The Cambria Daily Leader

NOTES AND COMMENTS. | There IS an air of almost feveri-?b excitement about 'the war news. .Figh ti ng on all fronts is proceeding vigorously, although the various actions are on a scale that does not, carry the grand effects of what people were beginning to look for. Horace Walpole once remarked that it was necessary to enquire every morning where the latest vic- tory took place, for fear of missing one." The spirit of that remtark applies. to-day, especially as any hour now may bring news that a fresh advance has been accom- plished by the Allies. The under- current of reports from all the fronts suggests that something important is going to happen somewhere. Whether the pressure will be in- creased is a point that cannot be settled by anyone outside the group of commanders in charge of the operations. But what we can, and are entitled, to bear in mind is that whatever work in the shape of advance on the East of Europe is not accomplished by the end of next month must stand over until next spring. At the beginning of October the winter will be settling upon the trans-Dvina provinces, and it will be almost beyond human powers to carry on the active phases of an offensive campaign. Meanwhile, everyone is watching the progress of the Russians in Galicia and on the Carpathians, where a considerable amount of mystery still surrounds the opera- tions. Everything, so far as! can be told at the time of writing, depends upon whether Gen. Sheherbacheff. who is pursuing Bothmer, can hold and delay him sufficiently t.o allow the two wings to close it. General L is reported at Mc^wp.- pol, well on the road to Halicz, while at the latter town it is cer- tain that the Austrians can make no stand. The position there is al- ready turned. On the northern flank of the Austrians General Sakharoff is well across the railways to Lemberg. Much must depend upon the speed with which he can move. He is in difficult country, and the time he has will probably not be sufficient to enable him to close all the northern avenues lo Lemberg. If he could do that the whole army of Bothmer would be- come a prize. We merely point out one of the possibilities of a situ- ation which will be developing for probably a week to come. But the number of prisoners taken within the last few days shows that the progress made is on satisfactory lines so far. Gains by the British and French may be small compared with the vast extent of the battlefield, but they are consistent. No one can tell with certainty what the strength of the forces now at the Kaiser's disposal really is. The fact that a large number of old men and young lads are taken prisoners may mean little or much. Whatever troops have been in the field on the Wes- tern front, they have put up a fairly strong fight, and have not revealed what reserves the Kaiser has, either in Germany or in Austria. That is the crux of the whole question. Sup- pose the war is not ended this year, what sort of armies will the Kaiser reorganise during the winter and put into the trenches in the spring ? A calculation of the possibilities put at the highest total, shows that in the long run the Kaiser cannot hope to come out victorious. We have been accused by some of our critics of being pessimistic. Nothing could state the case more inaccurately. In spite of such wil- ful! misrepresentation, we have fol- lowed the lead of Lord Kitchener, Mr. Asquith, and Mr. Lloyd George, who have consistently looked ?ac''s in the face and advised the people of the nation to regard this as a long war. The chief concern of any- one just now ought to be the prob- able duration of the war, and we should not be led astray by brilliant strokes of success to expect a speedy termination of hostilities. The most disastrous ad vice given to the nation was by those who, in 1914, prophe- sied the end of the war in three months. What are the prospects now? Nothing but a breakdown of the Alliance can prevent the ultimate defeat of the enemy—nothing, that is, so long as the workers in Eng- land continue to supply munitions in the quantity required, and the I i silver bullets. silver bullets." That much Is certain. But when we turn to the second phase of the question, the situation is not quite so clear. If Austria is beaten to her knees and breaks away from Germany, Bul- garia and Turkey will be bound to follow suit. But that would not of necessity mean the immediate de- feat of Germany. The Kaiser has at his command supplies of men and material and defended posi- tions, all quite strong enough to maintain for some time to come the desperate fight with back to the wall that has been threatened all along. Therefore, the Allies are wise in preparing to the fullest ex- tent for a winter campaign, and the people at home should do the same. The dramatic incident may happen at any time, but its probability is not sound enough to wager upon. There is this great factor-the Kaiser and his advisers know. now that they have made a mistake. To cave in would mean a severe re- vulsion of feeling amongst the Ger- man people, and if the government at Berlin is to go down, it must go down in a collapse forced upon it by the Allied armies in the field. That is the end to which all en- deavour must be applied. As to what shall be done after the war as a recognition'' of the murder of Capt. Eryatt, and other similar dastardly incidents, the Prime Minister's announcement that the Government had decided upon resor-ting to diplomatic mea- sures has not set the Thames on fire. It savours too much of the old woman who called a mischievous urchin a naughty little boy." Something more drastic than that must be adopted if public feeling is to be satisfied. The only just punishment would be to send the Kaiser"to pick oakum at Dartmoor, and the Crown Prince, Bethmann Hollweg, and'a few more of them to crack stones at Portland. The admirable dash 6f the French I soldier has sometimes been praised at the expense of his not less ad- mirable tenacity. The battle of Verdun is a signal demonstration that his dogged perseverance is not inferior to his traditional elan. His heart is always in the cause when France is in danger and when he has faith in his chiefs. The last campaigns of Louis XIV., when the country was exhausted and dis- couraged by successive defeats, when it was visited by famine as well as by war, and was bankrupt in. men and money, are one example of the unbending patrioism with which France confronts her enemies when her life is at stake. What nation ever made a more splendid effort to save itself than the France of 1813 after the awful disaster of the Russian campaign, or the France of 1814, after the fatal disaster of Leipzig ? The spirit which fills France now is the spirit which baffled Prince Eugene, which raised the armies of Lutzen and Bautzen and Dresden, and which inflicted defeat after de- feat upon all the chierf