Weekly Mail

SUMMON INC* OF THE AUSTRIAN AlLUY RESERVE. RM CBNTSAL SEWS" TKLKG BAIL.] BUCHAREST, SUSDAY. Orders have been issued bv the Austrian Government summoning all men of the nation belonging to the Army Reserve to return at once to j«in ui"ir colour?. There are large numbers of Austrians sojourning in this country who will be affeo'ed by this order, and as they are principally in some trade or profession, they will necessarily suffer considerable loss. THE CZAR AND THR PRINCE OF MING RELL\ r" DAILY XF.W3 TRLEGRAH.] ST. PETERSBURG, SCXDAY. 1 ana informed ON the best authority that Russia has abandoned the Mingreiian candidate. Prince Jfichoia*. during hi" last audience of the Czar, I 0e<"lared that he would not consent, to be proposed ÎJr *he Kul«ari-.i r> Throne 'inless hi3 Majesty expressly ordered him to accept it. The Czar nas again aiidrf>«sed himself to Prince Alexander of Oldenburg, who has ugain refused. He declared "hat- in Ins ludgnienr no loyal man could accept the Bulgarian Crown, because lie would be obliged, wirliin a short time, to deceive Kussia, Europe, or Bulgaria. CONTINUED ARMAMENTS BY THE PORTE. A TURCO-G3EEK ALLIANCE. • F*^DAILY TELEGRAPH TELEGRAM.] VIENNA, SUNDAY, ADVICES from Constantinople represent the PORTE to actively continuing its armaments, j Within till". hot FEW week* J>Hge-quar.titie,. of War 1Jw!éJ'iel have BEEN sent to .driarl"p;e, which hRS now BECOME A first-class olacw of arms. The forti- ried 'itie OF T«ch»tj»'«CH»I has been re-occuDisd. The German general, Ri51 "ff Pasha, is superintend- ing the FORTIFICATION or the Dardaneili-s, and for the first time since the Ru-ssrvTurkish wai the troops are practising rifle-shooting. The Turkish military preparation* are WATCHED with keen interest by the Sultan, WHO INSISTS upon receiving minutely- DETAILED reports fro;M the Minister of War. ACCORDING fc, tiiel'ol.iti.<cJie ('wespondezj:, there is Some prospect of a Turco-Ureek alliance, a project that is said to have bssu warmly advocated by 3-1r. Chamoeriiun during his recent, visit to the East. Mr. Ci«a:nberla>n*s arguments are said to have made a dieo impression on the King of Greece, and the idea of an alliance with Turkey :a represented to be popular with rite Greek people themselves. The Greeks quite understand that the n03ille attitude jhev hav- hitherto observed towards Turkey has been a mistake, and was chiefly caused by the interference of a third Power always: ready to make mischief. FURTHER PROPOS LS TO THE PRINCE OF .MINGKKU A.. [" 3AILI NMVS"' ?KL £ GRA."TT.L ST. FSTSK-iBURQ, TrssoAY. It I"* asserted here that, in spite of the refusal of 'he Mjngreiten Prince, fresh »Jfurt.s are being to persuatie him to accept the Hulgarian candidature. He h. been promised a pavment CJf several million roubles when elected, and a large! yearly subsidy. It is said that these proposals have very favourably impressed the Mingrelian Prince. PRINCE ALEXANDER TO BE AGAIN! NOMINATED. | ['* TIM S3 TIXEBXAM-L >T. PKS KKSBUKG, MONTIAT. Tne prevailing idea here in certain official circus is that the Unitarian n?>eutlf>-Regents*" intend to oppose every her candidature for the Throne | except 'hat of Prince Alexander. This is in con- fortuity with otScial r"p:>r's, ■"■■I also with state- ments putni.h^cl in the 2ic.">? Gazette as to the secret intentions of )1:\1. Stain bouloff and Com- j pany." The Kussian? believe that the Regents liavs all along been carrying on the Government for and under the secret advice of Prince Alexander of Battenberg, and are still sworn to bring him forward again at all hazards. Hence 11 re .unvilarion given to thera here of the "Tail of tiie Jiig-nheim comet. The Russian pre- sentiment that this is wi, the Regency i3 work- ing for, and what will in all probability come about, is str-netiiea^d by the i'.rm heIi.f that! Europe is disposed to favour any combination opposed to the views and wishes of Russia by mean* of secret encouragement given to thei Segents on the 00<> hand, and passive indifference or intentional lukewarraness towards every Russian proposal or candidate on the other. RUSSIAN UNDhRHANDEDNESS. | L"CK*TRRL NKWS" TELEGRAM.! CONSTANTINOPLE, WSDNSSUAY. Russian diplomacy is exercised to the utmost in ] irwieavouring 10 indues Turkey to undertake a simultaneous occupation of Roumelia with her own occupation ,,1 Bulgaria. The Russian agents -who M-o trying to Itrln¡; this about seek to terrorise the P<->rte by thrent"ning an immetiiate and perma- nent occupation of Varna and Bourgaa as a subs tan- tinl guarantee for the still unpaid war iudemnitv. In diplomatic circles it is considered pretty evi- dent that the Czar's real object is to entrap; Turkey into an arrnnjfetnent regarding Bu'garia .1milaf to that which it is thought England will make respecting Egypt. The Sultan, however, seemed proof against the snare.

THE BRITISH IN BURMAH. J ANOTHER CONFLICT WITH DACOITS. J SHTTTER'S TELESEAX."] RANGOON, SATUEDAT, Captain Pullevand a column of Goorkhas, whilst' proceeding to dislodge some dacoits from a village about 30 :Viilt;s from Mandalay, found the enemy posted behind stocKades aiong the road. The I British were subjected to incessant fire, ind Capt. Pulley and nine men were wounded. The Eritish eventually occupied the village. 143 REBKLS KILLED. Tiie Times Rangoon correspondent telegraphs that 50 men of the RiSe Brigade, 25 Madras Lancers, and 50 Mounted Infantry met on Monday a large body of Koshway's forces between JfliniiU and I'sagan. The enemy was entirely routed. One hundred and forty-three rebels were I killed. On attempting to cross thelrrawaddy thev were turned hack by the launches of tiie Naval Brigade. Lieutenant ,T<>neS, of the Rifle Brigade, and two men were wounded. Boshway's force Jtill numbers some 3,000 men. NIGHT ATTACK BY DACOITS. [" STANDAJ8D TELKGRAM. ] MANDALAY, TTTESDAY. Sir Frederick Roberts, Sir Theodore Hope, and Sir ( harles Bernard have settled the details of the railway, its ayptoach to the city, the bridges, j Stations, &c an j the work will now be commenced without delay. General Lockhart reports that the dacoits had muds another ni^iit attack, attempting a surprise. They, however, fyund the British force prepared for them. and were driven off. They were vigo- tously followed uu, and a. large camp, with arms, papers, captured. The nr-ws from General Stewart from Shwebo is also good. HU100, tie reports, is Hying southward wiru a diminished following, the cavalry being in "lose pursuit. The villagers are growing re-assured, I and are peacefully reaping their crops, and let- ters are constantly toing conveyed into the British posts offering to asaist the troops in the canture of dacoits. OFFICIAL DISPATCH. Association" has received through j the India Office the following dispatch from the Commander-in-Chief, Mandalay, .iaietl Wedftesdav «r»*- P''ib°i on the 13rli ultimo Colonel rt. H. D^e:s and N). 7,44-0, Corporal George Dead man, both of Uie 1st Battalion Rifle Bri«ada, teverely woursded. They are doing well. ———————-———-——— )

AFFAIRS 1^ THE SOUDAN. IMPALING REBEL DESERTERS. The Daily Ch„-oniri* Cairo correspondent tele- graphs:—According to the official reports from Wady HaIfa. a large number of the black troops, who ori-inally formed part of the Egyptian Army, and afterwards went over to the rebels, have latterly deserted the rebel camp and taken refuge at Wady Haifa. Several of them, however, were re-captured before they reached our lines, and were conducted back to the rebel headquarters, where they were tortured to death by impalement and burning, the penalty being inflicted as publicly as possible. The deserters state that the black troops stji: with the rebel forces, besides many of the tribesmen, will surrender at the first oppor- tunity. Colonel Kitchener urges an immediate advance from Suakim upon Tokar, as the Friend- lies are unequal to reducing the rebel camp there General Grsnfeil will visit Wady Haifa on Friday aext, I

THE FOREIGN POLICY OF I). FRANCE. SPEECH OF M. DE FRETCINET. l" TSLEG&AK.] PARIS, SATURDAY EVENING. The Chamber of Deputies today began the dis- jussion of the Foreign Office Estimates, and, in *eply to some remarks of M. Delafosse, M. de ^reycinet delivered a speech explaining the policy of France. The Premier said that one of the principal aims )f the Government had been to maintain peace, which was so necessary to the task of transforming in old monarchicaJ regime into a Republic. For that Ivng years were necessary, and a war would militate Rtot seriously against this movement, Internal reforms also required the I utmost possible tranquillity of the public mind. Prance must uphold her rank as a great European 1 Power, and had a part to pl^y 3". all international ifi iirst but she must Know i :? extinguish bet* 1 those matters which had only a general interest, and others, the settlement of which touched directly the vital interests of tlie country That rule of conduct being applied to particular eaeea.it would be acknowledged that the Bulgarian question did not interest France directly. There was involved in it the general interest of preset v- ing the Ottoman Empire and the balance of power in the Mediterranean, but there was no cause for French intervention under present circumstances, jn the Egyptian question, on the contrary, they possessed a direct interest, and that of the first order. The Power which was mistress of Egypt would also be mistress of the Mediterranean. It was impossible, therefore, to allow that country to be in the hands of any great European Power; but that danger was not to be apprehended. The Hntish, who had gone to Egypt only to re-estab- ish order in the couutry, acknowledged that Egypt must be her own mistress. France had not drawn up any formal notice toauit, bu" had called the attention of the British Government to the necessity of arriving at a settlement of the matter. As regarded the Suez Canal, negotiations had been proceeding with a view to arriving at an tnter- nationai European agreement. At no distant date either an understanding would he effected with England or else the question would be taken up by all the European Powers together. j«*EUTER's" TELHGRAJT.] PARIS, TUESDAY, It is stated that M. Waddington has requested a definite reply from Lord Idaesieign on the Suez Canal question. REPLY TO ENGLISH CRITICISM. l" TJMES" TELEGRAM. i PARIS, TUESDAY. The .7r¡IITIlCd des Dthals, in reply to the news- j [ paper articles published in England on the speech of M. de Freycinet on foreign policy, says :—14 We I are not satisfte-l as to the intentions of England. She knows at ifast what ours are. What France wants and what she does not want have' been made known, without room for doubt, on the other sidJ> of the ChfLnne1. Sbe does not, dream d ousting the English from Egypt to take their place, She is, however, firmly resolved not to be satisfied with equivocations, but to protest against delays, and to consider the indefinite pro- longation of the occupation of Egypt, not certainly a" involving a casus bel'\ but ag an attack on her interests and rights. She draws up neither a. summons nor a menace. In these times, wiien the rules of international politeness are sometimes lost sight of by official orators, tbe speech of M. de Freycinet has attracted attention by its irreproachable courtesy. But, if very con- ciliatory and pacific, ir. was very clear. That a I Minister of the character of M. de Freycinet should make such firm declarations, and persuade a Chamber with such a temper as the French one tf) receive them so warmly, implied that tbis language corresponded ta a genuine national sen- tiiaent. We hope that this will bo understood in LONDON."

