The Merthyr Telegraph and General Advertiser for the Iron Districts of South Wales

THE half-penny postage stamp on newspapers and book packets will come into operation on the first of October next. CUTTING THE THROAT OF A DRAGOON FOR A LARK." —A singular affair was invested by the Liverpool stipen- diary magistrate on Monday. merit of the 4th Dragoon Guards is stationed at the rtupert-Iane Barracks in that town, and on Saturday last, a arher, named Price Edwards, went there to see a friend ot lis belonging to the resiment. He entered the room just as a private named M'Conville was about to shave himselt, and Edwards offer- ed to shave him. M'Conviile took a seat for that purpose, and no sooner had he done so than Awards deliberately drew the razor across his throat, in ic lug a very serious wound, injuring his windpipe, and reaching the carotid artery. When arrested, his D'ooa-stained hands having attracted the attention of the sen ry as he was run- ning out of the barrack gate, Edwards said what he had done was for a lark. He was remanded that the result of the inquiry might be ascertained. THE FENIANS IN LONDON.—1} is stated that investiga- tions carried on in the metropolis during the past week or fortnight by the police authorities, m conjunction with in- formation received from several provincial towns in Eng- land, have shown there is good or believing that the Fenian (organisation which in too/- was so extensive in London, and which has since that time been all but broken op, either is being or has been revived in the metro- polis. The result of having oer ai Publichouses in the E., E C., S.E., W.C., and >V. districts under the sur- veillance of the police has been, it is saw o reveal the fact that while these houses which b/ -68 the rendez- vous for Fenians, some of whom have een since convicted, some turned approvers, and others wen to America, had, in the interval between December, and March of the present year, become deserted by the members of the Brotherhood, they have within the last month or six weeks been extensively used by men or the same class and appear- ance as those who frequented them w en Penianism was rife among the lowest of the Irish population in London. It would appear that the authorities are aware that a consi- derable quantity of small arms is in possession of a number of Irishmen of Fenian proclivities, resident in London and that a Fenian agent is,, or has 'een, negotiating the pur- chase of arms in Birmingham, but whether for export to Ireland or distribution among the members of the Fenian Brotherhood in England is not known. Following the course pursued in Dublin by the Metropolitan police of that city, and at other Irish ports by the Irish Constabulary— that of searching all suspicious-looking consignments from (]on England -the police authorities in London wii], it is stated, examine, as far as practicable, and with as little interrup- tion to the goods traffic as possible, all cases arriving in 1 London by rail from Birmingham, Sheffield, and other towns whence arms in quantity might be sent to the metro- polis.

THE IRON, COAL, AND TIN PLATE TRADES OF SOUTH WALES. The Ironmasters of this country continue to watch with increasing interest the proceedings of the American Con- gress with regard to the Tariff Bill- We last week ac- quainted our readers with the progress the Bill had made, and we this week have the satisfaction of recording made, and we this week have the satisfaction of recording that a further reduction of duties on iron has taken place. The duty on bars, rolled and hammered, has been re- duced from 1 c. to It c per lb. to 20 do!s. and 22 dols 40 c. 4 per ton. The duty on wire rods, of less than 5-16 inch diameter, has been reduced from If c. per lb. to li c. Hods over 5-16 have been reduced from 11 c per lb. to li c. This is so far satisfactory, and may be taken as an earnest of the spirit which prevails the ranks of the protectionist party in the Hou<e of Representatives. We were correct in supposing that these protective duties would have to be intelligently considered in the interest of the great body of the American people, and not simply in the interests of a. few Pensylvanian ironmasters. The principles of the free- traders are spreading rapidly. In fact there is a complete revulsion of feelina: upon the subject of protective duties on iron and steel. We trust to be able to record a still more satisfactory progress next week. From America we turn to Russia, another of our great customers, and we find that a steady demand continues to be made by that empire. Last week witnessed large shipments of rails to the ports of Taganrog, Riga. and Libau, principally sent by Cleveland and Welsh ironmasters. As a proof that we do not suffer by the competition on the Continent, we may say that England has more than doubled her exports of railway iron to Russia since 1867, whilst Belgian exports have been stationary during the same period. It is well known that the mills of the North of England and South Wales are full of Russian orders, and we have the satisfaction of looking to that country as a great consumer for many years to come. The 12,000 miles of new railways will require no small amount of material for their construction, and will help to keep our mills and furnaces well at work. SOUTH WALES.—Now the holiday-making has passed away, the works have resumed operations with the usual regularity. In regard to contracts, makers appear to be in no difficulty whatever. The principal engagements upon which they have been employed latterly have been Russian and American. To the United States the returns of the last few weeks show that large quantities have been cleared to the various markets. Considerable shipments of railway and other descriptions of finished iron are also being: made to the Continental markets, and late advices point to increased inquiries from several of these markets. With every prospect of a prosperous season before them, the ironmasters are endeavouring to establish an advance in the price of their material, not, however, on the full list prices, but upon recently obtainable quotations, but the movement will hardly be agreed to at once. The home trade is improving. Pig-iron plates, and miscellaneous descriptions of make, command a fair sale just now, and it is not unlikely that there wiil be further improvement in these departments. THE NORTH OF ENGLAND MANUFACTURED IRON TRADE. [A Peep inside a Court of Arbitration and Conciliation, held on the 10th