The Cardiff Times

FURNISH THROUGHOUT tRMB OETZ M AJN.X &CO. 67, 69, 71, 73, 7S, 77, & 79, HAMPSTEAD-ROAD, LONDON (Near Tottenham Court-road). BEDROOM FURNISHED COMPLETE for 25 58. Illustration and Full Particulars Post Free. The WALTHAM" ASH BEDROOM SUITE. £ 5 15s. Illustration and Full Particulars Post Free. BEDROOM FURNISHED COMPLETE for £8 18s fcd. Illustration and Full Particulars Post Free. The "LYXTON" DRAWING-ROOM SUirE (Settee ana 2 Easy Chairs) for So las 6d. ORDERS PER POST RECEIVE PROMPT AND CAREFUL ATTENTION. 4100 ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE POST FREE.

BY W. ABRAHAM, M.P. (MABON). FOOD AND WAGES IN THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY. E In the first half of the sixteenth century the n8lish labourer was almost simultaneously bailed on two sides. The money which he Reived for his wages was debased, and the v '*si8tance which his benefit society gave him in IlIles of difficulty, and which allowed him loans *'thout interest, apprenticed his son, or pen- 'joned his widow, was confiscated. All necessaries of life advanced in value *° the tune of 150 per cent., while wages rose no to°re than 50 per cent.,and thus his ordinary means living were considerably curtailed. The con- '■derable advantage which the London labourers *nd artizans had over those in the country dis- 'PPeared, and the wages of both town and -oontry were nearly equalized. In addition, the London workmen lost their assurance money, the tood destined to support them and their's during ^e periods of youth and age, when work was !lot open to the imperfect power of youth, and had become impossible to the feeble powers of 'gee The purpose which the legislature had it for two centuries bad now become Possible, and the passionate desire of the employer )f labour that workmen should be constrained to Accept low wages met with some satisfaction. The Statute of Apprentices. It appears, however, that soon after this the egislature began to consult the labourers' and )ther workmen's interest, as well as other classes, the Government of Elizabeth enacted that no Person should, under a penalty of 40s a month, 18&. or occupy any art, mystery, or manual occu- pation without a previous seven years' appren- ticeship. By another statute, employers in Attain trades were forbidden to hire their jour- 3eymen for any period less than a quarter of a /ear, and the important statute, namely, Eliza- I>etbJ c. 4, established an entirely new system for regulating both the price of labour and the banner in which it should be employed iu every Apartment of the labour market. The object and policy of this statute appears from the Preamble. It states thus As the many laws which were then in existence for the rating of Wafces and regulating the hiring of workmen, although for the most part good, yet could not be carried out fully without the great grief and burden of the poor labourer and hired man, its object was to reduce the substance of those laws into one, a.nd to prescribe a uniform order concerning wages and orders of apprentices, servants, and labourers, that thereby idleness might be banished, hus- bandry advanced, and a convenient proportion of "ages yielded to the hired servant both in the titoe of scarcity and in time of plenty." This statute, I believe, is generally known as the statute of apprentices, its enactments which "ere most frequently brought into notice being those that made it necessary for every workman to have served an ap- prenticeship of seven years in that trade in which he sought employment. As employers were restricted in the number of apprentices which they "tight employ, these enactments had the effect of Wearing to the workmen of almost every trade those advantages which in many cases have been the objects of combinations among themselves. By the third section it was enacted that the Workmen in a great number of trades, including tailors, shoemakers, cloth weavers, cutlers, hat fcakerer, &<> should not be hired for any term less than one year. By the fourth section, persona who worked for three years in any of these trades, and not otherwise privileged, were compelled to accept employment upon request made by any Person using the art or mystery wherein the Person so required had been exercised." By other sections labourers in husbandry were compelled to work and rules were laid down as to the mode in thich they should be hired. IXING THE BATE OF WAGES AT QUARTER SESSIONS By the 15:;11 section a most elaborate echeme Was established (by 1st James I., cap. 6, declared to apply to all artificers and workmen whatso- ever), by which tho wages of the labourers were to be fixed every year by the justices of peace at the Easter quarter sessions; the rate so fixed was to be afterwards published by royal Proclamation in every market town. By the 18th section, any master giving more than the legal rate was subjected to ten days' imprison- ment and a fine of £5, and by the 19jh was sub- jected to imprisonment for 21 days. This sys- tem continued to be part of the statute law uutil 1813, when it was abolished by the 53 Geo. III.,c. 10 but it having been considered to be in the discretion of the magistrates whether they should appoint a rate so far as regarded the wages of the higher classes of workmen, it seems that in the exercise of this discretion they had long before that ceased to tix the wages of any other workmen than those employed in agriculture. Although his- torians may somewhat differ in their opinion as to the effect of this most important statute, I have not the least doubt but what it proved very detrimental to the working classes of the country. [n 1533 no large proportion of King Henry's artists were receiving 4s a week in wages even during the winter months, and the labourers 2s. In the year 1540 the average wages of an artizan In the country were 3s a week, and of a labourer in husbandry, working by the day, 2"* a week- Such wages, in some cases rather more, were allowed by 11 tb Henry VII., cap 22. The labourer 'nharvest time, when working by the day, received •he same wages as the artizan; and in harvest time the wages of women labourers were only a little less than those of men. But on the other band it should be understood that this statute of Henry VII. was one that was intended to carry out the statute of labourers, and that therefore the minimum rate should be prescribed, and as far as possible enforced. THE. OFFICIAL LIST OF WAGES. In June, 1564, it is recorded that the magis- trates in Rutlandshire met in order to carry out the provision of the act under which they were authorised to fix the rate of wages. The schedule of wageato which I am going to refer was Printed by the Royal authority, among the Proclamations of tho Queen, and preserved in the great collections of Elizabeth's instruments which was begun by Burleigh and continued by Cecil, and doubtless it was a typical list, intended by the fact of the publication to be a guide to the other quarter-sessions throughout the country. According to that list the ordinary artizan was to have 91 a day in summer and 8,.1 a day in winter; the heads of the craft, and who, by the way, Were to be competent draftsmen, to have b. The labourers were to bave 7d a day in summer, except in harvest time. when they had from 8d to 10J, and in winter 6d. At this time the price of food was more than three times the old average. Taking the ordinary I labourer to have earned 3s 6d a week in wages through the year round, and that wouid be about bis average wages by adding his harvest allowance to his winter wages, it would take him more than 40 weeks to earn the money necessary to buy him the same amount of provisions as he in 1495 could get with the wages of 15 weeks, while tbe artizans would be obliged to have given 32 weeks work for the same result. In 1593 another set of magistrates met and fixed the rates of wages to be paid to artizans and labourers in husbandry. The mower was to have 10j and the reaper 81 a day. Then the winter wages of labourers were to be ii and in the summer 5d a day. Ordinary artizans were getting from 7d to 81 a day. So that the work of the whole year would not supply the labourer with the quantity of the means of BUstenance that he earned in 1495 with fifteen weeks' wages; and it would take the artizan about forty weeks'wages to earn the same amount as he could in the year mentioned have done with fifteen' weeks wages. The year 1597 was one of fearful fam,ne- The wages of artizans in that year were from £4 10s to £510, and thoa of husbandmen £3. 10, and With the price of provisions at the tune it is very difficult indeed to understand bow the workmen could have lived throughout the famine For the next 50 years workmen of all kinds had but very poor times of it indeed. 10 1650-1 the wages commenced to rise again, and we find that the artizan receives from Is 2d to Is 5d per day In winter, and Is 6d and Is 4d per day in summer, and ordinary labourers from Is to Is 2d per day. THE CONSPIRACY OF CAPITAL AGAINST LABOCB. Thus things went on from year to year. A conspiracy bad been entered into, concocted by Jaw, and carried out by parties interested in its success, to cheat the English workman of bis wages, to tie him down to the soil, to deprive him of hope, and to degrade him into irremedial poverty. However, things had gone so bad that, if one can judge from the language used by some of the magistrates of that day, the authori- ties appeared to have become alarmed at the symptoms of combination and disaffection among the workmen, and they ordered that the wages paid then (about the year 1725-6) should not be exceeded anywhere. They thought that they were then a little too liberal, but they directed that they should be pro- chimed in all market towns, and that on market days when business was at its highest, and a legible copy should be set up in some open public place in each of the market towns, and that the rates then decided upon should be continued till an amended list be proclaimed. The justices then proceeded to publish the penalties which were denounced by divers Acts of Parliament on offenders under the several statutes which were made to regulate the workman's wages.

