ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 530, 31 August 1850, Page 3

ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

1 The Qaeen - has been pleased to grant to the Rev. Gilbert Elliott, Master of Arts, the „ dignity of Dean of the Cathedral Church of Bristol, void by the death of Dr. John Lamb, late Dean thereof. The Royal Commisiioners for promoting the Exhibition of the Works of Industry of .AH nations, in 1851; have appointed Professor Lyon Playfair to be a Special Commissioner to communicate with Local Committees. The Right Rev. Lord Robert Ponsonby Tottenham, D.D., Lord Bishop of Clogher, which bishopric he obtained in 1822, died in Ireland on the 25th April. The Bishopric of Clogher merges in the Primacy. Sir Samuel Henry Piers, Bart., was also dead. The founder of the Piers family is said to bare at one time saved the life of Queen Elizabeth from the fury of her sister, by conveying her privately away. Sir Thomas Cartwright, G. C. H., Envoy Extraordinary and Minuter Plenipotentiary at the Court of Sweden, died at Stockholm on the 17th April. A division took place on the 2nd May, in the House of Commons, upon the motion

that leare be given to bring in a Bill to repeal the Attorneys' and Solicitors' Annual Certificate Doty. The following was the result — ayes, 155 ; noes, 136. The return of the Liverpool Cotton Market for the week ending May 3 shows an active business with an advance of one-eighth of a penny per Ib. From the Commercial 'limes' Weekly Price Current, 4ib May, we learn that New South Wales hides were at 2d. to 2f A. — Copper: tough cake, per ton, £88 10s. — South Sea Oil, £31 to £33 10; sperm £83 to £83 10 Wool : Australian and Van Diemen's Laud : combing and clothing, lid. to 25. ; lambs Is. Id. to Is. 11yd. ; locks and pieces, 9|d. to Is. 5d. ; grease, 9d. to Is. ; skin and slipe, B|d. to Is. 4|d.— New South Wales tallow, 345. to 375. 6d. per cwt. The potato crop in Ireland was everywhere spoken of as being in a forward and healthy .condition. The parallel tube of the Britannia ■ Bridge would be finally removed Jrom the place of erection, and floated in a position near to its intended place, on the 10th and 11th of June. The treaty of commerce and navigation between the Zollverein and Belgium expires with the close of the present year. The most lamentable accounts had been received of earthquakes in Dalmatia. Ragusa, had suffered much, and Stagero was in ruins. The fi p st session of the Prussian-German Parliament at Er'urih closed on the 30th April. News from Berlin had been received by electric telegraph to the Ist May. It was confidently asserted that a Congress of the Princes of the League was to assemble at that city on the 7th. A protest was on the point of being entered against the plan of Austria to dub the Congress which that power is about to hold at Frankfort with the name of a Federal Assembly, since in so doing, Austria makes an arbitrary assumption of her former right of head of the Germauic Confederation.

Rumours op New Peers : Split in the Cabinet on the Marine Measures. — It is rumoured that Mr. Labouchere is to be created a peer, and that Mr. Wilson is to succeed him as President of the Board of Trade. For our own part, we give no credence to the report, as iar as regards the promotion of Mr. Wilson ; for this simple reason, he would not be likely to hazard his return for Westbury. We are, however, inclined to believe there may be some truth -with respect to the report of Mr. Laboucbere's elevation -to the peerage. He has been a useful and bard-working member of the Whig Cabinet ; he has done more work and got less pay than any of his colleagues ; and, being in possession of a good private fortune, the right hon. gentleman begins perhaps to fancy that the Whig tenure of office may be short, and that, therefore, he had better exchange office and salary fora "peerage," while it is to he had. But this is not the reason assigned at the west and political coteries. There, it is said, that Lord John Russell and Mr. Labouchere have not been quite of accord as to the wisdom and policy of introducing the mercantile marine bills this session. Mr. Labouchere, however, still declares his determination to proceed with them to a second reading on the 19th April. Under these circumstances, it is said that the noble Premier is desirous that Mr. Labouchere should embrace this opportunity of accepting a peerage, abandoning his bills to hit successor in office to deal with next session. — Shipping Gazette.

