Welsh Gazette and West Wales Advertiser

WORDS OF WELCOME. THE reception given to the first number of the WELSH GAZETTE far outran our most sanguine expectations. We made no attempt whatever to boom it. Its coming was not even heralded by a poster or a handbill. We knew full well that its advent was anxiously awaited in Cardiganshire, Merion- ethshire, and in the neighbouring counties. It was allowed to go quietly before the public on its own merits; and the unstinted praise given to it on all hands is not only encouraging, but an ample proof that it has supplied a public demand. We shall always endeavour to maintain a high standard, and to keep it free from bad humour and bad taste and it will be our effort to fill its columns with varied and interesting matter suited to the taste of every member of the home circle. We may also add that this journal will also be a free exponent of civic and social reform, and of all movements that make for corporate unity and a livelier sense of citizenship. The warm words of welcome the cordial expressions of goodwill, and the promises of co-operation which have reached us from all parts are extremely gratifying. The first number was sold out in a few hours after its publication. Thousands of copies were sent out to all parts of the country, and by the following morning we were overwhelmed with messages of congratula- tion from every direction. News of its success came early from Aberayron, Lampeter, Tregaron, Machynlleth, Bala, Barmouth, Dolgelley, and many other places. A Welsh educationist, of no mean repute, says the "GAZETTE is quite an ideal paper." A Justice of the Peace for the County of Cardigan considers it to be excellent in every respect," and a Justice of the Peace for Merioneth says he wishes it unbounded success." Speaking of its arrangement and general get up the mslnager of the largest Liberal Daily in the world pronounces it to be a very creditable production." A well known writer in offering occasional help says I send one word of thanks and God speed for the first issue of your "WELSH GAZETTE." You have earned-and richly too—the thanks of your fellow townsmen." We sent a good parcel to Corris, and our agent says that all were cleared in less than half-an-hour, and there was a cry for more." "I an- ticipate for it," writes a Dolgelley gentleman, "a future of unbroken success," and another from the same town says that it is all that may be desired." These messagec are but a few, selected at random, from a large number; but they are fairly representative of the whole. In order to include Mont- gomeryshire, we will give our agent's post card in full: "a word to inform you," writes Mr. Jones, "that the WELSH GAZETTE all went in less than quarter of an hour—not a copy on hand at 1.30 o'clock, must congratulate you and all your co- operators. Pa pur iachus a golygus yn prophwydo llwyddiant a bendith. Bravo, indeed you can send more again." More were sent. and those again were sold out in ten minutes, and still the demand continued. We were, however, unable to send more as we had drawn already upon our reserve stock. We received a large number of congratulations in Welsh. Space will not allow us to print these, and we must conclude with the following extract from a letter from Barmouth: "Goddefwch i mi eich llongyfarch ar ymddangosiad eich GAZETTE," writes a well-known public man at that place, "y mae yn dda odiaeth o ran diwyg a defnydd ac eiddunaf iddo lwyddiant tramawr.

"THE WELSH GAZETTE" WHAT THE "WESTERN MAIL" SAYS. Aberystwyth has given birth to a third weekly paper—the WELSH GAZETTE." This c. Welsh Gazette is in English, and very good, vigorous, and healthy English it is too. The paper is, of course steeped in Radicalism, and has vowed unto itself to fulfil all that Mr. Tom Ellis dreamt of Wales. By the way, Mr. Ellis is said to have taken a keen interest in the starting of this paper, the first number of which appeared yesterday. WHAT THE "MANCHESTER GUARDIAN" SAYS. The Liberal and Nationalist cause in Cardiganshire, Merionethshire, and neigh- bouring counties ought to be greatly helped by the WELSH GAZETTE," a new weekly journal which is being published at Aber- ystwyth, and the first number of which reached us yesterday. This organ appears to have been started for the purpose of giving support as well as accurate and sympathetic expression to Welsh Liberal and Nationalist movements in the district it will cover, and all who know the present need of an English journal capable of supply- ing both those requirements will wish it well. DYMA DDYWED "Y GOLEUAD" THE WELSH GAZETTE" ydyw enw papyr ceiniog sydd wedi ei gychwyn yn Aberyst- wyth, ac nid oes neb yn debyg o gwyno ar ansawdd na maint y geiniogwerth geir yn y rhifyn cyntaf. Cynmerai Mr. T. E. Ellis ddyddordeb mawr yn ei gychwyniad.