THE MINERS' PROVIDEN r SOCIETY. The Monmouthshire and South Wales Miners' Permanent Provident Society is a deserving institution, and the appeal which a special com mittee is now issuing for funds should be- responded to by those people to whom it is addressed. I, for one, do not believe in aidiug those persons who do not try to help themselves; but tbe accounts of this society show that the miners have not been backward in their subscrip- tions. Since the society started the work- ing men have contributed in round numbers JB150,000 out of a total of less than £200,000. The colliery owners are credited with some j356,000, whereas the mineral landlords have merely given the small sum of £3,000. Now, considering that the last mentioned neither toil nor spin, but receive their rents without any of the fluctuations to which the working man and the employer are subject, it is obvious that they hardly do their duty towards their fellow-creatures. Without the miners their property would be of small value, and when we remember the dangers which these men encounter for a trifling remuneration, it is not too much to expect that those who grow rich by their exertions without any risk, and without bearing the burden and beat of tbe day, should endeavour to make the battle of life some- what more easy to those widows and children whose husbands and fathers bave been stricken down in providing affluence for the mineral land- lords. This appeal is especially addressed to this class, and should they ignore it, as they appear to have done in the past, they will lay themselves open to a charge of being indifferent to the feelings of humanity. It is pitiable to read that on the 30th of June last there were 276 widolW and 549 children depending upon the funds. The land- lord who does not return a fair proportion of bis unearned increment to alleviate this distress lacks all the elements of Christianity and of nature.

MUSIC IN WALES. BY DR JOSEPH PARRY, Lecturer on Music, Cardiff University College. THE CARL ROSA OPERA COMPANY AT CARDIFF. Last week was a real musical feast to all opera- goers at Cardiff. Mr Fletcher, of the Theatre Royal, well deserved the crowded houses which thronged his theatre throughout the week to each performance. The company in principals, chorus, and orchestra, as well as in costumes and scenic effects, were worthy of the name of tbe founder of the Carl Rosa Opera Company, and the list of operas performed were also worthy of their high standard and reputation. For Monday night we had Gounod's great work, Faust; Tuesday night, tbe neglected Bizet's Cermet Wednesday night, Meyerbeer's Star of the North Thursday night, Donizetti's Lucia di Lamniermoor Friday night, Meyerbeer's Bobert the Devil; Saturday, Wallace's Maritana Saturday uight, Balfe's Bohemian Girl. Thus the French operatic school was represented by four operas—by Gounod, Bizet, and Meyerbeer the Italian school by Donizetti, and the Irish by Wallace and Balfe. The English musical world owe much to the memory of Carl Rosa for his great services and indomitable pluck and perseverance, and that for many years, to establish English operas, or, rather, operas in English in England, and thus do away with the absurd idea that all operas, in whatever language they were composed, they in England, and that for English-speaking people,should, out of fashion, be performed in Italian. We have heard even Shakespeare's plays set to operas in French, yet donein Italian so as to serve this nonsensical fashion. Thanks, therefore, to the labours of Carl Rosa in re-establishing English operas in England. May we hope that in the future that even some Welsh- born genius will found a Welsh opera company, that a school of Welsh operas may be formed and nursed. Things which appeared quite as impos- sible as this have been accomplished. "BLODWEN" AT THE THEATRE ROYAL. Blodwen will, in all probability, be put upon this stage for a whole week during 1S90. Whilst we are dealing with the subject of opera, there may be no barm in making this announcement. THE CARDIFF CHAMBER CONCERTS. We are now on another season of chamber concerts which are of a high order, and the pro- moters, as is generally the case, have a bard struggle to keep them on for want of more appreciation and support. Miss Maggie Davies, Royal College, was the vocal artist at the first concert of this season, and we venture to say" that she dis- tinguished herself, and it may be said that she is the bsst vocalist who has appeared at these concerts during our time. CHAMBER CONCERTS AT PENARTH. Mrs RoskeH in her pluck has also established a series here, and we wish bar all the success which she deserves and needs. Whilst dealing with this subject we would in the most earnest manner call for the arrangement of chamber concerts in all Welsh centres. As they simply mean tbe engagement of a string quartette, they, with a local vocalist or pianist, would be aU that is needed. A district list of subscribers would at once ensure success. Such concerts would do much, yes, very much, to elevate the local taste for higher music, even the very essence of musical art. And we would very soon acquire a love for the delicate, and the beautiful,for quality in preference to quantity. THE CARDIFF OBOHMTBAL SOCIETY. This fine organisation for the promotion of the orchestral works of our tone masters is doing great service, and their season has at all times been marked by great success. Their late conductor, Mr Sydney Fifoot, laboured bard and untiringly for some five years, and contributed largely to their success and development. For the first time I state that I accepted the position of their conductor some three or four months ago. I am in a position to state that the instrumental materials of this society are most exceptionally good. There is here a full supply of every orchestral instrument, the band numbering from 70 to 80 members of rare ability as amateurs. The programmes, with which I shall deal again, will more than prove the high standard and mission of this able society. I thus treat upon these instrumental concerts as an impetus for orchestral and chamber concerts to be organised at other large Welsh districts. This Welsh metropolis is evidently taking the lead, and may its noble example be emulated, that Welsh, like English musicians, may vary their talents in the instrumental as well as in the vocal department of the art.

AN ENORMOUS FISH. An enormous fish, about 12ft ia length, and weighing upwards of 1,200 kilogrammes, was (says a Paris correspondent) found by some fishermen at Brusc—>» village on the coast of the Department of the Var—on Wednesday in some nets which they had put down. The animal was dead, but being considered still fit for human food, it was taken to tbe shore, the operation lasting fully eight hours. When opened the people who bad crowded to the beach to see it were amazad at the sight of part of a man's body and legs, the feet only being missing, lying in the stomach of this monster of the deep. On exami- nation it was found that the man must have been drowned some time ngo. The reniains of the poor fellow were taken to the cemetery for burial, but the fishermen went on with their work, and, having cut up the fish, sent it on to Toulon, where it was sold in the market. The people of Brusc are of opinion that the creature bad been off their coast for the past three weeks.

