The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1880-02-03 00:00:00

SKATING IN WEYMOUTH.

All lovers of skating have during the past few weekshad
ample opportunities for indulging in this favourite and
be slthfulpostime. Tlae weather with the exception of a day
or two, has been all that could be desired, and the local
watembicludingeventhelthekwater,havebeenwelloovered
At Lodnioor, owing to the dry season, what Is usually •
splendid sheet of ifts is this tsar very scanty, so that the
favourite resort has been Chafey's Loke, a hich has been
visited by hundreds of persons from the town and neigh-
bourhood. On Fricky a portion of the ice here wu in fair
condition, but the greater part had been swamped on
account of the high tide'. As a proof of the severity of
the frost, there were on Friday between 40 and 50 persons
skating on the Itickwater, and move o young fellows, more
venturesome
uresome than other., theted from the shore right
heroes to the Swan's Islatk but we should imagine stoma
risk. This is an event, we beidtvo' never before Lows..
On Saturday Chef ey's presented a lively scene, no lets than
between two and throe hundred persons being on the ice,
and many of them ladies. With the exception of one part
which was in pretty good condition, the greater part of
the ice wee very sloppy and rotten, but notwithstanding
this, skaters were not deterred from disporting themselves,
it being well known there is no desth of water. Beyond
• few slight CAMS we have Lewd of no immenions or
accidents. On Saturday night the mercury roes, and being
very little or no frost at all, it was feared the surface was
b•eaklug. Although the ice had not improved during the
night • large number of persons visited it on Sunday.
Contrary to expedition the frost on Sunday night was
one of the hardest, and the ice gained much in strength,
and many nasty holes and cracks dinippeared. On Mon-
day hundreds of persons again patronised Chafey's ;
although the ice was, whila strong, exceedingly rough.
Up to • Late hour, and by the splendid light ot • full moon
skating was carried on, both by ladies and getftlemea.
This skating by moonlight presented at pretty • scene at
can well be imagined, and it afforded many, who are
debarred during the day from enj 'ping the pastime, an
opportunity of indulging in the exhilarating exercise to
their hearts' content.
There was another hard heat on Tuesday night, which
greatly improved the condititm of the ice, especially that
on the Backwater. That at Chain's, however, owing to
the action of the sun, and the number of persons sinarn
soon became rough and sloppy, so that skating with any
degree of pleasure was out of the question. This drove
many on to the Backwater, which soon presented a very
lively scene The tee was smooth as glare, but it was
somewhat marred by the action of the high tides, which
bruit It in several Places, causing several nasty.
looking crack,. Nothing deterred, however, skaters dis-
ported themselves as much as they plumed ii,,e,,,ithatind.
log various ominous sounds as they Weed over certain
places. From almost the railway bridge up to Radipole
was one vast expanse of ice over which the skaters
skimmed with the speed of the wind. The swags,
huddled up in • manner quite in contrast with
thedr customary gracefulness, seemed much bewildered at
the, to them decidedly queer antics of the "lords of the
Creation." Such a scene as this has never before been
witnessed, at least within the memory of living men, and
such a magnificent sheet of ice would have delighted the
heart of "Fish Smart" or any other great skater of the
Fens. A considerable number of Persons visited Chafey's
by 'Moonlight In the evening, but the ice was greatly
inferior to what it had been previously.
Another hard frost on Wednesday. Notwithatanding
this, however, the Backwater k• was not so safe, especially
In the middle, chieflyowing to the tide. The aides, however,
were visited by hundreds during the day, end lathe even-
ing it began to give, the result being there were mayoral
Immersiona, nit re or less serious One young fellow
had an exceedingly narrow escape. The Ice gave
way and he found himself in the water, up to his
neck. Several persons at once made • plucky rescue,
although the lad was not pulled out a minute too soon,
for he was quite exhausted.
There were also several trifling came, which ought to
have deterred others from remaining on, while the tide
was rising, hut all warnings were of no avail, and numbers
remained on the ice till dark.
The thanks of the skating public should be given to Mr.
Gard, who has so kindly allowed the many hundreds of
pergola to pees through Ms farm to Chafey's Lake.

