Herald of Wales and Monmouthshire Recorder

PILOT'S GRAPHIC STOGY. During the terrific south-westerly gale on Monday, a British schooner, believed to be of Wexford. foundered off the Mumbles Head with all hands. Tlio schooner was obvious!v weather bound, though at the moment it is iin- potisi 'ble to tay how long 6he had been lying in the roads. During the afternoon she was lying about half a mile off the Pier, and in the teeth of the gale was dragging her anchors. High seas broke over her, and finally she sent up a flare] as a signal of distress. At this time she was lying towards the Green grounds, a distinctly daugecoui, place. The Mumbles lifeboat, under Cox-swain, W. Davies, was launched at about 6.301 p.m., having a frightful sea to facev She eventually reached the bpot. meeting the pilot cutter Beaufort, which had already tveen to the scene and had seen the last of the ill-fated schooner. Here the story may be taken up by a liit in tier of the Beaufort, as told to a Cambria Daily Leader reporter. We wex-e lying at the South Dock jetty yesterday evening," he said, when a message was received that a schooner was in difficulties off the Mumbles Read. We at once put out, but when we got there it was pitJch dark, and W" couid see nothing, f-ave when the revolving light of the lighthouse was turned on tho schooner. Even then we could not ceo her distinctly, as the very heavy sea that was running obscured her. At length we got so near that we nearly ran her down. We threw a line, but they failed to grasp it --in my opinion because they were Heartrendina Anneal, We could distinctly hear voices, in English. ,-oriiel.)ody was shouting, Oh. send iL* a lifeboat,' while another man was groaning, apparently having been in- juicd. We stood by until a heavy sea threw 1h right on our beam end. We thought for a minute that our own ship had gone Then, ao we righted, we found that tholil i schooner hud diiappeared." The pilot added that in his opinion tho schooner must have gone down with all hands. The crew of the Beaufort could not see her name, but she is declared to bo the Jane, of Wexford, and other stories credit her with having been formerly a Wel&h registered boat, re- named and registered after changing hands. I Our informant of the Beaufort adde-d that when the schooner disappeared they had the Mumbles Head south-west of i them, about half a mile on the port aide. On Tuesday morning, as the tide ebbed, part of the tragedy was revealed. There, grim and stark, about 1,000 yards off the Mumbles Pier, was tho mast of the ill- iated ship, still above water. Probably, tI." tho tide ebbs further, her name will be revealed. Her crew would have been, perhaps, three men and a boy, or at moot four men and a boy. SkiDDer of Pilot Boat Tells His Story. In an interview with Captain Pruet, of the Beaufort, and Captain Geen, our representative was informed that the dis- aster took place between six and seven on Monday night. Captains Beynon, Geen and Clement were also on board the cut- ter. It was a north-west hurricane," said Captain Pruet. The vessel was about half a mile to the east of Mumbles Pier. Captain Pruet had seen the crew, con- sisting of four, on two or three previous occasions, and had advised the captain to come into port. The vessel was lying at anchor. We heard the rockets and cries: of distress," said Captain Pruet. and i made an attempt at rescue, but the seas v.ere mountainous high. I heard them distinctly shout, Send for the lifeboat." I saw one man lashed to the mast, and we threw a line, but whether it caught or not 1 oould, not say, but it would have been impossible for the man to reach it. The next thing lsaw was that the ma-st had broken in two, and the poor fellow had gone down. It was a terrific night, and it seemed impossible to do anything. In the course of further conversation our representative was informed that the cutter Went oif to hail the Mumbles life- boat. and afterwards returned to the wreck to continue their efforts at rescue, but without avail. The Beaufort un- doubtedly bad a narrow escape of being dragged down, and on one occasion they bought they bad stUck the schooner.

