ENGLISH EXTRACTS. [From the Empire, November 23.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 879, 4 January 1854, Page 4

ENGLISH EXTRACTS. [From the Empire, November 23.]

The P., and O. Co.'s steamer Chusan arrived in harbour. about midnight with the English mails to September Bth. The Queen and Royal Family were at Balmoral, having proceeded to Scotland immediately on their return from Dublin, where her Majesty appears to have been brilliantly received by her Irish subjects. The London correspondent of the Singapore Free Press says :—": — " The Queen has been delighting the people <f Dublin by her visit , to the Exhibition there, by her suavity, by her attention to Mr. Dargan, upon whom she called without notice, and not finding him at home, called again, found him, took his arm, and talked to him in the most friendly rnannt r, and lastly, by carrying away in a porcelain vase a sod of .Irish earth containing a root of Irish shamrock. With such attentions as these, has the Queen of the Isles run away with the heart of old Erin — while Young Ireland (as misrepresented in the Nation) — stood aside and growled a would-be malediction." The first Parliament of the Aberdeen Ministry terminated on the 20th August, the houses being prorogued by Royal Commission. The Lord Chancellor read the following speech :—: —

My Lords and Gentlemen • — We are commanded by her Majesty to release you from your attendance in Parliament, and at tbe same time to express her Majesty's cordial approbation of tbe zeal and, assiduity with which, during a protracted and laborious session, you bave applied yourselves to the consideration of many 'subjects of greatjmportance to the public welfare. Her Majesty has seen with much satisfaction that, by the remission and reduction of faxes which tended lo cramp the operations of trade and industry, you have given fresh extension to : a system of beneficent legislation, and have largely increased the means of obtaining the 1 necessaries of life. The provision which you have made for meeting the demands of the public service, not only in the present, but also in future years, is of a nature to give permanent stability to our finances, and thereby to aid in consolidating the strength and resources of tbe empire. The buoyant state of the revenue, and the steady progress of our foreign trade, are proofs of the wisdom of the commercial policy now firmly established ; while the prosperity which pervades the great trading and producing classes, happily wi.tbout even a partial exception, affords continued and increasing evidence of the enlarged comforts of the people. The measure which you have passed for the future government of lirlia has been readily sanctioned by Her Majesty, in tbe persuasion that it will prove to bave been wisely framed, and that it is well calculated to promote the improvement and welfare of Her Majesty's eastern dominions, Her Majesty regards with peculiar satisfaction the provision you have made for the belter administration of charitable trusts. The obstacles which existed to the just and beneficial use of property set apart for the purposes of chanty and education, bave been a serious public evil, lo which her Majesty is persuaded that, in your ' wisdom, you have now applied an efficient remedy.

Gentlemen of tee House of Commons :—: — We are commanded by her Majesty to thank you for the supplies which you bave granted for the service of the present year, and for the provision which you have made for the defence of the country both by sea and land. Her Majesty will apply them wijh a due regard to economy, and consistently with that spirit which has at all times mads our national security the chief object of her care. My Lords and Gentlemen.*—^-Her Majesty commands us to inform you that she continues to receive from her allies the assurance of their unabated desire to cultivate the most friendly relations with this country. It is with deep interest and concern that her Majesty has viewed the serious misunderstanding which has recently, arisen between Russia %nd the Ottoman Porte. The Emperor of the French has united with her Majesty in earnest endeavours- to reconcile differences, the continuance of which might involve Europe in war. 1 Acting in concert with allies, and relying on the exertions of the Conference now assembled at Vienna, her majesty has good reason to hope that an honorable arrangement will speedily be accomplished. f .Her Majesty rejoices in being able to announce to you the termination of the war on the frontiers of the settlement , of the Cape of Good .Hope, and she trusts that the establishment of representative government in that colony may lead to the development of its resources, and enable it to make efficient provision for its future defence. We aie also commanded to congratulate you that, by the united exertions of the naval and military forces of her Majesty and of the East India Company, the war tin Bucrnah has been brought to an honorable and successful issue. The objects of the war hiving been fully attained, and due submission made by the Burmese Government, peace has been proclaimed.

