The Cardiff Times

s -'T E-' S T TRY IT.

WORKMEN'S TOPICS. THE FIGHTING FUNDS. By MABON, M.P. I sincerely hope that the strong appeal that has been made for two fighting funds, one to tight the Tariff Reform plague that tires out people's souls with its din, and is constantly being sung about our rural villages even here in South Wales.. The cause of Free Trade. I grant you, has emerged triumphantly from the General Election, notwithstanding the great odds the other side had in their favour of well- paid speakers and tons of pamphlets. That J^e have" won on the whole there is no doubt; wit in the rural districts of Glamorgan even we have not won with that truly rural ring fchat the masses of people are acquainted ^ith in our industrial districts among the Mills. In some of these villages our opponents have during the election, campaign made sufficient headway to stimulate than to continued efforts. And on our side we must not be back- And on our side we must not be back- ward in organising a counter move- ftieat. The Protectionists, too, have some advantage in appealing to certain districts and classes in those districts, which make it Necessary on the Free Traders' side to keep their side to the fore as well. They have an- other advantage-the advantage of agrandiz- tnent and effrontery. One has sometimes won- dered at Conservatives being successful among working men at all. But since pne has been living more or less in a rural or Dastoral part of the country, and have been able to watch the happenings therein during a couple of General Elections, things don't appear so won- derful as they were. Moreover, one has learned to wonder a little how it is that so many of our Agricultural labourers manage to stiffen their hacks at all/and the only explanation satis- factory to me is, that so many of the farmers 'Df the. Vale here are Nonconformists, anii. more "0t them hiring from that good old stock. In the collieRy districts working men are Sometimes pretty aggressive fellows, and if thp.v occasionally vote against their own ob- tious interests they don't do it out of fear of kheir employer, or of what may happen to iheir employer's landlord, brtfc in a defiant, if foolish, conviction that they are *oing what's best for themselves. In the Country. Down here it is otherwise oftentimes. A "ifood many of the farm hands and workers on tile soil especially are subdued, very patient, IGO dependent, and too horribly under the Influence of their lords and masters. Few of then! can claim that their souls are their own. With these obvious advantages the Tariff Reform propagandaists became emboldened for a while before the elections—and those that addressed them were shrewd enough not to compare then* present conditions with that of their fathers 50 or 60 years ago, but with that Of other men in other trades, blaming Free Trade, and not the landlords and land laws that such a great number of their class had to feave agricultural districts and seek employ- ment in our great town^and cities. In this the Ipromised new" policy is indeed a very Comforting one—the many among our f^rm labourers and other labouring classes know but little of the real facts, and none of the ex- perience of the bad old days of the Corn Laws, and innumerable customs duties. Generations, %i fact, have grown up in this country with no Experience, and but little knowledge of those lays. over the Protectionist can deal profusely In promises, and being the attacking party they were, and are, in a position of greater free- dom and less responsibility, and not very scru- pulous about the means of trying to bring tbatr promises to the test of experience. Theiiv esse, to my way of thinking, is fundamentally Vftonsy*sten- t. This is to mwh so that it ena-bess them to be all things to all men. They are Really guilty -of presenting one phase of the Question to those who want to find a new Source of revenue, and in a quite contradictory aspect to those who want to exclude foreign competition. The Daring Protectionists. Another aspect in the daring attitude of these Protectionists in disguise, is a certam Lordly arrogance they put on when addressing )-be peoplei Some of them, in this high and eighty way assert that the Budget was not only bad politically and financially, but it Jtood in the way of a better system which Unionists held would encourage home indus- tries. increase farmers' profits and improve the- labourer's position immensely." rhat was £ he last word to be-said, of course, as one of ihe lordly tarifflsts proclaimed at Llantwit «a^or the other day, anything and every- thing that anybody else said was so much rot the tone and demeanour adopted by most -f their leading platform speakers indicated the tiass of men that felt that they had lost their lisicial grip upon the people, and that in Tariff Reform they had discovered the very thing by Cleans of which they were going to be able to Replace their hold upon them." Hence every- thing and everybody must get out of the way Tariff Reform. Yet not one of their various «°rdly speakers nor the ordinary would make Ony attempt to explain what the mystic formula of Tariff Reform really means. I may be pardoned for appearing somewhat Anxious in this matter. One thing is clear— this anxiety of mine arises from no personal interest that can accrue to me if what I Press is successful. But 1 am anxious that my Wend- and the Progressive Party he so ably and Botfly represents should succeed unquestion- ably. Having dwelt in the industrial district all my life, I have never until now fully com- prehended the immense unmanly mandatory tftoifying influence the landlord *&d the country squire have on the country folk, to whom the prospects Of life simply depend upon the receipt clothes, coals, and blankets to help thei* low wages to keep them just above star- vation point. Such is the perjyetual menace tjbat has been going on in this immediate district. Usually this is only known where the Lords and landowners 'and capitalists are in »e habit of clearing the mountains and glens Of their humble inhabitants replacing them by "Unterous kinds of game, whose solution of the kn.d question is chiefly the transportation JJf troublesome people to other lands. The more one jkees of these poor lives, the more sympathises with their subserviency, some- W, and the less one wonders at the slow pro- gress they are making. Still, one is thoroughly convinced that unless something is done to Spread the light of Free Trade and free discus- sion among them, the more will these self- interested Tariff Reformers persuade the People to put their necks under the cruel yoke antiquated Protection. If that state of things is ever arrived at again, then the Oppressed and the desperate millions will be driven to bread riots the likes of which were before.

