ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume II, Issue 87, 30 May 1846, Page 3

ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

Nearly the whole of Park-row, Leeds, which some twenty years ago was entirely occupied by the residence of genteel families and merchants, is now being converted into offices for share-brokers, &c. The authorities at the Horse Guards have determined upon removing the cavalry depot from their barracks at Maidstone to Woolwich as soon as the lease of the former place expires. In consequence of the discovery of a' very rich diamond mine in the province of Bahia, the supply has been so greatly increased during the last year, that the price has fallen five per cent., tnd is likely to fall still lower. The Earl of Derby has presented the members of the Zoological Gardens, in the Regent's Park, with two large alligators. The Roman Catholics of Leicester are

about to erect a magnificent cathedral, Bimilar to that lately built at Nottingham. The greatest winner of 1845, is Lord George Bentinck, who has won fifty-eight races with twenty-five horses, netting a sum of £17,372, besides a cup. Wanstead Park, once the celebrated seat of the Earl of Mornington, is now converted into a brick-field. When the whole of the brick earth is exhausted, the site will be covered with elegant villas. Thb Equity and Common Law Judges. — It appears by a Parliamentary paper, that the salaries of the Judges of the Court of Chancery amount to £33,000, of those of the Court of Queen's Bench to £28,000, and a similar sum for the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas, whilst the salaries of the Barons of the Exchequer are £27,000. The highest salary is that of the Lord Chancellor, who has £10,000. The Lord Chief Justice of the Court of Queen's Bench has the next in amount, £8,000, which is the sum paid to the Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas, and the Chief Baron of the Exchequer has £3,000. The salaries of the Judges of the four courts amount together to £123,577 a-year. It is said that the man is alive, or was three years ago, who remembered the first bale of cotton imported into Liverpool from the Uuited States. Now £15,000,000 are annually embarked in that trade. The* Consiitutionnel announces, that the Mandarin who was immediately concerned with M. Lagrenee in the conclusion of the commercial treaty between France and China, has been nominated a member of the Legion of Honour. On the 31st October, the last settling day on the Stock Exchange, one of the leading banking houses in the city had cheques to arrange to the extent of two millons, the whole of which were liquidated by the payment of a balance of £200,000. A very severe shock of an earthquake occurred at Comrie, in Scotland, on Wednesday, the 29th October, about 4 o'clock a.m. The shock did not cause so much alarm as the unusual long hollow sounding tremor, which was heard for a considerable time after the shock. Vancouver's Island, near the mouth of the river Columbia, is to be the final destination of the Mormon people. The removal determined upon by the sect will take place in the spring. A circular inviting their brethren in all parts of the United States to join them was issued. Lieutenant-Colonel Harry D. Jones, R.E., is appoinled Chairman to the Board of Works, in Ireland, in loom of Major-General Sir John Bungoyne, R. E., now Inspector-Ge-neral of fortifications. Among the new projects on the tapis in Scotland, is the plan of making a tunnel under the Clyde. The proposal is said to have met with much favour. In anticipation of the calling out of the Militia, the " Militia clubs" for providing substitutes have commenced making arrangements for tneir re-organization.

Mauritius. — Very little appears to be generally known of this beautiful island, and yet it is inferior to few places in productiveness of soil and scenic attraction. Within the circumference of ninety miles it em/races almost every variety of surface, from the low and rich plains to the rugged and inaccessible peaks crowning the lofty and picturesque ranges of mountains which intersect it from shore to shore. The deep ravines which everywhere intercept the traveller^ who wanders from the beaten tracks seem to be the result of convulsive rendings of the plains and table land, and abound in streams which dash over the precipitous ledges in a succession of cataracts many hundred feet in height, till they reach the sea. Nature has clothed this island in a garb of luxuriant vegetation peculiar to a tropical country. The great variety of climate embraced by a range of 2000 feet from the level of the ocean to the more elevated parts of the island is favourable for the cultivation of seeds and plants from every part of the world. A ride of two hours will carry the visitor from plains covered with sugar canes, the clove and spice tree, pine apple and banana, to a region where he *ill see wheat, European fruits, and vegetables of old England. Beneath this gay covering, the geologist will find an interesting field for research and speculation on the mighty forces which must, at some early period of the world, have been in terrible activity, as is evinced by the yawning chasms, riven mountains, and silent craters. Here may be traced the successive stratifications formed by a sub-marine volcano, to which alone can be attributed the singular positions of many of the higher peaks of the mountains, such as the Peter Bath. Nor did these agencies cease with that great effoit which left a blackened heap of lava overlooking the waters of the ocean, for there is ample proof of the recurrence of volcanic action in the eruptions of basalt, forming the gentle slopes and smooth plains now studded with the

habitations of man. It is surprising how quickly the traces of hurricanes are effaced from the cultivated parts of the country by the energy of tropical vegetation and the activity of human industry. It is somewhat different, however, in those parts which are abandoned to the dominion of nature, where the visitor will find indelible traces of the storms. The forests are strewed with the trunks of vast trees, which had resisted the elements till they attained a magnitude which might seem to defy further assaults. So quickly are the wrecks of these noble trees overrun by exuberant vegetation, that their very.existence escapes the notice of the careless traveller. But let those who desire to witness the effects of bygone hurricanes visit the clearances recently made by the emancipated blacks amongst the recesses of the woods. Even without quitting the paths that intersected the truly primeval forests of the Isle of France, the stranger will find his attention arrested by groups of gigantic trunks, made bare and branchless by successive storms, which are seen towering far above the rounded green summits of the younger trees. Nor is the effect diminished by the numerous and beautiful creeping plants peculiar to the island, which, clasping these riven giants of the forest, ascend to the highest point, and are seen waving gracefully in the breeze, or stretching in festoons to the neighbouring branches. — Thorn's Inquiry into the Nature and Course of Storms.

Thrilling Oratory. — They have some brave orators out west — that fact there is no disputing, if we admit that the reporters translate them aright, and of course they "don't do anything else," as the following specimen of lofty and burning eloquence will testify :—: — " Americans ! This is a great country— wide — vast — and in the southwest, unlimited. Our Republic is yet destined to re-annex all South America — to occupy the Russian possessions, and again to recover possession of those British provinces, which the prowess of the old thirteen colonies won from the French on the plains of Abraham ! all rightfully ours to reoccupy. Ours is a great and growing country. Faneuil Hall was its cradle ! but whar — whar will be found timber enough for its coffin ? Scoop all the water out of the Atlantic Ocean, and its bed would not afford a grave sufficient for its corpse. And yet America has scarcely grown out of the gristle of boyhood. Europe ! what is Europe ? She is no whar ; nothing ; a circumstance ; a cypher ; a mere obsolete idea. We have faster steamboats, swifter locomotives, larger creeks, bigger plantations, better mill privileges, broader lakes, higher mountains, deeper cataracts, louder thunder, forkeder lightning, braver men, handsomer weemen, and more money than England dar have ! [Thunders of applause.] Who is afraid ?"