The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1876-04-04 00:00:00

Borott Coutitti Crineoo,
TITIIBDAY, APRIL 4, Mt

NOTES OF THE WEEK.

The population of the British 1:;i;:d is daily
increased by nearly 1,200 births, but against
this increase must be set down a deduction of
upwards of 400 souls daily emigrating to the
Colonies and elsewhere. The British Empire
now stands second among the States of the
world both in population and in territorial
extent, being exceeded in the former only by
China, and in the latter only by Russia; and
Belgium which stands lowest of all in
territorial extant, has the greatest length of
railway communication in proportion to its area
of any country in the world.
In the year 1875 duty was paid on 30,106,107
pllons of home-made spirita for consumption as
beverage in the United Kingdom, being
230,706 gallon. more than in the preceding
year—s comparatively small increase. The
quantity retained for consumption in England
wee 16,642,768 gallons, an increase of 79,966
gallons ; in Scotland, 6,872,470 gallons, a
decrease of 141,111 gallons ; in Ireland,
6,490,869 gallons, an increase of 291,861 gallons.
In the same year duty was paid on 11,782,650
proof gallons of foreign spirits imported and
entered for home consumption in the United
Kingdom, being as much as 1,147,438 gallons
more than in the preceding year; the increase
was chiefly in spirit. other than rum and brandy.
Another secession is reported. The Rev. R.
J. Webb, vicar of Hambleton-cum-Braunstone
has been received into the Roman Catholic
Church. The rev, gentleman boldly asserts
that salvation is not to be found in the Church
of England. His living was only worth £lBO a
year.

The present is certainly no moment when one
can afford to sit idly down and "rest and be
thankful." The political atmosphere is not so
bright that that can be admitted. A mere
glance around shows it behoves every one to be
at his post. And how are we fulfilling this con-
dition as a nation I The reply is certainly
somewhat humiliating. The great business of
the country at the moment is a frivolous
squabble as to whether or not the line of
Guelph is in the future to be Imperial as well
as RoyaL The assize reports show some of the
blackest crimes that have ever disgraced our
criminal annals. Vast sums are subscribed to
convert "the noble savage," but heathenism
at home is rampant. School Board depotism
assumes to educate the minds of the ruing
generation; but their bodies only become
acquainted with semi-starvation. Our future
King is coming home from his holiday.
Hill mother has started upon hers. There
is not a member of the family—save
some of the children, in England. Is
this the conduct of a strong man who keeps
his house in order 1 We may well pause for a
reply, and perhaps, as we do so, the reflection
that our Monarchy costa us a million a year
may set us asking ourselves why, if we can
manage without a Royal Family as at present,
we should expend this vast sum in their sup-
port.

Mr. Adam, the Liberal whip, writes asserting
that the division on the third reading of the
Royal Titles Bill was solely due to the speech of
the Prime Minister. None of the usual steps
were taken to secure attendance, but the
moment Mr. Disraeli had spoken the aspect of
affairs changed, and a division was seen to be
inevitable. This was considered justifiable and
necessary as a protest against the new and
strange reasons advanced in it. favour.

A rumour is prevalent at Vienna that the
Pope is sinking. The Pope's health has long
been a favourite subject for gossip. The num-
ber of times that he has been reported to be
either on the point of dying or actually dead
within the last 12 months are not easy to calcu-
late. Hence the old fable of the boy who cried
" wolf " too often is receiving another illustra-
tion. The probability now is that even if his
Holiness really were seriously ill very few people
would believe the story.
All sorts of explanations have been offeredfrom
all sorts of sources of the Queen's visit to the
Continent. Very many of the tales which have
found credence on the subject are improbable,
and not a few of them quite impossible. The
latest explanation is that of the Daily News, which
understands that the object of Her Majesty's
visit to Germany is that she may take part in
the institution of a memorial to her half-sister,
the Princess Hohenlohe Langenberg, who died
in 1872. There is nothing at all unlikely in
this statement; on the contrary, it recommends
itself strongly, on the ground that it is the kind
of thing Queen Victoria would take much
pleasure in doing.

