ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VIII, Issue 740, 4 September 1852, Page 3

ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

The Sons op the late Sir Robert Peel. — Each of the sons of the late premier seems to have chalked out for himself a course of action : the one prefers the gaieties and the frivolities of the fashionable world' to the promptings of ambition; the other, studious and sedate, is bent upon winning honours upon the field where, but yesterday as it were, his father shone so brilliantly. He has enlisted himself under the banner of Sir James Graham, and at no distant period he will most probably be called to the council of his Sovereign. On the other hand, his. brother is of no party, but sits among the motley group of neutrals, and thoagh he may keep up the reputation of an English buck of the time of George IV., it is not at all likely that he will ever pine for the cares or sweets of office. There is just as great dissimilitude in the external aspect of the two ; for while the baronet wear&a. beard a la Charles 1.,-ahd-dress in the first style of fashion, the honorable and youthful member for Leominster (Mr. F. Peel) i is subdued in his attire, and wears that peculiar expression on his countenance that denotes great study and intense thought. He is most constant in his attendance in the House, but his brother is only seen there just before the division is about to be called on some great question that is to make or undo a party. — Political Sketch Book.

A Chapter for the" toung. — In addressing the electors of Dartmouth, a Jfew days since, Mr. Lindsay, the shipowner, replying to an attack upon him by'an elector, gave the following interesting account of his fortunes: — "He x should be the* . last- -fcf mention a word about Himself had he not.been taunted with falsehood. He was told he was a mere commonplace shipbroker. God knew he was commonplace enough once; he was the architect of his own fame, and he hoped no one' would despise him on that account. (Cheers.) He was but a young man now, and at the age of 14 he was left an orphan boy to push his way in the world. He left Glasgow to find his way to Liverpool, with 4s. 6d. only, in, his pocket, and so poor was he, that the captain of a steamer,-had pity on him, and told him that he would give him his passage if he would trim the coals in the coalhole of the steamer. He did so, and thus worked his passage. He remembered that the fireman

gave him part of his homely dinner, and never had he ate a dinner with such relish, for he felt that he had wrought >for^t and earned it ; and he wished the young to listen to this statement; he had derived a lesson from that voyage which he had never forgot. (Cheers.) At Liverpool he remained for seven weeks hefore he could get employment. He abode in sheds, and 4s. 6d. maintained him, until at last he fo.und shelter in a West lndiaman ; he entered as a boy, and hefore he was 19 he had risen to the command of an lndiaman. At 23 he retired from the sea; his friends, who when he wanted assistance had given him none, having left him that which they could no longer keep. He settled on shore. His career had been rapid; he had acquired prosperity by close industry, by constant work, and by keeping ever in*view that great principle of doing to others as you would be done by. (Cheers.) And now, instead of being a commonplace ship-broker, he would tell them at 35 (for he was no older) what was the amount of business which the firm which he had established, and was at the head of and the acting partner in, transacted. During the last year alone their charters executed amounted to upwards of 700, and this year it bade fair to be larger. The amount of their insurances was £3,000,000 sterling; they had shipped, as j contractors,. upwards of 100,000 tons of coal and upwards of 150,000 tons of iron. They had imported in the famine year, as brokers, 1,500, 000 qrs. of corn. (Hear,liear^) Then, as to the next charge,' that he was no ship-owner, and did not own a ton of shipping. In consequence of this statement he had been induced to copy out a list of the ships in which he owned a proportionate rate, and was managing owner of all, a large and high class of British-built ships. He then read a list of 18 vessels, besides steamers and others, ranging from 860 to 310 tons burden, the total tonnage being 21,002 — the largest portion of which he owned himself, and was manager for the whole. (Loud cheers.)

A Turkish Prophect. — The Turks have 8 presentiment that their days are well nigh numbered, and on account of this they bury their dead on the Asiatic side of the Bosphorus. A book, which they regard as canonical and old, predicts the" downfall of the western empire 400 years after its establishment, which period, reckoning in years, the Mahomedan mode of computing time, will expire in 1853.— Scenes in the East.

Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Association. — On Monday the annual meeting of ' this body took place at Exeter Hall. The chair was taken by Mr. J. Henderson, and the proceedings were opened with a prayer from the Rev. R. Newton, D.D., of Liverpool. From the report it appears that the amount of subscriptions and i donations during the year has been larger than usual, and that the juvenile Christmas and New Year offerings exceeded -£$,000. The clubs, | spears, shells, and other articles sent from the ! Feejee Islands sold for more than £500. The late Thomas- Marriott has left a legacy of £10,000, and, adding this to the receipts (less £1,000 for legacy duty,) the total income amounts to £111, 730 19s. 9d. The expenditure has beeu £111, 555 14s. 4d., and the debt is £10,666 7s. 9d. The committee, it was announced, contemplate renewing the nmsioo ii^-South Africa, and the reinforcement of those to India, in Ceylon, New Zealand, and Fegee, and availing themselves of any other openings that might occur in China or elsewhere. The stations of the association now amount to 356, their missionaries and assistants to 476, their catechists, iuterpreters, teachers, &c, to 8,477. The accredited lull church members are 108,678, showing an increase over the corresponding period of last year of 3,843. The adoption of the report was moved by the Rev. Dr. Hannah, and seconded by Mr. Cowan, M.H. The Rev. Dr. Spencer, the "Rev. P. Percival, from Ceylon, the Rev. John Farrar, the Rev. G. Horsford, from Tobago, and other speakers, addressed the meeting in support of a variety of resolutions, and after a lengthened sitting the proceedings terminated.

Marriage of Jenny Lind. — Married, in this city, on the sth February, at the residence ol Mr. S. G. Ward, by the Rev. Charles Mason, assisted by the Rev. Dr. Wainwright, of New York, the Swedish Consul, Hon. Edward Everett, Mr. Mrs. T. W. Ward, Mr. N. J. Bowditcb, her, legal adviser, and other friends being present, Otto Goldschraidt, of Hamburgh, to Mdle. Jenny Liad, of Stockholm, Sweden. Jenny Lind was married by the Protestant Episcopal rite. She is thirty-one years old, and her husband twenty-four. He is a gentleman and a man of genius ; of Hebrew origin we believe. We well remember bis performance on the pianoforte, too good for the popular appreciation, and never deriating from the severity of art to draw forth the public plaudits by tricks of clap-trap, which he had dexterity enough to do if he had chosen. On these occasions, Jenny, who was not on the stage at the moment, used often to stand forward in her private box, and clap her hands vigorously in sight of the audience, who by no meant seemed to share her admiration for the pianist. However she understood bis merits a great deal j 'beue*^tSrau:4hey did. — Boston Newspaper.

Gigantic Steamer.— One of the most extraordinary schemes offered to the public is about being formed into a company for crossing the Atlantic, and bringing our colonies within a month's reach of London, which is of equal, if not greater, importance to this country than the Great Exhibition. The promoters, Mr. F Spence, of Notth Audley- street, and another gentleman, propose building iron steamers of 720 feet in length, with 90 feet beam, and 36 in depth,. with four engines of 1000 horse power, and a screw, while there will be eight masts, with huge latteen sails. The, vessel is to be built of iron, and will be not only shot, but fireproof, and, from the. novel method, though simple, and for strength known to every school boy, its immense length will render it more safe than ope of smaller construction. It is calculated to carry 2000 passengers, with a, theatre for amusements, &c, and could, in case of war, open a battery of 300 guvs. — London Sunday Times.

