The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1860-04-17 00:00:00

CHARMOUTH.

At a meeting of the Council of the Royal College
of Preceptors, of London, on the 7th inst., Mr. W.
B. Stokes, of this place, schoolmaster, professor of
music, and organist, was admitted a member of the
a 1, ge.
Si. M A RI'S CII U RCII, CaTuanierosir- —This church
is very prettily decorated for the season of Easter.
A wreath surrounds the font, and the cross placed
in the centre arch of the reredos is hung with a
wreath of white flowers, and has a vase of choice
flowers hung on either side.

Dorchester, litth April, 1860.
SIR,—W ill you be so good as to allow me a short
space in your paper for au answer to a letter from
Mr. Arthur Whitehead, which lately appeared in an
obscure print.
Mr. Whitehead says, "I purpose mitriply to state
matters of fact, which are stubborn thiags., ' Now,
Sir, with regard to the first part of this sentence, I
must say that the vault of these facts reminds me
of a saying which would apply to the contents Of the
sewer, " the inure it is stirred the worse, &C." The
next part of the sentence is very truthful and
strengthens my ease amazingly, and I will blare
those persons who have sem a comniou street grat
taken up and relaid five times owing to a defective
OW to say whether I am right or wrong. Mr.
Whitehead says I stated that there is plenty of
••••-e.- *he well, and subserib.ol ulyeaf Sorry-to.-
see-It. What was sorry to see ?
Why, as he did not take the trouble to ask the.
question. I will tell bun.
I was sorry to see the result of the silly blunder-
ings of the engineer.
He then says that I proceed to state faults in the
pumping machinery, for which I would lead the
public to think him responsible.
What Mr. Whitehead means by this I really do
not know, for I said valuable machinery, and he
must have construed this word valuable into faults.
I also said that the engines were powerful and would
fetch the water from a much greater depth; I will
now add that the engines and machinery are the only
part of the whole system of wate.• supply and drain-
age that is in really working order, and for this
little success only the inhabitants of Dorchester
I have to thank Mr. Whitehead for not having inter-
fered.
Mr. Whitehead, speaking of the well, goes on to
say " I have heard no satisfaction expressed on the
part of the Council at the successful completion of an
operation on which depended the working of the
whole of their sanitary scheme, and the maamer in
which this great boon to the town of Dorchester lite
been received would almost lead me to believe that
the motto Sorry-to-see-it is not confined to the
person who has recently so subscribed himself."
Now, Sir, can you imagine anything so absurd as
for a man to expect to hear the Council express
satisfaction when they find to their dismay that
through an engineering blunder, the headings ot
chambers are placed eight or ten feet too deep in
the well. If the ratepayers are not sorry to see
this they can have no care for their purse.
Then, with regard to the tank, he blames the
Council for " settin§ aside their engineer and assu-
ming his functions.
by did they set aside their engineer? Why,
Sir, you must see, and every other right-thinking
:l t see that it is impossible tor a builder,
howeverlan Bclever he might be, to make a sound job of
a tank if the plan is defective ; this was Mr.
Gregory's case. Then why should the abuse be
heaped upon his head after be had carried out the
building in a business and workmanlike manner, its
failure being entirely owing to a defective plan.
Thais not the first time Mr. Whitehead has made
a mess of tank•building, for at Burnhatu, iii Somerset-
shire, the work was taken out of his hands and com-
pleted by swore competent party.
I wont not press too much upon your space, so will
just add that he speaks of this sanitary work as one
of difficulty, whereas the situation of the town to
near the river, and an much higher. rendered it the
easiest thing imaginable; but Mr. Whitehead tries
to carry everything with a !Ugh hand, which
accounts for his having placed the sewer above the
level of Mr. Nlondey's kitchen and those of the
adjoining houses. Su much for the fact& What
would the ratepayers say if they only knew half the
engineering blunders that have been made during
the execution of this simple work.
I am, Sir. rvilly very sorry for the good old town
of 'Dorchester. and I hope that this will be the
means of preventing a recurrence of wasteful ezpase
diture for the future.

1 remain, Sir. truly,
SORRY-TO-SEE-IT.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

EXPRESS OFFICE. Monday, 8 p.m.

-
(From Mr. Reuter'e Office.)

PARIS, MONDAY, April 18th.
The Moniteur publishes the following despatch,
dated Nice, Sunday, 3 p.m.
_ _

"At 1 o'clock p.m. to-day, out of the total
number of 7,000 voters 5,000 had already regis-
tered votes."

"The news from the neighbouring communes
was excellent, and the voting in favour of
annexation to France unanimous."
GENENA, APRIL 15, EVENING.

"Yesterday evening • Genevan Deputation,
representing all parties, presented Sir Robert
Peel with a testimonial, consisting of a cup and a
rifle. The most cordial expressions were ex-
exchanged.

'Sir K. Peel promised the support of England
for the preservation of the independence and
neutrality of Switzerland."
"The Deputation expressed their thanks to the
English ministry and the Parliament.
GENEVA, 111oxosx, April 16th.
"In Switzerland the agitation upon the ques-
tion of Savoy is increasing.
"On Saturday and Sunday evening numerou •
meetings took place at Thun, Winterthur, and
other places; the most important were those
held at Often and Lausanne.

"Au extraordinary Envoy will be aeut to
Berlin.