The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1865-06-20 00:00:00

POOLE.

BANQUET AT CHERBoung.—On Tuesday evening
a grand banquet was given by the Municipality and
the Chamber of Commerce of Cherbourg, to the
directors and officers of the Somerset and Dorset
Railway, and the Mayor and Corporation of Poole.
About 40 gentlemen embarked on board the steam-
ship Albion at midnight on Monday, and proceeded
en route for Cherbourg, the distance, about 65 miles,
being performed in six hours and a half. The
weather was delightfully fine, and scarcely a breath
of air stirred a ripple on the water. After having
steamed around the breakwater and coast defences
the party landed, and in the course of the morning
visited the dockyard and arsenals in the town, to-
gether with the Roul Fort, the Hotel de Ville and
its beautiful museum and state chambers, and other
places of interest. At sit o'clock in the evening
shout AO gentlemen were entertained in the mag-
nificent saloon of the Bain, de Mer, under the pre.
sidency of M. Ludt) (Mayor of Cherbourg). The
ball was most admirably decorated, and'at the head
of the room were placed two busts—those of the
Emperor Napoleon 111. and of her Majesty Queen
Victoria. The company included the Mayor and
President of the Chamber of Commerce of Cher.
bourg, the Admiral of the port, the Sous Pr6fet,
Count de Tocqueville, Count de Beranger, M.
Alexandre Dumas, the authorities of the Chemin de
Per de l'Ouest, the English Consul, Mr. H. Hamond.
The English visitors were accompanied by Mr.
Henry Seymour, hi. P. for Poole. The Mayor of
Cherbourg_proposed "the health of Queen Victoria,"
and the English Consul "the Emperor of the
French." The Admiral of the port then gave
the toed of "the English Atiny and Navy,"
in an excellent English speech. Mr. It Seymour
proposed in French "the health of the Mayor of
Cherbourg." In doing so, he said the new line of
steamers would unite the wed of France and the
west of England. The railway, the directors of
which were present, and which had just been
finished, connected Poole, through the fertile valleys
of Dorset and Somerpet, with the rich mineral
districts of South Wales. In that country there
was a large and prosperous population, likely to
want the very articles which France could beat
supply—viz., provisions and dress. The same rail-
way opened a direct western route to the manufac-
turing tioonties of the north. From Cherb,arg, on
the French tide of the Channel, there were railways
to Tours and Paris, and a direot railway todte through
the western cities of France to the Spanish frontier.
Between all these lines arrangements had been
made to facilitate the passage of goods and pas-
sengers, and there could be no doubt that the new
steamers would open a great western communication
between the centres of manufacturing industry in
6'razioe and England. He believed commerce to be
the true civiliser of nations=a troth the Emperor
bad enfoteefl *hen he proposed the tteaty of 1860.
Since theh England bed been invaded, not by French
soldiers, but by Frenffii metehandisei and the entente
cordiale had never been doom% Ile bad read with
pleasure that an English railway had ordered 16
locomotives of a French house, and The Timm bad
predicted that Gladiateur was only the first of a line
of conquerors. Competition appeared to have
developed in France powers which had hitherto been
unknown, and Freneh diplomacy was extending the
Sadie adtantages to other European countries. M.
Alexandre buttialipfdpdsed "the memory of William
Shakespeare," and the proceediffge *ere brought to
a close. At 10 o'clock on Wedaesday mo.fning
the party took their departure, and arrived home in
the evening after a delightful voyage.

