Herald of Wales and Monmouthshire Recorder

The "LEADER" gives the Latest and Best War News.

LATEST WAR NEWsl I BRITISH ADVANCE- I BIG HAUL OF PRISONERS & CUNS I TURSDAY'S BRITISH OFFICIAL. Fiance, Thursday, 10.15 a.m.—At dawn this morning the British Fourth Army and the French First Army, under the command of Field-Marshal Sir Douglas Haig, attacked on a wide front east and eouth-eaet of Amiens. First reports indicate that the attack is progressing satisfactorily. ACR8SS THE VESLE. France, Wednesday, midnight (received Thursday).—As the result of Franco- American attacks in force, the Allies are now across the Vesle. The Americans have reached the railroad on the north bank. and also the main highway. The Yanks, after wading through the marshes on the south bank,/ crossed the river on foot bridges improvised from trunks and pieces of fallen trees lashed together. They swept up the northal)ank In the face of heary machine-gun fire. The advance was made in hcvavy rain, 1thich added to the difficulties. Two divisions from Kupprecht's Army have been identified. GUNNERS WITH RED CROSS ARM- IETS. France, Thursday.—The Exchange IVelegritplx Co/a correspondent with the J American Army says:- It was troops from Michigan and West Conan that dorve the Boche across the Vesle. They came across many machine- guns which were being fired by Germans with the Red Cross on their arms. THURSDAY'S UNOFFICIAL STORY. The Press Association Special Corres- pondent with the British Army in France says:— At dawn this morning the British launched a heavy attack against enemy positions from just south. of the river I Ancre to where our right rests upon the French, on a distance of about 12 miles. Three-quarters of an hour later, the .French took up the battle, prolonging the front of attack Py several miles. The main weight of the blow was directed against Von Hutier's 18th Army. although it overlapped other enemy army commands. J The "weather has considerably improved, but it was cloudy and hazy at zero this Anornin;g. x The battle opened with three minutes' trashing bombardment; then the barrage crept forward, while the heavy guns con- centrated on what was expected to prove the most obstinate point of resistance. 9-V*?.4-dm?c6 of fighting tanks IDOV ing forward and the infantry waves ad-  vanced. Along most of the lines of attack the I ejaemy was taken by surprise. 'J Our advanced troops are across the Avre. The Press Aeeociation and Exchange I Telegraph Co., dealing with the military situation, say:— In the British offensive east of Amiens, it is believed that a considerable cumber of villages have been captured and that substantial. advance has been made. The villages reported captured include More- nil. Mamdenuin, and Avancourt, and our forces have reached the heights wost of 1 Cerisy, south of the Soinme, and the height south of Morlancourt, north of the Somme. I t ADVANCE OF 4,000 YARDS. y The advance amount* to ,a depth of I 4,000 yards. The position on the western front is now debuitely more favourable { than it hu ever been.. ) German man power is declining rapidly. | end we should ?ay that the end is now in { aight in this Een., that at no distant date ?-e <;on!d be certain of a very great super- i j koity both in men and material. Humanly epeaking. it was a cettainty t that if we bold fast we could win a de- I cisive and cruehing victory over the Ger- f I man Army in the field, while the moral and political effect of such a situation in I the Central Powers may well tend to 1 hasten the end. t TANKS ACROSS THE AVRE. I ■ Our tanks .are across the Avre, and 2 forking towards the more difficult ground ? of tHe Avre Valley. The freuch also. report good progre. [ tnd prisoner admit complete surprise, f Considerable hauls  prisoners, machine ■ Runs, and some artillery have already | been made. I hear that we are getting f I lno. prisonars than we can now deal  *'h; I

r' I ZEPPELIN IN FLAMES. -=-. m' I ) FKJStSS 15UKr.AU, TUOStmy. -1 I The Secretary of the Admiralty makes 1 k t? toltowing announcement | Fire enemy airships attempted to croqq f Our coast last night, but while still at "-a were Attacked by, R.A.F. contingent? working with the Navy. • Three wore brought to action, o.noe of which was shot down in flames* tO miles from the coast, and another was damaged, hut probably succeeded in reaching its l::äf'C. A Copenhagen telegram on Thursday ts that the German paper.; regret I that "Ti" of their most valuable Zeppelins was destroyed in the recent attempted raid on England, and that Cupt. Strasser, I the German Zeppelin commander was I killed. He has been the leader of the principal Zeppelin raids on England, and (was appointed leader of the Zeppelin detachment of the German Navy.

r — j SITUATION IN RUSSIA. I A special Tientsin telegram on Thurs-, ) cli y'stztles: America's declaration has been well re- ceived. As to the disturbed conditions it is likely that there will be Cliina-Japan- eee action on the Russo-Mangolian border in addition to the operations at Vladivos- I tok.

SOLDIERS' LEAVE. I i Mr. Maepherson, Hntier-Secretary for War. stated in the House ol Commons on f Wednesday, in reply to Sir Charles IfdhlnmW'that arrangements have been vu.itle for. giving leave to 6,IIiIO soldiers a vc< k* from J Vance, 1,00(1 a week from 1 8Iy. and 1.7HO a week from Salonica.