FACTS FOR FARMERS. Current Notes on Agriculture. By a Practical Farmer. WHAT CARELESS FARMING COSTS. Carelessness in every business is sura to create loss, but none more so than in farming. BROKEN FENCES. On the careless man's farm the fences are broken, gates off their hinges, water courses choked, and tbe holding altogbther bears the stamp of carelessness. The man who is care'- less about bis fences is Bure to sustain ten times more loss than the amount of expense it would be to keep them strong and cattle proof. With the careless farmer, when he turns bis cattle to a field adjoining tbe corn, it is seldom be inspects tbe fences to see if there are weak places or gaps between the two Selda and, if he does inspect and finds gaps, the mending that he does, or causes to be done, is of tbe flimsiest, generally only throwing a few branches across, and then, in bis opinion, it will do. Tbe result is, of course, that the cattle soon break through and damage bis corn. He acts en the penny wise and pound foolish system. Had he in the first instance done what be was compelled to do later on, that is, make tbe fence cattle proof, he would have only bad to do it once, whereas by bis habit of carelessness he has not only bad to do the same job twice over, but has bad his corn partly ruined. Two things are noticeable with the careless farmer. His stock are always what is termed "thieves," and the frequency of acci- dents amongst his stock. How is this accounted for ? Why should the cattle and other stock of such a man be more thievish than the stock of the careful farmer ? And why should accidents be more numerous in the one case than the other ? The two are easily accounted for. TRAINING CATTLE TO THIEVISH HABITS. In the case of the farmer, he does not allow his stock to learn or acquire the habit of breaking tbrough the fences it is by practice that animals become proficient in anything. See the hunter being trained to jamp; the first obstacle is only what tbe horse can jump over without hardly any exertion by degrees the task gets harder, and feats are accomplished which would not be attempted at first. The same thing is applicable in the present ease. The careless farmer, in leav- ing gaps and weak places in the fences, gives en- couragement to his cattle to try their first attempt at breaking through by this they are also made to understand that with a will there is a way out of the field other than by the gate. When this gap has been mended after the cattle have been in, through having bad a tasteful bite t.bey yearn again to repeat the experience, and they are on the look out for another gap. This, however, they cannot find, but there is a place which they think is very nearly like the one they passed through, It is a weak place in the fence, which the careless man passes by, but this they try, and succeed again. Had they not been through the first gap they would not have attempted the second one. Thus, from one step to another they become thorough thieves or fence breakers, and this from sheer carelessness on the part of the farmer in the first instance. With the careful man it is quite the reverse. He examines the fences and puts them in repair before he turns any of his stock in. His cattle have never learned that it is possible to get out of the field except by the gate. On this matter of breakibg through fences, a neighbour was telling me of a cow that he bought this summer. He said that into whatever field she was put, no matter bow strong the fence, or how good the bite, she would always be found within an hour afterwards in the adjoining field she bad acquired the habit strongly. Oa inquiry afterwards he found tbat the previous owner was very careless in respect to his fences. His cattle were allowed to roam all over his farm, and this accounted for the cow's present habit of restless- ness. But the injury is not confined to the trouble and damage they do. The loss does not end here, but when this babit has been acquired, and the animals have been accustomed to break through all kinds of fences, it is only natural to expect that accidents will occur. Cattle cannot with impunity jump over or through fences. Sooner or later they get impaled, or some way or auother hurt themselves. On the careless man's farm, too, very few, if any, of the gates are to be seen properly hung, or with any fasteners. It is not the cost which dotera him from putting them right, but this habit of carelessness. As to the labour of doing this, wby he has to labour every day, through leaving this work undone, by the extra labour of running after the stock which find ingress anywhere through the means of these unfastened gates. UNTIDY HARNESS. His harness, again, is knotted here and there with strings. When any breakage takes place in the leather a piece of cord is in request to make good the broken part; or when auy of the links in the traces are broken, instead of having them mended by a smith, be sets one link through another wiih a wooden peg to keep it right, and the harness ia thus studded all over with wooden pegs and bits of string. He does not believe in the old truism of a stitch in time to save nine. He has also, from all appearance, a thorough contempt for oil, as his harness has not received any for years. Nor does he believe in a right place for everything, as, instead of having handy places to hang up bis harness, he huddles it all together in some corner of the stable, and although he buys new harness much oftener than bis neighbour, who always has trim and tidy ha rness, bis looks old and shabby. HOW ACCIDENTS OCCUR. Accidents, too, are often the result of careless- ness in tying the animals when they are housed. With some people any mode will do, and it is only when be has sustained some serious loss that he thinks of altering bis system of proceeding. This loss, mind you, is through no fault of his, but it is his luck—at least, so he says. I have seen more than one fatal accident happening to valuable horses from mere carelessness in tying them up. One very foolish plan, which is far too general, is to throw a common fillet halter round the neck of the horse, leaving that piece which cresses the nose to bang down; this loop is very dangerous from the fact of horses being in the habit of raising their hind feet towards their heads for some purpose or another. In doing this the end of the shoe is apt to get caught in the loop referred to, and when that is the case it is ten to one that tbe animal will be fatally injured, as be bas no chance to escape if the halter holds, which it generally does, as the animal is quite powerless in that position. It is often said of many a farmer that he is unlucky, that more accidents fall to the share of his stock than to the average. I am afraid that a good many are responsible for these in an indirect way through their carelessness. Accidents will happen on tbe best regulated and most carefully managed farms, but accidents would be rarer, and the loss entailed would be much less, if farmers would break tbrough this habit of care- lessness. Progress of Welsh Cattle. The Mark Lane Express sayf The progress made in improving the Welsh breed of black cattle during the last 50 years has bean anything but satisfactory in fact, until some 20 years ago no one tried jto improve the breed. Mr Richard Humphreys, late of Beddgelert, and after him bis uncle, Mr Edward Humphreys, of Carnarvou, were the first to originate and register the pedi- grees of their cattle. These two enterprising farmers had sufficient foresight to appreciate the value these cattle might attain by judicious selection of sires and dams. The South Wales breeders of Castlemartin" cattle, all pure black, published a herd-book jin advance of tbe North Wales breeders, and it was owing to the perseverance of the late Mr R. H. Hervey, of Slade Hall, Carmarthen, that the Castlemartins" were first brought into notoriety. The two breeds of North and South Wales differ in many of their characteristics. The former have proved themselves in tbe show ringb the best, both as breeding and fat animals. Welsh Runts, as they are called, have long been great favourites with the large graziers in England, particularly in Northamptonshire; it is estimated that from 50,000 to 60,000 head of cattle are expected every years from Carnarvonshire and Anglesey alone. A large percentage of these find their way into the London markets, where they hold their own against < Scotch Polls or any other breeds. and command the highest prices. As milkers the pure Welsh cows are hard to beat either in quantity or quality. It is recorded that in 1810 a Welsh cow gave from May 1st to October 30th 4,026 quarts of milk, which produced 358 lb. (avoidupois) of butter and 22 quarts of milk per day for 183 days in succession. Another cow at the London Dairy Show a few years ago, and belonging to Captain Best. gave just over 20 quarts, which yielded 26 per cent. of cream. Colonel Platt's old champion cow Black Queen 2nd three months after calving gives 18 quarts per diem, yielding 23 per cent. of cream. Welsb. cattle are easy to feed, and are very hardy. If they get fair play as youngsters they attain great weights. A two-year-old steer fed from a calf scaled 930 lb. dead. Several steers have been shown at our fat stock shows exceeding 2,240 lb. Jive weight, and some have made over 3,000 lb. Ordinary steers will weigh in the month of August, after four months' grass, 850 lb. Very great and marked improvement is perceptible in tbe Welsh cattle exhibited at our leading shows of late years. Much of this is owing to the encouragement given by the Royal Agricultural Society, who are not slow to provide classes, with adequate prizes, to any breed of animal in which merit and usefulness to the agricultural interest is recognised. At the Royal Agricultural Society's Show last year the exhibit of Welsh cattle was quite a feature, and they were much admired by foreigners and Englishmen alike. We regret that the improved Welsh cattle are in so few bands. Lord Harlech and Mr Oakeley seem to monopolise all the prizes. A Farm Wife's Opinion. In the South Wales Daily News on Tuesday, under the heading, "Neglected Wives: Shall they Strike?" the following letter appeared :— DEAR MR EDITOR,—When I read that letter of the farm-labourer's wife in your paper this morning, I did sxy to myself that she is a very sensible woman. I was thinking, too, that there is other women besides the wives of the working men who do suffer because their husbands is neglecting them. I am thinking that we, the poor tenant farmers' wives, who do slave and toil from the beginning of the year to the end, are having good cause for to complain. I will tell you in this letter how it is happening with me. My husband he do rent a small farm, and we do pay £ 40 a year rent, aud we are find- ing it a hard job to get our jB20 every half-year for to meet our master at the rent audit. And I do tell you, sir, the honest truth, we do get deeper and deeper into debt every year. Our rent is high, and our land it is poor, and me and my eldest girl and my boy we do work with my husband on the farm, and we don't get hardly a penny for ourselves. If we was keeping servants, goodness knows where we would be by this time. Still, if my husband was minding his business, we could pay our way, and keep out of debt; but though he do work as hard as any of up, he do spoil everything at this time of the year. I did read in the Cardiff Times and South Wales Weekly News what the Practical Farmer do say about the stock auctions, and the tears was rising in my eyes when I did think be was saying every ovord about my husband, and many another farmer as I do know. My husband he do go to the auction, and be do drink the beer and the punch as is given out free before the eale is com- mencing. But he do pay very dear for it. He do buy, and buy, and buy lot after lot. We do want some of them, it is true, but we do have to pay twice as much for them on the auction as we would be petting them for at the monthly market. It is no use their saying we are having a long credit. For the time to pay will come round, and where is the money to pay coming from ? We do have to sell animals that we did ought to be keep- ing. and then we are failing to pay all, and so my husband he is being a slave to the auctioneer be- cause he do have his name on bis books, and he must go to every auction that that auctioneer is holding in order to keep him satisfy. Can we have a branch of the union for farmers' wives for to stop our husbands to go and spoil our living at these auctions ? Perhaps some other women will be seeing this aud writing you about it.-I am,&c., A TENANT FARMER'S WIFE. The Weather and the Crops. The Mark-lane Express of Monday says :— The past week has bt:on on the whole iavourable for outdoor work on the farm, and the plough and drill have been busy over the greater portion of the country. The heavy rains of the past forty-eight hours must, however, delay these opera- tions during the coming week. The trade, considering the pleasant open weather and the large deliveries, has been rather firmer than might have been expected. The markets of the week have been rather strong for fine new English wheat, but the price of new English flour is low. The feeling, however, is somewhat better, and American flour is held for 6d per sack advance. Foreign wheat has been 6j dearer at some markets, but the advance has scarcely been general. The trade in spring corn has been firm. The average price of barley in London has risen from 32s 9d to Ms 3j per qr, which is above thatofthetwo previous years,bucthequality of the barleys in the three years undouDtedly present great differences. Oats, too, are selling at a higher mean price than in either of the two precediog years, whilst beans and peas are firmly held, but for the latter little business is being done,

