Miscellaneous.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VI, Issue 375, 7 June 1856, Page 8

Miscellaneous.

r The Mayors of Paris have published a notice recommending the poorer classes of the capital to get their child]en vaccinated, adding that "no man or woman can receive assistance of any kind unless they can show that their children have been vaccinated, and are sent regularly to school."

A feeling prevails in Austria in favour of getting rid of the antiquated guild system, which trammels industry and trade. The Morning Post on ' authority ' states that direct advices from Persia do not confirm the reported capture of Herat by the Persians. ' All that has happened at Herat has been a conflict between two Affghan factions, in which one has triumohed.'

Professor Kiss, of Berlin, has commenced the execution of an equestrian statue of King Frederick William the Third, as likewise that of a monument to be erected to the late Privy Councillor Beuth. At the same time he is about to finish the sculptures which are to adorn the new Museum at Berlin.

After having charmed her audiences in the -grandest ran-ie of sacred music at Exeter-hall, Madarae Goldselnnidt-Lind has commenced at the Hnuovtr-.sqnare Rooms a series of miscellaueous concerts., with a success of the most triumphant kiud.-and we may add that the share of Mr. OitoGoldschniidt himself in the triumph was no mean one. He is an admirable pianist, with a decided predilection /or the highest class of music; am! Beethoven's fiiirth concerto for piano and orchestiain G major—a work of considerable length, in which he was supported by a first-rate baud—was a performance that formed no jnconsideraHe part of the sum of pleasure given by the entertainment. Madame Jcnnv Goldechumh-Lind, we may say at once, gave the mo^t deiijjht to the English ears and hearts around her by her exquisite (unaccompanied) singing of 'John Anderson my Joe.' Never before had any one heard this good and true son<s rendered with a melody so perfect—rarely has any singer shown more feeliug for its mean-

ing and its spirit. The Swedish 'Echo Song' which immediately followed this, a wonderful piece of musical ventriloquism, left the audience as much astonished as they had before been touched and pleased, and caused erery one to go home full of enthusiasm. The other songs were exceedingly well chosen for the display of the various powers of a most inimitable songstress. Altogether nothing could be more successful than this first concert, and the appearance of the room showed the extraordinary sensation it had created. Madame Lind has certainly lost nothing of her unprecedented popularity. Mr. J. Elliott, the military surgeon who was sent to prison for two years for cruelty and neglect of his patients in the Crimea, has died in Devon County Gaol, from inflammation of the brain following fever. Twenty schoolmasters are to proceed to the seat of war to instruct the soldiers. The seamen who served at Sebastopol will in future wear this inscription on their helmets—" For Sebastopol, from September, 1854, to August 27, 1855. There has been another fire at Aldershott Camp, by which a number of huts were destroyed. It broke out in the ni^ht, and one officer had to escape almost naked. The dangerous stoves are now undergoing improvement, and more efficient means to combat fire are to be organised. Captain H. R. Yelverton, C.8., of the Arrogant steam frigate, has been offered, and has accepted, the command of a divisional fleet of gunboats, forty in number, for service in the Baltic this year. Major-General Windham is among a batch of officers on whom good service pensions of £100 have recently been bestowed. Colonel Bloomfield, who was lately despatched by the British Government to Moldavia on business connected with the arrest of Colonel Turr, died almost suddenly on the day after his arrival, from the fatigues of his journey, it is said.

Bristol has been added to the ports where gunboats are to be constructed for the Government.

Mr. Justice Crompton was prevented from opening the Maidstone Assises with punctuality—because the train in which the Queen's judge travelled from Croydon was "shunted" on its route to make way for a special train conveying gentlemen of the prize-ring to a fight!

A skating society, composed of young people of both sexes, belonging to the first families, has been formed at Madrid. The fair members of this society have adopted a very picturesque costume for the occasion ; consisting of a Polish pelisse, trimmed with rich braid, a short kerse}rmere petticoat, plaid trousers, small beaver hat, with a plume of feathers, and coloured morocco boots.

The poultry at the Birmingham Show brought great prices. A Dorking cockeiill and three pullets, seven months old, were sold for no less than thirty pounds ten shillings.

The African mail steamer Candace, just arrived, has brought among her cargo twenty bundles of monkeys' skins.

A society is in course of formation at Paris to promote the consumption of horseflesh as human food.

The Queen Las sent six easy chairs to Fort Pitt, Chatham, for the use of wounded soldiers.

When times were bad for the farmers, Mr. Geo. Lane Fox, of Bramham Park, Yorkshire, allowed his tenants ten per cent, off their rents. Prices are now high, and the tenants have offered to pay ten per cent, extra on their rents. Mr. Fox has declined the gratifying offer, and advised his tenants to take advantage of their prosperity to improve th^ir farms, so as to meet less easy times. The farmers have requested Mr. Fox to allow his portrait to be painted, to be presented to his wife : he has consented.

