The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-09-20 00:00:00

DORSET COUNTY EXPRESS

DORCHESTER, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 90. 1000.

HoNBSTE AUDAX.

A GREAT diaaster—the greatest which has ever
been sustained by any European flag in the
Eastern seas—has fallen upon the allied English
and French squadron at the mouth of the Peiho
river. It will be remembered that the treaty
concluded by Lord Elgin with the Chinese coin-
missioners provided that the Queen of Great
Britain and the Emperor of the French should
be represented at Pekin by Ambassadors, who
should enter into direct relations with the Em-
peror of China. In accordance with these provi
sions, Mr. Bruce and M. de liourboulon were
sent out to China as the Ambassadors of Eng-
land and France, with orders to proceed to
Pekin by the Peiho River. They reached the
mouth of the river on the 18th of June, escorted
by the allied squadron under Admiral Hope and
Capt. Tricault, and immediately sent letters on
shore announcing their arrival. But the Chinese
Plenipotentiaries who were to have met them at
that place were not forthcoming, and the Ambas-
sadors found that since Lord Elgin's visit the
Chinese had constructed fortifications on the
banks of the river, and had barred the entrance
of the stream with four formidable lines of booms
and stakes. The officer sent on shore to com-
municate with the authorities was not allowed to
land, and was informed by some petty Mandarins
that there were no officials nearer than Tientsin,
and that the Ambassadors might proceed to
Pekin by a passage to the northward. They
stated that the "country people" had thrown up
the forts and barred the river as a protection
against pirates, but the forts were not yet
manned. In answer to the Admiral's request
that the barriers should be removed in order to
enable the Ambassadors to proceed to Tieutain,
! they proud al that the removal should be com-
menced within 48 hours. This promise not hav-
ing been fulfilled, on the 20th the Admiral seat a
letter to the Tautai at Tientsin, requesting free
I communication with the shore; but after two
days' delay an evasive answer was received. The
Ambassadors were now satisfied that the Impe-
rial Government did not intend to permit their
advance tow .rds the capital. They therefore
handed over the matter to the Admiral, who
proceeded on the 25th of Juno to force the pas-
sage. Having hoisted his flag in the Plover
gunboat, he advanced with 9 gunboats and 2
despatch vessels against the first barrier. It
proved however too strong to be forced; but
some of the stakes were drawn by the Oppossum,
and the Admiral immediately advanced against
the second barrier. He had no sooner passed
the breach made in the first than a gun was fired
from the batteries, and, as if by magic, the
masks of all the forts were rolled up; a Mongol
force of 20,000 mon appeared upon the walls,
and a fire of from 40 to 50 guns was concentrated
upon the gunboats with a scientific accuracy and
skill which wade it evident that they were served
by European gunners. The action became gene-
ral, but the gunboats having no broadside fire
was unable to sustain the heavy tire of the forts,
and soon became entangled in the intricacies of
the booms and stakes or stranded on the mud.
Admiral Hope was wounded early in the action,
but gallantly kept the deck till he was again
more seriously injured. Meanwhile the fire of
the forts having slackened, the Marine aud Naval
Brigades, a small party of Royals, some Artillery
and Engineers, were ordered to land and to take
the batterries in Bank. But the spot selected
for this operation was a bank of mud so deep as
to reach the knees, and in sonic places the waists
of the troops. While wading through this they
were decimated by a fire of artillery, gingalls,
Minis rifles, and arrows, directed against them
from the batteries. After struggling through
the mud, they had to cross a ditch 10 feet broad,
and 5 feet deep, and in so doing spoiled their
ammunition. Their commanders, Colonel Lemon
and Captains Shadwell and Vansittart, had by
this time been wounded and disabled; and com-
mander Commerell and Major Parke took the
lead. They then encountered a second ditch
through which they fought with unflinching
gallantry, and at length under an incessant fire
100 wen out of the 1000 who had landed reached
a third ditch close under the walls of the forts.
But they had lost their scaling ladders in the
I mud, and being too exhausted to attempt the
assault without reinforcements, which it was
' impossible to send, they were compelled to retire,
the Chinese picking them off by the light of car-
cases and blue lights during the retreat. Mean-
while the has in killed and wounded on board
! the gunboats had been very severe; the Lee and
Kestrel had sunk, and the Cormorant, I'lover,
and Starling had run so fast aground that it was
necessary to abandon them. Our loss was 81
' killed and '.;.7.• wounded; the loss of the French
was 4 killed and 10 wounded, being in each
squadron about the same proportion to the num.
bens engaged. Among the killed were Captain
M'Keinia, of the Ist Royals, doing duty on the
Admiral's Staff Lieut. Greaves of the Assistance,
Lieut. Clutterbuck and Mr. Herbert of the
Chesapeake, Lieut. Rason of the Plover, Lieut.
Inglis of the ilighflyer, and Lieut. Woolridge of
the Marine Brigade. The list of wounded in-
cludes the names of Admiral Hope, Captain
Tricault, the French Commander; Captain Van-
sittart, Captain Shadwell, Captain Willes, Col.
I Lemon, Major Croker, Captain Slaughter, and
Captain Masters, of the Royal Marines, and
numerous other officers whose names will be
found in another column. It is evident from
these details that all hope of the Treaty being
carried out is at an end, and that a fresh war
ending in the capture of Pekin is now inevitable.
Orders have already been issued for the imme-
diate despatch of large reinforcementa to China,
and the Munitsur of Wednesday officially an-
nounced that "the Government of the Emperor
and that of Great Britain are about to take
measures together to inflict chastisement and
obtain every satisfaction which so flagrant an act
of treachery requires."

