Herald of Wales and Monmouthshire Recorder

LIBERAL AGENTS. I RESOLUTIONS AT ANNUAL MEET- ING AT SWANSEA. The Society of Welsh Liberal Agents liekl their annual meeting at Swan- sea. Mr. W. J. Crocker, the popular agent for Swansea Borough occupied the chair as president, and others present were Mr. LI. Davies (South Glamorgan), Mr. E. Hopkin (Mid-Glamorgan), Mr. T. S. Gower (Monmouth Boroughs), Mr. Lewis Jones (Merthyr Boroughs), Mr. W. C. Iveney (Pembroke Boroughs), Mr. Cyrus Evans (Welsh secretary of the Liberal Council), Mr. Walhs Jones (Car- marthenshire), Mr. Rees Stephens (North Monmouth). Mr. R. W. Copp (Cardiff), and Mr. Henry G. C. Ellgood, Cardiff (secretary). The meeting passed a resolution con- gratulating the president on his recovery from his long illness, and also a vote of condolence with the family of the late Mr. William Jones, M.P.. who was presi- dent of the society down to the year before last. A resolution of congratulation to Mr. I). A. Thomas on his escape from the Lusitania disaster was also passed. A very satisfactory balance sheet was submitted and passed. Mr. Ellgood was appointed Welsh cor- respondent to the Gladstone Benevolent Fund. In view of the political truce, it was decided to re-elect all the officers without further nominations. It was decided to carefully watch the Government's proposals on the question of the electoral disabilities of the men who have gone to the front. and the secre- tary was instructed, if necessary, to con- vene a meeting at short notice to con- sider the new Bill. Two new members were enrolled—Mr. John Lewis (hon. secretary, East Car- marthen) and Mr. D. E. Jennings (sec- retary and agent for the Carmarthen Boroughs) Cardiff was choeen as the next ren- dezvous for the meeting. The President subsequently entertained the agents to lunch at the Liberal Club, and after an enjoyable repast a few felicitous speeches were made. Mr. Rees Stephens said they were all very pleased to see Mr. Crocker back with them once again after his severe accident., and they thanked him for his kind hospitality. The Liberal agents of W al had very pleasant memories of their Swansea meetings. Mr. Gower also congratulated Mr. Crocker on his recovery, and expressed the hope that they would see him more regularly amongst them in the future than in the past few months. Mr. Wallis Jones said he always felt that in Mr. Crocker he had a friend in need, though he bad only known him a short time. Mr. Iveney, Mr. LI. Davies, and Mr. Bopkia also emphasised their high per- sonal regard for Mr. Crocker, and a formal vote of thanks having been moved, it was carried with much ac- clamation. Mr. Crocker, in reply, said he thought at one time that registration work would not be important enough this year to warrant another meeting of Liberal. agents, but within the last week or two they had discovered that instead of the agents having lesser work, their work was cbwplicated to such a degree that they sc-ircely knew where they stood. That afplied to the whole country and :11 parties. Proceeding, he said they hoped to give tie benefit of some of their ripe ex- perience to the Government when they fntroduced their Bill to enfranchise the soldiers and sailors who were fighting for the Motherland to-day. He was perfectly ure it would be within the lines of a largo enfranchisement, and there would be nothing narrow about it. Any re- strictions would be due to the necessity of bringing the measure into effect by consent. At the meeting to-day they had a short outline of the next general elec- tion register. He thanked them for his re-election as president. Last year, anti- cipating that thts register they were then compiling would be the general election; register, he, along with Mr. Cyris Evans, threw himself into the work of organising meetings of agents and others responsible for registration work throughout North and South Wales. The meetings wore very successful and helpful. When the war broke out, by direction of the central executive, thev suspended those efforts and took up the task of assisting in recruiting. He was pleased to know that Conservatives and Liberals had thrown themselves heartily Into that new work, and in Swansea his Conservative colleague and himself organ- ised over 75 meetings. (Applause.) They wero still engaged in the task, and he hoped the Agents would consider that one of the chief things that lay before them to-do. Registration was going to be made fairly clear by the Government, an dit would give the agents more time to aid in stopping any measure of Conscription. He regretted very much the remarks of Lord Haldane on the subject the other day. He hoped compulsory service would never come, and he was sure it never wouM be neoeaeary if they all did their part in persuading those eligible to join the Colours. We are a very happy band of agents," he said in conclusion, and, without any boasting, I think I can say that Wales has got as cleverer a lot of agents as you will find the country through."

