The South Wales Star

CORRESPONDENCE. *„ The Editor does not hold himself responsible for the opinions of his Correspondents. -_J. "r' r-. "nJ' .r, SATURDAY NIGHT RESORTS. I TO THE EDITOR OF THE SOUTH WALES STAB." Sni,-It is somewhat unfortunate that our local t temperance friends and philanthropists cannot t arrange something in the way of free lectures, coiir n certs, &c.. for the benefit of the working: classes in this locality. The storm of intemperance is ragingc The town swarms intense. The public haunt, Full of each theme, and warm with mixed discourse, Hums indistinct. The sans of riot flow Down the loose stream of false, enchanted joy, J To swift destruction. On the rankled soul e The gaming fury falls: and in one gulf Of total ruin honour, virtue, peace, Friends, families, and fortunes headlong sink." That a considerable number of working people £ should find their way to public-houses cannot be t wondered at. What other attractions are there ? t Proatibutes pursue their calling with all the s impertinence which characterises their class and ] perhaps it would not be out of place to suggest that j a Vigilance Association should be established for the protection of young men. Something must be 1 done. The morality of our population is at stake, > and it is of vital importance that the authorities should at once take steps towards remedying matters. I will venture to say that the majority of our | working classes who are addicted to the ruinous ] habit of drinking can trace their downfall to having mis-speat their Saturday night. Is it not a fact that many of our young men may be found wending their way home in the wee sms, hours' of Sunday morning, after spending Saturday night' in the detestable indulgence. 1 In conclusion, I trust an abler pen than mine will take this question up.-I am. &c., CUSTOS MORUM. BRIEF. AND TO THE POINT. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SOUTH WALES STAR. SIR,—As the enormous sum of one hundred and fifteen million pounds is received annually from Royalties, ground rents, and wayleaves, which are exceptional property, this amount should be taxed for local purpo&es.—Yours, &c., D. E. W. Aberdare.

Whenever I have symptoms of Hoarseness coming on, I always fly to my favourite remedy, LEWIS'S PECTORAL BALSAM, take a dose or two, and am ighfc ag-ain."—Is. lid. and 2s. 9d. per bottle. LINUM CATMARTICUM PILLS agreeably aperient, 9|d., ls. lid., 2s. 9d. Of all Chemists.

v THIS;.AND THAT. Forty million babies are born each year. It would take six years to carry them past any given point at the rate of 12 a. minute. -0- Apropos of the lemon trees at Mentone the people are fond of repeating the following legend;— When Adam and Eve were driven from Paradise, it is said that Eve, weeping and reluctant, picked a lemon, one of the fairest fruits, intending to keep it during her wanderings until she should reach a spot which most resembled her beloved lost home. For many years the fruit remained in her possesion. One day the pair arrived at that place where Mentone now stands. Eve hestitated no longer, but planted her lemon on the spot which most reminded her of Paradise and from that time to this lemon-trees have thriven and prospered better at Mentone than at any other place. -0- Ernest Renan used to say that he was moved by the four women whose affectioa he valued above all others—his mother, his sister, his wife and his daughter. "I often fancy," he said, that the judgments which will be passed upon us in the j P, d L, Valley of Jehoshaphat will be neither more nor less than those of women, countersigned by the Almighty." -0- The greatest stronghold of the Baptists is clearly Glamorganshire, where they have as many as 269 chapels and a membership of 40,000. These figures, when taken in proportion to the population, are, of course, much more impressive than the metro- politan ones, though in the metropolis thare are as many as 457 chapels and 48,000 members. In Wales and Monmouthshire together the denomination provides chapel accommodation far over 300,000 persons. -0- The Empress of Austria smokes two or three dozen cigarettes a day, and smokes everywhere she happens to be, except at Stats ceremonies. The Empress of Russia smokes, but only in her boudoir. Queen Margaret of Italy also smokes frequently, but. like bar Russian Majesty, only in the privacy ef her own apartments. -0- Criminals