The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1877-09-18 00:00:00

A BLACKGUARD RIGHTLY PUNISHED.

On Saturday, before two of the county magistrates
—Mr. Herbert Williams and Mr. G. 0. Churchill—a
young fellow, of Ferdington, named Thomas Brine,
who has passed some years in a Reformatory, and
since then been sent to hard labour, was brought up in
the custody of the police charged with assaulting Miss
Teresa Jane Hardy with intent.—Mr. Weston was for
the prisoner—Miss Hardy it seems on the previous
day, between one and two in the afternoon, was
returning from Stinsford 'bun+, where she plays the
harmonium, to her house at Upper Rockhampton.
Her way led by means of a foot-path across some
fields, and while proceeding along it she met the
prisoner, who appeared to be wandering about pre.
tending to look for mushrooms. He accosted the
young lady, held open a gate for her. and said mush-
rooms were very scarce that year. She thanked him
for holding open the gate, and he subsequently went
Into an adjoining field. As she pseW-. into it he

A twice-adjourned meeting wan held at the Town
Hall, to-day (Monday), to take into consideration a
letter from the Lord Mayor which had been received
by his Worship (Xl.lerman Lock), asking him to take
the necessary steps to obtain subscriptions for the
relief of the sufferers by the Indian famine, from the
charitable in his borough and neighbourhood.
It had been but slightly "advertised," and naturally
the attendance was but email. Among the gentlemen
present we noted Mr. W. E. Brymer, LP., Alderman
Galpin, Mr. M. Devenish,Rev. W. C. Osborne, Rev. T.
Weave. Mr. .T. V. D. Lawrence, Rev. .T. G. Edwards,
Colonel Oldfield, Mr. G. Andrews, Mr. A. H. Lock,
Mr. Councillor Gregory. Mr. Henry Symonds, Mr.
John Hazel, Mr. .T. F. Hannah, Mr. Councillor Slade,
Mr. Mille, Mr. G. Symonds (Town Clerk), Mr.
Councillor Hodges, Mr. Robinson, Rev. M. Evans,
Rev. 11. I'. Ratko', Mr. Hawkins, and Mr. Councillor
Lock.
His Worship the MATOR. in opening the proceed-
ings, naid : Some time in the month of August he
received a letter from the Lord Mayor soliciting the
co operation of this municipality in raising full-scrip-
Ronn tower& the alleviation f the famine now raging
in India. He (Alderman Lock) had mentioned to .everal
persons in the town, and he had also breught it
forward at a council meeting. In consequence of the
suggedions there made he had called the present meet-
ing together. For himself he felt some little satisfaction
in the delay which hl taken place, because it
had given them the pleasure of meeting their
excellent member Mr. Brymer--(hear, hear)—who
only returned on Saturday, and eonsequently could
not have been present before. No remarks
were required from him, relative to the orea•ion for
whichthey met, for the harrowing details of the famine
in India, had been made known to them through the
columns of the newspapers. It had been suggested
that it was a matter which the Government ought
to take in hand, and to provide all that wan
necessary out of the public puree. No doubt the
Government in India would do all they could to
relieve the distress at prenent existant, but, for him-
self, he thought that whatever assistance was afforded
by Government should be supplemented by private
charity, and that the Government should feel that
the people of England are conscionn of the great
responsibilities that the possession of India entails upon
them. It most be a great source of satisfaction to
them all, to find that the appeal which had been made
had been so generally responded to throughout the
country, and he sincerly hoped the Borough of D.,-
chenter would show a similar sympathy by ita liberal
contributions. (Cheers.)
Mr. W. E. BBTMER, M.P., said he had been called
upon to propose the first resolution, which ran as
follows : . . . . .

