ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VIII, Issue 767, 8 December 1852, Page 3

ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

Lieutenant- General Sir Thomas Downman, X.C.8., died on the 11th of August, at his official residence, as Commandant of the Garrison at Woolwich. Ikon Paper. — At the Prussian Industrial Exhibition, Count Renare, a large proprietor of ironworks, exhibits sheet-iron of such a degree of tenuity that the leaves can, be used for paper. Of the finest sort, the machinery rolls 7,040 square feet, of what may be called leaf-iron, from a cwt. of metal. A bookbinder 1 of Breslau has made an album of nothing else, the pages of which turn as flexibly as the finest fabric of linen rags. As yet no extensive application for this form of the metal has been found, but the manager says the material must precede the use for it. — English Paper. From Havannah we have intelligence to the 17th ult. It was rumoured that a conspiracy had been formed on the island for the overthrow of the Mexican Government in favour of Queen Isabel, and that the Queen-Mother was at the head of the movement. Some of the conspirators are said to have been seized at Vera Cruz.

The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Fleet. — The hull of the monster iron steamship, Himalaya, building for this company, is nearly completed, and it is expected she will be launched in October, and be ready for sea at the end of this year. Her length is 370 feet, and her engines 700 horse power. She is larger than the Great Britain, and is destined to run between Southampton and Alexandria; and will be commanded by Captain Brookes, the oldest officer in the Company's service. Some idea may be formed of the speed of transit of the last few years, by the fact that the heavy portion of the India mails is not due at' Southampton before the 28th of the month, yet it ■ lately arrived on the 17th, and never hardly, later than the 20th. . The Company are now building five new vessels, and their fleet will amount to nearly forty steamers. The Madras, steamer, lately run from Southampton to Malta in nine days, which shows to what extraordinary speed screw steamers are attaining. The Cutting of the Koh-i-noor. — The first step was taken on Friday afternoon in the progress of an operation intended to bring the beauties of this celebrated diamond into a greater prominence than they have hitherto exhibited. This precious stone, which was the cynosure of the World's Exhibition in 1851, caused some disappointment from the somewhat dim radiance of its lustre. This disappointment suggested^ the desirability of effecting such al-7 terations in the shape of the diamond as would

remove the admitted defects of the oriental cutting. The opinions of various scientific gentlemen were taken, and, some doubts having been expressed as to the possibility of cutting the gem without running a great list of its destruction, Professor Tennant and Mr. Mitchell were requested to examine and report upon the practicability of the suggested improvement. Those scientific gentlemen accordingly prepared a report, wherein they admitted the improvement which the proposed alteration in shape would effect upon the Koh-i-noor, but expressed fears lest any lateral cutting should endanger its integrity. It. was then determined to submit the matter to the opinion of practical lapidaries, and the Crown jewellers (Messrs. Garrard, of Panton- street, Haymarket) were instructed to obtain a report from competent persons. Those gentlemen thereupon consulted M.essrs. M. & G. Coster, of Amsterdam (the diamond-cutting trade having been entirely lost to this country), who, while admitting the accuracy of the fears expressed in the report of Professor Tennant, nevertheless were of opinion that the dangers were not so formidable as to prevent the intended operation from being safely effected. This opinion Was sufficiently encouraging to induce an order for the preparation of the requisite machinery to be erected upon the premises of Mess.-Garrard ; and, accordingly, a small steam-engine, from two to four-horse power, was erected under the directions of Mr. Joshua Field, of the firm of Maudslay, Field, & Son, which was on Friday afternoon for the first time put into operation. His Grace the Duke of Wellington, having manifested great interest in the, precious gem, attended several times during the progress of the preparations, ! and on Friday honoured the establishment in question wiih his presence. His Grace was received by the Messrs. Garrard, and the Koh-i-noor having been imbedded in lead, with the exception of one small salient angle, intended to be first submitted to the cutting operation, his Grace placed the gem upon the scaife, a horizontal wheel, revolving with almost incalculable velocity, whereby the exposed angle was removed by the friction, and the first facet of the new cutting was effected. This step in the operation forms but a small item of the process, as it is expected the work, under thfi hands of the two Dutch artists to whom it has been intrusted, will occupy a period of some months. The Koh-i-noor is intended to bei converted into an oval brilliant, and the two smaller diamonds which accompany it are to be similarly treated as pendants. The present weight of the principal gem is 186 carats, and the process now in course of progress will not, it is anticipated, diminish in any material degree its weight, while it will largely increase its value and develope its beauties. Some conversation took place respecting the doubts imputed to have been cast by Sir David Brewster upon the identity of the Koh-i-noor, but the general opinion among those best acquainted with the subject appeared to be that it wa? impossible for Dhuleep Singh to have palmed off a fictitious diamond, when the constant habit of ' wearing it on State occasions must have rendered it perfectly familiar to thousands, who would instantly have detected any attempt at substitution. The more piobable assumption was stated to be that the weight of the 'Mountain of Light' had4>een somewhat exaggerated. We regret to add that Mr. Sebastian Garrard, in superintending the erection of the machinery, had the misfortune to fall through an aperture in the floor, thereby breaking one of the small bones of his leg ; an accident which prevented him from being present on Friday last. The brief historical sketch of this celebrated diamond is as follows : — The Koh-i-noor was found in the mines of Golconda, and was presented by the Viceroy of the Deccan to the Great Mogul, from whose successors it was taken by Nadir Shah. On the assassination of Nadir Shah it was seized with his treasury by his general, Ahmed Shah, the Abdalee, who took it to his native country, Affghanistan, of which he became the Sovereign. His descendant, Shah Soojah, when obliged lo fly his country, took it with him, and, throwing himself upon the protection of Runjeet Singh, was, by a little torture skilfully applied to the mind and body, made to surrender it to his generous host. On Runjeel's death it was inherited by Dhuleep Singhj and on the late revolt and defeat of the Sikhs it was yielded to the British Crown, by special clause in the treaty then concluded. — Times, July 19.

