The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1876-01-11 00:00:00

DORCHESTER.

Sr. PRIM'S eIIeRCH CHOIR —On Sunday last sermons
were preached at St. Peters's church, morning and
evening by the Rector (the Rev. E. \V. Pears, M. A.,) and
collections made in behalf of the Choir, amounting to
£l2 10s. sd.

TESTIMONIAL —On Tuesday evening the employes at the
office of this paper made • gratifying presentation to Mr.
Alfred Atkins, who had just retired from the editorship,
and it was accompanied by an address, thanking him for
his kindness to them, and adding, "It is the regret of us
all that you are about to leave, and we wish you every
success in your future life." Mr. Atkins, in reply,
expressed the very great pleasure it afforded him to
receive such a compliment from those who had worked
under him so many years, and heartily reciprocated their
good wishes.
WEEK or PRATSR.—A prayer meeting was held every
evening last week at the Wesleyan schoolroom, the room
being well filled on every evening except Saturday, when
there were not quite so many present, but the meeting
was as hearty and the prayers as earnest as on any J,re.
vious evening. The meetings were conducted by the Rev.
W. Allen, the Rev. J. Harrington, the Rev. T. Neave.
and Mr. Allen, jun., prayers being offered by various
members of the congregations. The meetings were in
connection with tho Er in4elicalk.tllisnce Lesion: and
the Committee of the Young Men s Christian Association,
which is a purely unsectarian society, and which has done
much good work among the young men of the town, made
the necessary arrangements.
THIS CIGUSTIIRS DINNER AT TER ARTZIA)PIi HOTEL.—
A pressure of news last week prevented our noticing the
annual Christmas dinner at the Antelope hotel. This is
an institution of the establishment, and has been formal'
years. The agriculturists and others who dine at this
wellknoern hostelry at the market ordinaries, on the
Satunlay after Christmas day find the tables groaning
with seasonable cheer in addition to the usual liberal
spreads. A largo and influential party eat down on Saturday
although election matters made many rather his. It WAS
a capital affair altogether, and the health of Mr. Sly, the
worthy host, on being proposed by Mr. T. A. Homer, of
Martinstown who presided, was most heartily received.
Mr. Sly returned thanks, and with hia accustomeh
liberality placed an abundance of champagne upon the
tables.
TRATZLLINO ON THE GREAT WEATIRS RAILWAT.—The
Great Western Railway announce special fast trains
between Paddington and Plymouth. The chief officials
hope to run three trains daily each way in 5} hours
between London and Plymouth—the only halting places
being Swindon, Bristol, "Exeter, and Newton—local trains
taking on passengers to intermediate stations. In order
to accomplish that feat, there are being constructed not
only sow specially powerful broad-gauge engines, but new
passenger carriages on eight wheels, fixed to bogie plat-
forms specially adapted to the sharp curve, of the South
Devon line. The broad .gauge is to be retained for the
West, and it cannot he denied that, whatever its economic
disadvantages, the broad-gauge is favourable to comfort
and high speed.
CONMITTRD TO TEE DORSET COUNTY PRlSMS—Assists :
William Wise, stealing lead at Wareham ; Nathaniel
Stanley and Christopher Paver, an abominable crime at
Weymouth flard Labour: Patrick McCarthy, destroy-
ing trees at Weymouth, George Hawkins and James
Hawkins, stealing ducks at Shipton Gorge and Thomas
Smith, exposing himself at Weymouth, 3 calendar
months hard labour James Green, drunk awl disorderly
at Califon' Magna, 2 calendar months hard labour : Charles
Hughes, stealing wire and braes weight at Bridport, 6
weeks hard labour : Annie Grace Havter, stealing an
umbrella and a part of a dressat Child Okeford, I calendar
month hard labour; Jane Raindle, misbehaviour in W im-
borne Union 21 days' hard labour; Mary Thomas, vagrancy
at Cann. Id days' hard labour.
Tne WEATRER.—The following is our meteorological
report;—

Lowest
Date. Noon. Point at! Wind. State of Weather.
Night.
t
---
Jan. •
3 47 I 40 W Gloomy
4 45 I 32 , WNW /a if goggy, cloudy
5 39 28 g Gloomy
6 32 27 ENE Cloudy, fine
7 32 26 NE Cloudy, allow
8 27 21 NC
.... 1.1..uay, no