DESTRUCTIVE EARTHQUAKE. -m———» L" CRXTKAL NKWS TELEG3AM3. I CONSTANTINOPLE, SATTEDAT. The Island of Sdo (Asia Minor) WHS visited by a terrible earthquake early this morning. The first sh ck lasted twenty seconds, and was followed by several others of shorter duration. Enormous damage was done, and it is feared the loss of life must have been proportionately great;. SMYHNA, SATCKDAY. A strong shock cf earthquake, lasting several seconds, was felt here and in the adjacent, districts ep..dy this morning, and news has been teceived of Tchesme and Chios having been similarly visited.

DARING ROBBERY OF ENGLISH MAIL BAGS. ALL THE REGISTERED LETTERS STOLEN. {_" CESTKAL NEWS TE^FARAX.J BRUSSELS, SATTTKDAY EVENING, Great sensation lias been causeo at the town of Verviers by the news of a most dariog and exten- sive robbery. This morning on the arrival of thfl express train there from Ostend it was discovered that 22 English mail bags, addressed to the diffe- rent countries of Germany, Austria, Russia, and to the Levant, had been torn open and a larae num- ber of letters containing montv and some diamonds from America. stolen, the whole amounting to upwards of £ 4C,G00. It is believed that the robbery W">1scc:xHDittt:d while i.!Jetr>.1in was running but ween Ostend and Yerviers by a gang of thieves who recently perpetrated similar thefts on English mails. The safety locks of the mail car had boen removed, and other locks substituted to conceal) the robbery until the authors had disappeared, The inquiries which the police have made into the robbery tend to tua conclusion that it was com- mitted between Bruges and Ghent by a gang of thieves who left Dover in the ma.il boat. XESES R* TTLEGHA-M. j I5RCSSKLS, TCESDAY. It is tolerably certain that the five thieves who stole the mail bags went on Saturday to England via Calais. One of them is stout, beardless, and ] very tali. Henceforth an official armed with a revolver will be stationed in the mail wagon. F' DAILY KEWJ TELHGRA3I.J BRUSSELS, TCESDAT NIGHT, The police continue tiieir investigation of the! robbery of English mails. The inquiry is very ddlicult. and is causing annoyance to travellers having an English appearance. Some American gentlemen have been disagreeably interfered with, The statement is confirmed that several cabmen stationed near the Northern terminus have deposed that they saw, about 6.15 on Saturday morning, cab No. 504 drive three English-looking men to the South Station. Cabman 504 declared that he drove three Englishmen there. Two were elderly, tall, and stout. One was grey, and wore a waterproof;-the second waS short, and had grey hair and moustache. The third was much younger, and had a beard. All had portmanteaus, and spoke English all the way. A characteristic detail was that the cabman asked two francs for his fare, and received four. Tho employes at the South Station think they saw them take the 7.43 train for Calais. The police have hitherto no indications likely to lead to arrests. There is every reason to believe the thieves are in Kngland. The Journal de Bruxelles, j a Ministerial organ, says the robbery was no' so! considerable as at first. stated. It is confirmed j that no letters from England, but only from America were stolen.

pEATH AS PENALTY FOR OUTRAGE. II NINE YOUNG MEN CONDEMNED. C" KEUTEFT'S TELEGRAM, j j SYDNEY, MONDAY. Sentence of death has been passed upon nine young men convicted of outraging a servant girl, sixteen years of age, near Moore Park, in the suburbs of this city, last September, The facts of the case, as stated by the Pall Mall Gazette, are as follow:—The Moore Park outrage referred to above was one of those terrible crimes which rouse the conscience of a whole community. The circumstances under which the crime was committed were revolting to the last degree. A young girl of sixteen, of good character, was decoyed illt) an unfrequented suburb of Sydney, and there was violently out- raged by relays of youths from sixteen years old and over. As the child was alone amid a gang of I at least twelve strong young rutnans, her struggles though violent, were unavailing. She was at first I held down by her hands and feet, but after the brutality had lasted some hours she became un- conscious. One man who attempted to rcscue the girl was overpowered by the gang, some of whom had knives, and while he Red to inform the police another man arrived on the scene add witnessed the crime without raising an alarm. After the last j of the gang left ber she was found bv the police sitting crying on the bank of the creek. On being removed to the police-station it was found impossible to make a surgical examination in her j then condition. After a day in the hospital she was examined, and the evidence of her injuries confirmed. It was not for some lime, however, that she was able to appear in the witness-box When she did, she identified her assailants, and the result, is that nioe of them are sentenced to death. The law of the colony prescribes death as a penalty for rape, but there is probably no case on record where nine men were sentenced to be; hanged for outraging one girl. EXTRAORDINARY FEAT. j [«• SETTER'S TELEG KAM. J J BUFFALO, MONDAY, j Another successful attempt has been made to navigate the Niagara Whirlpool by a man and a woman, in one barrel. The man had performed a similar feat before. I THE ENGLISH CRICKETERS IN I AUSTRALIA. [M BEUTESL'S TELKQRA3I.1 j SYDNEY, MONDAY. ▲ match has been played between Shaw's ] English eleven and eighteen of Goulburn. Tbe J Englishmen woa by an innings, with 59 runs to j spare. j I DESTRUCTIVE FIRE IN AMERICA, THREE LIVES LOST. j I •* KEOTEB'S TELEG BAM.] NKW YORK, MONDAY. ¡ Three elevators, a large quantity of grain, and a number of stores have been destroyed by ftre at Duluth, Minnesota. Three lives were lost. The estimated damage is one million dollars. I

THE KING AND THE CHOLERA. Reports from Belgrade, received at Vienna, state that cholera broke out on the 21st inst. in one of j the infantry barracks, and that since then there has been 50 cases and ten deaths. King Milan was in the country when the first case occurred, but he at once returned to the capital, in order to superin- tend personally all the arrangements for checking the epidemic. His Majesty has shown himself indefatigable in visiting the cholera patients in the hospital, and in organising relief and remedial measures. His example has had the best effect, not only in allaying panic, but in stimulating the inhabitants to assist the authorities to do all that is needful for checking the spread of the disease.

SENT FRK* FOR TERES STAMPS, TO PAY POSTAGE DIBIIITY its Causes and Cure; Itarriago and its Impediments." Just out. A new Medical Work by Dr. E. Haughton load J. Nelson, containing chapters Oil Health, Its restoration, loss of vigour, &c.; also over 100 T*luabl« prescriptions for self-treatment of various complaints, bheuld be read by all who value health, 8tnlugtn. and manhood, and wish to attain a happy I old a^e.—Address Mr. J. Nelson, Medical Hall, Man- chester. i&iI3c

LITERARY AND DRAMATIC NOTES. The boards of the Victoria Theatre, Newport, are occupied this week by Mr. Gilbert Elliott's com- pany, who are playing Mr. F. A. Scudamore's somewhat unique drama, Rags and Bones, or the Inside Track." The play, especially in its open- ing stages, teems with a lot of rollicking fun, but as it advances beyond the ..eeond act a plot, cob- webhed about with smart, taktng detail, it unravelled, until at the close 1 lie house ::nd« that the story unfolded in the dr,;ma ha9 run through a great variety of scenes of strange and .striking vicissitudes. The company is a well- selec.jd one, the more prominent being Mr. Gilbert Elliott, who, as Harry LcnhLjh, originally the drvii-may-care, drunk-half-his-time scape-grace, turns over the new leaf and becomes a g!/Jw-WnftI1" after alt; Miss Amy Jerris, who takes the part of Jerry Ttc<u'.dle, a rag and bone merchant; Mrs. Langman Spencer, who imperso- nates Samuel Slade, h a very good man"; Mrs. MadelineL'Estrangc.whoseeuphoniouscogcomenof Kitty Rarjs is strikingly appropriate to her get,-up, but is scarcely so complete as that of her better half, 1ï.iíl Bo.i'i, a part played by Mr. George T. Minshill with splendid success. The effects— many of which have been introduced from America—are cleverly manipulated to muke up a thoroughly pleasing show. The next literary sensation about Russia will emanate from the pen of "Stepnick," the clever Times correspoident, who is engaged on a novel of Russian life. Mr. Felix Morris wir! commence at the Vaude- ville on December 9 a series of matinees, in which he will represent the characters in which he made his great succ sses in America. Sir Arthur Sullivan and Mr. W. S. Gilbert have nearly C0t11pJete(1 their new opera lor the Savoy Theatre. It is an Eastern subject, and now but lacks the finishing touches that rehearsal may suggest. It is underlined for production early in January. A perfectly lovely anecdote is going the round of r.ne French papers. A pretty girl called upon Rubinstein and entreated him to hear her play. With rather a bad grace he consented, and the lady sat down at the piano. When she had ham- mered out one piece she turned round and modestly asked, What ought I to do, Mr. Rubinstein ?" The great, pianist gave his back hair one shake, and growled our, Get married. "Little Jack Shappardwill pay a return visit to the Grand on the 6rh of December, sup- ported by Miss Nelly Farren, Mr. Fred Leslie, and tiw Gaiety company as bAore. According to the Academy, Mr. Browning has finished his new poem, and has only to put the I final touches to it. It is again a new departure, quit*} different from anything ho has written be- fore. Tiie po<?m is from 4,000 to 5,000 lines in length, and all in rhyme. It consists of a prologue and an epilogue, each a poem of some extent, and seven intermediate sets of verses. Coercion," a thvee-act production of Messrs. W. H. Dennv and Thomas Burnside, produced on Wednesday afternoon last at the Gaiety, consists of three acts of uninterrupted farce. It displays the misadventures of !1 species of counterpart to Lord. D^idrearv, win, having gone on a matrimo- nial expedition to New York, is the victim of ex- ceptionally bad treatment at the hands of the .r v-'iota his choice is to be made. It i- •»•?;unity for acting, but was Mr. John Mackenzie, who was till recently the resident British Commissioner in Bechuanaland, under Sir Hercules Robinson, is just finishing the MS. of a new work dealing with the South African problems. When published it will be found to cover the period from 1878 to the present time, and it will deal thoroughly with the kaleidoscopic changes of policy which we have adopted in that pari, of our Empire. At the conclusion of Sarah Earnhardt's recent benefit performance in Buenos Ayres the great tragedienne, who was playing Deaa Sot in Hernani," was presented with title-deeds for ten squire miles in trie Argentine Republic. Among'tiie books of the week is the "Jubilee Edition" of Charles Dickens's Pickwick Papers," with notes bv Charles Dickens the younger. Manvof the places described in "Pickwick"— especially those in London—have been altered past a: recognition. Many of the allusions, familiar enough once, have become to the new generation obscure and doubtful. It was with the idea that a series of illustrations cf the former and a few brief notes explanatory of the latter might prove of more t.hna passing interest that the prepara- tion of the '•Jubilee Edition''of "Pickwick" was undertaken. Messrs. MaemUlan and Co. are the publishers. Mr. Henry Arthur Jones's new play for the Vaud°vi!l» will be put in rehearsal as soon as Sophia" shows any si^ns of flagging interest. It is Vaud°vi!l» will be put in rehearsal as soon as Sophia" shows any si^ns of flagging interest. It is n. comedy of English country life, in tiireo acts and three scenes, and the action passes in an English country house. The principal parts will 00 played ty Mr. Thomas Thome, Mr. Leonard Boyne, Miss Kate Rorke, and the regular members of the Vaudeville company. Mr. Jones's other play, we may add, is in busy rehearsal, act by act, at the Princess's. The following amusing incident may give some- thing of a «hock to those who so loudly v:tunt the quick intelligence of our Post-office authorities. A lew months ago the council of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours elected a foreign lady —the flow«r-painter to the Quean—as an hono- rary raember, and the secretary duly sent her notification of the fact. About six weeks ago the lady, who lived abroad, wrote to accept the honour, addres- sing her letter to UM. Everill, Secretaire de la S"ci6té Roy,e des Llquar'J:Jiste, Only the other day it reached its destination, being covered back r ami front .¡u¡ postmarks and endorsed, Not I known at the Royal Aquarium i

