The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1862-03-18 00:00:00

which could not be outvied except in the excellence of
the wines. The health of Mr. and Mrs. Duke was
given by Sergeant-Major Newman in a neat and
appropriate speech. Mr. Duke, in responding to the
toast, said how happy he was with their company;
that it was the "proudest day of his life",and that as
lie was not a member of the corps, and having been
applied to for a subscription, he begged them to
wept of .£l5 as a donation, and to enrol him as a
honorary member. Mr. Duke resumed his seat
amidst the cheers and expressions of heartfelt thanks
from all present. Mr. James Andrews was called
upon for a song, which he gave in, his usual
humourous style, and in the last verse
ingeniously introduced the leading topics of the
evening. After a sojourn to the smoking room,
where cigars and eau de-vie abounded, the corps
marched hack to Dorchester, where their music and
high spirits proclaimed to _the inhabitants that the
Dorchester Volunteers had thoroughly enjoyed
themselves.

WEYMOUTH.—A correspondent in Bell's Life
writing from Cowes, under the heed of "Regattas
and other Fixings," throws out some useful sugges-
tions, so as to avoid clashing. He says that as the
Royal Victoria at Ryde have announced their regatta
for 12th and 13th of Anti* the yachts might go
,westward, and hold the Wdyeaogth Regatta on the
19th or 20th. "Here," he remarks "is a flue bay,
and there would be ample sport, could the yachts
only be got there to provide it; not like last year,
when Plymouth followed the day after We)
Torquay and Plymouth regattas could then lo.low,
and a wind up mado by visiting our French neigh-
bours.
THE GOVERNMENT AND TH; YOLUNTEERS.-111
the House of Commons on Friday night, Lord A,
V. Tempest asked the Secretary of State for War,
whether her Majesty's Government would sanction
the issue of clothing, at contract price, to regiments
of Volunteers; also, whether they would consider
the expediency of giving a contingent allowance per
man, (according to the strength of the corps at the
annual inspection,) in aid of renewal of clothing and
equipments? Sir G. C. Lewis—ln answer to the
question of the noble lord, I may state that it is the
intention of the Government to issue cloth to
Volunteers at contract price, with 5 per cent, for
establishment and other charges. The War-office
will undertake to siipply one description of gray
cloth to be decided on by a committee of Volunteers.
The cloth so furnished will be obtained from the
Government at from 15 to 20 per cent, less than it
can be obtained from the trade. A circular will be
issued from the War-office on this subject.
STATISTICS OF ODD-FELLOWSILIY.—We find by a
return with which we have just been favoured that
the number of Odd-Fellows in the Manchester Unity
at the commencement of the present year was
334,971, as against 316,215 at the beginning of 1861,
showing an increase of 18,756 during the year. The
number of districts has increased from 431 to 447,
and the number of lodges from 3361 to 3426.
Amongst thesentlemen who are honorary members
are: the Hon. F. H. Berkeley and W. H. G.
Langton, Esq. ; Right lion. Earl Howe, Lori John
Manners, Lieut-Colonel Gray, M.P., Earl Grosvenor ;
the Dean of Chichester, Dr. Hook, D.D. ; Sir John
Arnott, M.P., Lord Leigh, Win. Ewart, Esq.,
; Sir Wm. Atherton, Attorney-General; Lord
Hastings, Lord Masten, Sir De Lacy Evans, M.P.,
Sir J. H. Crewe, Sir Harry Verney, Bart., Right
Hon. J R. Mowbray: nearly 50 noblemen and
gentlemen belonging to the Legislature of the
country, and numbers of clergymen and magistrates.

