LATEST ENGLISH NEWS. [From the Sydney Morning Herald.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VIII, Issue 761, 17 November 1852, Page 3

LATEST ENGLISH NEWS. [From the Sydney Morning Herald.]

The Archbishop of Friburg, in the Grand Duchy of Baden, has condemned forty priests to retire to convents for a given lime; as a punishment for having refused to execute certain orders given by .him on the occasion of the death of the Grand Duke Leopold. This condemnation was, it appears, published in violation of some legal formalities, and the Government intends to proceed against the Archbishop in consequence. On the other hand, most of the priests refuse to obey the prelate's orders, and it is not known what he will do against them. On the sjth August, a dreadful fire broke out on the establishment of Messrs. Kunth and Co., Pocket-book manufacturers, Goswell- street, Clerkenwell, by which their premises were reduced to ashes, and several adjoining establishin en ts much damaged. Lieutenant-Col. Wynyard, formerly of Scots Greys, has been appointed Keeper of the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London, vice Mr. £. Smith, resigned on full pay. Mr. Cobbett, son of the celebrated Win, Cobbett, who has been for several years detained in the Queen's Bench prison, at the suit of Jessie Old* field, has been at length released with the consent of the latter. ~ - ' , .Accounts from Madeira state that a blight had destroyed the vintage for this year, and fears were entertained that Madeira wine would very soon become nothing more than a matter of history. Twenty of the most prominent ruffians in the disgraceful Siockport riots have, after a lengthy investigation, been fully committed for trial by the local magistrates. The annual Scottish fetes at Holland Park were celebrated in the usual manner.

■ Letters Patent. — During the progress of the Patent Law Amendment Bill through Parliament, some curious aud interesting statements were made with reference to the origin of letters patent. Those who have only considered letters patent as a legal document, granting to an inventor the exclusive right of selling any article of bis own invention for 14 yetrs, by way of rewarding his ingenuity, and an acknowledgment of the benefit thereby conferred on the community, will be astonished to learn the extraordinary purposes for which letters patent were granted in the olden time. By letters patent was meant originally letters from the Crown that were open to everybody that could read them, and differed from letters close, which were sealed up and addressed to a particular party. The first letters patent were issued in the third year of the reign of King John, a.d., 1201. The following are amusing instances of the powers exercised under letters patent granted by that monarch. By one of these instruments he ordained tbat every year, when lampreys were first caught, they should not Jbe < sold for more than 2s. each, until after February, when, they were to be sold at a lower price. In another case his Majesty granted a license to Peter Builjio to adnpt any religion he pleased. In other instance he granted sale conduct, or the j{ig^M>^pjo^eding>witboutjmjD^|ati_oji^t(LjeiiabJe_ Stephen, the Archbishop of Canterbury, to corae^ to, Staines. By another a license was granted to Margaret de Leghorn to marry whomsoever she pleased ; and, in another case his Majesty issued his Royal Letters Patent, to certify that Robert, the son of Robert the Mercer, lost his ear at Chateauneuf in the King's service, and not on account of ielony. When one of the punishments for felony was nailing one of the ears of the offender to the pillory, it was highly necessary for a man who had sustained a loss of the kind to be able to account for the same in a satisfactory manner. Such were letters patent in the olden time ; they are now issued for a very different purpose. — Standard.

A Marine MoKsTEft. — The brig Village Girl which arrived in this port on Thursday morning last, from Patagonia, with a large cargo of gaano, brought home a large leonine seal. This monster of the deep was captured on an island off the Patagonian coast, on the 18th of December last, while in a state of repose. One of the crew observing the huge animal sleeping on shore, armed himself with a crowbar, and with more courage than prudence proceeded to the attack. He succeeded in approaching the animal without rousing it, and dealt out a most formidable blow upon its head, by which it was severely stunned, but not altogether disabled. Bleeding profusely from, the mouth and nostrils, the monster reared itself upon its hind feet or fins, and threw itself against (he breast of its assailant, covering him with blood ; but before the wounded creature could recover itself, it was attacked by four or five other seamen, by whom it was ultimately despatched. • The reader will form no mean estimate of the courage of the seaman who ventured, single-banded, to attack so formidable an enemy, when he is informed (hat the monster was upwards of nineteen feet in length, and is supposed to have weighed about two tons and -a half \t-*Whitchavcn Herald.

