel cyfeilydd, bron yn ddi- eithriad, yn yr eisteddfodau blynyddol gynhelid yr adeg hono yn Mhenvbont-ar- Ogwy. Tra yn beirniadu yn eisteddfod 1896 y rhoddodd Dr. Turpin, y cerddor medrus a'r organydd dihafal, ganmoliaeth arbenig i'w fedr a'i chwaeth. Wele hi yn yr iaith y llefarwyd hi, rhag i ni ei hanafu wrth geisio ei chyfieithu. Rhan ydyw o feirniadaeth y Doctor ar y prif ddarn: It is only just to say that they had the aid of one of the most competent accom- panists. In all the conte.sts he had at- tended in England and Wales, he had never heard the accompaniments played so accurately and with such excellent judg- ment." Nid yn anaml yr adgofir ni o'r hen ddiareb: "Nid oes i broffwyd anrhydedd yn ei wlad ei hun." Gall fod yn wir mewn llawer cylcli, ond amlwg ydyw yr amheuir ei dilysrwydd yn nghylclioedd Abcrtawe. 0 ganol lliaws o cllgreifftiau bydd un yn ddigon i ddynodi livny. Cyflogwyd ef vn ddiweddar i roddi recital yn Nhreforis, ac nid yn unig boddlonwyd pawb, ond bu raid iddo drefnu ail gyngberdd yn fuan. Ceir ei ddisgyblion yn llUlWdd ar hyd a lied y wlad, ac amryw o honynt yn dringo ysgol enwogrwydd. Digon yw nodi llwydd ei frawd a osodwyd ar ben y frordd ganddo, sef Mr. Edgar Jones, F.R.C.O., yr bwxi a enillodd haner can gini mewn cystadleu- aeth agored ar y berdoneg, ac a enillodd Ysgoloriaeth John Thomas yn y Royal Academy of Music. Fe gynierodd hefyd ei A.R.C.O. a'i F.R.C.O., gan enill yr un Pryd yr Edward Turpin Prize, pan nad oedd ond uJain oed; heddyw mac'n dal y ewydd o organydd yn Radnor-street, Llundain.

SONED Hiraeth Ar oi y Ecnwr J. Lovat I -Owen, Y.H. Mynych y nos, a mynych drwy y dydd Ymholaf, P am ° hyd y torrir lawr Y blodau teccaf, mwyaf per eu sawr? A p'aJll, ymho.t g) da chalon I)rudd, Y cipiwyd ymaith, megis o dan gudd, Ein Lovat anmvyl, oedd o awr i awr A'i sel mor hybyr dros ei wlad, mor fawr Ei ymdre<-h drosti, ac mor fawr ei ffydd Fod ganddi neges l genhedloedd byd?  n ni clilywir rnwy Mor flin y syniad, bj tR ni clily wir rnwy Ei araith ddityr gvda/i ch.wedlau lion; I Mae'r ymadroddwr diddan mwy yn fud, I Ac ar ei ol calonnau sydd dan glwy— Dristed y meddwl-dFllled yw y fron! Talnant.

SUICIDE AT 16. A rdict of Suicide during temporary i. nsanity" Was returned at the inquest, in Sunderland on Wednesday, on the body of Rowley Tumbull (16). The evidence showed that the deceased, who was a nursemaid at Falstone House, Roker, was found on Tuesday unconscious in the nursery with a gaspipe near her mouth. She was carried out on to the lawn, and on recovering consciousness a few minutes later darted away and jumped over the cliff to the beach below, killing herself instantly. The Coroner read extracts from a letter found on the deceased showing that the day before she took poisonous snuff which did not work. but she fully intended to go the journey."

