ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 100, 14 July 1843, Page 4

ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

Friday night’s Gazette contains an order in " council, creating a court of justice with criminal and admiralty jurisdiction in the island of Hong Kong. -Marcus Synnot, Esq., Ballymoycr, has gene- ’• rously reduced his rents 12per cent, from the . year 1830. The provisional director and three other functionaries of the Paris and Versailles Railway, are to be indicted for culpable homicide on account of the frightful accident which occurred. The total number of emigrants from Belfast during the three years ending 1542, is 18,040, exclusive of about half as many more who took passage from Liverpool and other ports. On the Great North of England railway, the other day, a cattle waggon was impelled a distance of twenty miles, at the rate of about fourteen miles an hour by the wind alone. A correspondent in a morning paper suggests that, the steam whistle of the railroad locomotives should be used at sea. The last accounts from Rome speak of the probability that a Vicar Apostolic will immediately be appointed by the Pope for China. By a recent order of the Emperor, the punishment of a convicted incendiary in Russia is decreed to be, running the gauntlet six times before 1000 soldiers, and in the event of his surviving, twenty-one year’s labour in the Siberian mines! Not a single drunken person was taken up during Christinas week in Limerick. Cork exports annually to England 50,000/. worth of eggs !

A small steam vessel has been constructed for the Peninsular and Oriental Company, with engines and patent propellers by Penn and Son, of Greenwich, intended to ply on the Mahmoudie Canal, in Egypt, for towing that company’s passage boats. The propellers seem to be an improvement on the Archimedian screw. They consist of two small instruments in the form of the sails of a windmill, working under each quarter of the vessel, and by means of multiplying wheels are turned with great velocity; their action on the water propelling the vessel either forwards or backwards, according to the direction in which they are turned. The boat has been tried on the river, and went at a speed of 11 miles an hour, without causing any perceptible agitation of the water. She has been since shipped at 'Southampton, on board the Oriental for Alexandria.

The Lord Chancellor, on Saturday (December 31,) affixed the great seal to the treaty of peace between this country and China. The seal is enclosed'in a very handsome silver box (similar to that used for the patent of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales,) and, together with the important document to which it is appended, is enclosed in an elegant case covered with crimson velvet.

Opening of the St. Lawrence. —That immense work, the Ship Canal, which connects the St. Lawrence with the upper lakes, is completed, as will be seen by the following extract from the Kingston Whig, .of November 30 : This forenoon the inhabitants of Kingston were greatly surprised by the arrival from Cornwall of the beautiful and capacious steam-boat Highlands', Captain Stearns. This steam-boat was the first vessel that passed through the St. Lawrence canal, which achievement she performed on Friday last. Although one -of the largest steam-boats afloat, the Highlander met with no difficulty in passing through the canal or locks. She left the mouth of the canal yesterday, and ascended the rapids between that and Prescott with the greatest ease. When the civic authorities heard of the Highlander's arrival, the acting Mayor, together with the Corporation, went on board in a body and congratulated Captain Stearns on the event. The authorities then invited the Captain of the boat, Captain Whipple, the managing proprietor, and such of the forwarding merchants as were present, to the British American Hotel, where lunch was prepared, during the discussion of which a vast many complimentary toasts were drunk and several good speeches made.

French Trans-Atlantic Steamers. —The ' French Government are constructing fourteen ■ steam-frigates, to carry the mails across the Atlantic. Thejport selected for their departure is Cherbourg. ’ Four are to be employed in carrying the mails to .New York, and the re- • mainder with the mails to the West Indies, Brazils, Gulf of Mexico, &c. A vessel has been despatched to make all the necessary arrangement for the arrival and departure of the mails, &c. On the 28th November an eruption of Mount -/Etna broke forth, and continued with trifling intermission for three weeks. The damage occasioned.by this frightful visitation is immense —vineyards, and olive groves, which require • ages'.to replace, forests and villas, all were • swept’before the flood of liquid fire. .Earthquakes have been felt in several places, '•some at considerable distances from one another. In Wales and Cornwall some smart shocks have been experienced. Parliament is summoned to meet on the 2nd of February. Since the fire at Liverpool there have been

several lesser outbreaks. We regret to say that on the 28th December a truly awful conflagration «ccurred, attended with a loss of property to the amount of 70,000/. to 100,000/.

