Herald of Wales and Monmouthshire Recorder

U.S. SEA CHIEF. j (American an4 British Naval Official.) PRESS BUREAU. Thursday. The Secretary of the Admiralty an- nounces the arrival in England of Admiral Benson and hid staff and that he has been in frequent conference with the First Lord of the Admiralty and chief members of the Naval Staff. He also visited the Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Fleet on hOMd his flagrship. and is now visiting the principal naval bases. Great benefit has been derived from these meetings and from the inter- change of ideaa and views. The co-opera- tion of the Ahierican and British Navies is thus made easier and more complete.

WAR SUMMARY FRIDAY. A successful raid has been carried out by I U6 east of Har i'o*urt. I An Amsterdam message says that M. Kerensky lias been arrested by the Maximalists. i We have gained a further victory on the Tigris, and have taken the town of Tekrit, 95 miles from Bagdad. The Italians are still falling back. SATURDAY. Early this morning our troops attacked the Germans north and north-west of Passchendaelo, and made good pro- gress. The weafchor on the Western Front has become stormy with high wind and heavy min. The Italians have taken up new positions I chosen for resistance to the enemy. They intend to make a determined stand. Kerensky, who disappeared from Petro- grad on the outbreak of the Soviet rising, has not yet been traced. Welsh troops have accomplished great things  Gaza. On the S|tt ruma front our troops have entered three villages. MONDAY. v The week-end war news is distinctly cheerful. Gen. Allenby has captured Askalon and Esdud (the ancient Ashdod), and his forces are only 30 miles from Jerusa- lem. The, Turkish casualties in the recent offensive are given as 10,000, prisoners as 5.000. and the number of guns taken is over 70. The Italians, though they have lost Asiago. are making a stand, and have already regained positions. Sir Douglas Haig's attack on Saturday j was on a front of over a mile, and i most of the ground won has betu. con- solidated. So far from having been captured bJ the Leninist mob. Kerensky is now said to be making against the insurgents who hold Petrograd. He has recaptured wireless stations. i TUESDAY. Conflicting reportsar to hand from II Russia. One message says that KejrcnsJty is back in power and that Lenin "iwe been defeated and captured. Another message states that after "bitter I fightjng the revolutionary arrny defeated the counter-revolutionary forces oi Kerensky and Korniloff. The Turks are organising themselves in the Hebron region, and may be ex- 'pected to make a stand. A successful raid was carried out yester- day morning by Belgian troops against t posts south-cast of Nieuport. I The Germans hav<j attacked one of our posts north-east of Armentieres. but I have been repulsed by rifle and machine gun fire. British NavaT^iirra?!* another successful raid on enemy posi- ¡ tions in Belgium. Bread is very scarce in Russia, and it is said that Finland has no bread at all. j WEDNESDAY. The Germans have made a futile at- tempt to tak<? positions held by us -I the high road north of Passchexidaele. Kerensky is said to have taken practi- cally the whole of Petrograd. Moscow is now the headquarters of the Pro- visional Government. The statement that Kerensky has been arrested is regarded as doubtful.. end- ing the confirmation of the original telegram, judgment is suspended A later telegram &ays that the report of Kerensky's arrest was due to telegraphic mutilation. The newg from Italy is disquieting, the I enemy having established a bridgehead across the Lower Piave, 20 miles north- east of Venice. I The French Cabinet has resigned. THURSDAY. Messages received to-day from Finland and Copenhagen state that Petrograd i^ in flames. General Allenby reports that our infantry and mounted feroope. continuing their advance, now hold important railway lines, including the junction of the! Becrslieba-Daujiascus railway, with the I line to Jerusalem. The Germans are making great efforts to force the lines which guard Venice and ¡ other historic Italian cities Haig reports that enemy reconnoitring parlies, who endeavoured to approach ¡ our lines in the neighbourhood of Pol- <ifi ■hoek Wood. north of the Menin road, wiero dhrven off with lose.

==-===-= "PLATFORM AND PRESS." At the Weslevau Mutual Improvement Society's weekly meeting, held at j UritMtferry" onTtfe#ifay evening, the t old subject of Platform j and Press: Which Exerts the Greater I Influence?" was debated. Mr. L. A. Perrett as leader for the former, and Mr. George for the latter, gave ablo I papers, and each 6idewas well supported,; tiie voting going in favour of the "Press." j Mr. James Revell presided.

AFTER TWO YEARS. I At a meeting of the Neath Rural District I Council, on Wednesday. Mr. W. B. Trick, J P., presiding, iv was decided to make a further increase in the workmen's war bon" of from 33 tn 4b. per week. and 1@. 6d. to 2s. depondant allowance. Nominated by the parishioners of Michaclston Lower, Mr. Tboa. Morgan, checkweigher, Cwmavon, wis co-opted a member of the Council to ftU the vacancy occasioned by the resigna-1 tion of Mr. J. Lewis. Thj clerk to the Highway Board (Mr. L. J. Kempthorne) reported that after waiting two years, he had received a reply from tb." representatives of the landowners of .be I Forest Estate, Glyn-Nesth. relative to the closing of a portion of a road at Glyn- Seath. The Parish Council refused permis- sion unless the landowners indicated new land free of rojt for a new road. The Clerl: observed that the landowners j were agreeable to this, but he had not yet rcteivad a reply to this effett No action was taken.

STEELWORKER'S WAGES. At Aberavon 0:1 Th ii F/Jwnrd We], lington, steehvorker, Tydra w-street. Port Talbot, was summoned by Warrant Offieei Gabriel in respe-et of £ 32 arrears of con- tribution for the maintenance of his wife and child under un order for the payment of 5s. a week. Mr. Gabriel mentioned that the man earned an average of £7 a week. During the last three month" he earned JS'U Is. 3d. He now offered 10s. a week.-Tlu> bench made an order for the payment of the full amount. I

Heard's Stands Pre-eminent 1 OR FIRST-CLASS FRUIT, VEGETABLES, and CONFECTIONERY. WHOLESALE AND RETAIL. HEARD'S STORES, it, Station Road, PORT TALBOT, 67, High Street, ABERAVON, 10, Parade, NEATH, 18, Windsor Road, NEATH.