Birmingham Candelabra at the Tomb op the Prophet. — The Messrs. Osier have sent to Egypt, by order of the Viceroy, two pairs of crystal glass candelabra, 10 feet high. The Viceroy is so delighted with them that he has sent them — who would gueis where ?? — to the tomb of the Prophet at Medina, where, as his

Highness s secretary observes, they will be the admiration of hundreds of thousands of pilgrim worshippers. It is a singular destination of Birmingham products — to keep watch over a pair of genii, who are keeping watch over the Prophet in his tomb, reminding him of his good and evil deeds, and balancing the account which bis resurrection is to settle. How very far have they travelled over sea and land to stand within those iron rails, and under the charge of the 40 eunuchs who keep guard there ! It is a symbolic incident, indicating the spread of British arts among the remotest regions, and the strangest races and faiths on earth. — Dickens's Household Words.

Appalling Shipwrecks. — The annexed reports of vessels lost were announced at Lloyd's in December : — The American packet-ship Tyendenoga, on her passage from Londoa to New York, was totally lost on the morning of 2nd December, on sunken rocks off Corribon Islands. The total loss of passengers and crew drowned is reported to be 27. — Two ships were run down and totally lost in the Channel on Tuesday night last. The Theodora, a large Dutch barque, 600 tons burthen, bound to Amsterdam from Batavia, about 7 o'clock in the evening, when some twenty-five miles below Eddystone, steering up the Channel, was met by ihe Corinthian, also a barque, nearly of the same tonnage, Captain Spencer, from Hull beating downward s. By some misunderstanding or neglect of keeping the look-out, both vessel* came in contact with each other, and with such tremendous force that thp Theodora filled and went down. The sudden and unexpected blow left scarcely sufficient time to get the boats out. Fortunately, the whole of the crew were saved. The Corinthian sustained very considerable damage ; she was compelled to put into the first port, and reached Plymouth on Thursday night, with the crew of the sunken vessel on board. The other vessel ran down was the Eleanor, belonging to Card ff. One of the crew was carried down in her, and unhappily perished. The collision took place about ten miles from Dorinan. The remainder of the crew were rescued by the vessel which came in collision with the Eleanor, the brig Mimer belonging to Hamburg. — On Friday night a large vessel, having on board 250 emigrants, from Bremen, bound to New York, was seen ashore on the Goodwin. A number of Deal and Margate luggers were lying off the wreck, taking on board the helpless passengers, who were brought off in boats. The vessel's fate is not mentioned. From other sources we learn she is likely to become a wreck. There are three other losses mentioned ; the most serious was that of the Lilla, of Liverpool. She was found to be on fire in lat. 43*35, long. 45. Nothing could be seen of the crew. — London Morning Herald.

Cavaignac. — The Scotsman has been made tbe medium of publishing a correspondence between M. de Morny, the French Minister of the Interior, and General Cavaignac. Tbe correspondence began with a letter from Madame Odier to M. de Morny, requesting an order of admission to the prison of Ham, in order to have the marriage of her daughter and General Cavaignac performed there. M. de Morny answered with bonied-words :—": — " The President of the Republic found it necessary to take very severe measures in the first moments, and could not yield to personal considerations ; but be has expressed to me tbe desire, immediately after the. re-establish-ment of tranquillity, to restore General Cavaignac to liberty, whose services to tbe cause of order and society he has not forgotten, and whom he does not confound with the conspirators who meditated the ruin of his power. Knowing the opinion of all your family, and desiring to give it a proof of his friendly interest, he charges *me to aay, that he would see with pain the ceremony of the marriage of your daughter with the honorable General saddened by the' walls of a prison, and to send you an order to set him at liberty. I need not say with what pleasure I execute this commission ; and I request you to accept the assurance of my profound respect," General Cavaignac replied to this note, placed in his hands by Madame Odier, that tbe commentary which it expressed and the motives which it ascribed were of a nature aot to be accepted by him. " Certainly, no one has suffered, and does suffer, more than I from the sad delays to my union with Mademoiselle Odier ; but I have no apprehension that even she would consider this a reason for accepting ray liberation. I ought to leave this place, Monsieur le Ministre, for one sole reason — namely, that I have done nothing to bring me here. I have no desire to be a prisoner here in spite of those who have illegally arrested me ; but it rests with me, and it concerns my houour to accept of no compromise inconsistent with the duty I owe to myself. In consequence, Monsieur le Ministre, I have the honour to declare to you that I shall remain here till Friday, the 19th of the month. At that date I shall deliver to the Governor of the fort the order which 1 retain. If he has received none to the contrary, I shall be entitled to say, and to consider as admitted by the Government itself, that, as I said above, I go out of prison on this sole ground, that there is no lawful reason for retaining me here." M. de Morny returned these diplomatic" last words on the 18th :—": — " General — In * transmitting to Madame Odier, the order for yaur liberation, I bad no other object than to do an agreeable thing to & family which I love and respect. I never thought of anything else. If allowed myself to speak of the sentiments of the President of the Republic, it is (and you know it, General, better than anybody) that, if the great political acts whose object is the safety of a country sometimes impose stern necessities, they do not efface the sentiments of esteem which may be entertained for an adversary, and do not forbid the expression of them. You will understand that Ido not reply to what you, have done'me the hohor to say regarding the illegality of your, arrest, and" that I limit myself to congratulations that (be date selected hy you, of 19th December, is so near at hand." — Spectator, 17ib January.

