The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1877-12-11 00:00:00

THE WAR.

.
Bad weather prevailed throughout Bulgaria at the
de., of last week, and neveral telegrams from the
seat of war in Europe speak of t perations having beat
stopped by the fog. Our correspondent at the Turkish
head-quarters above Kesrova reports that an action
took place at Slataritza on Thurslay, in which tie
Turk', appeared to gain the advantage. The Ru.ssiaue.
he add., have established a strong poet west el
Kesrova. In Ada further operations have become
impossible, owing to the heavy and continued snow-
fall. The Wilk t.d General .Nlelikofis troorm are
detained by the RDOW in the Soghanli llagh, where
they are suffering, greatly. Although journeys by
road now occupy three or four times their usual time,
it is reported that the Russians intend to send the
Turkish wounded from Kars to Erzeroum. The
Roumanian Senate has discussed the reply to the
Massage from Prince Charles. In the course of the
debate it was stated by the Roumanian Foreign
Minister that no written treaty with Russia exists,
bat the Government count for the present on the
magnanimity of the I'zar. and intend to rely later on
upon the wisdom of Europe. it wan rumoured on
Saturday in Constantinopie that the Servians had
crewed the frontier, hut this has eince proved to be
unfounded. The Servian agent is still in Constanti-
nople, and ban no information of the kind. The
Ottoman War Office has received news that perfect
tranquility prevails on the frontier, while the Servian
troops, who were near it. have either been withdrawn
or sent to their homes. The total lose of the Russians
up to Thursday in officially sta•ed to be 71,193 men.
Standard.

ILATEst.I
(Be. Telegraph.)
PIMA, llomlay.
Erzeromn has provisions for eight months, but lacks
water.

THE AMUSEMENT OF ROYALTY.

In the 3ril volume id "the life of the Prince
Consort," written by Mr. Theodore Martin occurs
the following :
" In a supreme degree, too, the Queen and Prince were
able to find strength in the love which is the best restora-
tive for the weariness and the heartache of all mortal life.
'Trials we most hare ; but what are they if we are
together !' On the same day, the anniversary of her
marriage, on whicb, we have seen, the Queen's heart over-
flowed in these simple words —tdinple, yet how eloquent !
their childnoi had preparist for them of those graceful
surprises, with which their affertion never failed to mark
Its periodical recurrence. The Baron and Baroness
Bunsen were among the guests at Windsor upon the
osasion, and to this happy accident we owe the following
grateful report by the Baroness of the ' Marque' which
the Royal children had advised for the occasion :—' We
followed the Queen and Prince Alliert a long way,
through one large room after another, till we came to one
where hung a red curtain, which WAS presently drawn
aside, for representations of the "Four Seasons," studied
and contrived by the Pv al children as a surprim to the
Queen, in releliration of the day. First appeared Princess
Alice as Spring, scattering flowers, and reciting verses
which were taken from Thomson's ' Seasons ;• she moved
gracefully and spoke in a distinct and pleasing manner,
with excellent modulation, and a tone of voice sweet and
penetrating like that of the Queen. Then the curtain was
drawn, and the scene changed, and the Princess Royal
represented Summer, with Prince Arthur stretched upon
the sheaves, as if tired with the beat and harvest 14 ork ;
another chance, and Prince Alfred, with a crown of vine
itAyes and the skin of • panther, represented Autumn—
looking very well. Then followed a change to winter
landscape, and the Prince of Wales represented Winter,
with a cloak covered with icicles (or what seemed such),
and the Princess Louise, a charming little uniMed.up
figure, busy keeping a tire; the Prince reciting (as all had
done) passages more or less modified from Thomson. Then
followed the last change, when all the Seasons were
grouped together, and far behind, on a height, appeared
Princess Helena, with a long white veil hanging on both
aides down to her feet, holding a long cross, and pronounc-
ing a blessing upon the Queen and Prince. These verses
were composed for the occasion. I understood them to say
that Saint Helena, remembering her own British extrac-
tion, came to pronoun, a benediction upon the rulers of
the country; and I think it must have been so intended,
because Helena, the mother of Constantine (said to have
discovered the remains of the cross which bore the
Saviour), was a native of Britain, and she is always
represented loaning upon a large Cross. But your father
understood that Britannia was intended as blessing the
pair. In either view of the subject the Pnocess
reriLi looked very charming. This was the close; but
by command of the Queen, the curtain was again with-
drawn, and we saw the whole Royal family together, who
came down severally from the raised platform ; also the
baby, Prince Leopold was carried ii Ily his nurse, and
looked at us all with big eyes, stretching out his arms to
be taken by the Prince Consort."