South Wales Echo

-= The Earthquakes in Spain MORE SHOCKS IN GRANADA. Donation from the Pope. FKEUTER'S TELEGFA.,I. ] MADRID, Alonday.-A manifesto, issued by the Madrid press, is published by all the papers to-day, calling upon all classes to contribute to the fund in aid of the sufferers from the earth- quake in Andalusia. The university students have issued a similar appeal to their comrades In the provinces. fCENTRAL NEWS TILEGRAUS- I I ROME, Monday.—His Holiness this day forwarded, through the PaPa ancio ,iu Madrid, a donation of 40,000 or le fenef of the sufferers from ves" MADRID, Monday Night. dvices from the south state that intermitten bus still damaging shocks are being experienced at AJhama, Velez, Malaga, Albunelas, and other localities, but no further loss of life is reported. Some surprise has been expressed in certain quarters that the King has not yet vuited the distressed districts. I learn that he contemplates visiting them shortly. MADRID, Tuesday.—The King has decided to visit the different scenes of the late earthquake, or at any rate, those which have suffered most severely. As arranged at present his Royal lghness will, when he gets within the district of the earthquake, make the journey from place to place on horseback, personally inspecting not only the condition of the sufferers, but the measures that have been undertaken for their reliesf. It is more than probable that he will be accompanied by one or two of his Ministers, but beyond the bare fact that the King. will go, nothing yet has been decided. In bis absence 'the Royal Consort the Queen remains in the capital, where she will preside over the National Ladies' Committee which has been formed to collect funds, clothing, &c., in aid of the poor sufferers. The King has given £ 5,000 to the national subscription, while Don Carlo and Dona Marguerita send 15,000 pesetas. With such generous gifts as these the fund will soon mount qp, G-RANADA, Monday Night.—We have again bM a fresh series of shocks. The first of these Commenced at six o'clock this evening. A panic Immediately occurred, and almost the whole of the. population took to their heels at once. As tlbq. night wears on, however, without any repeti- tion ot. the trembling they are slowly returning, but not {or good, their sole object just now being to remove they can lay hsunds on, and again make for the fields, where they state they end to top.

SHOCKS OF EARTHQUAKE IN ITALY. ["TIMES TELEGivAM,] ROME, Monday.—A shock of earthquake was felt at Susa, near Mont Cenis, on Sunday after- noon, nd one of greater force early on Monday morning at Villelia, near Rome.

AMERICAN INTERESTS IN SOUTH AFRICA. NEW YORK, Monday.—The United States war vessels Lancaster and Kearsarge have been or- dered to cruise off the West Coast of Africa, in order to protect American interests. It is stated, however, that the step has no particular signifi- cance. President Arthur expects to pay a visit to New Orleans Exhibition about the middle of the present month.

BHAW'S TEAM IN AUSTRALIA. The English Eleven again Victorious. h [REUTER'S TELEGRAM.] MELBOURNE, Monday evening.-A match has been played between Shaw's team of English crickets and a representative Australian eleven, composed of picked men from the different colonies, exclusive of the members of Murdoch's team who visited England last year. The match resulted in a victory for the English eleven.

The Government has ordered a quarter of a "Hon pounds of compressed corn beef to be e^vcred at Woolwich immediately. fc Greenwich, on Monday, William Tritton, labour* Was 8eQt*anced to two months' hard I t' having created a disturbance at a s i/^ts* barracks on Sunday, and seriously ^Three^u* 8oic^er auc* a P°hceman. rested t^ers named Thornton h^ve been ?l.reSf charoed with the manslapgh- O^NPW YeSW^s' They ldcked him 80 savagely A ?■ m?uEve that he di^ on Sunday. At on Monday, Henry Kimberley, arged attempted murder of two women was again remanded. It was fUt^ that Mis Jalmer coatinued dangerously at Stewart was favourably ycogreasmg.

THE MAN THAT HUNG HIMSELF AT CARDIFF. Ii' A Terrible Experience. That's what they call me al °ara lJ" vvny- you'll ask. I'll tell you. } was f"lhll")B engagement at the Grand Circus in uhat We.sh town, and I was doing the gymnastic "show" associated with my name. Everything went on all right until one evening-ttie last but one of my engagement, and which had been set apart for my benefit. At this particular evening's entertain- ment "l introduced some extra trapeze tricks, anC* intended to finish as usual with my long dive from the trapeze. This feat is accomplished by means of two coiled ropes, to the end cf which I fasten my feet, and as I throw myself off the swinging trapeze the ropes uncoil, and I do a sort of flying descent until stopped by the tension of the rope—but you 11 perhaps have seen me do the trick ? Well, on the occasion I am referring to I had done all the necessary preliminaries, and for ought I knew to the contrary the descent would occur as hither- to but it didn't. No; somehow or other the topes became entangled around my neck, and when I should have been swinging head down- wards at the end of the ropes I was swinging head upwards nearly at the top of the circus. Yes, I was actually being hung t And I had done it myself! How, I never could tell, and I never have been able to make out, for such an unaccountable accident has never hap- pened to me since, and I am by no means anxious that it should, either. Not exactly. To be hung once in a lifetime is enough for most folk, and it is quite enough for me. It was a case of "not too much hanging, but just hanging enough anyhow, I don't want to experience any more similar suspensions. Well. I was gasping for breath some distance out of the reach of aid, and unable to extricate myself from my dangerous pre- dicament. The audience evidently thought it was some new trick, and applauded lustily. Those members of the circus company who were in the ring looked at me in amazement, and, being also struck with the novelty of my performance, joined in the applause such a wonderful daring trick evoked. It was not until some minutes had elapsed that one of the" company" chanced to notice my painful expression, and it suddenly dawned upon him that it was no trick, but an accident, and one which, unless aid was promptly rendered, would turn out fatal. An ascent was made with all haste to the top of the circus, in order that I might be liberated from my perilous position, but I saw nothing of the efforts that were being made to save me, for I had lost all consciousness, and it appeared only too probable that the Glittering Star (as I was described in the bill) would soon cease to shine. Suddenly, however, I was released, and, strangely enough, by means of another acadent. The man who came to my relief had cut one of the ropes, and the weight which was consequently thrown on to the other one caused him to let go his hold and I was pre- cipitated to the ground. The violent collision which resulted between the human meteor and term firma brought some slight consciousness back and roused me into life again—not too soon, for I was as good as gone before I was so promptly dropped. The shrieks and screams of terror that emanated from the horrified audience I shall never forget. I was carefully picked up and carried out of the ring—the general impression being that I was non est. I wasn't though—I take a lot of killing, for I've had several serious misadven- tures, and I've, so far, managed to pull through and be myself again. Well, I was taken home, and, to the delight of my friends, it was found that I was not much the worse for my attempt to outdo Marwood. Of course the horror-mongers had got wind of the accident, for next morning I had the curious privilege of reading: in the daily journals a harrowing account of a Frightful and fatal accident to a gymnast." It was frightful enough in all conscience, but luckily it wasn't fatal. Now you know why Cardiff folks call me the man that hung himself."—OHIIY (Lessee of the Leeds Circus).