and 11th of February, 1870, before Mr Thomas Hughes, M.P. Arbitrator.] Mr Hughes Is there any reason why the North should pay a higher rate for puddling than other districts ? Mr Trow We only want to be on a level now. Mr Hughes: You don't think there is any reason why they should be paid higher ? Mr Trow We don't ask any higher we want the same. The Welsh- Mr Hughes But we are not going into Wales now. Mr Hopkins i think as the gentlemon is enlightening us on the prices, we may surely ask him to give the Welsh prices. Mr Ridge He is not acquainted with them. Mr Kane Let me inform Mr Hopkins that we sent a man into Wales, and he is here. He has his catechism with him, and will give you distinct information about Wales. Mr Wm. Rees I hope you will excuse any imperfections in my attempt to speak English, for if some of my Saxon friends were to try to speak in Welsh I should sympathise with them. (Hear. hear, and laughter.) Mr Dale: You would have much more occasion I am sure. (Laughter.) Mr Rees We are a nation of romantic antiquity and heroic deeds, less stained with crime than other civilised nations. I hope you wil excuse me if I make use of any word that touches the feelings of any gentleman present, for if I do it will be quite unintentional. Mr Barningham never mentioned that in the rail-mills there is such a thing as 2j per cent. off rails deducted from the make- Another point of importance is the long weight. For every 15 tons of iron we work we only get 14. Now. if that is put toge- ther it will make a serious item. The average make of Mr Barningham's works, according to his own statement, is 1,000 tons of rails, and 2A per cent. on that will give 25 tons. Then the long weight is 1201bs to the cwt., and they sell the iron at 1121bs to the cwt., and this in the thousand tons comes to 80 to 81 tons. Put that 81 tons to the 25. and you have 105 or 106 tons, which are worked in the week and are not paid for. That would cover a fair amount of the expenses he referred to as incurred in the manufac- ture of a ton of iron. Mr Hughes I do not understand how this 21 per cent. affects the puddler. Do you mean that they reduce that from the puddler ? Mr Rees That is the finished iron. Mr Hughes But the puddler does not finish the rail. Mr Rees No but it is deducted from him. Mr Hopkins Not the 2A per cent. Mr Rees No, sir quite correct. Mr Hopkins You do not mean to say that it affects the puddler ? Mr Rees No, sir. Mr Hughes But the long weight does not affect the puddler if he makes 1201bs to the cwt ? Mr Rees Yes, sir, he does. In order to be paid for a ton of iron he has to make 1 ton 1 cwt. 1 qr. 201bs. When you examine these things the deduction is great. Mr Barningham also referred to the high rate of wages we get in the North of England The lowest paid is 8s, and that is between the puddler and his under- hand, and so I will leave you to judge whether that is great pay. He did not refer to the wages he received when he was a working man himself, which 1 have no doubt would amount to f 2 per day. Now, I hold that pud- dling is one of the most laborious and destructive trades in the United Kingdom. I can remember well that when I was in the ironworks 38 years ago-for I was brought up to it from my cradle—the first thing we had to do was to carry cinders to the puddler in a little box similar to a quack-doctor's. Mr Ridge: I do not think that this has any reference to the question before us. Mr Rees I was referring to the laborious nature of our work. Mr Hughes 1 do not wish to interrupt, but 1 think it would be quite admitted that puddling is a laborious operation. Mr Rees But the difficulty of the work has been increa- sed. The metal is taken from the blast furnace to the pud- dling furnace, so that the puddler has to do part of the refining work as well as his own, and the introduction of the hot blast preventing the gas escaping from the top of the furnace, it is driven back, and the poison gets into the furnace again. Mr Hughes You say that there has been an increase in the labour of puddlers How long is that since ? Mr Rees Within the last ten years. Mr Hughes But not since the revised list. Mr Rees No, sir. Mr Cope Our worthy Chairman has been making inqui- ries as to whether the work of the puddler is harder now than it was five years ago. I can tell him that I have been a puddler from my cradle, and ever since I begun, the puddling has got harder every year. If some of the old men could just come back again who used to puddle when I was an underhand, they would not know what puddling is. There were better coals to work with, better iron to work, and alto- gether the labour was half as easy again, and both masters and men know this. Every man knows that puddling now is very near as hard again as it was ten years ago. Mr Barningham Perhaps the men are weaker. Mr Cope A puddler ought to be strong to do his work but if he follows the business regularly it will soon make him weak. Mr Edward Williams, of Middlesbro' (formerly of Dow- lais) I am a very old iron maker, and really I think the speakers on both sides are so carried away by what I regard as a wrong estimate of things altogether, that I find it ex- ceedingly difficult to follow them. C I judge, therefore, that you sir, will scarcely be able to follow them at all. There is no doubt that as a rule puddling is more difficult now than it was ten or twelve years ago, simply because puddling now is exclusively puddling pig-iron, whereas formerly it was puddling refined metal to a great extent, or a mixture of refined metal and pig-iron. Refined metal, sir, is pig iron that has undergone a certain process on its way to the puddling forge. But altogether I deny that puddling pig-iron now is more difficult than puddling pig-iron was five years ago. I am not here to say that it is not hard labour, but I do dispute that it is any harder than it was five years ago. As to irrelevant matters, such as taking the gas off and sending it back to the furnace, that is simply and en- tirely a delusion. The gas is taken away and never goes back to the furnace at all. The definition given by Mr Ridge of five and six heat iron is perfectly fair, and I fully and entirely endorse what he has said. The reason why five heat iron is paid higher than six-heat is, that a man of equal quality can only make five heats in the same time as one would make six heats with the different kinds of iron. It is not altogether a question of less labour, but of extra time and skill, and an ordinary pudgier