ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 864, 12 November 1853, Page 3

ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

I The Aberdeen Herald relates that when the barque St. George, lying in Aberdeen bay with a cargo of guano, was off Valparaiso, she was struck by a sea unicorn, the horn of which penetrated through the outer planking and the inner skin, which it displaced. The horn was left sticking in the ship's side, but after considerable difficulty it was extracted, and is now in possession of the master. In a letter to the Archbishop of Dublin on Miss Sellon's establishment, by the Rev k Mr. Cookesley, it is stated that one of the most remarkable, if not the most formidable, agents made use of in subduing the understandings and whole being of the " sisters" t« the will of the " lady superior," is mesmerism. Miss Sellnn has credit for singular skill in the mesmeric art. Tralee ELEtrrioN."=-Mf t Daniel O'Connell was returned as a representative of this borough yesterday. The two candidates from whom am material opposition had been expected, Messrs. Shine Lawlet and Leahy, retired on Monday evening, leaving Mr. Thomas Fitzgerald alone as the opponent of Mr. D. O'Connell. — Morning Chronicle, 7th July. State op the Country .—The assize circuits now in progress, afford most gratifying evidence of the unprecedented tranquillity of the country, and also of the extraordinary de* crease in litigation. A striking illustration of change in this respect appears in the proceedings at the assizes for the county of Meath, which opened at three o'clock in the afternoon of Monday last, at Trim, before Judges Cfampton and Ball. In the Record Court, in which j the latter learned judge presided', there was not a single record entered, and >he only cases for hearing were two petty 3 appeals from the' quarter-sessions. Judge Sail having got through the business in half an hour, was enabled to return to Dublin in the' same morning, previous to proceeding to Mullingar, where he opened the commission yesterday. " At the Criminal Court at Trim, Mr. Justice Crampton, after charging the grand jury, and congratulating them on the .extreme lightness of the calendar, disposed of six or seven cases, mostly of a trivial kind. The grand jury were discharged at two o'clock on Tuesday, and the assizes terminated that afternoon. The judges appeared without military or other escorts just as they would in Dublin. Six members of the bar and five attorneys attended the Meath Assizes ; but the whole of the business would scarcely have afforded adequate remuneration to a single member of each branch of the legal profession. — Correspondent of Morning Chronicle, July 7. American Fare, — "I cannot accustom myself to the Western fare in the hotels and on the boats. Instead of giving a few cleanly-prepared, plain dishes, * the table is covered with dainties, with jellies and cream, ices, French sauces and sweets — a most unfortunate attempt to match English with French cooking, without the rude cleanliness of the first or the' 1 savoury refinement of the latter. But the passengers obviously do not

