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

DRAYMAN WANTED. WANTED, a young man as DRAYMAN.— V V Apply at tke Iron Bridge Brewery, llerthjr. TO PARENTS AND GUARDIANS. WANTED a Sharp and Intelligent LAD for the Office.—Apply to MATTHEWS BKOTHSKS, and Co., Merthyr. GENERAL SERVANT. WANTED, n GENERAL SERVANT.— Apply at No. 3, Comtland Terrace, Merthyr, NELSON FAIR. -_NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that the usual A Annual Fair for the Sale ef Horses, Cattle, and other Stock will take place at Nelson Village, on TUESDAY, the 12th MARCH, 1872. It is expected that this year's Fair will be largely attended by Graziers and General Dealers, and that it will afford an excellent opportunity for the Sale or Purchase of Stock. NINE HOURS SYSTEM. AT a MEETING of the employers of labour of various trades in Merthyr and Dowlais. held on Tuesday Evening. February 2rth. 1872, at the Owain Glyndwr. Pontmorlais, Merthyr, it was unanimously resolved to concede the request of the men that Fifty-Four Hours should constitute a Week's Work, and that the distribution of the time between the several days should be Ifft to the various trades to decide, according to their requirements hut with respect to the Building Trades, including Carpenters. Masons. Painters. Flasterers. and Plumbers, it was resolved that there should be one arrangement for the whole, the particulars of which have been published by circular amongst the work- men belonging to those Trades. The ne wsvstem to come into operation on MONDAY, APRIL 1st, 1872. L. R. LT7MLTSY, Chairman of the Meeting. SALE BY MLT WILLIAMMORGAN; MARSYVAYNOR. ix THE PARTSH OF VAYNOR, BRECONSHIRE. WTTHTN ONE M T LE OF CEFN. AVTI THREE MILES OF MER- THYR TYDFIL. Highly Important Sale of Farming Stock, Crops, Implements of Husbandry, <tr. MR WILLIAM"MORGAN HM the honour to announce that he has been instructed TO SELL BY AUCTION, AT THE FARM-HOUSE, MAESYVAYNOR, On WENNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1872, THE whole of the Valuable FARMING STOCK. CROPS IMPLEMENTS OF HUSBANDRY &(! the effects of the late E. J. Da vies, E"q., com- prising Three excellent Cows, with Calves at their side 4 Cows in Calf, near calving time 1 Cow in Calf. to calve in Atimiist; 1 barren Cow 1 yearline Heifer and two prime fat Cows. Two splendid Mares, for cart and heavy work 1 yearling Cart Co|f ] useful handsome yearling Grey Filly 1 fonr-vear old Cob Pony 1 Mountain Pony Mare, and FH'T. The Crops consist of one Rick of Meadow Hav (abnnt If; Tons), well harvested about 12 Tons of Hav in barn. well harvested and 1 Bay of Barley. Implements :-2 Strong Carts 1 Gambo; a capital Iron Roller I excellent Turnip Drill and Roller 1 Scuffler; 1 Iron Plough 1 Set of Iron rinrrows I ditto Chain Harrows Iron Pig Trough 1 Sheep Rack. quite new 1 Turnip Cutter Pikes. Fakes. kc. 1 set of Leading Harness 2 sets of Shsft Harness 1 set of G.O. Harness 2 Ladies' Saddles a Gentleman's Saddle; Bridles, Collars, Chains, and sundry other useful articles too numerous to mention, including the whole of the Dairy Utensils. THE PoUtTRY WILL ALSO BE SOLD. Refreshments on the Table at Twelve o'Clock Sale to Commence at One o'Clock punctually. Gwernyblithe, Glyn Neath, February 10, 1872. TO PARENTS AND GUARDIANS^ WANTED, a respectable and well-educated Youth as an APPRENTICE to the Oeneral Iron- ■toairery business. A lad havine knowledge of both languages preferred. — Apply to W. T. GBIJPITHS, Iron- monarer, High Street, Mcrthyr Tydfil. 4951 DISSOLUTION OF PARTNERSHIP. MESSRS. JONES AND STUCKEY, Whole- sale Wine and Spirit Merchants, of Merthyr, hwrin* DISSOLVED PARTNERSHIP by Mutual Cmusent. say Claims arninst the Firm should be sent in to Mr PRED. STUCKEY, 33, High-street, Mcthyr, who intends arrying on the Business. 4973 TO BE LET, No. 90, Cardiff Road, Aberaman, near A herd are. Large and Commodious PREMISES, with arary convenience. Fitted up as a Draper's Shop, but is suitable for any kind of Business. Rent moderate. —Apply &t S, Victoria-street, Merthyr, or to T. J. Pearce, Penybryn, Cefn, Merthyr: FOR SALE, ON HIGHLY ADVANTAGEOUS TERMS, SOME NEW AND VERY BEAUTIFUL FIA. NOFORTES Enquire at the Residence of JlR. EDWARD LAWRANCE, Tro/rstor ofirosic and Oryauist of St. David's Church. ADDxlIse 4908 2, COURTLAND TERRACE, MERTHYR. TYDFIL SCHOOL, MERTIIYR. A MIDDLE CLASS GRAMMAR AXD COMMERCIAL SCHOOL. Head Master:—EVAN WILLIAMS, M.A. Assistant Master:—J. WILSON (Certificated in Science.) The studies are divided into two courses :— 1.—The English Count, which ""abraces the subjects necessary for all Mechanical Engineering and Mercantile Pursuits. !Tl&# Clattical Courte, which includes the Greek, Latin, and French Languages; the Higher Mathematics, and certain Branches of Science, and prepares for the Middle Class Civil Serrica, Science, and Professional Preliminary Examinations, nati for admission into the Theoligicai Colleges and Universities. Boarders (quarterly, weekly, and daily), ta well as Day Pupils, may b« admitted at any time during the quarter. Terms, tit., on application, personally or by letter at the above address. 4631 "The TEA of TEAS." "NEW SEASONS" PURE TEA IN PACKETS Is very choice and punge?it—and is selected from the Best Pure ,A 0 u co importations judiciously blended. 2-2 6 2/8 3/- 34 3/8 4/- per lb. Sold in every Town in Great Britain by autheriztd Agents—(Chemists, Confectioners, &c.) LOCAL AGENTS:— Merthyr-LENvis, chemist, Georgetown. Merthyr—W. J. WHILE, chemist, 128, High-street. Aberaman, Sims, chemist P'pool, Edwards stationer Aberdare, Thomas, 70, Mill. Pontypridd, Daries, chemist street Pantlottyu, Davies, Post- „ Evans, chemist office Dowlais, Rees, chemist Rhymney, Dixon, chemist 1. Emmanuel, confectioner Taff's Well, WillUms Ebbw Vale, Jones, chemist Tredegar, Jenkins, chemist Hirwain, Sims, chemist Troedyrhiw, Knox, chemist Morriston, .Bevan, Post-office [ 1S8.3 JOHNSON, JOHNSON, & Co., TEA ME HAXTS, 17, Bloomfield-street, City, London. J -1 r- IM

OUR IIOCAL ELECTIONS. As we enter upon the last week in February we are reminded of the local contests which help to twellthettortuaof March and April. The Board of Health will send adrift five of its members, Messrs. DANIEL, J. W. JAMES, T. WILLIA-ITS, and G. MARTIN. The seat held by the late Mr. A. J. MOKKIS will also have to be filled. The first four gentlemen may be nominated again and be returned, or they may retire, and leave the field open to other aspirants to public honours. The Board of Guardians will, as usual, be entirely racated, as all but its ex officio members will cease, unlesa re-elected, to hold office. The Burial Board will, in like manner, come ere long before the vestry for new members, and in Easter week the overseers will have to be nominated. We have, therefore, not a few honours to bestow upon our fellow-townsmen, and it is time for us to con- J aider what manner of men and, indeed, what men, we shall make choice of. Were it a mere question of honour, it would signify but little, for a mistake | would simply expose us to the ridicule of those who might think it desirsble to have a laugh at I our expense. Honours are bestowed in this wo:ld on such shifty principles that their value is not always very great, and we are never surprised when they light upon the wrong shoulders. It has been said that the easiest way to rid ourselves of a bad servant is to give him a slov.ing certificate of character, and perhaps honours are sometimes bestowed on a similar principle. Many honours have been bestowed in Merthyr and elsewhere in the spirit of the compliment paid by the fox in the fable to the jackdaw. The poor bird had found a very savoury piece of meat which sorely tempted the hungry fox. In order to obtain possession of the dainty morsel, reynard began to praise the jackdaw's singing, until the vain bird was tempted to drop a note, and as its song ascended to the skies the meat fell upon the ground. The meat or—to use a homely expression—the bread and cheese often play a prominent part in the creation of motives and inducements when elections are taking place. Our local contests cannot, however, be regarded as opportunities for bestowing favours. At some of our Boards work of immense im- portance has to be performed, and enormous sums of money have to be expended. Social reforms of great magnitude have also to be discussed, and efficiency has to be combined with economy. A man who really does the work of a Guardian in a Union like ours, or who really does the work devolving on a member of our Board of Health, must sacrifice much time, much ease, and probably much money, for with a man in business time is money. It too often happens that men seek these local honours for the mere honour itself, and without any intention of discharging the obliga- tions involved. When elected they scarcely ever attend the meetings at which business is done, and, as far as they are concerned, the interests of the ratepayer are quite forgotten. Such men deserve no further honour?. A constituency which would re-elect them would wilfully