MISCELLANEA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume II, Issue 73, 29 May 1852, Page 7

MISCELLANEA.

Trite Garotte Robberies, a mode by which the victim is half strangled as well as robbed, have lately been very frequent in Manchester, Leeds, and Birmingham. At the latter place, Mr. Bradford, an alderman, has been victimised in this way, as well as two other gentlemen. Two girls, not more than 14 years of age, have also been committed for trial for having seized a girl of the same age by the throat, and, after throwing her down and half strangling her, robbed her of one shilling and sevenpence halfpenny. They first jostled against the girl as she was returning from a public-house to ascertain whether she had any money, and then hearing, it jingle committed ?he crime. Last week Mr. James Mann, of Leeds, was attacked by three men. One of them strangled him till he was temporarily insensible, and so rendered it easy for the others to steal his money and for all to escape. On Saturday night Mr. Whilock, draper, of Birmingham, was attacked in Dean street by two men who tried to garotte him. Being a powerful man he beat off his two assailants, but a third joined them, and then overpowered him, and laying him insensible on the pavement, took his watch. When the police discovered him his face was covered-with blood from wounds on the head, and his leg was broken. Death of Pbiessnitz. —Priessnitz, the celebrated founder of hydropathy, died at Grafenbergh on the 26th November, at the age of 52. In the morning of that day Preissnitz was up and stirring about at an early hour and complained of the cold, and had wood brought in to make a large fire. His friends had for some time believed him to be suffering from dropsy in the chest, and at their earnest entreaty he consented to take a little medicine, exclaiming all the while, "itis no use." He would see no physician, but remained to the last true to his profession. About four o'clock in the afternoon of the 26th he asked to be carried to bed, and upon being laid down he expired.

The Jockey Club of Paris.—The long-talked of fight between Lord H.s two owls, Iron Beak and Young, and 12 rats, came off at midnight in the drawing-room of the Jockey Club. The bets on the side of the rats, amounting to £1,250 were all taJcen by Lord H., who backed his plumed champions. The most perfect order prevailed in the drawing-room. The place of every spectator was assigned to him by the judge of the battle, whose orders were implicitly submitted to. Lord H. had on his right M. Mery, the poet of Marseilles, who, while the warlike preparations were going on, improvised a dozen strophes inspired by the singular occasion. At about half-past eleven, Victor Couturier introduced the rats. The large cage in which they were contained was placed upon a table in the middle of the room, in order that the inmates, who had fasted for twenty-four hours, might be publicly fed. The dish chosen to sustain their strength and animate their ardour was a pasty of Perigord truffles, prepared by that worthy successor of Vatel, the head cook of the club. In three minutes these delicacies were disposed of, with an evident relish and appreciation which could hardly have been predicted of rats. Lord H. then ordered his falconer to bring in the owls. Iron Beak and Young were born in Scotland, upon an estate of his lordship's, where for two years they inhabited an old tower, in which they were one day surprised and captured by William Perkes, the falconer. They are owls of the largest kind. They are each two feet high ; their eyes of a ghastly transparency: their plumage a mixture of various shades of gray ; their talonremarkable for their form, strength, and flexis bility. As the clock struck twelve the signal for the combat was given. Victor Couturier let loose the twelve rats. They had previously occupied each a separate compartment in the cage, and finding themselves on the floor of the drawing room, while the digestion of the truffles was going on, were about to fall foul of each other, when William Perkes turned the two owls into the arena. At this moment a religious silence prevailed among the spectators. Nothing was heard but the piercing cries of the rats and the gnashing of the beaks of the owls. Iron Beak opened the war by flying at Robert Macaire, alias the Greek, and seizing him by the haunches, pounded him as completely as a boa constrictor would do a calf that he was about to swallow. Young at the same time aseffectually disposed of the unlucky Coquard, alias the Book-keeper. Prince Petulant, alias Chamouski Rodilard, alias the Vagabond, and Brisquet alias . Cut-Knuckles, fell altogether upon Young and hung on to his claws. Young caused Rodilard and Brisquet successively to bite the dust, but Prince Petulant obstinately renewed his attacks upon Young's posteriors,. and broke his thigh in two places. By this' time Iron Beak had slain Voltaire, alias the Enemy of Obscurity, the brave Ratapoil, alias the Vexer, and Darkness, alias the Pancakeeater. But he had sustained the injury of a broken claw. The chances were now nearly equal. The two owls were seriously wounded, but five rats only, more or less injured, survived. The interest of the battle was at this moment at its height, Poulastrol, alias the Wigmaker, who had hitherto cowered in a corner as if ashamed of himself, suddenly rushed upon Young, threw him upon his side, and literally eat out his eyes. The owl uttered a horrible scream, but in his dying struggles tore open the bowels of Poulastrol with his beak, and the two enemies expired side by side at the same moment. Iron Beak was now singly opposed to Tourlourou, alias the Brushniaker, the Marquis, alias Hide-your-Love, the Parisian, alias the Chaffer, and Prince Petulant. The latter, who had eaten more troufles than any other rat, was furious beyond measure. He clung to the sound leg- of Iron Beak, and continued to knaw it while the owl killed all the remainimr rats-. Of all the gallant combatants Iron Beak, the owl, and Prince Petulant, the rat, alone survived, both mortally wounded, disabled, but still flashing sparks of Jury at each other from their eyes. The judges at. this stage declared the battle a drawn one for the present, but decided that the stakes are to be handed to the owner of the combatant that shall live the longest. Upon this announcement Victor Couturier carried off Prince Petulant to be doctored and nursed. William Parkes, the falconer, took care of Iron Beak, and the backers on either side are now awaiting with anxiety the result of the skill of the respective medical attendants of the mutilated heroes.