working No. 4 could only make the same amount in twelve hours as if he was working No. 3, and therefore we have to give as high a price for five heats of the one as for six heats of the other. As regards the question of long weight, it is not peculiar to any particular district of the country, but is universal, and always has been so. I do not know that we are here to debate whether it is expedient that that system should l,e continued, but [ believe I am correct in saying that the system of paying for iron-making at the rate of 120 lbs. to each cwt. is practised everywhere, and always has been so, in fact, I never knew an exception, and I have been a long time in the trade, and very intimately connected with puddling. There was a question raised as to scraps which was not very clearly made out. Scrap is given, not for the purpose of being made into bars at all. Mr Hughes I understand that it is to repair the furnace. Mr Williams And the less we get out of the scrap the better we are served but the more the puddler can bring out the better it is for him, so that each puddler has an in- terest in bringing out as large a quantity as he can. That scrap is put in to prevent the oxide of iron injuring the cast-iron bottom of the furnace, without which it is im- possible to puddle at all. Mr Hughes Then you pay for the scrap which is put in—not for that which comes out. Mr Williams No, sir, we do not. It is impossible to hit the exact amount of scrap, but scrap is always given to secure the permanence of the cast-iron plate. Some portion of that scrap is brought out, and upon that we pay but it is not part of the business to make scrap iron in fact, we want to make as little as we can. Mr Davis May I be allowed to make one remark ? Mr William8 has stated that long weight is adopted every- where but if he will only refer to Bloomer and Davis, in Wednesbury, he will find that they pay short weight to this day, and have done so for ten years to my knowledge. They considered it a great injustice to pay by long weight. Mr Williams I do not remember having ever beard of such an instance. Mr Edwards I can mention manv instances of short weight. With regard to puddling in Wales, I accept the statement of Mr Jones that 5*. is the lowest price paid, but I do not accept what he has said as to 6s (.)[1 being the highest J price. At Blaenavon for puddling common iron with plate they pay 5s. 2d. all common pig 5s. 8Ad. half mottled and half white 6s. 8d,; light grey 7s, 6d. j one qu rter Cleveland. three quarters grey 8, one pig of hematite, rest grey. Rs. Then there is a quart of ale i-r shift allowed f..r refreshment. They pay the underhand 2s. 6d. per d.iy if thev are good ones, and in the North we pay un to 3s. 4d We also pay an underhand for coming to help us to fettle the furnace, but in Wales they get nothing for that. There is also 10 per cent. to be added to the above prices- being a rise at the commencement of the New Year. I may as well state here that there is a great deal of differ- ence in the mode of working there and here. In the North it would take us three or four times a day to case the fur- nace in order to keep the plates from burning, but there they have no occasion to fettle more than once. Mr Hmbes Can you tell me why that is ? Mr Edwards The better quality of fettling and the bet- ter quality of iron. Mr Hushes Can you explain to me the great difference in prices between South Wales and this district ? You have given me one or two useful hints, and as I understand you have been in Wales and know the district well, perhaps you can stive me some reason which may occur to you why the same work should be done so very much lower there. Mr Edwards I do not see any difference between the prices I have now given you and the prices paid in this district. Mr Kane To each price you must add an advance of Is. Vr Jones Dating from the 1st of March. Mr Ed wards No sir. dating from December. Mr Kane The lowest price will be about 7s. Gd. Mr Williams Are there any places in the North where thev pav for pig ? Mr Edwards": Yes. there are. Mr Hopkins Not worked by itself. Mr Williams: I have not a note of Blaenafon. I begun with Oakfi"ld. Blaenavon does make rails but not in any great quantity The great rail-makers of South Wales are in Rhymnfy. Ebbw Vale, Dowlais Iron Company. Father- gill and Partners, Aberdare, Plymouth Iron W orks. Trede- gar. and Nantyglo. Now I think the W elshrnen here will bear me out that these firms practically carry on the rail-making trade of South Wales. The prices they pay are the prices generally given as those for Welsh puddling, and the iron they puddle is for the most part white in fact. the excep- tion at these works is to puddle anything but white pig iron. The Newport Nail Works make special things, for which they get special iron, and their trade is altozether different from the rail and bar making. With regard to the quantity of iron made per furnace in South Wales, the average"is 28 or 29 cwt. per day. There are instances where it is possible to turn out a larger quantity, but these cases are exceptional, and the general rule is for the Welshman to have seven heats of about 4o or 4f cwrt. put in, from which he takes out 29 cwt. If the puddlers in Wales work without underhands now, they do what I never knew them do. The rule in Wales is to pay the underhand one-third of the tonnage price, the master-hand taking two-thirds. There are instances where the men are exceptionally strong, and choose to take a biggish boy and take charge of a fur- nace but there are also many instances when the puddler takes .on extra good underhand and gives him something more than the usual one-third. These, however, are excep- tional cases, and do not affect the general rule of allowing the underhand one-third. For that the underhand does his share of the puddling and fettling. Now. the puddlers in this district cannot get the seven heats as they do in Wales, and I would not for a moment overstate my case by saying that puddling here is not more difficult than in Wales, but that difference I consider is fully met by the proportion of seven to six that is whilst a fair average class puddler would produce seven tons in South Walvs that same man would produce six here. Although I cannot say I ever pud- dled with my own hands, except as an experiment or occa- sionally for the pleasure of the thing, still I have been very intimately mixed up with it during my whole life, and I state positively that the figures have given