injure itself. When a citizen undertakes a duty, he is bound to discharge it faithfully, whatever it may cost him, and if he cannot make up his mind, or see his way to accomplish this, he should retire from public service. If, however, he should have the audacity to offer his services again, the best reward his fellow-citizens can bestow upon hiin, and the healthiest instruction they can impart to him, is to leave him unsupported at the poll—a claimant for honours where honours are too precious to be thrown away. There are other men again who attend Board meetings, but are only blank cartridges when they are there. They are of no earthly use. They have no fitness of any kind for public service, and however willing, or however conscientious they may be, their labour is but the grinding'of a gristless mill. To ascertain that So- and-So has attended so many meetings during the year is of little value when we consider this. Attendance is not work, and we may easily imagine instances in which one hour's attendance of one man is worth more than fifty attendances in the case of some less efficient representative. Work and attendance are both needed on our Boards. Ability as well as conscientiousness must be exacted. Nobody patronizes a baker simply because he is conscientious, or because he sends the customary loaf in time. We demand good bread as well as an upright conscience and it is very possible for one to be, on the whole, better served by a baker who is not always punctual than by one who delivers at the very stroke of the clock a loaf which no one can stomach. The elector often [forgets this when vacancies occur on cur local Boards, though he seldom forgets it when ho is making purchases in the market. Time after time havo the best men been turned out of our Boards, and mere noodles returned instead of them. These who have proved, beyond all ques- tion, their eminent and even pre-eminent fitness to be representatives, have often been driven to the wall, as if with scorn, while oven men whom no one in his senses would put in comparison with them for a single moment, have been returned by large majorities. We would warn the ratepayers in due time not to repeat this blunder. They cannot, in these difficult times especially, afford to elect incompetent men. The difficulties of local Boards threaten to increase rather than diminish, and men of undoubted ability and public spirit must face these difficulties, and grapple with them. When the ratepayers of Merthyr begin to choose representatives because of their fitness, it will be an honour to have a seat on any of our Boards, but so long as the highest qualifications fail to insure a candidate's success, it must be as great a compliment to be rejected as to be elected. We would urge the ratepayers not to commit them- selves too hastily. Let them only weigh well the merits of those who may be eligible, and then decide. When the election of Guardians especially comes round, the Nonconformist ratepayer must remember that there ia no Board—not even ex- cepting the School Board—which has more to do with questions affecting our religious liberties than the Board of Guardians. We have seen undue attempts made to proselytize inmates, to prevent Roman Catholics from accepting offers of service in Protestant families, and to endow Churchmen and Catholics with public money for teaching their dogmas to paupers. If Nonconformists wish the principles of religious liberty to be established and faithfully carried out, they must stand by these principles at their local contests, and return the men who will resist every attempt at subverting them. We mention no names in view of the approaching contests, but we hope these contests will display no symptoms of weakness or de- moralization, but pass off to the credit and to the lasting benefit of the parish. 1—1———— ■ IN

LOCAL INTELLIGENCE, WE understand that it is the intenuon of the advocates of secular edueation to oppose the second reading of the Scotch Education Bill, which is fixed for Thursday, the 2Uth instant. A TnfELY DISCOVERT.—On Thursday morning week a nigger employed under the Plymouth Company applied at Dr. Ward's surgery for relief, complaining of illness. It was at once discovered that the man was suffering from smali-pox. He was conveyed with all speed to the hospital. It is remarkable that few of the many Ethiopians ia this district have escaped this loathsome disease. INQUEST.— An inquest was held at the Park View on Tuesday, before Thomas Williams, Esq the deputy- coroner, on the body of Thomas Lswis, aged 2G, who was accidentally killed under the following painful circum- stances:—It appeared that deceased was engaged putting' a horse and cart into a stable, when the horse started and jammed him between the shafts and the wall, causing injuries from which he died a ftw days afterwards. The jury returned a yardict of Accidental death." FATAL ACCIDENT AT DOWLAIS.—On Friday Daniel Morgan, fireman, died from the effects of injuries received two days previously at No, 2 Coalpit, Cvrmbargoed, Peny- darren. It appears that deceased was leaving work, and upon coming out of the engine-house was struck by the crank of the engine, which threw him on the drum, then in motion. The poor fellow was carried around the drum, being fearfully mutilated. He was subsequently attended by Dr Webster, but medical skill proved of no avail, and after lingering many hours in intense agony, the poor fellow expired on Friday. ACCIDENT ON THE MARKED SQUARE. — On Mon hy evening several children were amusing themselves on the "turn-about" wooden horses on the Square. One little child was in the act of falling, and in some way or other got entangled in the apparatus, and had his arm-bone broken just below the elbow. The woman who had charge of the turn-about," in her anxiety to prevent the accident, seized the cog wheel, by which the aparatus is turned, and unfortunately got her fingers between the cots and completely smashed three of them. She was speedily attended by Dr Dyke, who very skilfully operated upon the hand, and bandaged it, and we hear that she is recover- ing, though very seriously and permanently maimed, j l hildren should be warned not to venture on such dangerous rides. THE JUNCTION GV THE TAFF VALE WITH THE GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY.—Tins desirable improvement, by which the Taff Vale passenger trains will run into and out of the Great Western Railway Station at Merthyr, is thus re- ferred to in the report of the Directors of the Tutf Vule Railway Company, just issued :—"The directors regret that the junctions with the Great Western Railway at Cardiff and at Merthyr are still incomplete the former is in course of construction, an.1 will probably be completed during the present year, but the latter is delayed chiefly by the want of adequate parliamentary power, which the Great Western Company have provided for in their IJill presented to Parliament in the current session. No action will [be wanting on the part of both boards to expedite these desir- | able junctions, involving, as they do, greatly improved station and other accommodation for the public." NEW EDUCATION CODE.—The new code of regulations for the present year, as drawn up by the Committee of the Privy Council on Education, has been published. Several modifications, as compared with List year's code, appear in the new regulations. Among them it is provided that the manager's of a school which has met not less than SO times in the evening in the course of a year may claim for every scholar who has attended not less than 50 evening meetings of the school Ts 6d subject to examination—viz., 2s 6<1 for passing in reading, 2s (3d for passing in writing, and 2s (id for passing in arithmetic. The grant is reduced as follows: (a) By its excess above the income of the school from fees, rates, and subscriptions the rate of los per scholar accord- 1 ing to the average number in attendance and one-half the] expenditure on the annual maintenance of the school in the year defined by article 13. {/>). By not less than one-tenth nor more than one-halt" in the whole, upon the inspector's re- port, for faults of instruction or discipline on the part of the teacher, or (after six months' notice) for failure on the part vI the managers to jemedy any such defect in the premises as seriously interferes with the efficiency of the school, or to provide proper furniture, buols. maps, and other apparatus of elementary instruction, if the inspectorat a visit of surprise not less than six moni hs after notice has been given of the requirements of the Education Deparinent. reports that they have not been carried in'o effect, a deduction may be made from the next grant to the school, (r.) At the rate of JLL;0 for the year, for every 40 scholars, after the first 20. of the average IJl1!nhcr in attendance, unless there has been during the year one pupil teacher fulfilling the conditions of article 70 for every such forty scholars. A certificated teacher, or an assistant fulfilling the conditions of article 79, is an equivalent to two pupil teachers, (d.) By Is per scholar, according to the average number in attendance throughout the year. unless vocal music forms a part of the ordinary course of instruction. BOARD OF GUARDIANS.