The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1861-06-25 00:00:00

Sotnerottsbire.

YEOVIL
VOLUNTEER BATT'ALION DRILL.

One of the most interesting events that has =erred
in Yeovil for some time past took place od Tuesday
last, when the second battalion of the Somerset
Rifles met in this town for the purpose of proceed.
log to Berwick Park, the seat of T. Mesaiter, Esq.,
to undergo a battalion drill, under Adjutant Malet.
Our townsmen, who are ever ready to do honour to
such an occasion, entered into a subscriptiou for the
purpose of decorating the town, and through time
energy of Mr. Cordeld, upwards of .C 9 were col-
lected, which amount was spent in erecting
triumphal entry arches at different parts of the
town, under the superintendence of Messrs. Cox and
Rake. The arches were decorated with artificial
flowers, kindly made for the occasion by the ladies of
Yeovil, whilst the laurels were supplied from the
park of T. Meseiter, Es' q., T. Oreenh.ue, Fag.,
and Mrs. Henyar, of Cutter Court. The tradesmen,
too, seemed to vie with each other in showing the
largest amount of bunting—many of the flags ex-
tending across the streets—and in making the town
look as pretty as possible for the occasion, and, to
do them justice, we must sey that we have never seen
Yeovil look so pretty salt did on Tuesday last, and
the volunteers must have felt themselves highly
honoured by the handsome way in which they were
welcomed by the inhabitants of this town.
At an early hour in the morning persona from all
parts of the neighbourhood flocked into the town,
and at the time tle volunteers arrived, the principal
streets were crowded by • large number of spectators
who seemed intent upon enjoying themselves, and
having left business cares and troubles at home, were
Jetermined to make much of the occasion. The
weather was all that could be desired, it not being
near so warm as it was a few days ago, which proved
very suitable for the occasion. The bells of St.
John's rang forth merry peals during the morning,
which could be beard at a great distance off, and a
flag was floating nobly on its tower. At 12 o'clock
the bugle sounded for the Yeovil corps to assemble,
for the purpose of marching to the railway station
to welcome their brethren in arms, and on the
present ocenaion they mustered in large numbers.
At the armour), they were served out with ammuni-
tion, and under the command of Captain Messiter,
headed by their brass band, which really
seems to play better each time we hear
it, marched to the Bristol and Exeter
and South• Western Railway Station, where they
were drawn up in readiness to receive the other
corps. The sides of the station were crowded with
eager spectators, all anxious to catch the first sight
' of the volunteers as the steam horse came biasing
along. As the train approached the station cannons
! were fired from a garden in the neighbourhood, and
, one could almost realize the thought that instead
simply accompanying the volunteers to a battalion
, drill, we were marching to the battle field. Phrough
, the admirable arrangements of the railway officials
• the trains stopped a short distance from the station,
so as to allow the various corps to muster their men
together before they issued from the station. A
short time having been spent in this way, the
different corps marched from the railway station,
each being headed by its band. The Yeovil
corps was drawn up in rank, and as their brethren
. marched past, they prevented arms. The various
I corps then made their way towards the town, and
as they entered the borough they passed under one
• of the arches, which bad the appropriate words,
" NYelcoine Volunteers." Having arrived at the
Corn Exchange, the corps piled anus, and were
dismissed for an hour to get refreshments. The
scene was then very exciting, volunteers being seen
i hurrying hither and thither for the purpose of
, satisfying their hunger, and a fierce osalinght
I was made,—not upon the enemy, gentle reader,—
but upon the eatables, and many were the epithets
expressed for the landlords' future welfare as the
volunteers were kepi waiting for their lunch.
At half past one o'clock the bugles sounded the
call to =NW, and the various corps were draws

up in front of the Tovrnhall. The whole of the
bands were amalgamated into one, and thus gave it
the appearance of a large military band. As they
marched through the borough, the corps pared under
another arch, which bore the inscription "for our
Queen and Country,"and farther on at the beginning
of Hendford Hill, was a similar arch, bearing the
words "Defence not Defiance." As the volunteers
were marching on their way to Barwick Park we
had an opportunity of inspecting the men, and with
very few exceptions they bore quite a military ap-
pearance, and their marching was equal to any regi•
mint of tho line.