are correct. I have been at a good deal of trouble to take the figures from our books showing the actual quantity of puddled bars done at our own works during the three fortnights ending Janu- ary 22nd. this year, and I find that they average 25 £ cwt. per furnace per man. I think, therefore, it may be fairly taken at 25 cwt. per furnace per man. is the average weight which a puddler has to turn out. They certainly do fully that much and sometimes a little more. There are here two puddlers engaged at the works I manage, and they can corroborate what I have said or I am willing that our books shall be placed in the hands of any person that you may appoint, in order that it my be seen that our great com- petition in the trade does not come from Staffordshire, but from Wales. We meet them at every point. We are sell- ing rails and-bars of like qaality with theirs, and whenever any of the great companies advertise for tenders, there is a certain list of makers of established reputation to whom as a rule they send invitations to tender, and there are as many Welsh makers on that list as North of England makers. We go into the competition, and the man who quotes the lowest price gets the contract. We never come into com- petition with South Staffordshire men at all, excepting with a very few makers. Mr Hughes Nor with Scotland? Mr Williams No. sir not with Scotland. There are very few rails made in Scotland, comparatively speaking. Mr Hughes: I wish vou to tell me if you can what are the prices paid at the Welsh works vou have mentioned- Ebbw Vale, Tredezar. and FothergiU's. Mr Williams These are the prices brought in by Mr Edwards himself. The ordinary price of puddling is about 5s per ton. I am not able to say absolutely to a penny or two, but the figures can be got. Mr Kane These documents contain a copy of papers sup- plied to Mr Edwards when he was in Wales. I do not think it is fair to he always complaining that we have rot given all the prices. Mr Jones supplied the argument for the employers' side. and it is our phce to supply the best evidence we can for ours. Mr Williams I do not come here to offer any evidence but that which I believe to be true, whether it is agreed to by the other masters or not. Mr Edwards I would like to reply to what Mr Williams said about one of the assertions I made. I can tell him that the men do work without underhands. and that they only give the boys they employ from 5s to 10s per week. As to 30 cwt. per shift being the general make, there is no works but the Dowlais where it is so low. Mr Williams That I altogether deny. As to the under- hands being employed, I simply assert that it is so, and Mr Edwards says it is not. Mr Edwards: I think Mr Williams should go to Wales and verify these facts before be disputes them. Mr Hugh es There is no necessity to be at all warm about the matter. Mr Williams only speaks so far as his personal experience gaes. Mr E wards At only one works. Mr Williams I left South Wales five years ago, but I am intimately acquainted with the whole Welsh trade, and I know there has been no material alteration. Mr Kane Nations bave been lost and won since then. Mr Hughes It is quite possible that in five years such a change in the underhands may have taken place. Mr Williams Where are they ? Mr Edwards At Ebbw Vale and at Bailer find Co's, Nantyglo, you may see children working for Gd per day that this is a very common thing and little girls were pull- ing up the doors at the work. At Ebbw Vale the men went to ask Mr Darby for 6,1 per ton more, and he said no, he could not give it to lazv men and one man said there were men amongst those called IziU who worked every day in the month and every heat full. Of course you must understand," he said, I call those knockers-off lazy," that is those who knock off their underhands instead of working seven heats. Mr Rees And they have more contrivances of mechanical ingenuity there than we have here for aiding the men. +» A PERILOUS VOYAGE.—There is now being fitted up in Liverpool, from which place she will sail in the course of a few days, a small boat, about twenty feet long, called the City of Raguso. The vessel i, the property of Captain Pitnorez, but she will be sailed by Captain J. C. Buckley, her destination, after leaving the Mersey, being New ork, from whence, should all go well, these advanturous vov- ageurs intend making the return trip. Both gentlemen apoear confident that, with the course they have planned out for themselves and fair weather, they will be able to reach New York in about fifty days. The City of Raguse is being made as comfortable and as seaworthy as possible. is being made as comfortable and as seaworthy as possible. She is covered over her whole length, and lined inside to the flooring, having a man-hole, or cock-pit, amidships. Down below" is fitted up with as much comfort as the limited space would permit of. There is a patent stove for cooking the provisions—there being three months sup- plies on board—on the voyage and also the sleeping space for either skipper when be is not on watch." The boat is rigged as a yawl, and can spread about seventy yards of canvas her tanks are capable of containing ],Oi! gallons of water, but should any accident occur by which it would be necessary to lighten the vessel, a tap can be undone, and the water, if necessary, allowed to escape. The City of Raguse is fitted up with a two-bladed auxiliary pro- peller. which can be worked by hand, on the same prin- ciple as a ship's pump in fact, the working of the screw pumps the boat dry at the same time. The screw is not a permanent fixture, for when the wind is fair it can be hoisted out of the water, and thus there will be no drag on the vessel. Besides Captains Pimorez and Buckley-the latter gentlemen having received the Royal Humane So- ciety's medals for saving life at sea-the only living thing on board will be a fine Newfoundland dog. The little City nf Rnomse has its bistorv. Tt. formerly belonged to the ship Breeze, which foundered in a terrific storm in the Channel. Into this boat fourteen of the crew of the ship succeeded in getting, and, after a gallant struggle against wind and sea, it landed them safe at Ramsay, Isle ot an, and was brought from thence to Liverj>ool for her presen voyage. ENORMOUS EMIGRATION FROM LIVERPOOL.