Carnarvon and Denbigh Herald and North and South Wales Independent

THE CLOSING YEAR. Tlie present year of grace1, now drawing to the far end of its term, has been full ot buBifcling incidents, many of them memorable, if not of importance. Confining our outlook mainly to Wales, we may regard it as a time of encouraging progress in nearly every department of life. Agriculture has by no means emerged out of the great de- pression, but the harvest must be put down as rather above the average, the principal drawback being that the hay was sodden with rain throughout the uplands. The slate trade has been active though prices have kept at a low level. Of new enterprises, there have been very few. The Oowlyd water works have been completed. The Talycafn bridge and the Bangor pier have been taken in hand, and the Snowdon mountain tramroad has been commenced. The Wrexliam and Ellesnuetre line has been almost completed; and the work will, doubtless, add to the prospeadlty of the Cambrian Railway, whose prospects have recently become far brighter than usual. Ait Rhyl, great improvements have been undertaken; and Llandudno means to take some important steps in advan ce without much longer delay. At Carnarvon, little has been done beyond discussing tih; Aber bridge, the Anglesey ferry, wtAl the extelisioll- of the Narrow Gauge Railway in a languid sort of way. Possibly, hovrever, something may be done in the near future to improve the housing of the working- classes. Wrexha-m has added a SmithfieM and a school of science and art to its insti- tutions. The land market has not been very active; but the sale of the Gwydyr estate by Mr Dew, resulted very satisfac- torily, we should imagine, to the vendors; and, no doubt, other estates may be brought to the market shortly. A a general* index to the state of trade, we mention for what St is worth, the fact that the North and South Wales Bank declared a dividend of fifteen per cent. Political activity has been a remarkable feature of the year. The sittings of the Land Commission throughout the Principality aroused immense interest. The evidence taken was enormous in bulk, and most valu- able as an indication of the reforms needed in the land laws. Several important aspects of the land question, it is true, were neglected; but it may fairly be hoped that the report of the Commissioners will lead to beneficial results. Even the Tories how recognise the necessity of affording farmers adequate legal security for what they spend in improving their holdings. As to Charities, those of Merionethshire have been investi- gated by Mr Cadwaladr Davies, with the result of unearthing a good many abuses. The Penmynydd charity and the Hugh Hughes's charity in Anglesey have also been dealt with in a more or less satisfactory manner. The Lord-Chancellor has done a little to improve the composition of the magistracy; but it would be idle, to pretend that his appointments (though good as far as they went) have given general satisfaction. Both among the old justices and among the Liberal rank and file, the feeling in favour of stipendiary magistrates is slowly but I' surely gaining ground. The commission on the regulation of slate quarries have pre- sented their report—a much flabbier docu- ment than was desirable in view of the increasing frequency of accidents. Of course, the two chief political events of the year were the introduction of the Welsh Dises- tablishment Bill by Mr Asquith, and the revolt of the four Welsh "Independents"— Messrs Lloyd-George, Herbert Lewis, Frank Edwards, and D. A. Thomas. The Bill, which was far from adequate to meet thb wants of Wales, was dropped in the autumn. In order to keep the Government up to the mark, the revolt was set going. It was warmly backed up by the constituencies almost everywhere; and even those who thought the mutinous movement either un- necessary or mischievous must admit that the revolters have plausible grounds for claiming that events have justified their action. Welsh Disestablishment is to be the chief Government measure in the approaching session. If Mr D. A. Thomas and Sir Edward Reed can be persuaded to' prefer the voice of Wales to the promptings of cliques, we may hope for a much better Bill than ttte last. The Cymru Fydd uprising followed close upon the Revolt; and is closely connected though not identical e.. with. The new organisation bids fair to become for Wales what the National League is for Ireland. We may hope that the darker features of Irish history may not be repeated in W ales; but if the Lords throw out the great measure upon which Wales has sec her heart, it would be rash to pre- diet what wild work may be done. Aa regards political personages, a good many changes have to be noted. The elevation of Mr Stuart Rendel to the peerage caused a vacancy in Montgomeryshire. Mr Hum- phreys-Owen retained the seat for the Liberals; but the majority, owing to a diminished electorate and other causes was