The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1871-02-21 00:00:00

AN OLD SAILOR ON TIIE NIGHT ALARII.

On Thursday night last, when all repecteble people
except those who had to watch, were thinking about
bed, when the very omnibuses had ceased rattling up
and down Bond-street, and when little was heard but
the feline semnaders getting the keynotes for nocturnal
eponoerts,e tremendous Grub "burst on the startled ear of
night." It shook the whole town, and before one Gould
decide am to the sense, it was repeated '' And nearer,
clearer, deadlier than Wore," at least no seemed the
eiseond report to those whose attention bad been
awakened by the amt. Out rushed some into the
street, and to them shouted others fiom windows
thrown up, to know what was the meaning of it all ;
away rushed crowds to the Esplanade, and ansions
enquiries

"Mingle there with the volleying thunder
That makes the distant hamlets wonder."
The skies were continually lit up with • blare all over
the firmament, the precursor of

—"That annihilatliNE
Which pierce. the deep hills through and through,
With an echo dread and new."
Some sailors here let out the morel by quietly inform.
ing the

—" Citiwens, with tenor dumb.
Or whispering, with white Ups, " The foe I
They come, they coins I"

—that it was only • "call to night quarters." Still
unsatisfied, some sought the Look.out, and thence
beheld H. Channel Squadron, engaged in firing their
heavy guns, the Admiral having taken an opportunity
of rousiug up all the Fleet, to ascertain how soon his
sailors would be ready on sudden alarm. An old
friend, who in his younger days, served in the Royal
Navy, says : "These night alarms were very common
when I was in the service. In the time of George 111,
the country was in constant fear of an invasion, and
the admirals used to keep their Mors constantly alive
by midnight alarms. Perhaps,
.jest as you were all
quiet, es you thought, for the night, and the watch
below hoped for • few hours' sleep, the admiral's ship
would range up alongside you, and Sr. • broadside to-
wards your ship. If you did not bundle up very
qaiekly, and return the compliment, the ship's omit-
palsy would be put on the black list. So there was no
help for it, though you were all comfortable in your
hammooks, turn out you must, get to your quarters,
lash up hammock", and put them in the ham-
mock netting', Meer away all below, the mem
t.bles, the stools and other mess traps, get
all clear, iand get to quarters. The quicker
you could fire the return shot the better for you, and
the smarter your ship's company was reckoned. 'Twee
not oaly in the Channel that them tricks used to be
tried to prove the smartheas of the sailors; for when
old Sir Pulteney Malcom ocenmacided in the ltediter.
ranemi, he was • regular Tartar for midnight drill.
One of your out-and-out fighting admirals he was, and
be need to wake us up so often that the men used to
get all reedy the night before. This was • very good
plan, for in the hurry and confusion of clearing up
between the gnus, lots of the batons and other things
wonld get thrown helter-skelter down below, and when
yea came to look for them you would find they were
"gone to smash," and there MN no chasms of getting
them again, 'Twee wearisome for us, and sometimes a
bother for the people of the towns near, for they never
knew but what some enemy was near. When
Bonaparte threatened to invade England, aboat
10,000 troops of the line and militia were on the hills,
and several menafarar were lying somewhere about
the Bay to defend his Majesty, King George. When
the easterly and south-easterly winds blew there was
no shelter, for of course there was no Breakwater then,
and the vessels had to stand out to sea. The King sad
160U20 of the head authorities agreed before the ships
went awsay at one time, there should be an alarm for
the whole neighbourhood. Perhaps it was to try the
courage of the soldiers, and a very good plan too. Bat,
however, when the wind shifted, beak came the Fleet
in the middle of the night, and they began to blase
away at one another is the Bay. The townspeople
jumped out of bed quicker than those Last night, and
the King had his horses harnessed to his carriages as if
all tasty to he off, for be wanted to keep the secret.
Some of the nobles crowded round him, and wanted him
to get into his carriage and be off; but he would not
carry on the game as far as that. Striking his stout
stick on the ground, he says "I shan't leave Wey-
mouth; I shalt walk these sands as long ae I can use
this stick, for there are plenty of loyal old women in
Weymouth to take care of me." Alter • little time
the town quieted down ; but one of the militia roe-
ments—• Bitokinglianiseire one. I think—were found
stowed away among some hay in Wyke, for fear of the
French, end for that they were disgraeed, and had their
facings taken away: Last night, of course, 'twoi silly
to be afraid of • French invasion, and how should the
Prussians awns over before they bad declared war?
Bet 'twee • real tear then, sir, as you say. Why is
those days, every women sad child was counted, and
there Vero waggons appointed to take them and all the
crippled men to the rear, inland, away from the Mainl-
ine army, and to make sure they should not hamper
their flight with luggage, they were ordered only to take
one change of clothes. Any other false alarm Oh,
bless yea, yes, sir- one very foggy morning, • gentle'
man named Daniels, who lived sometime, at UpweV,
but who was then at Portland, looking oat to the West
Bay, saw a lot of dark things floating on the water,
and took It into his head that these were the terrible
flotilla of fiat bottomed boats that Bonaparte had got
ready to bring over his troops. He rode full spur to
Passage, for there was no bridge there then. The
ferryboat was gone, sod he jumped his horse into the
opening of the Fleet-water, swam him &emu, and then
galloped into Weymouth and alarmed the town. Oh!
but how it made the people sink at heart, to think that
the flotilla and Bonaparte's army were on them at
last I Never, I should fancy was there such a stir
since the Spanish Armada came up channel! The
soldiers were turned out in no time, and scouts went
out to the Wyke slopes, when the truth was found oat,
and many a laugh was raised. 'Twos • fleet of—
crab pots, sir! that the rough weather had broken
from their moorings, and that ware being cast Imhof*
in the bay! The soldiers were crabbed enough at mush
• useless alarm, and Mr. Daniels lived quietly at his
Louse at Winesbateh Hiller some time,and did not care
to show out for fear of heariag eismethiad about the
crab pots. Did the Weymouth people ever see any-
thing of the flotilla? Ali, yes, they did that, too; but
in such • way eel hope enemies' vowels may be always
men—as • prize. Our cruisers had been lurking about
• French port, I think it was Havre, not Boulogne, and
they made a dash right in, and grappled some of the
Frenchmen, and brought theca out. One of them, the
'• Bon Accord," was brought inte Weymouth port. She
was fitted up with two desks, to bring over horses and
troops at the same time. She lay in Weymosth
Harbour for • long tine, and by and by she was moved
Into the Beekwater, sad at last broke up. May all
war vessels so be ratted away, without being put to
any use? So say I, sir; war's a horrid thing, and •
stupid thing, and even getting ready against is • trouble
and • waste. Why, leaving eat all shout fighting, and
even wounds, I'll jest MU you what the mars are
subject to when practising, just es they might be last
night. When you are in • ship with two or three
desks, you may he at the nsussl of your flan at the
busy enough, when hang goes another goo
almost above you. The noise will gut through your
heed like • knife.and I've known men stria dad on the
spot. The noise of the heavy artillery, I expect, is a
reason why yea have riflemen instead of artillery corps
In Weymouth, for yams men in burial's, can't afford to
be made dowl at gun praetiae,o4bervrise 't would be well to
have seine volunteers to help men the guns on the Moths.
By the way, when the Fort begins precelee, there will
be plenty el winstows Woken In Wernoeth. When
we were firing with may our old 24.peanders in the
bay. If the guns were wasted towards the town, every
linen, is sail PillwarktraikalA bh was

