The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1878-06-25 00:00:00

SHOEING OF HORSES.

Mr. George Ransom wishes to effect a very sweeping
alteration in a well-nigh universal custom, and though
he is not at all sadruine of success, there Is about his
assertions a quiet confidence which will probably not
be altogether without effect. Speaking from long and
varied experience, Mr. Ransom toldly pronounces
horseshoes not only an unneoerary but a mischievous
Invention, and he would have such sncumb Daces
abolished altogether. For more than five and twenty
years he has used unshod horses, and, as at one time
over two hundred animals have been in his possession,
It is clear that he has had abundant opportunities of
testing his theory. Moreover, these horses have been
worked over the roughest roads imaginable, in places
excessively hard, and others as disagreeably soft and
heavy, sad have carried weights of at least twenty-five
stone. Horses mu.t, Mr. Ransom admits, be gradually
habituated to going without shoes, supposing they
have ever been shod. Of course if an owner " were
to pull off his horses shoes and at once ride him a long
distance, he would find his horse go tender on his feet'
but were be to use him gently for • fortnight, and
gradually let him feel his feet, keeping the edges of the
hoof slightly rounded off with a rasp, to prevent the
ravelling up of the edges of a hoof for the first time
since colthood brought naked to the ground, he would
be agreeably surprised when, after a year or two's ex-
perience, he would become aware of the absence of
corns, splints, and other nuisances brourht on by
shoeing, and the jarring in setting down the shod foot
on pavement, especially in horses of high action."
Supported by Mr. Ransom's own experience, and by
the circumstance that in Brazilian cities European,
Australian, and other carriage horses are all unshod,
these novel aseertioneare not to be too lightly con.
tradicted But the great fact remains that horses are
almost invariably shod in Europe and most parts of
America, and the practice f shoeing would hardly
have been introduced and universally adopted had
there been no occasion for it. The first man who
shod horses must have tried the experiment after much
anxious thought, because it was made evident that
the hoofs of the hones imperatively needed protection,
Nevertheless Mr. Ransom feels confident that though
perhaps not in his day, the time will come when
shoes will be abolished It will be interesting to hear
the experience of those who are induced to follow this
example and advice.

ATTEMPT TO BLOW UP TWO FAMILIES
A terrible affair took place at Belough, about half a
mile from Athlone. on Saturday night. Two men
-4444 be employed on the Nlidiand Great %lowan;
Railway were observed about twelve o'clock to
a house belorging to a woman named
Ammon In • very mysterious manner. Mrs. Hansen,
who at the time we. the sole occupant, on hearing
footsteps nearing her hones went to an upper room,
the window of which we. open, and, unobserved by
the two ruffians, took oognitance of their proceedings.
One of them said, " Now SI Mahon (a time-keeper on
the nailway) is from home, we will blow up the whole
concern." They then placed some expire vs eubetance
beneath the door, supposed to be dynamite, struck •
amok and Ignited a fun ; soon afterwards an
explosion took place. the door was rent in splinter&
windows were torn from their frames, and the ow
literally shattered into fragment& Here, fortunately,
no further damage ensued. Calculating, no doubt,
that Mrs- Hanson we. either killed oe too much
frightened to make an alarm, they next proceeded to
the residence of a man named Walsh, and there
committed a similar outrage with • like result, but
with this addition that a dresser and other ...tiara, of
furniture were overturned, and a quantity of aeis
anu
glass broken. This house we. originally in ii dilapidated
oondition, and being occupied
ii
bKr=hildrea, together
with their parents ms , It see oua that no one
we. killed. Personal animosity is believed to be the
motive Ice this dastardly mime.

