The Cambrian News and Merionethshire Standard

RAILWAY LEGISLATION.—THE MANCHESTER AND MILFORD RAILWAY. It is apparently only by slow stages that legislation for such a comparatively modern institution as railway com- panies can be brought into a complete and intelligible condition. Some progress, has, however, been made in these directions during the last few years. Indeed we may be thankful that the system which organises and regulates the conduct of ourTailways is not in a state of greater confusion than it is at present. Much, however, remains to be done, and our attention has been forcibly called to the defects of the Legislature with regard to the matter of what are commonly called Abandonment Bills by a case that has recently been before the committees of both Houses of Parliament. Two small railway companies in Wales, called respectively the Manchester and Milford Company and the Mid-Wales Company, have been engaged in a struggle, the details of which will be found under the head of our usual Parliamentary intelligence, and the result must be regarded as most unsatisfactory by all who are interested in railway matters, and we fear will be provocative of much injustice. As far as the present question is concerned the case of the Manchester and Milford, who are the sufferers, is an extremely hard one, and even though they, may be unable to obtain redress themselves, the example of their wrongs may lead to some provision for the future against a recurrence of such grievances. The facts are shortly these. The Mid-Wales Company and the Manchester and Milford Company found them- selves in the year 1861 each constructing a portion of their own authorised line over almost the same piece of country near Llanidloes. The Mid-Wales were approaching that terminus from Newbridge, and the Manchester and Milford from Pencader. Disputes and fights arose between the rival constructors, and the works almost came to a standstill. At this juncture the Newtown and Llanidloes Railway Company, who also ran into Llanidloes from the north, came forwaird and offered to make the line and a station which the two companies might enjoy in common, an condition of being repaid in certain proportions by them. An arrangement was come to, and an Act passed to cany it out in 1862, by. which the Mid-Wales and Manchester and Milford became each subject to the pay- ment of about £ 1,300 a-yearfor the maintenance of this portion of line and the station. The original scheme of the Manchester and Milford had been to establish a connection between Llanidloes and Pencader, which would provide a direct route between the Pembroke Docks, near Milford, and Manchester; all that they had therefore now to do was to connect this common portion of railway at Llanidloes with Pencader, and their object was completed. Accordingly they set to work to do so, but before the connection was established they again found themselves in indirect collision with the Mid-Wales Company, who were working their way to Aberystwyth. To avoid competition in a country which could hardly support two lines of railways, an agreement, duly executed, was entered into by the two companies in October, 1864. By this agreement the Mid-Wales Company bound them- selves to go to Parliament for an Act authorizing them to construct the links in the Manchester and Milford scheme not yet made, consisting of the remaining twenty miles of railway left between the Manchester and Milford works already in existence (made since 1862), and the common property at Llanidloes. The Manchester and Milford, on the other hand, were to go- for an Act both to abandon their original line to Llanidloes, and instead to construct another line towards the west, connecting the whole sys- tem with Aberystwyth. Whether it was politic or no ontthe part of thejManchester anAMilford Companylthus to leave the carrying out of their original scheme to the mercy of strangers, considering the liabilities they were under with regard to the joint line and station at Llanidloes, is beside the question. It apparently never occurred to them that they would be left so completely in the lurch by the Mid- Wales as they have been.. Both cOMpaniestfulfilledtheir part of the agreement, in- asmuch as each went for and obtained the stipulated Acts in 1865. The Manchester and Milford at once constructed the line they were so authorized to make, but the Mid- Wales, after getting two extension Acts, finally came to Parliament in 1876 to obtain leave to abandon entirely as far as they were concerned, the whole scheme settled upon by the agreement of 1864, and authorized by their Act of 1865. The Bill was very naturally opposed by the Man- chester and Milford Company, who contended'that they were, under the circumstances, entitled at least to be indemnified against the payments for maintenance of the joint line and station at Llanidloes. If you will not connect us," said they, with the line and station we are paying-for at laanidloes, at any rate free us from the burden of maintaining them. We abandoned our powers of continuing our own railway and utilizing that line and station in order to suit your. tonvenience and it is only fair that you should indemnify us from the consequences of your default." The result of the opposition was the insertion of a clause in the Abandonment Act, saving any rights the Manches- ter and Milford had under their agreement. Such a pro- vision was to every one, except, perhaps, the committees, who adopted it, on the face of it clearly meaningless. Absurd as it may seem, however, the committee of the House of Commons, before whom it was introduced, in- tended, as it appeared in adopting it, to afford the Man- chester and^Company compensation or relief. Encouraged by this idea that Parliament intended to dd. them justice i the merits of their case were once demon-r strated, the Manchester and Milford Company promoted! this year a HI to exonerate themselves firom the liabilities, they had incurred: through the conduct- of the Mid-Wales Company by obtaining from them ani indemnity against; thepayment of the annual sum of £ li,3O0. cornes tha strangest part of the story. The-Bill,, though opposed on second reading: in the Commons, was sent to. tha- Committee on the. gcaund that the case- was peculiarly one for reconsideration. The preambHewas. proved unanimously before the Committee, and the BilL passed hardty altered through, its third reading to. the House of Lords. Here on second neaniing it was unoppQBed. but the Committee to whom it was. referred decided,that the promotersbad, in spite of their sunecess in the C?tmmon3v failed to, prove their preamble,, and the Bill w. thu& at the last moaaent thrown out. The Manchester and Milford; Company therefor at presen tare-obliged to pay some £ l„300 a year for tl* expenses of a;line. and station of which they are not within twenty miles. Having abandoned- the powers they possessed in :i862;.t&iey are unable to get near-them themselves.; the-Mid- Walas- reftise to connect themi, and they are Ittly left in a far worse position, tkan they weri, before 1864, though they entere into- th& agreement G £ that year to suit.the convenience of the Mid-Wales Company and re, lying entirely on its geJO<t faith. The moral of the whole business is not itard to, find. In the present state of railway legislation, aAd, whSb railway companies can shake- thamaelves fre eft their dutiess as easilyas at present through the sImple preoiü abandon- meat Biil, directors, managers of-railways should, carefully consider the nature of the a^emwrts to which, they propose to make themselves panties. At any rate-, ithfe will be the impression conveyed to most of 2 readers who peruse the above story —jyewSm

a tef Srt flT^^T fl £ ally adc"g^ a sewage scomw *.12,000. A few months ago 1»ey adopted one by .\tr. Baldwin Lath*», to cost £ 28,000 bwitSey afterwards raecUtf it and adopted a joint scheme by Ikfcij- Cot hngwood aad Messrs. Bell and Hughes. These two ftmTthen disagreed^, and the Board adopted; a supplementary Xrne by .H»gh«a, whicfc they estimate art £ 12,000, with £ 130 yearly for puwpinR, and e*fcr* if provision made for flushing power. The Board also adopted a design foe completing the »ew Towhhall tower, a* a cost of £ 360. The Wood and Forests Office agreed to sell their portion of the foreshore at Rhyl for £ 834 and it is expected another will be required I to purchase th« remaindtt torn the Board Xririe..