GERMAN ANNEXATION IN AFRICA. The Claim to St. Lucia Bay. Action of the Government. Official Despatches to Australia. [REUTER'S TELEGRAM. J BERLIN, Monday.—Herr Luederitz, who is now here, states in an interview with the repL-Ler of a Berlin newspaper that King Dinigulu had signed a contract conferring on him full sovereign rights over the territory surrounding St. Lucia's Bay, which he (Herr Luederitz) had acquired. The hoisting of the British flag- at St. Lucia Bay is looked upon by the German public as an invalid act, as Herr Luederitz seeks to place under German protection the territory which he has acquired there, and to which he maintains he has an indefeasible claim. Ontheotlier hand, inhisrh official and diplomatic circles an absolute contra- diction is given to the statement that complications regarding ths St. Lucia district have arisen between the English and German Governments. The whole district in question was ceded to England by King Panda in 1841, and has remained since in her undisputed pos- session, and the German Government, fully recog- nising this fact, has taken no steps towards pushing the Luederitz claims. It is also denied that a single communication has passed on the subject with the British Government, and it is furthermore affirmed that Germany has no in- tention of opening correspondence or negotia- tion? relative thereto. In any case not a single word has passed on the matter through the English Embassy. The Central News is in a position to state that as a result of the Cabinet Councils on Friday and Saturday last, important despatches have been sent from the Colonial Office to Lord Augustus'Loftus (Governor of New South Wales), Sir Henry Loch (Governor of Victoria), and other of her Majesty's representatives in Australasian colonies. There is reason to believe that these despatches contained communications of a re- assuring character in regard to the question of foreign designs in the Western Pacific, and that their publication will greatly allay the public ex- citement in the colonies.

lTHE WEST AFRICAN CON- FERENCE. Decision of the Powers on the Slave Trade. [REUTER'S TELEGKAM.l BERLIN, Monday.—Messrs Anderson, Crowe, and Hemming returned here this morning, and the working of the conference was resumed to- day. The committee sat for three hours under the presidency of Baron de Courcel, when the English project with regard to the slave trade was the sole subject of deliberation. The dis cussion was a long one, and at an early stage took a somewhat unfavourable turn, not so much on account of the opposition offered by any of the powers to the principle of the proposal, but rather owing to the difficulty of ag-reeing- upon the wording of the project. Finally the English proposition binding the powers, who shall exercise any sovereign rights or influence in the Congo Basin to adopt every means to stop the slave traffic, was unani mously carried, with the important addition of the American proposal, extending the prohibition to traffic on land equally with that by water. The next meeting of the conference will take Place on Wednesday. The German project with bewfd to the future annexation of territory will to-C^uted to the members of the conference 10th huitW" Stanley is expected here on the the Inters ^ie negotiations between France and ceeding fat^ioaa^ Association are said to be pro- an early sett^ and with every Prospect of

PEAREFSHJE^EVYC^^NART' SMITH (.Joseph K, J»s«.««' <■» 'i'SXcK5 DISPLAY-of CLOTHING HOSIERV, §5^2 Cards of al) the latest designs for Chris^; clmstulas AT 79, ST. MARY'S-STREKT, CAKPIPF, for the next few days, good woollen or merino socks mav 'W had at Is 2d per pair, three pairs for 3s. Sewincrand knitting machines as usual.

The French in China. I ENERGETIC ACTION OF THE I NEW FRENCH WAR MINISTER. 6,000 Additional Troops for Tonquin. Rout of the Chinese. 600 Killed. [REUTER'S TELEGRAM.] PARIS, Monday.—A telegram from Hanoi, re- ceived to-day, states that after their recent defeat to the eastward of Chu, the Chinese troops, to the number of 12,000, returned to take the of- fensive. General Negrier thereupon attacked them, and succeeded in penetrating into their positions, which were defended by forts, with rows of batteries, one above the other. The Chinese were repulsed and completely routed after an active resistance, abandoning all their positions. Two batteries of Krupp guns, a quantity of rifles, ammunition, and provisions, together with the Chinese standards and convoys, fell into the hands of the French. On the Chinese side there were 600 killed, and a consider- able number wounded. The French loss, in both engagements, consisted of three officers slightly wounded, 19 men killed and 65 wounded. PARIS, Monday.—It is semi-officially announced that General Lewal's accession to office as war minister signifies solely energetic action in 'Tonquin. In conformity with the policy ap- proved by the Chamber, reinforcements to the extent of 6,000 men will be despatched to Tonquin. Nothing has yet been decided respecting the under-secretaryship of the War Department. There is no foundation for the report that Vice-Admiral Peyron had resigned the Ministry of Marine. He is in complete accord with General Lewal. PARIS, Monday.— The recent victory of General Negrier near Chu, is, the Temps says, the beginning of fresh offensive action in Tonquin. General Briere de L'isle, commander-in-chief, has resolved to occupy Langson without wait- ing for reinforcements, aud General Negrier is now marching on that place by way of the valley of Locnan. Operations in Tonquin will henceforth bo directed by the Ministers of War and Marine acting in concert. [CENTRAL NEWS TELEGRAM. J PARIS, Monday Afternoon.—General Negrier telegraphs from Tonquin that, having now received reinforcements sufficient to enable him to resume the offensive, he will shortly march on Langson. BERLIN, Monday Evening.—It is believed in well informed circles here that the direct outcome of the recent changes at the French Ministry of War will be an immediate declaration of war on the part of France against China, and the vigorous prosecution of offensive operations in the far east.

