ENGLISH NEWS.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 292, 17 May 1848, Page 3

ENGLISH NEWS.

The Queen Dowager. — The following, extract from a letter dated Madeira, December 4, will be read with interest : — " I hire much pleasure in stating that the Queen Dowager has considerably improved in health since her arrival in this island. - Her Majesty occupies a comfortable mansion belonging to the civil governor, close to the Loo Rock, one of the most agreeable and healtbfrihsituations in this colony. She generally ridtf ob.

horseback in the afternoon, as the roads do not admit of any sort of carriage. The Queen's small circle has been strengthened by the arrival uf the Duke of Saxe Weimar, ami Baron Herman, his second son, who came from Lisbon in her Majesty's steamer Dragon, commanded by Captain Hall. The Duchess and her eldest son had already formed part of her Majesty's society, and this union of the family is a great comfort and consolation to the Queen, whose domestic qualities are not the least of her high attributes. Captain Hall had the honour of dining with her Majesty, and Captain Byles, of her Majesty's 56th regiment, who accompanied his Serene Highness, and the officers of the Drayon, were hospitably entertained by the inhabitants of Funchal during their'short stay. A very pretty exhibition was afforded by the illumination of her Majesty's steamer Dragon on the night of her departure, on taking leave of the Queen." The Meander, 44, Captain the Hon. — , Keppel, with the Rajah of Sarawak on board, is to leave Southampton about the 20th of January. William Napier, Esq., has been appointed Lieutenant-Governor of the Island of Labuan. Soojee Comar Chmcherbutty, a young Hindoo, who is at present pursuiug his medical studies at University College, under the superintendence of Professor Goodeve, was publicly baptized on the 27th December, at the church of St. George the Martyr, Queen Square.

Free Cokvicts for New South Wales. — The Elphinstone, hired barque, dropped down the river yesterday morning opposite the Royal Arsenal to receive on board convicts from the Warrior and Justitia convict hulks at Woolwich, who have voluntarily preferred proceeding to New Sou.h Wales, where they will, on landing, obtain free tickets, with the opportunity of following any plan they may choose to adopt in that country for an honest subsistence, on condition that they do not return to this country again. The convicts under sentences here for long periods appear very glad to accept the stipulated conditions, and numbers have volunteered, and are now having each two suits of plain clothes made them without any of the convict badges -attached, and these clothes will be given to them on cheir embarkation. Two other; vessels have been hired to convey convicts to the' -same destination, and are at present taking in stores at Deptford. A new series of regulations is to be adopted relative to the convicts who will remain in this country, and the alteration will take place at the commencement of tlie new year. The free-ticket system must | be a source of prospective hope to many oi ' that unfortunate class, and it is far preferable for them to commence a new course of life in a distant land than be discharged here as one was last week, who, having no friends, and being reluctant to return to his native place, is still about Woolwich nearly penniless, having soon expended the savings made while he was a convict. — Times, Dec. 21.

The Influenza in the Penitentiary. — The sickness in this prison is very great. The average number in the infirmary is about 30 or 40, but now it amounts to upwards of 100, and has been 130, the influenza being the chief cause. There are about 1200 prisoners there, but convicts are not sent now to the colonies, from some difficulty the Government has in selecting the spot. A few have been sent to Gibraltar and Bermuda, but others, to make room in the Penitentiary, have been sent to the gaols of Yorkshire; Wakefield has no less than 400, and Reading 40, wheie they will remain until their future destination is determined on. — Globe.

