The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1866-08-28 00:00:00

NOTES OF THE WEEK.

I.—WONDERFUL ARE FRE WATS 07 MO.
DERN WARFARE! Only a few weeks ago
commenced one of the greatest struggles
in itself and its results, which Europe has
ever seen, and now we may say that peace
is concluded. It rquires positively an
effort of mind to comprehend how this has
happened i but there is one consoling reflec-
tion that we may indulge in, namely, that
though war has been made so deadly since
the Crimean contest, yet its duration has
been shortened. As many men may now
be killed in weeks as formerly in years of
hostilities, but the final result is brought
proportionately nearer. Who would have
thought that Prussia could beat Austria
out of the German Confederation in a fort-
night; yet the thing has been done, and the
short war of 1880 has produced, perhaps,
greater fruit than what is known iu history
as the Seven Years' War. It is curious,
too, how Europe has acquiesced in the con-
sequences of this rapid struggle. Whether
France and Russia are really afraid of the
needle gun, and are " biding their time"
until they can have breech-loaders of their
own, or whether they have learnt the very
difficult lesson or minding their own busi-
ness, certain it is that they make no sign
of opposing Prussia's aggrandisement. As
for Great Britain, she seems thoroughly to
have accepted the doctrine of non-interven-
tion ; and while she views with.equanimity
the deposition of King George of Hanover)
she is quite prepared to do her own duty
to the Queen's cousin by making the usual
provision for a member of the Royal family.
This seems to be the only point in which
the late war will directly touch us ; but
indirectly it is having a considerable effect.
We have been led to consider our own
army and navy, and our state of prepared-
ness for war if it should be forced upon us,
and are forced to conclude that we are about
as badly off as we can be, but it is hoped
that our authorities will take warning by
recent events.

111 • DIVERGENCE OF OPINION
of course respecting the Southampton
banquet to Mr. Eyre. The Exeter Hall
fanatics call it a "banquet of blood," while
extreme supporters of the ex-governor of
Jamaica look upon it as a great triumph on
public opinion over narrow prejudices. But
the general sentiment upon the matter
appears to be that the lionizing of Mr.
Eyre was a mistake. The authorities of
Jamaica brought a certain amount of disgrace
upon the country by their errors of judg-
ment or positive cruelty, and it is felt that
Mr. Byre deserved the punishment of depri-
vation of office which he received. As for
trying him for murder, only a few of his
most extreme opponents are in favour of
such a proceeding; but if his friends want to
recruit the ranks of such fanatics, they have
only to get up a few more banqueta to Mr.
Eyre.
HARVEST raosrEcTs have
been watched with a measure of anxiety ex-
ceeded only by that with which the commer-
cial world has looked for a relief in the rate of
discount, now lowered to 7 per cent.; and we
are glad to learn, on the authority of a
usually well-informed contemporary that
there is no longer occasion for serious
anxiety. The Alorsiag Post states :—" As
respects the unpromising weather which has
prevailed for the last six weeks, we have been
more frightened than hurt. It is certain
that the harvest is not damaged to any ex-
tent likely to affect prices, while, contrary to
all expectation, there is generally a fair
average crop, and in a large number of
special cases the average will be considerably
exceeded. Speaking generally, barley is
very fine, while oata, wheat, and beans are
excellent. In some cases a great breadth
has been laid by the heavy showers and
wind, which prevailed at the beginning of
the month, but the damage is reported as
slight, and farmers confess there is nothing to
fret about- If there has been some disposi-
tion to take fright at the late rains, as
damaging to the prospects of the corn, it
must not be forgotten that they have been
of incalculable benefit to root crops, which
promise to be unusually heavy. Mangold
wurzel and swedes are generally admirable,in
spite of the devastation committed by the By
in the hot weather. The importance of this
is more obvious than ever since our
experience of the cattle plague. In the
present high price of stock the prospects of
the swede crop become an important item in
the aalculation of agricultural probabilities.
The recent rain and cold, though it may at
one time have threatened the gram crops, and,
by reducing the pleasure traffic on railways,
have reduced also their dividends, has done
good in another way. The operations of
nature are not without their compensations,
and the showers that menaced the corn have
saved the roots and the grass. Of the potato
crop it is almost premature to speak very
confidently. The early forte have been got
in with more than average success, but the
signs of disease are reported in the later kinds.
yr six weeks
en
co
T ago.
his was almost inevitable from the suchien
co Yurageet
check to which they were subjected by the
change
There is e even
of
weather ix
v erhin
The ground has dried wit wonderfu/ rapidity
and is recovering its genial warmth Tale fail
enough to leave little doubt that, if time be
not lost in digging, a crop much above the
average may be secured."