MISCELLANEA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume III, Issue 140, 10 September 1853, Page 9

MISCELLANEA.

The Weather in England had, it appears from the accounts furnished in the different papers, been unusually severe. Several parts of England had been visited by very heavy snow storms. At Liverpool, on the 9th of May, the snow fell several inches deep, and a similar storm was experienced at Nottingham the day previous. The weather has been equally as unseasonable in Paris. One of the Parisian journals, in speaking of it, says:—" This day, though the Bth of May, is as cold as if it were December, and snow has fallen repeatedly in the course of the morning—winter is certainly maintaining a very tough struggle against the ''approach of summer."

The respective" Ages of the cabinet ministers are as follows :— Lord Lansdowne, 73 ; Lord Aberdeen and Lord Palmerston, 69 ; Lord Cranworth, 63 ; Lord John Russell and Sir James Graham, 61 ; Sir C. Wood, 53 ; My. Gladstone, 44 ; Sir W. Molesworth and Mr. Sydney Herbert, 43 ; Duke of Newcastle, 42 ; Lord Granville, 38 ; Duke of Argyll, 30. Their joint ages are 689, and their average age, 53, that of Sir Charles Wood. Seven of them are under 60 years of age, and six above that age. Edinburgh Review.—Thirty-five years ago the circulation of the Edinburgh Review was 13,000 ; now it is supposed to have decreased one-half.

SuPPKESSIONS IN THE WELLINGTON DESPATCHES.—The papers were originally set into type exactly as they had been written, but their illustrious editor, always considerate of others, struck out all the names and every sentence which might give pain, and to such an extent that matter sufficient for six additional volumns was, it is said, cancelled. The typographical duty was so honourably conducted by Messrs. Clowes, that neither the head of that vast establishment, nor Mr. Murray who published the book, ever possessed or even saw the proofsheets. One copy alone exists of the entire work, and it consists of the identical sheets marked by the duke's revising pen. This indeed is a typographical rarity, which future Koxburghes and Dibdins may sigh to possess, and Humes and Hallams to pursue ; and when the present generation is passed, when personal considerations cease to operate, and history can fairly claim its rights, these now sealed volumes will raise their author to even a higher pinnacle, by a more complete display of his genius, and a further revelation of the inadequacy of the means by which ends so great were accomplished. Then, as he remarked himself, "When my papers are read, many statues will have to be taken down."— Quarterly Review. Sale of the Nelson Correspondence.— This valuable correspondence, consisting of about 300 letters written by Lord Nelson to Lady Hamilton dnring'the period of the French war, a quantity of letters written by various distinguished naval officers and illustrious persons to him, and also the correspondence of the Queen of Naples with Lady Hamilton during the same period, and other interesting documents, has been sold. The three days respectively produced .£134135. 6d., £131 125., and £235 Is., making together £501 6s. 6d. The most remarkable was the last letter written by the immortal hero. It is dated on board the Victory, October 19th, 1805, noon, Cadiz, E.S.E. 16 leagues, with a postscript on the 20th, and addressed to Lady Hamilton, who has added some . lines to it. This letter was found lying open on his desk after the battle of Trafalgar, and brought to Lady Hamilton by Captain Hardy. It sold for 23/. Lot 439, a very characteristic letter, also written to Lady Hamilton, and dated Victory, Feb. 18,1805 V containing the following extract, sold for 81 : —" John Bull, we know, calculates nothing right that does not place the British fleet longside that of France. I have now traversed 1,000 leagues of sea after them. ' French fleet,' ' French'fleet,' is all I want to have answered me. I shall never rest till I find them, and they shall neither, if I can get at h them.— Times. A New Play, called " The White Slave of England," has been performed in New York at the Broadway theatre. The details of the plot are ludicrous. Grind, taskmaster of Lord Overland's White slaves, is represented as kicking coal-miners with top-boots, and goading them with a cudgel tipped with tenpenny nails. Women are represented carrying baskets of coals, as they did formerly. Then there is a White slave market, and a "woman with a halter

roundj her neck is sold for twenty shillings. The whole ends with a scene to show the comparative happiness of the Blacks in the Southern States of the American Union.