Silk Inoculated with the Potatoe r ot# — Xhe Art Union Journal relates that a manufacturer of silks, having received from his dyer a large quantity of goods iv a spotty condition, threatened him with an action, unless he was compensated for the loss he was likely to sustain, owing, as it appeared, to the dyer's carelessness. This 'being resisted, chemists were employed to detect the cause of the accident ; but they were at fault, until it occurred to them to subject the damaged silk to microscopic examination. This was undertaken by an eminent naturalist, who at once discovered that the spots were owing to a peculiar fungus, having all the characters of that variety which was detected in the potatoe disease. The result was the discovery that all the damage had been effected by the manufacturer and not the dyer, he having employed in the process of manufacture a starch which had been prepared from diseased potatoes. The last Trinidad papers contain an interesting account of a meeting held on the 12th ultimo, for the purpose of forming a new company for the construction of a railway in that island, at which Lord Harris, the Governor of the colony, took the chair. The proposed capital is £1,000,000 for the 91 miles of line contemplated, but in the first instance*it was suggested that the dinance from Port of Spain, . to Arima, (12 miles) should be completed, the

cost of which would be £100,000. The guarantee of five per cent., the grant of lands, and other conditions, which were conceded to the recently dissolved company, are to he conferred upon the new one, and a gieat effort is agreed to be made to render it a matter of domestic interest. With this view it is proposed that, although the general shares shall be for £10 each, 20,000 shall be issued of£l each, in order to induce the labouring classes, especially those who would be employed upon the works, to enter as partners into the project. In a long speech the engineer expressed his belief that the shares would ultimately be worth 1200 per cent, of their original cost, not from the profits of traffic, but from the sums that might be realized from the timber growing upon the lands to be conceded to the company by the crown ; and, although this estimate gavetise to some amusement and ridicule, it was generally admitted that the prospects of opening up an active timber trade were of a most satisfactory description. With regard to the prospect of traffic profits, it was admitted by more than one speaker that, at the time when the planters are engaged in u the problem of continuing to make sugar at a cost of four dollars per cwt., which would only sell for three dollars," it was hardly safe to entertain very sanguine expectations. On the whole, however, an advantageous statement was clearly made out, and it seemed evident that the colonists themselves were ready to enter into the undertaking to the limit of their means. It was stated by the I chairman, however, that reliance was still placed on the raising the greater portion of the capital in England.

A Visit to Madame Catalani. — We called upon Madame CataJani, who leaves her palazzo, on the side of the mountains, in the winter months, to reside with her son Malabreque, in Florence. She presently made her appearance, with that vivacity and captivating manner which so much delighted us in England. After a short conversation with Madame O , I spoke to her in English, coupling my n ime with Mrs. Loraine Smith, of Leicestershire, at whose house I spent a week with her 36 years ago. The incident directly flashed across her mind, and with obvious pleasure she began to recount the honours paid her on that occasion, especially a banquet at Mr. Pochin's, of Barkby. She retains her English, and was pleased to talk to me in my own language. I observed that it was 40 years since I first heard her at the Opera, in London. She instantly replied, — "Thir-ty-nine. I was in Portugal in 1807, and though the war was raging, I ventured to make my way to England through France. When at Paris I was denied a passport. However, I got introduced to Talleyrand, and by the aid of a handful of gold, I was put into a government boat, and ordered to lie down to avoid being shot ; and, wonderful to relate, I got over in salety, with my little boy seven months old." Great suspicion was attached to foreigners who arrived from the continent at that time. Viotli, I remember, was absurdly ordered out of the country, and Kelly, who was a manager in the Opera House, officially announced from the stage that Madame Catalani and her husLand Malabreque, were not objects of suspicion to the Government. I was surprised at the vigour of Madame Catalani, and how little she was altered since I saw her at Derby, in 1828. I paid her a compliment on her good looks. " Ah," said she, " I'm grown old and ugly." I would not allow it. " Why man," said she, " I'm sixty-six !" She has lo&t none of that commanding expression which gave her such dignity on the stage. She is without a wrinkle, and appears to be no more than forty. Her breadth of chest is still remarkable : it was this which endowed her with the finest voice that ever sang. Her speaking voice and dramatic air are still charming, and not in the least impaired. — Gardiner's Sights in Italy.

