Herald of Wales and Monmouthshire Recorder

RUM UNDER BED. I WHAT THE POLICE FOUND IN A CWMGORSE HUT. At Pontardawe Police Court oft Friday, before Mr. G. Strick and others, a wMfttv named Emma Jennings, occupier or a hut at Cwmgorse I'arii, was summoned for selling intoxica-ting liquor witiiout a license on Sunday, Decembef 6th. Sergt. Shillum said he kept observation on the premises between .5 p.m. and 7.30 p.m. in company with Jones liiryn- cjiunanj. Thomas (Cwmgorse), and D. _e3. \v itaesd and Davies eoneealeoei, themselves behind a hedge, whilst Jones and 'Jihomas concealed themselves under the hut. They saw eight men enter the promises and bix leaving, three of whom were drunk. At 7.30 p.m. witness and the other policemen entered the hut. They found Mrs. Jennings sitting by the fire in the kitchen. When told that the premises were to be searched, defendant said, All fergeant." There were six men in iht. mom at the tine, tv having pint1 measures full of beei. Wi< ness searched I the house, and found one IS gallon ca^k untapped, and another nearly empty, 24 pint measures, a quart wiiisky, and one quart bottle empty, There were other bottles about. Under the defendant's bed witness found a half- j gallon jar containing rum. When asked how she accounted for the in: oxicants being thci she said, I buy them for my own lise." Witness said he was going to wize the spirits, and the defendant, in reply, said, Don't take it all. Leave us adrüp." (Laughter ) She also said she was using the glasti measures its jam pots. P.C. Jones corroborated, and said he fiaw Mrs. Jennings drawing beer 16 times. After each occa.sion she proceeded to her hcdrroom tv count the change, and wit, .;$* j could hear the money raTtiing. Defendant made a long story, in tne course of which she said that sLI1 was only -trotting ready for Christina when she! expected a big family to l>e home. Hhe was also providing for the lodgers, to whom she had promised a drop oi rum .n their tea f^mstmas morning. The two ft J.liamses uaHed by de-i fendant, but they declined to give evi-! <ience in her favour. » Charles fZOvel, John Scbttr George Kicketts, and Wm. Knight, the four lodgers, sr..id they were paying to ue eiiii- I ant 14s. per week for room and board and beer. The1" were allowed two pints daily: j The Chairman said the magistrates had 1 Ho doubt that defendant was g-,i-,It-y. waa liable to a penalty of £ 50, but a was the tirst oih-nee, she would only be fined £ 10 and costs or imprisonment. Defendant: Will you give me time to find the money ? Chairman: You will have to find tie j money 01', go down. Wm. Williams, Jas. Williams, George i Eicketts, Charles Revel, John Seott. and Wm. Knight were fined £1 each inc' sive for aiding and abetting. ——————————

UNSPEAKABLE TURK. j An Alien Enemy Sent for Trial. Sa-ream Mohammed (31), a Turkish j jeamar, was at Swansea to-day charged with being an alien enemy, an was: found in a prohibited area wiJ.iout j authority, not having registered himself, Mohammed said that he could speaks English a little, but on being asked whether he would be tried summarily or- by a jury, he said that he did not under- gtaud. 1 Supt. Roberts: He is in a peculiar pre. dicament, your worships, and I think It i does not suit his purpose to understand.! Defendant said something which was taken to mean that lie did not know why he was brought to the cfrart. Sergt. Balsden: You are an enemy. Turkey is fighting against England. Detendafit: Me 110 soldioi- = Later an interpreter was (brought toj court, in answer to-whom defendant said: hf was born in Constantinople. He j spobe the Greek language. P.C. (135) Fitzgerald said about 10.15 i on Friday morning he was en duty in! Wind-street when he saw the defendant standing on the pavement. The captain of the Sj9. Georgia, a Norwegian steam-; ehip told witness something so that wi-t-i ness called Mohammed. In his preeenco the captain said to the officer: "I want yon to' take this man in charge for de-j sorting my ship." Defendant admitted deserting the ship. He was speaking ffood English then. The oiffcer handed him over to DetectiveSergt. Haves. Sergt. Hayse said he saw Mohammed at the Guildhall and asked him who gave him permission to come to Swansea. Ho replied in English: I am not going; back to my ship. I want to see the Consul, and I want more money." He said he was a Turk. Asked why ho figned on with the ship as a Greek sub- ¡ ject, he said: "I don't ask you where i you go. Why do you ask me?" Witness produced the discharge and another book which showed defendant to have been born in Constantinople. He was committed for trial at the next Quarter Sessions.