I care how the dishes taste, provided that they sound well on the bill of fare, satisfied to find on it everything they could command at the ■Gate de Paris, or the FreVes Provengaux. They vßre"£fon v Rre"£fond r of the idea that America is the first •country, of the*wOrld, even as respects the culinary art. Even the water looks unpalatable t it is the Mississippi .water, with all the mud of its bottoms dissolved by the melting snow.— • How do you like America, sir ? Is it not a great country?' said a gentleman to Mr. £ulszky. — 'Of course it i 3,' was the answer. ' Have you founid anything heft which fell short of your expectation ?' — « Your political institutions are admirable,' replied Mr. Pulszky ; your people are enterprising and energetic ; but, after all, there is nothing perfect under the sun .'—'Well, sir, what can you object to ?' continued the Ameiican, a planter, who probably wished to open thus a discussion ou slavery. Mr. Pulszky took up his glass, and said : ' For instance, I object to the mud in the Mississippi water which you drink.' — • Sir,' retorted the American, ' ithas been chemically analysed and compared with the waters of other" rivers/and'it was ascertained that the Ganges as well as the Nile contain several per cent, more of animal matter than the Mississippi/ — 'I have every regard for the sacred rivers of the Hindoos- aud the Egyptians/ said Mr. Pulszky ; ' yeHam ready to give§the palm to your father of rivers. Only I do not see why the mud of the Himalaya and Abyssinian mountains shouldjustifyyou in drinking' the mud of the Western prairie. Don't you know here the use of filters ? ! .' Sir/ exclaimed the American, indignantly; ' how should we not?' — ' Then why do you not filter your" water ?' asked Mr. Pulszky. — Without hesitating one moment, the planter replied : 'We are such a go a-head people that we have no time to filter our water." — Pulszlty's America. Instantaneous Blossoming op Flowers. — Mr. Herberts, at Onslow House, Brompton, made an experiment on the instantaneous blossoming of flowers. The flowers selected weie a rose and a geranium, both of which were entirely destitute of blossoms. Some buds were discernible a distance of about two yards on Jhe rose tree. Both . flowers were covered with circular glass, and some liquids, apparently chemical substances, were applied at the side to the interior. In two or three minutes after, the glass bowls became dim with vapour ; and within a quarter of an hour the geranium was uncovered, and several full sized blossoms of the ordinary appearance aud scent were cut from it. The experiment with, the rose-tree failed, in consequence, as was stated, of the soil having been prepared too late. Various conjectures were formed as to the mode in which the effect was produced, but the prevalent opinion attributes it mainly to the application of artificial heat, with a careful preparation of the soil. No explanation was offered by the exhibitor, nor were the company allowed to inspect minutely* The Heir Apparent.— lt is,said that two sons of noblemen, at school at Eton, were asked to Windsor Castle to spend the day with the Prince of Wales. His Highness having, in the course of the day's amusements, given himself some airs» which the young Etonians had no relish for, one of them, gave him a sound drubbing. The circumstance reached the ears, of the Queen, who, having ascertained on inquiry that her son had given sufficient provocation to merit the thrashing, had the good sense to express her satisfaction at the lesson taught him. The Camp at Chobham. — After a broiling field day, and being nearly washed out of their tents by the thunder-storm at night, the troops were permitted to meet yesterday. There was some outpost duty after two o'clock, but this is not very attractive to civilians, and the attention of visitors was chiefly engaged during the day in watching the progress of the games celebrated, according to annual custom, by the 93rd Highlanders. To these games the title of f< the Sutherland Gathering" has been given by the regiment. Under any circumstances an exhibition of athletic sports among soldiers is calculated to attract interest;, for feats of strength and agility have a national and appropriate connection with the profession of arms. They help to keep up the animal spirits cf the men, and supply them with healthy occupation to ward off the listlessness of barrack life. They promote also good feeling between the different ranks, unbending the severe routine of discipline while they last. In every regiment in the service, therefore, such games are to be regarded with favour* but they have a special value and interest in an army like ours» which still countenances nationalities, and by dress as well as by its mode of recruiting keeps klive .within it the distinguishing characteristics of a period antecedent to the union. What more natural or right than that the" Highland soldiers, wearing the kilt and arrayed in tartan, should toss the caber, throw the hammer, and put the stone? So think, and so practise* the 93rd, and their presence in the camp at Chobham has given them a very excellent opportunity of bringing out advantageously this feature in the management of their regiment* Under the t patronage of Colonel Rothe, directed by a committee of three officers, the game* went off* very successfully yesterday. A subscription had been made, from which small money prizes were awarded, and the competition of the 42nd and the ( Fusilier Guards, the other Scotch regiments on the ground, Was invited. A few men belonging to both came forward, and did very creditably what they undertook, but the 93rd had all the benefit of experience and practice on its side, and cannot, therefore, claim much praise for having carried off the chief honors of its own " gathering." Within the last few years the London public have had repeated opportunities of witnessing the highly picturesque sports which in the olden times formed the summer evening's amusement of our hardy and warlike northern mountaineers. It is not necessary now, therefore, to explain what " tossing the_ caber," or " throwing the hammer," or '/putting the stone" mean. These games were played yesterday.iv the customary manner, and with considerable 'success. The competitors hardly came up to what we have seen done at gatherings in the north, and one man of the 93rd, named Bell, ran away so easily with the chief prizes as to remove in a great degree the interest which a closer contest would have excited. The "cabers" used were mere wands/ in size compared even with those tossed at Holland Park, and the ha.rn.mer

