Herald of Wales and Monmouthshire Recorder

tfORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE RAID. DEPUTATION TO THE TRANSVAAL GOVERNMENT ^FJS REFORM LEADLilS INSTRUCTIONS. The South Africa Committee met again on rTnuesday morning, although it was not till half past twelve that the members entered the com- mittee room. Sir William Harcourt was not present. The code used in the telegrams between Mr. Rhodes and Dr. Rutherford Harris when the latter was in England purchasing arms for the Chartered Company, was produced. Dr. Harris was called, and answering Sir R. Webster, said he did not receive instructions as to the actual quantity of arms to be purchased tUl he had arrived in England. After the interval Mr. Phillips was called at the. Chairman's request. Witness having been called at a moment's notice, was shortly examined by his counsel, Mr. Cohen, on the printed statement he had prepared. He was a member of a commercial firm at Johannesburg and a director of many of the principal mining companies there. He went to South Africa in 1875, and settled in Johannes- burg in 1889. In 1892 he was elected president of the Chamber of Mines, which position he held till 1895. He was reluctant to take any active part in the political agitation, but the course of events subsequent to 1894 forced upon him the conviction that merely con- stitutional agitation, which had proved utterly fruitless in the past; would be of no use in the future, and that redress of grievances could in all probability only be obtained by extra con- stitutional me&ns. Almost every attempt to Ibtain the redress or removal of grievances was met irith insult, and was followed by the imposition af freah burdens and the introduction of representative laws impairing the liberty of the subject, and the right of public meeting. It was determined to resort to force. The government, it was apprehended, might attack or beseige the town, and to meet that contingency they arranged to collect arms and provisions, and to have a force on the frontier to come to their assistance, but only if they were summoned. it was determined for the first that the flag af the South Africa Republic should be retained. Mr. Rhodes maertuok that Dr Jamieson should be kept on the frontier, and that in the case of an outbreak at Johannesburg the High Commissioner should intervene. Towards the end of December the leaders of the movement suspected that Drt Jameson would force their hands by entering the Transvaal without waiting for any summons. JPhey made all possible efforts to prevent such a Itep, and bad no reason to believe that- their repeated directions would be disregarded. When the news oame that I>r. Jameson hud, on the preceding evening, crossed the frontier, lmiaeaiiite gtepa were taken lor the defence of the town and the preservation of order, and in a fiotice, issued by the Reform Committee, the inhabitants were desired to reirain from taking any action which might be construed into an tirert act of hostility against the Government. iL deputation went te Pretoria at the invitation af the Transvaal Government, who discussed the grievances witn them in a friendly spirit, and intimated that they would be amicably settled. Jor mmeebmrg was at that. time practically de- fenceless, only five hundred riile. having been unpacked. The remainder were lying at mines outside the town. On the 31st December they ■«1 2.700 rifles, three Maxims, and about 350,000 ■if nruuruaon. It was never arranged ^art of the military force, which was for the protection of the town, co-operate "vith Dr. Jameson. ;s Dc Wet informed them of the de- iG President thac they must lay down 'S the condition precedent to the dis- oonsidera ;ion of the grievances, and a telegram next day from the High r, they complied with the demand, by Mr. Labouchere: He had very when he first went to the Trans- now fairly wealthy. He might w in.der a different Government. :1.(' Government was to throttle ,try. jere: But you have not been .0 further questions, witness ad- ut OM of the mines in which his firm rested was bought for £100,000, and X) the public for two and a quarter .1>. He would not say that his firm made jliion pounds by the .sale f? the shares. lr. Labouchere Your complaint is that you ? not made more millions? itness No. We complained that we were d the right of citizenship. After the Raid -„rge number of Germans were given the vote. the Germans waited to see how things would go. They were far Jess against them btiore the failure of the Raid than afterwards. The examination of the witness had not coa- gwap,,i when the Committee adjourned.

In the action for libel brought by M". Brooks Igaiwi the "Daily Chronicle," the juiv, returned I A verdici for the defendants, with cose.