have a deep-rooted belief in the powe of talismans, and in tlip protecting properties of charms and amulets. Thus, according to an ex- perienced detective attached to the Criminal In- vestigation Department, the professional burglar invariably carries in his pocket a small lump of coal for luck. To this safeguard he pins his faith, and, with his" bit of charmed coal," it appears he may defy the authorities, however shrewd 'they maybe. Sometimes, when searched at the police office, there is found concealed in the burglar's pocket a piece of chalk, lucky stones, and rings, and rusty horseshoe nails. Relying on such articles for his safety in the moment of peril, he parts with them most reluctantly, and often stipulates with the turnkey for their return to him on his liberation from prison. -0- There are 27 royal families in Europe, which have about 460 male members. Of these 27 families no less than 18 are German. -0- A year or two ago a young curate was teaching a class of boys in a London Sunday School, and he chose the history of David for his subject. Now. boys," he said, David was a shepherd, a courtier, and a king. What is a shepherd ?" "Him what looks after the sheep and lambs," was the ready answer. "Yes. Well, now, what is a courtier ?" Hesitation for a moment, then a bright little boy spoke in a hurry, for fear someone might cut in with the answer before him, "Please, iair, him as goes after a gzÜ 1" -(3- Ink suitable for love letters is advertised by a Parisian stationer. It is made of a solution of iodide of starch, and characters written with it entirely fade in four weeks. -0- The size of the thumb is an almost certain index to the character of the man. A big thumb is a sure indication of a strong character of some kind, whether good or bad depends on circum- stances. -6- The most densely populated towns in England are as follows, the figures being persons to on acre :—Liverpool, 98; Plymouth, 58 London, 57; Bristol and Bolton, each 48. The most sparsely populated are Euddersfieid, 8 Croydon, 11 and Norwich, 13. By a curious coincidence, the two most sparsely populated towns, Huddersfield and Croydon, have the lowest death-rate for the quarter amongst the 33 great towns. -0- The Earl of Abermarla, a neat shorthand writer, confesses that he has never bean able to attain verbatim speed. -0- An oak tree at Windsor Castle is over 1,000 years old. Local history says that William the Conqueror many times admired it. The rumour that the Prince of Wales will visit the United States in the spring is being assiduously put about by the American papers. No doubt tha visit would add immensely to the success and prestige of the Chicago Exhibition. It is certain, however, that His Royal Highness will best consult the wishes of his future subjects by remaining at home. The year that has just ended has been one of great gloom and depression, and London looks forward this year to seeing a good deal of the Prince and his family. -0-- Lord Randolph Churchill's visit to Ireland, as the guest of Lord Justice Fitzgibbon, has started the rumours once more that continually circulate alii to his intentions. The member for Paddingten, who has, not inaptly, been designated the mystery man of politics, is undoubtedly a tower of strength to his party when in opposition, what- ever his services to them may be when in offiee. His forte is that of & free lance in attack, and if the report of his alliance with his old opponent, Joseph Chamberlain, be true, the Government may expect some sharp work. --="0-1" There is no improvement in the condition of Mr. I fiuskin. is docile and quiet, hut one delusion seems to grow upon him. He he always imagining that some dangerous person is at hand, and it greatly distresses him. There is no longer the slightest expectation that he will complete the fragment of his autobiography which was being published under the title of Praterita." That will remain his one unfinished work, like the Benia Duval of Thackeray, and Dickens' Mystery of Edwin Drood." -0- Mrs. Gladstone is as much entitled to be called the Grand Old Woman "as her husband is to be known as the Grand Old Man." Although nearly 81 years old, she writes many letters to her friends without the aid of glasses, for her eyes are bright and undimmed. While at Ha warden she attends church, thi'ee-quarters of a mile away, every morning, driving there and back in her