An immense degree of excitement was ragtagat the town of Six Mile bridge, County of Clare, (Ireland,) in consequence of the military having fired on the peopla there on the polling day for the Clare election. Six men were killed and several wounded, and it is uot only alleged, but positively sworn, that do provocation had been given for such outrageous conduct. A coronet's inquest was sitting de die in diem, and bad uot concluded- at the date of the last advices. A verdict of wilful murder against the military was anticipated, and the Government were taking measures for the safe custody of the prisoners in the event of any member of the soldiery being committed. Accounts state that severe gales bad been experienced at the gulf of St. Lawrence — 15 schooners were lost near Magdalen Island, and 22 pilots were drowned. _ On the 7th July, a severe shock of an earthquake was felt at Jamaica. Several old houses in the Spanish Town were thrown down, but no lives lost. , . - The Army in Ireland. — The following is the present military force in Ireland, with the head-quarters and depots of the different regiments, cavalry, • and '- infantry : — Cavalry — Ist {Regiment of Dragoon Guards, Dublin ; 3rd, Cahfr;'l 4th,' DubUri: 's«b, >Newbridge ; 7ib, Balliocollig ; 11th, or Prince Albert's Royal

Hussars, Newbridge ; 16th, Queen's Lancers, Newbridgf ; and Royal Hose Artillery, Dublin. Infantry — l't Regiment of Foot, 2nd battalion, Coik; 2nd (der-dt), Khisale; 3H ( Jepdi) Castlebat; 4th, Bary ; 6tb (depot), Coi k, 9ih,Galway; 14th, Limerick; 6th (depdt,) Mullingar ; 16th, (depot), Cork ; 17th, Dubliu; 27th and 31st, Limerick; 39th, DubHn ; 40th, Cork, for Australia ; 41st (dep6i) Boyle ; 43rd (depot), Buttervant ; 46tb, Belfast; 47th (depot), Templemore; 49th (depot), Waterford ; 52nd Dublin ; 54th (depot), Londonderry; 55th (depo ), Tralee ; 57tb, Kilkenny ; 59th (depot), Ferrfioy ; 50th (Rifles), 2nd battalion (de r .6t), Kildare ; 62nd, Athlone ; 64th Dublin; 68ih (depot), Nenah ; 71st, Ist battalion, Newry, for Australia ; ,81st, Dublin ; 89th, Cork, for Australia; 91st, Cork; and 91st Enniskillen. Companies of Royal Foot Artillery, and Royal Engineers, Dublin. The present force in Ireland is larger than it has been for the previous six months, amounting to upwards of 22,000 men. The Times, 7th August, thus reports the money Market : — •' The English Funds Trere again heavy yesterday, the market being opened at a further decline of aa eighth, from which there was no recovery op to the close of business. Consols for money opened^and closed at 99| to |, but they temporarily touched 99|. In the September account the last price was 96f to 100. Bank stock left off at 230£ to 232^. Reduce J 100£ to f . Three and a quarter per cents., 103| to 104. India Bonds, 91s. 945. and Exchequer Bills (March) 765. to 795.i (June), 71s. to 745. premium. Business in the Foreign Market was principally confined to sales, and prices were not altogether well supported." The Roman Catholic Clergy of the diocese of Armagh had met for the purpose of nominating; one of their body as Primate and Archbishop of Armagh, vice the most Rev. Dr. Cullen translated to the metropolitan see of Dublin. After the ceremonial had been concluded, a scrutiny of the votes showed the following resnlt, viz. :—: — Dignissimus — The Very Rev. Dr. Nixon, (one of the Professors of Maynooth College), Dignior — The Very Rev. Dr. Kieran, Dignus— -The Very Rev. Dr. M'Nally, Bishop of Clogher. The Pope may select any of the three he likes. The Committee of the House of Lords appointed towards the end of last session to enquire into the long pending claims of the late Baron de Bode upon the British Government, have agreed to a report which is highly favourable to the claimant, whose heirs are at length, owing to the praiseworthy exertions of Lord Lyndhurst, likely to succeed in obtaining an act of justice which ought to have been granted, half a century ago. It was generally understood that the Hoc. Abbott Lawrence, the American Ambassador at England, has resigned office. From France we learn that M. de Casabianca having retired from the office of Minister of State (the premier of the government) has been aucceeded by the eminent jew banker, M. Acbille Fduld. Several new appointments had taken place in 'France, and numerous petitions were beingjresentedjo the"Ftench__P_resideut prating, ! for the re-establishment of the Empire. Pardons and commutations of sentence have been granted to several French prisoners transported to Algeria. Colonial Wool Sales.— The Colonial Wool Sales will be brought to a close this evening. The attendance of buyers this week, especially 'from the continent, having been comparatively limited, prices have given way from § 1. to Id. per lb. Privately nothing doing. The imports are 14 bags from Hamburgh, and 39 bales from Leghorn. — London Morning Herald, August 7*