The Cardigan Bay Visitor

-a.===- _=- f- DR. WILLIAMS' SCHOOL, DOLGELLEY. n. Roy. Datiol Williams, D.D., a native wf Wroxkau, loy ài8 Will iat" ia 1711, dOT his catoto* to sharitalole umw, mmL, anoilgat other objeolm, tkat of tke iuprtroHMt of oixoaiiiou ia Wales. Thotru&teeA oftkooh-%rityqloeide.ito apply )k fuads towai4ls the establishmant and maintenamw of a public school for gii-ls ia North Walus. £ arly ia 1S74, aa *Xm- was made t* ik« t*wa «f Caraorrva t« the funds at their disposal towards the iumiuteimuccof a schoolthe--e, APO& "Agliti&Z that a sam tf A: vu aakdl _=-"=" -.=======-3:1'" that a site of acres ex land r.iadc pn :"fc of the property of the s^npol bi-anc:i o[ th»: trust. I is was not accepted by Carnarvon, and, in May, lb74, an application ws ma:h fnml to Mr Saniudl Holland, then member of Parliament for tiioCountv of ^ffcrionctn with a view, 0 a similar offer 1 >f;ing made to ,clley. On the 20th Octaber, 1S74, a i..ablic meeting was held at the shire Hall. Dolgelley, immediately after the close of the financial busin.*&u of the Quarter Sessions Promises of liberal subscript-ions were then nude winch enconrpgevi the promoters to take up the pro posal. Ultimately a site of two acres of land was secured about a quarter of a mile from i lie, town, in a beautiful and romantic Mtiuvfcion, on rising g'ound above the river W nion, and overlooked, at a distance of a few miles, by the idris range of mountain?. Build- ing3 were erectcd for the accommodation of boarders, as well as day-se!iol,irs, and upwards of 1:4,600 has been expended in inaumg the buildings and surround- ing preii-iis suitable for the purposes of the school. ihe school buildings comprise a spacious schoolroom with class-rooms and a kitchen for teaching practical cookery, in addition to the usual kitchens, sitting rooms, dining hall, dormitories, &c., all of which have been built with special regard to ventilation, drainage, and sanitary requirements. The playground and the recreation ground, with jaw, tennis courts, &c., are s coul' large and commodious. There is accommodation far sixty day scholars and forty boarders (the boarders being restricted to this number), who arc oontinually under the personal supervision of t.;e head mistress and at her assistant teachers, all of whom reside on the premises. ijhe following constitute the staff of teachers, namely — Head mistress, Miss Fewings assisted by Miss .\ioakes, Intermediate Mus. Bac., Lend. Miss Thompson, London and Cambridge Universities Miss Blaekmur, Certificated Student (B.A.), Cirton College, Cambridge; and Miss Price, first-class diploma for cooktry and scientific dressmak- ing; Mr Morgan Oriilitii. professor of music, attends daily to teach instrumental music. The school course includes religious instruction; rending; writing; arithmetic; mathematics book-keeping English grammar, composition, and literature; history; geography French ;■German Latin natural science; drawing theory of music harmony and class singing Calisthenie exercises needlework domestic economy, and practical cookery or such of < he above or other subjects as the Governors, with due regard to particular circumstances, may determine; instrumental music, Latin, and German, are extras. The work of the pupils is tested by public examiners at periodical examinations. Reports of progress Attendance, and conduct are sent to parents Attendance, and conduct are sent to parents at the end of c-, cry term. Pupils arc prepared for the Universities local, and civil service examinations, and there are also classes under the science and art department, and large numbers of the pupils from time to time obtain ccrtticates. 'j lie sehool was favourably noticed in the report of the Commissioners appointed by Parliament to enquire into Intermediate and Higher Kducation in Wales, and is managed under the supervision of a body of governors, of whom six are nominated by the trustees of the charity for a term of ten years, and four arc elected by the School Board for Dolgelley for a term of three years.