little pony carriage, unattended. Mr. Gladstone goes, too, but he prefers to walk. -0- Half a million pansies, 100,000 roses, and millions of other flowers will be seen at the Chicago Exposition. The horticultural exhibit will be on a soale never before attempted in the history of the world. -0- A lady has for some time past been teaching navigation to young men in Portsmouth, and many of her pupils have successfully passed the Board of Trade examinations, and have obtained certificates as mates and skippers. A Mussulman having served his term in prison is regarded almost as a saiht, no matter as to the crime for which he has been condemned. For' £ »■ Mohammedan to say he has been confined in prison is to make a claim upon the respect and admira- tion of his fellow believers. In olden times it was not at all an uncommon thing for the clergy, who w,ere very badly paid, to eke out a living by trade dealings. The Abbot of St. Albans. in the time of Henry III., might be seen behind the stall selling Yarmouth bloasters, and those who wished to obtain foreign goods cheaply in the time of Henry VI. had but to apply to a coupla of Iceland bishops, who had received a licence from the king of smuggling. -0- Successful experiments have been made in France relative to the introduction of telephones for use in warfare. The telephonists are organised in set9 of two men, each set being provided with equipment for a mile line. The very simple re- ceiving and transmitting apparatus is attached to the military cap, and the wire is on reels on a sort of breastplate, the whole being so light that a man's ordinary equipment weighs less than six pounds. -0- In 24 hours Handel wrote The Messiah." Dr. Johnson wrote Rasselas" in the nights of a single week. Schubert sometimes wrote 4 or 5 immortal songs in a single day. He was born in 1797 and died in 1828, yet he set to music 634 j>oems by 100 different authors, in addition to writing other musical works. -0- Foreigners, the French especially, have a most preposterous idea of the dignity of the Lord Mayor of London. A French novelist makes one young English man say to another, whosp probable fortunes he is discussing," You may rise to the highest position, in the State, to the] premiership, or even to be Lord Mayor The enormous quantities of snow in Vienna are being cleared by means of a steam engine. It is taken into one of the broadest streets, and the snow is shovelled into the boiler, melted, and allowed to run into the gutter. -0- The natives of the Fiii Islands have taken to cricket. They much like the game, although they do not like to confine themselves to the orthodox 11 on each side. They play their matches with 40 or 50 a-side, or tribe against tribe. -0-- Miss Helen Gladstone, the Grand Old Mans" daughter, is one of the most noteworthy women in England. In looks she resembles her father, whose vitality she possesses in a marked degree. She is always laughing, joking, telling stories, and in- variably keeps the guests at the dinner-table merry. She is quite an original personage, being utterly regardless of dress, yet she is frank, sym- pathetic, and kindly, and is very attractive to most people. We are able to make the interesting announce- ment that Mr. Irving has decided to produce Lord Tennyson's play (ó Becket" at the Lyceum on Monday, the 6th of next month. "King Lear will not be entirely withdrawn, bus will be played on Monday nights, the late Poet Laureate's drama. holding the stage on the other nights of the week. -0- The copper mines of the whole world are being- taxed to their utmost to supply the demand for copper wire and the other apparatus used in the application of wlactricity. L --0- China and Japan are pre-eminently the seaweed- eating nations of the world. Among no other people are marine alg-s.or seaweeds, so extensively devoured and relished as fcod substances. --0. The belief in witchcraft, is not yet extinct. A detachment of troops sent to quell a riot among the Indians at Zuni have returned with four pri- soners who tortured two Indian wousea to death believing they were witches. -(1-- Stout officers are unknown in the United States army. No man weighing over one hundred iwl sixty pounds can join a cavalry rr.put-ur. wh;Jo officers-in the general service are IL.Ie .o b.