THE comprehensive narrative we give above of
an atrocious and unparalleled act of treachery
will be read with the deepest regret and un-
mitigated commiseration. Not the slightest
doubt could be entertained as to the prompt
demand by this country of the most ample satis-
faction for so gross and bloody an outrage ; and
it is consolitary to know that we are not without
abundant • ineans—iid quite at hand, too—to
avenge such dastardly and murderous conduct.
The Times has rapidly surveyed our resources,
and examined carzfully the urgency of the case
which prompts us to their innnediate employ-
ment. Like 023 country at large that great
journal is alive to the magnitude of the task
which now clearly devolves upon us of establish-
ing our relations with China upon a safe and

permanent footing. "Our ships have been fired
"upon," says our contemporary, "and our I
seamen massacred by a barbarous ambuscade
at the other aide of the globe. Thousands of
miles intervene between England and the Peiho,
and months would elapse before an expedition
from this kingdom could reach the scene of the
late conflict. All this is true, but it is only
part of the truth. Queen Vic-refits has a second
realm in the East, and that ream is actually con-
terminous with the territories of the Chinese.
Loudon is distant, but Calcutta is close at hand.
From the Indian capital an expedition could be
despatched to the coasts of China with the
greatest ease—indeed it would be little more
than a descent upon the Persian or Burmese
shores, such as we have very recently undertaken
I and accomplished. But is our Eastern Empire
well supplied with troops, and could it afford the
men for the work I As it happens, our resources
in this respect are so abundant that we have
only to make the demand. It is even possible,
such is the plethora of our military strength out
there, that depletion may be actually service-
able. All our difficulties in India for the last
year or two have arisen from our own armies.
First one class of soldiers, and then another
class, has brought us into trouble, and we are
puzzled to hit upon a method by which levies of
various descriptions may keep each other in
check. We had 150,000 Sepoys, of whom pro-
bably at least 80,000 are still hanging about the
country, and we have now about 60,000 Sikhs,
or Punjabees, excellent soldiers, whose only
wish is for employment, and whose only dread is
disbandment. All this is in Bengal alone, inde-
pendently of strong native armies in Madras and
Bombay. But, besides these troops, we have in
India 91,000 men of the Royal Army; at least
this was the number provided for in the Esti-
mates of the present year. The entire force of
QUEEN'S troops assigned to India was 106,192,
of which 15,000 were assumed to be in depots at
home. Reckoning all together, the Government
of India has probably at COMlllalld some 400,000
soldiers."

