The Cambrian

COL. J. C. RICHARDSON AND THE THIRD G.R.V. INTERESTING PRESENTATION AT MINEHEAD. The esteem in which Col. J. Crow Richardson is held by the officers of the Third G.R.V. was strikingly exemplified on Thursday in last week, at Minehead. Col. Richardson has for very many years played a highly important part in the volunteer movement jin South WaJes. He has been a genuine and sturdy friend to the Third—a fact wliichjis proudly admitted tby: officers and men alike. He was recently presented with a grandchild, and the officers of the Third thought it a. fitting opportunity to demonstrate their confidence in. and respect for, their gallant Colonel. After much consideration they decided to present the Colonel's grand-daughter with a very handsome gold spoon in a rich morocco case stamped in gold. It bore the following inscrip- tion Presented to Miss Rose Stella Eirene Ynyr Richardson, by the officers of the Third G.R.V., Minehead Camp, July 27th, 1899." The presentation was made by Major Rees who, in the course of a brief and felicitous speech, referred to the very valuable services rendered in the cause of volunteering by Col. Richardson. The Third had been the recipients of many kind and thoughtful acts on the part of their Colonel. They were all delighted when they heard recently that he had been presented with a grandchild, and there at once rose a spontaneous wish to commemorate the happy event, and to show their attachment to, and respect for, Colonel Richard- son. Every officer rejoiced when he decided to rejoin the Third and fall in with the orders of the War Office-they rejoiced as heartily as they regretted his decision to sever his connection with the corps a few years previously, Major Jones, Major Langdon and Captain Hedley followed in a similar strain. Col. Richardson, in replying, said the presen- tation came upon him as a most agreeable surprise. He felt he did not deserve such kindness. He had done only what he considered to be his duty, and every man should do that. At the same time, his connection with the Third had been most pleasant, and he felt it a privilege to assist in miintaining its strength and increasing its efficiency, (applause.) When he severed his connection with the Third it waR because he felt that he could not adequately attend to the duties —his residence so far from the headquarters precluded him doing that; and he only rejoined when Major Rees promised to do the work. How well Major Rees did that work was known to every officer and man in the corps. Of course, he felt it a pleasure and an honour to resume command of the Third, and he sincerely hoped that the present good feeling which existed between all would continue. He further hoped that the kindness of the officers that day would be the means of cementing the good feeling between his family and the corps. (Applause.) In conclusion, Col. Richardson again thanked the offisers for the very handsome spoon. Needless to say, it would afford him much pleasure to present it to his grand-daughter when she was old enough, and he hoped she would be able to personally thank all the officers tor their kindness to her grand- father. (Applause.)

GOSSIP FROM MINEHEAD CAMP. fRY MAJOR" X." The orderly battalions that officially constitute the Severn Volunteer Infantry Brigade must have formed a very poor idea of the stuff gathered together under the name of the 1st Volunteer Battalion Welsh Regiment. It was at their own request that they were attached to the Severn Brigade Camp. I hardly think they will make the same request again. They must be abnor- mally tender-skinned and tender-stomached to account for the continuous g-rumblel that comes from Llanelly way this week; but the whole complaints are exaggerated. There is talk of a mutiny nearly taking place in Dnnster Park: as a matter of fact the disturbance was hardly noticed by the adjoining battalions. The 1st V.B. did no harder work than the other battalions, and from nowhere else come the grumblings. But something undoubtedly went wrong with their commissariat department. At the start of the week the meat was condemned, and on the big field day, on Friday, so the reports say, there was nearly a mutiny because some men had bread and cheese and onions instead of sandwiches! It is positively childish their conduct was disgraceful enough on Church parade on Sunday; if there is any truth in Friday's incident then the men ought to be ashamed of themselves. Owing to some mistake four hundred sandwiches were ordered for 480 men-a would not have been made in a commissariat department which knew its business. When the shortage was discovered, bread and cheese and onions were procured from one of the other regiments, and the men to whom these were served expressed their discontent. The emergency rations were, as it happened, better ) than the sandwiches on such a hot day, only the men did not seem to know it. The Third Glamorgan, who had done harder work, having been under arms and on outpost duty until past midnight on the Tnursday, had bread and cheese without the appetising onion, and if so much as a syllable of discontent came from the ranks then, it has not been retailed since in exaggerated form. And it was the sarn-3 with most ol the other regiments. But it must be sheer exaggeration to say thdot"a mutiny was narrowly averted on so childish an issue. The Adjutant expressed regret that he was not able to give the men champagne, and this remark was taken in bad part but even that could have brought no thought of mutiny into their heads. Along with grumbling at the commissariat department come constant com- plaints from Llanelly of the hard work, and one officer seems to take a pride ia the statement that there were hundreds of cases of men having fainted on account of excessive heat." If he will oonfine the application of that remark to the 1st V.B. the officer is welcome to it. But it will not apply to the Brigade as a whole, for the men stood the heat much better and in the Third Glamorgan