The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1858-05-04 00:00:00

14 ampobire.

ANDOVER.—Ledure.—A very interesting lecture
was delivered at the Townhall on Tuesday, on
" India, and the Sepoy revolt as bearing on Chris-
tian Missions," by the Rev. A. M. W. Christopher,
M. A., formerly Principal of the Martiniere, Cal-
cutta, which was attended by a large audience. The
chair was taken by the Hon. and Rev. S. Best. A
collection of upwards of .ClO WDA made at the close
in aid of the special fund of the Church Missionary
Society for India, and a vote of thanks unanimously
passed So the lecturer.
Wiseszirres. —The Hampshire Friendly Society.
—The monthly meeting of the Central Board was
held at the Grand Jury Chamber, on Wednesday,
the Rev. H. Salmon in the chair, when fourteen new
members were admitted, several policies indorsed,
and various claims discharged, after which the meet-
ing adjourned.

SOUTHAMPTON. —SeriOSA CoMelon in the Engtiah
CluTnnel.—Thuraday morning, between four and five
o'clock, the South Western Company's steamships
Wonder, Captain Clements, and Havre, Captain
Smith, came into collision in the English Channel,
about 23 miles from the Nab Light, the weather at
the time being extremely calm and the wind light.
The Havre left the port of Havre for Southampton
at a quarter to 12 o'clock, and the Wonder left
Southampton for Havre about the same time. There
was a_ good look out kept on board both ships, as
the Havre was reported in sight on board the
Wonder about twenty minutes before the catas-
trophe occurred, and the captain of the Havre was
on the bridge of his own ship. How the accident
occurred it is impossible to say, but the Havre struck
the Wonder on the starboard side close by the tatfrail,
carrying away the whole of the stern of the ship at
right angles. The Wonder had a number of passen-
gers on board, several of whom were sleeping at the
time in the after cabin, and how they escaped unin-
jured is quite a miracle, as the place where they
were lying was covered with the splinters of the
struck ship. The passengers became very much
alarmed, but their fears were soon quieted, on the
Havre reversing her engines and taking them on
board. One gentleman only received a wound in
the head with a splinter, but not of a serious charac-
ter. Captain Ring, of the Royal navy, who was on
board the Wonder, had a very narrow escape, the
splinters falling around where he was lying. The
man at the wheel had also a narrow escape. The
Havre, which had only part of her bowsprit knocked
away, then took the Wonder in tow, and both
vessels arrived in Southampton Docks at 11 o'clock.
The company's ship South Western left for Havre at
2 o'clock with the passengers of the Wonder, the
latter ship being towed round to Northam for re-
pairs. She appears to have been very much shaken
by the collision, and had the weather been at all
rough she must have foundered. This is the 'first
accident that has occurred with this company's
vessels, although they are daily crowing the Channel
between Southampton, France, and the Channel
Islands.
BURGLARS DETECTED.—The Southampton papers
mention the discovery of a small gang of petty bur-
glars who have been carrying on their depreda.
tions for about two years in that town. It appears
that a fellow named Hunter and his wife, living at
2, Houndwell-gardens, Squtltampton, used to com-
mit the robberies, and send the goods stolen, packed
up in boxes, to a man named Maisey, 2, John's-ter-
race, Prince's-road, Lambeth. These boxes used to
be sent to London by railway regularly, and returned
to Southampton as empties. Hunter had robbed a
Southampton photographer of photographs of his
family and General Tom Thumb. This proved fatal
to him. The photographer made his loss known to
his friends in London, and they detected the family
group, with the General, at a brother photographer's
gallery in Westminster-bridge-road. He told of
whom he bought the pictures, and thus Maisey was
discovered. Hunter has escaped, but Maisey and
Hunter's wife are now in Southampton gaol.

COUNTY OD HANTS FREEHOLD LAND SOCIETY.—
The eighth annual meeting_ of the members of this
society was held at Mr. W. Brooks' offices, No. 2,
High-street, Southampton, on Tuesday evening, Mr.
H. P. Homely in the chair. It appeared from the
report and annual statement of accounts that there
was an estimated surplus of £173 17s. Bd. in favour
of the society, out of which the committee recom-
mended that a bonus of £8 per cent, per annum
for the past year should be declared on all unallotted
shares.

CONSZIWATIVE LAND SOCIETY. —A public meet-
ing was held on Wednesday evening at St. John's
House, for the purpose of receiving a deputation
from the Executive Committee, attended by the
secretary and surveyor, to explain the mode of allot-
ment of the Winchester estate. There were about
60 persons present, the greater portion of whom were
well known conservatives, and the chair was taken
by F. Barnes, Esq. Henry Pownall, Esq., the
chairman of the Conservative Committee at the late
election for Middlesex, appeared as the deputation,
and stated the object of the society. The debate on
the Church rates prevented the attendance of several
members of Parliament, among whom were Mr.
Beach and Mr. S. Booth. The Objects of the society
were threefold—commercial, political, and social,
and when the society was first formed it was almost
without a political object. But the Conservatives
were not the first to commence the system, indeed
they might be said to have been obliged in conse-
quence of the operations of their opponents. In
other counties in which the society had bought land
by wholesale and sold it by retail, the purchases and
allotments had answered well in a commercial point
of view, and no doubt the same would be the result
of the Winchester estate. The society had no right
or desire to dictate to those who might obtain the
allotments, though it was unquestionably their desire
they should support the Conservative cause. C. L.
Gruneisen, Eeq., the secretary of the Conservative
Society, stated that the Winchester estate consisted of
83 plots, the value of one of which was .6550, and the
others varied from £l9B to £52, and seven-eighths of
the purchase-money might remain on mortgage.
Already 36 shares had been applied. Mr. Morgan,
the surveyor, next addressed the meeting, after
which, upon the motion of Mr. Pownall, a vote of
thanks was awarded to the chairman.