not so high aa it ought to have been. The fund of J35000 collected by the Duke of Westminster will ensure contests in almost everr constituency at the next election. In Flintshire, the sitting members will be op- posed by Mr P. P. Pennant (who likes defeat as a duck likes water) and by Colonel Howard. In Anglesey, Mr Eilis J. Griffith will dispute the "brush" with Mr Rice Roberts. In the Denbigh Boroughs, Mr Kenyon retires and Mr Tudor Howell will fight for the Tories. Mr Idris having withdrawn his candidature, the Liberals will have to look for another champion; and we trust they will lose no time in making up their minds. A Tory candidate after the Bishop Edwards's own heart has been found in Mr Wynne Edwards to fight Mr Herbert Roberts in West Denbighshire. Mr Rath- bone's announcement of his intention to re- s'ign the Arvon seat led to much activity. Ultimately Mr W. Jones, of Oxford, was chosen Liberal candidate; and to meet him, Professor Hughes, of the Cardiff Medical School has been chosen. In the Mont- gomery Borouglis, Mr J. W. Willans, of Dolforgan, will try conclusions with Sir Pryce Pryce J ones and forecasts are worth- less if the Liberal does not prove an easy victor. In South Wales, the Tories seem to be less active in selecting candidates but their daring i well exemplified by the fact that they have decided to attack the tre- mendous majority of Mr D. A. Thomas at Merthvr, their champion being a son of Sir William Thomas Lewis. The resignation of Mr Gladstone was nowhere more regretted than in Wales. Lord Rosebery was looked upon somewhat dubiously at first; but on the whole he is gaining credit and confidence. Local Government has absorbed much attention during the closing months of the year. Mr Thomas Ellis, Mr Beriah Evans, and others have done great things in the way of "spreading the light" as to the great democratic measure of Mr Fowler; and, on the whole, the friends of progress may be fairly satisfied. In Carnarvon, the Liberal party have strengthened their grasp of municipal affairs. The County Councils have mostly devoted themselves to routine. The great asylum question remains unsettled. A beginning has been made in the work of re-afforesting Crown lands. Crime has happily remained at its normally low level; but a murder trial (resulting in a verdict of manslaughter) has to be recorded against Anglesey; and two men have been hanged at Carmarthen. In Rugby football, Wales beat both Scotland and Ireland. A Welsh Volunteer took the Prince of Wales's prize at Bisley. Welsh musicians note that Welsh Ladies Choir were honoured by a command to sing before the Queen; and that Mr Ben Davies scared a great success on his visit to Vienna. As regards Temperance reform, the old deadlock continues. Here and there a few public-houses are closed • and the publicans have their revenge by sweeping majorities for' many of their nominees at local government elections. The linguistic rights of Wales have been recognised in many ways by the Government, especially by the appointment of Gwenogfryn to catalogue oui historical manuscripts and by the publica- tion of Acta of Parliament in Welsh. Against that must be put the iniquitous dis- missals of platelayers by the London and I North-Western Railway Company and the supremely silly appointments of gentlemen who know no Welsh as Masters of Method in the Day Training Schools of bilingual Wales. The movement to erect a monument to Prince Llewelyn has been taken up warmly; and it is to be hoped that differences of opinion as to ways and means will not de- velop into obstruction. As to literature, religion, and education, not much has to be chronicled. Indeed, in literature relating to Wales, the year has been remarkably barren, the only noteworthy publications being volumes of tales by Mr P. H. Emerson and Marie Trevelyan respec- tively, and a squib on the Welsh Pulpit by three anonymous writers. The activity of the Established Church was signalised by rebuilding Bodvean church at the expense of the squire, the erection of a new church in Ruabon parish, and the total absence of candidates for ordination at Bangor. The Holywell miracles have encouraged Roman Catholics to talk about appointing a Bishop for Wales, and the same wondrous works have prompted the Holywell Local Board to demand a higher rent for the well. The Calvinistic Methodists, who are doing great things for Bala and Trevecca colleges, han postponed the ticklish question of a susten- tation fund for three years. Among the Congregationalists, the most noteworthy event was the resignation of his ministerial charge by Dr Herber Evans, in order to devote his time to the principalship of the Theological College at Bangor. In the sphere of education we note with satisfaction the appointment of Mr D. E. Jones, B.Sc., Mr L. J. Roberts, B.A., and Mr E. Roberts, M.A., to inspectorates. Carnarvon led the way in opening an intermediate school and many other towns, especially