LATEST WAR NEWS ——— Process of Attrition. WEDNESDAY'S .BRITISH OFFICIAL The following telegraphic dispatch was issued from British Head- quarters at 1.30 p.m. The general situation is unchanged. To the south of the Ancre the .enemy, after heavy preliminary bombardments, made several counter-attacks during the night, which were repulsed. Two hostile gun emplacements I-lve been destroyed by our artil- lery, and a munition store ex- ploded. A successful mining enterprise was carried out yesterday south of Arras, 200 yards of the enemy trenches being cleared and casual- ites inflicted. Yesterday afternoon the enemy blew up a mine at Souchez. No damage was done, and we have occupied the lip. A captured document, signed by General Von Falkenhayn while Chief of the German General Staff, dated Aug. 24th, states:— The wastage of guns in the last few months has been consid- erable, and in excess of the pro- duction, the same as that of am- munition in our reserves, of which there has been a serious diminu- tion. It is the duty of all ranks, and not only the artillery, to endea- vour to remedy this serious state of things. All ranks must make a seri- ous endeavour to assist in the pre- servation of materials as indicated above, cr otherwise to make good all losses as placing of new for- mations in the field will be ren- dered impossible.

THURSDAY'S FRENCH OFFICIAL. To the north of the Somme the enemy has not renewed his at- tempts on the Le Preiz Farm- Sabbe Wood Farm Front. The bad weather has considerably hampered the operations on both banks of the Somme. In Argonne the enemy attack stam-d against positions at Sour- de-Paris following upon a mine explosion under our curtain ifre. On the right bank of the Meuse our troops executed yesterday, at the close of the day, two operations which brilliantly succeeded. To the south-east of Thiaumont Work we captured several ele- ments of an enemy trench, more than a hundred prisoners, includ- ing two officers and two machine- guns. In the east of Vaux-Chapitre Wood we pushed forward our line 100 metres. In the Forest of Appremont one of our advance posts repulsed with grenades an enemy attack. AVIATION. Yesterday one of our pilots brought I down a German aeroplane, which fell near Moisleian (north of Peronne. ARMY OF THE EAST. I From the Struma to the Vardar there was an intermittent artil- lery duel. To the east of Cerna violent Bul- garian counter-attacks, directed against the crest of the Kajmac- kalan held by the Serbians was repulsed with heavy loss for the enemy. In the region of Broda the Bulgar- ians launched their attacks against Beresnica. After several fruitless attacks they succeeded in obtaining a footing in the village, but a return offensive with the bayonet by the Serbians drove them out again. On our left wing, despite the intense fog, our troops have progressed as far as the neighbourhood of Hill 1,550, to the north-west of Pij- oderi. In this region we have taken about 50 prisoners. THURSDAY'S BRITISH OFFICIAL. British Headquarters, 1.9 p.m.: I Heavy rain fell again during the night. South of the Ancre strong counter- attacks were made by the enemy continuously during the night on our New Zealand troops. All these were beaten off with severe loss to the enemy, who left pris- oners in our hands and a large number of dead in front of our lines. Notwithstanding the heavy fighting we have advanced our front m this neighbourhood. Several successful minor enterprises were carried out during the night on other parts of the front, the enemy trenches being entered at several points. ————- ————

WEARING THEM OUT. The following is from an authoritative son rc-e:- ThE' perfected co-operation of the Allies has a great moral value: No wonis are too strong to describe the friendly eagerness with which each of the Allied armies on the Somme now follows the for. tunes of the other. V,%nt this united effort has ai^Mit for the Germans can now be made known. From July 1st to September 8th. 53 Ger- man divisions in all were engaged against the Allies on the Somme battle front. Out of these, 14 were still in the line on Sep- tember 8th. Twenty-eight had been with-j drawn, quite broken, to other areas. Eleven more had been withdrawn to rest. Under the Allies' artillery fire and in- fantry pressure, the average life of a Ger- man division as a unit fit for present ser- vice is about 19 days. More than two new German divisions have had to be brought into the front line every week since the end of June to replace those which were shattered or exhausted. The figures show —much more clearly than does the mere extent of ground won—how steadily and swiftly the Allies are moving towards the j accomnlishment of the chief immediate air;} legy—the destruction, as a fighting force, of the enemy's armies in the field. Of the 53 German divisions engaged on the Somme front from. July 1st to Sep- tember 8th it is found that 28 were used wholly against 'the British Army, and 20 wholly against the French. Four others v.ere uned, first against the French, and afterwards against the British, and one division was used first against the British, and afterwards against the French. On September 8t'h seven German divisions were facing each of the Allied Armies. The figures will be read with equally profound satisfaction in France and in England. They show what every English and every French soldier would wish to see-how evenly the two comrade armies are sharing between them the burdens and achievements of the struggle. It has been ascertained from statements of prisoners taken recently on the Somme that two battalions of the 38 German Regiments" of Infantry belonging to the 11th Division were almost entirely de- stroyed during the fierce and fruitless counter-attacks made by the Germans on the 17th and 18th inst. around Deniecourt. The German losses, in addition to 1,600 prisoners captured by the French on these dates, must have been extraordinarily heavy.