The Maori. — It appears to me that there is a good deal of Orientalism in the character of the Maori, very strikingly different to that of the Australian aboriginal. The latter is quick, light, almost quadrumanous in his activity. I cannot fancy the massive form of the Maori darting up the stem of a slippery gum tree to cut out the opossum from his hole ! I rather picture him to myself in the sun at the mouth of his warree smoking his pipe, with his half shut eyes just above a fold of his mat. Although brave and warlike, there is, too, something of the Lazzaroni about his nature. His language, moreover, resembles in character the " soft bastard Latin," as Byron calls it, of the modern Boman. I was standing with some officers on the lawn near a window opening to the ground, when a tall Maori, in a blanket and Brutus crop, "ttirust in," and made one of us without apology or remark. One of them asked the intruder, in military Maori, whether he admired the white ladies, and which of them most. He instantly pointed out the objects of his preference, thereby showing that his own standard of taste did ' not greatly differ from that of many ofthe?akeha gentlemen present ; and he clenched the compliment by averring that he would give a " hickapenny " for her, which, measuring his regard by the price, was 1 more liberal than might at first sight appear ; for it was his all ! His blanket, his Brutus, and sixpence in hard cash (tied up in a corner of the former) was " all the store" of this noble savage. And indeed I have rarely met a finer looking creature than this individual. Full six feet high, erect, and well-proportioned, he had a handsome oval face, a clear skin, scarcely darker than that of the Southern European, neither tattooed nor bearded — for he seemed quite young ; and his black hair, curled back from his high brow, fell round his ears and poll in the most picturesque style. His only ornament was a flower of scarlet geranium stuck behind' one ear. — Our Antipodes, by LieutenantColonel Mundy.

The Last Convict Conspiracy in Norfolk Island.-"— Obnoxious constables were to

•be destroyed, and the island to be seized. One morning, immediately after inspection, as the various gangs were being marched to their work, the revolt was opened by a simultaneous rush, and the convicts scattered themselves over the settlement in search of their victims — certain constables who lived in detached cottages near the beach. Those who had been on duty, the preceding night, were in one cottage barbarously murdered in their sleep. The soldiery, after nauch exertion, got the greater number of the convicts back within the jail ; but some were scattered still among the hills, and three or four had seized a boatupon the beach, and made their escape to Philip Island. Philip Island is a lonely rock, lying about six miles from the settlement, inhabited by goats and rabbits, by the sea-birds, and by a peculiar kind of green parrot. It is a place occasionally visited by officers of the convict garrison, for a day's shooting. On Philip Island, these three or four men were able for a long time to elude the vigilance of those sent in pursuit. At length, however, all but one were taken, or had thought it prudent to surrender. For 1 8 months that one man, hunted by his fellows, lived on in his desolation, and escaped 'from every one of the many searching parties sent out to capture him, who were to be heard shouting about the reck from time to time — the only human voices that disturbed his solitude. At length his lair was discovered. The desperate man then climbed swiftly to the highest pinnacle of rock in the small island. There he quietly awaited 1 his pursuers. With much toil they had nearly scaled the height on which he stood ; he gave them a wild look of hatred and defiance, covered his head with his jacket, and leapt dowuward, rebounding from rock to rock, and falling a shattered mass into the sea. — Dickens' Household Words.

