The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1864-01-05 00:00:00

NOTES OF THE WEEK.

The American war has now existed some two
years and a half, and who shall say that two
years and a half more shall not pass away before
its end arrive.? The Richmond correspondent
of the Times says :—" If it be possible that the
armies of Lee and Bragg can be driven from the
open field, and that Atlanta and Richmond
should fall into Federal hands, the first stage of
the war will merely be completed. President
Lincoln will find himself face to face with nine
or ten Poland'. The military problem now
fiercely debated between the two sections would
yield to the political, which none can pretend to
deny presents features of vastly deeper gravity
and ever-increasing difficulty of solution. If the
Confederate horizon is at this moment overcast,
it is not because Confederate troops are
less valiant than of yore, but because the
Confederate people are more corrupt. It
is difficult not to curl the lip when the
grasping, money-grubbing, mercenary spirit of
the Yankee is denounced in an atmosphere
reeking with speculation, like this. Go this day
to the great auction sale of blockade-running
goods exhibited by MOSUL Kent and Paine, in
the principal street of Richmond, take note of
the army of young and able-bodied men who
might, if they were men and not sharks, swell
Lee's host to 100,000 bayonets, and who are en-
gaged in scrambling over each other's backs to
buy silks and muslin., and to invest some of the
Confederate notes, which they have in two years
and • half of unscrupulous greed amassed in
materials and fabrics which, whether the Con-
federates sink or swim, must stil command gold.
If the Confederate Congress, when it assembles,
fails to rise to the height of the great argument
before it, then may be expected such
misery as upon earth has never yet been
known—the extension over the whole area
of Soma& of the bloody border warfare of
Missouri and Kansaa—a cessation of the pure
and mild sway of General Lee and his imitators,
and an ascent to the surface of Quantrell,
M'Niell, Parson Brownlow, and others of the
same brood—the dispersion all over the Slave
States of at least 200,000 border ruffians or
guerillas, more merciless than Italian Coudettieri,
more stealthy and wily than the Red Indian
'avails, who will never cease to slay and burn
until the Federals relinquish their grasp upon a
country of which it would take • standing army
of 2,000,000 soldiers to crush the spirit and ex-
tinguish the resistance." In the meantime, sue-
cess has again attended the arms of General
Leuptreet. Some short time since the Southern
general seemed for • moment to have his op-
brugnhtit entirely
that hist
the tables wttrenextutredt
upon him, and that the utmost his friends
could hope for him was that be would
be able to make good his retreat. The news,
however, which arrived by the Una on Friday,
informs no that the Confederate General had
turned upon his punmen, who were retreating
before him as be had shoed? dose before this,,