Landseer's Picture op the Queen and Prince Albert at Home. — Landseer has executed for her Majesty a picture of a domestic scene in Windsor Castle of the most interesting and pleasing character. The scene represents a room in Windsor Castle opening upon the park, which is seen through a large window' opposite the spectator. Prince Albert Iff'lfts Sporting dress, has^ust reiarneft ffoni a shooting excursion, and has seated himself, gun in band, on a superb ottoman, iv the negligent attitude of one who is a tritie fatigued. Ihe fruits of his morning sports have been thrown negligently on the carpet before biro. Tbe Queen stands on bis left, and is j contemplating with * pleased smile the game j and the respectful salute of a little dog which sits upon its hind-quarters before the Prince. The latter is evidently relating with gratified eagerness some of the incidents of his morn-, ing's rambles. On the other side of the apartment the Princess Royal has, child-like, singled out the most beautiful bird of the group, a brightly tinted kingfisher, with which she is playing. Whether Landseer intended a significant witticism in the introduction of the kingfisher, or whether an anecdote which we have heard in connexion with this picture be true, we are unable to determine. It i 3 said that when Landseer was busy with the painting, the Prince, pointing to his daughter, asked the artist tbe name of the bird with which she was playing. Landseer informed his Royal Highness that ii was a kingfisher. "Very appropriate," said the Prince laugh-

ing, " for most princesses are kingfishers." The whole picture has an air of truth and quiet comfortable, yet refined domesticity about it, infinitely captivating. It is so great a favourite with the Queen that she will not permit it to go out of her possession, though it is deemed desirable that it should be engraved. It is an equal favourite with the court, the members thereof declaring that the likeness of the Queen is the best that has ever been -produced. In order that the wotk might be engraved, it was necessary to have a fac simile taken of it, and this has been executed in a superb style. — Liverpool Times.

Extension of Colonial Bishoprics in the Mauritius, &c. — Arrangements are in progress for erecting several new dioceses in connexion with the Established Church in the colonies and dependencies of the British Crown. It is proposed to erect additional bishoprics, as rapidly as circumstances will permit, in unprovided districts : and the first place that will engage attention is Sierra Leone. Western Australia, now; under the superintendence of the Right Rev. Dr. Short, is to be elected into a distinct episcopal see. The island of the Mauritius, where there are at present many Church of England clergymen, is also to be erected into an episcopal see. No provision has yet been made for the sees of Nova Scotia and Montreal after the incumbency of the present bishops. The importance of providing a bishopric for the northern provinces of India has been pressed upon the attention of the Court of Directors by the Bishop of Calcutta. — Weekly Chronicle.

Royal Society. — The Earl of Rosse, as President of the Royal Society, gave his first soiree on Saturday last. Among the objects of interest in the rooms was Professor Wheatstone's ingenious apparatus for illustrating the undulatory theory of light. Mr. Appola exhibited his therraometric balance, which opens or closes the damper of a stove with a variation in the temperature of one degree ol Fahrenheit. It has the power to raise one ounce three inches, with a variation of one degree, and ranges from 54 to 66 degrees. The action is obtained from ether boiling in a partial vacuum, which propels the mercury from one bulb to the other. Dr. Mantell contributed a large number of fossil bones, &c, from New Zealand, and the humerus of the peliosaurus, recently discovered in a quarry in Tilgate forest. This gigantic fossil is four feet in length, and the circumference of its distal extremity is 32 inches. Numerous drawings of nebulae, discovered during the winter months by means of Lord Rosse's large telescope, were on the table. — Atlas, April 27.

The late Sacrilege in the Westminster Family's Vault at Eccleston. — On the 18th inst., there came to Eccleston three well-dressed women, who inquired for the parish clerk and told him they had a great wish to see through the interior of the beautiful little church. The clerk complied with their wishes, and they seemed to admire it much, being very particular in their inquiries about the vault, and how it was opened, and if the coffins were highly decorated with silver plate &c, to which the clerk gave them satisfactory answers. The ladies rewarded him for bis trouble and left. These ladies, it is supposed, were men in women's apparel ; for, as we have described before, the church was broke open and the vault entered and completely ransacked. The coffins were all stripped of the plate and thrown in a heap. Some of the corpses were on their faces, some on their heads, and some on their feet. It is supposed the villains were in the vault three hours. The Marquis of Westminster has offered a hundred pounds reward. — Chester Chronicle.

