MISCELLANEOUS.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 526, 17 August 1850, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS.

Remarkable Family History. —On Friday last Mrs. Susan Clarke, of Rusbmere, near Ipswich, died at the advanced age of 90, leaving her husband, who is now 96 years of age, to lament the loss of an affectionate partner, to whom he had been married no less than 70 years. There are 10 children now living, and, it is supposed, at least one hundred grand-children, but at present the number is not accura'ely known. Sixty-eight years since they lost one child, since which lengthened period there has not been a deathr in the family ! The oldest child is now 68 years of age ; the youngest is 47.— Ipswich Express.

United States. — The Nicaragua Canal, and the position of the country as regards existing treaties with foreign powers, as well as all diplomatic correspondence relative to that subject, absorbs quite as much of the public interest at any other topic now spoken of. Not a newspaper can be taken up which does not place this matter as prominently as possible before its readers, and in answer to the argent requisition that all information regarding it shall be laid before Congress, the President has stated that this call shall be complied with as soon as can be without detriment to the public service. I am, however, warranted in stating that a treaty has been made between Mr. Clayton and Sir H. L. Bulwer, which was sent to England by the last steamer, and an additional article goes by the present conveyance. This treaty provides for the protection of the New York Company in the construction of the canal, and unites the powers in guaranteeing the neutrality of the route through which it is to run. It also specified that neither Great Britain nor the United States shall colonise, occupy, fortify, or many manner assert authority over any portion of Central America. By those who are aware of the provisions of the treaty it is confidently expected that it will be ratified by poth powers; and, this point accomplished, the work of the company will be prosecuted with the energy which the rapid increase of the Pacific trade renders so absolutely requisite. — Times, March 8. Turkey. — Characteristic particulars of the behaviour of the Hungarian refugees on their late departure from Shurala to Kutahia, in Asia Minor, are given by the correspondent of the limes.' When Achmet Effendi, who reached Sbumla on the sth February, began to make preparations for the departure of the fugitives, Kossuth declared to him that he would rather shoot himself than consent to be removed to Asia. To this, the diplomatist, with Turkish phlegm, replied, that ' it was a pity to anticipate that fate from which none can escape ; bat that man would often follow his inspirations.' Kossuth subsequently addressed a brilliant speech to his followers in order to excite them to accompany him ; but with little success. Casimir Batthyany intended to- have attempted to escape before Achraet Effendi's arrival ; but the Turks by seizing his horses defeated his plans : he seemed much moved on hearing that he must proceed with the others to Asia. Dembinsky having pleaded illness, the Turkish Commissioner has demanded further instructions from Constantinople. Messaros and Stein (Ferhad) were much cast down : Maurice Perczel, on the contrary, declared that he willingly went into exile, as he would never have returned to Hungary even if permission had been granted him so to do. A strange scene took place between Ballogh and bis son. The former, as a renegade, \ias to be removed to Aleppo, while his son, as a Christian, was to proceed to Kutahia. The idea of being separated from his son almost drove

the old man mad. He declared that he had been vilely deceived by the Turkish government ; and, throwing his 'fez' at the feet of Achmet Effendi, swore that he would rather die than remain a Mussulman. At one o'clock on the 15th the mournful procession started. Kossuth, who had previously committed his last will to the hands of the Turkish Commissioner, sat buried in his cloak in a corner of his carriage ; his wife accompanied him. Batthyany, though the expression of his countenance was sad, sat as proudly as ever in bis saddle. The Countess was in a close carriage. The others, to about the number of fifty-eight, followed pele-mele."

Her Majesty's Ship "Ganges" Struck by Lightning. — By accounts from the Mediterranean it appears that her Majesty's ship Ganges was struck by lightning in January last, near Athens. The electric discharge fell in forked streams on the foremast, pioducing luminous corruscations, or spouts, as the sailors term them, nearly half-way down the mast. No damage, however, ensued. The conductors fixed in the spars carried off the great bulk of the discharge without the least inconvenience, not a ropeyarn was damaged — another most important practical illustration of the great value of lightning conductors judiciously applied. In 1838 the Rodnet/, a similar ship, but not so protected, was struck by lightning, off Malta. The ship was on fire aloft for half-an-hour. Two men were killed, and two more severely injured. The very hearts of the spars were ruined, and the ship detained under an expensive repair at Malta for a month or five weeks, thereby causing a serious inconvenience to the service and a very ruinous expenditure. — Liverpool Albion, 18th March.

The Auriferous Wealth of Russia. — We see it stated, in the continental papers, that in consequence of the great quantity of produce extracted from the Ural Mines, the Emperor of Russia has, by an ukase, recently established at Cronstadt an imperial entrepot for the deposit of metallic productions, consisting of gold. Since the receipt at St. Petersburgh of large accessions of the precious metals, there remained in the entrepot of that capital a very large aggregate, the produce of the mines of the Ural and the Lena. The amount named is 400,000,000 of gold, silver rubles of the value of less than a shilling each, say 9d.or 10d., making asnmof£ls,ooo,ooo sterling, being, we presume, the coin in which it is estimated. — Mining Journal.

Singular Occupation. — An English officer in Venice, walking one day from the Doge's palace, thought be observed one of the figures on the clock- tower of St. Mark's stoop down and take up something. He looked again, and he positively saw the figure take a pinch of snuff. The officer confessed that he was apprehensive he was losing his senses, or that bis vision was deranged; when an old woman observing his consternation, soon explained the seeming miracle, by tell ing him that one of the figures that struck the hour being out of repair, her nephew Jacopo was engaged as a substitute till the machine was put in order. — Brighton Herald.

Fishing for Rats. — A new branch of industry has sprung up in Newcastle. Juvenile disciples of Izaak Walton (the shade of the old angler frowns upon us as we write,) may be seen in the streets patiently reposing by the side of a grate with a line and baited hook in the sewer to catch rats. Tbeir prey are sold to the jackalls of the rat hunters, men who keep hundreds of rats in store and sell them to sportsmen ! Mammon has strange votaries. — Gateskead Obserzer.