BELGIAN BIG GUNS BUSY. Havre, Thursday.—The Belgian commu- nique for Wednesday states there was an artillery duel at various points of the Belgian front both in the region south of Nieuport and in the region of Boesinghe.

A WELSH CONCERT. With the Cymric Heroes Behind I the Lines. lHE deeds of the Welsh in this war B are almost unknown. Occasionally the veil of official silence is lifted, an a we hear, in faint murmurings, of things winch make the Welsh heart beat more proudly. But only in faint murmur- lugi, in reconstructions such as that of Willis Bund who, setting out to tell or the Worcesters, informed us first of the grout part the Celt had played at Iprea, and how he held the line when the fate of all Europe was trembling in the balance. And still fainter, mere suggestions, as to what the Welsh did at Mametz; as to what they did in another wood. on the tragic ridge to which our army has won at such cost. Some day, it may be, we shall hear more of their glorious dash. Some day a soldier-scribe will be moved to tell us not only of Ypres and Vimy, but of the Battle of the Somme. He will have a narrative which will thrill Wales as no incident in her stormy past has affected us. I have seen regiments march back from that scarred land beyond Becordel—land ploughed by fire, with its woods reduced to pathetic stumps, with its villages in dust—to the song of the pipes, to the louder music of brass, to the chirpy strains of the fife and drum. They have come down with sergeants leading companies —of all sights the saddest when one knew what that mean t-grimed with the chalk- dust, weary almost to death, but with a look in their eyes that showed they had quitted themselves as men. And one day, as one watched at the cross-roads, a regi- ment came down wearing a familiar badge; not all who had gone up, not all. They marched past the ruined village, into tho streets of hamlets where a wrecked roof and tumbled wall showed that here also the tide of war had thrown its spray, and finally into the village where the writer had his habitation. What was left of the regiment settled down to the dull routine of the rest billet. Thus it was that in the succeeding days the language of Wales was to be heard in the High-street. I and occasionally, a little of its melody. We had a piano in our farmyard which still had its good points, considering that it was not without a player an hour of the day. A greatly-coveted piano it was! We were jealous of loaning it out when it served so excellent a purpose to the lads who gathered themselves around it, afternoon and evening, and sang to its lead the hymns of sacred memory and the ballads of the day. But the place where it stood was often vacant; how could we say nay when, with touching faith in our willing- ness, the G.S. waggon would come creaking into the yard and the driver would produce a regimental request for its instant loan for a hurriedly-arranged oon- cert! Rather bear the reproachful look s of the soldiers who missed the piano from their evening sing-sougs than send back that waggon unloaded and merit the dis- dain of a regiment. Two useful proverbs used to come into one's mind. The first inclined one to sit tight upon the piano, for doesn't charity begin at home; but the deciding wisdom was that of two evils the lesser was the best chosen. The piano was often parti." When the request for it came from our near neighbours it was sent with larger graefc. We knew that a Welsh concert would empty our yard that night. Our reputation extends to the Somme. I wish it were possible to bring before your eyes the surroundings of this concert. The August day was dying quickly; al- ready the bivouac fires were making weird shadows in the orchard. The guns were booming mightily. The sky was white with their flashes. A farm waggon served as platform, and around were seated on the grass row upon row of soldiers, veterans and youths with soft cheeks, university graduates and farm labourers. A modern regiment is a wonderful amal- gamation of all the talents and all the trades. I spoke to one lad who 1 ad never been outside Lleyn until this year. He had lived his quiet life between farm and chapel until the call to arms brought him into the hurly-burly. Whilst the sergeant-major was shepherding his flock of singers and reciters we talked of the mountains of home, and in his voice was a great longing. One knew what his eyes saw, past the bivouac's fitful flame," past the shadowing forms of men and horses, looming, large-sized flickering"- I Silent and green the lakes about them stand; Their rampant mountains ranked in close array; Wihile hour by. hour the sun with burn- ing hand Upon the water draws the shape of day. —He would not speak of that which had been a few miles on; he wished to forget. That was why the concert was held. When men are in hourly peril, when death is ever hovering round, they are given power to rise above themselves. When the strain is over, when the excitement goes, is the time of trial. Back in the rest camp, the soldier has opportunity to think of what has been, to miss comrades who have marchM and fought with him. This is the time a good commander will watch and prepare for. The soldier is happy and death loses much of its terror for him, but