IDENTIFICATION OF CRIMINALS A correspondent writesEveryone will admit that it is a dreadful thing for an innocent man to be falsely convicted, and that even a guilty man should not suffer for offences which he has not committed. An old man (Callaghan) has just had a severe sentence remitted, without compen- sation, under circumstances which reflect little credit either on our method of identifying criminals or our legal procedure. In May last he was sentenced to six months' hard labour as AN INCORRIGIBLE ROGUE AND VAGABOND on the evidence of a poiice-conatable, who swore that he had apprehended him in May, 1887, when he was sentenced to three months'imprison- ment, and of a mendicity officer. who proved numerous previous and subsequent convictions. The Home Secretary, after investigating the circumstances which led to his conviction, released him, but be had suffered twelve weeks' hard labour, and his application for compensation was refused. It appears that Callaghan bad spent most of his time since 1884 in the Fulhatn-road Workhouse, and for the three months' trial the constable swore he was in prison, he was not absent from the workhouse for more than a few days at a time. The cause of his arrest, which led to the sentence of six months, was THE UNPARDONABLE OFFENCE of asking for a piece of bread from a servant in Eaton-square. The conviction as a rogue and vagabond was due to the officials mistaking him him for another man who had been frequently convicted. A somewhat similar case was men- tioned in Parliament last session where a warder identified a prisoner as having been sentenced in 1879 to seven years' penal servitude and seven years' police supervision, but be proved by police evidence that he was convicted in 1882 and sen- tenced to six months' imprisonment, and there- fore could not be the man convicted in 1879, and thus ESCAPED A LONG PERIOD OF PENAL SERVITUDE. From the official report of the French Govern- ment just published, it appears that they have never bad a case of mistaken identity since M. Bertillon's system for the identification of criminals was adopted some years ago. The number of prisoners examined in Paris in 18S8 was 31,849, and 615 were identified as old offenders under new names. Four- teen were subsequently recognised in prison, but of these fourteen had never been measured, so that only four in nearly 32,00C escaped recogni- tion by the system—say one in 8,000. Is it not time that the authorities looked into this system to protect the innocent from unjust punishment, and stop the career of the habitual offender?

I. ON THE RIGHT ROAD. Boggs (a. reporter sent to write up the Inebriates' Home, gets intoxicated on the way): I (bic) sbay, stra'ger, am I on r-road to'nebr'ate sh— sbylum? Stranger: I should judge from your appear- ance that you were.

There is taik of a railroad bridge across Behring strait, and engineers are reading every thing Behring on the subject.

WELSH GLEANINGS. By LlofFwr- The Rev Ambrose Jones, of Llanfair, bas been evidently wronged. In the short reports which appeared in the daily press of his practical pro- test against English-speaking magistrates sitting in judgment apon the evidence of the Welsh- speaking witnesses, Mr Jones is described as having expressed in no measured terms the utmost contempt and abhorrence of the English language. From fuller and more detailed reports of the case in local newspapers, we find that he did no such thing. As the incident is well wdrth further consideration, I reproduce what appears to be a fair report of tbe proceedings :— Rev Ambrose Jones, Calvinistic Methodist minis- ter, Ruthin, was then called, and asked to be allowed to give his evidence in Welsh.—Mr Roberts said witness knew English, but wished to give his evidence in the vernacular.-—The Clerk: Will you swear that you cannot speak English ?— Mr Jones: No, but I Hant Welsh. It's a shame that in Wales the magistrates and officials shonld be ignorant of Welsh.—Mr Adams (the clerk): Then I shall tak the court to commit you.—Mr Alun Lloyd: And I support the applica- tion. The man who professes to be a leader of the people must know that the proceedings of courts of law are conducted in English, and that if a witness can, he must speak English.—The bench said it was nonsense for the time to be wasted in discussing which language a witness should speak when he could speak both.—Witness still demanded to be sworn in Welsh.—Mr Adams If he does not choose to speak in the lan- guage directed by the court, and with which he can, all you can do is to commit bun or reject his evidence.—Mr Jones I want to make it impos- sible for people who cannot speak Welsh to sit on the bench.—Mr Roberts I don't want your statements I want your evidence.—Mr Adams You had better reject his evidence.—Mr Jones was then directed to stand down, and he at once left the court.—Mr Roberts then applied for an adjournment, and this was agreed to. « I think most of my readers will agree with me that Mr Jones was fully justified in tbe course he took. This is the more evident when we read the report of another case tried by the same bench on tbe same day. Here it ia David Price, keeper, in the employ of Colonel West, M.P., summoned Robert Roberts, Tydraw, &lanynys, for trsspass- ing in pursuit of conies on llctober 8th on land in the occupation of Colonel West.—Mr Roberts prosecuted, aDd Mr G. M. Humphreys defended. Complainant refused to be sworn in English, and said he would rather givf bis evidence in Welsh.—The Chairman said he knew personally that complainant could speak English fast Enough when he liked, —Mr Adams said it was a gross contempt of court, and he would report the case to his em- ployer and get him dismissed.—Mr Roberts said Mr Adams would do nothing of the kind, It was a most improper observation to make.—The Chairman said the bench, knowing that the man could speak English right enough, would not bear him unless he spoke that language.—Mr Roberts said if the case was dismissed on that ground be hoped the bench would make a note of it.—After again consulting with his colleagues, the bench decided to hear complainant in Welsh. —Tbe case then proceeded, defendant being fined 5s and costs. Welsh journalism has ueen charged with being behind the age, and to iack that spirit of enter- prise which can alone secure success in the face of the keen competition of the present day. In the face of this the following extract from the North Wales Observer and Express of last week will be interestingOur columna to-day ought to convince those who, upon every occasion, try to impede the work of reporters at public gatherings tbat the task of the press is an extremely arduous one. The report which we "print of the conference? of the Welsh National Council and tbe North '1 alt. iteration, occupying fourteen columns, meant the en- gagement of six qualified reporters, who were fully employed at the work all day. The dee- patch with which the work of reporting has been done may be judged when we say that we were going to press within' less than thirty minutes of the termination of the last meeting reported— despatch rarely beaten even with daily papers. The proprietors of this paper and its two Welsh co-journals, the Genedl and the Werin, have also decided to meet the exigencies of the occasion by bringing out a special double number of the latter, an outlay involving, with that incurred with the Observer and Express, a sum of about £30." Professor Lloyd, of the University College, Aberystwytb, in presiding at a large guild meeting at Hull in connection with the Con- gregational Union Assembly, referred to the historical association ot the word "guild," and spoke on the two-fold idea at the root of the guild movement—namely, that the case of the young men and women of the present generation demanded special consideration, and that a religion of public worship oniy would not meet it. The age was emphatically one of trans- formation, and, therefore, a great severance between the young and the old. The guild move- ment helped to bridge this chasm and to unite them for Christian service. The veterans on religious Christian work lent their hand and experience, encouragiu? and guiding those who would yet have to go forth to battle. Such help could not merely be done by preaching the gospel. There was also the application of that gospel to life, and tbat was only possible where the idea of the church as a family was upheld and carried out into all its varied relationships. In Y CotMof. Mr David. J enlcins, of Aber- ystwyth, in an interesting article on eisteddvodic adjudications, raises a question of considerable interest to Welsh readers. It may, perhaps, be remembered that Dr Parry, adjudicating at an eisteddvod at Towyn, Merionethshire, insisted upon giving his adjudication Welsh, inasmuch as the choirs had sung" in Welsh and the music was the composition of a Welsh musician. Though the patriotic doctor was severely criticised by some, I think public opinion, taken as a whole, decidedly supported bim in hia protest against unnecessarily Anglicising ournational institution. Mr David Jenkins writes thus A word or two on the question of reporting adjudications may not be out of place. As a rule the art of shorthand-writing has reached such a stage of pro- ficiency that only comparatively few mistakes are made. This, however, is seldom true of musical adjudications. I do not recollect a single occasion when these adjudications have been correctly chronicled. I believe this to be a question deserving attention. As it is intended to report in English the uttered adjudication, one would have expected accuracy; but somehow the musical terms seem to puzzle the reporters. If the adju- dication is delivered in Welsh, then to report it is out of the question—no reporter for an English paper tries to take notes of it. Thus Welsh adjudicators are boycotted, for if they wish their aajadications to be reported they must speak in English, while if they do so they are certain to be met with shouts of "Gymraeg Gymraeg!" Ought we not to have reporters thoroughly conversant with Welsh at all oar eisteddfodau? It is easy to shout out for Welsh adjudications, but why not raise a cry for having the adjudications chronicled in Welsh? Here is an opportunity for Welsh reporters to claim their rights, and there is bere certainly offered a rich field if they only prepare themselves properly. for the work. It would be a work of comparative ease for a Welsh reporter to translate into English as the speaker proceeds. I believe Welsh youths possess sufficient talent to do this, and it would certainly prove a source of future emolument. This, too, would have tbe effect of placing Welsh adjudicators on a par with English adjudicators. Let us bave correct singing, correct adjudicating, and correct reporting, and the eisteddvod will become more popular than ever in our country." ♦ It is rather late in the day to refer to a concert which was held at -the Temperance Hall, Fish- guard, on the first of th-3 month, but the pro- gramme has only juft reached me. Pembrokeshire is not a county in which Cymru Fydd is hkely to make much headway, still the good old cause is advancing. The fioale to this festivity was Hen wlad fy nbadau," and* tbe audience was requested to join in the chorus, which was printed as fol- lows:— M Gwlad, Gwlad, plridiol wyf i'm gwlad. Tra mor yn fwr, 1 r bur hoff Baw Obydded i'r hew iaith barhaw." They wiU get it right in time.