military í powers of Europe when their troops had poured over her frontiers. France has been splendid in attack. She has not been less splendid in defence. This spirit is still alive in the French-Canadian Battalions now in France. One battalion which left Quebec with the first Canadian contingent was fighting in the trenches within two days of landing in France, and out of their original thousand, only 200 and six officers remained. The French- Canadian Brigade now in training are ready to follow in the footsteps of their Verdun brothers. The un- broken solidarity of the whole of the Province of Quebec is one of the greatest contributions we have had to the war. Mametz Woods, like Suvla Bay, has poignant memories for Llan- ellyites. Many a Llanelly boy has made the supreme sacrifice at both places, and the soil which is their last resting place will ever remain sacred to those who love and honour them in death as in life. At Suvla Bay the 4th Welsh, which was chiefly composed of Llanelly men-- valorous deeds, which thrilled the world a year ago, were performed, and the anniversary has just been commemorated. Recently, in the vicinity of Mametz Woods, the 15th Welsh (Carmarthenshire Battalion) showed the stuff that heroes are made of. Since then the unspeak- ably sad news has been coming to hand of Llanellyites who fell in the fight. Each succeeding week the roll of honour is being added to, but despite the losses there remains an unfaltering determination to make victory doubly sure. From letters received from officers and men in the Carmarthenshire Battalion, it appears that telescopes are sadly needed. An urgent appeal has been sent to the Llanelly Town Clerk (Mr H. W. Spowart) to use his influ- ence in the hope of supplying the needful. Telescopes play an important part in the warfare in Flanders and France, and as they cannot be got in sufficient quantities by those ia authority, the Carmarthenshire Bat- talion appeal to those who are patri- otic a.nd happen to have telescopes, to send them on. The appeal, of course, is not confined to Llanelly or even Carmarthenshire, as Mr. Spowart will gladly accept such gifts from any quarter for trans- mission to the Carmarthenshire Battalion. We can only hope it. will not fall upon deaf ears. The supply of wheat on passage is fair, but the stocks are in specu- lative hands." We do not know what warrant there is for the latter part of this statement, nor are we told on which side of the Atlantic the speculative hands are located, but it is quite certain that with bread at 9d. a loaf the stocks of wheat ought not to be allowed to rest in speculative hands. We can look for every kind of unrest in the -working-class mind if it is authori- tatively known that the price of wheat is being manipulated by a band of men who are only concerned to make fortunes for themselves. According to reports the wheat crops'of this year are exceptionally good the world over. It is on top of that news that wheat jumped 9:z,. in price at Newcastle on a single day. In view of the determined efforts made by the United States to secure the trade of South America, it is re- freshing to know that British cot- ton manufacturers are holding their own well in that part of the world, despite war conditions. Statistics are to hand from New York of the exports of cotton goods during the first four months of 1916 from Great Britain to the South American Re- publics. The figures show that 48 million yards were sent out to Ar- gentina, as against 37 million yar.ds in the first four months of 1914, the period immediately before the war. To Brazil eighteen million yards were exported from this country this year, or two million yards more than for the first four months of 1914; Chile received nineteen mil- lions and Uruguay nine and a half million yards, compared with five millions during the same period two years earlier. Peru, however, does not compare well, for only three and a half million yards were despatched in the first four months of 1916, while nine and a. half million yards went out from this country in 1914. It is generally admitted that trade competition will be particularly keen in South America after the war, and the United States is al- ready using every endeavour to de- velop commercial interests in the Latin Republics. With full know- ledge of these facts, it is distinctly interesting to have such satisfac- tory returns regarding British cot- ton cloth experts, and the figures should prove encouraging to our manufacturers. No small amount of uneasiness is felt at Llanelly with regard to the future of the tinplate trade, which, notwithstanding the many vicissi- tudes through which it has passed since the outbreak of war, has sur- vived. It is mainly to this fact the immunity from civil distress that the town has enjoyed is due. When war was declared the inhabitants were very apprehensive, and, like many other localities voluntarily set themselves the task of building up a formidable War Relief Fund which, as no civil distress has arisen, has been used to augment the separation allowances provided by the Government to the depen- dents of our brave soldiers and sailors who are fighting for the right. This has been rendered necessary because, while those who used to be employed by large manufac- turers have their families cared for — -■■■ 1 — by their employers and comrades, hundreds were not so happily situ- ated, being engaged before the war by small employers, whose pecuni- ary position precluded them from contributing to the maintenance of dependents. It is to meet such cases that the local Relief Fund is utilised, the recipients being the'de- pendents of soldiers and sailors whose former employers cannot afford to contribute so handsomely as the large manufacturers, For the past 18 months this has been the position of affairs, and the ex- planation is necessary, as some mis- apprehension exists with regard to the matter. The committee administering the War Relief Fund only found it necessary to relieve civil cases dur- ing the first few months of the war. They allowed the dependents of soldiers whose employers were un- able to provide for them a sum al- most equivalent to the scale paid at the works. This generous treatment continued until some time before Christmas last, when, owing to the fund's depletion, it was deemed ex- pedient to husband the resources. Since then it has only been pos- sible to make a donation of 2s. per head, and even this small allow- ance menaces the existence of the fund, as the payments each week exceed the receipts. Unless the subscriptions are increased, the JE200 which remains in hand will soon disappear, and in view of the undertaking given by the Mayor to Llanelly's loyal soldiers when they co nobly responded to the call—that their dependents would be cared for in their absence—it behoves those who remain to see that the pledge is kept.