Sidney Kingdom, carpenter, was fined ft at Swansea on Thursday for failing, to I tKOceed to trea after bgyiii# f

THE NATIONAL I RECORD ATTENDANCES „ ^Continued from Page Four). Wednesday was another brilliant eis- teddfod day. The children made it a supremely interesting session.

LLANELLY CHOIR S SUCCESS Tabernacle Juniors Win First Prize., There were ten entries for the School Choirs' competition, a first prize of JB10 in memory of the late Mr. lorwel tit G lyn- dwr John an.d;a second prize of 17bing offered for the rendering of Welsh folk songs. The adjudicators wers Dr. Mary Davies and Dr. D. Vaughan Thomas, and marks were awarded es followcl:- Newton Juvenijp Choir 81 I CwxiUHaman Young Choristers (Mr. E. Jones) 80 T;t\rl:r; Llan?,iiy Ad nr.«) 7S Gobeithlu Carmel, Glyncorrwg (Mrs. Kate Roberts) fc. 77 I Blaenclydach School. jj" o.Efailisaf School Choir 7i Nantyffyllon Council School 76 Glyncorrwg Council School 74 Morthyr Vale and Aberfan 72 JUVENILE CHOIRS. No fewer than 23 juvenile choirs en- tered for the open contest, and '.v.ith such a number a prelimintlry test }\as inevit- able, only six choirs being selected to ap- pear at the pavilion. The test pieces were Diliau'r Dolvdd and Autumn Days," and marks were awarded ns follows:— Tabernacle, Uantlly (Mr. W. Adams) 1:3; Noddfa, Bl.<enclydach 171 Bettws Juvenile Choir (Mr. Arthur M?es)  ?S Xautyi'yUon School Choir I (?i .1 ? Neath Abbey (Mr. Kichard Evans). 159 Havod Juvenile Choir 1-1 f The adjudicators declared the competi- tion was a record in number and in efficiency. LApiES' CHORAL CONTEST, Of the seven choj rs entered tor thp ladies' chornl contest four appeared on the plattorra, viz., Tredegar, Myrdclin (Carmarthen), Langley Mill Co-operative (Derby), and Rhymney.- The test pieces were: "Beauteous Morn (Elgar) and IBpatitiFul Lily (M. W. Daviers). Marks: Iihyroney 175 Tredegar 166 1 Violin solo for juveniles: Master Mor- gan Lloyd. Treboeth, near Swansea. Recitation for children: 1, Mary L. Wil- liams. Llangennoch; 2, Theodora Wil. liams, Ystradgytilate. Welsh folk songs, bok. s under 16 and girls under 18: 1, Janet Lloyd Roberts, Wailessey, Chester; 2' and 3, divided b- tween Gwynne Williams, Barry, and Majf WiHiams, Panteg, Ystalyfera. Duet (soprano and contralto): Miss Lily Clatworthy, Cardiff, and Miss Myfanwv Walters, New Tredegar; consolation prizes to Miwes Hilda Huberts, JEllesmere Port, and Mary Griffiths, Wrexham. Octette: Rhondda Octette. I The Morkl Orchestra scored a triumph in the orchestral contest.

1920 FESTIVAL AT BARRY. The Gorsedd and National Eisteddfod Association held a joint meeting to decide the venue of the 11)20 Eisteddfod. The Archdruid • presided. The deputation from Barry was introduced by Major Edgar Jones; that from Porthcawl by Mr. Evan Davies, solicitor, Cardiff; It nd that from the Rhondda 1.. Mr. D. Lltufer Thomas and Mr. W. P. Nicholas. The voting resulted in favour of Barry.

SWANSEA M.O.H. I Mr. D. Lleufer Thomas presided «*t a meeting of the Honourable. Society of Cymmrodorion at the Gwyn Hall. when the problems of rural reconstruction were f" yrther discussed.. Dr. Tom Evans (medical officer of health, Swansea) made an appeal for a new conception of the training of the medical lrofe,-sion-ttia t, it should be made predominatingly preventive and deal with the maintenance of health rather than with the cure of disease. Mrs. Coombe-Tennant, Neath, dealt with the question of rural reconstruction m its relation to workiBg-class women. She deplored the high mortality rate from tuberculosis among Welsh women; and advocated the erection of better houses, built after consultation with women. Among others who joined in the discus- sion were Dr. Arbour Stephens (Swun- sea) Mr H. J. Randall (Bridgend), Prof. J. E. Lloyd, Mr. Percy Watkins (Cardiff), Mr. Thomas Jone,, (London), and Mr. W. J. Parry (Bethesda).