—Tjie from the Mersey has commenced this year W1 vrprs,pv rapidity, and the number of emigrants leaving the Mersey during the past week has been in excess of that of m m\ years. The Germans and Swedes are taking the place of the Irish in numbers; the latter though emigrating in small numbers from Liverpool, preferring the advantages offered them by the Cunard. Guion Inman, Allan, and National lines of steamers of embarking from their own shores to the West. Another feature in the exodus from the Mersey is, that for two or three years past a great number of Daues arrived in Liverpool from Copenhagen and other ports, en route to America, and Canada. Tnis portion has now almost ceased, the Danish Government preferring that emigrants from that country should, if pr' 'bl a, I possible, go direct to their homes in America. In order to meet the wishes of the Danish Government, we understand that the National Company have sent one, and intend, at intervals, to send others of their steamers to Copenhagen for the chief purpose of embarking emigrants for New York. Returning to the week s exodus from Liverpool, on Tuesday week three large steamers sailed from the Mer- sey for the United States and Canada. The Allan Com- pany's steamer European had on board about 800 emi- grants, amongst whom were 312 of the most sickly and debilitated looking people that the East London Emigra- tion Society could possibly have selected for Canada- The unfortunate people of course will soon "pickup, and with a sea voyage and nourishing food will, upon arriving in Canada, be stronger and better. On the same day the Cunard steamers Malta and Siberia left for New York, tach with between 700 and 800 emigrants on board. On Wednesday the Guion steamer Manhattan sailed for New ork wilh 820 passengers, calling at Queenstown to embark 270 more and the Vational Company s steamer Holland left with 890. to which number 345 would be added on her arrival at Queenstown. On Thursday the Alian Company's steamer Prussian left for Quebec ii^ Montreal with a large number of passengers which, including those which she would take on board at Ureencastle would reach 800 and on the same day the Inman Companj despatched the City of Antwerp with a full complement of steerage passengers, and fifty cabin-the total of the two steamers making about 1.500 emigrants. On Saturday, the Cunard steamer Java left Liverpool with 70 cabin and :)30 steerage passengers, for New York and the Inman Company's steamer City of Cork, for Halifax and New York, with 300 passengers. On calling at Queenstown the latter vessel will take on board 300 more, making a total of GOO emigrants. The emigration so far for one week has been one of the largest ever known from the Mersey,

TJdt CUAtttiii Of There is an amount of mystery about the case of the young men charged with being found in female attire in a private box at the Strand Theatre on Thursday evening, which it will be very desirable should be cleared up before the prisoners are re-charged under the Magisterial remand to the House of Detention on Friday. A.n examination of the articles discovered in the house, No. 13, W akefield- street, from which three of the accused persons were ween to depart for the Strand Tneatre, and in the lodgings of two of the prisoners, rattier increases than removes the doubts belonging to the case, iuasuiuch as there have been found, inter alia, a silver-mounted gentleman's dressing case, an elegantly fitted photographic album, bearing the initials of the prisoner Boulton, titled with portraits of young men apparently of good birth, and bearing the ap- pearance in many cases of university men, and other per- sonal property denoting a fair amount of good breeding, coupled with an immense wardrobe of female attire, much of it dirty and considerably the worse for wear, but at the same time exhibiting the most perfect completeness, even to the minutest articles of women's under clothing. "W hen brought together there were found to be between thirty and forty rich siik and other dresses, all of fashionable patterns, and some elaborately trimmed with lace, furs, &c.. a large ermine cloak, wall-stocked female glove-ooxes, more than a score different wigs and head-dresses, chiefly of the prevailing gol ten hue, some of them having plaitea hair falls from twenty to thirty inches in length attached to a great number of girls' hats variously trimmed, ladies' white kid boots, Balmoral walking boots, richly einbroi- dered a large quantity of bizarre jewellery, with some bracelets and necklaces of a better class, caps, feathers, garters, &c., and the usual toilette accompaniineuts of ladies of a certain class, such as rose-bloom, violet- powder, &c. Amongst all this property there are not more than one. or at most, two costumes bearing any affinity to a masquerade or fancy dress. All the remainder are articles of ordinary female weal, and with the head gear have been found an assortment of white net caps neatly trimujei with fancy ribbons as worn by household servants. The pnsjner Boulton, after trying ineffectually some nommes de guerre, gave an address at Paddington, where he said his father might Oe found, and inquiries were an- swered at this place uy Ii person who represented himself as holding that degree of relationship to the accused but there were atteudaut circumstances which have led those best able to judge that Boulton has no father resident in London, buc that he is a young man of indepenjent in- come, whose parents are people of position in a northern county. He is rather tall and good-looking, with an ex- pression of countenance which, when surrounded by female accessories, might, as the magistrate pronounced at Bow-street, on Friday last, deceive anyone as to his sex. The prisoner Park hails from the aristocratic quarter of Brutou-street, where he occupies well-furnished rooms in Berkeley Chambers, a grand piano, and other articles of luxury decorating his apartments. It has been stated that the cartes dc risite found in Boulton's albums were chiefly those of young men of apparent good breeding. It is pro- per to add that none of the photographs found (and there are a very large number in the books) have anything ap- proaching indecency. They appear from imprints to have been chiefly taken by artists resident in London, Edinburgh, Oxford, and Colchester. The perfect completeness of Boulton and Park's feminine get-up may be understood from the fact that when the box- keeper at one of the theatres was askeu by one of the officers whether he was aware who it was he had in the private box, the accused persons had just entered, the official promptly replied—" Of course 1 do one of them is the Duchess of