in Merioneth- shire, have followed closely after. The stimulus of Mr Rathbone's handsome offers ought to ensure the rapid development of the technical side. The agricultural depart- ment of Bangor College has been as energetic and fruitful as before and its plans have been accepted as models to be copied by many other institutions. The Lords have mangled many intermediate schemes at the instance of the Bishops, particularly those of Denbigh, Flint, Anglesey, and Cardigan. This involved the Bishop of St. Asaph in a controversy which loaded him with dis- credit, W-d, aroused the indignation of the country. The winding up of the North Wales Scholarship Association-a society which did excellent work in' its time, de- serves to be noted. The authorities of Aberystwyth have been straining every nerve to collect a sum of £5000 to meet a Government grant of £10,000 towards com- pleting the college buildings and we trust that the year will not expire without seeing the work accomplished. The Eisteddfod seems as vigorous as ever. Though Pontypridd mismanagement resulted in a deficit of £2519; Carnarvon managed to secure a modest surplus. The visit of "lorwerth Dywysog," Hoffder Prydain," and their daughters, made the visit memo- rable to the Philistines while the devotees of Ceridwen will long remember the produc- tion of "Dewi Sant." Llaneily means to I deserve success next year; and already Llan- dudno lias made bold and somewhat eccentric preparations for 1896. Many disasters of various kinds must be placed to the account of the year. In June, the appalling Cilfynydd explosion resulted in the loss of 251 lives. In August, ten ex- cursionists were drowned a.t Barmiouth. Other sad: drowning cases at Criccieth and Corwen; and the tragic death of Mr M'ilt- chell, while trying to ascend Lliwedd, cast a gloom over the summer holidays. Quarry accidents have been only too frequent; and shipping disasters have been numerous, the most recent being those chronicled this week as having occurred off Hdlyhead. Death has removed from our midst many well-known public men and women. Amongst them we note Mr Simon Yurke, of Erddg; Mr John Roberts, of Abergele; Mr W. Johnson, of Broughlfcon HaItI; Mm Edwards, of Bala; Ciwydfardd (tilic Archdruid); Lord Swansea Mr J. Scott Bankes; Mr Priteha/rd, ex-mayor of Wrexham; Dr Shelton Jones, of Pwll- Iheli; Rev R. Hughes, of Gaerwen; Rev John Griffiths, Swansea; Mr Haydn Parry, Lord Trevor, and Mr Riichajxt Williams, Holyhead.

A special correspondent of the Times has been scrutinising the local government elections throughout the country. Two of his letters are devoted to Nor th Wales Montgomery, he declares, is one of the counties in which" private interests are likely to suffer most severely from attention to public duties, prompted principally no doubt by the spirit of parochial patriotism, but due also in no small measure to the pleasure which comes to him who can call himself great in a little community." In Carnarvonshire and Anglesey, the correspon- dent was struck by the interested and intelligent tone of the discussion on the polling day amongst all sorts and conditions of men. Of course the. rout of the Nonconformists at Bangor. owing to defective organisation, fills the breast of the correspondent with joy. But he has to confess that though seven out of nine peats were carried by Conservative nominees, only five of them were absolute Conservatives. Before the elections, the Tories everywhere asserted that they did not fight on political grounds. But now, afcer the election, we have their fugleman ex- tracting from the results the political con- clusion that the Unionist prospects are dis- tinctly more rosy than might be expected." Is this sort of thing quite fair on the part of the gentlemen who claim a monopoly of l intelligence and virtue ? The correspon- dent finds thero has been no general revolt against squire and parson. To show the con- I trary, he gives a Hst in which it is assumed that Abergele, Meliden, and Prestatyn are in Carnarvonshire and A nglesey. But after all, it is not to be presumed that the numerous Conservative victories mean that the powers conferred by the statute on various bodies will be exercised half-heartedly when the needs of the public demand strong action. Those who know North Wales feel well assured that they are likely to get more wise and firm action and less blatant talk con- cerning matters outside their jurisdiction out of those whom they have chosen than out of the party of agitation. Nor must I be under- stood to sa.y that the party of orderly pro- gress are in an absolute majority, because, in fact, I know not, and I question whether it can be ascertained, whether they are or not. But, at any rate, they are in a very fairly strong position." What a talent for euphemism is displayed in the last two sentances Wha.t stranger to Wales would surmise that the Tories have almost every- where been routed ignominiously ?

