MISCELLANEOUS.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume V, Issue 413, 18 July 1849, Page 4

MISCELLANEOUS.

The V Lind" Suit. — The long-contested suit of " Bonn t. Lind" has at last been settled for the ium offered before litigation commenced, namely, £2000.

The Stanfield Hall Assassinations. — It is asserted the police have discovered the; important fact that Rash purchased a five barrelled pistol in Shoreditch a short time before the Stanfield-hall murders. The shopman, has, it is said, identified Rush. Emily „ Sandford became a mother on Thursday night in the Bridewell at Wymondham, where she , has been confined since Rush's committal ; both mother and child (a female) are doing well. In the event of her recovery, Rush's trial will, in all probability, take place at the ensuing assizes. Mrs. Jenny has not yet recovered her wounds ; a portion of the elbow bone has been found to be shot away. —Bell's Messenger, Feb. 19.

British Colonial Bank and Loan Company. — A dividend of 2 per cent, per annum was declared this morning at the meeting of the British Colonial Bank and Loan Company. The gross amount of revenue arising from rents and interest compared with the previous year showed some diminution, a circumstance attributed to the commercial depression in the Australian colonies. The amount of income was stated at £10,423, which, after allowing for expenditure in London and Sydney, left an available balance of £3,394. — Times, March 8.

Dreadful Accident at Glasgow. — Awful loss of Life. — Glasgow, Saturday night — This evening a dreadful catastrophe occurred io the Theatre Royal, Dunlopstreet. Very shortly after the performance had commenced an alarm was given that a fire had broken out in the upper gallery, and, as a matter of course, the audience, which was numerous in the gallery, became much excited. It was soon apparent to the manager that the fire had been occasioned by an explosion of gas, and he, together with the members of his company, used their utmost exertions to restore order, in which they partially sncceeded. Meanwhile the alarm had been conveyed to the central police offices, and the fire brigade were very soon at the theatre, and immediately commenced operations, which had the effect of increasing the fears of the people, and a general rush was made to the door, in order to escape from the fire, which had in fact been previously extinguished. Despite all remonstrance the people would be out, and the result was the premature death of 64 individuals, besides four more or less injured. It would be vain to attempt to convey any idea of the scene which the theatre presented at the time of the accident ; that can be better imagined than expressed. The authorities were very soon at the theatre, and, while assistance was being procured, the gallery stair was ascended, when at one. of the landing places was discovered a scene of the most horrifying description — men, women, and children huddled together, trodden under foot, dead and dying. The poor creatures were carried to houses adjoining, and every exertion used to restore animation, but unI fortnnately, these exertions were in but few instances successful. Sixty-one were dead, ami three sent to the Royal Infirmary ; two tied upon the way, and one shortly after. Eleven persons, slightly bruised, were able to be removed to their homes, and ot> erg are still in the infirmary in a dangerous state. The sixty-one dead bodies were, in the course of the evening, removed to the Clyde-street Hospital, and there kept till Sunday morning for identification. About ten o'clock the authorities were at the hospital, and it was arranged, to satisfy the relatives of the poor creatures who had been waiting in hundred* aroun i the hospital during the night, to admit them. The bo- I dies were spread out on the floor of the large shed, and when each relative, father, mother, wife, or other friends were recognised, their shrieks, rent the »ir. One woman claimed three as her own. With scarcely a single exception the sufferers belong to the lower class of society, and are for the most part lads between 1.4 and 17 years old ; the only female amongst the dead was cine girl three years of .A gloom has been east over the city by the fearful occurrence, which it will, require "some' time to dissipate. The theatre has sustained no damage from burning, as the flame pf the gaspipe was almost instantly extinguished. — Bell's Messenger, Feb. 19.

, A Political Eye to Business. — When Mr. Denison was speaking at Barnsley, a worthy knight L of the. "three .balls" rose up anil began to ask the honorable, genjtlein'an.seW li 9«W|ions. } A cj|ee)fai,fac^ li^tijwe^,

ter, who wit standing ttr the edge of the crowd, hearing him, calle/1 out, " Doq't "ye pledge yersen, Mestur Denison,to that popshop chap, whatever yo do." This excited considerable laughter. — BelFs Messenger.

