ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 248, 15 December 1847, Page 3

ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

The parliamentary session closed on the 22nd of July, and the prorogation was to take place on the next day, which would be immediately followed by a dissolution. The business of elections would therefore be the engrossing subject for the next month, but less interest appears to be manifested on the matter than has been usual. For the City of London there were eight candidates : — Lord i John Russell, Baron Rothschild, Sir George" Larpent, and Mr. Pattieson, -on the Liberal side ; and Messrs. Masterman, Johnson, Bevan, and Freshfield, on the Conservative. . The latter party desired to effect a compromise, and negative the lepresentation of the City by electing two of each party. This was objected to by the Liberals, as they have good hopes of bringing in the who'e of their own men. Iv Marylebone, Mr. D. Whittle Harvey, who has resigned the commissionership of police, comes forward as the successor of Admiral Napier. Contests for some of the other metropolitan boroughs were talked of. Some very serious charges have been brought against the French Ministers. They are accused of selling the right to open a theatre for £4,000, and applying the money to the founding of a newspaper ("JJEjoqueJ, which advocates their views, and with carrying it on with money obtained by the moat corrupt practices, among which was the sale of a peerage : of demanding from the postmasters £48,000, as the price of a Bill of Indemnity, to be introduced into the Chambers, to compensate the postmasters for the losses they had sustained by the establishment of railways ; of allowing the Globe (M. Guizot's semi-official organ) £200 a month as the price of its support ; of circulating a forged letter to the constituents of one of their body (M. Emile de Girardin), whom they wished to sacrifice to the popular fury, and many other tricks equally disgraceful to them, both as ministers and men. Lieutenant Munro, who shot LieutenantColonel Fawcett, in a duel four years ago, has just surrendered himself for trial, having absconded at the time. By late improvements in railway travelling, the journey from London to Edinburgh, a distance of 400 miles, now occupies only fourteen hours. Lieutenant Waghorn, the celebrated traveller, had in interview with the Pope in the latter end of April. The Duke of Bedford has given £13,000 towards the formation of a new street in London. From the 27th December, 1846, to the 24th April, 1847 — not four months — no less than 2103 persons died in the Cork Union Workhouse ! The Rev. Dr. Alder had departed from England for British North America for the purpose of arranging certain religious differences which have been existing for the -last seven years between the British and Canadian Wesleyan societies. A despatch had been received at Lloyds' from the Board of Trade, announcing, from a letter received from the British Consul at the island of Owhyee, the existence of sulphur in abundance on that island, at a' distance of 26 miles from a shipping port. Mr. Aitkin of Aberdeen, had taken out a patent for the construction of iron coaches. i Mr. Etty has sold his celebrated pictnre of Joan of Arc for 2,500 guineas. The Emperor of Russia has forv* arded a medal to the Duke of Richmond, as President of the Royal Agricultural Association of England. The death of Lord Cowley is said to have had considerable effect upon the feelings of the Duke of Wellington, his brother, who i» senior by four years. 1

Even in the plenitude of her power Lola Moniez cannot so wholly engross the Bavariau Monarch's senses as te cause him to forget, in her si/ken bondage, the virtues of Silk Worms his Majesty having authorised an Association o! Lat'ies, to be formed for rearing Silk Worms, and promoting the growth of silk within the kingdom ; the Queen has taken the association under her patronage, and is to name the President.

Ether. — Cazenova, bead surgeon of the lunatic asylum at Pau, has tried the use of vapour ot ether on a mad girl. The poor creature had been unable to obtain sleep for five months. She was made to inhale ether, and her agitation soon ceased. After five inhalations, she fell into a complete state of insensibility, which lasted twenty-five minutes, at the end of that time, the torper ceased, and no symptoms of disorder remained.

Egypt. — The Times states, upon the authority of a correspondent, that the foundation of the first lock of the barrage of the Nile, was laid in the month of April by Mehemit Ali, with much pomp. Seventy bulls were slaughtered and given to the workmen, and two thousand sheep were distributed amongst the poor.

The Weather. — Poor Hood, whose quaint humour was never at a loss for a subject, thus apostrophized a Spring very similar to the one of 1847 :—: — " Come, gentle Spring J etherial mildness come 1" Oh ! Thompson, void of rhyme as well as reason, How could'st thou thus poor human nature hum ? There's no such season. The Spring 1 I shrink and shudder at her name I For why, I find her breath a bitter blighter 1 And suffer from her blows as if they came From Spring the fighter.

The Oak has Won. — When the ash tree opens its leaf before the oak, a wet summer usually follows ; and when. the oak tree opens its leaf before the ash, a dry summer usually follows. The oak is first this year. — Mark Lane Express.