if at home despondence sometimes takes us, "dark and deep," how much more so the warrior who has fought through tor- ment, and has seen hi" friends drop never ( more to rise! The regiment comes together as a family. It makes up its mind to pack away its troubles. Mr. James Douglas says this week of our war- riors that they joke themselves out of despair and laugh themselves out of I melancholy. They shove the agonies and anguishes of the war into the very bottom of their minds and lock them up. True words, these, accounting for the joviality tha4- shone out from our continuous sing- songs, accounting for the strange things to happen at this Welsh concert. In a distant corner of the orchard the Bethesda Glee S ingers" were practising until long after the concert had started [ found greater interest in their rehearsal than in the opening contributions, which were a florid pong by an officer with a sweet tenor voice, and a terrific recitation by a Celtic elocutionist whose gestures were as big as his voice. "The Bethesda Glee Singers" were to sing some of the old hymns of Wales, a few of its own melo- dies, and they were very nervous about it all. You see," said the conductor, we've never been on a platform like this before, and we don't want to disgrace the country. Presently the sergeant-major called for silence He had a voice equal to his rank. The next item, gents," he said, is some- thing extra special, and please give extra special attention. The "Bethesda Glee Singers will oblige." The singers mounted the shaky waggon. They faced an audi- ence which had increased to thousands. In the flash-lights from the sky one could see every eager face. The singers were given a very good reception, but the con- ductor was a canny Welshman. He threw himself upon the mercy of the listeners We have had very little practice, gentle- men," he explained, and we are not quite certain of ourselves. But we will do our best." Louder applause. The piano played the opening of "Abervstwrth." Now, one thought, now wa* a moment which would make up for the dull drudgery of all one's days in France. Already the eyes were moistening as one listened to the first notes, sung ) sweetly but haltingly, by the little party. Here were the lads of our chapels and churches, the lads who had come from village arcadias into the world- storm, the soldiers whp had breasted the terrors of the awful wood and had won through, turning in the hour of introspec- tion, to the great hymn of their home- land. An affecting moment. Yes-and still no. I think there were many wet eyes besides mine in the audi- ence which saf among the trees. But when the little conductor called to the audience to join in. tho response was small and the singing was flat and without heart in it. Aberystwyth was not a success. And one wondered, disappointedly, why? Still more so when the sorgeaTit was announced as the next item, and Your very best order, IF you please, gents!"—the sergeant whose very appearance was the signal for a deep roar of delight, his first words for I a mighty burst of lautrhter. The audience sat up. It was as if an electric shock had I passed through it. The sergeant sang a pleasant ballad: Which switch, Miss, is the right switch ¡ to Ipswich ?" There was no sound whilst he rang but the murmur of the wind in the trees and the roar of the guns. The audience was listening intently, totally engrossed. It was drinking in words and music. And when the sergeant called for a repeat— "Now, boys, all together then: 'Which switch, Miss they began hesitat- ingly, and then, with full assurance. How they sang' How they laughed over the tongue-twisting! How they persevered! When the whole choir of them were shout-' ing out the chorus, they overwhelmed the orchestra of the Somme. ) "That's all right," said the sergeant- major, when he heard the boys in full cry, "things are all rujht now!" Thev were. The moo d of the concert was set. The suc- resses were terrific. The man who sang the old tiiije of Madame, will you walk?" to the new words. M'selle. will you promenade?" was not allowed to leave ?he wag?on until he had given six songs, and each the audience roared at the top of their lung lyower. One thought 1 how. in another mind, the boys would have sung the melodies of their own land. But enlightenment came 3.c: well. "The war," says Mr. Douglas, is a monster which is trying to make men hard and dull and serious. They defy the monster, They are better and bigger than the war I saw them then, before I left Fra,,iX in another mood: but this night was to be given over to forgetfulness, to a resolute shutting out of the agonies and anguishes They sang and they laughed until some of them were too exhausted t" do either Lustily they raised their voices, far their music rang: Out beyond the shrouded forests, over tortured roads it rang, ) And bright gleamed their eyes, and merry was their laugh —Nor thought they now of yesterday, or of the cruel path Leading to victory and death. They sang the Welsh Anthem, of course, sang, it with feeling if not with strength. But when the sergeant-major called for The Ring," a deeper note came into their voices, an with i. sudden bountt to attention, they rolled out the great unifying melody of the race J. D. W. J 1