-Tho present governors are :S.1.mnel HoU;md, Esq, of Caerdeon, I>algelley, chairman, and Mrs Holland, Mrs Darbishire, of Nantlle, Carnarvon, J. K. Greaves, Ksq., of Brc eition, Criccieth, Edward Griffith, Esq., of Springfie Dolgelley, Yv7. D. Jeremy, Esq., of Lincoln's L London, Mrs Jones, of Doigelley, Edward Jones, Es< M.D., of Cae'riiyiion, Dolgelley, Miss Roberts. » Brynmair, Dolgelley, and H. Robertson, Esq., of Pale Hall, Corwcn, Mr \V. R. Davies, Dolgelley, is clerk to l the governors. Tho governors hold their meetings on the premises at frequent- intervals, and inspect the general arrangements of the school, and discharge the responsibilities of their trust in pursuance of a code of regulations contained in the printed Scheme of Management," drawn up by the Charity Commissioners and approved by her Majesty the Queen in Council, ot. the 2th .,June, 187."). This scheme, amongst other pro- visiana, authorises the Governors to award two Exhibi- tions of 125 each ycarl: "tenable at any college or place for the higher education of women," also to awar(I not fewer than six scholarships, tenable at the school, which "entitle the holden; to entire exemptioa troin the payment of tuition fees." In consequence of the school buildings, grounds, and premises being the property of the trust, and being in the receipt of a. con- Huler-abln annual endowment, the Governors are enabled to otfe:' an exceptionally high cL,ss education—prac- tical, thorough, and of elevated moral tone-a.t a very moderate few, comparatively. The following are the fees (payable iu advance':—Entrance fee, 5s. Two or more sisters, 2s. Gd. each way pupils, 1:4 per annum, Gii. 8d. per term for stationery, use oi books etc.; weekly boarders, £:26 per annum, and fis. per term for washing boa.rd.t-m. i'HO per annum, and 12s. per term for washing extras.—pianoforte tuition, Latin and German, each £ I per term. Further particulars may be obtained on application to the Clerk to the Governors, or to the Head Mistress

PLYNLIMON LAKE. > r HAOHTZiLLBTS (for IufonDatioll. søpp1emeDt.J. j M. WXJJAMS* SOE1004 CORRIS ffor Ioforcn&iion seo Suppleo:sit.) ugpl6msrlt.)

-Jtw of Cardiganshire slope down to the sea in what appear to, be mere hillocks, and suggest a. wide table-land "Which has been cut up into hill and valley by the action of water through many ages. The monument an Pendinas is a distinct object, and the hotel at ■north seems almost near enough to make refreshment appear obtainable with no great expenditure of time or exertion. Cader IdriB, Snowdon, the Breiddin Hills, the valleys of the Severn and Wye, the counties °I Salop and Hereford are all visible; and the mountain, which is 2,469 feet high, afford views in- cluding all kinds of scenery. in many directions, *jftrdigan Bay, St George's Channel, and lakes or mountain tarns, come within the range of vision. To the east of the Cam, and from the head of a steep descent, Llyn Llygad Rheidol, the source of the Aberystwyth water supply, is first seen. The de- scent is about 800 feet to the shores of the lake. which is about eleven acres in extent, and is situated 1n a great hollow in the mountain. Three sides of the rocky basin rise almost perpendicularly, and is woken into bold crags and over-hanging ledges of rocks which impress the spectator all the more o^ing to the contracted space in which the lake lies. The lake is so dwarfed by the cliffs, and by the nature of its surroundings, that visitors have great difficulty in realizing that the sheet of water before them is eleven acres in extent. The River Rheidol takes it rise from the lake, and, a mile and a halt from its source, receives a rivulet from the east. A mile further on the river is increased by another stream flowing from the western Part of the mountain. At Devil's Bridge it is added to by the Mynach which makes the celebrated tails at fchat spot. The river then runs through a wider valley and finds its way into the sea at Aberystwyth, at a distance of eighteen miles from the source. There are extensive morasses on the mountain, and it ia said that in the earlier periods of Welsh history these morasses were the scene of many a bloody con- flict, and that numerous trenches filled with slain are to be found on its heights. In latter times, the war- face carried on between the Prince of Powisand others Ï6 in the recollection of those versed in Welsh history. Latest of all, it is said that Owen Glyndwr, who seems to hare foughteverywhere and to have been a sort of Welsh Ccamwell of earlier date, made his stand when lie attempted to regain the sovereignty of the country held by his ancestors. The bards of Wales delight in singing the fact or the legend that it was on this meaotain that the last struggle was made for the inde- pendence of Wales. There is no district which avlords Wider or more beautiful scene's, and if those scenes Were better known they would afford ample material for artists. The following extracts from a report made in 1879 by Major l ulloei), K. E. Local(Jovernment Board