'

CHRISTII so TIME AT Till UNION. —Through the kindeess
of the officials of oar Union and the sympathy of various
kind hearted ladies and gentlemen, the poor little children
RIM other inmates of the Union were enabled on Thursday
evening last to realise the festive character of the cesium.
The proceeding of the evening commeneed with a most
liberal tea, to which shout ibi sat down in the large hall,
which had been tastefully festooned with evergreens and
adorned with mottoes of a loyal and grateful character.
After the tee the wonder of the evening, the Christmas
tree, VILA exhibited to the delighted and wondering eyes
of the children. The tree, a handsome one, had been
kindly sent by Mr. U. B. Middleton, and laden as it was
with good things the girls were soon hugging in their
pianoforas sziwors, nall,, mai other toys; while the boys
were jubilant over pocket knives, Bibles, and appropriate
books. I)uring the evening an abundance of apples, the
gift of Mr. J. Lovelace, the vice-chairman of the Board,
and of bonbons and oranges which had been kindly sent
by Mr. A. Spicer, was received by all ; and the children
sang very nicely some Christmas carols and rounds which
had been taught them by their painstaking schoolmistress,
(Mrs. Voss) to whom, also, they were indebted for the
fact that sules-riptions had been raised for the treat
Miss Zroson further distributed tea to the women and
tobacco and scarves to the men. Among the visitors
prment were ;—Mr. William Blade (guardian). Mrs.
C,ooper and party from Whithombe, Mr. and Mrs. A.
Spicer, Misses Lock, Mrs. A. Lock, Col. Oirldeld, Master
Burnett, Mrs. Mathew, Master Maskew. Mrs. and Miss
Z neon. Mr. Andrew's, jint., Mr. and Mrs. Mallandyne,
Miss Hazel, Mr. and Mrs. Parsons, rte. The ladies
assisted at tho tea and Mrs. A. Spicer also helped to dress
the tree. At the conclusion hearty cheers expressive of
the greatest goodwill toward the kind hearted master and
matron, Mr. ana Mrs. Pearce, the guardians, the school-
mistress, and the assisteest-atron, Miss Chewer were
given.
Courry Perry SESSIONS, Fr:day.—before Ur.
Williams.

John St iatland, an old pensioner, was brought up in
custody, Superintendent Batty having apprehended him
at Sherborne, charged with leaving his wife and family
chargeable to the common fund of the Dorchester Union.
—Mr. It. Lock (Messrs. Lock and Sons, solictors, Dor-
chester) clerk to the Guardians, appeared for the
proeecution, and after • little discussion the case was
compromised.
Courrr POLICI, Saturday.—Before Mr. E. Pearce and
Mr. O. Churchill.

&own 1111ghea and JosiaA Weile. gipsies, were brought
up charged with P Waling underwood, value 61, the pro-
perty of Mr. Joseph Roper, and were fined 10s., and 3d.
damage each.
John Daggs. cab driver, of Weymouth, was brought up
charged with stealing a sack bag, of the value of 10.1.. the
property of Mr. Levi Luckhatn, of Upway.—Couunitted
for trial at the next Assizes.