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS. -THURSDAY. Lord O'Hagan moved the second reading of the Imbecile Lunatics (Ireland) Bill, the provisions of which were, he said, founded on the recommendation of a committee which sat in 1851, and were intended to extend to Ireland advantages already possessed by England in connection with institutions for the afflicted. Lord Oranmore moved that the Bill should be read a second time that day three months. Lord Stanley of Alderley also opposed the Bill, while Lord Inchiquin spoke in its favour. The Earl of Courtown approved of the object of the Bill, but was dissatisfied with its provisions. The Duke of Richmond suggested the withdrawal of the measure this session, as Government pro- posed to appoint a Commission of Enquiry .The motion and amend- ment were withdrawn, and the order for the second reading of the Bill discharged. The Duke of Richmond then moved the second reading of the New Forest Bill, which, he believed, would settle all existing difficulties between the Crown and the commoners. The Duke of Somerset strongly disap- proved of the measure as unjust to the Crown. The Lord Chancellor, on the other hand, regarded the Bill as a very equitable settlement of the dispute between the Crown and commoners. Earl Granville suggested that as the provisions of the measure were in direct antagonism to the recommendations of a Select Committee, which sat only nine years since, it should be referred to a committee after the second reading. This course the Duke of Richmond declined to assent to, and the Bill was ultimately read a second time. Re- plying to Lord Enfield, the Duke of Richmond said that the Local Government Board had prepared an order with the view of preventing a recurrence of such a case of cruelty as that recently reported at Nantwich in the case of the Dunn children. Their lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—THURSDAY. Mr. Egerton said that the Admiralty had fixed upon Dart- mouth as the site of the new Naval College—a statement which elicited from Mr. Baillie Cochrane a protest against any de- cision by the Admiralty on the point without consulting the House. The Chancellor of the Exchequer said he did not think it would be convenient to answer a question put by Mr. Whalley as to whether any other nation had expressed concurrence with the policy of restricting the operations of Russia in the present contest as laid down in Lord Derby's despatch of the 6th of May. In reply to Mr. Puleston, the Chancellor of the Exchequer said that the Government were quite of opinion that the time had arrived for some revision of the rules of the House, but he felt it was a matter requiring much care and consideration. He suggested that for the present session no change should be made. He said that the Government would consult with the Speaker and the Officers of the House and see what revision of the rules and orders was desirable. A somewhat animated scene followed, owing to Mr. Whalley persisting in a reply to Sir Stafford Northcote, although called to order by the Speaker more than once. Mr. Blake subsequently essayed to bring on his question with reference to Mr. Parnell's speeches, as a matter of privilege, but gave way on an appeal from Mr. Newdegate, and the House went into Committee of Supply on the Army Estimates, when a number of votes were agreed to. The House having resumed, Mr. Fawcett, on the motion of the second reading of the East India Loan Bill, announced that he should not press the amendment of which he had given notice, and Mr. O'Donnell took the same course. Eventu:illy the Bill was read a second time; and the House went into Committee on the Supreme Court of Judicature (Ireland) Bill. HOUSE OF LORDS.—FRIDAY. In committee on the Prisons Bill, Lord Leigh moved an amendment to Clause 14, the object of which was to provide that the visiting justices should report to their Court of Quar- ter Sessions. This was opposed by the Government, and on a division rejected by eighty to fifty-eight. The remaining clauses were then agreed to, and the Bill passed through committee.— The order for the second reading of the Tramways Bill was dis- charged, and the Earl of Redesdale then called attention to his correspondence with the Postmaster-General as to the insertion of clauses in private bills for a partial protection of the tele- graphs. After some discussion, the Earl of Beaconsfield ad- mitted the desirability of a general Act on the subject, and the Earl of Redesdale withdrew his motion with reference to it.- Replying to Lord Oranmore, the Lord Chancellor said he was not aware that the Rev. E. H. Cross, whom he had recently ap- pointed rector of St. Nicholas, Lewes, was a member of the Soci- ety of the Holy Cross, and the Bishop of Chichester, who in- troduced the reverend gentleman to his parishioners, also dis- claimed any knowledge at the time of the circumstances alluded to.—The Universities Bill was committed pro forma, with the insertion of certain amendments; the Municipal Corporations (New Charters) Bill was read a third time, and their Lordships adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—FRIDAY. Mr. Cross, in replying to a question put by Mr. Macdonald, spoke in complimentary terms of the Manchester Steam Users' Association, which had been the means of preventing an enor- mous number of accidents, and stated that he had instructed counsel to see a searching enquiry made into the cause of the explosion at the Ravensdale Forge, near Tunstall.-In replying to Sir W. Lawson and Mr. Gourley, the Chancellor of the Ex- chequer said that the British fleet had been sent to Besika Bay because it was a central position, affording ready means of rapid communication by the Admiral either with the Government or her Majesty's Ambassador at Constantinople.—Subsequently Sir W. Lawson mentioned the subject again, and suggested that the step had been adopted as a warning or threat to one or other of the belligerent parties.—This Sir Stafford Northcote emphati- cally denied. He had already stated the object of the Govern- ment in sending the fleet to that particular station, and he did not consider it would be convenient to say more. Mr. Puleston having withdrawn his notice in reference to the obstruction of the business of the House, Mr. Parnell said the report of his speech of the 21st of April was inaccurate, and that in his lecture of June 20th he never intended to use words calculated to give offence to the Speaker or to any member of the House. Seeing the interpreta- tion which had been put upon them, he expressed his regret for making any remarks capable of such misconstruction.—The Chancellor of the Exchequer and Mr. Gladstone both expressed their satisfaction with the course Mr. Parnell had adopted, and Mr. Blake intimated that he did not intend to proceed with the motion he had placed on the notice paper.—The remainder of the morning sitting was devoted to Supply in committee on the Nary Estimates. Mr. E. Jenkins called attention to the case of Captain Roberts, an officer of the 94th Regiment, who was tried by court martial for bringing unfounded charges against his colonel, and on whose behalf it was alleged that he had been made the subject of systematic persecution. He concluded by moving an address to the Crown prayingjforthe reinstatement of Captain Roberts. The motion was negatived by 137 to 72. HOUSE OF LORDS.-MONDA.T. The Duke of Buccleugh moved a resolution directing that at all future meetings of the Peers of Scotland, assembled for the election of a peer or peers to represent the Peers of Scotland in Parliament, the title of Mar" be called in the Roll of Peers of Scotland. The motion was strongly opposed and, on the sug- gestion of the Lord Chancellor, it was withdrawn, the Govern- ment consenting to the appointment of a Select Committee. Earl Fortescue brought under notice the educational endow- ments of England and Wales dealt'with under the Endowed Schools Acts of 1869,1873, and 1874, and moved for a return, wblich was assented to by the Duke of Richmond, on the part of the Government. Their Lordships adjourned at 7 25. HOUSE OF COMMONS.-Mo.NDAT. Mr. Monck gave notice of his intention to ask whether it was true that the British Ambassador at Constantinople had in- formed the Porte that it might be necessary to British interests to occupy Constantinople and the Dardanelles, and whether the Government would lay papers on the table relating to the matter.—The Chancellor of the Exchequer gave the prompt and emphatic reply, "There is no truth in it."—Mr. Bourke, in answer to a question, said that in December last Lord Derby sent a message through Dr. Kirk to Mr. Stanley, objecting to the use of the British flag. Dr. Kirk had forwarded it to the American Consul, and he had sent it on to Mr. Stanley, but it was not known whether it had reached him.—In reply to Mr. Whalley, Mr. A. Egerton said he was not aware whether the chaplains of her Majesty's ships Hector and Cambridge were members of the Society of the Holy Cross. No complaints had been made, but the Admiralty wouid regard with disfavour any practices condemned by the Episcopal Bench.