The London Welshman

Notes of the Week. Hastening the End.—The state of things in Russia is going rapidly from bad to worse, and at the present rate of movement the final catas- trophe cannot possibly he delayed very long. Not only is the spirit of revolt spreading from city to city, and from province to province, recording its progress with fire and blood, but it has also taken hold of the remnant of the Russian navy. 1 'he seamen of the largest battleship left have risen in mutiny and have been joined by those of other vessels and when the Black Sea squadron was sent to Odessa to subdue the mutineers, the admiral in charge, instead of carrying out his orders, returned almost immediately to Sevastopol, decided to put his ships out of gear, and to give officers and men prolonged leave of absence. Kvidently he is afraid to trust them. It seems that the mutineers are masters of the situation, and that the Czar has not even a shred of a navy. And though the censor keeps vigilant watch that no information about what occurs inland goes forth, it is stated on most reliable authority that many of the soldiers called out to quell the disturb- ances in Odessa and elsewhere refused to fire on the strikers and revolters. Everybody who can is leaving the unhappy country. But the Grand Dukes—in the hands of whom the Czar is a mere puppet —are not yet convinced that the flood is upon them. It is exceedingly doubtful now whether by conceding all the reforms demanded by the Zemestvos, a most bloody revolution can be averted. According to the editor of Free Russia, the people will be pacified by nothing short of a democratic Parliament." To this the Russian nobles are no more likely to consent than the French nobles were a hundred and twenty years ago. They wotild rather be crushed out of existence than agree to give up all their privileges and authority. For them we have no pity, but we shudder to think of what the Russian nation must suffer in order to get rid of them. Finsbury and Kingswinford.—The results of the latest bye-elections do not bring any com- fort to the Government. They tJl the same story as all those that have taken place during the last two years-that the tide is flowing strongly against it. In Finsbury the Liberal candidate was returned by a majority of 678, whereas, in 1900, the Unionist majority was 347. When the smallness of the electorate is taken into consideration, this is simply mar- vellous. It beats Brighton. But the capture of the seat by a turnover of more than a thousand votes on a poll of little over four thousand is the le-ist significance of this election. It is also the first t .ondon seat captured by the Opposition. The Government candidate was defeated at Woolwich, it is true, but that election was fought largely on non-party lines. The triumph was the personal triumph of Will Crooks. But the fight in Finsbury was a square fight between the nominees of the two parties, and the result proves that London is now of the same mind as the provinces about the Balfourian policy. In Kingswinford the Unionists retained the seat by a majority of 603, which is less than two- fifths of the majority in 1892. The seat was not fought for in 1895 nor in 1900. But though the seat was held, the figures tell even a more significant story than Finsbury. Kings- winford is within the Birmingham zone. It has always been Conservative. It was more Con- servative in 1885 by 28 votes than it is to-day. And in 1885 Birmingham was overwhelmingly Liberal. This election therefore proves that the long reign of Chamberlainism in the Mid- lands is over. The Black Country has returned to its early faith, and the Highbury policy is renounced at the very door of its originator. Two Red Letter Days.—On Thursday the University College at Cardiff saw the laying of the foundation-stone of its new home, and on Saturday the University College at Bangor came of age. Both occasions were duly celebrated, at Cardiff on a much larger scale than at Bangor. The younger college husbanded its mirth and ZD I shouting until the foundation-stone of its new home is also laid, which is expected to take place within the next twelve months. The ceremony in Cardiff was performed by Royalty with due pomp. It was onlv meet that the Chancellor of the Welsh University should have the honour and privilege of partaking in tie joy of the loyal Brythons of his Principality. The gathering in Bangor was made use of to bring the building fund ber ,re the friends of the institution, and the response was most hearty. The two colleges are almost twin sisters, one being only a few months older than the other, and we most sincerely con- gratulate both on their splendid history. The progress of higher education in Wales since the Commission which inquired into it in the early eighties issued its report, has been simply enor- mous-we might justly say, miraculous. Those who remember what it was in those days are like unto them that dream when they think of what it is to-day. The only college we had in those days had to take students straight from the elementary schools, and could do no more than prepare them for either Oxford or Cambridge, or for the examinations of the London University. Now we have scores of well-equipped inter- mediate schools, we have three colleges, every one with a staff equal to the staff of any college in the United Kingdom, and we have our own University, giving degrees that any scholar need not be ashamed to wear. But, whilst rejoicing because of the progress gained, we must not shut our eves to the fact that there is room tor further progress still. Larger buildings are urgently needed to accom- modate the crowds of young men and women that clamour at the doors of the institutions for admission. Chairs wait to be endowed. There are yet no fellowships of any value to be given to those who are qualified in every respect, ex- cept financially, to devote themselves entirely to the pursuit of the higher branches of know- ledge. And above all, we must not forget that the ideal will not have been realised until every one of the three colleges is a university in itself. Whilst only constituent, not one of the colleges can do the best possible work, nor secure the highest educational results. We may not be- come ripe for that step for some years, but nothing should be now done that will be an obstacle in the way of making Aberystwyth, Cardiff, and Bangor real seats of learning when the proper time comes. Meanwhile let the nation see to it that all three are made as efficient as they can be made.

LAMPETER COLLEGE. The following are the results of the June examinations at St. David's College, Lam- peter — B.D. DEGREE. The Rev. William Home, B.A., Blackburn. B.A. DEGREE—-HONOURS. Theology.-Class 1. Arthur Owen. Class II. G. S. Hall. Mathematics.—Class II. David Davies (B.). Class III. T. H. Richards. History.-Class II. A. E. Jones and T. G. Jones. Welsh. — Class 1. Arthur Hughes. Supplemental Certificates for Licentiate in Divinity.—Class 1. The Rev. Howell Rosser, L.D ORDINARY. Class II. F. A. Jones and S. H. Jones. Class III. D. J. Davies, James Davies, Samuel Evans, J. F. James, B. A. Jones, W. A. Thomas, D. R. Williams, G. A. Came Williams, and J. R. Wood. LICENCE IN DIVINITY. Class II. Moses Davies. ] Class III. Thomas Jones (C.), J. H. Newell, and Howell Parry.