ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 871, 7 December 1853, Page 3

ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

1 It is stated that the Mecilla Valley had | been evacuated by the Mexican t-ioops. ! The Australian* Mails. — The Government contract mail ship Vimiera, Captain H. Neatby ? sailed from Plymouth.on Friday, with the Australian mails. Her present contract is to go out to, i Port Phillip in 82 days, for which she will rej ceive £1,000, paying'a forfeit of £30 for every day's delay beyond the stipulated time. The, Vimeira has a picked crew of 48 men. Among her passengers is Mr. Odenheimer, Professor, of geology, whose services are engaged by the,. Peel River Company. She has for cargo morethan 1000 tons, of British goods, valued at, over £100,000, and on deck she carries 32 Merino rams, and a very valuable Clydesdale horse for the colonies. — Liverpool Standard, August $.

The French and English Fleets. — Extract of a letter from a young naval officer in the English fleet, dated Besika Bay, 26th ( ult. :—": — " We all looked forward with great, interest to our meeting with the French squadron, on account of the opportunity that it would afford us of comparing with ours the state of their ships as to order and discipline. I thin k that there is no doubt that they have greatly improved since the war ; for the order and discipline of their ships is magnificent, and in outward appearance they completely throw ours into the shade. I cannot say that would be the result if it came to fighting, but there is one thing which is greatly in our favor-, viz., that an English ship is the sailor's home, in which be is made as comfortable as possible, whereas the French ships are no better than floating workhouses. Their men have no tables, or even stools, and sit down on the deck. Moreover, they have only one hammock between two men, so that when one watch comes below the other watch turns out of the ham-, mocks to make room ; whereas in our ships, each man has a comfortable hammockj with blankets and a mattrass to himself. Our men have four suits of clothes ; theirs no more than three. Our sailors in fact live like men, but theirs like dogs ; and they do nothing all day but scrub, polish, and holystone." — Ob* server.

Russell's Patent Apparatus for Stow;ing, and Disengaging Ships' Boats. — A trial of this invention was made i»n board on 6 of the Thames steamers. The steamer proceeded from the Adelphi pier as far as Erith, and several times during the voyage the invert tion was severely tested. A double lever • acting simultaneously at each end of the boat released it from the falls, and the boat was lowered by a very speedy and uniform arrangement. It was lowered and disengaged when fully manned in fifty Beconds,wbile the steamer was making ten knots an hour. The Peninsular Company. —The new paddle steam- ship Valetta, built for the Peninsular and Oriental Company, has made her first passage from Malta to Marseilles in fortyseven hours, tire shortest time in which any vessel ever yet ran 660 miles under steam. The celebrated admiralty steamer the Banshee, Lieutenant Plosken, commander, never made the passage in less than 51-§- hours. The average speed of the Valetta, it will be seen, was better than fourteen knots an hour. This contiimous steaming of fourteen knots, or 16*360 statute miles an hour, for 660 miles, is unprecedented. — A trial took place between the Valetta and the Vectis, the two new switt stamers of the P. and O. Company in the Southampton Water. The Valetta is the vessel that conNeyed the last India mail from Malta to Marseilles, at the rate of 16 miles an hour. The Vectis was only just launched, and this was the first trial of her speed. The Utmost anxietyprevailed. The race was two miles, one with and one against the tide, and great was the consternation on board the Valetta when it was found that the Vectis had beaten her by about a third of a statute mile. — Hoitie News.

The Queen at Chobham.— On Thursday^ the 4th August, the Chobham division of the British army was reviewed by her Majesty. The announcement of the Intended visit drew together a more than usually large and brilliant assemblage. Marquees were Erected on the top of the" Round Hill, near the front centre of the carap» from which the whole operations in the field could be Witnessed by the royal party. Her Majesty and the royal visitors travelled by the South Western Railway from the Nine Elms Station to Staines, and thence proceeded in -open barouches t6 the camp, where :hey arrived at eleven o'clock. Her Majesty was accompanied by Prince Albert', the Prince of Wales, Prince Alfred, the Crowti Prino of Wurteraburgh, and attended by the Countess of Gainsbotoigh, the Hon. Mary Seyi roour, the Duke of Wellington, &c. The whole* of Ihe troops were paraded at a quarter to eleven, when they diew up in line in front of their encampments, in order to receive their royal niisi tress. The whole of the division fired three volleys by regiments, 1 and the field batteries' fir'eoj the usual salute. The whole of the illustrious visitors, with the exception of the young princes, aMghtad from their carriages on arriving at the common ; several horses being in readiness, they immediately mounted.' ' '* Het Majesty 'rode a beautiful dark brown charger, richly caparisoned*, and, as upon the .previous occasion of her visit, was attired in a dark blue riding-habit, with gold aguilettes and a, round riding- hat, .with a atakU military plume of red and white feathers., > Her; Majesty looked remarkably' well in health, and appears to" have perfectly recovered from the effects of her recent indisposition. ' Prince 1 Albert, who wore the' uniform of a Field Marshal, rode on the left of her Majesty," and the Crown Prince of Wurtemburg upon'iiec. right. From the pavilion Her Majesty "passed dcwn the front of (he cavalry drawn up on tbelr parade-ground, and returned back by the same route, each of the cavalry bands playing the national anthem. As the royal visitors were proceeding along the line, add had arrived opposite the Ipft flank ef the Scots Greys, the horse of the Crown Prince of Wuttemburg swerved, and the gallant rider was thrown from his seat. By-the assistance of an aid-de-camp the Prince almplt immediately re- mounted," having fortunately,received but little injury. ' The royal party then passed along the whole of ttfe' infantry lines, the troops saluting in the/usual style, and the bands playing. Having completed the inspection they returned to the marquee on "the hill, where her Majesty nnd suite dismounted and witnessed tb« proceedings of the dty. Prince Albert accom*

panied u*y Lord Hardinge, joined Lord Seaton and the field officers, -and rode with them over the field during the movements of the troops. The arrangements of the day appear to have T>een conducted with the view of calling into exercise each portion of the troops, and putting them through some of their most interesting and oeautifnl evolutions within sight of her Majesty, "rather than with any definite plan of attack or defence. About a quarter to four the royal party left the pavilion in three open barouches, and returned by the same route as that by which they had arrived. Her Majesty and the young princes were warmly cheered on their return. "On Saturday, the 6th, her Majesty and Prince Albert, and the Prince of Wales, the Princess Hoyal, the Prince Alfred, and the Princess Alice and suite, again visited the encampment in four of the royal carriages, escorted by a party of the Life Guards. Uo salute was firec! upon their arrival, nor did (he regiments turn out and present arms, and the visit was supposed to be stiictly private, though how a person could entertain sucb a supposition in the face of such a multitude as had then assembled to witness it, we can hardly imagine.