THE EXPLOSION ON THE UNDERGROUND RAILWAY. I- Prolonged Government Inquiry. The Press Association states :—A prolonged in- quiry was held at the Home Office on Monday by Col. Majendie and Col. Ford concerning the explosion on the underground railway on Friday night. Mr Garside, from the general managers' department of the railway, the signalman from Charlton-street cabin, the driver and stoker of the Hammersmith train, and other officials stationed in the vicinity of the explosion at the time, attended at Whitehall, and were examined. It was stated that, notwith- standing the stoppage of the train a minute before the explosion, it was moving at the rate of about fourteen miles an hour when the detonation took place. No light other than the ordinary signals were observed before the report was heard. All the men agreed that the explosion wae very loud and very sudden, and different to anything they had heard before but it was elicited that their experience with regard to the effect produced by various explosives was of the most limited character, and the testimony in this direction was, therefore, of little value. Colonel Majendie asked whether the report was at all similar to that produced by the discharge of fog signals. The reply was that the sound emitted by fog signals was considerably weaker, and not by any means so sharp. All concurred in declaring that there was a puff of smoke simul- taneously with the detonation, but the testimony as to the appearance of the flash preceding it was not unanimous. The men on the engine noticed a slight illumination under the footboard but it was pointed out that this effect was frequently caused by the blaze from the ashpan being forced downwards by an unusual draught down the funnel. None of the witnesses saw any person in the tunnel prior to the explosion, nor was any suspicious looking person noticed when the train was cleared at Gower-street. It was remarked, however, that had any stranger ventured into the tunnel on foot, itself a dangerous proceeding, and one likely to attract attention, this section of the line was not sufficiently well lighted for them to have been observed. The officials stated that they did not see any passenger leave the train and make hurriedly for the barriers on arriving at Gower-street station. On the contrary, most of the passengers seemed to linger longer than usual, with the apparent desire of obtaining some information respecting the outrage. Although the lights in the train were out when it reached Gower-street, those on the platform were alight, and no one therefore could have left the train unnoticed. In reference to the up-train, it was stated that it was standing at the Charlton-street box when the Hammersmith train passed. Nothing more has been found among the debris forwarded to the Home Office likely to give any clue to the nature of the explosive used. A boy's cap, probably belonging to one of the passengers, was picked up. The authorities at the Home Office entertain no doubt now that nitro-glycerine in some form was the agent employed, and it is also satisfactorily established that the missile was thrown from one of the rear- most carriages of the Hammersmith train, the theory being that it first fell on to the footboard, and thence rebounded against the wall, on comifig in contact with which it exploded.

TRADERS v. RAILWAY COM- PANIES. I Important Judgment. The Railway Commissioners delivered judgment on Monday in a case in which Messrs Hall, of Croydon, sought to have the Brighton Railway Company's charges for services reduced or dis- allowed. The case, which occupied six days, affects the contest between traders and companies regarding the revision of rates. The question was whether checking, clerkage, labelling, &c., were included in the charge for conveyance. Sir Frederick Peel held that conveyance included such services, unless specially excepted. The charge for loading and covering was not disputed.

SERIOUS CHARGE AGAINST A Promoter of Public Companies. The Manchester stivendiarylon Jay morning remanded Herbert Charles Drinkwater, of West Hampstead, on a charge of converting to his own use certain securities belonging to Capt. Hark- ness, 5th Dragoon Guards, by various pretences. The prisoner mduced the prosecutor to give him acceptances and other securities, which he turned into money. The acceptances were not met, and Capt. Harkness was served with writs for the amount when the acceptances tell due. The sum involved is very large.

ILLNESS OF THE REV. C. H. I SPURGEON. The Rev. C. H. Spurgeon, who was to have left London for Mentone on Monday morning, was prevented from doing so by an attack of rheumatic gout.

Too much study is said to affect the mind. A teacher says that he knows a number of cases where it would affect it very favourably, too. Aboarding-house keeper was surprised to see one pf her boarders one morning take the butter from his plate and knock it around the table' with his fork. H What" are you doing that for?" she asked. Madam," replied the boarder, this butter is so very strong that I find it necessary to weary it a little before eating, or it would knock out my stomach in the first round."