"That, fully sympathising with the distress of the
people in India in the present famine, it is the opinion of
this meeting that a subscription for the benefit of the
sufferers bent once opened within this borough."
In proposing it he would say that be thought it was
rather unfortunate they did this no late in the day,
for he thought it would, perhaps, come somewhat
hard upon individuals, who hail already given, to be
requested to again subscribe, and, further, he should
have been glad if the borough had been among the
first to give. (Hear, hear.) But let them bear in
mind that it was " better late than never," and he was
glad to see the meeting, however small it might be, or
the amount it might contribute, was added to those
which had before shown their sympathy with their
suffering fellow-subjects. They hail had of late
brought before them subscriptions for all manners of
objects—for the Turks, for the Russians, for the
Montenegrins; and some few years ago there were two
appeals to them on different occasions, for sufferers by
the French and German war. Those appeals were
responded to, and if they could help foreigners in
distress surely they might and ought of their wealth
to give for their fellow aubjects. (Hear, hear.) What-
ever Government might 110 in giving its millions
towards relieving this famine was one thing ; but he
thought it would give far more satisfaction to the
people of India, and far more help to extinguish the
flames of any mutinies, such as they hail to contend
with twenty years ago, if they showed them that
their sympathies were with them in their calamities'
and thus a much better feeling would be engendered
towards this country. (Applause)
Colonel OLDVIELD seconded the resolution. He was
acquainted with India. He hail lived there many
yearn; and he had gone out there as a boy, and he felt
therefore a great interest in the country. They had
had famines there not very long ago, which were met
by the Goverment The first not quite so well; but,
the aetaind was met better. Now, they were called
mon to meet the third. It was quite evident the
Government might undertake the spending of the
millions that would be required to meet it generally,
but be believed, whatever resolutions Government
might come to, there would be a great work forprivate
charity. (Hear, hear.) After the first terrible effects
of the famine were over, there would be found wives !
and orphans to be supported, and people who had just !
managed to scramble through without appeal to the
aids of charity. Those were the persons whom he
believed private philanthropy would have to help.
The cause of this distress he believed to be attributable
to the fact that thee was but one industry in the
country, and in consequence, there were enormous
areas which could not help in time of droughts, and'
those who were brought down by them, could not ex-
pect help from their neighbours.
The resolution was put and carried nem. con.
Mr. GEORGI! ANDREWS proposed the second resolto
tion. It was : -

'That the clergymen of the various parishes and the
ministers of all denominations be requested to preach
sermons and make collections in aid of the fund."
It was perfectly idle for him to take up their time in
commending the resolution to their attention, for they
had all read, and, no doubt, with horror, of the sad
scenes daily being enacted in India. It wee not that
these lives were loot by the slaughter of enemies against
whom they had a chance of contention, but, there they
were called upon to meet an enemy, and against whom
they asked their aid, of an unforseen and a sad and
terrible description. He did hope that all laymen—
and he was speaking entirely to ) that part of the resolu.
tion—would d what they could to raise a fund to
alleviate their sufferings; fir he was quite sure that
the Ministers of all Denominations would do their
utmost to ensure such a sum being raised as would do
credit to the town of Dorcheeter. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. Alderman GALPTN wag very glad to second the
resolution. He hoped he was not out of place in
calling attention to the fact that there still remained a
balance of the fund raised for the distress in Lancashire,
which had not yet been distributed, they had no right
to appropriate it to any local purposes, and haring
been given towarls the alleviation of distress in
England he thought it could not be better directed
than being devoted to a similar object in other parts
of Her Majesty's dominions. (Cheers.)
Mr. A. H. LOCI suggested the proper way would
be to call a meeting of what members of the com-
mittee were to be found, and obtain their assent to
this course being pursued.
Colonel DWI= MOT•d

In the course of Saturday Admiral Dowell, C. 13..
came ashore at Weymouth in order to ascertain what
the steamers were doing, and what they were likely to
do. Instructions were also received at the Custom
Hone that a vessel was to be engaged to lie by. the
wreck with a riding light, awl Mr. IL Fook,puckly
hired the cutter Palestine, Pilot Smith, for this
purposa. Captain Falls and Copt ;in Flisher, of the
Weymooth and Channel Islands Steampackets. and
Captain Ayles, of the Weymouth and Portland Steam.
packet Company, with Mr. S. Jenkins Fowler, left in
the Coninnslore between three and foor to ascertain
whether there was any chance f bringing in the
wreck. The steam launch of H.M.S. Black Prince
lay at the steps near the Pile-pier end to await the
return of the Comneslore, but the time wore on and
the steam tug not appear. The Prince, which had
been heavily at work all day conveying sailors, beside
the ordinary traffic, coiled again, and abut It:Mira/It
seven, with Dr. I orew and other gentlemen on board,
put out of harbour to meet the Commodore. They
hal scarcely pas+ed the pier when the Commodore was
seen returning, and both entered the harbour. The
Commodore repo-tea the wreck abut six miles N.S. E.
of the Shambles, mere water than before, part
of her ballast having apparently fallen out of her; her
wheel gear could be seen. They had lowered two
boats and gone alongside, but could not see any place
to make fast to, and it could not be attempted with.
out danger, while the vessel seemed to be so awkwardly
ploeed that any ropes were likely to be pulled to pieces
without moving her. About eight 'clock, therefore,
the steamer companies renounced any further inten-
tion to tne the wreck. It was understood that the
Admiral would telegraph to Portsmouth for vessels
and gear to pull the hull out of the water way, or,
foiling that, would blow her up. Meanwhile, on
Saturday night, the Palestine rode by the wreck with
! a light. - -