As to the co-operation of France, such aid is
undoubtedly due from her, not only because she
has in some degree shared the terrible disasters
entailed by Chinese treachery, but because she
participates in the fullest extent in those advan-
tages of civilization and commerce opened out to
all the world mainly by the zeal and intrepidity
of this country. But it will be seen from the
estimate of our strength just recited that we are
under no manner of necessity to accept such
powerful aid from France as would justify her in
ultimately claiming the lion's share of that mili-
tary glory which must doubtless attend a safe
and satisfactory settlement of the great Chinese
question. France must not, as in the Crimea,
arrogate to herself all the honours of the cam-
paign ; and in the face of the immense power
of this country it is scarcely to be presumed that
her national vanity will again carry her so far
beyond the bounds of truth and fairuesa. Let
us have her generous support, and a frank and
candid concession of the merit of all that may
be necessary to be done by the outstretched
' and powerful arm of this country. This is the
way to cement the alliance, and to render
its fruits productive of the greatest possible
good to the whole world. It is of course well
understood that the French and English Ambas-
sadors were on their way to Pekin, in order to
obtain from the EMPEROR the ratification of the
treaty. No doubt the Ambassadors might have ,
proceeded by the route indicated by the Manda-
rins, but they must have dispensed with an
armed retinue, and the circumstances under
which they would have then been led to the
Imperial presence would probably have been of
the same humiliating character as on former
similar occasions. On this point the Times
says, "It is, perhaps, doubtful whether as a
military measure it was wise to try with such a
squadron to force our way to Pekin. It is still
more doubtful whether as a diplomatic measure
it was desirable to use force at all. It is certain
that, having once decided to use force, the
officer who commanded did not adopt the best
military means to obtain success."

DORCHESTER PITCHED CORN MARKET, Saturday.
—The supply of wheat at market to-day was good,
with a Eur proportion of new, which is coining to
hand better than was anticipated Farmers held for
an advance, which was resisted both by millers and
dealers. Towards the close of the market a fair
amount of business was done, at prices rather in
favour of the seller.— Barley in good supply, picked
samvles realizing from 40s. to 425. per quarter, second
qualities ranging down to 3.35. Oats Via. to 2.,5.
Winter taresi Si. to 98. per bushel. Trifobum 30s.
to 335. per cwt.

DORS ETS II IR E BIBLE SOCirrE REPORT.—By the
Istli Report of the Dorsetshire Bible Society
Auxiliaries, just printed for Isss-59, the following
amounts were collected in the respective districts
mentioned :—Bridport, £3l ss. lid. ; Lyine, £l4 3s. ;
Illandford, £l5l 17s. Sn. ; Cern°, £3l Ss. 91. ;
Dorchester, £l3l Is. 41d. ; Poole, £100; Shaftes-
bury, £114; Hindon, £9 Os. Id.; Sherborne, £46 ;
Stalbridge, Herustridge, and Ililhorne Port, £49
16s. 6d. : Swanage, £l5; Wareham, £2l 5.. 7.1.;
Weymouth, £l3O ; Wimborne, f 277 ISs. 94d. ;
total, £1,122 16a. 911., being the whole Free Funds
of the Dorset Auxiliaries and Associations, and the
largest Free Contribution every sent up from this
county.

ExcuRSION TRAINS.-A great number of excursion
trains have passed through our town during the past
week, both by the Great and South Western lines,
for Weymouth, which were well filled. The great
attraction was of course the Great Eastern steam
ship now lying off Portland.

The presence of the Great Eastern in Portland
harbour has caused a large influx of visitors here,
sleeping accommodation not being obtamablo at
Weymouth.

A somewhat serious accident occurred on Tuesday
last W Mr. Sheriff FeHowe* on his visit to the Great
Eastern steam ship. It appears that on quitting the
leviathan he fell backwards into the barge moored
alongside for the greater convenience of boaraing
her, and in his fall dislocated his shoulder joint.
We understand that under the skilful surgical treat-
ment of Mr. Tapp the High Sheriff is proceeding
favourably.

