LATEST ENGLISH NEWS.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 633, 27 August 1851, Page 3

LATEST ENGLISH NEWS.

[From the Lyttelton Times.] The Exhibition. —The preparations for this stupendous project were evidently being carried on with skill and energy. The building was completed, and the arrangement of the articles for exhibition in their respective compartments was rapidly progressing towar Is the same point. In the week preceding that in which the Labuan left England, a very fine equestrian group had been erected, the subject—a mounted horse attacked by a tiger ; the material—zinc covered with copper—being a copy of one in bronze placed in front of the Berlin Museum. A colosal lion in bronze from Bavaria was also fixed on a pedestal in the centre avenue. The number of agricultural implements was immense, and the jury whose duty it was to make trial of their capabilities had accordingly no easy task. On the English side of the building much labour had been expended, and the most accurate classification of deposits effected. The evening Express has entered the lists as an “ exhibition paper” and gives frequent double sheets devoted to information respecting it. The “catalogue of British exhibitors” alone raises ideas completely bewildering. The model of Liverpool had been forwarded to London, packed in several huge boxes. When located in the monster building, it would be arranged and completed by the artist, Mr. Beloe—whose task it would be to clothe the streets and quays with model man and vehicles. Of the former, it is said, that one thousand are contained in a pill box. The cars, omnibusses, waggons, lorries, floats, &c., have also to be placed, and though equally diminutive, are essential to complete the general effect of the model.

A suggestion had been made that in order to frustrate the efforts of London’s “ lightfingered gentry,” a deposit bank should be instituted under the management of the Executive Committee of the Exhibition, at which parties,, on entering the metropolis, might leave.what cash they did not immediately require, and draw daily what would serve for their expenditure, each depositor receiving a bank book, in wnich he should sign his name opposite to every amount drawn, or if unable to do so, receive a ticket for production on every application, with instructions to keep it separate from his bank book, thus lessening the danger of losing money by abstraction from the pocket, or by felonious application at the bank.

A pleasure excursion to London and Paris had been organized at Stockholm for the beginning of June ; it was said that five hundred persons had taken tickets. An Indian manufacturer, Naid Ramayna, who inhabits the town of Chog, in the valley of Cashmere, had arrived with a magnificent set of shawls for the great show. Of the shawls and carpets that will be received at Southampton from the Sultan of Turkey, some are worth £BOO a-piece. An unfortunate accident happened to an elaborate decoration, by M‘Lachl a n nF St James’s-street. A gust of wind blew the article from the van, and broke it into a thousand pieces. A nook has been applied for and obtained in which to anange the gorgeous emblems and accessories of the Roman Catholic ritual. Wyld’s great model globe was satisfactorily proceeding, and appeared to show most completely the great natural features of the earth, both under natural and artificial light.

Lamartine has presented to the French Assembly a petition from the admirers of Washington, requesting that a block of stone lying in the harbour of Cherbourg may be given for a statue to the hero of American Independence. Samuel G. Goodrich, the well-known author of Peter Parley's Histories, has been nominated Consul at Paris in the place of Robert Walsh, who resigned. M. de Nieuwerkerke is at present executing the model of the statue of Napoleon, destined for the city of Lyons. It represents the Emperor with his hand on his heart, pronouncing the phrase, since become historical, of “Lyonese, I love you !” In 1814, on arriving at Lyons from Grenoble, the Emperor was surrounded by such a compact and enthusiastic crowd that he delivered no speech, but could only utter the celebrated exclamation mentioned above. Letters from Venice state that the Count of Chambord had quitted that city on a visit to his brother-in-law, the Duke of Modena.

After passing a few days there, he proceeded to Parma, to pass a few days with the Duchess, his sister. He returns to Venice on the 21st instant.

