The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-21 00:00:00

The Herefordshire Agricultural Society,

pensive process of converting arable land into pas.
cure without the assistance of the owner of the soil

Hear, hear.) On his own farms, whenever a tenan
. .

iihed to have land laid down in grass, he, as land,
lord, provided the seed. (Hear.)
Sir J. BATLEY proposed the health of the chair.
man.

The CHAIRMAN, in acknowledging it, alluded to
he recent visit of Lord Palmerston to Hereford,

observing that the recepticn which his lordship met
with was something more enthusiastic than an

English gentlt mto was personally entitled to, but
such as it was it did honour to the city, and shovi•ed
that the Government and the people of this country
were one and united. (Cheers.)

The heEdth of " Sir Joseph Bliley," the pres'
dent elect, being drunk,

Sir JosEnt BAILEY, in replying, said they all,
no doubt, regretted that Lord William Graham's

declining health prevented his attendance there
that day, and had also induced himself to withdraw
himself from the representation of the county,
They would therefore be called upon to elect a re.
presentative in his stead, and he (Sir Joseph) had
received very kind expressions on the part of
numerous electors with respect to his candidature.
(Hear, hear.) He had received many letters on the
subject, all of them couched in terms expressive of
this sentiment—" We wish everything well of your
father's sou." He could assure them that he grate-
fully and humbly accepted the kindly hand
stretched cut to him in remembrance of an old
friend of theirs gone long before them—(hear,
hear)—and although he could not pretend to lay
claim to one•tenth part of his father's ability he
would endeavour to deserve their confidence and
to promote the welfare of the country to the best of
his ability. (Cheers.)
Tne CHAIRMAN proposed, in eulogistic terms,
the health of " The Secretary."
Mr FOWLER responded suitably and a few other
local and personal toasts were after wards given.

A Soldier Shot at the Government Rifle

Range at Gravesend.

An inquest was held at the Town Hall, Gravesend yes-
terday afternoon, before Mr E. A. Hilder, the borough
c -ironer, on the body of a private soldier belonging to the
Royal Marines, named Joseph Little, about 35 years of age;
stationed at Milton Barracks, who was shot by a comrade
while under musketry instruction at the Government range,
on the marshes, about threw miles below Gravesend.
The jury having viewed the body, which had been dope-
sitel at the dead-house at New Tavern Fort, called
Captain John Henry Steward, R.M,, who stated that he
was the captain instructor of musketry at Milton Barracks,
On the previous morning at half past 10 o'cl.ck he was at
the rift) range with a company of recruits who were com-
pleting their third period of firfng, and was proceeding to
the target of one of the ranges, when it was reported to him
that a man was shot on an adjoining range. He did not see
the accident. He sent for the assistant surgeon, who was on
the practice ground, and gave him charge of the deceased,
who appeared to be dead. Other accidents, but not fatal, had
occurred at the same place under similar circumstances, in
consequence of which orders had been given for the men not
I to leave the mantlets. The deceased was one of the markers.
Witness could not say whether any blame could be properly
attached to the man that fired the shot.
Sergeant Edwin Harris deposed that he was a sergeant
instructor of musketry, and was on duty at the range at the
time in question. The accident occurred when tho section
under his superintendence were firing their last round at
600 yards distance. While he was registering a shot from
No. 8, Matthew Doble, No. 9, who was kneeling, fired. Ho
(witness) then saw a group of men standing near one of the
targets, and called out that a man was shot. He called the
surgeon, who was close at hand, and accompanied him to
the spot, where they found the deceased lying on the
ground. Although the ranges were 80 yards apart, it was
necessary to watch the muzzle of each gun to prevent the
men from shooting at the wrong target. It was his duty
to do so ; but in this case he could not in consequence of
Doble firing too soon.