I THE TRANSVAAL. I IS WAR IMPENDING? THE VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE IN THE CAPE GOVERNMENT. PATRIOTIC SPEECHES IN THE ASSEMBLY. The vote of no confidence in the Cape Ministry because the members declined to advise Mr. Chamberiain Dot to send out the brigade of artillery was debated in the assembly on Satur- day. During the course of the debate, Mr. Fanre, Minister for Agriculture, made a patriotic speech, in which he deprecated the warlike intentions, but appealed to the House not to allow the Colony to be trambled on by the Transvaal, which had never repaid any sym- pathy or assistance given by the oolonists during and after the War of Independence. He declared, amidst continued cheers, that members had taken the oath of allegiance to the Queen, but it seemed to him from their speeches that some had taken the oath of allegiance to the Transvaal. Sir J. Gordon Sprigg, the Premier, then explained the policy of the Government. It wail&, he said, to support the London Convention and exercise patience. Speaking of the paramonntcy of England, he said Dr. Leyds was going from one quarter to another on the continent asking for assistance of the Governments, and the British Government naturally objected to foreign interference. The presence of the British Fleet at Delagoa Bay was to show that the old watch- dog was still alive to fulfil its duty of protecting the South African coasts. In the division there were 36 votes for and 36 against, Dr. Tewater, Crown advocate, voted for the Ministry, although it was at one time thought he had gone over to the extreme members of the Africander Bond. The Speaker gave his casting vote in favour of the Govern- ment, with the result that the question will now be kept open. BOER ELOFF RE-INSTATED. Lieutenant luoff has been re-instated in the police, and appointed chief lieutenant of the Pretoria Police. The newspapers, including the semi -official Preas, disapproves of tlus step. IF THERE SHOULD BE WAR. Uisbop Leonard, of Cape Town, who is at present in England, states, according to the Catholic Herald," that the gravest paril from native uprisings will have to be faced if there should be war between British and Dutch. He points out that Baautoa, Zulus, Swazis, Bechu- anas, Matabele, Mashonas, and other tribes are well aware of the strained feeling existing between the Transvaal and Great Britain, and will not be alowto take advantage of an outbreak of hostilities. EXTRAORDINARY SCENE IN THE hOUSE OF COMMONS. I lie alarming rnmonrs that have recently come I u the Transvaal as to the Boers spending huge sums in war preparations had a striking confirmation in the House of Commons on Thursday. In commenting on the Budget, Sir William Harcourt pointed to the R",000 pro- vided for in the Budget for military work, etc., in South Africa as proof positive that Mr. Cham- berlain meditated war. When Sir v»iitiam started Mr. Chamberlain wap not in the House; but he was soon sent for, and, sitting next to Mr. Balfour, that gentleman told his colleague what Sir W illiam had been saying. The latter, for the benefit of the Colonial Secretaiy, went ever the ground again. He declared that this £ 200,000 was a deliberate attack on the Trans- vaal, and an intimation to that Government uuat we wanted to pursue a warlike policy. I ex- onerate," he said, "-the Chancellor of the Ex- chequer from such a policy; but I warn him, and I warn the Government, that we shall oppose to the utmost of our power any attempt to break the peace in South Africa. His own side cheered these statements, but not with much heart. As soon as he bad finished, Mr. Cham- berlain jumped to his feet, and a storm of vociferous applause broke out which lasted for nearly a full minute. His face was pale, his manner showed self-repression, but he was ;n fine fighting form.. He started by protesting against the pernicious and dangerous language of the leader of the Opposition, and again the cheers rang out deep and prolonged. It was unpatriotic in the highest degree, embarrassing to the Government, and injurious to the cause of peace. There were more approving shouts at this, and the House had at once become a scene of tumultuous excitement. It was not the policy of the Government