The following names have lately been added to
the Commission of the Peace for the county of Dor•
set, on the recommendation of the Earl of Shaftes-
bury, the Lord Lieutenant :-1 he Hon. Anthony
Ashley Cooper, commonly called Lord Ashley; Sir
Niolyneux Hyde Nepean, Bart., Henry Nugent
&Rites, Esq., Richard Jas-Bourchier, Esq., W.
Trevelyan Cox, Esq., Chas. W. Gordon, Esq., and
Thos. Bowyer Bower, Jun., Esq.

CoIIMIS4IONB EIGNED 1W TUE LoRD LIEUTENANT
FOR THE CoUNTY ow DoeseT.—Edward Castleutau,
Esq., to be a Deputy Lieutenant.

We understand the Wilta and Dorset Banking
Company have purchased the dwelling-house ana
premises in High East-street, in the occupation of
NB-. Robert Oakley, for the purpose of erecting a
bank on the alto thereof.

Coxezitr.—On Tuesday last a concert CADA off in
the new Assembly Rooms, Dorchester, conducted
by Mr. Robinson. Notwithstanding the unfavour-
able state of the weather, a respectable and numerous
audience assembled, who expressed themselves
highly pleased with the evening entertainment.
The Bedford Militia, for some time past located
here, under the command of Major Stuart, Ml'.,
have received orders to hold themselves in readiness
to proceed to Trowbridge, the barracks being re.
quired for the occupation of the 9th Lancers, on
their landing from India.
Low WAGES Dosairrwititr.. —To Vise Editor of
Ike Times.—Sir,—Many people have been deceived
in the case of George Frampton, and, believing his
statement to be correct, have sent him money.
You will, I am sure, be glad to have it in
your power to make public the true state of this
case, thereby not only removing the fresh odium mat
on the Dorsetshire farmers, but giving protection to
the public. George Frampton has since his appear-
ance before the magistrates been questioned as to the
correctness of his statement—viz., that he only re-
ceived ha. per week to support his wife and a family
of five children. The following are the admissions
made by himself in such a manner that denial or
contradiction, with truth, is impossible :
- -•

•
" [hiring the harve-t I (George Frampton) earned t 1 4e. M.
per week. MA 1.1 In whlltlon VI, it it lobl me for beer.
Since the harve4 I have earooll lie. net week turnip hoeing.
I live In • large bows: w••rth a• • yoar. hot for ohlel I only
Lt to.. pve ennui. thic IA day atialn.ll Mrll,l Its keep.
ky i..q agft., •sul at p:ixe work, are per week,
!Vol not
- - -

This, you will admit, is a different state of things
to that which you have been led to believe. I have
enclosed you by card, and have the honour to be
your obedient servant, S.