SEVEN MEN REPORTED MISSIHG. I The s.s. Cottingham, honnd to Swan- lea, and the Belgian steamer, Minister Bernhardt, from IS ex port (Monmouth- shire), have both been sunk. The crews were landed, with the exception of seven men of the Cottingham, who Llro mieaing. Two shipwrecked crews arrived at the Swansea Sailors' Home on Monday morn- inle. They belonged to the Belgian steamer Minister Bernhardt, from New- port, and the British steamer Cotting- ham. which was bound for Swansea. The Belgian steamer, which wa5 in com- mand of Captain Lambe, carried a crew 32. and all were saved. The Cotting- -tin ha.d on board a crew of 13, of whom were saved, and seven are missing, ;lleý were said to have taken to a boat for which a search is being made. A patrol I boat landed 18 of the Belgian crew, and a ewit,.r- resciie(i 14. Captain Mit- ldell. of the Cottinf;ham, and five men 4tere ulso^ saved by the patrol boat. Thecrews had no time to save any of their belongings. The men. who -■arrived in .a drenched condition, greatly -joreciated t..b4t ho&jjitalitr aad attention =fHey^=received on the boats which rescued I them and at the Sailors' Home.

ASHORE ON THE GOODWINS. I The Deal lifeboat has gone to the as- sistance of a large four-masted Dutch passenger liner which has gone ashore on the Goodwin Sands in a southerly gale. A later message says that the liner was the Xieu? a 17,000 ton liner belonging to the Nttherla1(k\mriean Line. She was bound from New York to Rotterdam. On leaving the Downs she stranded about 1.20 this morning on the north of the Spit of the Mahratte H wreck. She was: re-floated after five hours, and proceeded on her journey.

I TWO TRAWLERS LOST? ) Considerable damage was done to pro- perty in many places in South Pembroke- shire, while numerous trees were uprooted. In Pembroke Dock slates and chimney-pots were dislodged, and sign-boards and hoard- ings blown away, but, whilst several cases of minor injuries are reported, there was no serious accident. So-rough was the Haven that the Ney- land and Hobb's Point ferry service had to be suspended, whilst damage to tele- graph and telephone wires resulted in the town being for some hours cut off from communication with the outside world. During the morning a Red Cross van was blown over by the wind on Pier- square. Fortunately, the van was empty, except for the driver, who escaped with a shaking. The pine-end of a house at Pennar was also blown in by the gale and the con- tents of the rooms exposed, but, fortun- ately, none of the occupants were injured. It was rumoured that two trawlers were, sunk in the Haven off Milford. Bad News From Milford. I The gale at Milford Haven was one ot the worst on record, especially as far as damage on land is concerned. During the morning all telegraphic and telephonic communication was interrupted and sus- pended, owing to the wires at different points being broken down. Roots were stripped of slates and lead copings, and it was dangerous to be in the streets. One large building in Robert-street used as a naval patrol club was swaying to *a-,i(i fro for most part of the day. A large plate-glass window in one of the leading shops was blown in and the con- tents strewn about the streets. Very few of the older houses have escaped damage, and many families will havo to find fresh rooms. The roads to St. Ishmael's and Dale are reported blocked by fallen trees and telegraph wires, and traffic had to be stopped. High seas broke over the houses overlooking the Haven, some houses being literally washed out, whilst the trawlers and patrol boats lying in har- bour had a terrible time. Those within sight managed to hold their anchorage up to dusk. Bad news, however, is reported from the harbour entrance, where, it was stated, a patrol boat making for the Haven got on the rocks near St. Anne's Head and, it was feared, had foundered with all hands. In the existing condi- tions, however, no particulars were avail- able. Porthcawl Littht Extinguished. I The sea at Porthcawl washed over the breakwater in great volumes, being often 7') to 80 feet high A wave struck the glass of the lighthouse and demolished it, the light being extinguished. In the town elates were blown off and windows broken. A plate-glass window belonging to Messrs. Woodley blew into the street. Much Damage at Tenby. The greatest storm that has been feltl for many years visited Tenby on Monday, and wrought much damage. The wind, blew with terrific force, uprooting trees in all directions. In South-parade—the walk alongside the ancient town walls— three of the fine elms were; uprooted and thrown against the wall. Several of the roads leading into the town were blocked for a time by trees falling over them. A summer house in Captain Plumer's gar- I den in South Cliff-street was lifted from its foundation and deposited on the read- way outside. Windows were smashed and th-1. roofs of many houess were badly damaared- Steamer Runs Aground. The Scandinavian steamer Gefion, while lying in Swansea Bay on Monday after- noon, dragged her anchors while the other side of the Mumbles Head. The captain, realising that his best chance of sawing his: ship was to run her aground, kept her bow on and ran between the pier ainil the lifeboat-house. She refloated on the even- ing tide and is now in the King's Dock. NEATH. Considerable damage was done to house property in Neath by the gale on Monday. Jiooii v ero stripped, chimney s crashed to the ground, hoardings were thrown to the ground, and windows blown in. There were several narrow and providential CvS- capes reported to the police by pedes- trians. In Penydre some lead sheets, weighing about one hundredweight, fell at the feet of a woman who was carrying a baby. At Aberdulais the roofs of the 6heds at the works were blown away, several trees were uprooted, and telegraph poles and wires were blown down. SKEWEN. Some damage has been done by the terrific gale, especially in the part of Skewen, but nothing of a serious nature. Near the old station a big hoarding has been blown down. bringing with it a sub- stantial brick wall. In a few instances large window-panes in private houses have been blown in. BURRYPORT Boxing Day brought in one of the worst gales ever experienced at Burryport, and much damage was done. The roof of one of the sleeping huts at the Lady Howard Y.M.C.A. munition huts at Burryport was lifted clean off and the windows blown in. A large portion of the hoard- ing round tho railway bridge at Burry- port was also blown down, and the roof of the goods office also suffered. Many tents at Pembrey were blown down, and damage has been done to the new Cory Y.M.C.A. hut at Pembrey. The Poet Office carriage standing on the G.W.E. bridge was blown over by the force of the wind. MUMBLES. The sea at Langland ran mountains high, and dashed with vehement fury on the rocks. The roof of a house at West Cross, named Elmscot, in the occupation of a Mr. Martin, wa.s blown off. Hun- dreds of slates were blown off on to the I streets, some pedestrians having very narrow and miraculous escapes.

