South Wales Echo

———————. j Uttsitttss R. J. WHITEHALL, w ATCHMAKEP., JEWELLER, Ac., OPPOSITE HIGH-STREET STATION, N EWPO-RT, Begs to Inform his Customers and the Public Generally that he Intends gELLING OFF AT AX IMMENSE REDUCTION OFF MARKED PRICES From the present date until further notice. 451 J^OTICE J^OTICE J^"OTICE IX,-O NIS GREAT CLEARANCE g AL E OF SUMMER DRAPERY IS NOW ON, AND WILL CONTINUE FOR FOURTEEN DAYS ONLY. J. D. is determined to make this Sale one of the most ATTRACTIVE FOR BARGAINS Ever Announced. All Goods marked in PLAIX FIGURES at Prices Which will not fail to effect a Speedy Clearance. NOTE THE ADDRESS E. D IXON, OPPOSITE THE RAILWAY gTATIOIf, nVTEWPORT. JLl 453 CEMENT CEMENT. <U J) A Y I E S BRos" Sole Agents in Newport and District for John Bazley White and CEMENT I Bros.' London, Portland, | and Keene's | CEMENTS. I Rest French PLASTER. I PLASTER OF PARIS, Fresh Weekly. For General The Largest and Best Assortment in T1UILDIXG the Trade and at the most ^MATERIALS. Reasonable Prices. Best Lord Penrhyn (Red and BlusJ SLATES. and Portxnadoc ROOFING SLATES. I Best Staffordshire Glazed PIPES. DOCKET PIPES; also the Local Make at Low Prices. Best White, Buff, Blue, anct Ped; BRICK. Moulded and Plain BUILDING BRICKS. | Rest London WHITING. | WHITING. lit Casks, Bags, or Bulk. BANGOR AND LONDON WHARVES, "1 JJEWPOET, MOK. JOHN, I THE JJATTER. J CHEAPEST AXD BEST HOUSE IN CARDIFF for FELT HATS. The Best HALF GUINEA SILK HAT IN THE TRADE. 3 qhurch; STREET, C' ARDIFF. 280e ASK YOUR GROCER FOI1 gOUTH ^7" ALES JAM AND 41513 ARM A LADE HAIR! HAIR! HAIRt JJAIR JJAIR! HAIR! COLOUR. JiAliUiN a HAGON'S HAGON'S HAGON'S HAGON'S HAGON'S HAGON'S HAGON'S HAGON'S HAGON'S HAGON'S HAGON'S HAGON'S HAGON'S HAGON'S HAGON'S HAGON'S HAGON'S RESTORES GREY HAIR TO ITS ORIGINAL COLOR AND BEAUTY. Mr J. J. Ho> ton, Chem- ist. Stratford-road, Bir- mingham, says:— Please send one gross ot your Hait Colour Re- storer and six doz. Hair Renewer. I find them both sell very well and much liked. Have been in business over 26years in Birmingham, and must say that no Hair Restorer has sciven such satisfaction 3.3 yours. Is 6d per Bottle. RESTORER RESTORER RESTORER RESTORER RESTORER RESTORER RESTORER RESTORER RESTORER RESTORER RESTORER RESTORER RESTORER RESTORER RESTORER RESTORER RESTORER RESTORER RESTORER GROWTH. I HAGON'S HAGON'S HAGON'S HAGON'S HAGON'S HAGON'S HAGON'S HAGON'S HAGON'S HAGON'S HAGON'S HAGON'S HAGON'S J Is a Positive Remedy for Lo-s of Hair, Bald Heads, Bald Patches, etc., etc.—Mr F. Howell, 3, Bromfield-st., Lower Grangetowa, writes:— "I completely lost my Hair, until I was quite BALD, but after using two bottles of yonr Hair Renewer my Hair grew as thick and strong as ever Is 6d per Bottle. GROWTH. RENEWER RENEWER RENEWER RENEWER RENEWER RENEWER RENEWER RENEWER RENEWER RENEWER RENEWER RENEWER RENEWER Ii CHILDREN. f. HAIR HAIR HAIR HAIR HAIR HAIR HAIR HAIR HAIR HAIR HAIR HAIR HAIR HAIR HAIR HAIR HAIR HAIR HAIR HAIR HAGON'S ROSEMARY, Cleansing Lotion for Children's Hair. Destroys all creepers, nits, etc. Cleanses from all impuri- ties; makes the hair soft and curly. poisonous or greasy. Sure destruc- tion to all insect life. Used once a week a certain preventative Harmless and nicely perfumed. 6d. per Bottle; by lost, secure from observation, nine stamps. Sole maker of above pre- parations— ALBERT HAGON, Chemist, 39, BRIDGE STRERI, CARDIFF, and 2, COBCRN- STREET, GATHAYS. j CLEANSER CLEANSER CLEANSER CLEANSER CLEANSER CLEANSER CLEANSER CLEANSER CLEANSER CLEANSER CLEANSER CLEANSER CLEANSER CLEANSER CLEANSER CLEANSER CLEANSER CLEANSER CLEANSER CLEANSER FOR ALL HAIR PREPARATIONS, GO TO JJ AGON, q3t), JpAMILY CHEMIST, RIDGE ( 30 t; TREET, CARDIFF AND CATHAYS. 3310 1&usitttss JUrbrts5£S. ■g^ANKRUPT SALE JgANKRUPT Is &I,E B ANKRUPT SALE B ANKRUPT SALE ANKRUPT ALE g ANKRUPT ^ALE jg ANKRUPT aALE jgANKUUPT SALE JgANKRUPTj ^ALE ANKRUPT ^ALE ANKRUPT SALE jgANKRUPT SALE Jg ANKRUPT SALE ANKRUPT ALE Jg ANKRUPT gALE THE ALLIANCE |33, ST. MARY-ST., CARDIFF, Are now Sellina a .very importancSTOCK, of CLOTHING,' HOSIERY. HATS,: Ac., Purchased b- iTender at a VERYl LARGE DISCOUNT, |off the ORIGINAL' COST, from the estate jof E. H. LEVY & Co. Merchant Tailors.! Clothiers, ITosiers.an(Il Hatters, 73, Queen's- voad, Bayswatsr, Lon- jdon, W. The Entire Stock is now on offer for a ISHORT PERIOD ONLY, marked at 4 per cent. off cost, For further particu- lars see Catalogue, or PRICE LIST. POST FREE. Clothing made to measure from woollen I Cloths in same Stock at Equally Low Prices. 92r See Windows. Inspection freely in- vited without being compelled to purchase. OLOT ING I AND rr os t ERY /CLOTHING AND TT0SI1SRY TJOSIURY /CLOTHING AND TTTOSItRY rlLOTHING AND TXOSIERY ,I-li,oTt-II,NG OANZ, TTOSIERY F CLOTHING Vy AN-D J J-QSIKRY (CLOTHING J AND H ostilry CLOTHING AND OSIERY !/>OTHING VY AND XT OSIERY CLOTHING \_Y AND jj-OSIERY I 1LOTHING \J AND H OSIERY /CLOTHING Vy AND U OSIERY /CLOTHING Vy AND TTOSIEIIY /"CLOTHING- \_Y AND H OSIERY UOTH.NG VV AND JJOSII5RY THE ALLIANCE CLOTHIERS, 33, ST-MARY"ST" « (NEARLY OPPOSITE THE ROYAL) N 0 T I c E THE MAGNET AIRE. UNPRECEDENTED DEMAND FOR THE MAGNETAIRE PROTECTED BY ROYAL LETTERS PATENT. Highly Recommended by Eminent Physicians I FOR THE PREVENTION, RELIEF, AND CURE OF DISEASE. In consequance of the increasing demand for his Ap- pliances, and the benetit derived by many Ot the iii- habitants of this neighbourhood; MR. RICHARD LONSDALE, M.E., Inventor and Patentee of the MAGNETAIRE, has arranged to prolong his VISIT TO NEWPORT A FEW DAYS LONGER. MR LONSDALE may be consulted :io his Private Rooms adjoining DAILY TELEGRAM OFFICES, QUEEN'S- BUILDINGS, NEWPORT, (Opposite Queen's Hotel), Until Saturday, August 22nu, Where he will give advice, &c. HOURS OF ATTENDANCE Ten to One, Two to Five, a.nd Six to Eiht. A 32-page Pamphlet, conta. ining Testimonials, Price List, and full particulars, Free on application. 452 THE HAIRCUTTING AND TOILET SALOONS, lately carricd on at Market }ja:ldil1;s (SAMUEL BROS.), are now OPENED replete with every requisite for the comfort cf Ladies and Gentlemen at 71, ST. MARY-STREET, under the; same management. £ 75e -_n_- A NEW STORY, By MISS BRADDON, Will Commence in the CARDIFF TIMES" and" SOUTH WALES WEEKLY NErVS" On FRIDA Y and SA TURDA Y, September 4th and 5th.