POLICE WHO HAVE ENLISTED. I Swansea Committee and Their Allowance. At a meeting of the Swansea Watch Cosxmittee on Monday afternoon, Mr. P. Moiyneux (vice-chairman) presided. Northampton Borough Watch Com- mittee asked tle committee to pass a resolution urging the Government to take steps to strengthen the law with a view to prohibiting the use of automatic gambling machines. The committee decided to support the resolution, and forward it to the Horn* Secretary. As to the enlistment in the Army of 11 members of the Police Fo-roc, who had joined it since the commencement of hos- tilities, the Chief Constable reported that in accordance with instructions he had communicated with the War Office, which had sanctioned the granting of allowances under the Police Constables (Naval and Military Service) Act to them as to the older members who had previously en- listed. The committee decided, therefore, to pay the allon-ances as from the dates of enlistment. The Chief Constable further reported tllAtt. P.C. Robert E. West had received a commission in the 16th Service (Cardiff City) Battalion of the Welsh Regiment, and the committee agreed to pay him an allowance under the same Act. A vote of condolence was passed with the family of the late P.C. (119) W. A. Jones, fatally injured by the collapse of a. bridge at Selindge, Kent, while with the Royal Engineers, the Chief Constable to report further as to pension. The Chief Constable having reported that P.S. (7) W. Bounds had resigned, the resignation was accepted, and P.C. (79) Robert Mill was promoted sergeant in his place. The To"1V1). Clerk reported that the local Government Board had written that they could not properly sanction a loan of £1,678 for furniture and fittings for the additions to the Central Police Station at the present- time.

Private George Luecomibe, 9th Middlesex Regiment, was killed by a goods train while guarding the railway at Norwood Junction, S.E. on Saircurdeyr,.

CHAMPAGNE & SHERRY. I SWANSEA PRISONER AMONG THE I WINE AT UPTON'S. The story of an alleged burglar's royal feast was described at the Swansea Police Court, when a man, declared to be a convict on licence, was charged with breaking and entering Messrs. Lipton's shop, 13, Oxford-street, between 11.30 p.m. on Saturday and 12.15 p.m. on Sunday, and stealing three bottles of wine and a quantity of cake, valued in all at 8s. 6d. The prisoner, by name John Wilson, 42 years of age, was also charged with fail- ing to report himaelf to the Swansea Police on the 12th inst. Mr. John Hughes, the manager of the shop deposed to locking up on Saturday night, leaving the fanlight open about four inches. J usb after mid-day on Sun- day he returned to the shop and his sus- picions were aroused at the sight of an empty sherry bottle with the neck broken off, which was standing on the counter. Ile# looked round and found a pair of men's boots near the safe behind the counter The doors at the back of the shop were open. These had been bolted the night before. The door leading upstairs to the store room was al?o open. Witness sent for a policeman and on th. arrival of P.C. Edwards both went up- stairs to the store-room where they saw prisoner asleep. Near him was an empty champagne bottle, a partly empty sherry bottle and a butcher's steel. The police- man woke him up and asked him his busi- ness. Wilson replied that he was hungry. Pc. Edwards then asked Wilson when and how he got in and he said, about one o'clock, I got in through the fan- light Witness then examined the wine room which he had locked the night before. This room was still locked, but there were marks on the door which gave it the appearance of having been forced open. This must have been done by tho butcher's steel. A bottle of champagne had been taken from the rack. On the counter in the shop was a piece of cake which had been broken off a slab. Witness afterwards had a conversation with Wilson, who told him to give the message to Mr. Lipton to leave some money in the draw for the next time." P.C. (89) Edwards was called. He cor- roborated the evidence of the last witness, and said he took prisoner to the Police Station, where he charged him. Wilson made no reply. On being searched, a pair of scissors and a knife were found in his possession. Prisoner was committed for trial at the next Quarter Sessions.

THE OLDEST MAN IN GOWER. I The death occurred at the Post Office, Bishopstone, on Saturday evening, of Mr. William Jones, the weaver, believed to be the oldest man in Gowec. Born on July 11th, 1819, lie was one of the best U-- Late Mr. W. Jones. I known residents of the peninsula. His daughter is the wife of Mr. Abraham Johnson, sub-postmaster of Bishopstone, and two of his sons follow the sea as a calling. He was at one time keeper of the pound in the parish. The funeral took place on Wednesday at Bishopston.

