ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 463, 9 January 1850, Page 3

ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

Besides 62 deaths from dysentery.

The Queen at Balmoral. — Her Majesty was again a worshipper yesterday at the parish church at Craithie. As on the former occasion, there was a vast increase in the attendance over the ordinary number of the congregation. The royal party was unaccompanied by any of the juvenile members of the family. Just as the minister made his appearance, arrayed in his official costume, they drove up \a their char-a-banc to the church door. Her Majesty wa» attended by Viscountess Jocelyn and Miss Dawson ; Lord John Russell occupied the back seat of the vehicle. His lordship looked careworn and dejected. Only a small number of those who crowded round noticed him at all, and very few of those whose attention his appearance did attract guessed that the thin, spare, sicklylooking person whom they saw was the Premier of England. His lordship occupied the pew immediately behind the royal party, as did also Colonel Gordon, Mr. Anson, and Dr. Robertson, who walked from Balmoral.

The Rev. Mr. Anderson, the minister of the parish agaia officiated. Both her Majesty and Prince Albert listened with the utmost attention. The demeanour of the great majority of the congregation was marked by propriety and respect. The scene furnished a fine illustration of that cardinal doctrine of ouV faith — the equality of all God's creatures. — Times, Aug. 31. — It is contemplated by Her Majesty and Prince Albert to quit Balmoral for a few days, and repair to a small shooting-lodge or " box," as it is designated, on the banks of Loch Muick, close at the , base of Locknagar. The proposal is warmly ' approved of by her Majesty. It is said that ' »he Court will not leave Balmoral heiois the end of September ; and rumours are afloat that it is intended then to visit either Lord ' Aberdeen, at Haddo House, or the Duke of Sutherland, at Dunrobin, or both.

Outrage on the Bkitish Flag and Reparation by the Austrians. — On Thursday, the 16th August, the following event took place at Leghorn, and was likely to become a source of serious misunderstanding between the chief of the British squadron there and the Austrians. The boats of her Majesty's ship Better ophon, 78 guns, commanded by Captain Baynes, C. B. f were exercising, when the launch and pinnace were dispatched for a supply of water. They had just got inside the Mole, when it was perceived by the officer on guard that they had their guns mounted, whereupon ' they, were immediately surrounded and seized, and the officers and crew were kept prisoners^ for? upwards of two hours. The officer in command succeeded in making the commandant acquainted with the facts of the case, when they were released, .but in a very ungracious manner. It was not likely, however, that this outrage was to remain unatoned for ; Captain Baynes, with his characteristic determination and his devotion to the honour of the British flag, despatched an officer to Baron Wimpfen, the coramander-in-chief of' the Austrian army, at present stationed at Florence, demanding instant and full reparation and apology, and in the mean time made every preparation to enforce his demands. The result, however of Captain Baynes able, prompt, and energetic behaviour was, that the gallant Austrian commander at once saw the impropriety of his subordinate's conduct, and an officer was despatched on the 17th from Florence to the Bellerophon, conceding everything that Captain Baynes had desired, .with an order for th.c boats of the Bellerophom to come into the Mole, manned and armed, and there to be received by the guard with arms presented and band playing " God save the Queen," a salute being fired at the' same time of 21 guns, in honour of the British flag. — Bell's Messenger, Aug. 25.

The Extraordinary Desertion of Lieutenant Graham and Mr. Elliott, MASTER, FROM THE " ChILDERS." We noticed last week the extraordinary desertion of the above officers from the^Childers, when at the Cape. It appears that the occurrence took place on Sunday, the 20th ; the captain was at dinner on board the flag- ship, and the firstslieutenant was sick at hospital. The sbij&wns in charge of the second lieutenant, Mr. Graham, and the master, Mr. Elliott, was under arrest. Whether there was any previous consultation or concert between the parties does not appear, but all at once Mr. Graham called the armourer, and desired him to man the jolly-boat, as he intended to desert. The aimourer said he hoped not; but he was told to get the boat. Lieutenant Graham then got up all his things, and the master, seeing what he was about, said he would go too, and get up his traps, and the effect* of both were then handed into the boat. They then quitted the ship, after tossing their commissions on the deck, leaving her in charge of the young gentleman of the watch. Mr. Graham, we believe, as a mate, was once tried by court-martial, and his appointment to the Childers was the first since he was made a lieutenant, during which period his conduct it appear*, has not been at all satisfactory. We shall hear more, however, of Mr. Graham in the course of a short time; for doubtless measures will be taken to apprehend and bring him to trial for his disgraceful desertion. — United Service Gazette.

