ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 601, 7 May 1851, Page 3

ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

Naval Appointments, Nov. 30. —Capt. Sir James Everard Home, C.B. (1837), to the Calliope, 26, at Devonport, fitting for service on the New Zealand station; Lieuts. Edward H.- E. Lambert (1846), John Ward [a] (1849), A. G. D. Huthwaite (1850), E. E. Mcrgan ; Master, Robert Knox (1811); Surgeon, William Wood, ALA. (1845); Purser, William Weaver (1843) ; Alates, J. C. Campbell (1849), F. M. Noel (1850) ; Assistant-Surgeon, Archibald Sibbsld, AI.D. (1841); Second Master, H. B. Gawler (1848); Alidshipmen, H. F. Aiarsball, J. L. V. Mostyn, C. B. Dobbin, T. D. Wright, F. Mackenzie, Edward Craven, and Fitzroy Dumaresq; Master’s Assistant, J. F. R. Aylen ; Clerks, W. F. Jones (1848), James Moore; Naval Cadet, Robert A. Nugent; Boatswain, Robert Grey ; Carpenter, George Mcgg ; Gunner, Wm. Merriman. When Mademoiselle Rachel was lately at Carlsruhe, an aged and infirm Jewess called

on her, and, after stating that she was in most indigent circumstances, gave her convincing proof that she was sister to the celebrated actress’s father. Mademoiselle Rachel made her a present of a gold watch, and agreed to allow her a pension of 900 f. a-year for the rest of her life.

All Paris went to the Champ de Mars on Sunday to witness a tournament, Roman chariot races, a race by the “ Clan Lochleven,” and a variety of other amusements provided by the managers of the Hippodrome. The day’s entertainments were concluded by a balloon ascent, certainly one of the most extraordinary that has as yet been devised. It was announced that Madame Poitevin would be mounted on a real live bull suspended from the car of the balloon; the lady personating Europa and the bull representing Jupiter. The bull, however, proved to be merely a bullock, on whose broad back sat Madsnse Poitevin. crowned with roses and clad in a white dress, over which was thrown a purple velvet cloak embroidered with gold. The balloon passed over the Invalides, an immense crowd witnessing its progress. The “ Arctic” Steamer. —The American ocean steam-ship Arctic, Captain Luce, arrived in the Mersey on Wednesday night, after a run of nearly ten days and a half. She is the third of Collins' line of American steam-ships. She was built by William H. Brown, of New York, and is of three thousand tons measurement; length of keel two hundred and seventy-seven feet three inches ; of main deck, two hundred and eighty-four feet ; draught on her trial trip eighteen feet; when fully loaded, nineteen ; height, from bottom of keel to officers’ promenade deck, forty-four feet; breadth of beam, forty-six feet; great sectional area of displacement, seven hundred and eighty feet. Her engines are made by Messrs. Stillman and Allen, of the Novelty Works. They are two in number, have each a cylinder of ninety-five inches in diameter, with ten feet stroke, working expansively for half its length ; the diameter of the wheels is thirty-five and a half feet length of bucket, or floats, twelve feet, depth two. In addition to these, she has two small engines for pumping water from her hold, which are worked by the steam from the main boilers when they are in use, and by an independent boiler when necessary. The engines weigh seven hundred and fifty tons, their boilers contain one hundred and fifty tons of water, of which they evaporate eight thousand gallons per hour, with a consumption of two and three quarter tons of anthracite coal in the same space of time. Their cost was two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. It takes ten engineers and assistants, twenty-four coal heavers, working in three gangs, with relays of eight hours each, to direct, feed, and operate them. The crew proper of the Arctic consists of thirty-six men ; the steward’s department of thirty-eight; all under the command of Captain Luce, assisted by four junior officers, besides which there is a purser and surgeon, making in all a force of one hundred and twenty-nine men. The cost of the ship, including machinery, is six hundred thousand dollars. The Arctic is fitted up in a similar style to the Atlantic and Pacific, elegance combined with comfort being the predominating features. In the timber and fastenings far greater expense has been incurred than the builders would have thought necessary if left to their unlimited discretion. There is a system of diagonal iron bracing of the ship’s sides throughout, riveted at every crossing, which is entirely hew with this line, and is due to Mr. Stillman. In addition to this all the timbers, whenever they are joined, are coqued, a method of uniting timbers, which prevents the working loose of the joint, and gives it the strength of any other portion of the beam. All the modern improvement in steam vessels have been introduced in the construction of the Arctic, and it is said that her sailing capabilities will be equal, if not superior, to those of the other vessels of this noble line.