... A COLONEL ON NATIONAL PUGILISM. Colonel Knight, M.P., speaking at a dinner at Kidderminster, on Tuesday evening, said there was only one road to national greatness, and that was to be able t,, fight and take our own part. However insignificant England might look on the map, she had risen in greatness because she had bred a race capable of fig::ting auy other nation. The volunteer movement made ...

... A SUSPICIOUS MOVEMENT. A suspicious movement is going on, proceeding from Afghanistan. From the frontier, Afghani in small parties are travelling to different parts of India and every train for the interior takes from 20 to 40 members oi this warlike nation. Th authorities are on the alert and will carefully watch these travellers. ...

... THE PURCHASE OF THE CARDIFF WATERWORKS. The Cardiff W .terworks undertaking passed on Wednesday from the Cardiff Waterworks Com- pany to the Cardiff Corporation. It had been arranged that this event should take place on the 24t1J, but the Waterworks undertaking actually passed into the hands of the Corporation on the 29ih of September, although the Act did not cive the Corporation the power to ...

... PONTYPRIDIFBOARD OF GUARDIANS. THE DEFALCATION OF AN EX- RELIEVING OFFICER. lhe meeting of the Puntypridd Board of Guardians was held on Wednesday, under the ppresidency of the Rev. D. W. Williams, Fair- field.—The Chairman drew attention to the claims sent in by tradesmen for goods supplied to pnu- pers on the order of the Ystrad ex-Relieving Officer (D. S. Davies.) He (the chairman) had ...

... The Central News says that the situa- tion in Afghanistan is not materially changed. General Roberts is considered to have adopted a prudent course in view of the concentration of the Ghuznee tribes in takinc his army into the Cantonments of the Sheepur. He has a very serviceable reliable body of men with him, numbering about 7,000 of all arms, in whom he reposes great confidence. General ...

... THE FUNERAL OF THE LATE MRS MATTHSWS, wife of the Rev. John Matthews, the well-known Congrega ional minister, took place on Monday afternoon. Mrs Matthews died on Tuesday, the tlth inst,, at the age of 70 years. She was widely known among the Inde; endents, and highly esteemed by rich and poor. The funeral was at- tended by a large number of naniaters, who headed the cortege. Following them ...

... The County-court Judge at Cardiff gave his decision, yesterday, in the case of Evan Evans, Cardiff, a bankrupt. A motion had been made to set aside the payment, before the petition was filed, of certain sums of money by the bankrupt to other persons, on the ground that the payments were acts of bankruptcy, and Lhat,therefore,the said sums ought to be paid over to the trustees of the estate. ...

... At the Pontypridd County-court, on Fridav- before Judge Falconer and a jury (of whom Mr Crockett was foreman)—the case of John Davies, Gyfeillon, llhoiulda, v. Mr David John, was re- heard. At a preceding court a jury had awarded pajntiff £25 damages, but a new trial had been afterwards applied for by defendant and granted, on the ground that there wa other material evi- dence to be tendered. ...

... Mr Idris Williams, of Brynglas, writes to the current issue of the Tyst, the chief Welsh Con- giegationalist organ,to the effect that a gentleman of exceptional liberality intends to bring forward a scheme for the payment of the Congregational Chapel debts in the Rhondda Valleys. Some nece-sary details are asked for from all the churches. The gentleman referred to intends to contribute ...

... FLEUR-DE LIS. ENTERTAINMENT. On Thursday evening a musical and literary entertainment was given at the Mission Church, and was very well attended. The Rev. W. James, curate in charge, took the chair. The following took part—Miss Maud and M. A. Nash (Perseverance House), Mr Powell, (Maesycwmmer), Mr Jtnkins (Gellyhaf), Messrs W. Nash (Perseverance House), J. Bull (Rose Cottage), J. Lewis, ...

... IRON AND STEEL CASTING. Her Majesty has been pleased by her order in Council of the 29th November last, to grant to Sir Joseph Whitworth, Bart., of Manchester. a prolongation for the term of five years of certain letters patent for his invention of improvements in casting iron and steel in au apparatus employed for this purpose. ...

... DESCRIPTION OF THE BRIDGE. The following is a description of the bridge giveu by the tscotsmun at the time of the open- ing :— The Tay B-idge ws opened on Saturday, June 1, 1873, the Idua] work having been conunanoed in 1871, at a ixjint about a mile a-half above New; oit. The tngineer was Mr iJouch, and the contractors Messis Hopkins, Gilkes, and Co. At the place where o; orations were begun ...