DIED FOR ENGLAND. I Another local hero who has died for his country is Private George Miller, 2nd Highland Light Infantry. His wife, who lives in Byron-crescent, Swansea, received the sad news in a letter from his chum, Private A. Watson, of the same regiment, who states that Private Miller was shot by a sniper while doing his duty in the trenches on May ieth. Prior to going to the front on August 7th, Private Miller was employed at the Swansea Docks, and for four years pre- viously was in the service of the Swansea Tramways Company. He also served in the South African War. Besides a widow he leaves four children. Private James O'Dea, of the Dorset Regiitoent, who was wounded at Ypres on April 22nd, has since died of his wounds. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. O'Dea, of Charles-street, Swansea, and worked at the Graigola Works before he joined the Army. Private Walter Wells, Tymawr-streert, Swansea, of the 2nd Welsh, was severely wounded at Neuve Chapelle on April 3rd. and died thp same day. He was the only son of Mr. Wells, 48. Baglan-street, and a respected employe at Messrs. Weaver's. He also did duty in the Boer War.

PONTARDULAIS SOLDIER AND A WOUNDED COMRADE. On a shrapnel-pierced sheet of paper taken from his wounded comrade's "pack," Corporal William Rhys Jenkins, eldest fon of Mrs. Jenkins, Fountain Hotel, Pontar- dulais. writes to his sister describing two narrow escapes which "he himself hqi3 ex- perienced. -His comrade is Private B. J. Da\ies, and both belong to the 1st DeTon Bcgineat. By the time you receive this letter (he states), you will know of Fred being wounded, but I am glad to say it is not serious. I have had two narrow escapes this time. The same piece of shrapnel shell that hit Fred took half the peak of my cap away, and shortly afterwards another piece went through my pack- I am writing now on a piece of paper which I took from Fred's pack, and which the shrapnel pierced. You may keep it is a memento. The writer apologises for the brevity of h.s letter saying it is written in the trenches, where there is no time for long letters. The envelope he used wa.s also taken from his friend's knapsack, ;ind this, I too, bearj the rent of a. shrapnel bullet.

FAMILY OVERCOME BY GAS FUMES. On Saturday afternoon, a Kidwelly family, the Coles, of Water-street, hus- band, wife, a-nd two children. were dis- covered all unconscious in bed as the re- sult of fumes from a coal fire in the bed- room, the chimney of which, it was found, was almost blocked np. Immediately the alarm Wa6 given ma.ny members of the local V.A.D. Red Cross Society, together with Nurse Jones and Police-Sergeant John and otners, re- sponded and rendered assistance, the vic- tims being carried out to the open air, -and artificial respiration tried.