NITRATE OF SODA.
The second meeting of the session 1075-6 of the
Dorchester Farmers' Club was held on Saturday evening.
Mr. R. Gauge, the President, was in the chair, and there
were also present—Mr. O. W. Homer (vice), Messrs.
Hawkins T. Chick, Oakley Saunders, H. W. Hawkins,
T. Spines, H. Taylor, Trood, G. Keats (acting secretary),
I,,,ader, F. Symes, Damon, Chapman Sounders, and A.
Pope.
After the election of two new weather., a paper was
rend by Mr. SPOONER Ni ,of Southampton, on trate of Soda.
In the course of it he said when first the subfect was pro-
posed to him by their chairman the thought struck him
that it was very doubtful whether it was suffi-
ciently interesting to demand • very large share of
attention, and that probably a good many would
say nitrate of soda has been in use many
years, and they doubted very much whether more
could be said on the subject than they already knew •
but he thought many erroneous ideas were entertained.
with regard to its effect, its composition, and the result of
its application. Nitrate of Soda had been known, he
supposed, for the last 100 years • but it had not been used
for agriculture until within the last 30 or 40 years. Upon
Ito introduction it met with no such favour as that which
atttended the introduction of Peruvian Guano—which
succeeded at once, for the first cargo of nitrate of soda
which was brought in had to be returned, for it could not
be sold; again the second time a cargo was sent it was
thrown into the water, on account of the high rate of duty
charged ; and upon a third occasion it was sold at £35 a
ton. No doubt the cause of the many objections enter-
tained to it. was that people applied it injudiciously, and
in too large a quantity. The production of nitrate of soda
took place in a rainless district, and that was the reason
why it was not present in many parts of the world. It
was almost entirely confined to the west coast of America,
and near the tropical regions. He believed people had
lived on the coast of Peru and not witnessed a shower for
seven or eight yearn; and that accounted for guano,
and particularly the old sorts, containing so much
ammonia. Nitrate of soda was to bi e found n a sort of
quarries, where it exuded from the soil. Its origin was
involved in much obscurity. It was thought it !conned
the bottom of the sea, and there was no doubt, whatever,
that within • certain number of centuries the land where
it was found had been rallied to a considerable extent, and
also produced the salt that was found at the bottom of the
sea; bet although it was formed in connection with this
salt why it should take the form of nitrate of soda, salt
being chloride of sods, it VIM really difficult to say.
Whether it was owing to volcanic influences he could not
say, but there was no doubt of this, that nitrate of soda
was composed of nitric acid and soda, and was formed
naturally to a very great extent It was formed chiefly in
the province of Tarawa, in Peru, which was distant about
10 miles from the sea. For many years after it was dis-
covered it was Inought thew 10 miles on the hacks of
mules. The fuel is hit% had to he used for its evaporation
had also to be conveyed those iv miles, and thus added
considerably to its expense. The district rose some 3,000 f t.
above the level of the sea, mid was bounded Gn the
east by the loftiest mountains in the world, the /tide%
which rose up some 17,000 ft, above the level of the sea.
The total absence of rain was considered to be due to the
influence of the trade winds. The benefit derivable from
the application of nitrate of soda to the soil arose front
the nitrogen it contained —about two-thirds consisted of
the acid and about one-third of the common salt. Some
years ago there was no other means of conveying it to the
nag shore but hy means of these mule trucks; but soon
after hi. i.`usey, who first appreciated its value, had
written upon U..; ',object, a railway was formed. It
did a considerable uade, but like everything else
in Peru it seemed to have an utfortunate tendency.
He himself was • shareholder in it, and within the last
week or two had received the disagreeable intimation that
there was no dividend. They must, however, hope fur
the boit, and as the soil was impregnated with nitrate of
soda to a large extent, and it was also found almost pure
in many parts, he had no doubt it would outlast, not the
production exactly, but the finding, of guano. Nitrate of
sods contained about 13 per cent of nitrogen ; and it MU
• curious fact that in the composition of nitric acid the
very same gases which comprised the atmosphere itself
formed it. The atmosphere was composed almost entirely
of one-fifth of oxygen and four-fifths of nitrogen. Nitro-
gen, which was so powerful an ingredient in food for the
purpose of creating flesh and muscle, served the purpose
of diluting the oxygen which otherwise would be too
strong, and would burn us and the world itself up. In
nitric acid the complements were somewhat reversed, the
oxygen predominated. and instead of being a simple
mechanicermistw.c like the air it was a chemical compo-
sition to which was dile it, remarkable caustic powers.
The 13 per cent of nitrogen arts eoral to about 17 per
cent, of ammonia, which used to be the chief constituent
of the best Peruvian guano; and it was a curlowl fact that
some years ago the price of nitrate of soda was consider-
ably more than that of Peruvian guano; but now, no
doubt, If Peruvian guano of the same richness were
brought oval it would command • higher price than
nitrate of soda. reruvian guano contained not
only nitrate in various forms, but also other element-I,
such as phosphate of lime ina semi-soluble state. To Mr.
Pewsey, who, he thought, they Pete justified in saying
was one of the best presidents the Royal 4gricnltural
Society ever had, and one of the most intelligent of their
agriculturists, and whose merit' had been by no means
done justice to, they must attribute the sole merit of