m South Africa had clianged, but circumstances. We were not en- gaging in any aggressive operations; we did not want to attack the independence of a State "which, even in diplomatic language, can be called friendly"—a phrase which was evidently carefully chosen—but only to maintain our own rights. "We had hoped," he continued, 'that we should have been supported in this by the whole House; but ii that is not to be, I cual- lenge the right hon. gentleman, and I challenge his party, to raise the issue." Again, and in even greater volume, the Ministerial cheers echoed and re-echoed through the House, and the Minister added, amid a renewal of these demonstrations, that the best way to preserve peace was by telling the Transvaal that they cannot break tneir obligations with impunity. "You come for £ 200,(WO for the purpose of aggression," said Sir William. "Oh, that's sheer nonsense," retorted Mr. Chamberlain, and he showed how nokiseusicial, it was by telling the House that tne Boers were spend- ing "hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of thousands" on artillery, Maxima, rifles, and forts." Is it aggressive?" he asked, and the ques- tion was answered by thunderous cheers, in these circumstances; is it a warlike operation, that we think it necessary to reinforce our gar- rison at the Cape, and to have something like a fair proportion?" Several other members of the Liberal party took up Sir Wm. Harcourt's parable, and after a while Mr. Balfour rose and practically said the same as Mr. Chamberlain, insisting that our policy was not one of war, but of prudent foresight. The rest of the talk was every dull, and mainly on points of detail. Towards eleven o'clock Mr. Edward Robertson wanted to raise the South Africa storm again, but the Chairman remarked that it had been generally agreed to defer t-aia for another occasion. Sir William Harcourt, who had just come in, and had somewhat re- covered his spirits, said, in effect: "Nonsense; there can be no consent so long as this L200,t, remains in the Budget." Whereupon Mr. Gos- cben observed that certainly the Ministerial side did not wish to shirk a debate, though the Gov- ernment considered Sir William's speecu very injurious and embarrassing. With this the topic I disappeared once more, to give place to strictly financial subjects. THE "RHODES" MINISTRY. A Central News telegram from Cape Town on Thursday night says:-In the House of Assembly to-day Sir Gordon Sprigg explained the Budget. He estimated the expenditure at six-and-a-half millions a?d the revenue at six- and-three-quarters. It is proposed to increase the C&pa Mounted Rifles to 1,000 men, at a cost of £ 23,QC0 annually, for the protection of the native territories. Rinderpest is expected to cost a. million for the work of extirpation before the end of the year. Notwithstanding these heavy drains, the Government anticipates a surplus of half-a-million. Mr. Merriman gave notice that he will to-morrow move a vote of no confidence in the Government. In the Cape House of Assembly on Friday, Mr. Merriman moved a vote of want of confi- dence in the Ministry. In the course of the discussion, the Ministry was condemned by Mr. Rose Innes for want of firmness in enforc- ing the obligations of the Transvaal Govern- ment, and by the Dutch members as a "Rhodes" Ministry. On a, division the numbers were equal, and the Speaker gave his casting vote against the motion. Work on the Pretoria forts continues night emd dav. Admiral Raw- son has invited the Field Cornet of Pretoria to visit the British squadron in Delagoa Bay. OOM PAUL'S BOYS PURCHASING REVOLVERS. INCREASING THE CAPE MOUNTED RIFLES. A Birmingham correspondent lltate. that President Krujrer has requested Messrs. Webley and Sons, of Birmingham, to supply the Re- public with 5,000 revolvers. The contract has not yet been completed, but most of the arm have aleady been sent to the Transvaal. About 70,C,00 of this special type of revolver have been supplied by the same firm to the British Army and Navy. Asked what the firm would do if war were declared with the South African Re- public, Mr. Webley said, of course, they would refuse to supply further arms. At present they regarded the Boers as old and good customers.