Manchester." This was Boulton, who really makes up into a tall and attractive-looking female, though beariug no more resemblance to the Duchess of Manchester than her grace does to a boxkeeper. Park is of shorter build and sterner features, but he also makes up capitally. The habit of these young men were not economical, It is known that within a few days they have filled private boxes at the Standard Theatre and the Surrey Theatre. They were at the Strand on Thursday night, and whiir-t being denuded of their feminine habiliments at the House of Detention, on Friday, the voucher for a pit box at the Royal Italian Opera, at Covent-garden, dropped from the foids of Boulton's elaborate costume. Both the accused persois, Boulton and Park, appear to have been prepared tor accidents. When first addressed by Mr Superintendent Thomson, in the refreshment saloon of the Strand Theatre, on Thursday night, in terms which were unmistakeably emphatic, Park turned round sharply and exclaimed, •' How dare you address a lady in that manner, sir ?'' And when they found it was of no avail longer to endeavour to preserve their disguise, and that they were on the high road to Bow-street, they tried the opposite tack of bribery from well-filled purses, with, of course, a similar result. It is more than suspected that there are others besides those in custody who have for some time past been engaged in personating females in London. In fact, it is stated that an association exists which numbers nearly thirty of these foolish young men, and that recently a ball was given at a well-known hotel in the Strand, at which twelve of the party represented females, and twelve of their companions the opposite sex. Up to Monday evening the police had not succeeded in cap- turing the fourth person-who accompanied Boulton and Park from WakefielJ-strcet to the Strand Theatre, and who escaped in the confusion of apprehending the other three accused persons. MR. MILL ON EDUCATION. At a meeting of the National -Association for the Promotion of Social Science, held on Monday evening, an interesting discussion upon the subject of education took place. Mr Mill said the most important part of the whole educa- tion question was the quality of the education. In that meetiug they had got back to the question of denomina- tional teaching, which really could not be helped, and would continually recur until the question was settled. One of the very strongest arguments that had ever been furnished against denominational education was that which Mr Chad- wick had named, that any school system, to be economical and efficient, must allow of the formation of large schools. A denominational school could not be a large school at least, it could not be so large as a comprehensive school and the schools of denominations, which were local, must be small schools. He was very anxious that the League should take that important point into consideration. De- nominational teaching meant dividing into fractions those who, from local circumstances, should be taught together, and insisting upon teaching them separately. The League in making such a point as they did of having large schools were acting wisely. The League objected to the local boards, and insisted that they should be larger, and of dif- fent composition. They were thoroughly right as far as they went. but they ought to go much further. In the first place it was certainly clear that the school districts ought to be much larger first, in order that it might be possible to have large scho Is In rural districts they could not get together within a space over which children could go daily very many people, and therefore could not get a sufficient number to make very large schools; but, at any rate. they could have them in much larger numbers than if they were cut up by the different denominations. Then, again, it was desirable in such cases that boys and girls should be taught together, and in the next place the poor and those who were not poor should receive instruction together. Why should not the middle class and the poorer class receive that part of their education together which was to be the same, and given by the same teachers ? The more ambitious and aspiring of the poor would be fired with a desire to go fur- ther. and learn that which the daughters and sons of the middle class attained to. (Hear, hear). And then the result of a child rising from the most elementary even to the highest grade would be often attained, especially if the aid were realised which might be given by means of exhibitions. The Act of last year did a good deal to foster that. They would require a larger district for the school board than the district of a single school. Let the district, however, be ever so wide they could not trust the education of the poor children to local boards. Take the rural districts. They might almost as well do nothing for the education of the poor agricultural labourer as to leave it to the farmers to determine what the educa- tion should be. (Hear, hear) Then in the towns, what did they find? What did they think of St. Pancras'' What did anybody think of leaving anything which must be done for the good of the people to such a board as that? (Laughter.) It all the guardians of the poor had done their duty they would not have been under the necessity to have an Education Bill introduced now. (Laughtei.) The same might be said for the municipalities and corp rate towns, with regard to the establishment of free libra- ries. Education was something more than to read, write, and cast accounts. Children would make very little W.,y unless they had books to read, and good books, and wished to read them. They would require libraries, not necessa- rity free, but within reach of tue poor. What was wanted most was some more competent power to take the initiative in education. A Minister of Education was good. It was good that there should be such a minister, but it was not good that this minister should be one to change with every Administration. But whether there was a Minister of Education or not, there ought to be a permanent board, composed of people selected for their zeal for education, and the amount of intellegent study they had given to the subject. If they had such a board, with emissaries of all kinds, inspectors and assistant commissioners, going about the country promoting the best ideas and the best methods of education (applause)—they would have a chance of attaining to something really national in the way of edu- cation.