which I more especially followed, there were only one or two men who fell out on parade during the whole of the week, on the Friday no one fell out, and the average]percentage of men on the sick list from various causes was not. two. I must acknowledge that the 1st V.B. do field work splendidly, but I am afraid they are a grumbling, dissatisfied lot. They complain of 20 mile marched-which they never had-uuder a scorching sun; and if Minehead has this effect upon them, I warn them to steer clear of Aider- shot, where five miles across the sa-nd and rubble of the Long Valley seem forty, where a twenty- mile march to the Foxhills is a daily occurrence, cheerlnlly undertaken by a good volunteer, where there is not even bread and cheese and pickled onions, and where men have been known to drop out unknown upon the march, and remain out until discovered cold and dead a few nights later ) The Severn Brigade will encamp at Aldershot next year. Tae 1897 camp was thoroughly enjoyed. ——— But this is getting doleful. Let us think of something more amusing. One of the chaplains in camp had a strange experience. Accompanied by the guest of one of the officers, he left camp at nightfall on Tnursday in search of the night at- tack. They went across the mountains instead of turning down the roads. On and on they went but never an outpost challenged them. At last they could hear firing, and they tried to locate it. But it came from three directions, and in their confusion they lost their way back to camp. In the moonlight they could make nothing out but miles of dreary, trackless, mountains and they decided eventually to give up the search for the lost trail and bivouac on the bleak hill-top. The parson produced a newspaper, and, wrapped in this, the wanderers fell asleep. They started for home early the next morning, and, haggard and stiff, they entered the officers' mess during break- fast. They have been unmercifully chaffed ever since. ——— The ambulance wagon of the 3rd Welsh had a narrow escape from destruction on Friday. The two horses bolted down the steep hill and straight over a sudden declivity that leads, as a short cut, to the town. Horses and wagon turned a com- plete somersault; fortunately, no one was in the wagon, and, mivaculously, the horses came out of their little escapade unhurt. The Minehead camp was unquestionably a hard one, and the Brigade, as a whole, showed splendid powers of endurance. The death roll, however' is said to be the largest on record, namely, four. Two of the deaths are attributed to the intense heat that prevailed. The band of the 3rd G.V.R. had several com- pliments paid to it in camp. It was selected to play the hymnal accompaniments for the Brigade Church Parade on Sunday, and on Thursday it was selected to supply music at the Yeomanry tournament. The following compliment was paid it by the local newspapers:—" The 3rd Welsh are particularly well off for music. They have no less than three excellent bands in camp—the Cardiff Detachment band, numbering 31, under Bandmaster A. Johnson; the Mountain Ash band, undeL- Bandmaster Shaw; and the Dowlais band under Bandmaster Smith. Besides these, they have a bugle band, under Sergeant Cozens. All the bands in the camp are good. It is hardly fair to discriminate, but the band of the 3rd Gla- morgan ie an excellent oae, and possesses a most imposing drum major. The band is under Band- master Haydn Millars, also a conductor of some note." Lieutenant-General Sir George White, V.C., the Quartermaster-General of the Forces, is the honorary colonel of the 2nd V.B. Somerset Light Infantry, and that regiment furnished the guard of honour which escorted him from the train to the camp, where he was the guest of Thursday evening. He watched the night attack and alarm with keen appreciation. If any evidence were needed of the hard work it was to be found in the quietude of the town on Friday night. On the Monday there were rare proceedings-buudreds of volunteers patrolling the streets with toy instruments and making an unearthly noise. The disturbances so increased by Wednesday that officers had to take charge of picquets in town; but on Friday the men were so tired that they were only too glad to get between their blankets early. All the fun on Friday night was in the officers' mess. In the person of the Brigadier, the Third Glamorgan officers bad a most genial guest. The Hospital tent of the 3rd Welsh was used by all the Brigade. It is an admirably fitted one. "Swelled head" was a great complaint in camp. It was the resalt of the sun mostly, and those who had their eyes temporarily closed made a. rush for the photographer. In the meat supply the 3rd Glamorgan V.R. were very well catered for by Mr. Morgan Hopkin, who also supplied the Bristol Rifles. It is a difficult matter to provide good meat for so many men under such a burning sun and Mr. Hopkin is to be congratulated on the fact that the beef he supplied for the men's dinners on most days was wholesome and enjoyable. The officers of the Third Glamorgan in camp were Lieut.-Col. J. C. Richardson, V.D., who manoeuvred his regiment very smartly; Majors W. D. Rees, T. W. Jones, M. J. Langdon, and J. E. Thomas; Captains D. Lewis, E. W. Carlyle, Trafford Mitchell, and E. Hall Hedley Captain and Acting Quarter-Master Ll. Thomas; Lieuts. A. H. Thomas, R. J. E. Francis, J. Brausby Williams, Herschell Jones, D. H. L. Thomas, C. B. Jenkins, G. A. Stephens, Bertie Perkins, and G. S. Harries; Captain and Adjutant R. I. Forbes, Surgeon-Capt. A. Lloyd Jones, and Acting Chaplain E. W. Bolney. The Brigadier came to the station to see all the regiments leave for home, and he shook hands with officers and men alike at Porthcawl. Prob- ably he found it to trying to repeat the courtesy with nearly four thousand volunteers at Minehead, so he stood on the platform and saluted each coach that passed out, the windows full of waving hands and enthusiastic heads cheering for all they were worth. The men are all fond of Brigadier Patton.