CROWNED BARD WIlpii was ci'\scrilx'd as a miscellaneous concert, including violin concerto, proved one of the 1)1,)."t successful of the National Eisfeddfol concerts The attendance in the National Pavilion last-evening was estimated at over 10.000. The star artiste was undoubtedly that brilliant violinist. Miss Tessie Thomas who held'her audi- 'ence spell bound. The deception accorded 1 her at the conclusion of her first effort was in-spiring. 'J:!he Eisteddfod Choir was again excel- lent, and rendered tlie Dances from Prince Tgor," supported by t lIe oTch- tra, ir. a manner which reflected the greatest credit upon the con ductor, Mr T Hopkin Evans. Mus. Bac. The soloist was Mr. David Evans, who sang his eevi eral so los with great zest and purity of tcne. The Mayor of Swansea (Aid. Beniamip Jones, J.P.). in his presidential address, congratulated the town of Neath upon the magnificent success of the Eisteddfod, and the talent which Neath had pro- duced. He had been charmed with the lwqutifiil playing on the violin by Miss Tessie Thomas, and they had in Neath musicians, bards, rnd composers. Their conductor (M-r. T. Hopkin Evans), was known all o\er the world, and they in Swansea thought a grcut de-a I of him. (Applause). He corgr filiated the choir upon having amongst them this year's crown hard-Mr. Env s T.ewis. (ChfcrflL The Mayor of Swa en tli^n called the bartf to the condi c' 's stand, but with his usual modesty Lewis kept silent in the background At the request of thn militél no-it was jpt- Walter E. Recs who fetched bin Vhe bard appeared on mr4* a the stage, was congratulated by the I Mayor of Swansea, and cheered to the echo. e

SIR ALFRED MOND'S PRIZE, Undoubtedly one of the most attractive ors in the Arts and Crafts section ot the National Eisteddfod we re the for designs of cottages and living-in quarters for agricultural la- bourers in Wales, ror the prize of X50 offered by Sir Alfred Mond, Bart., M.P., there were 73 competitors, the prize to Mr. James Austen Lloyd, Belle Vüsta, Powfort, Annan.

I. CROWNED BARD. Pert Talbot Journalist's Triumph. The "Herald of Wales" feels great honour in announcing to-day that the crowned bard of the Neath National Eisteddfod is Mr. David Emrys Lewis, a member of the staff of this journal, and for the last two yeais its Port Talbot re- presentative Mr. Lewis has frequently lontributed to Awstin's'* Welsh column in the "Herald of Wales," and a notable descriptive article of his in these pages was a brilliant account of the return visit o* Col. Penharwood to his old home at Cwmavon. Singularly enough, Mr. Lewis has never revealed his poetic gifts as a Welsh .bard to his journalistic colleagues, and the onip effort of a recent date printed was all aniiisiti, little English effort, which our readers may remember a week or two ago, dealing with the embarrassment of the municipal honours to be offered in Wales to the Prime Minister. The sub- l ject for the crown this year' a-I "Monachio? e-cit h A bi-y), -?nd the prize a crown and Slo. For the crown poeal, Neath Abbey," the prize of £ 15 wai, presented by Mr. J. E. Moore Gwyn. and the crown by Mr. Liewelyn D. Boweils. The adjudicators I were the Hey. Ben Davies, J. Jen- kins t" Gwili ")., and Eiuyr. The adjudi- cation was deliveied by the Bev. Ben Davies, who said that 11 poems had been received, and the best was that of Yr Hen Abad." It was described as magnificent, 6tir- riug. rlistingllished, ajid showing marks of genius." He and Gwili thoroughly agreed, hut F.mvn;. who was not present, did not agree. The interesting and picturesque cere- mony ot crowninK the hard was then gone through. The Gorsedd Recorder called the muster roll of the bards, nnoM many as could be accommodated on the platform went there in their bardic rohes to greet t-he new bard and acclaim him victor for the year lhe adjudication having been (itliv(,re(l. and Y>- Hen Abad" having ]),Pen declared the winner, amid an expectant silence. frfr. Eiuays1 Lewis, who cat at the Press table, rose in re- sponce to the call and was escorted to the platform by two of the senior bards nnd then to the bnrdic chair, to be crowned amid the acclamations of the vast multi- tude and to the music of See the Con- quering Hero Monies," played by the band. As a sign of their appreciation of the reflected glory which they all enjoyed at the victory of the journalist bard, every newspaper representative at the Press table rose in their sea^s to greet -an(I cheer the winnerlfr. Emrys Lewis, the Port Talbot representative of the "Herald of Wales." Mies Winifred Lewis sang the crowning eong, Gwlad v Dclyn ("The, Land of the Harp"), -i d although the ceremony was not of such a brilliant character as in the old pre-war days, yet it wa; im- pressive. and kept up the traditions of their fathers in that respect. Bardic ad- dresses followed from Gwernogle. Vol- nnder. Dryw, Gwilym ap Alerion. Crwys, Dvfnallt, J. J.. Gurnosa. \Vith the sing- ing of Hen Whyl fy Nhadau by the audience the ceremony terminated. AN APPRECIATION. I (BY AWSTIN.") II Ai journalists, members of the "Herald of Wale, glaff are proud of their col- league, the winner of the Bardic Crown at the Neath National Eisteddfod of 1918. The contest brought a surprise to the old stagers among the bardic fraternity, for the victor is undoubtedly a rank out- sider." He has contributed sorue remark- ably fine Welsh prose notes to my column, Ein laith, Ein Gwlad a'n Cenedl," and J have Occasionally been the recipient of shoals of compliments on the* purity of the language in certain notes, which, with others, appeared from Mr. Lewis's pen, for my colleague has been the Port Talbot representative of the Herald of Wales," and is not only a genial personality but •an able man absolutely without "side," and who errs, I think, on the side of too much modety. He was at the proclama- tion at Neath, but. failed to get inside the doors of the circle because he flkl not po^^ss a ticket. fie. was borii at Machynlleth 31 veers aao, and was educated at the County fk"11. and, graduated in iiis school of "I'í"'f"{' in lis** .He served first of all on Y Oenedl at Carnarvon, and then went to the- "Montgomeryshire County Times' and from there he came fo 115 at tli- office of the "Herald of Walps to send torth the victor of ths Crowning day at the National Eisteddfod. He has previously .won two bardic chairs, one at Llanidloes and the other at Llanbrynmair, both under the adjudftatorship of the late Rev. Rhy-s Hnws, whose kindly advice encouraged him to proceed with his bardic studies. This is his first attempt at the National Eisteddfod, and. like most of us, he put off writing his poem until the end of June and* the beginning of July- Mrs. Lewis in July gave birth to a boy. whose name was fixed as Goronwv. Yr Hen A bad was the name under which Mr. Lewis sent in his effort and won.