A BATTERED WRECK, i CHANCELLOR AND THE SALVAGE I OF A BILL. The House of Commons went into com- mittee on Monday on the immature Spirits (Restriction) Bill, Mr. Whitley in the chair. The first amendment on the notice paper was one of a series standing in the name of Sir E. Carson, the effect of 1- which would, if adopted, be to prohibit the sale of all spirits during the time of the war, and was ruled out of order. Sir J. D. Rees (U., Nottingham, E.) moved an amendment to reduce the period of compulsory warehousing of spirits from three years to two years. Sir J. Simon resisted the amendment. Sir G. Younger (U.. Ayr Burghs), said that although he was not a distiller, he had the honour to represent 23 or 24 dis- tilleries which were in his constituency, and they strongly supported the proposal of the bill. They were, of course, pot- I still distilleries—(laughter)—and he thought that it was possible that their whisky was not drunk until it was three years old. It was used for blending. Sir T. Whittaker (R., Spen Valley), said that what had been said about com- pensation was very vague and indefinite. It had made him a little uncomfortable. He thought the case would be met if the Government said that in the transport, munition, and shipbuilding areas the sale of spirits less than three years old should cease. It seemed to him that then the question of compensation would disap- pear. Mr. Lloyd George said the present bill, which was the salvage of a wreck so bat- tered that it was hardly possible to recog- nise which part of the vessel it formed, was a prohibition of a kind. He himself would have gone very much further, and he thought that they were missing one of the greatest opportunities they had had' of doing something which would not I merely help in regard to munitions of war, but put them in a very much better: position after the war. The Government proposal before them had been adopted in' Australia with success, and he thought it t had also been tried in Canada. The Aus-t tralians thought it a very valuable part i of their liquor legislation to stop the con- sumption of immature spirit. t If scientific men were asked what par- [ ticular quality wa? produced by the! process of keeping spirits in bond they were unable to say, but they had not the faintest doubt that the process made an enormous difference. There was the famous case of the two monkeys. One monkey was given matured whisky. He got drunk, but was very friendly. The second monkey, which was given immature spirit, became violent, spat, and clawed. (Laughter.) After a week the whiskies* were changed. Immature whisky was given to the friendly monkey, and raw spirit was given to the other. The monkey that had been so kindly, so benevolent, so mellow, became as violent, i offensive, and disagreeable as any man he had over heard attack a Minister on the: Treasury Bench. (Laughter.) The monkey, as a result of drinking the same kind of mature whisky as was sold by Sir G. Younger's firm—(laughter)—got the same kind of philanthropic feeling to the world at large as the first monkey had had. (Laughter.) That represented the kind of evidence given by chief con- stables. France was dealing with a more offensive and dangerous form of spirit, and the Foreign Office had sent him that day a passage from a document which showed that Germany had had to deal with the same question, and was intro- ducing all ftorts of restrictions on the sale | of spirits, including the cheap spirit pro- duced from the potato. The Bill was as far as he could go. It was not merely to save his face that ho continued to prs the Bill. He would without hesitation throw it over if he; thought it would be of no use. He did not say it would be of much use, but still it would be some help. v The amendment was subsequently withdrawn. Mr. Cowan IR., Aberdeenshire, E.) proposed a new clause, which provided that I No compensation shall be paid in re- spect. of any loss incurred in conse- quence of the operation of the pro- visions of this Act. Sir A. Markham (R., Mansfield) said ho was opposed to payment of compensation to any person who sold liquor that was not fit for people to drink. If a man sold rotten meat he was not compensated when his trade was interfered with. Sir J.. Simon opposed the now clause. He sa.id that in this bill, as in the Defence of the Realm Acts, no details of any scheme of compensation had been in- cluded, because, in effect, the Government said, "The temper of the country and the opinion of the House are such that we are confident that claims for com pen sa- tion, if based on real and severe losses, will be quite fairly and adequately con- sidered in the interests of the taxpayers as well 1M in ths interests of the claimers by stich a Committee as that presided over by Mr Duke." It people made extrava- gant or far-fetched claims because, for- sooth, the war meant for them, as it meant to all, some inconvenience, they would re- ceive no sympathy and get no compensa- tion. Hon. members were talking ns though we were going to be involved in some enormous ost. Here was a war cost- ing XGO,000,000 a month—< £ 2,000,000 a day. The liquor trade produced in all a revenue of something like < £ 40,000,000. If they stopped the war twenty days sconer than would otherwise be the case they would actually sa.ve aa much money as the whole of the liquor taxation produced. In the face of that what was the good of speaking as though the possibility of compensation was going to upset the finances of the country? The country could stand the strain of the war perfectly well, even though they rejected this clause. The only one principle on which the House of Commons could ngreeat this time was that the national interest.*as so overwhelmingly greater than the in- terests of anything else that they must assure people whose businesses were going to be substantially interfered with that if they made a substantial and real ease it would be considered. Mr. Lief .Tones (R., Bushcliffe), said; the Attorney-General had wholly mis- conceived the opinion of the Committee in regard to the bill. They did not tJJink the bill worth much, but if they were going to pay an unkuown sum for it then j it was not worth having. The bill would i not shorten the war by five minutes. It would not touch the problems of muni- tions. He thought the House ought to know what they were to get in return for the compensation to be paid. Mr. J. M. Henderson R., Aberdeen- shire, W.), advised the Government to drop the bill entirely unless they were going to shut out all spirits. Sir R. A. Cooper (U., Walsall), thought this was a very sloppy manner in which to deal with national finance at a time when the people were wondering where the Chancellor of the Exchequer was 70- ing to g?i: the money with which to carry on the war. They were actually propos- ing to compensate people for selling a material which was so far from good that they bad to pae3 a bill without it. They did not compensate a milkman for soiling bad milk. Instead of talking about compensation they ought to be talking about prosecution and fines.. (Laughter and cbers). Mr. Lloyd George said the bill was reallv part of the general legislation really part. of the which dealt with the problem of the defence of the realm, and in rone of the earlier Defence o fthe Realm Acts was there any clause with regard to compen- sation. If they insisted on a clause negativing compensation they would be departing from the general principle which the House had previously accepted that it should be loft to a Commission to find out on general lines what case there was for compensation. It would be quite impossible for the Government to proceed with the bill if an amendment of this kind was inserted. It was not a case of paying compensation to every man whose business was interfered with; it was purely to deal with the case of a man whose business was absolutely wiped out. Surely such a man ought to have the right of access to the particular court to be set up in order to put his case before it. Mr..T. M. Henderson (R., Aberdeen- shire, W) described the bill as a miser- able pretence, which no one except the Chancellor of the Exchequer wanted. By leave the proposed clause was with- drawn. The bill passed through Committee, and was reported.

a- j ¡ ij ?   PAtA,H.' JasE S ?-e- ? ..t .:IV? I STEEDMAN'S PoWlers correct the Sliglii Stomach Irredularities that make Children so fretful THESE POWDERS CONTAIN NO POISON. ffi === — '—-— m

SWANSEA FAMILY WITH THE COLOURS. Mr, Davies, of 9, Powell-street, Swansea, has received a message from the War Office to the effect that her eldest son, Able Seaman Samuel Davies (20), had been wounded in action in the Dardanelles. He belonged to the R.N.V.R., and was called up at the commencement of the war. Mrs. Davies's husband is serv- ing with the 6th Welsh in France; another son, Gwilym, is in the Leinster Regiment ready to proceed to the front, and the youngest son, David (16), is in the Navy. In addition, Mrs. Davies's brother, Sergt. David J. Lloyd, is in the Welsh Fusiliers.