WAR SUMMARY SATURDAY. North of the Somme th6 French have, ac- cording to to-day's reports, consolidated their new positions. In Friday's fight- ing 400 prisoners were taken. In one trench 86 German corpses have been found. Nine German aeroplanes were brought down on Friday, and six others were forced to descend in their own lines. Enemy military establishments have been successfully bombed. The British official report this afternoon records further important successes at several points, and the capture of four German guns and 250 prisoners. The British hold the line captured yester- day, which now reaches 500 ya. d* to the north of High Wood. This includes the large villages of Couroelette, Martin- puich and tiers, which are fully twice the size of Guillemont. The British Commanding Officer at SaJonica reports the crossing of the StTuma River and attacks on several places. Prisoners have been taken on the Doiran front. Our artlilery oontinues a steady bombardment of enemy posi- tions. The Russian communique from Petrograd this afternoon says that on the western front there is nothing to report. In the Caucasus, the Turks have been re- pelled, and west of Mush they have been ousted from their trenches and have fled to the Kozna Giagak Pass. From Rome comes the news to-day that the Italians have entered on a new offensive, which is being carried on with great fierceness. At many new points they have succeeded in breaking the Austrian line. MONDAY. This afternoon's French communique tells of the complete encirclement of the village of Deniecourt. To-day's British Headquarters message announces the taking of a further por- tion of the enemy's trenches south of Thiepval. The Eritish lines have been advanced appreciably in spite of heavy shelling by the enemy at intervals during the night. From the Secretary of the Admiralty comes the news that on Sunday after- j noon a squadron of raval aeroplanes carried out a further attack on the enemy's aerodrome at St. Denis Wes- trem. One of our machines was obliged to make a forced landing at W et.1 Kapella in Holland, where machine and pilot have been interned The General Officer-Commanding in Egypt reports that a column composed of Anzac mounted troops, a camel corps, etc., effected a surprise attack upon the Turks at Bir-el-Mayar on the 6th inst. The enemy's camps were heavily shelled and their trenches penetrated at several points. The Russian official message is sl ort. It states that on the Caucasian front Turk-! ish attempts to attack in the regior cf the village of Idisa were frustrated by our fire. I The Anglo-French succefjses to the north of the Somme were succeeded on Sun Jay by important progress south of the river. Successful operations were carried out on a 7! mile front. TUESDAY. To-day's Bntish official says that continu- ous rain has fallen during the last 24 hours. In the neighbourhood of Riche- bourg L'Abone the enemy's trenches have been entered in several places and many casualties have been inflioted. On the Salonica front. during the night of the 17th and 18th, our pickets east of Orljha Bridge were attacked by the enemy only to be repulsed. Smashing blows have been delivered against the Germans on the Somme front. The fruits of the latest British offensive include the defeat of 29 German divisions. Sir Douglas Haig says the result of the battle constitutes what is probably the most effective blow yet in- flicted on the enemy by our forces. Having taken Deniecourt, the French have effectively dealt with some counter offen- sives. the Germans being repulsed with bioody losses. A Petrograd message gives a thrilling account of a three days' battle, to the north of Halicz. WEDNESDAY. An Athens message, dated Tuesday, states that the French have got beyond Florina, capturing by assault the neigh- bouring hills. The Bulgars fled, leaving many prisoners behind. Heavy rain has caused a lull in the fight- ing on the British and French fronts. The Allies' captures since July 1st make a total of 490,668 prisoners A Bucharest telegram states that the Rumanians, faced by superior numbers, have retired slightly on the southern front along the Danube. The Austrians are said to be preparing for the evacuation of Trieste. There seems every prospect now of the entry of Greece into the war on the side of the Allies. There is talk of an ulti- matum to Germany as the test method to allay the distrust of the Entente. Renter's Agents learns, with reference to the position in Dobrudja and the enemy claims to decisive victories, that the British military authorities consider the action of the Rumanians in not concen- trating large forces in a secondary theatre of war such as Dobr,ilia is highly appreciated among the Ai i: s. The War Office announces that on turi Struma front our aircraft carried out a raid on Drama, and bomb were dropped on railway rolling stock and stores. THURSDAY. An official message. from Salonica says that there has been no development on the Struma and Doiran fronts. Portuguese, troops have hoisted their flag six kilometres into the interior of German Africa. The Greek Government has addressed an urgent Note to Germany regarding the removal of Greek troops from Kavalla. Their release is demanded. German" oounter-attacks on the French north of the Sommo have met with magnificent resistance from the Frcneh. The French expert commentator" gives a thrilling account of a ten hours' struggle, in the course of which German masses were pounded to atoms. A French eye-witness, in a long account of the operations of the British Army earlier in the month, writes with en- thusiasm of the gallantry of the Irish, who hurled themselves against the t enemy to the accompaniment of the bag- pipes. It was, he says, a veritable human avalanclw

