ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 932, 8 July 1854, Page 4

ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

A very destructive fire bad occurred at Manchester, March 1, by which buildings, chiefly warehouses, and other property, to the amount of £183,000, were destroyed. It was ascertained lhat nearly all the gold by the Great Britain would be bought up for foreign countries, several large Continental buyers being in London. An arrangement has been made between the General Screw Company and Postmaster General for the despatch of future mails to Australia, the terms of which are described in the Times as follows. We shall ccc if this will answer better than the previous means adopted for facilitating communication with Sydney and Melbourne : — " The proposed Bervice is to be every alternate month from Southampton to Melbourne via the Cape of Good Hope, the company to go direct, if they pleaee, and to employ " whatever vessels in their fleet they choose. The only restriction is with reference to time, 65 days being stipulated for the voyage out to Melbourne, with an additional five days for despatching the mails to Adelaide and Sydney. For every day in excess of these seventy days a penalty i's to be paid of £30. The port of departure for the colonies is to be Melbourne, the homeward route being via Cape Horn, and 67 days being allowed for it. According to the present postal rate, the company are to receive 66. for every ordinary letter not exceeding half an ounce, and so on in proportion, and for every book package not exceeding half a pound 3d. ; but no charge is to be made for newspapers. If the Australian rate of postage shall hereafter be reduced, then the company are to receive 3d. per letter, and a halfpenny on newspapers. Should the result of the arrangement be favorable, a monthly service may then be entered upon. The contract is not for r fixed period, but the Postmaster may give 12 months' notice for it* termination. If determined in the first year, the company are to paid a penalty of £30,000, in the eecond year £25,000, and in the fifth £10,000. The final clause stipulates that all the mails by the two Capes ihall be conveyed by the boats of the company."

Piscatohiai. Jesuitrt. — " My boy ! my boy ! you do very wrong to fish on Sunday.' Boy, — " It can't do do barm, Sir, I ain't catchl** nuffin."

Sleeping at Church. — The Albany (United States) Express states that the Baptist minister in Hudson-street, finding, o» Sunday afternoon, that some 30 of his congregation weic asleep, when be bad preached about half his sermon, said he should " postpone the delivery of the balance of it" until they wojte up. It eeeras that five minutes' silence, jpaose brought them all into a state to receive " the balance," and the preacher then wect on.

Bhutan's Pilgrim's Pmogress i«r China. — Bunyan'i Pilgrim's Progress bat been trantlated into Chinese, sod gold at firepence per copy. — Spectator. On tb« 3rd March Lord John Russell postponed tht second reading of tha new Reform Bill, in consequence of the Hate of war into which the nation was precipitated. The day fixed for again bringing the measure before the Commons wa6 the 27th of April.

New Mode ov Bending Timber. — A patent has been obtained for tha bending of all kiud of timber by end pressure. The patentee, Mr. Thomas Blancbard, bends straigbt timber to all the required forms without abrading the capillary tubes of the wood. He confines the outsid* of each stick to its original length by end pressure, forcing the fibres into a new figure, without rupture, and retaining all the original strength of the wood, nor can these bent timbers be again straightened. The bending is performed while the vegetable albnraen is softened, and thus much of it roust exude — improving the lasting properties of the wood. The invention is of undoubted advantage, especially in shipbuilding by strengthening the fabric, and reducing the cost. Whenever any part is required to be of a circular, curved, or oval form, this machine will produce the desired form from the straight stick of timber, no matter what may be the size of the stick to be used ; and accomplishes this with great economy in time and expense.

Johw Mitchel and His Destint. — We are sorry to see that John Mitchel is going the way of Kossutb, Kinkel, and many others of the patriots who have come here with great iclat, and fizzled out after a few weeks of glory. A few days ago John Mitchel was the observed of all observer's ; now there are " none so poor as do him honour." The whole press of the country is down upon him and his paper. The former may be considered as tolerably near his extinguishment; the latter, which began with a circulation of some 50,000, is said by the other

journals to be in a rapid decline. Sic transit i gloria mundi. — New York Herald.