LOCAL AND DISTRICT. The Rev J. Eiddon Jones has won a prize of £50 for an essay on the licensing question. On Ohri&bmas Day, the Bishop of St. Asaph preached at St George's Church, Paris. Mrs Idris, a well-known Welsh lady, has been elected: as guardian in St Pancras, Londion, A serious stabbing case is being investi- gated by the Festiniog magistrates as we go to press with this edition. It is estimated that more tailors tried for seats on tlhe parish councils than any other class of workers in Wales. Sir Piyce Pryce-Jones, M.P., is progress- ing favourably, and lit is hoped that he will be able to take a sea voyage with Lady Pryce- Jones shortly. The new Lord Swansea, we have authority for starting, will ally himself with the Con- servaJtive Painty on taking his seat in the Upper House. A wealthy American Welshman, the Hon. Daniel Edwardis, Kingston, is about to pre- sent to Ediwardsdale a reading room, which will cost £10,000. The Flint and Denbigh Hounds will meet on Wednesday, January 2nd, 1895, at Glas- coed; Saturday, January 5th, at Talacre, each day at 11 a.m. The Marquis of Anglesey's Harriers will meet on Tuesday, January 1st, 1895, at Nant (if wet, on Wednesday); Saturday, January 5th, at Briden, at 12 o'clock. A correspondent of the Manchester Guardian" calls the ceremony of cutting the first sod of the Snowdon railway a carnival of unmitigated Philistinism." The Rev John Williams, Brynsiencyn, has been appointed the successor of the late Rev Dr Otfen Thomas, as pastor of the Welsh Calvinistic Metibodist Church, Liver- pool. The Anglesey Harriers will meet on Monday, 31st December, at Llanerchymedd, at 10.30 a.m.; Wednesday, 2nd January, 1895, at Gwyndy, at 11.30 a.m.; Saturday, 5th January, at Llangefni, at 11.30 fun. The Welshpool magistrates have sent a bov of ten to prison for a trumpery act of pilfering. Many people will be of* opinion that tlie magistrates ought to be sent to penal servitude for such an act of inhumanity. On Thursday, the Rev W. Ogwenvdd I Evaius, the well-known Baptist minister," of Wiikesbarre,^ Pa., America, was welcomed at his native village, Bethesda. Mr Evans in- tends spending the winter in tlie Princi- pality. The Rev Charles Wenyon, formerly Wes. lcyan minister at Wrexham, and now a mis- sionary in the East, has been arrested while passing through Central Turkey on a charge of active sympathy with the Christians of Armenia. Winnie Pajry" is the name of a young W elsh girl at Portdinorwic, who is fast making a name as a writer of short tales of Welsh life in the vernacular. In this month's Cymrtl" she has a charming little Christ- mas tale for children. In the further Scriptural examination of the University of London recently held Mr Thomas Lewis, M.A., B.D., tutor at the Lancashire College, took the first place in the first class. Mr Lewis is a younger bro- ther of the Rev Elvet Lewis, Llanelly. In tlie "Strand Magazine" a fac-simile is given of the signature of Mary Jones in her Bible in 1800, whose zeal induced Thomas Charles o r Bala to call together a meeting which in 1804 resulted in "the establishment of the British and Foreign Bible Society. The University of France has, through the Minister of Public Instruction, conferred upon Professor Barbier, of University College, Cardiff, the academic distinction of officier acadieanie. This is an honour similar to that conferred on Madame Pat/td a few years ago. We understand there is no foundation for the report (which we copied last week from a Cardiff contemporary) to the effect that Sir Richard Bulkeley had publicly expressed his willingness to give up a farm of seventy acres near Llanerchymedd for allotment purposes. Mr D. J. Davies, a Llandilo boy, who lives at Llanelly, has been doing some very good work for the "English Illustrated Magazine," and in this month's "Wales" he has some captitad illustrations in the vicar of St. Paul's sketch of the rise and growth of the tin-plate industry. Mrs Charles Hunter, of Plas Coch, Angle- sey, the only daughter of the late Mr W. Bulkeley Hughes, M.P., has been elected to the presidency of the parish council of lean- edwen. This, it is said, is the first compli- ment of the character