I TROUBLE OVER. BAILWAYMEH ACCEPT 5/- WhR BONUS. It is officially announced that an agree- ment. has been arrived at in connection with the railwayiaen's claim. The following statement was issued last night following the meeting between the men's representatives and the railway managers:— Memorandum of agreement of meetings between the committee of general mana- gers of railways and representatives of the National Union of Railwaymen and j the Associated Society of Locomotive En- gineemen aad Firemen of September 13. 14. 15, 19, and 20, 1916. Present—Sir Guy Granet (m the c>mir'V Sir Sam Fay, Sir Herbert Walkei, Sir Alexander Butterworth, Mr. Caithrop. Mr. Potter, Mr. Matheson (secretary I. ■ Mr. Beasley, and Mr. Clower. represen ting the railway companies. Mr. Bell- amy, Mr. Thomao, Mr. Cramp, Mr. Harris Mr. Ellison and Mr. Allen, representing the National Union of Railwaymen. Mr. Hunter, Mr Bromley, Mr. Wride, Mr Stevenson, and Mr. Orlado, representing the Associated Society of Locomotive En- gineers and Firemen. The meetings were held for the purpose ot considering applications made by the Trade Union on behalf of the railwaymen for an increase of the war bonus of 5s. granted by the railway companies, in Oct- ober, 1915. The general managers reminded the irade Union delegates that in October, 1S15, they agreed with the companies that the settlement then should remain in force until after the Government had given notice to determine the present agreement as to the control of railways, and that the two Trad? I r.ions definitely undertook not to present or support any fresh de- mand upon the companies for increased bonus on wages during the pendency oi the settlement. The Trade Unions' representatives ex-1 plained that they recognised the binding nature of the agreement of October, 1915, but that the prolongation of the war and the continuous rise in the ccEt of living have compelled them to ask-the ,ompani as 101 a reconsideration of the p06itiun. Having regard to all the circumstances, the railway companies expressed their willingness to review the situation, and after discussion the following agreement was arrived at:— Cause 1.—The war bonus paid by the railway companies under the agree- ment of Ud(Jber, 1!¡1:J, to be increased as shown below:— Present Revised Bonus. Bonus. • Employees 18 years of age or upwards. 5/- 10/- Employees under ft years of age, except boys engaged gince January 1, 1915. at rates of pa) which exceed • by as. or more the ralss j usually paid to boys occupy- ing positions similar to those in which such duly en- gaged boys are working 2/6 5/- Clause 2.-First payment of the revised war bonus to be in respect of the week ended September 16th, 1916. Clause 3.—The truce entered into at the meeting between the parties hereto on October 1st, 1914, to continue in force. The agreement is signed for the rail- way companies by Sir W. Guy Granet (chairman) and Mr. Wm. Clower (secre- tary), for the National Union of Rail- waymen by Messrs. A. Bellamy (presi- dent) and J. H. Thomas (assistant secre- tary); and for the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen by Messrs. John Hunter (president) and J. Bromley (secretary). A meeting of the railway managers will be held in London to-morrow for the purpose of ratifying the agreement. ===== )