THE RliS OF PEACE.
Fishwives and other market women have long
enjoyed a r eputation for truculence of speech and
ma, ner, not only in England, but in most parts of the
world. A Russian colonel, who lias lately been
appointed chief polhx-rnaster of one of the most
populous towns in the Baltic provinces, hae hit upon a
very novel hut truly oriental plan for the civilisstion
of these irritable dames. He knew that preaching a
moral homily would be of no use whatever were the
hearers were two women who were cursing one another
at the rate id 111 word, a minute, and who were only
prevented from tearithr one another's fuse by the
strong ann of the police. "You must be locked up
in one and the some tell until you have Hued each
other." This was invariably the sentence of the new
magistrate in every cue of female broil which was
brought before him. lie knew very well that although
kissing one another is a habit with male Rthsiane, it is
not much in we with the women of l'aluscove, least of
all with the fish-wives. The excited ladies wi re hurried
off, railed for a time louder than ever, protested that
they would die gamer than give this eutuiliating sign
of reconciliation, and then, after a few ti,ittrs' confine-
ment, called the gaoler, and informed him that they
" kisied." Al the conciliatory act was effected in the
dark, for the sake of procuring liberty, and without
the presence of witnesses, the fish-wives were Informed
that they mast repeat the kin publicly in the open
market-place. A small fine wee taken from each, and
they were marched out into the mercantile areotogus,
and were then compelled. in the midst of their sisters
In trade, to kis• each other three times, and to give a
public promise of future peaceableness. At the end of
six weeks, during which period this curious penalty
was frequently imposed, not • single outbreak of •
market-wife battle occurred within the jurisdiction of
the humorous police-master. —Globe.

• SANGUINARY DUEL farliamentarp frottaingi
Two vwea. farmers, Messrs. Alexander and •
Frost Coles. brothers-in-law,fought a duel at Forest Doped., !
Virginia, on the 20th ult. of • most diatressing nature. n. iioue of
The quirrel arose out of • bet as to the height of goose whiteeeude eeee—r, ote7firjr u""•—rehjfie inge7.77
:corn. Hot words ensued, and "finally the lie panted." Memorandum publudied by the Glebe as to an agree,
Siley thcn proposed that they shoold adjourn to a wood between the British and Rosman Governments ms gh.
ghost a mite distint, and "fight it out with knives." Eastern Question we authentic • and if so, whethee _
TULA suggestion met with the approval of Coles, and the further iwormation would be given to the Hams ,r"i".j
two men icons home and procured carving-knives. Thee regard to the paragraph which applies to the promettee"•,_
told an old coloured labourer named Bob Ormington to in Asia Minor.—The Doke of Ricioutiod and Gordo, i 7
meet them at the spot arranged. and to bring an axe with reply, said that the document was • confidential "
him. Oa arriving at the wood they informed the negro of and evidently had been surreptitiously obtained, ineagee;i
their ant-ation. and directed him if he found one tithing , as it did not thoroughly represent the policy of H
advantage of the otter "to rush in with the ate an ; Majesty's Government It was incomplete, and tlieget,e"
, inaccurate, and bad not been pablithed with gh;;
straighten
tyhde7lajc." beighae". tiTieleistlriuePltri.l.Wittishestalwaied,4'w‘nered i authority, and he must decline, in the interest,
"men of spleodid physique," and perfectly cool. They Governmeneand the country, giving any further inforo
Brat tried fenette. but after a few parries Gies began to tion on the subject. —Lord Houghton regretted the pubh.
use his knife like a madman. Hit inflicted five deep cation, because it bad a portentous effect through),
wounds in his antagonist's body, one being a severe go. Europe, while in France a very painful feeling Imq hes;
in the throat Sine,' fell on the ground in • few minutes, egeste.t.
fi caueenl
and died in less than half-andsou three r. Coles received On Tuesday several bills were advanced a stage.
On Thuniday, on the motion of the Bishop of patter
owneteinnifithme rithba,at anheddiodnenoituhitge
the Truro chapter Bill, which transfers the fth
w dying and Odes had fallen of Exeter Cathedral to the See of Truro, and maim. p.
-•
obnutthyeegril;otunt endweghhautileY as
exhausted by loss of blood, the negro rushed vision for the foundation of a Dean and Chapter or the
off and gave the :starlit A constable whom he met newly-created diocese, was read • second time.
hurried tO the spot and found &ley dead and Giles Apia- On Friday the Lord Chancellor called attention to the
neck.he wounds—one
old lathe
negro arm
. was
lenity dying. They were carried to the nearest house, but state of intermediate education in Ireland, and introdeeed
Cole's recovery by latest accounts was thought doubtful, a bill on the subject
Siley had only been msrried a few months. Coles, it is In the House of Commons, on Monday, the Chee„her
added, is related to a" prominent pollucias." of the Exchequer, in reply to the Marvis of Hartingtee,
made& statement relative to the agreement
substantially identical with that of Dge'Duke of Richnimd
and Gordon in the House of Lordx—Mr. R. W. liant,m,
In answer to a question, said that owing to certain circum.
stances he should withdraw kis motion respeciing the
article dy Mr. Gladstone in the SiwettengA Century. —Th.
adjourned debate ou the Valuation of Property La
occupied the rest of the evening.
On Tuesday there was • morning sitting, when the
Scotch Roads and Bridges Bill occupied several Loom le
the evening Mr. W. Holum called attention to the rms.
tire positions of the various isligious denominations in
Scotland, with the view of • select committee being up.
pointed to inquire into the operation of the Patronage
Act of 1574, and to ascertain how far the people were in
favour of waists sing the connection between Clutch amt
State in that country. The debate was adjourned.
Os Wednesday the second reading of the Woolen's
Disabilities Removal Bill was rejected by 219 to 140.
On Thursday the Roads and Bridges (Scotland) Ism wee
re•umed in committee, and the debate occupied severe(
hours.
Friday the business of the morning sitting was confined
exclusively to the discussion of the Valuation of Pr, puty
Bill in comniittee. At the evening sitting Mr. Macdonald
called attention to the appalling frequency of disasters
mines, and named a resolution calling upon the Goren,
swot at once to take steps rigorously to enforce the
Inspection ordered by the Mums Act of Iffa Tits
resolution was not predated.