EDITORIAL NOTES. I MR GODFREY CLARK is an astute man, or he has been well "coached." His speech at Dowlais last night was evidently intended more for his political opponents than for his audience for he tried to show that in voting for a Tory the working men of the East Glamorgan Division would be assuring their own future advantage. But Liberal electors are too old to be caught with chaff of the kind thrown to'them by Mr GODFREY CLARK; they pre- fer the wheat of Liberal legislation to the husks of Tory promises. Mr CLARK has already blossomed into a full-blown politician, whose opinion, in his own estimation, is very valuable indeed. Referring to the Royal Commission on the Depression of Trade, he told his audience last night that the Commission was a one- sided one "because the Liberals had refused to take part in it, and he thought the reasons they had adduced for their declining to serve were unsatisfactory. Is there an intelligent and unprejudiced elector in East Glamorgan, who thinks with Mr CLARK on this subject ? Is it not a fact that Lord IDDESLEIGH had spared only three or four seats for the most eminent and the acknowledged champions of Free Trade, and had invited a more numerous batch of Fair Traders of much inferior stand- ing to take part in the inquiry ? The known Free Traders were to be represented by one or two members only out of nineteen or twentv At, „ neuiy. ^s a consequence, one after another, nine of the most eminent Liberal member, declined lord IDDESLEIGH'S invitation to serve on it. Mr CLARK may thinlc the reasons they ad- duced unsatisfactory but only f0fr- beclouded Tories like himself, in whose eyes Lord IDDESLEIGH, tutored by Lord SALIS- BURY, can do no wrong, will agree with him. On the Disestablishment question Mr CLARK was equally in a fog. Taking his own cl figures, E4,200,000 per annum, divided by 20,000 clergy, gives £210 each per annum, or more than E4 per week, and not £ 3 10s, as he put it. But there are hundreds of clergymen who do not get half the £4 a week, whilst fat livings of 21,000 to £ 3,000 and over are in the hands of younger sons and other relatives of the aristocracy. If Disendowment conies, as we believe it will come, and sooner than the Tories and Churchmen imagine, this gross anomaly will be rectified.

CHOLERA PRECAUTIONS AT CARDIFF. On Friday the steamship Stag, Captain Gerrick, arrived in Penarth-roads from Carthagena. She left that port on the 5th August with a crew of 19 hands, all told. Cholera was then raging at Carthagena, but the crew were not in any way affected by it, and the vessel arrived in Penarth- roads without any symptoms of the disease having appeared among them. When the vessel was inspected in the roads all the crew were found well.