TO-DAY'S POLICE. SWANSEA. JUVENILE THEFT.—At the police-court on Tues- day; before the ex-mayor (Mr Burnie) and Mr T. Phillips, Senior, Willian Henry Coker, a boy of 11, King-street, wts sentenced to ten days' im- prisonment, three years confinement in a re- formatory sehool, for stealing a blue cloth overcoat, worth £ 3 from Georgina Davis, who lodged in the same house. ALLEGED THEFT OF BOOTS.—Elizabeth Peters, of 55, Rodney-street, was charged with stealing a pair of lady's boots from 13, Trafalgar-terrace, the property of Joseph Skeats. It was alleged that the boots were given to prisoner to pawn, and the case was adjourned for further evid- ence. CHARGE AGAIXST A PUBLICAN.—John Dar- moody, of the Fox and Hounds Beer- house, was charged with being drunk on his licensed premises, and also with selling intoxicat- ing drink to drunken persons.—Mr Webb de- fended. For the first offence defendant was' fined 10s including costs, and for the second L5 and costs, and his licence was endorsed. DRUNK.—Thomas Matthews, of 5, Pottery- street, and Hannah Phillips, of 32, Pottery-street, were fined 10s for being drunk on the above pre- mises. CARDIFF. -UISORDERLY.—At the borough police-court to- day-before Dr. Paine and Mr R. Cory-James Smith, on a charge of being disorderly and caus- ing an obstruction in Bute-street, on the 5th inst., was set at liberty.—William Davies, who was drunk in the Great Western Railway approach on the 5th inst, was likewise acquitted.—William Collins, charged with being drunk, also breaking a pane of glass, value 6s, at No. 195, Bute-street, the ^"op of Mr Scarparti, on the 5th insc., was fined 5s and costs, in default five days' imprison- ment. THE SO-CALLED REIGN OF TERROR."—Johanna M Carthy was charged with being a disorderly prostitute in Bute-street,-P.C, 79 said he was called upon to remove prisoner from the Cardiff ^ute-strect, on the 5th inst. She was nif drunk." Sentenced to one month with ha i labour. The bench expressed a wish that the landlord of the house should be .brought before them to-morrow and interrogated as to whether the woman had obtained the drink at his house.— A fine of 5:3 and costs was inflicted in the case of Sarah Ann Grant, charged with being a drunken and disorderly prostitute. Prisoner was appre- hended in Cowbridge-road, on the 5th inst. I AKINQ A DRIVE.—George Long was charged with assaulting and kicking William Masters and Henry Helps in Crockherbtown. On Monday night prisoner engaged Masters, a cabman, to drive Z1, J?t> and after enjoying this luxury for up- wards of two hours, he expressed a wish to be conveyed to Newport. Asked for a sovereign in prepayment, he seized the driver by the throat and proceeded to assault him. Henry Helps, a restaurant-keeper, was passing at the time, and went to Masters'a" assistance, receiving for his pains a kick on the leg from the prisoner. Fined 10s and costs, or 14- days' hard labour.

THE CHARGE AGAINST A SOL- DIER OF THE WELSH REGT. At the Cardiff Police-court on Tuesday before pr Paine and Mr R. Cory, Charles Bacon, private in the Welsh regiment, wsvs again brought up on remand charged with stealing and cashing a Post Office Urder for 5s, the property of private Jones, of the same regiment, on or about the 19th ult. T+ "L'LK ave already appeared in.these columns, it wi be remembered th^t when prisoner was last oetore the court, the case was adjourned j° evidence being adduced for the oefen Thomas James, Private of the Welsh Kegmient, now said that on the 12th instant he carlf? °lV>n with Bacon, and when opposite the °oi-CtuUe latter asked witness to run across a2r„R K order cashed. He went into the • the clerk refused to pay the °r rt,'n,r fu °nse(3uence of some informality re- !e n-ame appearing on it and on wItness rturnlng- to prisoner, tne latter said u 8 Sume mistake, and he would send !t back and have the matter rectified. The name on the order was "J. Lewis, "-Pyivite Robert Smith deposed to hearing prisoner say, about the 11th or 12th December, that he expected a post- office order froll, home. gergeant-Major Ball, in reply to the bench, said he had instituted inquiries into the transaction at the barracks, and could obtain no further in- formation, tie nad known prisoner 19 years, but would rather not give him a character. In the event of the present case falling through Bacon, at the expiration of his period of service, would receive the customary reward. Prisoner now adhered to his fanner statement that he pur- chased the oiaer troin a man who had since left the regiment. Ihe bench, after consideration, dismissed the cliurge> on tj10 gr0UtK{ tha.t there was no evidence showing how the order had come into his possession. b

GLAMORGANSHIRE QUARTER SESSIONS. Trial of Prisoners. The tnai= prisoners at the Epiphanj'^sessions for the C°un y of Glamorgan commenced at the Town Hall, Cardiff, on Tuesday. u F,IRST COURT. before ivir K. Q_ JONES and Col. LEE. IMPATIENCE OF THE GRAND JURY. The granu jury Was summoned to attend the court at ten o clock, but upon half-past ten arriv ing1, and there Deing no sign of a commencement of business, ^ir i). L. Owen, one of the grand jury, asked now long that body would have to wait. The Clerk of the peaCe Until the arrival of the chairman. Mr Owen- But we have already been here a considerable limA, Are we to wait Cill midnight? The Clerk: YOL, must wait till the chairman comes. I presume the frost has prevented his horses getting aiong very fast. Mr Owen svaitsd five minutes longer, and as the chairman bad not then arrived, left the court. The following gentlemen were sworn on the grand jury i—Messrs F. J. Beavan, Wm. Angel, 1 Richard Benjamin, Win. Austin, D. Bovven, Thomas John Ji'Vans, Thomas Roger Evans, Peter F. Hacquoil, James Hern, Dd. Jones, J. O. Jones, F. S. Lack? Joseph Milner, D. Morgan, Thomas Morns, NVIII. Phillips, Chas. Ross, Hy. Sanders, J-. •b- wallace, and Jno. Williams, The Chairman, in cuarging the grand jury, said they aad rather more to to than they had been accustomed to of late. He believed that there were 56 or 57 prisoners, but as several of them were in the same mdictment, there would be about 45 cases to oe presented to the grand jury. There was a considerable number of larcenies, about which he was not going to trouble them, many being Ukes of g rob- bery from sailors. He was sorry to say that the number ot cases of unlawfui wounding was very large, the largest that he remembered in his experience tnere. There were, he thought, 15 cases in which persons were charged with un- lawfully wounding other persons. A great many of these cases had arisen from quarrels some of them had arisen without any quarrel, and in all the cases various weapons had been used—shovels, bars, knives, and bricks—and anything that carne to hand. A" all these cases he thought that, with- out exception, tÜ6 circumstances were such the grand jury would find it their duty to put the persons charged upon their trial. I NEW MAGISTRATE. Lord Windsor, qualified as a magistrate, took his seat on the bench. A BASTARDY APPEAL.—DAVID DAVIES V. RACHEL DAVIES. This was an appeal against an affiliation order made by the Caerphilly justices on the 27th of May 1^. Mr> JB F_ William appeared tor the appellant, and Mr Abtl Thomas for the respondent. It appeared that both the appellant, a married mtin, and the respondent were employed at the Plymouth Works, near, Taibach, in the spring of 1883. They lived next door to each other, and the young woman was in the habit of going into the man's house, where she would clean his boots, and, as sha said, "Wash his back" after work. According to her testimony, there took place on these occasions reveals acts of familiarityi m all cases, excepting one, without her consent, which led to the birth of a child on the 17th of January, 1834. She attempted to foster the child upon him before Mr Bishop, the stipendiary magistrate of Merthyr, but the case WR& then dismissed for want of corroborative evidence. Subsequently the girl took a situation as a domestic servant at Quaker's Yard, and while there instituted affiliation proceedings against Davies before the Caerphilly magistrates, she then having some additional evi- dence. The Caerphilly magistrates made an order upon Davies to contribute to the support of the child, and against this judgment lie now appealed.—In cross-examination by Mr B. F, Williams, for the appellant, the re- spondent admitted that she went to Quaker's Yard, in order that she might go before the Caerphilly magistrates to get an order which (For ContinlHion aee next edition.)