Colonial Defences. — In reference to fortifications abroad, "I have always considered that in the situation which I bold, the point which is chiefly for me to consider is, what places are to be fortified ; the mode of executing the fortification, and whether the estimates would be- sufficient to cover it, I consider a professional question, and one which the Board of Ordnance must settle. That board must decide how the place is to fortified, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to other demands upon the public purse, must decide what sura can be. allotted to that particular service. The prin- - ciple I have always acted upon since I have/ been in the office is that of refusing to recommend to the treasury any works of defence which appeared to me to be required for

strictly local defence. I thought the fortifications Jto be paid for by this country ought *o_ be confined entirely to those which are required for great national purposes — for purposes interesting to the whole empire. The Mauritius, for instance, I consider a naval >and military post required for the security of out trader therefore, i think, the fortification ■of that post properly falls upon this country. On the other band, there have been very pressing applications from such places as Sydney and Port Phillip for fortifications. Complaints have been made by the colonists that very valuable property is liable to destruction with a very small force from abroad ; I have invariably answered these applications by saying that for the protection of their own property the colonists must provide the means of defence. The legislature of New South Wales has been informed, that if they will vote money for works for the defence of Port Jackson, the ordnance officers should be directed to carry them into execution, but that no proposition could be made to Parliament for votes for that purpose. The distinction ■I think is a very plain one, and it would confine the number of posts to be fortified at the expense of this country to a very small number." — Earl Grey's evidence be/ore the Committee on Military Expenditure.

Crown Lands Question — System of Emigration to Natal. — A few days ago the Dreadnought sailed from Gravesend with 120 cabin, intermediate, and steerage passenger* for Port Natal, being the third vessel despatched this season for that rising colony by Mr. J. C. Byrne, since he obtained those concessions from the Emigration Commissioners that have enabled him to confer land in the ratio of passage money, a steerage passenger acquiring twenty acres for £10, priority of choice being secured according to to the dtte of entrance on each ship's books. Originally Mr. Byrne was restricted by government to the location of 500 settlers ; but the manner in which he sent out his first two ships, the respectability, intelligence, and comparative affluence oi the passengers, and general eligibility for the colony, so favourably impressed the commissioners, that they have extended the concession so as to embrace 2,000 adults ; and there is little question that the same liberality on the part of the home executive will accompany the reception here of each successive report from the authorities in the colony, similar to those that have reached us since the publication of Governor Sir P. Maitland's communication to Loid Stanley, in March, 1846. The Dreadnought is an entirely new vessel, never having been at sea before, and is expressly built and fitted up to ply between London and Natal. Previous to sailing, Mr. Byrne, according to the excellent custom he has adopted, entertained his passengers at Pallister's Falcon Hotel, Gravesend, and having given them a resume of the latest information from Natal, including the actual conditionof the emigrants whose proceedings' had been reported upon, he addressed some admirable instructions and advice as to their conduct during their voyage and on their arrival. He expressed mgch gratitude for the co-operation he had recefeed from government, whereby he was enabled to realise a far greater degree of prosperity for the settlers in Natal than could have possibly been hoped for in the time. Within a year he pnrposed again visiting the colony himself, and on his return he felt persuaded that he should be armed with a superabundance of additional facts* in support of what he had been so long asserting in his books, in public lectures, or by private correspondence, that Natal was the best colony for emigration m the British dominions. — Sun. Sir James Graham and the Government. — It is strongly rumoured in the westend clubs thtt Sir James Graham has already agreed to enter once more the Whig cabinet, and that the adhesion will take place speedily after the present session. It is also said that the Cumberland^ Baronet brings with him a score more Peelite members, with whom, and others ' w>hjß will •" drop in," the government calculate that they will be sufficient in strength to hold the reins of office in spite of the attacks that are being prepared for them both in the Lords and the Commons. — Sunday Times.