A SANITARY HOSPITAL FOR THE RHONDDA. At the fortnightly meeting of the Ystradyfodwg local board, on Friday, under the presidency of Mr J. Da vies (Brynfedwen), it was agreed to build a sanitary hospital for Rhondda Fawr and Vach Valleys on the Tyntila estate. A letter was also read from the Local Government Board intimating that the Pontypridd and Rhondda Valley would have a joint board for sewerage purposes. The proportion of membership will be eight for Rhondda and four for Pontypridd.

DEPRESSION IN THE COAL TRADE. I Our Pontypridd reporter writes :-In the Aberdare Valley the depressed condition of the coal trade continues to be marked. At the majority of the collieries the period of working has not averaged more than four days a week during the last two months-a reduction of the output by one-third. Before ever there can be any improvement there must be a depletion of the existing overplus, some faint estimate of which may be formed from the hundreds of laden coal waggons which lie to right and left of the railway termini at Cardiff, and elsewhere, and along the long line of route.

COOKERY IN THE CARDIFF I BOARD SCHOOLS. The Cardiff School Board have just resolved to add cookery to tile subjects embraced in the curriculum. At the meeting all Thursday Mr Lewis Williams, the chairman, mentioned that in all parts of the town, from different classes of the inhabitants, the proposal had been received with thorough approval. The members of the board were also unanimous on the subject, and it was decided to have kitchens at the Severn-road school, Canton, at South Church-street, and either at the higher grade school or at the Adamsdown School. A thoroughly experienced mistress will be engaged from the Northern School of Cookery, who will devote her whole time to the work, the board having it in view to make this branch of education a thoroughly fficient part of their system. -=:

THE INCREASE OF FARES ON I THE MUMBLES RAILWAY. On Thursday .1 waited on h' John Jones Jenkins, M.P., with n. view of urging on him the hardship caused by the recent increase or bes on the Swansea and Mumbles Railway. Sir John promised to present a. memorial sub- mitted to the board of directors, and to represent l the views of the indignation meeting held on Monday, but said he could promise nothing more. He scarcely thought the directors would be able to make any reduction on the present single fares, which were as low, or nearly as low, as any in the kingdom. It should be borne in mind that this was a commercial speculation, and a. company could not be expected to work at a dead loss. There was weight in the argument that the season and discount tickets should be re- issued, and he would do what he could in that direction.

A CHILD KILLED AT ABERDARE. Margaret Poynting, 1 year old, daughter of Wm. Poynting, a driver on the Great Western Railway, died at 4.30 p.m. on Friday from injuries received by being run over by a scavaging cart, in Phillip-street, Aberdare, in front of her father's house.

ATTEMPTED SUICIDE AT ABER- DARE. On Friday a boiler maker, named Wm. Jones, of no abode, was found in the Sguborwen grounds, Aberdare, and on P.C Evans, the works policeman, asking him what his business was, he took out a knife and cut his throat. He was attended by Dr Ewart, and afterwards conveyed to the Merthyr Union.

ANOTHER TORY DEFEAT AT TREDEGAR. On Thursday night a meeting was held at tha Temperance Hall to hear a lecture by Mr G. Hemmings, of London, upon "Conservative Principles." There was a large attendance, three- fourths of whom were Liberals. Mr J. Spooner, of Swansea, presided. The meeting was a stormy one, the views advanced by the lecturer not being at all well received by the audience. On a vote of confidence being proposed in Mr Gladstone and his party, the chairman vacated the chair, and the resolution was carried.

SOUTH WALES UNIVERSITY COLLEGE. At the recent examination in arts at the University of London, the following students of Jha college were successful:—T. Griffiths, of ^andovey Miss W. B. Astee, of Chippenham; M-iss Alice Evans, of Bodnngallt; J. H. Wade, m jJ^PQrt, Mon. Wm. Lewis, of Merthyr iydfal; and W. H. Holmes, of Cardiff. W. Lewis honours in English, and W. H. Holmes AtDgt18h and French. J"0 Preliminary scientific (M.B.) examina- '■ • Wilhams, of Llanelly, was successful, rii-5+1 -° 'n the mathematics of the interme- dIate exnllnation in science. Mr T. Williams o^Binenr ? ^st as from the university colleges tu lied dnr^ +VardLS> at which latte/place he studied during the session 1883-4.

I LAST NIGHTS GAZETTE. I TIT",ny-vrri- S unaries narry isavker ami \v*,r- ^r\ L trading as Barker and MiHer atth^fc Pembroce, steam saw mills :s^eam Saw Mills, merchants. W. R. Miller retiresP" ™ Samuel Batchelor, Robert Gullv Cullym George Benjamin Batclielor, trading ast R & Co., at Newport, Mon., timber and skL Batc&el°r and importers as regards G. B. Bttch^r wlio retires. > FIRST MEETINGS AND DATES OF PTTRTTF EXAMINATIONS. PUBLIC James Tucker, of High-street. Gam vach, Nantyefo Moil., tailor and draper. First, meeting August 21 3 v>-m. Official receiver's, Merthyr. <51* William Bowerman, 39, Queen-street, East Pembroke Dock plasterer, tobacconist, and stationer. First meeting August 21. noon, 1 emperance-hall, Pembroke Ca^fWatts, of Picton-piace llaverfordwest roaa surveyor. First meeting, August 2^nd, at 11 a.m., Castle Hotel, Haverfordwest. Evan Price, of Sawyl House, Uansawel. Carmarthen- shire dranor srroeer ironmonger, and seed merchant. Pu b! I cex a mi nati o n^ A ugu s t 25th, Carmarthen Court. AD.TLTDI(,ATIONS- Samuel Davies, High-street, Swansea, grocer ana provi. sion merchani. T1 William Bowerman, Queen-street East, Pembroke Dock, plasterer, tobacconist, and stationer. i"

