The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1861-09-24 00:00:00

BaoaDwrr.

k•hak

First lutists& Second Innings:
BI Pops, a Mills
W. Travers, b Groves
G. Webber, b Groves e 14111 s, b Thresher .... 4
H. G.M. b Townseud .
8. &nark run out
J: Gale, b Groves
T. Gels, e The, b Groves ..
Bev. naber,e 1 hresber,b Groves r .n out
A. Pars we, b Thresher
G. Brown, not out
Ariake Townsend,
Byes li, wide. 3, no balls 31 Bye. 4, leg by.. 1,
white 2, no bells 1 .... 13

NUISANCE& —The inspectar of nuisances has issued
notices to the inhabitants, cautioning them not to
throw refuse which ought to be taken away in the
dust cart, into the street, and to be careful to shake
their mats and sweep their pavements before a
certain hour in the morning. Undoubtedly mat
taking is a great nuisance to the passers by, but
we would ask whether the cesspools which exist in
many of the streets, the stench of which is often
almost sufficient to breed a pestilence, is not
£4 intolerable nuisance, and yet the surveyor
is ciutinually erecting fresh cesspools at the
corners of every street where cesspools dill not
formerly exist. The cost of carrying out
the cesspool system in Weymouth has coot
au immense sum at one time and another, and

for what good? From some information we
have received cc have reason to believe that if the

authorities do not voluntailly drain the town, in-
stead of constructing those fever-creating cesspools,
they will soon bare to do the work by compulsion.
Perry Szminss. —The only police Cabe at the
Townhall on Tuesday was that of a person for
drunkenness in the streets.— The magistrates, we
understai.d, went to the Cooper's Arius to
discharge the young man who had cut his throat a
few days previously, and who was in custody of the
police. It isnow said that Mr. Skinner did not make
the incision in the neck, but with a viowof relieving a
pain in the head, and that what he did was quite in
accordance with the rules of practice. This may be
CO ; for our part, if we had • headache we should
decidedly object to being bled under the ear to en-
deavour to effect a elm.
PAPEAGZ BRIDUI Tort.s.--The tolls of the Port-
land Pump Bridge were let by public auction on
Thursday last. Being put up, £3.55 was bid for them
for the ensuing year, being £ll5 more than they
were let for last year. They were bought in at the
reserve prize of £575, and put up a second time,
but no oue bid for them. The reserve price was
then filed at £525. and were finally knocked down
to Mr. Warr. of Charminster, for £650.
PARS•OI BMWS COMMIS2SIONEKS.
meeting of the Commissioners was held on Thursday,
e ken, **understand Mr. Pothecary and Mr. Howard
were proposed as members to fill up the vacancies,
but the proposition was opposed by Mr. Hare on
some frivolous technical ground. It is, however. to be
hoped that the propgfition will be renewed at the
nest meeting. TV.. Tories would, no doubt,
Ilk, to keep thee* gentlemen out of the commission if
ponible.