SAVAGE ASSAULT. Jealous Sweetheart Sentenced; A charge of aggravated assault was heard ^as heard at Li ferpool Police Court on Wed- nesday. The accused was named John Traynor (23), whose jealousy had been aroused because the complainant, Alice Dunn, with whom he Said he kept company, had walked out with another man. "The assault took place on Tuesday night in Comus-street, when the Prisoner knocked the complainant down and "totally kicked her. The Chairman denounced the prisoner's Conduct in unmeasured terms Do you con- sider yourself a man ? You are a perfect savage. You not only hit the woman you Professed to be keeping company with, hut •Mocked her down and brutally kicked her. "e are going to send you to prison for four Months." The prisoner left the dock ex- Pressing sorrow for what he had done.

M.P. ATTACKS DUKE. His Grace of Norfolk Under the Lash. A proposal by Sheffield City Council to erect memorial of the Duke of Norfolk's gift of a P&rk to the town was strongly opposed by "^ialist members at Wednesday's meeting. Councillor Pointer, M.P. for Afcterclifie, in Shoving an amendment,1 said the value of the P&rk was considerably less than the Duke took Jrom the city annually in rents. The refuse ?ea.p was the proper place for the statue. He if it was erected anywhere eJ.se the forking man would pull it down. The speech wag repudiated by both Liberals and Conser- atives and the amendment rejected.

MISSED BY MINUTES. «« uar-S' Wednesday.—According to the retit Parisien," three British detectives *rrive<} yesterday at Marseilles, in pursuit of a In an described as a British officer, and a j °n>an by whom he is accompanied. The ucrit'ves loft hurriedly lor Barcelona, and the ^-U-ctives missed them only by a few minutes *■ ort Bow, on the Spanish frontier*—Heuter.

PLIGHT OF PARtS. Pictures of Desolation. Helpless & Dazed Householders- FURTHER INUNDATIONS. The rise in the waters of the-Seine tirbutaries is giving cause for alarm. Prom one quarter comes a report that 200 houses are under water, while elaborate precautions are being made in Paris to meet another inundation should such occur. Fortunately the present situation in Paris does not give cause for undue alarm, but parts of the city and numer- ous inhabitants are in a pitiable state as a consequence of the devastation wrought by the recent floods. Homes Under Water, Liege, Wednesday.—The Meuse has risen, with the result that Flemalle and Jemappe have been inundated. Some two hundred homes are already under water. The tramway service has had to be suspended. The whole country about Liege is flooded.-Reuter. A Reuter's message, describing the present condition of Paris, says :-The suburbs whence the floods have now withdrawn have been left in a pitiable state. The courtyards are still filled with stagnant water which cannot escape, and will take weeks to dry up. Furni- ture, pianos, harmoniums, and all sorts of household effects are. twisted and bent and,, mixed up with planks and branches of trees on a thick bed of yellow slime. The owners of these wrecked homes gazedes— pairingly on this picture of utter desolation as; if dazed, not knowing how-to begin to render them again habitable. Relief which is forthcoming for these home- less victims seems to be still very inadequate. The total of the various funds has now-reached. the sum of £129,000, but the need far ex the resources thus provided. Elaborate Precautions. Paris, Wednesday.—Although the Seine is expected to rise another two or three feet. during the next two days, the,finc- weather which prevailed to-day, broken only by one slight shower, encourages a hope that the Seine will then again subside. Meanwhile engineers are strengthening and heightening parapets, erecting dams, and preparing for emergencies in every possible way. All the extraordinary measures taken during the recent-crisis remain in force. Boats and footbridges will be im- mediately available in any district which may be invaded. In view of more favourable re- ports from up river stations, however, it is hoped'that these timely precautions win. not-be required.- Reut.er. Quays and Streets Flooded. Paris, Wednesday.—The River Seine has risen 21 centimetres in the last 24 hours, and a further rise of about 30 centimetres is antici- pated to-morrow. The roadway of the Quay D'lvry is under water for a length of 90 yards, and the quays and streets at Passy and Auteuil are once more flooded, while from various outlying suburbs renewed inundations are reported. The Minister of Public Works has ordered the immediate construction of dams at all danger-points at both banks of the river as a precautionary measure.—Reuter.

SALOONS AND REAoum-ROOM. Luxurious Airship Being Built. Berlin, Wednesday.—A new monster aaxship, the Zeppelin, the frame of which is almost completed, will have several saloons fmrtbe; accommodation of passengers during long voyages, including a reading-room. The ship has a gas capacity oMO;<m cubic meters and carries three motcus. Sheis-ex- pected to make her m&idenyoyagein'fchespring. —Reuter.

WoftLD AVIATION RECORD. Cairo, Wednesday.—At the aviation meeting at Heliopolis to-day, Sends beat fchewwricPs record for speed, coveting <hw?<%jkiMaetfcs^n 4 minutes 22 3-5-seconds.—tteoter.

GERMAN AIRSHIP ASCfMT. Berlin, Wednesday.-The military airship M 3, which ascended in the forenoon on a flight to Justerbog, returned here at 4^50 tins- afternoon over the Tegel Shooting Range. It appeared, however, to be unable to land, owing I to a defect in the elevating apparafcus. and drifted in the direction of Mariendjofr, whereat, came smoothly to earth at 5.30.