THE DUCHESS OF TECK. t UNDERGOES A SERIOUS OPERATION. I The "British Medical Journal" mrir: We I aii) glad to learn that the Duchess of Teck ;8 I making satisfactory progress since the serious operation which it was found necessary to per- form on Friday last. Her Royal Highness was suffering from strangulated ambilical hernia. Dr. Wadd, recognising the serious condition of thb duchess, called in Mr. Herbert Allimruam, and, after a consultation with Mr. Thomas Smith Mr. Allinghajn performed the operation.'

Mr. J. T. Smith, a Wolverhampton sycle I agent, has been drowned by the eapsizing of a I boat on the Dee at Chaster. 1%

TERRIBLE EARTH- QUAKE. I OVER 1000 PEOPLE KILLED I HOUSES AND CHURCHES IN RUINS. I A telegram from New York, dated Sunday, says that there has been a terrible earthquake in the West Indies. Pointe-a-Pitre, one of the principal towns of Guadaloupe, the shock lasted 40 seconds. Six churches and over 100 dwelling houses were wrecked, and fully 100 people were buried beneath the nuns. Those who rnsned into the streets hoping thus to find comparative safety were literally paralysed by fear, for while they were standing the earth cracked widely before them, and 40 persons were swallowed ;n the gap, together with several houses. The loss of life caused by the earthquake is enormous. and it is believed tnat altogether over 1,000 per- sons have been killed. The last two shocks ex- perienced at Montserrat were accompanied by a rear, and wie shaking of the earth was so great that many buildings collapsed. The ponulace were terror-stricken. SCOPE OF THE DISTURBANCE. The Leeward Islands, which were the scene of the earthquake, extend north and went from the Island of Martinique, to the edge of the Carib- bean Sea, to Porto Rico. Monsterrat is one of the most healthful and pleasant of the West India Islande, and has a population of 8,700. It is about 47 miles in area, and is much broken with a volcanic soil. It is a British oolony, as is also Antigua, the nearest island to the north-east, which has a population of 36,700. Gandeloupe, the largest of the islands affected, is one of the principal French colonies in the A iantic, and has a population of about 125,000.

FORTY PERSONS KILLED IN MEXICO. I AN EXTRAORDINARY HAILSTORM. A telegram from St. Louis savs the Globe and Democrat" states that 41 persons have been killed by a terrific hailstorm in the Rio Verde Valley. Some of the hailstones, it is stated, weighed 31bs.

I REBELLION IN CUBA. Dispatches received from Havana report that the town of Banes, which was seized by the insurgents a month ago, was recaptured by the Spaniards on Friday. General Prober to, with a large force of Spaniards, sailed from Havana on the cru isers Logaspi, Mercedes, Nueva, Es- pana, Magellanes, Balboa, Galicia, andugera, C-nd succeeded in effecting a landing near Banes, notwithstanding a heavy fire from the Cubans. Meanwhile, the marines explored the harbour, and removed a torpedo and three wires, by means of which other torpedoes were to be fired. The fleet then entered the Harbour and heajvily bombarded the rebel position while the troops were landed, toe battle lasted for 24 hours, and ended in the Cubans being defeated. They withdrew in good ord, but bad to leave a quantity of arms. During the past 4 days a small fort in thft centre of the town, garrisoned by 50 Spaniards, was heroically defended, the troorra succeeding in holding the place against almost daily assaults of the rebels.

AN ELEPHANT'S ESCAPADE DEFIES CAPTURE AND STILL AT LARGE. A large elephant intended for shipment to America escaped on Monday evening from Cross' menagerie, Liverpool, and, after traversing part of the city, followed by the keeper and an ex- cited crowd, got into the countrv at Walton. All efforts to capture the animal on 'Monday night proved unsuccessful. On Tuesday, however, the keepers resnmed the search, and captured the elephant while it was quietly feeding at a hay- stack on a farm at Aintree. On attempting to bring it back to the city the animal again bolted, and made for the Sefton Meadows, where it is still at large. The pursuing party was re- inforced by five additmnal keepers and resumed t?a chase, but re-capture Wilolev N and resumed elephant was brought from Knutsford, and broke out of the menagerie, demolishing a strong iron gate when its accustomed keeper left. It then staited in pursuit of a passing 'bus. and. alarmed by the traffic and the pursuing crowd, proceeded at a rapid pace until it reached the open country.

