The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1873-02-04 00:00:00

31D (DORCHESTER) RIFLE vaLturricsa3.

This excellent company of ride volunteers began
14th year, on Thursday evening, when the annual
meeting was held, and the attendance and the interest
taken in the proceeding. showed that the °erre Is as
happily circumstanced am could be desired; yet there
was just one thing to mar the °omelette pleasure of the
meeting. Captain (bombe bee sot thoroughly reoovered
from hie late Mama end on that evening was for from
we:4 so that he eould not enthipate North • regular
*Menden°. at all the drills and outings of the company
as he haa hitherto given with so mush satisfs,tion to
all eoncerned, and the shadow of this partial with.
&seal gave a tinge of anxiety to the meeting.
, we are hopeful that Captain Coombs may
yet have health and strength to be at the bead of the
'term' for many yearn to /some. maintaining its credit
and cinders°, as in the past. Teem were 42 rank and
ale present, 4 eargeants, Batt. Quirttr-Iliaetar-Sergrent
Newman, and Lieut. Rodeos, ei.lo the band with Mr.
Wellspring.
Osotain Comm said he thought that at the Isom.
mencement of another year, their 14th, he might
congratulate them upon having maintained the good
eredit which they had heretofore eujoyed. Hit might,
perhaps, aleo speak of ths .satisfactory @tat, of the
money mitten' of the carpi. While they beard of
other corps befog in debt £lOO, and even £2OO, the
members of the !Centimeter ride corps had the gratifies-
of knowing, that as soon at they got the Government
grant, they would hare • surplus of £4O, which, in hie
opinion, was quite as much • feather in their cap es wee
proner attendance at drill Of good disolpline. He
could not understand how oorps could get so mach in
debt. Looking at the amount of their (Dorchester)
subscription list .nd the boasted support other carps
had, he thought they mast either enrol • great may
I men to be 'rept a at the next annual meeting, or
there must be greet extravagance. Regarding the
effisieney of the weeps, there were only semi noe-
-1 etflohnits, one of whom (Dario) was in eonsequenee of
illness, while soother (Wills) owed his non-elltdiney so
a mistake as ti the the supplementary battalion drills.
Respeeting the other live, he thought he m gbt eon*
gratulaW the corp., and himseU likewise, that nobody
was n ono &dent f tom sheer idleness. A great
improvement had taken plans with regard to the bead,
only three or four of he members being returned as
nos-efficient'. In referee°e to the ehnplain and the
surgeon of the corps, they could not be made efildents
by rank or attendance, but to be smelt must be enrolled
ant drill like the other members. For the coming
year there were new regulations as to edishmey. They
must attend a. • minimum—ln aceordanco with the
requirements of Government— nine drill', of which
three must be battalion drills. There must be at least
twelve file at each company drill, and 100 at each
battalion drill, or they would not want. Of course co
number in attendee's was right exempt the full
strength, but as Toleration were mortal, and not
awls they could not avoid ormaidoaally having earthly
engagements which prevented their attending every
monies ; iva it was haportt So rearm r the
requirements in regard to the attendees. at As
to regulation of Ole corps he should require attendance
at 16 drills between the premed time and the lat of
Jaly, of which six must be toed Me out-door drills,
eot marches out, keeping ground, or anything of that
sort. Any member who old not attend this number
would be ineligible to shoot for any of the isompany
prism. While touching on the shooting he would men-
tion the °Mears bad been eonsiderieg whether the
sennal competition could not take pleat • little earlier
In the year, when the days were longer and them wag a
better chance of favourable teethe,. If the meeting mime
off some time in the summer it would he pleasanter,
but them-lees could not be awarded until tbe season had
terminated, when it would be seen whether the winners
had made themselves effleiriat by attending the required
drills. " Extra-elliciesta" were now to offset abobshed,
but the 30s. would he paid on • roan filing GO rounds.
This he thoughts mistake. Thoes who were ambitions
to lit marknmen would have to ire as before, but, MI
he read the regulations, if • man onie breams • marks-
man he need not shoot again all his life—(laughter).
• But this mu.t be done in the presence of the tdjetant.
It WY not antlepated that this year the battalion
would take part ha the autumn maws Ivrea which it
was understood would be held either on Dartmoor or
in Yorkshire. The letter would be • long &stenos to
go; still. if Government Galled upon them to attend,
both °Moms and men would doubtless be prepared to
do their duty. The o.ptain then adverted to the
duties aesigeed to himself at the last Batumi
maeceuvres. He had found out one crying fault—
many had the idea that fatigue duties did not belong
to themselves, unless for their own oompanyte benedt.
Now that was a great =Wake, .t times occasiouing
eonsiderable iceouvenionea. The right thing to do,
when they were out in battalion on an ocemion like
that, was to avoid obreeeparing on the part of the
companies; everything belonged to any one elm, and
II they were ordered to do anything they must do it.
Proneeding ti soother &abject Captain Coombs observed
that during the past year the members of the carp. had
experienced their share of casualties, which be hoped
they would avoid in the cocaine rter —ihn•ribins4 With
regard to the annual holiday emersion, whether Easter
Monday or Whit Monday was adopted, must depend
upon the state of the weather, or upon ho. the Mean
opened. When he last addressed them he expressed •
Isiah • hope he should be with thorn for many years.
But he bad already Margit that to • certain extent he
mart be less with them than he had been. Be had
had • serious attack of Illness, which would necessitate
his absenting himeelf In some degree from the driils,
especially the marching, out, until he saw whether in
the coating season he "picked up his crumbs" and
became strong &via. He must be °ireful of his health,
or he would be reluctantly compelled to give up alto-
gether, and lie believed they did not particularly wish
him to adopt that couree—(" no, no.") He must, there-
fore, a.k for their indulgent), during the next three
months. Captain Coombs, In 00041111011, adverted to
a point 'hien he had ocatted—tbe eihoteoey of the
bond soder Mr. Welleprlac The band, eafertuaately,
was not allowed to attend the autumn rasemavres, bet
they had the begle bead them aid he was sure that