RACE FOR SOUTH POLE. Big Cheque for Peary- New York, Wednesday.—At a great-civic re- ception at the Metropolitan Opera Hoose yes- terday evening, Commander Peary was pre- sented with the first national testimonial in recognition of his having reached the North Pole. The explorer was enthusiastically greeted by 4,000people, and a cheque for 10,000 dollars, raised by public subscription, was presented by Mr Hughes, Governor of the New York State, to Commander Peacy, who declared that the money would be deposited in the bank as a joint contribution of the donors and himself towards the American Antarctic expe- dition, in order," he added, to enter the Stars and Stripes for the sfftegtdid and manly international race to the South Pole with our British cousins, than whom there are no^finer foeman in the world.Reuter. Washington, Wednesday.—A Bill to confer the rank of Rear-Admiral on Commander Peary, the Arctic explorer, introduced on the 3rd instant by Mr Hale, was to-day passed by the Senate. The measure will undoubtedb: pass the Houseof Representatives.—Reuter. -4

DIAMOND NECKLET CASE. MessM Attenboreugh Exonsrated. The hearing was concluded on Wednesday in King's Bench Division by Mr Justice Hampton and a special jury of the action brought by Mr A. Janesitch, a Paris jeweller, against Messrs Attenborough, the well known pawnbrokers, for the recovery of a diamond necklace valued at .£1,850. Plaintiff's case was that he entrusted the necklace, with other articles of jewellery, to a Baron Goldachmadt, who was to sell them to English customers, but pawned the goods. The question for the Court was whether plaintiff could claim the necklace, defendants alleging that they accepted the necklace from the Baron as a principal, believing-it to be his property. The jury, in answer to questions, found that defendants acted in good faith, and that they had no notice that the piedger had d«. authority to pledge the goods. No judgment was given, his Lordship 'pro-, ceeding to hear arguments on a legal point. II

TOBACCO SMUGGLING, Peculiar Case at Liverpool. At Liverpool Police Court on Wednesday a Chinaman named Law Mo, a junior fineanan on board the Steamer Ching Wo, was charged with smuggling 521b. of cav-endish tobacco on the voyage of that steamer from, Java. The Ching Wo was now lying in the Queen's Dock, Liverpool. Prisoner pleaded guilty. It was the first voyage of the prisoner to, sea, and it was said to be incredible that be could get single-handed 521b. of tobacco and remove it from one part of the ship to another without someone besides himself being im- plicated in it. The tobacco was found in the engine-room—some in a coalbag, some in a coalbox, and some amongst old iron in the storeroom. The Chairman said it was evident tbat", the tobacco was intended to be smuggled, and the prisoner might have been fined £100. The. Bench would fine him double the price of the tobacco, L32 18s 9d. and in default of payment. he would go to prison for two months.

SHOP FIRE AT CARDIFF. On Wednesday afternoon a fire broke out at e"'d 202, Cowbridge-road, a hosier's, tailor's, and hairdresser's shop in the occupation of Messrs Littlewood and Co. Smoke was seen issuing from the shop, and, as it wiis closed for the half-dav, information was given to the police.. They turned out with the reel, under Supt. Yelland, burst open the door, and quickly attached hose to the street main and checked the fire. In the meantime the Fire Brigade, under Supt. Geen, arrived on the scene and subdued the outbreak. At one time there was considerablei excitement among the crowd which assembled, as it was thought there were people working in the rooms upstairs. The fire originated in a, corner of the shop behind the counter. It is not known how it commenced. Mr Littlewood left the premises at 1.15, and everything appeared all right then. The damage is estimated to be about £100.

AMERICAN TARIFF RATES), Washington, Wednesday .—President Taft has issued a proclamation granting the minimum tariff rates to Argentina, BraziJ, Uruguay, Paraguay, Mexico, Panama, and Liberia,— Reuter.

