LATEST ENGLISH NEWS.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 433, 26 September 1849, Page 2

LATEST ENGLISH NEWS.

Her most gracious Majesty Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, and all the Royal family were at Buckingham Palace on the 2nd June, having left Osborne House the previous day. The Queen Dowager was on a visit at Worthing. Another attempt had been made by a miscreant named John Hamilton, to shoot her Majesty, on the 19th May, when taking an airing in an open landau. Her Majesty had passed through the triumphal arch, and had gone a short way along Constitution hill, when a pistol was discharged at her by a person who stood a few yards from the spot from which Oxford fired at her, about a yard from the rails of the Green Park. We rejoice to say she escaped unhurt. Lord Gough is about to be advanced to the rank of Viscount. General Sir Walter R. Gilbert is to be raised to the peerage. The report of the death of this gallant officer is totally unfounded. The Earl of Mayo died, on the 23rd of May, at Berstead Lodge, Essex, in his 84th year. The Government was about to commence a system of military emigration. Owing to the success with which the military colonization of New Zealand had been favoured, Lord Grey had been induced to propose the settlement of the Falkland Islands, and Vancouver's Island, by out-pensioners. Earl Grey has just disposed of his fine Hortin estate, near Wooler, to Matthew Culley, Esq., of Fowberry Tower, for a sum very little short of £50,000. The hon. and right rev. Edmund Knox, D.D., Lord Bishop of Limerick, died on the 10th of May, aged 77 years. On the 7tb May, the Queen Donna Maria was delivered of a Prince, which expired immediately after receiving the baptismal rites and the name of Leopold. Her Majesty had suffered severely during her accouchement ; but the last report of the physicians was favorable, and it was probable that she would in due time become convalescent. Lieutenant-General Sir Jasper Nicholls, X.C.8., died on the 11th May. He was colonel of the sth Fusileers.

At a meeting of the New Zealand Company, held on the 31st of May, the reports and accounts were carried. A lengthened statement of affairs was entered into, showing th- progress of last year, which gave the great majority much satisfaction. The question of the settlement of land claims, the system of 'nominee' government and its promised amelioration in the course of a few years, were forcibly dwelt upon and elicited some lengthy discussions. At the half-yearly meeting of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, held on the Ist June, the subject of steam communication was broached, and the directors intimated that the Government had not as yet issued any decision as to the determined route, but that the parties who, when tenders were invited, also submitted a proposal, have withdrawn it, and have abandoned a further attempt for establishing the projected company through which they proposed to carry out their plans. General Sir Robert T. Wilson, colonel of the 15th Hussars, whose name is identified with some of the most striking military and political events of the last half century, died almost suddenly at his residence, on the 9th May. Mr. Samuel Maunder, the compiler of a number of works known as "Maunders 1 Biographical Treasury," &c, died on the 10th : May. The Duke of St. Albans die.] on the 26th May, at his residence in Piccadilly, after a ! lengthened illness, arising from injuries received by a fall from his horse while hunting. Emily Sandford, for whose aid a subscription has been collected, amounting to many hundred pounds, left Gravesend on Saturday last, with her child, in the barque Cttsper, for Port Adelaide, South Australia. A monument to the memory of Capt. Cook, the great circumnavigator, is to be erected in his native village, Marton, in Cleveland, in the North Riding of Yorkshire. It is to be a schoolhouse, in which the children of the poor will receive a moral and religious education, in accordance with the principles of the Church of England, and at the same time perpetuate bis name in his native village. Dr. Smith and Dr. Anderson were consecrated Bishops of Victoria (Hong Kong) and Prince Rupert's Land, on the 30th May, in Canterbury Cathedral, by his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury. They were to start for their dioceses in the course of a few weeks. The Parliament met again on the 31st May, after the Whitsun holidays. The Limerick Chronicle states, that Lord Stanley had paid the passage money of some of his poor tenantry, provided them with clothes, given a small sum of money to each, and sent them off to America. A most distressing accident occurred on the 27th May at Stroller's House, near Cirencester, by which the family of Sir Thomas Tancred, Bart., has been plunged in the deepest grief. During the absence of Sir Thomas and Lady Tancred, their youngest child, Ashton, a beautiful boy of about four years old, who had been left with his elder brother and sister, and whohad been absent from them only a few minutes, was found by a servant in a tank situated in a remote part of the premises, quite dead. The writ of error in the case of Mr. S. OBrien was decided in the House of Lords on the 21st May. After hearing the arguments of counsel, in support of the error, the judges conferred together for a short time, when the Lord Chancellor informed their Lordships that the judges having heard the arguments were unanimously of opinion that the error could not be maintained, and that the judgment of the Court below must be affirmed. The question was then put to the ( house, and the judgment affirmed. The total amount which will be required to defray the expense of the packet service of the Post Office, in the year 1848-49 is estimated at £748,296. The sura last year was £814,360. Sixteen Sisters of Charity had fallen victims, in one week, at Paris, to the cholera. Their work is inestimable in all cases of sickness to which t. ey devote their lives. All the accounts received from the French departments represent the appearance of the growing crops in the most favourable colours. It is said that, in the memory of man, there never has been a finer prospect of an abundant harvest. The wheat is most luxuriant, the meadows are unusually heavy, and the vines promise a fair average cop. In La Vendee fat oxen have increased 30s. a-head in value. In the north the harvest is expected to be later than usual, but the farmers look to a remunerating season. The fruit trees have suffered from the late frosts, but it is hoped the produce will be sufficient for home consumption. Count Hatzfell presented on Thursday his letters to the President of the Republic, accrediting him as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary from the King of Prussia.

The following is our correspondent's letter, dated Thursday, 5 p.m. : — • " I announced yesterday that pressing despatches have been received from General Oudinot and M. Lesseps by the steamboat Narval, which arrived at Toulon on the 25tb inst. I am now informed that these despatches describe considerable dissatisfaction as prevailing amongst the French troops in consequence of the nature of the service in which they are engaged, and to such a point is that dissatisfaction described as having reached, that it was feared by their officers that, in case of the Neapolitan or Austrian troops approaching the French camp, it would be impossible to prevent a collision, so desirous are the French Republican soldiers of measuring swords with those whom they have been taught by the Socialist agents to regard as their natural enemies. " The French Government have in consequence, as I am assured, called upon a retired officer, who is known to be well acquainted with parties in Rome, and have commissioned him to proceed this afternoon by mail to Toulon, where a steamer is waiting for him, and thence to the headquarters of General Oudinot, with the object of effecting, if possible, an arrangement between him and the Roman Government. " The Legislative Assembly counts as yet but half of its first week's existence, and it has already given notice of the stormy scenes of which it will be hereafter the theatre. The Constituent disappeared from the world with rage in its heart and menace on its lip, and the last accounts were those of impenitence. The Legislative Assembly, as yet in its infancy, and even still without its authorization, as yet unconstituted, exhibits in this imperfect condition the vices or the madness of more advanced age. Judging from the maturity of its passions, even in this early stage of its existence, who shall put a limit to its madness when it shall have gathered up all its strength ?" Lists of the new Ministry were circulated to-day in various political circles ; one of them contains the following names :—: — Odillon Barrot, President of the Council without Portfolio. Dufaure, Interior, Marshal Bugeaud, War. Bechard, Foreign Affairs. Vavin, Justice. Hippolyte Passy, Finances. Lavalette, Commerce. De Tocqueville, Public Instruction. DePersigny, Public Works & Agriculture. Admiral Cecille, Marine. Rebillot, Prefect of Police.