SWANSEA'S NEW LAW COURTS. AN ULTIMATUM AT LAST The Corporation have at last been presented with an ultimatum. It was bonnd to come. Our surprise i a that it it has been so long delayed. It was presented on Friday last by Justice Bruce, one of her Majesty's udges at the Glamorganshire Assizes, now being held in Swaneea. This is what his lordship said :— So long ago as 1893, the whole body of Queen's Bench Judges represented to the Lord Chancellor that these courts were not adequate for the proper administration of justice, and he believed the Lord Chancellor then communicated with the Swansea authori- ties. For five years nothing was done to secure proper provision for justice in the town, and on the 24th of October, 1898, the judges met and passed a unanimous resolution requesting the xLord Chancellor to again write to the authori- ties, He could not say that nothing had since txen done. Some steps had been taken, and he enly expressed the hope that something would be done quickly. There was no desire on ,the part of the judges or authorities to place undue bur. dens on the people of Swansea; but if the people of Swansea did not desire the necessary burdens on themselves, there would be no difficulty in holding the Assizes aU the year round at {Cardiff. If nothing was done, arrangements could be made —and, probably would be made—to do so. The judges had waited patiently, ever since 1893, and lie hoped the new courts of justice would now be .provided. Nothing could be plainer or stronger but what its effect upon the Corporation will be Temains to be seen. Procrastination has so iar marked the whole proceedings in connec- tion with the law courts question. The majority of the members have approached it in a half-hearted manner. Insincerity, Indifference, a feeling that "anything will -do" to tide over the present difficulty, seem to have marked every step taken up to the present. Justice Bruce's weighty pronounce- ment should alter all this. There should be no further delay, no more indifference, no more insincerity, while the feeling that « anything will do should give way to a -determination to do what is best for the town at large. The necessity of new law courts is, -of course, admitted. There should certainly be no more sceptics after what Justice Bruce I bI. told u*. But since the question of site is ot vital importance, we would again urge upon those members of the Council who are opposed to the Alexandra Road folly, to seize the oppor. tunity which is at hand of preventing its perpetration. It would be a blunder of the greatest magnitude to erect courts in a mean back street. It is small, it is narrow and unpatriotic to urge that, because there is a piece of unoccupied Corporation property in a mean back street, it should be utilised. We should consider the interests of the town as a whole, and not wildly and foolishly clamour for the utilisation of an insignificant piece of land in one of the worst districts in the town, especially when it is known that within a few years we shall be compelled to provide new municipal offices and a central fire brigade and police station. Our aim should be to effect a great improvement, and not squander money on petty buildings in different parts of the town. The adoption of a comprehensive scheme, to include new law courts, municipal offices, &c., would not only be wiser, but considerably cheaper, than the policy which now finds favour in the council Chamber* It is a small policy. It seems to give the lie direct to the oft- repeated utterances of our leading men that Swansea is on the up-grade. That these utterances are correct, that the faith of our foremost men is justified, are unmistakeably exemplified in the trade returns for the past few months. The Harbour Trustees will, within a few years, provide a big, deep sea •dock. They are spending large sums of money in increasing the harbour accommoda- tion and in providing facilities to cope with the steadily increasing trade. And yet our public-spirited Corporation propose to erect law courts in a mean back Btreet Oh the irony of it. While the financial aspect of this impor- tant question should not be forgotten—ai.d those who advocate Alexandra Road seem to overlook or forget it—we think there is another aspect almost as equally important. We should build, as we have before urged, not for temporary needs, but for posterity. We should beautify Swansea with edifices which should satisfy the aesthetic tastes of ourselves and of those who shall come after tis. For years past it has been of no use to preach a moral like this. We have been content with buildings which combine a maximum of internal comfortlessness with a minimum of external nobility or beauty. And have we yet learned enough to be ashamed both of ourselves and of the monuments of our crass and tasteless utilitarianism ? We put the question to the members of the Corporation, because it does not now apply to our private men. The latter have given us the magnificent premises of Messrs. Ben Evans and Co., and the Hotel Metropole, Wind-street the Postal Authorities are providing ua with a fine new Post Office, and we have a new Parish Church—all in the centre of the town. Palatial premises are being erected in Goat- street and Temple-street—in fact on every band we see handsome private buildings in the course of construction. And yet the Cor- poration propose to place new law courts in a .mean back street, which has only one decent thoroughfare leading to it, and that would be useless to those proceeding from the centre of the town. Is this blunder to be allowed ? We sincerely hope not.