WELSH COUNTRY HOMES. XVII.—The Van. A TUDOR MANOR HOUSE. The Story of a Famous Family, In a series of articles dealing with Welsh country homes no apology is needed for a mention of The Van, the ancient Tudor house which stands on the hillside to the a" east of Caerphilly, because though much of it is now ruinous and has fallen from its high estate, its interests remain, and as long as one stone stands upon another the charm of old associations will compass it about. _,n- GENERAL VIEW OF THE VAN. The f act-that it was the former resideaceof and gave its name to one of the most notable families in South Wales is in itself abundant justification for reference to it here. The illustrations to this article speak for them- setwes. Much of the old place was some time ago in danger of falling, but the present owner, the Earl of Plymouth, whose reverence for ancient edifices is well known, has taken every care to preserve the fabric, and in one of our pictures the huge beams which. support. the remains of the great porch are to be noted. To-day the old place has degenerated from a. manor house into a farm building, and pigs grunt and geese cackle where in days pas t the ford at the manor and his househa4d aired themselves in the golden sunshine. The family of Lewis'' of Van is one-of the most cetebeaited) during the pastfoareentnnesin the bisfcory of Glamorgan. From them sprang the hracches of Lewis of Cilfaeh Vargoed, Lewis of pHKEtark Place, Lewis of Listaiy- bont, Lewis of Glyn Taff, Lewis of Llanishen, Lewis of Newhonse, suxi J-iewis of 'Green- mesdoot. Oterer-OponweiJ was descended from the Van family-on his mother's side. Evidence of the influence which the famtty exercised m South Wastes over a long period' of ?"Ba £ s is provided by the faet that between 1549-and 1856 members of the Lewis of Van famiiy weee High Sheriffs of Glamorgan on than Iwwliutijy-^Atree oceysigBg. *ffi| aht&gcs been distinguished for fte mMHttf ai which they have kept alive old Wetah eas- toms and ideals, and as Jong as they resided there The Van re-echoed with the sferainsH)!; fcheharp- A FawrHy Rooted in Antiquity, The beginnings of the family a^e rooted in a, remote past. Certain Welsh genealogists have, claimed to trace their pedigree back to one, G<waefchfoed, Prinee of Cardigan. With a. I greater desire for accuracy, however, it is sufficient tor out- purpose to indicate that prior to the coming of the Normans the ancestors of this famous Glamorgan family were powerful lords in the eastern portion of Morganwg. In the eleventh century Mecric ap Oadivor was the master of these lands, and he by his marriage with the daughter of the Lord of Gwent probably did much to steepgthen bis position. Their gEamd&<m<was tho famous Ivor Bach, who early in that THE OLD PORCH.. twelfth century greatly enhanced his family's influence and broadened their possessions by his marriage with Nest, who was the heiress to the CarrtrefE of Senghenydd, which her great- grandfather Einion ap Collwyn had received in the distribution of lands at the Conquest. It was a vast, but at the time valueless, lordship, for it was seven or eight centuries r later before its boundless mineral wealth was »developed. It stretched from the Taff to the ILhymney VaBeys, and northward to the con- fines of Breconshire, and on the south it was bounded by-Casten Coch with its mountain barrier above Whitchurch. Besides Casteil Coch this long rampart had another fortress, "Castell Morgraig, and in one or other or both of these Ivor Bach held his 'camp. An Interesting Reflection. It is an interesting reflection, and one which one can hardly do otherwise than note in passing, that to-day, only a few hundred yards south of the mouldering ruins of Castell Mor- graig, stands Newhouse, a nineteenth century residence of the Lewis family, while an equal distance south of CastellCoch is Greenmeadow, the home of Colonel Henry Lewis, who is to- day the male representative of the descend- ants, through the Lewises of Van, of Ivor Bach. Fmm that famous twelfth ceatory chieftain. ColoDel Heøry Lewis is the twenty- second in direct male descent. To the exploite of Ivor Bach there inw need to refer in detail here.. To those who visited theOardiff Pageant-his name will be recalled as that of the hero who. eightor nine centuries ago visited retribution, fierce and. sudden, upon — —— t THE DOOMED DOVECOTE. I Earl William in his stronghold at-Oasediff nbm the brave Welsh chieftain brought the pawod Norman to his knees and dictated his own terms. The Normans called Ivor Bach Sir Ivor Petit. His son, Griffith, is alleged to haee married a daughter of the Norman Earl, and their son, Rbys, made a. still greater match by-wedding Ellen, thc-daughte of Ntys, Prince of South Wales. Howtii the Yellow. Their grandson, Howell Velyn, or Howell the Yellow," was so called because as ap infant he was smuggled out of Castell Coch in a cradle covered with yellow rennet. This Howell the Yellow married the daughter of Sir Mayo le Sore, Lord of St. Fagans, Peter- ston and Odyn's Fee. Mr G. T. Clark, a very reliable authority, considers it probable that it was from the Yellow Howell that the Earl of Gloucester took by force the site on which, in 1271, he built Caerphilly Castle. Anyhow, Howell removed the family head- quarters into the district which is now Merthyr, and there two branches of the family dwelt for a time, one having the Court House and lands, and the other the Pont Rhun or Troedyrhiw estate. The seventh in descent from Howell the YeUow was Lewis ap Richard Gwyn of Pont Rhun, and he, who was far wealthier than his kinsman, bought the Court lands and once more united the estate, ruling, it is stated, as Lord of Merthyr. This was about the end of the fifteenth century, and from this time for- ward the family were known as Lewis, for Lewis ap Richard Gwyn's.heiJ"wás known as Bdwasd Lewis, imd his Hfe marks a notable era in4he justory of the family. The Buflder of tha Van. Edward Lewis was a, man of great wealth and influence, and he appears to have had instincts which led him away from the wild and trackless hill country to the confines of the civilisation of that day, nearer in fact to the home of his forbears, and early im the sixteenth century he came to Caerphilly, and there he built the Tudor Manor Hawse, parts of which are inhabited to this day, and which, with its ancient dovecote, forms snch an interest- ing feature of the landscape on the slope of the hiJl to the-eastern side-of Caerphilly. The date of its erection must-haswe been prior to lSObeeaanse Leland in his itinerary, which was written in that year, remarks, There is a faire^place at Caerphilly called The Vaarae,' where Mr Edward Lewis dwefieth-" He was; known ae Edward Lewis ofThe Van, and bere he and his descendants dwelt for atietst a century, though the name was associated the family for a much longer period. The "Van most in those days have bmu a fiae rtsadeoee. Unlike many ^Poretr booses it was well placed, and, as fcagfr', It was a$by a -trailed pack rt JBb *& feerfs &&3S3 to Ms emaes try pm^paamg Roafch Keyaisbam. He soon became recognised as a xsan of mflnence in the county, and was sheriff in 1548, 155& and 1559, and was deputy Costos. One notable feafcnre of the Lewis of Van family that makes it of special interest in the county was the way in which its members married and intermarried with leading families aJl over Sotrth Wales. An example of this in one generation is provided by the children of Edward Lewis, who intermaaTied with Kemeys of Kemeys and Cefn Mably, Herbert of Cole- brook, Button of Worlton, Ven-of Maremss Mbd Pritdhard-of Llanower. A Reskience in St Mary-street, Sardiff. Eilward Lewisr's heir, Thomas Lewis of Van, was sheriff of Glamorgan in 1569, and it is interesting to note that he also had a house which he built on the mte of the Old Town Hall and Post Office in St. Mary-street, Cardiff, a fragment of which, known as the Lewis Hoase, was standing until 1865. It was prabably Thomas Lewis who added consider- ably to The Van by building the great gallery and porch, for which were utilised some of the materials <*f Oakrphwy easw. Thomas Lewis died at his house in Cardiff in 1593, and was succeeded by his son Edwaxd, who was farigbted in 1603. Sir Edward was probably the laggest local, landowner of that day. It was Ice to whom we referred in a reoenfc article as having purchased St. Pagans from Sir William Herbert in 1615-16. Sir Edward died in 1628 and was sofieeeded by his<son Edwacd, who had been knighted by James I. In 1610 he was a gentleman of the privy chamber to Prince Henry and afterwards to Prince Chafes. He married Lady Ann SackviJle, I widow of Lord Beanchamp, and was succeeded on his death in 1650 by his son Richafd-Lewis, .vitoriponebased tije Manor -of Corsham. fiaofied at Canliff for Sheep Stealing, It was daring tb e4atter days of the Lewis occupatiojci that one night some sheep were stolen from The Van. Suspicion at-once fell upon a furpnf named Ree&~George, who lived at Ty Fry Farm hard by. That night after dark the then owner of the Van sent his servants to the farm of Rees George, where they fomtd some sheep skins bearing the IDMk dH Lewis Van." Proceedings were at once taken agamst Rees George, who was brought before the Caerphilly magistrates and-committed for trial, found guilty, and banged o&tbe Heath. Cardiff. The Van Dismantled. Richard Lewis gceatty negtected-Uhe Van and, according to Mr G. TL Ctarlt., prcfttably dismantled it. The probable explanation of this neglect of The Van was the fact that by this time its accommodation had become^joite inadequate to the styie m which the family then lived, forwhen in Glamorgan- shire they appear to have resided at St. Pagans. Richard Lewis was succeeded by his son, Thomas Lewis, who was a pronounced Jacobite, and is said to have been fined £10,000 to escape the results of a correspondence which was discovered between him and the young Pretender. This Thomas Lewis-satfora quarter of a century in the House of Commons, in turn Winchester. Hampshire, Southampton, New Saram and Portsmouth. He died in 1736 leaving his daughter Elizabeth Lewis of Van the sole heiress, and she marnect otherwumloor. the third Earl of PtymootiuShe was the last of the Lewises of Van, bat the younger heanebes of the family stalLsurviwe,. as "we-shall show in our next-article, • Next Week-GRERNMEADOW.