A Monument to Thomas Moore.— A meeting of a highly interesting character has been held in thVDublin mansion of the Earl of Charleraoot, the noble earl himself presiding, for the purpose of taking steps to" erect in Ireland a suitable memorial in honor of the lamented Thomas Moore. The meeting was convened by cards of invitation, and comprised all those who are distinguished in literature, art, or science in Dublin. Amongst those who took a leading part were the venerable Lord Cloncurry, Lord Chief Baron the. late Loid Chancellor, Lord William Fitzgerald, .Sir Thomas Esmonde,

and several other distinguished men. The result amounted to., this — that funds would at once be co'lectflii, s&veral of the highest names in Ireland uiidertaking/to act as. collectors, and that until the whole amount that may be contributed shall havt been ascertained, neither the site not the design o{ tbe memorial shall be decided on. — Nonconformist, April 7.

Italy — Sentences of the Sons of Lord Aldborough. — Tbe Austrian " Imperial and Royal Military Commandoof the port and town of Leghorn," published on the 20ih December, its sentence on the young Slratfords, sons of the late Lord Aldborough, and their fellow prisoners, accused of seditious conspiracy " to overthrow 11 the legitimate monarchic government of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, and to erect in its stead a revolutionary government of a democratic republican form." Henry Stratford, aged twenty-three years, native of-Paris, and thirty-eight other prisoners, were sentenced to death by hanging, for conspiracy and concealment of arms ; E'lward Stratford, aged nineteen years, native of Belgium, ' was sentenced to death by shooting, for ihe same crimes; Charles Stratford, aged twenty-one years, native of Belgium, was sentenced to detention in irons for a fortress during one year, for printing revolutionary papers; five other prisoners were spntenced to terms of imprisonment. But Field Marshal Radetsky, " from clemency, and in deference to the law actually existing in the Grand Duchy of Tuscany," has mitigated the sentences of death Jo periods of imprisonment for twelve years am] less, tlenry Stratford is to be imprisoned for ten years ; Edward Stratford for six years. Charles Stratford and another are set at liberty, " the time spent in prison during the trial being sufficient punishment" for them. Tbe alleged fact that the Stratfords are British subjects is ignored by the judgments of the Austrian Commando — Spectator.