BONYMAEN POSTMAN'S DEATH. It has been reported that Corporal W. J. lricfc was killed in action on May 9th. He was a reservist, at- tached to the 2nd Welsh, and when called up on Aug. 4th was employed as a postman at Donymaen. He had served in the South African War. Ho resided with his sister at 6, Albert- place, Oystermouth road, Swansea. He .was at one time an employe of the -HeraM.' Ttree of ?his nephews are, serving with the Colours.

SWANSEA SOLDIER HERO. To the noble soldierly qualities ofj Private Alf Marks, 4th Lincolnshire Regiment, and a member of a very well- known Swansea family, an oiTicer of if.1 regiment, Major Oliver Cooper, pays a splendid tribute. In a letter to the dead hero's mother, th3 major states: "He was shot by a German bullet while on sentry duty, and died immediately. Since he has been with us in August I have been watching! him, and thought he was a very fine I man, although he was rather new to the work, having joined ,late in life. He was always willing to give a helping hand, md was one of our pluckiest men." Lieut. Thomas, a brother-in-law of Private Marks, was killed quite recently.

A demand has been intimated to the, Scottish Colliery Owners' secretary, by I Mr. R. Brown, Dalkeith, for an increase i in wages of 50 per cent, on 1888 rates, less I 18? per cent, gnaranh as a war bonus, j on behalf of tue Scottish mine workers. j About 100,000 men are involve(L

I ZEPPELIN'S VISIT. I About Fifty Projectiles Thrown on I Ramsgate. The Press Association Ramsgate corres- pondent says: On Monday a /eppelm made an attack upon the town. It is stated that a policeman had been watch- ing the Zeppelin from about midnight, but that the airship did not venture over- land until 1.30. In passing over the town it dropped a number of bombs, variously estimated from 30 to 50. They fell in all parts of the town. The principal damage has been done to the Bull and George Hotel, which was practically wrecked by the bombs which fell on the roof. The front wall is greatly damaged. All the windows were smashed ) by the force of the explosion. There were twelve people, including the staff, in the hotel at the time. An old gentleman, stated to be a retired cap- tain, and his wife were sleeping on the. second floor front at the time of the raid. A bomb fell through the two floors into the cellar. When the police and fire brigade ar- rived, groans were heard coming from the lady, and she and her husband and an- other man, stated to be a member of the staff, were conveyed to the hospital. Their injuries, however, are not regarded as serious. Bombs were dropped in the harbour, damaging a number of smacks. Bombs also fell in Chapel-place, St. Lawrence, and in various parts of the town, and round St. George's Church, the highest building in the town. The shops opposite the Bull and George b.,ti all windows blown out. The inhabitants of the town -rere awakened by the first explosion, and prac- tically during the whole of the ni,it people paraded the streets and inspectei the damage caused by the bombs. The Zeppelin left, concealed in the clouds. The special constables, ambu- lance men. and fire brigade assemo)jl in the course of twenty minutes, and rea dered valuable service. The London Star's Deal correspon- dent says: A Zeppelin passed over Deal and Walmer at 2 a.m. Monday. No dam- age to life or property is reported, and the inhabitants remained calm through- out. Twenty incendiary bombs fell on some grazing land at Oxney, thirty miles from Deal, tearing huge holes in the earth. The first intimation to the people of Deal of the approach of the hostile air- craft was at 1.30 a.m., when Si!vt4'al ter- rific explosions were heard at sea. The force of the explosions wa.s so great that tho houses were shaken, and the windows rattled in an alarming manner. I' People hastily dressed and rushed to the sea-front,from which they could distinctly see a heavy body in the heavens. A rod glare suddenly illuminated the sky, and this was followed by terrific rumbling re- ports. It is conjectured that bombs were being thrown on to shipping in the Downs. I