A DISTINGUISHED COLONIAL JOURNALIST. Sir Robert Kyffin Thomas, wbo-has onty recently been knighted, acted as chairman of the Colonial delegates attending the Im- perial Press Conference. Sir Robert is held in high esteem by "his Australian zolleagues. He is-the^hief proprietor of the "AdfiLaude J Sir R. Kyffin Tliomas. Register," the Observer," and the Even- ing Journal." At the Press Conference Sir Robert succeeded in preserving a friendly atti- tude amon^ the various sections of the dele- gates, whose interests were not altogether identical, and whose views did not always coT f incide.

MODERATE DRINKERS. Brewers Wantto Encourage Them Speaking at the City of London Beeawry Company meeting on ednesday, AM. TMs- cott said the board felt that-the, Trade had now reached the lowest point for bearing further taxation- If the new licence duties came into force it meant an additional annual outlay for that company of £ 25.000. (Shame.) On the general aspect of the teetotal question, he thought education had mwch to do with thei moderation of to-day. What the brewers desired to see was a nation of moderate drinkers. He did not Munk the button, as a whole, was so much agwnst the brewers and the publicans, and this he gatbeerd from tba, attitude of the community towacd.s^tbe late., licensing Bill.

DAYLIGHT SAVING BILL. • Influential Support. The Daylight Saving Bill is to be brought-up before Parliament again next Session, if Mr Willett's plans mature. Already an influential measure of support has been obtained, and it is almost certain that it will be introduced by Sir Edward Sassoon, the chairman of the Committee appointed in 1908 to consider it. He has promised to give it his chance in the ballot for private members' Bills, as has also Mr J. S. Fletcher, M.P. for Hatnpstead. The new Bill has been drafted on prac- ,ticaUy t«h £ same laMiti as before.

NEW BISHOP. The appe»mtm«nt of the Bev. Dr. Bertram Pollock, M.V.O., as Bishop of Norwich, in succession to Dr. Sheepshanks, means another schoolmaeter-Bishop. He has been of W^iljagton OoDegesince 18913. At, tbelmmsmt Dr. Bertram Pollock. time two former heads of public schools are Bishops—Dr. Percival, of Hereford, who was Headmaster at Rugby for eight years, and Bishop Welldon, now Dean of Manchester, who was head of Harrow for 13 years.

Evan Lewis. Glanamman, a haulier at the Gellyceidrym Colliery, was injured on Tuesday, being crushed by a restive liorse.