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I BARONESS PATTI CEDERSTROM IN SWANSEA- GRAND CHARITY CONCERT- YESTERDAY. A BRILLIANT SCENE AND AN ENTHUSIASTIC RECEPTION. The Baroness Patti-Cederstrom received a grand reception at the hands of the people of Swansea and district yesterday (Thursday) afternoon. They turned out in thousands to welcome the incomparable cantatrice, and the main thoroughfares were gaily decorated in honour of her visit. The Baroness occupies a large place in the hearts of the people of this neighbourhood. They do not forget her large-hearted benevolence, her several gracious efforts on behalf of our various charities, and her charm of manner. Of the chatelaine of Craig-y-Nos it may truly be said that she reignest without rival oil the throne Of Music; and thy nod, Like an enchanter's rod, Turns all our heads and makes our hearts thine own." But not alone for her majesty of song that we in Swansea Love to sound the Diva's fame; we celebrate her name for acta that consecrate the arts that please; For rich remembrance of the sick and poor, For sympathies that shed Ease o'er the sufferers' bed, And drive the wolves of hunger from the door." Oft and again has the Baroness Patti- Cederstrom come to the rescue of the charities of Swansea, and shed light and happiness among the poor of Swansea Valley. For that we love and honour and praise her, but We were of wit bereaved Did we not now at length quite understand That peerless genius is but a part Of thine endowment rare; Thou art far more than fair— A noble woman, true in head and heart. Thanks. Queen of song! No royalty of blood Could make us half so proud, Or win such deep and loud Applause as thy good deeds of Sisterhood." The weather yesterday was delightfully fine, and the whole of the arrangements were carried out most satisfactorily. The committee worked with commendable zeal and tact, and while we have no desire to individualise we think it only right to accord a special woid of praise to the ex-Mayor (Aid. J. Aeron Thomas), who acted as hon. sec. The tradesmen in Wind- street, Temple-street, Oxford-street and Union- street responded most heartilyto the Mayor's invitation to decorate their premises in honour of the Baroness Patti Cederstrom. The palatial buildings of Messrs. Ben Evans & Co. were gay with bunting, and presented a con- spicuous and picturesque appearance from Wind-street and Oxford-street. The Baroness and her party arrived at the Midland Station from Craig-y-Nos at 1.30 p.m. They travelled by special saloon. Quite alarge crowd gathered in the neighbourhood of the station, which was prettily decorated. A rich carpet led from the pavement outside up the long flight of steps to the platform. Special arrangements were made by the Midland Railway officials to prevent any undue crowding on the plat- form, and in this they succeeded admirably. Awaiting the arrival of the distinguished party from Craig-y-Nos were the Worshipful Mayor :( who wore his robes and chain of office) and Mayoress (Mr. and Mrs. Richard Martin), the ex-Mayor and Mayoress (Aid. and Mrs. J. Aeron Thomas), Miss Ethel Martin (who carried an exquisite bouquet for presentation to the Baroness), the Town Clerk (Mr. Jno. Thomas), Col. Morgan and Alderman Howel* Watkins (representing the Hospital Committee), the Hon. Odo Vivian, Aid. Juo. Griffiths, Aid. J. V. Leeder, Aid. J. M. Mayne, Col. Pike. Mr. A. O. Schenk (Harbour Engineer). Councillors Abraham, W. H. Spring, D. Jenkins, Griffith Davies, E. G. Protberoe, &c. Shortly after 1.30 the train carrying the Baroness Patti-Cederstrom and her party entered the station, and almost simultaneously the County Council band struck up an appropriate air, while the large crowds outside cheered most enthusiastically. When the train came to a full stop, the door of the saloon was thrown open, and the Mayor and Mayoress, Miss Martin and the ex-Mayor and Mayoress entered. The ex-Mayor per- formed the introductory ceremony, and the Baroness stood smiling and bowing.. "O'er her mobile face Bewitching light and shade, Of thought and feeling made, In earnest and in play each other chase." The party included the Baron and Baroness Patti-Cederstrom, Mr. Wilhelm Ganz, the Misses Clara and Marianne Eissler, Miss Woodford, Miss Baumeister, Mr. Hirweu Jones, Mr. Richard Green and Mr. Percy Harrison. The Mayor, on behalf of the people of Swansea, extended to the Baroness a hearty welcome. He assured her that her gracious and large-hearted benevolence was deeply appreciated, and that her efforts on behalf of the charities of this district won her the love and admiration of thousands. The Baroness gracefully thanked the Mayor, and through him the people of Swansea, for the welcome accorded her; and then Miss Ethel Martin, a daughter of the Mayor, who was very prettily dressed, presented the Diva with a lovely shower bouquet. It consisted of long sprays of orchids, roses, lilies, Francoa Ramosa, choice cannas, long trails of stephanotis, grasses and ferns, with loops of white satin ribbons. The distinguished party then proceeded to the carriages in waiting on the road below, and as the Baroness Patti- Cederstrom descended the flight of steps cheer after cheer was raised, and hats and hand- kerchiefs were waved—the whole making a very animated and picturesque scene. The line of route to the Albert Hall was crowded with people, whose cheers and salutations the "Queen of Song" graciously and smilingly acknowledged. The procession may truly be said to have been a triumphal one, and we are sure it will not be forgotten by the Baroness. The concert was a great intellectual and artistic treat—indeed, everything passed off with an eclat that was positively delightful to all concerned. Thus again has the chatelaine of Craig-y-Nos strengthened the bond of love which has so long existed between her and the people of Swansea, whose ardent and sincere wishes may be summed up thus :■— May be it thine in love and light to roam Throuc-h art's unclouded sky. The brightest star on high! Bliss, too, be thine in thy sweet Welsh home

THE CONCERT. The scene in the Albert Hall yesterday afternoon was one that snapped its fingers at ordinary powers of description. Correctly appreciating what the atmosphere of the in- terior would be like, ladies had come in sum- mer attire, and the large matinee hat was, of course, most prominent. Downstairs the best of the'local families were represented, and in the area, the balcony, and the gallery, and even on the platform recess, nearly every seat was occupied. It was a brilliant, well-dressed audience—an audience which only Patti could draw, and which few besides Patti have proved themselves worthy of. They were not there to hear Patti for the first time, many of them. Many had heard her before, had sat enthralled at the sheer, lovely music that rolled, as from some wizard throat, in through the open lattice of the soul. And they were to sit enthralled again; for Patti's prime is hardly passed, and how perennial seems the beauty of the voice which passing winters have left unharmed, and which recurring springs only serve to freshen. Others had only read of Patti; her name was only an ideal, a magic spell it was not one of the sweetest remembrances of their lires, as it was with those who had sat at her feet before. The vast audience waited for Patti. The atmosphere had