Lord John Russell, it is said, used, in conversation with Queen Victoria, to date all political development from the Revolution of 1688. If those mystic figures signalize the birthday of Whiggery, in the political world, in much the same way we may date the constitution of the Cambrian, as we know it to-day, from the year 1864. In more than one way it was a notable period in Welsh railway annals. The various independent links in the chain were either completed and wholly or partially in working order, or in course of construction. Thanks to the influential efforts of the Earl of Powis, arrangements had been made with the Post Office and the London and North Western Railway Company, through Sir Richard Moon, for the conveyance of mails from Shrewsbury to Borth, the then terminus. Through working arrangements were also in force among the various local companies, and it was obvious that the time had come to face the problems of future policy. These were not altogether of simple solution. [Picture: A Group of Old Officials. Standing--From left to right--The first figure is unidentified; Mr. Geo. Owen, Engineer; Mr. Henry Cattle, Traffic Manager. Seated--Mr. A. Walker, Locomotive Supt.; Mr. George Lewis, Secretary and General Manager; Mr. H. C. Corfield, Solicitor] Very early in the year Mr. Abraham Howell was moved, in one of his frequent letters to the Earl of Powis, to warn his lordship that he scented "another crisis coming on in the affairs of the Welsh Railways." Once more there was division of opinion and "parties" were forming. Mr. Piercy and the majority of the directors were for extending "the Welsh system so as to make it independent of the great companies and set aside existing agreements and obligations." Mr. Howell himself, with Mr. Savin and a minority on the Board, inclined rather to the course of accommodation with circumstances, making the best of the lines and properties of the companies as they stood, avoiding extensions and increasing capital, while cultivating friendly arrangements with neighbouring companies and so avoiding as much as possible Parliamentary and legal conflicts.