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE. ADDBBSSZD TO TH* BDTTOB. The Editor is not responsible for the opinion of hf3 Correspondents IS "NEW BLOOD" A RESPONSIBLE BEING? SIRi —Before the town has been staked off into wards, and much of the New Blood consequently poured back into the Taff, will it not be posssible to resture the good old custom of publishing a half-yearly "Abstract and List of Paupers?" When Old Blood adorned the seats of the guardians, it rendered us an account of its income and expenditure but the" New Blood seems to rest satisfied p with having run into the place of honour, and to think that everybody must feel persuaded that all is well under its control. The Clerk has also discovered that he is not bound by la it- to prepare an Abstract, and we may be sure he will not be constrained by grace. Who, then, should publish the Abstract? It is admirable policy for New Blood to avoid mistakes by divulging nothing. Nobody will be a.ble to find fault with it. It will move on quite serenely, until the ward system pours most of it out again. A RATEPAYER.

BREAKFA.ST. -Epps's COCOA—GRATEFUL AND COMFOBT- —The very agreeable character of this preparation has rendered it a general favourite. The Civil Service Gazette remarks :—"The singular success which Mr. Epps attained by his homoeopathic preparation of cocoa has never been surpassed by any experimentalist. By a thorough know- ledge of the*natural laws which govern the operations of digestion and nutrition, and by a careful application of the fine properties of well-selected cocoa, Mr. Epps has provided our breakfast tables with a dtiicately flavoured beverage which may save us many heavy doctors bills." Made simply with boiling water or milk. Sold by the Trade only in jib., £ lb., and lib. tin-lined packets, labelled—JAMES Epps & Co., Homoeopathic Chemists, London. 2933. THOSE LADIES who have not yet tried the GLEXFIELB STARCH, are respectfully solicited to give it a trial, aiad care- fully follow out the directions printed on every package It is rather more difficult to make than other Starches, but when this is overcome, they will say like the Quem's, Laundress, that it is the finest Starch they ever used.

Mr R H. Ri-, Rubbish (Oh oh !) Mr Daniel All the committees, in fact, are formed with a due regard to the interests of the ironmasters and coal proprietors, and he saw no reason whatever for making the changes whick Mr Simons had proposed. He had, there- fore <Teat pleasure in proposing the amendment. Mr^Gould seconded the amendment, on the ground that A ir I they should first of all wait and see how the votes would be taken at elections. He thought it would only rake up old prejudices to divide the town into wards before they had the ballot, for if some person were returned for a particulai ward, it would be said that undue influence had been exer- cised. For this reason he thought they should let the Ques- tion stand over until the Government had decided which way votes should be taken. He should very much like tn see the town divided, but until they had the ballot, men would not be allowed to vote according to their consciences, therefore he thought they ought not to divide the town into wards at present.. Mr R. H. Rhys had much pleasure m speaking in favour of the motion, for be thought it was most desirable that this as well as all other large towns should be divided into wards, in order that there might be a fair representation (Hear hear ) He did not think it was fair that the Board should be constituted of members living, almost wholly in one part of the parish, but should be formed of members from all (Hear hear ) He did not think it was fair that the Board should be constituted of members livingalmost wholly in one part of the parish, but should be formed of members from all parts of the parish. Mr Daniel's arguments, he thought, I refuted themselves, for if such things occurred as he stated ( it would tend to hasten the ballot. He had also stated that the Board was more radical now than formerly. He did not know what that meant, for it seemed to him very 1 much like it used to be. (Laughter) He thought the Board could do nothing better than adopt the motion pro- posed by Mr Simons. He begged to apologize to Mr Daniel for interrupting him, and remarking that what he said was "rubbish As to the appointment of committees, he however begged to remind him that it was not only the Merthyr guardians that elected the committees, but the whole Board, and they would take care that the Merthyr gentlemen should not have it all thgir own way. The Finance Committee had nothing whatever to do with the spending of money, but merely saw that the accounts were right, and if they were not they drew the attention of the Board to it, that they might enquire further into the case. There was the case of the Aberdare Hospital for instance, the Board ordered the work to be carried out. It was al- ways admitted, and even Mr Daniel made the remark, that over half the entire rates of the parish were paid by the three ironmasters, but yet there were only two gentlemen to represent them, one from Plymouth and one from Dow- lais. This surely could not be said to be fair representa- tion. Air J. W. James There are ex-oflicio Guardians. Mr R. H. Rhys They are under no obligation to sit. Mr James 1 hey do sit however. Mr Rhys-. Admitting that, there is only one gentleman, and that is Mr Clark, who sits cx-officio, and woe is in any way connected with any of the iron works. They (the Board) knew very well that that gentleman did not wish to sit upon the Board after last year, though at their ear- nest and pressing invitation he consented to stay another year. He (the speaker) as well as every other member of the Board would have been very sorry to have lost the ser- vices of Mr Clark. (Hear, hear.) Mr J. W. James said he must admit that he agreed with the motion. Some short time ago he had proposed a sitni lar motion at the Local Board of Health, and he then with- drew it after representation had been made to him by Mr Daniel. He was sorry he could not agree with his friend Mr Gould (laughter). He always