—Mr. Hubbard gave notice that on Mr. Osborne Morgan's Burials Resolu- tion," he would move that Englishmen who, in the exercise of their religious liberty, had separated themselves from the Established Church, and were free to provide places of worship and burial for themselves, had no right to require changes in the regulations with respect to the parish churchyards at vari- ance with the ordinary and religious use.—Mr. Lowther moved the second reading of the South African Confederation Bill, which has already passed the Lords, and explained its objects. -Mr. Courtenay moved, as an amendment, that the second reading be postponed for three months.—The amendment was seconded by Sir C. Dilke, and after a long debate the motion for the second reading was carried by 82 to 19.—On the motion for g0in° into committee of supply, discussion arose on the condi- tion of the Broadmoor Lunatic Asylum, and the reports of Con- sul Holmes. HOUSE OF LORDS.—TUESDAY. The House met at five o'clock. The New Forest Bill passed through Committee.—The Duke of Somerset suggested the_ desirability of a clear understanding as t. the data on which scientific investigation into the stability of the Inflexible was to be conducted.—The Duke of Richmond said that a Committee consisting of gentlemen competent to deal with the subject had been appointed, and the data on which they would proceed would, he trusted, be such that after the result of their deliberations had been made known the public would be satis- fied in regard to the stability of the vessel.-The House ad- journed at a quarter past five o'clock. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—TUESDAY. The House met at ten minutes past two o'clock. Mr. Jenkins gave notice of a motion expressing the regret of the House that the scheme of South African Confederation had TMvwp«led from the Imperial Government instead of from the Colonists!—In reply to Mr. Whalley, the Chancellor of the Exchequer said her Majesty's Government had no knowledge of any reason to believe (as stated by the correspondent of the £ u*ki Mir) that there was an agreement between France and England as to naval operations in the East.—On the motion for going into Committee of Supply, Lord Sandon rose to explain the education estimates, but Mr. Forster and others protested so strongly against this course as an inconvenient precedent that, although the Speaker ruled he was in order, Lord Sandon, who said he only wished to meet the convenience of the House, gave way, and postponed his statement.—A desultory discussion en- sued, in which Sir J. Lubbock urged that a wider latitude should be given to School Boards in the selection of subjects.— Mr. Gower called attention to the importance of instruction in domestic subjects.—Lord F. Hervey advocated the relaxations of the restrictions on pensions and allowances to teachers, and Mr. Chamberlain called attention to the increase in the educa- cation grants, and the difference between the average atten- dance and the number of children that ought to be at school.— Mr. Samuelson moved a resolution objecting to the require- ment of residence in the training colleges as tending to diminish the supply of teachers.—The resolution was opposed by Lord Sandon and supported by Mr. Forster, but on a division was neeatived by 121 to 78.Lord Sandon, in reply, said that all these nuestions should receive serious consideration. The Noble Lord then briefly explained the Education Estimates, giving a very favoura,ble report of the progress of the past year, and moving a «vt« of £ 1 910,000, being an increase of £ 203,000 over that of vp..r _The vote was agreed to, after some congratulatory romirks from Mr.F0rster.7-The sitting was suspended at seven o clock —At the evening sitting Mr. Bailey called attention to th« K-wt Indian Tariff, and moved a resolution to the effect that the duUes imposed in India upon cotton goods being of a pro- character were opposed to sound commercial' ^f inancial principles, and ought to be repealed without deUv -Mr JacJb Bright seconded.-Sir George Campbell moT^d as an amendment that the Government would not he justified in sacrificing these duties without a. thorough reviti^ of thTfinancial system of India.-The motion was supported by Colonel Walker Mr. Bnggs and ZT whilst Sir George Balfour opposed Mr. Fawcett —Mr. Fawcett censured it as inexpedient and inop- Dortune and Mr. Grant Duff considered the other duties had a prior claim.—Lord Geo. Hamilton pleaded the necessities of of the Government of India, which was quite alive to the im- ooliey of these duties, and would dispense with them as soonas ft could.—Sir George Campbell withdrew his amendment. The motion was agreed to with the words as soon as the finances of India will permit."—The other business was disposed of, and the House adjourned at 1 30 a.m. HOUSE OF COMMON'S.—WEDNESDAY. Mr. vfrLaren moved the second reading of the Church Rates Abolition (Scotland) BiIL-Ilr. Mark Stewart moved the rejec- Hnn of the Bill which was seconded by Sir G. Montgomery.— Several Members having spoken or ani against the Bill, the Lord-Advocate opposed it, saying it had been condemned by the Howe year after year. He expressed himself willing, withthe consent of the Government, to personally co-operate with those persons who desired a fair settlement of the question, so as to remove any reasonable ground of complaint.-On admsion, 204 Zl Sst, and 143 for the second readmg.-The Bill was lost. -Some other Bills having been advanced a stage, the House adjourned.

JULY 4, 1877. NOTES. SHROPSHIRE SPORTSMEN.—A circumstance occurred a few days since near Shrewsbury which, even in a nation of heroes, must be deemed as novel as it was interesting. Sir John Hill was seen partaking of that noble sport fox-hunting, with six of his sons, four of whom. besides the distinguished chief who recently added dignity to the Peerage, have received titles for gallant achievements in the service of their country. -Sportiag Magazine, Nov. 1814. TALLY-HO. THE BIRTHPLACE OF OWAIN MYFYR.— Owen Jones, more commonly known by the name of Owain Myfyr, to whose munificence we are indebted for the Myvyrian Archaology, was born in 1741 in a small mountain farm called Tyddyn Tudur, in the parish of Llanfihangel-Glyn-Myfyr, in Denbighshire. The parish is altogether hilly, and it lies on the highest part of the Denbighshire hills, and with difficulty it is reached from all points. It is about 12 miles to the west of Ruthin, the nearest town thereto, but the Clwydian hills in that direction will have to be traversed before Llanfihangel is reached, and a portion of the road is so precipitous that the satisfaction felt when the top is reached is more than an equivalent for the dread with which the ascent is com- menced. When once on the top the view is so extensive and so different to that presented to those who live in low countries that the contrast heightens the pleasure de- rived from the novelty of the scenery. But independently of the novelty there is in an elevated country from which a large prospect is obtained, a beauty peculiar toptself. The range is so unconfined, the aerial changes so many and the stillness so great, that the sight complacently revels in the ever changing scene. From the hill top which intervenes between Ruthin and Llanfihangel a very extensive view is obtained, and that, too, in all directions. To the north the hazy atmosphere of the sea is seen. To the east rise hills upon hills, each darkening the other with its shadow. The sun's rays pour themselves through every mountain opening and reveal now a distant glen and bring it close to the spectator, and now a cottage and the fields about, and, it may be, the cow grazing quietly, are lit up by the merry sunbeams shining thereon, and now they are all hidden from the sight by a passing cloud. The curtain has fallen over that spot, but the panorama moves on from east to south, and is con- stantly presenting ever changing and ever pleasing bits of scenery. From the hill already mentioned a sight of the Vale of Clwyd diversified by cultivation is obtained, with Voel Fammau on a conspicuous part of the Clwydian range in the back ground. Towards the west the country is bleak, and the hills have a yellowish tinge caused by the scanty herbage which is nipped down summer and winter alike by the small sheep that never leave their walks. There are, however, patches of gorse here and there on the otherwise bare hill sides, and these give a dark colour to the ground. The road to Llanfihangel passes for a long way over the wild desolate mountain without a cottage by its side. When travelling along in the far dis- tance we see the hills above the Conway river, and still further the Carnarvonshire range. These stand out darkly and boldly to the sky. There is a bluish haze wrapped around these distant hills. To the south are observed ranges of mountains with lights and shades play- ing along them and beyond these are mountain tops which gresent a dark blue appearance. At last the little vale of -lyn Myfyr