————  SWANSEA. I The, Manselton Branch of tho Order of Reel)ubites held their annual outing at Singleton Woods. The need of a public shelter near the slip has been demonstrated again this week. During the heavy and tnuUlen showers visitors to the Sands have had anything but pleasant experiences. It has been pitiable to see little children caught in the rain and unable to obtain any shelter except such as was forthcoming by huddling against the wall. where, how- ever, they soon became drenched to the skin A serious accident was only narrowly averted in Swansea on Thursday evening. A motor cyclist, with a side-car, was pro- ceeding along Oxford-street towards flie?, West-end, and another, also with a side- car, was coming down Argylc-street from St. Helen's-roacl. At the crossing of the streets they collided somewhat violently. Thll machines were damaged, but the motorists and the occupants of the side- cars escaped injury. The boys of the Swansea Bonymaen In- dustrial School, now encamped at Senny- bridge, on Wednesday last, gave a concert at the Market Hall, Sennybridge, in aid of the Penoyre Red Cross Hospital. The programme, which was enthusiastically received by ft large audience, consisted of selections by the School Brass Band, solos by Mr. Dewi Edwards, Mr. E. T. Hopkins, and Master Maddon, and concluded with the School Minstrels. The funds of the hospital benefited by over £10. The chair- man was the Rev. A. Garnona Williams, Llwyncyntefn (vicar of Penbont).

LLANSAMLET. The funeral of Mis. Ann Owen, Anwyl- fan, Crynant, took place at Bethel burial- ground, Llansainlet, on Thursday. Hun- dreds of persons met the 2.30 p.m. train at Llansamlet Station, in which the corpse was conveyed. The Revs. Urias T'lullips, B.A., D. Morgans (Crynant), and S. F. Gealy (Skewen) officiated. Mi6s Lily Thomas played the "Dead March" at Bethel Chapel..

PEMBROKE DOCK. Mr. T. John presided at the monthly meeting of the Pembroke Board of Guard- ians on Thursday, when the estimates for the forthcoming half-year were presented by the clerk (Mr. A. G. O. Matthias). The sum required will be t4,024, as compared with t4,001 in the corresponding half of last year, and that this amount will be covered by a rate of Sid. in the, o £ It was decided to make a rate of 8^d. in the .-8 for poor law purposes, as compared with a rate of Hid. in the £ for the previous half-year, and one of S'd. in the corre- sponding half of last year. The funeral took place at Pembroke Dock of Mrs. Eliza Vanlk, willow of Mr. James Vaulk, of Hill Crest, Pembroke Dock. The deceased, whose death occurred on Tuesday last, was SO years of age, and had resided in Pembroke I kick for 40 yea.rs. The Vicar of Pembroke Dock (the Rev. D. L. Prosser) officiated.

