The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-06-21 00:00:00

Dcbonsbirc.

RIFLE CORPS.—In many parts of the West of
England vigorous attempts are being made to form
volunteer rifle corps. In Exeter meetings of young
men have been held, and volunteers have come for-
ward. A large sum of money has already been sub-
scribed. One gentleman in the city has contributed
12 rides, and it is expected, as the nucleus of a
company already exists, that a numerous and
efficient ho .y of volunteers will be enrolled. At
St. Mary Church, Ilfracombe, Exmouth, and other
towns in Devonshire meetings have been held, and
resolutions in favour of immediate efforts to form
rifle corps have been made. In several towns of
Cornwall also similar meetings have beeu held.

PLYMOUTH FORTIFICATION& -Ort Tuesday a party
of officers of the several services,—viz., the navy,
army, Royal Artillery, and Royal Engineers assem-
bled on board the gunboat Redwing, tender to the
gunnery-ship Cambridge, Capt. Jerniughani, in
Haniciaxe, for the purpose of inspecting the sea-
defences and fortifications of the inner harbour and
of Plymouth Sound. The party proceeded first to
Drake's Island in the Sound. and then to the East-
ern defences at Bovisand and on Staddon.heighta.
The Redwing then cruised the Sound from east to
west, and the officers landed in Cawsand-bay, which
was closely surveyed. An examination of Mount-
Edgecumbe and the fort on Picklecombe-point closed
the day's labour, which, it is stated, was not under-
taken through instructions from head-quarters, but
purely with the view of obtaining information so as
to be prepared for any contingency.
BARNSTAP Lt. —The Bath and West of England
Agricultural Exhibition at Barnstaple has surpassed
all its predecessors in grandeur of display, numerous
a_tendance, and receipt if money. On Friday up.
wards of 13.000 persons paid the admission fee to the
greind. The total receipts for admission during the
week exceeded £2,300. Ou Saturday the town began
to show symptoms of relapsing into its usual quiet
state. The noise in the street was of wagons carry-
ing off the stock and implements. Signs of being
wearied with the week's excitement wet° manifested
on many countenances. The Mayor was the only
one who expressed a sorrow that it was all over, for
everyone felt that such spasmodic excitements are
not the natural condition of society. Afterwards an
attempt was made to raise a subscription to give the
poor the fragments that were left in the refreshment
tents.

THE WASTE LANDS OF DARTMOUTH. A
"Countryman," writing on the employment of
convicts on Dartmoor, says, the produce of agricul-
tural 'natters, such as grass, turnips, cabbage, Ac.
has been truly astonishing. I have heard of hay
being made three times in one year, and List year
ten or twelve bullocks were fattened (di the grass,
and sold by the prison authorities in the neighbour-
ing marketa. There are 8,000 acres of land that
might be turned to the most advantageous account
as far AS the nation is concerned, and convict labour
might be most profitably applied to it. The South
Devon and Tavistock Railway to be opened on the
15th inst., places Dartmoor in communication with
the Great Western system of railways between
London and the Land's End.—The Builder.