Miscellaneous.

Lyttelton Times, Volume X, Issue 605, 25 August 1858, Page 5

Miscellaneous.

Native Peinces. —There still exist in India at least 220 sovereign princes, rajahs, or chieftains, of different ranks and powers, from the Nizam, who is the monarch of a great kingdom * with a distinct army of 60,000 men, down to the petty Mahratta and Bejpoot chiefs. These princes rule and govern upwards of 600,000 square miles of territory; they have at least forty millions of subjects, their independent reyenues are extremely great, and they have under their direct orders military-bodies, wholly unconnected with the company, which amount to 350,000 armed men. '*' It is true," says Mr. Thornton, from whose papers we borrowed these details, "that considerable portions of these troois of native states are better, fitted for police purposes than for war; that no regular system "of payment obtains among them ; and that they are for the most pai't badiy organised and inefficient. But on the other hand the list is by no means complete. It comprises the rajahs, who may be said to have a political status, but most of these have in turn petty de-.' p ndant feudations, all having armed followers . which swell the native forces of India to a prodigious amount."— Edinburgh Review. //^

A Night with Beazilian Rats—Although the hotel.(Albergo lmperiale) was the principal establishment of the kind in Bio, my.bedroom,.-, was very poorly furnished. Pleased, however, to find myself once more on dry land, I went to bed earlier than usual, looking forward td a quiet night's rest. Soon after I had put my candle ont, I thought my room must be haunt >d. My glasses were upset, boots pulled about, and there were strange noises all around me. I was not kept long in suspense, however, for I felt, something running over ray bed, and at last over my face, and to my horror I,found myself in company witli numerous rats, which for s*"ze are unequalled, except, I.believe, in Cadiz. Not knowing what to do for the best, I drew the sheet over my head, not to com v in contact with, them, knowing that if I struck one'they-would attack me en masse. I remained in this disagreeable position fully an hour, when I aud* deuly heard cries, and a disturbance in the room below, which led me to suppose that some people in it were quarrelling. By degrees* everything became quiet, and then again I: heard the sound of many voices. Presently there was a knock at the door, and in walked the. lit nd-, lord who came to make inquiries after mo.—: Sketches of Society in Paris, India, tyc. Ity, Major Chambre, late llth Lancers. ".-..•/ /

"The devil's meal is all hr.iv," was tho extraordinary, subject of tho Itev. 11. S. Brown's lecture on Sunday afternoon, at the Liverpool i Concert-hall. ,

A Cannibal.—A lady advertises in tho j " Glasgow Herald" that she wants a gentleman. ' for " breakfast and tea."