grown close, almost stifling, and it required some sacrifice of personal comfort to leave the sunshine outside for the close-packed hall. But who would not cheer- fully undergo such a comparatively small sacrifice for the privilege of bearing Patti? In such conditions, it were surely temerity for any artiste to stand between the audience and the Diva. But Patti is always wise in her selection of a concert party, and this time she again had with her the Misses Eissler and Mr. Wilhelm Ganz—the indispensable Mr. Ganz, as Mr. Percy Harrison afterwards called him—three great Swansea favourites, whose names will always be associated with Madame Patti's charitable efforts. There were two others, Mr. Hirwen Jones and Mr. Richard Green, young and promising singers. Miss Marianne Eissler and Mr. Wilhelm Ganz opened the concert with the allegretto from Grieg's sonata in F Major (Op. 8) for violin and pianoforte. The composition was soft and dreamy, the conception of the Grieg who lived in a world of romance before striking out into Scandinavian enthusiasms. The technique of the performers was exquisite, and Miss Eissler finished with two prettily-plucked pizzicatos after an interlude for the pianoforte. Mr. Hirwen Jones followed with the serenade, Angels guard thee" (B. Godard), presenting the audience with a voice capable of the most delicate gradations of light and shade, and of rising into a singularly sweet falsetto. Miss Clara Eissler's harp solos were triumphs of instrumentation. First of all she woke, with a very sympathic feeling, the dull enthu- siasms of the Cymru Fydd air, and then, with a wonderful tenderness she played La danse des Sylphes." The music was perfectly sylph-like, and clever, dainty fingers gave an additional sweetness to the gossamer airs that vanished away in thin, hig-h notes, returning ever and anon in descending passages of simple intervals—altogether, a magical instrumentalist Miss Clara Eissler proved herself. Next came Mr. Richard Green, with a magnificent piece of declama- tion. It was the prologue to Leoncavallo's 1 Pagliacci," and all the recitative passages, tender and fiery alike, were sung with dramatic truth. It was no perfunctory applause that followed the performance. People wanted to encore, but they looked at their programmes—Patti was to follow. All was expectation, and when she appeared before the audience a little ripple of precedent applause burst into a loud, long welcome. There she stood, the Queen of Song, bowing her acknowledgements to the enthusiastic faces all around her. It was an inspiring welcome; surely it must have inspired the singer. Mr. Ganz played the introductory chords to a charming composi- tion of his own, The Nightingale's Trill." Who more appropriately than Patti could sing it? And when the notes came, clear and mellow as of old, they penetrated to every heart of that vast audience, and the song and its singer brought up Heine's remark Lady, did you not hear the nightingale sing ? A beautiful silken voice—a web of happy notes —and my soul was taken in its meshes and strangled and tortured thereby." Yes, Patti s voice was silken and she trilled out the happy notes with all the ecstacy of the fullest- throated nightingale. Whence come those wondrous notes, searching out, with their purity and fullness, every responsive chord in the hearts that throbbed around her. Aye; whence came the thousand melodies of the woodlands and the hedgerows? The nightingale can pipe its trill for homeland over its ragged little nest of withered leaves and grass, can draw the cottager out into the gloaming to listen to its lilting sweet song. But. by and by, when Patti came to sing of home, her song, with poetry in every note and every word, comprehended all that. It was her last song yesterday afternoon, and before she reached it she bad sung five others. After "The Nightingale's Trill" came H V oi i che sapete" from "Figaro"—one of the tender airs from heaven with which, together with what someone has called the blasts from hell, Mozart filled his opera. Patti's next song was "The Jewel Song" from "Faust," and she responded to an encore with "Pur dicesti"—a new composition by Lotti. In each of these voluptuous Italian and French songs, rich in the florid cadenzas of grand opera, Patti showed a wonderful technique, the very highest artistry. Her modulation wis sweet, her expression beautiful. In Gounod's pretty serenade "Quandtu Chantes," Patti was accompanied on the harp bvMiss Clara Eissler, and Miss Marianne Eissler played a violin obligato. This was a dazzling trio: the sweetest human voice heard for many, if not for all, geaera-tionp coming in lovely accents and clear, bell-like notes from amongst the percolating melodies of the harp and the good, sweet phrasing of a violin which sometimes borrowed the pastoral charm of a reed instrument. Both instrumentalists were more than clever, and the singer drew us out of ourselves to pay the homage which was her due. The demand for an encore was unmistakeable. To merely bow an acknow- ledgement would be useless, and so she came to sing us "Home, Sweet Home." The voice came sweeter than ever, pregnant with all the longing that filled John Howard Payne's heart when, a homeless wanderer through the continents of the earth, be wrote the lines which Patti. more than anyone else, has made so f amous—pregn ant too with a glorious realiza- tion of the truth of the lines. In every word, as Patti sang it, there was a poem, and if one might judge by the upturned faces around, she drew many a heart from the worldly sur- roundings of tossing feathers and waving fans and flashing jewels into some region where existence was the sweeter, and the passage to which was ineffably emotional but strangely calm. And so Patti finished. For the rest the concert was a rich one. The Misses Eissler gave two duets for the Violin and Harp, Mr. Richard Green sang Thoughts and Tears" with fine poetic in- stinct, and was encored. Mr Hirwen Jones sang Once and Take a pair of sparkling eyes," and both vocalists joined in the time- honoured duet Excelsior," which was encored. When the last of the music had been heard, the Mayor of Swansea, Mr. Richard Martin, ascended the platform and proposed a vote of thanks to the Baroness Patti Cederstrom apd her admirable party. The Mayor's speech was to the point, and so was that of Aid. Howel Watkins, who seconded; but it must have been I very difficult for either to have found words sufficient to express the gratitude