—The usual weekly meeting of this Board was held on Saturday. Present -Mr Clark, in the chair, the Revs John Griffith (rector) and Dr Price, j Messrs D. Davhs, James Lewis, Win. Crawshay, B. Kirk- house, George Martin, Thomas Williams, John Williams, Thomas Jenkins. Dr James, Hosgood, Powell, Mathew) Lewis, II. Thomas, and Jones The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed.—The master read his report, from which it appeared that there were 284 in the house, as compared with 341 in the corresponding week of last year. He further reported that there were 52 applicants for relief ordered in the house last week, and none availed themselves of the shelter. The precepts for Breconshire and Glamorganshire were placed on the table.—The report of the vaccination inspector was read, from which it appeared that small-pox still prevailed. The Chairman remarked th:1 t in Oowlais the disease was not only racing in the crowded parts of tho town, but in the suburbs. Late on the previous evening he hnit a conference with the medical authorities on the subject, and it was then suggested that disease was propagated at funerals. This was "argued dur- ing the unhappy prevalence of cholera some years ago, and perhaps there was reason for suspicion in the present in- stance. With a view to rendering facilities in the conduct of funerals, he suggested that the Board should depute Mr James to offer free use of the hearse to the Board of Health. Dr Price instanced the action of the Board of Health at Aberdare some time since, in seeking ca-operation on the part of ministers of all denominations, who exhorted their respective congregations not to persist in attending the funerals of departed friends and relations who had been' called away in small-pox. The Hector of Merthyr also suggested the advisability of net conveying a corpse into the chapels at burials in cases of small-pox. He mentioned that as he saw one or two members of the Burial Board pre- sent. Mr James Lewis intimated that an order had been made to this effect at Aberdare, where he regretted to find that although they had offered the free use of a hearse, the people were not availing themselves of it. Dr James, as a member of the Burial Board, remarked that he had given this question much consideration, and acknowledged the difficulty in preventing persons from attending funerals, and, where the friends so willed, to carrying the deceased. He had often wished they could eet a kind of three-wheeled truck, similar to that adopted in some English towns, on whieh the coffin was placed, the bearers still retaining a hold and pushing the vehicle on. The Chairman reminded the Board that it was not their business here to consider the duties of the Board of Health or the Burial Board, or the duties of any Board other than their own but he did not think anyone out of order in taking advantage of the presence here of members of the Burial Board or Board of Health, by advancing opinions on various subjects in which those Boards were interested. When, however, they came to recommend a certain vehicle, then he thought they were trenching on ground perhaps to the disapproval of other Boards. He must remind them of the fact that the CUll- structioii of a trap of the kind suggested was not the duty of this Board, unless its usc were required for paupers, but was included in the duties of the Board of Health. He ap- preciated the vallie of the suggestiol1, amI had often thought of something similar, having seen that kind of vehicle often in the North of England. With respect to attendance at funerals, the practice of following a body to the gravo was a good one, and denoted kindly feeling on the part of the survivors and often, in the case of poor men, it was the only tribute they had to pay. And although for special reasons it should be discouraged at particular times, yet they should he scrupulously careful in interpreting this feel- ing—that, although the practice was admired, under cir- cumstances it should be avoided. He was sure the Board would share in its anxiety to encroach as little as possible on the proper feelings of the people, and to make them un. derstand that, whilst the practice was warmly approved of, yet under certain circumstances their good manifestations of respect should be suspended. (Hear, hear.) This was all the business of public importance.

DEATH. On the 8th inst., at Treprisk, Moilgrove, Pembrokeshire, Mr William .Tames, in his 83rd year.

OUR LONDON CORRESPONDENT. The first field-night of the session has been a remark- ably excited one. In a House of upwards of 500 members, the Government majority of only 27 carries conviction even to the Premier's mind that the art of straining an Act of Parliament is as dangerous an operation as a dance upon a tight-rope even to such a practised professor as M. Blondin. Early on Monday evening it was easy to see that the Collier appointment was none the less considered a "job," because last week Lord Hatterley convinced the House of Lords of HIS bona fides in the matter, or even because the Government managed to avert a defeat in the Lords. Sir H. Collier may be, and doubtless is, the best man available for the position, but since every other judge available under the provisions of the Act was not applied to—since, in fact, the statute, to quote the Lord Chief Justice's words, was evaded," we can only deplore the occasion of an unhappy antagonism between men like Sir A. Cockburn and Lord IIatherley, ruefully acknowledge the applica- bility of Lord Salisbury's satire, and hope the Govern- ment will not do so any more." The Duke of Argyle was pleased to attack tho Lord Chief Justice for his part in the difference, in terms that would have disgraced the pet oration of the Coger's Forum, and has already had in the most emphatic and public manner te eat his own words. From the outset of his career as an orator the noble Duke has been more remarkable for what the Scotch call "blether" than for brains but people had even given tho Father-in-law of a Princess credit for being a chivalrous gentleman, and attributed to him a tolerable mastery of that measured phrase one expects to hear in the upper House. He will lose our good opinion if he is reduced to nuke such another exhibition of himself as he did in the House of Lords on Monday night. His attack on Sir A. Cockburn was pretty, personal and querulously beside the question. The Duke of Argyle has injured his own reputation and the prestige of his country by holding up the Lord Chief Justice of England to contemptuous reprobation in the face of the people of the United States. More even than the attenuated majority of the Government in the Commons, the speech of Sir Roundell Palmer has excited surprise. How this great lawyer could have so far become the advocate of the Government as to defend utterances of the Duke of Argyle, for which his grace the same night had been compelled to make the amende honourable, passes the comprehension of legal gossipers. However, the "caution" which the Government has received will not be forgotten, and with this first breeze in the Lower House the political atmosphere will become a little clearer. When is the most Liberal, and at the same time the most economical, Government going to oblige an ex- pectant community by abolishing that unnecessary and scarcely amusing patronage the Lord Chamberlain ? Meddle and muddle" characterised Earl Russell's career as a Foreign Secretary (said his adversaries) meddle and muddle of an abidingly aggravating nature most decidedly characterise Viscount Sydney's public efforts. He caused political allusions to be expunged from the pantomimes he allowed music-hall buffoonery at West End theatres on Ash Wednesday, forbidding with Lord Chamberlainish consistency, really meritorious and refined entertainments at those places of amuse- ment on that day; and for a time he stuck his foot" blunderingly into the arrangements for the thanksgiving on the 20th instant. Performing dogs and "Jolly John Nash are vouchsafed to the habitues of the Gaiety, but patrons of the Queen's Theatre solicit in vain permission for the performance of "The Last Days of Pompeii." Canine intelligence and vulgar comic songs are seemly on a Church fast-dnv; pagan plays are not. Mra. Billington may scream out The Charge of the Light Brigade,' and that amiable bore, Mr. Randford, sing, 'Tis forty yaers, my old friend John," or the Christys render their burnt-cork choruses, but it would be wrong to gaze on an exemplification of the British drama. However, let us turn to my Lord Sydney's last blun- der. The line of route for the procession to St. Paul's was early fixed, and generally approved. It was simply natural that Her Majesty should elect to journey rfV/ the Strand and Fleet-street. About the