MAN POWER. I In pursuance of a decision of the War Committee the following have been ap- pointed to serve as a Man Power Distri- bution Board"; Mr. Chamberlain. Secretary of State for India (Chaimjan), Viscount Midleton, former Serretar- of State for War (Vice-Chairman). Mr. Arthur Balfour, J.P., former Master Cutler, Sheffield. Mr. G. N. Barnes, Labour member for Blackfriars, Glasgow. Mr. Stephen Walsh, Labour member for T nee, Lanes Mr. E. A. Sandford Fawcett, M.I.C.E., has been appointed Secretary to the Board. The duty of the Board is thus defined: To determine all questions arising be- tween Government Departments relating to the allocation or economic utilisation of man-power fur the purpose of the sue- cessful pre secution of the war, and, in order to give effect to its determination, to direct the Governmen* Departments concerned to create the ? ?. 4 nery neces- sary Co co-ordinate t!>ir activities in sary to eo-ordin-?be t? ir u<tn'ities in regard to the distribution or ?ilisation of men and women. The Boayd will not consider individual caseb, vhich will be dealt with, as hereto- fore, by the machinery already provided, and will act only on representations from Government Departments. All communications should be addressed to the Secretary, Man Power Distribution Board, India Office, Whitehall, S. W.

SWANSEA ENGRAVER'S WILL Mr. Henry Cave, of 2, Fisher-street, < Swansea, engraver, lithographic printer, etc., who died on May 28th last, left estate of the gross value 01 £ 2,till, of which £ 2,C79 is net personalty, and probate of his will has been granted to his son, Mr. Wir. James Cave, dentist, of 11, Ethelbert-ter- race, Margate, and Mr. Ch?s. Vicary Crabb, of Goat-street, Swansea. The tes- tator left his premises, 4, Catherine- street, Swansea, to his wife for life, and he left to her also S5, £ 50 to his adopted daughter, Maud Beatrice Gregory, his in- i terest in his busi-nee-, to his sons Henry and Horatio Nelson, 15s. a week to his, daughter Julia, during her spinsterhood. i and the residue ot his estate in trust for his childivn, Harriet, Edith, Daisy, Wil- liam, Henry Cecilia, Minnie, and Hora- tio.

What are we going to gain by putting the clock back on September 30th P" asks Mr. A. Davidson, of Springiield Park, Acton, in a letter to the Daily Express." i We immediately lose one hour's day- light. Our office hours are 9 to 5. and j during November to February our 150 lamps are lighted betvreen 4 and 5 p.m., whereas, if it was 3 to 4 p.m. (summer l time), about 150 hours per day of artificial lighting would be saved.

i STATE CONTROL. THE NATIONALIZATION OF THE GOAL INDUSTRY London, Wednesday.—A further meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Miner5 Federation of Great Britain was held on Wednesday morning at the Westminster Palace Hotel, London. Mr. Robert Smilie presided. The meeting was again pTiv;>J <% but it is understock that Lord Milner s scheme for the contral of the -hole of the nation's output of coal once more under consideration. A t t-JLiv. close of the meeting, Mr. Smilie c-aid he had nothing to communicate to -It is, however, understood that no further meeting is contemplated with Lord Milner, fox the present, at any rase. In addition to the details of the scheme which have already been published, it may be added that the proposals include a setting up of an Executive to sit 4 a London, and representative of both coaiownens and miners and others interested; in fact, of capital and labour. Lord Milner, it is understood, will have consultations with other parties interested and make his report to the Government of the opinions he has gathered. The Gov- ernment will then decide whether the scheme shall be carried out or not, and will be guided whether there is a general desire for it or not.

