The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1884-01-01 00:00:00

CHRIBTAIAB DECORAIIONB AT THE CHURCHES.

Th. churches were es usual tasteful doo,rated for
the festive season. _

At Holy Trinity they were both taffitefully and
elaborate. At the entrance to the chancel CO exceed-
ingly pretty roma had been placed. Thie ws,.. com-
posed of evergreens relieved by bunches of holly
berries and yellow immortellee, and the centre arch
we. surmounted by • croci of the same metals's.
Under the east window was the text, "G 4 manifest
in the flesh," in white letters on • crimoon ground.
The interese of the reredos were filled with holly
and moss, whilst at the foot of each penal was • bunch
of moss, out of which sprang beautiful Chrietnies
The eas stendards were prettily docked with trailing
Ivy. The reeding desk was very pret:y ; upon the
front being the worth! 'Emmanuel" la gold letters on
• crimson ground, beneath which we. a cross of holly.
Upon the ends were suitable device,. Great cars bad
been expended an the pulpit, which ireally looked
beautiful, and amply repaid those ladies who had
spent their time over it. The panels were tilled with
mow, ferns, and ivy, sad 1.. the centre hung •
cram of Christmas rases, on either aide of
which were triangles of immortalise. Upon the
font was a praty cross of Christmas roses and ferns.
Under the great west window was the text "The
dayepring from on Hi.th hath visited us," and under
the window, on either side " And • umpire shall aim
out of Israel" and "There shall 00010 a star out of
Jacob." The service on Christmas morning was of a
specially joyous nature, the anthem being "Foe unto
us a child ia born."
Al St. Juha's the decorations were also very pretty.
Upon the super-altar was a bank of choice flowers,
flushed by rases of red ahryeauthemums, au I toe
altar rails were encircle I with evergreen* ; the ands of
the choir stalls were decked similarly. The pulpit wes
covered with holly leaves, relieved by Christmas C 0...,
and looked very pretty. The font we. very beauti-
fully deuoratel with moot, arouud which was • b .It
of white hyacinths, plinuLso, and Christmas rotes,
the whole brim( surmounted witx a besitilui little
crude of maidenhair feral and Christmas roses Up in
the walls were suitable devices and ihacriptioas.
At St. Mary's Me decorations were very simple, but
still very neat. The pulpit was tastefully trimmed
with baud, of holly leaves, studded with holly harms.
The reading desk was similarly trimmed, ae were
also the gas standard* and immunion rails. The
mt looked pretty, being trinarnetkwith gnaw, ferns,
and wreaths of holly.

WRECK OF THE "SOUTH OF IRELAND."

