The London Welshman

Notes from South Wales. (From our Special Correspondent.) Empire Day. Last week's Conservative Radnorshire Standard remarked :-—" Empire Day was ob- 'served at the two principal licensed hotels in Llandrindod, but not much celebration was observed." How very, very sad Welsh International Team. It is satisfactory to observe that each member of the Welsh Rugby International Team, which last season vanquished England, Scotland, and Ireland, and won the triple crown, are to receive a suitable memento of their clever achievement in the shape of a handsome cigarette holder each, bearing the arms of Wales, and suitably inscribed. As readers of the LONDON WELSHMAN are aware, two members of the London Welsh F. C. played in this brilliant fifteen, viz., Messrs. Harding and E. T. Morgan, whilst Mr. Williams, another member of the same team, also played for the Welshmen in One of the International Matches. Interesting to Tourists. Tourists visiting Cardiganshire this summer- -a large number no doubt-should visit Wern, near the beautiful little town of New Quay. At this residence, now a farm, Henry of Richmond slept, on his way from Milford to Bosworth in the year 1485, and a Welsh inscription in one of the bedrooms records the interesting fact. Druidical Sepulchral Monuments." By the way, writing about interesting historical items, I noticed the other day that Sael, in his collection of tours, refers to druidical sepulchral monuments in the vicinity of Aberayron. Can any reader of the LONDON WELSHMAN inform me where these were situated ? A Great Welsh Footballer! I am glad to notice that Mr. Bancroft, of Swansea, was lately the recipient of a monetary testimonial in recognition of his great football career. Bancroft was unquestionably the finest Rugby full-back player in the Kingdom, or the world, for the matter of that, and it was largely due to his admirable generalship and enthusiasm that the celebrated Swansea Football Club first became so prominent. Bancroft has played for Wales in international contests a very large dumber of times. Where Togo was Trained. When at Penarth last week I had an oppor- tunity, in conjunction with a number of other uiterested visitors, of inspecting the Exmouth," the old ship on which Admiral Togo, the celebrated Japanese Commander, received his early training. The" Exmouth" is a fine specimen of the era of the old British wooden War vessel, when armoured cruisers and torpedo boats were unknown. She has been bought by f- Cardiff gentleman, who is shortly breaking her up. Mr. W. R. Williams, M.P.S., Cardiff, formerly Harrow Road, London, who is an enthusiastic amateur photographer, showed me some capital snapshots which he took of the filstoric vessel last week. Squire of Llandinam. Mr. David Davies, the young squire of Llan- lnam, is getting very popular. His unaffected fanners and warm-heartedness are winning for 1m a sincere affection in the hearts of the People_ His sturdy allegiance to the faith in ^uich he was cradled, Calvinistic Methodism, a*S0 shows that he is a Nonconformist of the Jeal type. By the way, I am informed that y* Davies, who is very fond of healthy sport, intends establishing a pack of foxhounds in the VICInity of his country seat at Llandinam. ^^n<lda Cymmrodorion. The members of the Rhondda Cymmrodorion, e of the most virile and genuine Welsh societies to be found anywhere, had a most pleasant outing the other day to Miskin, the beautiful home of Judge Gwilym Williams, a gentleman who is proud of his Welsh ancestry, and who takes a keen interest in the Cymmro- dorion, as well as everything of interest to Wales and Welshmen. The outing was a great success in every way. Mr. D. Davies (Alaw Herbert), of Ton, sang Can y Cymmrodorion to the air of Men of Harlech," in splendid style. The words of the Can in question were composed for the occasion by Cenech," a rising young bard of Ton, and who gives promise of great things in the bardic direction. Cardiganshire Railway Schemes! The residents of Aberayron, New Quay, and the Vale of Ayron, must be possessed of the patience of Job. For many years past, schemes of railway extensions have been dangled before their eyes, but, up to the present, they have all come to nothing. Hope deferred makes the heart sick, as a rule, but the people of the districts in question, are still hoping that the "iron horse will yet be seen steaming through "sweet Aeron's vale," for there is certainly a business ring about the latest project for a railway from Lampeter to Aberayron and New Quay. Let us hope that "it will come to pass," for a railway would prove of great benefit to both Aberayron and New Quay, two of the prettiest little towns to be found anywhere on the sea coast. By the way, I firmly believe that if the late Mr. David Davies had been elected for Cardiganshire, when he stood as Unionist candidate for the county, both Aberayron and New Quay would have had a railway long ago. If there ever was anything that tested the sin- cerity of the principles of the Cardiganshire men, it was that memorable election fight between Mr. Bowen Rowlands and Mr. D. Davies. The Cardiganshire electors knew that Mr. David Davies could have carried out the railway scheme, but they sacrificed the promises of personal gain for the principle of Irish Home Home Rule And how the Irish Home Rulers have reciprocated the Cardiganshire electors' devotion to principle has been shown in con- nection with the Education Act! Law=Breaker Himself. Sir W. Anson, Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education, has been writing very glibly to the Merionethshire and other Welsh educational authorities, as to the necessity of observing the law." The other day, however, Sir William was fined at Oxford for driving a motor car at a rate beyond the legal speed. Law-breakers," forsooth The Rhymney Railway. One of the grand old men of South Wales is Mr. C. Lundie, Consulting Director of the Rhymney Railway, a line which runs through a very important mining district with an outlet at Cardiff Docks. Mr. Lundie, despite his 90 years of age, is still active. One of his most cherished reminiscences is the fact that he had the honour, in conjunction with his father, of lunching with the famous Sir Walter Scott. Compliment to Welsh. The Cardiff Corporation has unanimously decided that their congratulatory address to the young Marquis of Bute on the occasion of his forthcoming marriage shall be in the Welsh language. The young Marquis understands the Cymric tongue, his late father having engaged a special tutor to teach the same to all his children. Lovers of Wales will, I am sure, appreciate the Cardiff Corporation's compliment to Yr Hen Iaith. Improvements at Aberystwyth. The new arcade in Terrace Road, Aberys- twyth, is a decided improvement, and shows that there is a good deal of enterprise in the town. The extended promenade is also a magnificent improvement, and the Corporation are to be really congratulated upon having the pluck to embark and carry to a successful issue such a great undertaking. Aberystwyth's sea front is now unrivalled in the British Isles.