Miscellaneous.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VI, Issue 395, 20 August 1856, Page 4

Miscellaneous.

AUSTRALIA. TESTIMONIAL TO NIGHTINGALE. A public meeting was held in Sydney on July, 23rd, for the purpose of adopting an address to Miss Nightingale, in acknowledgment of her services in the military hospitals of the East, and considering the propriety of raising a colonial contribution to the Nightingale Fund. His Excellency the Governor General presided, and the bishop of Sydney, the Attorney-General, and many of the leading inhabitants of Sydney took part in the proceedings. The following resolution, amongst others, was passed : ■ " That this meeting, earnestly sympathising with the desire of the people of England to perpetuate the memory pfJMiss Nightingale's pure and devoted patriotism, and fully approving of the proposal to raise a national fund to. enable that lady to establish an Institution for the training, sustenance, and protection of nurses and hospital attendants, as a Testimonial the most worthy of her exalted character, is of opinion that a public subscription in aid of so excellent an"object should be forthwith opened in this colony. An address in the following terms was also, agreed upon, to be generally signed in New South Wales, and forwarded to the committee of the Nightingale Fund in London, for presentation. TO MIS 9 NIGHTINGALE. Madam—The inhabitants of the city of Sydney, in public . meeting assembled, desire to coijvey to you this expression of their gratitude and admiration. The history of your services to the sick and wounded in the hospitals of Scutari and the Crimea, and of the sucriQces you have heroically made to be the friend of those who had no other friend between God and their great peril and affliction, has been repeatiid in glowing terms to every civilized people, as a noble example of devotion to the cause of humanity, under circumstances of severest trial and discouragement. The colony of New South Wales desires lo have its voice heard among the communities of tho earth in gratefully acknowledging the lofty attributes of goodness ■which, thus beautifully associated in the character of an. English lady, have contributed, to so incalculable an extent, to the comfort of the suffering and tne consolationof the dying. The courage tempered by stronger gentleness and the decision directed by a more constant intelligence, which have distinguished your noble work of lessenning the calamities of war, are qualities belonging to a mind that can derivo but little support iv its benevolent purposes from tho approval and admiration or tho dweilera in this distant land. Enlgand-, proud of hor array of immortal names, will not fail to preserve among her consecrated memories the name of Florence Nightingale, for tho. sake of its unsullied lustre. But, though we may not hope to influence a mind regulated by such just principles and bo clear a sense of duty, and can do nothing to add to a fame already imperishable, we are yet unwilling to forego tho privilege of expressing our profound rewpeet for virtues that will hereafter be classed with the most (enduring glories of our parent country. We are thankful that tho country of John Howurd has produced a daughter like Florence^Nightingale,

, We pray that you may bo safely restored to Englis ■ociety and tho endearments of homo, and that you maj, jive long in usefulness and honour, surronnded by nver y 'brm of happiness, andhailod everywhere with blessings. y Tlie greatest enthusiasm prevailed at the meeting itid the subject continued to excite the feelings of the inhabitants of Sydney, evidenced by abundant Contributions to the Fund. I On the same evening, in Melbourne, a meeting Uith the same object was held, the acting Governor (in the chair. At this meeting-also, great enthusiasm ion the subject prevailed. The following resolutions (were passed: — i That Miss Nightingale having refused any personal and having with characteristic high mindedness intimated that the most gratifying mode of her receiving any acknowledgment of her, services would be by providing a fund to ennable her to ' Train, sustain, and protect nurses and hospital attendants,' this meeting resolves to call upon the inhabitants of this colony to contribute liberally to the Nightingale Fund. That a subscription list be now opened in the room, and Subscriptions lists be placed at all the Banks and circulated h roughout the colony

The rhortality in the town of Port Louis from cholera alone, from 6th March to 26th May, was 1,605. Russia, it is believed, is about to conclude a concordat with Rome. It is not at all anticipated that the Emperor Alexander will accept the Anstrian concordat for a model. M. de Kissoleff will negotiate the new concordat at Rome. The Minister of State has received a petition from the workmen of Lyons, requesting that for the future the head of Napolnon on th« money of France may be crowned with laurels, nJ^Rljihim is due the houonr of having carried on war with sdjjccss, and of concluding a favourable peace. It is thought that the request will be complied with . By order of the French Government, several very deep borings have been made in the forest of the department of the Moselle, which have resulted in^he discovery of large deposits of coal. Kight companies have been formed for the working of the mines, and it is supposed they will give a great impulse to the manufacturing industry of the department. The' Times,' in rather a mysterious and apologetic sentence, announces that, notwithstanding his long and great service, Lord John Russell is not likely to be returned again for the city of London. Amongst the matters upon which Parliament has been lately solicited to legislate is the translation of the Bible. Three petitions have been presented praying for a new version. The Hamburg correspondent of the Brussels ' Independence' writes: —" the news which we have received from Stockholm leaves no doubt as to the approaching marriage of Prince Oscar, second son of the king, with the Princess Mary of Cambridge. The Prince will leave almost immediately with the Queen mother for Paris. From thence he will proceed to London, to make a somewhat „ prolonged stay, and. will complete the arrangements for the projected union. The fortune of the Princess of Cambridge amounting only to about 3000 Z. a year, it is believed at Stockholm that at the next meeting of the four chambers of the Diet the king will ask for an annual grant for his son, in order to enable that prince to worthily sustain his rank and that of his court. This project already excites , much public attention." There is a rumour at Paris that Lord Cowley will he appointed British Minister at St. Petersburg, and that he will he succeeded in the French Capital by the Earl of Stanhope. ' . , Since the commencement of the war, 170 non-commis" . sioned officers have been presented with commissions in the army—about an eighth of the total first commissions granted without purchase. The Queen, it is said, told Admiral Dundas at the late naval review, that it was her intention to grant a medal for the late Baltic campaigns,