CLOSING SCENES. EISTEDDFOD PAVILION, NEATH, Thursday. The closing day of the National Eistedd- fod I)rduiises to reach a climax unpre- cedented in the history of the Cymric festival. The attendance at the opening ceremony was pt irnatefl at 5,000, and there is a continual stream of men, women and children invading the Pavilion. The R,t. Hon: Lord Treowen-, the morning presi- dent, took his seat on the platform punc- tually at ten o'clock, supported by Sir Francis Edwards, Mr. Herbert Lewis. 1f.P., Mr. J. E. Moore Gwyn. and Aid. H. P. Charles, J.P. (ox-Mayor of Neath). PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. l The Right Hon. Lvrd Treowen, in the course of a magnificent address, eaid his mission that morning was to give them a rough sketch of Wales in the war. No speech could deal adequately with the subjcct, but it deserved to be mentioned at that great national assembly. (Cheers.) He appealed to the Gorsedd of the National Eisteddfod tQ encourage the bards, the singers, the musicians, the painters, and the sculptors of Wales to write together and compete with one another in putting before future genera- tions the proper prewntmexit of that ¡ great heroic subject

LIST OF AWARDS. Violin solo: Mies Anna May Reynolds, Pontycymmer. ■String quartette "Schubert's in A i Minor." Messrs. Willie Robert*, T. G. Proseer, J. 0. Walters, and Gwilym  Thomas, Morriston, comix?? the only competing party, and Mr. Granville Ban- tock rernar,tked t ha t, instrumen tal music was neglected in Wales, afcd he hoped the hour would soon arrive for a greater encouragement. (Applause). He gave the prize to the Morriston party. Oil painting—landscape or oweepe: Mr. Percy Gleaves, Swansea. Painting on china: Mr. P-ei-CY (ileaves, Swansea. Water colour drawing: Mk. Percy Gleaves, Swansea. Vocal quartette: Mr. Emanuel James' party, Ferndale. Heroic Poem, "Wales 'and the War," for a prize of SIOO given by the "Wes- tern Mail." brought in 29 competitors. Sir William Watson, the adjudicator, did not consider them of sufficient merit to award the full prize, and the prize was divided as follows: Mr. T. J. Thomas, Merthyr ( £ 20); Rev. Will Evans, Car- diff ( £ 20); and Mr. Prys Jones, Dul- t wich Co.llege (EH'). Mr. Thomas (Sar- uicol) is a cliaired bard, and Rev. Wm. Evans C-Vil lÚw) a double crown bard. Epic poem for which five poems were sent in, was won by the Rev. Crwys Wil- liams. Swansea. Welsh drama, dealing with the life of Wales in the Twentieth Century: Mr. D. J. Davies, Aberystwyth. Hand-made lace:' Miss Lizzie Annie Lewis, Llanelly. Fine crochet 13.Ce: MilXi W. J. Jeffnos, Tea cloth, trimmed crochet: Mrs. Julia Davie-s.Cardin. Ode on the "Rainbow": Rev. Rich- ards. Brynamman. Welsh" shawl and pound of yam: Woollen Mills, Trdgarn. Lady's lian(I-ititl.,do nightdr(,Es: Mies Y. Evans. Corwen.

THURSDAYS GORSEDD. I BIls ?terati. nu!.idns druids. ovates —British, Iri,h, Scotcb, Bi?on. Corpish and EngUah aspirant for Welsh honours —a!! in b?fdic-r??e?' 'backed' vf? Ti<?- bons. and acc?mpAnicd by- ?dy ent!iu?asts in Welsh costume, fortwsd the procession which (headed by the Guards Band), wended its way. on Thursday morning from the Gwyn Hall to the Victoria G4r- dens to hold the final Goyseda of 1918. Among the visitors was LoIjshurne. Capt. Spott Pitt, Mr. and Mrs. Crawthay, and others

"CHAIRED BARD." I Their Go..1 they shall worship was ¡. the subject of the chair ode, not to ex- ceed '7?0 hnM?. for which a priz of £ 15 and a canPd oak'chair had I*en offered by Sir Griffith T?mao. The adi ti?lica o r, v. ere Dyfed, Professor Sir John Morris Jones. M.A and the Rev. J. J. Williams. Eleven compositions, had been sent in, and the prize was awarded to the Rev. J. T. Job, Fishguard, well known through- out the Principality as Job."