The "Nation" Newspaper. — The question debated for the last fortnight amongst English and provincial journals, whether the government would interfere with the re-issue of the Nation received on Friday a practical answer. The securities, preliminary to the registration of the paper, and the proprietor's declaration, were perfected before the Comp-(roiler-General of Stamps, and the officers of the Stamp Office. Mr. Duffy is proprietor and editor ; Mr. Willams, publisher and manager of the commercial department : Mr. Delaney, printer ; and the journal, we presume, will appear before the end of the month. — Freeman's Journal.

Transportation of the Chartist Prisoners. — The Chartist prisoners, Cuffy, Lftcy, and the others, convicted at a late ses-

sion of the Central Criminal Court, were put on board the Adelaide transport, on Tuesday evening, at the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich. — Spectator, Aug. 11. M. Guizot. — M. Guizot proceeded ou

Wednesday, from Southampton to Havre, per steamer. This is his first visit to France since the revolution of February last year. — Liverpool Albion.

The Eastern Archipelago Company. — At the annual meeting of the company, on Friday, the chairman, Mr. M'Gregor, stated that the support of the government was assured to the undertaking, and that arrangtnents were on the point of being made for supplying the China mail steamers, as well as those of the Royal and East India Company's navies, with the Labuan coal. The fuel has been sold at seven dollars per ton in the market at Singapore, and the report of Sir Henry de )a Beche was very favourable as to its quality. — Liverpool Albion.

A Tragedy in Liverpool. — The Liverpool Albion says : — A sad scene was presented to a party who burst into a house in No. 1 Court, Oriel-street, Vauxhall-road. Two children, aged respectively one and nine years, were found dead in bed with their throats cut from ear to ear ; and there lay stretched upon the same sad paliasse two other corpses, and that of a man with his windpipe partially severed, the suspected murderer of his two children. The following are the melancholy particulars of the affair : — The house in question was occupied by a man named Patrick Joseph Golkin. He was a schoolmaster, in humble style, his school being situated in one of the dense streets in the neighbourhood of the cus-tom-house. His family consisted of himself, wife, and three children. Mary Ann Colkin, his partner, was under thirty. Their eldest son, James Colkin, was nine years of age ; Sarah Colkin, their daughter, seven years ; and there was an infant little more than eleven months old* Colkin himself, who is said to be a man of superior attainments, and to have seen better days, was sober and peaceable, and the family bore a high character in the neighbourhood. Cholera, however, the pestilence which is now scourging some of the lower districts of Liverpool, visited the domicile, and on Wednesday the daughter Sarah fell a victim to the disease. The evil did not end here, for Mrs. Colkin herself died fromthe malady on Thursday morning. The heads of the family had been noted in. the neighbourhood for their evident attachment, and, after the death of his wife, Colkin sunk into despondency, which soon assumed a frantic character. A woman, named Jane Kane, who resides in Paul-street, who was a familiar of the family, had volunteered her services as qurse to the two deceased. The corpses were laid out ; and she was struck on Thursday with the melancholy attitude that the man Colkin had assumed. He bewailed the loss of his wife, and declared that he would never eat^ again. On the morning of his wife's death, Colkin called at the house of a friend, in Whitechapel, shaking hands with the inmates, and declaring that they would never see him more. The woman Kane left the house about ten o'clock on Friday morning. About half-past two she called again, but found that the door was fast. The fact created suspicion, and she alarmed the neighbourhood. Entrance was effected through the window, and a terrible scene presented itself. The corpses of Colkin's two children were found lying at the foot of a bed, with their throats cut from ear to ear. On the same mattrass lay stretched the two cholera corpses, and, by the side of his wife, Colkin himself was found with his throat cut, but still alive. With both arms he embraced his dead partner. The bed clothes, of course, were deluged with blood, and further details would only disgust. A razor, the instrument of the mischief, was lying on the floor.