Her Majesty; contemplates; with grateful satisfaction and -thankfulness to Almighty God, thtf tranquillity which prevails throughout her dominions, together with that peaceful industry and obedience to the laws whjch insure- the welfare of all classes of her subjects. It isMhc first desire of her Majesty, to promote the advance of .every, social improvement', and,, with ther'aid' of .your wiBdpm,,,still, further to' extend . therp'rosperity,and,happiness. of, her, people.-' ,--..-• The Lord Qhapcellor then, , in, the name 'of her Majesty, declared the 'Parliament prorogued until Thursday,, the 27thK)ctober,next, ; and:it was accordingly, prorogued. At the prorogation of Parliament itfWas thought that the differences between Russia and were in a fair way of being amicably , arranged-. Lord John Russell stating in the House of Commons, that the Emperor ' Nicholas bad" agreed to accept a note drawn up by France. and England. The Porte, however, who appears better prepared to act in the emergency than" 'was- 'expected, and is strongly supported^' by the high spirit and animation of the Turkish soldiers, flatlyrefused to assent to the terms' proposed by the associated Powers.- That a bold and determined' stand is made will be clearly, seen from "the September leUer-of the London correspondent of the' Straits Times, which we publish in another column. In England, the popular" feeling was for tha immediate evacuation of the Danubian Principalities, and a public journal, called the Eastern "Star, devoted to the cause of Turkey, and w'ritteu with lemarkable ability, bad appeared iri London. The Home News, September 8, says in a posiscript: — "The text of this note, dated 19th August, addressed by Turkey to the Four Powers, explaining the grounds of the several objections and alterations made in the draft submitted for the acceptance of -the Porte appears in the journals of this morning. It confirms the details, we have given elsewhere as to the nature .of the modifications adopted ; but is singularly weak in statement, and wanting in that firmness of expression by which the Turkish side of the- ; corre pondence has' been hitherto distinguished. The modifications are better' and more cieditabie to the Sultan than the arguments by which they are supported. - A telegraphic despatch reached London yesterday, from St. Petersburg!),, stating that the Russian Government bad come to no decision oa the alterations, the details not having yet reached them." J' X'<K '< The Times thus exulu at the Parliamentary success of the ministry: — "~ J, "It is not often that a cabinet signalises it* first year of office with the performance of great things. I,t_is~~of siill less frequent occurrence that a coalition manages to work smoothly, and not only avoid internal dissensions, but positively satisfy the public. This feat has,*however, been performed by the ministry of Lord Aberdeen." Rumours were still rife as to pending changes in the Cabinet, and the Foreign Office seemed handed over already by popular favor to Lord Palmeiston. The new Transportation Act was to conu in:o operation on the lGth September. In Commitiee on the bill, Lord Palmerston thus sta cii the plan adopted by the Government: — " When a prisoner Has undergone a preliminary or separate confinement, he will not be sent out to a colony and il.ere get a ticket of leave a* heretofore, but will get his ticket of leave in thiscuuutry, and be liable, on bad behaviour, to be reman Jed back to punishment. The persons so released vrlll be employed upon public works,, separate Irom convicts, and at suitable wages ; a .state of transition from which they may easily slide into (he avocations of ordinary industry. This detention of so many convicts in ti"jis~co^- — tony is not to entail additional expense on the counties — the expense will fall on the public in the first instance, but ultimately the plan' will be attended with a .considerable .saving of public, money." Mr. Herriea bad retired from Parliament,, in consequence of differences with the Disraeli party. Sir William -Molesworth was mentioned as likely to succeed to the' Colonial Office, if the Duke of Newcastle proceeded to India as generally rumoured. - ,t . ' » r The Chartered Bank of India, Australia/, «n<ls China, and the Chartered Bank of Asia, .boilt, intended to operate in these colonies, had issued,; formal notifications that charters had beeiijobtained, and were only waitiug the requisite tegsilforms to be promulgated. - - , The Times, j spe.aking of the arrival , of .the/ Harbinger, says her protracted homeward pas,-,f sage shows the necessity for opening the Panama, 1 route, , .. , ;, , We learn from the same authority that various new projects were being started for establishingsteam communication between England and Aus- ' traiia. The Eastern Steam Navigation Company had announced its intention to build ships .for the Australian^ trade so large as to be able to carry coal for the entire voyage, with separata engines for, paddles and screw, and calculated to . make the passage' out in, thirty-five days. It • was proposed to build .these , monster' vessels 680 feet long, and 2600 horsepower, each" with a double bottom so as to form a tube on'the principle of the Britannia: Bridge* ■ Ay 'Dr.- : Hamilton of Plymouth, has issued a scheme f<m L a new Australian line of steamers via Panama. The affairs of the Australian Royal Mail' Company had been considered by a- committee. They condemned the conduct of the business by > the directors, as showing clearly their inability to discharge the. duties of supervision; and they ' recommend that " auxiliary" screw steamers be ' used instead of steamers partly assisted by sails. ' The old directors are to retire, and new director* ' to carry out these recommendations, are to'bd fv appointed. ' '' J ! ' The exports to Australia during ttie -last month had been very great, and a feeling 'was, springing up tb'at the thing had been overdone.' ' The Bank of England bad railed its discounts' ' to 4 cent. ' M Vl ' In a collision on the Great Northern Railway, several' distinguished public men had received .bodilyinjuries, among them the 'Bisb'bp 'of Lincoln, the Lord Mayor of London,' Mr.- Roebuck; • M.P., and Sir James Duke, M.P. , „ ~. The cholera was in Hamburgh, and it was ' ; feared would reach England. ~" "

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