I THE. TIME HAS COME. I I French Order to the Allied Armies. I In a night attack, between Saturday evening and Sunday morning, the British Army stormed and took the German posi- tion between Festubert and Richebourg l'Avoue. The hazards of such an enter- prise are notorious, but this was bril- liantly successful, owing to the spirit and determination of the troops to which it was entrusted. Twice a day the French add further details to the story of their advance. On Saturday afternoon it was progress of about 600 yards in the direction of the sugar refinery at Souchez that was re- ported. On Saturday night we learnt that the French attack had outflanked I this position on the north and had ap- proached it on the west. And yesterday afternoon it was announced that the flanking attack north of Souchez and south-east of Notre Dam,) de Lorette had been carried forward by means of hand grenades after fierce fighting all through Saturday night. Meanwhile, the Germans have continu- ally flung themselves against the British and French lines in an attempt to break the one and to drive the other back again. Tho French gains at Notre Dame do Lorette and at Neuviile have been especially the mark of these attacks, which have failed without exception. Sunday's German communique says.— The following French order relating to the offensive now proceeding north of Arras has been issued:— After a campaign of nine months. seven of which have been spent in etitreiielinienth, the time has come to make » final exertion to break through th" hostile line, and with a better expec- tation to drive the Germans shortly from the national soil. The moment is favour- able. It is no longer a question to-day of attempting a coup de main of captur- ing trenches; it is a question of beating the enemy. Therefore, we must attack him with most extreme vigour, and pursue him with incomparable ahd j tenacious fury, without thinking of fatigue, hunger, thirst, or suffering. Northern France, Saturday.—It is just a week since the Battle of the North was resumed, and flamed out with greater in- tensity than ever along the whole line to the sea. The situation remains good for us—so good, indeed, that the armies of I the Allies are inspired with increased con- fidence and cheerfulness. I Taking first the line of the Yser from the sea to Dixmude, we find the Belgian Army again in a position to take the offensive on a larger scale. Yesterday the enemy massed a force with the obvious intention of attacking across the dunes between Nieuport and the sea, but their intention was frustrated by heavy shell fire from our fleet lying off the Belgian coast. The enemy was un-f able to advance, and his efforts to silence the fire of our ships was harmless and unavailing. Further south the French have crossed the Yser Canal. Fierce street fighting is now in progress in Steenstraete. At Ypres the British force have sus- tained the full weight of the most tre- mendous and concentrated effort the enemy has yet attempted. Our lines were rudely shaken.

A CHEMICAL EXPERT. I r U Sir Alfred Mond has been giving the II Government the benefit of his chemical knowledge on the subject of asphyxiating gases, and is at the present moment sit- ting on a committee which is considering the subject. He is one of the largest manufacturers of chlorine in the world." j -The Sunday Herald." [

ALIEN BORN M.P. AND P.C.'S. -0 SIR EDGAR SPEYER'S LETTER TO I THE PREMIER. Sir Edgar Speyer has written to the Prime Minister requesting him to accept his resignation as a Privy Councillor, and to revoke his baronetcy. "Nothing is harder to bear than a sense of injustice that finds no vent in expression," he says. For the last nine months I have kept silence and treated with disdain tha charges of disloyalty and suggestions of treachery made against me in the Press and elsewhere. But I can keep silence no longer, for these charges and suggestions have now been repeated by public men who have not scrupled to use their posi- tion to inflame the overstrained feelings of the people. I am not a man who can be driven or drummed by threats or abuse into an attitude of justification. But I consider it due to my honour as a loyal British subject and my personal dignity as a man to retire from all my public posi- tions. I therefore write to ask you to accept my resignation as a Privy Councillor and to revoke my Baronetcy." Sir Edgar Speyer was born in 1862, was educated at Frankfort, and became partner in his father's three firms- Speyer Brothers, London; Speyer and Co., New York; and L. Speyer-Ellissen, Frank- fort-at the age of 22. After being resi- dent partner at Frankfort for three years, he took up the direction of the London house. Last year he resigned active par- ticipation in the New York branch. In 1902 he married Leonora, daughter of Ferdinand Count von Stosch, of Mantze, Silesia, and has three daughters. Some of the Conservative newspapers are suggesting that many of the recent additions to the Privy Council are alien enemies by birth. As a matter of fact, says the Daily Chronicle," there are only two JPrivy Councillors who were born aliens, and both these were born in Germany. They are Sir Ernest Cassel and Sir Edgar -Speyer-one a Conservative and the other a Liberal. The only member of the House of Com- mons who was born and educated in Germany is Mr. Arthur Strauss, Conser- vative member for Paddington. He was born in Mayence in 1847, and was edu- cated in German universities, coming to this country when well advanced in life. The only other foreign born member of the House is Baron de Forest, who was born in Austria, but was educated at Eton and Oxford.