SERIOUS ACCIDENT. —On Friday evening about 6
o'clock, a man named Thomas Taylor, in the employ
of Mr. Fudge, coal merchant of this town, met with
a serious aceident while returning; from the South
Western Railway with a wagon laden with a ton of
coals. It appears that the man, while leading the
horse, slipped off a round stone, and falling under the
horse the wheels of the wagon unfortunately passed
over his bowels in • slanting direction. Mr. Curtis,
tailor, of this town, who was the only person near at
the time, immediately ran to the poor fellow's assis-
tance ; he held the horse, which was much frightened
and becoming unmanageable, when he called for
help, and sonic porters of the above station were
quickly on the Tot. The animal was secured, and
a stretcher having been obtained from the station
the poor fellow was with all haste conveyed to the
hospital, where he now lies in a very precarious state.
Taylor is a sober and industrious man, and has a
wife and five children.
INQUEST AT THE BARRACKS. —An inquest was
held at our barracks on Tuesday last, before H.
Lock, Esq., deputy coroner, on the body of Jsmes
Heckle, private of the Bedfordshire militia, who
shot himself on the Monday previous. The jury
having viewed the body, William Butler, private of
the same regiment, deposed: On Monday night I
was sleeping in the same room as the deceased, and
went to bed about nine, and was afterwards
awakened by the report of a rifle. I felt the man
fall over on my arm, which was lying outside the
bed. The deceased fell off my arm on the floor.
Thomas Payne got out of bed and took the rifle
from the deceased, and went in search of a sergeant,
who came with a light. I then disuivered that
Heckle had shot himself. The surgeon, who was
quickly in attendance, ordered the deceased to be
taken to the hospital. The deceased, who was a
abort time ago confined to a cell for being drunk on
a march, was heard to say in reference to that occa-
sion, "If I had anything to do it with, I would have
done it then." I saw the demised on Monday
night about 9 o'clock, when be appeared a little
worse for liquor.—Charles Devereux said: I have
been in the habit of sleeping in the same room as
deceased, I went to bed about a quarter before 10
o'clock on Monday night. Buckle was in the room
at that time, he was not sober. The report of the
rifle did not wake me, but I MIS aroused by one of
the men in the room. I did not know what had
happened until a sergeant came into the room with
a light, when I discovered that deceased had shot
himself, and observed a hole under his chin through
which the bullet had passed. I have heard
the deceased threaten to destroy himself.—Thomas
Payne stated that while asleep on Monday night he
heard a noise which appeared to him as if a man had
fallen out of bed, and on looking for deceased found
him lyiug on his back with a rifle on the top of him.
He immediately called a sergeant, who came with a
light. —Corporal Crawley deposed: I lived about a
quarter of a mile from the deceased before he entered
the regiment. The deceased always appeared to me
as if he were "off his head," and was in the habit of
getting tipsy.—Sergeant Annertage deposed : I saw
deceased lying on his back close by his bed. I ob-
served a parcel of ammunition on his bed and a
knife; the parcel contained nine rounds and twelve
caps. There should have been ten rounds.—Ser-
geaut Rands deposed: I entered a room about eleven
o'clock on Monday evening, and observed the de-
ceassl lying on his back, and his brains on the floor
on the right shle of his head. I discovered a hole
in his neck and on the top of his head, and also a
hole in the ceiling. I examined the ammunition of
all the other men in the room, which I found to be
correct, and the deceased's was one round short.—
Mr. Rawlings. Asssistant-surgeon deposed: On
Monday evening about eleven I was called by Ser-
geant Rands, who stated that a man had shot him-
self. I found the deceased had a shot wound in his
throat and upwards through the skull, and a large
portion of his brains (I should think the fourth part)
scattered on the floor. I used no treatment. The
diied must have been inflicted by &sewed, on
account of the position of the wounds and the hole
through which the bullet passed in the ceiling.
It appuireil that the deceased had a strong attach-
ment for a young women, who had intimated her
intention of breaking off the acquaintance with him
and of marrying another man. The jury returned a
verdict that the deceased " Destroyed himself, being
at the time in an unsound state of mind."

MILITARY FUNERAL.—On Friday last the unfor-
tunate man, James Hackle, who destroyed himself
hot week, was buried with military honours at
Fordington church. The scene, as usual on such
occasions, was of an impressive and melancholy char-
acter; the Dead March in Saul was most effectively
played by the band of the regiment, the corpse being
followed by the principal officers and most of the
men. A great number of persons assembled in dif-
ferent parts of the town to witness the procession as
it passed down the street; and many were present
at the interment, when the usual ceremony of firing
over the grave was performed. The Rev. Henry
Moule conducted the service.