is reached. We descend the mountain side and come rather suddenly upon the small, very small vil- lage of Llanfihangel embedded in the mountains. The village consists of a public house by the bridge end, a few houses on the slopes of the hill, a neat school, and an old church. Difficult of access, as it is at all times, it was greatly more so 140 years ago. The inhabitants then were shut up in their mountain re- cess, but some of them managed to emerge therefrom, and to get themselves a name, beyond the borders of Wales. Among these were Owen Jones and his relative, the antiquary Hugh Maurice, and Dr. Peter Maurice, of New College, Oxford, was another. Owain Myfyr's son, Owen Jones, the celebrated decorator of the Crystal Palace was not born in Llanfihangel. And to the talented family now named may be mentioned the comical character Dick Shon Dafydd who found his way out of the Glen to London as a drover and there he is said to have forgotten his mother's tongue in a few months, and when he came home his poor old mother was obliged to speak to Dick through an intepreter. The ruins of Dick's house are still to be seen on the hill side at the upper end of the Glyn. The gable end with its small aperture for a window and the low side walls are still erect, and the small plot of ground which was the garden are all to be seen, and they tell us what the small holder's house was when Owain Myfyr was born at Llanfihangel. Very simple primitive abodes were these mountain farms, with the large kitchen open to the roof in the one end, and in the other a part apportioned off for sleeping rooms, and these were usually only two, the chamber on the ground floor, and the loft above. The loft was reached by a movable ladder. Dried mutton and bacon were suspended from the beam which stretched across the kitchen. The windows were small and were usually on the same side as the door, the dresser, clock, and oaken cupboard occupied the other side, the fire was on the hearth stone and consisted of wood and peat. The people's food was simple. The in- habitants were strong and healthy and spending much of their time alone were contemplative. IAGO. (To be continued.) QUERIES. ST. STEPHEN'S DAY IN WALES.—Southey, on page 365 of the 4th series of his Common Place Book. says:—"On St. Stephen's day in Wales everybody is privileged to whip another person's legs with holly, and this is often reciprocally done till the blood streams down." Can anyone give particulars of this, or any place where it is, or has been, so reciprocally indulged in ? Aberystwyth. ELIOLA. SIR WATKIN WILLIAMS WYNN.—You have given several incidents, at different times, concerning the baronets of Wynnstay. I now send you one or two more to add to the collection. The Sporting Magazine of April, 1796, says Sir W W did not lesemore at his debut in play than a moiety of the sum mentioned in the newspapers. Something more than 22,000 guineas was the amount, giving (sic) in upon a card at the close of the transaction." The next issue of the magazine, dated May, says, A report having been some time ago raised, and being now again industriously circulated, of a young baronet (Sir W. W. W.), in St. James'Square, having lost a considerable sum of money at play, we are authorized to say, that there never has been the smallest foundation for any such report." The Salopian Journal of Mar. 11,1801, contains an announcement of a better use of his money by the free-handed baronet. We are told that Sir W. W. Wynn has regularly, since May last, supplied upwards of eighty of the families of his miners in the neighbourhood of Oswestry with mixed grain at a reduced price; by which beneficent act it is computed he cannot lose a less sum than 214 a week." All sorts of provisions were scarce and dear at that time. At what works in the neighbourhood of Oswestry" did Sir Watkin employ miners? N.W.S. REPLIES. THE GOODMAN PEDIGREE (May 9, 1877.)- There were two, if not three, distinct families of the name of Goodman. That of Chester, the heiress of which was married to Sir Thomas Mostyn, Knt., whe died 21 Feb., 1617; the Goodmans of Anglesey and Beaumaris; and the Goodmans of Ruthin. The former was certainly a distinct family, though their armorial bearings were some- what like those of the Ruthin line. The two last houses, perhaps, branched from a common ancestor, though it cannot be proved. One circumstance in favour of it is, the Christian names of Hugh and Gabriel being common in both. But Hugh is a very usual name in Wales, though undoubtedly Gabriel is a very uncommon one. Of the Anglesey Goodmafts, Hugh Goodman was M.P. for Beaumaris in 1554 and 1555. Another Hugh Goodman (of Bodedern) married a daughter of Richard Meyrick, of Bodorgan, Esq., and his will is dated in 1671. This Hugh had a son named Gabriel, who is styled, of Beaumaris, merchant," and was living-in 1700. Hugh Goodman, of Bodedern, is said to have been a son of Richard, who, it is stated, in a pedi- gree at Bodorgan, in the autograph of Owen Meyrick, of Bodorgan, Esq., M.P. for Anglesey in 1715, and grand- nephew of the wife of Hugh Goodman, was a brother of Godfrey Goodman, Bishop of Glocester, of the Ruthin line but it does not appear that the Bishop had a brother named Richard. In 1565, Hugh Goodman pays rent for two tenements in Llangoed, near Beaumaris, to the Bishop of Bangor; and In 1647, Richard Goodman pays rent to the Bishop for the same tenements. Gabriel Goodman witnesses a deed relating to property at Caruan uchaf, Anglesey, in 1608. As to the Ruthin Goodmans, Archdeacon Newcome's pedigrees of them are, to a certain extent, ioeorrect, and there are many omissions, which appear by comparing the account he gives of the different branches of this family with a pedigree at Wynnstay, by the famous genealogist Salusbury of Erbistock, who lived in the seventeenth cen- tury, and in the same county with these Goodmans, Amongst the persons omitted by Newcome are Hugh Goodman, and Gabriel his son, mentioned in the will of Gabriel Goodman, Dean of Westminster, in 1601; and Hugh Goodman, Rector of Llanelidan, instituted in 1581, and to a Prebendal stall at Westminster in 1607. John Goodman, certainly of the Ruthin family, was Ii ving at Beaumaris in the earlier part of the eighteenth century. His father was a Gabriel Goodman, who was born in 1676. Itis believed that these families are extinct in the male line, and no later pedigree of the Goodmans is known than that of the Ruthin .branch, in Archdeacon Newcome's work. W.

JULY 11, 1877. NOTES. BIRTHPLACE OF OWAIN MYFYR (July 4, 1877).— Llanfihangel is a fit cradle for men of thought. There are now several poets in this mountainous and se- cluded parish. By and bye I shall have to revert to them. It was in company with the worthy and genial rector of the parish, the Rev. Evan Evans, that I rambled over the parish and listened with pleasure to the remarks which he made on the various places we passed. Evidently the pastor of the parish mixes up witn his people, and they have given him their confidence and also the history of their homes. In company with Mr. Evans I leave the rectory for Tyddyn Tudur. It stands on the summit of the hill about half a mile from the village. The house is not the one in which Owain Tudur was born. That house has given place to the present building, which is a small two-storeyed cottage with a number of small rooms in it; and it looks as if it had been transferred bodily from the suburbs of a small country town and placed on the top of Llanfihangel hill. The old house was similar to the farms I have already described, and it had notmuchland belonging thereto. Owain's father rented the farm. It is said that Twin or Nant had a hand in the erection of the present buildings, which is not unlikely, as although altered inter- nally the walls would remain as they were in Twtris days, but it seems to me that the old house is the outbuildings or rather a portion of the outbuildings, and that possibly even the very building in which Owen Jones was born still stands used as a stable. When Owen Jones had as a furrier amassed riches, he bought Tyddyn Tudur, the place of his birth, and upon his death it became the property of his talented son, Owen Jones, who was so celebrated as a de- corative artist, and whose book on that art is the standard work thereon, and on his death Tyddyn Tudur became the property of his wife, and at present it belongs to Mrs. Owen Jones's nephew, who has no Celtic blood in him. Several years ago the grounds about the house were taste- fully laid out and planted with evergreens, which thrive wonderfully, and it would be well if the hint given by these trees would be acted upon for the whole parish is bare and barren in appearance. A few trees would en- liven and shelter the quiet dingles, and beautify them as well. Woods protect and fertilize the ground, and it is strange that the landowners of these upland parishes do not plant trees on their estates. The view from Tyddyn Tudur is extensive and grand. It is not to be wondered at that the gentleman who owns the property stays here occasionally. The scenery