English Intelligence. HOME TALK.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 7, Issue 355, 5 March 1866, Page 1

English Intelligence. HOME TALK.

(Prom Home News, 26th December.) Having allowed the head Fenian, Stephens, to escape, the Irish authorities have dealt more successfully with the rest of their captives. The trials in Dublin and Cork have proceeded regularly, everybody tried has been convicted, except an American who was discharged on technical grounds, and heavy sentences of penal servitude have been awarded, in one case for life (the fellow having been previously convicted), and in other cases for twenty years, and in others again for tea. There has not been the slightest disturbance, or attempt at rescue, or even at a demonstration of sympathy. And I see that the press of New York is actually urging the President to pat down Fenianism there, and not to allow the Irisbry to drag the States into trouble with Great Britain. Decidedly, as Mr Bernal Osborne neatly said, the fever heat of Fenianism is “Ninety-eight” —in the shade. The venerable King of the Belgians has passed away. I have it from the best authority that he was not expected to survive the winter. The last ope' ,r • resorted to in cases of dropsy, when hope is over, and all that is sought is to give relief, had been resorted to, but the public was not aware of this. The lung died peaceful:;- and resisted attempts made with filial iut; .'.‘.ions, to induce him to embrace the Catholic faith in his last hours. He has received a magnificent funeral at which the King of Portugal and the Prince of Wales attended. His sun, Leopold 11., now reigns; an amiable man, in weak health, and understood to be more in the bauds of the priests than is desirable. But he is a conscientious man, and takes much pains to understand political economy, on which subject he has long carried on correspondeneswith some of its ablest English professors. The Americans are not going to war with us, at present. Mr Johnson’s Message is pacific. They have, however, raised a grievance in the case of the crew of the Shenandoah, the vessel that went about demolishing the poor whalers after the war was over, and then came, here and surrendered. The captain declared that he did not know of the termination of hostilities. It is profanity to compare such a pirate to Nelson, but the excuse reminds one of Nelson’s putting the telescope to bis blind eye, when told that the signal for retreat was flying. However, as Lord Clarendon says, we cannot disprove his assertion, and we let him and his men go, and handed over the ship to the United Slates’ Consul. Mr Adams declares that we ought to have given up the men also, hut this would have been actually illegal, and we are rather particular about the sacred character of our soil. Our views in that respect make enemies for us everywhere. The French Emperor is just putting an end to the extradition treaty, on the ground that it produces no good effects, that is, we do not give up the refugees who come here. But the Americans should not take such ground—they inherit and maintain the sanctuary doctrine in all its fulness. I have nothing to say about foreign news which does not affect us at home, but may just mention that the reconstruction business in the States promises to be as complicated a problem as was ever offered to a statesman. The “ Radical” party in the North desire to keep down those whom they have had so much trouble to get down, and appear to be unwisely disinclined to any of the compromises without which there can be no true amalgamation. Again I must mention the Cattle Disease, It is not the least checked, on the contrary it has increased frightfully, and is increasing, and the most vigorous measures are now called for by those who at first opposed all Government interference. Fairs and markets are being closed, and unless some great change occurs, I expect that all transmission of live cattle will be stopped. Even hunting is being checked in some places, on the ground that the hounds carry contagion about. We shall all become vegetarians gn compulsion. Believing, personally, that we all eat a great deal too much, I do not feel personal alarm at this prospect, but folks who take meat three times a day are yielding to the

