The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1881-07-19 00:00:00

PORTLAND.

H.M.S. BOSCAWIN.—Ths restriction placed on the
comp.ny f this ship was removed on Sunday. and
they were allowed ...hors.
THE PORTLAND VOLUNTURS, with other outlying
detachments, will j in the headquarter baster:es at
Portamouth on August 20th, and proceed into camp at
SJuthsea for eight day..
bilixrasir Music. —Bandmaster Miller led hia fine
voluoteer band at Fortuuo'.-Well lad Saturday, sad
their mu.ic wa much enjoyed. They are to play
every fine Saturday night.
CONGRIOATIO,AL.—OD SORilly the Rev. William
Pal (4 former pastor) preach. I at the Coarreg.tbm al
Chap.l. Chad'. H. has recently returned from New
Zealand, and on Wednesday evening lectured in the
Schoolroom on "A 'nip round the World."
PaIITIVI tirruomers. —On behalf of the circuit
fund., the Bev. H. Yeates, of Basingstoke, lectured
In the Primitive hichodist Chaps* Fortune's-Well
and Weston on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings.
The . subject at the former place was 'Scripture
Invedlgation ; or, the Bible, and how to ROM it ;" at
the latter place—" The Golden Candlestick.'
. . .

TUX Hassaven Ste) .baorr. —Another fortnight will
see the Reserve Squadron again in British waters, as
I am to'd that the orders given to the Duke of Edits.
burgh were for him to be back at Spithead betwean
the 22nd end 25th Jtily, a margin of three days being
allowed him should there be any special reason for his
remaining a day or two longer at either of the ports of
call. —Rants Pepe.
Sunntn DEATH.—The wife of Mr. William Mitchell,
of Mallams, died very suddenly on Sunday evening.
Some friends had called up ,n her, and after welcoming
them, she complained of her head, and immediately
fell down in an unconscious state. Medical aid was
summoned; but it was of no avail, and in about half
an hour she died, without recovering c
Mrs. Mitchell ha,l been an invalid for some time. The
funeral took place on Monday in St. George's Church.
yard, the Rev. W. R. Waugh officiating, the demand
having been a member of the Congregational Church.
PRISONERS' COMFORTS —At an inquest held on
Saturday, at the Cone ict Establishment, before R. N.
Howard, Esq.' coroner, on the body of a young
cony ct, some facts came out with reference to the
comforts provided for sick prisoners. The question
was &eked before the jury, and a long Het wee read of
the different food which had been supplied to the
deceased. It included custards, flab of various kinds,
fowls, fruit of several Forte, vegetables, including green
peas, also duck from Dr. Askhain's own Uhl..
H M.S. Hsacotra. A correspondent on board
H.M.S. Hercules writes from Cronstadt, under date
2nd of July, 1881.:—Mr, Arthur Sullivan, with Mr.
Frederick Clay, joined our ship at Copenhagen on
Saturday last se guests of H.R.H. the Admiral, and
the fact of having such distinguished visitors on board.
and knowing that H.R.H. took a great interest in all
matters musical waa auffielent for our respected Chap-
lain (the Rev. C. IL Harbord), who acts as chairman,
as well as promoter, of our penny readiegs, to warrant
him in gittlng up an entertainment on Thursday. The
Admiral, with hia nests, as MIOn as they heard of our
intention, kindly offered to do what they oonid to pro-
mete the iIUCC.M of the affair, and the coosequenoe was
we had a. entertaining an evening as ever it fell to
the lot of a bluejacket to enjoy on board of a man-of •
war. I may venture to say that the Admiral, his
friends, and the officers of the ship seemed as pleased
with the comic element of the men as the latter were
with the refined manner and artistic execution of those
who had made music their study; but I doubt whether
' Metiers. Sullivan and Clay ever received amore honest,
hearty, or unanimous cheer than that given at the
'close of the evenine, first for the Admiral, and then
"three lusty ones" for our Admiral's guests. T.:ague'',
wog, an old one to ms who bed been in the Warrior
with him last winter, was very amusing, specially the
chorus; and it being • kind of song that the Admiral
is not in the habit of listening to, both In and his
'friends were highly delighted. Mitchell's stump speech
II was delivered in • very effective manner, and calmed
no end of laughter. Ca laway's "Ginger Blue" wee
also rendered in true negro minstrel style, but I think
our musical friends on board were more delighted with
I Fordyce than with any other. An encore was
I demanded, and an he suggested a Highland Fling in
response to the encore, the Duke gave orders that his
piper, Mr. Farquharson, should accompany him. nit
was done, and gave groat pleasure to all present. The
Duke of Edinburgh played very effectively in the trio,
but he certainly surprised us all by his exiquisite rep.
dering of "Home, Sweet Home. Major Welch sing
" Tom Hardy" very nicely; the wing, being a nautical
one, was particularly appreciated by all. Of course it
would be superfluous to say that Messrs. Clay
and Sullivan acquitted themselves well. They moat
have been pleased with the kind, although boistsrou.
cheers from the sailor.. Th. last i'ern had aei a
!no
oPecleu.cn
,i,
an
agr charm
oac wr
song.
:1,,
Sir Joseph's
hi o rB,Au.
tt,
Barge,"mlr
eti
Admiral',
e:opl
kae.
Inc e
7a.
fin
ndwaclit with the
Captain
hhii
in
tle
I B st.wain's song, "For he is an Englishman." The
I latter was sung by Mr. Sullivan, and the lower- leek,
on which the concert was held, rang with chnrtis which
was joined in by all hen's. The following is the corn-
olette pogramme :—" The Turkish March.' Messrs.
Sullivan and Clay; gong, "The man with many
Names," J. Teague, ordinary seaman; stomp speech,
'The Milk in the Cozad:int," F. Mitrhell, fl.etrunn,
ti, violin, piano, and harmnninen, 11.1t,H. the
Admiral and Mews. Clew and Sullivan; wog, "Tom
Hardy," Major Welch, R.M.A. ,_• linrepine, William
For lyre, captain of bold ; eerie, " Gin ser Blue," James
C. 11. w ey, Pai maker ; yin); n solo, et s,e,„ sweet
trnme." with variations. 11. 5.14 the ; song.
"The Goose Club," E. Mills, fiesta:lan, enoored. and
in answer gave" Uncle Edward" ,• duet, "Pinafore,"
pith° and harmonium, Meagre. Sullivan and Clay.
"God Sens the Queen," by the company.