V fture Palace, poniynereiti. NL\TT WEEK; NEXT WEEK. Usual EXCELLENT SHOW of PICTURES. POPULAR PRICES: 4d 6d., and 9d. Thursday, Doors Open at 6.45, to com- mence at 7. Saturday, Doors Open 6.30, to commence at 6.45 and S.45. MATINEE Thursdays at 4 o'clock, Id.. 2d., and 3d.

NODION AR BYNGIAU YR WYTHNOS. — (GAN AWSTIN.) Gorymdaith deilwng o'r achlysur- j luosog, fywiog, hwylus, ac ardderchog, ac yn gynrychiolaeth deg o bob dobarth bobl y dref a'r cylch—oedd yr hon a iliebryngodd yr Henadur Ben Jones, Maer newydd Abertawe, dydd Sul, o'r Neuadd Sirol i Gapel y Drindod, pan rnewn atebiud i wahoddiad cynhes y Maer i'w gyd-drefwyr i gyd-addoli ag ef, E.T gychwyniad ei yrfa facryjjdol, yn INg-hapel y Trefnyddion Calfinaidd, daeth jtorf ynghyd nas gallai y capel gynwys eu hanner, na'u chwartcr. Nid oes modd ii mi amlinellu rhestr o'r eymdeithasau a'r dosbarthiadau a gynrychiolid gan creugwyr tref a gwlad. Digon yw dweyd fod yr orymdaith ei hun yn brawf fed v gwr a godwyd i anrhydedd yn cael ei barchu nid er, ond am, ei fod wedi gweithio ei ffordd i fyny i'r safie uchaf y gall ei gyd-gynghorwyr ei osod ynddi, ac o ris i ris, wrth godi, ac wedi iddo podi, wedi cadw ei Gymraeg, ei Annghydffurfiaeth, a'i genedlaetlioldeb yri ddifrychni ac yn ddiwyro. Dywedwyd llavor iawn am dano-am t>i waith, ei ymdrech diflino, ei lwydd- iant, a'i boblogrwydd-yn nghyfarfod y Cynghor Trefol dydd Iau, pan osodwyd y fantell borffor ar ei ysgwyddau, ac nid oes angen olrhain y manylion, ond caniateir i ni. fel cynrychiolwyr iaitli, gwlad a chenedl adrsn Orllewinol De- heudir Cymru, gyfle, yn y golofn hon, i longyfarch y Maer. nid yn unig ar ei fri fel dewis-ddyn unfryd nnfarn Cynghor- wyr y dref fawr, ond ar y pr-awf a xoddwyd gan y torfeydd a eafent yn wyddfodolfcm ar ochrau a chonglau yr heolydd, fod Prif Ynad Abertawe yn ddewis-ddyn y bobl hefyd. Yr oedd y lluoedd allan ar y Sabbath mown nmrvwiaeth debyceacli na dim wyf wedi ei weled er's blynyddau i ddesgrifiad Ceiriog o orymdaith arall yn y dyddiau gynt:— Rhai wrth eu ffyn, a'u gwallt yn wyn, Ereill ar fronnau yn dechreu byw— i Wyrion, gorw-yrion, a phlant gorwyrion," ac yn y blaen. Hold on/' medd rhywun—" nid oes gr>rwyrion gan y Maer." Eithaf gwir, er fod ganddo un wyr erbyn hyn, ond am y gwyddfodolion, yr edrychwvr, a'r bobl oedd yn croeaawu ac yn llawenycliu yn nyrchafiad y Cymro yr oeddwn yn meddwl. Dyma longyfarchiad barddol un arall o'i edmygwyr—Mr. Walters -er mai dan, neu uwch, ffugenw, "Ei Edmygydd," y daeth y pen ill ion i law:- Dyina'r gwr a anrhydeddwyd, Ac a wnawd yn Faer ein tref, Dyma un o'r dynion gore Yn holl gylchoedd Abertawe- Cymro gweithg&r ydyw ef; ■>MaeJr H-asadvir »adi d-arbyn Clodydd lawer ar ei ben. lin o honom-blant y werin, A'i gymeriad yn ddilychwin, Dyn bob modiedd ydyw Ben. Oyda phopeth sy'n ddyrcbaiol Gweithio'n ddyfal mae bob dydd; Anhawsderau nid y'nt iddo Ond fel griaiau gara ddringo, Hcb ddiffygio yn ei ffyd4; 1'enderfynodd lwybro'n foreu g.,fri.ad gloewaoh nen," Cafodd IwYddiant fel masnachwr, Daeth yn flaenllaw fel Cynghorwr, ji Codi'n Faer ein tref wnaeth Ben. Ni wna masnach a'i gofalon, j A ph-yllgora sych y dref, Beri iddo ef anghofio Traddodiadau goreu'r Cymro (ryda phethau goreu'r Nef; Mae yn ffyddlon a diwyro Yn ei nawdd i gan a lien; Yn y capel mae yn gysson, Cartre-' hwn yw cwmni'r Cristion. Dyna bethau penaf Ben. Gymro anwyl—ar ucheldir Mawredd ac anrhydedd byd, tiwn y ceidw'th draed yn ddiogel, A dr barch i'r pethau uchel Yn dy galon fawr o hyd; Mwr o'th deby'g mcwn awdurdod Wuelai Gymru'n Gymru wen; Yn mhrii gadair Ab?rtawe Dro? ddaioni gwna dv ore- IIyn. fydd dy ogoniant, Ben. j I'r capel yn awr, ynte, gyda'r Maer Wrth gwrõ, yr oedd Trinity yn orlawn, a chawd oedfa fyth-gofiadwy. kngenrhaid a csodwyd ar ba-wb oedd cae 1 c edfa gymyeg, ddwy-ieithog. Canwyd God, our help in ages pat: God, the All-Terrible King, Who ordainest," a'i ddiweddglo tarawiadol: j Singing in chorus from ocean to ocean, l'eace to the nations and praise to the Lord"; Come. Thou Almighty King," a'r j trfyniad, Jesu, our Lord, arise, scatter our enemies"; ond wrth ganu Cymraeg j y cododd y gynulleidfa i'w huchelderau, iel y gallem ddisgwyl.. | Cafwyd pregethau nerthol gan y Parch. W. E. Prytherch yn Gvmraeg, nr l'arch. ,1. D. Evans. M.A., Pontypridd, 1.11 Seis- stig-proge,tilau a wnacnt y «« cw rdd > mawr" hwn yn historic event," ys dywedai un Cymro dwy-ieithog. Yn lie "Bendithiaist Goed y Meuaydd fiatganwyd How lovely arc Thy dwell- ings" gan Mies Beatrice Hughes, a (hawd hwyl gan v cov gydag anthem Ambrose Lloyd—hen gyfaill fy nliadcu y fythol-werdd Teyrnasoedd y ddaiar, cenwch i'r Arglwydd." Ond codwyd y fvnulleidfa anferth i'w Ijucholfaraii, ail i'r olygfa H 0, frJ-niau Caersalem." pan yn canu yr emyn: I Y n mynydd yr Arglwydd y gwelir DyliiSad y bobloedd o bell, A swn eu Hosanna a OlYwir 11 epgjn i'r Ganaan sydd well; J I ilef dyfroedd lawer yn torri Bydd wioliant Emmanuel mawr: t Y ddaear jn esgyll i fyriy. A'r nefoedd yn disgyn i lawr." Son am ddyblu'r gan! Amheuthyn oedd clywed y pedair Hinell olaf yn treiglo ac yn ymdonni, dro ar ol tro-H fel lief dyfroedd lawer yn torri," nes gwneyd i lawer deimlo grynt y geiriau yn agor yr clygfa i olwg ffydd: "Y ddaear yn eegyn i fyny, A'r nefoedd yn disgyn i lawr." Fel hyn yr ysgrifena Briallog,' Tre- foris. staf :-Nid am nr.d vw eich bwrdd yn meddu ar ddigon o amrywiacth bwyd- 11 j-dd, moethlawn a mclus. yr wyf yn I eknfon i chwi dortli ryfel i'w rhanu rhwng y (ylodion:— U'rpry 'i hanes dim ond traeni-gclyll A galar sydd drwyddi; Gweriniacth yn gwirioni Cbwys o waed o'i haclioc ht.