Emperor's Letter. INCIDENT IN DUTCH PARLMMEM: GERMANY AND BRITAIN. Hague, Wednesday. —During a debate.in the First Chamber of States General to-day on Foreign Office Estimates, Baron VanHeefceren Van Kell, ex-Minister to Sweden. spoke in support of his request that the Minister for Foreign Affairs should take steps to guarantee the integrity of the Netherlands. With regard to Germany and Great Britain, he said a certain event, which had taken place some years before, and which the Minister was probably ignorant of, constituted a special reason for demanding for Holland more guarantees than the North Sea Connection gave to second-class Powers. After a request to be more specific, Baron Van Heekeren explained that a. neighbouring Sovereign had intimated a few years ago that he would be obliged to have Dutch territory occupied if Hol- land did not place hej^elf in a state of defence against Great Britain. He reproached the Minister for not hawing taken this circum- stance into account while cooduding the- North Sea Convention. The Minister for Foreign Affairs saad be was not in a position to refute this assesikm until Baron Van Heekeren explaiix>d«xj»ctly-wba& he meant by neighbouring Sofeneign and intimated." He conjured Baron Van Heekeren, in the interest of the-coarstry, to be more clear and precise. As the latter did not reply, tbodebate-was closed without incident. According to the Courant," Bason Van Heekeren asked at the secret sitting whether the German Emperor, probably in 1904, wrote a letter to Queen Wilhelmina in which refer- ence was made to the possible German occupa- tion of Dutch territorv if certain measures for the defence of Holland were not taken. The journal suggests that Baron Vqn Heekeren became cognisant of the matter when be was Dutch Minister at Stockholm.—Reuter.

Ex-Sultan's I Frenzy. ATTEMPT TO STRAttflLE HIMSELF. Paris, .Wednesday.—"Hie Matin'" states .that telegrams fr4m Sakmica. and Constan- tinople received at Vienca-deciare that Abdol Hamtd was recently sensed with a violent paroxysm of frenzy. During the attack the ex-Sultan attempted to strangle himself with a silk handkerchief, but was prevented from carrying out-his in- tention by a servant. Abdal Hamid knocked the man down, and, it is asserted, lacerated his finger with his teeth. Guards hastened -to the spot on hear- ing the servant's cries. The Matin further says that-in rwder to restrain the ex-Sultan it was found necessary to place a strait waistcoat upon him.—Cen- tral News.

POPE AND KING. Alfonso "Bows to the People," Madrid, Wednesday ,-The Pope addressed himself through the intermediary oftbe Nuncio to King AMooso with a view to preventing the status of theteiatkms between Spain and the Vatican being in any way assailed. The King considered theire £ nsal of the Vatican to-enter into negotiations with his Govermnent, whidh he said enjoyei his entire confidence, to be unjustified. He remarked, while protesting his submission n1 the Church, that, a modifica- tion of the concordat was possible new as it had been at other times, and that he, as a recognised constitutional monarch, had to bow to theTBriies of his people, expressed by his <Jowraiwait-—Beciterr Novi, Ministry. Madrid, Wednesday.—King Aifonso has eoifcrusted Senor Canadiejaswith the formation of mmv Liberal Cablet in place of that of Senor Moeet, who resigned tiiis -inaraii^, and the followii^ appdint«ient« to the new Mimstrv are aBnoeaMed to-n^ht.:—Prenrier, floe Senor Garcia Prieto Pfpances, Senor-Oobian*; Interioc, Senor Marino War, Senca* Aznaa* Marme. Senor Anad Miranda Justice, Senor Valariao PubUe InArnetion, Senor Boman- ones; Agriculture, Commerce, and PaWic Works, Senor Calbeton.—Oentral News. Madrid, Wednesday, 7.30p.m.—As tbe Moret Cabinet cofiapsed owing to differences of opinionamong various gronps of the Liberal party, Senor Canalejas has been obliged to forma Coalition Cabinet, and. has -distribated portfolios among the democrafe, of wiiom lie is leader,—Beuter.

COW EMANCIPATION. I Forced Labour and Tax Doomed. Brussels, Weduesday-The Chamber to-day resumed its debate on the Congo, estimates. M. Renkin, Minister of the ooionim- piaotested gainst the suggestion that the whole of the Katanga had been conceded to HM English; who.he said, did net predominate. Of seven engmeers in the Union Mkacre <}« Hant, Katanga, there were four Brfgiabs, two imoeans, and one Englishman. Tbe-G-oviern- ment would neglect notbiDg tosategtMtd Bel- gium's rights in Kattfaiga. He-declawd the allacks madeupon the Acts of Belgian ad- ministration were onjotttined. The informs had been decided upon two months before the death of King Leopold. The^ystem erf fteced labour would be completely abandoned, and the labour tax would not be exacted in 1910. —Renter. Brussels, Wednesday.—The Commission consisting of delegates from Great Rritam, Germany, and Belgium for the discnasion of questions regarding the eastern frontier of tiie Congo met again to-day. The delegates ex- amined at. great length maps of the disputed territory, and at the condasion of the meeting the Belgian delegates exchanged views, but refused to make-any communication to the Press. The Commission meets again on Friday.—Renter.