MALE VOICE RESULT. i The result of the male voice competition J at the National EisteddfodFirst, '"Williamstown (Penygraig).

PICNIC PARTIES. 1 At Swancca on Thursday, Lewis Gaytcn Edmunds, trading as Ll. and T. Bullin, Heathfifild Mews, was summoned for using brakes for a picnic without eecur- ing permit under Section 2 of the Hor's Order (No. 2) 1918, Ju?y 30, 19?. Mr. Rupert Lewis prosecute; Mr. Edward Harris defended. Mr, Harris submitted that the prosecu- tion was unnecessary and almost frivo- lous. The Order esftne into operation just when picnics were in full swing. He also, pointed out that an extension till August 10 bad been allowed by a subse- quent Order. The brakes in question wtre carrying women afcid children of a Strand Mission, and brakes had been en- paged !o?g before the iss?e of the Order. ?fendant he!d tha? as he was allowed to u?e horsf? in vehicles carrying tea? than six persons he had. really been sav- ing horse flesh (which was clearly the oh- ject of the Order) by the oounse that he took Defendant was 'Ined IPs., as were alsr» l^essrs. Stratton and St. Thomas, similarly changed.

SWANSEA BILL GAINS ROYAL ■ASSENT I. A telegram was reced ed ai Swan- sea tuilcthal1 on Thursday afternoon to the effect thnt the ^v.ansee, Boro' i Extension Order Confirming Bill has just received the Roval Assent.

NEATH MEDICAL BOARD. | Clydach bit-t>a^g^ men m the National Federation have passed a resolution call- Hig for the joint action 9f all branches in the area controlled by the Neath Medi- cal Board with regard to certain alleged grievances.

I SWANSEA TO BANGOR. I Mr. and Mrs. James, of Tawe Lodge, Swansea, were successful in their applica- tion for the appointment of master and matron at the Bangor Union, Bangor. and leave Swansea on Wednesday next to take up their new positions.

I. BRITONFERRY MANAGER. j Mr. Wttnam M?rns..ot MmdtPton Vi])as. Britonfrry, mann?n? tHr?ftor of tb« Baglan Bay Tinp?tte Co., who died on Jliiie mh last, aged 5S years, intestate, Ictt estate valued at = £ 4,^7 2d., with net personalty of < £ 2,9C0 2'1. I.etters of administration have been granted to his sons, Mr. Elwyn Morris, engineer, and Mr. Myrddin Morri9,bot? of the a bore address. 4 i ?

SCROLL OF FAME KILLEU. A War Office telegram was on Tuesday recei\ed by Mr. Walter Lloyd, J.P., chemist, and Mrs. Lloyd. Lammas-street. Carmarthen, stating that their elder 6on. Dr. W. H. Lloyd, a captain in the R.A.M.C., had been killed on the western | front. Twenty-six years of age, Capt. Lloyd was educated at Middlesex Hospi- tal, London, and secured his I.B. and B.Sc. degrees. II ehad been about 2* years in France, and before that was on the staff at Wandsworth Military Hospital for about nine months. 'WOUNDED. WOUNDED. Mr. and Mrs. Lewie. -,5. ?t. Helen's- aven?e, Swansea, have received ne?s that their youngest 6011, A.B. E. R. Lewis, R.N .D., has been eeriously wounded, and is lying in a hospital in France suffering from shrapnel wounds in the legs, result- ing in the loss of one. Sec.-lieut. F. G. C. Maggs, Royal Air Force, son of Mr. aDd Mrs. Fred Maggs, of the Plough Hotel, Portland-street, Swansea, and grandson of Commandant Charles Maggs, U.S.B., has been admitted to hospital in France, Buffering from slight contusions. lIe has been in the Royal Air Force only a few months. IN GERMAN HANDS. Mr. Ben Jones, the Cross, Fforestfach, has at last got into touch with his son. Pte. Cyril Jones, Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, now a prisoner of war. Private Jones stated that he was all right. Twice wounded, he was captured on March 21st. Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Williams, West-street. Gorseirion. on Thursday re- ceived a postcard from their -on, Thomis Lewis, who is a pritoner of war at Lim- henr, Germany. He states that lie is well and sound. -He had been missing since April 3rd. Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Laverty, 7, Whit- tingior-terraee. Gorseinon. have received a post: card from their cousin. Sapper J. Fl/nn, of the Tunnelling Corps,R.E.. who is a prisoner of war, and h:6 been tni«sing since the J 5t It April. He says that be is in good healtb. News has been received by Mrs. Knight, who resides at Thomas-row, Carmartheu- ¡ icad, Swansea, stating that her son, Sgt. Knight, Welsh Regiment, is a prisoner of war in Germany. Previous to joining up he was in the employ of Meesrs. Fred Ley and Sons, potato merchants, High-street, Swansea. News has been received by ltrs. Wat- kins, 8. Phillip-street, Manselton, from the British Red Cross, fliat- he Lill 't -Mhrr".rw^ssfas, Sherwood Foresters, is a prisoner of war in Germany, and quite well. He .;a6 reported missing on May 27th. Prior to his enlistment lie was a behinder at Bald- win's; King's Dock. News has been received by Mrs. Proc- tor, 21, Morgan-street, Ilafod; from the British Red Cross, that her son, Private R. T. Proctor, Welsh Regiment, is a pris- oner of war in Germany, and well. He was reported missing on May 30th last. He has seen 2i years' active service on the | Western front, and was wounded in Sep- tember, 1917. Prior" to enlistment he Was employed by the Swansea Transport Co. All his friends wi!l be glad to hear that Pte. Ellis Henry Parry, R.W.F., who was missing since May 27th, has been found by the Red Cross Society as a prisoner of war in Germany. Pte. Parry is a nephew of the Rev. J. Hywel Parry. Llansamlet. Before the war he was on the staff of the Carnarvon and Denbigh Herald at Carnarvon. He has seen lODj; service in I France, having figured three times before in the casualty lists. Formerly employed at the Cape Copper Worke. Sergt. James Barmister joined ¡ the colours in 1914 when 16 years and five months old. He was drafted with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers and went to France and soon won distinction for his attention to duty. On June 5th, 1917. he was given the D.C.M. fof gallant con- duct. On the 23rd oi la6t March he was reported missing, and it was not until a postcard was received on Saturday by his parents, who live at Giant's Grave, that his wherqabouts was kn'own. He states he a prisoner of war in Germany. MISCELLANEOUS. News has reached PoVitardawo that Mr. i Pendall Thomas, Thomas-street, Pontar- dawe, feoond engineer on a merchant ship, has been drowned as the result of the. veesel having been 6unk by enemy I action. Deceased was about 3L years of age, and a brother-in-law to Dr. David Evans, of Cardiff.