MONEY MARKET. I To-day's Times money article says -Aluiiev II was in fairly good demand. Loans till to-morrow' to Three months' bills hardly over 4. Some sensation was caused at the opening by the announcement respecting the Channel Fleet, and the funds fell a -1. The dullness was not removed by an official contradiction. Home Government Securities opened flat, but prices were before long put up again, the news being in most quar ters discredited. Consols opened at 9S to 99 for money, and 994 for account, but closed at 99k to 4 99i respectively. There was fall of g in Home Railways.

I SPORTING ITEMS. I Roquefort has arrived at Alresford to be trained by Swatton. Mr Mayer's nomination for the Waterloo Cup has not as yet been backed for shilling by the right party. The proposed cross-country runs over the Championship Course on January 17 and 24 are abandoned, being deemed unnecessary. A filly by Discord, in T. Brown's stables at Newmarket, pulled up lame after a five-furlong spin in company with Wassand^on Saturday. Aunicycle,fortravellingonice, is beinp: exhibited in New York. The machine is said to be capable of great speed, and to be very difficult to overturn. Five greyhound saplings by Milliugton out of Lady Lizzie, were sold at Aldridge's on Saturday for 501gs., a brindled and white dog being pur- chased by Mr Fletcher for 180g. Mr I'Anson has sold the chestnut colt Maronite, by Syrian out of Miss Marion, and the colt has left Highfield House for Mr Holman's training establishment in Wiltshire. The president of the C.U.B.C., Mr Churchill, Third Trinity, has arranged to be in Cambridge on Thursday next, and a crew may be expected to appear on the following day. John Wisden's Cricketers' Almanack for 1885 has just been issued. The work is invaluable to all who take an interest in cricket, and we are not surprised to learn that it has a large circula- tion. The Duke of Westminster wishes that some- thing could be done to encourage the distribution of thoroughbred sires over the country, but it is to be feared the present state of agricultural depression is not over favourable to working out such an idea. A rumour has gained credence to the effect that The Friar has been tried much superior to his stable companion, St. Helena, but there is no oundation for any such statement, and beyond his good looks and breeding but little is known of his present capabilities, in London on Saturday night 500 to 20 was taken about the Friar for the Two Thousand Guineas, and 2,000 to 40 about the same colt for the Derby. During his recent visit to England, Mr Good- win, private trainer to the Captain Fagg con- federacy of Rome, purchased the following blood stock, which left England on New Year's Day Ryegrass, Bronze, Hisna, Fille du Regiment, and two Irish steeplechasers by Solon and Uncas. r A grand skating fete was organised on Satur- day by the Paris Gun Club, in the Bois de Boulogne. Amongst the notabilities present were to be seen the Baroness Hottinguer, NIme, Ephrussi, Mdlle. de Rothschild, Prince de Sasan, MM. Blount, Hennessy, and many others. The English and American colonies were well repre- sented. The honours of the fete fell to a young American, Mr George Frost, who executed some marvellous feats on the ice, which elicited the applause of all present. Messrs R. C. Naylor and Joe Davis, together with a friend, witnessed the work accomplished by Bookworm and Drakensberg on Newmarket Heath on Saturday. It took the form of a two miles ghllop in slow time. St. George and Queen of Beauty have returned to Ireland from Manchester, and consequently will not fulfil their engagements this week. Wavelet has arrived at Manchester and will run in the Maiden Hurdle-race to-morrow. At the Palais Royal on Saturday, J. Roberts; jun. and J. North played a game at billiards of 1000 up even, Roberts spot barred, and North all in. Roberts won by 143, his chief breaks being 143, 117, and 130, .North's best being 110 (21 spots), 95, 73, and 66. On Saturday afternoon the members of the Thames Hare and Hounds Cross Country Club met to decide their race for the Short Distance Challenge Cup, about four miles five furlongs. The start took place from the club's headquarters, the King's Head, Roehampton, and the finish was at the "Well House," on Wimbledon Common, a short distance from the club's rendezvous. The race needs little description, as Maurice Wilson (the holder) took the lead at the start, and, maintaining it throughout, won very easily by about 200 yards from Percy H. Stenning.