- eiaewd. on the retired list for obesity, —0 ■—« It appears that (? i the Unitd States, and tjva United Kingdom ar • the countries which have the largest correspondence. The postal receipts of Germany slightly exceed those* of America, while the revenues of Great Britain, are about one-fourth loss. -0- The German Emperor's plainclothes are supplied by a London tailoring firm. --1)- Quid a," the novelist, givos away large sums of money yearly among the poor of Florence. -0- Mr. Walter Besant, the author, charges ten guineas,for every thousand words he writes for publication. -—o—- Worth, the Paris mm-millsner, during the busy season turns out about 200 gowns and 150 croaks a week. -0-- Mr. Edward Terry. the actor, makes a hobby of growing grapes and piaeapplas. lie is also a most successful cultivator of orchids. -0- The solitaire diamond-ring which is constantly worn by Mrs. W. K. Vanderbilt cost £ 9,000. It is considered by experts to be the finest in the wsrld. -0- Mr. Harry Furniss, the artist, is an excellent amateur conjuror, and often amuses his friends by going through ferick after trick with unerring accuracy. -0- M. Ferdinand de Lesseps, the Panama director, was an active enemy of Britain during the Egyptian campaign, aiding Arabi Pasha with in- formation and advice. -0- A few months ago Sir Charles Russell, Q.C., was in the Leeds Assize Court somewhat less than three hours. In this time he earned six hundred guineas, slightly over the rate of three guineas a minute. —o— Florence Nightingale, the famous nurse, is 72 years old. She takes her baptismal name from the Italian city in which she was born. For fully twenty years she has lived a life of seclusion. -0- Mr. J. L. Toole was originally a clerk in a wine merchant's office. The late Charles Dickens met him when he was a very young man, and advised him to go on the stage. Altogether Mr. Toole has acted more than If,OOO times. —o— Among the prominent public. characters who figure in the list of City liverymen are Mr. Glad- stone (who is a Turner), the Marquis of Lorne (Tinplate Worker), Sir Richard Webster (Gold- smith), Sir Michael Hicks-Beach (Feltmaker), Mr. Joseph Chamberlain (Cordwainer). -c- Among a number of fine trees on the estate of the late Lord Tennyson, at the Isle of Wight, is one which was planted by Garabaldi. The venerable patriot was a warm friend of Tennyson, and once when a guest of the poet planted the tree with his own hands. He named it The Tree of Liberty," in grateful commemoration of the service rendered to his cause by the poet's muse. —o— All book-keepers are well aware that it is difficult to draw stright lines on the pages of large ledgers, on account of the convex form which the page assumes when the book is opened. To meet this difficulty a Frenchman has devised a flexible ruler, which readily conforms to a curved surface. -0- In the State of Nevada the telegraph-poles in damp, low-lying situations have taken root and flourished. They are of cottonwood, and planted with the bark upon-them. In some parts of Java, too, a native tree 18 used for the poles, and this also has the property of growing, and thereby resisting the attacks of the white ants or the inroads of natural decay. natural decay. -0- The deeds to certain. property in the most valu- able portions of Philadelphia require that no house shall be erected upon them of more than two storeys in height, for the preservation of pure air in the village." Several or these houses are to be seen, surrounded by blocks of massive buildings, but still retaining their insignificant size, no doubt much to the disgust of their owners. -0- The largest cannon manufactured by the great German gunmaker, Krupp, it is recorded, weighs 270,000 pounds. The calibre of this monster hostile engine is 191 inches, and the barrel is 44 feet long. The greatest diameter of this gun is Si feet, and its range of fire is about 12 miles, The projectile is 4 feet long, weighs 27,000 pounds, and is fired by a charge of powder weighing 70 pounds. -0- An instrument for accurately measuring and registering the colour of flour, invented by a Freschinan, shows that the colour does not depend on the starch, but on the gluten, and, this being fehe case, it is asserted that colour should, conse- quently, indicate both the quantity and quality of the material, and thus be relied upon to show the market value of a flour to a much greater extent than is usual. -0- Besides knapsack, waist-belt, gaiters, great- coat, and helmet, the soldier