LATEST WAR NEWS ) THURSDAY'S BRITISH OFFICIAL. I France, 10.7 a.m. Yesterday afternoon hostile recon- I noitring parties which en- deavoured to approach our lines in the neighbourhood of Polder- hoek Wood, north of the Menin Road, were driven off with loss of prisoners and killed. On the night of the 13th-14th inst., Belgian troops entered the Ger- man lines north of Dixmude and blew up a number of the enemy's concrete shelters. A hostile raid attempted last night I north of Bixchoote was repulsed by artillery and machine-gun fire.

THURSDAY'S FRENCH OFFICIAL. I Our reconnoitring parties operating in the region of the Ailette took some prisoners. The night was calm everywhere excepting in the Courrieres region, where 1 he bombardment continues to be rather lively. I During the daytime of the 13th LNoem-, her four German aeroplanes hrough* I down by our pilots and iour others feU in their own lines disabled. I Our bombarding aeroplanes carried out I several operations on the enemy's dopots and cantonments in the region of Mul- housie. German aeroplanes violently bom- barded the region of Calais during th* night of November 13th. A ceriain num- her of victims is reported amongst the, Civil population j

I FIERCEST GUN DUEL. i The Press Association special corres- pondent in France, writing Thursday I says Extremely violent artillery battles con- tinue to rage about the Paeschendaele I area. During the last two days the en-I emy has sheHed the wbole a-rea with the i utmost violence, especially the advanced jj lines of the Canadians. ( Whenever there has been a threat of 3 infantry attaek our barrage has so -wept i the ground that no infantry could live there. No assault has yet succeeded in approaching our positions. We hold firmly all we have won. It is doubtful if so fierce and concentrated en artillery duel has been seen upon this front this year. I It is the Germans' last desperate effort l to dispute our final possession of the commanding positions which we have saved. It will not succeed. I

PERIL OF VENICE.. I The enemy are maiing great efforts to Cfbree the Piave lines, which guard Venice I and other historic Italian cities. Thay have gained orosdnys of the river at two points, Ze-ascn, 20 miles north-east of Venice, and Grisolera, 20 miles cast of the city. Further north they have occupied! islands in the river. At four other points] their attempts to cross failed. At Grifcolera groups ot the enamy, hav- iiyj crooeed the main stream, have worked their way towards Venice through the marshee. In front of them is a secondary outlet of the river, the Vccchia Piave. This threat, the Italian report says, has been checked. ROME, Thursday. An Italian eemi-official report says;- Having concluded, after four hours' re- sidence. its function of protecting the movements which the troops of the Plat- eau of Asiago were to carry out in con- formity with the new lines of fh? Army, Mont Longara (to the north of Gallio) has been abaudoned.-Prew Association War Special