Random Shot from the Minie Rifle. — On Friday last a gentleman, being a member of the South Devon Rifle Corps, was atTurf, practising in order to test a new rifle sent to him /or that purpose by a tradesman of Exeter. He fired one shot at a mark 800 yards distant ; the mark was situated half-way up a steep hill (Pole-bill) on the Devon estate, the hill being 100 feet high. The bullet struck a piece of rock, glanced over the hill, and at a distance of 30 feet perpendicular descent on the opposite side struck a woman totally out of sight cf the marksman, as the hill actually intervened between them. It inflicted a flesh wound in the thigh, and the gentleman, learning the extraordinary fact, directed every attention to be paid to the sufferer, who has expressed herself thoroughly satisfied with the bandsome treatment she has received. The distance has been measure! under the superintendance of Mr. John Drew, of Powderlam, and it was found that from the spot where the shot was fired to the place where the woman stood was 1,386 yards, actually more''than three quarters of a mile. This fact has excited great interest, and shows that all which has been predicted of the Minie rifle as an offensive weapon will be realised, and that the ground of practice should have a clear distance of a mile at least. — Exeter Gazette.

A Martyr xo Science. — We lately reported the death of Dr. Ellenberger, a French physician at Prague, in consequence of an experiment be made on himself with poison, against the effect of which he contended he had discovered an infallible antidote., M. Meniere related, in the Gazette Medicate, some of the experiments of which he was a witness while travelling in Germany with M. Orfila. During their visit to the Museum of Natural History at Prague, they were introduced to Dr. Ellenberger, who was happy at having an opportunity of showing them his experiments with .the antidotes against vegetable poisons, ajnd 'particularly strychnine and morphine. After relating tKe various trials he had made on himself, lfe proposed to perform an immediate experiment. He sent to an apothecary for 15 decigrammes (13 grains) of acetate of morphine, which, after it had been examined by M. Orfila and declared to be pure, he put on his tongue and swallowed, to the great alarm of all present. One minute afterwards he swallowed about the same quantity of a white powder, and the poison produced no effect whatever on bim. lie related that he had made the same experiment on animals and on plants, and invariably with the same result. :He appears to have done the same with strychnine, and always with impunity, until the last time, when he unfortunately lost his life. — Lancet.

The Arctic Regions. — Sir James Ross relates some remarkable incidents connected with his recent voyage to the Arctic Regions. A bear walked into Captain Ross' party, and surveyed them with cool inquishiveness ; guns were levelled, and the bear was wounded iv tbe head : he scratched his ear, and walked off with an air of supreme contempt. Another bear was seen to slide on his haunches down a cliff of seven hundred feet high, steadying himself with his forepaws, most "judgmatically," us the sailors said. An Innocent Satirist. — The Rev. Thomas Scott published an edition of Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, with expository notes. A copy of this work' he presented to one of his poor parishioners. Meeting him soon after, Mr. Scott enquired whether he had read it ? The reply was, "Yes, sir." "Do you think you understand it?" "Oh, yes, sir," was the answer, " and I hope, before lon£, that I shall be able to understand the notes.". — Christian Treasury.

The Ministerial Bench. — It is expected that Ministers will dissolve Parliament as soon as possible, to shorten the session ; because, as there are so many county Magistrates among them, they must naturally wish to bring it as near as possible to, a Quarter Session. — Punch. The lawyers are about to form themselves into a rifle corps, for which they are well fitted by their peculiar practice, and their quickness in discovering the objects that are worth powder and shot. — Punch.

Question j?or a Debating Society. — " If a man has a tiger by the tail, which woulu be the best for his personal safety, to holj oil, or to let go ? "

The Emperors and the Funds. — The autocrats of Fiance and Russia disagree ou the amount of the reward to which the foimer is entitled for the services be has rendered to despotism. Their quarrel, howover, appears to be waged not in the semi-obsolete fashion of kings arid kaisers, by recourse to arms, but according to the Cuisiian and philosophic principles of Peace

societies, by chicane and monetsfy pressure. It is understood that the Czar haft/ intimated a determination to withdraw the two -millions which he invested some time ago in the French funds, This would solely embarrass the President, who needs money and depends for it in no small degree on the success of his funding operations. He therefore takes care not to irritate the Czar by pressing too eagerly his claims to the Imperial title; but resumes in the mean time his negotiations with the courts of Austria and Prussia in the hope that, amid their jealousies of each other and of Russia, something may turn up to induce one or either of them to lend a favourable ear to his ambitious schemes. — News of the World.