CAR C 5TAI AL RODORION EISTEDD- FOD, CHRISTMAS DAY, 18S6. The adjudicators have received the following compositions for competition at the above Eistedd-! fod ;— Am y traethawd go re it ar "Hawliau Cymru i gael Gweiayddiad y Gyfraith yn laith y Bobl (For the best essay upon "Tiie Rights of Wales to have the Ministration of the Law in the Vurnacu- iar prize £1 10s. and a sillier medal: One composition, signed Cymro Hir." Adjudicators: Mr. Dan Isaac Da vies, B.Sc., and Professor Kober.3, Cardiff, Am y UYlr Cymraeg Goreu i'w Ddefnyddio yn y 3ydd Safon yn yr YSJol Ddyddiol o Ystoriau o Hanes Cymru (" For 'ha best Welsh Book to be Used in the 3rd Standard in our Day Schools, con- taining Stories in Welsh History"), prize £ 5 and a silver medal, given by Mr. George Griffiths, J.P.: Four compositions, signed Hen Athraw," "Gwyndaf Hen," u Eurgain," and Cymro Gwledig." Adjudicators Professor Powel, M.A., I Cardin, and Mr. W. Edwards, M.A., Merthyr. "Am y Cas;<liad o Ddog o Donau Efelychiadol, gwreiddioi neu ddetholedig, gydag o Eedwar i Chwech o Benniliion Cymraeg sym:, cvfaddas i Biant o dan saith mlwydd oed, yn 01 cvnllun Gill's Song Book ac ereill(For the Best Collection of Ten Action Songs, original or otherwise, with from Four to Six simple Welsh Stanzas, suitable for Children under seven years of age, according to the mode adopted in Gill's Song Book and others), prize £3 and a silver medal, given by Mr. G. Griffiths, J.P.: Two compositions, signed "Syr Beilivore," and M Cymro o Ddyfryn Tâf." Adjudi- cators: Mr. L. T. Monro, M.A., and Mr. D. Williams, M.A., of Swansea.

BIRMINGHAM CATTLE AND DOG SHOWS. On Saturday the cattls show at Birmingham was opened by Lord Windsor, president for the year. The entries in all classes for cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry, corn, and roots number 4,314-, against 4.485 Last year. The society's prizes amount to £2,850, in addition to several valuable special piizesin plate. The Queen is an extensive exhi- bitor in the classes for shorthorns and Devons, and the Prince of Wales aiso exhibits in the Devon classes. Her Majesty took first prize in Shorthorn oxen and a first in Shorthorn s eers, and a first also for Devon oxen and heifers and cross-bred oxen. In the Longhorn Classes the Duke of Buckingham was a principal prize taker. The Prince of Wales took two prizes for Southdown sheep. The show of poultry is remarkably tiuo. The annual show of the National Do" Show Society will open at Curzon-hall with 1,060 entries, against 1.054 last year, and in all classes there is an excellent repre- sentation. Most of the best known prize dogs are included in the show. The attendance of visitors at both shows was very good. LOCAL WINNERS. At the Birmingham Annual Cattle Show at Bingley-hall the following prises fell to local breeders:—Mr. Rees Keene, P-jacraig, Caerleon, 2nd, JE10. for Hereford oxeu. Colonel H. Platt, Llanfairfechan, 1st, £10, and 2nd, JE5, Welsh oxen or steers; 1st, £ 10, Welsh cows or heifers. Earl Cawdor, Stackpole Court, near Pembroke, 2nd, £5, Welsh cows or heifers. Mr. R. Stratton, The Duffryn, Newport, 1st..S15, for four-year-old Shorthorn heifers; 1st, £15, for Shorthorn bull.

SENSATIONAL STATEMENT BY A SOCIALIST. MR. GLADSTONE'S STATUE ERECTED WITH MATCH GIRLS' BLOOD. There was recently a discussion on Socialism at the Working Men's Club, Blenheim-road, Hornsey- road, London. Mr. Faire presided.—Mr. Herbert Burrows, of the Social Democratic Federation, was the chief speaker. In tho course of his remarks he mentioned that Bryant and May (Limited) paid a dividend to their shareholders of something like 29 per cent., and yet the women who made their match boxes were paid at the rate of 2hd. per gross. Mr. Theodore Bryant presented a statue of Mr. Gladstone to the East-end some time ago, and Mr. Burrows said that after it was erected a num- ber of the girls in Mr. Bryant's employ went and stood round it one night, took pins and scratched their arms till they bled, and with the blood bespattered the statue. They did this, they said, because it had been erected with blood wrung from them.

THE WEATHER AND THE GRAIN TRADE. The Fanner of Monday says:—The weather is mild and fair. Supplies are moderate, except of oats. The tone of business is steady, but the demand is halting at any advance. English wheat is scarce, and selling at full quotations. Foreign wheat is held confidently it is in fair request, but not dearer. Flour, both home and foreign, is harder to buy, and sometimes is taken at 6d. advance. Malting barley is dull, and without change. Feeding barley and oats are irregularly cheaper to buy. Beans, peas, and lentils are dearer. THE market is confident