TURKS' FLIGHT. I PRESS BUREAU, Thursday. The War Offioe announces that on the! 13th inst. General Allenby reports that I our infantry and moulsted troops con- tinued their advance, and were now holding the railway lines in the vicinity I of Naauch and Maswiali, including the junction of the Beer»heba—Damascus j railway with the line to Jerusalem. I The loesee of the Turks wiire heavy, Four hundred have been buried at Kat- I rali alone. I Our captures on that day amounted to ;,500 prisoners, 20 machine guns, and four ) guns. PRESS BUREAU, Wednesday. The Wat Office announces:— General Alleaby reports at !1 p.m., Gnmbl:o! 13, that dter stiff fighting on thf t?th witn the ?urkMh forces which had attempted to t?ke up & new position on the Wadi fi.ikereir. 12 miles north of Askaion, tlie enemy were driven 011 the loth by a combined attack of our mounted troops and infantry from this position and forced to .:4:"e 'a distance of five miles to tlve Sv.. ar, miics' south of "fulia. < x Our troops captured the e nem v "i strongly entrenched pests at JUesriiiyeh,' Katrah, and Mughar with magnificent'* dash, and now hold a lino from El Tineh on the e:)Nt through Katrah and Ybra to the sea. Further dfta.ils of the captures are not yet av.ulflh* but one mounted division t' alone reports having taken 1,100 prisoners. 1* machine j7lllls and two Kuns. [The branch railway to Jerusalem runs along the northern bank of the Wadi j Surar Katrah ana Mnjrhar are oppoit, each other across the Wadi. about seve.-i miles west jf the railway junction.) I lit

HOW THE WELSH FOUGHT. ] (Press Association Special Correspondent.) ) BRITISH ARMY, Palatine, Monday. The Turks, a.s airndv stated, have re- tired northward, but two divisions oppo- site our right flank are reported to be slowly falling back along the Hebron road. These troops, known as the Lightning and Tempest Divisions, h:We not yet made a display of the .qualities which might be considered to justify euch high-sounding titles. Only the Yilderims. otherwise Li?htnin?N/* have been in action, and that against Welsh and Home County troops, who proved thems<tIvM non-con- ductors. compelling the Turks to streak off in opposite direction. With regard to the other flank, it seemed as thoigh- the Turks intended making a stand on the north bank of the Wady Sarar, and our outposts shelled them thenco yesterday. Our troops are driving them backward s and our cavalry bave croo tJ. 0 Wady near the &PK- It now looks as though the Wady Sarar 1 had been selpcted as a barrier to our fur- I ther advance.

PETROGRAD IN FLAMES? I A Reutcr's special message on Thursday I says that according to travellers who I reached Haparanda from Finland on Wed- nesday evening, rumours wom current there that Petrograd was in flames. De- tails are lacking, and reports mu?t be accepted with reserve. I FOOD FOR PETROGRAD. t STOCKHOLM, Thursday. I Information from Haparanda says the Revolutionary Committee in Petrograd has taken energetic measures for provi- sioning the capital. Arrangements have been made for keeping the mills well cup- plied with corn, and workmen have been ordered to continue working there with- out interruption.—Router.

A WEEK'S PIRACY. I PRESS BUREAU, Wednesday. The Secretary of the Admiralty makes the following announcement:— Weekly return of arrivals, sailings, war losses, and unsuccessful attacks for the iveek ending 3 p.m., November 11th Arrival and sailings of merchant vessels of all nationalities over 100 ton." net at and from United Kingdom ports (exclusive or fishing and local craft);- Arrivals 2,125 Sailings 2,307 British merchant vessels aunk by mine or sub- marine (1.600 tons gross or over) I Ditto (under 1,600 tons) 5 British merchant verbis un- successfully attacked by submarines 8* British fishing ves-,els sunk 1+ The Admiralty adds the following note: This return invariably includes all mer- cantile tonnage known to have been sunk hy mine or submarine, whether employe*' on Government service or otherwise. •Includes one attacked week ending 28th Octal Der, and two attacked week ending -It.L November. I tSunk during week ending 7th October I

WELSH AT SALONIKA. J Lieut.-General C. F. Milne, who com- iiiand,z our Salonika Force, reportr.g on I the year's work to October, 1917, says our front occupies I)il miles. He says success- ful raids on the Doiran-Vardar front were carried out by battalions of the Welsh I and Cheshire Regiments. The Royal Welsh FusHipr<? are referred to for con- spicuous ki11 and gallantry in th4- early I' part of the vear.

STATE PURCHASE. j The policy of State purchase of the ) licruor trade, with local option, found support,at a meeting in the Palace, Ammanford on Wedneedy night, Mr. J. Lfcwis, J.P., presiding. The speakers, were Councillor Peter Wright (Newport), ltev. Rees Grirtiths (Llanelly), and the Rev. n. M. Da vies (Waunarlwydd). The Chairman described the question of controlling the liquor tratiic as a great problem, requiring greitt care and common-sense in arriving at a safe and reliable conclu: J'c submitted A, resolution atTploving of the ploicy of State Purchase. Councillor Wm. Evijne j seconded. Councillor Peter Wright, supporting, laid l it as a basic principle that the society should have the right of controlling any industry or monopoly w'hich proved to be detrimental to its welfare, and of utilising that industry for the benefit of mankind. (Hear, hear). The people were not ready for Prohibition, and lie would not bo a party to enforce it upon them against their will. However, he objected to leav- ing the brewers and dividend hunters to use the traffic for the sake of exploiting men and women, and sacrificing youn? children, and he. advocated State Pur- chase in order to control effectually every public-house, and make it a decent place (Cheers). After the Rev. D. M. Daviee had spoken in Wpb. the resolution was put and carried by a large majority.