and that he once more threatened Knoxville.
Thus wo find that when one end of the plank
appears as low as it can possibly be up it springs
again, and the other descends, only to rise and fall.
and rise and fall again. The Confederate resources
are doubtless lessening, but we do not believe they
are driven to such straits as the Northern press
delights to represent them. How often have we
been told that the Southerners were dying of
starvation. Let those who have been led to
suppose that such was the fact read the following
from the Times' Richmond correspondent :—"ln
the first place, the sight of man or woman beg-
ging in the streets is as unknown as in old days
it was in the most prosperous cities of the North.
Secondly, there is not a religious denomination
in this city of which the ministers do not assert
that never in their recollections were there so
few applications to them for relief. Thirdly, the
daily supply of food offered in the market knows
neither stint nor stay. Prices, it is true, are
enormous, if the dollar is supposed to be worth
4s ; they are very small if the dollar represents
its true value, which is between 3d. and 44.
English. That dollars are plentiful enough,
when there are 000 millions of them in circula-
tion, will easily be believed."
The speech of the Emperor of the French on
receiving the Corps Diplomatique, has been road
with great interest here, and by this time, in
every city on the Continent. Like the Imperial
speech on opening the Legislature, and like
the Imperial letter to the Sovereigns of Europe.
the leading idea is peace. Happily for the world,
perhaps, that it is so, for the immense influence
of the Emperor Napoleon cannot be denied.
For war or for pesos, for good or for evil, his
word is of the greatest importance, and sends
the foreign stock, up and down marvellously.
This being the case, it is with universal satisfac-
tion we read : "Notwithstanding the difficulties
which hate been brought about by certain
events indifferent parts of Europe, I am con-
vinced that will be removed by the conciliatory
spirit by which the Sovereigns are animated, and
that we shall be able to maintain peace. This
at least is like oil on the troubled waters, and
it is already leaving its effect; but. unhappily,
powerful as is the Emperor of the French, he
is not all in all. Great Biitain is yet—long may
we be able to say it—the first European power;
and if it be true that she has protested against
the occupation of Schleswig, who shall say that
war may not yet be forced upon us, arising from
this quarrel between the Germans and the Danes.
A Lreigu journal of considerable weight, the
NorA Deutsche Zeitung, regards the present
German attitude as necessitating Britiuh inler-
ference, and the Standard positively asserts that
Earl Russell has sent despatches to Austria
and Prussia, in which he says that "England
will not look quietly on at the dismemberment
of the Danish monarchy; and that in the event of
any attempt at the infringement of the territorial
rights of Denmark, it "will be the ddty of Great
Britain to afford the latter moral and material
support" What are tfre to underhand by
"material support!" It is two words to express
one little one, but a very powerful one—war.
Here, that, we bats ttro leading Manifestoes
at the same time Otis breathing peace the
other war. Happily for the world they are both
presumptive and contingent, and there is good
ground for hone that the two may be made to
harmonize. The Germans will now give themselves
pause; they see that the declaration of Great
Britian is heartily in favour of peace, and this
simply inasmuch as it virtually declares that peace
than not hr. distertml. The Emperor of the French
hopes the Wife, and Ake my it deliberately, after ex-
amination of this complicated question. Germany
will not dare to go to war.
We shall not enter minutely on the dry subject of
trade, but at the opening of another y ear it is satis-
factory to find, that we are commercially in a good
position. The last returns of the Board of Trade
show that the value of our exports during November
was larggly in excess of similar pentode iu former ,
Oars. In November icit yetr the expo* were
£9,761,000, in November 1663 they were £12,758,000.
Taking the past eleven months it is shown that
our export trade has increased by £19,000,000,
the amount this year being £132,000,000
against £113,000,000 in 1862. All this is very
encouraging, considering the Amerimn war and the
unsettled state of tbe Continent. The Revenue
return, are also encouragieg. It ie true they show
a small decredse, bat this accretes Is owing td re-
missions of taxation on tea and on income. 'the
gross decrease of revenue on the year is £1,913,000 ;
but out of this sum £1,350,000 represents the increase
arising from every department of revenue except
Customs and the Income-tax. It is earnestly to he
hoped, not only because we area nation of shop-
keepers, but for the general good of the world, that
we may he spared the infliction of war, which now
Chat the art of war has so much advanced, would
inevitably be OA only a very severe inflietion, bet
Very sipeonitti

DORCHESTER. —PITCH= CURS )(JAM Saturday'
January favourable change in the weather
caused a better feeling in the trade to-&j for wheat.
Choioe samples realised an advance of from ls. to 2.. per
quarter; others fall rates of last week. Barley in large
'apply, with a moderate demand, at former rates. Oats
and beans nominal. _

intTallv Batts—The ball at the Harracks on New
Year'.-evei given by the officers end non-oninmiaeiond
officers of the B Battery of Hotel llorge Artillery,
imam off with groat sue:elm The moist wet tastefully
decorated with evergreens and military accoutrements,
and the company numbered between 250 and 300, the
!hole of witch were highly revectahle, including
trisiesinen and some of the Yeotuanry and
litit non-Sommbehmed officers. ltobinson's quad.
rills band was in attendance, to the strains
of which dancing commenced in right good
earnest about nine o'clock. Captain Paget and his
lady, together with the other officers of the Battery,
were present, and indulged in the light fantastic with
much spirit. Dancing vu kept up with unflagging
energy until several of the 111.043 hour, had passed away,
when the concluding dance, Sir Hoer de Coverley,
bought the proeeedings to a close. The arrangements
were most effeetiudly and creditably carried out, and
the refreshments wars of flrse.class quality.
Tug WILATIMIL—The reading of the thermometer at
Dorchester for the pest week lea. follows :

ril 4;1 Direction
.....4 State of
Dile& Noon . 9 of Wind. Weather.
41. Z
I
Dec.
38 39 141 Sk S Rein. mirt7
29 51 35 W Misty, gloomy
30 43 34 NNW Fine
31 49 35 SE Cloudy, rain
Jan 1 33 35 NE Cloudy, fine
2 31 33 II Fine
3 31 22 5 Fine
00111111111POSDING WM LAW nal.
Dec. I I I
28 W Rain
:1 el g N Showers
1 44 33 NW Fine
31 44 42 NW k WSW Fine
Jan 1 BO 42 W Rain
2 45 i 39 NW Gloomy, fine
3 44 I 38 SW Rain, fi:ir