NOSTROLINE I CLEANSES NOSE AND THROAT. I A moment's reflection will convince suffer- ers that local infection in nose and throat c-an best be overcome by local treatment. When your nose and throat are obstructed with germ-laden mucus, Nostroline in- stantly relieves the stuffiness and destroys the microbes. Nostroline works wonders in Head Colds, Nasal Catarrh, and Influ. enza. It maintains continual disinfection, relieves soreness, clears obstructed air uas- sages, and softens and brings away cruets in the nostrils. Make up your mind to use "Nostroline." Get it to-day. Tubes lB. 3d. all South WaJes Chemists, or by post la 5d. from milkers, Harold B. Matthews and Co., I Chemists, Clifton, Bristol. 5 I

AN OLD ENGLISH INDUSTRY. In view of the shortage of drugs which, though accentuated by the war, has been felt for a considerable period, an organisa- tion of women farmers and gardeners has just been formed to promote the culture of medicinal herbs in the villages. This is an old English industry which has gone out of favour in modern times, but the opportunity is being taken of re- viving it. The new society of women I herb-growers held its first committee, meeting at the offices of the Women's Farm and Garden Union in Westminster, which is providing facilities for the preliminary work of organisation. The Hon. Mrs. Norman Grosvenor, chairman of the Union, told a represen- tative on Monday that it was intended to promote the culture of medicinal herbs on a eo-operative basis, since it did not pay to devote the whole of one's holding to the enterprise. Particular kinds of son are needed if the herbs are not to lose some of the properties which render them of value. The plan proposed was to use parts of small holdings for medicinal plants, the various herbs to be collected and classified for sale afterwards. Cottagers are to be instructed how to make the best uce of their gardens through the formation of elates and clubs in the villages. In one instance a woman farmer has formed a group of forty-two women in two villages, and early in the New Year a start 16 to be made with the cultivation of medicinal herbs.

The schoolchildren of Alsace-Lorraine have gathered t23,500 in gold to swell the reserves in the German banks. Official statistics stato that iu Spanish harboixi-s there are twenty-nine German and twelve Austrian t&ijps, of a total of 125,612 tons.