SUFFOCATED BY "FALL." I Thomas Williams (25), a married haulier, of Efailfaeh, Ton mawr, Afan Val- ley, was buried under a fall of roof at the Blaenmawr Colliery, on Tuesday morning and died of suffocation before he could be extricated. Hie horse met with a similar fate. At the inquest, held by Mr. Lewis M. Thomas on Wednesday, it was said that Williams was taking two trams to the- face. These went, against an upturned timber waggon, and the timber holding the roof was struck, with the result that there was a fall of 10 b 12 tens. Herbert Rowlands, who was following, heard Wil- liams gasp, Go fcr help a6 quick as you can.3* He was taken out about an hour ofie A verdict of accidental death was pass^S. <

MRS. PHELPS DEAD. I t The death eccurroo on Wednesday, in I her 72nd year, of Mrs. Mary Phelps, wife of Mr. George Phelps, secretary of the Swansea Albert Hall Co. A member of Wccsley Chapel, Mrs. Phelps, died at No. 19, De-la-Beche-street. She leaves a grown up family, one of whom is Mrs. Joseph I Eddershaw. I

PACIFISTS VISITED. I The police raided on Wednesday the offices of the No-Conseription Fellowship in tho Adcli>hi. Four inspectors made a thorough search of the premises and removed AU the cor- respondence, including the morning's mail, letter books, etc. Samples of all the books ami pamphlets were taken, but the trtooks werj left. No arrest was made. Detectives also visited the ollicee of the ¡ Fellowship of Reconciliation and the house of the secretary of the International Free I Tradfc League.

CLYDACH BOY KILLED. I Mr. and Mrs. F. A. Pepper, Clydach, I have been officially notified of the death of their only son, Pte. Pepper, South Wales Borderers. Young Pepper was a smart young fellow, and was only 18 years of age. He was killed whilst in action in a front line trench in France. Prior to joining the forces he was employed at Messrs. Players' works, and subsequently at the Mond Nickel Works. Clydach. The captain of his company has written to the parents stating what a brave young fallow I their sour was, and how he endeared him- self by his splendid disposition to his fel- low comw' ?s. The funeral was a military one, and v as very largely attended by the members of his company.

In sentencing a mr- with several pre- vious convictions to four years' penal ser- I vitude for stealing luggage from a rail- way station, Jud?e Rentoul at the Central Criminal Court on Wednesday said th;ú 1 he had probably cost tie country ?l.OOO e7¡)eIlC; fr.! b's trials.

IN PARLIAMENT f HOUSE OF COMMONS, Thursday. I Mr. Fisher said approximately the amount of square mileage of territory I conquered and reconquered by the British armies since July 1st, 1916, was 3,280 square miles; 30,197 prisoners and 186 guns captured from the Turks; and 101.534 prisoners captured on the Western I front. AN IRISHMAN'S QUESTION. Mr. Lynch asked whether it had been ascertained that King Alexander of Greece had no means of communicating with the German Kaiser by wireless tele- graphy. the exchange of COnfidE'ntioll messengers or royal or other highly placed spies, and if so, whether it was intended to continue to him the same facilities in this respect as those enjoyed by his father. Lord R. Cecil said wich matters were the concern of the Royal Hellenic Govern- ment, presided over by M. Venizelos. in whom the Allied Governments had full j confidence. WAR LEAFLETS. I The Home Secretary Faid a new regula- tion had been framed which required j every leaflet relating to the war or the conclusion of peace to bear the names and addresses of the author and printers, and should be submited to the Press Bureau. ) ENGLAND AND PORTUGAL. Lord Robert Cecil said he was glad to have the opportunity to state that his Majesty's Government neither have nor could have any responsibility for the pro- renal to deprive Portugal of any of her I colonies. CONSCRIPTION OF WEALTH. I Mr. Bonar Law said he did not think it necessary to appoint a committee to iii- tI quire into the conscription of wealth. SHELTERING IN SPANISH EMBASSY. Sir G. Cav<! informed Mr. King that an interned alien, Carlos de la Escosuras, had e-caped from Reading Prison, and bad taken refuge in the Spanish Embassy, and was etill there. The question of action to be taken in the matter was under consid- eration by Departments concerned.

I ATTACKED IW DARK. I I The inq ust was opened and adjourned in London, on Thursday, on Private Oliver Gilbert Imlay, of the Canadian j Infantry. who died as the result of in-I i tries received on. Friday last, in the vicinity of Waterloo-road. The police I have isued descriptions of two Austra- j I?an poldi?rs and a civilian, but no ar- r??ts have been made. The motive of the {ltbck is alleged to have been robbery. lmlay arrived in London on leave from I P Idershot. and was known to hap had a considerable amount of money in his pos- session, fynd, this was uiiss- ■ T j Private McKiMlav, giving evidence I from a b:lt:: chair, stated he was with the daceaeed, a'nd later they were jointvl by t\vo Australian soldiers and a civilian with two girls. Passing down a dark s'de street a civilian asked for some money. Witness gave him half-a-crown j "md Imlay also gave him a few shillings. Witness then heard a heavy thud, and saw Imlay fail.

BOOM IN EXPORTS. j The Board of Trade returns issued on Wednesday show that in October our imports were valued at £ 94,260,963, an increase of C13,101,090, while exports amounted to 950,757,054, an advance of £ 6,041,806.. The total of exports is the highest that has been recorded by the department. The principal increases in imports; were: Cotton, 15,020.918; oil seeds, nuts, j oils, fats, and gums, £ 2,300,183; tad mis-j o'Daneous manufactured goods, S9.357.843. ¡ The principal deCI'N.se was in lion-dutiable food and drink, amounting to ?3,<)54,9M. In exports there wore increases of £.931,323 in cotton and 25,475,268 in mis- cellaneous manufactured goods; and a I decrease of £ 1,061,920 in food and drink.

