Welsh Gazette and West Wales Advertiser

THE WAR SCARE. A WAit in South Africa would he one of the most serious wars that could possibly be waged. It would be a long war, a bitter war, and a costly war, and, as I have pointed out already, I believe generations would hardly be able to blot out the memory of it; and to go to war with President Kruger, to enforce upon him reforms in the internal affairs of his State, in which Secretaries of State, standing in their place, have repudiated all right of interference -that would be a course of action which would be immoral."—Mr. JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN in the House of Commons, 1896. It is gratifying to find that public opinion -in the United Kingdom views a war with the Transvaal with greater abhorrence the nearer it seems to come. There can be no manner of doubt that the result of armed intervention in the present crisis would result in a permanent alienation between the two white races in Africa and it is to be hoped that the Imperial Government will seek the highest good of all, and aid, by every possible means, the peaceful process of ^conciliation, harmony, and fusion. While admitting that the Uitlanders have grievances, it must oe remembered that they are in the Transvaal by their own choice. If the latest news from Pretoria be true, it is passing strang.e that Mr. CIIA::1BERLAI\, who but three years ago declared that to impose domestic reform on the Transvaal Coverument by force would be immoral as it would be unwise, has now sent an ultimatum demanding that they should implicitly acccpt the legislation imposed ;u.pon them by his Commisioners. Everv concession that PRESIDENT KRUCER makes is met by raised terms from Mr. CHAMBERLAIN. and the aecept:mee of new conditions by the Boers merely exposes theiru to a fresh demand. Ms. CHAMBERLAIN'S despatch to the Transvail Government is regarded vitually as an ultimatum. It pro- poses a fiv&- years' franchise, a quarter representation in the Volksraad for the goldfields, and the equality of Dutch and English, and of the old and new burghers, and a definite. acceptance of these conditions is now demanded at the paint of the bayonet. The Outlander and jingo press are as busy as ever manufacturing "scares with the object of forcing a demand for immediate action. The excitement and the tension are, becoming daily greater. So far, however,, the agitation has brought only misery and ruin to the masses in South Africa, and it is certain that war will bring no remedy. We sincerely liope the Government will not dis grace the honour of Britain by appealing to arms to settle a dispute of a purely domestic character.

SCIENCE AND ART CLASSES. The long winter evenings are approaching, and the studiously inclined is already be- thinking himself of inhaling knowledge by the fireside, and in the class-room. As our readers may be aware the Science and Art Classes conducted at the Board School by Mr. SAER and Mr. APPLETOX during last winter are to be resumed during the coming O o winter, and it behoves all young men who desire to become efficient in any branch of knowledge included in the curriculum to avail themselves of the splendid opportunities offered. As Mr. APPLETON pointed out in his report presented to the School Board on Tuesday evening, during the last session much talent was displayed by a number of pupils, and during the session now about to open, greater opportunities will be offered to the pupils to continue their study under new conditions, which, he believed, were most favourable. The Art subjects will I include designing, painting, architecture, &c., and the Science subjects, machine drawing, building construction, physiography mathematics and practical geometry. The most sorely-felt need of the present day is technical education, and here is an opportunity for the frising generation to make themselves more fully acquainted with the intricacies of their particular trades or callings. It will be noted with satisfaction by many people at Aberystwyth that physio- graphy is one of the subjects to be taught by Mr. SAER. There are in Aberystwyth what are known as sea-faring quarters "— to wit, Trefechan and Tanycae, where sailors love to congregate on coming home after sea voyages—and young fellows who are looking forward to a life on the sea—and there is no life that appeals more potently to the Britisher's roving instincts-cannot possibly do better than master the elements of science under a teacher who is thoroughly versed in the subject. The School Board are to be sincerely congratulated on the en- lightened and progressive policy they are espousing, and the public would be only doing their duty by giving every encourage- ment to their laudable efforts to provide facilities for developing the youthful intel- lect in such directions as to make practical application more easy and natural. There may be some who will attend these classes as dilettantists, but the great majority of pupils will be those who desire practical benefit.