is delightful, and the fishing excellent. We went inside the house, and there saw a print in which figures all the gentle- men who erected and planned the Crystal Palace. The Prince Consort, the originator of the exhibition, is amongst them, and he only is seated. With the excep- tion of Owen Jones they are all-titled. He alone is sim. ply Mr. £ >wen Jones. He stands somewhat behind and to the left of the rest. His complexion appears dark, the eyes are deep set, the countenance is grave and rather heavy, the face broad, and the person thick judging from his portrait he seemstohave been a thoughtful, silent, distant man, and that he was clever is well known and ac- knowledged, and so I say nothing about his ability. I have said that there are bards in Llanfihangel. I saw the grandson of Robert Davies, Nantglyn, from the top of Caer- ddinod, with spade in hand, working in a field beneath. He goes by the bardic name of Llew Hiraethog. I have read a very pretty lyric by Mr. John Davies, Taliesin Hiraethog. Here is one sweet verse, a description of a May evening:— Mor hyfryd yrlyw Mai pan ddel, A'i dywydd tawel, dystaw; Y llyn a'r hen fynyddau sydd I gyd yn llonydd, ddifraw; A dyma'r hwyr a'i fantell lwyd Dros fryniau Clwyd yn dyfod, Disgyna'r hedydd ar y brwyn A bref yr wyn sy'n darfocl. Taliesin Hiraethog is Mr. Mainwaring's farm bailiff. Then there are Myfyr Llwvd and Eos Alwen, &c. There is, therefore, no decay of talent in Llanfihangel Glyn Myfyr. All that is wanted is that the young should leave their mountain home when young and go as Owain Myfyr did into England, and there by honest hard work achieve for themselves as did he a position and wealth but they must not, as did Dick Shon Dafydd, forget their Welsh. IAGO. QUERIES. GOUGH'S CHARITIES.—In the list of Oswestry Charities given byCathrall we have one dated 1669, by Wil- Ram Gough, who left £5 per annum on lands at Trevlach for the poor," also 6s. 8d. for a sermon on St. Stephen's Day." The Rev. D. R. Thomas, in his History of the Diocese of St. Asaph gives this as a Charity "lost sight of or lost." In the History of Myddle, from the original MS. left by Richard Gough, issued by Adnitt and Naunton, of Shrewsbury, this charity is mentioned as follows My uncle, William Gough, by his last will, (which hee call'd his wife's will) gave all his lands to his wife's friends, (except such as hee had given to my brother [in law] Glover). Hee left some small crumbs of legacies in money to his relations; never- thelesse hee left £5 per Ann for ever to the parish of Myddle, for setting out of apprentices, and the like yearly sum for the like use (sic) to the parish of Oswaldstre; and a Noble yearely to a Minister, to preach a sermon in the English tongue, in Oswaldstre on St. Stephen's day, because hee was told that hee was borne on that day; butt I believe itt was a mistake, for I finde by the Register that hee was baptized the 23rd of February, and I believe they did not keep him above two months after hee was borne before they baptized him. Is the benefaction "a lost charity" of Middle, as well as of Oswestry ? And how comes it be lost to Oswestry ? It is not mentioned as such in the account of the Charities in Bye-gones, Mar. 24, 1875. OSWALD. DAVYDD AP GWILYM (May 12, 1875, Sep. 15, 1875.).-You recently published a poem of Davydd ap Gwilym's. Can any of your readers give a list of the English translations of the works of this fine poet ? The edition I have was published by Henry Hooper, 13, Pall Mall East, in 1834, and the dedication (to Dr. William Owen Pughe) is signed Maelog. It is not a satisfactory book, though it seems to be a meritorious and to some ex- tent a successful attempt to introduce the greatest Welsh lyrist" to English readers. I understand that several MS. collections of Ap Gwilym's poems are in the Hengwrt Library at Peniarth. Cannot the Cymmrodorion Society undertake to publish an English translation of Ap Gwilym's Poems? I do not know how far Mr. Lewis Morris is acquainted with the language of his forefathers, but if he could give us a translation, how welcome it would be! I send this to you, in the hope that some- thing of the kind may be done, or that perchance some worthy translation of some of the poems may be communicated to Bye-gones. E. ,'I' REPLIES. OSWESTRY NEAR WHITTINGTON (June 13, 1877).-When I was a boy the London and Holyhead mail used to enter Oswestry from the south up Shrews- bury road to the Queen's Hotel, where it changed horses. A car was in waiting from the Wynnstay Arms at the junction of roads (near the present Gas Works) to convey such travellers as wished to put up at that house. But at an earlier period the Post Office was situated at the Wynnstay Arms, and then the mail entered the town in Lower Brook-street, and changed horses at the Wynn- stay Arms Hotel. That, I presume, was the mail route in 1801, to judge from the following advertisement, which I take from a Shrewsbury paper of Aug. 12, in that year:- A Capital Inn to be Let, upon the Great Road from London to Holyhead. The Cross Foxes, Oswestry, in the county of Salop, consisting of a Large Assembly Room, Tea Room, three large and two small parlours, a very commodious Kitchen and Bar, excellent Lodging Rooms, a Bowling Green, good Stabling, and very capacious Cellaring, well calculated for carrying on the Liquor business and seventy acres of rich meadow and pasture Land close adjoining the town. For further particulars apply to Mr. Croxon, Oswestry. N.B. The Tenant may be accommodated with about 70 tons of very good Hay, which grew on part of the above Land. In the foregoing it will be noted that in 1801 the Wynnstay Arms was known as the Cross Foxes. In 1800, according to another advertisement (see Bye-gones May 10,1876) it was called the Bowling Green Inn; and again in 1813 and 1820, the Cross Foxes. The older name, it was also stated, lingered as late as 1832. Another noteworthy matter in the above advertisement is the mention of Tea Room, a term once common in public as well as private houss in this district (see Bye-gones Nov. 3, 1875). JARCO. [In the Reprint of Bye-gones for 1875, p. 191, there is a para- graph narrating the sudden fall of a tree below the Old Theatre in Brook-street, in 1816, dnring a S.W. wind. It was stated that when the branches were being lopped off the tree righted itself. Our correspondent BEN STARCH informs us that ne very well remembers the circumstance, and the hurry there was to clear the tree away because it lay across the road the mail would have to pass over a few hours later.—ED.] SERGEANT DAVIES (June 20, 1877).-At a meeting of the committee for erecting a column to Lord Hill, at Shrewsbury, held on the 9th June, 1817, it was resolved that the property should be handed over to his Lordship and his heirs for ever. His Lordship, in a letter dated Cambray, Sep. 1, 1817, accepted and acknowledged the gift, and in a further letter, dated Sep. 8, 1817, said, that out of several candidates for the charge of the column, and to reside in the cottage adjoining, he had selected Thomas Davies, of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. His Lord- ship went on to say— Sergeant Davies is a Shropshire man, has been nearly twenty years in the army, the greater part of which on active service; he was a private three years, two years a corporal, and the re- mainder of his time a sergeant; when the appointment of Colour-Sergeants was established in 1813, Sergeant Davies was promoted to the rank. Davies has been with his regi- ment on the following foreign services :-Hanover, Copenhagen, North America, West Indies, Peninsula, Netherlands, and France, and was present at the following general actions:—Martinique, Copenhagen, Albuera, Ciudad Rodrigo, Badajos (where he was wounded), Salamanca, Vittoria, Pyrenees, Orthez, and Toulouse-and on all occasions conducted himselfias a gallant soldier. In May, 1815, previous to the battle 'of Waterloo, Sergeant Davies was selected by his Commanding Officer as a proper person to be my Orderly-Sergeant. From that period to the present time he has been constantly under the immediate observation of myself and the Officers of my Staff and it is with much satisfaction I have to observe that not the slightest complaint has ever been made of him. Davies was the first Sergeant appointed in his regiment to the rank of Colour-Sergeant, and injfive months will have completed twenty years' service. After Davies's death in 1820 his widow continued to enjoy, by the permission of Lord Hill, the situation of custodian of the column. How long she kept it I cannot say, but in 1833 George Okeley, a veteran trooper of the Horse Guards Blue, of which Lord Hill was the colonel, was appointed to the office. He was a Waterloo man. I glean all these facts from a pamphlet Life of Lord Hill and description of the column, printed by J. Watton, Shrewsbury,, and published by Whittakers, London. SCROBBES BYRIG. Sergeant Davies was buried 21 August, 1820, at the Abbey Church, Shrewsbury, with military honours. An immense number of people assembled to witness the cere- mony. R.E.D. Shrewsbury.