A WILTSHIRE BREACH OF PROMISE CASK
In the Queen's Bench Division on Tuesday Baden) the
Lord Chief Justioe, Mr. Justice Mellor, &Mid Mr. JOSUE*
ID
.pL:::,..himny...l4.w.aliat..thhc.•,:ah.rrird:rioar:ga
.....s.pif.prolTimcahbeisUtbfo::::fvvßorf.jtn...e:w:Ctr:Limtti
tried
eu...;f4
with • verdict for the plaintiff for £I.OIIO.
The plaintiff was a young
_lady of a the daughter of tha
rector of All Caonings, in Wiltshire. The defendant sia.
a young gentleman of V, at the University of Canabeidg4
the only son of • gentlem mmi of souse property, obi h
died since the engagement was broken off, leaving hit,
with a fair provision. The young gentleman, in 1874, had
become intimately acquainted with the young mays
thbeeeny.htitugetonrizt.Crawburidgi.enainwid in
i to
spi?:lynthc:ime.ittrnbeh,:erwr'Chtslol:ibLd:dtildnof.stacandteernion.betwioltsiptr.th
ihdisrnifdriitnstri.d.cttrfilunoliloy.uusita
also very accomplished. They passed • happy week
together there, going to one or two balls. He was eery
much smitten with her, and after one of these balls he
declared his pardon for her. nit young lady derlitied to
listen to his addresseee until his parenta and lier's bad
approved them, and on the 291,11 of January, 1875 (this
approval being obtained), he wrote her • letter of proposal,
which was accepted by return of post. In the spring
they were together at Clifton for • week, where tbe young
lady had relations, and in June, 1875, he went again to
All Canning', and .pent • month there, being introduced
to their friend's as the young lady's affianced husband. Is
July, 1875, he went to the Isle of Wight to read with the
young lady's brother, and there he was mired with illness,
during which he was nursed by his tutor, and received the
most affectionate letters from his friend's slater. The
young gentleman, however, again failed for his "Hideo,"
and as this was the second time he had failed, this
appeared to have much disappointed his father, who in
September, 1875, wrote to the young lady's father propos-
ing. on account of his son's bed_ prospects, to break of the
engagement, which, however, Mr. May declined to do. In
the autumn the young lady was on a visit to the delta-
dant's mother at Fernsida near Birmingham, and there
he one day expressed to her hi. opinion that the eneage-
ment had better be broken off, giving as a reason his want
of means. The young lady replied to this that his means
were the same as they were before; and it may here be
stet.-,l that it appeared that a relation had left lora
£3.000. and at hat time it was all he bad. It appeared
that he was desirous of going into ths Church, but that
this object was frustrated by his failure to peas his
"little go "at the University. This au the reaeon sug-
gested hy the defendant and his father for desiring to
break off the engagement. In January, 176, the deleuthint
wrote to the young lady thus : 'I supposed you would
hay* perceived, from the tanour of my letters lately,
that some change had occurred in my feelings, hut, as you
make no reference to this subject, I conclude von
do not see it. Perhaps if we met we might
explain ourselves more satisfactorily, not at All Canning',
but at any other place." The young lady wrote in reply:
—"For the lint time since our engagement I learn, not
only from the tone of your letters, hut in plain words, that
Jour feelings have undergone some change towards me;
hut what the change is, or from what came, I know not.
In apite of ninny discouragements, I have held faithfully