Colliery Explosions. HOW THEY ARE CAUSED. Reminisoences of South Wales Disasters. (BY CELTICU9.J I wonder what could have been the cause of the Longton disaster! This is an expresion which one still bears, but when shall one have a satisfactory solution? If we take into consideration the alleged causas of some of the terrible calamities which have occurred in the Rbondda during the past few years it will be seen that the solving of the mystery in connection with the ignition of ex- plosive mixture is in many cases a task beyond the capabilities of man. If the reader will follow me tbrough the few notes that I am about to pen, I shall explain pretty clearly to him the diffi- culties-apparently insurmountable dlfficulties- that present themselves occasionally when enquirers into matters of this kind attempt to find the cause of fearful colliery holocausts. THE HARDY EXPLOSION. It is a well-known fact that the most disastrous explosions invariably occur in mines having a splendid system of ventila ion. Take for instance the Mardy explosion. No complaint was made respecting the velocity or quantity of air circu- lating through tbe mine, and yet nearly 100 lives were sacrificed almost in the twinkling of an eye. It will be remembered tbat a mason was engaged a short distance from the bottom of the shaft repairing the roof of the arch, through which passed a very strong current of air, but above the arch, it was stated, there was an accumulation of gas which the workman accidentally ignited by raising his lighted comet into it. The explosive mixture ignited, and, according to the experts who visited the mine soon afterwards, the explosion was immensely intensified by coal dust, which really caused the principal disaster that followed. That was the theory, and the theory is not improbable. So, therefore, it is apparent, assuming that this theory is true, that a most terrible calamity of the kind can happen in a colliery excellently venti- lated. THE GELLI COLLIERY EXPLOSION. The explosion that I have just mentioned was caused, or alleged to have been caused, by the ignition of gas by the naked light of a comet. But the catastrophe which occurred in the Gelli Colliery some years ago was attributable to the ignition of illuminating gas in one of the safety lamps ot the men employed in the branchj where- in about 20 were seriously injured and five killed. Three men were engaged ripping the top, and whilst they were doing so a large piece of clod, or a small strata between the coal and the roof, dropped suddenly, bringing dowa with it a quantity of gas, which ignited within the gauze of onn ot the lamps, and bsing forced through caused an explosion. The result was what I bave just stated. It was alleged by Mr Wales, the lato mines inspector, that bad there been an adequate supply of air to render harmless tbe explosive mixture which was brought down with the clod, the accident would not have happened, or had the men's lamps been shielded the calamity would not have occurred. But wait a minute. THE TREHEBBERT EXPLOSION. A slight explosion took place recently at the Treherbert Colliery, and three men were injured or burnt. There tbe men's lamps were shielded, and, so it is stated, there was au adequate supply of air passing through the works at the time. What was the cause of that explosion? An experienced colliery manager, who visited the scene soon after the occurrence, says that it was caused by sparks through the collision of the stones which fell from the roof to the ground. Mr Simons, who appeared for the company in the recent prosecution which took piace at Yxtrad police-court, alleged that it was caused through the absence of the cap of the gauza of a lamp in the possession of a little boy namedJJones, who was employed in the par- ticular heading on the occasion. But Councillor David Evans, Bodringallt, a gentleman of con- siderable experience in mining affairs, and pos- sessing a practical knowledge of underground operations, and for a large number of years past agent of the Ferndale Collieries, observed in the course of the proceedings that the absence of the little gauze would not have caused the explosion. Then it you talk with a number of colLery officials of great experience in fiery mines in the Rhondda, they will tell you that they have dis- pensed with the little giuzs or cap of the gause, because they considered it absolutely unnecessary, that, in fact, the safety lamps burn better and brighter without it, and also tbat they are safer in every respect. So you see what difference of opinion there exists amongst experts in regard to the causes of colliery explosions. How then shall we arrive at a satisfactory conclusion as to the cause of a serious explosion which might be enveloped in mystery? Let us euquire further. SHOT-FIRING IN JUNES. Unquestionably shot-hung has been the cause of a great many terrible explosions in steam coal or fiery collieries. There has been an impression amongst a large number of practical colliers that a shot fired within a few yards of an accumula- tion of gas was not at all dangerous. It was thought that, inasmuch as the name issuing from the hole of the shot would not reach the quantity of explosive mixture in the immediate vici- nity, there should be no fear of any consequences. I bave beard colliers saying this on many occasions, and, indeed, col- liery officials have themselves fired shots when there were accumulations of gas within a few yards. When we seriously consider this the wonder is that the list of terrible colliery accidents is not still more appalling. SMOKING COLLIERS. Then colliers, hundreds of colliers, have lighted their pipes by sucking the flame of their lamps through the gauz?, whilst there was at the same time just overhead an accumulation of gas sum- cieot, to cause a fearful disaster. Colliers u?ed to think that the process of sucking the flame through, or rather the igniting of tbe pipe by such means, would not fire explosive mixture or gas. It was a very common belief amongst miners, but they are now much wiser, though the opinion still exists amongst many. Colliers were generally very cute when fcmokiiig in the interior of mines or in their working places. A work- man after finishing a job, or whilst waiting for the iliaulier to bring him a tram, would settie himself on his heels-cvlliers are generally very fond of sitting on their heels; it is a universal custom among them; it has been so from time immemorial, and it is so at tbe present day. Well, he would plant himself on his heels, and then cock up his ear to listen, and so satisfy himself that the coast was clear. Silence reigning supreme, he would take out his pipe and either open hi3 lamp by a couple of loug nails tied together—that was better than keeping a key, for that instrument might be found upon him; but nails were always available, for miners generally used to suspend their lamps to posts— or suck the flame, as I have already said, through the gauze. There was no talking going on whilst indulging in a sly whiff, for the toad might be dusty, con- sequently a workman required the ears of a fox to hear the footsteps of an ap- proaching individual. "But," you will, a8k, "could not the fireman or an official smeilthe smoke supposing he had come within a minute or two after the pipe had been put away ?" No, the pipe would be by that time covered by coal dust, and the tobacco smoke would bave dis- appeared, for the current would have carried it away. Colliers took great care to smoke In a place where the fumes would be conveyed in the contrary direction to the ingress of an official. RECKLESS COLLIERY OFFICIALS. People are very much inclined, whenever a serious explosion occurs, to attribute the cause to the recklessness or negligence of some miner or underground workman. A common observation 1s, Oh, some- body must have opened bis lamp, or perhaps one of tbe men struck a match." A miner is generally blamed for the occurrence of such catastrophes. It is only rarely one hears the blame attached to any colliery official-tbe manager, or the overman, or tbe fireman. But let us for a moment or two consider tbel conduct of certain colliery officials. A terrible Mcplosiou takes place. The community is thrown intu a state of commotion. Tbousauds of people flock to the pit's mouth. Colliery managers and mining engineers arrive there from all parts of tbe district and adjoining localities or valleys. The excitement being over, experts then begin to inquire calmly into tbe cause of the disaster. The colliery books are examined, and they show that on the oocasion of the calamity the pit or the mine was* free from gas," and, indeed, "in good working order," and safe for men to enteT. They examine further and find that the mine wus not only safe and free from gas that day, but tbat it had been free for months—for years. Then what on earth could bave caused tbe explosion Oh, a sudden outburst of gas, and that fired in, one of the men's lamps or a fall occurred, bring- ing down a quantity of gas, which probably ignited by the friction of the stones of the debris or some of the doors bave been left open, causing an interruption of the ventilation or that the natural discharge of gas has increased owing to a reduced atmospheric pressure, and tbat spon- taneous combustion bad taken place. Something of this kind must bave occurred, for the mine was 'quite free' from explosive mixture in the morn- ing, and had been so for a very long time." That is just what an intelligent and practical jury might say upon considering tbe question, or try- ing to discover a cause. That kind of argument might appear teasonable enough, but, after all what if the truth were known ? What if the I truth in some cases were known? I am afraid tbat the resclt would be somewhat startling, and indeed eerious, for the colliery officials, (To be concluded next tDd