DASTARDLY ASSAULTS ON TWO WOMEN NEAR COWBRIDGE. WOMEN NEAR COWBRIDGE. At the Llandaff police-court on Monday— before Messrs G. C. Dornford, Evan Lewis, and Henry Lewis—William Naylor, labourer, was charged with aggravated assaults on Joanna Santry and Mary Ann Cokeley, on Saturday last.—From the evidence of the two women and a companion named Catherine Brodrick, it appears that between ten and eleven o'clock on Saturday night thev were^ coming from Cowbrirlge laden somewhat heavily with watercress, anil near Sweldon Farm they heard the prisoner and another man coming along singing a ribald song. The women stopped beside the hedge to rest, whom prisoner observing as he came up, crossed over, and in course language mad* an improper offer to Santry. She got up along with her companions to go, and bade the man ''goodnight' He then caught her and thrust her back agam into the hedge, in the n-fr-antirne taking hoerties with her. Twice Santry ro up,but owing to the basket of watercrei-ses being strung round her neck she could not move freely, and was forced back into the heaga again. Prisoner afterwards exposed her and pulled her about so much that she was nearly faint. Sub- sequently Cokeley seized the man "and compelled him to let go the other woman. In return she received a seveie blow of the fist in her face. Fearing that the man would prevail over them, they set up a united screaming, and the prisoner, probably tearing to be discovered, wenr away. The other man took no part in the assaults, and proceeded on his way. A police officer afterwards arrested the prisoner in a lodging-house, at Caerau. To the constable he pleaded ignorance of the whole atfair, and at the police-court he repeated his assertion denying that he knew even that he was with another man on the occasion. He added that he had been drinking all day. The women, however, all swore to the identity of the prisoner with the man who assaulted the two of them. The bench retired for a few minutes to de- liberate, and on returning, the chairman said, We are unanimous that you committed these assaults. It is a most abominable thing that women cannot walk along the public highway without being assaulted by a ruffian like you prove to be. For the aggravated assault on Santry you will have to go to gaol for three months, and for the assault on Cokeley another month—four months' hard labour."—The Prisoner (laughing) All right; good day.

CARDIFF CORPORATION AND LOCAL PARLIAMENTARY BILLS. A meeting of the Cardiff Parliamentary Com- mittee was held at the Town-hall on Monday. Mr Alderman Jones presided, and there were present Alderman Duncan, Councillors Alfred Thomas, D. Jones, Sanders, Morgan, and Jackson. The committee considered the report of the town clerk upon the Parliamentary Bills affecting the borough of Cardiff, proposed to be applied for during the next session of Parliament. It was resolved that the following bills be referred to the public works committee fur their consideration, and reporting thereon to this committee :—Cardiff and Monmouthshire Valley Railway Bill, Rhym- ney Railway Bill, Cardiff, Penarth, and Barry Junction Railways Bill, Talf Vale Railway Bill, Cardiff Tramway's Extensions Order, and the Cardiff District and Penarth Harbour Tramway Company.—The committee considered the report of the clerk upon the proposed orders, and recom- mended the Town Council to grant their consent thereto, subject to the objections and requirements mentioned in those reports being complied with. —The clerk was instructed to lodge the objec- tions with the Board of Trade on or before the 15th instant.—The following bills were referred to the waterworks committee for their consideration and report:—Barry Docks and Railways, Barry Junction Railways, Taff Vale Railway, and Bute Docks. _———

Yes," said l ogg, it was a wonderful piece of acting, so terribly intense. Not only the women, but several of the men were visibly affected." Mrs F. replied that she noticed that lot- of the men 'were visibly affected, but she supposed that was owiijg to their visits outside between acts,

THE CLUB NUISANCE AT I SWANSEA. At a meeting of the Swansea Watch Committee on Tuesday, it was resolved, on the motion of Mr Chapman, that "in the opinion of the committee, further legislation was desirable as to the licensing of so-called clubs, and that the attention of the Home Secretary be called to the matter, with a view of all clubs selling excisable articles being placed under legislative control.

ALLEGED WOUNDING AT BRIDGEND. At the magistrates' room, Bridgend, on Monday—before Mr H. J. Randall-Ellen Kelly, of Oldcastle, a married woman was brought up charged with wounding Jane Bough- ton, at Oldcastle, on the Saturday night previous. It appears that the women had a dispute and the defendant beat Boughton and hit her on the shoulder, and ripped her lips open. After hearing the evidence of the complainant and Bridget Osborne, a neighbour, the defendant was remanded until Saturday.

THE ATTEMPTED MURDER AT I NEWPORT. Prisoner before the Bench. I At Newport borough police-court on Monday, Joseph Leyshon, mason, 6, Constable's-lane, was charged with cutting and wounding Sarah Rees with a knife.—Police-constable Williams said he apprehended prisoner on Saturday night on the charge of cutting his wife's throat. Prisoner replied "Wife She i? not my wife. I nevertouchedher. The Magistrates' Clerk Did you seethe woman ?. —P.C. Williams: I went with her to the house. Prisoner said she did it herself, and pulled a knife out of his pocket, and said "She did it with this herself." Mr R. Cooke, surgeon, said the woman Rees was brought to him by the police. He found she bad two incised wounds on the right side of her throat. One was three and a quarter inches long, and then there was an interval of about a quarter of an inch, and a continuation of the same wound about an inch long. The wounds were just gaping. Witness put in two sutures. The woman had lost blood. She was not fit to give evidence, although he believed she was in court. The sutures had not yet been removed. Supt. Sinclair asked for a remand for a week, which was granted, and prisoner, who looks younger than he is described, was remitted to Usk. The woman Rees began to sob, and ultimately followed prisoner out of court.

A STREET SCENE AT NEW- PORT. At Newport borough police-court on Monday— before the Mayor and other magistrates—William Williams, labourer at the new gasworks, Crindau, was charged with assaulting P.C. Browning in the execution of his duty. On Saturday evening P.C. Folkeswell, of the county constabulary, was in charge of two !prisoners handcuffed together, who, earlier that day, .were convicted of fowl stealing, when prisoner, who had been waiting opposite to the county police, stepped across and gave the two men a parcel, which, he said, con- tained buns. Afterwards, in High-street, one of the principal thoroughfares, and at that time crowded with people, prisoner took hold of the officer, attempted to prevent him from following the prisoners, and used threatening language.— The Magistrates' Clerk (to the officer) Then the prisoners might have escaped ?-Folkeswell: Yes, easily. They were 10 or 15 yards in front of me atone time, and there was a lot of people between us.-P,C. Browning, of the borough force, went to Folkeswell's assistance, and was twice struck m the chest by prisoner.—Prisoner now said that the county officer went to his house about the missing property, and frightened his wife, who had been ill ever since.—Folkeswell denied that prisoner said anything about this visit. The police, however, had visited the house, as alleged.—The Mayor said the magistrates could not allow police- men to be interfered with and struck, and as a warning sentenced prisoner to a month's hard labour.