The Great Western which was put up for sale some time since -and bought in, is reportec to have been bought in for Mehemet Ali, who has made great efforts to increase his steam marine. With a small sea coast, few harbours, and trade chiefly carried on in foreign bottoms, he finds a difficulty >in procuring a sufficient number of real sailors -competent to handle a fleet of sailing vessels—-he is, therefore, doing his utmost to obtain a powerful force of a kind which requires a less number of experienced seamen. The plague had broken out in Lower Egypt, and was raging with fearful ferocity. The number of persons out of employ at Paisley were II,SOO men. The London Gazette contains the official announcement of the -appointment of Anthony 1 Barclay, Esq., as her Majesty’s consul in the State of New York. There was a report, not considered authentic however, that the insurgents of Barcelona had surrendered at discretion, all but 200 men who had shut themselves up in one of the forts and were disposed to make a stubborn resistance. The latest accounts from Syria were that the Druses andMaronite Christians were threatening farther hostilities against the Turks, and that there was little hope of tranquillity until the mountaineers should have established their independence.

| The anti-corn law agitation is exciting great i interest in the southern portion of the empire. Meetings attended by thousands are held in the manufacturing towns, and the anti-corn law league is abundantly supplied with the sinews of war. The following is the course which the league has announced its-intention to adopt:— “We propose to call on-the country to spend a certain sum of money, -say 50,000/., to be paid into the treasurer’s-'hands by January, 1843, to be a fund for augmenting our resources, and enabling us the -more extensively to diffuse information on this' question throughout every part of the country. We shall be enabled by this means to send out our missionary agents to every elector in the country, with not merely a pamphlet or tract, but a little library of information on this question, which shall show him the proper bearings of it in every respect, and which shall teach him. how to act on every occasion so as best to promote this great -cause. Our agents will be supplied with maps of their districts; and we hope that no town, no village, or hamlet—we hope that no dwelling in the kingdom, shall be found so Temote or obscure, that our agents shall not visit it, and leave a copy of our tracts behind them. In addition to this, we propose to hold conferences. and meetings, and to send deputations to the different towns in the kingdom. We propose further to have a conference, to meet in London the day before the assembling of Parliament; to be there during the entire of the session, if necessary; and never again to separate, if possible, till the measure is finally settled by the total and immediate repeal of the corn-laws.” His Excellency the Right Hon. H. Ellis, late ambassador extraordinary to the Persian'Court, arrived per her Britannic Majesty's ship Salamander, on the 11th inst., on a special mission from the Court of-St.-James’s to the Court of Brazil. The presentation of the right honourable gentleman took place on the 19th, when his Excellency was received with the honours paid to an ambassador; and though there had been a good deal of opposition to the tariff proposed by-England, yet the predominant feeling is in its favour, and it is fully anticipated that the envoy will be able to come to such an issue as will enliven the intercourse between England and the Brazils. The‘French appear to be blustering very loudly against the favourable footing which the British are about to gain in the Brazilian trade.

The Marquesas. —The Moniteur announces, in an official manner, the occupation of the Marquesas or Mendoza Islands. It appears that the French Government is losing no time in preparing for the colonisation of these islands. The Journal de l'lsle et Vilaine states, that “ a most interesting ceremony took place a few days since at -St. Malo. The Archbishop of Chalcedon and Bishop of the Marquesas Islands, surrounded by a number of clergymen, walked in procession to the ship, the Mary Joseph , which is about to sail for that destination. This vessel takes out the Bishop and twelve missionaries, whose object is to convert the inhabitants of the Sandwich Islands. The Mary Joseph takes out likewise twelve nuns of the religious establishments at Peru, and operatives of the Society of St. Joseph, who have devoted themselves to teach the inhabitants several branches of manufactures. The Mary Joseph hoisted three flags—one a red cross, similar to the Templar’s, with the ciphers ‘ another flag, with the same ciphers intermixed with flowers ; and a third with the Pontifical tiara.”— k Colonial Gazette, The Wool Market. —Liverpool, Jan. 14. The demand for the week has been moderate ; good low clean wools are ih fair request, at full; rates. There are a series Of public sales adver-