MUSICAL AND EISTEDDVOD NOTES. By Maelgwyn. THE NATIONAL EISTEDDVOD. I herewith, according to promise, reproduce the short article on the National Eisteddvod which appears in the Musical Herald for October. It is as follows :—"Brecon has shown bow to manage the eisteddvod with financial as well as musical success. The receipts amounted to no less than JE2,430, and after paying expenses this will leave a fairly good balance. Naturally a successful institution, centuries old, can afford to stand or fall by well tried plans. It seems useless, there- fore, to urge once more the need for proofs of sight-singing skill, for systematic musical study, for constant change in test pieces, for music requiring tender expression, and for practical voice training. But Tonic Sol-faista are gaining ii fiuence, and are sure to leaven the whole principality with the results of their training for higher certificates. The chief winners have already been announced, and need not further be referred to. In the principal choral contest, how- ever, it is remarkable that the marks obtained (out of the possible 60) by the best choirs were 55, 54,53, and 53 respectively. The advantage of announcing the judges' figures was seen in the tremendous enthusiasm of the audience, and the defeated choirs will not fail to show fight again after such a close distinction. Another interest- ing feature was the excellent professional orches- tra of 50 performers, led by Mr J. T. Carrodus, whose performances must have expanded the range of musical enjoyment of those who live in rural communities and who seldom bear an orchestra. Patti's singing, too, was a rare ex- perience, and as she sang to the choral accompani- ment of thousands of voices in Land of Vt", Fathers," tears came to many eyes. Many an emotional Welshman stopped singing and- listened with amazement to the prima donna soaring in altissimo above tbe air of tbe favourite chorus. At such times tbe great pavilion is animated and interest- ing. But there are many times when the smaller attractions draw small audiences, and the pro- ceedings drag wearily. These portions of the programme mest be well known, and it would be advisable to bear tbe performances in a separate room, to which interested parties might be ad- mitted, The Brecon people kept the good things, such as the chief choral competition, to the last, thus the eisteddvod did not start with a flash and eud with a faint, as was tbe case in London. The plan of announcing adjudications at ail hours of the day, and in the most diverse order, does not help to sustain the interest. Could not the results in literary and art work be printed in tbe programmes, or in a daily bulletin? Oar interest in the welfare of the eisteddvod is the reason for these suggestions. No one can watch the earnestness of the Welsh, and their intense love for their language and institutions, without wishing them all success. It is high time that England should follow their musical zeal and their competitive spirit by starting festivals on the same large scale." THE CRITIC CRITICISED. Such is the article, and I think it will be admitted that it contains many excellent sugges- tions. But, although we all desire some kind of reform in the eisteddvod, the suggestion at the end of the article—namely, that certaia adjudica- tions might be printed in the programmes, can never be acted upon. The mammon of unright- eousness enters into the eisteddvod as well as into everything else in this world. Competitors, like the rest of the public, have to p.y their admission before they can enter the pavilion, and it is safe to say that ninety per cent. of those who compete in the literary ana art sections are pre- sent when the awards are delivered. If the awards in the competitions in which they are immediately interested were to be published in the programmes, I very much doubt whether any but a few of them wouid attend the eisteddvod meeting, and we can hardly "expect: eisteddvod promoters to tllrowa.way-mouey. Nor ran we expect them to crowd the programme with tbe result of competitions. which would swell the book by very many pages, and thereby increase the cost of its production. It is my experience that the evil does not lie in delivering' adjudications on these subjects from the platform, no much as in the love of talk and show on the part of the eisteddfod conductor and the adjudicator. Nobody would complain if such really interesting adjudications as that delivered on the orchestral band competition at Brecon occupied an hour in delivery; but tbe public naturally get Hstless when insane anecdotes aud vapid fnnniositi es are hurled at their devoted heads by a conductor who wishes to pose as Artemus Ward. Lengthy adjudications on literary subjects ai*e, as tbe Herald says, a decided mistake. The winner's name should be given out and the detailed adjudications published in the local newspapers, and in the transactions of the eisteddfod. I cannot a,?ree with the Herald that tbe smaller competition oU5;ht to be decided in another room. Many solo competitions are simply ex- cellent, and are watched, with great interest by the audience. But one big competition ought to be given each day, su ch as was the case in Liverpool, although I do not think it a good business poh'cy to bave tbe great choral contest on the opening day. I heartily agree with the Herald in wishing that sight singing, & were better encouraged than at present. The Brecon people deserve ali possible praise for having includ ed in their list of subjects two competitions in mus.\cal theory, and it is more than probable that similar examina- tions will take place in connection with next year's eisteddvod. One of the great drawbacks of the eisteddvod is tliat year after year it falls mto the hands of inexperienced people—people whose patriotism is undoubted,,and whose desire to help on the eisteddvod deserwes all possible praise, but whose knowledge of what is wanted is, nnfortu- nately, not as extensive as it ought to be. If the same people had the management of <affatrs for a few consecutive yeses things would vastly improve. S'ght-singing solo competitions are all but unknown in Wales, though we frequently- but not too frequently — find quartette fight singing tests. Wo want solo competitions of this nature, and we ought to have them. The theory and the sight-playiug contests at Brecon demonstrated that such things were wanted, and committees of local and national eisteddvodau will do well to include such items iu all future programmes. I agree, too, with the desire of the Herald for test pieces requiring tender expression. although I must still hold that refinement was valued at a very low estimate iu the chief choral competition at Brecon. A gentleman, whose knowledge of choirs is as extensive as that of the editor of the Musical Herald,, would place a high value on refined siogiug—other adjudicators bave different tastes. CHANGE OF TEST PIECES. We are having a change of test pieces much more frequently new than we used to have a few years ago, so I need not dwell any longer on that point. Dr Parry ought to be a happy man, if the sale of his works can make him bappy. His well- known composition, "Ar don o lhen gwyntoedd forms the test piece in no end of local eistedd- vodau to be beld between now and Christmas. In fact, the work seems to have taken the place of "Worthy is the Lamb" as the favourite with eistedd voq. committees. MICHAEL WATSON. One of the most popular and successful song writers of the day has gone over to the great majority in the person of Michael Watsou. With Sir Arthur Sullivan, A. H. Behrend, F. H. Cowen, Michael Maybrick (Stephen Adams), and the late Ciro Pinsuti, Michael Watson shared the popularity of the English people. Some of bis songs were as quaint and humorous as those, of Pontet, whilst others were bold, martial, and inspiriting. He was born at Newcastle-on-Tyne in 1840, and received his early musical education at the hands of his father. Young Watsou was intended for an artist, and he spent eight years at two art schools, But bis talents lay in another direction, and be took up music as a profession. He was a most pro- lific composer of songs, part songs, pianoforte pieces, etc. The list of his works in the British Museum, published under his own name, occupies 56wages of the catalogue. Many of his songs are kn,9wø, all over the world. Mr Watson was a poefr of no mean order, and a large number of his eonga were written as well as composed bybim. He also designed the title paga for some of hie works. His loss will ba keenly fait. NEW MUSIO. Messrs iMorley and Co., 127, Regent-street, send a few Mw pieces. II Pompeii tI is » set of three waltzes, all extremely tuneful and easy. "Pompeii" is sure to become a favourite during the coming season (2s). "On Conway Quay," treating of a theme that is as old as the bills, is fairly original and very well written (2s)\ But the best of Morley's songs is "The Captain of the Lifeboat." This is a fine, bold, manly song which appeals to the heart and fires the blood, a song which will achieve a popularity equal to tbat of any sea song since the publication of "Nanty Lee." It is so easy that anybody can sing i,I¡, and the words are as heroic as the music (2s)\ From MessrB J. B. Cramer, Regent-street, W., comes Mignonette,"a capitally written entr'acte piece (2s). Very pretty and decidedly interesting J are Ma Belle Reine" and Alexandra Gavotte 11 (2s each). "Vera" and "Renee" are two' delightful waltzes which it would be difficult to praise too highly, and which are sure to rank with the successes of the season (2s each). Soldier. Jim is a pretty song, brimful of quiet humou f, and tbe same may be said of Bess o' Portsmou tb Hard." Both songs will certainly "take" at, popular entertainments (2s each). Conceived, in a popular style and being very easy, but none, tbe less effective, "Plccadoro (descriptive Spanish march) is already being played all over, the kingdom (2s).