We yesterday received by the " Twins" Wellington papers to the 18th inst. Their columns are filled with interesting intelligence from Europe and the Cape of Good Hope. We borrow, as far as our limited space this week will allow, the more important news which our contemporaries have extracted from the Sydney " Empire," of the 3rd May. The following is the •' Spectator's" summary. The European News received, by way of Sydney, by the " Marmora," which will be found in our present issue is of the most important kind. Affairs appear to "wear a threatening aspect, and it was considered probable that the reckless and unscrupulous career upon which Louis Napoleon had entered to gratify the cravings of his inordinate ambition, would lead to an European war. Louis Napoleon had adopted the most determined measures, and with the view of securing himself in his present position, had not hesitated to banish from France all the most eminent public men, who were in any way likely to oppose his (measures, and in the name of Liberty and a Republic, had established by means of the army, a tyranny more stern .and absolute than that of any European despot. —With the view of adopting necessary measures of precaution, some formidable batteries were [to be erected on the coast of England, the artillery was to be increased by 2400 men, and. the army to the number of 10;000 additional men. Such a calamity as an European war, in which England would be forced to bear a prominent part, would prove a great misfortune to the colonies, in interrupting commerce, and in putting a stop to emigration from the Mother Country. Ths News from the Cape was of the most distressing nature. The " Birkenhead," a splendid steamer of the largest siz?, loaded with troops that were proceeding to the.scene of operations, had struck on a rock during the night and sunk with immense destruction of life. The troops were principally of the 74th regiment, which had previously suffered severely in an attack on the natives, in the early part of November, in which the commanding officer, Lieut-Colonel Fordyce and Lieut Carey and several of the men were killed. By the late melancholy catastrophe, several officers and 450 troops had met a-watery grave. Sir Harry Smith had been recalled, and Major-General Cathcart had been appointed his successor.

(From the Empire, May 3.) The Queenstown, from London December 1, and the Cape of Good Hope February 28, arrived on Saturday; and we are indebted to the courtesy of her commander for English papers to the 14th Jan., which had been brought to the Cape by the Royal Mail steamer " Propontis," and also for Cape journals to the day of sailing. From these sources we compile the following summary of European news. The latest date of advices from Sydney was September 13th ; but from the papers befm-e us the topic of Australian gold mining is entirely absent. Rumours were rife respecting the instability of the Russell Cabinet, which indeed nobody seemed to doubt. One of the morning papers had announced positively that the Administration was out of existence. A Cabinet Council was held, however, on the Bth of January, and it appeared certain that the present government would hold together long enough to meet parliament. ' A correspondent to the Daily News, dating ,frqm Woolwich, January B,says:— " The Duke of Wejlington has been," for some time past, in almost daily communication with Sir J.F. Bur•jovne, InspectiOivGeneral of Fortifications, and their Ueiilierations have, it is said, been directed to the best means of protecting the metropolis in case of invasion. It is understood the result has been that several military camps are likely to be formed round London, and eligible situations will be selected, particularly oi* the Kent

and Essex banks of the Thames, and on. the banks of the Medway, with the view of rendering1 them permanently fortified camps. Orders have already been given to place Sheerness in a proper state of defence, and to hare ample sup-* plies of ammunition and warlike stores kept maa constant state of readiness at the fortifications already constructed at that naval port. The Portsmouth Times and Naval Gazette, has the following paragraph on the fortification of the English coast: —" A battery of 100 guns of heavy metal is ordered to be constructed at the Nab tight, off Bembridge, near Spithead, as well as a battery (temporary) at Lumps, also off Spithead, on the Portsmouth shore, and also for 100 heavy guns, with the least possible delay ! A new fort at Browndown, opposite Ryde (Isle of Wight,) on the Gosport shore, is in course of construction by two companies of Royal Sappers and Miners stationed at Fort Moncton, every dispatch being used to complete the works in two months.'' DeSTKUCTION OF THE ROYAL MAIL New Steamer "Amazon," and loss of 140 lives. —It is with feelings of the deepest regret that we have to announce a most dreadful catasti'o* phe which has befallen the Royal Mail new steam-packet " Amazon." We have to deplore nothing less than the total destruction of the ship by fire, and the loss of 140 lives. This shocking intelligence was brought to Plymouth on the midnight of Monday* by the brig " Marsden," Captain Evans, bound from Cardiff to South Carolina, which ship also brought the only survivors, 21 in number, of the 161 ; souls that left Southampton in the " Amazon/ The " Amazon," of above 2000 tons measurement, was launched only a few months since, from the building-yard of Messrs. Green,, at Blackwall, and having been fitted with her 800 horse engines, proceeded to Southampton, and on Saturday afternoon last started thence under the most favourable auspices aud in sight of most of the directors, on her first voyage, with 50 passengers on board, and the mails for the West Indies, Gulf of Mexico, Spanish Main, &c. She was commanded by Capt. Symonds. one of the ablest of the Company's officers, and the Admiralty agent in charge of her mails was Lieutenant Brady, who, in consequence of the illness of Lieutenant Wilkinson, was appointed to this vessel, at the last moment. She had on board £17,000 in specie, 5000 bottles quicksilver, worth above £5000, and otherwise a very valuable cargo, and was laden with 1100 tons of coal. The ship gallantly ran down the channel, and everybody on board was wrapped in the greatest self-security, when, 60 miles to the west of the Sicily Islands, about 20 minutes to 1 on Sunday morning, the ship was discovered to be on fire, and the awful catastrophe ensued