How the Tower is Locked up Nightly. — The ceremony of locking up is 'very ancient, curious, and stately. A few minutes before the clock strikes the hour eleven, — on Tuesday and Friday, twelve — the Head (Yeoman) Porter, clothed in a long red cloak, bearing in his hand a huge bunch of Keys, and attended by a brother Warden, carrying a gigantic lantern, appears in front of the main guard house, and calls out in a loud voice " Escort keys ! " At these words the Sergeant of the Guard, with five or six men, turns out and follows him to the " Spur," or outer gate ; each sentry challenging, as they pass his post. " Who goes there ? "—"" — " Keys." The gates being carefully locked and barred — the Warden, wearing as solemn an aspect and making as much noise as possible — the procession returns, the sentries exacting the same explanation and receiving the same answer as before. Arrived once more in front of the main guard-house,the sentry there gives a loud stamp with his foot, and the following conversation takes place between him and the approaching party :— " Who goes there ?" — " Keys." — " Whose keys ? " — " Queen Victoria's." — Advance Queen Victoria's keys, and all's well." The Yeoman Porter then exclaims, " God bless Queen Victoria." The main guard devoutly respond "Amen." The officer on duty gives the word " Present arms ! " the firelocks rattle, the officer kisses., the hilt of his sword ; the escort fall in among their companions ; and the Yeoman Porter marches majestically across the parade alone to deposit the keys- in the Lieutenant's lodging. The ceremony over, not only is all egress and ingress totally precluded, but even within the walls no one can stir without being furnished with the countersign ; and any one who, unhappily forgetful, ventures from his quarters unprovided with this talisman, is sure to be made the prey of the first sentinel whose post he crosses. All of which is pleasantly absurd, and reminds us of the stately manner in which the crown was carried, when the White Tower was on fire. — Ibid.

Dr. PusEr and the Master of the Rolls. — The Rev. Dr. Pusey would be obliged to the editor of 2he Times to insert the accompanying letter which relates .to a statement publicly circulated in all papers. Christchurch, July 21.

To the Right Hon. Sir John Roroilly, Master of the Rolls. Sir, — I see ascribed to you the following words: — "I am strongly opposed to the Roman Catholic religion, and as strongly to the doctrines of that peculiar sect of persons commonly called Puseyites. whom I consider more dangerous than open and avowed Catholics." I cannot but hope that there may be some error in the report of your words and that you did not really say this. tf you did say it, permit me with all respect to inquire whether, on reflection, it seems to -you just and equitable that one holding your office should have spoken such words publicly ? If I mistake not, you are yourself a judge in the very court which, if these doctrines were legally called in question, and there were any appeal from the lower court, would have to try them in the last resort. Bearing the sacred office of a judge, you would in your own court have thought it a bounden duty, before God and man, not to prejudge a cause. " Doth our law judge any man before it hear him, and know what he doeth ?' ? • In this instance you have descended from the office of a judge to that of a public accuser. You have implied that certain persons, more or fewer, contemptuously called by my name, firstly teach doctrines which they do not openly avow ; and, secondly, that such doctrines are at variance with those of the Church 1 of England. I will not believe, unless I am obliged, that ' you did this for any political object. I will believe that it is your sincere, although unfounded conviction. But then you must desire, equally with myself, that this state of things should not last. You must be as anxious that the evils which you deprecate should be removed as I am, that the truth should not be evil spoken of. .1 have taught nothing in private which I have not taught openly. I am ready to give public account not only of what I have taught, but of every point of niy belief and practice. I should be glad to do this, in order that it might, if any thought good, be made the subject of a prosecution in an ecclesiastical court. I pledge myself to do this — publicly, fully, distinctly, with-