LLANDYSSUL MAN WOUNDED AT I YPRES. Further evidence is to hand that the; 4th Welsh (Swansea Territorials) have been in the recent fighting. One member of the battalion, Private Tudor S. Jones, on old Llandyssul boy, who was wounded, at Ypres, writes to his sister (Mrs. I Gwilym Jones, Graig-road, Trebanos), i under date December 6th, as follows:— "Just a note, so that you may know that I have met with an accidcnt- —wounded—and I have undergone an operation. Don't worry, I shall soon be all right again." j Continuing, on the following day, he writes: I am now at the General Hoti- pital, Boulogne. I was glad to get aifay: from where I was yesterday, as bombs were dropped quite near the hcpital. They killed 16 and wounded 37. One of them died in the next bed to me. He was only a boy. In this hospital there is a nurse from Carnarvon,and she is very kind to me." From the base Private Jones was transferred to England, and he next writes from Bevan Hospital, Sandgate:1, "I proved to be a better shot than the sniper that shot me, because he only wounded me, but I made him throw iip the spcngo with a bullet in the head. I have a soft-nosed bullet which I found on him, and it was with one of them he tthot iue. I have gone through one opera- tion but I am doubtful vb her I will have to undergo another on?y*  ———————————. )

INJURED SWANSEA MAN RECEIVESit, £100 FROM HIS SOCIETY. 1 A meeting under the atvfepices of the1 Swansea branch of the A-rnal,amated Society of Woodcutting Machinists was f held at the X^abour Exchange on Thursday ¡ "vening last tor the purpose of presenting Art, T. -y Payne,. juur., with the sum of .00, permanent disabJ*w&ent no ?.'t.'M'r some tUUG since had nis right Hand badly mangled in a vertical spindle moulding machine, which has TP-tidered ??n? incapable of following his employ t ment. Ii. the absence of Councillor D. Wil-! Hams, the chair was taken by Aldcrman G. Colwill, supported by Mr. W. J. j Wectworth (general secretary). he • latter delivered an instructive speech, B-howing that the society was formed in! 1866. To-day there are 130 branches, and 11 .(MM) members. Mr. Colwill said that in trades unionism ]or the salvation of the workers. A vote of thanks was moved by Mr. T. S. Payne, I' ?nd seco-i< itiy the branch secretary, Ms. W. E. LewM. ?