ENGLAND VERSUS FRANCE.—For generations chocolate has been imported in large quantities into this country from France. We are glad to find the tables turned at last, and that Cadburys, the makers of the well-known Cocoa Essence, have opened elegant premises at 90, Faubourg, St. Honore, Pans.—Their Cocoa Essence being perfectly genuine is a beverage far better suited to warm climates than the thick heavy compounds of Cocoa with sugar and starch generally sold. HOLLOWAY'S OINTMENT AND PILLS.-It is admitted by every one who has personally tried these noble remedies for any eruptions, sores, ulcers, bad legs, &c., or who have witnessed their purifying and healing effects on others suffering from such maladies, that nothing more can be desired than these medicaments possess. The Oiutment relaxes thel swollen muscles, diminishes inflammation, assuages pain, and even alleviates dangerous maladies which may have lasted for months, or even'years. Hollo- way's excellent preparations ua effective singly, resistless in combination, and have been recommended by grateful patients to be sought as the alternatices when all other means of regaining health have failed. Their action is temperate, not violentt or wduqing,

THE RUSSO-TURKISH WAR ISSUE OF TURKISH PAPER MONEY. A decree was promulgated in Constantinople on Thurs- day, July 5, authorising the issue of paper money to the amount of one thousand millions of piastres. Fifty mil- lions of this are to be withdrawn annually from circula- tion, complete redemption being thus effected in twenty years. The revenues assigned for the purpose are to be paid into the Ottoman Bank, and a Commission com- posed of members of that establishment and of foreign and Ottoman capitalists will superintend the periodical with- drawal of the notes from circulation. The Turkish Par- liament is to reopen on the 1st of October. THE BRITISH FLEET. A telegram from Paris contradicts a report recently published that the French fleet is to join the British squadron in Besika Bay. THE RUSSIANS IN BULGARIA. At Sistova the Russians are apparently concentrating their troops and strengthening their communications with the northern bank, preparatory to a forward movement into Bulgaria. Three entire army corps, representing a total of 120,000 men with 250 guns, have now crossed into Turkish territory, a force quite sufficient to overbear any opposition with which it could be confronted between the Daavube and the Balkans; but in order to secure the communications, upon which the reinforcement and provisioning of such an immense army depends, it will be necessary not only to construct a second bridge across the stream, but also to take or mask the nearest Turkish strongholds right and left of Sistova, whence the Russian communications might be threatened. With this object the Russians have divided the invading army into three corps, of which the strongest, estimated of from 50,000 to 60,000 men, is entrusted with the reduction of Rustchuk, whilst the other two are employed in besieging Nikopoli and clearing and occupying the country round about Sistova. The b, est road to Rustchuk, however, lies through Biela, and there for the present the Russians appear to be checked. We have already had details of three considerable battles at that point, in all of which the Russians have been repulsed with heavy loss; but Russian official despatches ignore these engagements, and acknowledge only a hand-to-hand fight, on the 5th July, near the river Jantra, in which the Turkish Circassians were dispersed, with a loss of ten men killed, whilst on the Russian side one Cossack was wounded and two were killed. The official return of the Russian killed, wounded, and missing in the crossing of the Danube on the 27th June gives a total of 715 hors de combat, of whom 289 were killed, 38 missing, and 389 wounded. According to a Turkish official account from Shumla, there has been another unsuccessful attempt to cross the Danube in the vicinity of the Bata redoubt, five hours' march, or fifteen miles, from Silistria. The Russians set out on twenty rafts, towed by their steamers; but the Turks, who appear to be now everywhere fully on the alert, got scent of the movement in time, and opened fire on the rafts with such effect that one of them was sunk with all the troops and stores upon it, the steam tugs materially damaged, and the purpose of the expedition entirely frustrated. At Sistova the bridge being too weak to withstand the current, is temporarily closed for repairs and alterations, and another is being constructed beside it for the return traffic, which has hitherto interfered very materially with the forward march of the reinforcements. It is im- probable that the Russians will attempt any operation of importance in Bulgaria until the second bridge is open. Clear accounts have been received both from the Turkish and the Russian head-quarters of the progress which the Russian army, advancing southward through the Dobrudscha to Trajan's Wall, had made, up to the 3rd and 4th July. A correspondent of the Times with the Turkish army, writing from Kustendji, informs us that on the 2nd July the advance guard of a Russian column of this army, composed of horse, cavalry, and ar- tillery, had approached from the north in the direction of Medjidiyeh (which is on the line of the railway and of Trajan's Wall, and about a third nearer to the Danube than it is to the sea). There the main road from the Dobrudscha into the southern parts of the province of Bulgaria crosses the railway and the old road; and there we are told that the advance guard of the Russian column suddenly came upon some Turkish cavalry patrols, and retreated on discovering a huge encampment of the enemy near the above place. On the same authority we learn that the Russian main force in the Dobrudscha was said to be stationed to the south of Babadagh, which is a small town or village with a natural harbour on the Black Sea, a few miles north of Kustendji. It would appear that the railway has not been destroyed, though there had been no traffic for two days preceding. The greater part of the Dobrudscha had been forsaken by its inhabitants, and the heat was enormous, though the general state of health was good. The Russian account, forwarded from the Emperor's headquarters at Simnitza to St. Petersburg, states that the Russian adjutant-general, Chawcheff, occupied Baba- dagh on the 28th June; that all the Circassians and Bashi-Bazouks had been driven southward by the Russian cavalry, that two well-known brigand chiefs, named Kara Mustapha and Eadem, had been taken prisoners; that nearly 20,000 head of cattle had been captured and that the whole territory of the Dobrudscha as far as Trajan's Wall had been freed from the occupation of the Turks. We are told that the Russians on their march were enthusiastically received by the Christian population. According to all the previous accounts re- ceived from the Dobrudscha the Russians had a very great superiority in the number of their troops at that point, whilst the Turks had the advantage of the ancient fortifications of a deep ditch, and of the tolerably well fortified town of Kustendji, with the assistance, in case of need, of the Turkish fleet, which was a few miles north- ward at the Sulina entrance of the river Danube. Whatever the character of the fighting at Biela, which has been the subject of so much dispute within the last few days, it is tolerably clear now that the Russians have finally prevailed there. A Russian official despatch states that the town was occupied on the 5th July, by the Staro- doub Dragoons, who were joined on the following day by the infantry; and as no mention is made of any fighting on the occasion, we are led to suppose that the town was previously evacuated by the Turks. It is not easy to re- concile this despatch with the very circumstantial accounts of severe fighting on Biela Bridge, which reached us last week from Shumla and Tirnova, and which find a certain corroboration in telegrams subsequently received from Russian sources. Only on Saturday a telegram was re- ceived from the Turkish headquarters which affirmed that a battle was fought near Biela on Thursday, which lasted twelve hours, and that the Russians, being repulsed with considerable loss, fell back towards Sistova. On the same day a similar telegram was despatched from Bucharest, stating that according to reports received there, desperate fighting had taken place, involving heavy losses on both sides, and that the victory was undecided. 12,000 Russians, it was stated, had engaged a force of 30,000 Turks, whose losses were estimated at thrice those of the Russians, their works being destroyed by the Russian artillery. That severe fighting of some kind took place on this side is evi- dent from the number of wounded Russians met on the road by English newspaper correspondents, though the magnitude of the conflict has doubtless been exaggerated. The Times correspondent states that the Russians assert that the affair at Biela was simply a feint to distract the attention of the Turks from the movement in the direction of Tirnova. This, he remarks, is probably true, but*It is evident from the losses suffered by the Russians at Biela that the feint became more serious than was intended." In other words, the Russian official statement that no fighting had occurred except outpost skirmishes, involving a loss of one or two Cossacks, must be construed in a Pick- wickian sense. An explanation of the sudden abandon- ment of Biela by the Turks will probably be forthcoming shortly in the shape of an announcement from the Russians that they had previously crossed the river Jantra above or below the town, and so turned a position which was too strong to be captured without heavy loss by a direct assault. CAPTURE OF TIRNOVA. In addition to Biela the Russians have also taken Tirnova, the old capital of Bulgaria, which commands three of the main roads to the Balkans, one via Slivno, the so-called "irongate pass," which is perhaps the most formidable, another to Kasam, which is also very difficult, and a third by Kasalik, through the Sehilika pass, which is practicable for artillery, and is commended by Von Moltke as one of the most favourable. Though a by Yon Moltke as one of the most favourable. Though a place of such great strategic importance, Tirnova was but poorly garrisoned, and its capture on Saturday was effected virtually by coup de main. Twos quadrons of dragoons and two sotnias of Don Cossacks, with a detach- ment of horse artillery, sufficed,, without infantry of any kind, to drive out of