Good Counsel tor Gold Hunters. — M. Monttnt, an old Mexican merchant, in a letter to the French paper, La Patrie, shows how he accomplished the voyage from San Francisco to this country in two months. Leaving- San Francisco on the 28th of October last, in a small vessel, he reached Panama in twenty-five days. Not being encumbered with luggage, he traversed the isthmus I in two. days, and at Chagres caught a ship just about to sail for Jamaica. Arrived there his good fortune continued ; for the JEnglisb packet-boat (the West India mail steamer, we suppose) left immediately after foi this country, and he arrived here on the 29th December. It does not follow, he says, that the voyage can ordinarily be accomplished in two months, three or four would be nearer the average ; but he maintains that the route he cook is undoubtedly the shortest. On his departure from San Francisco, crowds of emigrants had begun to arrive to search for gold dust, which, although abundant is, he says, by no means spread ever the extent of the country which the report of Lieut.-Col. Mason would lead us to believe.. He thinks that from the immense quantitity of merchandise which was even then pouring in, much inferior prices to those anticipated will be obtained. Before his departure more than 50,000 ban els of flour, salt meat in as great a proportion, all articles of luxury or necessity, such as clothing, arms, &c, which had been stored in the warehouses of Chili, Peru, Columbia, Central America, and Mexico, were on the road to California. Active intelligent men of course draw advantage from the speculation ; but he cautions emigrants that they will find thorns beneath the roses, quaintly adding, " and even thorns before the roses can be reached." He has, he states, passed twenty years of his life in Mexico and California. With constant industry he has amassed an independence ; but he always observed that the gold-finders, whether miners or not, who wished to ariive suddenly at fortune, miserably perished. — Liverpool Albion, Jan. 29.

The French Political Exiles in England] — The last number of the Revue dcs Deux Monde* contains an article on the political exiles in England, from which I glean the following little facts :—: — Louis Philippe and his family are in a state of real poverty. The Queen and Princesses wear neither jewels nor silks — their dresses are of cotton. The royal table is of the greatest simplicity ; nothing but beer is served, except for dessert, and then wine is very sparingly used. The strictest economy is observed in everything. Louis Philippe, who has become excessively talkative, defends. his policy in refusing electoral reform, though it cost him his throne ; he takes a certain pleasure in the mishaps and misfortunes of the Republic; and is very sarcastic indeed on some of the leading men in the revolution. He, however, admits that France is Republican, and the restoration of monarchy improbable. He even at times spouts Republican sentiments, as he used to do in his early days, when he was the son of Citizen Egalite and doorkeeper at a club. He is low-spirited and fidgety owing to the want of active employment, which had become to him an absolute necessity ; but he partially occupies his time by reading French, English, and German newspapers. The ex-Queen is very resigned, but reserved and rather haughty ; and is, unfortunately, in a declining state of health. The Duke de Nemours is patient. Of strong Legitimist sentiments, he lo >ks upon the downfall of his family as a sort of expiation of his father's guilt ia defrauding the Duke de Bordeaux of his crown. The Duke d'Aumale is studious ; the Prince de Joinville savage and sulky, and full of schemes — at one time proposing to enter the American nayy — at another to become a Yankee settler — at another to take the fishery trade in Scotland. The ex-Royal family receive scarcely any visitors ; and the princes and princesses have no other amusement than fishing, with occasional visits to the seaside. M. Guizot passes til the time be can take from his numerous friends in study. The haughtiness of his pride enables him to bear his misfortunes manfully. He complains of the King for having given way to the mob by changing the Miuistry at the beginning of the revolution ; and has been heard to say, "The day after we retired there was a revolution !" implying that if he and his colleagues had remained' there would have been none. He speaks with intense scorn of the Republican squad ; and yet feels pleasure that they have been obliged, to follow his policy both in domestic and foreign affairs, especially the latter. He has no faith in the duration of the Republic, thinks that constitutional monarchy can alone suqeeed in Europe, and r is strongly opposed to universal ,is|rij£e v ' He is studying English