of Swansea people to the charitable lady of Craig-y-nos. Aid. Watkins mentioned one expression of thankfulness even more thorough than the audience was able to give. If the Baron and Baroness Cederstrom could be induced to visit the Swansea Hospital, he said, he would promise them such an expression of gratitude from the patients as would leave an impres- sion on their minds never to be forgotten. The vote of thanks was enthusiastically ac- corded, and Mr. Percy Harrison, of Birming- ham, one of the great concert agents, under- took the reply on behalf of the Baroness: Of all the labours of love that the Baroness I has undertaken," he said, this is the one that lies nearest her heart. I think I may congratulate you, ladies and gentlemen of the Swansea Valley, on the happy fortune which induced the Queen of Song, whom the kings and queens and emperors and dignitaries of the earth delight to honor and admire, to elect to settle down amongst you and, more than all, to take so warm an interest in your local institutions." (Cheers). The large audience then left the hall, wait- ing outside until, amid cheers, the Baroness and her party drove back to the station. The decorations in the hall were very beau- tifully carried out by Messrs. Ben Evans and Co., Ltd., and the courteous assistants of the same firm very kindly underook the duty of showing the visitors into their places. DRESSES. Yesterday's function, so far as the dresses are concerned, was naturally a very brilliant one. The weather was so fine and warm—too warm to be comfortable—that the ladies came in light summer gowns which gave very charm- ing effect to the appearance of the hall. The Baroness-Cederstrom wore a handsome ivory ducbesse satin gown,embroidered in gold with underskirt and sleeves of ean-de-nile, chiffon, the bodice being also draped in the latter material. Real diamond ornaments decorated the bodice, and round her neck she wore a handsome pearl necklace, which during one of her songs the Diva snapped. A small French toque with white ostrich plumes com- pleted a very becoming toilet. The Misses Eissler were similarly dressed in cream moire silk skirts and ecru net blouses, with Volencienne lace insertions, and narrow ribbon trimming. The Mayoress wore handsome black brocade trimmed with gold passementerie, and Miss Ethel Martin was in white muslin, with white blue chiffon hat. Lady Swansea eame in black peaa de soie, handsomely trimmed with jet, and a small jet bonnet en suite. Miss Lindsay, who accompanied Lady Swansea, was in blue and black silk grenadine, trimmed with handsome lace. Lady Llewelyn wore black brocade, trimmed with real lace. Miss Gladys Llewelyn wore smoked blue, trimmed with fine cream lace, collar and cream chiffon front and a white tulle toque trimmed with forget-me-nots. Miss Dillwyn was in navy blue coat and skirt, with white silk front. Mrs. Jno. Glasbrook wore biscuit coloured voile, trimmed with cream guipure over white satin. Miss Bachelor wore dove grey viole, trimmed with cream lace over white satin. Lady Morris was in blue and white foulard trimmed with ivory chiffon. Mrs. G. L. Morris wore a black silk skirt and white silk blouse, the dress prettily set off with a large white picture hat trimmed with blue and white ostrich plumes. Mrs. C. L. Bath looked pretty in a white muslin gown over pink silk, and her sister, Mips Frances, was in a blue floral muslin. Miss Bath, of Alltyferin, wore white em- broidered muslin, trimmed with pale blue satin, and a na.t prettily trimmed with forget- me-nots. Lady Jenkins was in black satin duchesse, trimmed with real lace and sequins. Mrs. Thomas wore black brocaded velvet trimmed with handsome lace. Mrs. H. W. Vivian looked very charming in navy blue foulard, with white spots and dainty lace collar, and large black picture hat with pink roses. The lady who accompanied her was in floral japanese silk, trimmed with heliotrope and green satin, and a large white hat 1 trimmed with bydrangia and white tulle strings. Mrs. J. Clarke Richardson wore a handsome black satin gown; Miss Richardson was in stone blue voile trimmed with real lace. Mrs. Thornton Andrews wore heliotrope and chine gown trimmed with black velvet. Mrs. A. H. Miller was in a grey check voile trimmed with green guipure. Mrs. Jevons wore embroidered muslin. Mrs. Freeman was in biscuit coloured voile trimmed with white tucked silk and black velvet. Mrs. John Roberts wore navy blue and white foulard trimmed with green guipure. Miss Muriel Roberts wore royal blue poplin trimmed with green chiffon and guipure lace. Miss Gwenny Griffiths came in black sUk grenadine trimmed with green lace and white satin, and narrow black velvet. Miss Mabel Griffiths, was in a black skirt and Japanese silk blouse with cream lace insertion. Mrs. William Walters was in a black voile gown trimmed with pale pink chine silk on the shoulders. Mrs. Evans, Llangennech Park, wore a black grenadine skirt and handsome pink and black brocaded silk bodice. ¡ Mrs. Evans-Bevan, Neath, wore navy blue, foulard, trimmed with white satin guipure. Her mother, Mrs. Thomas, was in black orenadine trimmed on white chiffon. ° Mrs. Ivor Evans wore a tabac embroidered voile dress, trimmed on cream lace, and a. blue and brown tulle toque. Mrs. Jeffreys was in a dove grey cashmere trimmed with lace and chiffon. Mrs. T. Byng Morris wore tuscan em- broidered robe over turquoise blue silk, and a white picture hat. Mrs. Felix Webber was in black moire bro- cade trimmed with handsome real lace. Miss Laura Webber was in dark stone blue voile trimmed with turquoise blue chine and cream guipure insertion. Mrs. Fred Bradford wore cream and green embroidered voile trimmed with handsome guipure lace and Miss Bradford came in a floral Japanese silk trimmed with blue and narrow gathered ribbon. Mrs. W. À. Ford wore navy bine and white foulard trimmed with white satin and tussan guipure. Mrs. Smail wore a handsome black brocade with Eidleweiss lace; and Miss Smail was in pale blue zephyr. Mrs. J. R. Wright (Gowerton) wore grey voile over pink silk trimmed with cream applique. Mrs. Thomas (Plas-Isha) was in a black poplin gown trimmed with heliotrope silk. Mrs. Moore (Dyffryn) came in blue silk trimmed with pink chine silk. Mrs. Villiers Meager wore a grey silk trimmed with black velvet and tinsel. Miss Lucas (West Cross) wore black silk trimmed with ivory chiffon; and a large black picture bat. Her sister was in stone blue trimmed with white tucked silk and handsome