MR. 0. M. EDWARDS, M.P. MR. 0. M. EDWARDS is now Member of Parliament for his native County of Merion- eth, and he may, probably, before our issue has come to the hands of our readers, have taken his seat in the House of Commons. We believe that he will be introduced to the Speaker on his entrance to the House by an ex-Cabinet Minister, a member of the late Liberal Ministry. Mr. JAMES BRYCE, Regins Professor of Civil Law at Oxford, will, it is expected, act as one of the Sponsors of the new member. There would be a special fitness in this. Mr. BRYCE is one of the most distinguished of Oxford students. In addition to brilliant classes in the Schools. A 8. he carried off a number ot U niversity Scholarships and Prizes at the very enunera- tion of which we are quite dismayed, Amongst other prizes, he bore away the Arnold Historical Essay-an essay which afterwards was developed into that well- known book which has become a "classic"- The Holy Roman Empire." It is known that Mr. O. M. EDWARDS was first in the examination for the Arnold prize of his year, though he was technically disqualiied from taking it. There is, therefore, a peculiar appropriateness in an Arnold prize- man of an older generation acting as political sponsor to an Arnold prizeman of a younger age. There are other considerations to which we need not here refer, which further exemplify our statement, We need not say with what pleasure we hail Mr EDWARDS as a Member of Parliament. His election is as creditable to Merionethshire as it is evidential of the popularity he has won for himself amongst the people of his own county. Now and then, we do find a man honoured in his own conutry and amongst his own kinsfolk. If there is anything which is likely to diminish our pleasure at the election of Mr. EDWARDS, it is the fear lest Welsh literature should in any way suffer by his entrance upon a. political career. Mr. EDWARDS has given such an impetus to our national life and to the study of our national literature that we should sincerely regret his taking up any course which could in any way check his influence for good, exerted through the channels of his magazines. He has obeyed the call to enter the political arena, not because he has any personal ambitions craving for satisfaction, but because he elieves that he can in the new career carry out more effectively what he has mapped out should he done for Wales. We have been so accustomed to think of 'Mr. EDWARDS as a historian and a scholar, that it will take us some time to conceive of him as a politician. We have associated him rather with the quiet groves of Academe than mixing up in the hot debates of the Senate. We have naturally connected him in our minds with the Bodleian rather than with St. Stephens. We are glad that he will not entirely forsake the delightful paths of literature for the thorny ways of politics. We are also pleased to hear that Mr. EDWARDS will not give up his connection with Oxford. It is un- necessary for him to do so: for he can earry on at the University the work he has hitherto been doing there. Lincoln College, knowing the value of a good tutor, is desirous of keeping him and for a very good reason. We hope his constituency will not expect too much from their new member. Mr. EDWARDS is comparatively young and has an enormous amount of capacity for work but even at forty a man can very easily overtax his energy, and a strong Hercules become like a weak babe. One subject there is in which Mr. EDWARDS has taken a great and unbounded interest—the subject of Welsh Education. There is no one amongst the Welsh members who knows as much as Mr. EDWARDS about it, and no one would speak with such authority as he on this important question. If there is one subject on which he has set his mind, for advancing which a. seat in the House of Commons would be advantageous, that subject is Welsh Educa- tion and we may rest assured that the Member for Merionethshire will exert his influence to keep this question well in the front.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. IN another part of the paper will be found an interesting article by a well-known Welsh educationist on the Calvinistic Methodist Session at Penllwyn last week. WE publish this week a special article by Mr. J. C. REA, on the need of a public recreation ground at Aberystwyth. Mr. REA deals with the question in a fair and practical manner, and is not immoderate in his demands. A WELL-WISHER sends us the following cutting from the Weekly Mail" for Saturday week last: The Mayor of Swansea wishes to contradict the statement that he was present at the football match in Paris on Sunday. The Mayor adds that he has no sympathy with Sunday football." EVIDENCE of the fact that the WELSH GAZETTE was eagerly looked for in the countryjdistricts and also that it is a valuable advertising medium, is afforded by a com- munication made to us by an advertiser, who states that he is highly satisfied with his first advertisement, answers to it having arrived from several widely separated parts of the district. ABERYSTWYTH people will learn with pleasure that a new steam launch for passenger service at that port is being completed at Birkenhead. The boat is 40 feet long by 8 feet 6 beam, and is being fitted out with the latest and newest type of engine. During the summer season it will undoubtedly be in great request. AT the Annual Meeting of the Central Welsh Board, held at Welshpool on Saturday, a resolution was adopted protesting against any attempt to interfere with the present organization of intermediate and technical education [in Wales and Monmouthshire under the Welsh Act. In supporting the resolution, Principal ROBERTS said that however much they might differ with regard to educational questions, he took it that from one end of Wales to the other there would be absolute unanimity amongst all parties that, having advanced thus far, their dis- tinctive position in the cause of education should be preserved. THE six-day institution says the London Daily News," is one of the distinguishing features of British civilization, and we believe it is one of the principal safeguards of British character, and sources of British strength. It is idle to suppose that seven- day newspapers will not interfere with this saving principle." Such is the opinion of the great London daily on the question which now agitates the public mind. And this is the opinion of a local paper It is nonsense to say that the action of the Swan- sea footballers in going to play football in Paris on a Sunday is a reflection upon the religious character of the Principality, and the ministers who passed the resolution know it is nonsense." The present agitation against the secularisation of Sunday fully vindicates the Welsh ministers who passed the resolu- tion of this accusation of intellectual insin- cerity. Moreover, even the Football Union itself, we are glad to find, is taking the matter up; and several of its most influential members,at a meeting held last week, strongly condemned the action of the Swansea team in going to Paris to play on Sunday. THE Corporation of Pwllheli have opened up a new and enterprising branch of municipal work. They are organising tours for visitors round the shores of Cardigan Bay. They offer a week's holiday, including board and residence at good boarding-houses, at any esi I date from May to September inclusive for the sum of two guineas. These will include five days' trips, covering a hundred miles of coaching through the most romantic districts in North Wales. Pwllheli owes not a little to its energetic Town Clerk, Mr. E. R. DAVIES, who takes an intelligent interest in its development on municipal and progressive lines.