ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 309, 15 July 1848, Page 3

ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

"A bill had passed the House of Lords for establishing diplomatic relations with Rome. The ambassador from the Pope is not to ba an ecclesiastic, nor a member of any religious order. I The attempt to procure a mandamus from the Queen's Bench, directing the Archbishop of Canterbury to inquire into the charges made against Dr, Hampden, before consecrating him to the office of Bishop, had failed, two of the Judges (Lord Chief Justice Denman and Mr. Justice Eric) being of opinion that the writ could not issue, and two (Mr. Justice Patteson and Mr. Justice Coleridge) being of a contrary opinion. Where the Court is equally divided, no rule can issue, so that the decision was, practically, a refusal to issue the writ.

Raii/vtay Receipts. — Of 3100 miles of railway now open, the gross receipts may be taken, in round numbers, as at £3,000,000 annually. In the Austrian empire, one man out of 78 is a soldier; in the kingdom of Great Britain and its dependencies, one in 426 ; in the United States, one in 2947.

Approaching Accouchement op Her Majesty. — We understand that Professor Simpson (the discoverer of the applicability of chloroform as a substitute for e:her), has received intimation that his services, in conjunction with Dr. Locock, her Majesty's physi-cian-accoucheur, will be lequired at Buckingham Palace on an approaching interesting occasion. Professor Simpson, we learn, leaves this for London some time next month, in order to be in attendance on her Majesty. — Edinburgh Witness.

Steam Defences of England. — ;While the subject of national defence is occupyingso large a share of the public attention, it may be useful to allude to the num'/er ot steamships comprised in the steam-mail fleet of the port of Southampton at the disposal of Government in the event of a war or invasion. The mercantile steam navy of Southampton is the finest from perhaps any single port, many of the ships are of the largest size, and, belonging to companies under contract with. Government, have been built in such a manner that in case of necessity they can be armed and fitted with ordnance of the largest calibre. The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company have the following ships : — Achilles, Ariel, Bentinck, Braganza, Euxine,Erin, Haddington, Hiniostan, India, Iberia, Indus, Jupiter, Ladj Mary Wood, Madrid, Montrose, Oriental, Pacha, Pekin, Pottinger t Precursor, Ripon, Sultan, Tagus, Tiger; and the Ganges, Bombay, and Malta building. Total, 27 ships ; aggregate tonnage 25,730 ; horse-power 8410. It is calculated that eight of these vessels, being termed first-class ships, are each capable of carrying an armament of two long 68-pounders on traversing carriages } and four or six 32-pounders on slides. Each of the second class wouFd cany one 68-poun-der amidships; and four 24^qr 32-pound-er carronades. And each ojf the third clas*/ might be armed with a 32-pounder iraidshipjf ; p audiour 24-po.under carjonides,

' The Royal Mail Steam Packet Company have the following steamers : — Clyde, Dee, Forth, Medvay, Severn, 'i ay, Avon, Tev ot, Thames, Trent, and Great Western : total, eleven ships of 1800 tons burden each, and 500 horse-power ; each might be armed with two long 68-pounders gn traversing carriages, and eight 32-pounder carronaJes. The total number of ships belonging to the port of Southampton that could be adapted to war purposes, conveyance of troops, &c, in "case of necessity, is therefore thirty-eight ; size varying from 500 to 1800 tons burden, and 200 to 520 horse-power. The total tonnage 45,530 ; total horse-power, 13,910. Besides the above-mentioned steam-ships there are ten smaller steamers, of about 400 tons burden, belonging to the South Western Steam Packet Company, which although being unfit for war purposes, would be very useful in conveying troops, carrying despatches, &c. The South Western Company's steamers Courier, Express, Wonder, and South Western are four of the fastest steamers afloat. Supposing an invasion to take place, by means of the electric telegraph orders could be sent from the Admiralty to Southampton, and the ten or twelve ships generally lying in the dock could in a few hours be got under weigh, ready to render any service to the Admiral at Portsmouth for the conveyance of troops or other service. In the event of a war being anticipated, most of the steamers could be recalled from their foreign stations in three months, and would constitute a powerful armed steam navy, consisting of ships of the largest class and immense power, and placed at the disposal of the British Government, they might be employed in scouring the English Channel, and effectually prevent any invasion by hostile forces. — Abridged from he Times.

