Hunt.
Feb. 4th.-At a meeting of the N.A.V., held at the Victoria Gardens, Lieut. Foreman and Gunner Morant were recommended to the Lord Lieutenant as Captain and Lieutenant of the second Battery which it was proposed to raise.
The Donegal Militia had given an entertainment at the Town Hall from 2.30 to 6.30 o"clock; the Band attended, and the company enjoyed a dance.
A second Company of Volunteers was being raised.
Bro. W. Wright had been installed W.M. of Lodge "Friendship."
Feb. 8th.-It was supposed that the Prince of Orange was likely to become the husband of the Princess Alice.
Wild rifle practice was being indulged in at Cobholm Island and other parts of the town, to the danger of the inhabitants.
Feb. 11th.-W. Rising, Esq. had presided at the annual Market Dinner at the White Horse, when Mr. Mortlock Lacon had repudiated the suggestion that Sir Edmund intended to retire from the representation of the town.
The Medical Staff of the Military Hospital had given a ball to 120 guests at the Town Hall.
Mr. C. Melly had erected a drinking fountain in front of the Port Dues Office.
"Tom Sayers" was reported to be about to spend three weeks in the town previous to his "set to" with Heenan, the American.
Feb. 15th.-W. Worship, Esq., (Mayor and Chairman of the Board of Guardians) had given a treat to 293 inmates of the Workhouse.
Feb. 18th.-An amateur performance had been given at the Theatre in aid of the Hospital. In the first piece _Used Up_, Captain Hayes, Mr. Robert Harmer, Dr. Kingdom, Sergeant-Major Greaves, Captain Darcus, J.
McCormick, Esq., Ensign Lecky and two professional ladies appeared.
Sergeant Bonner then danced an Irish jig, after which the _Irish Attorney_ was given, in which the parts of the Attorney and Hawk were taken by Mr. Courtenay and Mr. Burton Steward, and the performance terminated with _Done on both sides_. About 25 was thus realised for the charity.
There had been a "great fire" on the Middle Market Road.
Many persons who had promised to subscribe to the "Pet.i.tion Fund" were "backing out."
E. P. Youell, Esq., was to be Captain of the 2nd Company of Rifle Volunteers.
On Valentine"s Day the ladies took great advantage of the fact of its being "Leap Year" in sending these missives to the gentlemen.
Feb. 22nd.-The Donegal Militia had given a second afternoon dance at the Town Hall.
Mr. T. M. Read had been elected second Lieutenant in the N.A.V.
"Monday was c.o.c.k (antique) or Orange Fair, when the Market Place was thronged by the usual "fair" attractions."
March 3rd.-"A most violent and destructive hurricane" had visited the town and country.
The pet.i.tion had been heard, and the members retained their seats, which news had caused great rejoicing amongst the Tories, while "the money"
question was likely to cause some trouble to the pet.i.tioners.
Captain Foreman and Lieutenant Morant had been gazetted to the first N.A.V.
The following had been elected officers of the second Company of Rifles:-Captain, Mr. Youell; Lieutenant, Mr. Harmer; Ensign, Mr. E.
Preston.
An untanned leather bag, containing 70 coins of the reign of Henry VIII.
had been found on the Beach after a great thickness of sand had been blown away by the late westerly gale.
March 10th.-Lieutenant Read and 70 members of the N.A.V. had escorted Captain Marsh, Captain Foreman, Lieutenant Morant, and Dr. Stephenson to the Railway Station on their proceeding to the Levee; the other officers then present were Captain Orde, Lieutenant Youell, Ensign Tomlinson, and Surgeon Frederick Palmer, of the Rifles.
March 24th.-The "Donegals" had celebrated St. Patrick"s Day, beginning at five o"clock in the morning. In the afternoon the Officers gave another dance at the Town Hall and entertained a numerous party of friends at their mess at the Southtown Barracks.
April 7th.-Mr. J. Lee-Barber had been elected a Second Lieutenant in the N.A.V.
In the Rifle Corps, Corporals d.i.c.k and Pearson and Privates Barber and Cobb had been elected Sergeants.
April 11th.-On Good Friday both Volunteer Corps had "fraternised" and drilled together on the Denes; it was estimated that on this occasion, which was the first "turn out" of the kind, from 8,000 to 10,000 spectators, including Sir E. Lacon, M.P., Captain Holmes, Major Todd, and many ladies and gentlemen, were present.
April 14th.-There had been a grand Conservative banquet at the Theatre, at which 350 persons were present. Mr. R. Dumbleton occupied the chair, and was supported by Sir E. Lacon, Bart., M.P., Sir H. Stracey, Bart., M.P., the Mayor (W. Worship, Esq.), F. Worship, C. Cory, and C. J.
Palmer, Esqs., Captain Marsh, Captain Mansfield, and Officers of the Donegal Militia and others; Mr. W. Wright and Mr. R. Breeze occupied the vice-chairs; Mr. Franklin catered for the party.
Messrs. Steward and Aldred had been re-elected Churchwardens by the Vestry.
April 25th.-The following Volunteer officers had been entertained at the Donegal Mess:-Captain Marsh, Lieutenants Burton Steward, A. W. Morant, John Lee Barber, and T. M. Read, and Dr. Stephenson (1st N.A.V.), and Captain Youell, Lieutenants Tomlinson, and Harmer, Ensigns Preston and Brown, and Surgeon Frederick Palmer (4th N.R.V.).
April 28th.-Great complaint was made as to the mode of levying the Poor"s Rate.
In the Divorce Court, James Cherry, Esq., had obtained a decree for the rest.i.tution of conjugal rites against his wife, who was ent.i.tled to the income derived from a sum of 8,000.
May 5th.-The Mayor had given a grand Ball at the Town Hall, when dancing was kept up until four o"clock in the morning.
The E.N.M. had been inspected on the Denes by Major-General Douglas. The Rifle Volunteers were also on the ground.
Bro. Hanworth, Secretary of the "Good Samaritan" Lodge, M.U.O.F., had been presented with an ornamental silver inkstand.
May 9th.-A Ball "of a very elegant character" had taken place at the Town Hall.
The E.N.M. had been disembodied, when "many of the men celebrated the event by getting drunk."
The 1st N.A.V. had received 19,000 cartridges and 23,000 percussion caps.
A fine porpoise had been gambolling in the river, near the Haven Bridge.
May 16th.-The first lot of mackerel (300 fish) had been landed, and realised 4 per hundred.
May 23rd.-On the Queen"s Birthday, the 1st N.A.V. had fired a salute from the South Star Battery.
There was a scarcity of labour in the town.
May 26th.-The "launching foy" of the "Caroline" had been held in the Town Hall (this vessel had been launched from Powell"s yard, after being repaired at the expense of 5,000.)
May 30th.-From 40 to 50 lives had been lost off Yarmouth in a "fearful hurricane," during which one of the pinnacles had been blown off St.
Peter"s Church and damage done to the fabric to the extent of some 200.