PORTLAND.—TIig VERNE noir') icstioNe.—The
breakwater at Portland, though a most importent
national work, is far from being the only ore which is
progressing these. The fortifications on land equal in
magnitude the works at sea, while both show the
importance which will in future be attached to this
harbour as • great naval station and deist. It is almost
unnecessary to say that these great lines of fortifications
are not intended for the protection of the breakwater.
A breakwater once made protects itself. nuch a work
is, in fact, indestructible by either Island sir foe, and
whatever ruins the celebrated New Zealander may aloud
upon to complete his eketcher, they assuredly will not
he the ruins ef breakwaters, which will eion then he in
as good repair as if they expected tim honour of the
visit. Neither, it is to be persumed, arc the great works
now in progress intended to protect the Nuadrous of
men of war in the harbour, which will be perfectly well
able to take care of themselves. Theie is, in fact,
nothing positively sot publicly known yet as to the
object with which the fortifications are bein built ;
but, from the extent of the works and the positions
they command, there is only one inference to he straws
from their erection, end that is that they are want to
protect the dockyard that will in course of time be
harmed at Portland. The greatest, 'trimmest, arid moat
unassailable of the forts is that cow constructing on
the Verne—a height which, like La Ruche, at Cher-
bourg, deminstes all round it for miles. This is to be
the cutedel. The Verne, as it is called, is • position of
such great natural strength. especially on the side that
overlooks the breakweter and sea, 11.4 a few rime a
poon in earthworks on its ru;;dl lieielitr would be
ample protection for the liarlmur against anything that
fleets could do. But such imeniviied defences would be
wholly exposed in their rear, and ast the 'error of any
small body of men who could s freet a 611.1111 g on the
south of tho island. Wheal, therefore, the fortifie.ations
' at Portland were decided on it WAS ik1141111110.11 to make
the Verne the key of the position, and to construct •
' fort as nearly approaching to impregnable es ditches,
walls, earthworks, and guns could ever make it. The
Verne is at the extreme Northern end of the h-land of
Portland, and overlooking the harbour and bresk water.
It is a triangularaliaped piece of ground of little over
el acrea in extent, on the susi,,.sit of V eve or four very
steep rounded hills, which rise to a height of some 500
feet above the level of the sea, These bills, though
steep, ere by no means inacaessible, except on the north
side, where, for a length of rather less than ono-third of
the circumference of the Venie, they are almost per-
pendicular, so that defences on that aisle are not netsled.
From the south-east anal south are the only direction
from which it would be eveti posesible for • regular
besieging army to make any approaehes. But the
nature of the ground here-is so rugged and difficult—so
broken up by quarries, mid strewn with rough, loose
stone anal irregular gape, Beat it is taking an almost
eztreme view of the came to say that the fortress is
even assailable on these points An sits-k, hoe ever,
if made by • regular beeieeing army, could hive but
one result. her neturally iii theac directions the strength
of the fortress is concentrated, anal the guna over the
casemate.' barracks rise to a height which 01,1111111111-'ll
every knoll and mound far mid near. One of the
great defences of the Verne is the dry ditch, which
completely encircles the whole work, except
on the north aide we havo mention' it, where
the se: rped cliff render, it both impossible and un-
necessary. This ditch ir one 14 the greatest works of
the kind ever undertaken round any ancient or modern
fortilicatinn. ho floor continues round tho works at
an elevation ef 368 feet above the !cvel et the f.er,
length is rather over three-queiters of • mile ; its
depth is 80 feet, and his width DV. Upwards of
1,600.000 tens of stone had to be keteted away to (omit.
In someperte, as at the angle* of the fortreis, its width
itenearly 200 feet, and where there is a rise in the surface
of the ground above there is sometimes • sheer per.
penslicular depth from the terreelein of the batteries
to the floor of the stitch of inure thar. 130 feet. It is,
perhaps, needless to say that such a cotossal (mem as
this mu almost unneetemery, and would not have been
carried out, but thet the stone excasated in its for-
mai°. was wanted for the breekwater. A drv, per-
pendicular ditch of 40 feet deep, by CA fret wile, would
base been of unusual dimeneione. and mure than
sufficient to protect the Verne from assault. But the
Government wanted cheap atone for the breakwater,
and, as that from the ditch round the Verne was
already paid for, they naturally took an touch as thee
could get. and in so doing made the fosse at the gigantic
proportions we hare stated. No good ids-a can he got
of this enormous excheation till the visitor descends
to the [too: of the ditch, anal so traveriss a the length