GORSEINON. The Llandilo-Talybont branch of the Girls' Friendly Society, which includes a large number from Gorseinon, were enter- tained at Penllergaer on Wednesday after- noon. After tea, which wds dispensed through the kindness of Lady Llewelyn, Miss Dillwvn Llewelyn presented the cer- tificates of seven years' membership, which included the following from Gors- einon: Misses Lily Edwards, Sarah Ellis, "ijloo wen James, Inez Williams, Hannah Beynon, and Sarah Th-omas. Rifleman Edward Morgan, who was wounded in one of the recent drives, is now spending a. few days' sick furlough at his home in Gorseinon. Liont. J. Williams, The Bryn, Gors- einon, who has been attached to the Yeo- manry, and seen active service, has been transferred to the Flying Corps, and leaves to undergo training in a week or two. v The Sunday School scholars and mem- bers of the Primitive Methodist Church enjoyed their annual treat on Thursday afternoon in a field at Grovasend.

MUMBLES. I Mr. W. Law son Evans, of Swansea, was responsible for the splendid concert held at Victoria Red Cross Hospital on Thurs- day. The following artistes took part: Miss M. Beynon, \tiss Campbell, Miss B. Saul, D. Rees. Harold Frost, Sid Jones, Sol. Solomon, W. J. Williams, and. George Scarfe. The accompanist was Miss Amy Luxton, C.R.A.M., and the chairman Mr. J. Conway Lewis, Swansea. Fruit for the evening was supplied by Messrs. Allen and Rowlands, and cigarettes by Miss Casaie Le Pope. On the proposition of Pte. Hill, seconded by Pte. Brough, a vote of thanks was accorded the artistes. There was a large attendance at the Promenade Pavilion, Mumbles, on Thurs- day afternoon, when Mr. Tom Owen, the well known Wehh comedian, gave a special concert, to which all the wounded soldiers from the various hospitals were invited Mr. Owen was in good form, and delighted the men who lately took part in the "big push." The arrangements were in the hands of Mrs. Owen Harris, who tak#s a good deal of interest in the welfare. of the wounded soldiers

) BRYNAMMAN. Pte. Willie Abel, who some time ago rip. turned from the tront gassed," was ac- corded a reception at Ebenezer Chapel on Wednesday night, when a concert wa £ gi ven. Mr. Evan R. Williams presided. The artistes were Madame P. C. Jones (soprano), Miss Hannah Hopkin (con- tralto), Mr. Dd. Howells (tenor), Mr. Owen "Jenkins (bass), and Miss Jemima A. Enms (elocutionist).. Mr. T. Alfred Cowling (Pembroke Dock) accompanied. There was a large audience, and a good collection was made.

I BURRYPORT. At the English Wesleyan Chapel, Llan- elly, on Thursday, Mr. Joseph Cultui, Cambridge, was married to Miss Bella Hughes, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Hughes, Goipo-road, Burryport. Tho bridesmaid was Miss Minnie Bowen, Burryport. The bride was given away by her uncle, Mr. James Hughes, Narberth. The honeymoon is being spent at Tenby. Burryport. A few weeks ago Mrs. Evana of the Pembrey Collieries, is seriously ill at her residence, Waunwen, Furnace, Burryport. A few weeks tgo Mrs. Evans underwent an operation tor an internal complaint at a Swansea private hospital.

YSTRADGYNLAIS. Lord Glanusk, who has just returned II from India after two years' absence, has written to Mr. A. Jestyn Jeffreys, clerk to the Ystradgynlais justie. thankin them for the resolution of sympathy passed in September, 1915. It will be re- membered that Lord Glanupk lost a SIlO in battle in August, 1015, and also a for in the battle off Jutland. Miss Christina Williams, daughter o' Police Inspector Williams, ifstradgynlaii. has passed the Inter B.A. examination at Cambridge University. She is only 2-1 years of age. As a result of the fete anr'^aJa held on July (lth at the grounds ot Colonel and Mrs. Gough at Yniscedwyn, Swansea Valley, £ 300 has been realised for the British Red Cross Society. Fully 2,00ti people entered the grounds. At the Council meeting on Thursday! Mr. William Walters said lie wished to move a resolution of protest to be sent to the Government for allowing the South Wales coulowners to raise the price of coal by 2s. 6d. per ton. Mr. J. Howells se- conded, and the motion was carried.— A lotter was read from Mr. Rees Powell, contractor, stating that owing to a misapprehension in his tender for Ainori Bridge, hetter 10wwn as the "Teldy Bear" Bridge, he asked for an increase of .£:).1. It was resolved that Mr. Fowel1 be asked to proceed with the work and that his case he placed I-wioto the Couneii at some future date.

