The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1876-06-06 00:00:00

DRAIN NRAR TRINJTy CHURCH.

The following tenders had im;;;;"-s'ea in :—Mr. .1.
Hibbs, £36: Mr. W. H. Willisins, .C 33 Mr. Hounsell,
£36 10e. ; Mr. J. T. Whetham, £Z; Mr. peach, MS 10a.
The lowest tender, Mr. Williams's, was accepted.
mg LIGHTING.
Mr. WALLIS, with some moderate remarks, moved
That the Town Clerk be instructed to produce any con-
trut,, agreement, or extract of any minute or minutes re-
laxing to or governing the existing arrangement with the
Weymouth Consumers Gas Company, and that copies be
prepared and laid on the table at the next meeting.'
The TOWN CLERK explained there was no contract
waled. The only arrangement was on thalami, of &report
of the Gas Committee with reference to the lamps
Mr. WALLIS asked if the Baud were at the mercy of the
Gas Company I
The Town Cuing said No, the company were at the
mercy of the Council.
Mr. WALLIS considered this every loose way of business;
but should defer his remark till next meeting. He would
be glad if some would msoond his resolution.
Mr. WALKER WM willing to do so; but Mr. WALLS
wanted some one else beside Mr. Walker. fLanghteet
I be Mayor undertook to supply the papers asked for.
The next subject was that of Radipole Mill, introduced
by Mr. Wst.us„ but nipped in the bud, by the meeting to
a close.

WINTER GARDEN AND AQUARIUM.
The Mayor (Mr. (I. R. WeWord). convened • meeting 01
the inhabitants on Thursday evening leAnt• =nadir
satamts ou respecting the proposed new ter Garden
and Aquarium for We/mouth. The meeting was held
in the Guildhall, and was well attended, among those
pmmt being—ne Mayor, in the chair, Captain
R.N., Mr. G. Eliot, Mr. J. Talbot, Mr. J. M Captain
Piers, R.N., Kr. F. C. Stamen, Town Messrs.
Donal; 8. 8. Milladgs. Hallett, W. Hallett, G. Rolls,
S. Dunn, Limns, Stone, H. Wheeler, Shatter, W.
Thoui J. Vincent, Snook, Hooper, R. Thomas, J.
Rues.s, Aylee, J. It. CnL, J. A. Sherren, Chalker, W.
Thiaalton, Devenish, Plowman. Simpson, Whit. Rowe,
rc.ca, Crocker. Manley, Rogers, Jeans, Jackman,
Vertne,
_Dodson, Hodder, Turner, Hunt, and many others.
The MAYOR, after referring to a former meeting. intro-
duced Captain Chimmo to tell the present state of the
matter. _
_ .

tlill CIMINO. R.N., had been asked to act as
director, and saw his way very dearly. The Weatmlaister
Royal Aquarium Company had offered to build the
Aquarium, if Weymouth wield keep it goln and asked
for the local support If Weymouth was to keep
with Bournemouth and Torquay, which are now building
aquarium& they must embrace this advantageous ogee.
Re had only,during the seven or eight days Pest. Wan one
person who met the plan coldly. The first plan was a aed
paper, and the price warn to have been no, but
one
tol7e consist° t with the drcumataeose at W
mouth, lam bad reduced it to ammo. by taking as. TZ
or the original PIAUI and diolllg with the prdw
Iron railing round TM building; but the IAW would be
as useful and attractive as phased before The
would require lob. paid AO per Nat, for the loan=