of this grim artificial ravine. Thin sections of the
geological *trate which hem the singular Island of
Portland are shown on the smooth rocky walls of the
ditch with beautiful distinctness, arid what is also most
carious is that at regular interests of 25 or 30 yards,
and commencing about 20 feet below the surface, are •
series of vertical "faults." or gaps, about two feet wide,
which, as far as can be judged, traverse the whole
substrata of the island from north to south: All thews
in the sides of the ditch are to be filled up with solid
masonry. In them have been found a isumber of the
bones and horns of the reindeer so beautifully preserved
that it is difficult to believe they can be more than 60
yeara' old. Here, alio, were found seine of the ancient
British eint-headafor arrows, and an Ancient British gold
coin in as Sue a state of preservation, and with its
figures in as high relief as on the jay when it was
struck. The ditch, as we have said, eammences on the
east sea face of the worke over the harbour. and eon-
tinues round them to the cliff, where it ends, haying on
its outer edge there only a dear-eat of about 30 feet
perpendicular. But at this end the gronnd is allnoet
o steep outeisle to allow access to it. There are two
angles of the works (nen which the 'garrison can enfi-
lade the whole of this fosse with grape and mu,ketry,
and on these are built, jetting out from the msin fort,
two bestiotsettee, the troops in which can sweep it with
their fire at all points. %With such • treutendone arti-
Irish ravine for the aseailents to ernes, the all of a
very few guns would suffice to make the Verne impreg-
nable ; yet it is intended to carry no less. than 150
pieces of the heaviest ordnance on its wall.; and cur-
tains. It is spiite unnecessary to say, even if it were
judicious, where these are to be disposed, where there
are to be Armstrong*, where mortars, where cupolasm for
filling the shells with molton iron, where furnaces for
nisking red-hot shut. It is sufficient to state that in
these matters the armament will be all dire the Ail!
, and science of modern gunnery can make it. The
'Ordnance branch of the War-office will look after this
matter, and then this department there is none which
Domes so near to giving the public 20s. in return for
their pound. leads the Verne ewe-meted barracks
' ere being bnilt, which, if needed, can accommodate •
gusrison of 3 OM) wen—the number eequired to defend
the works in the event of a regular siege. These
barracks, I:ke the ditch, and a great pert of the
works on the Verne, are the result of convict
labour. One range of baneeks has been built by
, regular free masons and brickleyrrs, bat there is not
the faintest difference dierernible in the quality of their
work and that of the cotiviets. The nam,me, oreven more,
may be said of the carpenters' a ark. The casernated
barracks are beautifully built. There is nothing more
mhiffiu'mlt it, tiltall domestic fortresses, if we may so call
them, than to keep them free from damp, and give a
proper allowance of light anal air without iuterfering
with the security el Use inmates: These almost
irreconcilable conditions have beets admirably fulfilled
at the Verne. The wide skylights ever the doors give
ample light, • rained floor secures the soldiers gems{
damp, while a corridor, running the whole length of the
back of the casemate*, and comtuunicating by broad
pipes with the fosse outside, not only gives ventilation,
but • very considerable draught, when the wind blows,
as it always is blowing, over the heights 4 the Verne.
The roofs of these barracks are, of eourse, bomb-proof.
They are made of solid brick arches nearly four feet
thick, over which, again, isa layer deonereteand asphalt
two feet thick, and over all eight feet thick of solid
suede earth. Apart fmm the two rangeA of barracks IP
an hospital aluailarly built, and protect's, with detached
alllralloo,oll, 'Which are also shot and ebell proof. There
it. five expense magazines., each to contain 110 barrels
of powder, with one reserve store that will hold
.bont 3,000 barrels, enough, in all, for Mermaiut
firing from all the guns for three or four months.
All these are protected, 11l addition to
their massive walls of *did masonry, with on sinter
covering of tart 1u 18 feet in Mistime-3. On the south-
east faue of the worku there is a double flank—an upper
and a lower—whisk sweep down the valley leadieg tam
the little village of Fortune's Well. It was at cue
time thought possible that the fortreas 'night be
shelled with comparative impunity by a mortarivessel
in the inlet in which this valley mule. The precan-
tious, therefore, taken against this eventuality aro on
much the sante scale es is shown in the size of the
dry ditch; and on this (see of the fortress there are
to be no ices than three tiers of heavy tune, the
lowest a regular casemate., granite battery, faced with
earth ; the tee upper tiers niuunted at clubmen" on
dwarf traversing platforms. All the stonework of these
dawns is to be faced with earth of the same thick-
-55 itt they wen oniony earthworks. The Vane