SWANSEA J.P.Is WIFE. The funeral of the late Mrs. Thom3:>'1 wife of.Mr. WilHam Thomas, J.P., Bryn- heulog, Bryn-road, Swansea, took place on Thursday morning at Llangyfelu ch ¡ Churchyard, in the family vault. The Rev. M. H. L. Williams, M.A., (Oxon.), vicar of St. Gabriel's, and the Rev. Grit- fith Thomas, vicar of Llangyfelach offi ciated. The funeral was private, and the following attended: Mr. Wm. Thomas, J.P. (husband), Mr. Hubert Hr. Thom<?, Mr. W. Arthur Thomas, Mr. Walter Thomas, Lieut. Harold I). N. Thomas <,soB £ i), Mr. Walter Lewis, Dr. James W. Hope, Dr. D. Howell Thomas, J.P., Dr. Alban Evans, Mr. R/Oger Thomas, J.P., Mr. J. M. Thomas, Mr. F. W. Gibson (Governor of H.M. Prison. Newcastle-on- Tyne), Mr. C. H. Quick. Many beautiful floral tributes were sent. The arrange- ments were carried out by Messrs. D. C. Jones and Son (Castle-square).

NEATH SPELTER WORKERS. .LONDON, Wednesday Afternoon. Representatives of the Workers' Union were to-day before the Committee on Pro- duction in London, on behalf of workmen employed by the Emu Spelter Co., Neath. They claimed to be put on the same basis as workmen at other spelter works in the district, who had received from Decem- her 1st 5s. per week advance to men over 1ft, and 2s fid. to those under 3% together with a further advance of ]1 per cent, to day workers and 7! per cent, to piece workers, -as from January 1st. They also claimed better overtime conditions in conformity with the oi-her syndter works. Mr. Evan James (Workers' Union, Swansea), and Mr. Kelly, were for the vorlomen. The award will be made later-