At an early boar on Christinaa morning it became
known throughout Weymouth that the South of
Ireland, one of the fine steamers of the Great Woman
Hallway Company, plying between this port and Cher-
bourg, had met with • disaster that morning, and wee
upon the much-dreaded rocks at Warbarrow. Tod
South of Ireland (Captain Peron) left Weymouth for
Cherbourg on Friday at midnight, and arrived safely
in Cherbourg on Satarday morolog. There is no traffic
on Sunday, but on Monday cowing at 7.30 she WI
that port for Weymouth, haying on board one
peemager—Mr. Blackman, of the Marine Hotel, Way-
mouth—the crew of 23, and a general cargo of 65 tour.
It was then tolerably clear, and continued so until
about eleven o'clock, whoa a thick fog came on, and
at wee necessary to proceed with groat caution, which
was done for about a couple of hours, no one on
board having the slightest inkling that they had gone
out of their course, the captain and crew believing that
they were approaching the harbour. Shortly after
one a.m. on Chrhittnes morning they approached
what appeared to be a huge fog bank,
but which was, in reality, the laud, and
the next moment • terrific crash occurred, and it was
found that the vessel had clashed into the solid
cliff at Werborrow. The speed at which the steamer
was going carried her partially over the reef, with the
result that bet bows are in about four fathoms of
water, and her stern oa the rocks. For • few minutes
great confusion prevailed on beard, and as soon as
this subsided the two brats were lowered away, and
an inspection of the vessel made. It wall found that
in addition to other serious injuries that an enormous
hole had been stove in the bow, through which tbe
water was pouring into the vessel, and that there was
no chance of getting her off. It was then decided to
despatch • boat to Weymouth for assistance, and
accordingly one, having five on board in charge of the
mate, wit out on the perilous journey, Captain
Poem and the remainder o` the crew remaking on the
steamer. The "South," as she be popularly called,
was due in Weymouth about one a.m., but the Great,
Western officials did not feel any uneasiness on her
behalf, as in consequence of the dynes fog which pre-
veiled, it was thought that she was unable to make the
harbour, and had anchored outside. About seven am.
the boat arrived in Weymouth, and, as we have before
said,the news quickly spread that the "South" was
on the Warbarrow rocks, 13 miles east of Weymouth.
Assistance was promptly sent, the launch Princess
being soon despatched. Steam was got up on the
Prince (one of Omens and ( k.'e steamers), and shortly
before noon she also left for the scene of the disaster,
having on board Captain Pitt (in command), Mr.
Wildswith. Mr. G. E. Eliot, Or. Simpson, Mr. R.
1 owler, and .there. They also took a large gang of
men, and had the lighters in two. It took two hot) s
to reach the unfortunate vessel, and its true position
was quickly ascertained. The sea runs up to the base
of the cliff, where there are strewn about huge
waren of rock, yet to within a few yards of the cliff
the water is deep, so deep that at the stern of the
South of Ireland there is nearly five fathoms of water,
and at the bows only • few feet. It was evident from
the appearance of the oleos fine steamer that she must
have collided with the cliff—which at the point where
the vessel struck bas an altitude of about 250 feet—
with terrific force. She was completely broken in two
at the fore-gangway. Bar bows were much higher
out of the water than the after part of the vessel, and
the latter was partially floded, the gangway. were
twisted, and torn in an indiscribable fashion. The
wheel house on the bridge had become • complete
wreck, and the wheel had been t irn from its fasten-
ings. Most of the cargo in the fire-hatch was washed
out by the waves and lost. Both mute were standing,
and it was a curious and melancholy fact that the
bunches of evergreens and a small flag place
at the mast-head in honour of the festive season
still remained. Efforts were at once Wait if possible t
save some of the fittings, and in this they were partially
successful, managing to fill the lighter* with the
cabin fitting., bed linen and ware, and a smell portion
of the cargo, but it is feared that the greaterportion of
the latter will be lost, together with the valuable
machinery. The Prince left the wreck on her return
journey at four o'clock, the fog still being very dense.
This was the hour at which she was expected in Wey-
mouth. and, as she did not arrive, people began to
feel anxious for her safety. The steamship Aquilla
hail got up steam in readiness to go to the wreck, but
as the Prince did not come back it was not thought
advisable to let her go out, and loathed she kept blow-
ing her whistle at intervals. In addition ti this the
steamer bell was rigged up on the end of the Pile Pier,
and kept ringing in order to guide the Prinoo to the
harbour. These precautions were not by any means
unnecessary. As before said she left the wreck at four
o'clock, but the fog had got worse than ever, and she
lest her way in the Bay, and was obliged to come
to an anchor off Preston. The coastguards came off
and put her right, and she reached Weymouth about
seven o'clock to the groat relief of the hundreds who
had assembled on the Quay.
On Wedoeeda_y Captain Lichey, the superintendent
of the Marine Department, Great Western Railway,
' came down, and in company with Mr. Wildsmith and
Captain Peam, went by the steamer Queen to the
wreck. On the way many packages of goods were
Cr. During the night a stiff breeze from the S.E,
strung up, end Una rendered it dangerous for any
steamer to go alongside, therefore the work of easing
the cargo had to be discontinued. It is
thought probable that should the weather
hold fine a considerable portion of the fittings,
machinery, and cargo might be saved, but in the
event of the wind veering to the south-wort the venal
would go to pieces in • few hours. The after portion
appeared to be caught on • rock, which acted is a
pivot, and thus prevented it from going down. The
interior was full of water, and the seas washed over
the deck. The vessel Is valued at about E 2.1 000.
. .

The &nth of Ireland was an iron paddle steamer of
498 grow tow, and wee built in Renfrew in 1067. She
has been employed in the Cherbourg traffic ever since
it wee first started in the yew 1878, and was then
brought from Milford Haven. It is • singular thing
that something of an unfortunate character hes
happened to the steamer every Christmet since she
ham been on this station. Last Christmas Eve, whilst
on her passage from Cherbourg, her cylinder broke,
and, after drifting about foe some time, she waa picked
up by the Jersey steamer and towed to Weymouth. She
then underwent thorough repair, and returned to this
port in July the handsomest host on the station. The
Christmas before that she had a serious mishap with
her machinery, and • similar accident occurred the
Christmas previous again.
The steamship Again. left Weymouth for Cher-
bourg on Wednesday night in place of the South of
Ireland

THURSDAY.

_.,..........
To-day the Queen, having on hoard Captain L.ckey
and • numeroua party of workmen, left for the wreck
to endeavour. If possible, to save a portion of the
machinery. Weather is still quiet. A quantity of
wreckage has iron washed ashore this morning, sod
has been identified as portions of her cargo.