 0 0 "O?T OF OMS?."  !r II. U" DCCKS.itN AND NEW OFFICERS. A monthly meeting of the Swansea Chamber of Comrueice was held on Friday, Mi-. T. P. Cook (vice-president) presiding. I' The Cuairman referred to the resigna- tion of Mr. E. P. Jones as secretary, and said that since they last met as a Cham- ber n,c (_JUilcil had selected and appointed Mr. Henry J. as their secretary. Tiiis appointment, he ,s sure, would carry with it the com- .6 and approval of the whole Chamber, and they looked for- ward to very hunpy times with him as their secretary, and their chief executive oliicer. (Hear, hear.) They would be pleased to know that Mr. B. P. Jones had consented to continue in office until the end of the year. The Chairman mentioned that when they appointed the Kiglit Hon. Sti- Alfred Mond, Bart., M.P., as their presi- j deat, they sur]tended the Articles of Asso- and now Mr. Goldberg became Uc. senior vice-president, and it was i open to them to receive filiations for the position of junior -president' for ii?xt vear. Mr. ?. L. Sails ed Mr. E. P. I Jones, and spoke ? ? aims Mr. Jones ?lie.d upon the a?- iat?"? 'or any position j I,i honour the- lid upon him. | Having referr. Mi. long con- i nection with th.amber, 2-lr. Sails said that gentlemen wh t had be' resident in the district long before him bore tesL- mony to the fact that for a good nu,il-, r of years Mr. Jones had practicaliy been the Chamber of eon-jr;,r, (Arp!Alllse). Formerly gentlemen round t.e docks did not take the same amount of interest in tbi- chamber that they took at the pres- i rnt time.' They all knew how valuable r. Jones's ser ices had been, and lie 1 hoped he would live long enough to see 3?'. Jones in ih3 prosidental chair. (Ap- Jo-ics in tho prci,.  d ent,). l chltir. (Ap- p.aii.se>. i Mr. W. T. Farr seconded, and spoke of the valuable services Mr. Jones had ren- dered to the Chamber of Commerce. He thought he oould go further back tlmn Mr. Sails, and he knew how much in- terest Mi'. Jones took in the etal;,ish- ment of f-he IVisily Exchange. Mr. Jones I was Jl"" .ljntfd by one or two failures, b".jl he stuck to i4-, and the result was that their Daily Exchange was now one of the features of the commerce of the port. (Ap- plau-sej Mr. Crabbe, one of the founders of the Chamber, endorsed Mr. Fart's remarks W. G. Fry also supported the nomi- nt-H ii, and said that when the Chamber was in waddling clothes the baby was nnrsad and "I alive by Mr. Thtsy knew now what a very important Chamber of Commerce it was, and it was not yet ac its senith. (Applause.) The Chairi?int sai'1 it seemed to him -i te Cha-" fitting it spew?-?d Cor.nci]^ sho?d have given Mr. Jones this hononr. (A ;>plause.) Tba nomination was accepted -zithi unanimity. Mr. E. P. Jones eaid he apprsciated what tho omcil had done, and he valued very dJèdwnimou3 and favourable reception of tiie minute by the chamber. The election would take place at tile an- nu&i meeting, and he should reserve any valedictory remarks he had tc say jn the subject until that period. (Applause). The Chairman having anno unced the business at an end, Mr. J. Montgomery Williams made a reference to the s(iiior rice-presidcncy, and pointed out that the articles of association had no been bus- pended, as recommended, in crder that Mr. Goldberg fchouid become senior vice- president. "Under the circumstances, it was his in- tention to oppose the suspension of the articles of association, as he con6idered Mr. Goldberg bad forfeited his right to become senior vice-president. They all knew his reasons. They were due solely to Mr. Goldberg's action in reducing his: staff at the declaration of the war The Chairman: I don't think you are in order. Mr. Williams said it was the recom- mendation of the Council on which he wished to discuss the matter. The Chairman said the Council confined itself to an expression of opinion. As far as he could recall, the Council were pre- pared to recommend the suspension of the Articles if it were necessary, but it was not necessary. They suspended the Articles twelve months ago in order to ensure that the progress of the vice-presioents towards the chair should net be vitiated. Therefore that suspension of Articles applied j throughout the year of oifte terminating I at the present time. They now fell back to their normal state of affairs, and tl-ie! vice-presidents went on as if last year I, had not existed. Mr. Williams said the minutes •di_ s-j1 tinctly stated that the articles of assoeia-j tion wero suspended for 1914. and they could not apply to 1915. In 191 i they did not apply to Mr. Gold- 1 berg, and as they did not he was onlY'! vice-president one year. j The Cbiirman said the resolution sug- pending the articles of association ap- plied to the vice-presidents—two of them —and .that being so he maintained tk,ti all through the last twelve months they had been working under the rule of sus- pension. The secretary reaH the minute dealing with the recommendation of the Council to suspend the Articles of Association with respect to the vice-presidents for i 1914, and the recommendation -.vas: adopted. Therefore (said the secretary) the Arti er of Association with respect to the ice-presidents wer3 distinctly suspended, and Mr. Goldberg, who had br-en :"uaior vice-president automatically i ?H:came senior vice-president.^ I Mr. Williams still maintained that it I we.3 necessary to suspend the articles. Mr. Goldberg said that as a question l had been raised affecting him personally he should like to say that so far as he j was concerned, he was perfectly pre-j pared to leave himself entirely in the j handr* ~f the Chamber, and if it was thought desirable there should be a dis- cussion he was quite prepared to retire from the room. The Chairman said he really did not think there was any call for this. The Council decided at its meeting that if was desirable they should propose the articles be suspended they could do so, but they had come to the conclusion there was no necessity for that. -He ruled that the point raised by Mr. Wil. liams had no valid standing, and it was out of order in view of the position the Council had taken up already. The meeting then terminated.