THE WRECK or TUE NORTHMEET.
A noble ship as over braved the Has,
Secured at andor. throeS.llo Plge10r1d1;
iths lay closeeeded, awed Ikr light,
To .presd kw WM, and h em her flight.
Her living freight bad We their land
To seekNei hawse • diehemt wend,
Mad mid reed be bed shod the prang tsar.
And with their Mops. had sought to health Isar.
Now hushed he amp, ballade and youth at nit,
Te stordy man, the take upon the brunt,
Thsristbee Mad, the mother fond and tree,
All rent at poem. and nought of danger luny
Psecoonse soma dreamt of aspen of youth once more,
And others Yemoder'd on the unknown shore.
The men on disk, with dow and steady tread.
WTI wsteb Shea night. and knew ol nought to dread;
• herk wheere that! The 'plodded waters tell
Of danger rear—the muds they know full :
And looming through the gloom they now descry
A Welt which e'en the boldest heart would bey ;
'Tts nit,! it comes lit borate upon their Arbt.
A moonset name, it strike. with ali Ile might.
Comb I crank! • shock I the yards hound mart.
A cry mitands, mooch to rend the heart:
" Oh'gin, us help! Arita forth your hand to save!
" Lear. not them hundred. to • watery grave I '
The cry was nth : the stranger %Ids away—
It hooted. TM knaves now fear light of day.
Oh. what a memo ; roused from their Jumbles deep,
Thu deck he anoght—emne shout, while, When weep,
Soon cry to God, sad fail upon their knew.
harry! they pray. The f doted hope soon 11e5;
The water comas; it Kelm upon th• might
Of willing hand, that man the pumm to-night.
The hails ars sought—Wl strive their lime to leave
Rut all Is valn, the waves will be their gram :
Strong men. alas! their manhood now forget.
And crush the feeble longing but to get
The chance now Ist.—• footle chapel at beet—
A few may ilvo, but led mud be the rest.
Odin through it all the captain stand; • men
Who strives midst •Il to do the beet he can
To gave the weak, to 'ems those frail forms
Which nem were meant to battle with the mons..
Amidst the gloom th• flery rockets dy
They teem at night to reach the gloomy ski,
And lights me beret—they only brighter show
The horrors of thin leaded night of wee.
The bode a» Manche I, and crowded at swath,
The Wrong rem In regardleme of ths crude,
"Steed beck; make ..1r the c ay' Wo cries again,
' Sam Sem lit, weak, let women reach the main."
His youthful wife he smoky. bide her good bye,
Ilk voice it fatten, and with tearful eye
He mem bar othe, then to his duty clings,
Hs that alone,' be cries. "clear romelencel briny."
And there he stood, =I let that awful some
Of •gony. of groans, and prayers hit....:
And women best their bremte and tsar their hair,
And strong mon t maitre, full of blank despair.
The water rims, now It lava the deck,
The faintest hopes we dwindled to • @peck ;
The warm its &stains fumed dirges o'er
Tbe deaths of them who ne'or wit reach the abate;
'Tie moos, at Ind ! with one coati:Weirs throb
Ths ship row down—• beryline heaving mob
And all is poet—fir down the flawing warn
Rundle& have found • watery unknown grays.
But mem there we who reach the land at lad:
Though o'er who. lives • Window will • cut—
For they ham lost • holland, wife, or friend,
And thought. of 11 0111 oft the bomen rend.
Others there ars who cling unto the mast.
Fearing each breath they draw will be the hist,
Rut throe at length ors eared, though well-nigh dead
With cold and toll, worn out with fear sad dread,
A blank la left, ad Warta are everywhere,
The gloom M not evened to here and there;
And through tt s wide world will be told the tale
At which the heart will (tinkle, tits cheek grow pole.
LW.E.
Dorchester, Fob. I, 1873.