Inspector, on the Plynlimon Water Scheme (which eeheme has since been carried out at a cost of close upon £ 20,000), will show what an excellent supply of water Aberystwyth now possesses Aberystwyth is a growing town, the rateable vfdue m<a-«fasmg at the rate of about £ 500 a year. It possesses some advantages that should make it & popular sea side resort in both summer and winter. It is sheltered from the east udd north winds, stands on » porous subsoil, and has some of the finest scenery in country within a short distance, the famous -Devils Bridge being only about twelve mi'es away. I Petition these facts in order that the importance of a pwe and abundant supply for the town nwybe properly Understood. Aberystwyth cannot develop into a first- class watering-place until the Town Council have pro- dded the firt essential for health. The ratepayers are fully alive to the necessity for a good scheme, but 1Intillately there has been very little unanimity on the subject. I will now describe the scheme according to the ewmence of the Engineer given at the Inquiry, and the Pla- and estimates before the Board. The source of *?pply is the Llyn Llygad Rheidol Lake, situated «n ~*°uut Plynlimon, 1 (>{r miles from Aberystwyth, and *w>out 1,650 feet above the sea. The accompanying Photographs will give the Board an idea of the wild n&nure of the country, and the remote possibility of the source being polluted. I visited the locality the day tw the Inquiry. The area of the lake is ll* acres, tt. latest depth GO feet, and the available storage y> supposing the bank is raised as proposed one m i y,"a^er i* drawn off, is nearly v• g I1,J- The Present population of Aber- All r 1 1„r.a 7*500, rising in summer to 12,000. r" gallons per head per diem, the present ot the are about 240,000 gallons daily, or, "NT. m round numbers, a quarter of a million. If it necessary to provide 500,000 a day, the storage «P»«ty of the lake,viz., 40,000,000, will be equivalent Thia-K-rn'iffi ^or ^e prospective population. faTihat £ V1 rf ra,u were t0 fal1 the mountain kkelv tn it v > tln*e, a supposition hardly ever 1ZfV is about 2,500 feet » i rpfa' a 18 e highest peak in this part of fhe warm winds from the south-west and west, coming laden with moisture, impinge on Plyn- ;r" limmon and, their temperature being suddenly reduccd from their contract with the cold mountain, copious falls of dew and rain take place. The lake is actually fed with rain that, falls on the very summit of Plyn- limon, and it would only be in a most extraordinary season of drought that no rain would fall for more than 2-h months. According to the evidence at the Inquiry, it seems that tjie lake is also fed by springs, for there is always some water flowing away from it. Gaugings taken in the months of June, July, August and Sep- tember last show an average discharge of 1,500,000 gallons daily, the minimum even amounting to as much as 800,000 gallons. By raising the sides of the lake the whole of this water could easily be impounded ana made available, and the supply would then be sufficient for a town three or four times the size of Aberystwyth. Every foot in height that the sides of the lake are raised will give an extra capacity of more than 3,500,000 gallons, so that if 12 feet extra depth of water were impounded, the available supply would be more thandoubled—in other words, there would be sufficient water for the prospective population for 160 days. This will, no doubt, satisfy the Board as to the capacity of the lake, but the question still remains as to whether will, no doubt, satisfy the Board as to the capacity of the lake, but the question still remains as to whether tho gathering ground would supply the quantity of water required. According to the evidence, the area draining into the lake is 133 acres. The actual rainfall is not known. In the Hyctographical Map of the British Isles, prepared for the Rivers Pollution Commission by Mr G. J. Svinous (the first authority on the sub- ject), the rainfall on the Plynlimon range is put at over 75 inches. This does not mean that it may not be 100 inches or more, but simply signifies that it exceeds 70 inches. The rainfall for the year 1878 at the Namiago Lead Mine, at the level of from 800 to 1,000 feet below Plynlimon, was 92 inches. My own opinion is that the rainfall might even be as much as 120 inches or more at such a great elevation as 2,500 feet above the sea, and so close to it; but the Engineer has assumed that the moderate rainfall of 60 inches would only be available. In