An Ancient Ass. — Tbe Bury Post says :—: — " A donkey has just died at Foruham All Saints, having attained ihe venerable age of 70 years and upwards* It formerly belonged to the Cornwallis family, and was ridden by the Lady Ann, after whom it wns named ; but a few yeais ago, being parted with on account of i'.s then old age, it came into the family of Mrs. Browne, of Fornbam, through whose considerate kindness it had for a long time lived a life of ease, ranging at large over the fields, and latterly had been fed on bran and sott food, in consequence of its inability to eat grass, the teeth being completely worn away." Russia. — The last accounts from St Petersburg state that the Russian Government was indefatigable in its exertions to excite the fanaticism of the population . Every day processions traversed the streets, and exhibited to the people the relics of the saints of tbe Greek Calendar. The clergy every where urge tbe true believers to take arms for the defence of the orthodox faith. The Government od its side published bulletins containing accounts of victories supposed to have been gained by the Russians in Asia. These demonstrations dispirit both tbe merchants and upper classes. A New Swindling Dodge. — A curious circumstance occurred the other day, which places the dexterity of the members of the swell mob in rather a striking light. A female, of very ladylike and pleasing manners, called at the estab- , lishment of one of our first hair-dresser* in town, and, after a little conversation, requested to know if they shaved gentlemen's heads. An answer being given in the affirmative, sbs proceeded to •tate she had a brother, a young man of rather facile mind, and thtt their medical rnaa hid thought it advisable that bis bead should be shaved ; that he was troubled with strange hallucinations, such as that be belonged to and was a member of a large drapery establishment in town, giving the name, and 80 on, Aftet a little more '. conversation in the same strain, 6be said she would bring her brother the next day, and thnt he (the hair-dresser) was to have two men ready in waiting so as forcibly to shave hit head, and that they were to pay no attention to hit protestations of bis being a member of the great firm above-mentioned. Having succeeded to far in blinding the worthy hair-dresser, who promised to have everything in readiness, ihe took her I leave. Next day she called at the drapery establishment above alluded to, and bought a considerable quantity of silk goods, and stated that if they would send one of their young men along with her to a particular address, they would get paid. The lady and the young roan with the goodi then left in a cab, and when opposite tbe hairdresser's establishment, she tcld her companion if he would go in along with her, she would get es much mouey as would make up tb« amount of the bill. The ansuspecting youth went in, and wag met by the perfumer in the »o«t bland manner, who requested him to walk up-*tairs, which he did, not doubting but what he wgi to receive payment of the bill. No sooner had the unfortanate wight entered tbe room than he was pounced upon, and, despite all bis protestations that be belonged to such and such as establishment, which of course was put down to^his unfortunate state of mind, he was speedily denuded of his tresees. Tbe lady, wbo had in the meantime been looking on with great coolness, now scid that, as her presence only caused greater excitement to her unfortunaet brother, she would leave and return in a shoit time. She decamped accordingly, goods and all, end has riot tince been heard of. We leave oar readers to imagine the denouement. — Glasgow Citizen.

A YournffUL Turkish Hero. — Amongnttfte extraordinary events occurring in ihese wonderfol times, I would mention the arrival at Constantinople of a youth of from 14 to 16 years of age, accompanied by several hundred warriors. This youth, who is a nativs of a remote country in the inferior of Asia Minor, is the offspring of a woman 50 years of age, and on that account hi* mother | looked upon him es destined for great things- — a feeling which seems to have been shared by htr neighbours and all tha province. The child was taken to the mosque. On his right arm an Arabic verse has besn inscribed, signifying, " Thou wilt die a martyr ;" whilst on the ltft the happy prophecy, " Thou will be a great man," io carved in Eastern characters. This youth was from his birth destiued for a military career, end generally regarded with feelings of respectful veneration by his fellovr-coantry-roen. He has now grasped a standard, and surrounded by his friends and followers, is hurrying to the war. His youthful appearance, whilst riding through the streets of Stamboul at the head of his followers, had given rise to the report that a heroine a la Johanna a' Arc had started up for the cause of the Crescent. A warrior woman has, however, appeared in Anatolia, surnamed Karak-Kas (or the Black Girl), and she is the leader of some thousand horsemen. — Chronicle Correspondent.