THE END OF THE DREYFUS TRIAL. THIS title is somewhat of a misnomer, for the DREYFUS trial is not at an end, either legally or politically. Legally, it is not at an end, for DREYFUS has permitted his counsel to lodge an appeal. This appeal is to the Court de Cassation, which in this case has a special right to act as a Court of Revision, since the trial at Rennes was a reference back by this Court to the inferior Court. Politically, the trial is not at an end, for its dread consequences threaten France in every direction. If DREYFUS continues to be treated as guilty, France will have upheld the- dignity of her military clique at the price of her own honour. And she will almost certainly have to reckon with Germany. n. DREYFUS be treated as innocent, as a result of the revision by the Court de Cassation,.then it will be imperative that the military department be thoroughly purged of its scandalous intrigues. And, therefore, we say that the end of l'affaire DREYFUS is not. The verdict which has aroused almost universal indignation and coritempt is not only due to misrecepiion of evidence, but is contrary to the evidence actually given. The prosecution at the re-trial undertook to prove both that DREYFUS had written the bordereau and that lie had given information to a foreign state concerning matters contained in the documents there enumerated. They under- took to prove both, and accomplished neither. It will be observed the burden of proof rested completely with them, so that DREYFUS was entitled to be acquitted unless Major CARRIERE could prove positively the matters already mentioned. Far from this being done, the trial repealed to us the extraordinary travestry of th3 defence proving the negative of these things. All, however, was of no avail. EsTEMiAZY's actual confession, which would in itself have introduced an element of grave doubt,' was deliberately set at naught. The confession of ESTERIIAZY would, of course, have been quite unimportant and off the point had a conspiracy between HEXRY, ESTERHAZY, and DREYFUS been proved. But Major CARRIERE failed to prove even their acquaintanceship The verdict, concludes with the words The Court martial finds that there are extenuating circumstances." Now, it is. perfectly obvious to all who have studied the facts of the case, that it is impossible to conceive of circum- stances extenuating the guilt of DREYFUS if his guilt be proved at all. Taking into account the two bare facts which the prosecution were called upon to prove, the mention of extenuating circumstances is a senseless absurdity. And therefore the phrase can only signify one thing. It signifies a doubt in the mind of the judges, and that the last remnant of a conscience possessed by Colonel JOUAUST finds solace in the addition of this inconsistent reservation. If there was a doubt at all, the benefit of it should have been given to the prisoner according to an elementary principle of justice, which all but the unspeakable Frenchman will recognise. Turning to the political aspect of the case, we can only say ¡ that it represents the lowest degradation of militarism. To Germany, it is a slap in the face, so to speak. We doubt whether the German Executive will tolerate the insult without publishing the documents which have hitherto been concealed. International understandings have been violated and France has richly earned the contempt of civilised nations. It is significant that Russia has not appeared in as strong a protest as one would expect from a nation whose chief is more or less a champion of Anti-militarism. The worst effect of the trial will be on France herself. Her military executive is the worst in Europe. She has not yet succeeded in fixing the responsibility of her ministers. The balance of force between the legislative, executive, and judicial departments, which DB TOCQUEVILLE so highly admired in the British constitution, is practically non-existent in the French Republic. The executive appears to be com- pletely held by a military fanaticism, the judiciary is corrupt, and the legislature is paralysed. In the meantime, what is to be done ? The probability is that the Court de Cassation will simply set free Captain DREYFUS, ostensibly from his having suffered quite enough, but really from a conviction that there has been an error of judgment in the Court below. If they quash the judgment as they would be perfectly entitled to do, there will, no doubt, be a great outcry in France. At the same time, by taking this course the Court de Cassation will have done the only possible thing towards regaining some of the respect which has been lost to France, otherwise this gross perversion of justice will go down to history as the sacrifice, of Captain DREYFUS to militarism and a weak and servile judiciary.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. It is estimated that 130,000 persons witnessed the nine First Division of the League football matches last week. Elsewhere we publish some interesting notes on the Welsh Industries Exhibition held at Aberystwyth last week. Mr. Edison has just perfected a new electrical process to extract gold from ore by means of concentration. He will erect a plant to work his invention on a Government land grant of 54,000 acres, situated in the territory of New Mexico, which has hitherto proved unprofitable for agricultural purposes, owing to lack of water. 