A Cttttee Yacht, named the * Corsair,' of only 80 tons burden, sailed from Southampton on the 21st of February direct for Australia. This frail bark is perhaps one of the smallest vessels that has ever undertaken so distant a voyage. She is commanded by Captain Croft, the principal owner, who has embarked in the adventure, and purchased this little yacht with a view either of selling1 her in Australia, provided an adequately profitable sum can be realised, or of running her in the passenger or other trade on the Australian coast. The "Corsair" formerly belonged to the Royal Yacht Club, and was the victor over the " Talisman," a few years back, in the celebrated sailing match for 1000 guineas from Cowesto the Eddystone. The "Corsair's" sailing qualities are, therefore, of a high order, and the captain, who has altered the rig from a cutter to that of a yawl (for the sake of steadiness in a sea way), seems to entertain no doubt of making a quick run to the Antipodes. The " Corsair's" crew consists of only eleven persons' —viz., the master, a mate and steward, and eight seamen. She is fully found in provisions and stores, and is a beautifully light and wellappointed little craft. A small but valuable cargo belonging tn the owner has been shipped, principally of such manufactured goods as appear to be in great demand in Australia ; among other things there are some cases of guns, pistols, revolvers, cutlery, paints, hardware, and a quantity of oats. The voyage of this little merchant bark cannot fail, under any circumstances, to be regarded with much interest and curiosity.

Extraokdinart Sale of Cochin China Fowls.—The sale of the celebrated stock of Cochin China fowls, the property of Thos. H. Potts, Esq., Kingswood Lodge, near Croydon, took place at the Bazaar, Baker-street, Portraan square, and attracted a numerous and highly respectable company of noblemen and gentlemen from various parts of the kingdom. The prices obtained are a sufficient guarantee of the high estimation in which they were held: 121 birds realized the large sum of £726 Is. 6d., being an average of £6 each bird, many of them chickens only a few months old. The highest price was for the cockerel "Sir Robert," £42, justly described in the catalogue as " matchless in form and colour." This bird won a first prize at the Great Metropolitan Exhibition of Poulty and at Torquay ; and the cockerel " Wellington," also a prize bird at those shows, sold for £28 7s. The celebrated imported hen, purchased by Mr. Potts of Mr. Andrews (generally considered one of the best hens in this country), although aged, sold for £36 15s. A pullet from her at £22. The hen 102 sold for £23. Other hens and pullets sold as high as agl3 135., £13, £12 15s, £11 11s., £11, £10 10s., £10, and several others brought similar prices. In the following day's sale there were some fine Dorkings, the property of Mr. Lewry, of the same stock as the birds shown by him at the recent metropolitan show, and which obtained several prizes. These also brought good prices; and we hope the result of these sales may give a stimulus to the improvement of our domestic fowl. At Birmingham the poultry formed the leading and most attractive feature of the whole collection. The number of pens exceeded that of last year by 200, and, incredible as it may appear, the sales in this department amounted to 1000/. Well might there be such crowiug among the cocks, with a mania for the purchase of them as furious as if each of them was the fowl in the fable that found the jewel in the dunghill. Some pairs brought as much as 40/. and 50/,, and in the catalogue prices of 100/., and even 1,000/., are put down for special pens, though of course these sums are given practically to protect exhibitors who do not wish to sell. It seems strange that this passion for poultry should have slumbered so long-to find a useful development as one of the minor blessings of free trade. Cheap and abundant supplies of grain, aided by the competition at Birmingham, at Baker-street, and in the annual shows of the Royal Agricultural Society, will soon restore to the farmer a branch of production long- neglected, but neither the least profitable nor the least agreeable embraced within the proper scope of his occupation. The new Cochin China varieties of poultry continue in great demand, and the display of them at Birmingham exceeded that of any other kind. They certainly are splendid bil-ds iv size, and it is not wonder-

ful that this and their novelty considered they should be so much run after. But it remains to be seen whether, for the table or as egglayers, they are really more profitable than older and better known breeds.