SPIRIT OF THE WELSH PRESS. rBr GWYLIEDYDD.] THE LAND ANT) TITHE QUESTIONS. These two questions appear to have lost their interest to the Welsh people, for of all the Welsh papers I have seen this week the Bauer is the only one that refers to them. Therp exists too good a feeling between landlords and tenants in Wales for the agitators to succeed in their attempt to set them by the ears. In no country is the sentiment of affection for the lords of the soil more real than in the Principality of Wales. And never since the da.ys of Gruffydd ap Nicholas and Sir Richard Bulkley have tho landowners shown a greater interest in their tenants and dependents than at the present time. Wales has never been a good field for the exercise of the arts of the demagogue and revolutionist. It is amusing to witness the pertinacity with which the Bauer thrashes the dead horse. The first page of the paper has been devoted for many months to the discussion of the Land Laws and the tithea until the reader must have become thoroughly nauseated. I am at a loss to under- stand what iiitiuences the conductors of this respectable paper in the matter of land. The language used about landowner" is not below that of tho Celt, which is an avowed Communist. Here are a few extracts from the last number:— Tile farmers of Wales have heen hoping agaill5t hope for better timps anti bettor prices lor the products of their farms. anù fvr mercy OIL the hands of the land- owners. But, there is no mercy in their hearts or sym- pathy ill their bowels. Dù men gather gra.pl:!sof!: thorns, or iig3 oif thisDlea? A generation or two in Ireland have b;en trampled down hy landlordism. Hundreds of them and their families were starved, and thousands of them haù t" leave their behwed land for America, with curses in their hearts against the system that ruined them. Hut the Irish farmers have awakened, and bruised the head of Irish landlordism. The same course only wiil secure justice in Wales, and be the salvation of the Welsh farmers. THE POLITICAL OUTLOOK. The GeneJl is desponding over the future of the Radical party. It says:— The condition of the great Liberal party ia sad and gloomy. The minority is divided and disheartened, and. worse) than all. there is not tbe slimmest prospect of a reconciliation. It appears that )Ir. Ghdstoue and the larger portion of the party are as determined as ever to give Home Knle to Ireland. On the other hand, Lord Hartington, Mr. Chamberlain, and their followers are equally determined in their opinions. We are threatened with a seven years of political famine. The Tyst takes one of the London correspon- dents to task for having stated that Mr. Glad- atone was in favour of disestablishment for WALES:— Th correspondent says that he has authority for the statement. Where is it"? Wf, and many others, would like to know its nature. Re has probably drawn on hia own imagination. The Goleuad does not agree with Dr. Parker as to the hopeless state of the Liberal party." It says:— Ee cannot see any prospect of the re-union of the shattered party. He considers tllnt disestablishment is the chief qlleôLion before the country, but that it, will not be brought about until the Church will look at it from the same point of view as the Nonconformists, which is not very probable. Dr. Parker has, forgotten that the unexpecteù sometimes happens. SIB ROBERT HAMILTON. The Baner, in an article headed Dyhirwaith Toryaidd." abuses the Government in choice Billingsgate language for "having forced Sir Robert Hamilton to resign his post" as Permanent Under Secretary for Ireland. Says the writer:— The conduct of the Tory Government towards the permanent officers oi the State if they happen to hold Liberal opinions on politics is scandalous. They are hunted from their officba and their places tilled by relatives and friends 01 the Cabinet Ministers. Tho author of this article must be an outsider, for he does not appear to know that Sir Robert Hamilton has been appointed Governor of Tasmania. The 'Jy'st is also in apparent ignorance of the fact, and promises a 41 great row" over the matter when Parliament meets. The Radicals never favour their friends. It was quite accidental that so many of them were made receivers in bankruptcy a few years ago. RADICAL J.P.'S. A great fuss is made these days because more Xonconformist justices of the peace are nut made in the Principality. and it is becoming the practice to dictate to the Lords-Lieutenants whom should be appointed. A short time ago a memorial was pre- pared at Betlieada urging the Lord-Lieutenant of Carnarvonshire to place the chairman of the Trades' Union on the Commission of the Peace. Atr. Greaves (who was placed in the office last summer by Mr. Gladstone) was asked to receive a deputation on the matter, which he declined whereupon the Radicals became indignant, and the papers emphasized the indignation. Whatever may be said of the religious opinions of J.P.'s in other counties, the Nonconformists swarm on the magisterial bench in Glamorganshire. PttOPOSKD HE-UNION OF THE WFSLEYAN SECTS. The Gwyliedyod and the T;/st devote their lead- ing articles to rhc proposal recently made to bring hack to the old fold the various branches of the Wesleyan family. Four ex-presidents of the Wesleyan Conference have written letters in favour of the project. The greatest misfortunes that have met the Wesleyan Methodist Church during the 141 years of its history," says the Gwyliedydd, "liavo been the painful splits that have taken place from time to time in tlwr body. The first took place in 1797, and the last in 1849. The union is u consumluation devoutJy to tJe wished." The Tyst, after deploring the divisious among the Nonconformists and the consequent waste of money, energy, and power, concludes its article thus;— The state of the times and the work before u: call upon all the free Churches to draw near to each other. and M'oid wasting tiieir strength in sectarian contentions, for we have a great battle to fight for the simplicity of the Gospel and the spirit.u:1Hty of the Kingdom of Christ. What cool assurance! Do the tithe war and disestablishment meetings promote the spirituality of religion ? Experience points the other way. There is a tendency towards union among the moro enlightened members of the Christian Church. The various sections of the Church of England have agreed to differ, and 11 healthy fraternal feel- ing is growing up throughout the country. And the same spirit animates the Wesleyans, who have done, and are doing, great work in the evangelisa- tion of the country. But the more political suets, who mako religion a secondary consideration, are not likely to unite for any purpose except the destruction of the Church. THE COUTH A STATE CHURCH. The Linn has an abie article proving that the Welsh Calvinistic Methodist body is as dependent on the State as the Church of England. It says:— If we look at the Act of Constitution of the Calvinistic Methodists we shall tind that 150 ptJrsolls were deputed to sign and seal ih in the presence of John Willcs, l'ina- bury-place, 1.oIIÙOIl, and his clerk. William Minithorpe. Then follows 1 he words, Enrolled in hia Majesty's High Court of Chancery, the Sth day of December, iu the year of our Lord 1826. being first duly stamped, according to the terms of the statutes m;.de for that purpose. 25 P.B.—Jon 3," MITFOIID." The deed enumerates that its object is to enrol, describe, and explain the name. purposes, doctrines, and the Confession of Faith of the connexion, lest at anv future time Borne dispute may arise about them and that they may hold and injov the endow- ment6. lauds, and property bequeathed to the body. The words" Established Church" are mentioned in the deed. It wa6 by this deed hat tbe Calvillbtic Methodists were incorporated in one body, and they are bound for ever to catl themselves by that title, and to preach the Gospel of Olll" Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ:\S it is set forth in the Articles of the Church of England. The trust decd states that the trustees of the chapels and lands must also hold the doctrines of the Church ot .Eng- laud. Kot one jot or tittle of this document can be changed without the consent of Parliament. Wriggle au.,1 whicoas they may, they are bound to hold aloft their banner, with the Articles of the Church of Eng. land written upon it. or deny their faith, aud have then- connexion shattered to pieces. THE WEAK POI-VT OF NONCONFORMITY. The weakness of Nonconformity is the tnoney question. A large portion of the time and atten- tion of the members and managers of the chapels is spent in the endeavour to find out how to raise funds for the payment of interest on chapel debts. Tea parties, b izaars, raiHins, preaching, concerts, eisteddfodau, Jtc., are put in requisition. They are in the position of tradesmen with limited capital; No sooner is one payment made than another has to be provided for. This is due to tha building of chapels on credit. All the denomi- nations feel the pressure, but cannot find a way of escape. The Tyst says:— It would be a good thing if the different sects eould come to some understanding with regard to the increase of causes (acM8¡,(m) in lniall districts. Nothing appears more absurd than to sea four chapels in a village where the population is not Urge enough to fill one. It is a great mistake to suppose that the multipli- cation of chapcl3 is a source of strength. How different tho tale was a few years ago. The number of new chapels erected was the great argument used in favour of Dissent and the strength of the voluntary principle. The Tyst refers to a split at the chapel at Carmarthen of which the late Professor Morgan was minister, where a number of the members have been excom- municated. The Quarterly Meeting takes the part of the excluded. This chapel was itself a split from Lammas-street Chapel, on account of teeto- talism and the refusal of the old minister to join the new ism." bUNDRY NOTES. The Goleuad devotes seven pages to the Associa- tion Meetings at Holywell, and states that The connexion is now going through an extraordinary and serious crisis. We are passing; through a fierce fire, The strong will stand, but the weak will go to the wall. The Baner prints another dirty letter from D. Oliver Edwards." The South Wales correspondent of the same paper begins his letter thus:— There is a good deal of complaining that our daily Daper pays more attention and devotes more space to horse racing, football matches, and such like vanities than to religion. For this reason, some of Ibe leading men belonging to the different denominations are making arrangements tor starting another paper that will give fair reports of the more important meetings that take place anong them. The enterprise is felt to be a serious one. but there is a confident hope that it will be successful. The Gwyliedydd praises the Home Rule speech of Mr. T. E. Ellis, M.P., and says that "young men make better members of Parliament than those who havf misrepresented us so long." Argus," in Gwalia, says that an ancestor of the late Mr. Robert Oliver Jones was an officer in CromweK's army, and that the name "Oliver" was giyen him in honour of the great Protector. The same paper complains that the dignitaries of the Church in Wales give no assistance to Welsh literature and the Welsh Church press. The Genedl says that Mr. Swetenham. M.P., is preparing a measure for Intermediate Education in Wales, and recommends Churchmen and Non- conformists to sink their differences and support a national scheme. The Herald says that the popular novel Rhys Lewis has been dramatised, and is being acted in North Wales. The Gireitkicr, in an article headed "Rabyism rf ?i.p F has the following, which I cannot translate: Frodyr a ob iv: ydd; os bydd rhyw hen eais torsyth, neu ben Saesnes jsgrechlyd, yn dweyd rbywbeth am ddiffygion y Cymry wrtbych, taflwcbildyrnaid o fabiod ^ump ugain a pblufyn y Derby i'w dannedd, Dyna

"NEGLECTED WALES." [BY CANON BEVAN, M.A,] In a letter which appeared in the Daily \a<:i of ithe 25th ult. "Adfyfr" announces his deter- mination not to enter into any discussion as to the tatementasmade in his letters 011 "Naglected Wales." on the ground that by so doing he would bo diverging into th.it personal controversy which is the worst of all contl'o1versy." He, there- fore, confines himself to saying that he "adheres without qualification to all tho statements which he has put forward as fact." And then he adds, with a perfectly charming air of candour," The only point which calls for explanatory treatment in illY statistics is the reference to the census of 1871; there I should have added, AS revised by Mr. Ravcnstein. The mis-statement as to the population ot Wales and Monmouthshire was the least important of "Adfyir's" mis-statements; and was only adduced by me among other instances of his inaccuracy. He seems to have found out that it was a I1JÜ,quotatioQ, and he now endeavours to save his on n credit by fathering the mistaki upon Mr. Ravenstein. Even so he would not cscape from the charge I brought against. Liberationisms in genersl, of perpetually repeating each others mistakes instead of going to original authorities. But as "Adfyfr" evidently thinks that he has retrieved his credit, in this particular instance by attributing it to Mr. Haven- stein, it would be desirable that ho should explain his "explanatory treatment," by informing us to which of Mr. Ravenstein's publications Prefers; because if he means the paper in which Mr. Ravenstein dealt, with the question of the Welsh- speaking population of Wales, I beg to inform him that he is only adding to his former list of inaccuracies, inasmuch as only two out of his soven figures (1,426.514) agreo with Mr. liaven- stein's. If, moreover, Adfyfr had before him, and still has before him. MR. Ravenstein's paper, why should he persist in affirming that the number of persons able to speak Welsh is calculated at 1,006,100, when the figures given are 934,530 ? And why should he not acknowledge what is realiy a most material point, that out of that number 640,420 could also speak English? Why, again, should ha not correct his misapplication oi the late Dean of Bangor's words, and his misre- presentation of the condition of Ashford School, as given in his letter on education ? But with regard to these and many other points "Adfyfr" declines discussiou, on the ground that lw would be diverging into personal controversy." In what sense, I should like to know, is a question about matters of fact a pasonul controversy ? Adfyfr is, I presume, an anonymous signature. Ho might as well have signed himself "X." Personally, he is an unknown quantity. He has already strained to the utmost the privileges of anonymous writing. What right has ho to publish to the discredit of the Church a conversation which he (anonymous) had with a 1-tdy (anony- (inous) living in a Welsh county (anony- mous), to tho effect that she and the rector (anonymous) of the parish (anonymous) wero frequently the only attendants at church? Such a charge, from which evory clue to identification has been carefully eliminated, is nothing lass than a slander and a grave abuse of anonymous writing. And that one who has indulged in this licence should relieve himself from the obligation of making good his statements on personal con- siderations !is a further aggravation of his offence. The public may be safely trusted to form a sound judgment on such a plea.

THE POLICY OF THE GOVERNMENT. On Wednesday night a Primrose League demon- stration took place at Chorlev, at which Lady Salisbury and Lord Cranborne and Mr. Marriott, M.P.'S, were present. Mr. Kawclifie presided. Mr. Marriott moved a congratu- latory resolution in honour of the Primrose League. Going on to speak of the legislation of tho next session, he referred to the question of procedure, remarking that the Government would propose a measure which would be supported by both parties in the State to promote the efficiency of the House of Commons in opposition to a small knot who ignored the rules. ireland was not suffering from lack of legislation, but fnnn bad administration, or no administration, the result of which was a state of anarchy hardly understood in England. A linn, determined administration of the law, so that the Irish people might call their property and their lives their own, would be maintained. In doing that the Govern- ment wanted the support of the country.—Lord Cranborne seconded the resolution, hoping that the Government would be characterised, with regard to Ireland, with Lord Beaconsfidd's iron nerve and unfaltering resolution, through good or ill report.—The resolution was carried, and the Hon. G. Curzon moved a. resolution in support of the Government, policy, which was seconded by Mr. Thursby, and carried with enthusiasm.

HOME RULE FOR SCOTLAND. A Liberal conference at Hawick on Tuesday unanimously passed resolutions of confidence in Mr. Gladstone, and in favour ot such a measure of Home Rule being granted to Scotland as would place the entire management of all purely local questions in the hands of representatives of I the Scottish people. Arrangements are being made to hold a national demonstration in Edinburgh oa January 12 in favour of Home Rule for Scotland. A conference of deputations from various parts of >eotland and a monster public meeting will be held. Hosolu- tions will be proposed to the effect that the time has arrived when national Legislatures should be granted to tho respective nations forming the United Kingdom, and that the national business of Scotland should be managed by a Legislature meeting in Scotland, with full control over all purely local and private Bills, and with an Executive responsible to it and the Crown.