receives a serge tunic (renewed every year), cloth tunic (every two years), one pair of cloth trousers (with an extra, pair alternate years), two pairs of boots, a pair of worsted gloves, Glengarry cap, comb, razor, and shaving brush, knife, fork, spoon, brass-button stick, polishing brush for badges, box of blacking, two boots brushes, clothes-brush, sponge, tin canteen, rough canvas bag, Bible and prayer-book, bound up with hymns Ancient and Modern. -0- It is the intention of Mr. Janes Lowther during the debate upon the Address in reply to the Queen's Speech, to raise the question of alien immigration into the United Kingdom. -0- The British Museum experts, after making I examination of 202 manuscripts which were purchased in Edinburgh by Mr. John S. Kennedy, of New York,-and presented by him to the Lennox Library, report that only one manu- script is genuine, the remainder being forgeries. They add that the "Early Historical" documents are' very absurd writings. alleged to be of various periods, but all being upon paper of the same make. j A political reception and conversazione, open to members and their guests, will be held at the National Liberal Club on Wednesday, 8th February. Special invitations have been sent to the Prime Minister and the other members of the Cabinet. It is expected that representative men from all parts of the country will avail themselves of the opportunity of meeting the leaders of the party. --0- :'?'Miss Munroe, a lady quite unknown to fame, has received a thousand dollars, according to the account of expenses lately rendered in connection with the World's Fair, for her Dedication Ode. Miss Munroe is a very fortunate woman. The in- stallation of exhibits has 'begun, but there is not very much activity in this direction at present. -u- The total yield of gold in the Colony of Victoria during the past year amounted to 633,003 ounces, showing an increase, as compared wish last year, of 41,000 ounces. The output is the largest since 1886, when the yield was was G5^193 ounces. --0- Mr. Gladstone has returned to London from. Biarritz.

POETRY: j FOOTBALL AS TEE GIRLS SEE IT. I took the gentle Annabel To see the football game, And thus unto a friend of hers Did she describe the same r ".Oh, May, you should have seen them play 'Twas such a lovely sight ->- And though the first game I had seen I understood itquite. First came the English, dressed in white, Then Wales came in red, One fellow yencc1, the rest ail tried To jump upon his head. And then one fellow stopped and ¡;toopeJ, And all the rest got round; And every fellow stopped and stooped And looked hard at the ground. And then another fellow yelled, And each man, where he stood. Just hit and struck and knocked and kicked At everyone he could. And then one fell upon his neck. And all the others ran, his prone and prostrate form Leaped every blessed man. Oh. football's just the cutest game It cannot be surpassed But yet it really is a shame To use up men so fast."

EXPORTS AND IMPORTS AT BARRY DOCK. Below will ba found full as to the ex- ps.rta and imports at Barry for the week ending Jan. 7th. 1893. It will be seen from the table that already fckia year ttiera have been shipped 80,889 tons 6 cwt., a^swiast 57,085 tons 7 cwt. at the corresponding period of last year, being an increase of 23,803 toaa 19 cwt. :— IMPORTS: — Weak ended Corresponding Jan. 7, 1833. week ended Jan. 8, 1892. Tons cwt. Tons cwt. Pitvrud 2,247 0 1.454 0 Tinsl»er ————— 577 0 Rails 277 0 ———— Silver Sand ————— ———— Iron and Iron Ore 37 0 ———— Building Materials 67 0 General merchandise ————— Total 2,561 0 2,09S 0 Increaso 463 0 Total till Jan. 7, 1833 2,561 0 2,003 0 Increase 463 0 SXPORTS :— Coaa 79,809 17 54.118 5 Coke 735 9 2,259 1 Rails 277 0 Iron and Iron Ore. 37 0 700 0 General merchandise 30 0 3 1 Total 80,889 6 57.685 7 Increase 23,303 19 Toifcl to Jan. 7, 1893 80,839 6 57,035 7 ImM-ea.M. 23,303 19 —————- REPORT OF SHIPPING :— Number., Tonnage. Meaner* arrived 26 26,447 Steamers sailed 35 32,156 Saiimg Vessels arrived 3 4.632 Sailiuj Vessels sailed 1 1,595 Steamers in Dock this day 25 35,501 Sailinj Vessels in Dock this day 15 19,573 Total 40 55,074 VesselsiiaDockas per last report 47 57,743 Increase — —— Decrease 7 2,672 Vessels ia Dock, corresponding week,1332 fiS 78,090 Ae«»unta>nt's Office, Baffy Dook, Ja.n. 9th, 1893.

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