How to keep a Cafe. — Monsieur anld Madame Delamarre, the latter the famous *• belle limonadiere," who some months ago attracted by her beauty immense crowds to the Cafe Frascati, were on Tuesday cited before the Tribunal of the Seiue on a charge of simple bankruptcy. Neither the beautiful fair one nor her liege lord deigned to appear, and it was stated that they are both at present in England ; but the case was gone into. It appeared that the lady had incurred heavy debts for the splendid dresses in which she was wont to exhibit her lovely charms to the admiration of the frequenters of the Cafe, and the greater number of persons who used to least their eyes on her beauty from outside the doors and windows for nothing. Unfortunately, however, both the lady and her husband neglected to pay for all these fine things, as well as for many others ; and, what was more they neglected to keep accounts of their business and expenses, which, as traders, the law required them to do. For this it was that they were summoned before the tribunal. They were also accused of having incurred excessive personal expenses, and in support of this charge it was stated that the belle limonadierre had had twelve gowns made in one day, had always gone out in a carriage, and had kept a livery servant, two lady'smaids, and a dame de compagnie. It however appeared on the other hand, that the receipts of the Cale in which the lady presided amounted at times to 1,400f. and 1,500f. a day, and never averaged less than 700f. The Tribunal, taking all the circumstances into consideration dismissed the complaint against Madame, but condemned her husband by default to a year's imprisonment. — Galigntni.

American Wit. — One of the American papers observes of Mr. Wentworth, the member of Congress for the district of Illinois, who it appears, is of " pretty considerable " altitude, that "he is so tall, that, when he addresses the people, instead of mounting a stump as is usual in the West, they are obliged to dig a bole for him to stand in 1" Another paper, which goes the whole ticket against Mr. Wentworth, politely observes that, " They dig a hole for him, not because he is tall, but because he never feels himself at home, except he is up to his chin in

dirt." Narrow Escape from Losing Fame and Money. — At a dinner lately given fay Mr. Mackinlay, of the firm of Goulding, P'Almaine, and Co., to the subscribers to a testimonial in the form of a supe.b candelabrum, to be presented to Mr. D'Almaioe on his retirement from the business of musicpublishing, after a connexion with it of fifty years' standing, Sir Henry Bishop, in returning thanks, when his health was. drunk, mentioned a remarkable escape which three of the most popular vocal pieces that were perhaps ever written had had from obscurity. He Stated that the manager had endeavonred 10 cpt out the "Tramp Chorus" from the " Knight oiVSnow don," the " Chough and Crow" from " Guy Mannering," and " Mjnheer Van Dunck" from the " Law of Jay»."

The Earl of Elgin is to have the green ribband, vacant by the death of the Duke of Argyle. The Synod of the Presbyterian Church in England, has appointed the Rev. ]Vlr. A mot, of Glasgow, to the office of Professor of Divinity, in the College of that body, and the Rev. W. C. Burnes, has been ordained its missionary to China.

The Colonies. — " I understand it is now the intention of the Government to make another concession to the colonies, which, though but of an unsubstantial character, is nevertheless in the right direction, the systematic Avoidance of which by ministers has been long the subject of surprise to reflecting persons. That the Government of an aristocratic and monarchial state should persist during centuries, in planting democratic colonies, has often excited wonder, and in too many instances been productive of substantial evils to the empire ; yet such has been the constant practice of all our various rulers, although evidence is nor wanting that *ome of them doubled its prudence. At length however, it is in contemplation to extend the honours of the Bath to colonial aspirants, and for that purpose a new modelling of the order is about to be undertaken. The step is in the right direction, and alihough but a very short one, it may ultimately lead to a better and safer policj in our dealings with the branches of the great British stem." — London Correspondent of the Dublin Mail, June 5.

The New Planet. — We received yesterday the Universal Prussian Gazette of Wednesday last, which contains the following astronomical information respecting the new planet, in addition to that with which Sir J. South favoured us yesterday :—": — " Berlin, July 6, 1847. — On the Ist instant, at lOh. 30m. p.m., the discoverer of Astrsea, M. Encke, of Driesen, discovered a second star, not previously marked on his map, of about the 9th degree of magnitude, in 257deg. 6m. 7s. right ascension and 3deg. 42rain. ss. southern declination. On the 3rd instant, at llh. 45m. p.m., it had retrograded to 256deg. 40m. right ascension, and 3deg. 51m. ss. southern declination. These data refer to the equinoxial, which forms the basis of the academical celestial charts, one of which may serve for the purposes of investigation. According to the information afforded by M. Encke, the new planet (for that it is such there is every probability) was observed on the sth of July, from the observatory in this city, in the meridian and in the refractor. The first gives the place as follows- — Date, July 5; Time, lOh. 48m. 28s. ; right ascension, 256deg. 51m. 345. 5 ; south declination, 4deg. Bm. 275. 8. A comparison made about three hours later shows that the right ascension is daily diminishing by about 12 m.nutes, and the southern declination increasing about six minutes. The star is about the ninth degree of magnitude, and probably belongs to the smaller planets. (Signed) M. Encke."