has no water supply of its uwo within the ditch ot the
fortress. All uttsuipta to rrooire the supply by lionbg
have bevb vain. Tatik, ore therefore formed for the
. . .

_
collection of rainwater benvatli the casements. and, in
addition to tld se, three re,erve tanks have been sunk
in the rock, N.) feet Iniig by 56 feet wide. Brick
arches and a thick coveriugof earth close these in com-
pletely. Each of them holds a three months' supply of
water for the garrison, at the rate of two gailuni per
span • day. These tanks are to kept, like ilia reiorve

magazines, always full, but never used till the
emergency of a state of siege ari.es. The ordinary
daily :,,upply drawn from Chime, a little
about three miles from the Vero°, where there ia au

_
ample supply, which Li pumped bi $ 30-horse power
engine, through underground pipes, into the fort. Tnis
engine-house is early vuluerable to a stray shot from
the sea, so botnhpried walls and roof are covering it in
on all sides. By this engine, in ease of a siege being
imminent, not only the reserve tanks on the Verse
could be filled to their uttimat, but all the rain- water
tanks is well. This would give a year', supply to tin:
garrison, exclusive of Um raiuwater which would fall
during that nine. Beneath the nortli-eaat face of the
fort, and under the *smiled cliff overlooking the
harbour, are a line of works called the East Weir Bat-
teries: These, on • email scale, very mush rein:wide
the chain of earthaurks which acre thrown up on the
heights of Balaklava. They are cut in the steep slope of
; the lolls towards the water, at elevations .arying twin
tiO to 150 feet above the sea. There are to be eight of
these batteries Wall, and of this uutuber five are already
cuml,let,sl and armed. They are earthworks the
moat solid description, with ditches in trot. and the
; ushal expense and tewerve magazines, and binob-prouf
places to protect the men ngaiiist the effects of a siertical
hi,.,. The rear of l'aCil Murk is left open. for they rest
1 I.llllOSt on the sleep precipitous heights of the Verne
above, the garrison of which could effectually protect
them by volleya of musketry against may attempt to
take them by • coup de maim. Loh of these batteries
will mount from six to toeless guns or suurtani of the
, largest kind. about 60 ill alt; and quiet and inoffensive
aa their neat green Hues of parapet aud Khios appear
from the water, luokiug at first as if it was inteuded to
Ilay out the heights of the Verne in term,e gardens,
these massive b.itteriea of the Eat Weir would be
quite as formidable to ships sttenupting to enter the
harbour as the great work of the Verne itself. From
their varied elevation every psit of the harbour Loth
i a Min and without the breakwater is under their
command, and, like the Verne, they can cover with
; their lire the circular fort on the north end, front which
; in a straight line they are only about one iude distant,
I —eery little snore than timnt-blank range for • loug
Armstrong. These batteries may be cuusidered as
i among the oetworks of the Verne, of which there are to
le many. Thin a regular glseis will be thrown up all
' round the outer edge of the Verne ditch, and be-
! yood this on the ',Atli, south-east, and south
west fares will be five tanager h itterie4 sweeping the
Vntlolll{ approaches up to the north cud of the island.
The.,e, of course, would after a time, have to be aban-
, doted before • snider Leah ging army, but, though
; given up, they would be worthless to the assailant.', as
half the guns of the Verne citadel will look down into
them. Tim two main outworks will be at Easton and
Weaton on either side of thn island, and distant shout a
mile from the citadel. These wilt be very strung
; works, mounting about 30 or more guns each, Cud the
positions C110111:11 for them are so strung and so com-
manding that their reduction by a regular siege would
be necessary before anything could be attempted against
the Verne itself. These outworks, however, are not yet
begun, and it will he two years before even the Verne
itself is completed. Five of the East Weir batteries
are fiiiished, and have their guns in, though not
mounted, and their shot and shell in store. They only
want powder to be ready for iustant action, and this
necessary could he given to them (ruin the guarlship
Colessus in a single hour, if wanted. These are the
iambi features connected with the pmgressing or in-
tended defence* on the island of Portland. Like all
other strong places, however, these works have their
weak points, about which we "lave not the smallest heal-
tatiun in speaking, for the danger is now seen, and will
be effectually guarded against. It is no less than this—
that an enemy's mortar-boat, keeping to the true
northern extremity of Chesil-bank, could throw shells
over it into the harbour and declis (when built) with
comparative impunity. It is true that some of the
guns of the Verne con-man:l the ass fare along this
hank, but Sir William Armstrong himself would shake
his head if he was told iii guns were to engage at up-
wards of three miles with a small gunboat always on the
move, and shifting its range. This trifling deficiency in
the defences hiss, however, been foreseen, and • remedy
will be applied which will niake en enemy's vessel give
Chisel-bunk a very wide offing indeed. The northern
extremity of Portland Roads is bounded by a high ridge
or spit of land called the Nuthe, which, running out
into the sea for some half mile or more. separates Port-
laud proper from the beautiful buy of Weymouth. On
the sea extremity of this Nellie • very powerful fort is
being erected. Its armament is not yet decided on, but
it alll lie both numerous and heavy, 'mutably carrying
in all not less than 60 guns and mortars. This headland
is now being faced with stone of innuenae thickness to
• height of 50 feet above the water. In many parts
there will be double tiers of ordnance, though none
will be placed in casemate batteries. lien', as at the
Verne, all the store-houses, hospitals. and buildings for
the garriaon will be bomb-proof. This work is distant
about two miles and three-quarters from the East Weir
batteries, three miles front the heiglibi of the Verne,
and about • mile and a-half from the circular fort on
the north end of the breskwater,—all distances well
within range of the long Ariustrongs. On any hostile
squadron or fleet bold or unlucky enough to enter the
harbour all the works could concentrate a fire of
upwards of 200 guns of the heaviest daieription, and all
so elevated AS to be practically out of the reach of the
guns of a fleet, It was at one time suggested to lone •
