SCOTLAND.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 48, 26 February 1864, Page 5

SCOTLAND.

A number of additions to the relics in the Burns' Monument, Calton-hill, have been made during the last few days, and the museum promises shortly to become one of the most attractive national exhibitions. Among the numerous fresh contributions to the museum, is the writing-desk used by Clarinda (Mrs. Macklchoso) in writing her letters to Burns — presented by Alexander Bryson, Esq., Edinburgh. A guinea subscription list has been already extensively subscribed for a marble bust of Burns, by William Brodie, R.S. A., and from the ability of the sculptor, and his enthusiastic admiration of the bard, a first-class wo.k of art may I be expected. An inquiry, says the Glasgow North British Mail, into the supposed Confederate cruiser Pampero's constitution and future prospects has at length terminated. The issue has been that the law advisers of the Crown have resolved upon instituting a formal complaint and prosecution. Several batches of witnesses have been examined, and the ProcuratorFiscal has surveyed thjpvessel. Meantime, the Messrs. Thompson are quietly and leisurely finishing the boat. The Bulldog and the Custom-house sentry act as watchmen. It is reported that three steamers were sold in the Clyde recently, for the purpose of being employed as blockade-runners, and that other two are fitting out for the same trade. Some of them have been sold for nearly double their original cost. At a meeting of of the Glasgow Faculty of Procurators on December 10, it was announced that Mr. George Baillie, late sheriff-sub-stitute of the western district of Perth shire, had executed certain deeds, Conveying the sum of £18,000 to tha Dean and Council of the Faculty, as trustees for tho erection of free libraries and public schools. The sum so conveyed is at present vested in good moveable securities, and the income derivable from the estate is to be accumulated for twenty-one years. At the end of that period it is expected that the sum conveyed will, at compound interest, amount to fully £40,000. Dr. Strang, the Glasgow City Chamberlain, who some time ago, it will be remembered, received a testimonial of several thousand pounds from his fellow citizens, died a few days since. In tho course of his official duties as chamberlain he published numerous valuable reports on manufactures, sanitary, and moral questions, kc, and in 1855 a work on " Glasgow and its Clubs," f which attracted general and favorable attention, as giving an exceedingly interesting history of Glasgow society ancl manners during the latter half of the last century. About twelve years ago the degree of LL.D. was conferred upon him by the University of Glasgow. Several valuable additions to the collection of royal pictures at Holyrood Palace are about to be made by command of Her Majesty. In the large collection in Hampton I Court there are a good many duplicate portraits of royal personages connected more or less directly with Scottish history ; and on the attention of the Queen being drawn, through the proper official channels, to this circumstance, aad the suggestion made that some of tliese might be spared from the richly-clothed walls of Hampton Court Palace to tho more needful and not less royal and appropriate Holyrood, Her Majesty at once acquiesced in the propriety of the transfer, and exhibited much personal interest in the selection of the pictures. Her Majesty has honored Mr. Kenneth M'Leay, R.S. A., of Edinburgh, with a commission for a whole-length portrait of his Royal Highness Prince Alfred in water colors. The prince is to be represented in Highland costume. Her Majesty has furthered ordered that a duplicate of the portrait of the prince^ about to be taken shall afterwards be prepared by Mr. M'Leay for tho royal gallery at Windsor. A few days ago a gentleman in the neighborhood of Campbelltown shot a beautiful specimen of tho sultana coot, a native of the India Islands. It is a full-grown- bird, in good condition, with neck and ■ breast "beautifully blue," black wings and back, rod bill, and long red legs; But perhaps the most singular appanage of tho '■■stranger, is a pair of long sharp spurs attached to the forepart of the wings. How the sultana found its way across the Atlantio is a mystery. ; A very satisfactory mooting of, the Committee of the Albert Institute, Dundee, '. has been held, at which subscriptions to the amount of £14,860 were ''reported, and it is understood Sir £>avid Baxter intimated that

whenefei? the general *publlc made up the sub*- , scription .to £l7,000;he tvoiild .become responsible for. the remaining £3000. The late Mr. Rhibd, of Sibster, has left a bequest of £7000 foi* the foundation of an in- ■ stitution at Wick.; for the industrial training ,of young women iri the county of Caithness. £The late Mr.- Riddell, advocate and antiquarian, directed that his papers, consisting of many rare ancieritMSS., should be sold to , theFaculiyof Advocates for "amoderatesum"' if ! they ; iwished them. -".. , j Lord .Lindsay has offered to give £500 for, them, and to bequeath them' to; the 1 Advocates'' Library by will ; so. tiiat the Faculty of Advocates' will liltimately receive: these valuable documents for nothirigl The citizens . of Perth, having resolved that their subscriptions;for a memorial of the late Prince Consort should not be thrown into the National Fund but devoted to the erection of a statue of the'.jprinc'e in : Perth', |soriie time since * commissioned .-, Mr. William Bi*odie, R.S.A., .of Edinburgh, to, execute the work. The model is now nearly completed ; and as this is the first statue of the lamented prince by a Scottish, artist, it: "will doubtless attract much ■ attention; The statue itself will be colossal— -at the least eight feet in heighfr^-but the niodelis nptfull size, .being about. fi.ve.feet high. The Prince is represented as attired in the robes of .the Order ofthe Thistle ; hi 3 right foot slightly, advanced; his right hand leaning on a square pedestal; and displaying ,- a drawing or elevation of the Great Exhibition building. .:-_.". " The Fifeshire Advertiser . . mentions Mr. J. H. E. Wemyss, M.P., as the probable successor to the late Lord Elgin in the LordLieutenancy of Fifeshire.