The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1863-11-03 00:00:00

DORSET COUNTY EXPRESS

DORCHESTER. TUESDAY. NOVEMBER 3. 1863

NOTES OF THE WELK.

Her Majesty has returned from Scotland, and
on arriving at Windsor Otitis, the Court re-
porter informs us, she looked very hemmed.
Whether this woee from mere fatigue of the

Journey, or from a deeper cause, we are left in
ignorance. The rigid rclusion in which the

Queen travelled do-es no- t, however, seem to

argue well for her returning healtb. We all
remember what indignation wan generally ea-

premed sometime linos when Her Majesty, on
leaving this country for the continent, found

herself barred from the least popular demonstra-
tion—every gate and avenue by which any Peep-
ing Tom might hare a glimpse of the Queen's
face being carefully closed. We remember, too,
that it transpired that the officials of Woolwich
Dockyard and Arsenal had gone far beyond the
Queen's wishes, and that they had subsequently
to " eat humble pie." But the return of our
Sovereign from Scotland has been markedly
almost as rigid a seclusion; and since the
arrival at Windsor we have heard nothing
more than that the Queen, with some
members of her family, has walked and
driven "in the grounds." We can but add our
hope to all in this oonntry, that after the close
'of the present year, seeing that two years of
mourning will then have elapsed, our beloved
Queen will once again mingle with her people.
As in this country universal interest is felt in
everything appertaining to the happiness of the
Prince and Princess of Wales, we may remark
that during the past week an announcement has
been put forth in an official journal to the effect
that Her Royal Highness "will be confined about
the last week in 'March next." The health of
the princess is reported to be "all that can be
desired under the circumstances."
The conduct of the Government with regard
to the gun-boats in the Mersey, built by the
Messrs Laird, has excited much comment. It
would seem that Earl Russell was not satisfied
with simply putting the broad arrow upon these
vessels, placing on board • inistom-house officer
and a body of Marines, and mooring alongside
H.M.S. Majestic and the gunboat Mohawk, to
prevent these unarmed, unfinished vessels es-
caping; but that during the past week, "to make
assurance doubly sure," another line-of-battle ship
and another gunboat have been ordered to watch
them, and the whole of the workmen engaged
on their construction ignominiously sent to
the right-about. At a meeting for distribution
of prima to volunteers at Liverpool, on Friday,
Mr. Laird, who was there, referred to those
ships. With regard to the Alabama, he denied
that that vessel had escaped. She left Lire
in the broad daylight, and it was admitted.l
by Lord Palmerston and Sir Roundel' Pal
that there was nothing in the affidavit laid Ili-
fore them to stop the ship except the evidence
of a sailor named Paismore, which Mr. jpird
had the highest authority for believing-io be
false. Touching the question of the rams, Mr.
Laird said that Lord Russell might not find it so
easy a matter as he supposed, to change the State
of the law; but however that might be, he
claimed that while the law remained as it was,
it ought to be obeyed by the government as well
as by private individuals.
It is said that about one of the first measures
of next session will be a Bill to divorce the
Divorce Court from the Probate Court. It is
said that an amended Bankruptcy Act is also on
the cards, one of the leading features of alteration
being the appointment of a chief judge in bank-
ruptcy. Apropos of the Divorce Court, there
are rumours of two asses which will, perhaPs.
more startling to the public than any cams which
have yet transpired. No more can be said at
present than that the finger of scandal points