THE REDISTRIBUTION BILL. Meeting at Abergavenny A public meeting of ratepayers was held in ths Town-hall, Abergavenny, on Saturday night, for the purpose of taking steps to counteract the effort which had been made at Monmouth on Wednesday last (at the holding of the Boundary Wednesday last (at the holding of the Boundary Commission), to alter the name of the first electoral division of the county from Aberga- venny to Pontypool. The meeting, which was a very large one, was convened by Mr J. Bishop8 the chairman of the board of Improvement ConI- missioners. The chair was taken by Mr Bishop, who, in opening the proceedings, explained that the Redistribution Act gave Monmouthshire four representatives in Parliament, instead of three as heretofore. The Boundary Commissioners had divided the county into four districts, viz., Kew port, Chepstow, Tredegar, and Abergavenny There could be no doubt that this division of the county had been very carefully considered from all points before it was arranged. (Applause.) Abergavenny was, beyond all doubt, much more central than Pontypool, and was also far before it in the matter of railway and hotel accommodation, agricultural importance, markets and natural ad- vantages. He much regretted that he was not acquainted with the fact that the meeting at Monmouth was to take place, for he should cer- tainly have made a point of being present in the interests of Abergavenny. (Applause.) Mr IVard was there representing the local boards of Pontypool and Abersyclian, but he thought the statements of that gentleman had very little weight with the commissioners. The mayor of Monmouth had appeared with a petition that Monmouth should be joined with Abergavenny instead of wIth Chepstow. (Applause.) The mayor of Newport also was good enough to speak of Abergavenny as being entitled to the division —(applause)—and Mr Baker Gabb made a specch on behalf of Abergavenny. (Applause.) From what appeared in the newspapers, the commis- sioners had had a general meeting, and appeared to have made up their minds and it they were iuclined to consider the voice of the meeting held in Abergavenny that night, they would perhaps be more inclined to consider their report, as regarded the division of Monmouthshire, as nnal, and resist any influence which might be brought to bear upon them from any quarter for the pur- pose of inducing them to open their report, and alter the name from Abergavenny to- Pontypool. Mr R. BAKER GABB, being called upon to ad- dress the meeting, said it had given him great pleasure to do what little he had had the chance of doing at Monmouth. He referred to the great antiquity of the town, and its historical import- ance. Mr CONWAY then addressed the meeting, and after pointing out the numerous advantages of Abergavenny over Pontypool, moved as a resolu- tion :—" That this meeting is of opinion that the petition presented to the Boundary Commissioner at Monmouth by the Pontypool and Abersychan Local Board- to alter the name of the Abergavenny division of the county to that of Pontypool is un- called for, and not warranted by facts. That Abergavenny is the most central town in the di- vision, and possesses numerous advantages over Pontypool, which render it especially adapted to give a title to the division. That this meeting, therefore, respectfully urges the Boundary Com- missioners to decide to retain the name of Aber- gavenny for the division, as proposed in the;r scheme."—;Tbe reading oi the resolution was received with applause. Mr MANLEY Asawe, seconded the proposition, and said they were assembled there that night for tne purpose of defending the name of their town, and to hold on to the privilege which of right belonged to them. (Applau&e.) ilie gentle- men on the commission had mapped out the country no doubt with very great care, and had naturally selected Abergavenny as being the must central and proper place. (Applause.) They had reason to be proud of their town. (Ap- plause.) He did not think there was a town in all England that had done so much for its own improvement. (Hear, hear.) It gave a name to one of the oldest nobilities in the land, very nearly allied to the Orown, and, failing issue, the title would go to the Crown. He did not believe the meeting would have much effect, for he believed the commissioners had quite made up their minds in favour of Abergavenny. (Applause.) Mr C. DANIEL spoke in support of the resolution, which was passed unanimously. The CHAIBMAN said he wished to thank Mr Gabb publicly for the steps he had taken in behalf of the town. The suggestion was loudly applauded, and Mr Gabb responded. Votes of thanks were then accorded to the Mayors of Monmouth and'Newport, and a vote of thanks to the chairman brought the meeting to a close. I