LLANSTEPHAN SA -"R KEEPS I W A T: • Mr. J. C. W. f> r )f Brynhyfryd, Linnstephan, ha-, rezt. d an interesting letter from his wh.- ;s serving on a torpedo boat C' T N Sea. "I am right well," ht ■ "so ir as can be expected; still Tuning nier- and bright. We are experiencing awi -.1 weather at Ma lately. You have to watch poi'.ts oil tins I'ttl-,? bea4, hind for Kil' ?d one hand for Y()llelf, else you would Boon be over the side. am getting a proper sailor here. I don't think tl,,(, I Germans win hold out many morej months now, but of course they are doing their best to make a. good show of it, hat it..will cos-f them dear. Chrititma.s-I Day wc will be out at sea, bul ^hat doe-s Christmas or any olher day matter to ns i? ?e ?ain cur object in the end. It ;fs jolly oold up here, but thanks to sonie thinking people who gave us -some warm clothes, we manage to keep warm. 11 wonder when they will come out to fighli, ns. But old Nelson had to wait a year or | so for the French fleet you know." 4

DEFENCELESS TCWJS. e jTATHETlC STORIES OF THE EAST COAST BOMBARDMENT. Pa: letic stories were told on Friday at the inquests on the seventeen bcar- borough victims of the bombardment. The ages of the victims ranged from 1.4 montiis to 60 years. Unly four of the killed were men. I Tho Coroner (Mr. George Taylor) said they were assembled to inquire into the i circumstances of a tragedy such as had been unknown in that town for a thou- sand years. This attack on an uniorti- ea and detenceiess town was by the ships i of an enemy-who was conuuctiug war contrary to all the rules of civilised nations. They had previously learnt that the Germans were not confining their attacks to fortified ptaeeo, and in this, as in other instances, the lives of people unable to protect themselves nad ide-en I sacrificed. It might be that this metiled of conducting warfare was intended to terrorise the inhabitants of English towns, and to inspire confidence in the minds cF the German people. A similar visitation to our coast might be ma?e again unless the British Fleet 8ùould be in a position to defend it. Our fleet had a duty to discharge more viral than that or meeting occasional attacks on defenceless towns. The Coroner intimated that he would first proceed with the inquiry on the bodies of the BeVelY victims lying in pri- vate houses. The jury having viewed the bodies, the Coroner explained that tho basis of the inquiry would be the j question as to w hether the deaths oc- curred from shell-fire. Four ships were engaged, and the jury, after driving rUliiHl to the houses of the victims, were now more able to realisu how widespread the firing was. Chief Petty Officer Arthur Dean, of the Coastguard, said: U I was having my | breakia-st at 8.5 H.ill., when the tirst gun was fired. I went out and saw the walls of the of the Castle tumbling down, and saw two large cruisers coming in s?nt from behind tho Castle. They kept up | an incessant fire from the starboard side, then turned and ii red from the port side. The fire was directed at all parts of the town. The bombardment lasted about 40 minu* s. In reply to i.ie r roner, witness eaid there were two large and two email cruisers. They tarried no national en- sign. The Castle could not have replied to the fire; it had no guns. When the ships first auaostd tha Castle they were within 600 yards of it, and passing the! pier no more taaii 5GO yards. Xlitre were jj in all at least 50(1 shells fired. Miss Gertrude Ann Hall, in deep mourn- I ing, gave evidence that the shell entered tiie dining-room window and exploded, lie' father, Mr. John Hall, was struck down m her bedroom. He was injured in legs, arms and body. When picked up he said: I am killed! j The Coroner prpsumed the irry would find t-.at JUld Hali wai if tho bom-! | bardiaej t of the town by an enemy 's ships. The Foreman: Could we use the word maider "? The Coroner pointed out that this would necessitate binding over someone to prose- cute, and would reduce the proceedings! to a!farce. The Home Secretary and the I Coroners' Society had approved of the sug- g sted verdict H Killed by L-at d- ment." Mr. George Haruwick Merryweather j said his wife was killed while helping j two friends into tho cellar, while John BeimH, a Territorial, whose brother was killed, said he was the only survivor from a house in which four persons were killed. Evidence in the mortuary cases showed that a, house was practically destroyed, and the three inmates, Mrs. Bennett and two children, all killed. At the Hartlepools the death roll has now increased to 90, while there are addi- tional cases of aged people and invalids dying from shock as a consequence. The inquests in 'both boroughs were resumed yestarday. Iu the case of Catherine Marshall, aged 86, deceased was killed in her house. A piece of shell, weighing about 31bs., was found in her shoulder. The two Misses Kay were killed in their house; workmen were killed while engaged in their duties; two children named Whitecross were killed while going to school, and their little brother had since died.

