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Grey River Argus, Volume V, Issue 320, 1 February 1868, Page 2

The St. Petersburg correspondent of the. Pall Mall Gazette, in his letter dated the 9th October, has the following startling paragraph :— Family of the Czar— the,' neAvs of the extraordinary condescension shown by the Czar to the American tourists in the Crimea has created considerable surprise, and is looked upon by some as strengthening the rumor that hk Majesty is suffering from mental disease. This rumor is very prevalent here, and ia. firmly believed in by many well informed persons, though of course it is contra-, dieted in official circles. There has even bsen some talk of establishing a Regency; and it is stated that the other day, after a. long debate, the Administrative Council of the Senate, decided by a small majority, to offer the post of Regent to the Grand Duke Constantine. A subscription has been opened in New. York for the benefit of Mrs Lincoln, and her clothing and jewellery have been withdrawn from sale, although a few articles were disposed of before this new movement was determined upon. Mrs. Lincoln finds but few apologists; and while it is proved that he? husband left" her an ample estate, the revenues from, which were swollen by many gifts from Congress and friends, a Chicago paper explains her incomprehensible conduct by stating thatshe__is insane, and that " there, is not, nor has there been for a long time, any doubt in the minds of those most intimate with her that on this subject of in-. j come, particularly, Mrs Lincoln is & monomaniac." It considers that the shock she suffered in the sudden death of her husband shattered her not very strong mind. " Victorian Gouj Statistics. — The. quantity of gold, the produce of Victoria,' exported from the colony during the year 1867y'was 1,427,900 oz., shewing the trifling decrease of 34,213 oz. upon the' quantity exported in 1866.^ In our general exports there has been a falling off to the extent of while the imports, exhibit a decrease in value of not less than £2,854,904. In. fact, their aggregate value has been les3 by upwards of half 'a million sterling than that of our exports— a fact which is conclusive as to the pernicious effects of protection. In connection with the Duke of Edinburgh's visit to Ballarat, some interesting statistics have been published, shewing that twenty-fot^ alluvial mining companies in that dis,trict, with a subscribed capital of £406,019, have raised gold of the value of £3,941,516, and distributed £2,062,159 i in dividends, the present market value of the shares being £905,574.. v