" An East-end Guardian" has written a letter
to the Metropolitan papers which will no doubt
find favour among the opponents of out-door
relief. He says :
"I have • large acquaintance among philanthropists
and my attention is drawn by them each winter to so-
called ' starvation coupes' in the newspapers. Almost
Invariably they are quoted to show how cruel my strong
opposition to out-door relief must be. Now the real
cause of death in the majority of such cases is shown
by medical eertificate to be not privation, but long.
standing disease; and I strenuously maintain that the
giving of out-door relief, and not the withholding of
It, is the cause of the very oocaaional occurrence of
deaths that do arise wholly or partly from privation.
First, the hope of obtaining out-relief prevents the
poor from putting by for • rainy day; and, secondly,
when the rainy day comes, though out-relief be rehased
they are led to starve on and to forbear to enter the
workhouse, hoping that the Guardians may yield to
Importunity, succeesful, alas I in so many board
rooms."

NOW, mere affirmation is not convincing proof;
and although this gaat-end Guardian affirm
that the deaths of those who die starving on the
door-steps of Mission-patrons arise from long-
standing disease he adduces no figures or facts to
supporthis statement. Allow himto be right for
the sake of argument, and how will he explain away
the origin of the "disease of long standing?" Is
there nothing due to the niggardly withholding
of s little out-door relief? Would not a couple
of shillings or a few "luxuries"—.s they are
called by those who would themselves turn up
their noses at the dole—prevent a great deal of
the encroachments of ffimase upon wretched
frames that are physically unable to bar its
progress? Again, to talk of the poor "putting
by for a rain day" is a manifest absurdity;
for among the very poor, more especially in the
large towns, existence is a mere chsnoe game of
"from hand to mouth." Their 'forbear-
ance to enter the workhouse" is very easily
explained when it is remembered that they
would be quite as well, if not better, cared for
in a prison. They would not have much heavier
work their taskmasters would be no more
oppressive; they would seassely have to wear a
more hideous livery, and the union brand is
hardly less despised than that of the prison.
When thousands can be spent to give a Prince
a pleasure trip, it seems detestable inhumanity
to talk of paring down even the little help to
the poor that is now grudgingly given, encilm-
bered by the red-tapeism of Poor-Law regula-
tions.

RAILWAY StIY;E:I7S' SUPPIII7—On Thursday even-
big the men employed at the London and South
Western Railway station had their annual supper at
the Junction HoteL About 25 were present, under
the presidency of Mr. Banks, foreman of the locomo.
Ore department, who was faced in the vice-chair by
Mr. IL Finch. A capital spread was placed od the
tables, and alter the removal of the cloth, the usual
"after-dinner 6.1 tt. ring " took place, the proceedings
lasting till the " 'witching hour of night."
Coinirrrig TO THE MENET °Opel,' Panimr...._
Sesnopui : Frederick Davis, housebreaking at Haletock.
and Eliza James, and Ann James, stealing books and
other articles at Lyme Regis. Hard Lobos r : George
Russell, and George Chnpinan, vagrancy at Stu-
minster Newton, Robert Baker, Poaching at %Vinfrith,
and gnu* Ford, vagrancy at Marnhull, 1 calendar
month each; Charles West. Misbehaviour in Star-
=lister, 21 days' • James Hughes, and George
Benham, v cy Affpuddle, 14 days': Thomas
O'Niel, ting Folios at Weymouth, 10 days'.
TRZ Donegan= " EXCELSIOR " OWLET CURL
The annual meeting of this club took place on Friday
List, at the Green Dragon Inn, for the pur-
e=thlreleolaing the caws, ,&c. for the ensuing y
Th. following were re-elacted :—Oaptain, Mr. j,
beam'; vice-captain, lit. T. Payne:
_treasurer and
asaretary, Mr. H. Payne ; committee, Mae= T. and
G. Dean, D. thing, A. Miles J. Emmerton. Mr.
Om= as one of She committe;i, was the only fresh
°Noir. He mow place of sgr. Wescott, who has
left the town. There was a good aiNcidams• The
club is in a flourishing condition, and his 0 good
=lance in hand to commence the year.
TES
ep WurnThe following is our meteerologicall
rort
Loweit
EXM6 =ow Point SA Witsd. SW* of Woktbst.
1606
V le Ea a
XS 47 N Ills p(AOM
10 sewli Lae ane
Se al No wow 6 SIX Thasselir nom*
40 I N
lila r