MoNDAT MORNINO.
Pilot Smith, who has been lying by the wreck in the
Palestine, reports this morning that mhe is about 4
miles S. and by E. half K, from the Shambles light-
chip, awl that she peerns to have something that holds
her at the bottom, an she does not drift, even although
the tile runs atrong. It is believed thit to-day either
the Black Prince or Defence will go out to destroy her,
if ahe is not moved, and the Weymouth and Portland
steamer Company are going to fiend a steamer for an
er.ursion round the wreck, the weather being beauti-
fully fine, though the wind is rather rough.
MONDAY Arrinuenom.
- . . .

The Premier, Captain Cosens, made an excursion at
half-past eleven to-day, to give her passengers a view
of the wreck of the Forest Considering, that the
vessel had been reported four miles beyond the
Shambles li7,lltehip, and that the wind was fresh, the
arrangement was a sign of much spirit on the part of
the Weymouth and Portland Steamer Company, and
as the excursion was well patronised, we hope the
company were somewhat repaid for the unusual
expense, delay, and uncertainty which hive been
caused to them and to their captains and employees
by the unfortunate wreck. The vessel, or rather the
remains of her which looked like a pyramid in the
water was made out in something loiter an hour, and
son after a man was seen on her counter, close to the
rudder. A revenue cutter was cruising about
near her, and a boat was seen to 1,3,11 between
the cutter and the wreck. When the latter was
reached it was found that she had altered her position,
the pyramid-like part was to the eastward, this was
the after part of the keel with the stern to which was
attached the rudder; and the low part, the ship's
c minter linverted) being to the west, so that she hail
turned nght round since Sunday afternoon. AS t"
the flotation of the vessel, she seemed to be rather
lighter, if anything, than before, the whole of the
, word "Windsor " which was nearest to the shore and
lowest in the water. being exposed. The vessel WM
I marked for draught up to 22 feet, and all these figures
were exposed ; she is oppered up to 19 feet. The
rudder is entirely out of water, and about 23 feet of
the keel, and should a vessel strike on that side, the
striking ship would probably he cut through by
striking on so narrow an edge. The cutter hovering
roundthe wreck was the Skylark, and while the steamer
was there, another man got on the wreck. A rope was
fastened between the wreck and the cutter, and it
seemed that tha latter was trying to hang on to the
Forest. Soundings were taken from the Premier, and
the depth found to be from 26 to 29 fathoms. The
Forret has a round stern, and her steering gear, which
seemed to be rather old-style, with chains, was out of
water. The extreme height of the highest corner of
the wreck, that part of the keel immediately behind
the rudder, was about 21lft. fr on the surface of the
water. The low part west of the pyramid was now
seen to be shorter than the pyramid itself, and pro.
bably the estimate of it on a previous .lay was cringed
by an optical illusion. As to the way in which the
Forest lies with regard to the bottom of the sea,
opinions varied very much, some believing that the bow
touches bottom, others that the reset scrapes the
sea-bed with her howeprit, still others think that her
cable gear is holding her, and yet others that she floats
free. But all agreed that it would be a hopeless task
for the Commodore, or indeed any of the Weymouth
steamers, to attempt to tow her in, for the simple
reason that the resistance offered would be too great.
The expected Portsmouth tugs had not arrived, and as
yet nothing is definitely known as to whether the ship
will be blown up, or when. The waves in her vicinity
were very much gone down, as WM evident from the
fact of men getting on and off the wreck without
much difficulty. The Premier returned to Weymouth
between half past two and three, every one who had
made the excursion delighted with the thorough way
in which Capt. Cosens had steamed round, and backed
almost close to the wreck, thus giving the fulled
opportunity of seeing all that was visible of the um
fortunate ship.

(LATEiT, BY TELEORAPH.)
TO-DAY (MONDAY), 7.30.
The wreck will be blown up to-morrow,
probably about noon. It is expected that
H.M.S. Black Prince, under the orders of
Admiral Dowell, C. 8., !will accomplish the
destruction. A steamer excursion will leave
Weymouth Harbour in the forenoon, to witness
the operation.