THE GOWERTON GROUP. I A: a meeting of the Gowerton Group of School Managers, on Wednesday afternoon, Mr. Lewis Sau.iders presiding, it was re- ported that at Three Crosses coal deliveries wcrj very unsatisfactory. It was stated j t!i .<„ I)i-* for a ioan. they would have been j wiUiont coa! this week. 'I The sohwl ctpnn? at Three Crosses ap- tlied for an increase in salary. Mr. Powell (Inspector) said that the Education Oom- j reittee had adopted a new scale for clean- e -s, which waa to be put in force this month, under which there would be an in crease of £ 3 16s. per annum per hundred accommodation. Thia would mean an i" c'pase for the present applicant of C7 ?s. A temporary school structure at Lower Iioughor was ordered to be removed to (jorseinon. It was reported thea Mr. D J: Davies, Ystradgynlais, had been appointed attendance officer for Goweri in place of another Mr. D. J. Davies, who is now offi- j cer at Pontardulais.

70,043 AGAINST I Final Result of Down 1 Tools 11 Ballot Rout. ] (By Our Mining Correspondent.) I A meeting of the Executive 01 that Soutii Wales Miners' Federation was held at Cardiff on Thursday muruing," mainly for the purpose of receiving the result of the ballot taken on the question of whether the miners thould down tools" if the Government proceeded with the comb-out of men who have I entered the s,?ii(-e Ai.uii.?,t, 1914. j The following is the full r€?ult:— I District. Yes. No. I Ant))ra-i<e 4588 9000 A bc-rdare. 2070 3633' Avon \Calle. 4*81 i Blain.t 11S2 214b ¡ Dov.la:s ]0:]:: 1818 i Eastern Yullpys :If 1823 1 East Glamorgan* 477 4136 Ebhw Vale 382 ;¡:S 707 4018 Macsteg 1031 1563 Merthyr 1116 } :S2 Mon'shire Western Valleys 1763 5752 Cynon and Giifach 332 3202 Rhondda No. I 5 23392 Rhymney Valley 909 7141 Saunderefoot & Reynoldston 64 236 Taft and Cynon ?. 160 n29 TMdf?ar Val]py 916 5462 WMterQ Valley 3058 3308 T0tal ?I 9S?S Majority against Down Tuoic 70013 It is satisfactory to find that in the an- ihracite district where a good deal of ?ru- ;.a?nda work in favour of a uu?u tw?Ig policy had bcpu carried on, the majority was ,o !arge as to be, practically double the votes recorded for do*.vn tu?is. In the western district (he majority was the smaller, but still quite satisfactory. III the Avon Valley the majority was an excellent one, 4.861 against 1,1 S3. It is to be note-d that only on Wednesday an official announcement was made that (he War Office intended to proceed with the conibing-out which had been arranged tor between the War Office and the Home Office and the Miners' Federation of Great Britain Therefore the ballot on the down tools policy giving such an overwhelming majority in favour of the Government's action is o-v special interest just cow.

MR. BOKIAR LAW lti TEARS. I 1 Mr. Bonar Law, the Chancellor of the Exchequer broke down badly on Wednes- day evening, sobbing like a child, and for a t-.iue wa- unable to proceed with his remarks in reference to the loss of life fts compared to wealth. He was receiving a deputation from the j Parliamentary Committee of the Trades Union Congress, the War Emergency Committer, the Executive Committee cf the Labour Party, and the Executive of the Miners' Federation of Great Britain. Among these present were Messrs. Win-) stone, Hartshorn Barker, and ex-A!d°r-! man John Jenkins. The deputation put forward a scheme that the Government t should make a levy on wealth, and not only rais money bv way of loans, the I eontention being that the only corollary of the confiscation of human life was the conhscation of the wealth of the rich. AlL Bonar Law in his reply referred to ¡' the comparison drawn between the im- portance of human life and material wealth. c.Lod s-id he entirely agreed. Those who were asked to give their wealth were doing but a small thing compared with those who were asked to give their I lives. Here remembering his own personal lose, the Chancellor completely broke down, and was unable to proceed for a time. all present being deeply affected.

THE LONDON MURDER. j The inquest of Emilienne Gerard, whose .dismembered body was found in a garden at Regent-square, St. Paneras, on -NoN,. 2nd, was resumed on Monday in London, and again adjourned until Thursday. The two French persons accused of the murder were not present. The only new evidence was that of Paul E. J. Gerard. the husband; He said de- ceased was 31, and they had been mar- ried s,-v-e.L years. He leit England in. 1016, and his wife then got an occupation in a Charlotte-street cafe. She later wrote saying she had found work next door ac Voisin's servant. He (witness) had seen Voisin while on leave, and had rJet him at his (witness's) house. Later his wife wrote that she had obtained other wirk. She also said Voisin was very good to her, and had promised to ^et witness a situation when he came back. The Regent-square sack murder mys- tery was again before Mr. Denman at Marlborough-street Police Court on Wed- nesday, but the proceedings were only formal. The accused are Louis Joseph Marie Voisin (50), described as u stable- man, and Berthe Rocbe (31), house- keeper, and they are charged with being concerned together in the wilful murder of Emilienne Gerard, wife of a French 6oldier. Mr. Williamson, for the prosecution, informed the magistrate that he could call no further evidence until the Coroner's jury had brought in their ver- dict. He did not want to proceed further with the case. He asked for a further remand for one week. The magistrate finally agreed to ad- journ -the case until the afternoon of f next Wednesday. )

LLANOILO MAN KILLED I Official notification has been received bv Mr. T. Griaithe. New-road. Llandilo, that his 6on. Pte. George Griffiths, of the I Loval North Lancashires. has been killed i ii France. He was 36 years of age. Two ?.' thr? days before he wa? ki!!eù he WTot? to his father saying. If you do notj hear from me for a lIttle time, dou't i worry, as I shall be al'Lright. He ?as killed before the letter reached Lkw-w at I home J I