Thomas Mason deposed that he was an assistant sergeant
instructor of musketry, and was on duty aL the time and
place in question. The deceased, who was one of the
markers, was within three yards of him engaged in picking
up lead near the target when he heard him call out " Ob 1"
and saw him fall. A ball had passed through his body on
the right side. Other accidents had occurred from the men
aiming at the wrong target previously. He was of opinion
that the targets were rather too close together.
Corporal Tedder and Lance Corporal Card corroborated
the evidence adduced by the last witness, and stated that
they believed that Dub!o shot at the wrong target, which
was the cause of the accident.
Assistant Surgeon John Roe stated that on being informed
of the accident be went immediately to the spot and saw
the deceased lying on the ground quite dead. lie ordered
the body to bo removed to New Tavern Fort. He had since
examined the body externally, and found two openings
where a bullet rifle had entered between the ribs and passed
out at th" other side. He thought that the ball had passed
through the lungs and touched the heart. The wound must
have caused instantaneous death.
_ _

Matthew Duble,oftijeßOY;iilarines, who fired the fatal
shot, stated that ho had been firing at the 600 yards range at
the right hand target. He fired from his left shoulder. Ho
was sure he fired at the proper target. The accident must
have been caused by the shot striking the shield and
glancing therefrom towards the other target. He was not
acquainted with the deceased, and had never spoken to him.
Capt. G. B. hasty gave the last witness an excellent cha-
racter, stating that since ho enlisted in August, 1863, there
had been no report against him en the books.
At this stage of the proceedings the coroner adjourned
the inquiry till Monday next, in order to obtain evidence
as to the proper ideutiticatiou of the chewed.

HEREFORD, Wednesday.
At the annual meeting of the Herefordshire Agri-
cultural Society, held here yesterday, after the ex-
hibition of stock, which was rather below the
usual high mark, a publie meeting was held at the
Green Dragon Hotel. The chair was occupied by
the Rev, Archer Clive, in the absence of the presi•
dent for the year, Mr. Mildmay, M.P., and there
were also present Colonel Clifford, M.P., Mr. King
King, M.P., and Sir Joseph Bailey, the Conserva-
tive candidate for Herefordshire.
After tho usual loyal toasts, the toast of "The
Bishop and Clergy" was given from the chair, and
The Rev. W. HOPTON responding, said one fea-
ture in the proceedings of agricultural societies in
the present year was noticeable—that whereas up
to the present time the occasions of these autumnal
anniversaries have been regularly seized as fit occa.
sions for their abuse by the Times, this year that
paper had discontinued its usual custom.
The CHAIRMAN, in proposing the health of "The
County Members," alluded to the intended retire-
ment of Lord W. Graham from the representation
of the county at the end of the expiring Parliament.
Mr. KING KIZiG replied. After some allu-
sion to the extraordinarily dry season, he made
some remarks on the new Highway and Paro-
chial Assessment Acts; and referring to the in.
tended retirement of Lord W. Graham from Para
liament, said that whenever a dissalution took
place he should ask them to restore him to that
proud position which he had occupied for so many
years—not from any merits of bis own, but through
their kindness; and he was not without hope that
he might preserve and secure for years to coma a
continuance of their support. (Cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN proposed the health of "The City
Members."
Colonel CLIFFORD, replying, said they were now
arrived at that season of the year when it was usual
for members of Parliament to make a declaration of
opinion on the various public topics of the day.
Those who had time to read the newspapers would
see that the various meetings of this class had been
attended by distinguished members of Parliament,
who had expreend their opinions on the topics of
the day—the German question, the American war,
and other matters. Politics they did not touch upon ;
but they had made up for their reticence by long
discursions on education, and some speakers had
carried this so far as to recommend the schoolmaster
to the farmer, although he (Colonel Clifford) thought
the farmer was pietty well able to take care of his
own interests. With regard to the harvest, he
had heard it said that they were now passing
through a cycle of low prices, and that in the natural
course of events it would be followed by a cycle
of high prices. He could only say that he wished
it might be so. He had considered this matter of
prices well, and his view of it was this—that, look-
ing at the price of corn compared with other pro.
duce, such as woo', catt'o, and cheese, the question
for them to consider was, how to diminish the
growth of the former and increase that of the latter
by the conversion of much of the arable land of the
country into permanent pasture. This was no new
thing, for shortly after the passing of the Corn-law
Repeal Act it was advocated by Mr Caird, and his
views had been borne out by the price of corn fa:l-
ing and that of cheese end of stock increasing ever
since. He considered the tenant farmer ought no
to be called upon to go through the apparently ax