the place the 3,000 Nizams and Redifs by whom it was nominally defended, the defenders falling back in the direction of Osman Bazaar. On Mon- day, July 9, the Russian infantry and artillery were ex- pected to arrive at Tirnova, which is likely to become the base henceforward of the operations of the invaders in the Balkan district. According to a despatch from the Czarewitch, ths Turks at Tirnova would seem to have been surprised, but it is scarcely credible that, after their experience at Sistova, they should have been caught a second time napping at their poets within the^same week. The inhabitants of the town, we are told, received General Gourka's troops with enthusiasm, and a Te Deum was sung in acknowledgement of the victory. ASIA MINOR. A despatch from the Turkish commander, of Friday's date, states that his army has arrived at Ruk- bard, about fifteen miles from Kars, and that communi- cation with the town is quite restored, the Russians, whose position was at Hadjihala, having withdrawn to the east of the fortress. On the previous day, Thursday, the Russians were at Utsch Kil'issa, some fourteen miles west of Kars, and it was expected that they would make a stand there, but after a short engagement, in which the Turkish infantry were assisted by the Kurdish cavalry, the Russians were dislodged from their position, and fell back upon Ipek and Guedlik, where the fighting was re- newed. The report that Ardahan has been evacuated by the Russians is hardly reconcilable with the statement which now reaches us that another Russian division of 20,000 men is advancing: in that direction. At Bayazid the Russian garrison who hold possession of the citadel show no disposition to surrender, although they are closely beseiged by twenty Turkish battalions and a cavalry force estimated at 10,000, OiL" a total of, say, 23,000 men. From the Russian side we are told that the Erivan column, to which the besieged garrison belongs, arrived on Sunday in the neighbourhood of Igdyr to complete its store. of pm- visions andwar material previous to marching to the relief of Bayaadbd, so that Faick P&cha has no time to lose if he wishes to. accomplish the capture of the citadel. It is stated that the Russian centre, under General Melikoff. is endeavouring to secure its retreat upon TSfiis. The fighting on Saturday at Ipek, upon which place the Russians dislodged from Utch Kilissa fell back before Mukhtar Pacha's cavalry, appears to have resulted | in favour of the Russians, who, upi to the latest advices from the front, were still at Ipek. Mukhtar Pacha, however, continues to push on, as the line between his head-quarters and Kars is completely free from Russian troops. It is reported that one of his lieutenants, Mustapha Menemenli, the new governor of Kars has gone forward with a reinforcement of 4, OOOmen forthegarri- m son, which must be considerably reduced in strength by the losses incurred in the numerous assaults and sorties of the past few months, but nothing is said of stores and provisions, which we should have thought were even more necessary to the beleagured town than fighting men. The Standard correspondent with the Turkish army tele- graphed on Saturday from Kuprikoi that Mufehtar Pacha was at Kura Hamsln with thirty-five battalions of in- fantry—say 23,000 men—and that his advanced guard was at Beghly Ahmed, only four hours march from Kars. The road from Beghly Ahmed to Kars was stated to'be quite open, and the Circassians were entering and leaving the town freely. Kar* was reported to be fully provisioned still, and capable of resisting the Russians for a long time yet. The main body of the besiegers was concentrated on the eastern side of Kars, but at a distance of five or six houry march from the town, and was daily receiving reinforcements from Alexandropol, on the Russian fron- tier. An important and probably decisive battle is evidently imminent in the vicinity of Kars, and the combatants on both sides are con- centrating their forces for their coming struggle. According to a telegram from St. Petersburg, indeed, the failure of the Russian plans in Armenia is due entirely to the insufficiency of the forces employed, and in no degree to the rising in the Caucasus, which has been virtually re- pressed. Generals Tergukasoff and Outlijiks, who com- manded respectively the Russian left and right wings are said to have carried on their operations with only from eight to ten battalions each, and General Loris Melikoff, who commands the Russian centre, has only about twelve battalions. It is probably true that the strength of the Russians in Armenia has been a good deal exaggerated, but it is scarcely conceivable that the 200,000 who were told off for the campaign should have dwindled down to a total of about 32 battalions, as this report would have us believe. It is not improbable- that a fresh attempt will be made by the Russian right wing to push on to Erzeroum via Olti, or to take Mukhtar Pacha in rear while he is engaged with the Russian centre before Kars. Unfor- tunately for the Russians, their left wing is unable to render any assistance in this operation. General Tergu- kasoff is hopelessly beaten, and unless he can contrive to make his way via Kaghisman to the Russian centre-a difficult and hazardous undertaking-he is in great danger of being intercepted by the Turks who are now besieging the citadel of Bayazid, and placed: between two fires. In their last assault upon the citadel, the besiegers are said to have been repulsed with heavy loss; but there is no mention yet of the relieving column which was expected from Erivan. On the extreme north, at Batoum, Dervish Pacha, having driven back his-assailants, is about to take the offensive. A Turkish official despatch confirms. the report that the Russian left wing, being closely pursued, has recrossed the frontier, the Russians are reported to have suffered considerable loss in the encounters to which the pursuit gave rise, the Turkish loss being relatively small. The Russians who hold the government house at Bayazid had been summoned to surrender, and their capitulation was momentarily expected. The despatch further reported a sortie by the Batoum garrison on the- Russian besieging army, in which the latter were driven baek. Whilst this engagement was in progress the Turks made a diversion by attacking Fort St. Nicholas. The place was first shelled by a frigate, and then a descent was made by two battalions of militia and irregulars,, who aare reported to have put the Russian garrison to flight, and to have then returned. The only Russian official reports from Asia re- late to engagements with the Abhasianw in the Caucasus, in which the Russians are stated to, have inflicted severe loss on the insurgents. Four Turkish ironclads bombarded Eupatoria, a town on the Crimean coast, for about three hours on the 9th instant, but did no. damage, the Russian batteries compelling the war ships to keep. too far off for their shells to have any effect. The relief of Kars appears to be-now complete, and the Russians are in full retreat upon Alexandropol and Erivan. In falling back, however, they have managed to secure some important positions between those widely separated bases, which will be of. great value to-thera when the campaign is resumed. ALLEGED RUSSIAN ATROCITIES. COMPLAINT OF THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT. The Sublime Porte has addressed the following telegram to its representatives abroad "Our authorities notify us of acts- of the greatest gravity committed by the Russian troops in those parts of our territory which have been invaded, and from these acts it will be seen that the enemy is systematically taking a course of massacre, pillage, and incendiarism^ Among these deeds the Imperial authorities mention the following, the reality of which is absolutely established. On Wed- nesday, July 4th, the Russian troops- invaded! a Mussul- man village in the district of Sistova, sacked it, set fire to the dwellings, and massacred a great number of peaceable individuals. Six inhabitants of the same village, having been met by the enemy, were attacked, and; although they offered no resistance, one of them, was killed, and the others were made prisoners. Seven other persons, while on their way from Rustchuk to Pitona, their native place, were slaaghtered by the Russian! cavalry. One only es- caped the massacre. The bodies of the unfortunate vic- tims were subjected to horrible profanations. Their eves were torn out, and the sockets touched; with, bread. The Bulgarians of Sistova, incited by the presence of the enemy, are massacring the fugitive Mussuimans).and eight Turkish soldiers having fallen into the hands of the Russians were beaten down with sticks. Similar atroci- ties are communicated to us from Asia,, notably tbe,fol- lowing :-Fifteen hundred families belonging to Soukhum Kal4 having taken refuge in the woods to escape-the bar- barous treatment to which the Cossacks subject the entire Mussulman population, died of inanition. The Russian division which occupied Ardanache in its retreat towards the frontier put to death fifty persons of both sexes and of various ages, and set fire to the dwellings- in several villages through which it passed, The Armenian Bishop of Utsch-Kilissa was seized, brutally garotted, and carried away by the troops in this frightful condition^. These deeds, any comment on which would, but weaken their horrors and which I beg you to lay before the public con- science, are becoming general along the whole passage of the Russian troops both in Europe and Asia, and leave no room for doubt as to the programme of murder and de- vastation adopted by the enemy in order to strike terror into the country and exterminate the non-combatant population." THE ROUMANIAN A.RBfT: It is announced that the Roumanian army wilE assume the offensive, and join that of Russia in the invasion of Turkey. This decision, which was come to after mature deliberation, at a Council of Ministers, in Bucharest, on Tuesday, will add some 40,000 or 50,000 men immediately to the invading force without in any way imperilling the Russian communications, as reserves are already on their way from the north to take the place vacated" by the Roumanian troops on the northern bank of the Danube. It will be scarcely practicable, however,, for- the two armies to enter Turkey by the same gate, and the Rou- manians will probably be directed to achieve a passage for themselves in the vicinity of Kalafat, Lorn Piilanka, or Rahova, where the next attempt to cross will, probably be made before the week is out.

