The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1861-09-17 00:00:00

DORSET COUNTY EXPRFASS

DOECTIESTER, TUESDAY. SEPTEMBER, IT, 1861.

NOTES OF THE WEEK.

The basis of • new project of law on religions
matters which has been drawn up by the com-
mission of the Austrian Chamber of Deputies,
has just been published. Liberty of conscience
is lobe guaranteed to all, and no one is to be
compelled to declare his religious sentiments.
The private exercise of reliOn is permitted to
all without impediment. Mere is to be no
privileged state religion; the law is to give
equal rights and protection to all churches—each
church being legally recognised as haring the
right of public worship, except in cases where
public order and tranquillity might require other-
wise. Churches and religious societies are to be
subject to general law, and the State is to have
the right to publish ordinances touching re
ligious matters when they affect the public
• interests. Now so far, we find • vast improve-
ment upon the old law touching matters
of conscience in religion, but what follows
would seem to indicate that in Austria strange
notions are entertained respecting what English-
men would call religious liberty. According to
the project all the beads and members of a
church are to take an oath and fidelity to the
Emperor, and when they meet for the transac-
tions of other ordinary business they must give
eight days' notice. The government is to have
the power to send to the meeting an officer who
may dissolve it when he thinks proper!
The inquiries touching the accidents OD the
Hampstead Junction and the Loudon and
Brighton lines have concluded, and two persons
• have been found guilty of manslaughter. Of
course it was natural to expect that, as nearly
forty persons were killed out right, and a hun-
dred more severely wounded, somebody should
be held responsible; and it was the business
of the juries summoned to investigate the cases
to say who had been guilty of this neglect.
After a long inquiry they have determined to
links an example of two persona —in the
one case the jury hay:alpine to the on i in
,of the in the other
they have found a victim in • person who ,
ought only to have been reckoned among what I
Captain Tyler calls the secondary ceases. There
elan be no doubt that the immediate cause or
the London and Brighton accident was the coo
?K
' fusion of Killick and iteeue, the signalmen of
the Clayton tunnel Killick stop • train se
It was entenng the tunnel, by ispleyiug the 1
danger fiag • and while the train was backing
art, he signalled to 'another train that the rood I
was clear, and the two consequently ran jut'
each other. The jury, however, did not find
, Knack and Brown guilty, but saddled the blame
on the assistant station-waster at Brighton, who
had dispatched the trains so rapidly after each
other as to cause confusion to the signalmen, and
thus cause the accident. There is • rule' of the
company to the effect that no two trains shall
be started within five minutes of each other. The
assistant station-master took upon himself to
disregard this rule. He started three trains iii
such rapid succession that there was only three
minutes between the first and second, and four
minutes between the mound and third. This
was a clear resolution of the rules, and the jury
acted wisely in acquitting the signalmen and
making the assistant station-master answer the
charge of =relearn.... In the case of the liatup-
stead Junction accident, the jury have resolved
to punish the signalman, and to allow the station
muter at Kew, who dispatched the train to
which the accident . ocurred an hour before its
time, to escape. In the circumstance which led
to the two accidents there is a striking similarity.
In both cases the station-masters broke the
rides; in both oases the neglect or confusion of
the signalmen was the immediate cause
of the collision. The evidence warrants
the conclosion that no accident would have oc-
entered in either case, had due care been taken in
the starting of the trains. The Brighton official
anticipated the proper time of starting by a few
minutes; the Kew station-master dispatched his
train a full hour before its time. In the first
instance the station-master is pronounced guilty
of "killing and slaying" twenty-three persona ;
in the second that official is mildly,censured, and
the signalman is found guilty of manslaughthr.
We can hardly consider both juries are right.
The accidents occurred to trains that were dis-
patched irregularly —that is, contrary to the
sompanie's rules. How, then, can one station-
master be innocent and the other guilty I
By the Canada steamer which left New York
on the 3rd inst., we learn that the naval expedi-
tion dispatched by the Federal Government to
Caps Hatteras, in North Carolina, arrived there
on the 28th ult., and immediately commenced
the bombardment of the batteries at the entrance
.if the inlet. The bombardment was so fiercely
and successfully conducted, that next day the
garrison, consisting of 45 officers and 600 men,
surrendered, on entotition of being treated as
prisoners of war. Thhi victory seems to have
given the Federalists great satisfaction, and on
General Batter, who commanded the operations
arriving at Washington, be was welcomed with&
serenade. In this action the Confoderates lost
25 cannon, 1.000 stand of arms, and three ves-
sels. The privateer, Jefferson Davis, is also
reported as captured off the coast of Florida.
In the Northern ports 50 vessels have been
seised under the confiscation law, as property
belonging terthe South. President Davis was*,
ill that reports were wrest of his death, though
the news was discredited. His death at t
he
meant moment would be very discuuraging to
the Southern °saw TIM North is ortdoodY
beginning= feel the weal of ready binds, and
the flearee of the Treasury has issued "au
appeal oa Ib.lf or the lam" There is no news
yet of this omit actign which was expected on
the Mamma lout on the day the mail left
"heavy lairie was bowl at Washington from
tbsaglltitde althe river. Ws may there-
fore Wore may days to resolve • report
of battle being fought.

Dammam Virzi* Was limutsr. &Mire%
Sept 14 eMeolants was sot large, Ma as
general tom d slo trade was very lirs. Wheat,
only • sail apply, sod prima rather higher.
The season far traria, has not quite commenced, bat I
where sales have born made an &imam in prim has
been obtained. Osts aol or trade at late rates.
Tares and other mode remain the awe salmi wok.
Mosses Kassa Aso lissoa's Etmostroar
don. IC. --The quantity of beef os offer woe vary
large, md • great ded as. of prime quality, bus
the composition wm sot very spirited, and WY •
tunnel mono were sold. The supply of fat sheep
ems Ado is moss of the damn& but notwithstand-
ing, a large sum‘nr changed hands at good prices.
Fat rakes sold well.
Bosoms Pm! Bessmes.—At the
Petty liesnons co Monday, before the lfrirl
and S. Davis, &qrs.. James Yearaley was
4.44llrezerclant= his miaow
ficaMrest. Mr.
tWisal*kaina"l"llliffaMasigt.VMpjantosit
offisiool for *Who

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