MR ROOSEVELrS RETURN, National Recaption in New York. It is stated in the Press that it had been the Emperor's intention to receive Mr Booeeveifc during his visit to Berlin in April with all the honours usually accorded to a *almg sovereign. At the ex-President's-exprees wish, however, this programme has been abandoned, says the Daily Telegraph Berlin correspondent, and be will merely be treated as a private person of great distinction. New York city will tendsr~a tug-reception to Mr Roosevelt on his arrival there next June, and the former President, according to a catie- gram to his friends, wiU notohjeet to the big The cablegram ww received in reply-fcoa letter from the Republican OIub, pir^osxng the formation of a National Reception Caemniteee, with representatives from all over the cotmtry, to meet ex-President Roosevelt on his arrival in New York harbour. President Taft is giving his heazty support to the plan for a national reception, and his wishes and ideas will be consulted and taken advantage of in the formulation of the pro- gramme, says the "Daily Telegraph" .Hew York correspondent.

GREAT FIRE IN ITALY. British Tars' Brave Conduct Naples, Wednesday—-A violent fire broke out at Pog&rcale to-lay destroying a colowal sawmill. A hundred and fifty British nruVom from his Majesty's cruiser Cornwall were sent ashore to prevent the fire from spreading and to save people and their property. The men, working under tbedireetion of Captsinionim hey, distinguished themselves by their bravery.—Reuter.

QUICK RUN TO FAR WEST. Mr Coffroth Wins His Wager. New York, Wednesday.—Mr W. J. Coffroth, a well-known sportsman and the promoter of some of the biggest pugilistic contests in the history of the ring, has just, won a wager of 2,000 dollars from a member of the British National Sporting Club, who betted that Mr Coffroth would not travel from London to San Francisco in 10 days. The winner accomplished the feat with some hours to spare.—Central News. A few days before he started on his race dor the "wager Mr Coffroth was at Cardiff.

ATTACKED BY WOLVES. Rome, Wednesday.—The Piacenza correspon- dent of the Messaggiero telegraphs that the central northern provinces are terroised by wolves, which have come down from the Apennines, killing cattle and causing panic among the peasantry. A large pack of wolves invaded the market town of Dignini, and the villagers shut themselves in the houses aud fired at the animals from the windows. Some peasants at Riamantivwere fiercely attacked, but succeeded in escaping with their lives, though one wae badly injured and a horse was kilkjd.Cen.tral News,

WElSH GLEANINGS. News and Views in Ughter Vein. Madame Bessie Evans, R.A.M., daughter 01 the late -0 Llew Boattt," a notable Welsh chou-* leader, has ju$t made her drst appearance on a Canadian platform, and that on behalf of & former Knighton (Radnorshire) family. The-once-fanioast Cyfarthfa Band, which was v brought into existence by the late Mr William Orawshay, the Iron King," who lived in Cyfarthfa Castle, Merthyr, is now being re- organised, and an Army musician has been appointed bandmaster. The band is now under the control of the Corporation, and. is called the Cyfarthfa and Municipal Band. Mr J. B. Davies, cashier of the Narberth branch, has been promoted to the manager- ship of the Pembroke branch, and Mr J, M, Williams as manager of the Brecon branch of the London and Provincial Bank. Both Mr Davies and Mr Williams are brothers-in-law of Mr R, A.. Brockie, manager of the Carmarthen branch. When the Government took over the Swan- sea, telegraph service forty years ago there were three companies in existence at Swansea —the Electric Telegraph, the British and Irish Magnetic Telegraph, and the United Kingdom Telegraph, the first-named being the only one with direct communication with London. There are a few members of the old staff now left—Messrs M. J. Edwards (ex-superinten- dent), C. Desmond (present superintendent), T. Chislett, W. Howeils, W. T. Hyett,.and P. Smith (postmaster of Weston). A Carnarvon Liberal paper says that Mr Edgar Jones, M.P., is the comedian of poli- tical life." What that may mean is not atar clear. But we will suppose that, the writer, ignorant of what a comedian is. meant to say that he is a humorist. Mr Lloyd George tells a good story and makes people laugh, but he is not a comedian. Mr Edgar Jones can also tel a good story and make people laugh, and 1M would rather say in that case that-heis. humorist. v After a life of three score and thirteen yeazst the uncle of Carmarthen's Caractecus "—a well-known post-office official who so often affords delectation of a truly musical character at local functions—passed away last Wednes- day afcOartrefle, in West Wales' historic comity borough. The deceased — Mr D. Davies- served twenty-three years in the 64th Royal. Marines, mainly in India. China, Japan, ana. South Africa. For twenty-years he attended St. Peter's parish church, Carmarthen, and, only missed seven services during that tonl period. Patience," as impersonated by theCarmar* then Amateur Operatic Society at the AJtt, sembly-rooms in that borough, has drawn **• such a. sufficiency of the appreciative as tcz. justify the society's existence. The most er" cal audience, whether it be in the Metropolis or the provinces, could not fail to be satisfied with the three hours' entertainment, and tbi, authors, notwithstanding the royalty which if has yielded, would be' more than delighted witk the artistic manner in which the show bag been produced. The stage manager, Mr ErnesC Collier, is a veritable artist, and his scenery was truly elaborate. He has more than earner the unanimous, genuine praise which has been so boisterously tendered to him at the close oL each opera for his generous voluntary labours* Now that the questions of the evictions ittj Cardiganshire in 1868 have come once mow to the front, a correspondent, who well recalls the dark days following that election, remind us that in the Ceinion LIen" collected by Mr J. M. Edwards, M.A., which has just been published, one of the extracts is a descriptiou by Gohebydd, the well-known contributor t4: the Banet," entitled" A Visit to the Family of Mathew Pugh," in which he tells the storI of a visit to an evicted farmer and his wifeaMw family near Iianarth. It is difficult to reai/ the story now—over 40 yeans since it>happfl5eR -without a tear rising to the eye. It is Tt0. wonder Wales hates iMtdkmj^} xfrf TeryiaBki The story of 1868 has never been.&HBBlfotiien-hi Cardiganshire. Hare w ahard case. Lord Tredesar fc*%jiftt it* ago tbe Cardiff School the use of the old Harlequins' ground as a playing field for the boys. A storm blew down the fences, and inasmuch as the ground was not the property of the Education Cam- nuttee, no money could be spent upon repair" ing them. Lord Tredasgar was asked to under' take the expenditure, but his Lordship de> dined to bear the expense, becaree he had only a short time previously spent money upon tIM". fences. The position is that the landowner will not, and the committee cannot repair th* fence. A butcher in Barry district did good sarvnc to Mr W. Brace by giving practical lessons iifc fiscal politics during the election. Customs* entered the shop asking, say, for a pound ot steak were promptly asked whether they wanted a Tariff or a Free Trade steaJfc. Ob. I am a Tariff Reformer." said one well-known. Conservative^ laughing. Tariff Reform, steak forme," and he placed a shilling on tha counter. The tradesman cut him a nice, juicy steak and pat the coin in the drawer. The customer asked for his change. Cfc, there jg no chaise," -was the reply." But I nevef paid more than tenpence a pound before." Quite so," came the prompt reply, "bolt then there was no tariff you know." Some years ago two Cardiganshire farmesw came to visit some relations at Mardy. Theit train was proceeding up the Rhondda Faeiiy when they had an interesting discossion as tt the name of the station Ynyshir." One argnea that the meaning was clear, although he said, that it was a stupid word for it did not say enough^ It means," be told his friend, Yn. y Shir fin the county) but it stupidly do« not say which shire (county) it is in. Readew acquainted with the Cardi dialect will recog- nise in the mistake a Cardiganshire peculiarity in the pronounciation of S'as Sh-" Cardnt always say Shir for Sir," "Shon" Sat, Sion," and Shan for Suav" iiajor F. T. James (Mayor of Merthyr^ mough he has been in office only three has suggested a number of important improve raents, which are likely to be carried through, few the benefit of the inhabitants of the county borough. It was be who inspired the idea « holding a winter art exhibition in Cyfarthf^ Ceøtle, and within the last. few days he has giyen notice of his intention to move that the Cqpncil adopt the Museums Act with the view of a permanent museum. being established in Meiwiyr. It was he also who moved that stq^s be taken to obtain a provisional order for theeonrpalsory purchase of the site of the old: St.'David's National School, and which was the subject of a Local Government Board httjefifry tiie other day. As stated by the Mayor the^te is a present an eyesore, and it ooOId not to better utilised than for the erection of publK»ffices, wliicii~are much needed in the: t<mn.