COMPULSORY CULTIVATION OF LAND. Lord Salisbury, acknowledging a resolution passed at a meeting of agricultural labourers in Somersetshire calling ou the Government to bring in a Bill for the compulsory cultivation of land, and to enable the poorest of cultivators to become their own freeholders by an easy scale of payments, has bent tho following reply to Mr. George Mitchell, dated the 29th inst.:— lam directed by the Marquess of Salisbury to cay that Iw is ml1cll obliged to you 101" your letter. III reply, I am to say that the queetioll uf the cuitivatioli uf ihe land i3. in its aspect, one of vcry serious importance, but that. Lord Sali3bury fear;) it iz inexlricabiy connected with thA free importation of corn, wl1i<h the people of thi, country are not Jikely to give up.

GRAND LODGE OF FREEMASONS. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. In the Grand Lodge of Freemasons on Wednes- day night, the Earl of Carnarvon in the oliair, the Prince of Wales was nominated by Sir P. Cunliffe Owen for re-election as Grand Master Mr. Godson,M.P.,and Mr. Richard Eve were nominated for tho office of Grand Treasurer. The Prince of Wales appointed Mr. Robert Grey President of the Board of Benevolence, and the Prince of Wales's motion was carried making the President by virtue of his office the grand offic-r next in rank to the Grand Secretary. The motion to give £1,000 to the proposed Imperial Institute was postponed.

PRESENTATION TO THE BISHOP OF DOVER. At Lambeth Palace on Wednesday afternoon the Archbishop of Canterbury unveiled, and Lord Cranbrook. on behalf of the laity of Kent, presented to the Bishop of Dover a portrait of himself, painted by Mr. Herkomer, R.A. There was a large gathering of clergy and laity, and the Archbishop and Lord Cranbrook expressed the feelings of re- gard and affection in which the Bishop of Dover was hdld throughout the archdiocese for his cou- stant labours and his unvarying kindness.

LORD BUTE'S HEALTH. Loxd Bute, it appears, has not yet completely recovered from his recent severe indisposition, and means to keep himself, for the present at least, in complete retirement at Mount Stuart. His lord- ship has been approached by one or two bodies in our town with a view to getting him to honour gatherings with his presence, but ho has felt him- sylf obliged to firmly refuse all such overtures. This is to be regretted, aa it is the earnest wish of every inhabitant of Bute to see his lordship amongst them as frequently as possible, and when he does make an appearance he is always sure of a most enthusiastic welcome.—Tlie Buleuian,

THE MINERS' CONFERENCE. On Saturday the Miners' Conference was re- sumed at Manchester. Mr. B. Pickard, M.P., pre- sided. A resolution was passed that wages were too low, and that at the earliest opportunity efforts should be made to secure an advance. A motion was also adopted strongly condemning the action of the Government with regard to the mail contracts. The conference was then adjourned until the 11th of January at Birmingham. The proceedings ended with a vote of thanks to the chairman and secretary.

EXTENSION OF THE PARCELS POST. A Treasury warrant is issued, on the representa- tion of the Postmagter-General, establishing a Parcels Post system between the United Kingdom and Tasmania and Western Australia, the rates of postage being 2S. for every parcel not exceeding Zibs and for every parcel exceeding 21bs.,and not exceeding lllbs.. 2s. for the first 21bs. and 9d. for each additional pound to Tasmania and Is. per each additional pound to Western Australia. The warrant comes into effect on January 1.

VICTORIA UNIVERSITY, MAN- CHESTER. The Manchester City Council on Wednesday passed a resolution in favour of a Government grant to Victoria University. It was stated that not a penny had been contributed by the Govern- ment either to Owen's College or to Victoria University, both of which were in need of financial assistance, and it was thought that, in view of the fact that the Government had paid £12,000 to several Colleges in Wales, Victoria University had some claim. United action will be taken.

WARNING.—When you ask for Reckitt's Blue Me that YOlllet it. The manufacturers beg to caution the public against imitation square Blue, of vory inferior quality. The Paris Blue in squares is (old ia wrappers bearing their same and Trade Mark, Befuie all otben.

THE CHURCH TN WALES. Cauou Bevan, of Hay, thus writes to the Spectator of Saturday:—In your article on Dis- establishment in Wales," in the Spectator of November 6. you attribute the popular dislike" of the Church to the English character of the Establishment and to the taxation levied in its name." With regard to this latter point, I shall only obsorvo that the opposition to the main- tenance of the Church by tithe is not peculiar to Welsh Nonconformists; it is shared by their Eng- lish brethren. The only difference in their treat- ment of the question is that the Denbighshire farmers have placed it in the forefront of a general agrarian agitation; conscientious scruples have nothing to do with the matter; scruples have nothing to do with the matter; they object as much to payment by the landlords as to payment by the tenants—as much to payment to the State as to payment to the Church; and they demand that by some mysterious method the land shall be relieved of the burden for tho sole benefit of tha occupier, whether he be landlord or tenant. This, however, is a question on which I shall not dwell; what I ask for is a re-consideration of the remaining part of your statement, which virtually accounts for the pre- dominance of Dissent, in Wales on the ground of popular disliko to the English character of the Church." I should at once concede that the poli- tical leaders of Dissent entertain, not simply dislike, but virulent hatred towards the Church, and that they have succeeded in inoculating a largo section of their followers with the same seniimant. But Welsh Methodism certainly did uot originate in dislike to the Church; on the con- trary, the Methodists clung to the Church with remarkable tenacity, the final separation not taking place until 1811, and then from the exigencies of their position rather than from deliberate choice. And there are not wanting indications at the present day that the preference for chapel does not necessarily imply dislike for church. In large areas, indeed, and particularly in the minoral basin of South Wales, where Non- I conformity gains its great numerical strength, there has not been much room for choice, or con- sequently for preference, inasmuch as' the Church has bean so inadequately repro- sented. Whether through apathy or, as is more likely, through inelasticity and inaptitude, the Church failed to meet the emergency pre- sented by the accumulation of masses of. popula- tion in districts where no church provision had previously existed. EJ: nihilo nihil fit might truly be urged by those locally responsible for the care of souls in these quarters and the absence of all corporate action on the part of the Church as a whole left the clergy to struggle on as they best could under the difficulties of their position. In short, 1 ho field lay 01 en to Nonconformity, and it availed itsolf of the opportunity with good effect. But I see in this no evidence of an original dislike of the Church, and still less a disliko to it on account of its English character. I will now turn to the districts where the English clement (I sub- stitute this expression for English character ") has exercised all important influence on the position of the Church in Wales. It i8, perhaps, difficult to explain to a stranger the sentiment of the average Welshman towards the English Inguage, and of tho Welsh Nonconformists towards the Church, as the religious body in which the English language has most play. I believe I am not far wrong in saying that, while Welshmen love and cherish their own language, they are shrewdly alive to the social and material advantages which accompany a knowledge of the English language and the presence of those who use it in their midst. The agricultural population live on terms of perfect amity with the English-speaking residents, whether hereditary Welshmen or immigrants, and they would reject any proposal which would tend to detract from the charms of Wales as a residential country. The Nonconformists are well aware that the presence of this English element has formed the great difficulty of the Church in Wales. The English-speakers are for the most part staunch Churchmen; and the Church has felt itself bound to make such provision for them as it can. But, in proportion as it has done so) it has diminished its efficiency for the Welsh speaking section, and this botakos itself to the chapel as affording more numerous and more congenial ser- vices. The Church is of necessity bilingual Nonconformity has enjuyod the immense advan- tage of being unbilingual; and herein lies very much the explanation of its success. If the Church were to establish (as you suggest) services of a more decidedly national kind, it might very possibly win back a large number of Noncon- formists but the change might involve a serious dislocation of the present social condition of the country, and this is not desired by the bulk of the Welsh people. Preference for the chapel does not, therefore, imply dislike of the Church large numbers of quiet Nonconformists are fully aware of the difficulties of tho Church's position, and are by no means anxious to complicate those difficulties by depriving her of her already scanty endow- ments. Though they may not avail themselves of the public ministrations she has to offer, they recognise the value of her services to the country generally and to themselves in other ways than Sunday ministrations. To those who live in Wales I might appeal for evidence in support of my view drawn from their own experience—such as the interest shown by Nonconformists in any special effort for tho advancement of the Church, the rottoration, for instance, of the Parish Church; in two cases within my limited knowledge, a clergy- man has been actively aided by the preacher in collecting funds for this purpose; or, again, attendance at special services, such as a harvest festival, the preference of Church ministration* at the grave and for matrimony; the largo number of children attending National Schools (throe-eighths of the whoio number in Elementary Schools), and the growing popularity of the Church in many parts of the country. Those who live outside of Wales may form their own conclusion from the returns of the polling at the general election of 1885. The Disestablishment of the Church in Wales was tho point on which the voting turned as far as the Nonconformists were concerned, and the propor- tion of votf S in the 29 contested seats was as two Conservatives to three Liberals, tha four uncon- tested aoats being situated in the South Wales mineral district. These returns presont the alter- native either that Churchmen are very much more numerous in Wales than is generally supposed, or else that large numbers of Nonconformists are opposed to the disestablishment of the Church. Much more might 1 say if space permitted, =======

UNITED KINGDOM ALLIANCE MEETING AT CARDIFF, On Monday evening a. meeting of the Cardiff Branch of the United Kingdom Alliance Associa- tion was hold in the Wood-street Chapel, Cardiff.— Mr. Alfred Thomas, M.P., presided, and was sup- ported by MR. E. BC-avan (secretary of the associa- tion), Mr. W. Sanders, and many local ministers. —The Secretary having stated that ho had received letters of apology for non-attendance from Messrs. J. Cory, Lewis Williams, and R. Bird, and the Revs. G. Havgreaves and J. Williamson, Mr. Alfred Thomas addressed the meeting, and said that it always gave him the greatest pleasure to attend meetings in Wood-street Chapel, a place so well connected with movements tor the welfare of tha people. He said that he HAD attended banquets on many occasions in Cardiff where he had been the only teetotaller present, and not long ago no provision was ever made for teetotallers. But a.t the present time not a banquet, from the Lord Mayor's downwards, was held without preparations being made for abstainers, a class which numbered one-fifth of the population. After a few more remarks, a resolution, which deplored the existence of the liquor traffic and earnestly called ou statesmen to combine for the purpose of prohibiting such a. ruinous traffic was proposed, aijd, ou being put to the meeting, WAS unanimously carried. A second resolution, calling upon the Government to introduce a measure which would enable persons to exclude the liquor traffic in their respective parishes, thus reducing the national expenditure in intoxicants, and securing an effec- tivo diminution of intemperance, and largely in- creasing the home trade throughout the country, was proposed by Mr. W. Sanders.—Mr. J. H. Raper, of London, in seconding the resolution, said that in dealing ,with the liquor traffic they had really only one line of policy to adopt, and that was prohibition. They had already local magisterial option, but what they wanted was local popular option. Let the magis- trates keep all the power they had, but let the public have the right to say whether a public- house should be established near their own houses. Tne magistrates had this power, and it was never known that tha magistrates allowed a public- house to come near their residences. (Laughter.) —The resolution, on being put to tho meeting, was unanimously carried, and a vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the proceedings.