LLANELLY. Miss Maggie Davie. the well-known Llanelly soprano, is this week singing at the Primitive Methodist Conference at Dunstable. Among other gifts Lady Howard haa presented the children at the Llanelly Cottage Homes with bathing costumes. Her gifts of eggs are also much appre- ciated by the inmates; of the institution.. Gunner Archie Jenkins, Dafen. Llan- elly, is at present in London, where he has undergone an operation. He is making satisfactory progress. Within a week the Llanelly Coroner (Mr. W. W. Brodie) lias held six inquests. Pte. Luther Stephens, Panteg. Felin- foel, near Llanelly, who has been at tho front for some time is at homo on fur- lough. Pte. Moses Thomas, son of Mr, and Mrs. John Thomas, Glanrafon-road, Fel- [infoel, has made such good progress at a base hospital in France that he has been discharged, but he will remain at the W- sG until he has fully recovered. There will be no meetings in connection with the Llanelly Borough Council during I next month. Forty members of the Llanelly Attested Married Men's Union have joined tJ. V.T.C., which reehis to have had a m lease of life. Owing to the coal trimmers* strike at the Swansea docks, trad a has been very brisk at the Llanelly North. Dock this week.

CORRESPONDENCE. [Letters to the Editor should be brief. td the point, and about something Cor- respondents should send their names and addresses?, not neoestsarilv for Duplication.] SMOKE*. F DP SOLDIERS. To the Editor. Sir.—The amount of money which tha public have so generously subscribed to charities has resulted in a falling-off of contributions to those funds which affect our sailora and soldiers. The want of to- hacco and cigarettes is severely felt at the Front The following extract from a letter received is typical:—1 received the cigar- ettes. They arrived thp night before the attack. The boys were dying for a cigar- ette I gave them round as far they would go; they were pleased, and so was f. It was good of you to send." It must be realised that the demand is much greater this year than it was last. It will be tha earnest wish of everyone that our heroio men should be well supplied with luxury which they so highly prize The Bailors and Soldiers' Tobacco Fniid is ap- proved by the War Olfioc. and supplies solely at the request of Commanding Offi. cers. Donations should be sent to Mr. F. Howard TyaR. Secretary, Sail'*s' and Soldiers' Tobaeco Fund, OentraP House: Kingsway, London.—Yours, etc.. E. R. FREMANTLE, Admiral.

DAY OF THUNDERSTORMS. Thursday, was a day of rains and titiun. deretorms in many parts of the country, though along the south-west coast, and in portions of Wales the day was tine. A sharp thunrlmtorrn hroke over Central London between nine and ten a.m., and continued intermittently almost until noon. There were heavy showers of rainii during the day, and more thunder in the evening. Loudon's shade temperature of 6Pdcg. was. with a similar reading at Mar- gate, Worthing, Weymouth, and South- end, at the highest level for the day. During the thunderstorm tho house of Dr. Martin, at Enfield-h.igTiway, was badly damaged by lightning. The doctor was seated at a table in his surgery when the lightning struck one side of the building, demolishing a chimney stack and part of tho roof, and hurlng the surgery tireplaeo across the room. The heaviest rain and thunderstorm ex- perieaiced this year vjsit^d Berkshire, South Oxon, and North Hants on Thurs- day evening. Many houseg in different districts were flooded. In the west end of Reading water entered (several basem<*utfl to the depth of from [Oin. to 12in. Eigh- teen inches of water flooded the tramway, in Oxford-road. The ripe corn crops were severely dam- aged by the deluge in Berkshire. For more than two hours in the after- noon a thunderstorm of exceptional vio- lence raged c-or SI uth Lincolnshire.! Corn crops were badly storm laid, 'ànd damage was caused by iisrhthing. Harvest work had to be suspended.

Sir F. E. Smith as considering the ease of Joyce v. the Army and Navy Co-opera- tive Society. Ltd.. in which it was held by the County Court Judge that an employe who volunteered for the Army forfeited therpby all claim to the Provident Fund to which he had contributed for 14 years. At a large uie,-tilil-, in the Danish West Indian Islands, 4,000 negroes voted in favour of the eaic of the islands to Arne- ricit and only seven igairs-t.-Erchange, Negotiations for the reception of wounded prisoners in Denmark have bee* settled. The first transport is expected to arrive in about eight, days.—Exchange. In restoring to the English owners the railway running from Mexico to Vera Cruz, Carranza's Government will reim- burse the company for loss sustained. lkuter