Is YOOR CHILD III ? If so, try Williams routarrtawe. Worm Lozenges, which have been in use years, and eclipsed all other remedies, ^old by most cnemists at_9jd, 13iu, and 2s 9d. Prepared from c Clpe on'y by J Davies, Chemist, 33. Doitain, SfeSrtoS* are

.r THE ROYAL COMMISSION ON MERCHANT SHIPPING. Loss of Life at Sea. [By EXPERT.] Mr Chamberlain-then President of the Boafd of Trade-introduced a bill into Parliament last year for the purpose of dealing with the question of losses at sea. On the 19th May life moved the second reading in his now famous speech of four hours' duration. In that great oratorical effort he asserted that the loss of life amongst our merchant seamen had greatly increased that it amounted to one in 60, compared with one in 354 on railways, and one in 454 in mines; and that the proper way to reduce the sea risk was to' stop over-insurance by making the policy a bona tide contract of indemnity. The shipowners traversed theso positions; and the bill was withdrawn on the proposal to form a Royal Commission to inquire into the whole matter. That was done, with the Earl of Aberdeen as chairman. The commission has held 43 sittings this year, and has now iisued a report ad interim, suspending its sittings during the recess. I have been favoured with a summary of the evidence taken, which will be found of great use in studying the question by those interested in this vital inattor to a maritime nation like ours. Nineteen eminent witnesses have been examined—eminent, inasmuch as they appear all to be practical men, thoroughly acquainted with the points brought up. Nine were first led on to put the case forward a" intro- duced in the bill by the late President of the Board of Trade; and ten were the number examined for the shipowners' side of the question. It cannot, therefore, as has been alleged in a kind of hysterical way by some shipping organs, be said with any show of decency that the publica- tion of the evidence is premature, or that the shipping interest is thereby unfairly dealt with. Doubtless the number of sittings given to routine business and to the official side seems more than that given to the other but the question is more one of weight of evidence from an equal number of weighty men conversant with the subject. The first and principal witness on the Board of Trade's behalf was Mr Thomas Gray, C.B., assistant secretary of the marine department. He seems to have gone at great length into the detail of losses, taking triennial periods from I87o tu 1883 inclusive. His conclusion is that loss of life has increased latterly. The salient points made out by him were First, that there had bren a continuous iucrea-e in the number of total iosses, which in the first period of three years ended December, 1877, was 3,173 in the second period ended December, 1880, 3,403 and in the third period ended December, 1883, 3,742. Second, that the increase in the number of sea- men's lives lost was not continuous in these total losses of vessels, being in the first period 1 in 5'946 in the second period, 1 in 4'56; and in the third period 1 in 3'49, the gross numbers of these lives lost being 5,905, 5,464, and 8,048 in the respective triennial periods. The third point was the steady increase in the number of casualties attended with loss of life—being 316, 375, and 516 in the three chosen periods. Fourthly, there was a steady decrease in the number of passengers lost—being 1,250, 1,180, and 962 in the respective periods mimed. Altogether 21,224 seamen and 3,392 passengers had lost their lives in the s,Lid nine years. During that time 2,816,071 tons of British shipping had been totally lost, and 28,746,432 tons damaged—at a moderate estimate of about 27 millions sterling in value, exclusive of the cargoes. The losses from missing vessels was the most terrible incident of the lot, no lass than 606 vessels, with 8,497 hands, having disappeared in those eventful nine years. He showed that the loss from foundered and missing coal-laden vessels was double what it was; but that the loss of grain-laden vessds, according to the Board's rules, was only one fciace the act was passed relating thereto, natnuiy, in 1880. He made sundry recommendations as to the improvement of the Wreck Commissioners Court, and better material being used in the build of irlin ships. After him followed Mr Murton, solicitor to the Board of Trade; Mr Rothery, Wreck Commis- sioner Mr Mackenzie, barrister, who drafted the dropped bill; Mr Raffles, stipendiary magistrate, f Liverpool; Mr Fowler, stipendiary maistrate, Swansea; Admirals Pickard and powell, and Captain Methuen. I lie gist, of their eyi enca appears to have been directed to the ques ions o insurance, manning, and navigation. The first and leading witness for the s iipowners appeared in the person of Mr Thomas cru- on, of the firm of Messrs Scrutton and ^°ns' on* Mr Scrutton is also a member of the Local Marine Board of London. He devoted his atten- tion morb particularly to traversing Mr Gray's Position. He adduced elaborate tables of fiures to prove that the loss of life had decreased, and especially in the case of steamers, as compared with sailing vessels and alleged that the greatest mortality amongst them was with the old wooden type, which were fast dying out. He declared that Mr Gray had under-estimated the numbers of seamen employed, especially those of the Lascar typo. He adduced an elaborate table covering the nine years-1875 to 1883-showing loss of life in a percentage degree compared to the employment of tonnage, separating sailing ships from steamers. The loss thus stated appeared to be-sailin, ships, one life to 4,391 tons in 1875; and one life to 3,022 tons in 1883; steamers, one life in 6,017 tons in 1875, and one life in 4,735 tons in 1883. He asserted that the loss of life in missing vessels in 1876 was greater than in 1883 that Mr Gray's figures of loss at the rate of one in 60 lives was wrong, being founded on figures that Mr Gray had admitted were incorrect, and that not to allow for the employment of vessels and the increased tonnage in calculating loss of life was misleading. After him, Mr Yeoman, shipowner, Hartle- pool; Mr Denny, shipbuilder, Glasgow; Mr Leitch, shipowner, Greenock Mr lienderson, shipowner, Glasgow Mr Miller, secretary of the North of England Insurance Association > Mackenzie, solicitor, Glasgow Mr steamship director, Greenock Mr ^tell' average adjuster, Liverpool and Mr chief surveyor to Lloyd's,were examine"* flXDe- As a rule, they held that it was high^ dient to meddle with the present /»« was rare i marine insurance that over-insurance that the extension of the i. i. innovation, Act to seamen was a dangerous but that a system of P6as^u « men should be organised.. c advocated that the Marine pepart^en ^of the Board of Trade should be entirely re u„id be reintroduced; advance notes to seamen snouiw « and also the imprisonment for desertion. Some of them admitted that there was a certain amoaat of loss of life at sea which was preventable, but urged that the proper way to deal with it was by constituting a board of practical men, with representatives from shipowners, shipbuilders, seamen, and certain nominees of the Government. Looking at the evidence as given, it would be, perhaps, premature to make any minutt, criticism of it. The matter is still snb judice, so to speak. More witnesses will probably be examined next session; certain corrections of figures and state- ments will doubtless be made; and the sugges- tions of the commission will be promulgated. I hope that early next year the whole report will be published, and some useful legis- lation come out of it. No time should be lost, for it makes the heart sick to think—as admitted by the shipowners- that some poor fellows are hastening to premature death which might be prevented. Without, however, attempting to discount the recommendations of the commissioners, I may be permitted to make an observation or two as a hint to the further threshing out of the subiect. The first point that strikes me is that there is not such a divergence of opinion between the opposing parties as during the heated discussions of last year; that the suggestion of this commission is likely to yield good fruit that a mistake appears to have been made in Mr Scruttou's estimate of the life of seamen, which, instead of 15 years to 65, should probably be 45 years and that instead of estimating the loss by employment of tonnage efforts should be made to get at the average employment of the crews. These are fundamental points of difference which should be thought out and carefully adjusted. By getting at a real basis where both sides can agree there is more chance of the truth being got at and a settlement arrived at. If, too, Mr Scrutton can clearly prove that the loss of life is more with the sailing ship than with the steamer, the case of the modern steamship owner is greatly improved. There are, however, two points herein worth consideration. The Passenger steamer should be separated from the cargo steamer, and the comparison then made. Next, if the sailing ship be compared with that of 20 or 30 years ago the loss of life in the modern may be found much more than in the ancient vessel, because of the intense competition with the steamships of to-day. The wear and tear— the facing all weathers—is very different to what I remember of the good old times when Captain Gaily," from Cardigan, would take command of the master and ship both, and sometimes winter altogether in some quiet harbour.