The Atlantic and Pacific Junction Company.—The first general meeting of the directors took place on March 16. Lord Warncliffe in the chair. After Sir Charles Fox had given an outline of his whole proceedings in relation to this great undertaking^ne communications with her Majesty's Government, and with that of the United States, were laid before the meet-, ing. It was announced that the £24,000 caution money will be duly paid to the credit of New Granada with the Bank of Eugland; and it was unanimously agreed that the amount of £75,000, required for preliminary expenditure was reasonable and fully justified. The Board was also informed that a communication is to be expected in the course of a few days from the British Ambassador in Paris, to fix a day on which the Emperor of the French would give an audience to Sir Charles Fox, and a deputation from the company, in whose arrangements, it is hoped, that France and Russia, as great maritime powers, will co-operate with the British and American Governments. The necessary resolutions for the future proceedings were then agreed to, and the meeting separated. On the same day, and in connection with the above object, a very interesting paper was read at a meeting of the Royal Geographical Society, by Captain Fitzroy, R.N., F.R.S., F.R.G.S., on " the great Isthsmus of Central America."

A Pjrima Donna Punished.—A curious scene took place recently at the San Carlo, at Naples. The new prima donna, L'Alaymo, made her appearance in " Medea." Towards the close of the act it became evident that the audience were disappointed with her, and expressed the same. The lady, irritated by such repeated expressions of disapprobation, suddenly left the stage, and the curtain fell. The police immediately marched her off, in her theatrical dress, to prison, where she remained for 48 hours—a rather severe castigation even for Naples.

Conveyance of Hokse Artillery by Railway.—An experimental removal of troops and artillery took place, from the Bricklayer's Arms station of the South Western Railway, for the purpose of ascertaining the time required to load and unload heavy artillery with, horses, ammunition, &c., for conveyance by railway. A portion of a battery of the Royal Artillery, with the full complement of men, horses, guns, ammunition, waggons, &c, were loaded in a train at the Bricklayer's Arms Station, conveyed to Woolwich, and there unloaded—all in two hours and 38 minutes, 35 minutes of which were occupied in constructing a temporary platform to unload the guns. New Description of Steamer.—A new description of steamer, called the Rotatory, has commenced plying on the Clyde, between"Glasgow and Dumbarton. The peculiarity of her construction lies in her compactness, her paddigs being much lower than the bulwarks, and as her engine is on the rotatory principle, it likewise occupies very little space. "The inventor, Mr. Edward Napier, thus describes her: "The advantages these engines have over others are that they are more compact, consume about one fourth less fuel, and require no engineer; the steersman, by a peculiar valve, moves the vessel ahead or astern, without communicating with any one. The furnace bars contain water, consequently the hot ashes, which are destructive to the common furnace bar, in this case tend to the production of steam. There is also a simple application of the fan to assist combustion. Such steamers would be invaluable on crowded rivers like the Thames or Clyde, as runningdowu could scarcely ever happen, the steersman standing before the funnel, and there being no paddle-boxes to interrupt his view, he sees eTery object a-head, and can stop or reverse his engines in an instant, without leaving the wheel, or applying to any second party."—G lasgow Courier.

Quid Pro Quo. —A. physician of an acrimonious disposition, and haying-si thorough hatred of lawyers, was in company with a banister, and, in the coarse of conversation, reproached the profession of the latter with the use of phrases utterly uniiuelligiele. " For example," said he, " I never could understand what you mean by docking an entail." " That is verylikely," answered the lawyer," but I will explain it to yon ; it is doing what you doctors never consent to— suffering a recovery."