which has been pqij to a lady in North Wales. The Welsh Ladies' Choir has been taking Glasgow by storm. Professor Drummond was so charmed with the rendering of The Bells of Aberdovey" by Mrs Clara Novello vies's young girls, that he is said to contem- plate bringing out a new volume entitled "The Ascent of Woman." The old order has given place to the new with a vengeance in the parish of Pen- deryn, in Breconshdre. The vicar was the last on the poll for the district council, while he was last on t-e list of the eleven success- ful candidates for the parish council, being beaten by his grave-digger! A correspondent writes —In the ordinary course, the Ohrilslbmas ordination' service should have been'held on Sunday in Bangor Cathedral. No such service was held. The cause is attributable to the lack of candi- dates for the mindstry. Such an occurrence is well-nigh unique in the records of the diocese. News has just come to hand stating that the steamer Glenshiel" was wrecked on. its Voyage to China. Among the passengers on board were tlie Rev WT. Owen the popular Welsh. missionary, and Mrs Owen, who were prbceetKng to Chung King, and the Rev W. J. Morris, recently appointed to Canton, all of whom wpre .slaved. The Rev Jenkyn Davies, curate of Bangor, has been the recipient of a public testimonial comprising an engraved silver communion service and a. cheque from his friends and well-wishers, at Menai Bridge, where he officiated as a. curate. The presentation was made at a. public meeting by the Rev D. Jones, redtor of Menali Bridge. Since his appointment as Manuscript Com- missioner, Mr Gwenogfryn Evans has been deluged with applications for the post of assistant. Nothing has surprised him more than the enormous amount of latent talent which has suddenly unearthed itself. He used to think that all the Welsh palaeogra- phers were a mere handful of men, but he now finds them to be legion. Sir Richard Williams-Bulkeley has written to the Times" a letter in which, as a practical yachtsman who has had intimate experience of the channels both in foggy and clear weather for more than ten years," he protests against the alterations in the "rule of the road at sea" proposed by the Board of Trade as the outcome of an inter- national conference. Major Birch is one of the largest estate agents in North Wales, and his evidence before the Land Oonwnisision startled both his frienlcb and opponents by his liberality of tone. His son, Mr T. R. Birch, who acts as Ms father's assistant, has been learning Welsh, and the other day at a rent audit at Llanarmon he made his maiden speech iln the vernacular in proposing a toast Suc- cess to Agriculture." FOREIGN COMPETITION AND LEAD MINING.—A special meeting of the share- holders in the extensive lead mines at Min- era. has been summoned to appoint a liquida- tor with a view to the winding up of the affairs of the company. One of the prin- cipal shareholders informed our correspon- dent that they found it impossible to work these old and once prosperous mines at a profit against foreign competition and boun- ties. Communications have been received from the Rev Dr. Griffith John, the veteran missionary of Hankow, China, intimating his acceptance of the presidentship of the Memorial College, Brecon, for the ensuing year. He has also promised, conditionally, to address the students at the annual com- memoration-day in June, and subsequently to address a general assembly at Pwllheli of the Congregational Union of Wales. Dr. John's replies seem to point to an early termination of the war. Mr Stanley Leighton, M.P., "the man from Shropshire," says that the Wekh In- dependents number 279,000, the Calvinistic Methodists 268,000, the Baptists 215,000, d the Weslevans 70,000, while the ad- herents of the Church number 700,000. If this is so, it proves that the Church people are in favour of Disestablishment and Dis- endowmenit, else they would not allow 31 Liberals out of the 34 Welsh members to be returned. And during the recent parish and district councils elections the Church parfty I must be given the credit for having most nlobly and unselfishly effaced itself! It was quite time for Mr William