THE REPRESENTATION OF BRIGHTON, A CONSERVATIVE RETURNED UNOPPOSED AN INEFFECTUAL PROTEST. Dr TINDALE ROBERTSON (Conservative) was on Monday nominated by Colonel Verrall, 1st SUSSEX I RIFLES, and seconded by MR. HOWLETT, CHAIRMAN of the Hove Commissioners. There were also over 30 othor nomination papers for the same candidate handed in. There being no other candidate nomi. NATED, DR. ROBERTSON WAS declared duly ELECTED. A protest was lodged against D11. Robertson's nomination, on the ground that the Speaker had not allowed six clear days to intervene between his notice to issue the writ and the actual issue. < Th9 mayor refused to entertain the protest, 4 4

KB, GLADSTONE AND THE NONCONFORMISTS. A LITTLE MORE SOFT SOAF. Mr. Gladstone, writing to the Rev. Dr. Parker, says:—You are quite right in supposing that I acknowledge, and cannot forget, the consistent and generous support which I liave so long j received from Nonconformists in all parts of the country, and likewise that, in my opinion, which receives from day to day more and more illustra- tion, Church establishments cannot, and ought ] not to, continue unless they prove themselves useful to the maintenance of the highest life of the nation.

THE MEETING, OF PARLIAMENT. The Times says Parliament will meet for the despatch of business on Thursday, January 13, when it is the intention of the Government to ask for the whole time of the House of Commons in order to deal in a thorough and comprehensive manner with the question of procedure.

A VISIT TO THE CARDIFF PRIORY. LBT MOnIEN.1 We are so wrapped up in the interests of the present hour that we seldom see glimpses of the past. In the very heart of Cardiff there stands a vener- able fragment—which is but little known-of a once magnificent pile, within whose walls, from age to age, during some centuries, were heard prayers and holy songs. The surrounding velvety grounds, too, are sacred, for there sleep thousands of the "forefathers of the hamlet." There lay once proud magnates and the lowly of the Land of Morgan. Chieftains, powerful in their day, and who administered the law, and earnest ecclesiastics, whoso cowls, beads, and tonsured heads made the streets of Cardiff picturesque, have found there a Ion, long home. Whilo wandering in the precincts' of the old Cardiff Priory, one can repeat the lines of Walter Scott Here where the end of earthly things, Lay heroes, patriots, bards, and kings; Where stiff the hand and still thf tongue Of those who fought, and spoke, and sung. Here where the fretted aisle prolonged The distant notes of holy song, As if some angel spoke again. All peace on earth, good will to moll There the poor and helpless sought and obtained the bread that perisheth, as well as the manna of spiritual life. There the Cymric and the Norman- French once struggled for mastery, as the English and Welsh tongues do to-day, and—who knows?] -Welsh may again emerge victorious from the apparently unequal ordeal. The Welsh language had first to contend with Latin. That tongue. fostered by "patriots, priests, and kings," died; but Cymraeg flourishes still in perennial youth. After tbe Ilotnau language came the Anglo-Saxon and Normau-French, and, like tides, dashed harmlessly against Y graig sydd yn y moroedd," viz., the Cymraeg. It is by the experience of the past we can best prognosticate the future. In these days the Goddess of Wales is actually engaged in polishing her weapons and in clinching the slackened rivets of her armour. One of her champions is Lord Hute, and the standard is carried aloft by "Gwenynen Gwent," while the chief trumpeter is Mr. Dan Isaac Davies. Pardon the digression. The vision was too attractive to my soul to let it. pass by unnoticed. The Cardiff Priory is situate in Cathays Park, to the north-east OF the centre of Crockherbtown. Until Saturday I was unaware that any portion of it was still standing. Accidentally meeting Mr. Lewis Williams—there is but one of that name— I inquired after it of him, and, passing up arm in arm, he directed me to the rear of his extensive and well-stocked premises, and then to the sum- mit of a flight of steps. From there I obtained a fine view of Cathays Park, with its immense flat greensward and gigantic trees, whose long branches seemed like arms stretched out to bless tho God's aero under whoso sod sleep so many after life's fitful fever. To the north-east of Mr. Lewis Williams's Pisgah I beheld a lofty ivied pile, between it and the back of the houses in Crockherbtown stretching many white conservatories. What stood before me were literally a fragment of the old Cardiff sanctuary and Lord Bute's hothouses. Hut the most interest- ing object in my eyes was the ruinod Priory, or, us it used to be called, Grey Friars. While looking at its ivied windows one seemed to have been whisked by enchantment up the vale of years into a period when mitred abbots, priors, friars, and monks ruled in Wales in eccle- siastical affairs. From the summit of the steps I seemed to witness the reception of Owen Glyndwr and his staff before the grand entrance by the Carmelites or Friars of Orders Grey," while the rest of Cardiff, then a great Norman fortress, was perishing in fire and smoke. It is known that Owen Glyndwr burnt all Cardiff to the ground with the exception of the Grey Friars and the adjacent buildings in Crockherbtown. It is not improbable that itwas bydoing this he was enabled to relieve the Grey Friars, whom, it is knewn, assisted the Cambrian cause everywhere. Little more than a hundred years before this visit one of the same order had ventured to "chant him a mass" over the dying King Llewelyn, in the little garden above Builth, for which net of mercy Sir Edmund do Mortimer unrobed the friar, or, in the words of John, Archbishop of I Canterbury, "took his vestments," which was a delicate way of stating to Edward 1. THAT the knight had dared to unfrock the friar whilst ho was engaged in saying prayers with the dying J Welsh King, who was one of the nobiest monarchs that ever trod the ca.'th, and whose only offeuce against the King of England was defending Wales aud its people. The reader, whatever his nation- ality, will NOT bo surprised thatafollow-countryman of Llewelyn and his descendant, Owen Glyndwr, viewed with something vary much like affection tho ruins of the old habitation of tho" Friars of Orders Grey," who were staunch friends of Wales and its suffering people through guod aud ill report. Owen Glyndwr, when he arrived hare, had fought a battle lasting eighteen hours on Mynydd- y-Glaw, between Llanharan and Cow bridge, where ho defeated the whole power of Henry IV. and the Normans of Glamorgan. Blood was up to the fet- locks of the horses in Pantywonol at the close of the day. No doubt the retreating Normans had thrown themselves into the Cardiff fortress, and that the Grey Friars, owing to their friendliness to the Welsh hero, were in imminent danger when the latter advanced and took the town by storm. How warriors and priests must have mingled together their cheers as "Owen GlynUwrdy divine" approached the Grey Friars, Crockherbtown, victoriously on his war horso! He was A courtly gentleman, and exceedingly well read," and he must have saluted tha men of God assembled to accord him a hearty wolcome most chivalrously, prompted by piety and gratitude. In this hospitable abode he was certainly regaled IY with the best the place could afford. In silver tankards, filled with sparking metheglin, the hero and his cause are toasted by "the Friars of Orders Grey." Behold the hero stand- ing up to respond to tho toast. He is a barrister by profession, and can also" frame to the harp ditties lovely well." Who, thou. can doubt his speech at the Grey Friars is worthy of himself, the cause, and the company. Sacred old walls, give onco more the ■„echoes of that voice—of that speech! I hurried away from the steps, and, accompanied by the daputy-editor of this journal, I was Boon in Cathays Park. We passed tho gates without any difficulty, and we met a sympathetic son of Scot- land iu the person of Mr. Pettigrew, Lord Bute's head gardener. We inspected the ruins, with theit stone window frames. Lining flower and shrub beds wore fragments of fluted columns, which, it;is needless to say, had fallen and broken long ages before the present cultured lord iirst saw the light. We examined a subterranean passage, walled and arched, which seemed to have afforded A private outlet from tha Priory. Here, like A Norman miscreant, a spider had spread his net. Two years ago, by Lord Bute's orders, uwu dug low in the fruit garden, and they catno upon many layers of human bones, which, of course, were reverently dealt with. In due season, grapes, pine apples, lemons, and other fruit ripen over the sepulchres wherein the "forefathers of the hamlet sleep."

CARDIFF ORCHESTRAL SOCIETY. RESULT OF THE BALLOTING. It will be remembered that at the recent concert given by this society ballot papers were placed in the hands of the audience for the selection of tiie two vocalists whom it was desired should be engaged for their next concert, on February 2, 1887. Considerable interest was evinced in the experiment, many voting papers being sent by post to the hon. secretary, in addition to thosu left in the hands of the stewards on the evening of the concert. The result of the voting has been in some respects a surprise, but tho artists head- ing the poll are Miss Mary Davies, of London, and Mr. Barringtou Foote. Engagements were tele- graphed to them on Friday last. Mr. Barrington Foote accepted, but Miss Mary Davies will tie, unfor- tunately, engaged in London on February 2, and the Orchestral Society has, therefore, engaged Miss Hilda Wilson instead. But wo are pleased to be able to state that, being determined to loyally carry out the result of the ballot, the I society has secured Miss Mary Davies for the third concert, on April 13,1887.

ROMANTIC AFFAIR AT MONMOUTHS- SHIRE. I At Trelleck Petty Sessions on Tuesday last I (before Mr. G. G. GTiffiu and Mr. R. Oakley) a rather curious case came on for hearing. Mr. James pavies, farmer, and his son James, ¡ also a farmer, residing at Llangarren, were sum- moned for assaulting Mary Elizabeth Davies, daughter and sister to the defendants respectively, Mr. Fothergill Evans, solicitor, Chepstow, appeared I for complainant; and Mr. Herbert, Williams, of Monmouth, for defendants. It would appear that complainant is about sixteen years of age, and ¡ went to school at Trelleck, and was, by arrange- ment, allowed to stay at the post-office, the resi- dence of her uncle, who died in May last. Since that time complainant was asked to return home, as her services were required to attend to her mother, who was an invalid, but she refused, and on the 10th ult. defendants went to the post-office, and by some force put complainant into her father's trap and took her away. This constituted the assault complained of, Mr. Evans, her solicitor, contending that, his client being over sixteen years of age, her father had no right to forcibly control her.-After some consideration, the Bench consi- dered that defendants had no right to control the complainant against her will, and bound them over;in sureties, and ordered them to pay the costs of the proceedings. The case caused some excitement, the parties being respectably con- nected.

ACCIDENT TO THE BISHOP OF LONDON. Whilst in his garden at Fulhaiu last week the Bishop of London fell and sustained considerable injury. On inquiry at Fulham Palace, the Press 'Association learns that the accident, although not very serious, will prevent his lordship from taking part in any engagements during the next fortnight. The accident occurred during a fog. Dr. Temple was returning home from Putney Station, and, whilst proceeding through the grounds of the palace, stumbled and fell on some projecting object. The injury at first was thought to be trifling, but a (lay or two afterwards it was found necessary to call in Dr. Carver, who, on examina- tion, found that his lordship had broken two ribs.