return journey there was from the commencement a variety of opinions. Had London been polled, the opinion would have been in favour of the Thames Embankment. In realization of a clear understanding to the effect that the Embank- ment would be chosen, the Board of Works proceeded to arrange for making the best use of that noble thoroughfare. On Friday last Viscount Sydney's pretty imbroglio reached its height. Mr. Spencer Ponsoaby wrote to the papers stating that it was impossible for the desires of the inhabitants of Holborn and Oxford-street to be entertained, inasmuch as it was finally decided that Her Majesty would return by the Embankment. In another part of the same paper there appeared a report of answers made to inquiring Members by Mr. Gladstone and Mr. Ayrton as to the return route, about which it was specifically stated that nothing was yet decided. On the afternoon of Friday a number of work- men might have been seen engaged in fitting up stands and galleries with timber marked with the broad arrow. On Friday night it was formally announced that Her Majesty, in consideration of the wishes of the inhabi- tants of Oxford-street, had decided to return to Buckingham Palace by that route Was there ever such a muddle ? Great dissatisfaction has been caused in Cockspur-street, and amongst the inhabitants of Charing Cross by the determination of Her Majesty to proceed along the north side of Trafalgar Square. Meanwhile, the preparations forthcceremony proceed with increasing briskness. Windows in the Strand and Fleet-street are already at an almost fabulous premium. Lucky is he who has obtained a good window in either street at a less outlay than £ LJ. Messrs. Willing, the advertising agents and speculators in hoardings, have done a great stroke of business with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who is never averse to turning an honest penny, as was proved by his desire to sell the reserved land of Victoria Park for building sites. Mr. Willing have rented from the Government the entire frontage of the site of the Law Courts. He pays £300, f,nd he hopes, I am told, to accommodate -5,000 persons at two guineas each. The incumbent of St. Mary's, in the Strand, has let the enclosed space which surrounds the church to an enter- prising speculator for £150, which is said will be devoted lo the relief of the poor of the parish. It is to be hoped that a rigid inspection will be made of the various structures that are literally springing up on all ham's. At the present writing some of them wear a damrorously fragile aspect. We ohall have reason to be ihanktul if the day will pass off without loss of life. As might have been expected, the clubs in Pall Mall and neigh- bourhood are making extensive preparations for the ceremony. The Athenfeum is spending about JE200 for the accommodatiou of its members. In the most select circles people are talking with bated breath respecting a "mysterious disappearance" which will throw that of the liussinn into the shade when it comes to be generally discussed. The personage who is non est has now been absent long enough to give uneasiness to his exalted relatives, especially to the young wife whom it is said he has deserted for alien charms. Depend upon it there will be a pretty shine when the British people come to learn the conduct of the said high personage, so contrary to the quality implied by his name.

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE. AADRZSSBB TO TKF. BSLTOX. The Editor is notrosponsible for the opinions of his Correspondents WHERE ARE THE POLICEMEN? SIR,—It is often said that If you want to find a police- man, it is ten to one that you can not find him if you don't want to find him, it is ten to one that he will find you." Where are they when they are wanted ? The Plymouth road from the Taff Vale Railway station to Pentrebach is very dangerous to pedestrians in the night, so many drunkards, and visitors to the celestial part of our town, being very fond of insulting and attacking quiet people during late hours. During the last twelve months, two or three corpses have been found in the feeder, and according to public opinion, one of them was murdered, though the jury returned a verdict of "Accidental death." Duriiig the same pariod, dozens of women and able-bodied men have been assailed by these ferocious brutes, and in vain cried for the assistance of the policemen. Some time ago three young men, supposed to be from 18 to 20 years of age, met the writer of these lines under the incline bridge they wanted money to have beer, and on being refused, one of them made a jump at him, but the evil-doer was soon laid on the ground by the weight of his cane. The other two made the best of their way, and were followed soon after by their less fortunate companion. On Tuesday night the writer was insulted again for the second time by a young man who is said to be very fond of pugilistic exercise. But whether that is the case or not, he demonstrated the scientific part of the most beautiful art" with great satis. faction to himself, and succeeded in marking the most prominent piece of the writer's face. Seeing two together, and the actions of one ef them betraying his pugilistic ten- dency. and no policeman near, I had no alternative but defend myself as well as I could with my umbrella. It is really too bad that a man cannot walk the road without being insulted in this manner; and it is equally bad that a policeman cannot be found where he is wanted. Yours, &c., Pentrebach. J. T. MORGAN.

MERTHYR POLICE COURT. SATURDAY.—{Before J. a. Fowler, Esq.) THE CASE OF STEALING BREAD AND MEAT.—Geo. Jones was again brought up charged with stealing bread and meat, value 6d, frem the Clarence Inn.—As nothing was known of his antecedents, he was discharged. ILLEGAL HOURS.—George Parry, landlord of the Anchor Tavern, was summoned for selling beer during illegal hours. P.C. Charley was about to give evidence, when defendant applied for and adjournment till next Saturday, which was granted. DARING THEFT or A COAT.— Ebenezor Orton was charged with stealing a coat, value 8s, the property of Mr Price, landlord of the Picton Inn, Caedraw. Prosecutor's wife appeared to prosecute, and said her husband came home last Monday evening, took off his coat, and put it on the window. It was missed on Wednesday morning. Did not see it afterwards until Thursday, when prisoner came into the house having the coat on his back. Witness gave him into custody.—A witness was clled for the prosecution, a servant at the Picton, who said she saw prisoner at the house on Monday, when he sold his own coat to a strange man for 3s.—Police-sergeant Olding arrested the prisoner at the Picton Inn. On charging him with the theft, he said he "swapped" coats with another man.—Prisoner for a while protested his innocence, but ultimately pleaded guilty, and was sent to prison for two calendar months with hard labour. BEING IN A PUBLIC-HOUSE DURING ILLEGAL HOURS.— Daniel Sullivan, David Rees, and Edward Hopkins were summoned for being in the Moulders' Arms during illegal hours, for which the landlord had been fined.—P.C. Oliver gave evidence, and the defendants were each fined 5s and costs. THE GEORGETOWN ASSAULT CASK.—William Edwards, who has been repeatedly remanded in consequence of the illness of one of the complainants, was finally brought up on the charge of assault. The assault was committed on the 24th of December, 1871. The complainant Jenkins now appeared, and, in reply to his Worship, stated that he Mt a little better. Drs Ward and James, and the other wit- nesses, were bound over to prosecute, and the prisoner was committed to take his trial at the quarter sessions, to be held on Wednesday. AN IRRECLAIMABLE WOMAN.—Margar«t Ann Thomas was charged, upon the evidence of P.C. Davies, with being drunk and indecent in Wetherall-street, Aberdare. It transpired that this was prisoner's tenth conviction since January, 1870. Sent to prison for a month with hard labour. REFUSING TO QUIT.—Watkin Powell and David Powell were summoned for being drunk and refusing to quit the Carmarthen Arms, Dowlais. M-s James, the landlady, stated that last Saturday the defendants came to the house and wanted beer. It was refused, as they were drunk. They both began making a disturbance, and were ordered out. They refused to make their exit, and were forcibly ejected by complainant's husband. As they were going out, OM of them attempted to kick the servant. They were each fined 20s, including costs. WOMEN'S SQUABBLES.—Mary Mullins and Mary Jane Brown were charged with disturbing the peace at George- town, and fined Is each and costs. MISCELLANEOUS OFFFNCES.—Daniel Lewis was charged with obstructing the pavement, and fined Is and costs. — Alfred Price charged with drunk and riotous, was fined 10s and costs.—Margaret Reardon, with being drunk was tined 5s and Mary Ann Thomas, charged with being drunk in George-street, Dowlais, was fined 2s 6d and costs. THE ACCIDENT TO CAPT. SMYTH.