The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1879-03-25 00:00:00

STEAM TRAMWAYS.

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Graham Vivien, of Clyne-park. Swansea, gave
evidence before • Select Commi'dee of the House Lords
on Monday in reference to the working of the steam tram-
way between Swansea and the Mumbles. He stated that
the noise of the engine and the excessive rate of speed at
which it was semi:times driven were dangerous to the
pufilic who um i the road alongside the tramway. He
wa. Informed that on Saturday last the locomotive and
several car. proceeded at • rate of seventeen miles an
hour, although the time nominally alkiwird for a journey
of flve miles was thirty minutes. If the noise were
abated and the speed restricted, his objection of the tram-
way would be removed. With regard to the London tram-
ways, another wittier, Mr. Frederick Gamble, said he
re..resented the owners of 10,000 cobs in the metropolis,
and they wished to represent to the committee the great
damage which was done to their property by the tram-
ways ea they were laid at present. The wheels of their
cal.s caught in the grooves of the metals and "skidded"
along them, so that wheels were sometimes wrenched off,
while the tires were constantly injured, and damage was
also sometimes done to the springs on the whole, he
estimated the hummed wear and tsar of cabs owing to
the introduction of tramways at from 13 to Ki per cent.

WITCH-BURNING IN RUSSIA_
The St. Petersburg Gekserweserst MOIMINN, reports that
early last month • woman named Agrafena ignatkors
we. burned as • wit h by the peasant. in the villa., of
Wrinkliero. in a Government of Novgorod- It seems
that the wretched woman, who was the widow of a
soldier. had the repatatiou of being • sorceress and witch,
and strove to promote Utis delusion by every means In her
power. The peasants of the whole neizbbouring district
had such a dread of her powers of mischief ibat tligy
endeavoured ergo to anticipate her wishes, and although
an alio ute pauper she lived very comfortably on the
co tributions spontaneously made to her. There were
many person in the district sufferiug from epile or, and
It was popularly believed that the witch had thus
punished them for offending her in some way. One of
these epileptic sufferers, a girl from • distant village,
beeou4ht stone pessanta to burn the witch and so relines
her from her sufferings. At an nimbly of headmen and
scalars of the village it was resolved to extingu eh Use
source of mischief. The proceeded to her hut, which
they found fastened up. They broke it open,
discovered the wretched woman. charged her with the
crio.e. and then nailed up the window and door to
prevent her escape. By this time over 200 men had
aasernliled around the hut, and amid their jeers and shouts
of exultation it was set on fire, and the whole crowd
remained until it was quite consumed- The sum of 21
roonies and SO copeks (nearly a 6a) was collected and
offered to the rural policeman as • bribe to ware his
&deuce. But he rejected it, and so this terrible timed,
came to light.

TIIE RUSSIAN CORSAIR FLEET.
About two years ago, at the time when war between
Ruasia end England seemed imminent, the /tartan
Government caused • society to be termed for the equip-
ment of cruisers to act against the Britiah merchant
service. The socie• y. which we. place I under the direction
and patnmage of the Grand Duke, the successor to the
Throne applied to the Governors of the various prov sees
to promote the patriotic end in view. The Governors, in
their turn, forcibly etch wting the wealthier portion of the
inhabitants to subscribe money, it waa expected that in
course of time each of the sixty-three Russian provinces
would be induced to contribute a irttes is ms... The
yield of the first subscriptions—lour million rouble*, to
which the War Office contributed (oar hundred thousand
—provided the society with four drips which were pun
cha est in Germany and America; after which, inter.
national relations stemming a more pacific &ape ts the
movoment was suapended by the same official agencies
chic. had ailmi it unto life. At a sitting of the society
recently held at Iliecow. the continuation of its la'srure
was priolainred by the Vice Presideat. Garr • sts inaqmsi
he said had always proved the most effectual means of
iojitring Raglan& Ruoia haring no merchant nay.
whirl. could be converted into cruisers in time of war, it
W. 'to I g.poosabla toprucuro an wlequate num Cr of vessels
for the purpose. The vessel • would be employed for
CAUDIDD,DIi objects dialing the continuance of peace:
while the first signal of war would find them engaged in
active hostilities against the enemy. The four vesede
already at the disposal of the society—the Russia, Moscow,
St. Petersburg, mad Nishni.Norgorod—had lately been
cluilig good service in eeping up communication with the
Houten Army ii Bulgaria, •nd upon the close of military
operations were intended to form a steam navigation line
between Cronstadt, Sebastopol, and Vlailivostock. In
other word., they would be sent to the East 23 berian
shores to act in the PoC,DC OD en emergency. These
prospective cruisers, though denominated volunteer navy,
are his Majesty's tueo-of.war, commanded by Imperial
officers, and manned by Imperial crews..