DOOR-BOY TO COUNCILLOR -0 CAREER OF A llANSAMLET MAN. Not a Iew, even outside the lively dOol8 maun of Llansamlet, will rejoice in that honour, and increase d public responsibili-* tie?, conferred ou Mr. J. T. Richards, ofl Birc hgrove, who, last Thursday, wa4 unanimously elected a meraber of Glamor- gau County Council. He will fill tbts vacancy caused by the death of Mr. A. IV- Williams. The unanimous vote speaks eloquently; of the respect with which Mr. Richards iat held in his native LLan&amlet, and its apd4 preciation of his services, loyally and en:t-J: thusiastically rendered, on the Swa.n; Rural District Council and the Swau + Guardians. Mr. Richards has had a busy life. IiW father, a miner, died when he was only] 15 years old. The boy was then the eldesti of six children with which the widow bact been left to face the struggle of life. Sh? was a good woman, and to her Mr. R?lil ards attributes his success in pu bli(, life.' Commencing as door-boy at the age of 13 years, he has worked up by step t-al hit present honoured position. He was* elected the first miners' secretary at. Birchgrove Collieries in 1896, and oftea reproi>ented the miners at their district meetings and conferences. He was one off three representatives who negotiated thq price list for No. t. Main Skewen. In cember, 1907, he was ejected chock weigher, and in 1914 made an executive member ot, the Neath New Miners' District. Elected on the Swansea Rural District Council and a Gu&rdian for Llansamlet parish in 19] 0, he was the first Laboufl member from his native parish. I April, 1913, he was again returned secorwi of seven oandidates for five oeatil For years Mr. Richards has been ad active Christian worker. He has proved a very successful Sunday school teacher, and turned out some boys of very fuMt" character Since 1910 Mr. Richards hao, been a deacon of Nazareth C.M. Church, Birch grove. He was elected wretary << Court Livingstone Lodge A.O.F. in 19QS, representing the Neath District in the High Court at Leicester in 1912, aauj Imm passed through the dirtriet chair. He intends resigning the poiitiona ft district councillor and guardian at an early date. A gentleman of high moral character, a man always ready to help others in the battle of life, his future career will be watched with interest b.1 the large circle of friends he has madr

With a bottle which had evidently eon tained strong poieon in his pockei, Mr Graig Pye, a well-known chemist, of r ton-Trout, -was found dead, seated lj7;, stool in a hut on his allotmmt an Sma&t

Textile workers at Huddersfield are to I I reeeivw a war oon of 38. a week for men and 1-&. 6Ø.. tec women and xouuejpwsou&

A YOUTH OF 76 I I FRENCH VETERAN IN THE FIELD-WHY HE VJLUNIUKII. The following dispatch has been re- ceived from Mr. H. Warner Allen, the representative of tho British Preos with tile 1: nmcll Ai-jAiy:- I We were at lunch in a quiet little town ten miles behind the French lines. One of our party, who had just returned from tho trenches, had not put in an appear- ance. We waited for him, and when he at last came he remarked: "I am sony to be late. but 1 have just found some- thing extraordinary in this old Journal thiii, exti-aoi-ciiii?try -tn this oid Joui- ,Uii it is anything but usual to find inter- esting reading in the official gazette of the Republic, but we had to admit that the paragraph under the heading of "Mentioned in dispatches" which he showed us was certainly extraordinary:— Corporal Suiru^ne iChaues), No 91-31, 9th Company, (itu Regiment of Engin- eers; veteran of 1870, Knht. of the Legion of Honour; volunteered for the duration of the war at the age of 7t}; asked to be sent to the front as a sapper; shares without any sign of physical weakness all the work carried on by his company, both by day and uj night, under the enemy's fire; a most conscientious soldier, and a model to his younger comrades of discipline, energy, and keenness. Our first tnought. was that the solemn "Journal OJficiel" had been guilty of a misprint, and had given the corporal 76 years instead of 6,, and a keen argument broke out on the point; was it conceivable that a man of 76 could really stand the hardships of t he campaign ? The argument ended with the brilliant suggestion that, as the veteranJs company was in that dis- trict, and at no great distance off, we should go and find him and see for our- selves. So after lunch we set out and found that. particular company of en- gineers in a small village just behind the lines, which had been heavily bombarded only a few hours before. We asked a sturdy sapper, who was very busy washing clothes, whether he knew where Corporal Sllrrugue was. He may be here now," he said, and began a series of inquiries at the doors of the ruined houses near by. But the corporal was not there; he was at work—no one was quite sure where, but they thought it was in a quarry. After wandering for an hour through a pathless wood, we came a.cross a small man with a white beard, with a pickaxe over his shoulder. He is a sapper," said one of the officers, and a corporal. Perhaps it is Surrugue himself." Marvellous to say, ho was right. At first the corporal seemed overpowered at the thought that anyone was looking for him. However, when we asked the privilege of a few minutes' conversation, ho led us to an underground shelter, through the roof of which drops of water were falling pro- fusely. There the corporal, in the simplest and most modest way, gave us a brief account of his life. With his pointed beard and white moustache and fresh complexion, he looked as active as a man of 40. He attributed his green old age to walking. In private life, he told us, he is a civil engineer, and regularly walks many miles to superintend the construction and up- keep of the light railways in his district. A twenty miles walk is mere child's play to him. For twelve years before the war he was the mayor of his native town of A uxorro, the capital of the department of !• Tonne, and a place of over 17,000 in. habitants. Ho was not a. little proud of having drawn the plans of the Arras- K tan I ps branch railway in 1S72. In that year he turned the first sod of the station at Saint Pol-en-Ternoise, in the very same district, where, fortyrfour years later, hs was to use the pickaxe again as a simple private of sappers. In the war of 1878 Corporal Surrugue 6ervad in the army of General Faidhorbo. Military engineers were very scarce at that time, and Surrugue had been called u.p as a civii engineer and given the rank of captain. He was twice mentioned in dispatches. After that war he occupied himself with municipal affairs in his native town, and Auxorro owes much to him for his excellent administration a6 mayor When you joined your company," an officer asked him, I suppose your ID on knew who you were? Your Legion of Honour must have given them a hinHn No," said the corporal, because you see, as a matter of fact, I never wore my red ribbon until I had earned the Croix de Guerre to put beside jt, They know very little about me, and I shall not teJJ them anything. I am simply Surrugue, who done his bit of trenching just the same as all the rest, and that. is all. At such a time as the present, whatever we may have done as civilians doesn't count. and that is vhy I volunteered. I took my part in all the preparations for thooffelisive in September last, and I was made corporal on October 1. I was really surprised that they gave me the Croix de Guerre, for I have done nothing for it. I have done much lese than thf- men who have been here 8inoo the be- ginning of the war. I know, of course, that they have decorated me because of my age, but really age doesn't count with me, and I am rather ashamed when I think of all the men who have received no recogni- tion of more important services. However, now I have got it. all I ask is to be given a chance to deserve it. There is just one advantage in being old, and that is that one has a certain influence with the younger men. When they get impatient I can talk to them about 1870 and what wo went through then, and of how much better things are to-day.— Pre&s Association War Special.