advocated liberal mea- sures, and amongst them the six points of the Charter. (Laughter.) Mr Gould So have 1. (Loud laughter ) Mr James: But if he waited until he got all of them he should, he was certain, wait a long time. Rather than that he would take one by one. (Hear. lnjar.) The Ballot was looming in the distance, and he thought they should not wait for it long. As to dividing the town into three or fou wards, he was of opinion that that was a question for th whole Board, and not for a committee. Several parts of the parish, and Troedyrhiw in particular, were complaining, and he thought very justly, that they were not represented on the Board, but if the town was fairly divided, all parts of the parish would be much better represented. He there- fore begged to support Mr Simons's motion The Rev. J. Griffith supported the motion on behalf of the agricultural interest, whom he thought would he more fairly represented if the town were divided into wards. Mr Simons then replied, and wished to remind Mr Daniel and Mr Gould that he was a staunch advocate of the ballot, and whether they had the ballot ar not, the electors were perfectly independent in the choice of their representatives. The electors of Merthyr had no need of the ballot, as was shown at the last election. They (the electors) did not ad- vocate the ballot for themselves, but for those poor indivi- duals who had suffered so much throughout England and parts of Wales, by voting according to their consciences. He had no hesitation in saying that he did not believe there was one man here the worse off for voting as he chose to. It was generally said that to make a man. however Radical he may be, a Conservative was to put him in office. (Laughter.) Mr Gould was, he thought, an illustration of the truth of the statemeot,-(lcud laughter).—for now he actually advo- cated things as they are, but formerly was a firm supporter of electoral districts. (Laughter ) Two very large interests were not represented at all, namely the agricultural interest below Troedyrhiw, and at that placj there was a very warm feeling in the matter that they had no one to represent them; and also the Cyfarthfa and Georgetown interest, there not being one Guardian returned from Cyfarthfa Works to Pontyrhun. He thought things could not be altered unless they divided the parish into wards. Mr Gould remarked that Mr Simons had stated that when a person came into office he was a Conservative. He begged to state that he was not one however, for he still and ever would advocate the extension of the suffrage and the bal- lot. His only reason for not supporting the motion was that he wished to postpone the question until, as he had said before, the Government had decided upon the mode of voting, for if they divided the parish, and had to vote in the same way as at present, he thought they would only rake up old prejudices, and create some unpleasantness. The Board then divided, when there were for the motion The Chairman, Messrs. W. Simons, J. Williams, J. Mat- thews W. Harris. H. Jenkins, D. E. Williams, J. W. James, M. Edwards, G. Martin, L. Rhys, J. Rhys, R. E. Davies' W. T. Lewis, R. H. Rhys, and the Revs J. Griffith and G. C. F. Harries, total 17. For the amend- ment • Messrs W. L. Daniel, W. Gould, and T. Williams, total 3. Majority in favour of the motion 14. Messrs. ,i. Rees and R. Williams came into the Board-room after the division. The Chairman then declared that the motion was carried. The Clerk Then the next step you have to take is the appointment of a committee. Mr R. E. Davies remarked that perhaps it would be best for the committee to meet soon, before the Quarter Sessions met, for then it might be that they would have a boat of ex officios. Mr Simons remarked that what Mr Daniel had said was that the ironmasters being rich men could, if they liked, have their sons or agents put upon the Commission of the Peace, and then sit upon the Board as ex officio members, and by that way have a majority. Mr Daniel denied saying so what he said was that if the ironmasters were agrieved. they could get their sons and their agents, if they possessed landed property-for that unfortunately was a Qualification, be put upon the Commis- sion of the Peace, ani they would then sit upon the Board, and speak about any grievance complained of. THE GELLYGAER MEDICAL DISTRICT. The Clerk read a letter from Dr. Coalthurst, stating that he was willing to accept the appointment of Medical Officer for the Tir Phil district, and hoped that the Board would raise the salary to £1;> instead of 112. The Rev, G. C. F. Harries proposed that he be appointed. This was seconded by MrSimons, and agreed to unanimously. DR GABE'S DEPUTY. The Clerk read a letter from Dr Gabe, the medical officer of the Union House, Infirmary, and Merthyr (Lower), sta- ting that his present deputy would be leaving in a short time, and begged to propose for their acceptance Dr M iles in his stead. A short conversation ensued, several'of the members ob- jecting to Dr Miles being appointed as deputy, because of the short time that had elapsed since he had been requested to resign his appointment under them. Mr J. W. James thought they ought to accept Dr Miles, for there was no other gentleman in the town that would act as Dr Gabe's deputy. Being a young man it was not to be expected that he had a large private practice, and could afford to keep a deputy. Such was not the case, for he was dependent almost altogether upon his appointment under the Board. For this reason he thought they ought to accept Dr Miles. t> Mr Simons remarked that he could show them conclu- sively that Dr Gabe received from them over £ 300 a year. Mr James proposed that Dr Miles be accepted. No one seconding the motion the Chairman said it fell to the ground, and the Clerk was ordered to write to Dr Gabs, asking him to name another medical gentleman. MASTER'S REPORT. The usual weekly report was read by the master, from •which it appeared that there had been 32 admitted, 0 born, 18 discharged, 0 died, remaining in the house 301, as against 330 in the corresponding week of last year in the infirmary there were 46 patients.