CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

New Zealander, Volume 4, Issue 247, 11 October 1848, Page 4

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

[From the Sydney Herald, September 23.] We have Cape papers to the 2nd of August. We regret to bt*te that a number of the emigrant Boers beyond the Oiange River, under the command of Andreas Pketorius were in a state of insurrection, and endeavouring to form a combination with the native chiefs against Briish authority generally, nnd more especially with the view of crushing the rising icttlement of Natnl. In a letter adlresacd to Sir AniJries Stockenstrom, b"y Pretouius himself, these facts wero avowed and distinctly set forth. The Resident Magistrate at Wenburg, only naved himself by n hasty flight, leaving some of his family and his clerk in the hands of the insurgents; and tt>e British rendent at Blnem Fontein, Major Wardkn, narrowly escaped being taken prisoner' anil carried to the rebel camp, by a p.uty of armed Boers who waylaid him when in the duties of his offic°. In his tetter to Sir Andiucb SioCKBNSTiioMf which that gentleman immediately forwarded to Government, Pjmtobi us speaks confidently of Panda, the Z.iola Chief, ai his ally : of Mqsuksii and Moroko wavering, but likely to join him willingly or unwillingly, with whoso assistance, and that of the lesserchiels who could notstand aloofby themselves, he" seems confident of being able to make root am) branch work with the British in this part of he world, and also to punish the waverer ■ and tra,toro amonsgt his own countrymen. He describes, ill Bhort, a deep laid and extensive conspiracy, which would be alarming were it not relieved by the almost incredible ignorance and folly of this blind leader of the blind, evinced by his addressing Ibir Andries as a colleague and brother in revolt, giving him due netice ol his proceedings requesting from him supplies of gunpowder and lead, and expressing his gratification at hearing that he, 1 Mr Andries, is on the move. It is supposed that this letter was written to Sir Andries to induce a belief among the Boers that he was likely to join their party." Upon this intelligence reaching Cape Town Sir H. Smith immediately started for the frontiers, and gave orders for all the disposable force ill the colony, to 1 march into the disturbed districts. A proclamation had been issued declaring Pretorius to be guilty ot treason, and ottering a reward ot £ J IOOU for his apprehension, it was feared that it would be found more troublesome to put down this rebellion than the authoiities appeared to imagine. The Governor (prior to this news Teaching the colony) uad given notice of hits intention to introduce a bill tyr the establishment ot a burgher guard or militia. The stamp tax on newipaperi had been abolished. A motion to establish an uniform penny postage was lost. English news to the 27th Mxy (three days later than we have received tliicci) had been received at the Cuj)C. The only item ot political new* we notice is, that the Jewish Emancipation Bill had been lost iv Hie house of Lords, and the Archbihhop of Canterbury voting in the minority. Consul* were quoted ut The Search for Sin John Franklin.— The Herald, 20 guns, Capt. Kelly. C.8., was at Point Chirambira, above Panama, on the 15th February. A letter from her o» that daie says-—" We hate just received orders to proceed to "Bearing's Mruits iv search < ot fen J. Franklin aud party. We proceed ii.it to Petiotpoltki (a Russian settlement ot Kampscliutka). We are not to run the tisk of being »' pinned" tor the winter, but when thnt commences are to victual and itoie llie Plover for the yeui, and to come aw»y touch with intelligence to Panama, where we expect to arrive about December." The Investigator and the Enterprise would bu ready to leave England duiing the first week in May. They were botk at Woolwich taking iv stores. Shakspeare's HouSn.— lt is stated that the Commissioners ot Woods and Forests have appointed Jame* Shcr dan Kuowles, the dramatist, to the charge of Shaksp'eaic'ts House, at Stfatford-on-Avon, at a balary of £250 a-year. Thomas Cribb, in past days the prize-fighting " Champion of iLnglabd," died on the 12ih, at ins home in Woolwich, of old age. His brethren of the ring have supported him by subscriptions for some years past* <

A most 6erioni explosion took place at Nomianton, yeiterday week, of a locomotive boiler, by which the lives of four persons have been seriously endangered. On Tuesday forenoon, a passenger train' from Hull containing carriages for Derby and Manchester, was brought to Normanton, after which the engine was detached opposite the boo&ing-offices. No sooner was it uncoupled, than, from some cause yet unknown, the boiler burst "with a terriffic explosion, blowing the driyer and a youth named Clark, who stood with him on the engine* right across the tender with fearful violence. One of the booking clerks,' named Fawcett, ' who stood at the booking office door, was struck down by the force of the explosion, and' some particles of a glr.s' door, also destroyed, penetrated his head, and he too lies in a' dangerous condition, A Mr. Laveslej, also, of the goods depanment, met with serious injury, having been severely scalded by the Bteam emitted from the boiler. '' '

Awful Thunder Stores.— On Sunday afternoon, August 2, the town and neighbourhood of Hudders - field weie visited by one of the most Jerrific and destructive thunderstorms ever known to have occuned' Flashes of lightning, and distant peals of thunder were heard, and repeated at intervals, from one till half-past three, when the , lightning became more fre, auent and vivid, the thunder more loud, and flash after ash, with the roar as of a thousand cannon, followed each other in such' rapid succession amidst a fall of hail and rain, which descended not in torrents, but more like cataracts, that the effect was indeed truly alarming. The stones were torn up in the neighbouring roads, and streams ran down the streets in the town like n-' vulets. The cellars and low dwellings were almost instantly filled with water, and the losses of many of the humble classes in provisions, &c, will be se\ere. Thousands of squares of glass in gentleman's greenhouses, and factory sky fights have been smashed. The damage to machinery, &c, at Mold Green and the neighbourhood, is estimated at from 1000 l to 15001., At Almondbury, si^ young men and boys were sheltering in a new building, partly built, and while there it was struck by the electric fluid ; two of them, brothers, named Armijage, of 17 and 111 1 years, and another named Clegg, aged about 18, were killed on the spot, one dangeiously hurt, and the other two not severely. At Honley, Mrs. Roebuck and daughter were on the sofa, with a dog underneath ; the lightning entered, killed the young lady and dog, struck Mrs. Rocburk senseless, and did considerable damage. Many parts of the neighbouihood appearpdon Monday morning a complete wreck The s>ame afternoon, Wakefield was visited by a most flieadful thunderstorm. A poor woman, named Ellis, lesiding in East Moor, Wakefield, was killed. To add to the terror of the people of Wakefield, the g>s was extinguished iv