A public meeting was held on the Ist of April in London, to advocate the repeal of the indirect taxes on knowledge, the paper and newspaper stamp duties, &c. It was there stated that the Penny Cyclopedia had cost a sum of £42,000, and that the proprietor had derived no benefit from it, though he had to pay for it to government a duty of £16,000. Chambers's Miscellany, which had contributed so greatly to the diffusion of knowledge, had to pay a sum of £6OOO out of £lB,OOO which the work cost. Before discontinuing the work, they had received a communication from America, stating that they were to cease from sending their publications to the United States, as the duty on paper made them dearer than they would be if reprinted in America. In every stage of the manufacture of paper the manufacturer was hampered by the excise regulations. The experiments made in making paper from straw were put a stop to by the same regulations. A subscription is being raised by the church-wardens of St. Paul’s and St. Barnabas, Knightbridge, and a committee is to preoent, on the 25th instant, a testimonial to the Rev. W. J. E. Bennett. The committee state, that as “ Mr, Bennett has sacrificed the whole of his private fortune in support of the various works of charity which he has established in the parish, it has been decided that the testimonial should be presented in money, with a view to a provision for himself and family. The amount subscribed is stated to be between £lO,OOO and £20,000. Jenny Lind has completely won the affections of the people of New York. When she heard tne news of the Atlantic’s safety, she W* and sung for joy. It will be remembered that Jenny came to this country in the Atlantic.—New York Sun. Borrowed Plumes. —We have heard of a case where a draper’s lad was sent with a splendid scarf on sight, and was detained a couple of hours, during which interval a christening was gone through—the fair lady of the nouse wearing tne scarf during the ceremony, and then returning it—as, on close inspection, “ not to her mind !” Another instance :—A lady of some note sent to the same establishment for some very fashionable watered-silk aprons—wore one of them at a ball and supper which took place that evening, and returned it next morning with a ham sandwich in one of the pockets-, with a piece munched out of the corner (of the sandwich not the apron). Booksellers, too, are often made to ornament the drawing-room table in the same cheap way. They are requested to send books of prints or other illustrated works, on sight, which, in nine cases out of ten, are returned’ not much the better for the thumbing of the housemaid during the process of “ ridding up, the morning after the party —that useful functionary, like her mistress, having frequently a taste for a peep pictorial gratis.— North British Advertiser.

Result of the Ministerial Crisis.— The Spectator says :—Our sum of results would be very incomplete were we to leave unnoticed what appears to us the most significant fact disclosed by the late events. Twenty years have passed since the reform bill was supposed to have thrown the preponderance of political power into the hands of the middle classes ; the government has just gone begging, yet no attempt has been made by the party calling itself pre-eminently “ popular” to seize the vacant reins, not even to put forward the faintest claim toshareintbe deserted functions and dignities of administration. Undue modesty is certainly not the cause of this singular phenomenon ; nor has the aristocratic exclusiveness of the whig oligarchy very much to do with it; quite as little the often-alleged want of official experience. The truth must be told : our DODular politicians are agitators rather than statesmen ably and effectively following up one idea or plan of immediate practical interest, but not men of imperial minds—possessing neither the art nor the science of government. Indeed, they are often less than this—unpractical as well as narrow theorists, yet not nhilosophers. shallow yet not men of the world. Thefaultlies partly in themselves, partly in the constituencies ; and each reacts on the ot ’• er and propagates and increases the evil. In order to become popular, candidates will seize on some proposition which the multitude can comprehend and use as a party watchword, dazzling and definite, but based on no comprehensive view, on no large knowledge of facts ; to this they will irrevocably pledge themselves as though it were a principle—urge it ss thou«h the safety of the empire depended on its immediate adoption—denounce all those who would limit or retard it, as factious and oppressors —organize a party to give it importance and keep it before the public—make all facts, men, and times, bow io it. Then, when

a-crisis like the present leaves office open to him who can practically fill it—when the disorganization of parties gives golden opportunities to the real benefactor of his country — such men find, however great their talents, however unquestioned their services, that this popular cry cannot be carried with them into office, and they dare not go into office without it. Thus they are caught in their own devices, and fall into the pit they have digged for others. Then, again, the great eonstituences are spoiled by this process—are used to be petted, to have their wishes made the standard of political possibility, and are taught to look upon every person who opposes them as corrupt and interested. The result is, that such a man as Mr. Cobden can take no part in the administration, whose almost sole claim to popular sympathy is their adoption of the principle which is identified with his name; while such a man as Sir William Molesworth, distinguished for intelligence and 1 cultivation, as well as honesty, is hooted, interrupted, and insulted by his Southwark constituents for as manly, sensible, and temperate a speech as ever was made to a body of Englishmen. Till the people can bear to hear truth—and till- their leaders will tell them the truth whether they bear it or not —neither the one nor the other must wonder or complain that experienced statesmen would rather compliment them than admit them to share and increase their official responsibilities. To cheek the national expenditure of shillings and pence, instead of directing the useful employment of national millions, is not an unpoetical retribution for fostering exaggerated notions and clinging to showy but impracticable crotchets. We wish the lesson may have its due effect. Our country’s reputation as well as our public service would be doubly gainers, were talent, energy, and influence, now partially wasted or misused, directed to ends infinitely more noble, because possible, and capable of immediate or speedy attainment.

The following article is reprinted from the Inquirer, a Western Australian journal, and though not of recent date, from the nature of the subject and the person to whom it more particularly relates, we believe it will be read with considerable interest in this colony, rhe article (which is continued in two subsequent numbers of the Inquirer) is a . vindication of Sir George Grey’s description of the country in the vicinity of Champion Bay, in his travels in Western Australia, from the unfair criticisms of subsequent writers and, from the recent testimony of competent persons and the latest explorations, completely establishes the accuracy of his account:—