0 The official list of the winners of entrance scbolai-shipx to the Cardiganshire County Schools will be fouyd in our advertising columns this week. The Biography of the Rev. Dr. Lewis Edwards, the first Principal of the BaIa. Calvinistic Methodist College, written by his son, the Rev. T. Charles Edwards, the- present Principal of the College, is about to be published. It is to be brought out in parts, and the first part will be ready next month. The work will be a very valuable addition to Welsh biographical literature. Whether railway travelling has increased restlessness, or restlessness had of itself in- creased railway travelling." So ran a pro- blem submitted by Lord Rosebery in a speech last week. Ruskin, as is well-known and the Pope, we believe, have already given their verdict against railways, and attribute much of the unrest and feverish condition of the age to our modern method of travelling. Last Saturday there was a veritable Scotch invasion of England. The occasion was the annual excursion of the employees in the Caledonian Railway locomotive workshops at St. Rollox, Glasgow, and it was attended by 15,000 people, 2,000 being children. They were conveyed from Glasgow to Carlisle in fifteen trains, each carrying 1,000 pass- engers, which left at intervals of ten minutes from five o'clock until eight. The fare for the return journey of 208 miles was only Is. 3d. a rate of a thirteenth of a penny per mile. The Countess of Powis cut the first sod of the Tanat Valley Light Railway at Porthywaen, near Oswestry, on Tuesday. Mr. Alderman Radcliffe represented the Liverpool Corporation at the ceremony, and Mr. Herbert Roberts, M.P., lVlr. Humphreys-Owen, M.P., Colonel Pryce- Jones, M.P., and Mr. Stanley Leighton, M.P., took part in the proceedings. The new railway opens up about 18 "miles of fertile agricultural country, and will also serve the rich lead mines and extensive slate quarries at Llungynog. It will join the Cambrian main line at Llynclys, near Oswestry. The Rev. J. G. Greenhougli, preaching at the City Temple, referred to the present Transvaal crisis. Nations, he said, are ruined by the follies and blunders of impatience. If we wait quietly, troubles will usually disappear, only evil comes of mad driving. What a coil of mischief has arisen from the expedition of those hot-headed boys who, four years ago raided, fooled, and failed. Their mad haste was followed by a long repentance, for themselves and for others., In the present crisis we hear voices again, urging the same reckless, impatient action. Let loose the dogs of war cry men who. have never faced gunpowder themselves, who. would be frightened if they saw a spot of blood on their finger. Be firm in upholding your just claims, but let firmness be tempered with patience. He believed that patience would even now bring these troubles to, a. happy issue. Ought a wool mattress to be composed of wool ? Messrs. Catesby Brothers, of the Tottenham-court-road, think not; one of their hire-purchase customers thinks it ought and because he found much jute and little wool in his particular mattress he summoned the firm at Marlborough-street Police-court on Saturday for falsely describing it. About y "I two months after he received the mattress, said the complainant, he found it to be filled with a mixture of hair, string, jute, odds and ends of calico, and" all sorts of things." The defence declared that the dubious mat- tress was recognized throughout the trade as a wool mattress. It was so called to dis- tinguish it from a straw-filled mattress or paliasse. With regard to the question of defrauding the purchaser, that was disposed of by the fact that the defendants had samples of the stuffing, which were shown to every one who wished to see them. The magistrate came to the conclusion that the complainant had made out his case. The mattress was filled with about 60 or 70 per cent. of jute or hemp, and 30 or 40 per cent. of "carpet wool," and the real descrip- tion of this article should be a brown rugging mattress. The defendant would have to pay a fine of £10, with £3 3s. costs. The Rev. Hugh Price Hughes, preaching on Sunday morning at St. James' Hall, London, to a large congregation, referred to the Dreyfus Court-martial. He said it was a. blow to every honest human being in the world to learn that Captain Dreyfus had been condemned afresh. Of course there would be an appeal, and he cherished the hope that the devil would be defeated in the long run. For the moment he would deal with those five unhappy soldiers who, in the full light of the day, with all the world as spectators, violated every principle of truth, of justice,, of honour, and of humanity. The interest taken in the case was an illustration of tho. solidarity of the human race English,. Germans, Italians, and men of other nations were all protesting against one of the most devilish acts of all times. The accusers of this unhappy man had been proved to be, liars and forgers, and every charge against Dreyfus had broken down. History had never recorded a more infamous state of affairs. He did not hesitate to say that those five unhappy officers had already taken their places in the judgment of the human race beside Judas Iscariot, Pontius Pilate,. Judge Jeffreys, and other foul creatures who had been proved by their actions to be the enemies of God and man. The smiling land of France" to quote the divine Goldsmith, is under a deep shadow, because the treatment of Dreyfus has called forth the execrations of the human race. Now, there is a genial French- man who has pitched his camp, and taken up his permanent abode among his brother Celts at Aberayron, and when it became known that justice had once more been prostituted at Rennes, the good, virtuous folks of Aberayron, like- the good, virtuous folks of other places, lifted up their hands in scandalized amazement, and began wondering among themselves what view Monsieur" took of the case. Accordingly a group of Aberayronites, burning with righteous indignation, approached the solitary Frenchman, and demanded to know, in tones more peremptory than conciliatory, what he thought of Dreyfus. Monsieur, feeling a little lonely by himself on the bleak shores of Cardiganshire, readily gave the soft answer that turneth away wrath; but he, doubtless, added under his breath, something to this effect, Messieurs! Je crois hien qui ne soit pas un, canaille, mois vous etes A leading Dreyfusard was heard to say that if Monsieur had not assured the crowd that he was of the same opinion as themselves, he would have been the recipient of acceptable presents in the shape of blows," by way of converting him to the right faith. There is nothing so effective as blows to make a man turia to your own way of thinking-or of guessing except kicks. A man has been known before now to make another man disbelieve his own wife by hitting him. on the head with a poker.