ADJOURNED LICENSING lIEETING, Townhall,
Monday, Sept. 19. —Present, Mr. Arden, in the
chair; Messrs. Galpin, Ensor, Davis, and Cunne.—
Thomas (:reviling, East Parade, Fortlington. on
whose behalf Mr. Tizard appeared, applied for a
license for a house formerly occupied by 11r. Foot at
the bottom of the town, which is about to be con-
verted into a public-house. Mr. Weston opposed the
application, contending that the notices were not in
accordance with the Acts of l'arliament. The appli-
cation was, however, granted. Richard Davis, of
the Swan beerhouse, Mill-street, Fordington, who
was at the last meeting represented by Mr. Tizard,
and whose notices were all proved, had a license
granted. Elizabeth Brown, Queen's Head, Fording-
ton, on whose behalf Mr. Wierton appeared, also
obtained a license. In the case of Dewland, of the
Red Lion. Mr. (;ere Andrews appeared on behalf
of the applicant, and Mr. Weston opposed. Mr.
Weston stated that he appeared at the last
meeting to oppose the application, and it was
now his intention to persevere in that course.
Among other things he had to mention was that
bowling was carried on until a late hour, and curiaequently the neighbours were greatly annoyed, and
they had complained of the disturbance a great many
times. Mr. Andrews stated that such disturbance
had nothing whatever to do with the license, and
contended that such complaiuta might be redressed
by action. A neighbour bore testimony to the facts
stated by Mr. Weston. After seine further observa-
tions, an understanding was come to that the bow-
ling-alley should be turned in a different direction
to that in which it now ..tailds, and that the balls
should be thrown against the walls of the applicant's
premises. The Bench thereupon granted the license,
on condition that Dewland would not give offence to
his neighbours by bowling against their walls, and
would not detain persons in his house at unusual
hours.—Mr. Weston appeared for Jane Cox, of the
Queen's Own, and stated that he understood from
the Mayor that since the last disturbance the house
had been very well conductel It appeared that the
applicant has never been summoned, -although several
complaints had been made to the magistrates to the
effect that the house was not well conducted. The
Bench ultimately granted the license, at the same
time expressing a hope that the landlady would take
care for the future to keep the house in an orderly
awl proper manner.
COUNTY PETTY Seastose, Saturday—Before 11.
Frampton, H. Williams, W. L. Henning, H. N. Middle-
ton and H. C. Goodden, Emirs.
James Wirer, of 1/ewlish, shepherd to Mr. Harding,
was summoned for assaulting and abusing George Dawe,
bailiff to Mr. Harding. Fined 10s. and ousts. Mr.
Weston appeared fur the defendant.
Williams Purse, an old man, a tailor of Maiden
Newton, was sumnioned for assaulting a young man
named Edwin Legg. It sopeared that the assault
originated out of a complaint made by the defendant at
the last meeting against a man named Hodder; the
Bench oonsidered that both parties were equally to
blame, dismissed the summons.
Jo/is Churchill, a carter in the employ of Mr. Wil.
liatu Shutter, of New Bum Abbotsbury, was summoned
for stealing about • half bushel of apples from his
master's orchard. !be defendant was caught in the act
between 4 sod &in the morning. by P.C. Hill. Fined
.1:1, including costa.
Wulliumso Bishop a labourer of Upway, was summoned
by Supt. !frown for riding without reins. In conse-
quence of defendanS having borne • good character for
nearly 30 years, he was only fined Is.
Aqua Marsh, a shopkeeper of Puncknowle, was sum-
moned by Sept. Brown for having in her possession two
light weights. Fined se. and costs.
Jonas Cox, a baker, of A ffpudille, was summoned by
Superintendent Brown, for conveying out bread for sale,
in a cart, not being provided with the necessary stales
and weights, Fined El, including costa.
Jason Edwards a member of the London swell mob,
i residing on the Surrey aide, was brought up in custody,
, under remand, charged with attempting to pick. the
pocket of Mr. William Seymour, • miller of Owerincogne,
I on board the Great Easton in Portland Roads. The
Bench did not consider the case sufficiently conclusive.
The prisoner was discharged. Mr. Weston appeared for
the defence.
James Rolls, a labourer, in the esuploy of Mr. Jona-
than Neale, was brought up in custody of Sergeant Tee,
charged with feloniously stealing two barrow louls of
siting, the property of his master. He pleaded guilty,
and was sentenced to 7 days' liars' labour.
This being the adjourned Licensing Meeting, the four
. certificates suspended at the Annual Meeting were
granted.
CoIIMITTED TO DORCHESTER GAOL.—Hard
—John Robbinson, deserting his ship Edgar. 4 calendar
months ; Sarah Miller, vagrancy at Dorchester, 14
days ;William Seal. leaving his service at Wareham, 7
days ; Henry Bailey, stealing • knife at Long Critchell,
, 1 calendar month.—losprisonsnrsst.—John Flood and
. Mary Ann Flood, assault at Beaminster, 1 calendar
month ; John Symes, assault at i3roadwinsor, 3 ealen-
dar months; Stephen Stevens, bastardy at Shillington,
I 3 calendar months.

Labour