Another of thew excellent enierkshumanks was given
on Slosiday evening last, at the Royal Hotel Amenably
Rooms. The progremme was am follows :
PART I.

Orerture—" Impresario". Entahosa.
The Bead.
Resdiag-,-43. Bishop, Esq.
Part Sung—" Believe me if all those endearing
young chains" •Lows.
Trio—Piano. clarionet, sad viola . Mersey's.
Song—. The Skipper sad bin Boy" Gums].
Mei H. Holt.
Reading—U. K Eliot. Esq.
Value" The Whisper of Love" WaTOoitaar.
The Bead.
Song—" Keep your powder dry" ooDniy.
Mr. Parsons:
rgy 11.

Music—Third Symphooy • . •MATDII.
m• Band.

Bung —" Bid me Discourftel— 77- Manor.
U. Holt.

liesdol—O. Bishop, Eaq.—
Air Vsne—Viohn dedicated to Pecranial .. Mamma&

Kr. A. awes.
Part Song—" Up, quit tity Soiree Itactiaium
Heading —Tee Rev. J. Miller.
quadrilla—" Anacreontic" Dawes.
_ _

Song—" Hearts of Oak" .. DOT.
Mr. Panama.
God Says the Queen.

MEETING OF THE GAS COMPANY.

A general meeting of the shareholders of the Wey-
mouth Consumer's Company was held on Tharaday
morning last,bn the Connell Chamber, Guildhall There
were mound, J. Drew, Eq., chairman ; lbws. R.
Thomas, W. Talbot, 8.. Damon, J. J., Rolls, Board,
Captain Robots., T. Beale, R. Maws, J. R. Robens,
Abbott, Felton, Robertson, 0. Carter, J. Timid, clerk
to the company, and Mona, manager.
The CuAlsio.o read the notice calling the meeting,
which stated that the btisinesetw as" To elect no auditor;
to receive and approve of the helazuse shoot of the
company. and &agate • dividend ; and for ether
business." _ _

TIZARD having read the minute§ of the last
meeting, Al was stated that Mr. W. Hallett. mut of the
auditors, retired by rotation but no other gentlemen
had been nominated. Mr. Hallett was than re cleated.
The report and balance sheet were next read, as
follow.

sot open weld be entookod, I'd NIA. Wor (wplanee). Te. Chairmen than mooed the adoption
mouth people, wh then is Item Aria& to open of -tite report and balances sheet, whieh was carried
their windows, or they 'II have more glass to pay far unanimously.
than they like. But we've got away from talking about The motion was passed tutanlmouly.
the night alarm, and my pension isn't enough to keep Mr. Biwa moved • vote of thanks le the Ohairman
me, so I malt go about my business. Good day I" and Board ef Direetors.
The old salt's 'deice about opening the windows our Mr. J. J. ROWS seconded the motion, and on its
readers will do well to note. Ryon in the firing on being 'acrid the proceedings °limed.
Thursday night, some glass in Si. Leonard's-ter:me
was smashed. On board the Mom:oh also, tie atoms
were in such a hurry to get their men at quarters that
the cabin sad other windows were forgotten. These
should have set open donne the firing ; but being loft
closed, every pane was broken. A small boat was also
'lung inboard, near the musale of a gun, and they did
not think of stowing it oat of the way ; the mow
queue. was that the concussion broke in Übe bottom of
the boat. We believe the Northumberland was the
first to answer the signal from the Agineourt, and ken
will therefore be reckoned the smartest mew.
MONDAY POPULAR lINTRIITAINKINT.