to oar promise. Do you wish seriously to break yoursl
If so, tell me so plainly. With regard to our meeting if
your intention. are loving and true, there in no reason 'for
your avoiding All Canning. ; but I should be sorry to press
you to do anything at variance with your inclination&"
In reply to this he wrote to the effect that he thought the
engagement hail better be broken off, and to th& there
was no answer, and heal. wrote again without receiving
an answer. The young lady alter this beCl.lllO it was
said, out of apirits and 111, and towards the end of the year
the lady's father wrote to the defendant on the subject of
the engagement, in enswer to which the defendant wrote
repeating his desire to break it off, for reasons which, be
said, the lady knew. Her slither wrote to demand *hat
they were, and he replied that it was for • want of truth-
fulness which he had observed on various ocensions. In
reply to this—which, it ahould be stated, referred to a
trivial matter, aa to which the defensbuit'soounsel admitted
that the young lady's explanation was quite satisfactory
—the father wrote in angry and indignant terms, declar-
ing that it aggravated the cruelty of which the defendant
had been guilty. Then this action was brought, which,
as already stated, was tried at the last Assizes at Devises
before Sir J. Stephen. Ti.. defence set up was that the
young lady had consented to a rescission of the engage-
ment ; but this she denied, and declared that she nes er
had the slightest intention of giving up the young gentle-
man : and that, in point of fact, there had been no return
of letters or presents, nor even of the "engaged ring.' In
the meantime the defendant's father had died, end the
office copy of the will of the father was put in from which
it appeared that the sum of £16.0041 had been left, the
interest to he shared during the mother's life between het
and two children, the defendant and his slater, and on the
mother's death the capital to be divided between thew..
The defendant was not called as a witness, nor, indeed,
was any tritium. called for the defence, but one of the
y,,ung lady's letters—the one in answer to his declining
to come to visit her at her father's—and her allergia:de
ceasing to write to him were relied on as evidence of
rescission of the engagement. The learned Cow mismoser
put all these matters fully before the jury, but they
found that there never wae a rescission of the engagement,
and gave a verdict for the plaintiff for SIAM This trunk
application for • new trial, on the ground that the office
copy of ths father's will was improperly put in evidence,
that the verdict woe against the evidence as to ralCiui..,
and that the datums:e were egnemiati
Mr. Cute. q C., and Mr. Horeb were for the plaintiff ; Kr.
Th. Lord
brethren, said thhieeefig:cojuiigh, end
that hal the amount :Gotugi,ncePohtitouldi,..6fttlitarbieewtdainemaisth..t.wlit:husfhoreht:h learned
eh
e enough,
Mr Cole said
ad infw'
mation that th, defendant's position we, even better than
was supposed : appear as a witness to make an adavit on this applicfr
d the defendant had not ventured to
The Lord Chief Justice: Tak, a week to cotisider Mr.
would be enough.
Cole. We
Cole saithdinhke otthornall""1"*. not pans.
.1411Welhytakigh.p.ccepitbitlia:la.c;pets:545°Ilo,uldrather have a new .
sum between £5OO and £l,OOO, but ins could not K.'S
£5OO. However, be would confer with his friend qr, the
other side, had patens the Court might not hear of the
cane again.