out reserve — that if you think my teaching on any point not implicit enough' for the law to take cognizance of it, it may be the more easily tested, whether it is or is not, in accordance with the doctrine of the Church of England. I do so because I believe that it would be a relief to many minds to have this question formally settled, And now, I solemnly call upon you to take one of these three courses :—: — 1 . To disavow or withdraw the words ascribed to you. 2. To sue me in an ecclesiastical court. In this case I will defend myself without any resort to any legal or technical grounds, simply upon the merits of the case itself. I will interpose no plea which the state of the law might allow me, but simply maintain what I have taught to be in conformity with the .doctrines of the Church of England, or agreeable thereto. If you do not, I call upon you and your friends, at least, thirdly, as you respect the principles of justice and honesty, and, much more as you stand in awe of the Judgment Seat of Christ, in which account is to be given of every idle word, not again to impute to my friends that our doctrines are not " open or avowed," nor to inflame the people- against their pastors by insinuations which you canuqt substantiate. Your humble servant, E. B. Pusey. Christ Church, July 21. Novel Point in Bankruptcy.- I—A1 — A novel, and to the mercantile world, an interesting question was raised at a meeting of the creditors of Mr. Thomas Buvton, builder and contractor, whose estate, under the compromise clauses, had been vested in trustees, for realisation. The meeting was held on the 17th inst., J. B. Gough, Esq., one of the principal creditors, in the chair. It appears .that the liabilities amounted to about £30,000 and that at the preliminary meetings of the creditors a balance sheet was submitted by Mr. T. Burton, showing assets 20s. in the pound, with a surplus of £3.000. Within a few days after the passing of the resolutions whereby the creditors agreed to the compromise, the insolvent's solicitor gave notice to the legal adviser of the trustees that he should apply for his client's certificate. Accordingly, the case was argued before the Commissioner, who granted the request, on the ground that the bankrupt was released from the passing of the resolutions, and that it was not essential to await the realisation of the property. It is now discovered however, that the assets have been enormously exaggerated ; that so far from there being a surplus, there is scarcely an item in the "balance sheet that has not proved fallacious, and, consequently, as the creditors consider, they have a right to apply to the Commissioner to revoke the certificate, and if they meet a refusal, to apply to a court of equity. The proceedings of the meeting were at times of a very warm character, many parties being very severe sufferers, but this it is not in our province to enter upon, and we merely draw attention to the case as a caution to the mercantile world, now the system of winding up under inspection is so generally adopted. It was the opinion of several of the legal gentlemen present, that it would be impracticable to obtain a reversal of the certificate. Among the other inconveniences arising from private " winding-up" appears to be the difficulty of bringing to account parties indebted to the insolvent estates, and in the present instance the Commissioners of Baths and Washhouses, at Greenwich, we believe, have baffled the efforts of the trustees to measure extra work done, as alleged, by the bankrupt. No resolution was passed in regard to the revocation of the certificate, Chancery expenses being naturally shunned where the assets are so miserable, but the question is obviously one that, sooner or later, in some other cause, will have to be set at rest, unless creditors at their preliminary meetings profit by the examples now cited, and give only a conditional release. -Atlas. Irish Estates. — Two public companies have lately been formed for the purchase of land in Ireland on sale in the Encumbered Estates Court. The capital of each is £500,000. One is called the Irish Land Company, and is incorporated by charter for 31 years ; the other is called the Farmers' Estate Company, and is incorporated by Act of Parliament, the liability being limited in both cases. The parties chiefly interested in the Irish Land Company are capitalists at Manchester and Yorkshire^ Its charter is for 31 years, and of its capital of [ £500,000 a-fifth is to be reserved for such ira- ; provements as will give the estates purchased a I more marketable value^ It is proposed to divide the properties into lots of 33 acres and up. wards, and to allow a port ; on of the payments to be made by instalments, a lien on the land being meanwhile held as security. The period j allowed to this company between the purchase of an estate and its sale in the manner desi cribed is twenty years. With regard to the se- ! cond undertaking, the Farmers' Estate Com- ! paay, the act under which it is incorporated provides that all the lands that may be purchased are to be disposed of within seven years. The lots into which they may be divided are to - be not less than thirty acres, and there is a prohibition against any future -subdivision. One- : third of the amount at which they may be disposed of is to be received at once, and the remaining two-thirds can be made payable by instalments, bearing 5 per cent, interest, and extending over fifteen years, a mortgage on the lots in this case also constituting the security. Among the principal parties connected with this company are capitalists resident in London, Liverpool and Dublin.