everybody was very much pleased with thek Ipedot, I ILsarrom or A SCIIOOI. BO tliD FOR THE
manses, whilsh wets most ttLetive. In sortriffindim la I UNITED WARKILekI INSTIJOY OF BP.
LADY BT. MARY, AND
1101 X THIN/I'Y.
asaida.l.tpwstasspossi..44..ble toh.atthethelezo.yealienr tab:s
baantdtallittnistimou wet I
of which he briefly oornin,otted. • To Ca Editor.
Lieutenant flotmett sold ho war happy to meet It will be desirable ler all interested, to bear in
them at the oornmenconi-ne of tl,,ir 14th year. Tine , mind—
day was oos. of the hap:iieet of thi• Year, inc....,_4l°**7 • let.—That every nomination mutt be Mai and
an met together with renewed vigonr wn"" °P°. subscri'..-1 by two rateveyers, o :resin all the
piernteicollevrepniibltishfofth tt,e elechon notice already
another campaign. The lest, he thought, they MA
menLo.yed„..emogeal.hreay,..besat4euseot.hpe.ylaattebniddediamdthe autumel y
t&lice
21e1.—That each sandidate must be separately amain-
were so very summesful. Captain Coombs bad lam abet thwi—by two rarepeyers, are seine two cennut
alluded to the state of his own health, which would
beproze;nehubtlehheie
(71..wtitbiltehjegrne,letiout,inteduabhhi.ehbe.adhhhit.b...eritcto tef.wc 4 o'clock P.m. 00 the
81.. th .l.ll.sred at my
Ibe very moth improved tiolo pe rea•wel, Tasy 4th. —Trait on or b^i.oe the 11th Febroriry instrait AN nct
, might deneed upon his (Lieut. 11.1 r.) Wind wit. 1 shalt gine public nodes of the list of osiftidatee
' them, and doing all be °mild in their behalf. His
own ditties am:earned especi the shooting depart-
ally thus nominated.
sth.—That any c.nfidate may ait'idraw by deliver-
meet, to which se hitherto, he should devote his but
re lug at my ofiloe, not later than 4 o'clock p.m. on the
attention- did not know that ntunit 13th instant, a notice to that effect signed by trimeelf
the erc,neerseute was clearable, exeunt perhaps fixing
(see Election notice.)
the prat rn"eting a littie earlier, for the risiKold Sib. —On the 30th day of February, 100ta0t-4f only
esagned by the captain. The weekly practises. had iso
live eandidatee remain on the list, they will be returned
far worked very well; last year the attendant* was. on In doe form as Oersted ;if more, a poll will be taken.
the whole, large sod satisfactory. If any member heel
Careful attention to the election notice will says
any new feature to anggeet or alteration to introduce,
much unntoessery trouble.
be (Lieut. Hodges) should be happy to ocrosider the
semi.. In conolusioa he expressed a with for the ere e-
tinned proepority of the corer.
The weekly meetings were fined for Thursday evenicifs
at 7.30 as before. and the meeting ended.
The first enrolment of members took place at the
Town•ball on the 30th of January, 1860, during the
Mayoralty of 311 r. IL Dsveniah, although drills had
been going no iu the then Corn Ezoluinge daring the
winter of 1859. so that the 14th season of the oorpe I.
Fist commenced. Of the present member., the
fellowieg were enrolled on the 3012 of January, 18130,
aid have eontinued to serve Iron that date, AL:—
Captain Coombs, Lieutenant Holism. anklnli°n
Quartermaster-Sergennt Newman, Colour-Sergeant
Gregor?, Borgeante Cross, Durden, Ramsey, and
Greening, Ploareer-ilergeane Taylor, Corporals Cues
end Ling. Private. R. White. P. Taylor, J. Greening,
T. Rogers, and W. Parmiter. Bergeent•ltistrustor
Legg 00CDM0111014 klie speciosa with the seeps In 1859.

F. ?mum.
Betarning
North-afflict, Waroham, lit Tobrusiy, 1873.
P.S.—Formi of nomination may ha hart on applica-
tion at my oleo..