nreakwater island about a niile from the north fort to
be built on the extremity of the prement breskwaster,
and on this isbutil to erect another circular granite tort
of three tiers of guns, liar %list to be built at Bpithead.
This idea, however, has very wisely been abandoned.
Apart front its slul.enuhoua ex oente (it would cost nothing
short of a million), it would as • defensive work be
utterly superfluous and unnecessary. When ths present
and inteuded ...eke are all carried Ole. Portland and
Weymouth will beau strong in their way as Gibraltar,
and additional towers of this expensive kind would be as
truly works of supererogntion as if it was propcsied to
cover Oilealter itself with four.inclo plates of iron.
Whut Ito,, and will be done is not only enough to render
Portland harbour secure, but absolutely invulnerable
front a a and land. The inhabitants of Weymouth
might now sleep perfectly secure, even if Cherbourg
was only seven miles diatom& from them, instead of 70.
—Thurs.
VICTLAND BRILAICW•TFIL—It seems to be •charac-
teristic of our public works that there should bus a dozen
mistakes for one suscneaa, but that the success when it
does coins should prove a genuine tsiumpli. We may
fairly congratulate ourselves on the completion of the
Portland Breakwater. Here we have at length a
magnificent structure of the most durable and useful
kind actually completed. Nor can it be said that
the expense, as such things go, is very inordinate. It is
true that the original estimate of the cost has been
materially exceeded, but the actual outlay has been
compandively moderate, and we have, at any rate,
money's worth for our money. Portlend, notwitlistand-
its ordinary title, can hardly he reckoned as one of
those islaleis which constitute the numeromi group—
above 500 in number—known as Bo British Isles. It
is rather a headland than an island, and it is this very
configuration of its shores which has su=ested the
great work described in our last impression. The
anchorage called Portland Roadie, protected from
westerley winds and secure from all but south-easterly
gales, required roiling but a barrier in this direction
to make the harbour complete. The construction of
this barrier was recommended by a variety of ain-
siderations. The harbour was niueli wanted, its diman•
sinus and caoabilities would be extraordinary, ma-
terials in abundance were close at hand, labour was
cheap, and the project itself obviously practicable.
Nevertheless, with all these advantages in prospect,
the work WAS but tardily aud relnetantly undertaken.
It would be a diapifitillgUillis to reckon up the mill so
simandered upon other schemes before the productiveone
million was invested here ; and perhaps, indeed, Portlsnd
harbour would never have been been made at all except
for the challenge given by Cherbourg on the other aide
of the channel. The Breakwater was fint suggested
in 1794, but it was not until half a century afterwards
thnt the work was actually taken in hand. In the year
1844 the construction of this enormous barrier was
formally recounnended ; in 1847 an Act of Parliament
erne hied for the execution of the scheme ; in 1249 the
tint stone was laid ; and now, in 1861. we I.llllollllCie
the substantial completion of the enterpriar. Portland
harleivr is how effectually protected spiiist the fury
of the elements, and it remains only to fortify it
against the attack of an enemy. The description given
of the: work and of the process euiployed is very re-
markalile. 111 sue aense nothing could be simpler ; in
another nothing more difficult. A Breakwater is
nothing but a wall 'oat in the sea, resting on the
bottom, and rising abase the wave.. This wall, siore•
over, builds itself—that is to say, the stones of which it
is compamil shake themselves into their places, settle
themselves by their own weight, and remain fixed and
compact from the operation of the same cause. Nothiug
more, therefore, is required than to pitch • sufficient
number of stones into the sea at the right place. So
far the work seems even easier than that of building the
dry walls wlii di serve for edges in our Northern
countiea; but the difficulties soon begin. In the first
place, the wall, which has to eitiistand the shock of the
waves at their very highest, is necessarily of enormous
thickness. No land wall, howee er strong, can give any
idea of the ilimenaiona of walls built beneath the see.
A bole bored through the Portland wall would represent
a tunnel nearly III) yards long, for the Lase of this
Breakwater is actually 35./0 feet wide. The height if
the wall, again, is 100 feet, and its length
upwards of • utile and adialf. (hi land such
a pile would look like a little mountain ridge,
and would form, indeed, quite a respectable chain of
hills in Nome of our fi it counties. Still, as the stone in
this, case was chose at hand, and in quantity abundant
enough even for such a work, the difficulty nosy be
thought not very serious. But how are these atones to
serried to the sea and dropped into it? Cloae to the
shore it may be all very easy ' • but how, when the
=atonal has to be carried out for half a mile, or • mile,
as the work eitends ?. This is the part of the prooeaa
which taxes the engineer. As the stone is quarried
from • height abort the sea level it will run down a
tramway by its own weight, and can be readily turned
into the sea at any given putht ; but how is the tram-
way itself to be made ? Given a good tramway, and
the rest was easy. The convitts dug the stone and
loaded the wagons, the wagons tan atuoothly along the
inclined plane, and when they came to the end of their
course wire made to "topple" Over their cargoes Masi
he sea. Tim one difficulty w.oi the trail way itself, which
Was neither moot nor less thau a ralway built on I.ilua
and running out to sea lit e ati er: Building
it sea like building • hum seaffoldiux
under water. Tim timbers were required to
be of isionenee etrengtli, and in ter oisit besides, and the
Ira sway had to grow as the B eak other grew, yard for
yard. All this, however, has bee i scconiplislied, and
five millions tow, of stone base Ie in dropped scientifi-
c:Ml), into the sea. The result is • great artificial reef,
projecting many feet above the water, and effsctually
.ecuring the harbour against the onset of tho waves.
Hitherto we have been Ishii ig against nature, but we
are now preparing to contend with man. At one ex-
tremity of this Breakwater sill stand a fort of the most
extraordinary choral:ter. It will be at oi oe the
strongest and most powerful fort of its kind in this
(*entry. That much is decided; but it is scarcely
possible at present to decide more, forth. simple tsasop

