EXTRACTS FEOM LAST MAIL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 284, 1 December 1868, Page 3

EXTRACTS FEOM LAST MAIL.

Our readers will be glad to hear that her Majesty, during her late visit to Switzerland, has made a pleasant ascent of Mount Pilate, Of the two rival mountains that guard the entrance of St. Gothard gorge, near Lucerne, the most frequented by travellers is the Righi; but the grandest by far is Mount Pilate. Its wild precipitous aspect however is sufficient to deter mere excursionists from approaching it, and it is even -said that there was formerly a cantonal law forbidding the attempt in consequence of its dangers. Princess Louise was with the Queen as well as Prince Arthur, who has already earned for himself a reputation as an Alpine climber. Her Majesty rode her English pony, and was escorted by her Highland attendants, who, if report speaks truth, have outdone the Swiss hillmen in mountain walking. H. Hoffman, the well-known guide, led the way to the top, and accomplished the distance in four good hours. The Royal party did not return till the evening. The following names were inscribed In the travellers' book at the Bellevue Hotel:— Countess of Kent; Lady Louise Kent; Lieutenant the Hon. Arthur Kent; E.E., Marchioness of Ely; Colonel Henry Ponsonby, G.G. From the last report of the Rochdale Equitable Society we gain the information that £76,180 Is 7d has been received for goods sold in the quarter ending June 30, being an increase on the corresponding •quarter last year of £5521 19s 4d. The profit for dividend is £9737 11s 9d, or 2s Id in the pound. A strange anomaly is brought to light by some recent proceedings in a coroner's court in South London. If a man finds a drowned body and informs the authorities, he gets 8s 6d; but if he saves the life of a ■drowning man he gets nothing. The coroiier 'for East Surrey states that he has been informed that drunken men are pushed into the water in order that the murderers ■may get Ss 6d each for the bodies. At the Shoreditch County Court, an action was brought by a groom against a horse-dealer for compensation for injuries sustained through the bite of a dog. That the animal bit the plaintiff there was no question, but the defendant maintained that the disposition of the dog was invariably peaceable, and that on this occasion it had most likely been provoked. The jury, however gave plaintiff £40 damages. The Mersey ."Docks and Harbor Board ■is about to make its first contribution for the relief of the poor of the parish of Liverpool. At the meettn_ar of the select vestry, Mr Barstow, the Chairman of the Finance Committee, stated that a communication had been received from the Chairman of the Dock Board, intimating that a cheque for £105,000 had .been signed in fuvof of the parish, and wou'J be handed over as soon as certain preliminary arrangements with the Poor-law Board had been settled. Among the experiments announced to be made in the presence of the Emperor 'during his approaching visit to the camp of Chalons, are some of a remarkable character, in which the explosive force applied to heavy ordnance is to be produced by the agency of petroleum. The French authorities profess to expect important results from these experiments. It is reported that the Austrian artillery has become the best of any in Europe. The whole Austrian army is now furnished with the needle-guns. The fieldpieces are all rifled (royes); and the cannon cartridges are made up with metallic covers, which are more exactly fitted to grooves inside the guns, and cause the pieces to carry the shot to a much greater distance. The Emperor Francis Joseph and the Archduke Albert are burning with a desire to take revenge for Sadowa. They •are convinced that they will be able to keep the Prussiau army in check, if EYance make a joint move with them. But the situation is not yet clearly brought out, and they have to wait for the signal from the Cabinet of the Tuileries. A Washington correspondent of a New York paper says that, in the event of General Grant being elected President, Mr Charles Sumner will be his Secretary of State, and Mr Charles Adams, late American Minister in England, will probably be elected as Senator by Massachusetts, in the room of Mr Sumner.