New Era in Steam Navigation. — In the Washington Union, of January 5, is a long report from a board of professional engineers and others, appointed by the Secretary of the Treasury, to test an important improvement in the construction of naval steam engines, the invention of Captain Ericson. There appears to be an apparatus called an evaporator, and another a condenser, conveniently arranged amidst the machinery so as to occupy very little space. By this, the steam after performing its work, is converted into water, and forced back into the boiler — again and again taking the same routine. The whole is said to be complete and perfect, and the following results attained: — 1. A steamer may go to sea and complete her voyage without ever having one particle of salt water in her boiler, if she will begin it with fresh water. 2. She need not carry any tanks of fresh water, but can make it from the sea at will ; thus saving the space for fijel. 3. Besides the Supply for the boiler and culinary purposes, enough fresh water can be made to allow each sailor a bath every day, the supply may be so ample. 4. The fires need never be extinguished to relieve the boilers of salt or mud, as neither salt nor mud will ever get in ; thus saving fuel. 5. The boiler will require littl* or no watching ; being once arranged, the machinery will do the rest, and keep up the exact supply of pure water. 6. A boiler at j sea, especially in the Gulf of Mexico, will i last two or three times as long as at present, as no impurities will be admitted there, any more than on the lakes. 7. Nearly one-fifth of the fuel will be saved, as the heat will act on the plates and flues, free of incrustations from salt or mud, and the water from the condenser, while very hot, will be pumped into the boiler. 8. A low pressure engine will answer on the Mississippi and Missouri, as well as on streams of clear water, as the muddy water will be evaporated, the vapour recondensed, and forced into the boilers as clear as crystal. 9. The awful bursting of boilers, so often occurring on the western waters, may be arrested in toto, as the saving of fuel, and the equal adaptation of the low pressure engine will induce its substitution in lieu of the powder magazines, as the engines how in use may be called. 10. The oil used round the piston of the cylinder, and the rust on the boiler, may impart a little of their taste at first to the steam and water ; but a very simple filter will make it as pure as when distilled in the chemist's laboratory.

Lola Montes. — The Journal dcs Dibats quotes aietterfrom Munich of the 10th February, stating that disturbances, occasioned by the indignation and animosity prevailing against the Countess de Landsfeld, better known by the name of Lola Montes, had occurred in the Bavarian capital. " The students of our University," says the correspondent of the D6bats, te have formed among themselves associations, similar to those existing in other German Universities, which are distinguished by the names they adopt and the colour of nheir caps. Five association's 0 of the kind have long existed in the University of Munich, under the German names of Pfalzer,' Schwaben, Franken, Bava-

ren, and Isaren — that is, under the names of the five provinces constituting the kingdom of Bavaria — when a sixth was established, under the denomination of Alemania, in the salon of the Countess de Landsfeld, who took it under her special protection. Its members 15 or 20 in number, wore caps of deep red, trimmed with a fringe of different colours. Those who belonged to it soon incurred the odium of their comrades, who broke off all intercourse with them, and declared them unworthy of obtaining satisfaction for any insult whatsoever. In the first days of the month the Alemani having presented themselves at the University, were hooted and insulted, and the professor of natural philosophy ! M. Sieber, was obliged to suspend his lectures. On the following day a notice of the rector invited the students to abstain from similar demonstrations, and announced that in consequence of superior orders an inquiry had been commenced against the authors of those disturbances. That notice produced no effect. On the 6th of February the same demonstrations were repeated when the Alemani appeared, and the professor and rector were unable to re-establish order. Prince Wallerstein, Minister for Foreign Affairs, charged ad interim with the portfolio of public instruction, informed of what was going on, repaired to the University, and addressed a friendly appeal to the students, who responded to it by numerous vivas, and a promise not to disturb oYder in future. Nevertheless, on quitting the college, three or four Alemani were pursued with hisses, and cries of * Pereat P by a crowd of students, who thus escorted them from the lower extremity of the immense street of Louis to the Loggia, situate beiween the palace of the King and the Church of the Theatins. On the 9th, the same cries and insults were repeated with additional violence against the Alemani, who took refuge in the house of a restaurateur named Rottmanner, where they dine and hold their meetings. On entering the house, one of them, Count de Hirschberg, irritated by the crowd which filled the galleries of the bazaar, drew a poignard from under his coat, and rushed like a madman upon the pet sons who surrounded him. A gendarme fortunately seized his arm the moment he was going to strike a young man, and succeeded in disarming him. The gendarmes were afraid to arrest him on account of his being a member of the Alemania association, he quietly entered the establishment, where his comrades, espousing his cause, wrote a letter to the Countess de Landsfeld to claim her support. The Countess, on receiving the letter, immediately ran out of her hotel, and endeavoured to force her way through the crowd ; but having been recognised, she was menaced and pursued with cries and ansults by the multitude. She attempted to seek refuge in the neighbouring houses, but all the doors, and amongst others that of the Anstrian Legation, were closed against her. The King, on being informed of what was passing, left a party he was enteitaining in his palace, and having descended into the street, amidst the disorder and the cries of the multitude offered his arm to the unfortunate Countess, and conducted her into the church of the Tbeatins, when she threw herself on her knees at the foot of the altar, and exclaimed — * Oh God ! protect my best my only friend !' Shortly afterwards she left the church alone, holding a pistol in her hand. In the meantime, the irritation continued to increase in the street, and cries of ' Pereat P ' Down with the spies of the ****!' were vociferated by the rioters. The moment she was recognised the crowd rushed upon her. One of the people after snatching the pistol out of her hand, seized her by the throat and threw her against the wall, where she was exposed to the insults of the populace. But having been at last rescued by the gendarmes, she was removed to the military post at the palace, and thence to an apartment in the royal residence." Gutta Pebcha. — Some of our readers having expressed a desire to learn the properties of Gutta Percha, now getting into such general use for the purpose of soling boots and shoes, we beg to lay the following brief analysis of its qualities before them :—: — This remarkable substance is a variety of caoutchouc, in some respects closely resembling it, in others widely different. It was first imported in 1843 from Singapore, and is the produce of a large forest tree, indigenous to that and the surrounding countries. When imported it is a dirty pinkish coloured opaque solid, having little or no smell, insoluble in water, and tasteless ; it feels smooth and greasy between the fingers, but can be held with great firmness in the hand. At a temperature below 50 degrees it is hard and tough, similar to horn ; at from 50 to 70 degrees it is slightly elastic, but still retains its toughness. It has little power of contraction when once extended. At a temperature between 140 and 150 degrees it is soft and plastic, In this state any number of pieces may be joined together, similar to Lees' wax, a slight pressure sufficing to form a good joint! As imported,' it contains many impurities, to re-