history with great attention, especially of the time of Cromwell, and will probably gire to the world some more admirable volumes thereupon. Prince Metternich believes as much in absolutism as ever. He considers the various revolutions that have taken place during tht past year as things of no great importance, and as contaiuiug a lesson to princes never to give way to clamour. Constitutional government, he thinks, will not last, and he expects to see, sooner or later, a complete re-establishment of absolute monarchy! He has almost as much influence as ever he had over the affairs of his country, and is constantly consulted by its Government. The | Russian government also seeks bis advice, and the correspondence between it and him is very active. When he can be got to talk of his past policy, he always defends it, and maintains that he alone, of all the European diplomatists, was in the habit -of speaking the truth. He has an immense mass of MS. containing notes of all his principal conversations with eminent individuals during his long career. He receives an immense number of visits from the English aristocracy ; but vititi nobody except the Duke of Wellington, who is his intimate personal friend. — Britannia.

A Scene in an American Menagerie. — During a heavy storm of wind and rairr, while the extensive collection of wild beasts in the menagerie of Messrs. Raymond and Waring were in the village of Norwalk, a feature was introduced in the exhibition not previously announced in bills. About four o'clock in the afternoon, a violent gust of wind blew down the canvas which forms the large pavilion, completely enveloping the spectators and cages of animals in one common mass of confusion. The accident happened at the time when Miss Adelina, the lion queen, as she is styled, was performing in the den of wild beasts, and as the fright of the animals ren* dered them seemingly uucontrollable, gieat fears were entertained for the safety of that interesting young lady. At the moment, a scene of indescribable terror and confusion presented itself. The roaring of the terrified beasts, the screaming of the women and children, and the pelting of the " pitiless storm" without, rendered the scene truly appalling. The panic, however, was bat momentary, as the prompt and energetic measures of the managers soon cleared the wreck, no person having received the slightest injury. Bat the most interesting incident remains to be told. The uproar among the lions, tigers, and leo* pards in the performing cage gave rise to a report that they were devouring Miss Adelina. In the next instant, the canvas was stripped from the cage, when a tableau presented itself, such as would defy' eitbet poet, painter, or sculptor to pourtray with accuracy. In the centre of the den, a young and beautiful lion, in a rampant position, formed the strong feature of the picture ; beneath one of his hind feet lay stretched the dead body of a leopard, and struggling within the invincible grasp of his fore paws were the tiger and sur- , viving leopard. In the opposite end of the cage, transfixed as a statue of marble, with dauntless eye and majestic attitude, the same as when she commands the wild beasts to crouch at her feet, stood the lion queen, Miss Adelina. The young lady states that the two leopards and the tiger made a simultaneous .spring for her at the moment the canvas waft blown down, and were repulsed by the noble gallantry of the lion, who bounded between them, and protected her in the manner described. The presence of the keeper, Mr. Pierce, soon reduced the savage group to subjection, and the lion queen was happily relieved from a further participation in this extra performance. — Buffalo Commercial Advertizer.

. Eating for the Million. — Wolverton Refreshment Rooms. It appears from the books that the annual consumption at the Wolverton refreshment rooms averages — 182,500 Banbury cakes, 56,940 Queen's cakes, 29,200 pates, 36,500 lbs of flour, 13,140 of butter,' 2820 of coffee, 43,800 of of meat, 5110 of currants, 1277 of tea, 6840 of loaf sugar, 5110 of moist sugar, 16,425 quarts of milk, 1095 of cream, 17,520 bottles of lemonade, 35,040 of soda- water, 70,080 of stout, 35,040 of ale, 18,520 of ginger beer, 730 of port, 3650, 0f sherry, and, we regret to add, 730 of gin, 731 of rum. 3660 of brandy. To the eatables are to be added or driven the 85 pigs, which, after having been from their birch most kindly treat-, ed and most luxuriously fed, are impartially promoted by seniority, one after another, into an infinite number of pork pies.- — Quarterly Re* view. " , ■