Davies, CaerbJaidd, one of the Festiniog justices, to say from the bench that owing to the in- crease of rowdyism and violence in the dis- trict the magistrates had made up their minds to impose upon all violent and dangerous offenders the full penalties of the law. Serious assaults upon civilians and the police are of frequent occurrence, and the rowdy- ism that prevails in the streets is something most deplorable. Already one assault case has been sent to the quarter sessions. A serious stabbing affair which took place on Christ- mas evening f to be dealt jnth. t!ie ''athletes of the year" in fcha ™'f ™n £ er of the Strand Magazine" is Mr C. R. Thomas, the Welsh champion. He was born at Merthyr Tydfil in 1873, and is, therefore, in his 22nd year. "His He was born at Merthyr Tydfil in 1873, and is, therefore, in his 22nd year. "His rise in the athletic world has been of a somewhat meteoric character. In 1892 Mr 1 nomas left his home for Reading. At that place there JS a capital ■ruuning track «u th« local ataletic club ground, Ull acting upon the advice of his friends, the new arrival lost no time in getting into training." Since then, Ins career has been a series oi sue- cassas. His style i, beautifully easy, with a long, loping stride." Mr Daniel Owen, the well-known Welsh novelist, one of the parish council candidate s at Moid. On the question of P]g-keeping, Mr Owen said:—"I do not forTJ6 Vfa ;jaui^rian,,wbo en.i°ys his bacon In the 1 T1; aud,sTaj,el]s a P^sty a mile off. sWk h f? 1 havd acIv°cated, almost < -i Tery cottager ought to he 1 rs °' kt°L>mZ a Pig, provided ht Aopstlie ewt clean. The pig is not only tne uorkiug man s bank, but liis delight also. He advised that the following question sijou.d be put to every candidate:- A yvt d:iyfal dal yn dyn iVlai iachus yw cadw mochyn ?" On the Twelfth Night "Mari Lwyd," a relic of the old mystery play of "Blessed w? U'Se, to begin to =° th,e r()und in Old Wales, and Cadrawd informs us that the old custom ha.s not yrf, disappeared from Llan- He Kives us the concluding verses .^er,e s'# h>' Party of wassaioiH," called at his house on Saturday nhrht after tneir wants had been satisfied Duw rod do i'eh lawenydd I gynnal blwyddyn newydd, Tra bo crwtli a thincian clocli, w e;I, well y bo'ch chwi beunydd. l^rweJiwch foneddiigion, » Ni gawfiom ro&saw ddigon 1 Benoith Duw fo ar eich tai K A phob ryw rai dynion. | Ii In a Ciiiristmas article on the Merry MJid- dlernan, the" Daily Chronicle" observes 'Whenever a purchaser sees a nilce little saddle or leg of mutton, of small weight and not fat, niceCv floured over, and tied up with ribbons, he may shrewdly suspect that although it is labelled 'prime Scotch' or -prime Welsh,' the sheep from which it was taken was bred and fed in New Zealand or on the banks of the River Plate, and brought over in the ice-house of a big ocean going steamer, and sold in the Metropolitan Meat Market at about 3d per pound. This may be interesting to those people who have given Is a pound for a Scotch or saddle or leg of mutton." It is quit. tim. this sort of fraud was put an end to. The "Welsh GOSSiiper" says :—The Llan elly Eisteddfod Committee have decided on an innovation which, for practical useful- ness, tjhirows all the feather-brained projects of Llandudno into the sliade. They have decided to offer a travelling scholarship of £20, tenable for two years, to the candidate who will most successfully paas an examina- tion in W eGisli literature, language, and! phil. ology. The scholarship will be tenalble at any European University, and will, no doubt, do much to bring the time-honoured insfcitu tion of the Eisitedldfod into closer touch with the educatioaa 1 movement which is trans- forming Cymru Fydd and it will also help to make our educational system more na- tional, and avert the danger that with the spread of education there would come an intdSLfference to the claims of our native language. In reference to what wa-s said at the Snowdon Railway luncheon, Canon Rawns. ley writes:—"I too-*no part in the opposi- tion when the JL audi aster Corporation broached its scheme for appropriating Thirl- mere." No one more than I deplored the noositv-if