Pecuniary Reverse of M. Lamartine. — Among the advertisements which figure in the Paris papers for the last two days is one which causes great regret in France, and will cause i egret elsewhere. M. de Lamartine, though known to us only as one of the glories of France, and one of the heroes of the revolution of February, has been, in fact, one of its first victims. He is completely ruined ; and after making efforts, almost as great as those of our own Sir Walter Scott, lo save his patrimony, it is at length to be inevitably consigned to the auctioneer's hammer. Amongst the ventes d'immeubles of the Paris papers is to be seen, " A vendre la terv de Milly, appartenant d, M. de Lamartine, #<?." Ihis is the place where M. de Lamartine was born, where he passed his earliest years, and which he has immortalized in his Confidences. At one time it was thought that the place could be saved; One of the principal publishers of Paris agreed to pay off the whole of the debts affecting the property, M, de Lamartine agreeing, in return, to supply the publisher in question with a certain number of volumes. The arrangement was complete, the money was about to be paid down, when the revolution of February occurred. The

publisher offered to keep to his bargain, but informed M. de Lamartine that in doing so he should be irretrievably ruined, upon which M. de Lamartine at once tore up the bond. The debts continue as great as they were before the revolution, while the value of the property has greatly diminished. Creditors are clamorous, and, in short, the place must be sold for whatever it will fetch, and that will not be nearly the amount of the debts affecting it. — Leeds Mercury.

Singular Ciecumstance. — It is stated that three clergymen in succession who were appointed chaplains to the Liverpool cemetery have become mentally deranged. The circumstance is attributed to their constant repetition (sometimes as often as six times a day) of the funeral service, and the impressiveness of the sad spectacle of which they were habitually the spectators. — Bell's Messenger.

Mr. Hudson. — At the half-yearly meeting at the York, Newcastle, and Berwick Railway, it was unanimously resolved — That the directors be instructed to take such steps, either in law or equity, against Mr. G. Hudson, as counsel might advise.

The Railway King. — From two several quarters we learn, on Thursday, that Mr. Hudson had compromised all claims on him for about £247,000. We have no doubt that rumour has sprung out of what we said last week, that the York and Berwick committee had offered to settle with him for £100,000. The present rumour is improbable, simply because, in our opinion, it is impossible. Great as Mr. Hudson's powers of raising money once were, when he had the confidence of shareholders, and their pockets to dip into, it is a different thing now that he has only his own purse to go to. He could easier raise two and a half millions then, as he did at the Derby meeting, than he could now perhaps £20,000. Another rumour, much nearer the truth, is that Mr. Hudson has turned restive, and tells his tormentors that he will pay no more ; they may do what they like ; and if they want anything, get it if they can. — fferapath's Journal.

Emigration to New York. — During the three months preceeding the 4th instant, 99,941 emigrants arrived at New York from Europe, being nearly 1070 per diem average. — Leeds Mercury.

Death of a Descendant p ( i| Oliver Cromwell. — Our obituary recofd^he death of Mrs. Russell, the daughter of the late Mr. Oliver Cromwell, the biographer of his illustrious aucestoi and namesake. Mr. Cromwell was lineally descended from Henry Cromwell. He had no male heir, and it is said to have been his wish that his son-in-law should take the name of Cromwell ! but George the Fourth had the meanness to withhold his permission. The line of Richard Cromwell terminated in a female descendant, Mrs. Mary Cromwell, who died unmarried at an advanced age, honoured for her exemplary worth and unaffected piety. — Patriot.

Mazzini, the Roman Triumvir. — We give the following interesting account of one of the most remarkable men of our times, from the Inverness Advertiser : — " In the mingled moderation and dignity — the high and unswerving resolutions which have characterised the councils and proceedings — and in the eloquence and cogency of argument and statement, which have marked the manifestoes and other formal documents of the Roman Triumvirate, may be traced the hand, and the presiding genius of the Triumvir, Joseph Mazzini, who is unquestionably the man of the crisis, and a greater and a worthier than whom old Rome never produced in her hours of peril. This gentleman is the same, whose correspondence was so basely tampered \i ith some years ago, by Sir James Graham — when, in forgetfulness alike of his character of a British Minister, and the honour of an English gentleman, he stooped, to become the instrument of the vile espionage of Austria and the Pope ; and thus added a new descriptive phrase to the English language, not likely soon to die out, the 'jGrahaming of letters.' During many years of exile, Mr. Mazzini was a resident in the British metropolis, enjoying the respect and esteem of all who knew him, and supporting himself by his contributions to the leading periodicals and journals. By his industry and ability, he not only earned an honorable independence, but was helpful to many of his less fortunate countrymen ; and the unwearied zeal and labour which he evinced, in behalf of the schools established for the benefit of the crowd of outcast Italian boys brought over to London, will not soon be forgotten. Very shortly before he was summoned from these peaceful aud beneficial labours, to play so distinguished a part in the great drama of Italian affairs, he contributed a series of papers, still remembered for their singular power and justness of view, to Lowes Edinburgh Magazine (then under the management of the present writer), under the title of " The Pope and the Italian Question." It is interesting now to look back upon

them, add note the accuracy with Which all his leading predictions have been _' teri- ' fied. If only permitted to work out his plans much might be hoped for the future of Rome." '