THE STORY OF THE CHARGE I Private A. J. Powell sends from the trenches the following verses on a charge that has now become famous:— Havo yoi. ever hoord the story How the Welsh Guards had their name, And thei" honours in golden letters Written on the scroll of fame? How tho brave and gallant Welshmen For their oountry fought and bled; Why. it's a stovy that will live, Fir, Long when you and I are dead. If you'll listen for .<1,. moment My beit efforts I will usi To rclab that thrilling story Of the battlefield of Looa. It was in the month September, In the year nineteen fifteen. When wo made that great advance, sir, One of the finest that ever was seen. And we had marched along for days, sir, From tii- town of Arques in France, Where w j had been for some weeks training Previous to this great advance. On the march, sir, we were joined B, the Coldstreams and the Scots, By the Grenadiers and Irish- Men who feared neither shells nor shots. As we marched along the route, sir. w, all sane with might and main, "Tipperary," "Bonnie Scotland." Tift tin boys come home again." Someone cried, "Are we downhearted: But wt shouted No," with cheers; For we were going out to fight, sir, For our King and country dear. And we marched through ruined villages, Ruined by the murderous Hun, And it made us more determined To aveug) the harm he had done. We all marched along by night, sir. And wt- rtted in the day. For we had to oe very careful, As the Germans were not far away. 'Twa-s Sunday night when we reached Ver- melit Where wo tested for the night., Ever ready at the least alarm To take our place in the fight. 'Twas a little past noon on the morrow When wo had orders again to Fail in," So wo threw on cur packs in a moment. Our first time in iction to begin. And, sir, yon should have seen our division marching, "Twas done in fine style-it was groat, For they marched quite at ease, without fear, As though they were in London streets. And the Germans knew we were coming, For the shells fell about us like hail; But it did not prevent our progress, We had determined to go without fail. And even while the enemy helled us. We went across the open iu "blobs," To make our way to the village, It looked, sir, a rather tough job. We jumpeft over parapet* and trenches. ¡ And the shells fell round us quite thick, But we went on our way, never faltering. Like Britons to our guns wo would stick. At last w-t entered the village, 'Twas a large mass of ruins by now, And up through the streets wo all rushed, sir, We got tlre-but we do not know how. For the Germans ha,d started to baa" us, And our respirators we wore; Then our leader, Captain Rhys Williams, Cried: Machine gul- up to the fore." So we picked up our machine guns, and started Up the slopes of Hill 70. In order to gst in position To attack the enemy. And our brave leader was wounded As he led the way up the hill. But he kepi-on his way uutlinehing, But moD determined still. And for thi deed he won great distinction, And wa? awarded the D.S.O., For he did his best at a critical time, An-I wliqt man do you thini, oil-, could do more: Then whe-i our guns were set, sir, Our heroes made the rus'i That won for us our honours. :FQ': ui the slopes they dashed. With a. cry oi "Wales for ever!" They forced the Germans back, Though u'any brave fellows were lost, air, Who courage did not lack. And thu;, our honours were won. sir. Though it. weakened our heroic band, For many brave men ggve their lives that day For the sake of the motherland. And our brave and gallant colonel Wa.s very proud that day Of the men who had stood so nobly The effects of that terrible fray. But during this greit achievement We wor" nobly backed up by the rest- By tho Coldnti-eams and "Jocks," Grena- diers, and Micks Of ail legiments these are the best. But they all did their fair share of work, sir, Tn that great British advance; And we mean to go on without stopping Till wa have driven the Run,. from France. Then out again from Belgium For we have sworn that we never will cea<" s Till Belgium and France are freed from the Huns, And can livo once more in peace. Now just one word in conclusion: If ever a word you hear Spoken disrespectful of Tommy. Remember he is a man witnout fear. For he is a man that is always ready At tho nation's most urgent call, To take his place at the battle front, Prepared to Btantl or falL So now you at home in your warm, cosy, beds. Will yo-i sometimea give a thought To the heroes away in the trenches, Who for freedom so nobly have fought? And when around your warm kitchen fire On the war you state you views, Remembe1 the part played by gallant little Wales On the battlefield of Loos.