PRESENTATION TO SWANSEA MINISTER. An interesting event took place at the Oxford-street United Methodist Church, Swansea, on Friday. After the usual weekly tea a large company of friends gathered in the church parlour, when Mr C. Reed, on behalf of the church, made a presentation of a purse of gold to the Rev. F. and Mrs. Sparrow. Mr. Reed re- marked that they all admired the fine work of their minister, and they regarded I the past three and a half years as among the brightest and happiest of their his- tory. They had enjoyed unbroken unity, steady progress, and affectionate fellow- ship, and as a token of the love they felt for Mr. Sparrow he had the utmost plea- sure in handing him a purse of gold. I Mr. J. Godfrey said they had great ad- miration for their pastor's preaching ability, his enthusiasm, and other gifts, I but more than that they loved him for himself, and he hoped that, for many yea.rsl Mr. Sp?row would remain with them. Mr. Bennett and others joined in the good wishes, and Mr. Sparrow, who was completely surprised, feelingly replied. Swansea to him was a delightful sphere, and tho Oxford-street Church the finest sphere in all the world. He and his were unspeakably happy, and here they hoped to stay yet awhile.

POPULAR SCHOOLMASTER. I On Thursday evening, the members of the English Wesleyan Church and Sunday School, Pontardulais, assembled at a social gathering to do honour to Mr. John Alien (late stationmaster), who has re- tired from the railway service, and removed to the Mumbles. The meeting was presided over by the Hev, F. Atkinson, who made striking references to the good work which Mr. Allen had rendered, particularly to the Sunday School, during his many years'! connection with the church. Other speakers followed, all eulogising) his great worth to the churph and the keen loss which it has sustained by his removal. On behalf of the church, Mias M. Rogerson, in a neat speech, presented Mr. Allen with a gold pendant (suitably in- scribed) and Matthew Griffith: D.C., for the Sunday School, handed him a chased fountain pen, both speakers wishing him long life to enjoy the use of those token3 of their regard, The recipient feelingly responded, stating that his one great regret was to sever his connection with the little church with which he had spent so many I happy, years.

NEW WELSH TENOR. I One of the outstanding successes at the I annual concert, of the students of the: Koyai Academy of Music on Friday was that achieved by Mr. David Harry, of; Llwynhendy, near Llanelly. Mr. Harry i die-played one of the finest tenor voices heard among the debutants for a long time. His song was that gem from Coleridge-Taylor's "Wedding Feast"— "On way, iivay, awake beloved." His rendering of this beloved classic was given in a finished style, and revealed a voice of rare beauty and pathos which merited a readier response from the orchestra in the more tender passages than was gener- ally the case on this occasion.