THE CRISIS IN FRANCE. No date has yet been fixed for the election of the new French Chamber of Deputies. The Paris-correspondent of the Times has every reason to believe that it will take place on the 16th of September, which, will, interfere neither with the corn harvest nor the vintage-. In the meantime the greatest attention is concentrated on pre- parations for the campaign. The Moniteur,.a semi-official organ, says it is convinced that no ministry either lends or will lend itself to supporting the proceedings of mili- tant Bonapartism, notwithstanding the boasts of that party. The Mouiteur characterises the Bonapactists as an unconstitutional party, and says it is the dii/ty of the Government of the Marshal not to tolerate the- promotion by the Bonapartists of their personal interests under cover of the Conservative union. M. Rouher, the leader of the Imperialist party, left Paris on Saturday night for Chisle- hurst. M. Gambetta has been waited upon, by a. deputation composed of French residents at Berne, mostly from Alsace and Lorraine, who presented him with an address and a gold watch. In reply M. Gambetta: assure(I them that the cause they had at heart was assured* of success. The Republic was threatened, but its destruction was im- possible. Their enemies had seized on power- and would keep it for three months, but those three months were a gain of three years. There was no sort of doubt about the issue of the struggle. No excuse woulil, be given for violence by illegal acts, and when the solemn verdict of the nation had been rendered, right would, naturally and peacefully assume its place.

ECCLESIASTICAL.. The Philadelphia Ledger of the 21st of says that Dr. Gregg will shortly return to England, and will be the head of the Reformed Episcopal Church m this country.. He will reside in London, where there is already a church waiting for him with a membership of over 400. The Rev. Mr. Ridsdale's obedience to the tew has been fol- lowed by an important secession from his congregation. Three sisters, who were the rev. gentleman's chief supporters, who gave him an altar and subscribed £ 500 towards his parsonage and schools, have just gone over to the Church of Kwae. The Daily Express says it is reported that the Earl of Carrick has left the Church of Ireland, and gone over to the Plymouth Brethren. Lord Carrick was an active member at the deputation of the Irish Church to this country on the occasion of its dis- establishment.. It is said that the Church, Association have withdrawn then- appeal fro rathe decision of toe Court^of timeea s Bench in the case of the Rev. T. B. Dale„ vicar of !>t. Vedast's, Foster-lane, London, wfeo was lately woceeded against under the Publi« Worship Regulation Act. The consequent* of this will be thai the rev. gentleman is freeto resume]tus duties, which it is be- lieved will do on Sunatfcy, July W, Tike-Rev. Arthur Tooth has also appealed under the same conditions as Mr. Dale. The appeal will come on for hearing on Fraday, .luly n. The-Bishop of Lincoln) is stated to have written to one of his diocesan clergy, severely rebuking him far forwarding a petition in favour of unfermeneed wine at the Holy Communion. The Bishop says that in their present frasae of mind the petitibners p,re, not tit to receive the sacrament at all, as in their Pharisaic self-conceit they set, up their private opinions agaiast the universal practice of eighteea hundred years and against public opinion. An important discussion took place on Friday, July 8, in the Upper House of Convocation. A statement was presented from the Society of the Holy Cross to the effect that the book the Priest in Absolution was purchased from the executors of the author to prevent its passing into general circulation, and the original restrictions on its, issue were retained. The society was never called upon to rvad, revise, or pass a judgment on the book, which they alleged had been previously misjudged, and the accusations against the members of us questions of a dangerous character were declared to be entirely unfounded. The Archbishop of Canterbury held that men who taught such doctrines were in a conspiracy against th% Church of England. He drow attention to a book called "No. 1 Series for the YounKi" which had been placed in his hands, and which said six jewt* waa a, proper period to inculcate the doctrines o( wTs to nnt l e*\trf's £ om Jt- which stated that it nowpr fLST • iU°ne God- when on earth, gave divine thelr sins t-f encouraged children to tell all Question., Th» f re€°'n.'I'en'Jlnf Priests to help them by S -ATJhf an-s,wer of. the Ho\y Cross Society was con- nf lontion n-'ndfff ^USS4°n sustained by the Bishops m uvnu' St- A^aph' Gloucester and Bristol, Bath Bishon nfY?, i others' ;.m(l eventually, on the motion of the .Bishop of London, a series of resolutions were unanimonslv of16 the declining that their lordships held the Sorietv or cue Holj Cross responsible for the propagation and dissemination of The Priest in Absolution and that havine considered the resolutions sent up by the Society, they were of XctuaHv'^vHh] S°Ciet^ hfad neither repudiated the book nor ettectually withdrawn it from circulation. Thev reaffirmed their recent declaration on the subject of confession, and con- nemnea any doctrine or practice of confession which might be thought to render such a work as "The Priest in Absolution- either necessary or expedient. It was also agreed that the statutes of the society be referred to a committee of the bishops.

A MERIONETHSHIRE MYSTERY. Hughes, aged 36, a single woman, living at Coed- ach, iinthdir, a small village some four miles from Dol- geiiey, has been missing since the 4th June,, and her disappearance is the subject of great excite- V ™ district, apprehensions being entertained that she has- met with foul play. She left a house in Dolgeller vImV r stating that she was-going home, and a. little later she was met a short distance from the town, evidently on her way home. This was the last seen of her, and although the neighbourhood has been thoroughly searched by large bands of men, and the police have made- full enquiries, no trace of her has yet been discovered,

CARDIGANSHIRE ASSIZES. The commission was opened at Cardigan on Friday. after which his lordship attended I)iv°ine service at St. Mary's Church, when the sermon was preached by the Rev. Rhys Jones Lloyd, Troedyraur, the sheriff^ chaplain. On Saturday morning the court was reopened at ten o'clock. Sir Thomas D. Loyd, Bart., was foreman of the- Grand Jury. His Lordship; in his charge, congratulated the grand jury on the state of the calendar, and that the county was- entirely free from both criminal and civil causes; It was a source of happiness to find that there was no criminal business to do, and equally so that there was no tedious litigation, which, with its consequences, could very often be avoided by good temper and honesty on the part of the litigants. They were the more to be congratulated, -as the county was a large one, having seaports and mines; and a large population which was free from crime. But they must not be too proud, and those who lived in large places must not be too dejected when viewing the state of their calendar and finding it black. A wicked person could not find scope enough for his ingenuity in a place like Cardiganshire, and, like a good sportsman, he would,na-- turally go where most. game was to be found. If they were to search London they would perhaps find a wicked Cardiganshire man attracted there, that he might have more scope for his ingenuity. Another thing, the people of this country encouraged honesty, and looked down upon bad character. He had occasion to remark differently some years ago, but was happy to find the state of things so much improved. The foreman of the grand jury held in his hand a docu- ment sealed in an envelope, and addressed to him. He asked his lordship to look at it, as it was an improper thing to- be addressed to the jury. His Lordship—I do not want to see it. I have sat too" long on the bench to take notice of such a thing. The court shortly afterwards broke up. I