Volume Nine - Pre-Victorian to the present day - even more aspects - Cefn-y-Wrâch . . .

• 22nd May 1878 - Cardiff Pilots and their Grievances - Deputation to the Board of Trade - 'On Thursday afternoon a deputation of pilots from Cardiff waited upon Lord Sandon at the Board of Trade Office, Whitehall, with reference to the recent suspension of pilots belonging to that port, and other matters connected with its pilotage business. Lord Sandon was accompanied by Mr. Talbot, M.P., his private secretary, and Mr. Gray, permanent secretary to the Board of Trade.

Mr. S. Plimsoll, M.P., and Mr. Puleston, M.P., introduced the deputation, which consisted of Messrs. Richards, Tamplin, and Edwards, Cardiff pilots, and Mr. Roger Moore, of Bristol.

Mr. Plimsoll and Mr. Puleston explained that the object of the deputation was to complain of the suspension of two Cardiff pilots for 12 months, and Samuel for three months, because they refused to take out the ships 'Prince Amadeus' and the 'Royal Minstrel.' These pilots, it was stated to his lordship, had refused through their conscientious belief that what they were asked to do was dangerous through the insufficiency of the water in the channel leading to the Bute Dock. Of course, they refused at their own personal sacrifice, because they threw money out of their pockets.' . . .

After hearing the pilots perspective on the matters raised, Lord Sandon concluded that he was limited in what action he could legally take having heard only one side of the argument. He recommended that 'the deputation should go through the various Acts and the by-laws, and bring before him any by law which was considered unduly stringent, and which he (Lord Sandon) had the power to alter. If they did that, the matter would have his earliest consideration.'

Mr. Puleston, M.P., asked his lordship whether, in the event of the Board of Trade having no legal power to grapple with the difficulty, the Government would introduce a short Bill to remedy existing drafts. Lord Sandon could not make any promise on this subject.' . . - Western Mail - [036] [361] - 24th May 1878.

• 27th May 1878 - 'I am glad to see that the Bute Trustees are proceeding vigorously with the dredging of the channel through the Cefn-y-Wrach. Both of their dredgers have been engaged in the work for some time - the large dredger for six or seven weeks, and the small dredger for three weeks. Notwithstanding the unsettled weather, very satisfactory progress has been made.