PARIS LOVE TRAGEDY. THROWING VITRIOL IN THE FACE OF A RIVAL. Very curious is a case which has been brought before the Seine Assize Court, the planner, wno was the hero of a "drame passionnel," being a leper, so that he was flanked in the dock by a couple of hospital nurses instead of by the tra- ditional Municipal guards. The grandson of a senator, he was, nevertheless, unable, owing to hn terrible affliction to obtain a post, and lived on the modest sum of L12 a month allowed him by his family. For some years past he had devoted a considerable portion of t. enforced leisure to an actress, who appears at one time to have entertained a real affection for him. There is no accounting for tastes, and here was a re- marbabie instance in point. At any rate, the intimacy, w?ich began l v far back as 1882, con- tinued without any alloy until last October, when the young man introduced to his dear friend a medical student, who had been the com- panion of his childhood. The occasion was so much improved by the future physician that in a brief space of time the lady had transferred her affections to him. This new departure was not relished by the Senator's grandson, who warned the fair one: I shall kill you, or 1 shall kill him. As a matter of fact, he sent a challenge to mortal combat to his successful rival on Dec. 21st, but somehow the affair fell through. Much impressed by this demonstra- tion, the actress returned to her old love, but &he soon took up again with the new onp. To his inexpressible incagnation the leper found out that she bad bsen spending Christmas Eve witn the fascinating student, and that the reveillon hid been vary gay. He proceeded straight to the shop of a neighbouring druggist., where he purchased some vitriol, and then he too- up a position within measuraoie distance of the house inhabited by his erstwhile friend. After wait- ing for. some hours in a state of great excitement, he espied the couple leaving the dwelling. Per- ceiving that he was noticed, the discarded lover stepped up and addressed a last appeal to the actress, whom he adjured to return to him, and when she rejected this ultimatum he pulled out the phial of vitriol, which he had concealed in his overcoat, and dashed its contents into the face of his rival, who, not satisfied with this performance, he then beat about the head with the bottle. The medical student was seriously injured, and was an inmate of the Hotel Dieu until the beginning of February. He presented himself in the court in a very battered condition. His face was terribly disfigured, and his sight >3 also affected; in fact, there is reason to fear that he may eventually become totally blind. In Court the accused" lamented I had been be- trayed by one whom I had known as a child. 1 lost my head, and with it my self-control. I onlf thought of revenge. Oh, dear! wnat will become of me now?" This was a "drame pas- sionnel," a strong point, therefore, in a prisoner's favour with a Paris jury. Then he was a leper, md, moreover, crying and groaning. The hearts )f the jurors were melted, and waxing, moreover, sentimental over the appeal for mercy made by ¡he defendant's counsel, they returned a verdict )f acquittal.

IRISH AMERICANS. ENMITY TO GREAT BRITAIN. Mr. Michael Davitt, who has kept con- spicuously out of sight since his arrival in this county says ft New York message, has ap- peared in the Parliamentary lobby at Washing- ton And has been engaged to vote against the ratification of the Arbitration Treaty with Great Britain. He spent Thursday in the capi- tal in pressing the argument that Great Britain was not sincere in her desire for an Arbitration Treaty which would mean perpetual peace with this country, pointing to the extensive military preparations which she continues to make as evidence that the Arbitration Treaty, as an agent in the direction of peace, was only a blind. He presented figures to show that dur- ing the time Secretary Olney and Sir Julian Jtauncefote were negotiating the proposed treaty, Great Britain had appropriated 48.000,000 dollars to strengthen her military and naval establishments in various places close to the United States. Within two days nearly a tbou- sand young Irish women have arrived as immi- grants from every county of Ireland, .see king domestic service. Such an unusual influx occa- sions much comment by the officials, and taxes the resources of the immigrant stat-ioci to the utmost.