—William Newman. cab- driver, was charged with negligence in driving, whereby a severe injury was inflicted on Capt. Smyth (as reported in our last.) —John Owens, dogger, stated that about one o'clock on Saturday last he saw Capt. Smyth crossing the Market Square, and the two-horse cab driven by defendant knocked him down. The defendant was driving at rather a quick pace for starting—quicker than he thought he ought to go. (The magistrate here asked witness to sketch on a piece of paper the relative positions of Capt. Smyth and the cab. The witness took hold of the pencil, but it seemed to him as difficult to do so as if he had been re- quested to sketch an outline form of Ireland. He had evidently not been a pupil at the science and art classes.) No part of the cab struck Capt. Smyth. —Rr Ward said he saw Capt. Smyth knocked down. He believed the Captain was under the horses' heads before the driver saw him, as at. the time the cab was being turned into High-street. He didn't believe there was any want of care on the part of the cab-man, as Capt. Smyth was so much under the horses' heads that the cab-man might not have seen him until he had been knocked down. He examined Capt. Smyth after the occurrence, and he had several abrasions on the face, and although for a time insensible, had suffered no material injury. He was now getting all right.—Mr Fowler said the charge, as laid, was an indictable offence, which if proved must have gone to the assizes, but after the evidence given there was no chance of a conviction, and defendant must be discharged. Capt. Smyth had other courses that he might adopt, if he thought proper, against defendant, but on the charge before him there could be no conviction. He was very pleased to hear that Capt. Smyth sustained no serious injury. A SLIP FROM THE HAND.—Mary Singleton was oharged on the evidence of P.C. Parsons with riotous conduct in Georgetown. Defendant and another woman were quar- relling, in consequence, as it appeared, of this woman hav- ing taken up a brick, which she said slipped from her hand," and struck defendant.—Dismissed with a caution. MONDAT.—(Before J. C. Fowler, Esq.) BRUTAL ASSAULT ON THE POLICB.—Thomas Owen and Richard Davies were both charged with assaulting Police- constahle James (94), at Cwmaare, on Saturday night.— Complainant stated that on the night in question he was on duty in Cwmdare. He saw the prisoners being driven out of the Castle publie-house. When outside they began quarrelling. Complainant ordered them away, when Owen came up and said, I should like to flght you, Jim," at the M.mo time striking him a violent blow on the nose. Witness took him into custody, and Owen began kicking, and both fell to the ground. When they were struggling on the ground, Griffiths camo on and kicked complainant violently in the stomach, and ran away. Police-sergeant Davies came on at the time, and we got up. Owen again began kicking, and shouted to the crowd, Don't let him take me to Aberdare." Witness took him to the Castle.— Police-sergeant Davies said he saw Owen struggling with Police-constable James on the ground, and took him to the Castle. While in the Castle Owen struck Davies, who dealt him a blow on the eye—Mr Phillips (Rosser and Phillips), who appeared for Griffiths, having addressed the Bench, each prisoner was sent to prison for one calendar month with hard labour. SH'TTS ASSAULT. — ,Tohn James was charged with assaulting Joi.u Smith, blacksmith, Gellivaelog, Dowlais. —The case was remanded from last week, and to-day Mr D. Robert Lewis appeared for the defendant, and Mr Simons for complainant.—The evidence of last week was repeated, and the several witnesses were cross-examined by the solicitors, after which his Worship committed the defendant for trial at the sessions, but admitted him to bail. YOUNG BURGLARS.—Three children from Deri, named Joseph Williams, Thomas Brown, and Alfred Hart, were charged with having broken into the shop of Mr Thomas Evans (of Dowlais), at Deri, and stealing therefrom a quantity of tobacco, and about five shillings in money, on Saturday night last. The little boys charged each other with the offence, and after P.C. Evans and other witnesses bad given evidence, they were committed for trial to the Sessions. PERMITTING DRUNKENNESS.—George Lewis, of the Blast Furnaee Inn, Pontlottyn, Rhymney, was charged on the information of P.S. Jenkins with permitting drunken- ness in his house on Saturday night, the 10th inst. The Fergeant proved that he saw nearly 20 persons in the house, all more or less drunk, and the house itself in a most disordered state. The defendant said he could not help it, as it was pay night, and that the people had got drunk elsewhere. There was no defence, but as defendant's house had borne a good character, he was fined only 50s and costs. BASTARDY.—David Richards, puddler, Pentrebach, was adjudged the father of the illegitimate child of Margaret Lewis, a single woman. This was her second appearance in the witness-box in the character of a mother. Defen- dant did not deny the paternity, and was ordered to pay the usual weekly amount and costs. THE DOWLAIS REMANDED CASE. George Lewis, re- manded on charges of embezzlement and fraudulent con- spiracy, appeared to-day, and as before was defended by Mr Simons, ihe prosecution beiqg conducted by Mr Frank James.—The first witness oalled to-day was Mr David Mor- gan, of the Dowlais office, who produced the time-book kept by Vaughan Lewis (the other person in the charge of conspiracy, and who is now in America). Mr Simons ob- jected to the admission of this book as evidence, as the present defendant was not responsible for its contents, and had nothing to do with it, The entries in it must be proved by the writer.—Mr James urged that defendant hrd acted upon his knowledge of what was in the Time Look by asking for a labour card, and he was charged in a. joint offence.—Mr Simons, on the nthrr hand. pointed out what he considered the fallacy of Mr James's argument, by its being assumed that Vaughan Lewis was guilty of fraud, and using that assumption against his client. !t was like convicting a man first, and then producing the evidence afterwards. — Mr Fowler said 1e would consider the ob- jection, and as the whole case against, the present defendant would hinge upcn it he would give his decision on Satur- day, but his impression was that it would have to go be- fere a jury. CAUTION TO REGISTERED LODGIXG-HOUSE KEEPERS.— George Hughes was charged with having in his registered lodging-house a larger number of lodgers than his house had been licensed for.—-P.S. Olding said that he visited the house recently, and found in it 2-l inmates, being 12 more than were allowed.—Mr Ollard appeared to prosecute, and Mr Simons was for the defence. Mr Ollard submitted a printed copy of the bye-laws, but Mr Simons objected to them as being no evidence, fi r the prosecution must prove that the Lodging House Act had been adopted by the Board, and that the necessary notice of 42 days had been given be- fore its adoption. —Mr Ollard said it was too bad to compel the Board to produce formal notices of 2 years' old, when they had been practically admitted over and over again at this court at former convictions. — Mr Simons said he would admit nothing in connection with the Board of Health. It was quite possible that they had never adopted the Act, and therefore their bye-laws were worthless. The Board of Health did such odd things that such irregulaiities were quite possible. Only the other day they took their sewers through lands without, making any conditions vith the proprietor, or giving him any notice, and after the work was done, and failing to agree about compensation, they now propor-ed to change the course of the sewacre works. People who did sueh acts as these would be guilty of any absurdity, for they were not governed by rules indicating the possession of common- sense. He (the lexrned advocate) was a humble member of that Board, but he was sorry to say he could suggest nothing in extenuation of their follies. (Great laughter.)— Adjourned to Monday next for the necessary proofs. SWINDLING THE BOAUD OF GUARDIANS.—Jane Davies, wife of a scamp named William Davies, now in Cardiff gaol, was charged with obtaining in-door relief at the Merthyr Union, under the presence that she was a widow. She and her two children were admitted into the house last year, and one of the children is still there. She admitted the charge, and was committed for trial at the Quarter Sessions. WEDNESDAY.— (Before T. J. Evans, Enqr.) DRUNK AND DISORDERLY.—James Collins, Dowlais, was fined 5s and costs, and John Howells, Merthyr, 10s and costs for these offences. A DRUNKEN LANDLADY.- Mrs Harris, landlady of the Silver Swan, Castle-street, Merthyr, was charged with being drunk and riotous on Monday night last.—P S. Olding said that defendant was a complete nuisance in the neighbourhood, her drunken brawls causing a perpetual dis- turbance, and she was scarcely ever without one or both eyes being blackened.