CIBCULAB POIXTBB PSNS."—Gold Medal Liver- pool International Exhibition.—C. BRANDAUIR and Co.'s Circular Pointed Pens" have met with general approbation. Write as smoothly as a lead pencil, and neither saratch nor spurt, the points being rounded by a new process. Seven Prize Medals awarded. Ask your Stationer for a Sixpenny Assorted Sample Box, post free for seven stamps, from C. Brandauer's Pea Works. Bir- mingham, or from their Wholesale Warehouse, 2*. Kins Bdward-street. London, E.G. h

CHESS. WTIIKLY MAIL" OFFICE, THURSDAY, DEC. 2 1886. GAME No. 142. The 'following game was played by telephone between members of the Cardiff and Swansaa Chess Clubs last Monday week:— Ruy LOPEZ White. Black. CARDIFF. SWANSEA. 1 PtoK4 PtoK4 2 Kt to K 15 3 Kt to Q B 3 3 BtoKt5 P to Q R 3 4 B to R 4 Kt to B 3 5 Castles P to Kt Q 4 (a) 6 B to Kt 3 B to B 4 7 P to Q 3 (b) P to Q 3 8 B to Kt 5 HtoKKtS 9 B to Q 5 Qto,Q2 10 P to Q B 3 (c) R to Q Kt sq (d) UPtoQ4(<) PtakesP 12 B takes K Kt P takes B 13 B takes Kt Q takes B 14 Kt takes P (F Q to Q 2 (g) 15 P to B 3 B to R 4 16 K to R sq B to K Kt a 17 R to K sq Castles 18 Kt to Q 2 B takes Kt 19 P takes B K R to K sq 20 Kt to Kt 3 (It) Q R to Q sq (i) 21 Q to Q 2 (J) P to K B 4 22 Q to Kt 5 P takes P 23 R takes P R takes R 24 P takes R R to K sq 25 Kt to Q 2 Q to B 3 26 P to K R 4 P to K R 27 p to K 5 (k) P takes P 23 P takes P Q to B 7 29 R to K sq K to R 2 30 Kt to K B 3 (I) ————— (M) BLACK. WHITK. NOTES. («) Unorthodox. Tho moves generally recom- mended heva by the authorities are 5 Kt takes P, or 5 B to K 2. The move iu the text weakens the Pawns on the Queen's side with- out any corresponding advantage, and it also drives the opposing B into a more attacking posi- tion. (b) 7—Kt takes P appears a strong move, and certainly the correct one at this point, when would follow 7 Kt takes KT; 8—P to Q 4, 4, B takes P: 9-Q takes B, P to Q 3; 10-B to Kt 5, with an advantage in position. (c) It would have been dangerous to take off the K Kt because of the reply 10 K R to Kt sq, followod probably by Castling on Queen's side. (d) Black might have played 10 =———Kt takes B, with the probable continuation 11—P takes Xt, Kt to K 2; 12-B takes Kt, Q takes Kt 13-Q Kt to Q 2, and Black has a slight advantage with two Bishops against two Knights. (c) This move leads to complications, and White has to play with the utmost care in order to avoid losing a P. (/') A happy resource, and the only way to recover the P. (y) Black prefers to keep, if possible, both his Bishops, as they are more powerful than the two White Knights. If instead of tho move in the toxt Black plays 14 ;—Q takes P, White will reply with 15-P to B 3, winning a piece. (It) The position hereabouts is very diiiicult, It might, perhaps, have been better for White to play the Kt over to the King's side vid B sq. The object of the text move í3 to prevent Black playing P to Q 4. ({) Wo see no objection to 20--1' to K B 4 at once. (j) This may have been a little premature, and it is a moot point whether it would not have been more advisable to play first Q R to B sq and then the text, move. (1:) 27—P to Q 5 would Jose the K P in a few moves. (t) It see IN 8 a.t first sight as if 29—Kt to K 4 would win for White, but an examination will reveal tho contrary. 30—Kt to K 4, B takes Kt; 31-Q takes P ch, K to Kt sq; 32-Q to Kt 5 ch, B to Kt 3; 33-P to R 5, Q to K B 4, and White wonld lose. (lIt) At this stage of the game Swansea declined to continue. We append a brief analysis of the position, which shows that White must ultimately have won White. Black. 30 H Q to K B 4 (A) 31 Q tu B sq Q to B eq (If to Q 2 32-R to Q oq, Q to K 2; 33-Q to B 6, aud Whito wing,) 22 Q to B 6 K to Kt sq 33 Kt to Kt b BtoBt 34 Q to K 11 6 B to K 3 35 K to K B sq R to B sq 36 Q to R 6 B to B 4 37 P to h 6 jJ takes r 33 R takes 1A I U taken R 39 Kt takes P or Q to U 7 ch wins, (A) 30 Q takes P Si U to Q B sq R to Q B (If 31.- R to K3{ 32—Utafces 11, Q to Kt 8 ch; 33-h: t,o R 2, Q to Q 8 34-^Q tf) B 4, and wins.) 32 R to B 6 Q, to Kt 8 ob 33 K to R 2 Q to B 4 34 Q to K 7 U to K Kt BQ 35 K to K B 6, and wins.

SOUTH WALES V. BRISTOL AND CLIFTON CHESS ASSOCIATION. As previously announced in this column, this important match, 25 players on each side, will take place at the Imperial Hotel, Clifton, on Satur- day noxt, Dec, 4. We hope the South Walians will give a good account of themselves, and that in our next issue we shall be able to congratulate them on a well-earned victory.

THE BISHOP OF LLANDAPF AT HIRWAIN. THE INCUMBENCY OF ST. LLEURWG. The Bishop of Liandaff visited Hirwain on Mon- day for the purpose of inducting the Rev. W. Rhydderch into the incumbency oi St. Lleurwg, which used to form part of Aberdare, but which has recently been constituted by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners a. separate ecclesiastical parish. The ceremony was conducted according to the form customarily observed within the diocese. Among the clergy present were the Revs. R. n. Jenkins, vicar; H. R. Johnson. A. R. Price, W. Williams, J. P. Griffiths, and H. J. Williams, Aber- dare M. L. Jones, Cwnoaman J. H. Jones, Cwm- bach; J. H. Lloyd apd H. E. Thursby, Aberaman and T. Davies, Penderyn. There was a large congregation, which included, among otlier of the leading residents, Mr. W. Powell, J.P., Mr. Sims, and Mr. Cound. The Bishop, in his address, which was of a most impressive character, spoke of tho responsibilities of the laity In connection with Church work, and particularly urged the necessity of incumbents being thoroughly circumspect in signing testimonials with regard tu young men who sought to be ordained to the ministry. The sincerest satisfaction is felt at the elevation of Mr. Rhydderch, for during the three and a half years that he has hold the curacy of St. Lleurwg he has endeared himself to the whole population among whom he has so devotedly and so earnestly laboured.

THE HEALTH OF CARDIFF. In the week that ended on Saturday last, the 27th of November, there were 33 births registered in the borough of Cardiff, 3 more than the weekly average of tho past year. The births were of 35 boys and 45 girls. The deaths merely rose from 37 to 40, the latter being 7 below the average, and yielding the very excellent rate of 20-7 per 1,000 persons, one of the best in the current returns from 16 of the largest English towns. There were again 8 deaths below 1, while at 60 and upwards the change is only from 6 to 5. There were 6 deaths in public institutions, and 2 were inquired into before the coroner. A most excellent- return is made as to the causes of death in the borough, the only fatal instance of infectious disease being a death by scarlet fever. In the cor- responding waek last year the births in the borough were 71 and the deaths 33. yielding a rate of 1'7'7. The deaths that were then referred to infectious diseases were 3 fatal cases of whooping cough, so that the death-rate by this class* of disease was then 1.a, against 05 last week. The following are the sixteen chief English death-rates for the past. week, duly arranged in order:— Birmingham.. 16-6 I Manchester 22-3 London 19'4 I Preston 22-1 Bradford 19 0 Leeds 231 Huddersfield.. 19'4 Salford 23-7 Hull 20*2 Blackburu 24T Cardiff 2Q'7 Newcastle 24*6 Sheffield 21*5 Oldham 24*3 Liverpool 21*8 Halifax 26*7 Cardiff 20-7 Newcastle 24-6 Sheffield 21*5 Oldham 24*3 Liverpool 21*8 1 Halifax 26*7 J"\¡O\n rer t.uuu persona innabitants 01 eacn Place. w-

INFRINGEMENT OF THE FOREIGN ENLISTMENT ACT. At Bow-street on Wednesday Gabriel Susine de Sandovel, described as a lieutenant-colonel on the retired list of the Argeotino Republic, and George Baird, described as a gentleman, were prosecuted by the Crown, for contraventions of the Foreign Enlistment Act, in equipping and despatching the steamship Justicia, having reasonable cause to believe that the same would be employed against the friendly State of Venezuela. — After formal evidence had been taken, tho defendants were re- manded on bail in sureties of £1,000 each.

Is YOUR CMILB ILL.-If so, try Williams's Pont- ardawe Worm Lozenges, which have been in use over twenty years, and eclipsed all other remedies. Sold by mostcbemists, at 9Jd.,13Jd., and 2s. 9d. Prepared from the original recipe only by J. Davies, Chemist, 30, Hiacb- ttreet, Swansea. The Lozenges are agreeable and com taie nothing injurious.