 NÖBtlITY. I Um OF THE NOBILITY. The work of teaching the British public how to pronounce the names of its nobility, begun in "±>ebrett's Peerage" of 1915, is continued and extended in the volume for 1916. The phonetic spelling of eome namee is: Daiaell— Dee-el. Kino—Keeno. Buchan-Bukknn: iw> ereux—Deverooks. Cadogan—Ga-duggam lie-ge-Hennedge. Burgixcdere- H&waxcien- Burclair. liaywctrden. liob,vrt,-Hubbart. Ruthvt,.Yj -.dLN- von, Bredalbane— Compton-Cumpwia. Bredawlbane. Stourton—Sturton. Bolincbroke &nd St. Iletll"e,-Beeton. John—Biulingbrook Leveaon-G-owor— aud Sinjun. Looson-Gore. Blyt,h-Bly. Toignmouth— Bertie of Thame- Tinmuth. Barty of Tame. Torphioheo— Tvrwhitt-Tirritt Tor-fikken. (like spirit). Eveleigh de MoJeyna Loudoun Loudon. -Fevlv-demmoieend. Abergavenny— wemysg-weenls. Abergenny. Blois—Bloyss, Knollys—Noies. Orespigny—Crepiny. Ki.morey-Kilmurry. DYmoke-Dimmuk. Vihiers—Villers. EciHjn~-E.kk.in. Rotham-Hutùam. Farquhar—Farkwer. Seimour—Seamer. Hepburn—Hebburn. Hertford—Harford. Isham—Eye-sham. .%ays-Sayw. l»yalay—Lyiey. liobrashi&nT- Kogben—ifohben. Dob-raeh-yan. Caillard-Kiy.ar. Mieville—Me-ay.ville. Bea—See. Kiggell—Kidgell BJiye—Reeee.

