ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 958, 7 October 1854, Page 3

ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

The London correspondent of the Sydney Morning Herald, in a late communication, says : — " I would wish to call your attention to a matter in which you personally must take v an interest. I allude to the rise in the price of paper of 30 per cent, within a short time ; the causes of which are the large emigration from England and the war. The quantity of rags has fallen off considerably from these causes, and the paper manufacturers have experienced very great difficulty in obtaining a supply. So severe has been the pressure that the Times has offered a premium of one thousand pounds to whoever will make known a substitute. The advertisement it has issued is as follows :— One thousand Pounds Reward. — The proprietors of a leading metropolitan journal ofier the above reward to any person who shall first succeed in Inventing or Discovering the means of using a Cheap Substitute for the Cotton and Linen Materials now used by Papermakers, subject to the following conditions :—l.: — 1. The material must be practically unlimited in quantity, and be capable of being converted into pulp of a quality equal to that which is at present used in manufacturing the best description of newspaper, and at a cost, cateris paribut, not less. than ten per cent, lower. It must be tested, approved, and adopted by three eminent manufacturers of paper, (two of them to be named by the advertiser) whose certificate shall entitle the

inventor to the payment of the r/ward. 3. Thi* offer will be in force only for a period of 12 months from the 26th of May, 1854. Apply by letter to A.8.. Messrs. Smith and Son's, 136, Strand. The Gardener's Chronicle has lately been calling attention to the question, whether various substances cannot be adopted for papermaking, and instances several vegetable fibres from whence samples have been made. I feel persuaded that many weeds and wild plants are admirably adapted for the purpose, and fancy that from Australia we may obtain an article suited to ur wants. India is likely, with proper encouragement and spirit amongst the merchants, to show us something in this way. Mr. Samuel Gregson has addressed a letter on this subject to Sir Charles Wood, the President of the Board of Control. The news from the Continent may be briefly given as follows : A despatch from Gothenburg of the 12th instant, states that on that day the combined fleets were at Boresund, 20 miles from Swea- . borg, and it was anticipated they would attack the latter place on the following day. The retirement of Redschid Pasha, which is confirm - l ed, is, according to the Paris Moniteur, attributed to the state of his health, and to family affliction. The blockade of the Black Sea was announced at Malta on the Ist inst. A letter from Athens, of the Bth instant, states that Hadji Petros was still in Thessaly, at the bead of a corps of insurgents. He had been recalled by the Greek Government, but * his return was doubtful. The insurrection in Epirits was assuming the character of a guerilla war. Gothenburg, June 12. Both fleets are at Boresund, 30 miles from Sweaborg, and it is expected they will attack the latter place on the 1 3th. Admiral Corry is at Dagerhut. There are 1 6 Russian sail in Sweaborg. The Hospital ship has arrived. Russian ship, loaded with stone, to sink off Sweaborg. Dauntless gone to England with several prizes. The result of the conference between the King of Prussia and the Emperor of Austria is given in the following general and vague terms : — Vienna, Monday, June 12. — The late conference between the Emperor of Austria and the King of Prussia was satisfactory, and perfectly consistent with the avowed policy. No diplomatic note resulted therefrom ; no pen was put to paper. The policy of the minor German States formed the chief object of discussion. It is said that Colonel Manteuffel will proceed shortly to St. Petersburgh with a Prussian note, supporting the recent Austrian note. What the public want to learn is, will the German Powers fight against Russia ? This is the point upon which most important results depend. For my part, I must confess that the conduct of the German Powers is fraught with some danger, and until they enter, by deeds of arms, into the war in defence of Turkey, and as Allies of the Western Powers, may their professions and promises be considered as worth anything. They talk too much and do too little. They promise well, and profess the utmost cordiality to France, England, and Turkey, but unless they will fire a shot against their neighbour, there is reason to fear that the war will be of indefinite length. A telegraphic despatch from Vienna of last night states that Mussa Pasha has been killed by a cannon ball, and that Kinkli Pasha has been nominated his successors. Prince Paskiewitsch, who is reported to be very ill, is about to leave Kalarasch for Jassy. Letters from Orsova state that the Turkish forces, amounting to 40,000 men, are being concentrated at Rutschuk, for the purpose of breaking through the Russian lines at Turtukai, for the relief of Silistria. Omar Pasha intends to make a simultaneous movement to raise the siege of Silistria. Tt is reported at Copenhagen that some English vessels off Brahstal in Finland, demanded the gunboats building there, and, on their being refused, the gun boats and a large number of merchant ships were taken, and the wharf fired. The King of Naples has prohibited the export of sulphur from Sicily to any port of any belligerent nation. Friendly relations between Greece and the Western Powers have been re-established. Suli and Laki have submitted to Fuad Effendi. They now will march against the insurgents. The Boston Post (U.S.) says — Despatches have been received at the state^ department, from England, which announce that the British Government has come to the determination of taking possession of the port of Sitka, and all the Russian ports in the Pacific. This appears highly probable, and indeed necessary, for the protection of our North American possessions.