[From the Sydney Herald, September 20.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VIII, Issue 754, 23 October 1852, Page 3

[From the Sydney Herald, September 20.]

A commission de lunatico inquirendo was executed before Mr. Commissioner Barlow and sixteen special jurors, at the King's Arms Tnn, Kensington, Middlesex, respecting the mental condition of the Hon. Mary Martha Hughes, spinster, aged 39, and her sister, Emily, daughters of the late Lord Dinorben. The evidence, and the personal appearance of the ladies, proved the utter prostration of their intellects, and a verdict was in each case returned, dating the unsoundness of mind from April, 1844. The number of emigrants despatched from Liverpool to the United States during the month of May was 25,492, the largest number that ever sailed in one month. Platina has been discovered on a fsrra near the mouth of the river Urr, in the parish of Buittle, Kirkcudbrightshire. The final completion of the exhibition building at Cork is rapidly drawing to a close, and the great bulk of the goods have been received. A large quantity of ancient silver coins were found on an island off the coast at Killala. The coins were chiefly Spanish, and dated from the middle of the sixteenth to the beginning of the seventeenth century. A heavy shower of black rain took place at Kilkenny.

EMIGRAXIOK TO TfrE TJIUTEfI STATES. The whole emigration to the United States in 1851 is estimated at not less than 500,000 souls* The demand for labour of all sorts continues to increase, anJ farm servants, male and leamale, can find immediate employment. In the North American colonies, the tide of emigration has uot set in so powerfully. In the year 1851 ,41,076 emigrants landed. Of these, 22,381 were from Ireland, 9,67? from England, 7,042 from Scotland, 870 from the continent of Europe, and 1,106 from lower ports, &c. The number of emigrant vessels which arrived was 31 5, and the actual number of souls' embarked was 41,298. Of these, 40,657 were steerage, and only 621 cabin passengers. "The deaths at sea were 216, and iv quarantine 51. The births at sea were 59* The emigrants were generally of a respectable class, and all emigrated voluntarily, with the exception of 872, who were sent out by landlords and parish unions. Lord Clinton has been elected member for Sandwich, in opposition to Captain French. The submarine wires between Belfast and the Scotch coast are expected to be completed in a few weeks. The Dublin Evening Packet says :—": — " We are informed that, in a few days, a telegraphic cable will be laid down between Howth and Holyhead. It is 70 miles in length, and is at present on board oue of her Majesty's steamers at Holybead. The promoters of this grand project are now only awaiting a favorable wind and tide for laying down the cable. This day the electric telegraph between Dublin and Galway was completed." A specimen of the gold ore found in Queen Charlotte's Island was shown on board the West Indian steamer Parana, which has just arrived at Southampton. It was a piece of quarts about the side of a nutmeg. There were several veins of pure gold running through it, and at one part the vein protruded and formed a knob of gold about the size of a pea, and as yellow as a guinea.

Emigration. — The tide of emigration con* tinues to an incredible extent. Liverpool, Southampton, and Glasgow, are at the present crowded with foreign faces from all parts of the continent, who are wending their way towards the United States and Australia* The example of the Belgian government, who have made an arrangement for ,50,000 emigrants to proceed to Mexico, is followed by other states. The Belgians who were first in the field with their company Le3 Mineurs Beiges, who have not only possessions* but are at work in California, have taken the start with their Belgic, American, Atlantic, and Mississippi Railway and Emigration Company* at which the principal merchants and shipowners in Belgium are at the bead. Some of the most eminent continental houses are in treaty with that company for the transport of a large number of emigrants to the southern states of America. A recent statistical return states the population of Austria and her different possessions to be 36,514,466. — Liverpool Albion. Mr. Lang, the engineer, proposes to construct a steamer for the Dublin and Holyhead traffic, of 400 feet long by 40 broad, with a nominal powetf of 1,600 horses, and capable of attaining a speed of 25 miles an hour. Colouel Sir J. Gaspard Le Marchanr, the present Governor of Newfoundland, has been select* ed as the successor of Sir John Harvey, de* ceased, as Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia* The sale of Marshal Soult's pictures yielded £5 9,113.

. 57th liEGiMENT.— :Kilppnky. — On • Mon'fay, ihe 17th of May, the Officers of thisregia grand dinner to Major- General •M'Donaid, C.8., Commanding the District, and several of their friends, to commemorate the anniversary of the battle of Albuera, in which adion this gallant regiment bore a distinguished part, and acquired the appellation of " The Die-Hards," which they have ietained ever since. The dinner and wines were of the very best description, and :the rich Mess plate of the Coips was displayed to great advantage, A portion of the old colours carried on the 6th of- May, 1811, and which had waved triumphantly before the embattled hosts of .France,, were hang up opposite the banners now used in the regiment, and reminded the guests of ' " Auld lang syne." After " the health of her Majesty the Queen" had been drunk with all the honours, Major Shadfortb, the senior officer present, gave " The Memory of those who bad* fallen -, at Albuera " — drank, of course, in silence. The Major tben proposed " The health of Lieutenant- . General Sir -Edward Blakeney and the survivors t of Albuera," coupling with these the names of Major-General M -Donald, C.8., and Col. Browne, Commissioner of Police, the only two persons at table .who were .present at Albuera, and who sat at bis right and left hand. Major-General M'Donald returned .thanks in an eloquent and soldierlike manner. He said that although he and his friend Col. Browne were the only Albuera men present, he saw several officers whose fathers had served in that glorious action, in particular Major Shad- . forth, whose father had lost a leg in the 57th there, and Capt. -Inglis, son of the late Sir. Win, Ing'lis, X.C.8., who was LieuL-Colonel com- j .manding the 57th in this gallantly fought battle, j He added that when the regiment had sustained a loss of two thirds of its numbers, the Lieut. - Col. called out in a loud voice, " close your ranks 57th — die hard !" which expression was the origin of the name by which the corps is still called. Major- General M'Donald also quoted the very flattering terms used by Marshal Beresford in his despatch, with reference to the 57th, The Ma-jor-General's manly speech was received with tha greatest enthusiasm ; when be again rose, and proposed the health of Lord Hardinge (Colonel of the Corps), and of the 57th Regt. He stated that to Lord Hardinge, then a lieut. -colonel upon the staff, the British army of Albuera were most ' deeply indebted ; and that to his decision and promptitude at a critical moment, and the unflinching courage of the 57th and some other regiments, the glorious result of the day was - mainly due. The President (Major Sbadfortb,) after returning thanks for Lord Hardinge and the 57th, proposed the toast of " The Fusilier Brigade, and their friend and guest, Col. Browne, who served in the Royal Welsh in this great action." He commented in warm terms upon the noble conduct of the Fusilier Brigade, which had contributed so largely to the victory, so beautifully described by Napier in his " History of the Peninsular War. Col. Browne returned thanks in suitable terms, and said he bad come from* Dublin on purpose to be present on so interesting an occasion, and would have gone ten times the distance to meet the old "Die-Hards." Other toasts were given, and the party did not break up until long after the midnight hour, having passed a most convivial evening, which will be long remembered by those who partook of the festivity. The fine band of the 57th contributed greatly to the enjoyment of the evening. — United Service Gazette. It appears that, in the year ending the sth of January last, (according to a Parliamentary paper „ just printed), the net produce to the excise from • duty on railways was £287,431 11s. 3|d.; and from stage-carriages £217,052 2s. B|d.