I NAVIGATION. I A SUBALTERN'S EXPERIENCES. j The following letter is from a subaltern at the front:— The Trenches, Dec. 12 (midnight), I have been ilooded out of my bed, and as this little spot on the table seems to be the only one where no muddy drops are j fa Ring from the roof of the dig-out, I illl;t as well seize the opportunity to wnte between now and daylight. When I wrote last we were frost-bound. It soon thawed, 'and for the last fortnight i wo have been the victims of rain. To make things pleasanter we have the pros- pect of eighteen days (over Christmas! before we get back to billets. It is diffi- clIlt to give you an idea of what steady rain here means. One's lines seem such an orderly permanent townlike and solid serie3 of cubby-holes and trenches that when they all start to fall in. and one doesn't know where one is in the dark, it i is as if one were trying at home to navi- gate a pitch dark London i4 ruins. Navi- gate is the word. The divisional staff have ordered gondolas, and we are going to train the fiercer malo eels of Flanders to carry bombs to the enemy's trenches. What makes me so wild is that I was just glorying in a brand new dug-out with another sub. The night after I moved in my old one collapsed altogether. The sap- i per who appears every night to do odd jobs about our lines swore this one would be watertight. He came in just now and sat on the doorstep with mud flowing down his neck, and he ii sueii a cheery soul that we forgave him. He bringy us nightly all the humorous gossip of the sblf, to wit: Item.—That the Indian division and the (jrci-'vans were so close tc each other last week that they used the same parapet to their trenches, and took it in turns to fire through the loopholes. This week they have got closer, and are separated only by sandbars. Our own Germans are getting closer, too. Two hundred yards is about our average, and we are both pushing ahead with saps. I amused myself to-day b. pinking one of their periscopes, which both sides use freely, so aa not to let them get too accustomed to the sight of our dirty and stubby faces. Our men are very keen at the loopholes, and no sooner doos a bit of German skin show itself than it is perforated. What I object to principally about our k Germans is their lack* of appreciation of humour or sport. They a^e so devilishly business-like. A lamentable instance oc- curred to-day. One of our men was up in a willow tree in the rear cutting withies. A shot passed him, and he signalled, A miss, left." Then he signalled another, right, and the third took him through the head. There are the strictest orders about the men exposing thc-niselvos, but you see some astonishing things. I watched q j man yesterday walking slowly along the < side of the communication trench right j ( up to the line. He had a sack of coke, and was bothered if he was going to stick in the mud with it. A hail of bullets missed him, and he stoppeJ io light a pipe behind an 18in. willow even then before he very 'l i i his I o?i d deliberately got do?, n with his load. < Talking of willow trees, I never want to see them or poplars again in my life. A willow gave me a short, sharp shock two nights ago. I was out scouting with a i party, and we went on further than we in- tended. I hadn't a riile with me, and when we had crawled up to within forty yards of the enemy's sap (it was a fairly clear nighti I suddenly saw what looked exactly like a German crouching down j with levelled gun. Mv heart went pit-a- J1 pat. I hastily signalled for the rifle of a i man behind me, only to find there was j: nothing in the magazine. Luckily, it turned out to be a willow stump, with a bough iRveHed in our direction. In the first fiiish of pride in our dug- out H. and I christened it The Cormor- ante," No. 1, Park-lane. Wo chose the name as descriptive of the inhabitants. That is to say, w are both concerned, to ( find that though formerly people of E moderate appetites, life out here has con- I verted us, like most people, into appalling gourmands. Every problem resolves it- self into food val ues. The great panic at I present is that the Christmas offerings of good folk at home will by some mischance not reach us in time. Some days ago a benevolent captain pre- sented us with a box of shortbread, which disappeared as by magic. We halved the crumbs with wistful care, and promptly wrote postcards to everyone we could think of clamouring for stacks of it. I, can't expect you to look upon this as any- > thing but siubiony. but a course of ration bread and bully beef, and the necessity of keeping out continual colds and damp, would, I think, bring it home. We are quite out at present, because the latest arrival in the company, who is straight from Sandhurst, is a super-cor- morant, and can give either of us half a 1 loaf start and win hands down. Well, our cheery sapper newsmonger has just warmed our frozen gloom with the tale of the naval victory off South 1 America, a victory in Galicia, and the 4 positively authentic information (for the twentieth time) tha,t the Kaiser is sick unto death. When his Majesty gets to the i Shades, I can only hope Pluto will put rJm on a fatigue party under Lance- corporal Sisyphus to carry 1001b. of bully beef nightly through a ten-mile communi- cation trench, two feet deep in mud, only ( to find when he gets to the other end that he had no tin-opener, and no knife or bayonet for substitute. I'

REGISTRAR'S WARNING HINT TO LABOURER. At Swansea Bankruptcy Court on Fri- day, before tho Kegistrar (Mr. F. P. Charles), Thos. Griffith Bevan, labourer, 79, Carmarthen-road, Swansea, was pub- licly examined by the Official Receiver (Mr. Henry Rees) in reference to a green- grocery business he had carried on. His gross liabilities were returned at E173 14s Id., and his deficiency £ 127 12s. Id. Debter, who was represented by Mr. Fu* ard Harris, attributed his failure to insufficient capital and bad trade. He admitted a previous failure in 1909 for £ 2(I9, and that no dividend was then paid. The examination was closed. The Registrar advised debtor he had better not come to that court again or he might not get off so lightly. "The posi- tion of bankrupts who me bankrupt for the fcecond time," he eaid, will in future not be quite so rosy in view of the provisions of the new Bankruptcy Act.

FRED BATEMAN DEAD. The Sportsman says:—" Wo have received a letter from the wife of the late Fred Bateman stating that her husband died of rapid consumption and iz great poverty. She is left to support three children, two boys, who are still at school, and a girl, who suffers so severely from rheumatoid arthritis as to bo au invalid. Mrs. Bateman adds that only sheer; necessity has caused her to write. Per-! haps bOiaa of the professional players and those who knew Eateman in his better days might feel inclined to assist her." Bateman will be remembered as having live* in Swansea, tor some time. He car,o: here several years ago to manage a bil- liard saloon at the Three Lamps Hotel, and he revived interest in local billiards with a series of very fine exhibitions. I

Private John Williams, V.C., Cwm- bran, the only surviving V.C. of the 21th Regiment at Rorke's Drift, has re-joiued the co lours, and is serving at Brecon as orderly to General Sir George Forestier- Walker, recruiting officer of the 24th i Regiment. j