—-Defendant said that she went to the station quietly, which was about her only plea for con- sideration, and that her husband was a very wicked man. Fined 5s, which some friend paid for her. —— MERTHYR COUNTY COURT. MONDAY.—(Before His Honour Jud<;e Falconer.) His Honour Judge Falconer commenced his monthly sitting at the Temperance Hall on Monday. There were set down for hearing 000 plaints and 190 judgment sum- monses. ACTION AGAINST A RAILWAY COMPANY. The only cases of importance which occupied the atten- tion of the court were—Burgess v. the Great Western Rail- way Company, and Leonard v. the Great Western Railway Company. Both plaintiffs arc fruiterers and green- grocers in Merthyr. The first claimed compensation for non-delivery of goods, in September last, sent from Aber- gavenny, in con«equcnce of which other goods were pur- chased at a loss in order to supply customers. The alleged cause of delay was a departure on the part of the Great Western Company from the route prescribed on label, viz., "from Abergavenny to Merthyr, riel Great Western and Taff Vale Railway." Had -the:) directions been followed, a change in the course of translIlission-according to plain- tiff 's argument—should have been made at Quaker's Yard, the point of junction between defendants and the Taff Vaie Railway Company; but the goods were avowed to follow the usual course to Merthyr, via Hirwain, and in conse- quence of this, coupled with delay on the part of the carrier atMerthvr, the goods were not delivered to phintiff until after market hours, or, at all events, the season when lie could have made profitable disposal. Mr Mason, on behalf of defendants, replied to the case by urging that the goods in question were not sent under any special contract, and that, under the circumstances, the company had faithfully carried out the obligations imposed on thein—"to deliver within reasonable time." lie pointed to the hour at which the goods were consigned to the com- pany's care for transmission at Abergavenny, 8 o'clock on the evening of the 22nd September, and delivery at Merthyr at f) o'clock on the following afternoon. His Honour quoted authorities, bearing upon the case, and pointed out that in the absence of any special contract, the company had delivered within reasonable time, and gave judgement for tlie defendants. The case of Leonard v. the Great Western Railway Com- pany, which has been twice adjourned fwr further evidence, also again came on for hearing. Mr Simons for claimant, and Mr Lewis (Smith, Lewis, and Jones), for defendonts. The previous lie-ring in this case appeared in our columns, and as it was to-day again adjourned for his Honour's de- cision on Wednesday, we withhold any further report of the proceedings, inasmuch as the main points will be neces- sarily advanced when the judgment is given. In the course of the hearing on Monday, however, Mr Simons passed warm comments upon the manner in which tho Great Western Railway Company had discountenanced the pre- sent claim, advanced on the most reasonable grounds by a person who, it had been proved, was in the habit of paying over £ 3,000 per annum to the company for the conveyance of goods.—Judgment given for JB16, the amount claimed, and costs. MERTHYR BOARD OF HEALTH. The usual fortnightly meeting of this Board was held on Wednesday, present—Mr William Jones, chairman, Messrs George Martin, George Overton, William Gould, Thomas Jenkins, Thomas Williams, Jamus (Dowlais), W. L. Daniel, and Rice. The minutes of the last meeting were read and con- firmed. The Clerk intimated that he had received no replies to advertisements for letting the sewage lands, and it was agreed that the planting should be at once commenced by the Board. Tenders for hauling at Troedyrhiw were opened, and the one submitted by Mr Richard Edwards accepted. COMMUNICATIONS FROM CHIEF-CONSTABLES. It will be remembered that at the last meeting of the Board, the clerk was requested to communicate with the cbief-constablesof Breconshire, Glamorganshire, Monmouth- shire, asking co-operation with a view to the suppression of small-pox, by giving instructions to the police to interfere in the case of persons at large suffering from infection. The following replies received were read, and passed to the press for publication :— Cliinf Constable's Office, Abergavenny, 16th Feb, 1872. Sir,—With reference to yonr letter of the loih inst, calling my attention to certain provisions respecting small-pox in the Sanitary Acts, and requesting me to give instruetions to the police to assist in carrying out these provisions by enforcing compliance and reporting infractions, I have to inform you that in this county the legitimate duties of the policc are sutlieiently onerous without undertaking sanitary duties. I believe it is the duty of the local authorities to appoint proper sanitary officers. When these officers are appointed the police will be instructed to give them any assistance or information they may require.—I am, Sir, your obedient servant, KDMUNB JlEiiinniT, Chief Constable of the County of jionmouth. Thomas Williams, Esq, Clerk to the Local Board of Health, Merthyr Tydfil. Chief Constable's Office, Fob 17th, 1872. Dear Sir,—T beg to acknowledge your letter. By this post I had forwarded instructions to the police in the neighbourhood of Merthyr to assist in carrying out the regulations of the Hoard of Health at Merthyr.—I remain, sir, your obedient servant, EDMD. GWVNNH, Chief Constable. Chief Constable's Office, Canton, Cardiff, 15th Feb, 1872. g;r|—x have desired Mr Superintendent Thmnas tc call on you to make the arrangements as to carrying out the requirements of the Board named in your letter.—Yours truly, II. GOUK LINDHY, Chief Constable, pro T. J. W! T. Williams, Esq, Solicitor and Clerk to the Local Board of Health. PUBLIC BATHS AND WASH-HOUSES. This much-discussed subject came to a crisis to-day, when the following passage from the Surveyor's report was read upon his visTt to establishments on the other side of the water:—"I beg to report that, in accordance with your order I have, since your hist meeting, visited Bristol for the purpose of inspecting the public baths and wash-houses established theie, and was kindly aided in my inquiries by Dr Davies. the valued and experienced medical officer of health of that city. Public baths and wash-houses were erected some twenty years since by the Town Council on the northern side of the city, in the locality known as on the Weir at a cost of £ 9.000, and the Council is now erecting a'similar but larger establishment, with swimming bath, at Bedminster, on the southern side of the city, at an outly of £ 25,000. Both establishments were designed by Mr P. P. Baly, C.E., of London, and the first one was erected and the Bedminster one is now being erectd under his direction. The establishment in operation consists of 22 first and 42 second-class slipper baths, and 35 washing compartments. There is no swimming bath. Every washing woman has a place to herself, and is supplied with as much clean wnter-hot and cold—as she requires, and steam for boiling the linen. She has the use of the centrifugal wringing machine, a separate drying horse, lmt iron", and the con- venience of ironing and mangling. First-clcss warm baths are charged at Gel., and first-class cold baths, (id. second- class warm baths arc charged 2d., and second-class cold baths Id. Each washing-woman is charged for the first hour Id., for the second hour a like sum, and for every subsequent half-hour a penny. The number of washers average about 700 per week, and the bathers vary from l,6<XHo 1,800 per week in summer, to 2i">0 to [>■>0 per week in winter. On some hot Saturdays as many as OfK) have bathed. For the year the average number of bathers is about 700 per week. The annual cost is—Wages of staff (JE8 per week), t'416 coal (10 tons per week), £140; water, £10,1; gas, £;)0; repairs, painting, and incidental expenses, £100; total £ 700. The sums received from washers and bathers amount to about £100 per year less than the annual cost, and there is no return on the original outlay for the erection of the premises. Notwithstanding this financial loss, the establishment is regarded as a great sanitary benefit, and is much esteemed by the industrial population. Several establishments of a. smaller scale would be more suitable for your district. One to begin with, consisting of four first-class and eight second-class baths, and twelve washing compartments, erected in Bethesda-street, to serve Caepantywyll and George-town, would be of great advantage. The first thing to be done will be to adopt the Act 9 and 10 Vic c. 74, to encourage the establishment of public baths and wash-houses, and any Act amending the same." Several members acknowledged the boor, secured in a town like Merthyr thrpugh the establishment of baths and wash-houses, but, considering the heavy works on baud, it would be imprudent to entail further financial burdens. The Board declined to entertain a plan for houses in Cae Harris, Powlais, sent by some person unknown. The dirty state