that nobody can toll wbat new discoveries in the
scienCta of attack and defence • few Yew"
or a few niontlia may bring aboat. Up to
a certain height shove the sea the fort will be Of
granite and all but entirely solid. Above this it may be
all eranite still, or vanity with iron facings, or all true.
as regards the armament, it is •rridigeal that
the fort shall mount Id° gums, and that these guns shall
by tho heaviest and must powerful known; but whether
they will by 11.10-poundera or 800.puunders depend* upon
the dovelopment which Sir William A 1111 l truing and his
colleagues may by that time have given to the maim-
! (minim of artillery. Two clasaes of iuventors are in
running a Moe against each other. Our ironinasters ire
! forging impenetrable plates, and their rivals are devising
! irresistible gnus. Nobody can say which will Win, but
the great fort at Penland will represent and exemplify
the resources of both alike. We observed that the

expense of the Portland Breakwater has been com-
paratively moderate. It has cost leer than • million of
money, which is within the latest estimate, and all the
most expeesive work is now dune. Still, the original
calculations was niuch below this. It was first reckoned
that E 500,000 would suffice ; then it was thought that
the cost would be nearer mo, ow for the rough
steno of the wall alone ; and, finally, more than
eteel,oot) was allotted to this main portion of the
work. Compared, however, with many under-
takings which might be enumerated. and inea.o rod lie
the value of the results obtaiiied, this end iy may well
be termed productive. Portland harbour, which art
has now rendered complete, is finer and more sp miou,
even thee Plymouth. It has an admirable Reellie age
and is free from ruck or shoal. It is most canvemently
' situated, and will previde upportutie refuge For eillpe le
the Claimed It will give UR a strong naval etat ttttt
for the dadence of oar shores. It lies enablerl us to
utilize convict labour, and lies been surseasfuily finished
in about the time and at about the end
which it was said to require. If the reeler
considers thews hut commonplace eulogize, lie can have
very little experience of our public works. No doubt,
we ought al rweye to ilo aii well RR this —to find that our
schemes really answer their purpiees, and that a gin en
outlay produces • commensurate advaulage. Utifortu-
nately se fare very differently in such undertakings,
aud the greater the pretension the smaller is often the
result. It is remarkable, indeed, that while other
ired less euecestsul euterprees have been dragged
constantly into notice very little hasbeen said about the
Breakwater at Portland. It has grown steadily.
greduelly, and without much attention on the part of
the public, till all of a sudden it is reported to be
complete. We can only say that we heartily rejoice
over our exceptioaal good fortune, and sincerely wish
that the examples et such success way be multiplied in
times to come.—Tuers.
Time ',Art AVIKAT WITH TUN MILITAILT.—Vre have
received the following trine • correepondent : "Sir,--
Your report respecting the affray between soldiers and
civilians was not quite correct In the first place you
say there were on Monday night some privates and a
lance-corporal drinking at the "New Inn" by which I
presume you mean the "New Hotel," also, it is alto-
gether incorrect ; there were neither lance-corporal or
privates drinking at the" New Hotel"on Monday night,
but on Monday evening there were some navvies drink-
Mg at the " New Hotel," and somewhere about seven
o'clock • colour-sergeant and a corporal came into the
hotel to look for some soldiers, whom lie (the sergeant)
said he had stationed on the beach and could not
find. One of the men offered the corporal a glass of
, beer, which lie refused, and one of the party said be
I should not drink it, and !stood up and threatened the
one who offered it. The sergeant and corporal stood in
the doorway the same time, the corporal with a short
staff in his hand like the leg of • chair, being about 16
inches long, and snuffer on one end than the other.
1
With this he struck at one of the men across the arm
of the sergeant, but did not touch him. The landlord
mine and asked the sergeant to come into another room
I in order to prevent a breach of the peace. He sullenly
refused, asking whether, after the years he had been in
the service, he was going to be frightened by them
fellows whom he could do as he liked with theni,or thrash
1 any four of them. He then told "into. host" he kept
a disorderly house, and would report him. Suiting the
action to the word, hi. sent the corporal to fetch •
policeman. During the corporal's absence, the sergeant
amused himself by tweeting of his exploits, and said "if
it was nut for committing a breach of the peace, lie
would go lathe room and do as !milked witlithem,lint lie
preferred letting the civil power take it in hand." Soule
1 ten or tuelve minutes elapsed, during which the ser-
geant, looking daggers, tried to throw the Mime on a
, person, who was outside, 'edit in the distance was seen
: the gentleman in taus, accompanied by the corporal in
I red. As they neared the place all eyes were turned on
, those individuals, and great was the euspense, until the
1 stillness was broken by the voice of the son of Marc,
who. with body erect and majestic mien, told the civil
power that the company had been disorderly, although
there were no traces of the disorder then to be seen—
bet forgot to say that he had told parties who were
outside " Thet some one should suffer for it ; noise one's
life should tie taken before it was over." The parties
soon afterwards left, and thus ended the Monday even.
tog's await.. On Tuesday creuing,about 7 o'clock, • body
of soldiers, 15 in number, with whom was the corporal
above mentioned, came through the village of Chesil,
and were making their way towards the New Hotel ap-
parently, when at souse three or four hundred yards
distance they met three or four navvies. They iinmedi-
atcly began • murderous summit, and had not • few
more Purtlanders come up in a minute or two, the
colour-sergeent's threat might have been fulfilled, and
"Souse non's life taken away ;" as it was, more than
one suffered for it, as the blood on the ground
teritifieil. A very few minutes brought a great
many more soldiers,and double the quantity of villagers.
I may not be out of place to state that after the races
two navvitei and xi: soldiers were coming to Portland
together, across the Sinallmouth Sands, when one of
them drew hi* bayonet and put it to one of the navvies
breast, threatening to stab him ; this was very likely
She came of the serious affair.—J.N.S.
WAREHANI.—We regret to state tindi George
Bridle, the youth who was injured at the Sandford
Pottery on Pi iday week, still lies in a very precarious
state. He has not spoken since the accident occurred,
hut Ids moans indicate that his suffering is intense.
I On Monday evening the surgeon discovered that his
right arm had been broken. The fact hail been over-
lo aced, on account of the bruises over the whole
surface of the body being so great. There is, we
understand, not the slightest hopes of his recovery.
Cows MA Ritter. —The average primp of wheat sold
an Warehain last week was £2 12a, 21. per quarter.
The quantity of grain retunied as sold was 50
qearerri of wheat and 30 quarters of oat...
Fill.—At the fair on Wednesday last, trade was
very dull, although the stock was very limited in
point of numbers, but very little business was
transacted.
STEE.PLE. -On Tuesday last, the children be-
longing to the Steeple, Tynehatu, Grange, and
Povingbain National Week-day and Sunday Schools
met in the Park at the Grange, to partake of the
annual treat of tea and cake supplied by the Rev.
N. Bond. After tee the juveniles enjoyed them-
selves in various athletic sports to their" heart's
content." On the following day there were great
rejoicings at Grange-house on the occasion of the
coming of age of the eldest son of the Rev. N. Bond.
A large number of the clergy and gentry of the
neighbourhood were present.
LYTCHET MINSTER. —Tazarass.—At the Win%
borne Petty Sessions on Friday last, Benjamin &inner,
of Organford, in the parish of Lytchet Minster.
labourer, was charged with trespassing on sonic land,
in the occupation of Mr. Dominey.—William Cross, •
gamekeeper. said he saw the defendant on the 4th inst
beating about a field with a dog and gun. The .hoot.
log belonged to Mr. Fryer. The defendant said b.
worked on the farm, and he had • right to shoo
the vermin. He had no certificate for cerrying a gun
Since the summons had been served, Skinner had struck
Cross in the face with his fist, and pulled off his °oat
and wanted to fight with him.—Mejor Portman asked
defendant what work he had been doing lately ?
Defendant said he had done nothing for the last three
years, having been in the Dorchester and Bath hospi-
tals for a pain in the side. He was fined 20s, end
coots, to be paid in a week, or to be committed for a
month.