The corps were accompanied byes immense num-
ber of spectators, and
The road was thronged fra side to side
With mony a weary body,
For fun that day.
Like all marches generally are, this was devoid of
any interest, except, perhaps, a few quiet jokes oc-
casionally cracked by the volunteers at the
expense of the civilian portion of the com-
munity, which of course were allowable on such oc-
casions as the present. At the entrance of Barwick
Park was the word" Welcome" painted in large
blue letters, and the corps entered in the following
order :
Taunton Rifles (3rd Somerset) about 74 stront„ under
the ehnih,:n.,l of M .jar Sand E., ~on. and
Dr. 1,, dd.
W,,hn.4rnn I Z.fle, is Smner-et) about 51; stnnag. under
the coiennuid of Captain Berridge and Lieutenant
Bridge.
(lrewkerne Rifle! (2)) under the command of Captain
Matthews, Lieutenant Tidcombe, Ensign Julliffe, hod
the chaplain, the Bev. Alexander Ramsay, about 64
strung.
Yeovil Rifles (16th Somerset), about 97 strong, under
the command of Captain Mealier, Lieutenant Donne,
Ensign Watts, and Dr. Tounkyno:
Bndgwater Rifles (sth Souserset,) about 55 strong,
Captain Poole, Lieutenant Butts, and Ensign Ford.
The numbers we have given include the bends
attached to each corps. About 14 members of the
Lungport corps also attended uilder the command of
Ensign Hill.
Some little time having been spent in equalising
the compenie,, the battalion was put through the
usual battalion drill, and on the authority of men
used to the profession of arms, we may state that
they did the various manceuvree in an exceedingly
clever manner, and such as to draw forth warm
approbation from the ors. The whole of the
corps seem to be " wealreneit;:tiu their drill, aud with-
out pretending to criticize we may state that the
Crewkorne Corps was very superior both in appear-
ance and drill.
At the conclusion of the drill the Adjutant thanked
the men for the readiness with which they had
responded to his call, and said it was surprising the
progress they had made in battalion drill, and it
mast be gratifying to the officers as well as to him-
self at the way in which the manoeuvres had been
gone through. He hoped he should have the plea.
sire of meeting them again at Bridgwater at an early
period.
One unfortunate accident occurred during the day,
which happily, though not attended with any
serious consequences, was sufficient to throw a gloom
over the meeting. As the skirmishers were firing,
a civilian very incautiously ran in front of one of
squads, and one of the wads penetrated his sida,mak•
jug a flesh wound of about the size of half-a-crown. He
was removed senseless from the field, and was-carried
to the mansion of T. &Lassiter, Esq., where he was
attended by the surgeons belonging to the corps, and
we are glad to state that he is now doing well.
The verious corps marched hack to the town, and
each regiment dined separately, there being no
room of sufficient size to accommodate them all. A
hand stage WAS erected in the middle of the borough,
and the Taunton and Yeevil bands discoursed sweet
music to the listening crowds. As the night
approached the corps left the town, being warmly
cheered as they passed through the street, and
thus ended one of the pleasantest days that the
inhabitants of this town and neighbourhood have
had for some time.

THUNDER STORM.-011 Saturday evening, the 15th
inst., this town and neighbourhood was visited by
a thunder storm of unusual severity, and we regret
to say that a man, named Edwin King, brickmaker,
was killed by the lightning. The unfortunate
deceased was in the employ of Mr. Harris, of this
tnwn, and whilst in the act of covering up some
bricks from the rain, he was struck by lightning
and immediately expired. Dr. Thorpe was
immediately sent for and loon arrived on the spot,
but all human aid was unavailing. A man who was
working by the side of the deceased experienced a
rather severe shock, but beyond being a little
frightened was otherwise uninjured. The hat of the
deceased was rent in twain by the lightning, and his
body presented a shocking appearance. The drains
were found to be unsufficient to carry off the large
quantities of water which flowed through the
streets, and in many parts of the town the pave-
ment was entirely covered with water, which made
its way into several room'. The storm returned
late on Saturday night with increased violence, but
beyond some cattle haring bruised themselves upon
mine hurdles in endeavouring to escape from the
storm, we are glad to say no case of serious im-
portance has cocurred. An inquest on the body
was held at the Hop-vine Inn on Tueeday last,
before D. Ashford, Fag., coroner, when • verdict in
accordance with the evidence was returned.
RIFLL CORIM—A friendly challenge has been
sent to our corps by the Shepton Mallett Rifles,
which has been accepted, and we believe the contest
will take place early in August. It is intended
that a meeting of the whole of the Somerset Rifles
shall take place at Bath sometime in August, which
! information was communicated to our corps on
Thursday last by Captain Messiter, but he stated
that he was sorry that he should not be able to
accompany his corpses he was about to make a con-
tinentud Mar. Much regret was expressed by the
men at their Captain not being able to attend, and
he stated that he would endeavour to get the
promoters to postpone their meeting foe a short
time, when he should be able to be present.
BOARD OI GOARDIANS.—A meeting of this Board
was held at the Union on Friday week, when the
chair was occupied by the Rev. R. Huyshe. The
attendance of guardians was not very numerous.
The usual tenders for bread having been accepte4,
the clerk stated that the contribution orders for this
quarter would have to be increased by the sum of
£350 in consequent's of their being an additioa to
the county and police rates, the call for which last
year ammounted to £328, and which now
amounts to £6Bl. Several guardians made observa-
tions rather derogatory to the vigilance of the police, '
and Mr. James Trask stated that a sheep had been
stolen from his neighbourhood, and the perpetrator
had eeosped detection.—The chairman stated that
Mr. Ruddock, the government inspector, had ex-
amined the schools on Monday, and that his report
was very unfavourable, as he stated that the boys
generally were very backward, and that very little
progress had been made during the past year. He
also stated that be intended to reduce the master'.
certificate, which was at present of the first class.
Several guardians having expressed their opinion
upon the matter, it was ultimately resolved that the
Board should write to Mr. Ruddock, requesting him
to postpone any proceedings he might have medi-
tated in regard to the schoolmaster's certificate, as he
had stated that be would use every exertion to make
the school efficient.

,
VOLUNTEERS AND ToLL-Gavaa.--At the Porsuam
Petty Sessions, on Saturday, the keeper of the South
Crawley toll-gate was fined's. find costs, for demanding
and taking toll of J. J. Broadwood, Esq., Captain of
the 14th Sussex Volunteer Corps, whilst riding (in
Volunteer full-dress) from his residence to Danny Park to
attend battalion-drill. Mr Bigg,the presiding magistrate,
said the decision of the Chief Ju4tice of England was
that any carriage carrying volunteers on duty was exempt
from toll, and that the accidental circumstance of there
being others in the carriage who were not volunteers,
would not re-inipose the necessity of paying toll. He
was himself one of the trustees oi the road, and should
inpose the charge if he could legally do so.