and "putting-stone" practice, though very fair, were not extraordinary. Bell, who surpassed all his competitors in these games, isatali, powerful-looking .sandy haired young Scotchman somewhatfclumsily built, but with great bones and muscles, which helped him to an easy victory. He threw the heavy stone, weighing 23|1b., 32ft -Sin., the light stone, weighing 171b., 36 feet 5 Jin., and the hammer 121 feet. The caber he tossed with great ease, and would have required a much heavier one to tax his full strength. In jumping, and especially the high jumps, the sport was excellent and remarkably well sustained. Two men of the 93rd, the one named Gow and the other Forbes, were the winners, the first of the running high jump, the second of it standing. Gow cleared a height of 6ft 3in., and would probably have gone beyond that but for the fatigue which he underwent previously. There was a. good deal of reel, Highland fling, and gillie-callura dancing, the whole rendered somewhat amusing to an experienced eye by more. or less. decided traces of drill. The 93rd, at their annual gatherings, condescend even to sack and wheelbarrow races, and on the present . occasiqn these were very amusing. The games did not terminate until nightfall, and included some very spiritedly-con-tested foot races. During the entire day the interest excited by them was maintained without . flagging. The men in fatigue dress, and j in great numbers, collected outside the ropes, while a large party of officers and their friends watched the proceedings within. By the excellent management of the committee, and the special exertions of Captain Ewart, its most active member, all were enabled to see what was going on. When a good throw was made an, enlivening buzz of satisfaction lan round the ring ; a blunder or failure drew forth shouts of laughter. Soldiers give their attention to such exhibitions with a steadiness unknown to civilians. Their tastes gravitate toward displays of physical strength and agility, and so eager were they yesterday to see what each competitor did, that ladies inside the ropes, in order not to obstruct the view, had repeatedly to sit down on the damp ground, and do heartbreaking damage to delicate light muslin dresses in which they had come to visit the camp. One feature this "gathering" wanted, which is seldom omitted at meetings of the kind — there was no competition of pipers Those of the 93rd, with their eagles' feathers and scarlet coatees, might have been pitted against the pipers of the 42nd, who don't make such a show, but play very well notwithstanding. Altogether, " the Sutherland Gathering" went off very successfully, and was to the Chobham campaign what the Duchess of Richmond's ball was to Waterloo. If athletic exercises in peace help troops to victory in war, the 93rd, ocasion serving, may yet have as many battles enrolled upon its colors as the fighting 50th or the Black Watch. The new Westminster bridge is to consist of seven flat arches upon stone piers. The estimated cost of removing the old one is £15,000 ; of building the new one, £150,000. The Official journal of Naples records another mira6le. An image of the mother of God, the Holy Virgin, caused flames to issue from her chest. On the 20th June, a grand dinner of fifty covers was given at Besika Bay by Vice-Admi-ral Dunlins, on board the flag-ship Britannia, to Admirals L. Sui.se, Roman-Defosses, and Jacquioot, and to all the captains and commanders of the French squadrou, in honor of the anniversary of the accession to the throne of our beloved Sovereign Queen Victoria. Among the guests Were Messrs. Cilvert and Batbus, the former holding the office of English Consul and the latter that of French Consul at the Dardanelles, The arrangements were on the most magnificent scale. After the health of Her Majesty the Queen, and that of His Majesty Emperor Napoleon 111., had been proposed and drunk with much enthusiasm, amidst the roaring of artillery and martial airs of a band of music, Admiral Baron de la Susse rose, and made a speech in whhh he expressed the great pleasure he, as well as his officers, experienced at seeing the two fleets of England and France united in one common cause* He ended by proposing the " Cordial Union of the Eoglish and French Squadrons." It is needless to add that the toast was drunk with the greatest satisfaction by all parties. Admiral Dundas then proposed the health of "Admiral La Sussse and all the French Squadron." He expressed the hope that France would always act in concert with England : united together, be was «ure* they were able to defy the whole world* .The same good feeling was evinced at the conclusion of these words. The dinner having terminated, the company proceeded to the grand saloon, and did not separate until nearly ten o'clock* — Malta Times, July 3. The Pope having ordained that no Catholic female shall marry a Protestant v/ho will not swear to have his children educated in the faith of the Church of Rome, the King of Prussia has issued a decree that any officer of his army marrying under a condition so degrading, shall be held unworthy to serve the sovereign of an independent state, and dismissed the Prussian service. The trench clergy aie now throwing difficulties in the way of mixed marriages between Pro[testants and Catholics. Most of the priests refuse to pronounce the nuptial benediction on these unions, unless where a formal engagement is taken to bring up the children in the Romish faith. They are no longer contented with the common compromise, according to which boys are educated in the father's, and girls in the mother's religion. The Dublin Industrial Exhibition goes on prosperously, the daily number of visitors being from 7000 to 8000. A Dog Out of PtACE.<=— On the evening of a recent Sunday as the inhabitants of Ystradg'anlais, South Wales, were crowding to hear a somewhat famous itinerant preacher, a huge dog made his way into the building, bolted up the pulpit stairs, and took possession of the place assigned to the pastor. The unsuspecting itinerant walked up to the pulpit in a short time, but, assailed with fierce growls and a cow of teeth like an alligator's, he was glad to get totbe bottom of the steps. Asecond ventured, but only elicited some additional growls* A third sagtf, thinking discretion the better part of valour, next ascended to make en amicable settlement with Tyke. He did noi dispute the dog's right of possession, but endeavoured to barm him from his elevated position with »t» t

piece of candle. At this Tyke waxed more furious than ever, deeming the candle an insult ; and at length the pastor took his place in the sulall reading'desk, in which he preached, Tyke all ihe while remaning perched aloit li-tenint? to the discourse with a {iravuy and decorum worthy df a class-leader. The scene may be " more easily imagined than described." — Liverpool Standard: