Wrexham and Denbighshire Advertiser and Cheshire Shropshire and North Wales Register

ALREADY IS NEMESIS FOLLOWING upon the track of the enemy, for on Tuesday the troops under General Earle's command fought their first battle, and proved themselves worthy comrades of the men who won the brilliant victories at Abu Klea and Gubat over ten times their own number. On this occasion the enemy was not in such numerical force as at either of the previous engagements, but they held a very strong position, which could only be carried by the most determined courage. Tuesday's en- gagement took place at tbeshukuk urDulkaPass, about seventy miles above Merawi, where it was expected that the rebels would make a stand, the mountain gorge through which the Nile runs at this point affording an almost impregnable posi- tion from which to oppose a force advancing by the river. The men of the Staffordshire and Black Watch Regiments reached Dulka Island, which is a little below this pass, on Monday. The pass was reconnoitred, and the enemy were found to be entrenched behind the ridges of the hills commanding the passage of the river. The ZD ? .0 troops were bivouacked in a zareba for the night, General Earle determining to attack the enemy's positions in the morning without wait- ing the arrival of the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry and the Gordon Highlanders, who formed the rearguard of his boat column. The attack commenced at seven o'clock in the morning, the British force consisting of the two infantry battalions already named, a detachment of the 19th Hussars, and the Egyptian Camel Corps. In the official report the Arabs are said to have held a high ridge of razor-backed hills and some advanced koppies in front close to the river." After an engagement lasting five hours they were dislodged from their fortresses and defeated ail along the lines, and with great slaughter. Unfortunately our loss includes General Earle, the commander, Col. Eyre, and Col. Coveney, though with but a small propor- tion of rank and file. ———— « ————

Dl-RIG THE PRESENT EXCITEMENT consequent upon the turn of events in the Soudan, a number of volunteer officers have offered the services of their regiments for garrison duty in the United Kingdom, and we understand that the Denbighshire Battalion is likely to follow the example, if Sir Watkin and his oflicers have not already done so. •

THE accession of Lord Rosebery and Mr Shaw Lef ivre to Cabinet rank materially strengthens the Government, and, as it proves to a considerable extent the united attitude at present displayed towards the Egyptian com- plications, it must be necessarily viewed in the light of recent utterances by Lord Rosebery, which have been of a very decided character and will meet with general approval, as did the speech of Mr Trevelyan. at Manchester, this week. the Cabinet now consists of sixteen members. and presents a much stronger front than did that of the late Government, when confronted with the difficulties that dr ove Lord Derby aud I Lord Carnarvon away without bringing in any I accession of strength. I A

WE ARE (:l vd TO FIND that the Wrexham Infirmary is not only maintaining its position as the most valued of our charitable institutions, but that it is constantly extending its sphere of operations, and consequently its usefulness. From the proceedings at the annual meeting, which are reported in another column, each department is kept up to the full degree of efficiency, and therefore of expenditure. It says something for the work of the Committee, that every exertion is made to secure subscrip- tions, and the same efforts to utilize them, a'id that this is kept so vigorously going that occasionally faith has to n be indulged in to supplement the works.

MR COUNCILLOR PRICIIARD deserves the best thanks of the Wrexham community for bringing before the Free Library Committee so prominently, the funds left in the hands of the irustees by the sale of the Working Men's Hall. This is, at present, a considerable sum, and it is a pity it is not used for a purpose in harmony with that for which it was originally subscribed. The thing most consistent there- with is the Free Library, which may be said to nave replaced it, and that on a permanent basis. Whatever the Working Men's Hall did for the working men of Wrexham, the Free Library does now, and would do much more efficiently if in possession of this fund. We teel sure that the subscribers of the money would fully approve the handing over of the entire sum to the body elected annually by the Town Council for the government of the Free Library, and by doing so reliere the present Trustees of their obligation.

IT is NOT OFICN that any one can throw a charn. around finance and make it as enthralling £ 5 a three volume noveL Mr Gladstone was about the only Chancellor of the Ecehequer who could make his budget speeches interesting and attractive. Ou Monday we had the pleasure ot hearing another man who could throw a halo of interest around -the dry subject of taxation, Mid so FuccessfuHy u to make us wondet' where he ^htaintd his inspiration. Mr Hampden *TCn' the editor uf the Financial Reform Ahr^aaA;k, realised tLk; to a greater extent ?han f sPeaier we have ever had the pleasure of T• j-eni3S to. In his lecture on the right a?id ?ong Praici ?s of taxation," Mr Jacksr? ?h?-? ??erest?g resume of the ta?es that v, bc-en ^pealed sinc the passing of the | c; Lorni Act of 1832,aMiLose still remainm? o i f | ??h. The summary we giv.e in hV"¡er column is but a fa?it adumbration of 1E,-ttire itself, and we e&n only hope Mr *'ackEon"i] ?'? us ??"?? '??? opportunities of ?.r? ? a ..??gment upou his facts, his the-.rVo his inferences.

MR CP.,  '?? without his lend er, *1* r-nERLi^N" IS not WitilOU IS ?fende"?????as Brassey dee l d 1 ^fcfck, h' h lr ?^o;aas Brassey declu-e ast \1nfai t a he did not s?? anything alarming, or 'I' t. M C1.. b' ? ?"'J"st in Mr Chamberlain's t:>b Iv!!S "I LorJ Cari,iii-,toi2, by no h¡t Le. ad\"¿nêd Radic.'lJ, said on Monday, ?L&L t(, the\vthlntfinhis view". which was danger- t<, tll,Iaiid, d mterest. Lord Carrington in '?? rS ? a mC5t important statement on ¡ the successful cultivation of aUoimentsonhis own Bnc??ha.n??nre. He said that he had 800 a? llotment terants occupying a-tenth of an acre each, and paying him the full agricul- tural value of the land, and, what is more, obtaining a net produce of R40 an acre from the land, while the produce under plough cultivation would be only £7 an acre. On eighty acres, £ 24G0 of extra food was grown by the surplus labour of artisans. The Times of Tuesday, has also a most suggesting account of Lord Tollemache's successful encouragement of small holdings on his estates in Cheshire. This is really the best commentary on Mr Chamber- lain's speeches. It is hardly worth while arguing whether or no Mr Chamberlain's proposals can be justified by a reference to Mill's Folitical Economy. If they can, so much the better for the President of the Board of Trade; if they can't, what then ? Mr Mill's authority is not the final Court of Appeal in matters of practical politics.

THE SESSION OF PARLIAMENT which is about to open—the last of the present Parliament- promises to be a Session of unusual interest. But amid all the excitement of the Soudan campaign and the Egyptian question and the settlement of the details of the Redistribution Bill, there is one little Bill of special interest to Wales which Welshmen and Welsh members must not lose sight of. It is the Intermediate Education Bill. It is well known that the Government has the Bill ready, and that the only thing needed is an opportunity of passing it through Parliament. This opportunity can undoubtedly be found during the coming Session if Welsh members only shew them- selves thoroughly in earnest about the matter. Why should a simple measure of this kind, the necessity for which all are agreed upon, and the details of which are settled, be delayed for so long a time ? It is of vital importance to the best interest of Wales that she should at once have a good system of Intermediate Education. The e ducational in- terests of Wales have been shamefully neglected in the past. Until recently nothing whatever was done by the Government. Facilities for higher education have now been provided, but these facilities cannot fully be made use of until a system of Intermediate Education has also been provided. All who are interested iu the educational welfare of Wales, especially the parents who are concerned for their children, have been eagerly looking fur this for years, and yet nothing has been ZD done. It is not too much to say that an opportunity must be found next Session for passing this small but important measure. Welshmen are proverbially patient in matters of national interest, but the patience will be exhausted, as they see the years roll by and nothing done, although much is continually being promised. It will certainly not add to the popularity of the present G, vernment in the Principality or to the sec irity of the seats of Welsh members if a General Election comes on, with the Welsh Intermediate Education Bill still looming in the future instead of being, as it ought to have been long ago, in actual operation.

IT CANNOT BE TOO OFTEN OR TOO URGENTLY pressed upon manufacturers, agriculturists, and traders generally, that it behoves them to exercise the strictest vigilance over the pro- posals of the principal railway companies of the United Kingdom, which will be submitted to Parliament in the coming session. To put it as shortly and broadly as possible, the question is whether the railway companies are to be per- mitted by agreement among themselves to de- prive the trading community generally of the benefits of competition. This is what they are endeavouring to do, and, unless the public look to it, they may find their interests seriously in- jured before they are aware of the fact. Six or seven of the great companies have presented Bills to Parliament in almost identical terms to empower them, among other things, to raise their rates, and to make such terminal charges as they may think fit. It needs no argument to show that the interests of the public demand that both these proposals should be strenuously and promptly opposed. The proposal to in- crease the rates now charged for the carriage of goods is altogether indefensible. Manufacture, agriculture, and trade generally are all suffering from severe depression, while all the great railway lines are paying hand- some dividends on the amount of their invested I capital. At a time when money is so cheap that investments on mortgage will only yield from 3 to 4 per cent., the dividends of 5, 6, and 7 per cent. paid by the principal railways afford no justification whatever for an increase of rates. The question as to terminal charges is a complicated one, and now that the ice has been broken by the Companies, it is to be hoped that a settlement will be arrived at, though on very different lines from those which they pro- pose. There will be no difficulty in defeating the Railway Companies on these points if only the trading public will manifest an interest in the question. But we want something more than this. The Companies have come forward with an indefensible demand for increased rates. This, without doubt, will be refused, and if the public are wise they, in their turn, will demand from Parliament an absolute pro- hibition, operative on all railway companies, against differential charges in favour of foreign imports as against similar goods of home produc- tion. For years past the railway companies who carry on the traffic from our various ports to London or other large inland towns, have been charging considerably less for foreign imported goods than they do for those of home produc- tion over the same or even less distance. Thus the charge for carrying a ton of Cheshire cheese from Chester to London is 42s 6d, while a ton of American cheese is carried by the same Rail- way Company from Liverpool to London for 25s, idchuHng the freight from America. We merely give this one example to make our meaning clear. It is only one case out of a hundred others equally glaring and eoually unjust. It is no use mincing matters about a question of this sort—our British Railway Companies are doing their utmost by unjust favoritism to assist foreign farmers and manu- facturers to undersell British'farmers and manu- facturers. Corn from America is carried from Liverpool to London at a much lower cost than English-grown corn hardware and glass can be sent from Belgium to London for a less charge than from the Midland counties French dairy produce of all kinds costs less to send from France to London, via. Folkestone than English dairy produce from Folkestone to London only. It costs 33s to send a ton of hops from Faversham to London, and only 20s a ton from Holland to London. We could fill a column with a mere enumeration of these instances of the patriotism of our rail- way companies. Suffice it to say that it is perfectly clear that +he interests of the trading community cannot be safely entrusted to their tender mercies. They are about to ask Parlia- ment for an increase of power to further handicap British industry in its raco atrninst. foreign competition. The answer ought to be —and we hope will be—not only a decided negative, but, in addition to that, a short Act of Parliament making it illegal fur any railway company to have two different rates for the carriage of any one class of goods between one place and another and further enacting that the charge for carriage between any one station and any other be the maximum charge per- mitted by law between int6rmediate stations on the same line. ♦

JOTTINGS FROM LONDON. I After a period of almost entire inactivity, the Welsh world in London has had a sudden accession of energy. For a week or two we had no meetings of any impor- tance, and then we had three on one night, and one each on the two following days. I suppose we shall have & long rest to xnsJke up for this feverishness, until steangth is renewed for another outbreak. Apart from the inconvenience of the thing, these clasliings shew only too plainly the want of greater unity among Welshmen living in London. They ought to have better touch of each other than to play games of this natuie. However, the inillenium is doubtless on its way, tsd meanwhile we must possess our souls in patience. The first meeting-first because of its greater im- portance asd wider interestE-was that held at the rooms of the Society of Fine Arts in Conduit-street. On entering the Hall, which will seat some 300 people, I found it coaipletely filled, every seat was occupied, and many wore glad to secure standing room. As carriage after c&rriage drove up, thê officials were fcsird EUt to it to fcnd room for the stream of arrivals. Eventually, by utilising some retiring rooms which communicated with the Hall, all the visitors were accGtnmodated. The attraction which had draws eucia an assemblage en a raw wet January night was j a lecture on Welsh Music delivered by Mr Brinley T"lI" rucEaras, and illustrated vocally by students of the Royal Academy of Music, among them being- Miss Price, Gf Dowlais, and Mr Lucas Williams, Finally, I but not by any means of least importmce, the chair was to be taken by Sir George Macfarren. The chairman having briefly introduced the lec- turer, Air Brinley Richards proceeded to de- liver his very interesting address upon Welsh music. This lecture has been delivered before so far as a great deal of the information about the old Welch airs is concerned, so that I need not take up epace in recapitulating it. On one pcint, however, Mr Brinley Richards gave us some new information. Dealing with the statements of Welsh writers that the music of Wales had been derived from Ireland, tli,it there was in existence a system of notation among the Welsh in the 11th century, and that this notation was finally settled at a Congress of Bards, held at the Court of Gi uffydd ap Cynan, Mr Richards said that the whole story was mythical. Welsh his- torians had repeated it and insisted upon it so long that English writers and musicians, like Sir Gore Ouseley and Sir George ilacfarren, had been led astray, and had written articles that were quite in- correct. Mr Richards here quoted some passages from an article by Sir George Macfarren, and then proceeded to say that for fifteen years he had been working to find out the truth upen these matters. He was anxious that the history of Wales should rest on fact and not on fiction. For daring to doubt some of these old fables of Welsh writers his patrio- tism had been questioned bv a section of prejudiced persons, but he cared not for that, as he could appeal with confidence to the evidence of his whole career and also to the bulk of his fellow countrymen. As the result of his research lie found that the statements of the writers he had referred to were all based upon a passage in the Chronicle of Caradoc. of Llancarvan, a Monk, who wrote in the 11th century. He was now in H nueif Jam 4-n. i.1 <1 i » T vj,^ au?Le va mn amnoruy or tne new o • D"avies. that the passage upon which these fables had been based was not to be found in the manuscript of Caradoc's Chronicle, and that it had been inter- pollated in the English translation issued by Drs. Powell and Wynne in thelOfh century. Consequently all the fabric of fiction fell to the ground at one blow. Mr Brinley Richards, on the other hand, saw no reason to doubt that the words and music of Llywarch Hen's Elegy on Oerain ah Ehrcn have come down to us from the Gth century, although it was hardly probable that it had come down in its original form. Mr Richards thought further that some of our Welsh melodies are older than the Norman Conquest. To a merely lay mind like mine, it appears odd that Mr Richards should see his way to admit all this and then scout the notion of our having had a notation in the 11th century. He may be quite right, and in all probability he is, but we cannot accept as sober argument that old statement about the sheepskins. Mr Richards thinks it wildly improbable that the story about Gruffydd ab Cynan's Congress can be true, because the historians say that the conclusions of the Assembly were written out upon parchment. Why, says Mr Richards, parch- ment was so expensive at that time that it is in- credible this Welsh Prince would have been able to use it. If Mr Richards is going to pose as an anti- quarian and as a critic of mediaeval manuscripts, he must really give ua stronger food than that. I can only suppose that these were the light weapons of his armoury brought out for the put poses of a popular lecture, and that he has blades of proof in store. He will in all probability need them, for duiing his lecture he attacked very strongly the ridiculous statements of a modern writer in the last edition of the Myvyrian Archaeology," whose absurdities greatly detracted from the value of that publication. It is not for me to mention the names of the gentleman to whom Mr Richards referred, but I happen to know that he has also spent time and labour in his researches into this question, and will doubtless have something to say in his own defence. During the evening the following Welsh airs were sung, viz., "David Lloyd's Farewell," "The Heavv Heart," and" Black Sir Harry." The melody of David Lloyd's Farewell has never been published, but was lent to Mr Richards by a member of an ancient family at Llanover." It was written in the time of Richard III., and is said to have been the favorite tune of Davydd ap Gwilym. At the conclusion of the lecture Sir George Macfarren very gracefully withdrew the statements which he had made some years ago, and accepted the correction made on Mr Brinley Richards' authority. He was sorry he could not expunge his printed words, but he cordially regretted having been misled into using them by the inaccuracy of the authorities whose writings he had consulted. At New Jewin Chapel, on the same evening, the Welsh Calvinistic Methodists of that place of worship held their annual meeting. The chair was taken by Mr George Williams, whose name is so well-known in connection with the foundation of the Young Men's Christian Association. Mr Williams gave his hearers a very good address, and the trustees a cheque for twenty-five pounds in reduction of the chapel debt. Addresses were given by various ministers, and songs were rendered by several Welsh artistes. The Rev. Dr. Saunders was among the speakers, and delivered a scathing rebuke in Welsh to the young Welshmen of London, whom he chose to regard as greatly given to dou'.tings and unbelief. The reverend doctor no doubt meant well, but he really ought to have known better than to have flung gibes and jeers at young men because they after a year or two's reading ventured to differ ;n their views from men who had spent years in studying the questions at issue." Surely this is very poor logic, and language very unworthy of a Doctor of Divinity. Have all the discoveries in the world of science been made by old men who have studied the subject for years ? Was Martin Luther utterly and hopelessly wrong when, after a few years reading, he differed entirely from the Popes and Cardinals, the Nuncios and Monks who had spent their lives in studying the dogmas he so boldly refused to accept ? As a matter of fact, a great deal too much fu-s is being made over the supposed nationalistic tendency of the young men in Welsh chapels in London. Preacher after preacher is brought up to lecture them, as if they were all going into the Gulfs of Doubt, like the swine of the Gadarenes. The truth is that here and there may be found young men who are wide readers, and who like to think for themselves, and who like to discuss intelligently and openly the doubts raised in their minds by the writings of Darwin and Herbert Spencer. If these doubts are to be dissipated Dr. Saunders may depend upon it that gibes and ill- natured remarks are not the best weapons for ti-e purpose. Before sneering at the young, reverend divines may remember that at one period of their lives even they were not very old, and it is by no means certain whether their best work was not done then. The third meeting was the leunion or social gathering of the members of the Cymmrodorion Society, which was held in the Library, Chancery- lane. The meeting was intended to be informal, and to be devoid of ceremony, and this intention was observed by all those present. Ahout forty ladies and gentlemen assembled, and a very enjoyable evening was spent. Conversation and the discussion of books and engravings, and the works of art bequeathed by Joseph Edwards to the Society were the order of the evening. At the request of Mr Stephen Evans, the Rev. John Davies, M.A., who is the originator of the idea of these gatherings, explained the purpose they were designed to promote. There can be no doubt but that they will supply a need long felt among Welsh- men in London, and that they will add to the reputa- tion and success of the Cymmrodorion Society. Among those who were present at last Thursday's gathering were Mr Stephen Evans, chairman of the Council, Dr. Isambard Owen, M.A., the Rev. John Davies, M.A., Mr Howel W. Lloyd, M.A., Mr Marchant Williams, Mr Jeremy, the Rev. R. L. Thomas, Dr. Geo. Hoggan, Mrs Hoggan, M.D., and Mr John Thomas (Pencerdd Gwalia). The following night, at the Cannon-street Hotel, the first meeting was held of the newly-started Cambro Briton Society. A paper had been announced by Mr William Jones, of Holloway, on Wales in the Fourteenth Century," but unfortunately illness prevented Mr Jones from being present. An im- promptu discussion occupied the evening, which was very pleasantlv spent. Mr Marchant Williams read a paper before the Literary Society of the Fetter-lane Welsh Congrega- tionalist Chapel upon "Reading." An interesting and in some respects amusing discussion followed. I am told that some of the suggestions thrown out by one or two who took part in the discussion were ex- cruciatingly comic.

POPCLAU LECTDP.ES.—On Monday evening next, at eight o'clock, in the Borough Magistrates Court, the third of the series of popular lectures, by Professor Macallum, M.A., will be delivered. The subject will be "Thackeray," and the Chairman on the occasion, Mr Edward Williams, M. D., J. P. POST OFFICE DINNER.—On Tuesday evening the employes of the Wrexham Post Office had their annual dinner at Mr Venn's dining rooms in the Overton Arcade. Mr Tho!nas Griffiths, chief clerk, presided, and the usual loyal and patriotic toasts were duly honored. Mr Venn's catering gave the greatest satisfaction. UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, BANCOR.—Two students of the College entered for the London Matriculation Examination in January, and both have been placed in the hrst class. The successful candidates Mr Isaac E. OWlD (19) and Mr T. Lewis (1C) entered at the College in October and January, respectively. On Monday an important meeting of the friends and supporters of the college was held at Liverpool uuder the presidency of the Mayor, Mr D. Radcliffe, at which an account was given of the work done since the opening of the institution in October. The speakers included the President of the College, the Earl of Powis, Sir R. Cuniiffe, M.P., Mr John Roberts, M.P., and the Prine pal, Mr Keichel, M.A. SOCIAL EVENINGS.—On Monday night one of those interesting and popular concerts known as Social Evenings was held in the Chester-street Congregational Schools, where a very large audience assembled. The St. Giles' Handbell Ringers gave several selections upon their new bells in excellent style and were encored. The ladies and gentle- man who took part were Mrs Palmer, Misses Littleboy, E. Lloyd, .Amy Scott, Messrs W. Hughes, H. Olley, Grenville Jones, J. Stanford, .0 a-id Seymour Jones. Mr Olley presided. WE-LEYAN HOME MISSIONS.—On Sunday two excellent sermons in connection with these mis- sions were preached at Brynyffynnon Chapel by the Rev. E. Lloyd Jones, of Rhyl, collections being made on behalf of the mission funds.—On Monday evening the annual Home Missionary meeting was! held under the presidency of Mr W. H. Tilston, when able addresses were delivered by the Rev. E. Lloyd Jones, Rev. J. A. Beet, and the Rev. Percy; Watson, a vote of thanks being accorded Mr Lloyd Jones, who promised to visit Wrexham and preach 'I again at Easter. WREXHAM MUSICAL FESTIVAL.—THE EVKXIKC CONCERT.—In order to secure tickets for this concert other than those for the reserved seats, it is desirable that tickets for the front seats and balcony-for which a great demand is anticipated —should be obtained without delay. A first-class prcgramtne has been prepared and will be rendered by the following <ir(i-?' whose names alone form a sufficient guarantee of excellence :—Madame Georgina Burns (soprano), Miss Jessie Brealienridge (contralto), Mr George H. Welch (tenor), Mr Leslie Crotty (b&ritone), Mr Frank Weston (violoncello), and the Liverpool Hope Hall Quartett Gf male roices, the musical director being Mr Josef Cantor, I already a favorite with the Wrexbam n?i;?;cal public. i WREXHAM PENNY BANK.—Monday evening, February 9th. 18S5, amount received, £9 S3 4d amount repaid, JE7 10s lOd; number of transactions, 223. CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY.—A meeting in connection with the Church Missionary Society was held at the new Parochial Schools on Thursday evening under the presidency of Dr. Ed. Williams (in the absence of the Vicar), and interesting addresses were delivered by the Rev. Stanley Pelly, deputation, and the Rev. G. J. Birch. During the evening a number of excellent dissolving views were exhibited by Mr Howell, of Chester- street. A PROMISING CAREER.—Mr W. J. Ashley, B.A., of Balliol College, Oxford, was on Saturday elected to a Tutorial Fellowship at Lincoln College. Mr Ashley was educated at St. Olave's Grammar School, Southwark. In May, 1S7S, he gained the Marshall Exhibition of JE50 for four years, in June he received his School Exhibition of jESO for four years, and in October of the same year he gained the Brackenbury Modern History and Law Scholarship at Balliol College in 1S79 he took the Shakespeare Prize, open to members of that college in 1SS1 he obtained a first class in the Honor School of Modern History and in I SS2 got the Lothian (University) Prize for an essay, which upen the recommendation of the present Bishop of Chester has since been published by Macmillans. Mr Ashley is well known to many in Wrexham, having spent much of his early lile in the town, and is grandson of Mr Thomas Ashley, Lambpit- stnet. THE FAIR.—At the fair on Thursday the Smith- field was well supplied with fat and store stock, which met with a tolerably good demand. The attendance of dealers was about the average, but the general cry was bad trade! Notwithstand- ing this, however, good heifers and bullocks were eagerly sought after and made fair prices, at about last fair's quotations. There seemed to be a lot of "up and down" cattle which wanted finishing, and the greater part were bought in and taken home, and will probably put in a better appearance a few weeks hence. Sheep, of which the supply was fully equal to the demand, met with a fair trade, prices ranging from Sd to 9d per lb. Pigs met with a much better trade than last fair and calves were well represented, a moderately good trade being transacted in accordance with the prices of other stock. The horse market was moderately supplied, good cart horses for town work being enquired after and liberal price, offered and taken. Good cob and carriage horses were asked for. and as spring tid.e approaches they appear to be in better demand and their prices seem to be hardening. WREXHAM YOUNG MEN'SCHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION. On Tuesday, a very interesting and instructive lecture was given in Hill-street Schoolroom, by Mr Simon Jones, past President of the Young Men's Christian Association. The chair was taken by Mr W. J. Russell, B.A.. the President for the current year. After a few remarks by the Chairman, he called upon Mr Jones to give his lecture, entitled, What I saw of the land. the people, and some of the cities of America." The lecturer, in a series of word pictures, some of which were exceptionally good, gave his impressions of the land, the people, and some of the cities of the Oniteci States and Canada, during a tour of three months in the summer of 1883, and, in the course of his lecture, imparted a great deal of valuable information as to the purchase and cultivation of the land, its products, mineral wealth, and the commerce and manufactures. The main natural features of the country traversed, and of the cities visited, with the streets, public buildings, churches, schools, and universities, with their internal and external appearance, were referred to, and received the earnest attention of an appreciative audience, who frequently applauded the lecturer. On the motion of Mr Charles Hughes, J. P., seconded by the Rev. G. J. Birch, M.A., a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr Jones for his admirable lecture, and to the Chairman for presiding. We understand that the next lecture of the series will be given by Mr T. B. Acton, in the Young Men's Christian Association Room. INQUEST AT THE INFIRMARY.—On Monday morning an inquest was held at the Infirmary, before the Coroner, Mr B. H. Thelwall, and a jury, of whom Mr Abel Lees was the foreman, on the body of Henry Beale, seven years of age, sön of John Beale. a compositor, living at No. 9, Holt- street Buildings. It appears the deceased child was admitted to the Infirmary on the previous Monday, suffering from severe burns, from the eSects of which it subsequently died. The mother, Charlette Beale, stated that on the morning of the 2nd inst. she went out to take some work home, leaving the deceased with his little sister, five years old, in bed together. The boy had been ill for some time under the care of Dr. Evans, Regent- street, and on the mother's return she found the child had been burnt and !t was sent to the Infirmary the same day.—Mary Jane Edisbury, a neighbour, said at the request of Mrs Beale, she sent her little girl to mind the baby, when she almost immediately came running back, saying that the children were screaming upstairs. Witness ran in the house and found the little boy with his shirt on lire, and from what the child told her he seemed to have been putting the fire-shovel up the chimney, when the soot falling set fire to his shirt. Mrs Beale was a very good mother and took every care of her children. A fire had to be kept in the room as the children had been suffering from bronchitis, and the doctor had ordered them to be kept warm. She (witness) did not think there was any blame whatever to be attached to the mother.—The house surgeon, Mr Alexander Johnston, described the injuries of the deceased, who he said had suffered from burns extending over the whole of the body, with the exception of the upper part of the face and part of the legs. The child died on the 7th February from tetanus, or lock-jaw, produced by burns.—The jury at once returned a verdict of Accidental death. PARLIAMENTARY DEBATING SOCIETY. — Last week's meeting of this Society was occupied in dis- cussing the policy of Her Majesty's Government in regard to the Soudan. The alarming news that had been received from Lord Wolseley gave rise to this, and it was evident from the conferences of the leading members of both sides, which were held just before the speaker took the chair, that an exciting debate would take place. The immediate cause was a question put by Dr. Eyton-Jones (St. Andrew's District) as to the cost of the operations in the Soudan and the policy acted upon. Mr W. R. Evans (Denbighshire), in replying, said that it was impossible to state the probable cost of the expedition, as all depended upon the time taken and eventualities He hoped, however, that the sum of £ -3,000,000 voted by the House early in the Session would be found amply sufficient. As to the policy of which the expedition and its operations were the outcome, he said it had been stated to the house over and over again. It wa", negatively, not to hold to the Soudan for them- selves or for Egypt. Affirmatively, to rescue General Gordon and to arrange for a strong and peaceful government by the Soudanese themselves. Mr Evans further stated that preparations were being made to supply reinforcements in case they were needed, but the Government would not lend itself to any policy of revenge.—The standing orders having been suspended, Dr. Eyton-Jones moved the adjournment of the House, and com- menced the debate. The following members spoke in support of Her Majesty's Government—Messrs. G. Bradley (premier), H. R. Olley (North Nor- folk), Dr. J. H. Williams (Edinburgh University), J. E. Powell (Brecknockshire), Simon Jones (Maldon), and W. R. Evans (Denbighshire), and the following against—Messrs. W. H. Bott (Walsall), J. A. Chadwick (South West Lancashire), 1. S. Conran (Dublin University), J. O. Bury (Malmes- bury), and Leonard Rowland (Rutlandshire.) The motion was ultimately withdrawn. The other questions of which notice had been given having been put and answered, the House adjourned. WREXHAM BOARD OF GPAEDIAKS. —At the meeting of the Board on Thursday there were present—Captain Griffith-Boscawen, chairman Mr S. T. Baugh and Mr A. W. Edwards, vice- chairmen Sir Robert Egerton Messrs A. Peel, J. H. Ffoulkes, E. Swetenham, T. Chilton, F. Vaughan- Williams, J. Burton, J. Beale, E. Row- land, J. Rogers, J. Gittins, D. Pryde, C. Godfrey, C. Rocke, J. D. Beard, J. Bithell, J. W. Evans, F. Biggins, &c. Mr J. Oswell Bury, clerk.—Mr E. Davies, inspector of nuisances, reported in reference to the case of overcrowding at the house of Thomas Jones (Shone) in the Rhos that he had examined the house which was one storey high and contained a chamber and kitchen. The kitchen was 10 feet by 9 feet and was badly ventilated, the chamber being 10 feet by 7 feet by 9 feet high. This room was unfit to bleep in being too damp. The bed was a small flock one, with one quilt, and at night it was drawn up to the fire and slept on by the father, two sons, and a daughter. He had sent notices to both owner and occupier respecting the matter.—The Chairman said it i.. 1_ i 1 ■» seemeu to mm to oe a oaa case ot overcrowding and the house itself appeared to be in a very bad condition.—Mr Davies' report was then referred to the Sanitary Authority.—The Visiting Committee reported with reference to the Girls'Friendly Society and the application of Lady Frances Lloyd that in their opinion the lady associates of the Society should be allowed the privilege of visiting the girls in the house, but that such visits should not take the place of the official visits. The Chairman said he believed this was an excellent Society, and the Board would no doubt give every facility to the visitors of the Society, at the same time he did not think such visits ought to supersede the official visit required by the Local Government Board, but should rather be supplementary to it. He believed the Society was doing a great deal of good. The Committee's report was then adopted.—The Visiting Committee reported that the snlt butter supplied by the Contractor was adulterated, and recommended that a sample of the same be analysed, which was agreed to, on the motion of Mi Baugh, seconded by Mr Rocke.—The Master's books showed the numbers in the house to be 332, against 3.j6 last year, and 321 last week vagrants relieved thirty-eight (including seventeen under the Berkshire system) in segooig--boys, thirty- nine, girls, forty receiving industrial training— boys, thirteen, girls, eight. THE OLUNTEERS.—The Martini-Henri Rifles have this week teen received for A and B Com- panies of the 1st Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers. THE RIGHT Hoy. G. J. GOSCHEN, M.P., was entertained at dinner at Liverpool Reform Club on Wednesday evening. There were upwards of 200 gentlemen present, including Sir R. A. Cuniiffe, Bart., M.P., Mr J, Roberts, M P., and Mr W. Rathbone, M.P. THE WILL of Roger Assheton Rasbotham. for- merly of Glan Alyn, Gresford. but late of Ebnal, Malpas, was proved over £ G9,000 by George Lyon and the Rev. W. Towushend, the executors. The testator gives the income of his real and personal estates to his widow for widowhood, and upon her death or marriage he devises his real estate to his elder son absolutely, and bequeaths the personal estate to his younger son and his daughter in equal shares, subject to the payment of an annuitv to the widow if she should marry again. THE GREAT JO:çES' CHRISTY MINSTRELS.—The troupe of Christy minstrels connected with the Wre-,cliam Hare and Hounds Club, but better Known as the great Jones Family, gave a very suc- cessful entertainment last Tuesday at B Ua in aid of the National Schools in that place, with a very I satisfactory financial result. Our readers will have an opportunity of hearing this distinguished ,alaxy of talent on Tuesday, when they perform in the Public Hall. GRAND COMIC OPERA COMPANY IN WREXHAM.— On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday next Wrex- ham is promised one of the greatest treats which it has had for a very long time. 0.1 those days the comic operas of "Lua Cloches de Cornev Ile," "Three Black Cloaks, or Les Mmteaux Noir/ and "La Fille de Madame Angot," will be per- formed by Mr Nugent's powerful company, con- s-sting of twenty-eight first-class artistes. The first and the last of these operas are well known in this ilocality, and their merits are such as to need no praise. The" Three Black Cloaks," or "Les Manteaux Noirs," is a strikingly successful opera by Bucalossi, something af:er the style of Pink Dominoes." The music is excellent in this as in the other operas, and we feel sure this company will meet with a first-class reception. SfAXSTY SCHOOL BOARD.—YesttrJay (Friday) week a meeting of this Board was held, when there were present Mr Lash in the chair. Rev. Mr Owen, Mr Hughes, and Mr Hoiton Mr JUG. Jones, clerk. —The Clerk reported that Mr J. P. Shelby having declined to come for a month on trial as assistant master, he (the Clerk) had, with the authority of the Chairman and Vice-chairman, offered Mr Shelby the appointment unqualified by the month's probation but otherwise subject to the terms of the advertisement, and that Mr Shelby had accented the appointment, and had commenced his duties on the 2Gth ult. It was resolved that the Board approve the appointment.—The Attendance Officer having reported a number of persons as being un- able to pay the school fees, it was resolved that the Clerk write to the Board of Guardians asking them to enjoin upon the relieving officer for the district an obligation to fix a time within the township of Stansty to receive the applications of necessitous persons.—Mr Lash was appointed visitor for the month, and the signing of several cheques in pay- ment of accounts concluded the business.

WELSH FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION. I Un Inursday evening, a general meeting of this association was held at the Wynnstay Arms Hotel, under the presidency of Mr Gough, Oswestry, for the purpose of making certain alterations in the Association Rules. There was a good attendance of members and the meeting adopted the suggested alterations, the most important being that affecting the holding of the committee meetings, which will in future be held alternately at Wrexham, Chester, and Oswestry, instead of Wrexham and Ruabon as heretofore, thus affording the whole of the districts a better opportunity of attending. The altered rules will come in force at the com- mencement of the ensuing season. A committee meeting of the Association was subsequently held, Mr Gough presiding, and the representatives present including Messrs J. Taylor, Wrexham Olympic; Tagg, Crown, Tandy, Crewe; Williams, Trefonen Roberts, Bangor Morrison. Druids Berkley, Davenham Blew, Rhostyllen Lloyd, Newtown with the Secretary, Mr A. H. Hunter. The first business was fixing the date and ground for the final tie and it was resolved that it be played at Wrexham on March 7th Messrs Sloan, Liverpool, and Pugh, Pool Quay, umpires Mr Manners, Liverpool, referee. The following were appointed a sub-committee to select the international teams :-)lessrs Tandy, Crewe, Gough, Oswestry Morrison, Druids Roberts, Bangor and Taylor, Wrexham. A

LECTURE ON TAXATION. On Monday night the Liberal Association Rooms were crowded to hear a lecture on the right and wrong principles of taxation by Mr J. HamDden Jackson, of Liverpool, editor ofthe Financial Re. form Almanack." The chair was taken by Sir R. A. Cunliffe, Bart., M.P., who spoke strongly in favor of the principles of direct taxation and of the financial reforms introduced by the Liberal Govern- ment, more especially during Mr Gladstone's career. Mr J. Hampden Jackson said that it afforded him great pleasure to meet so many who were willing to hear the views of the Financial Reform Association upon those great economic questions with which it was his function to deal. Possibly he might meet their views best that evening by dealing only with the very simplest- facts and aspects of the subject before them. It was a great subject, and intimately affected the happiness and comfort of all the people of these realms. The best indications of what were right and wrong principles in taxation might be found by considering for awhile the financial reforms of the last fifty years. Under the wise and states- manlike guidance of Peel and Gladstone they had seen a whole network of fiscal abuses removed from the tariff since popular power first made itself felt after the Parliamentary reforms of 1832. To men ¡ like these they would still have to look for a con- tinuance and completion of the great work. In the flush of delight at Peel's great budget of 1846, Cobden opened all his heart to the minister that had so long harboured towards him a cold and un- just suspicion, and sitting down to write his con- gratulations, the great reformer told the Conser- vative Premier that free trade principles were eternal truths, applicable to all articles as well as to corn, and they must be carried out in the case of every item upon our tariff." Gentlemen (said Mr Jackson), that was Mr Cobden's programme, and that is ours. (Applause.) Great advances have been made towards its accomplishment, but we are far from the end, and the platform I have to place before you Liberals of Wrexham to-night is that of perfect freedom of trade, and the entire substitu- tion of direct for indirect taxation. (Applause.) The lecturer then sketched the history of fiscal reform since 1839, when the institution of the penny post gave so great facilities to mercantile and social improvement. After reference to the Corn Tax and the 1200 articles paying customs duty in 1S45, he alluded to the Navigation Laws, abolished in 1S19, and the Window Tax, super- ceded by the House Duty in 1S31. Just think of that Window Tax-a tax upon light and air-a tax upon which there had been gradually framed an entire code of l.w, with more than 1200 separate decisions, one of the first of which was that a window was a place, no matter where, that let in the wind-)h !—(laughter)—and one of the last of which was the case or an unfortunate man that had ventilated an absolutely dark cellar by taking out a few bricks. Finding that he became thereby liable to duty, he covered the hole with a zinc re d the hole with a zinc plate and bored four tiny appertures in the plate. Down came the law upon him for four times the tax—(laughter)—and appeal to the Courts re- sulted in the sapient decision that a zinc plate covering a brick hole was four windows. (Loud laughter.) Then in 1851 and 1855, under Mr Gladstone, we abolished the taxes on news- papers, on advertisements, and on paper. Could they realise the beneSe?nee of th?se reforms ? He (Mr Jackson), at a great demonstration at Tyldesley last autumn, saw a working-man pull two pieces of paper out of his coat pockets, and opening one—a small, disaolored- looking rag-before the crowd, the man held it out at arm's length and said, Look here that was a Tory sixpenn'orth "—(laughter)—then he took the other, which happened to be the Man<:he*t<-r Ec.it- illU New, and unfolding it, a broad, finely-printed sheet, cram full of telegrams and information from all parts of the world, this working-man triumph- antly waved it above his head, saying, "An l that's a Liberal hap'orth (Loud applause.) Oh, that paper duty. said Mr Jackson, how it stemmed the tide of knowledge and ruined such men as Charles Knight, who tried prematurely to cheapen work- ing-class literature. Kuight's fortunes were ruined and his heart broken, but he earned well the beautiful and simple epitaph from Douglas Jcrrold, Good Knight." (Applause.) The lecturer then showed the boon conferred by the abolition of the sugar duties and other indirect taxes, proceeding thereafter to examine what articles still remained in 18S5 upon the British tariff. Mr Goschen had recently told them that this was now Mr Glad- stone's system, but surely so profound a man as Mr Goschen must have greatly forgotten himself in using the expression. It seemed only the other year that Mr Gladstone eloquently told the world that so long as a single Custom House duty re- mained, it was only a question whether the shackles upon human industry should be heavier or lighter, for the shackles themselves remained. (Applause.) In those words we have the key-note to what would be Mr Gladstone's system could he have his way, and doubtless Mr Goschen would himself aDDrove the sentiment. But. continued Mr Jack- -rr-' -7 son, the statesman cannot act until the fit oppor- tunity presents itself. In 1874 the electors rejected Mr Gladstone and cast away his cords from them, and away with him passed the days of surplus budgets ana those successive wise remissions of taxation wherein our great leader so judiciously reduced the Income Tax and the Customs Duties pari Since that period the National expen- diture had grown by leaps and bounds, and the burdens of the taxpayer would find little relief until the abatement of the outlay upon war and I military preparations. (Hear, hear.) Still it was f possible even now by the substitution of the House Duty for the Breakfast-table Duties to greatly relieve the pressure of unequal and wasteful taxes upon the masses. How long were we to submit to a 6d per lb. tax upon tea, and to duties of 17 and 41A per cent. upon coffee and cocoa ? These things if rt moved to-morrow would save millions of money now wrested from the poor, but little of which reached the Exchequer. The lecturer then des- cribed the terrible waste of the Custom House system, the enormus per centagea levied upon the poorest buyers by the operation of the taxes on tea and tobacco; the destructive operation of Sir S. Northcote's additional 4d to the Tobacco Tax in 1S7S, and the grossly unequal rates of duty upon the drinks of the poor as compared with the wines of the weil-to-do classes. Exposing the economical errors involved in taxing luxuries, Mr Jackson gave interesting figures and facts with regard to the carriage industry and the manufacture of silver plate, and created some amusement by comparing the luxuries of one class with the luxuries of an- other, and pointedly exposing the fallacies uÍ; ordinary conversation upon taxes. It was to him a great pleasure to find how deep was their interest in what he (Mr Jackson) had to tell them, and that they had in the chair that night a member of Par- liament who was always prepared to support wise and just Financial Reforms. (Loud ap- plause.) Probably the most interesting part of Mr Jackson's lecture was the remarkable result that ho showed as following upon Sir Stafford's North- cote's addition of 4d per lb. on the tobacco duty. The tobacco trade had increased regularly for years at something like the rate of three per cent. per annum, the annual increase in the c?n?nmntion being uothin further than that naturally upon a corresponding increise in population. This increase was put an end to at once by the addition of the 4d by Sir Stafford Northcote, aud since then the previous constant increment ceased al- together. A stil! worse effect than even that consequent upon so small an addition was this: that previously some 2,000 additional licenses were taken out for the sale of tobacco but this 4d not only stopped all increase but actually led to a decrease in the number of licenses, amounting to very nearly if not quite a correspond- ing number, showing that while Sir Stafford North- ¡ cote had anticipated an increase of revenue from the extra 4d, as he might naturally do, this viola- tion of true principles of taxation had really re- sulted in a great loss to the revenue and in great hardship being inflicted upon the class most generally taking out licenses for the sale of tobacco.—At the close of the lecture, which lasted nearly two hours, a vote of thanks was proposed by Mr Chas. Hughes, and seconded by Mr George Bradley, to Mr Jackson for hig very interesting lecture, which was listened to throughout with the greatest attention. Subsequently a vote of thanks was accorded the Chairman on the motion of Mr J. M. Jones, an earnest hope being expressed that Mr Jackson would pay us another visit.

I BOROUGH MAGISTRATES' COURT. I MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9TH. I Before the Mayor (S. T. Baugh, Esq.), W. Over- ton, Esq., Jno. Jones, Esq., J. Beale, Esq., T. C. Jones, Esq., and E. M. Jones, Esq. WINDOW BREAKING. T- -lL rti i i ibdac rvouercs, ivuosciuu. was charged by John Beirne, hair dresser, 20, York-street, with break- ing two panes of glass in the window of his shop on the previous Saturday night. Complainant said the defendant came to the shop, and after making use of obscene language put his fist through one pane of glass and his foot through another, doing damage to the extent of about Ss.-P.C. Evans I said he received the prisoner into custody, and he I estimated the damage done at from 9s to 10=.— Roberts was then fined 2s lid and 4s 6<1 costs, and ordered to pay the damage, 8s, in all 15s. L'AIUE OF STEALING BOOTS.—MOTHER AND DAUGHTER. Emily Davies and her daughter, Jennie Humphreys, were charged with stealing a pair of boots villue 3-< lid, the property of Mr G. Oliver, bootmaker, Hope-street, on the previous Friday. James Jones, assistant to Mr Oliver, said on Friday afternoon he missed a pair of boots from the shop, No. 531, Hope-street, and on Saturday morn- ing the elder prisoner went to Mr Oliver's second shop at No. 47, Hope-street, to change a pair of boots for a larger size. There was a pri vate mark on all boots belonging to the prosecutor, by which it could be ascertained whether they had bt;en sold or not, and a young man from No. 47 shop came to witness at the other shop to kuow if he had missed a pair. He went to the shop at 47, but the person who had wanted to change the boots had just left, taking the boots with her. He then gave informa- tion to the police, and on going in search of the woman himself he saw her going down Yorke-street, and pointed her out to the police-oiffcer. The boots produced were the boots witness had missed. The prisoner had been a customer, and was in the shop on the Friday at the time the boots in question were being unpacked with a lot of others which had just come in from Leicester. The Mayor asked the witness to describe the private mark referred to, which he declined to do, Mr T. C. Jones remarking that it was scarcely fair to expect him to do so. Wm. Trigg, also an assistant in the employ of Mr Oliver, at No. 47, Hope-street, said the elder prisoner had brought the boots to him and wished to change them for a larger size. He told her they had not been bought at that shop, when she re- plied that another person had bought them and she therefore did not know at which shop they had been bought. Witness then to'd the woman to go to the other shop and change them, and she said she would. P.C. Worthington said he apprehended the prisoner in Yorke-street, and in reply to him she stated that her little girl had had the roots given her by her aunt. On going to the prisoner's house, No. 2, Mount Pleasant, the younger prisoner said she had taken the boots from the counter and that her mother was with her at the time. The mother was not present when the girl made this state- ment. He then locked them both up. In Mr Oliver's shop the girl denied that she had told her mother that her aunt had given her the boots. At this time the mother was present. In reply to the Magistrates' Clerk, the elder prisoner denied stealing the boots, but the girl admitted having taken them. At this juncture the mother called for water and appeared to swoon. Water was then supplied her and she revived. After consultation, the Mayor said with regard to the younger girl Jennie Humphreys, she would be discharged, and the Bench hoped this would be a warning to her. A man, who said he was the elder prisoner's husband and stepfather to the girl, here came for- ward and asked to be allowed to say a few words. He wanted the girl to be made an example of, as this was not the first time Interruption and signs of disapproval in Ciurt. The Mayor (addressing the elder prisoner, who appeared to lean heavily against the dock, and looked really ill) Emily Davies, the Court cannot help expressing their great regret that a mother should induce her child to do that which is wrong, and that you should throw the onus of stealing these boots upon the girl. The Court, therefore, are unanimously of opinion that you be imprisoned for two months without hard labor. TUESDAY.—Before T. C. Jones, Esq., and G. Bradley, Esq. A DEFENDANT FROM CALCUTTA. 9' '1'1. aa. Jonu ueiiin, a genuine black" individual, who said he came from Calcutta, was charged by P.C. Rowlands with begging and annoying different tradespeople. Complainant said on the previous day he received complaints from several persons that the defendant had come to their shops and de- manded assistance, being very insulting when refused, and he had been, amongst other places, at the shops of Mrs Phillips, grocer, Mr Lee, Mr David Jones, butcher, and witness saw him being turned away from another house. A son of Mr Lee, butcher, said the defendant came to tliesliop and asked for something, and when he was refused he made use of threatening language towards his (witness's) mother.—Defendant denied using any bad language at all.—The officer stated that he believed the defendant had only just come out of Ruthin Gaol, where he had been serving seven days for a similar offence, and he was then committed for another fourteen days, with hard labor. 0

WREXHAM FREE LIBRARY. "A LIBRARY WITHOUT BOOKS.MR PRICHARD S MOTION. A meeting of the Free Library Committee was held on Tuesday afternoon in the Guildhall, when there were present Mr Chas. Hughes in the chair Mr J. Prichard, Mr J. Beale, Mr Simon Jones, Rev. H. J. Haffer, Mr W. Pierce, and Mr Howel Davies Mr Ashton Lradley, clerk Mr Gough, librarian. The principal business before the committee was to hear and consider a motion of which Mr J. Prichard had given notice at the last meeting Mr Prichard said at the last meeting he (rave: 0 notice of motion, and the resolution lie had to pro- pose was, That a memorial from this committee be presented to the trustees of the Workingmen's Hall, requesting that the interest of the fund now in their hands be applied to the purchase of books for the rexnam Free Library." Ever since they had been a committee they had had their eyes resting very fondly upon this fund-(Iaughter)- and he hopJd their appeal to the trustees would meet with success. (Hear, hear.) The Working- men's Hall was established in the year 1S70, but for some reason or other it had not met with the success its promoters had anticipated for it, and after a lingering life it ceased to exist in 1S7S. The building, approaches, structural alterations, and so forth, cost 41,250, and it was eventually sold for £ 1,050, and he believed at the present moment there lay in the hands of the trustees a sum of £900. The original trustees numbered twelve, viz., Sir Watkin, Sir Robert Cunliffe, Mr Yorke, Mr Edmund Peel, Dr. Griffith, Dr. Ed. Williams, Mr Thos. Rowland, Mr Darby, Mr Low, Mr Chas. f Hughes, Mr J. M. Jones, and Mr Pryce Joues. Three of those were dead some had left t? he eigbonrhood. others, again, had taken Pr*c^lcal interest in the matter at aH, and now mth? ey |had reaHy to deal with Sir Robert CunJi?e, Mr caries Hughes, Dr. Williams, aud Mr J. ? ,.Jones. ? he list of subscribers to the institution %el*y liberal one, and comprised the usual fcillitve.sionr,s into which they were divided as an '?nghsh community, embracing all shades oi RP'?a9' cees. ad sects, politico and otherwise, Radtc.ds Tor?a, &c., and all had contributed very generously, several members of that committee having given very handsome sums. (Hear hear) He might say that some very large subscribers to the fund very heartily concurred in the terms of his resolution, and he had no doubt that circum- stance would have some inlluenee with the trustees when they were appealed to. The Free Library, as they were aware, was established under the provisions of the Free Libraries Act in IS70, and he was glad to bear testimony to the enlightened spirit which induced the Wrex ham people to ad .opt the provisions of that Act without any tlppositi (Applause.) Taking into consideration the opp.>bi- tion which the Act had met with in many other places, and the fact that Wrexham had adopted it practically without any opposition at all, ho thought it said a great deal for the public spirit and enlightened views of their fell-w townsmen. (Hear, hear.) They were aware that by the pro- visions of this Act, they were limited to a pcn::y in the pound on the rateable value of the b >rour;ii property. That was the statutory limit, but hs believed by the recent Act they could now go up to twopence. He should, however, bj surry to go to that extei.: in the interests of the ratepayers, and he thought they should ;.11 find it difficult to get the 2d in the pound, as tho rates were already very high. (Mr Beale Hear, hear.) He knew his friend Mr lie ale was alwr.ys for keeping down the rates. Well this Id in pound would produce from .£170 to I >0 a year, which he believed enabled them just to pay their way, leaving no margin whatever for the purchase of booiis, so that practically they were not doing the work they should like to do. as a library with- out books was—well—rather odd and unusual (Laughter.) Of course they were aware that n, v and again they had a windfall in th shape of a. presentation of old books, which, although ::0 doubt of great value in the eyes of the donors, did not, at the same time, help them to form a library. (Mr Haffer Nothing but leaves Laughter.) Although they had been laboring tor a l-.n time :1- dera disad vantage, he was very happy to "ay that the library, on the whole, had been very succesfuil (Applause.) The attendance had been on the in- crease from year to year, and from some figures supplied him by Mr Gough, the librarian, it ao- teared that la t week the average daily attendance was about oil. He could bear his own testimony that in the evening when he visited the iiorary he usually found seventy, eighty, or ninety persons there about nine o'clock, and the great majority of these were purely of the working menclais. (Hear, hear.) Therefore, they were doing, he thought, exactly the work which the Working Men's Hall was intended to do. With regard to this sum of £900, the interest on it at four per cent. would represent about £3(j per an. num. It might be said that amount would not help them much to buy new books, or to form a library, but it would help them very materially it would give them a fair start, and would be, in fact, most valuable. He would not detain them longer, but he though.: it was im- possible for anyone to measure the influence for good of an institution like the Free Library. (Applause.) It helped altogether to raise the moral character of the people of the town, and he could not conceive of any institution that could possibly do the work which the promoters of the Working Men's Hall originally had in view better than the Free Library would be able to when the Committee got possession of this fund, and ha therefore hoped their appeal to the trustees would meet with a favorable response. (Renewed a p- plause. ) Mr He: seconded the resolution, and said hw hopei. th ■ mtmey would be available for the pur- pose r tuired. The Chairman said the sum deposited in "he names of the trustees was, he thought, about £3-;0, and the arrears of interest would make it about £U20. The impression or idea in the minds of those who placed this money in the hands of the trustees was that it should remain till it accumu- lated to £1,000, and that the trustees should then be asked to agree to the appropriation of a certaia sum annually to the Free Library. It was rather a difficult matter to get an investment suitable for trustees, free of any persoual responsibility, to reach four per cent. Mr Prichard had not said where that investment within the reach ef trustees at four per cent. could be obtained. He was sure the trustees would like very much to have this thing put in such a way that it would be self-acting to meet any annual sum that might be added to it to purchase books. If the interest accruiug now annually was £ oo .If £40, more or less, it would only give them some 250 books, and it was his impression that anything less than a thousand volumes to start with would be like riding the same horse all the while, and would not be a sufficient inducement to people to come and take a book home with them. That was one element against starting with an insufficient number of books, and he thought it would be better to wait till this money reached £1,000, which would be a fixed sum to deal with. He should be gladtoeall a meeting of the trustees, and to lay Mr Prichard's resolution before them. (Hear, hear. ) The Rev. H. J. Haffer Wouldn't it get more rapidly to the £1.000 if it were invested in consols than it would in the bank ? The Chairman In some cases we are getting tho same interest in the bank as we should receive in consols. Mr Haffer Well, at present we are going on with a misnomer. We call ii; a Free Library," but it is really only a free reading room. The Chairman I think in another year after this the amount would be increased to £1,000. Mr Prichard We have been going on for a number of years really without a library at all, and I think it most desirable that this sort of thing should be brought to an end, and I trust the com- mittee generally will join with me in the hope that the trustees will grant the prayer of our re- quest. (Hear, near.) Mr Simon Jones said it was most desirable to obtain this money, which he was sure would be made better use of by the Committee of the Free Library than ever it had been by the promoters of the Workingmen's Hall. Mr Hovel Davies thought they were much indebted to Mr Piichard for putting this matter so lucidly before them, (Hear, hear.) It appeared to him that to postpone the matter still further for the reason of increasing the interest by some f-t per annum was something like a verification of the old saying, Live horse, the grass is growing (Laughter.) If they had the money now, however, they might be doing some good with it by disseminating useful literature. They might do more good by having the money at once than by waiting another two years to have the interest en £1,000. (Hear, hear.) They must be thankful for small mercies and go on increasing their stock of books as they were able, getting 2"0 volumes one year, 250 another, and so on, which would be much better than waiting till they could get, say, 750 books at one time. It gave him great pleasure to support Mr Prichard's resolution, and he only wished they could go a step further. Mr Pierce suggested whether it would not be possible to induce people to subscribe to make uo The Chairman said the past six years in the history of the Free Library had been an educating peiiod for the people of the town, and that time had not been wasted and if it was possible that these trustees should be so agreed as to meet tho others and give them a start, well and good. He had, however, had a good deal of experience in connection with libraries in Wrexham for the last nfty years, and these movements had always suffered as circulating libraries through not havig a sutncient number of books to begin with. Many libraries in other towns had 15,000 and 20,000 volumes, whereas they would not have even 1,000. He mentioned this to see whether there was not some means by which a stimulus might be given t. public liberality if the trustees themselves were disposed to suggest something. (Applause.) The resolution was then unanimously agreed to, the Clerk being requested to forward copies to Sir Robert Cuniiffe, the Rev. D. Howell, Dr. Edward ¡ llhams, and Mr Charles Hughes. I THERMOMETERS. Tt. /~tV ♦ l I fie y aa.rman navmg suggested the desirability of placing two thermometers in tho reading room of tne Free Library to register the temperature, which he said was at times much too high, Mr Prichard said he should have much pleasure in redeeming II his promise previously made to present the neces- sary instruments to the institution. (Hear, hear.) There was no other business of any public interest.

FATAL ACCIDENT AT HAVOD WORKS.—A !ittle he- fore noon on Thursday week, as a young man nan. «d Isaac Evans, living with his widowed mother at Owen's Croft, The Square, ]Ihos]lanerchnm'o_r, was passing from one part of the works in the Yard Ccal No. 1 Pit, afallot blue slab suddenly occured with the result that Evans was shockingly mutilated a:.d almost instantaneously smothered.—An inquest W.3 held on Saturday at the Eagles Inn, before Mr B. H. Thelwall, and a jury of whom Mr W. R. GrifStha was foreman.—After viewing the body an adjours- ment was made to enable the Government inspector to visit the works. Deceased, though only eighteen years old, had been for some time the conductor of the singing at Moriah Calvinistic Methodist Chapel, asd the general regret was manifested at the funeral on Saturday afternoon. At a quarter to four the chapel was crowded to excess, when the Rev. W. Foullcc a c)nd,.icte(I a short and impressive funeral service. This over, a procession was formed in the following order: The Minister (Rev. W. Foulkes), the Dea- cons of Moriah, the coffin, borne by relays of fellow members and friends, the relations, the ladies of Mori.i Sunday School, &c., the general public, alto. gether numbering about 500. Upon arriving at tha grave in I?s Churchyard the hymn Bydd myrdd I 0 ryieddoJau" was pathetically sung, and the service c.'jsea witn the pronouncing of the Benediction.

;etire, and afterwards hearing uothin g -British army thrmgh weary weeks of V n-rate and futile resistance is a picture, as deTave said, too terrible to e.mtempl?e. No nrefer—infinitely prefer—to believe what is nJ? probably the truth, that Gordon died a ?S's death when the Mahdi captured Khar- •tu and that the months and months which h?s passed in weary watching for the glitter fUritish bayonets across the Bayuda desert are over at last. _— A ——————