I OUTRAGE BY A BARRISTER. At the Middlesex sessions, on Friday, Charles Leverscourt, ó3, barrister, was sentenced to two terms of six months' hard labcur for indecent assaults.

NATIONAL LIBERAL • FEDERATION. — It is now definitely arranged that the annual meeting of the National Liberal Federation will take place at Bradford on Thursday, October 1st instead of October 6th as previously announced.' The proceedings wiil include a conference of delegates and a public meeting, at which Mr Chamberlain will deliver an address.

I ELOPEMENT AT MERTHYR. A man, who is known in Merthyr as a pedestrian, has walked off in the direction of Tredegarwith a gir] whom his-disconsolate wife would like to find. It is rumoured that discard ing first his trade, he took to walking. This brought him in a few pounds, and thus lie took leave of his old friends. In the meantime his discarded wife has sold the furniture, and she is now going to work on her own account.

I SUDDEN DEATH OF A NAVAL COMMANDER. News has reached -Plymouth of the sudden death, at Nofclin& > Baha mas, of Stall- Commander Savage, R.N., inspector of light- houses. He »vas se.IZ0d with apoplexy while on board the tender Richmond. He died before he could be removed to the shore. He was an officer of great expedience and highly esteemed. His appointment, worth £ 800 a year, is in the gift of the Board of Trade.

SWINE FEVER IN GLAMORGAN- SHIRE. The' London Gazette states that an area in the f C;)I11prising the whole of stradyfodvvg (excepting Rhigos), so P:l,ns!jf Lir.nwnauo as lies within loh -e Rhondda Fach river, and so much of the parishes of Llantrisant and Llan- wonno as lies within a mile of Rhondda Fawr river, above the Havod railway bridge, is infected with swine fever.

I THE MIDLAND RAILWAY COMPANY. f !i? lLPort the Midland Railway Company f0rir! "alf-year ending June 30th states that the tratUc receipts show a decrease of £ 25,639. The total revenue receipts amounted to £ 3,558,077, the working expenses to £ 1,874,820, leaviug a balance of £ 1,683,257. The directors recommend a dividend at the rlite of S2 7s 6d on each J3100 consolidated ordinary stock, carrying forward £ 13,714.

DEATH OF LORD ERNEST VANE 1 TEMPEST. Lord Ernest V»n. Tompest, »■> J'S! Mamnis of Londonderry, d'ed distinction Friday. The deceased »ob[e™a ^tewart" during in the Federal army a^Cap a surviving the war in 8,. sister is the 2gfch February, Ernest Vane Tempest w 1869, Mary, ^hE?o« M?Thom» Hutchinson, of Howden Hall, county urham. I

SAD DEATh OF A WELSH SAILOR I h2? TeGQiv.ed th*t on Uth April last' r?°r1"' )nery heavy „ young man, Gwylnn R. Trunin weather, y oard tlle portia f Liverr^ '^u ;S»rdfrom aloft, and altho^h of friends and acquaintances Y "6 C'rde

THE NATIONAL EISTEDDFOD. Meeting of the Executive Gommittee. Progress of the Arrangements. r f th n^ht, at Aberdare, there was a er meeting of the executive committee in re erence to the forthcoming Eisteddfod meetings, arious matters of detail were discussed and ea t with consequent on the presentation of nance reports by Mr David James and Mr illiams. On Friday night the great pavilion was covered in, and the structural arrangements on the tented field" appear to be pro- ceeding apace. Messrs Walker and Olliver, electricians, of Cardiff, will light up the interior with an adequate number of incan- descent lamps, and outside there will be a pro- vision of two arc lights. The inaugural proceed- ings of the Cymmrodorion section will take place on the evening of the 24th instant at the Temperance-hall, and on this occasion Mr Wm. Thomas, Gadlys, high-constable of Aberdare, will preside. Papers on suitable topics may be expected from Mr Cornwallis West and Mrs Bryant. There will also be. a discussion oil Welsh education. The art section of the eisteddfod, it may also be stated, will be located in the Temperance-hall. The concerts to take place on the evenings following the day meetings promise to be of a very attractive character. The names of many well known artistes are down in the programmes. On the evening of the 25th inst. the president of Jne concert will be Archdeacon Griffiths; on the 26th Mr W. Thomas (Brynawel) will preside on the 27th Mr Lewis Davis, Ferndale, will take the chair, and Mr Gwilvm Williams will preside over the musical proceedings on the evening of the 28th inst. Every effort is being put forward to secure complete train facilities, and residents in all parts of Wales will be enabled to pay a VISIt to Aberdare at cheap rates.

A PAINFUL CRY Is heiard every hour of the day and night from men and women suffering from serious afflictions, no one rendering help, It is sad to think how much suftermg is endured through ignorance of medicine tl- cau once give relief. Hughes's Blood Pills are now recog- nised as the most reliable medicine to cure all diseases caused by Bad Blood, and these are legion, such as Scurvy, Scrofula, or King's Evil Skin Eruptions, Boils, Hashes, Wounds, Sore Eyes, Rheumatism, Nervous- ness, Headache, Indigestion, Biliousness, Fits, Piles, &c. By taking Hughes's Blood Pills relief is at once SOld by chemistat,27fc