PETTY S KSKION Before Aldermen
Bower and Ayling.—Henry Charles Knight, a
wheel-chairman, was charged by De Gleichen
Fetherbon, a Russian, with obtaining money under
false pretences. —Complainant said that on Saturday
afternoon he was on the Esplanade, and defendant
said to him "I hope you are well You recollect, I
suppose, employing me last summer when you were
here?" Witness replied "what of that?" He then
said that witness was acquainted with his sister, that
he, (defendant) came from Didcot, Oxfordshire, and
that his name was Henry Webb. He also mentioned
the name of a family witness knew. Witness knew
a lad named Webb, and asked the name of his sister,
and he said "Sophia." Witness told him he did not
know the young lady bad a brother in his position.
He then pointed to a young lady on the Esplanade,
and said "0 yea, there she goes. 1 was speaking to
her yesterday after you left her," and added "I am
very hard up." Witness asked him how it was he
was so "hard up" if he was on friendly terms with
his sister and family. He told defendant he would
inquire of his sister, and if he was deserving of
sympathy be would assist him. He was only just
leaving by train, and defendant asked him if he
only had a shilling. Witness gave him a shilling
believing him to be the brother of the lady with
whom he was acquainted, as he had represented. Mr.
Hill, who appeared for the defendant, cross-examined
witness at great length. Witness said the young
lady, Miss Webb, came from Didcot. She was a
servant in a family now staying at No. 2, Royal
Terrace. He thought it was a matter of no impor-
tance whether or not he was a more successful rival
for the young lady's affections . than the Bath
chairman. He did-not give defendant the shilling
to save the young ladfe character. Witness had
several t:mes walked with the young lady, but
not on the parade in the day time. He
did not believe when Knight spoke to him he
pointed to his name on the wheel carriage.
He gave him the shilling out of charity.—The Bench
asked the Baron why the young lady, Sophia Webb,
was not present. Without her the case wasnot com-
plete. Witness supposed it was too short a notice for
her.—The Bench then sent for the young lady.—
Shortly after a policeman had been dispatched for
her, Mr. Hill announced Hart the Baron had
consented to withdraw the charge, and the case
was consequently at an end. A large number of
Persons who had assemb,ed in the hall seemed
greatly disappointed at this abrupt termination of
what they considered "a very exciting case."
MONDAY. —Before J. Ayling and W. Symonds,
&qrs.—William Gillingham was charged with
assaulting the police. One of the police constables
was sent for to take the defendant from the Boot
Inn. He left, but afterwards created a disturbance
on the North Quay, and wanted to fight with a man.
The constable asked him to come away, but as he
would not, ho took him into custody. Defendant was
very violent, and the assistanceofanother constable was
necessary to take defendant to the station house on a
stretcher. Fined 40s. and °petal —Patrick Hartgith*
was charged with assaulting Sergeant Stacey, of the
49th Regiment. The defendant had formerly been
a drummer in the regiment but was discharged at
Aldershot. On coming to Weymouth on Saturday
night he met the sergeant and asked him to go
and have something to drink, but as it was getting
late the sergeant refused. The defendant then
knocked him down, and was subsequently given
in custody. Committed for 14 days.

GAS EXPLOSION.—On Monday afternoon an ex-
plosion of gas took place on the new premises of the
Wilts and Dorset Banking Company, St. Mary's-
street. It appears that Mr. Seymour was
employed to lay on the gas and fix the gas fittings
in the house. The men were at work on Saturday,
and on Monday one of them finding that gas was
escaping in the front bedroom took up one of the
beards of the floor, and applied a light to the piping
to ascertain where the escape was. Bet the pipe
had not been properly soldered, and the gas had been
escaping between the bedroom flooring and the
ceiling of the sitting-room since Saturday, and the
consequence was, the space being filled with gas an
explosion took place. The ceiling of the sitting-room
was blown down, a portion of six or seven windows
were blown out, and the man had his hair and
whiskers singed. A man had been painting the
outside of the sash of the sitting-room window but
a few minutes before, but fortunately he had just
left it, or the glass would have blown into his face,
and the probability is, he would have fallen to the
pavement-and been seriously injured if not killed.
Tux BRITANNIA. —We have received the follow-
ing letter from Captain Slade, which we have great
pleasure in inserting."—Sir, —Having observed a
paragraph in the riffle, respecting the present berth
of H.M.S. Britannia, that Portland is not the place
to instruct the cadets in the knowledge of that part
of their profession —boating, I, from a long experi-
ence at sea, and of late years of yachting, cannot
imagine how a nautical man—if he is one—can give
the preference to the Motherhank. In the first
place there is always a strong tide both on the ebb
and flow on a weather tide, and makes it very
dangerous for open boats; whereas, within the
splendid breakwater of Portland there is little or
no tide. The weather most be very bad that they
cannot either row or mail, being land-locked from
every point of the compass. With regard to the
young gentlemen's health, I must leave that branch
to the cake and, fruit shops. JOSEPH SLADE.
Weymouth, March 7th, 1862.
Wavnount Cosi. Hum—A meeting of the coal
merchants of Weymouth took place on the Bth inst.,
at the King's Head Inn, Mr. Joseph Tizard in the
chair. The chairman briefly stated that the meeting
was called to take steps for immediately relieving
the consumers of sea-bound coal of the present
charge of Is. 4d. per ton bridge dues. Mr. Gibson
proposed, and Mr. Dyer seconded, the first reso-
lution, which was carried unanimously :—" That
this meeting, composed of coal merchants, seeing
the disadvantageous position they are placed in by
the coals brought into the borough by rail being free
from all tolls, rates, dues and restrictions, feel that
they have a claim on the Town Council to great con-
sideration, and think that the present bridge tolls of
Is. 4d. per ton might, with safety to the financial
condition of the trust, be removed." Mr. Robert
Cox proposed, Mr. Beal seconded, and it was carried
unanimously—" That a respectful memorial be at
once prepared to the Town Council, pointing out
the injuries to which the coal merchants are now
subjected, and praying for their consideration and
relief; and that this memorial should be signed, first
by the coal merchants, and then by such of the in-
habitants as may deem their ease worthy the imme-
diate attention of the Council." Capt. Coaens pro-
posed, Mr. Templeman seconded, and it was unani-
mously adopted—" That the following memorial to
Mayor and Corporation be signed by those pre-
sent, and that signatures be got from the
the inhabitants generally :—' We, the undersigned
coal merchants and inhabitants of the borough, re-
spectfully solicit your consideration on the subject of
the present heavy napeeta charged upon pea-bcrne