The Arctic Expedition. — The first section of the Arctic Expedition, consisting of the two sailing vessels, the Resolute, Capt. H. T. Austen, C.8., and Assistance, C»pt. Omanney.left Woolwich on Thursday. The! scene,, as in the case of the departure of the] Investigator and Enterprise, was an excitin gj one, and will long be remembered in connexion with the history of the search after SirJohn Franklin. The band of the dockyard battalion mustered in uniform. The Resolute was first taken in tow by the Jasper ; and as the vessel cast off from her moorings the band commenced playing " Shonld auld acquaintance," followed by " Hearts of Oak," " Jeannetfe and Jeannot," " Rule Britannia," &c. The assembled thousands immediately gave three loud and prolonged cheers, which was swelled by the crew of the Fisguard flagship, who had manned the yards. The crew of the Resolute then manned the yards, and in return gave three cheers. About a quarter of an hour afterwards the Assistance was taken in tow by the Advice, and left her moorings amidst similar demonstrations. Both vessels will lie for some days at Greenhitbe, to complete the shipment of their stores, and to have their compasses adjusted. — Atlas, 27 April.

The High Level Bridge, Newcastle ok Tyne. — On arriving in the morning by railway at Newcastle, a deputation of several gentlemen met me, with the kindly purpose of

conducting me over some of the more remarkable manufacturing establishments in that town and us neighbourhood. The object in which I felt most interested was the celebrated High Level Bridge, which has been thrown across the deep valley of the Tyne, between Gateshead on the south, and Newcastle on the north, so as to allow railway trains to pass to and fro without stoppage. To this therefore we went. I cannot express to yon how much I was struck withthe effect of this magnificent structure, which as a work of art, is much the finest thing in the north of England. This bridge, which was erected from plans by Robert Stephenson, Esq., M.P., consists of six arches of open iron work, which, seen at a distance, appear like a stripe of lace drawn across the sky. At the north end of the bridge, on the Newcastle side of the river, is the old castellated fortress, or keep, which performed an important part in the ancient Border wars. From thii end to the further extremity at Gateshead, the length of the bridge is 1337$ feet, or upwards of 445 yards; its breadth it 32 feet. The piers of the arches are of stone — light, elegant stalks planted in the bottom of the river. These piers are built on piles of wood, driven into the soil »s deep as the solid rock. The piles 'were driven by a ponderous steam-hammer— in itself one of the curiosities of the age — at the rate of from fifty to sixty blows per minute ; such, indeed, was the rapidity and violence of the blows, that the iron beads of the piles became almost red-hot. On the top of the stone piers rest the iron arches. The construction of the arches is very peculiar. Each arch may be described as consisting of four bows, or ribs, of cast-iron laid sideways. From point to point, each bow makes a span of 125 feet, with a rise of 17| feet in the centre. Each bow has, as I may call it, a string of iron rods ; the span therefore consists of four strings of iron lying parallel with each other. Now the curious thing about this contrivance is, that the iron bows form a double bridge. The back or top of the bows bears a road for the railway, and joists thrown across the four strings make a lower roadway for the ordinary thoroughfare of foot-passen-gers, carriages, and horses. Thus there is a | bridge above a bridge. The npper bridge ap- | pears a giddy height. From the surface of the river, at highwater, to the .level .of the rails, is a height of 108 feet 6 inches, and to the suspended carriage road, 85 .feet. 1 had the pleasure of walking along the upper bridge, and being conducted through the lower by the assistant engineer, Mr. R. Hodgson, who explained a number of details. The view from the top, looking down on the shipping and the old bridge across the Tyne, also over Newcastle and the spire of St. Nicholas, its principal church, is exceedingly picturesque. In entering the lower roadway we seem to look along a lengthened gallery. '" In the middle is a road of twenty feet broad for car-> riages, and at each side is a footpath of six feet. The road is made of wooden blocks, with gravel in the interstices. While we walked through the gallery, a railway train went roaring overhead like a peal of thunder; and the only thing to be feared is, that the noise of the trains may startle horses. However it will not be difficult to remedy this. The weight of iron, stone, asphalt, and other materials borne by the slender piers is very great. The weight of cast-iron, in each arch, is 517 tons ; of wronght-iron, 50 tons: wooden planking, 125 tons; paving, rails, and asphalt, 68 tons ; making a total weight of 760 tons for each arch. The weight of castiron in the whole structure is about 5000 tons. Surmounting all are the wires of the electric telegraph. The bridge was executed with wonderful rapidity. The contracts for this great work were undertaken in August 1846, and in August 1849 the first railway trains passed along it. In September the train bearing h r Majesty and suit southward from Scotland passed along the High Level in the midst 'of multitudinous rejoicing. Before the bridge was opened for trains it was exposed to a severe test. Four of the heaviest locomotives were yoked together, and driven backwards and forwards for upwards of an hour ; and scarcely anything is more indicative of high engineering skill than the fact, that at this vast trial of its powers of endurance, the structure did not show the slightest symptoms of weakness or vibration. The work' was a perfect work — another triumph of England's greatness in the arts. It is not less gratifying to know that no serious accident took place in the course of its erection. The last thing I need to observe respecting the High Level Bridge was its cost. The contract for the stone work, piling, and scaffolding, was £95,000 ; and for the iron-work and roadways £112,000; I should suppose the whole cost will be little short of a quarter of a million of money. — W. Chambers' Narrative of Excursion into the North of England.