Attack on the Gold Escort.—The Gold, plundered by the bushrangers, in their attack on the Melbourne escort, consisted of 46 packages, weighing 2323 ounces, and 702*. 10s. in money, but°one° package of money for Forest Creek, amounting to 120/.escaped the eyes of therobbers. Thirty ounces of the gold were also insured.— The value of the stolen property, in round numbers, may be calculated at 9,500 Z.

All the Gold in the World. —Taking the cube yard of gold at £2,000,000, which it is in round numbers, all the gold in the world at this estimate might, if melted into ingots, be contained in a cellar twenty-four feet square and sixteen feet high. All our boasted wealth already obtained from California and Australia would go into an iron safe nine feet square and nine feet high. So small is the cube of yellow metal that has set populations on the march, and roused the world to wonder.— Nexv Quarterly Review.

A Dkunkard MAr flog the Rumseller with impunity.—ln New York, Mr. Me Donald was brought before Justice Truman Smith, on the charge of assaulting Wm. Jackson. The complainant keeps a tavern, and the other got drunk therein,when he took a notion to whip the landlord, which he did effectually. The Justice decided that Me. Donald having drunk himself crazy for the benefit of Jackson, the latter must endure the injuries he received at the other's Lands while in such a state, and dismissed the case.

The OrsTER Trade of New York It is only within the last thirty years that the oyster trade was established in this city. Before that time, it is true, oysters were sold here ; but the business transacted was exceedingly limited, and there was little or no inducement for persons to engage in it. Nearly all that were brought to market were procured from the natural beds, for the benefits to be obtained from planting were hut imperfectly understood by a few of the dealers, or entirely unknown t& them. In the course of a few years, however, the business grew into importance, and men of capital and enterprise engaged in it. The planting of beds—a very essential part of the trade—was commenced ; the few oyster boats, of diminutive size, engaged in supplying New York, became an immense fleet ■, anextensive trade with Virginia: the east river became a mine of wealth to those who worked its beds ; the coasts of our bays, and the shores of our rivers were explored, and given over to the tongs, the scrapers, and the" dredges of the oystermen. It was found that by removing the oyster from its natural bed to an artificial one, it could not only be increased in size, but improved in quality, and rendered fit for use at any period of the year. This was a very important matter to understand, for there are certain months when the oyster is unfit for use, in consequence of its being full of spawn. While they remained in. the natural bed, they were always subject to this objection; but'if not permitted to lie too long in the artificial one, they could be preserved free from spawn. Although they increased in size, they seldom or never became more numerous by transplanting. Hundreds of vessels are constantly employed, during certain months, in transplanting in"the Enst river, in Prince's bay, and other parts of the waters of this State. The importance of the oyster trade may be judged from the fact, that the wholesale and retail sales exceed five millions of dollars annually, and more than fifty thousand persons are employed in it. We include in this estimate those who are engaged on the weds, and in conveying them to market by hunts, and the retail anil wholesale dealers. The amount of capital invested in boats of all sizes, i.s est-rii-ued at about five millions of dollars, and if we add to this the value of the beds themSfcivcs. the depots. 6cc, the amount would exceed twe've millions.-AVw York Herald.

Mnz. Stowk.—An address to the ladies of An;-"ri--;i, <m the subject of Negro slavery, has oliiHineii. in England, the signatures of 562,848 Eu-li-Oiwonien. The address and signatures hn.-v net-!) bound in twenty-six folio volumes, a coy V) i.-c presented to Mrs. Stowe, on her arviv.,l i,i England. The " Times" says nothing can be more intelligible, <rralifyin<r ami—iiicon"clusive ; and suggests, instead of buying Uncle Tom's cabin, they ought to present" £100,000 to Mrs. Si owe, as a substantial mark of their unbounded enthusiasm—since they can hardly repay her with a public dinner in ihe true English style.