THE HEAVENS IN FEBRUARY. During the first half of February the masf striking <)bjeet in the sky after the'sun has set is Venus, which will be seen in thewest close t4 horiaon. -Viewed through a telescope of good, opera glass the planet is seen to be a very tbi& crescent with the arms potnting upwards, look- ing very like an extremely small and brilliant new moon, So brilliant is Venus that by a little carefbl searching, she may be seen while the sun is yet above the horizon. About the middle of tie month Venus and the sun set at almost the same time, and after that the plane# -will gradually work round untilshe is next s^j| as a morning star. The other planets visibK during the evening are Mars and Saturn. Tm former sets a^out half an hour after midnighw and is in the constellation Pisces (the nshes), while the latter occupies a position not far '-1 away in Ariei(the Ram) and sets about ten o'clock. Jupiter does not rise until lgte in the evening, and remains visible after eigh# o'clock the following morning. During the ftfst part of the month the ooe. stellations, Ursa Major or the Bear, Lynx (ths wolf). Cancer tthe crab), and a portion at Hydra (the snake*, will be on the meridian about midnight. Starting from- the horizon due south at about midnight and going straight up into the heavens the first noticeable group that we come to is composed of four fairly bright stars. This is the head of Hydra, the body trails away to the left, below the horizon. To the right of the head of Hydra are two bright, stars, forming the constellation of the Littif Dog or Canis Minor. Immediately a.boV4 Hydra are five sipall stars, making a figujw like an inverted letter Y. Thw is the constella- tion Cancer. Between the jaws of the Y is a cluster of stars known as Praeiepe." This cluster can be seen with the naked eye as a faint, hazy blot in the sky with the aid of a small telescope it will be seen to be composed of a number of small stars, glittering and shin- ing like gems scatteml on black velvet. Al- most overhea-daud directly above Cancer- are four stars in the shape of a badly drawn Zor » W, with one arm musing, this is Lynx. To the right of Lynx are tAro bright stars Castor and Pollux, which form the heads of the twini in the constellation Gemini. During th* month there may be noticed in the west aftev the sun lias set a iiiint luminous light almost like the Aurora, this is the Zodiacal light which can only be seen in the evening at this time of the year. The increase in the mornings and evening during the month is one hour and forty minutes, the mornings lengthening by nfty-one numcteC. and the evenings by foriy«jimejaiw«&es.