The Bishop of St. Davide, writing in Tuesday's Times, disposes
very thoroughly of the contention of Mr. Llewelyn Williams, M.P., that the Church in Wales has profited greatly by the delay in dis- establishing it, and that the Church will be better off after disen- dowment. If -Mr. Llewelyn Williams is right in assuming that a hundred new incumbents have been appointed, with a total income from ancient endowments of £15,000, the Church has gained at most £30,000 by the two years' delay ; but by some financial juggling he multiplies this gain tenfold, which, as Euclid would say, is absurd. The rise in tithe, duo to the high price of corn, benefits the existing incumbents, but after Disestablishment the benefit will be trans- ferred to the County Councils. The rise in the rate of interest, the Bishop says, will probably avert a loss on the commutation scheme, but will not give the Church anything like an extra £45,000 a year, as his adversary suggested. After all, the Church in Wales is losing £200,000 a year from ancient endowments and from tithe. It is idle to suggest that sho can profit materially by being despoiled.
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