of Dowhis streets rcctntly was loudly denounced by Mr Thomas Jenkins, who cited i or-strcet, Commercial-street, and Wells-slieet. as being in an unpar- donable condition during a recent inspection on the part of himself a.nd M r (loorge Martin. Th's at once led to the sub- ject of the indifferent way in which the inspector of nuisances had discharged his duties, and it was ultimately agreed to advertise the office of inspector of Nuisances for Dowbiis. it being understood that the Board would at various times make a perambulation of all streets, &c., in th district. Tho Merthyr streets wore also referred to. and one mem- ber remarked that only three days after the remarkable speech by Mr Simons, some time since, in which he un- sparingly denounced the w: lit of :1ction ou the part of other Boards, two members of the Aberdare Board of Health were walking up the High-street long after mid-day. when men were scraping the streets even at that advanced hour of the day, and the Aberdare gentlemen incautiously walked into a heap of mud. The speaker, having sym- pathised with 1\11' Simons in his apparently well-founded complaints upon the neglect of others only three days previously, felt doubly ashamed at the late hour the scavenger was doing his work. THE MEDICAL OFFICER'S REPORT.' From this report the increase of small-pox was painfully verified. It appears that during the fortnight ending 17th February there had been 80 new cases of the disease re- ported. These, added to 174 previously recorded, gave a total of 2GO cases. The deaths during the fortnight were 13, which, added to tbc number formerly reported, made a total of 43. Further on in the report Dr Dyke testifies to the potcrcy of vaccination towards allaying the disease by quoting the following statistics :—3f the whole number attacked ISO had been vaccinated of these 8 died. The un vaccinated sick numbered 80 of these 35 died." After ref" rence to the ill accommodation afforded by the badly ventilated houses in certain parts of the parish, which have invariably proved the most prolific source of disease, the Doctor thus concludes "Upon three different occasions during the last five years 1 have laid before you the results of laborious inquiries, undertaken by your command, into the condition of these damp. unventilated, unhealthy houses I regret to have to remind you thatinalarge majority of instances the reports made to you have been allowed to remain on the table, although the Sanitary Laws have endowed you with ample powers to compel recusants to supply that which the man who pays rent has a right to have a healthy house." The Chairman looked upon the paragraph as a rebuff. The medical officer had hitherto pointed out whole batches, far too large proportion to deal with at once. They wanted something more specific. Let the medical officer select— say a dozen or twenty houses, which ceuld be commenced with at once, and then the work could be continued by dealing with a score at once, until the whole of them were disposed of. They could not venture on so sweeping a measure as to commence with the whole batch but let the selection be made of a cerbin number, and then it would be the duty of the Board to set to work at once. The Medical Officer discountenanced such a proposition, and respectfully declined to act as selector, such a responsi- bility not being incumbent upon him. After some further discussion, the question as to selection was referred to a committee. LEGAL EXPENSES—RE CRAIG EVAN LEYSHON. The Clerk read the total of legal expenses sent in by professional gentlemen for business transacted in connec- tion with the Craig Evan Leyshon Common, viz, Messrs Spickett and Price and Davies conjointly, £6G1 4s 6d Messrs Luard and Sherley, £28 14s 8d; and Messrs Nicholl, Bernard, and Newman, £6148. The items, espe- cially the first quoted, appeared to shock the uninitiated very much, and it was agreed to submit the whole of them to the revising pen of the tax-master, the clerk, during the discussion, having pointed to certain items which he denounced as excessive This was all the business of public importance. ^—— THE SEWAGE FARM AT MEBTHYR TYDFIL. [BY THE SPECIAL COMMISSIONER OF THE Birmingham Morning Neivs.\ Our readers must be by this time aware that the plan adopted for the riddance of the sewage for recommendation by the Council is that which, in the opinion of the Sewage Inquiry Committee, is the most suitable for our town, and that it is generally known in connection with the name of Mr Bailey Denton. Everything considered, we arc still inclined to believe that it is as far as we can go yet, and that it will do much, though not everything, to abate the nuisances for which we are burdened with injunctions but the.e are many points in which the plan will have to be considered and added to. Mr Bailey Denton's plan may be roughly said to be an intermittent downward filtration through large beds of soil. well under-drained and, »s the only place where it is yet in operation is 1\1erthyr Tydfil, we have had the works there visited, and a report made on them, that our readers may be en rapport with what has to be discussed in this town. A deputation from the Sewage Inquiry Committee visited these works in September last year, when they had been in only partial operation for three months. At page 77 of the Committee's report is a description of what they saw there on September 13th. Since then five months of almost continuously bad weather have given the works a severe trial, and they have. come well out of it. The town of Merthyr is situated on the river Taff, in a narrow valley, and the injunctions served on the Boarù of Health were laid at the instance of a firm of colliery pro- prietors situated lower down the valley. The amount of pollution of the river could never have been very great, but such as it was, Mr Bailey Denton was instructed by the court to correct and, as his scheme is now almost in full working order, it may be described at length. An average of seven hundred and twenty-eight gallons per minute is delivered on the sewage farm through an egg- shaped culvert, twenty-four inches high and eighteen inches wide. A few hundred yards before it reaches the farm, seventeen pounds of unslaked lime is added to the sewage every half hour, or nearly five grains to every gallon. This was intended when the plan was first put in work to be a kind of modification of the ABC system, as alum was also to be added. What beneficial effect the lime can have now wc are at a loss to see, while it is objectionable from the liberation of a certain quantity of ammonia from a fixed state, and the addition of a certain percentage of mineral matter to the effluent water. A little further on the sewage water is received into a large filtering tank filled with fur- nace cinders, and divided into three bays, with a fall of eighteen inches in each. This tank is a hundred feet long, and between it and the farm there is another of the same kind and size. These tanks were not a part of Mr Denton's original scheme, but were added by Mr Harpur, the town surveyor for Merthyr. Mr Denton intended the land to do the rough as well as the fine filtration, an intention which any one who has seen the surface of the contents of the tanks will agree with us in rejoicing is not carried out. In these tanks, or rather in the first of them, lies the only difficulty of this plan of sewage filtration. On the surface of the cinders is retained all the solid excreta and garbage of the sewage, the most worthless part of it, and it has to be removed weekly. The product of this removal is about ten tons—not a very large amount, but even that cannot be readily disposed of. The district round the town is not an agricultural one, but surely there arc farmers enough to consume the small product! The fact is that the agricul- turists are blind to their own interests, because for top- dressing the stuff must be valuable. For the Birmingham sewage this product would be about one hundred and thirty tons a week, and we want to know what we are to do with it? Will the farmers help us? If they are alive to their own interests, they will. The Coporation must see that the filtering tanks are built near a canal, so that the com- post may easily be removed by the farmers, and, till they find out the value of it, they ought to have it for the taking away. If it cannot be disposed of for agricultural pur- poses, it must be burnt, a method of getting rid of it which is not only costly, but which still leaves a serious detritus. This difficulty overcome, success to the scheme is certain. After leaving the tanks the sewage arrives at the filtering ground, a plot of twenty acres, subdivided into four filters of five acres each. The land cost about £100 an acre, and £1.10 more in laying out, but Mr Harpur thinks it could now be done for less, probably about £10), including cul- verts and carriers. At Merthyr the soil is very much like our own, a sandy loam about ISiu. or 2ft. thick, resting on loose gravel, the kind most favourable