COMFORTS FOR SOLDIERS. I Harrison's Beliable N-ureery Pomade, whdeh has a reputation of 20 years behind it. during which time it has proved of great usefulness to :the mother who values the health and cleanliness of her Child, had demonstrated its efficacy at the Front. Any- thing wtricfo adds to the heaith and com- fort of the British Tommy a.t onoe arouses a sympathetic interest at home. ILr. Har- rison most be gratified art, the receipt of so many lette.N eoaumne him that the British soldier has found his Pomade a boon &nd a bleBBinc. If there is one Ithmg that the Bri tidh figblt ing' man values it is cleanliness; his first thought when duty is over is for a wash Ml'IÎ. shave and change of clothes. Bitt in the trenches the troops are tmafaie to get their customary wash or change oi dean under-clothing, and ihey find vermin a great plague. In describing the disoom- forts which are experienced, a British sol- dier writes: "When we get relieved from our post, we cue unable to get to sleep owing to irritation; you can, see men walk- ling up amd down the trenches prsuetioally in agony." The man who oannot sleep is not im the cou-ditfon to perform the arduous duties Which fail to the Britieh soldier, aud, there- fore for many reasons Tommy welcomes a remedy which so el)eedily reuwvm the d'ie- adTantages under wbSch he mffem. A seT- geant of 'the Suffolk Begimsent sends this enthusiastic letter: I frnd your Pcanaude am excellent remedy. Tell all yoour customers a British soldier who is fighting at the front has proved it so. I have rcoommended it to aH my palis out here." A gunner of the R.G.A. eays: "It is one of the finest articles that a soldier can have in his field ki t. I have tramped the country on public works and I have never been without it, and, I would not like to be with- out it here." An experienced soldier remarks: "If we bad only known of such a remedv through the Boer War, how happy we should have been." A lance-corporal cf the Ma-ndhcster Regi- ment says: "I pkesed to say I have been clear from vermin from the first day of using your famous Harrison's Pomade, and my chums, whom 1 have let use some, have given it creilt praise. I have also mentioned it to my Company Officer, with a s view of getting it supplied to the Regi- ment." iLettera such as these, which are a mere tit-he of what Mr. Harrison has re- ceived. demonstrate the value of the article he is dispensing. It is sold by ail chemists.

COMFORTS FOR WELSH PRtSONERsJ A nwetinc of the Nationai Committee for providing comforts for the Welsh troope at home and abroad waa (held at 11, Downing- street, on Monday. Mrs Lloyd George irt- sided, and there were akso present Ladv (ilanusk. Lady Herbert, Lady Ninien Crichton-Stuart, Lady Beatrice Ormsby. Gore, the Hon Miee Doug-las Pennant, Mrs HcXenna, and Mr. William Lewie (hon. set j. The Hon. Secretary reported that since the committee had been formed amongst the comforts supplied through their efforts were 10,300 pairs of eocka, 4,250 shirts, 1,200 pairs of pants, 7,000 tablets of soap, 270,000 cigarettes, 5,500 packets of tobacco, 4,000 pounds of sweets, 2,050 tins of boracio oint- ment, and 2,500 wa-lieteef writing materials. The commit-ee a.re sending Out more com- forts to meet the requests received. The committee are end-e.avouring to mak-e arrangements to get into official touch with Welsh prisoners of war, 80 as to be able to forward necessaries and ccmforts to them also. The c^-jcmiittee are parti*Ularlv anxious to do something for Weish prieoner&

CONCILIATION BOARD MEETING. NEW DEVELOPMENT IN COAL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS. (By Our Mining Correspondent.) The South Wales coaiowaier& havt at last agreed to deal with the twa principal questions now left, as between them and the miners" repnn,tatives" via., the proposed revision of the expiring wage regulating agreement and the non- unionist question. Monday's meeting of the South Wales Coal Conciliation Board, at the EngineerS" Institute, Cardiff, was an unusually lengthy one, and the subjects dealt with were of great importance. Mr. F. L. Davis presided on the coal- owners' side, and 31 r. W. Brac-e, M.P., on the workmen's side. An official report furnished by th4 general secretary of the miners (Mr. T. iiichards, -Ai.P.). at theelose of the pro- ceedings, stated that the joint secretaries (Mr. Dalziel and himself) informed the Board that Lord St. Aldwyn, upon his last visit, intimated to them his desire to be relieved of the chairmanship of the Conciliation Board, as he felt physically unequal to continue the work. The Board unanimously decided to ask Lord St. Aldwyn to reconsider his decision. The ooalowTers stated that they had not yet had an opportunity of placing before their Association the workmen's leaders' proposa15 regarding the non-unionist ques- tion, but they would do so at a meeting to be held on the Sth or June, and would then report to the Conciliation Board the result. In order to bring the matter to an seme, the workmen's representatives again raised the question of the revision of the wage regulating agreement., which the coal- owners had hitherto declined to œscu660 and which they asked should be postponed until the conclusion of the war. That objection was not raised now, and it was agreed to have a joint meeting ol the Conciliation Board to enter into thtf matter on the 31st of May. A vote of condolence with Mr. Stewart and his family on the low of his eon, at the front, was passed, on the motion cd Mr. Braoe, seconded by Mr. Davis. Several other matters were dealt with. and the workmen's rppregmtata f4 adhered to their resolution to observe only Whit-Monday as a holiday, as important and urgent communications had been ro ceived from the Admiralty asking them to do all in their power to keep up tht supply of coal. Upon the question of the revi«dom of the wage-agreemeat, it may be added that the main point demanded by the workmen has been secured by tha war bonus, viz., the abolition of the maximum wage limit. Under the expiring agreement, the maximum is 60 per cent, above thf standard, whereas the war bonus hai already given the workmen a wage elicit is -71 above that standard. However, it will be possible to make sure that the maximum is permanently excluded, and the miniinum raised, so th4 negotiations, now that they have bee* agreed to, will be important.