THE WELSH SCHOOLS. Report of the Government Inspector. The report of Mr W. Williams, one of her Majesty's chief inspectors, on the schools in the Welsh division for the year ended 31st of August, 1884, has just been published. The following extracts from the report will be read with interest. This division comprises all Wales, excepting the small county of Radnor; also Monmouthshire3, with the union of Westbury-on-Severn, in Gloucestershire, and the unions of Osv/estry, Ellesmere, and Whitchurch, in Shropshire. The total population of the division at the census was 1,634,086, and of this about 1,155,000 are now under school boards. The enormous deficiencies in school accom- modation in this division which were revealed by our inquiries in 1871, have been almost entirely met, the bulk of the additional accommodation having been provided by school boards. The comparatively small deficiencies that now remain are due almost exclusively to the recent growth of population in a few large towns and in some of the mining districts; but those deficiencies are, I am glad to say, being supplied with due despatch. The large school boards have worked with the most praiseworthy energy to supply schools, sometimes in the face of great difficulties. Whilst the school accommodation has prac- tically been completed throughout the division at great sacrifice and expense, I think it must be admitted that the attendance at school, although improving, is in many cases far from being so satisfactory as it might be. In some of the school board districts, especially in the large ones in South Wales, and in a few of the unions under attendance committees, the attendance appears to be fairly good, but in the districts of many of the small school boards, particularly in rural districts, and in many of the unions, the attend- ance is decidedly unsatisfactory. And the reasons for this appear to me to be—(1) the laxity of the local authorities (2) the excessive number of local authorities as compared with the popu- lation in certain parts of the country, and the inefficie-acy of the attendance officers whom they employ, and who are not, and can hardly be, paid sufficiently to devote their whole time to the work and do it well; (3) the difficulty and uncertainty of securing convictions, and the cost of prosecution before the magistrates at some petty sessions. There has, however, been considerable improvement of late as regards the costs, for in some places the magistrates have reduced the fees to nothing, or almost nothing, and the tines, if collected, are about enougn to defray the costs. It is very desirab.e tna, cms should be the case generally. As regards the difficulty arising from having so many small local authorities, I fully agree with the suggestion made by several of my colleagues that for th3 purpose of enforcing attendance several of the smaller school boards or all the boards and the attendance committees in some unions should combine and engage at an adequate salary one or more intelligent, energetic officers who should give their whole time to the work and probably no better officers could be found than retired drill sergeants, as suggested by Mr Watts. The desirability of some combination will be readily seen when I mention that in my district last year there were no fewer than 53 local authorities for a population not much exceeding 110,000, but distributed over a large area. Some or the school boards in my district do combine to have one attendance officer, and with good effect. It would be advantageous also if the police were allowed in all the districts, as the are now in some, for a small fee, to deliver the summons to appear before the magistrates. The work of instruction in the schools S, I believe, effectively carried on throughout the division, and a large proportion of the schools, in rural as well as in urban and populous mining districts, are in a highly efficient condition. The large well-staffed schools (mainly board) of East Glamorganshire take the lead in high general proficiency, but they are now being closely followed by the similar schools in West Glamorganshire and West Monmouthshire. There are, of course, a considerable number of schools, chiefly small voluntary schools in rural districts, which reach but a moderate standard of efficiency, but I believe that these are improving, and that the number of very poor ones is diminishing. ihe percentages or passes in the elementary subjects in the whole division for the year ended August 31st, 1884, were 91*7 in reading, 83'7 in writing, and 76"2 in arithmetic, and the average percentage in the three subjects was 83'9. The corresponding total percentage for the first ten months under the new code ending December 31, 1883, was about 79'5 and I attribute the rise partly to improvement in the schools, but chiefly to the larger number of exemptions claimed during the latter part of the official year ended August 31st, 1884. The percentage for the official year in four of the ten districts were considerably higher than in the other six, in which they were nearly equal, and in which the averages were 87"8 m reading, 7Q"S in writing, and 72*8 in arithmetic, and the due to the standard of attamment I so dIThe numerical results of the examinations and my own observation during my visits to the various districts lead me to believe that the minimum requirement for a » j tj elementary subjects is about the same throughout the division, but it does not follow th-5 general state of education in two rliL 1 more than in two schools whiclfnrnH,? percentage of passes is the <=amo fnr £ quality of the passes in 1' f 'rirtlie averi'-u ably from that ia the other] consider' is i^o^s^ianrlthe quality of the reading duo to ? <lS to be, and this is partly nf TT-t™* acl)ers not giving their scholars examples • ■f .§'00(i reading is, and training them to uutate it. Better reading would, I am persuaded, 0e obtained if on the day of inspection the scholars were always called out in classes or groups for reading, as they are in some district, and were not heard individually at their desks. Handwriting appears to be improving on the whole, and especially in the Swansea, district. The subject is not, in general, taugnt so methodi- cally as it ought to be, and the copybooks not unfrequently show that they have not been carefully superintended during the writing lesson. In the best schools the teachers teach the formation of letters carefully on the black- I boards, and set copies on it for their scholars to imitate, and the result is that the scholars write a good uniform hand like the teacher's whereas in schools where such a method is not adopted the writing is not uniform and is seldom good, Judging by the number of copybooks only recently begun before the day of inspection and Ithe quality of the writing, I fear that writing in copybooks is not practised nearly so much as it ought to be. The most difficult subject to teach in Welsh- speaking districts, and the one iri which the results are least satisfactory, is English com- position. The difficulty comes to be practically felt after passing Standard iV., and arises from the fact that the children have been in the habit of speaking Welsh, and can command but a very limited vocabulary in English. Some teachers have grappled w th the difficulty, aud by encouraging the children to speak English, and by giving them practice in oral translation and in composition before they reach Standard V. have produced very praiseworthy results, but many other teachers of less energy and foresight have attained but little success in teaching the subject, although it is one of the most impo-tant which Welsh children can learn. ..Lt. 6uccess in ms examination in arithmetic is, I believe, more general and uniform than it used to be, but the results in many schools are not above fair or fairly good. Comparatively few schools in most of the districts, as far as my knowledge of them has enabled me to judge, do really well in arithmetic, and I attribute this in a great measure to the inadequate attention to mental arithmetic. \ilfC^fk^rieateir- atfcent'on has, I believe, been paid to the teaching of needlework during the last seven or eight years, and the subject is now taught Hi a large proportion of the schools in most ot the districts in a very satisfactory manner. Cookery is not, I am sorry to say, taught in many schools as yet, but a beginning has been made at several populous centres, an there is fair reason to hope that the importance of the subject will be increasingly recognised, that the teaching of it will spread. some knowledge of how to cook economically' make cheap, wholesome dishes from wl^, te,j, ignorantly wasted, or not aW^|;ecially can hardly be over-estimated, (Jf l" „the Populous mining h Wales. South and the quarrv districts or ,1, 'ntr more Much good might be effected by ^"f^L'schools generally into the upper classes in K reading books bearing on domesti through. Sinemg is taken in almost eve returns for the out the division, and takmg .1 j fmd that last three quarters of ^otefvrZ paid m about the grant tor singing by "° tmcnts for older 24 per cent of the £ P 2& cenfc< chddren, and m »and classes. In two of the infan t)l0 percentages were con- siderably "higher. The system adopted for teach- ing by notes in nearly all the schools except in the Cardiff district (in which about 30 CM Gent. adhere to the old notation), is the tonic aol'fo which all my colleagues, I believe, affrefl10 pronouncing the easiest and the best adapted fot teaching singing in schools and it is hardly 0 much to say that this system has practical covered this division. covered this division. Perhaps no feature in connexion with tbtJ progress of elementary education during the 126st few years is more satisfactory than the increase 1 the number and the improvement in the conduct of infant schools and this improvement is in 91 great measure due to the new code. The is most manifest in the large towns and populof3 mining districts of South Wales. In the more sparsely populated portions of the country thero are but few infant schools, and the infants are generally taught as a class attached to a mixed school. Even in these classes some improvement is observable, but the circumstances of the smaller schools do not admit, as a rule, of realty satisfactory training being given to the infants. As comparatively few. probably, of the mistresses of infant schools in this division have had the advantage of special training in the Kindergarten system, it strikes me it would be a good thing if classes for teaching this system by competent teachers were formed in a few populous centres in South and North Wales. Such classes could probably be most conveniently held during the summer holidays. The merit grant, like the different scales of grant for class subjects, is one of the most valua- | ble features of the code, and is, if judiciously ad- ministered, calculated more than any other thing to improve the quality of the instruction and raise the tone of the school. The task of awarding the merit grant is, however, often a difficult and deli- cate one, especially if the school is near the border between fair and good, and between good and excellent. It is naturally tne interest of teachers and managers to obtain as high a. percentage of passeS as they can, inasmuch as a part of the grant is calculated on it, but there is too much reason to fear that some teachers aim almost solely at a high percentage and pay but little attention to intelligence, discipline, neatness of the rooms, &c., &c., and the other considerations mentioned in the instructions, and then expect a high merit grant. Against such a tendency it is our duty careiully to guard, otherwise the very object of the merit grant will be defeated. I have pleasure in stating that the following advanced or higher grade elementary schools have been opened, and that at least one other, at Aber- dare, is about to be erected Merthyr School Board District.—1- At Caerdraw, Merthyr, two departments for boys and girls, witu an average attendance of about 80 111 each. At Dowlais, one mixed department, with all average attendance of abou- 60; about to be SBpmtfid into two departments. Ystradyiodwg School Board District.—At Yatvad two departments for boys and girl-, with an average of about 80 in each. ° Gelligaer School Board District.—At Pontiottyn, one department for girls, with an average of about 40. This school gets S100 a. year in exhibitions from the Pen:am Charity. Swansea School Board District.—Two departments for boys and g rls. Festiniog School Board District.—One department for boys, with about 50 in attendance. Cardiff School Board District.—Two very large departments just opened. Many schools are no: so well managed as they ought to be, and this remark applies not to board schools only, as is often said, but to voluntary schools too. Some of the larger and best boards appoint managers, partly iro n their own mem- bers, for each school, and it is to be regretted that this is not done in all cases, and that a lady manager, when one can be obtained, does iaot visit every girls', infants', or mixed school, whether board or voluntary. The report of the managers or visitors should be presented to the board or committee at regular intervals. The managers, amongst other things, ought to see th3:t the schools are opened and closed at the proper time tnat the registers are cor- rectly marked at the time specified in the time- table that the rooms and out-premises are kept clean that the rooms are adequately warmed ill cold weather and the fires lighted sufficiently early,—points whicii are too apt, to be overlooked; that the ventilation is not neglected in conse- quence, it may be, of the want of a cord to a ven- tilator that the schools are adequately supplied with books and apparatus that the pupil teachers get their due amount of teaching and at suitable times; and that the attendance officer visits the schools regularly.