for filtration. It is well underdrained, at a depth of six feet, by large dry-stone drains, with free opening into them. In a more fully de- veloped scheme these drains ought to be so large as to be easily cleaned from manholes at regular distances, for a time in their history will certainly come when the washed in sand will choke them up, and the expense and loss of time in opening them would be a severe tax. The sewage is turned on to one of the five-acre plots, and is allowed to run for six hours. It is then turned on to another, so that each division of the twenty acres has six hours soaking and eighteen hours drying. This seems to answer admirably, for we saw a plot from which the sewage had been turned off only three hours, and there was no vestige of it save a dampness ef the soil. The arrangements for distributing the sewage are very simple, consisting of large carriers along the sides of the plots, with slotted keeps, by which the flow is regulated into half-pipes, turned slantingly a little towards the surface, to be irrigated. There is only one main drain, and one sub-drain, to each five acres, so that it is evident the filtration must be very effectual. On the soil we saw crops of turnips, cabbages, and leeks, in good condition for the season. The produce has fetched as much as £17 per acre, and the surveyor calculates that as high a return as f30 per acre will be reached. It will be seen, therefore, that the plan is practically one of sewage irrigation with deep subsoil drainage, a combination which secures most of the advantages of the old-fashioned Craig- entinny irrigation, with none of its drawbacks, and in addition it secures perfect filtration. Besides the twenty acres thus employed, there are about thirty more under simple irrigation, producing tye grass in plentiful and beautiful crops, and it is proposed to employ about three hundred and fifty in this way, the land being under-drained only where necrssary. At the outlet of the subsoil drains a stream of effluent sewage water is to be seen, fifteen inches deep and perfectly clear. It is slightly tinged with iron, which it no doubt gets from the gravel, but it is in this respect not different from the bulk of spring water of the neighbourhood, snd it is more free from organic matter than the river into which it flows. Its solid constituents amount only to 27*3 grains in the gallon, an amount much below average drinking water, and its organic matter amounts only to three and a-lialf grains in the same l!lCaF1l1l< I L The works at Merthyr Tydvil may therefore be regarded as a great success in every respect, but the stuff from filtering tanks. Will the same plan prove equally satis- factory at Birmingham ? There are many things 0 e considered before we can answer such a question. First of all, the characters of the towns is essentially different, and, even thoiig ments of our own Corporation may^preven 1 manufacturing refuse reaching the t can never do °so thoroughly. Then we find «lat the enor- mous difference in bulk between the »e o jr and that of Birmingham is a count which may make all analogy quite untrustworthy. Aga1^' 'nionol\r difficulty about the stuff from the tanks Though Merthyr may do with one set of filtering beds, Birmingham would not be safe with less than three each of which would re- quire to be at least two hundred and fifty^acres in extent, and the three would not cost less than £ 200,000. On the whole, therefore, the conclusions at which we formerly arrived are not shaken by our fresh experience, for we find Mr Denton's plan has stood the test of heavy rains and severe weather, and we once mere counsel the burgesses to accept the recommendations of the Town Council.

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ABERDAiiil INTELLIGENCE. INQUEST.—An inquest was held at the King Head Inn, Aberaman, on Wednesday, before the deputy-coroner, on the body of Moses Thomas, a collier, 51 years of age, who died from injuries received a fortnight since, whilst at work in the Abergwawr Colliery. A verdict was returned of Accidental death through the fall of a stone." SMALL-pox HOSPITAL.—This much desired public insti- tution has been commenced in earnest. The parish has fifty acres of land rescued from the spoliation committee by the distribution of Hirwain common in allotments. These fifty acres are separated from the Park by the Great Western Mineral Railway, and upon them the new hospital is to be; erected. The estimated cost is about £1200. The neces- sity for the hospital appears in the fact that small-pox is on the increase. STATE OF TRADE.—It is currently stated that the Gadlys works will pass into the hands of the new proprietors on the 2nd of March next. The works are said to be paying an excellent per-centage at present. The story is revived that the Aberaman works are likely to resume work at an early date. There seems to be a greater probability of such a desirable event taking place than at any period since the stoppage. Repairs are being made, and this fact gives countenance to the report. INDISCRIMINATE ALMSGIVING. — A story is told oi three puddlers who were crossing the Merthyr mountain, a few days since. In the distance they observed a well- known benevolent gentleman approaching them. At once- they adopted a scheme to get money. One pretended to the gentleman, on his approach, that he had just been oadly hurt in the works, and that his companions were helping him home. The gentleman enquired their address. One was given which appeared satisfactory. He put his hand in his pocket, gave the poor fellow half-a-crown, and proceeded on his journey. The rumour is that the puddlers got drunk with the money, and the moral is, that charity to be useful should be discriminate. A SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCE.—Some time ago a dead body of a man was found on the Abernant Railway. It proved to be that of John Evans, puddler, aged 38, who a day or two previous to his death had made his way up to Sguborwen House, and told the inmates that he had been beaten on the head by some lads. An inquiry, which has been adjourned twice, was on Tuesday resumed at tho Commercial Inn, Aberdare, before Mr G. Overton, coroner to inquire into the circumstances attending his death. The jury, after consideration, returned a verdict to the effect "That deceased died from fracture of the skull, but whether caused by accident or violence there is no evidence to show." FATAL ACCIDENTS TO DOOR-BOYS. On Wednesday evening week, a door-boy employed at the Cwmaman Colliery was killed under the following painful circum- stances :—He was engaged pressing the rope in connection with a small tram underground, for the purpose of making the trucks run even on the bond. The bar slipped throw- ing the unfortunate lad ,on the bond, the rope'passing over his bowels, causing instantaneous death. His name was George Thomas, aged 10 years. The body awaits an inquest_ An accident also happened on the same day to a door-boy, named Thoiias Green, employed at the nine feet vein, Middle Duffryn Colliery. This lad was about to leave work, and jumped on one of the connecting links between the trams for the purpose of riding. When near a double parting he slipped from some cause, and the wheels passed over his head, causing instantaneous death. SCHOOL BOARD.—The usual fortnightly meeting of this Maitb °T> ^y- Present: Mr James Lewis W H am Thorn f } Pr'CC and J" Eval]S> Messrs E infotm '18 anf J- ,Wil'^ms--The minutes of the the a confirmed, as also the report of nheed n. Copies cf the bye-laws were £ i upon the table, and after some observations from men!bers respecting them, it was Proposed, seconded, and i-ctiiitu, that the byedaws as amended, in accordance with the suggestion of the Education Department, be now signed by the chairman and clerk, the seal of the Board attached tlwreto, and forwarded to the Education Department.— Mr lhomas drew timely attention to the want of school accommodation at Penvwaun and Cap Cocli, and asked that the Committee of Council should be written to asking per- mission to proceed with such provision.—Dr Price :°And you will get an answer from them by next May. (Laugkter.) Mr Thomas gave notice that at the next meeting heDwould move that a communication be made to the Education Department asking that temporary provision be made at those places.—It was proposed, seconded, and agreed to that the Board meet in future only once a month.—Th& Chairman gave notice that at the next meeting he should move that the Board take into consideration the amount of remuneration to be given to the clerk.—This was all tha business,

ABERDAEE POLICE COURT, TUESDAY.—{Before J. C\ Fowler, and D, £ Williams, Esqrs. ) DISOBEYING AN AFFILIATION ORDER.—Samuel Phillip was charged with not paying towards his illegitimate child after an order had been m^cle. He has been brought up before, and has been seat to prison for not paying. He still persisted in saying he would not pay, and was sent to prison for tlirpe calendar months with hard labour.