lace. Mrs. Morgan (Caswell) came in a dark grey costume, with front of heliotrope check silk. Miss A. Bevan (Neath) wore a black and white chine silk gown trimmed with narrow gathered satin ribbons; and Miss Bevan was in blatk brocaded silk trimmed with jet. Mrs. John White wore a black and red striped silk gown, with tucked French muslin colour, trimmed with handsome lace; also a black and tus< an toque. Mrs. W. Williams (Maesygwernen) wore fawn voile, trimmed with white silk a.nd black velvet and black lace insertion. Mrs. Gregor was in white muslin. Mrs. Nelson Jones wore a reseda green fancy material own, trimmed with green guipure. Mrs. E. Evans (Pontardawe) was in pale grey poplin, trimmed with laee and velvet. Mrs. M. B. Williams was in black and white chine silk; and Miss Sykes, who accompanied her, wore a pale grey Cashmere dress, trimmed with black chiffon and cream lace, and a large grey picture hat with white tulle strings. Mrs. Rowel Gwyn (Duffryn) wore a black velvet gown with grey tulle bonnet. Miss Rees wore a cream Japanese silk dress trimmed with lace insertion. Miss Dixon (Hendrefoilan) was in black and white foulard. Mrs. R. E. Bill wore purple and black silk cord trimmed with pale mauve Miss Dorothy Bill wore white embroidered muslin. Mrs. Eycott Martin wore a moire silk gown of deep cornflower, the bodice being trimmed with cream lace applique. Mrs. Richardson (Pantygwydr) came in a handsome black gown. Mrs. W. Law wore a navy blue voile gown trimmed with cream guipere and black velvet. Mrs. J. R. Richards wore a black Russian net gown with handsome embroidered mantle. Miss Craven wore a white muslin gown, and her sister came in a pale blue skirt and floral silk blouse. Mrs. Richards (Ammanford) wore a black French net gown trimmed with handsome passementerie. MIBS Richards wore white muslin. Mrs. Jaber; Thomas wore a black fancy net gown over grey silk. Mrs. Crowhurst was in a handsome black duchesse gown with real lace fichu. Mrs. Cleeves wore cream net over white satin and a French tulle toque with tulle strings. Mrs. Rowe (Morriston) was in blue and white French foulard gown trimmed with turquoise chin6 and cream insertion; Miss Rowe wore a handsome grey embroidered voile trimmed with cerise velvet. Mrs. Aeron Thomas looked very pretty in bl ack. The bouquet presented the Baroness Patti- Cedestrom by Miss Ethel Martin at the I Midland Station, was supplied by Mr. Tom Barron, the Royal Florist, Oxford-street, as was also the lovely shower bouquet pre- sented the Baroness at the Albert Hall, by Lady Llewelyn. It consisted of Catherine I Mermet roses, lilliums, pink and white orchids, panceathums, niphetoes roses, and long- trails of choicest scoties of ferns tied with loops of I pink and white sa,tin ribbons. The two I boquets presented by Lady Jenkins were sup- I plied by Mr. James Harris, Blackpill. Boquets were also presented the Baroness by Col. Morgan and Miss Gladys Llewelyn.

BANK HOLIDAY EXCURSIONS BY L. 8;; N.W. RAILWAY.—Our advertising columns contain particulars of excursions to Builth Wells (grand eisteddfod), Llandovery, Llandilo, Llanwrcydd, Llangammarch, Llandrindod, Ac. MUMBLES RAILWAY AND PIBR.—Important alterations are announced for Bank Holiday.—> ee adrt. GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY EXCURSIONS.— On Thursday and Satnrday, next week, excur- sions will be run to Cardiff and London.—See ad rt. THE METROPOLITAN BANK.—A branch of this bank has been opened at the Donns, Mumbles. SWANSEA EYE HOSPITAL.—The annual meet- in of this institution will be held on Wednesday, August 23rd.

THE CRISIS IN THE CHURCH. ARCHBISHOPS-DECISION IXCENSE AND LIGHTED CANDLES. Th.> Archbishop of < Anteibury on Monday held a sitting at Lambeth IVlaje to give his decision in regard to tbe ceremonial use of incense and lighted candles. The Archbishop of York was not present on this occasion, but the decision was understood to be that of the two Archbishops. The two clergymen con- cerned were the Rev. ll. Westall, vicar of St. Cuthbert, Earl's-court, and the Rev. Edward Ram, vicar of St. John, TimberbilJ. Norwich, who having demurred to the admonitions of their diocesans, the Bishops of London and Norwich, on the points raised, the questions had been referred by the Bishops to the Arch- bishop of Canterbury, and by arrangement his Grace had bad the assistance of the Arch- bishop of York as his assessor. The Primate, in giving his decision, which he read from MS., said the questions put to them at the present time were two—the law- fulness of the liturgical use of iucense and the lawfulness of carrying lighted candles in procession in the public worship of the Church of England. There was no direction in the Book of Common Prayer either enjoining or authorising these practices, but it was argued that they were practically prescribed or sanc- tioned by the ornaments rubric prefaced to the Order for Morning Prayer, and conse- quently that was the rubric they bad to in- terpret. The ornaments of which it spoke were limited by two phrases, and they were— the ornaments to be used by ministers at all times of their ministrations, and they were to be such as were in use in the Church by the authority of Parliament in the second year of Edward VI. Ornaments which did not fall within both these limitations were outside the purview -of the rubric altogether. Every clergyman was required by the 36th Canon to use the form prescribed in the Book of Com- mon Prayer and none other. That prevented the insertion of any additional prayer or ceremony without special authority and the only authority which could authorise a clergyman to make any variation what- ever from what was contained in the Book of Common Prayer either an Act of Convocation legalised where necessary by Parliament, or an order of the Crown, issued with the advice and consent of the Metropolitan under the Act of 1559, or the direction of the Ordinary under the Uni- formity Act Amendment Act, 1872. It was contended that by the Act of 1549 incense was lawful, but the Act of 1552 followed. Whether omission was prohibition it was not necessary to go into, but prohibition was prohibition. Nothing could be clearer than the words used in the Act of 1559 prohibiting the use of any ceremony not ordered in that book. The words none other or otherwise included all alterations. It was sometimes argued that the Act of 1559 not having been submitted to Convocation had not the Authority of the Church, but though it was not possible