NEATH CASE ADJOURNED Mrs. Brinley Richards Seeks an Injunction. In the Chancery Division on Thursday, Mr. Justice Younger heard an action by Jdre. Catherine Richards, wife of Brinlov Richards, Windsor-io::d, Xeath, against Thomas Brown, colliery owner, Tonna, Neath, claiming a declaration that defen- dant was the trustee for her oi three drapers' shops, recently occupied by de- fendant in Neath, the assets, fixtures, and tock; an injunction restraining the de- fendant from taking away goods, or alter- natively damages. Mr. Matbew, plaintiff's counsel, said the claim now was one 01; damages alone. Tliis was a curious action. A story, he asserted, of bullying by legal methods, by way of revenge. Bankruptcy, libel, and other matters, were all mixed up in this action. Mrs. Richards had £ 200 v.-hen she married, and two shops—at Windsor-road and Britonferry-road, were added to Richards's business. In 1905 u talleyman business was opened by the lady- She sold that for £130 in 1909 Richards embarked upon a money lending business, which was a failure. Mr. Trueman then came upon the scene and attacked the money-lending company. He eeenied, said counsel, to have a curious existence, a sort of lay lawyer, who used the law to annoy the inhabitnats of Neath Trueinan lia-d served 12 months' in prison for criminal libel. Brown was a friend of Richards, who had assisted in the col- liery matter. The drapery business got into difficulties, and was purchased by :tho\Çn, mainly with Mrs. Brown's money. 34r. Maddock, counsel for the defen- dant, admitted that his client put no money in the business, but said he held assets as trustee for the creditors in Mr. Ricbards's bankruptcy. On the request of counsel, both True- nian and Mr, Richards were rdered out of court.—Mrs. Richards, giving evid- ence, said the action of Brown in sacking the premises destroyed her business re- jputation in Neath. The hearing was adjourned.

BABY IN THE WASH. Girls sorting out bundles of laundry which had just come in to be washed in Detroit, Michigan, found a three-months- old sleeping baby girl wrapped up in some sheets just in time to prevent the child suffering a frightful death in the boiling water (says the Daily Express New York correspondent). The babe, a daughter of Mrs. George Coles. living in the west end of the city, was discovered by its mother to be miss- ing few minutes after the laundry- driver had left tlie house. The distracted mother, believing the child had been kid- napped. promptly notified the police. While she was still describing the case over the telephone a laundry wagon came dashing down the street bringing back the mining baby, which had not even awakened • The child was identified by marks on its clothing.

DEAD MAN'S WIVES." An extraordinary case under the Wort men's Compensation Act was heard 4 Haverfordwest County Court, when Judge Llovd Morgan was asked to find that Mrs. Esther Clay, Gate House, Fishguard, was a d<>.pendp.Tit within the meaning of the \ct of the late Peter Vaughan Clay, a Fishgnard man engaged on the s.s. Sunny, who lost his life in the North Sea as the result of his vessel being torpedoed by ;-n oncp-.v submarine. The owners of the vessel, Messrs. Harri es Bros., Swansea, had paid the sum of JE300 into court. The case was adjourned from the pre- vious court, as the deceased man had two wives/ and his Honour Raid that before any awaru could be made he would have to communicate with the wife. The claimant married the deceased man in 1914. and according to her evidence she was not aware until some time after- wards that he was a married man. Mr. Vauffhan said the wife had left her hus- band dud gone to live with another man. Corr,-sPolvI"ncO was now received from the Trife. 31rs Esther Clay, the claimant, said she wg. married to the deceased man at St. Mary's Church, Barry Dock. on April 3rd 1914. Shp was supported by Clay, who gaf"e her the whole of his earnings. Twictf he made his will in her favour. It was ilearl,- twelvt- months after her mar- riage that her husband told her he was married 3" vears previously. Aft-ff hearing legal arguments, 1 is Honour adjourned the case to the next court remarking that in the meanwhile Mr. Vaughan would be able to get the will [.roved.

WAUNARLWYDD MILK CASE. WTm. Davies, Waunarlwydd, was sum- ironed at Swansea on Wednesday, for selling alleged to or^tain added water" a Waunarlwydd. P.S Thomas said analysis showed that there ere 17 parts of added wter,. Esttpr Davies said she sold the :'D1!t 3@ it came from t>e cow, and defendant him- self said no one htri Simpered with the milk —A fine of S5 was imposed.

"BIG DIVIDENDS." A Brunner Mond Scheme. The great chemical company. Brunner. Mond and Co., makes an announcement to the effect that it is about to increase its capital to make it correspond with the real amount of money invested in the busi- ness. The jlrument of the directors is that the dividend of 0-72 1 per cent, are mis- eadiq;, becauae when Sl shares have been leadii,.l g ? A:3 the dividend received by the subscribe*" 's divided by three, which turns the 27; per cent. into 9 1-6 per cent. The anparently high rate of dividend. they say. nla ke6 it look as if the company were maJnng an unfaIr profit out of its customer* and the labour it employs. The new scheme, which will, it is said. prevents onjnst attacks, will involve the issue of scares free to existing share- holders. The preliminary announcement holders. before it is rradv is to pre- vent ip?e of information.