The Mew Postal Convention with France. — It appears that the visit of the Right Hon. the Marquis of Clanricarde, the Postmaster-General, to Paris, for the pur-

.pose of entering |nto a new postal treaty with the French Government for the reduction of tlje : po stage on letters between the United Kingdom and France from lOd. to 6d., and an assimilation of the weight from under a quarter of an ounce to not exceeding half an ounce, as on inland letters in England, to the British colonies, the United States, Portugal, Spain, the Mediterranean, Egypt, India, Hongkong, and China (by the monthly mails via Southampton,) Holland, Hamburgh, &c, h«s been most successful. This important arrangement, it is stated, is not to be confined to letters between the two countries, but it is to be extended to all letters passing through France from Great Britain to other parts of the continent. The high postage on letters to the Mediterranean, Egypt, Aden, Ceylon, India, &c, — Is. lOd. per quarter of an ounce, and on newspapers 3d. — by the fortnightly overland closed mails through France, via Marseilles, has also been th"c subject of "his Lordship's consideration, and a reduction in the tariff, or postal tax, is likewise to be extended to them. When it is considered that the average number of closed iron boxes passing fortnightly from this country {on the 7th and 24th of the month) by the overland mails, via Marseilles, to our eastern empire, is from fifty to sixty closely filled with letters and newspapers, this alteration in the charges will be welcomed not only by the .•commercial interest and public at home, but by those in India. The example shown by England in the reduction of her postage on •inland letters to Id. has had a most beneficial influence on the continental Governments. France has already followed a similar system by reducing the postage to two decimes (2d.) : Belgium, Holland, Germany, Russia, Spain, Portugal, and other countries are granting a similar benefit to their respective populations, •as the means of creating a greater intercourse between man and man, and at the .same time extending their relations with foreign -countries — Times.

Death of the Adjutant-General. — On Thursday morning, Lieutenant-General Sir John Macdonald, the Adjutant-General, died in town, after a very short illness. Ths distinguished general officer entered the army as an ensign in the 89th Foot in 1795, and served with the regiment in Ireland during the rebellion of 1798, having been present in the principal actions which took place at Ross, Vinegar Hill, and elsewhere. In 1799 and 1800, Lieutenant Macdonald served in the Mediterranean, and was present at the siege of La Valetta, as well as the capture of Malta. From 1801 to 1803 he served in Egypt, and was present at the action at the landing, and in the actions of the 13th and 21st of March, 1801. Major Macdonald was in 1807 employed as military secretary to Lord Cathcart, who then commanded the King's German Legion as a distinct army in Swedish Fomerania, as well as during the attack upon and capture of Copenhagen in that year. Having in 1808 obtained a lieutenant-colonelcy, he served in the Walcheren expedition in the next year, and had charge of the adjutantgeneral's department of the reserve commanded by Sir John Hope. In 1510 he was employed as deputy adjutant-general to the force sent for the defence of Cadiz, and was present at the battle of Barossa in the September of .that year. He was employed in 1813 and 1814 in charge of the left wing of the army of the Peninsula, and in that command was present in the four actions on the Nive in December, 1813, as well as in the affairs at the close of the blockade of Bayonne, and in the action at the sortie from that fortress. Colonel Macdonald was in 1815 nominated a companion of the Bath ; in 1811 he was ap- ' pointed Deputy Adjutant General of the •Forces, and in 1831 nominated a K. C. B. From 1830 until the present time Sir John held the appointment of Adjutant-General. In 1847 he was nominated a Grand Cross of the Bath. From 1828 until January 1844, he -was Colonel of the 67th Foot ; but in the ; latter year he was removed to the colonelcy of the 42nd Highlanders. This distinguished general officer had received the medal for Egypt, and the gold medal and clasp for his services at Barossa and the Nive. By the death of Sir John Macdonald the lucrative appointments of Adjutant-General to the Forces and of Colonel of the 42nd Highlanders become vacant.