The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1865-02-07 00:00:00

II OT ES OF THE WEEK.

Parliament will é ripened this (Tuesday)
evening. It Is arranged that the address in I
reply to the royal speech, which will be delivered
by Commission will be moved in the House of
Lords by the Duke of Cleveland, and seconded
by the Earl of Charlemont ; whilst in the
Commons Sir H. Williamson will be the mover, ,
and the Hon. Charles Hanbury-TraCy the
seconder, But little public interest seems to
be taken in the event, as it is felt that the session
must be quiet, short, and unsuccessful.
The new Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Lord
Wodehouse, does not take so gloomy a, view of
the prospects of that part of Her Majesty's
dominions as some of our oontemporariea At a
gcent banquet given by the Lord Mayor of
übiin, he stated that there were in cultivation I
last year 300,000 acres of flax, whilst in 1888
only 100,000 acres were under cultivation. In ]
five years the number of mills for woollen
manufactures has increased from nine 'to forty-
eight. These are signs of material infprovement
it cannot be doubted. May they multiply all
thousand-fold.
A remarkable and very important case has
been forted for son% days in the Court of
Queen's Bench. A Mr.' Feather declares that
Mr. Reed, in constructing the iron-clad Enter-
prise, infringed a patent granted to him twelve
I years age, arid he claims ten thoutat: hounds
damages. The Crown lawyers set up a
I claim that the Sovereign has a right to
1110 all patented discoveries or processes
of manufacture, without asking leave or
being bound to compensate the owner. It
will thus be seen that most valualtllS private
rights are concerned in the oats. On Monday
the Lord Chief jade* Intimated that the Court
had deeided to give judgment for the Crown,
bkit the grounds of the decision will not be made
for a few days. The question will, probably, be I
taken to a higher court.
Lord Robert Cecil, M.P., and Sir Stafford ]
Northoote, Bart., M.P.. were present silt a
volunteer gathering at Wilford, on Tuesday
evening. Lord Robert Cecil characterised the
volunteer organization da the most -powerful
iruarnment ever placed in the hands a the
diplomacy of England; and if by some unfortu-
nate and disastrous accident it came to an end,
there would not be a single European transac-
tion in which England was concerned, upon
which the circumstance would not exercise a
fatal influence. His lordship, in the course of
his address, commented with clearness and force
upon the foreign policy of the country, especially
as affected by the recent theories of non-
intervention. Sir Stafford Northeote enforced
the duty of supporting the volunteers upon those
who are not able to take an active part in the
service.

The Index calls attention to a rumour of ur-
gent importance and vast interest. Our con-
temporary says A rumour has long been
current in political circles that the British govern-
ment, fearing the responsibility of defending
Canada against the United States, has deter-
mined to sever the political connection before
the termination of the American war, so that the
finest provinces of the British empire may be
seized by the Yankee* without forcing England
into a war. We have discredited—we dare not
even now believe—that her Majesty's govern-
ment entertains a polio' dishbnourable to the
mothervountry, shamefully unjust to Units*
and denlinental to the best intonate of England
and Canada. Yet it must be confessed that
onntabancea have occurred that mem to 11
that, in thii instance, rumour speaks the truth,
7140, the 4eft3074 rnswolout Qf 9.l*.boTt

cir- f

show I

been discussed, the tone of the press which re-
presents the views of her Majesty's government has
been most unfriendly and irritating to the Cana-
diens ; as if the sole object had been to disgust 1
our American fellow-subjecta with the imperial
government. Not it is worthy of note that the
plan of a oonfederation of the provinces was
acoepted by the government in hot haste, and is
cordially approved during the time that
parliament was not sitting. Lastly, we hear of
the declaration of the Queen's vieeroy, the
Governor- General of Canada, telling the Canadian
parliament that he regards the confederation as
a fitting opportunity for the • creation of a new
11 nationality.'" We must really hope that the
Index has been misinformed; and under the
effects of its misinformation puts a wrong con-
struction upon the circumstances which are treated
as confirmations of the report. Our hope was,
that England was really prompting Canada to
prepare for conflict, not for separation, and that
the sentiment of "nationality," which was being
fostered was as against America and not in re-
lation to the mother country. Earl Russell, we
know, is as weak in the presence of danger as he
is presumptuous amid the promises of safety; but
we can hardly believe him to be base enough for
such a project as that now ascribed to him.
An imitation of the Briggs murder is reported
from India. A native left Howrah for Benares
by the East Indian railway, on the 18th ult.
He was murdered in the railway carriage; and a
bag he had with him, containing 1,100 rupees,
was stolen. A reward of 1,000 rupees has been
offered for the discovery of the Muller who was
OM), of this crime.