Under this heed wsiiowx on leqnl subjects art answered by m e.rwicnce?pvofewonal gentlemen Correspondents teifhina for information or advice are requested to observe tin following 'raits 11. Thf fact* must be staled fuUy and clearly; and the questions, if more than one, shoidd be numo hr, 'id consecutively. 2. A full espy mast be suit vf any document en which advice is wished for. 3. Tiie real name and address ef the writer must accomppny the questions, but will not be pub• lishtd if a "pseudonym or initials be also sent ferreference. All communications must be addressed to- 77iml "Editor, Legal Department, Weekly Mail Ojfictl

PURCHASE OF LEASEHOLD.—" P. L. G." (Newport) must not complete his intended purchase until the question between thu vendor and the other persons mentioned is settled. If the vendor cannot give hina what was agreed to be purchased he (t he purchaser) H entitled to compensation, or to be relieved from his contract and to have his deposit. money returned. H., had better leave the matter in the hands of his solici- tor, who will do t lie best that can be done to carry his wishes (whatever they may be) into effect. It would be very imprudent to complete his purchase and then get into litigation ¡ Set the purchaser take the burden of litigation, if necessary,'jut unless he can show* clear title he cannot compel the performaneo of the! contract, j PITBLIC-HOUSES.—The fir Ft inquiry of J. J." (Cardifi? relates to a matter of local regulation, and not of general law. In each place the local by-hw9 can be 5eeIt ap the Town-hall, and we cannot afford space ta give the regulations in the various boroughs in out district. In towns and populous pitices pubiic-house- must be closed at ten o'clock on Sunday night and at eleven on all other nights, and in otilel- pluces the closing hour is ten on every night. Tlie time fnr opening is six o'clock every morning except Sunday., 011 which day tho house must remain closed until half an hour after noon. Licensed refreshment house 9 must close at the, same hours M put !ic-hoii5S3, but may L'tjcn at four in the morning on week days. On Sun- day a', ternoon public-houses must be closed from hair- past two till six o clock. Those publicans who early closing licences must close one hour earlier than the ordinary hour, and tlyse who take six days'! licences ml1ôt not sell, even to travellers on Sirija. VF. although they may supply lodgers staying in tba- house. These licences cost, less than thai- ordinary liccuces.. The penalty for selling unlawful hours is, for the Ih-jt oflence.1 a sum not exceeding £10. and for ever, subsequent a sum not exceeding Z21 The conviction may be recorded on the licence or not ar, the discretion of the convicting magistrates. Similar penalties would be incurred by ititypublicali who should allow any police-constable to remain upon his premises when on duty, unless for the purpose of keeping or restoring order or in the execution of his duty, or sup- plying him with any liquor, whether by way of gifto,. sale, unless by the authority of some superior officer ol such constable, or attempt, to bribe any constable. Any breach of the law shoidd be reported to the chief at police. HL SIIAXD AND WIT £ .—" Pen!;t"}"" (Xarberth) is advised that he can dispose of his own eftects as he pleases, and his wife can do the same with her separate pro- perty without his consent or C01J(mrrCJJce. WIFE'S Bus is ess.—" Quoad Hoc" (Monmouth) it advised it the busine39 belongs absolutely to her, itnd 13 carrierl 011 by her apart, from her hu-jband, with, her own eapltal, in her own name, and without any interference or assistance on the part of her husband, neither he nor his creditors would have any right take away any of her goods, nor in any way ti obstruct her in the management or control of her separate property. But is she wishes to be advised definitely, she oùg-ht to tell its the facts. SULFiCU¡;XCY or NorifE.—As we know nothing of the terms upon which A. H. P." (Quaker's Yard) was encra^ed, we are not able to advise whether the notica wliieii he has given is ia accordance with those term* or not. POWEII TO MAKE WIIX.—■"Cymro" (Cardiff) may dis. pose by his will of whatever property he may b< possessed of or entitled to at the time of bis decease Whether the property in question would pass or not? would depend upon whether lie had a vested interest! therein. If the property belongs absolutely to his mother and she should survive him, she would hava; to make a fresh will. We do not understand how the) property could pass by the will of his late father if it, is leasehold and the lease was not, in existence at the time when his father was living. Perhaps he wilt explain. It appears that his name was inserted in the will as a trustee for bis mother, and it the fact be so, this would not give him any personal interest in the property. This point also requires elucidation. AUSKNCE FTIO-.T W0J:K. T." (Dowlais) is not legally entitled to be paid his wages on either of the occasions referred to, his absence not having bten occasioned blf. illness which rendersd him incapable of doing his wurk; but, if his employers are willing to pay him, hai need not refuse. B.lHA.PJH.If M. T." (Fishguard) has obtained ani order of affiliation, and the reputed father does not,! pay the amuunt ordered by the magistrates, she may' enforce payment of the arrears by means of a warrant, which will be issued 011 her applying for the same &i1{\. paying the fees. If the affiliation order has not beeTA obtained, it may be applied for at any time (the sooneri the better), as the alleged father has paid sums on account of the maintenance oi the child within twelve calendar months after its birth. PKOPOSED LEASE.—" Ponbry (Narlierth) is advised that if the property belongs to his wife absolutely she may make a lease thereof on such terms as she ma, think fit, She had better instruct a solicitor to do what is necessary 011 her behalf, as the intenuing lessee is aurc to have hi3 interests protected by his solicitor. BUNDAY. —The exigencies of space and a desire to do equal justice to all our correspondents prevent oui answering fully the general question put by" Alpha" (Merthyr). Works of necessity und charity may b4 done 011 Sunday, and milk and fish may be sold oil that day. But, a3 a general rule, tradesmen are pro-* hibifceJ from carrying 011 their ordinary business ou Sunday, although many of them take no notice of the- prohibition. Whenever anything is done, whether by way of sale and purchase or otherwise which is not, lawf ul-; the transaction ought, to be a ready-money one, because, the consideration being illegal, the money) could nob afterwards be recovered by means of all action if the defendant were to fight the case in court. Although the prohibition of Sunday tr. cling as an offence against the public has become almost obsolete, the desira to get something ior nothing occa- sions the statutory defence to an action ta ba heard of occasionally, and, therefore, it our correspondent should feel inclined to bread the law we advise hi in to paid at the time. There is one curious distinction, tJw prohibition i2 against the ordinary business of the parties being car. L rid ùa and. therefore, if a horse dealer ware to sell a horse Oil Sunday in the regular coursc or his business, he could not recover the pries*. Eut if a gentleman, who was not a deaier, were t o sell a horse on that day, he could recover the priac by an action if mcessary^ because selling horses was not his ordinary business, and, therefore, he was not within the terms of the statute. OF StEl'-FATHLit.—' "T." (Dowlais) ia no longer responsible for the maintenance of tliaj children of his late wife by her former husband. Thati responsibility ceased on his wi«Vs death. s D AND Wirri.—Before Wi; lielinitely advise 11 T:1 (Dowlais) on his last inquiry we ought to know ho*{ and in what oireumstauecs the debts wore incurred.^ Generally a. wife may pledge the cr. (lit of her husband, for necessaries accoroing to his station and means r because it is the duty of every man to provide for his; family, and his wile might be his duly authorised a*>ent, for the purpose of yetting in what might be requisite. Bur, it lie were to supply her with moueyt for such purpose, and prohibited her getting into debt," he would not be responsible. What was the way in which his housekeeping expenses were provided for? Perhaps he will explain this fully. LIABILITY OF SHARI:HOLD};ll. Zach (Cardigan) can only bo required to pay so much of the nominal amount of tho shares held by hiia as has not yeB been called up and paid. If he pays all the calls iu due time, be cannot be required to pay more, even ou account of the costs of winding up if the company sitouid go into liquidation. But if he should neglect! or delay, he might have to pay interest and costs of proceedings against himself to enfnre payment. 8UIP,Lord Randolph Cllmchill was born in 1819, and is, now St years of ugc. PANK (lo.NSliliVATlvE" (Tredegar).—Spike Island situate in the middle of Cork Harbour. On it are artillery barracks, a military hospital, and bomb-prool forts to protect, the entrance to the harbour. "SLIP" (PcnarLll).-Paudora, a beautiful woman, the first of her sex, was fashioned by Vulcan and animated by Minerva. On ber each god and goddess of Olympus bestowed a separate charm, and sent her from heaven to earth to punish man for his audacity in thinking he could wield the lire of Jove. The box Pando-a broujjht with her was fraught with all good things aud all bad. Out of it, when pried into by JSpimelhens, everything escaped except Hope, the good things back to heaven and the evil things to infest, and plague the earth. MISTAKK.—" A. C." (Cardiff) is entitled to an apology from the person who made the mistake, and probably if he were to ask for one his reasonable desire would be complied with. ibt the rudeness of the police- constable is quite another matter, for which the only means of redress would be a complaint to the chief- (.olljf.a!j!e. We are Sllrprised thai, a member of the' respcatable force in question should so far forget the courtesy due from him. As to the origilld cause of comoiaint, it is unfortunate that snch a mistake should have occurred, but those who never make any mis- takes are exceptions to the general rule and we have not heard any previous complaint lespcCoing the official mentioned. CHAPBL LEASE.—" J. G, P. G-. (Swansea) is advised that, the usual and proper course in cases is to have the lease made to the trustees Oil behalf of the Church and congregation, although it is well known that there is one exception to thd rule in qUpstil>ll. Wedo not know whether the case to which he refers is; another authorised exception to the ride, but we think that it is a pity that any such except ion should exist. It is very objectionable to have the property of a con- gregation vested in the minister alone, and sueh a course is likely to lead to litigation if the minister should insist upon dealing with the chapel as his own private property, and the subscribers and members should object to his doing so. CONTRACT.—When the contract 13 completed and tha money payable according to the terms thereof Cymro may hava tile accounts finally made up and pay the balance which may be found to be due to the contractor, after taking into account the items on the other side. There would be no advantage in his paying more than the adual balance and then baying to get back the amounts which ought 10 have been decueteu. We have not seen a copy of the coutract in question, but it is not very likely that the balance will be payable before the roof has been made water. "CONSTANT KKADEH" (AberysUvith).—;1.) The follow, ino- is all aBa" sis of the Elbio -£) Old Xew Testament. Total. Books 59 27 66 Chapters. 929 260 1,139 Verses 23 214 31,173 WORDS' 592:439 Tetters .2,723,100 1833,6o0_ o,066,480 The middle chapter and tHe til-l-I « fsaim ii j. iue 21st verse of the 7th chapter ot Lzp. contains all tho letters of the alphabet, rcc^onmg i and j as the same letter The 19rli chapter of the Second Book of Kings and the 37th chapter of Isaiah are alike. The shortest) verso is John xi., 00. J-nb total acreage of Tork- Mliti-e including the city <>t York, is 3.834,3o0, and the population at the census of 1881 was 2,940.507. ALLEGED BREACH or CONTRACT.—Perhaps "D. T." (Newport) may not hear anything more of the matter. There app«*rs to have bean a. misunderstanding, buti he clearly broke his engagement, and in his first let ter he gave a reason for doing so which he now ignores. But t'ne omission to write to his employers may have misled him, although we cannot see why it should. There was a cle ir and definite* agreement, which bo ought to have felt himself bound by, and for the breach of which he is technically liable'to an action for, damages. It is impossible to say whether the threatened action will be proceeded with, hut we think it extremely doubtful. We also think that haff the amount claimed would be sufficient compensation in the circumstances. We brve li's I)XATH OF LKGATKK.—"F. W." (Dowlais) will have to obtain letters of administration of the personal estate and effects of his deceased wife, who died intestate, before he can give a good receipt for the amount to which she wa3 entitled under her father's will. Th*, cost of administration will depend upon the value of: the share and of her other personal estate, if auy. Hiat solicitor will tell him the amount.

THE ANNUAL CHRISTMAS DllOEIi TO THH POOH AT CARDIFF. TO THH KDJTOR OF THE WEEKLY "fAIL." SIR,—Will you allow me once again to let utii Cardiff friends know that I am ready to receiv< their kind contributions towards our inziua, Christmas Dinner Fund ? Though it is by this time so well known, I should like to repeat that iIW dispensing this seasonable charity we know nO distinction, either of creed or race. Ti1.-1 only, limit is the parish boundary and the amount of money at our disposal. We feed only tlJe very poorest, and, if a surplus remain, it poes to provide them with clothing and coaL- I am, &c.. C. J. THOMPSON. St. John's Vicarage, Cardiff,