THE WELSH PRESS. || i [BY CCNEGLAS.] I RINGING OUT THE OLD YEAR, I Hie majority oi the Welsh papers contain tne I usual review of the events of the year. Like their 1 English contemporaries, they note that the year 1 was, except politically, exceptionally uneventful. I The Franchise Bill will, of course, make an abiding impress not merely upon the British Constitution, but upon the whole bent and ten- dency of future legislation, and upon the national character. The weekly exponents of Welsh opinion naturally devote more attention to the educational revolution in Wales than to the political revolution in the United Kingdom. The first year's work at Cardiff, the placing of Aberystwith on a safe foundation, and the estab- lishment of Bangor College, are looked upon as events jjregnant with meaning and influence on the future of Wales. The Genedl maintains that e S. this educational movement will effect a complete revolution in the social and commercial circum- stances of our native country, and that its beneficial and exalting influence upon the na- tional character will transcend all expectations. The time has now for ever gone by which took for granted that Welshmen were necessarily doomed to be hewers of wood and drawers of water in all circles of work even in their own country. Ou, expectations were in two respects disappointed in Mr Mundella's failure to introduce the Welsh Intermediate Education Bill, and in Mr Dillwyn's failure to get the question of the Disestablishment of the Church in Wales thoroughly sifted upoa the floor of the House ot Commons. The Goleuad is the only paper which has given prominence to the Continental movement for colonisation, which is led by Prince Bismarck. It is attributed partly to the desire for an outlet to teeming populations, partly to a growing ambition for territorial aggrandisement, and partly to an effort to check the growth of the British Empire. The Goleuad believes that much good to civilisation and religion will accrue from this form of political life revealed by the past year. With German, French, Italian institutions, and the International Association in Africa, it hopes that the prospects of the subject populations of the Dark Continent have been rendered more brighter and promising than ever before by the events of 1834.. The Herald, in an article on 'The Two Extremes,' comments upon the peace which has prevailed in Europe, and the comparative absence of crime in Ireland, while at the same time we are being dragged deeper and deeper into the Egyptian quagmire, and ar? spending streams of money on the Kh.:rtou.a expedition and the augmentation of ou; naval power. This vast increase in our national ex- penditure is coincident with acute and general depression in trade. Another illustration the existence of extremes in the social life of hngiand is the alarming total of money spent up r.?:> pars, and the wrecklcss waste of resources t.-oa drink and luxurie.. Gwalia labours, Sisyphus- like, to prove that the Conservatives immensely aided the passing of the Franchise Bill, and that a large share or the glory attaching to its enactment is due to the Tory party. After attempting to prove this startling thesis, Gwalict proceeds to assert that the agitation against the House of Lords was a failure, and that the position of that House was strengthened by the events of the autumn. But Gwalia, like other Tory dreamers, will be rudely disillusionised when the Upper House will be swept oil at its first show of opposition to the County Board* Bill, or any of the coming measures of enfranchised democracy. The Tyst a'r Dydd prefers to lookto the future, so it devotes its leading article to the new year. It looks wistfully towards the corollaries of the Reform Bill, espe- cially to the disestablishment of the Welsh Church and the severe restriction cf the liquor x traffic. CHKISr:,IASTIDE IN WALES. All the papers are overflowing with reports of literary meetings and musical festivals held on Christmas Day t..roughout the distinctively literary meeting's and musical festivals held on Christmas Day t..roughout the distinctively Welsh portions of Wales. In the district through which the Dee runs its first dozen miles, there were twelve meetings held on the great historic holiday of Christmas. The chief feature mail was the choral competition, and it was this feature, with its rivalry and attendant excite- ment, which drew huge crowds from the villages and hamlets of the country-sides. This mode of holiday-making is peculiar to Wales, and repre- sents a more determined and earnest effort after popular culture than can be found anywhere outside the bounds of the principality. Most of the pieces selected for competition are from the great musical composers, but at Llangefni and Dolgelly. Dr Roland Rogers, in his adjudication, severely lectured eisteddfod committees for select- ing pieces from Welsh composers, or whom he spoke very slightingly. He said that Welsh choirs sometimes wantonly waste their time by rehearsing pieces by Welsh composers bet for competition which are not worth burning, Tbi. bit of iconcelasm has caused much amazement. In adjudicating at Bala, Mr J. Jenkins, Mus, Bac., made a very sensible suggestion. He maintained that Aosrystwith and Bangor ought, like Cardiff, to establish a chair of music, for it is found more needed in Wales than chairs of biology or geology. The criticism of musical adjudicators at eisteddfodau is practically evanes- cent in its influence, so that musical culture in Wales is restricted and retarded owing to an absence of efficient- training. Tnerefore the three colleges ought to establish musical centres in populous places, so that choirs and individual vocalists may be trained without leaving their daily occupations in the quarry or the colliery. Half the expense should be borne by the college, and half by the local centre. This would serve to bring the colleges into a living and quickening touch with the people. Among the Welshmen of London the Christmas festival was the occasion for displaying an unruly temper amounting almost to rowdyism. The London correspondent of the Genedl endeavours, with much show of sarcasm, to cast the blame upon the adjudicator, Mr J. Enilyn Evans, but the London correspon- dents of other papers attribute the fault to the audience. This is net the first time that com- plaints have come to Wales about the headstrong temper and self-assertive Philistinism of Welsh- men resident in London. RELLGIOS AND THE MASSES. The Goleuaa, 111 an article on the auty of Methodists towards the masses, asks what is the raison d'être of various forms of Nonconformity. It answers that, politically, Nonconformity is a protest again-t constraint oi conscience, and, re- ligiously, care for the poor and fallen,which seeks to raioe them from degradation and igno- rance, to set Lefoie them higher iueals of life, and tt) get them the means of grace, the hope of glory, ur, in the incomparable words of the Bible, to exalt them of low degree and till the hungry with good things. That is the ideal which has inspired the founders of religions and sects. But what is the danger which besets their followers? The danger arises partly from the accidental circumstances of reli- gious life because religion, by encouraging pa- tient labour, temperance, and thrift, brings those who practice it into comfortable worldly circum- stances, so that they are influenced by the ordi- nary ideal of raising their position in society. Religion becomes for them a mark of respectabi- lity. But the tirst result of this worldly ease is to lose touch with them of low degree, whicn ori- ginally was the inspiiation of the dtOn mination. C.deridge maintains that the Church is the only true democracy." But we must confess that his- tory shows that the Church of England has tended to become the religion of the upper classes, and that the various forms of Nonconformity tend to become the bulwarks of the bourgeois. Is not Welsh Methodism, like the Church and other religious connexions, in danger cf iosiug its hold of the working and poorer classes in towns and villages ? AN INFAMOUS VEBDICT ON AN AMATKTJK POACHER. The Herald has u, long article upon a poaching cise which came before the Carnarvon magis- trates. Four men were poaching oil the Vayuol estate. One of them was caught by the game- keeper, had his hands fast bound, and his head broken open to the bone. This was acknowledged to be his first poaching ofience, but the magis- trates ;;ente¡1Ce ..him • to twu )11011"b, imprison- ment with hard labour, without the option of a fine. It is a scandal and a mockery to sentence a man to hard labour with his skull fractured by a cowardly gamekeeper. The time has surely come to sweep off the game laws, which lure men to commit illegal and cruel net. and give occasion to magistrates to increase the number of evil-doers.

LATE ADVERTISEMENTS. PIANOS.WHY BE WITHOUT ONE -tL When yui caii become the owner of a nice instrument for the small payment of 10s M PEB MONTH ON rnHOMPSOX AND gHACKELL'S lIIRE SYSTFI-M ? No security required, ami the instrument oielivered to purchaser on payment of first monthly instalment. Every instrument guaranteed, and exchanged if not approved. ORGAXS AND HARMONIUMS ON SIMILAR TERMS. Catalogues fre un application. THOMPSON AND SHACKELL, PIAXOFORTE AXD MTSIC WAREHOUSE, QUEENS BUILDINGS, CARDIFF. Also at SWANSEA, NEW PORT, MEKXtfYiv, and GLOUCESTER. n. 249*