The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1875-06-22 00:00:00

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Dean Stanley presided on Saturday at the anniversary
dinner in aid of the Newspaper Press Fund, held in '
Willis's Risme. The very reverend chairman, in pee i
posing " Prosperity to the Funds," spike at length on the
eharacteristioi of the various branches of the newspaper
prees, and paid a tribute of open...lotion to its value. 'I he
other ilay a mendier of the House of I Auntie/Its sail the
reporters, owing to their laborious selfisleny mg efforts
in reproducing the unintelligible speeches ti which they
were obliged to listen, were worthy id the name id the I
" noble army of martyrs" (bow, hear, and laughter).
That phrase suggests others and mon: ancient associa-
tons than those extreme novelties if which I have just
been speaking : but in point of fact, if I may so far con- I
tradiet what I said in the beginning ef my speech, the
history of the "noble army of martyrs" does extend tar '
back into the mists of antiquity. If I have not been I
greatly deceived they do actually count among their
number in former times men who were distinguished
martyrs in the ancient church. There is mid to have
been a reporter under the Roman Empire in primitive
ages who was martyred by being exported to the fury of
his pupils, who tore him to pieces with their shorthand
pencils. Another martyr who is enrolled in the list of
the earlier Preporters is no tem& person than i 'yprinn,
Bishop of Carthage, who is said to have added to the
system of shorthand writing no fewer than n.ieS) new ,
notations—Gaughter). These great shorthand writers of '
early times flourished with unabated vigour until the tall '
of the Roman Empire. When that great institution fell
the art of stenography fell with it. The art was crushed
under the ruins of ancient civilisation. It did, however,
again struggle with the first dawn of the new civilisation
to make iMelf felt again ; but then. also, it added new
martyrs to the list, for the first reporters who appeared in
France in the eleventh century were lairtit as neero-
mancer• But from that time their course has been
smoother and more easy, until they have come to that
more gentle kind of martynlont which their eulogist in
the House of Colllllllolns lately deserilusl. I would not for
• moment underrate the difficulties they encounter. All
speakers can imagine what must be the labour of putting
together our ungranimatical sentences, and filling up (ruin
conjecture the unknown name of some unheard-of author,
who haa unfortunately been quoted in the midst of
a 'speech on modern topics—(laughter). It is hardly
too much to speak of this as a minor Martyr-
dom, and this is still the lot of the reporters
of England. Nevertheless they have their revenge. If
they be martyrs themselves they certainly front time to
time make martyrs of those whose speeches they report
(laughter). You little know, any good friends, how
greatly it is in your power to make or max the fortunes of
those whole speeches you present to the public. You little
know the sufferings you entail on smile unfortunate orator
or=cher who. epeeches or whose sermons you present,
r in their naked unadorned simplicity. so that when
some ravage journalist of another rank in your hierarchy,
ever on the watch, falls upon such victinut, it is little less
than roartyrdoln--(laughter). Surely it is hard for us to
be dressed up in the skins of wild beasts which are not
our own, and then to be torn to pieces by those will
jcstrnalists without a chance of disentangling ourselves
from the Nelms shirts in which you have enveloped us.
But If you can mar. your can also make our fortunes. It
is said that in the old days, before the fall of the Roman
Empire, St. Jerome never went to a public meeting, or to
a pulpit, without having ten reporters in his suite, and it
is even said that St. Augustine was always accompanied ,
by sixteen—Raughter). Happy Jerome and Augustine, or
unhappy Jerome and Augustine, as the case may be. Yet,
let um my happy, because what we possess of their writings
Is no doubt due to thaw faithful lianas of repoi term who
have handed down their folios for our instruction and edi-
fication —(cheers). He hail been charmed in his travels
abroad by the intelligenc?, wide information. and literary
accomplialunents of special correspondents. awl regarded
the leading article writers with a feeling of undisguised
admiration. He concluded by remarking how this mar-
yelhous power is hound up with responsibility of doing
deeds sad addressing words of mercy, of justice, of purity,
to all those many thousands whom the words influence.
Lord Houghton, Count Belot. the Hon. Dudley Fortesciae,
W, E. Greg, Lord Colchester. Mr. Scourtield, M.P.,
and the Gon. Evelyn Ashley. were amongst the
other speakers. The subscriptions amounted to about
41,000.

Prince Leopold has taken Boyton House, situate
between Salisbury sosi Warminster, ad a country reel-
Th. &monism Review stuns up the argunients furl,
slut
=Mr. thesis Labour Bills by caustically observing
lite Acts will probably fulfil one teat of impartiality
by dissatisfying both mentor and workman.
maramthig to giskuoa we. done by tire at the
DaDablitarzeiee Bondittores on Friday night. (Inc whole
Menet was deetroyed,. the burning spirits npreadim the
flames with (meal rapidity. The Stanley Dock Ware-
houses, Liverpool, stored with jute, were also hunted
Awn on Friday night, but, by the aorta of the lire-
trire.th, .it shipping was prenerved uninjured.
ldao3Cilag dUICIOO took piece in Belgravia on Satimlay
at the residence a Colonel Sir Junes Hogg,
ILP. of the Metropolitan Board oif Worka,
Mk drawee* ens. A policeman mw a female with
her legs one, lb. railings of the fourth Boor window.
some SD fent. Tho butler was instantly •allt, I, but
haws het get upstairs. the female Mire's,/ herself
down and I the area KW!. She was taken to
ISt Cw°lnoteint:l. where she '
maid in ' • expired. She was lady's
FIIIIOO. OW. establishment, and was a native of