New Weapons ' used in _ Hungarian Warfare. — A recent letter from the sett of war in Hungary describes in considerable J detail the formidable auxiliaries the Magyar armies have found in the wild population scattered over the vast steppes and forests of the interior, particularly the horseherds, or tenders of the troops of wild horses of the plains, the swineherds and fishermen. The first-named of these are especially dreaded by the Austrian troops, on account of the extraordinary weapon they carry and use with deadly skill. It is simply the whip with which they select and catch any horse of the herd they wish to tame and dispose of. The application of it in war is. quite a novelty. It has a handle not more than two feet in length, while the thong measures from 15 to 20 ; a leaden ball is fixed to the end of if, with smaller ones "It different distances from it, like shot on a fishing line ; when thrown it acts like a lasso, curling round man or horse, or it strikes either to the earth with a crushing blow. The horseherds (or Chykosz) are so skilful in the use of this weapon, that at full gallop they will strike an enemy with unerring certainty, on any part of the body they please. la skirmishes, any isolated foot soldier, if he fiies his musket and misses, is lost before he can attempt to reload ; the wild horseman rushes past, and with the sweep of the ball-loaded thong, stretches him lifeless on the ground by a blow on the. head. There are some thousands of these men in the Hungarian armies, and they are generally mixed with the Light Hussars, and sent against the Austrian cavalry. They often strike the officers from their horses with incredible dexterity. The wounds this weapon inflicts are described as frightful. Before it was known that these horseherds were serving in the Hungarian ranks, a great number of cuirassiers were brought into Pesth, wounded in a manner the military surgeons could not explain. The injury was neither a cut nor a puncture, nor a gun-shot wound, and the soldiers were for a long time ashamed to own that it was caused by so ignoble a weapon as a whip. Fortunately, it can only be used where the horseman has ample space, in anything like " close order" it would be as dangerous to friends as foes. One of these men was lately taken prisoner at Wieselberg, and probably to obtain an exact knowledge of the power of his arm, he was ordered to display his skill in the camp. A stuffed figure was set up, the officers pointing out the parts he was to strike while in full career. Twice he did as directed, but the third time he introduced a startling variation ; swinging his whip in a wide circle, be dashed his horse at a point of the line of soldiers round the place of exercise, broke through it, and was far on his way to the open fields in an insiant, untouched by the volley of balls sect after him. The swineherds (or kanasz) are generally Servians ; their weapon is a small axe, with a rather long handle, called fokosch, and they throw it with such dexterity that at 80 or 100 paces they rarely miss a man, and the blow is almost always fatal, as the Austrian army surgeons can testify. The fishermen are employed in constructing bridges in their own manner, on a sort of tubs, in a style which at first the Austrians ridiculed exceedingly ; but, though rough, they were effective, and put together in a very short time, and have proved of the greatest use in the Hungarian operations. — Times.

Strange mode of arriving ax a Verdict. — I was in a case some little time ago in which one of the parties, from an humble anxiety to save his client the costs of a special jury, acquiesced in a common jury, who, to his consternation, gave a verdict for £400 to the plaintiff, who, the late Lord Chief Justice bad told them, was not entitled to one farthing. One of the jury afterwards declared that he had resolved to give a verdict to the defendant, and after several hours' altercation they put four slips of paper into a bat, bearing respectively the four sums of $d. £50, £400, and £1,000. It>was agreed that the foreman should draw out one of them, and the verdict be accordingly ; and he drew the slip which bore the sum of £400. — Warren's Attorneys. Classical Question. — Master Tibbs, of the First Form : " Please, Sir ! If the Romans are destroyed, will there be any more Latin Grammar ?" — Punch.

Attacks. Deaths. London 261 The country 259 • Scotland : . 33 232 258 12 Total 553 502

The Cholera. — This disease is not diminishing. The return to the General Board of Health for the 30th Aug. gave the following results : —