WELSH NOTES. THE FOUNDER OF THE TUDOR DYNASTY AT MILFOED HAVEN. An interesting event in the future .-of Milford Haven is looked for in the arrival of the City of Rome, and the landing of its passengers, but a great event of its past history was the landing of Henry Tudor, who became Henry the VII. of England. After escaping from the old Cattle of Elvjn,in Brittany, which, though now tenaatless, still stands, and has been visited by at least one Welshman now living in the principality, the bold adventurer crossed the channel, and arrived in Pembrokeshire to be received with open arms by Rhys ap Thomas, who with his rallied forces escorted him to Bosworth, on whose ever memo- rable field the victory was achieved. To Rhys ap Thomas, more than to any other human instrument, the victor was indebted for the British Crown. Nor did he afterwards entirely forget bis obligations to the principality, which paved for him bis way to the throne, but Wales has never bad its due from him or any of his successors. The services rendered by the powerful Welsh army, consisting cf upwards of two thousand horsemen well mounted, besides infantry, which met the founder of the Tudor dynasty at Milford Haven, and carried bim on to victory, has not yet been duly recognised. It was during the reigns of the Tudors that Britain developed into a Great Britain, and little Wales bas bad more to do in the making of Great Britain than tbe majority of people think. THE UPWARD MOVEMENT INtSTEEL PRICES. Hitherto the course of prices^, says Iron, in the steel trade has been somewhat less conspicuously upward than has been the case in other metallur- gical departments. This result is probably largely due to the employment in steeii manufacture of foreign ores, which bave not risien very rapidly in price. But now that hematites on the west coast and in Wales are increasing in cost as rapidly as tue pig-iron of Scotland and Cleveland, engineers and others must expest to pay greatly enhanced prices for their steel. The price for mixed numbers of Beusemer pig at Barrow is now 6286::1 per ton, and amongst makers it is a preva- lent conviction that within the next three months it will have reached 70s. It is, therefore, not so wonderful that raiis have risen to £5 15 < for heavy sections, and that Siemens' tin-piate bars in Wales cannot be obtained at less than £b. Prices throughout the country may be said to be 10s to jSl per ton dearer than they were three weeke ago. The demand for steel is no longer dependent upon activity in ship- building and in railway construction. Steel bridgework for export to India, Japan, and the colonies is in excellent demand just now, and pro- duction is being increased wherever possible. Prices are advancing rapidly iu this branch, as in every other connected with the iron and steel trades. Basic steel, which is largely employed in this class of work, has been advanced from fn to 10s per ton in the Midlands during the past few weeks. Bridge plates of such steel are now quoted £8 lOs. while boiler plates are £9 10s bars, rounds, and squares, £ ? 1C* angles, £7 10s channels, £7 15s; blocmiR, jEb bs. Altogether, the prospects ot the steel market must be regarded ¡ as of the most auspicious character. I "THOUGH A CONSERVATIVE-" Mr E. J. Smith, of Cardiff, is a geatleman who is desirous of obtaining a eeat upon the municipal council. I must do him the credit to admit tbat he is the most candid Tory with whom I have I come into contact. There is no pretence about 'I him. He frankly declanes that Toryism is not favourable to the interest* of labour. He claims to be an exception. Heax what be has to say iu his published address. Though a Conservative in politics, I have never benu untrue to the interests of labour." He is right to put an emphasis on though a Conservative," for. as he intimates. a Tory is not usually to be discovered advocating the interests of the working man. There is no doubt a certain section of tt em at present who are I labelling themselves as friends of the toiler, but, as Mr Smith frankly confesses, these professions are notgennine. "Though a Conservative," Mr Smith has never played the working man false, and it must be allowed that it is a remarkable fact, and one worthy of the paragraph to itself which it obtains. The punctuation is scarcely correct. ] The sentence ought to have ter- minated with a uoce of astonishment. That, though a Conservative," Mr Smith has invariably been the friend of labour is decidedly as amazing as he himself believes. But Mr Smith,although he is aware of the failing-of bis party, can hardly expect us to placa faith in the assertion which relates to himself. It is so mar- vellous, as Mr Smith implies, to come across a Tory who is true to the intereats of labour that we must have something more than the mere ipse dixit of this seeker of a seat before we can take him at bis word that, like the Pharisee, he is not I as the others are. THOUGH" HAS BECOME AN "AS." Mr E. J. Smith, of Cardiff, has promptly j altered his address to the burgesses. Instead of "though a Conservative," it now reads, As a Conservative iu politics I have never been untrue to tbe interests of labour." However, as I have re- marked above, tbe puuctuatioa is still wrong there is no note of astonishment. However, in its new reading a doubt is implied whether Mr Smith has always been true to the interests of labour. During aome course of his career he has evidently not been true to the interesta of labour. As a Conservative is not generally recognised to be favourable to the working man, the electors will require some explanation from Mr Smith how it is tbat durrng bis period of Conservatism—for be evidently bas more than one period-he is true to the interests of labour. How long, too, may be asked, do bis periods last! Will bis ad- hesion to tbe interests of labour continue so long as be is a candidate, and cease the moment he enters tbe council? This is the usual programme of the Tory. Perhaps Mr Smith will tell us, but, recollecting the ordinary veracity cf his party, not, please, "as a Conservative," but as the candid, truthful James of his address. TWO UNRECORDED INCIDENTS. Ifwbat fell on Sunday from the lips of Mr Fennel at Plasnewydd Chapel, Roath, is to be credited —and Mr Fennel bears a high character for in- tegrity—the Church Congress during its Cardiff sittings witnessed stranger scenes than those already recorded. Fancy, if you can, an audience composed of representative English Church- men hissing Lather and cheering Land 1 And again conceive tbe same assembly yielding acquiescence to plain bints of the efficacy of priestly absolution. And the Church that makes these pretensions is the Church that is said by that brittle ecclesiastic, the Bishop of Llandaff, to be overshadowing Welsh Nonconformity. Let any intelligent Englishman who knows the strength of Welsh Protestantism say what be thinks would, under any circumstances, be tbe prospects in Wales of a Church—be it established or disestablished-wbose leanings should be to heavily Romewards.

SURPASSED THEM ALL.—They were discussing the subject of longevity. A. I have an aunt who died at ninety-seven. B.: I had a grand- father who lived to be over two hundred. C. My grandfather and grandmother did better than that. A. and B.: How so? C. Tbey ain't dead yet.