Manufacture, Properties, and Uses, of Sulphuric Acid. — At the last monthly meeting of the Royal College of Chemistry, Hanover-square, a highly interesting and instructive lecture upon the manufacture, the properties, and the uses of sulphuric acid, was delivered with marked ability by Mr. Noad, in the presence of a large assembly of scientific and professional gentlemen. The chair was taken at nine o'clock by the Hon. P. Pusey, Esq., M. P., who opened the proceedings by commenting on the comparative ignorance of agriculturists some ten years back, respecting the value of sulphuric acid in its application to the culture of the soil, and their full appreciation at the present time of the great importance of that chemical agent in fertilizing 'and. The learned lecturer commenced his observations by characterizing sulphuric acid as one cf the most powerful agents yet known, whether in the laboratory or the manufactory, and referring to Professor Liebig's remark that the commercial prosperity of a country might be judged of by the quantities of that article which it consumed, said that he would go further, and declare ths consumption of it by a country foimed no inadequate cr/terion whereby to judge of the state of civilization! in that country. Accordingly, the importation of sulphur into Great Britain was very great, notwithstanding the check it had received from the Neapolitan government having granted between the.ye.ars | 1836 and 184.0, a monopoly of the sulphur trade of Sicily (the chief source of our supply) to a French company. D"ring that period I no less than fifteen patents had been taken ! out in England for inventions for furnishing a supply of sulphur, one of the most successful of which was a method that had been devised of separating sulphuric acid from lime gypsum, and had not the monopoly been discontinued, there could be no doubt but that , this cpuntry would now have been rendered independent, by some of these means, of the Sicilian supply. The learned lecturer then , having glanced at the various forms in which .sulphur is found in its natural state, in combination with metals and with earths, and in

the animal and -vegetable kingdoms, touched upon the nature and properties of sulphurous acid gas, and enlarged upon the early history of the production of sulphuric acid, the various advances made in it until the introduction, towards the end of the 17th century, by two French chemists, of the grand improvement of burning sulphur, in addition to nitre : and finally, he described the present process of its manufacture in large leaden chambers, the last improvement being the adoption of the use of platinum vessels or receiveis, in the manufacture, instead of glass ones. The advantage thus obtained, notwithstanding the great cost of a platinum vessel, which was upwards of £1000, consisted in the economy created by saving the continual breakage of the glass vessels, and the effect of the alteration vi as that the price of the acid was reduced from 4d. per lh. to l^d. p«=T lb. Thus the use of this valuable product could be moie and more extended. Mr. Noad then briefly recapitulated the uses to which this agent is applied — such as the refining of silver, &c. ; and he particuldily dwelt upon its application to the dissolving of bones to produce phosphate of lime for the purposes of agriculture. He showed that it was of the utmost importance for the proper treatment of ihe soil that the phosphate of lime, which is removed from it by the production of crops, should be returned to it in the most efficacious manner, and that this was best and most speedily accomplished by dissolving bones in sulphuric acid, and bringing the phosphoric acid to be&r upon the land. The learned gentleman, after some further observations upon the use of phosphate of lime, soda, potabs, &c, as manure, concluded amidst general applause a most able lecture, the interesting features of which were much enhanced by the successful performance of the experiments with which he illustrated it throughout. The honourable chairman, in moving a vote of thanks to Mr. Noad, observed that the article upon which the learned gentleman had so ably lectured — sulphuric acid — was coming into general use among the farmers, and lately he had seen several carts laden with it driven across Salisbury Plain (hear, hear). Mr. Noad acknowledged the compliment, and the thanks of the meeting having been voted to the honourable chairman and duly acknowledged, the meeting separated.

The Farmer and his Visitors. — A friend of ours has sevetal relations who are wealthy farmers in the vicinity of Northwich. One of these informed him, a few days ago, that he had received a visit in the preceding week from a party of Liverpool gentlemen, who requested permission to go through his potato fields. He directed them to extensive breadths of the favourite root, flourishing in green luxuriance. " They went through th' fields," said he, "pulling up first one set and then another, and looking at 'em all over through a burnin' glass, (meaning a magnifier), an' then they threw 'em down again as if they couldn't find what they wanted. At last I asked one of 'em what they were looking for. " Oh," said the gentleman, "we are " looking if we can discover a Fides ", (aphides.) A Fides ! I thought — what's a Fides ? I never heard tell o' such a thing. At last I asked a servant lad, as was walking behind 'em, what they were looking for? " They're come to look for a vast tater, (vastator) as I heeid 'em say." "A vast tater," says I, " that's a big 'un I suppose ; but they cannot expect to find any big 'uns yet." So I said to one of 'em, "If it's a big potato you're looking for — " " No, no," said he, s< we're looking for the potato disease." " Oh," said I, " you'll find none of it here, thank Heaven ! Only look at 'em and see how they are growing : it does one's heart good to see 'em." But they did not seem over much pleased either, and they went on pulling up and looking and turning over, till at last they found one with rusty spots on the leaves and a black spot on the stem, such as I have seen many a time twenty years before the potato disease was heard of; and •they seemed satisfied, and they pocketed that chap, and walked off with it. — Liverpool Albion.