The Queen held a Privy Council at Windsor on Monday afternoon. The Ministers and Am- bassadors arrived at Windwr by special train shortly before two o'clock and were conveyed to the Castle in Royal Carriages. After the Council, the Ministers returned to the Town. The Duquesne Theatre and several buildings at Pittsburg have been burnt down, the loss of Messrs. Home and Co., dry goods stores, being alone estimated at a. million dollars, while the total dIunage is %4 to be three million dollars. j, •

| £ A GRUESOME HORROR. I AN INSANE WOMAN DECAPITATES HER MOTHER-IN-LAW, I AND SERVES THE HEAD FOR HER HUSBAND'S SUPPER. An awful crime is reported from the town of Williamson, Michigan. A woman named Martha Harney suddenly went insane and killed her mother-in-iaw with a club. She decapitated her victim, placed the head, on a dish, and laid it with a cover over it before the seat her r v band would occupy at supper. Tb» 1 ..x/ she put carefully to bed. When .? j!?bajid re- turned from work he sat dowu at the table. and, removing the dish-cover, was horror-struck to find his mother's head beneath. His wife burst into a wild shriek of maniacal laughter. ==========

THE DEATH OF THE IRISH CONFESSOR OF THE QUEEN OF PORTUGAL. A VERY REMARKABLE CAREER. The "Novidades" (Portugal) says:—On the 5th April, at 7.50 o'clock, Father liicuv Superior of the Irish Dominicans of Corpo Santo, Lisbon, breathed his last at Bemfica (five miles outside Lisbon). Father Jttickey was a magm. ficent specimen of the Catholic priesthood. -.An venerable priest immediately commanded respect for his dignified, austere, and ascetic personality, and his great gentleness at once attracted the loving esteem and heartfelt sympathies of h I who knew him. He died yowl _g-h, life only counted two and fifty years. lie was born at Gowran, Kilkenny, and was the son of a civil engineer. Father Hickey was a rare and gifted preacher. lie preached with equal proficiency in French, English, Spanish, and Portuguese, and some time ago, when preaching in Barcelona, such were the elevation of his thoughts and the purity of his diction that the audience believed him to be a Spaniard, and inquired the name of such an illustrious orm. tent of the Church. Ho passed his novitiate at b&nta Sabdna, in Rome, and after two years there returned to his Convex* of S. Maxumin, France. Here he remained twelve years, and towards the dose of 1876 he was sent to Lisbon in consequence of the pre- carious state of his health. Here he soon made himself felt amongst the people who appreciated the sacrifma of his labours and respected the greatness of his learning. He obtained the friendship and confidence of several Nuncios and- Patriarchs, who did not think it beneath them: to take him into their counsel relating to mafctets, concerning the good of the Portuguese Church. He exercised a great moral influence over society, counting amongst his penitents a number of members of the Court, and even her Majesty the; Queen of Portugal, Sva D Amelia. Never very robust, his health caused considerable anxiety to his friends for some time past, yet he died in harness. Whilst hearing the confessions of the children of the Dominican Convert School at Bemfica, a paralyse stroke suddenly seized him, and he never spoke again. He retained, hew- ever, full consciousness for some days, anu re- ceived the rites of the Church, a.nd then, sur- rounded with the prayers and care of those who loved him, he passed to his eternal reward. Dur- ing his illness the Queen sent frequent messages of inquiry of his condition, and also sent her own physician to attend him with the other doctors,

Whilo an express train on the Great Western Railway was travelling at a rapid speed between Bristol and Bath on Wednesday ilornh g. Edward Jones, a stoker of H.M.S. Cresceuf after a desperate struggle with another sailor flung himiwilf out of the carriage and was soen to roll down the embankment. He was picked up dead. Jones had been in hospital at Portsma dh t uftering f i I

