ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 15, 30 December 1862, Page 3

ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

(From the Liverpool Mercury, October 25.) Mad'lle Titiens lias necepted nn engagement in America during the winter months. In (he spring she will return to this country. It is stated that the Confederate Government has purchased several Clyde steamers. The Pearl, one of the purchases, left for her destination last week. The Scotch journals Dave been informed that Lord Palmerston will be nominated to the office of Lord Rector of the University of Glasgow. The prizes taken by the Federal fleet since the war are valued at 20,303,668 dollars. Two-thirds of the prizes carried the neutral British ensign at the peak. The Italian Government has ordered pecuniary assistance to be distributed to such of the amnestied prisoners as may be in want of the means of returning to their families. The Times notices the annual meeting of the Queen's University at Dublin as marking the progress of one of the greatest and most successful experiments yet made in the Government of Ireland. On Sunday, Dr. Gray was consecrated Roman Catholic coadjutor bishop for the western district of Scotland, in the place of Dr. Smith, who died last year. " Lord Palmerstoh, on the part of the Crown, has presented a living inKent worth £1500 a year to Mr Villiers, son of the late bishop, and son-in-law of Earl Russell. The Bishop of Durham recently refused to allow reporters to be near him while he delivered his primary visitation charge in the church of St. Mary-le-Bow, Durham. Mr Sheridan Knowles is at present suffering from severe and it is feared dangerous illness He has been staying for some time at Matlock, in Derbyshire, but it was found necessary, on account of increasing debility, to have him removed to Torquay. A complete squadron of line of battle and other steamers are now being brought forward for the steam reserve on the Medway. The whole will be fully equipped in readiness to proceed to sea within a few days after receiving their respective crews. , , . 7 One of the passengers on board the Delta, which arrived at Southampton on Friday with the Indian mail, died just as the ship was entering the dock. He had come all the way from India to benefit his health. , The American stationers are pandering to the national taste by making envelopes which bear the following inscriptions :— " Our country heads the world;" "Buy no English goods;" "Death to England." What folly. Admiral Robinson, of the British navy, has arrived at Toulon to examine the system employed in that port in the construction of iron-coated ships of war. The admiral has visited the principal dockyaids in Europe for' the same purpose. The London authorities are making examples of " last " young men. Three of these would-be somethings hare been aent to priwu for seven days for

creating a disturbance in the public streets and assaulting the police. A Frenchman has been examined at the Hammersmith police court on a charge of threatening to assassinate Prince Louis Lucieri Bonaparte. The prisoner, who expressed contrition, was discharged upon entering into his own recognizances to keep the peace. The gang of swindlers trading under the name of " The Richards' Estate Fund Association" have been finally examined at the Thames police court, and committed for trial. The prisoners obtained money from their dupes as interest in advance on proposed loans. A blunder in the American tax bill has caused much merriment at tho expense of the Federal Government. A tax has been laid upon gold and silver plate, but the clause was so worded by a bungling lawyer who drew up the bill, that it can only bo levied on those who keep billiard tables.

Thomas Bellamy, who carried on business as a ■wireworker, in New Meeting-street, Birmingham, has, says the Birmingham Daily Post, been committed for re-examination on a charge of having stolen property to the value of about £400 from another wire manufacturer in that town.

On Friday morning tho wife of Mr Tliomas Harris, Killingworth Colliery, Neweastle-on-Tyne, was delivered of two boys and a girl. One of the boys lived only three-quarters of nn hour, tho girl died shortly after, and the other boy died shortly after eleven o'clock. This makes four children Mrs Harris has had within thirteen months.

The Royal Sovereign, shield ship at Portsmouth, has had the number of hands upon her increased. She is to be armed with Armstrong 150-pounder's, Her four towers or cupolas are not to be all of the same dimensions. The great feature of this war steamship will be the ability to carry and work heavier ordnance than any other.

Tho other day.Sir Robert Peel attended a meeting held in Dublin for tho purpose of conferring degrees on students in the Queen's University. The right honorable baronet claimed perfect success for his scheme to procure additioual endowment of the Queen's Colleges, not withstanding the determined opposition of the Roman Catholics. The Queen has been graciously pleased to appoint Edwd. Mortimer Archibald, Esq., to be her Majesty's judge, and Wm. Dudley Ryder, Esq., to be her Majesty's arbitrator, in the mixed court established at New York under the treaty of the 7th of April, 18G2, between Great Britain and the United States, for the suppression of the African slave trade. Four men were recently killed at a colliery near Wolverkampton. They were being drawn up to surface, when a heavy " skip " fell from the pit mouth, and coming into contact with the ascending cage, hurled its unfortunate occupants to the bottom of the shaft. Death in each ease must have been instantaneous. Sir John Bowring arrived in Paris on Saturday morning from the ll ague, where he hns concluded a treaty of am it}' and commerce, on terms of complete reciprocity, between the Dutch Government and that of the Hawaiian islands. We understand that Sir John is also accredited to the Emperor of the French by King Kamehameka IV. — Galignani. Ail extraordinary statement was recently current in Aston, Birmingham, to the effect that the curate, the Rev. Oswin Kobinson, M.A., was an impostor ; and the report, which appeared to have emanated from certain domestic squabbles in the reverend gentlemen's family, was so implicitly believed by many that it was found necessary to call a meeting to disprove the slander. The Federal war si earners Tuseavora nnd St. Louis are cruising in the Mediterranean in search of the Confederate war steamer Alabama and an iron-plated Confederate war steamer. The Tuscarora so suddenly left Cadiz for the Mediterranean that she did not wait for some of her olßcers who were ashore. She overhauled tho English mail steamer Ceylon the day before the latter reached Gibraltar. J>I3ATH OF Sir B. C. Brotue. — Sir "Benjamin Collins Brodie, Baronet, D.C.L.. who died at his seat in Surrey, on 21st Oct. was born in 1783, at Winterslow, in "Wiltshire, of which parish his father was rector. After studying at the Anatomical School of Mr. Wilson, in Windmill-street, and subsequently at St. George's Hospital under Sir Everard Home, he became in 18OS assislantsurgeon at St. George's, and full surgeon in Itt2. He gave a formal course of lectures on surgery. from 1808 to 18.'?0; and from 18KS to Jtf-1.8, with tho exception of a single year, he delivered £n annual series of cinical lectures. In 1828 he was appointed Surgeon in Ordinary to his Majesty Kin£ George IV., whom he attended in his last illness. On the death <>f Sir Evovard Home, in 18.32, he was appointed to the o.'liee of Sergeant Surgeon to Kinp William IV. .who conferred upon him the further honor of a baronetcy in 18-Jl-. Sir Benjamin Brodir was Sergeant Surgeon to her present Majesty, and al>o to bis late Ko'yal Highness the Prince Consort. Tn 1851 he received from the University of Oxford the honorary degree of D.C.L. lie was also n Corresponding Member of the Imperial Institute of France, and a member of various other learned sot-ieHes of Europe and America ; and was elected President of the Iloyal Society in 1858. Sir Benjamin Brodie is well known as the author of several works of high authority in the profession of which he was a mo:abcr,and various physiological papers. Sir Benjamin married in 1815, Anne, daughter of Mr. Sergeant Sellon. by whom he had a family <>f several children. His eldest son, Mr. Benjamin Collins Brodie, M.A., of Balliol Collctre, Oxford. is a fellow of the Hoyal Society, end Professor of Botany in the University of Oxford.