move which it undergoes the process of " devilling,, 1 being torn to pieces in hot water. In this way the impurities are got rid of, and a solid mass obtained. | When softened in hot water, or by the geni tie application of heat, it can be moulded into any form ; as it cools it re-acquires its rigidity. When warm it is easily cut ; but when cold opposes great resistance to the knife or saw, and requires the tool to be wet to effect a division. Its specific gravity is 0.9791> water being 1000 — hence it floats on the surface of that fluid. In chemical composition it is identical with caoutchouc, its chiefs points of difference being of a physical nature. Water, alcohol, alkaline solutions, muriatic and acetic acids, excite no action on it. Strong sulphuric acid, gradually charrs it, and nitric acid oxydises it. Ether, essential oils, and mineral naptha, form but imperfect solutions, whilst rectified oil of turpentine is a perfect solvent — the solution being transparent. The principal applications of this interesting substance have been as a substitute for leather, which it resembles both in properties and appearance. For driving-bands for machinery it is now used in H. M. Dockyards, and its application as soles to boots and shoes is getting into almost universal use.

Newspapers. — Newspapers contain every thing, and are found everywhere ; the only difficulty is to read them. The threads of newspaper correspondence enclose the whole globe in a network espionage. Nothing can happen that it is not sure to get into a newspaper while it is happening, and sometimes before it has happened. It is no idle bluster to say that the eyes of Europe are on you. The eyes of Europe are the newspapers of Europe ; and these same eyes are on every man, woman, and child, whose lives are of the slightest interest outside their own circles. It has been beautifully said of flowers, that they start up in the most unexpected places, where there is hardly a handful of soil, and even where there is none, striking their tender, yet vigorous roots into the crevices of the naked rock. The same thing may be said of newspapers. They seem to be sown, like certain seeds, by the caprice of the winds. Wherever there is a settlement of a dozen people, you may look out for a newspaper. The first necessity of a new population is a newspaper. It inverts sometimes the vulgar principles of political economy, which will insist that demand produces the supply ; for it happens with newspapers every now and then that the • supply produces the demand. The newspaper of a little colony often comes into existence before the readers ; some far-sighted speculator being always in advance with an article of consumption which he knows well enough will become indispensable by and by. Even New Zealand, while it was yet undergoing the early stages of an excruciating experiment, had a newspaper ; and Hongkong, where the fatality of the climate might be supposed to Jeter any sensible man from risking more than a month'^ subscription, has its Gazette. Indeed, we are not quite sure that a newspaper is not a sort of social instinct. People get up newspapers where there is nobody to read them but themselves. Passengers on a long voyage, who have no news to tell except that which they get from each other, and nobody to tell it when they get it, frequently amuse themselves by playing at newspapers. This is more remarkable than the most out-of-the-way birth of flowers. A harebell on a rock is not half so surprising as a newspaper on board ship. — Frazer.

A Civil Joke. — At a corporation dinner, the Common Sergeant was called upon for a song. "Oh, no," said he, "my voice is never heard but in very discordant notes." "j beg your pardon, Sir," replied Mr. Rowen, " I have heard it transport many." Fob Shame Kit! — Christopher North says it is no wonder women love cats ; for both are graceful, and both domestic, not to mention that they both scratch.