WOODLANDS.—ILL TREATMENT OF A HORSE.—
Jut Hustal, a labourer, residing in the parish of
Woodlands, near Cranbourne, was summoned before
the Windburn° Petty Sessions on Friday last, on the
charge of working a horse at Horton, on the 7th Sep-
tember, when in an unfit state, The case was proved
by P.C. Hamilton, who said the defendant's horses
...ere all exceedingly poor, and one of them had two
large sores on the shoulder. Defendant said, if they
were poor they were very hearty. He was Sued 10a.,
and 10s. costs. and was told by the Bench that if he
was brought there again he would he tined in the full
penalty of £5.
Tonna 11E8E014E1E1 LI T T .-BRESA Thorn*, • young
woman at present residing at Woodlands, summoned
Rickard Cooper, farmer, residing at Milton, near
Lymington, Hampshire, before the Wimborne Petty
Sessions, to show cause why he should out contribute
towards the maintenance of her illegitimate female
child, born on the 14th April last. This was the third
time the case bad been before the magistrates. The
Cabe for the applicant was represented by Mr. Free-
man, and the defendant by Mr. Lee, of Southampton.
The defendant himself, the defendant!" brother, and his
aunt were summoned in support of the applicant's
case, and although the defendant denied the nosai.
bility of his being the father of his child, the admis-
sions be node were of such a chalet:ter that no one
could doubt for a moment the pats rusty of the little
" responsibility." The magistrates ordered the pay
went of 7.5. a week and costa.
COBFE CASTLE. Nartovat SCHOOLS,—On
Saturday, the 14th inst., through the hospitality of our
much esteenied rector, the Rev. Eldon S. &likes, the
children attending the Sunday and day schools
t• this place, to the number of 270, together with
their friends, were regaled with plum cake and tea in
a field adjoining the rectory. They mustered at one
o'clock, and, preceded by the Corte bend, marched to
the rectory, where they were met and addressed by
the rector. They then adjcarned to the field, where
sports were kept up with great spirit till evening.
In the field we noticed Lady Charlotte Bantam, Lady
Hamilton Rum I, Lady Eustace Cased, Lads' Selina
Scott, and Mis. Farrer ; also J. H. Calerait Esq.,
Captain Coventry, the Rev. T. G. Clarke, and the
Rev. R. E. Richards, besides many others from
the village and neighboui hood. We are pleased to
he able tc state that times schools are still maintain•
ing their efficiency. The Rev. W. W. Howard,
Her klajest)'s inspector of Schools, lately expressed '
himself highly pleased with the discipline of these
schools, and the attainments of the children, and from
a report just issued by the committee of the Diocesan
School Prize scheme, we find that the first boy in the
diocese was from these school.; that a girl from this
school won the 2nd wire for needlework; that• boy
was classed third in geography, and another first in
English Grammar, and, that out cot n who sat not
i.ne failed. This must certainly be very encouraging,
both to the rector, who is so exceedingh interested
in the schools, and also to the master, whom labours
in behalf of the children have been and are unremitt-