tised for the 2Gth and 27th inst., which no doubt will curtail our private contract trade till they are over. Already advertised, 3,000 Australian, 1,000 East India, and 500 other sorts. The supply from the colonies of Australia continues to increase, and we are glad to be able to report an improvement in the general condition of these wools. The prices during the year have ranged very low, but we hope there may be a better prospect for the ensuing clip; and we would recommend the growers to persevere in their exertions in getting them up free from burrs, and other impurities, and they may depend, in the long run, they will be amply repaid for such attention. —Mark Lane Express. On dit in quarters whose information may be relied on, that the most interesting event to her Majesty’s liege subjects will take place early in March next. This will consequently make the London season short and late, as the levees and drawing-rooms at St. James’s Palace will not be held till after the accouchement of the Queen. — Globe.

Phenomenon at St. Helena. —In the year 1821,1 was a midshipman in his Majesty’s ship Vigo, guard-ship at St. Helena, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Lambert, and commanded by Captain Thomas Brown, during the latter period of Napoleon’s exile. I had charge of an excellent establishment on shore called the stock-yard, for keeping a supply of fat cattle for the squadron, after the arrival of the animals from the Cape lank and lean. My party of -men always slept on board, landing the next -morning at day-light. It was in the early part of May, a month rendered remarkable by the death of the Great Chieftain, which took place on the sth day, that we were pulling in as usual in the launch, with several workingparties on board, but observing that the surf was too violent for the large boat filled with men to attempt landing, we tried to accomplish it by a few at a time in the jolly-boat. A small number, including myself, got on shore in this manner. Shortly after, I was engaged in conversation with an officer of the Honorable Company’-s ship Ganges, surrounded by native women, some children and Lascars, when I felt myself forcibly pulled by the arm, and heard a person exclaim—“ Look at the horizon, run, save yourself, we shall all be lost!” I did look, and the sight I shall never cease to remember, it was so frightfully grand. On the horizon, from the north-west, appeared an immense undulation, or swell, resembling a bank of water rolling undulation, or swell, rolling majestically ’ in, directly in the wind’s eye.— Whether it was my anxiety for the boats, or that astonishment had paralysed me, T cannot tell, but I felt rivetted to the spot alone, and before I could attempt to save myself, as others did, -by climbing the rocks, I was whirled along with the rapidity of lightning in the midst of this dark wave. Almost in an instant I experienced a violent shock, which stunned me for a few moments; on recovering the perfect use of my senses, I found myself in the armourer’s cave, with the forge lying across my thigh. To this circumstance I must draw attention, as, by its weight, keeping me from going into the sea as the water receded, and from being dashed against the rocks, to it I owe my preservation. Near me were lying two Lascars, one wassplitup the middle, the other’s scull was beat to pieces—both were dead. Fearing a return of the surf, as the sea usually rolls in quickly twice, and then comes with redoubled violence, I made the best use of my ungs ; the carpenter fortunately heard my cries, and rescued me. My clothes were torn to shreds, mylars, eyes, and nose, filled with ashes and blood q but with the exception of a few contusions, and lacerated hands, I was otherwise unhurt. One woman was drowned, and several men and children were picked up by the boats. The first swell that I have mentioned was the prelude to a gigantic surf, which lasted three days. This phenomenon (as northing like it had ever taken place in the memory of the oldest inhabitants) was attributed to an earthquake/ We had only telegraphic communication with the ship while it lasted. The fortifications were much injured in front of St. James Town; huge rocks were torn up and tossed into our little bathing-place to the left of the landing; the guard house was abandoned, the sea reaching the upper windows : the ships rode with sails aback to keep them astern of their anchors; and while it lasted, to see the mass of water burst upon the cliffs, as if to shake the island from its foundation, was the grandest sight I ever beheld. There may be some who would connect such a singular occurrence with the last days of the expiring emperor. Croly, if I recollect right, in his finely-Written history of George the Fourth, speaks of his soul taking its flight amidst the noise of the tempest and roar of the surf, comparing it to the crash of a battle and armies meeting. — United Service Journal.

The elder Sir William Forbes, banker in Edinburgh, and a very polite man, was one afternoon leaving the bank, about four o’clock, with a plain country acquaintance, who had been doing business with him. “ Good morning,’’’ said Sir William, in parting with this person, ** Good mornin’!” cried the other in surprise; “ I got my denner twa hours syne.”