money ; but Weymouth people bed the power by advancing
the aa•lY thiumusbull, to put the £lll per cmit into their
own pockets, and he should himself invest any were
money he presumed this way. The expenses he estimated
thus: Ten per cent on capital of £25,000, ti,ooo music
for lemon, L2OO ,• repairs, 4150 ; food for fishes and birds,
£lOO ; edvertising and building, £250; clerk under
managing director, £100; office expenses, £lOO ; director's
fees, .C 250 ; managing director £3OO ; coals for winter
months (1Z tons), £150; pa £lOO : naturalist and two
assistants, £l5O two engineers, LOO ; two stokers, £75;
money taker, £5O: house cleaner, £25; charge of skating
rink and skates. £25; for collecting marine specimens and
planta, £75; total £4,1030. Of this Captain Chimmo re-
duces LSO by a visiting naturalist at S 5• visit, £lOO on the
cook and £1125 by using water presents instead of engine
power, thne bringing the expanses to £4llO, or thereabouts.
As to the reductions he explained that among their
directors or members of the Council would he five or six
naturalists, and they might get Mr. Kent to come down,
at £5 per visit. AS to the engine power, each tank is
supplied with water flowing from one tank to another,
keeping up a constant circulation, and this might be per-
haps accomplished by using the town water power.
The income Captain CHIPIIIO thus estimated: At least
100,000 visitors to Weymouth in the season, vintlug the
aquariumthrice each. £1500: lodging houses 00)
season tickets LlOO ; 25,000 excursionists 11,000 et I"ri
and
the 3,000 at id, charging all at M., L 025 ; local residents
season tickets ; profit on refreshments, £6000:
Skating Rink. £150; racquet court, .ClOO ; lawn tennis
and Badminton £75; ditto strangers £35; and flower
shows, theatricals, lectures, concerts, halls and aasemblies,
and guide books, Ike, to make • total of £4,110, and life-
-
free-tickets, another £l.OOO, thus leaving *wont of .Cl,llO.
As to the visitors the speaker said that one man of great
experience had told him there were 17,000 in the season.
He had estimated the income at the lowest rate, dividing
everything by two, and fished not included receipts from
whom they might certainly expect considerable aid. He
had been obliged, in order to reduce the capital required
to alter his plan for the building, butouly the orna.siental
part left out, for the hall ought to be adapted fur anything
that might be required, and the size of that was not
altered; it would be 200 ft in length by Mnft. In lieu of
the wing be proposed to build a ra.mtiet court: they knew
that was long wanted in Weymouth, where the soldiers
and sailors always complain they cannot get one, for
racquet is their game. As a sort of inducement to the
officers and servants of this aquarium, he proposed that
the salaries, commencing at • low figure shall increase fire
per cent, per annum, after a dividend of five per cent
has been
. . .

' elZt-iii;t7ione being invited,
Mr. I,unnie asked whet would be the nature of the
guarantee these gentlemen would require for advancing
/10.000 .

(Anton' umnno could not tell its nature ; they would
look out for that.. . _ .

.-11r71:tnsiOri-iLd they offered to build a very expetusive,
and probably a successful, or it might be, an unsuccessful
building, on very liberal terns. Me asked on what basis
they worst° recogniee the town in relation to this company.
Captain emus° replied they lad already built an
aquarium at Southport, and the Westminster Palace
aquarium, and be supposed the same kind of guarantee
given before would be required at Weriewath_
The Msros said that in the inteevirs be had with Mr.
Macey, he understood the °West was for the Weymouth
people to take up and start the company, and Mr. Macey
was satisfied that P. would pay itself, and if the Weymouth
people took it up with spirit, plenty of others would take
shares, and they would come as shareholders in • Limited
Liabibty Company.
Kr. LIIIIDII : Then the town would have no responsi-
bility.
The MATOIL : If the town came forward and took so
many shares, they would be able to induce other people
te_takd up *harm . . _