FATAL ACCIDENT THROUGH DRINK.-011 Friday
last an inquest was held at the Townhall, before the
borough coroner, on the body of John Evans, aged
a seaman, who accidentally fell into the harbour
on the fir6tiotts eveqing, and was drowned. Thomas
Evans, the father of ths deeeseed sai,d that he was
master of the Success, laden with imal. They were
unloading the vessel the whole of Thursday. 'they
left off about 6 o'clock, after which deceased went
for a walk with a friend. Witness also went for a
walk and returned to his vessel about 11 o'clock.
As soon as he got on board a young man, who was
standing on the quay, said he heard a bubbling in
the Water, and a policeman who came along threw a
light upon the spot whenoe the sound proceeded,
Mid vri eig sew a oaf swimming on the water. He
Mid i' hai's MY dotie detg—he'e drowned." A boat
hook was immediately obtained, and the body of his
son was got out. Had not seen his eon all the
evening after leaving the vessel. A surgeon was
sent for, and every effort was made to restore anima-
tion, but without success. The doctor said his son
fell into the water drunk, and that he (the father)
was not much better. There was a plank between
the Vessel and quay wall, but one might step from
the wall to the vessel without going upon the plank. .
—.James Davis, belonging to the ship Prince Eugene,
Mid that about half.psat sit on the previous evening ,
he ealle4 for the dedeated and they went together
for a walk, Mid abta quarter past nine o'clock
they west to the Coadli atti4 Horses, 'Where
they stayed about haltan-hour. Inc detleseed,drank ,
something less than a pint of beer. This was all he ,
saw deceased drink that night, but be might have I
drunk more as he left his company once or twice. I
Deceased bad appeared the worse for liquor the
whole of the evening, and when he took him to his
vessel, about half•past 9 o'clock, deceased was so
belplessfy drunk that he had to take him up in his I
arms and earrj Mtn on board. Deceased refused-to
remain there, and they tiled went to the Ship Inn,
where witness left him.—Elisa Dbefrifte, landlady)
of the Ship Inn, said that deceased came to her
house about 8 o'cicok the previous evening and had
-
a glass of beer. He then appeared to be perfectly
sober. He came again about 10 o'clock and re-
mained about haltim-hour. He culled for two
glasses of beer, one of which be gave away and the
other he upset, so that he drank nothing. Be ap-
peared to be Considerably the worse for liquor at
I that time. fflitll !asked him to go to bed but he re-
fused, and said he stottid em to the ship. He .• .
I not consider that he was so bad, btlt that he was
capable of taking care of himself. —George Cobb,
Maker it Mr. Behien's steam mills, said that about
Al o'dlodt Mt the pretious night he was standing'
on the quay opposite the Samosa when he heard the
master of the vessel speaking to the captain of one
of the other vessels in the harbottf. Witting,
immediately afterwards heard • splash in the
water, and called the captain's attention to it, and
C policeman coming along, he was also told of the
circumstantfe. The wagtail/a turned his " bullseye"
upon the water whet/ they saw • cap, and the
aslitaitL said " That's 627 don's sap, he's in the
water. They got • boat hook and the deceased
was brought 10 the sarfam, after • lalww, PerhaM of
12 or 15 minutes after the splash was heard. TWO
or three doctors were fetched and means were
employed to rectusitate the body. but without)
success. The father of the deceased seemed tole o,
good deal the worse for liquor.—The Coroner, in
summing up the evidence, mid he thought that it
was pretty evident that the deceased was accide
drowned; while, had be been in • state of sobriety, lie
would now, in al probability, have been • living:
man. And perhaps had the father been mber at the
time he would have been saved. At all eventa,-the
father being tipsy at the time, he was unable to
render the assistance he might otherwise have done.
—Mr. Smith, one of the jurymen, said be could not
think that could be called an accident when there
was a known came. Here the cause was evident—,
he was drunk and incapable, and consequently
tumbled into the water. The coroner said of course
it was for the jury to return their own verdict, but
though the young man was intoxicated, his falling
into the water was accidental not wilful.—Mr.
Smith thought they ought to draw the attention of
•'Crates to the fact that the landlady of the
~ drawn beer for the demised after, aceord..•
her own confession, she saw that he was
Ms other meinbai of the Jury thought
A milking in the tioaSnot of the laaMetiTtif
upon the hones " - -of the
She he --'---
-- he called f
Subsequently
do:wooed was

-the wisim•d

Muni.d $
drowned wbile