Samuel's Sentiments. Samuel on Police Courts, THE MA6HEE SERGEANT— OLD TTPS. T one period o- my career, sit, I was a sort o5 semi-clerk (salary nil) to a relative, Cierk to tttt Justices, em- ployed at » pollee-co urt: aud plenty of food for obsert'a. tion did I fioq there. Tne pre- vailing uiea witb almost all ..I. of the community in regard to police-courts it that of the old women who, when called as wit- nesses, vehemently declare that they" Wor mvet in no coorts afore i' ther lives, an' doan't know what they've been browt theer for nab-sicb dis- gustful wack, and I scarcely wonder at this prevalent feeling, for if you go as a prosecutor ot witness you stand an exceedingly good chance ot being builied by the solicitor on the other side, ot I'jeing s..t upon by a splenetic J.P., or of being likewise bullied and told to speak up" by a burly bobby," and if you go in the capacity of defendant-well, there, need I dwell on the unpleasantness of that? Besides, the atmosphere is generally not all that it should be, a.ad most of the sigbiis presented when dock cases are on are 01 the painful class, and the man or woman who goes to a police-court usually associates that visit with some unpleasant and untoward incident. Ot course I am not now including that very common claw, police-court loungers—men who have no work, and don't wa\pt any, and spend one half their day listening to the cases at the police-courts, and the other halt where pints are cheap. The actual courts themselves have often been described, and no wonder., for the witnesses alone provide s number of types infinite and yet easy to be classi* fied on broad lines. There is the witness of an aggressive deposition, who goes into court with < sort of I-don 't-mean-to-take-no-notice-nf-nobody, I don't, let 'eœ try and bully me," and who usualif gets egregionsly badgered if a smart solicitor bg pitted against bim there is the nervous witneac who tears her (it is generally a woman) right glow in getting it off and then drops the book; there is the voluble witness (very frequently from the distresbful counthry ") who tells the court nearly everything but what it wants to know; there is the reproachful and semi-apologetic wit- ness who, on the prisoner or defendant exclaiming "Niver," or something similar, rejoins with a.1F appealing "Oh, you know you did," as thoturfc wanting confirmation trom the incriminated one —a likely thing to expert; there is tne blushing young woman who, wher,, told to kiss the book, nearly kisses the policeman standing near; then is the—but I might devote the whole of this article to delineating witness-types. It is the ø8.IIW with solicitors. There is the, smart, snappy I'ft got no ttles on me young man; there is the ponderous man who seems to be weighed down by the weight of his responsibility in defending, say, 4 a gentleman who 1 has been charged with stealing a bam there is the pooh-poeh "sty;e of lawyer who always endeavours to make light of matters as though he would say (wh»>n he is for the defence) 44 this is a paltry THIS IS T' BRICK HE HAT IU. Wl,' AT T' TOP (*)' T' HEAD—AN' AH WANT T' LAW O' HIM. case, your worships and there is the bellicose^ tear 'em. mean-to-fcght-tili-I-die attorney, who generally get,, at loggerheads with the justiceø- and does his client no good as a consequence. 1 have knowu more tftvu one of this kinj. But leaving the realm of the actual court itself, what tine studies are to be found in the offices for granting summonses, &c., and the charge office" of the police department below. In regard to the former, what sights have I not seen There is the young swell, looking frightfully ashamed of him- lIelf. who bab a few hours previously got on the spree," pawned his watch and guard, and lost)or been robbed cf) the ticket. He has come now b make an affidavit to enable him to obtain a nett "tombstone." Very possibly the justice befort whom the affidavit will go is an old friend of hit father's. And then what a host of respectabtt people come to make interest with one of the justices (maybap a friend ot oUier and were prosperous days) for a relation who bas got iota some species of trouble connected with the police and their duties. Iuti-i-toly touching are some of these interviews, and inhnite is the good that oat great unpaid (a most maiigned ciass) can some- times do. I have myself known them to pay fiuec out of their own pockif.s thatasteru sense of duty compelled them to inflict. Mothers come to plead^ oh, how earnestly for their ne'er-do-weel sous, and I have seen such respectable and reputable men come, with a world of pathos and misery in their faces, to place their full wretchedness in respect of some ruined daughter before jastices who have known and respected them all their lives. I won't go seriously into the question, but T can say (with a rather extended acquaintance of polise-cuurts) this—chat I do not believe in stipend lanes in most towns; for tempering justice with mercy (wblcb should be the foundation of all justice, human and Divine) give me that best abused class on earth— the "Great Unpaid." What pacuiiar customers we did use to have making applications in tbat office. I have seen a man who had been assaultei grievously, and who had a face on him" which seemed to suggest that he bad been dragged nose downwards along a road paved with brnkeu granite and glass, bottles, bring with him, carefully wrapped up in a very dirty handkerchief, the bait-brick with whicb he bad been struck and repeatedly have I known women bring handfuls of frousy hair, which they alleged their husbands bad torn out. to show oc when the summons or warrant was issued. I well recoilect one case of this kind where the husband successfully pleaded in court that he bad not torn the hair out, but that his wife had been saving it up for some time to m ike a piait of. The persona, generally women, who came for "provoking language tummionses against neighbours came not in single tiies, but in battalions, and ridiculous indeed were their applications for the most part. HE'S DONE IT FOR SPITE -PUT THE CHfLt) S VHISTLK ON MY BttALN," "Canlhavethalawof a hussy what's bin callia* me a creeper ?'" was one application that I well remember, and on another occasion a woman who had some suspicion of a moustacue that many a budding masber might be proud of ex- pressed a desire to have a law do in regard to a neighbour who bad referred to her as "tin- wtuskers." I was onoo applied to for a warrant by a well-dressed man. who at first seemed quite rational in bis manner, against his brother-in-law, who had committed the awful depravity of putting a child's "squeaker" in his (applicant's) head, ia consequence of which -as was most gravely and lucidly explained to me-every time the appiicaut drew the air up his nostrils it made the squeaker act-a most un- pleasant circumstaucfi assuredly. Reverting to provoking language cases I recollect a womau coming from a piace which I will call Fibsey Slack (mark the name) provoking a display of mild facetiousaess in one of the justices. The woman had very volubly stated her case, and then said his worship, What name did you call ber ia return?" Why, yer worship, there wor a good deal e' slack talk," admitted the woman. "Yes, there wquict be," said the J.P.—"Fibsey* Slack. talk." Of people who were trying to square cases or were trying to get information as to the probabU grouudti upon which the prosecution would go we bad no end, and mightily clever and ingenious did they think themselves. And what fua it used to be to watch the touting" attorneys or their clerks. Tak^ one common dodge of theirs. A woman, half in- tears, would,we will say, stroll out into lobby after issuing a summons. Enter to her the smart solicitor's clerk with a sympathetic air (ye gods, a police-court solicitor's clerk with a sympathetic manner.) What's up, lm-?" he will ask familiarly. Possibly, after a little more inter- rogation, the woman, moved by bis friendly air; will confide to bim tiSat she has no solicitor and tbat t'other side he > getten a lawyer ta pleead for tbem," and a bargain will be struck. Than there are usually attempts, from precisely the same quarter, to get at the police officers whose duties lie in the "charge offioe," and who, when a man is locked up, protecting bis innocence, cas quickly say, Very well, Isd, if you want to provs your innocenc you ought to get Mr Pleadwall, the solicitor, to appear for you. He's a rare talker } shall I send for him for you ? v In such a case tbt officer will, of course, "st.»nd iu" with the solicitor-but, for the honour bt^thof the profession and of the police, I am bound to add that these cases are not common. But as regards the Charge Office," which provides many a dramatic scene, I will give you a full, true. and particulac account anon. SAMUEL: His SENTIJIIENTL

ON A DIMINUTIVE SGALE.—A Chinese cooking stove is cylindrical in siiape, about eighteen inchae in height, and made of -ewter. In the top are cir. cuiar orifices for pots and kettles, which, when in position, surround iiiAitt portable furnacn. The Chinese cooking n £ rwi&s, like the Japanese and Corean, seem all "CO fee on a diminutive Bcale. Economy is attained by their arrangement, as it is not necessary to burn a scuttle or two of coal in a big range in order to make a cup of tea. Tb8 Corean has a fire-pot made of soapstone. It is like a bowl with a little circular furnace in the centre, The coals are put in the furnace, the meats 01 vegetables to be cooked placed in tbe bowl around it and the cover put on. The Chinese have fire- pots similar ia construction bat made of metiU.