in&
Amos Buoways, who wee so severely injured while
ai work in the thy pits cs the See lath, died es

Thursday, the 12th inst. The surgeon visited him
on the turning of his death. He was certain it was
niorally impossible he could live, and yet he seemed
so much better that he got out of bed and helped
himself to shat he required. Half an hour after-
ards ho sas.a corpse. Ile was perfectly sensible
up to the time he breathed his last.
CH Alt MOlITH:!--ellettCH NIMMONS/1Y SOCIISTT.
—On Sunday morning. the 15th instant, a sermon in
aid of the above society was preached in Charineuth
parish chuach, by the Bev. J. H. Sousa, M.A., alter
which ups anis of •6 ass collected. On Wednesday
evening, the lhth instant, a sleeting was held in the
School.r,ons, when the tame rev. gentleman
attended as • deputatiun and most ably advocated the
elai 'aloof thesociety. There were also on the platform
several gentlemen, amongst whom we n.,ticed the Rev.
E. It. Breton, rector (chairuian), Rev. Edwards,
and Collier, Esq. The meeting was brought
! to • close by singing an hymn, and the rev. chair-
! man pronouncing the blessing. There was • col-
', lection at the door, which, with that of Sunday
, morning, the several missionary buses, and dons-
tions asuountod to £ll 7s.