MILITARY SPORTS' AT THE VERNE.
Never btfore, that we remember, have such well-
!wronged and exciting athletic and other sports coma
off at the greet Verne Citadel, on the top of Portland ;
never. oertaioly, was there such a large and gay
aremblsge, and there could not have been finer
weather. We understood thew *Ports have been
intermitted for twa yeuv, but they are intenied to be
wanedouneecial, ansydwaithe.nrenvl of them n
ecesivaafni
thatnoodouTbutecithnairalitondt
Colonel and officers will have them continued
future.
Lauding from the Weymouth and Portland steamers,
the visitor sees before 6103 the tremendous height up
which he has to climb, unless he waits with the
"artful dodgers" on a stone truck at the foot of the
great incline, and is wound up by the descent of loaded
trucks, a kindness which the stone company appear to
perform for thow who are patient enough and without
a license. If willing to pees OM long curves and
frequently bending be may take • cab either
from Outlet* wn, or Join Uso.s am* in by railway, at

Cheoil. and ride or walk up the great Zigzag road,
whence sl,ien.li.l views are ob,sined on a fine (Ise.
aWi
neetl,hlh-eacpc., rob-dirnfiwyterst:asmaoolruietri
lePasopserilt.ilvaildymacsi
ibay
ywaroueel,laresbend ceLortn ivvie.ltedingse
fair slainsels who have not been through et Spartan
training for clitobing hills. Such a party we spied on
the side of the hill —" airy faOry Lillian," gaily decked
in Dolly-Varden-patterned chintz, but of "the
fashionable cut," sod d the light-whiskered young
fellow, who had to encourage his forties to the
advance, and when their mamma began to show signs
of short breath, and too frequently to admire the
view, it was doubtful to us whether they'd ever
arrive in time for the sports. But still up, over
the turf parched with frequent sun, but purple with
wild thyme, till we stand at the last wall-fence
b •fore the great North Gateway. One look back, and
the view lice all over Portland Road', now r other hereof
ships, but still with representatives of several classes.
Here is the white-ported Bosr-awen, compound of the
old frigate and the new s mew steamer, with the
training ship added, here is the yacht of the Somerset
long, low, and rakish, there a great coal hulk,
short-wantedand black ; one or two of the swift small ,
vessels of H.M. Fleet, a hands one barqnss or so, and
• sprinkling of coaster • and small pleasure boats make 1
flotilla which would s-em numerous in any other
harbour in Dorset, but in the great four square miles
of Portland are alumet as little noticed as the flock of
swans that fish perpetually for their food near the
shore. At our right, stretches out the great Break-
water, just the white t,,L, of • submerged hill-ridge.
beneath us the steep thymy slopes and stone-heaped
Castletown at the bottom • at the left the sand-
coloured Chesil ridge, stretching between the blue and
silver outside and the blue-40(1.6re within. And on
the northern shore, wooded Wyke overlooks the greet
lagoon of the Fleet water, deeply indented with bays
on the lend side, but an even curve towards the sight.
mile beach on the west. On the extreme east there
are hints of Weymouth ; spire, point upward+ from
behind the green hills, the NoVie promontory
fort shows its pale lips closely shot stow, but with
v.nomous black teeth and eulphur .fis breath
when called to spit fire and smoke. Just now ,
come round the little steamer from Weymouth,
with her long black streamer, and white yachts
skim leisurely about, heeling Away from the breeze.
Far away to the north and east are the chalk and
green bills that teem unaltered since we first looked