necessity it were—of convert- ing Thirlmere into a reservoir; but I have from ifue fiwfc rearlwed that a greai city de- pends for its health upon a good water supply, and I gratefully acknowledge the efforts made to secure the least possible dis- figurement of the country by the operation of the scheme. Had Mr Assheton Smith read what I did say when I congratulated tha (Manchester Corporation he would have known ( on wha.t ground my congratulations were based, and how I balanced the gain against the irreparable hj&s of local beautv and association." Mr Frederick York Powell, the new Pro. fessor of Modern History at Oxford, is a Welshman who is proud of his descent, and a firm believer in the possibilities of the Welsh naltion. Though comparatively unknown out- sidle the University, he has for years been considerable figure at the oitv on the Isis. x:^e a convinced Home Ruler in politics, a npe Icelandic scholar, and lias brought out several books on Icelandic literature, work- ing in conjunction with the late Mr Viofus- son. He is also a great admirer of Walt Whitman, and lias done much to make tha poet of the democratic man" known in this country. He is the author of an excellent little handbook—the best of its kind—on the "History of England in 1485," to which Pro- fessor Tout, late of Lampeter, has published a supplement. Professor York Powell is a constant attendant at the St David's Day dinners at Oxford, and has always shown a keen interest in Welshmen at the University. He acted for some time as Professor Free- man's deputy, and there is no doubt that liifl appointment will be extremely popular at Oxford. The South Wales Daily News" observes: —We hear from more sources than one that the Tories of West Wales, and of Pem- brokeshire more especially, are more chag- rined than they care openly to confess, are indeed discomfited at the vigorous pronounce- ment of advanced Liibera:1islll proclaimed by !Lord Kensington, at the Pembrokeshire Farmers' Olwb, last week. Pembrokeshire Toryism secretly fostered the hope—it was hoping against hope, as the most intelligent of the cult believed—to seduce Lord Ken- sington from his political loyalty and! from his unswerving allegiance to the old Liberal flag which, under changing names, his ances- tors had uplifted in Pembrokeshire during so many generations. Formerly the four patri- cian houses of Pembrokeshire—the Ediward- eses, of Johnston Hall; the Lloyds, of Hen- Hys and Bronwydd; the Philippses, of Pic- ton Castle; and the Oampbells, of Stackpole Court.—were Liberals in political faith and action." Three of the great families have been lost to Liberalism but Lord Kensing- ton does not mean to give up the part of Abdiel. Mr Humphreys-Owen, the member for Montgomeryshire and a director of the Cam- brian line, is tlie only representative from Wales appointed on the Commission on Light Railways, although there is no part of the kingdom likely to reap so much benefit as Wrales would from the construction of light railways. The "Cymro" mentions a number of districts where light railways are con- sidered necessary. Nowhere, it says, is a line more needed than between Bettwsy- coed and Corwen. Tlie scheme should not awaken the jealousy of the Great Western or the North-Westem Companies, because it wouJd unite their systems the distance is 22 miles, and the line, if a narrow gauge, might run alongside Telford's highway; it would serve a large track of country noted for its cattle, and would bring Cerigv- I druidion, Pentrevoelas, and other centres into direct connection with the markets. It would go through the counties of Carnar- von, Denbigh, and Merioneth, and the cost would not be great if shared between the three, while it would be productive of great good before many years had passed. It also suggests lines from Wrexham to Ruabon, through Coedpoeth. Minera, Llandegla, and. Llanarmon; from Menai Bridge to Beau- maris; from Pwllheli to Nefyn and Aber- daron from Oswestry to Llangynog and over the Berwyn to Bala; and from Denbigh to Llanrwst. In South Wales the need is equally great. It predicts that the lines men- tioned will have been constructed before tha next century is very old.