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THE INVASION OF BRITAIN. Swansea Locturer Recalls Past Efforts. c the J/ublio Library, Swansea, recently, Mr. i-j. C. Hanson, student at Seivvyn College, and a member of the Cambridge tniversity Officers Training Corps, delivered a most interesting and informing Jecturo on H lnyasions of Britain." Mr. II. A. Chapman presided. The iirst invasion of which there is any clear record, said Mr. Hanson, was that of tho Iio ma ns under Julius Ctesar, which left its mark upon these isltiidf in the (feudal System, the germs of representa- tive government, municipal self govern- ment, and the rudiments of Roman law. The various invasions of the Saxons and Lanes were then deait with, the lecturer remarking that the Celt and Roman under these invasions gave May to the Englishman, and Britain became England. The Norman Conquest of 1,06(;, tho k-et great invasion of England, brought this country into the full stream of European poiitics, and the Norman Duke becoming the English King, determined English policy for many centuries. Various attempts at 'invasion were made during the reign of Henry III., during the 100 years' war with France, and during the wars of the Roses, but were of no great importance In Elizabeth's reign Eng- land saw the attempt by the Spaniard, through the Arma.da-the preparation of many years—to invade and conquer the countrt; an attempt defeated by the! descendants of the sea kings who made England their home—Drake, Frobisher, Hawkins, Eeleigh, name? that will never be lost sight of in the history of maritime adventure—and to whoso galiunt efforts the thundercloud that had, gathered against England for close on 40 years hung imminent for a week, broke, and passed away," leaving Britain Mistress of the Seas," a title she still holds, and will hold for many years to come if iiritons. but do their duty at this present time. The 19th century saw the French hordes under Napoleon gathered at Boulogne, waiting a favourable opportunity to in- vade Britain. England between 1803 and 18U5 was in a very excitcd condition, and the country was arming to, oppose a danger finally -di-sol-eO and shattered by Nelson at Trafalgar. These days saw Swansea doing its part, and four field guns were purchased by public subscription and mounted in suitable positions. In addition some 4,700 volunteers were raised, of whom 2,519 were accepted and embodied. The following lines taken from a hymn eung in the Parish Church of St. Mary on Sunday morning, December 4th, 1803, i shows the spirit of the time, and might: be applied to the period before the pre- sent wa.r:- The foe it seems a vow has made, That Briton shortly he'll invade. We humbly thank him for the mention. However, granting thi3 a puff, The things was said, and that's enough, Britons with Britons late had wranglings, But hush'd are now these potty j anglings. So have I heard when silly strife Has started up twixt man and wife, If neighbours enter midst the pother And meddle with one or other, I The rage that twixt the couple burn'd, Is straight upon the intruder turned. The lecturer then dealt with the Fish- ■ guard invasion of 1797, when 1400 French- men were landed at Carreg Gwagted and took up a strong position overlooking Fishguard. The final surrender of the French troops is said to be due to the part taken by the women of Pembrokeshire, who, led by Jemina Nicholas, marched round a hill aud caused the French to mistake them for a regiment of regulars, because of the red shawls and high hats then worn. In conclusion, Mr. Hanson then dealt with the present crisis, and the possi- bility of a German invasion of this country, saying that the fall of Antwerp was considered by the Germane to bring London visibly near, and to be the first step to conquering the hated English, and the lecturer -aiil it was almost certain that Germany would make one desperate attempt to succeed where Napoleon failed, and to avenge herself ou the country which has shattered her hopes and ruined her. It is for us to see that she does not have the opportunity, and the one and only way in which England can do this is by fuiiy realising her responsibilities, and the dangers over confidence, and carrying out to the very minutest detail the last and ever famous Trafalgar signal, Eng- land expects that every man will do bis duty." To this signal her sons faithfully responded, acd if the same is done to-day, she will again emerge victorious from this, the greatest war which has ever occurred in the history of the world. She ,,e d w *tb that grand will emerge still possessed with that grand old title Mistress of the Seas," ensuring more than, ever before the safety of the country from any hostile invasion.