In consequence of the Sardinian Government having discharged 9000 men, on whose services they have no further claim, and who are at liberty to enter the British Italian Legion, this force before long will be complete.

Her Majes'y has commanded the publication of the sermon preached by the Rev. Mr. Caird, of Errol, in Craithie Church, in October last, during her Majesty's sojourn at Balmojal. The sermon is entitled " The Religion of Common Life." The Aberdeen 'Herald' says, it is no secret at Balmoral that Prince Albert expressed his high satisfaction with Mr. Caird's pulpit discourse and appearance, by stating that he had not heard a preacher like him for seven years, and did not expect t:> enjoy a like pleasure for as long a period to come. On the afternoon of the 7th December, a remarkable flash of lightning, very near the earth, of a purple colour, and of glorious brilliancy, broke over Hartlepool, followed by a clap of thunder such as the oldest mariner had never heard.

Colour-Sergeant James Falkner and Sergeant John Laundry have been appointed Cornets in the Land Transport Corps. They are the first noncommissioned officers of Sappers who have been awarded commissions for good and distinguished services in the field.

By order of the Sardinian Ministry, tl|e Freres of the Christian School of Rucconigi li^ve been dismissed, for having given as a prize to tliteir pupils a book entitled " How the property, of the Church is stolen, and what the consequences of it are."

Critics beware! Mademoiselle Dupuis,\ an actress of the Vaudeville Theatre, Paris, appeared on Saturday, before the Tribunal of Correctional Police, to complain that M. Jallabert, editor 'of the 'Theatre,' had libelled her, by comparing \er in offensive terms to a Nuremberg doll. The '.tribunal decided that such a style of crticism waa not allowable; and as it appeared to have been dictated by personal animosity, it condemned Jallaberl to pay 500 francs fine and 2000 francs damages; k] so to insert the text of the judgement in his paper, and to pay the expences of inserting it in tliree other papers of Paris, to be chosen by the complainant- . V The " Swabian Mercury '' contains the following from Frankfort —" The fortune of Baron de Roths- ' child, who recently died, has been valued at from ' 40,000,000 to 50,000,000 florins. A sum of 1,200,000 florins is destined to continue the alms which the deceased was in the habit of distributing every week as well as for the distribution of wood to the poor in winter. The fund for giving a dower to Jewish maidens receives 50,000 florins ; the fund for the sick as well as the Jewish hospital, 10,000 florins each; the Jewish school 50,000 florins. Sums of 3000 florins are bestowed on several Christian establishments. The clerks who have been more thanl*twenty years in the firm receive 2000 florins, the others 1000 ; the juniors from 300 ,to 500 florins. Many legacies are left to servants. "

A great fire at Carton, the seat of the Duke of Leinster, broke out at four o'clock on Friday morning, Dec. 22nd, and lasted till mid-day. The family in the house at the time consisted of the. Duke, who had only returned from Dublin that evening ; the Duchess, who has been for a considerable time suffering, from serious illness, and has been confined to her bed ; the Duke's sister, Lady Kinnaird, and her daughter, Mrs. Hope : the Duke's son-in-law, Mr. Repton, M.P for Warwick, and Lady Jane Repton ; the Hen. Captain Fitzgerald, Lord Gerald Fitzgerald, and Dr. Ferguson of Maynooth, who has been sleeping in the house in attendance on the Duchess. The house consists of a main or centre building, and two wings of towers; and the one which was destroyed was on> the left side of the mansion. It consisted of the organ room and ante-room on the ground-floor; over these the Marchioness of Kildare's sitting-room and two bedrooms, onejof which was occupied at the time of the accident by Captain Fitzgerald ; and over them, two attics and two nurseries. All these rooms with the exception of the sitting-room, were completely destroyed. The fire wes discovered by the cook, the watchman, and a carman. The Duke and the family arose ; the suffering Duchess was removed to the residence of the steward ; the two engines belonging to the house were brought into play ; the President of Maynooth sent a third, and men to work it; and with his Professors repaired to the scene; the Protestant Rector of Maynooth was also present; and many hundreds of country people. "When it was clearly ascertained that the fire had only possession of the tower, the great object was to prevent its spreading to the other portions of the house ; and, in order effectually to' do this, the Duke, accompanied by his cousin Capt. Fitzgerald, and his son Lord Gerald Fitzgerald, got out on the roof about six o'clock, and ripped off the slates, and with hatchets cut away the joists and timbers connecting the roof of the centre of the house with that of the wing. The fire was at this time raging with its greatest virulence, the names flying from room to room with fearful rapidity ; and, had it not been for the immense thickness of the walls separating the wing from the main building, there can be little doubt that the whole mansion would have been consumed. Most fortunately, the supply of water was very good. Soon after eight o'clock the wind fell off, and shortly afterwards the roof of the wing fell in. Fears were" 4j| longer entertained for the main portion of the house, and from nine o'clock the fire was gradually, got'under, and about twelve it was completely subdued. Of. this wing scarcely anything now stands but the four walls, the rooms being nearly all gutted. Notwithstanding the falling of planks, burnt timbers.stones,, slates, Me, only one accident, and that not of a serious nature, occurred by the falling of a plank on the head of one of the labourers. His Grace of Leinster, when exerting himself in the organ-room, very narrowly escaped being smothered by the falling of some great planks of burnt timbers. Although the fire did not reach beyond the left wing still considerable injury has been done to very valuable furniture in some of the rooms, which was much injured by the water. The house and furniture were largely insured in six offices; the total amount of the insurance was stated to be £53,000. The very valuable paintings belonging to his Grace were all, with the exception of a few on the stairs, fortunately preserved. Although greatly shocked, the Duchess bore the sad event with great equanimity, and is much better than could be expected under the circumstances."