wildest despair. We held our Cattle-show with mutilated rites, and this was as well, by way of preventing an utter panic. A Highland beast was Senior Wrangler. I had almost resolved to omit all allusion to the subject of the disease, for the topic is tabooed as domestic talk, but I may he doing my country service by again reminding friends at a distance that if they can discover any way of remitting good meat to us, they may make any number of fortunes. The Master of the Rolis, Sir John Rcmilly, has been raised to the peerage as Lord Romilly, and the name of a great and good man, Lis father, is thereby perpetuated. Another pee? has been made. Sir Francis Baring is Lord Northbrook. The veteran Whig has earned ids honor by long service, if ho was not very brilliant. He was Chancellor of the Excequer at the time when the Post-office reform occasioned a temporary deficiency, and he did not know how to supply it. Sir Robert Peel, the elder, caused groat diversion in the Commons by describing Sir Francis as angling for a budget and and eagerly waiting for a bite. Lord Northbrook was also Lord of the Admiralty, and caused tlioJDuke of Wtllingtons,lcJOguns,tobe built—but this great monster is now voted to be almost useless, as an armour-clad ship would convert her into a blaziug hull in a couple of hours, or less. Our obituary contains two names to which I will refer. One is that of Gronow, the celebrated authority on duelling matters in the days when men fought with pistols instead of abuse. His reminiscences were published lately, and some of them were very amusing. But he did not tell of one duel of which everyone but himself was once ready to talk. Shortly after 1815 there was a French officer notorious for picking quarrels with Englishmen and getting them into duels which, as ho was a dead shot, usually ended fatally for the islander. On one occasion he wreaked his savage malice on a very young man. The latter fired ineffectually, aud the Frenchman walking up to him, as he had a right to do, placed his pistol to the other’s heart, and said, “ Have you a mother ?” “ I have/ 5 said the young man, calmly. “ I pity her,” said the Frenchman, and drew the trigger. When tills story came over, Gronow, a firstclass dandy, was at the opera. He said nothing, but immediately left for Paris, sought out the duellist, and insulted him, deliberately, and in so marked a manner (I am not sure that he did not stamp on Lis foot), that there could be but one issue. Whether the Frenchman’s courage failed in the presence of a man known to be as deadly a marksman as bimself, or whether chance was not his friend, I don’t know, but he missed Gronow, and was not missed. The dandy re-appeared at the opera, aud took an opportunity of saying, between the acts, in Fops’ Alley, “ 0, by the way, I’ve killed that beggar you fellows were talking about on Saturday night.” Gronow was, 1 believe, a very kind-hearted man, and was always eager to make up the differences between those who sought his advice, and as he was an authority from whom there was no appeal, he was usually able to bring matters to a pacific termination. The other death I should yote is that of Captain Fowke. He will be best known to those for whom I write, as the designer of the last great exhibition building. He had great constructive skill, and he was much in the confidence of the Prince Consort, whose efforts in favor of South Kensington Captain Fowke ably seconded. The professional architects of course loved him not for achieving what they had been unable to do, and some of them are still snarling over his fame, which is gallantly defended by Mr Henry Cole, C.B. I will add, of my own knowledge that Captain Fowke was a true gentleman, aud art amiable man, and his, early death is deeply regretted by many friends. While on the subject I will also just note that the museum at South Kensington has been greatly enlarged and enriched, and when the exterior shall be rendered less hideous, the place will be very delightful. For the first time I may say that I have seen the cartoons, which have been brought from the dark den at Hampton-court, and placed here in a fine and well lighted room, where their unequalled nobility can be appreciated, and the beauty of their coloring, which could

never be seen at all, is now manifest in all its harmony. The loan collection at South Kensington contains treasures which you cannot exhaust in a week, and fresh additions are being daily made. Yet very few people seem to be there, whenever I have visited the place. The working-class go in the summer, but those who could really comprehend the artistic excellences of the rarer part of the collection stay away persistently. I fancy they do not think the place genteel, because it is free on certain days. A half-crown day would probably draw the wiseacres of fashion. Miss Bateman the American actress, who has made such a brilliant success in London and the provinces, took solemn leave of us on Friday night. I never saw the Operahouse (the scene of her farewell) so crammed. It was loaded from floor to roof, and the very ochestra was crowded. She played •Juliet, and her little sisters appeared in a short comedy. Then Miss Bateman re-ap-peared in the quiet dress of private life, and said a few words of farewell. It was in excellent taste that they were not rhymed, but were a simple and earnest leave-taking. The large tears fell from her eyes before she had made much progress, and she fairly gave way once or twice She thanked us all very heartily, hoped we should love America for her sake, as she should love England for ours, aud ended with a very happy reference to her Leah, her greatest part, “ she was going away to wander among her own people.” Then she went off, crying, amid a storm of plaudits which raged again aud again. She leaves England in a few days, and in the spring will be wedded to a young American gentleman, a distinguished musician, who is, I believe, every way worthy of his great good fortune. We are all wishing one another the compliments of the season. It would be a superfluous courtesy to add them to a letter that has to dance on the waters for weeks, but if such things can be regarded retrospectively, I beg to conclude a years epistles with the aincerest good wishes to friends known and unknown.