WAR REVIEW PREMIERS STRIKING SURVEY One hundred and fifty German sub- marines had been destroyed by~the British Navy. More than half this number were ac- counted for last year.. This was one ot the many striking state- .mcnts made by ;?r. Lloyd George in the House of Commons on Wednesday (as briefly reported in the Leader ? cn_ Wednesday evening). Other prints in the Premier's ,,eth were:— At the beginning of the war we had the sma llest army of any natron in Jiuiope. We had a contract with .France that, if she were wantonly attacked, t"all, Lnited Kingdom would coliie to her support. The utmost we could have lyeii expected to do fss send an expeditionary force of six di-r;,sions There i- '-e-,e two sides to the war—that on land and that on th^ t-ea. The sea struggle was -the decisive struggle of the war.. 1. pon its issue the fate of the war depended. Until the Allies were beaten on the sea' Germany cozi';it 'iic--er win. This momentous decisive naval struggle was mainly carried on by the British avv. At the beginning of the war the British Navy tonnage was iloiv. includ- ing auxiliary craft, it was fc,000,000 tons. The British Fleet had set up an im- ( penetrable barrie; to rhe entrance to or exit from Germany. In the month of June last the Navy steamed 8,000,000 miles. Most of the American trocps which had crossed the Atlantic bad come in British ships. At least 1,500,000 men were needed to man and maintain the British Navy. If the submarine campaign had suc- ceeded our Army in France would have withered away. Unless xhf Allies had been completely triumphant from the outset at sea no effort on land would have saved iiiera. We were not a military nation, jind vre had not the compelling appeal wh-c;i rouses the mankind of a country threat- ened with invasion. Since August-, 1914, including the men with th^ colours at that time, this coun-, try had raised, in Great Britain alone, P,250,COO men, most of them by vo recruiting The Dominions had raised 1,000,000. India had raised 3,2-50,000 since the be- ginning of the war Dealing with the military situation, --Ir. Lloyd George said that whe.n the German-' "blow came in March the rITe -of,tlie Allies were not -available as a whole. The German object was to obtain a military dc-ei-sion this year before the American troops arrived. The German estimate cf success was not an impossible one. At first the German Army achieved consider- able success. The losses ? especially in the number of prisoners, were considerable. Had they nut been made up the second German blow migiit well have over- whelmed the British Army. Ah" d> f- ciency was piade un within a month s time—335,000 men were thrown across the Channel. Every gun and £ very machine gun was j more than replaced. In six weeks' time the Germans saw that the British Army could not be over- wbel iiied. The German miscalculation was that they thought we had not the to do it No veterans ever fought with greater courage than reinforcements, who went straight to ftzc,,L-, the pick of the Ger- man Army. After six weeks' fighting the Germans left the British Army to attack the French. There they won a prelimirtary success on a considerable scale. Nor merely had they been fought to a Rtandstill. hut Marshal Foeh-to call him by a title he had ably won-hy a bril- liant counter-stroke had driven the enemy back. The danger was not over, but he would be a sanguine man on the German Gen- era! Staff who would say that Ludendorff's plan of obtaining a decision this year would succeed. Finally, on the question of peace, the Prime Minister faid th people who made the war were still there, and they could not ltuve peace so long as they were pre- dominant in the council of the enemy. They all wanted peace, but it must be a peace that was just and durable and one with a power behind if-*

NODION AR BYNCJAU YR WYTHNOS.. (GAN AWSTfN.) I Dichon y d'isgwylia 11awer o'u darllen- wyr i mi dorri ::llan i hwyl lawr, ac yni- helaethu. yr wytlinos hon, ar yr Eistedd- fod Genecilaethol, ond yng ngwyiieb y ffaitlf fy mod wedi bod wrthi yn ddiyryd vn ysgrifennu yn yr iaith fain" grvnhodeb dyddiol o'r gwoithrediadau, nid oes genyf ameer nac hamdden i ail- r I)YI! c,37dd ixa d i adrodd vn iai'h Eden yr hyn sydd \H.oài. ac yn. cymeryd He yng Nghafrtellnedd yn ystod yr wytlinos. Fellv, am y presennol. rhaid i mi fodd- loni ar longvfarch fy ngiiyfaill a'm cyd- lafurwr. Mr. D. Emrys Lev.is, ar ei lwvddiant ardderchog yn ennill y Goron am y bryddest or Fonaehlog Nedd." Fel y canedd Crwys i arwr y Goron, dywedwn iiip-naii:- Dvmchwel mae balch goronau'r nyd, A'u gwisgo'r tro olaf mae rhywrai o hyd, Ond wele Emrys ben-prydydd hro Yn ei gwisgo hi am y cyntat dro. Y mao llwyddiant ardderchog yr Eis- teddfod vn peri i mi cdrych ymlaen gyda, diddordeb angherddol am Gymanta Ganu Genedlaethol dydd Gwencr. pan yn (tclia-a, y ca Prit Weinulog Pry dam rawr. fel ninnau, weled o ffrwyth ei lafur a'i awgrymiadau mewn cyfarfodydd can a mawl na fu erioed eu bath yng ghymru nac. un wlad arail. Fellv, hyd v tro nesaf, raffed amynedd lei pherffai'th "waiih ymhlitih darlk-nwyr y qoofn, fiymreig,

THANKS FOR SYMPATHY. TlftWiP— Mrs. D. Thomas and family. 27. Kind-street. Port Talhot desire to thank al! kind frien«!s for the lovinp svmnathy shivul during their reo?n? herca\ crncnt. l