—Mr. That is putting the matter on a different
bowie from what Captain Chimmo does.
Mr. G. ELIOT said he was asked to take the chair when
Mr. Macey_ and Mr. Norton were down, and certainly the
position Mr. Macey took was not quite like Captain
Chimmo's Mr. Macey's position was that he and his
friends were so satisfied with the success of the scheme
that they were quite prepared to risk their money in
starting and building an aquarium here ; but before they
launched their company or trued their prospectus, so as
to give them every support, they wanted to get five or
six directors whose names would be looked upon with
respect in the world, and to get other names put down
for shares. The nieeting must bear in mind these gentle-
men were not altogether disinterested: they were what
are called company founders, or company mongers: they
had been instrumental in founding other aquarium
companies. Weymouth must be a little on its guard, for
they did not come down solely from patriotic regard to
shower blessings on Weymouth. As to their schemes, he
thought the first was extravagant to a degree, both with
regard to the building and the tigures which Mr. Macey
laid before them. Captain Chimmo had gone in a much
more reasonable way to work, both in his building and
his figures.
Mr. Luxnix asked sit ether in the estimate of £20,000
was included the furnishing of the tanks!

CHHIIOII CHIIIIIO presumed not the fittings only.
They would provide fixtures, and we should have to put the
thing. into them. He had arranged for (.50 a year for
collecting animals. He added that Brighton aquarium,
which cost .£120,000 was paying.ClOper cent Southport
aquarium, which cost .E. 116,000 was paying 121 per cent;
and the Crystal Palace aquarium was paying 30 per cent
Mr. Steriosti. said the town was not to give any
guarantee; this would be simply a limited liability
company, and persons who invested their capital would
be liable for the amount advanced. There could be no
liability on the town, which incurred no risk in any
or form, d could give no guarantee. It would be
shape
an
their rememberance that their late Mayor, Mr. Robert-
son, with the kindest Intentions, induced the town to
subscribe £1,500 to set forth to the world the beauties and
capabilities of Weymouth. Now, if the town could
advance £1,500 for such an undertaking without any
return, except an indirect one, and perhaps a remote onA
surely it would answer the purpose of every one n
in business to put their shoulders to the wheel e.iiney
knew the extent of their liability, even if whey got no
return, and if something of the kind were not done here
other towns would go straight away from us, and we shall
be left in the lurch an insignificant town.
The MAYOR said Captain Chirnmo's figures assumed a
very different aspect from those laid before them in the
! first place, and certainly seemed feasible. One n
thing in Weymouth was • largo and extensive hell it
for any and every purpose. If they could—as he under-
stood from communications with the railway company
was the case—have a certain charge made upon the
excursionists' tickets, • large and permanent revenue
would be secured. He felt strongly that the situation for
the building was not the most desirable, and that if they
could have obtained a site on the front it would have been
most advantageous : but they could not do impossibilities.
It would now be advisable to form • committee to go
carefully into the matter, and ascertain that pecuniary
support they could reckon
.on in the town, and see it they
could form a limited liability company or not
The following were then appointed :-11r. J. Turner,
Captain Chitumo, R.N., Mr. G. E. Eliot, Mr. W. Thomp-
son, Mr. R. Thomas, Mr. F. C. Mama, Mr. Pelly
Hooper, Captain Piers, R.N., Mr. J. G. Rowe, Mr.
Lundie, Dr. Simpson, Mr. J. A. Talbot, Mr. R. N.
Howard, and Mr. R. Damon.
Kr. LUND'S, seeing such a large and influential meeting,
would like to hear some expression of opinion as to how
the scheme would succeed, and whether people would
render personal help in carrying it out.
Mr. A. Norms thought that if they could get the
money at AZ per cent instead of £lO, and with some
alight modifications, a very fair income alight be realised.
Mr. MILLEDOK explained that the town had been
searched most carefully to see if • piece of freehold could
he obtained on which to build the aquarium, but none
could be found. The negotiations between the owners of
the land in the Park, and the gentlemen connected with
the aquarium, would cease in three weeks.
Mr. WILIZLILH thought they might do • great deal at
once by asking the meeting how many shares or tickets
each they would take. They would not have such •
chance again.
Captain CHINNO should begin by taking 20 shares to
qualify him as • director, and should double the number.
It was decided the Committee !should meet on Saturday
at 11 o'clock, and the meeting concluded with votes of
thanks to Captain Chimmo and to the Mayor.