For using indecent language, Olive Townsend, of Henry-stieot, was at Neath on Tuesday fined 10s. The steamers Santa na. and Chaonia. having on board 326 Serbian orphans, ar- rived m Marseille on Monday j&araiBg*

THE WAR AND HORSE BREEDING- SOME OUTSPOKEN COMMEKTS. The Live Stock Journal Almanac for 1916 retains its prde of position as the best of informative breeders' annuals. Little or no change has been made in its formation. It reviews the season for everyone whoso interests centre in-live stock breeding and high-class farming. The volume extends to some 264 pages, contains over fifty special articles, is beautifully rounded oS with over 150 illustrations of prize-winning live stock. The opening article is upon the all- absorbing subject of Livj Stock in War Time and After." Indeed, the outlook after the war is a phase of agriculture a^d a subject ably discussed by many of the leading writers in the country in the 1016 Almanac. His Grace the Duke of Portland, K.G., writes upon Care of Horses in War, and the Earl of North- brook tells of The Live Stock Work of the Agricultural Relief of Allies Commit- tee in France, in other words, recalls the noble work that is being done by British farmers and breeders of live stock to relieve the distress of tho stricken agriculturists of France. The Earl of Coventry discusses Main- taining our Breeding Stocks," and in passing pays tribute to the value of j hunting as a means of providing the sinews of war in the shape of recruits for the Army. After the war the hc)r- prob- lem is going to be vital. The Breeding of Hunters is tha-sub- j^ ect discussed by Sir Edward D. Stern. Ho writes:— People who hunt often seem to forget that the breeding of hunters is an in- dustry like any other. If it be a profit- able industry it will be pursued by many people; if it be not profitable it will gradually die out. The farmers of Great Britain, undoubedly* the ablest in the world, know perfectly well what course it is advantageous to them to pursue. They are being urged now to grow more wheat, which no doubt they would be willing to do if a fixed price were guaranteed for a certain number of years, as proposed in the report of the Commission presided over by Viscount Milner. The Govern- ment. however, with its usual want of foresight and with its usual extravagant methods, refuses any guarantee, for- getting that by spending Ll now it may save S10 later on. If the Government wants to be sure of having horses always ready for its use. it must have large stud farms of its own, as foreign countries have. It must also buy two-year-old horses from the farmers; this is the only way in which a reliable number of horses will ever be obtained. Farmers can breed hunters if the Government will give at least £50 or S60 for a horse of two years old, but a farmer cannot keep them until four or five years old and then only get £,10 for the best. It i6 simply a money question. It is the farmer's- business; he does not farm for patriotism more than the lawyer talks for patriotism; he does it to live. Horses 1 are the most troublesome animal of any to keep; the slightest blemish caused either by wire or being trod on by its dam. or the thousand and one other acci- dents which would not be noticed in cattle, may take off £ 50 at least from a horse's value; the risks therefore in horse- breeding are enormous, so the breeder must be adequately compensated." Earl Fortescue believes that the outlook for hunter-breeding realiy depends on the future of hunting, and that itself depends upon how much money people have left to spend on sport when the war is over. It is well known that the English market alone did not offer sufficient inducements to hunter-breeders, and that without the foreign market fewer horses would have been bred. To check export would pro- bably mean the checking of production. Captain Clives Belirens is convinced that the future of hunter-breeding is bound to be a successful one after the war. The demand for hunters will be on a much more moderate scale than in the past, and prices obtainable will most pro- bably be considerably reduced. But, on the other hand. the existing supply of good horses will be so 6eriously dimi- nished by the demands of war that foreign Governments, as well as our own. will be obliged to take serious steos to make this loss good, and consequently the price given for a good type of cavalry and artillery horse is certain to be high for years to come. Mr. A. John Flowers believes the Shire's prospects are brighter to-day than they have ever been He tells of the added values of young Shire stock to-day, and hints that the Government's scheme of assisting Shire breeding is still capable of improvement. One cannot help regret- ting (he adds) that the best sires iuid users of the same are debarred from par- ticipating in the scheme. Any horse at a fee of more than three guineas is at pre- sent ineligible. Why not raise this to a maximum of five guineas. The old-estab- lished societies cannot afford to lot a small holder come in as a member at a nominal fee for membership. The small holder usually gets tho cheapest animal ho can, and not one that will raise the standard of the Shire breed. Therefore the small man is a very difficult one to handle. What of the Hackney? The Hackney comes in for a large share of patronage (and discussion). Mr. A. W. Hickling writes pleasantly about The Olympia Harness Horse." He writes:— In future Hackney breeders must aim at and concentrate on specialisation of the harness horse, keeping their best stallions, for which there is no lack of demand—it must be the survival of the fittest only and the balance relatively scrapped: then so long as shows of the type of Olympia, Richmond, the Royal and Madison Square Gardens are open to. competition for harness horses, so will there be an increasing demand for all that is best in the Hackney breed." Mr. John Makeague tackles the subject of "Tho Hackney in War Time," and declares:— The Government's attitude and policy with respect to light horses one is unable to understand. In the first place they stop all buying in this country, then they send men to the States, and Canada, and the Argentine to buy thousands and thou- sands of horse3 and mules, which, when they arrive, are composed of a large per- centage of mongrels and screws, as I have seen them. English farmers and breeders would refuse to pay carriage or see them on their stud farms." « The Government, from their exalted position, preach economy to the people of this country, but on tho other hand let it he clearly understood by them that preach- ing without example is no more effective in their case than any other. They say keep the money in this oountrv, and this is how they do it. There should be more consideration for the British farmer and breeder, who are so heavily taxed, by allowing him to train his horses and sell them direct to the Government, and so re- tain the money in the country though it be Treasury notes. « When you compare the best of the foreign purchases with the hackney, there is still a very marked, superiority in favour of the latter, as it is impossible to overestimate the hackney's breeding. gentle carriage, and docility, combined with orononnced courage. His popularity in civilian life is still in the ascendancy, and breeders can look with confidence to the future, as he still maintains his position as King of the Road/ Mr. H. C. Callaby writes on The Future of the Hackney," and openly de- claret:— One is afraid to say that the novrn- j inenA of oat- own country have entirely; mii-sed the hackney out of their reckoning. Yet it is not too late, and one hopes that such a scheme will fhortly be put into vogue in England, so that we can have an "arsenal in horse flesh, ready for any emergency that may occur. Many a man i,;ill then ride a horse that never looked at one before this war fell upon liS, and he will find himself better in health and spirit for it. Every country has been drained of horses. The supply must be at a low ebb. and our motio should be to a low ebb, produce the best and the most useful and keep on doing it."