TOWN TALK. ———- <"———- A Champagne countei^offcnsive bong -1ir Little Willie: Oh! what a difference an the Marne-ing.—" Punch." s -0'- Swanseci's population. 350 years ago was probably not more than 1,200, so that iu the period it has increased- about one hundredfold, — :0.— The choristers alone in the chief choral contest at Neath on Tuesday numbered close on 3,000, and each choir had a small army of camp followers. — K):— Nurse: What Û" you think, :&ffi"? There's a little baby brother come to live, with you.—Eifie: Well, he can't stay unless he's brought his cc- j n s. Punch." — :0:— In the literary, musical, and artistic life of Wales Neath has played an im- portant part, and is directly associated, with many stirring incidents difficult; to distinguish between .history and romance. -;0;- According to Mi.ss Vesta Tiiky, in one of the periodic; a Souj-h Wales woman gave birth to twins alter having be-on at an en terra in men I at, which Miss Tilley had been performing, and she named the children Vesfa and Tilley. I ;0 A farmer from the Brecon district who attended the Eisteddfod wa, asked why it was he had left the harvest tb come to th<}.i?t?diou..indh?r<'jiiicd:"lh&v? not inieafd a ?atiun?l i.?t<-ddlod for ?i years." Is this a recoid r If the proceedings witiiin the Eistedd- fod Pavilion are Sa::ouised, it will net be the iault of its hosts, but as a compliment to its English guests." Thus a Neath correspondent. But the Eisteddfod artej; all is a Welsh institution! "??— The parish council of Coc?tt is?i)rcud of the fact that they were the firs A public body to move in the matter of promoting the Greater Swansea. But the prime mover, there was Councillor James Matthews, wh-o-e voice is often heard at the council's sitfings. — :0 On her soldier-nephew explaining the meaning of the dili'e: ent etripes and de- corations worn by men in khaki, an old Swansea lady impatiently exclaimed:— There are fnr too many decorations for o r me to understand. 1 only know that when. 1 see a soldier with a gold .-t;'ipe that man has fought." —; o: — Some of the English papers are gfjtting tied up over- the National eisrcddfod ah ready. One of them said cm \¥edi:es<av tliat "nineteen bauds .competed for I chief choral contest," .-vnu that the sec end. prize awarded to Brynam-oai- The, Celtic Conference and the Cymro- dorioii will have to ^c:iu out missfo'ia: — -o ■— A little girl had been to church for the first time, and on her return home i;or tijtother asked her if she liked it. "Yt-s said the little girl, "but there is ono thing I diwn't think was fair." Y.~iiut was that, dear:" "Y»;liv, one man did all the work, and then another man .came round and got'all the mone.y"—Mr. 'Charifs Davies, at the Swansea Ragged School. '0 Life iu the ,Ar;ny may not be all sun. and tknver. hut there' coo thing about it-a inaii is soon brokrni oi the idea that he cannot eleep anywhere but in his own. bed. The eiyht of a couple of soldiers on Langland HJll on Sunday afternoon lay- ing their greatcoats on j ground" and themselves on top ef thf?u. and asleep in Do time, was enough to make a sufferer from insomnia wish for a hifl in khaki.  ~:°J What would lhe old Welsh divine, Daiydd Evar.s. ?fyr'o?hp?Ty. soy v.cre Le a l :d to-day to e;7' ii: ], about? When ho first saw a train enter- ing into Carmarthen Stafj-m, so impressed wos he. with the iilgenuii. ioan, that b. exclaimed "Arglwyri.f Mae rhcid i Ti sticko.' re te o dy Haen Di." (Great Lord! Ybu will have' to hurry up, or else they will go ahead of YOU). o Two well-knowWelshmen, one of whom figured prominently at the, Eistedd- fod on Tuesday, left their native village in Carmarthenshire rather Under a cloud. Ihey were considered foolish good-for- nothings, v. ho would surely come to a bad; end. For instance, on one they were discovered burying a tola cat. One sang over the grave and other preached. To-day the preacher over the cat's gran is pastor of one of the chief Baptist churches in England, and the other is a musician of wide fama. —: o: — A lady has presented to Mr. Crotch, the well-known banker and author of I "The. Soul of Dicker." Knd on? of the originators of the ?tharle; Di r 1, ?lr? l' :-< 1 'I ,j Home for Blinded Soldiers and SCl.ors at St. J^ona'rds on Sea, with an hitherto unknown autograph letter from the great novelist, which will It1 sold iu a.kl of the home: It was written ;'1. 8. Southwick- lincic- i, date of March 'th. 'fSt?i. in acknowledgment of-a leek which a Welsh lady, a Mrs. Davis, s-nt Di?ken?. as a troph: on the previous St.DH-id'?Day. I -:0:- Th? mischievous system of cram- ming cholar-" in W<leh M'h? Is. which haa recently been the subject cf such severe criticism, has long b?n (.}n demned by enlightened Welshmen. A c?r?.?pondent ?end'! a?or)? a nuorat.'on from a book written by the late Sir T. Marcbant WjUiam? Rs far h?ek as 1SS9, in which he refers to people who "either unable or unwilling to distinguish between the strong mind and the stuffed min<jL" "If our pupils." they say, thrive OD ?tor)?" (a? thev doubtle?? d  diii ? (-? from a Departmental point of view) broad loses its special yalue a5 an artic le ofdiet." — .O People in th? knew are muoh amused over the exploits of two Swansea. meR who went fishing on I High-street Station while it w.i-, dari, and arrived at the scene of operations about nine o'clock. With the exception of fairly frequent visits to the vin.Y?. they remained together on the rivpr bank u?t:? late in the afternoon. Then th-^y re- lat? in the aiternot-n. TIten th?y re-  paired En?ry to the ,"il1af< hostp( o?Iy to f'nd ?bnt the g'oods had bcpn ?-o.? cPt. They decided to ??o in di?rfnt.diree?ic'!? in search of "what they needed, agreeing, in any cqise. to meet r.t the station. WJJfU the trsin arrived back in Swan-opR, how- ever, one of the twain discovered that his companion was missing, and then ret d- i lect"d that he had not seen Ipmi or.they parted far down in Carmarthenshire. l"