INSPECTION OF VOLUNTEERS AT PORT TALBOT. I' The First Glamorgan Rifle Volunteers, who have for the last week been encamped at Port Talbot, were inspected on Friday afternoon by Colonel Tucker, of Cardiff. To battalion mustered upwards of i.200 men.andwere uadel? the command of Colonel Vivian. Tha various evolutions were performed In a most satisfactory manner, the march past being particularly good. At the conclusion the luspaccing officer said that it was the first time he had inspected a body of volunteers, and he was highly pleased with their e lciency and their steadiness under arms. Ha a so expressed his satisfaction with the state ot' the camp, and complimented the commanding officer (Colonel Vivian) thereon. The day being exceedingly fine, the inspection was witnessed by a large number of spectators.

NEW MAGISTRATES FOR PEMBROKESHIRE. The following gentlemen have been added to' the list of magistrates for the county of Pom* j broke:— Thomas Edward Bowen, Bridell. "'I 1 J. W. Crookes, St. Anne's. A. P. Sanders Davies, Pantre. William Da.wkins, Pembroke. William James, Talybont. James Philipps, Honeyborough. Benjamin Rees, Granant. T. Blethyn Rees, Tremunydd. Morgan J. Saurin, Orieiton. Jeremiah Stephens, Llechryd. Abel Thomas (barrister-at-law), South WaldS Circuit. W. Watts Williams, St. David's. j Herbert Worthington^JFi^iiliiii.

I ARCHERY IN THE FOREST OF I DEAN. The fifth meeting of the Royal Forest of Dean I Archery and Lawn Tennis Club was held on Thursday at the Speech House. There was a very large and brilliant assembly of the local gentry and the leading families in the Forest of Dean. About 50 members and friends sat down to lunch at two o'clock, under the presidency of Sir T. H. Crawley-Boevey, supported by Sir James Campbell, Sir George and Lady Walker, Mr and Mrs R. J. Kerr and party Mrs Forstet Brown and party Mr M. T. Dixon and party; Captain Maxwell. Mr Mitchel and party Miss A. E. Aldrick Blake, and many others.' Tha grand tournament was won by Mr J. Power and at-83 x>' ^drich Blake, Captain Maxwell and Miss Rait making a good second. A consolation stakes was got up and won by Mr F. Cra.wtey- Boevey and Miss Power, Mr Rait and 3*isS A. Blandy being very close. The weat er delightfully tine, and the game very keenly, and continued till late In the evening.

THE CONSERVATIVE CONFER- I ENCE AT NEWPORT. Thn conference °f, jhf„;n,ilo'oua^ Conservativn TT finally settled,Will assemble at Newport Tn.sday, Octobet; 6th and devote the morning Qfterno°n to business nieet- and which delegates only will attend, un:1l in £ .3', the Council for the ensuing ve^c n f^lcted? Lord Tredegar will be wllJ be fSdent of the National fri)l),,se(J fear in place of the Duke of Norfolk />' Say evening there will be a dinner^ v" fid meetings will also be held at sea, and Pembroke. Lor i .Salisbiir n i at Newport on Tuesday ev^u, T'! guest of Lord Tredegar. Ou his lordship will be presented wiM j jay m the Conservative Associatw, ^dlr,esfus fron,1 Monmouthshire. There will L Wales and no speeches, at two on W*H b<\a luncheon with Lord Salisbury will addiv*<,nesday, anci at tnree which admission will bp a ,raass 1I1reeCin7;' degar will preside at this ,re" evening there will be a On Wednesday for the Conservatives F chiefly immediate neighbourhood ^ewPort and the

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