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I WELSH PLAY AT PLASMARL I The Plasmarl Dramatic Society, which has already repeatedly performed three classical Welsh dramas, Die Shon Dafydd," Ephraim Harris," and "Rhys Lewis at different places in the district, I have now added another work to their repertoire. The new venture is H Change," by J. o. Francis, the prize drama of the Welsh National Dramatic Society, which has; been produced in London, and most of I the large provincial towns, including Swansea, and has also been played in the United States. The amateurs of the Plasmarl Society are to be congratulated on their enter- prise. Taking the performance on Mon-j day evening in Plasmarl County School i as a criterion, it may safely be said that! the future prospects of the Society are j bright. They were well supported. Notwith- standing the inclemency of the weather, the large central halls were taxed to their utmost capacity long before the adver- tised time for the performance. The cast was as follows:—" John Price, an old collier" (Mr. J. P. Walters); I Gwen, his wife" (Miss Blodwen Phillips); John Henry, Lewis, and Gwilym, their three 60ns (Messrs. John Evans, Jenkin Thomas, and D. Johns); Sam Thatcher, their lodger" (Mr. W. ) Phillips); Lizzie Ann, a relative" (Miss M. L. Clarke); Itiaac Pugh, deacon" (Mr. Tom Davies); Twm Powell, a Socialist" (Mr. Elias Johns); Dai Matthews, teacher (Mr. W. D. James); Jennie Pugh (Miss Sarah Davies). Mr. Harry Johns accompanied. The characterisation was admirable, and the play was produced in a manner that de- served the greatest credit. The play was preceded by a solo by Miss Annie Roes of London. All proceeds are to be devoted to the Local War Fund. The Society, in all their performances, are now assisting war funds. The Society's instructor is Mr. J. P. Walters, and its secretary, Mr. John Morgan, 7, Smyrna-street, Plasmarl.

SWAHSEA NURSE'S FATE. News has been received concerning Nurse Clement, whose parents reside at the Coopers' Arms Hotel, Landore. It it stated that Nnree Clement, with a aunk. ber of other British nurses, were taken prisoners by the Bulgarians while attend. ing wounded Serbians. They are, how. ever, being well treated. Mrs. Clement received the news front another Welsh nurse who was with Nurse Clement in Serbia, and who had to walk over 100 miles through mountain* ous country in order to escape.