V KLSH NATIONAL OPERA. A CHAT WITH THE PROMOTER. lilt MENDELSSOHN PARRY ON WELSH ART. 'he other evening, writes a "Leader" man, I r. across Mr. Meudelssohn Parry. Knowing t t he was in the town as director mi the } tional O- oompanr, I thought his views oPA. \uch of Welsh art would be worth ob- taaunS, so straightway proceeded to interview In.. subject.  first thing to be i?DMrnbered," said Mr. we got fairly under we?i. is that 1 thl'gh the OP"ru are ??' they ? only so in 86zltiment, style ?? fitment, the libretto ?mgmE?sh. This i8? fact many people do fact -any people do int grasp, and they are i?Iined to ?veits?oae u CODBNIIM(?,, Tha is queer, indeed. I wonder how many times I have seen people -owding to Italian or German opera, and not one ;-n ten could under- words except through the dramatic presentation. Even were your libretto Welsh that should not be & drawback in Wales." It is, however. Where peonle sneak: only Welsh they aremdined to think that the libretto should be in Welsh, and the English sneakers have persuaded themselves that it is in that tongue. "You do not take a very rosy view of the chances of Welsh opera, then?" You are wrong there. fm only stating a present-day fact, and I'm not a pessimist. In- deed, I'm an optimist. There is more interest taken in it than ever before, and I shall bring it again and again until the beauties of the style are recognised. There is a revival of Kelticiszn as far as literature is concerned, and it is gwng I to spread to ai?L" Ycm are, of course, greatly interested in this< Naturally I am. My father was the pioneer of tba movement twenty years ago. Ananwen was produced at Cardiff in 1890, and had a run MR. MZXDMAliolM FAAEMI of 116 nights in Wake. Without being at all egotistic 1 am safe in asasrting that I have now by fax the best operatic company that has ever tonr«i m Wales. Of my wife 1 will say noting, but 1 have Mr. Dudley Buck, from the Royal Open, Covæt Garden, and Mr. Witney lew, the American Foli; then there are Lewis, James, and Lloyd. Among the ladies are Miss Van Dale, Miss Hughes, and my wife, who has sung ai concerts with Pafcti. Tha.t is snch a company that has never been seen before in Wales." These are not all children of Wales T' Oh, no. Miss Van Dale, Dudley Buck, and Witney Tew are 'foreigners.' Sylvia, too, is an English opera, pitched on Salisbury Plain. That is about all I have time to say, aa rve to hurry to the theatre to see that things are neadv and right." "Oh, no; you don't get off so easy. Wuat about your connection with this town? Well, I discovered my wife here for one thing. Then I was at Mumblte at school for six years. It was here that I went in for law." Good old dry-as-dust." Yes, I was with Mr. Aeron Thomas for two years, but it was not much to my liking. 1 am afraid that rm not much remembered for my law. I made my reputation as a cyclist, for I managed to become the amateur =Pion of Wales." if00 cycle! Why you'd want a 2001b. mcr I'd not so much girth then." By this time the theatre had been reached, -1 interview t ii-minatcd. MISS HANNAH JONES. I A CHAT WITH "MISS HANNAH JONES. The interviewer was, between the acts, able to have an interesting chat with Mrs. Parry, whose stage name is still "Miss nannah Jones. You would hardly suppose," said the lady, "that I am always more nervous when singing here than anywhere else, but it is so." Do you like opera?" "t es, I like the stage more than I can telL Of course my principal line is oratorio, or ballad smging, but my love for the stage amounts to a perfect passion. I recollect Miss Mary Daviea telling me that it was the stage I was intended ior." How did you take to the profession?" Through gaging in St. Mary's choir first of all. When I wu at the academy I showed a stage bent by my impersonation of Martha' in Faost. I have appeared at the Vaudeville in Wapping Old Stairs." "Were any of your family musicaly" Yes, though they never developed into pro. fessionals. My eUiest sister bad a splentua voice. My father gave me my rudiiaentaiy grounding in music." What is your favourite instrument?" Tho 'cello. It is the most human of instru- ments. Do you play as well as sing?" Yes, the banjo, which is my favourite play- ing instrument. I'm fond of plantation songs, too." Then Til give you a good unpatented idea for the next oratorio season. Black up, come on in the middle, sing a couple of coon songs (accompanying yourself on the banjo), and finish with a break-down. It would make a sensa- tion." Yes, wouldn't I get columns from the critics?" In another two seconds Miss Jones was charm- in the audience with her beautiful voice.