at them from Weymouth, i.at none the less being
bitten away by the ever mordant sea. • Through the
great gateway, 60ft, high, we turn and pen through
many yards as if of tunnel, whereby the cidadel is
reached on this side, and then between high cliffs
artificially left by a cutting through mares of rocks—
the cap of the first stratum of Yortland stone, with
great flints that if, as geologists say, they were once
sponges, were suitable for the meg stimulus's and
mastodon to wash with. From every nook of vantage
peep out wild plant., r.loicing in summer with their
gay flowers, though scarce a cupful of soil be seen.
And now, following • curved path in front of great
stone buildings, white in the sun as just erected, or
melhswint grey from tervice, at lest we turn up over
so oe scanty turf, and are aware of a grand sight.
Flags of the British army are fluttering, and there at
the right fruit is • great men of brilliant scarlet,
male up of soldiers in uniform; thesis are restrained
by ropes scratched along a course, awl further on the
scarlet soldiens get mixed with black, and blue and
grey, and all osloura s.f the rainbow, borne by fair
lashes and brave men, the dames, aesthetics:lv dressed
in many ;net once., reclining on couches placed opposite
the winning p et. So many are there that to make a
list would be • hopeless tank; we observe the gallant
Dolonel Barry Drew, C. 8., Mrs. and Miss Drew, Mr.
John and Mra. D :venial, Colonel dwaffield and parte,
the reverend g ntlemeo, doctors, including Dr. Mc-
Lean and Dr. Askham, arm the gay aseemb y stretches
away till the rest ousts an ogle more and more, aid the
crowd te•rminstes, away toward the ;committee tents,
in another great mass of scarlet and black, with a few
ladies just relieving the effect. Further r and is &great
scaffold with two upright and three transverse beams.
the top one about 12ft. high, and from this hang eight
rope.; this is one of the oast acles to be surmouuted in
the obstade race; forth-r ou are curiously contrived
barricades and wait-a-bit contrivances to be described
by and by, and nearly opposite the centre of the bodies"
1 gathering is a bank, three feet and a half high,
fringed with thorn bushe•' in front of which is
an eleven feet water-square, the finish of • grand and
difficult course. Th, let Battalion West Yorkshire
Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own) had set some
remarkable tasks for the otompetitors for their honours;
but the committee were moat active in seeing, not only
that the •ioitors wero well accommodated, but that the
competitions were properly gone through. Theme
gentlemen were Capt oin R. G. F. Pigott, Cant .in W.
B. Purkis and Lieut. and Adjutant E. C. Mills;
Quartermaster King officiated as judge, and Captain
Crosbie as starter, and the whole arrangements were
ably carrisri out, Colonel Barry Drew taking much
interest In the middies of the ground, under the
talented band-sergeant, the splendid bind played the
following selection —March, " Sco•ch Airs ;' overture,
" Mirella ;" Notecase, "La Troviata ;" vales, " Spri g
Flowers ;" selection, "Pirates of Penzance ;" gavotte,
"Imperial:" pulk " Kutsclike ;" galoo, "Forward."
White then °opticians ably catered for the gentry, the
populace were delight-d by the freaks of Clown New.
berry, who, quaintly and oddly dressed, and full of
fun, set them often in • roar • nor may we ft rot •
small party of "Christy" ml isrels, who made variety
in the sounds while we fancied an officer and a gentle-
man was conceals t beneath that glossy black hat, and
sable complexion, and who, furnish* I with banjc&l3lll
earnest stud persistent in exhorting somebody—"
under my umteer-ells."