at the moment to submit it to Convocation, yet the Ch urch accepted the Act as its authority. The 36th Canon required every clergyman to make a solemn promise to use the forms prescribed by the Prayer Book and none other, and the MS. Prayer Book signed by Convocation in 1661 contained the Act of 1559 fully set out, so that it was thus formally adopted by the authority of the Church. It was urged that the Act was not generally obeyed, and was never intended to be so obeyed, and instances were given of the use of incense in worship at the time and long afterwards. With regard to such instances it was to be remarked that the time was a time of great excitement and unsettlement, and the whole of the country was in a feverish condition. Queen Elizabeth and her advisers thought of the possibility of civil war. Elizabeth would have preferred to bring back the first Prayer Book of Edward VI., and all through her rein, in spite of her despotic character, she was steadily deter- mined to have her people with her. It was impossible to consult Convocation, for the reign of Mary had made it and their bishops untrustworthy for the purposesjin hand. And the end was, as is usual in England, that there was a compromise. The second book of Edward VI. was taken as the Book of Common Prayer, and the ornaments of the earlier period wepe revived until the Sovereign might make some different order. There was nothing to prevent the use of incense for the purpose of sweetening the atmosphere of the church whenever it was needed. Instances, in fact were found long after the Act of Eliza- beth, but such matters had no bearing on the liturgical use. There were many instances of the fumigatory as distinct from the liturgical use. George Herbert used it to sweeten his church, and yet he was quoted as one of those who used incense in worship. It must be remembered that the Church had never spoken of incense as an evil thing. There were some expressions in the Homilies which had that character, but the Homilies had never been taken as having high authority on points of doctrine or ritual. Incense was excluded from public worship, Dot as an evil thing, but as unsuited to the needs of the day. There were clearly three reasons present to the minds of the then Church authorities for its exclusion. First, they felt the need of greater simplicity. The Services were too complicated and overloaded with symbolism. Symbolism, kept within strict limits, helped the understanding, but it might easily be pushed to lengths when attention was diverted from the intention to the symbol itself. Secondly, the liturgical use of incense was specially connected with the Office of the Holy Communion, in connection with which many serious errors had arisen, and the authorities had the strongest desire to make the Holy Office as nearly as it could suitably be made a repetition of the original institu- tion. Thirdly and lastly, they had the desire to omit incense, because it was certainly not in use in the Church for at least 300 years from the Apostolic times. To make the primitive Church the model for the Church of England was certainly what the Reformers cherished. It would be a very strong reason for keeping incense in use could it be shown that its use dated from Apostolic times, and passed directly from the Jewish to the Christian ritual. But history pointed in quite another direction. And so the three chief reasons for omitting the use of incense —namely, the desire for greater simplicity, the desire for conformity with the New Testament and the original institution of the sacrament, and the desire for reviving the ways of the primitive Churh-converg-éd to recommend the action which was finally taken. Yet it was right to observe that even in the liturgical use incense was not by law permanently excluded from the Church's ritual. The Act of Elizabeth allowed the Crown, with the consent of the Archbishop of Canterbury, to order new ceremonies, and did not forbid the inclusion of the use of in- cense in such new ceremonies if such were ordered. It would always be possible, if some great occasion made it so, for the Sovereign, with the advice of the Primate, to order a great ceremonial in which the use of incense should form a part. Meanwhile, the law re- quired that the clergy should wait for the sanction of lawful authority before bringing in additional ceremonial to form a part of public worship. They were not determining what might be fitting or permissible at some other time, but whether, under the direction of the Book of Common Prayer, the liturgical use of incense was lawful or unlawful, and they were obliged to come to the conclusion that the use of incense in public worship and as part of the worship was not at present en- joined or permitted by the law of the Church of England, and it was their duty to request the clergy who so used it to discontinue that use. If used at all it must be used, in George Herbert's language, to sweeten the Church and outside of worship altogether." It was obvious at once that precisely the same tone of reasoning was applicable to the case of processions—the carrying of lights—as they had applied to the case of incense. There was no authority for such processions, and they were therefore neither enjoined nor permitted. To light up a church for the purpose of adding to its beauty or dignity stood on the same footing with hanging up banners, decorating with flowers, holly, or the like. The ceremony of carrying lights about had a different cha- racter, and in that case, as in that of incense, they were obliged to request the clergy to discontinue what tbe law of the Church of England did not permit, the carrying of lights in procession, and in that decision they had the support of the late Archbishop Benson in his judgment in tbe case of the Bishop of Lincoln.

The total collections in Swansea on Saturday last in aid of Dr. Barnardo's Homes were JE38 IDs. 2d. The expenses were £3 4s. 9d., and Mrs. Eben. Davies, Brunswick House, has forwarded £35 5s. 5d. to Dr. Barnardo. Three prizes will be sent to the collectors of the boxes that contained the most—Miss G. Rees, Miss M. Stagg and Miss Clara Evans. The season at Mumbles is now at its height. Almost all the hotels and boarding-houses are fall, but we are doubtful whether there will be as many visitors as last season, which was a record. The death rate of Mumbles is remarkably low, and the last report of the Medical Officer (Dr. Bevan) is the best presented for some years.