Trig Tow, Cu:Ks—This clock which has been so
long looked for, and which was to have been coin.
'bled by the end of October, eninmeno.l informing the
public on New ?ear's-day of the destine looms of time.
The tow. r is ected at the south-weot corner of the
Townhall,and is a capitol piece of workmanship. The
design M from the pen of Mr. Benjamin Ferry, of
London, the architect of the Townhall, whilst
the work his been ably serried out by Mr.
Wellspring, builder. The foundation of the tower is
apes .pillar built of brick, in cement, whi, h runs tip
to • considerable height. The corbeling is • very
li.a's,mo piece of workmanship, made of Portland
.tonu, on which is carved some beautifully executed
cream trial traocry. The spire ie made of wood,
cow ..ith lead, on the top of which is a
vai The height of the tower is 70 fe t,
exclusive of the vane. The entrance to the
tenet is from the interior of the Asevnibly-rooin, and
from these/ by • ladder up to the clock tower. The old
lantern turret in tb• centre of the Townhall bag been
removed, which adds much to the appearance of the
build sr. The dick is from the well-known lamellae.
tory of Mesas. Moore and Sons Cletkenwell, awl
apoears • beautiful specimen of mechanist: and Ain.
The tower is pierced for three faces and the dials are
of white opal, ineasarisg 5 feet 6 inches each. One
great misfortune, however, is that the faces are in four
parts, which, when illuminated. presents a very objec-
tionable appearance. The figures on the dials are
eight inches long. Tie dials are illuminatel by
four gas burners which give mole illumination. The
cluck is an 8-day one, bet on account of the tower not
being sufficiently long enough to allow the weights to
run down, it will have to be "multi up twice a week.
The clock strikes the qoartero and hours upon three
nice-toned bells. Notwithstanding all that we have
said the dials cannot be seen at any great distance,
indeed we question U the it.. can be made out from
the bottom of the printipal streets.
Bottoms Pgrre Bmainsa, Townhall, Monday.—
Before the Mayor, and M. Devenish, Esq.
ammo° Poutritr.—Edward Payne, a labourer of
Dewliab, wee brought up in custody charged with
stealing • fowl, the property of Mr. Dimon, of Fording.
ton. —P.C. Cousins Aged that at twelve o'clock on
Sunday morning he found prisoner in an outhouse I
occupied by M. Demos amongst seine straw. He was
asleep, and witriessdianowred him by walking upon him.
He asked prisoneewbere be came from, when he replied
from Poole, but afterwards said be belonged to Dewlish.
Prosemitor's era was enth;witness, and on examining the
'Maw they found the Inn. It was dead, its neck being
broken. He 'hurt prisoner with stealing it,
bet this be denied, seeing he knew nothing about it.
Witness thee took hitt in custody, when he acknow-
ledged that be bad ban in the outhouse two or three
times before. —Henry Damon said, in consequence of
what he had beard tint some fowls bad been stolen on
Saturday night he west with P.C. Cousins in search of
Prisoner on %easy in the outhouse, when under some
straw they found him and the ham. The bird belonged
to him, gad be Gould swear to it. He saw it in the yard
with other poultry lathe week.—Priscsier, in defines,
denied all knowledge if the fowl, saying he only went
tells down in the entlionse,—genteseed to two mouths,
imprisoensent with heal Islam

TOWN COUNCIL MEETING.

A quarterly meetinz of the enrporate body t. ok plow
Alsoday. when tl.ere wore present the Mayor (J.
Esl.) •',d Al(orman 04,.io;Council ir
110.1.(es. Luck, AlJridge, Mari", Frond, Andzesa, cud
Itsunott.
_

TOMS'

The report of the General Purposes' Committee wet
read. It rated that in con.equeom of apprehension ex-
isting as folio, enmity of a portion of the front wall of
the Guildhall, whilst the &tick tower was in course of
erectiou, se opportunity had been afforded for exainin:ng
ix Mr. llondey had dooe no, and recommended that
mine iron rods, of an ornamental character, should be
placcd across the roof of the Ametublrroom.
The Matron said th.t in cons. quenee of what Mr.
Mondry bad stated he thought it eras not desirable to
wait fur the present meeting of the Council, and had
ordered the nem:teary work to be done. Al! tbat was
wanted now v.a the approbation of the Counel The
plan of the work bad been forwar.led to Mr. Ferry,
which he had approved of with some sight alterations.
Some ilight diseutaion thee ensued in an almost un-
intelligible undertone, which did not reach the teportor's
table, altar which Mr. Hodges moved, and Mr. Lock
ceeonded, that that ;motion of the report be adopted.
Thii proposition was carried, but Mr. G.lpin and Dr.
Aldridge however objected to it., on the ground that the
proposed supports would spoil the appearanm of Die