NEW RULES DRAFTED. Important Meeting of South Wales Miners' Federation. (By Our Mining Correspondent), Cardiff, Wednesday. An important meeting of the council of the South Wales Miners' Federation was held thi-, morning, Enoch Morell, Merthyr Vale, presiding in the absence of Mr. W; ;jstone ivho with several other m,emi-), were away in London meeting Ji. er on the question of the Gov- err.iuciii Ont-ol Coal. i.r. Tlioe. Richards, M.P., told me that the question of the control of the out- put of oosi was not discussed at that meeting because they were waiting to have the full scheme before them. Up to the present only tentative proposale had been discussed. How far the scheme would involve interference with working regulations and the sales of coal were matters "which they could only deal with when thev had the scheme before them, which would be after the return of their memoers from London. At pre- sent the Government controlled the out- put ard 6ales of about 40 million of the 50 million tons raised in South Wal^s The iei\>re, if the control of the mainder were vested in the Governmeni it would not make much cliif'eronce. I ietit.-Col. Herbert Lewis, of the John's Ambulance Association aUen.k-<! to discuss with some of the member1- Lis scheme for a fund to found homes cf rest for wounded soldiers in South 11-salfs. The principal bus; Ile$ done at the meeting was the drafting of new rules for the South Wales Miners'

IN CAMERA. For an hour on Wednesday afternoon the Swansea County Borough Council dis- cussed in camera the recommendations made by the Water and Sewers Committee at their meeting on the 18th inst. in refer- ence to the water supply muddle and the administration of the Waterworks De- partment. Eventually they adopted the following recommendations of the Com- mittee:— "(1) That the resignation of Mr. Ralph. Henry Wyrill, the Borough Engineer, be accepted, and that he be appointed oon- sulting engineer to the Corporation at a salary of X150 per amium, such appoint- ment to be determina1 le by three months* previous notice on either side, on condi- tion that he does not engage in private practise without the consent of the Cor- poration first being obtained, and that he satisfactorily dischal g-es the duties of the office of Borough Engineer until 31st December next, or such further time as the Council may require; (2) that another meeting of the committee be held at an early date with a view to making further recommendations to the Council in regard to the future administration of the depart- ment and such other matters as may arise." We understand that an amendment that \fr. Wyrill's services be dispensed with altogether was lost. The Council also adopted another minute of the committee, which rE"d as follows:—"The Town Clerk reported in respect cf a claim made by the contractor for repairs to leakages in the Mumblea water main, and also in regard to the con- tractor not complying with the mainten- ance clause in the contract. It was re- solved t't the matter be left to the Mayor, Chairman and ViceChc-.lrmaa, and the TcClerk to deal with.

TO BE RE-CERTIFIED. The Swansea Board of Guardians met at the Union Offices, Swarw-a on Thurs- day, Mr. J. H. Rosser in the chair. An echo of the Dr. Greehy case n was heard, when the clerk reported that he had discovered that several local cases now in Bridgend had been certified -.g insane by Dr. Greehy." Mr. Jenkins pointed out that these cases could not legally be detained, and they would ha, to be re-certified. Mr. Wm. Owen moved that no step; be taken until the committee appointed to visit Bridgend Asylum had done 60, and reported on the matter. Mr. Freedman seconded the resolution which was carried unanimously.

STREET RIOTS. Copenhagen, Thursday.—The Wil- helmshayen Zeitung" comments to-day on the number of apparently organised -anguirary encounters in Wilhelmshaven between the civiliate population and the military. These disturbances have lately assumed alarming p'oportionB. Last week several &treet fights took place with fatal results. Another riot occurred on Sunday night when civilians armed with knives attacked a party of Marines in Metzerug, near I' e railway, killing twis and mortally wounding some others. The wor-t of the matter, the journal con- siders. is that the assailants escaped, and that the police have hitherto failed te unearth them.

"Careless" was the name of a man fined at Acton on Wednesday for leavinj lights burning all night in a shop.