PORTLAND.
LORD RUSTICS Tannins visited Portland Prison on
Thursday, and was shown over the establishment.
MULLwr.—Some 3 000 mullet were caught in the
Roads on Thursday last by Mr. B. Mills, of Castle-
town.
FOOTBALL.—A match was playel on Saturdey
between a team from the Boscawen and the Portland
club, resulting in an easy victory for the Pert Lend
club by four goals to nil.
SPRATIL—The fishery still continues to be most
successful. Large numbers of men are engaged in the
work, and it is an unusual and extraordinary sight to
see the fish baled up in beasts and "pot.' out of the
sea.
BAZAAR.— On Thursday a bazaar was held in the
new Wesleyan schoolroom, Easton, on behalf of the
building fund, and on the following Tuesday a I üblio
meeting was held when medals and other awards were
given to the children who had assisted in collecting
for the building fund.
H.M.S. WARRIOR Will proceed to Portsmouth next
month to undergo her usual Riney, and the dockyard
authorities will then be called upon to report upon the
advisability of converting her into an armoured trans-
port, for which she is well adapted. Launched In 1860,
she has become obsolete as an armory-clad vessel. She
has three divisiono, a side, armoured middle, And pro-
tected end', her plating being of the uniform thickness
of four and • half inches.
FUNERAL OT AN ODDFILLOW.-011 Monday last the
remains of Mr. Stephen Dryer Combat, late the land-
lord of the Albert Inn, Castletown, were interred at
the St. George's Churchyard. Deceased being a
member of the Loyal Portland Lodge of Oddfellows,
he was followed to the grave by about 60 of the
brethren, including the following officers—P.O. R. J.
Stone, P.G. J. Andrewa, P.G. W. tatty, P.G. G.
Barnes, P.G. S. Robinson, besides P.G. C. Warren
and P.G. T. Coniston, of the "Albert and Victoria"
Lodge. l'he service was impressively read by Bro.
the Rev. J. A. Beszor, chaplain to the Loyal " Vic-
toria" Lodge. The deceased was aped 57, and
had been in the Order 26 years, out of which he had
been for 20 years a trustee of the lodge. He was •
man of unusual dimensions, in fact be was by far the
biggest man in the island. The coffin was more than
Aft, in length, 2fr. sin, acmes the shoulders, and 211.
31a. in diameter. Ur. J. Andrews undertook the
funeral arrangements.
Simons C dxisiors.— A rather serious collision oc-
curred on Sunday morning last about 20 miles off
Portland. A Belgiaa ba,quetine named General
Brialmont, of Antwerp (Captain Ziemannk from the
South Coast of Americus to ll•mburgh via Falmouth,
with rs cargo of ivory nuts, was proceeding on her
voyage up the Channel, when she collided with a
schooner, name unknown. The barqustine was con-
siderably injured, but the schooner proceeded on her
way without rendering any assistance. The schooner
had pitched into her larboard side, carrying away the
railing, rigging, and gear, besides knocking her sails
and bulwarks away, and doing other damage. No
lives fortunately were lost, and the injured vessel was
enabled to proceed to Portland. Arrangements were
then made with R. N. Howard, Beq.,Rtelgian View
Consul, for the vessel to be taken to Weymouth Har-
bour, she was towed round by Meows. Omens and
Co.'s steamboat Commodore, and she will, at the
instance of the Vice-Cossul, undergo • thorough
repair.
WZYMOUTH AND PORTLAND RA ILWAY. —ON Saturday
last the G.W.11. Company completed their
of this branch, giving place to the L. and S.t.rir
Company for the year commencing February Ist. In
consequence of the two accidents which occurred at
this station by trains running into the dead ends, the
Great Western Company had a train speoially pro-
vided for the work on this branch with break power
that could be depended noon. Two engines and nine
carriages were fitted with the vacuum break at the
Great Western Company's worksat Swindon, confided
to the care of Mr. D. Harry, an experienced driver,
who brought the rolling stock down and worked the
whole of the passenger twins during the past twelve
months. Tinder the charge of Mr. Harry everything
has worked well, not atingle mishap having occurred.
To show that there was no lack of break power we
may state that in addition to the vacuum which was
worked from the engine and both guards' vane, there
was also a steam break and three ordinary manual
breaks available. The care taken by the Railway
Company to prevent accident is to be oommended,and
it imparts increased confidence in them by the large
number of persons who use this line.
Trig Cow:le.—The Comus frigate (Captain East, of
Weymouth), the forerunner of our steel flotilla, is by
this time well on her way to China. The Comas will
be a valuable addition to the station, for like all her
sisters she his beei &signed chiefly for In a
word, our st.'el co7vettes are destined t ) tsar:lithe place
of the frigates of old, and supply at. with quick
cruisers, to erotact our commerce and look after light-
heeled enemies, like those which troubled the Federal
Government during the last American war. The
actual sailing of the Comus, after putting back to
Sheerness to have her magazine refitted, was not made
public, but a fortnidit ago she was heard of at
Madeira, so that we may now consider that her sailing
qualities have pr >red satisfactory, and that 'be isin a fair
way to reach her destination. The Comas, as oar
readers know, is one of line c trvettes built of steel, all
on precisely the same model. Six of these corvettes
are fitting for sea, but the other three have not jet left
the slips. They all bear the same initial letter, and
are known as the "C" class. They are unarmoured,
and carry no armour-piercing guns, unless the pair of
seven-ton weapons on board can be described as such.
The rest of the a.-mam4nt consists of sixty-four poun-
ders, a favourite gun with the navy, and of these each
of our steel corvettes will carry • dozen. Their 'peed
I. to be about 16 knots an hour.

movEsnous OF THE QUEEN'S SHIPS.
(Prows our Portsmouth Correspondent)
Sheerneso-11.11.1.8. Wye made • wasn't tory trial on tho
2nd Inst.
_ . . . . .

.-/Iry.m7;ith.-11.M.5. Pentanes made a satisfactory trial
on the ffind inst. H.M.S. W.vern taken Into dock on the
Wad inst.
Greenock.—lLM.S. Orontes arrived on the filitt hut at
nine p.m.
China Station.—Vice-Admiral Coate was in the Iron
Duke at Hong Wets .n the 17th of December, having
arrived on tho 15th December with 0.11.5 Egeria in
company, and finding 0.1(8 Vigilant and shomrake
there. Charybdis remaius at Irok Mama as senior officer.
H. its. Growler, Hornet, P..glana, and Swinger were also
on the Japan diviaion. H. 11.5 Growler has orders to come
to Hong Kong, and will be eent to Singapore on the arrival
of the Oimas and Albatross. Modesto was smior officer
of the North China division, Moorhen at Hankow,
Moisquito at Tieutsin. Lily at Cuinkiang. H.ILS. Hart at
Chefoo with same order, as 0 osier. On the arrival of
these YOWLS at Hong Kong H.M.S. Midge and Kestrel
will be ordon d to Hong Krin4 by way of Manilla. The
admiral WOO to leave lbmg Kong in the Vigilant about the
middle of January to visit he southern part of the station
and return about the middle of March.