POLICE AND THE WAR. Reports of H.M. Inspectors of Oomstabw lary on the county and borough police forces for the year ended 29th Beptember, 1914, were issued as a Blue Book on Sat-ni-- day. For the first ten months of the yeai covered, then.ary routine cf the police had pursued its normal course, but since th.e outbreak of the war on August 4th the duties of the police have been different from any they h-tva had to perflorm sine. the constitution of organised police forces. FirPt; and second police reserves had beea enrolled. and at the end of the yesur the-a were 120,000 special constables either ;act-Li, ally serving or ready to be called, exclusive of the Metropolitan district, where abouit 50,000 are serving. Withdrawals from the provincial force on account of the war up to February 28th lMt numbered 4,422. It it recorded that the duties of the police, both regulax and auxiliary, during a period cl very great and novel difficulty, have beed well and faithfully performed. The usual statistics are furnished fog South Wales covering the authorised estabs lishment in the respective areas, the rat serves, and the extra duties which the police are called upon to discharge are enu4 raerated in each case. The strength of the force in the different coanties and boroughs is given as foJJows:— No. of Area, in P03)uim Men. Acres. tk>r* Brecon 64 469,281 59,281 Cardigan 42 443.189 59,m Carmarthen 128 58W12 150,181 Carmarthen (Borougii) 12 5,160 10= Glamorgan 701 488,101 725,4tl City of Cardiff 289 6XS 182.251 Merthyr Tydfil 87 17,761 80,991 Neath 23 1.428 17.581 Swansea 159 5,201 114,661 Pembroke 87 393,003 89,9fil

WELSH INDUSTRIES SALE. The ladies of the London Committee 01 the Welsh Industries Association held 8.11 at home and eale at the London depot in Grosvenor Gardens on Monday. A record sale wae maintained mainly of socks and shirts for the troops. Or interesting saleable articles were Bwenny pottery4 ware and toys from the Vale of Olwvd. Among those who visited the depod during the afternoon were: Lady Bryn- mor Jones. Ifady TTyndham Quin, end Miss Wyndham Quin, Lady de Rutzen, Lady Newnes, Lady Cory, Lady Carewv Mrs. Frances Brenton, Mrs. TudQ. Crawshay, Miss Stanley Baldwin, Mrs, Mark Haxmrit, Lady Templedore, Mar- shioness of Tweedale, Mrs. Clark, and Mrs. Bichard Masliiter (honorary seere, tary).

WOUNDED AT YPRES. News has been received that Private Herbert Powell, 2nd Shropshires (whose parents reside at Mariborough-road, Brvn- mill, Swansea) has been wounded in a battle near Ypres. Private Powell came over with the troops from India at the commencement of the war.

"For the Blood is the Life." DO YOU SUFFER from any SKIN or BLOOD DISEASE Such as Eczema, Scrofula, Bad Legs, Abscesses, Ulcers, Glandular Swel- lings, Boils, Pimples, Sores of any kind, Piles, Blood Poison, Rheuma- tism, Gout, Ac.*? If so don't waste your time and money on lotions and ointments which cannot get below the surface of the skin. 1 What you want and what you must have is a medicine that will thoroughly free the blood of the poisonous matter which alone is the true cause of all your suffering. Clarke's Blood Mixture is just such a medicine. It is composed of ingredients which quickly expel from the blood all impurities from whatever canse arising, and b. rendrrin g it clean aud pure can be relied upon to efiect a lasting cure. Over 50 years' Success. ??    Clarke's\ 33\M!xture# ?\Mixturc? bcoht.unt.inItDY all Mi'oxture -d Sto-s, go p- Substitute*. HAS CUllED THMMMM. WILL CURE YOU.