A SUITE OF FURNITURE. I I At the Swansea Bankruptcy Conrt, before the Registrar (Mr. Frank P. Charles), Evan Williams, hay and corn merchant, of the Arches. St. Thomas, ap- peared for his adjourned examination. In reply to Mr. C. H. Newcombe, who appeared for the trustee, debtor eaid he sold a horse for Y,40, but he did not then arrange that the animal should be sent to a relative's farm, Scurlidge Castle, Gower, Debtor was several times questioned as to the whereabouts of a suite of Chester- field furniture he purchased from Messrs. Jacobs for 4:17 IUs" in 1912. lie said he did not know where it was to-day, though he knew it was moved from his house in Maekworth-terraoe. Mr. Newcombe: I suggest it is at Corner House Farm, Killay, your mother's place ?—No. Debtor also denied that on one occasion he was moving furniture at half past four in the morning. The Official Receiver and the Registrar also taxed debtor as to the disappearance of the Chesterfield suite, and he persisted that he had notning to do with its re- moval, nor couJd hI;) say who removed it. The Official Receiver: Was it stolen? (Laughter). Debtor: No, sir. Tiie Official Receiver applied for a fur- ther adjournment to clear up this point, and it was granted. Mr. Edward Harris appeared for L debtor,

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CLERKS AND RECRUITING. Lady Clerks to be Engaged in Preference ( to Young Men. The Glamorgan County Council, under the presidency of Mr. J. Brandy Jenkins, b,-Id zt I'l eet; g on r held a meeting on Thursday, when Lord Abo-rdare caiied attention to u recom- m f-, n d. tior, of the education committee to add four second-class clerks, one junior clerk, and two female typists to the de- partment of the chief education official. i-le said he deprecated the offer of em- ployment to young who ought to be offer- ing themselves tor the service to their j country, and expressed the opinion that the positions vacant might well be filled by female clerks. Alderman R. Lewis suggested that with I" that expression of opinion the minute should be referred back to the committee Lord Aberdare said he had expressed IliA opinion, and ho did not see why the Council should not deal with the matter now. Dr. T. H. Morris (the chairman of th<? committee) said if the minute were re- ferred back at the present juncture thl\ I committee would be placed in an awk- wrd position, because they were very I' short-handed in the office, and the work was in a backward condition. Person- ally, he had no objection to the clerkk; I being women, and suggested that the difficulty could be overcome by adding the words "all of whom may be women." Several members expressed the opinion that the clauso should be compulsory, and should read "shall be women." The Rev. D. H. Williams pointed out that lioiB? of the candidates might not be of recruitable ag?, and it would be a p ty to rule them out. Lord Aberdare said in that ease he should raise no objection, aud after fur- ther discussion the amendment suggested by the chairman of the education com- mittee was adopted.

BOARD OF TRADE AND A SWANSEA I FIRM. I In Chancery Division Saturday Justice Warrington. on the application of the Board of Trade, under "The Trading with the Enemy Acts, 1914," appointed Sir Wm. 11. Peat, controller of Hugh Stinnes, Ltd., coal exporters, of Swansea and elsewhere. Mr. Cartmell, for tho Board of Trade, said there was reason to think that an offence under the Acts might be com- mitted by the company. The company was incorporated in 1902 with a capital of £ 25,000. All the shares were practically held by Hugh Stinnes. One was held by a Mr. Thomas, and one by a Mr. Ferguson. The directors were those gentlemen and a Mr. Shaw, who never held more than a share, which he got from Stinnes. Stinnes had always been in Germany and was the principal. There was money in hand ci pay English creditors, a number of con- tracts having been entered into with English collieries. Mr. Wilson, for the company, eaid he did not resist the application. When the war broke out the company owed various English creditors C72,000 for coal brought from the Tyne, Bristol, and the litimber. Those creditors formed a committee, and appointed as chairman LIr. Jackson, solici- tor, Hull, who had been endeavouring to collect the money for the purpose of mfet- ing the English claims, and he had got in his hands £ 23,000, which they wanted to disburse. That money was on the point j I of being distributed, and the creditors do-j sired that the distribution might not be interfered with. His Lordship, in making the appoint- ment of controller, said Sir William Pea-t could discuss with Mr. Jackson the qnaa- tion of paying the creditors. r;fj- -mm. ?-   _?.L.?. ?'"

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"r Ienan Gwynedd" was the tille- a-- ip excellent lecture given dorion y Bont," by Ltr. Thomas Jenkins, at Triniti. Pontardulais. The E«v, fleorge Williams presided, and the usual votep of thanks were moved by Aide rn; an Rees Harries, J.P., Mr. James ThomM. D.C.. and the Rev. R. IV. LlayA.