any case nearly the whole of the rainfall would flow into the lake. Very little would be lost by evaporation, the slopes of the mountain being so great that the water runs off most rapidly, and very little would be lost by percola- tion, as the mountain consists of Bala Rock, the upper member of the lower silurian beds, a hard and more or less impermeable formation. If, then, GO inches only be taken as the available rainfall over 133 acres, the quantity flowing into the lake would be over 180,000,000 gallons, very nearly a year's supply at 500,000 gallons daily. f If the available rainfall be 100 inches per annum (and this acords more with the gauging# of the out- flow from the lake taken during t'na last summer), the lake would receive about 200,000,000 gallons yearly, or more than sufficient for a town three times the size of Aberystwyth at present. If more water than this were required, it would be easy to secure it by means of catch-water drains leading to the lake froai the other eide of the mountain, but I cannot conceive that the time will ever arrive for this. Considered, there- fore, with reference both to the capacity of the lake and the rainfall on the gathering round, the available supply is, in my opinion, ample, not only for the pre- sent, but for the future wants of Aboryatwyth. Regarding the quality of the water, Dr Frankland reports that "it is clear, palatable, wholesome, and of most excellent quality for dietetic purposes it is also Tory soft, and therefore well suid for washing." The following table ehewa ths analysis in detail. I have also jciven for comparison analyses of the waters from Thirlmere, Loch Katrine, and the Bala Lake, taken from the report of the Rivfers Pollution Co:n- mission. 1 FARTS PER 100,000. i s s -i ■ £ » j •- o & As a-> £ » — • !S 2 "3 S 8 'a 5? A 3 ■ 2 <* Z. I o-c = « c! S *5 .2 3 g St "A g.S.2 = J «3 «s "5 ">► 2 j! 3 "3 -S m M = -S 3 »■ £ 1 HOO |*HA«osOH. Llrn Lljffad XhtidolVSO 1-91 -0IS 0 ft '023 0 "SO *T9 Thirlaner* 2 G«'2-&4 -ft04 OOg 02''»08 6 '52 "70 Lnch 2'4Ui'2-S4 'Wli iOSI 0 [-033 • '8» Bala Lake 270|2-a7 "001 lOOl • j"002 • "73 "40 The remarks are as follows :—Llyn Llygad Rheidol, clear: Thirlmere, clear and colorless Loch Katrine, slightly turbid Bala Lake, very slightly turbid. It will thus be seen that tha Plynlimon water is of equal, if not of superior qwality, to that of the best waters in the kingdom. It is proposed to canrey the water from the lake to Aberystwyth in an iron main eight inches in diameter, with three break valves on the line ef pipes. Such a main, with the minimum gradient obtainable for it, will deliver more than the required half million gallons daily. The water, before being distributed in the town, will Jje discharged into a Service Reservoir two-thirds of a mile from Aberystwyth, and 130 feet above the top cistern in the University Buildings, the highest house in the place. The general pressure throughout the town will be equal to a head of about 200 feet. The capacity of the reservoir will be 1,000,000 gallons. Rarely have the beneficial effects of perfect sanita- tion, it may be added, been more apparent than at Aberystwyth. The town is situated on a gentle emi- nence on the Atlantic seaboard, with porous subsoil and a pure and bracing climate, and it wanted only modern sanitary appliances to make it a health resort of the first order. First of all, a thorough system of sewerage w-s carried out at a cost of £ 5,000; bye-laws were compiled enabling the Corporation to deal effec- uu<.lly v.u. c.il s of nuisances; and in 1881 the pure and abundant supply of water from Plynlymon, described above, was provided the town. From the year this water was provided and greater attention paid to sanitation generally, the death-rate has steadily declined. In 1880 it was between 18 and 19 per 1,000 of the population. Each year since the death rate has gone down until Dr Rees Da.vies, the medical officer of health, in his last quarterly report, was able to state that it had reached the extra- ordinary low point of 10.3 per 1,000. Another point worth referring to is the suitableness of the town as a winter resort. By maps prepared by Mr Alexander Buchan, F.R.S.E., on observations extending over 20 years, in November, Aberystwyth had a temperature of 46°. in December, 43°, in January, 41°, in February, il; and in March 43'. In nearly all these cases the winter temperature of 'Aberystwyth and the west Welsh coast generally is shown to lie higher than that of Bournemouth and the south coast of England.