ENGLISH NEWS.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 226, 29 September 1847, Page 3

ENGLISH NEWS.

The Customs Duties Bill was read a spcond time in the House of Lords on the 23rd April The Government had fixed the differential duty on Colonial Rum at 9d., instead of 6d., as originally intended. Between the Ist and 15th April, there had been imported into Liverpool fiom America, 106,592 barrels flour; 649,719 bushels Indian corn; 54,192 bushels wheat; 24,135 barrels Indian-corn meal, &c. The demolition of the first part of the houses in Tc thill-street, Dean-street, and the Almonry, Westminster, for the formation of the proposed street from the New House of Lords to Buckingham Palace, has been commenced. The celebrated physician Sir Henry Marsh, has published a small but conclusive pamphlet, in which he says, if soup diet be relied on in Ireland to any consideiable extent, the population will be carried off by dysentery. The Emperor of Russia has just given orders that the works of the railway from Sr. Peteisburg to Moscow, shall be pushfd forward with the greatest activity, and that the number of workmen at presen; employed shall be increased by 50,000 soldiers. It is stated that this, great railway will be entirely completed in the course of the autumn of next year, and, perhaps, even sooner. A letter from Constantinople mentions an act of liberality on the part of the Sultan which does him great credit. Upon hearing of the sufferings of the Irish, the Sultan caused to be handed to the Hon. Mr. Wellesley £1000, to be disposed of by him in the best way towards their alleviation. Louis Phillippe has created Munoz, the husband of Queen Christina, a French Duke. The National bitterly characterises the act as one of disgusting buffoonery. Mdlle. Rachel is said to have signed an engagement for London at 5000 francs anight for the period of her conge". Russia bids 252,000 francs for the same term. In Paris, where there is always a rage for something or other, it is said to be quite the fashion for the ladies to supply themselves with an apparatus for inhaling ether, and nothing pleases a Parisian lady better than for gent emen to submit to be experimented upon. — Parisian Illustrated News.

Coming Harvest in Ireland. — Bad though our present prospects be, we see glimpses of retrieval for the future, much of old inactivity has yielded to energy and self reliance. As the tilling season draws to a close, the greatest efforts are being made to compensate for past neglect. The fine weather has reacted on the popular despondency, and brought the listless and hopeless into the field. In the south especially, the past week has been one of jeal agricultural movements. Limerick, one of the richest counties in Ireland, is reported to be full sown ; wheat, beyond an average, oats and barley a fair average, and potatoes iti reasonable abundauce. " Crowds of people," says the Limerick Chronicle, "are seen from morning to night in the fields." In all Cork, with the exception of the unhappy btrip of coast where labour is less active : and in Tipperary, Clare, and Kerry, the accounts are equally cheering. Should the two ensuing months prove favourable, a large supply of early potatoes will be available for geueral consumption in July. — Correspondent of Daily News.

The Installation at Cambridge. — Active preparations are in progress to celebrate this auspicious event with becoming dignity and splendour in July next. In Trinity College, where, of course, Prince Albert will be en teitained during his stay, workmen have for some time been employed. Wordsworth, the venerable laureate, is writing the ode, which, as on the last occasion, wi'l beset to music by professor Walmisley. The committee appointed to decide on plans for a public ball for the benefit of Addenbrooke's Hospital have had several meetings, and it is hoped that, as on the last occasion, the Fitzwilliam Museum will be secured. There is also to be a grand horticultural fele in Downing Grounds, open to the competition of the whole kiugdom ; and there will be we understand, a concert and an oratorio, besides a splendid^/ete in the magnificent grounds of Trinity College. Of course, our readers are aware fhat it would be against all etiquette for Her Majesty to be present ; but the proceedings will be conducted with great mag-

nificence notwithstanding. — Cambridge Indej endent.

' Loss of the "Tweed." — It is understood to be the intention of the committee of Lloyd's, with reference to the noble and disinterested conduct of Captain Camp, of the Spanish brig Emilio, in rescuing the survivors of the crew and passengers of the Tweed steamer, to recommend to the subscribers in general meeting to bestow upon him the honorary medal of the establishment, in silver ; and to Don Vilaverde, his mate, the honorary medal, in bionze, and a sum of money to the crew of the Emilio, as a mark of their approbation of the heroic am! generous conduct displayed by those persons on the occasion of the wreck of the Tveed steamer. It will be remembered that Lord John Russell announced on Friday night, in the Hoube of Commons, the intention of the povernraent to present the gallant captain with the sum of £500, as a reward for his noble services. The Great Western Steam-ship. — We believe we may now venture to state that this noble vessel has ceased' to be the property of a Bristol Company. We hear that Captain Chappell, secretary to the West India Mail Steam Packet Company, has completed the purchase of her for the sum of £25,000, exclusive ol her plate. The Great Western will leave her berth on this present Saturday morning, and proceed to Pill for the purpose of "shipping her paddles, previously to going to Southampton. From that port she will sail for a five months' voyage, and at the expiration of that period, we hear that it is the company's intention to lay her up, and expend a large sum upon her (report says £10,000) in repairs, refitting, &c. The Great Western has hitherto been a most lucky ship, and we heartily hope that good fortune may attend her for the future. — Bristol Mirror.