P"A company at Berlin lias commenced the supply of baths and washhouses for the people, on the plan now so familiar in London. The number of persons imprisoned in the Papal States in 1850 was 10,436 ; in 1854 the total had swelled to 13,006.

Frotn the Ist of May up to the 15th November, 549,099 persons had the cho.era in the Austrian empire; 258,030 recovered, 230,861 died, and 30,208 were still under medical treatment. At Magran, in the Tyrol, a Prussian nobleman had been prevented from purchasing a chateau, solely on the ground of his bei g a Protestant. The French manufacturers feel some inconvenience from the drain of men to supply the war, and some are unable to execute their contracts.

The breadth of land in Algeria sowed with cereals is so great, that should the next harvest prove favourable it is computed that the colony can supply one-fourth of the food required by France. The St. Thomas's section—from Chaudiere to St. Thomas, forty miles—of the Grand Trunk Railway of Canada, was opened last fall. This, with the Brockville section, makes 165 miles opened during the year:—what the Company promised to do. The Hamilton and Toronto line of the Great Western Railway has also been opened.

The Rome and Frascati railway is progressing well ; it is expected to be opened early this year.

Berlin now possesses extensive waterworks, made ■with English capital, and constructed by Sir Chas. Fox and Mr. Crompton, the latter being the actual | superintendent of the work. At prestnt only a few public buildings are supplied with the water, but early this year the city generally will receive the like advantage. The water is obtained from the river Spree ; the v orks are on a very grand scale, and are thoroughly efficient. Marshal Peli-ssier has officially notified to the Constantinople papers that henceforward no mention ..whatever is to be made of the movements of the French troops ; and even the list of arrivals of steamers with troops and ammunition is to be discontinued. The directors of the French railways between Calais and Marseilles have arranged to convey officers and soldiers of the British army, travelling on duty or returning from the seat of war. at half fares. It is rumoured in Turin that the Emperor of the French will visit the King of Sardinia in the spring. Lord Harris lately paid a flying visit to the French settlement of Pondicherry, where he was warmly received. At an entertainment given by the Governor, Admiral Verniac, French and English reciprocated compliments on the alliance of the nations. A great many travellers have arrived in Egypt, to spend the winter months in the upper country, where the climate is verj' genial. Among others, there are now on the Nile the Earl of Portarlington, Lord George Paulet, and Lord Abercromby. The Reverend S. G. Osborne has written letters to the " Times" calling attention to the atrocious state of the Turkish prisons; he describes their filthy, crowded, unhealthy, and disorderly condition ; stowing how much a Howard is needed in the East in these days. Three men have been suffocated at Middlesboro'. Two went to sleep in an attic in which the landlady had placed a pan of burning coke ; there was no vent; in the morning they were found^d^ad. There was no sign of suffering on their countenances. The third man perished by sleeping in an oven used for drying moulds at iron-works. There has been thick and bad weather on the Welsh coasts, with loss of life. Five mariners are believed to have been lost by a collision which caused one vessel to sink; and two boatmen have been drowned. At the village of Bellesden, near Leicester, Mr. Partridge, .his aged'mother, his two children, and a bailiff wltb^vas in possession, were poisoned by eating of a^ratter pudding, and Mrs. Partridge died. It appears that she made the pudding, and it contained arsenic ; but whether she accidentally or intentionully introduced the poison, is not yet evident. There was arsenic in the house, part of the remains of a druggist's stock.