SPORTING ITEM.
The Royal Runt Cup, a piece of pleas sane 300
eon, with 150 to the second, and 90 soya, to third,
added to a handicap sweepstakes of 10 sors, each;
winners extra. New Mile. 72 subs.
Yr. J. T. Basra Julius Caesar. by St. Albana—Jutie 5
Yre.,Bst 61b..
••• • . W. Archer/ I
bevd flartinsta;n*. lielphishe, 4 yrs. Tai Ib (C. Wend) I
hir if. Aymara Rosy Crew 4 yr., Tat II h (Conatabla) 3
When the road was reached, Julius Cesar had
worked his way into a clear command, and, with
Avenue soon afterwards being beaten. Belphmbe and
Rosy Crams passed the rest, they, however, being, h."
the leader, on the left, under mile, and were not
Perceived until reaching the new telegraph board,
where it was case of hare and hounds, Julius Cala'
winning all the way from the road in the easiest hake
by three lengths • the same between wood sod third.

BIRTHS.
lime 11. at Cranslingten Colliery, Northumberland. the
idle et Mr. G. li Lane, of • son.
Jona 15, at High-street, Poole, the wile of Mr r. A.
Sharp, of • MEL
June 19, at 11. Kinglend-place, Longfleet. Took% the
wife of Mr. Matthew Gould, of a mon.
June Hi, at 3, Alington.terrace, Dorzhester, the wife of
Mr. S. Humber, of a daughter.
MARRIAGES.
June 10, at Blandford Church, by the Rector Mr jAzi
Mestyerd, confectioner, of Blandford to Ifnit Roo.
second daughter of of Mr. Robert Hood j
, un., w
of Blandford.
June 10„ at St. Michael's Church, Bourneutouth.,„ML
William Coachman. of Portiimouth, to Sarah Ann, third
daughter of Mr. William Purchase, of Blandford.
June 11, at the Mituiter,Wunbonse, James Riggs. d
Wimbortm, to Mrs. Fanny Record, of Wareham
June 13, at Blendford, Church, by the Racist. Sr. John Shoveller, corn merchant, of Portsmouth, to Emus
Loud*, second daughter of Yr. L Reed, wine and Ord
merchant, of Meedrerd.
June 19, at Holy Trinity church. sr_ meryirbeer, tf..
by the Rev. W. Cadman. 'Rector_, M.A., and Prebeodeff
of St. Peul's, imitated by the Hee. T, Meredith, Gann
Stevens, of the Richmond end Twiseenhees Timm fle__S. '
Weymouth). to Charlotte, second daughter of Wm.'
Lanlhertolo3. Cleveland-street, Fitaroyeauera, W.
June 18, at the Derek obureb, peddietemm, by the Re;
F. Freeman, Mr. Filward Sticitiend, to Mary, woo
daughter of Mr. W. Stainer, of Troytown.
Deem&
June 5, at Mllboene St. Andrew, Mr. JUDI* GOW4
es • d TO
June 10, at Bournemouth, Dorothy. widow of the Iste
Mr. James B. Green. of Biandford, aged 43 years. ..,..
June 13, at Elltragitki. Wen Lulw, suddenlf. me '
David Rolle aged 48 ort.h
June 13, at
Wan:emelt fittsanaak wife of Giants
FrecePkwl. urld €7.
Jun. 16. at Wert Stafford Oat the wield,.,. of,
_tee
daughter, Kra Robert &MUM, after • short illness. n.'"
widow of the bite Mr. he Berwick.
Ring George. of Hassover, died at Pail cm Wedardef
In *4 50Sh =it. Ms age- RI. Majesty was first cella
to_gesise V end a peer of the Itiood Royal. .
klr. Peter NULrirteb (Liberia), ar. foe the Medium'
barcenthe, died ma Wedeeiday.
mm........,........_

cheques and Pest-office orders are=:
May Maix Muzak 8, High West-street, Printed and Published by EDWIN H. Wescott:
the Olive, High-stress Wert, Dorchester, pada of H.* Trinity, for the Prordibx.
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