First Appearance of Mademoiselle Jenny Lind. —On Tuesday evening, Jenny Lind made her debut before a British audience in her Majesty's Theatre. The crowd whs immense both without and within the Theatre. Her Majesty, who came to patronize the Swedish vocalist, was welcomed with enthusiasm. "For a moment," says the Times, " Mademoiselle Lind was a little overcome by her immense rpception, but it was for a moment only, and as a singer and an actress sho had perfect possession of all her powers throughout the evening. If the expectations were great, we must say that they were more than realised. People came prepared to admire, but they admired beyond the extent of their preparation. The delicious quality of the organ —the rich gushing notes were something entirely new and fresh. The auditors did not know what to make of it. They had heard singers over and over again, but here, that wondrous thing, a new seusatiou was actually created. The conversation in the boxlobbies were all in iicative of the highest gratification, and the highest wonder, weie all variations in the one theme of " Did you ever hear of such a thing in your life?" Those of our readers who were not in the house may fancy we are rhapsodising, but all that wpre tl'ere, and had an opportunity of joining in general conversation, know that what we are stating is a pure unexaggerated fact. The I sustained notes, swelling with lull richness, and fading down to the softest piano, without losing one iota of their quality, being delicious when loud, delicious when whispered, dwelled in the public ear, and responded in the public heart. The shake mezzo voce with which she concluded the pretty air. "Quand je quittai ma Normandie" was perfectly wonderful for its rapidity and equality. This air was rapturously encored wuh the most enthusiastic waving of hats and handkerchiefs. Even the way in which she utiered the first two or three notes of her Romanza "Va dit elle " so completely took the audience by surprise, that they interrupted her progress, and forced her to stop by their impetuous applause. While Mademoiselle Lind raised her audience to enthusiasm by the exquisite nature of her organ, and by her perfect execution, the impression she made on them as an actress was no less profound. There is no conventionality about her, no seizing the strong points of a character and letting all the rest drop. She acts thoroughly, and whether she is singing or is confined to bye play, her histrionic exertions are the same. Hence a perfect naturalness, and an infinite variety of gesture. AH seems dictated by the moment, and yet all is graceful.

The River Plate. —A handsome monument is about to be erected by Rear Admiral Inglefield, Commander-in-Chief of the fleet on the River Plate, and his brother officers, in honour of the men who fell in the action of the 20th November, 1825, at Punto Obligate The top of the marble is decked with various naval emblems, surmounted with a wreath of laurel; underneath is carved a highly-fini-shed representation of the place and fort in sight of the fleet sent against it.

Important from Algeria. — Despatches have been received by the French Govern-

ment from Algiers, according to which the great mountain range of Kabylia or Jurjura had made submission, and become subject and tributary to France. According to the terms of the treaty, the mountaineers engage to bring tribute twice a-year to Algiers. No enemy of France will be received in the mountains. All Europeans are to be allowed to travel without being molested, the roads being kept free and secure. On the other band, the Governor-General engages that so long as these conditions are observed, .no Fiench troops shall be marched into the country. Thjs vast country forms a triangle, of which the base extends from Dellys to Bougie, upon the Mediterranean, the top being the Setiff, Bougie, and Gigelli. The natural ports of the Setiff are now freed frpm the blockade in which they were held for fifteen years. The Jurgura is said to he rich in iron mines, which will henceforth be opeued to French engineers. Remarkable Prophecy of Cobbett. — While speaking of Irelaud, Cobbett said that the dirty weed, alluding to the potato, would be the curse of Ireland. " How so ?" replied Dr. Smith : " What must the people do without it ? They live upon it. They have had it in cultivation 180 years." Cobbett answered, " They must go back to the same food they were accustomed to live upon previously to the general cultivation of the dirty weed, that is to grain, as wheat, oats, rye, &c. You have four millions of souls in Ireland, and eight millions of acres of uncultivated ground. This ground must be drained and brought into cultivation, and you must again grow wheat, oats, rye, &c. The potato will not last more than twenty years, when it will work itself out, and then you will see to what a state Ireland will be reduced. You must return to the grain crops, and Ireland, instead of being the most degraded, will become one of the finest countries in the world. You may live to see my words prove true, but I never shall."

THE BLESSING OF ETHER. , A bladder of Ether, Oh! fill, fill for me! Let those who prefer it feel pain ; But I'll have out mv tooth, though a molar it b». And it never shall plague me again. The dentist his forceps displays to my eye, I feel no emotions distressing ; Inhaling my Ether, the wrench I defy — Oh ! Ether indeed is a blessing ! — Punch.