The yoor (Ald. Ben Jones, J.P.), pre- sided at a well-attended meeting at the LUbertJtall, Swansea, on Wednesday night, when Miss Christabel Pankhurst and Mrs. Drummond expounded the win the war Policy of The Women's Party. At A'«ravrtn 'D,Jl'ee Court on Thucsday. Mr F. \ibson Davies. on behalf of the legal pptfessi' 'i. congratulated thp Mayor (Aid. T. L DI ith) on his elevation for the thirt time to the office of ch.ièf magis- trate to

LOCAL DIVORCE ACTIO Intervention of the King's I Proctor. On Thursday afternoon, in the Divorce Court, before Mr. Justice Horridge, the case of Lily Blake v. George Henry Blake, was heard. Mr. Hugo Young, K.C.. said this was rn intervention by the King's Proctor. Mrs. Blake, in February last, obtained a decree nisi ',y Mr. Justice Low against her hus- band, and the King's Proctor now alleged that petitioner herself had been guilty of adultery with one Sidney Noyce, now a stoker in the Royal Navy. The husband was an engine-driver on the G.W.R. He lived in Neath. They were married in 1895 and had four children. The adultery allege[1 agoinst Mrs. Blake was from 11*06 to 190S at Eeaumont-road, Newton Abbott, and afterwards at Plymouth. Three ye>ars before the petition was presented the petitioner put in a denial, and in a letter to the King-'s Proctor she alleged that her husband had communicated a terrible disease to her. and had misconducted bim- self with another woman in Torquay. She added thai she was twelve rears older than Noyce, and it was absurd to charge her with misconduct with Noyce because he was only a boy at the time. Respondent gave evidence fo- the King's Proctor, stating that he was living at St. Katherine-terrace, Neath. South Wales, Noyce was an engine cleaner when he knew him at Newton Abbott. The Judge found petitioner had not committed misconduct, and dismissed dH; i intervention of Iv.ng's 1 roct^r.

FAMrLY OF 12. The Gower Council on Tuesday again considered the case of a discharged sd- dier and his family, residing in a garage- j at Llangennith. It w: reported thai nothing had been done in the matter. Tllf man lives there with "is wife and ten children, and it was stated f-hct 1-is wife had attempted to get a house in the dis- irict, but no one would take her. The ek-rk (Mr. H. J. Ind) pointed ou* that they could not make a clos'ng order as the place was not a bUF- but the' could ask their medical ofifcer \W Lrder tb landlady to abate the nuisance.—Thi course was accordingly adopted.

i THE DOCTOR'S FEE. At an inquest on the body of Florence Mav Thomas, the eight hours oll daughter of Howel and Maud Thomas, 124, Strand, Swansea, the father said I f went for a doctor, who said he woulc come if he would first pay the fee. H, was not in a position tí' pay, having -.el out of work for a fortnight, and th< doctcr did not come. Pr. Trcrcr Evaae pafri thG child was- prematurely born It was, small' and weakly, and could not have 1 n ex- pected to live in any circumstances. Death, he thought, was due to syncope.- Verdict accordingly.

NEW LLANWRTYD PASTOR. Special meetings were held at Sion (Bj Church on Tuesday and Wednesday in connection with the settlement of Rev. f:dwin Jones, late of Barmouth, as pastor. Th,)se taking part in the welcome" meet- in- -,n Wednesday afternoon were: Revr. J. L. Jones, Pantycelyn (in the chair), Peter Jones (Caerssdem Newyd<y, E. Cofni Jones (Hirwaen), W. Llewelyn (Lbngynidr\ R. W. Davies (Pontardulaisi, R James (C-on.),1 R-ees Evans (M.C.), Llan- wrtvd). R. A. IIowells (Builth), Dr. Black Jones (Builth). Messrs. W. Ellis (Mavor o< Llanfvllen). T. Jones (Brynarf .) and Ed- ward Richards, and Messrs. Dan Williams, Thos. Jenkin". and J. T. Evans, J.P.. ollie-en of the church.

DROWNED IN THE TOWY. Mr. R. Shipley Lewis, eoroner. held an inquiry into the death on Wednesday of John Rowe. a tailor, aged 39 yetirs. re- siding with his widowed mother and s is- ter at Berllan-terrace. Llandovery. De- i ceased had been mif-:ng since Saturday, I November 3rd, and the body was found washed ashore from the River Towy. near Glantowy Farm. Llandovcry. on Monday. From the evidence it appeared that de- ceased wes in delicate health. and under- went an operation at Swansea Hospital about 12 months ago. The jury brought in an open verdict of Found Drowned Mr. James Price, Glantowy, who jund the body, intimated that he was anxi-o-tie that. the S2 reward offered by Mrs. Ree-s. Y Fron. to which he was entitled, should be handed over to deceased's mother.

=======-=- BRIDGING THE NEDD. Acting on behalf of the Neath Harbour Commissioners, Mr. Conway Williams attended before the Neath Rural District I Council asking support to the proposed construction of a bridge across the River Nedd fiear the Britonferry Steelworks to the Jersey Marine side. He pointed out that the bridge would develop hundreds of acres of undeveloped land on the I' Swansea side of the river, and would hasten the realisation of his late father's ideal, the dockisation of the Neat river. Ag a matter cf fact they had lost two large ship-building firms, opening out on the banks of the Neath river, because there was no connecting link in the shape of a viaduct across the river. Now the Anglo-Persian Oil Company had taken 300 acres of land on the burrows it made th' proposal more imminent. When that industry was established it would I give employment for 3.01)0 people, which would mean roughly ar- addition of 2,000 houses. Mr. Ben Davies (Skewen) argued that it would divert the commercial centre of Neath to Britonferry and he proposed that further details as to who the pro- moters were and the estimated cost of the scheme before they passed any reso- ¡ lution. Mr. Jestyn Jeffries agreed that "they were in ignorance up to a point, and seconding Mr. Davies' proposition, hoped the Council would sit tight and keep an open mind on the subject. If Swansea were behind it they may take it for granted there was some ulterior motive I for it. but if it was a private enterprise to develop a district, then it would do them no harm and possibly some good. The resolution was agreed to.

Mr. G. H. Frizell, grocer, of Woodville- road, Mumbles, has received a telegram with the news of the death at sea of his second SOll, Signaller Frizell. Prior to joining up, he was in the office of the Bristol Steam Navigation Companyt Swansea. v-"