Singular Accident. — A correspondent of the John o' Groat Journal^ writing from Stromness, gives an account of a singular and fatal accident. It appears that some individuals of the town commenced burning of naphtha in their shops and places of business, and a jar of that dangerous commodity was lately brought from Leith. On the evening of the 11th ult., the parties concerned met for the purpose of having the said article divided ; and, as it was in the dusk of the evening, they thoughtlessly availed themselves of a lighted . candle, which, unfortunately, coming in contact with the liquid, the contents of the jar instantly exploded, causing death and destruction in every direction. The persons, three in number, in immediate contact with this horrid volcano, were in a moment enveloped in flames from head to foot, and were seen hurrying hither and thither distractedly, exhibiting the appearance of so many living torches. The neighbours were, of coprse, not backward in affording their aid ; but, from the inflammable nature of the substance, the flames could not be extinguished till nearly every rag of clothing on the bodies of the suiferers was consumed, and

their bodies burnt in a frightful manner. Mrs. Dunnet, wife of Mr. Dunnet, a merchant, after enduring the most excruciating sufferings, expired two days after. She was in the prime of life, and had, by her amiable and Christian deportment, gained the love and esteem of. all who knew her. Mr. Dunnet, whilst endeavouring to extinguish the flames, had his hands and face severely burnt, and is not yet wholly recoveted. Miss Inkster, aunt to Mrs. Dunnet, also suffered fatally. She was destined to be a long sufferer, as it was only on Sunday week that death came to her relief.

The Vernon Gallery. —The trustees of the National Gallery have made their selection from the gallery of Mr. Robert Vernon, and have accepted for the nation 160 pictures. The deed conferring this magnificent gift upon the British people has been executed ; and it now only remains for the nation to erect a structure fitted to receive the collection. Until this is done, we believe the pictures will not be removed from the house of the donor, in Pall-mall. Among the 160 pictures are four of the finest works of Turner; of examples of Etty there are six; of Eastlake, two; of Maclise, two; of Mulready, three; oi Uwins, two; of Landseer six; of Briggs, two; of Stanfield, four; of Collins, three; of Chalon, one; of Leslie, three; of Webster, two; of Callcott, seven; of Wilkie, three; of Jones, two; of Lance, three; of E. M. Ward, three; of Sydney Cooper, two; of F. Goodall, two; of Sir Joshua, one; of Gainsborough, two. It is unnecessary to state, that these are not only examples of the best masters of our school; they are, with scarcely an exception, the best productions of the several artists — the works of their best time —selected with the nicest judgment and the keenest appreciation of excellence. The trustees were empowered by Mr. Vernon to take the whole collection, or to reject such as they pleased; they rejected but few, and these were chiefly small and subordinate works and sketches. — Art Union Journal.

Monument to Washington at New York.— On the 19th of Occober, 40,000 persons assembled to witness the ceremony of laying the first stone of an enormous monument to Washington, in New York. The members of Congress, Ministers of State, foreign Ambassadors, and a triumphal car drawn by six white horses, containing a bust of the American hero, surrounded by thirteen young girls in white, to represent the thirteen original states, formed part of an immense procession to the site. The monument is commenced on elevated ground, and being intended to serve as a landmark for ships at sea, is proposed to be of very considerable height. The New York Weekly Herald gives a small view of it, showing it to be a tower of six stories, pretending to be Gothic in character, but so far as we are able to judge, quite contrary to the principles of the style, ill-proportioned, and, as might therefore be expected, abominably ugly. The architect has piled story upon story, gradually decreasing in size, and separated by hard horizontal lines, after the fashion of what is believed to have been the arrangement of the Tower of Babel, or a monstrous opera glass pulled out to its furthest extent. It is much to be regretted that the large sum which this structure will necessarily cost should be thus wasted ; and we venture to express a hope that the committee may see this remark in time to obtain a reconsideration of the design before it is carried out. Mr. Calvin Pollard is the architect, and Mr. Edwiu Smith, surveyor. Our authority says, that when the coffer had been deposited, a shower of money and bouquets rained in from the surrounding spectators, each anxious to make his offering to the memory of Washington. With so strong a temptation to dishonesty, it is to be feared that posterity would have found more had less been given. — The Builder,