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Colonist, Volume III, Issue 228, 27 December 1859, Page 3

(From the Home News, October 18 .)

New Coins.—The news that our copper coinage is to be withdrawn, and replaced by a neat and convenient coinage in bronze gives general satisfaction. The change is to be made with as little delay as possible; and it is easy to foresee that the new coins will be convenient (or tho pocket, as 45 of the new pennies will not contain more copper than 26 of the old ones. The weight of the copper at present in circulation is 3500 tons, ahd we are informed that the profit on calling in and recoining that large quantity would amount to £92,000. Suez] Canal.—-A Trieste telegram states that " the works of the Suez Canal have been entirely discontinued. The note from the Grand Vizier to the Viceroy of Egypt reserves to the Sultan the right of deciding the question of constructing the canal. Mufta Bey is the bearer of this despatch Irom the Porte." [The suspension of the canal is generally believed in Paris to be a fact. It is there ascribed to Lord Palmerston. The Patrie, which originally published the news of the Sultan's having ordered the suspension of the Suez Canal, now announces the intelligence to be unfounded. Mouktar Bey, the Viceroy's representative at Constantinople, had arrived at Alexandria on some matter connected with the canal— so the Patrie believes—and it was said that the consular corps had b en convoked, but "it results from information received from Constantinople, that the Bey's mission had neither the sense nor the bearing attributed to it, and that it has not the host le character it was said to have towards the execution of the canal.'] A good deal of attention is attracted to a visit now paid by Prince Napoleon to England. He was expected to visit the Great Eastern at Holyhead yesterday, October 17, or to-day, where it has been anticipated that he may meet Queen Victoria. Dr. Smethurst, says the Globe, though at the present time lying under sentence of death, it is understood will not suffer the extreme penalty of the law. But from inquiries that have been made by direction of the Government, startling circumstances have come to the knowledge of tbe authorities, which we believe will compel them, with a due regard to justice, to commute the sentence to nothing short of penal servitude for life. [A nearly similar statement was made some time since, and afr terwards contradicted. But the delay occasioned is sufficient evidence of great difficulty on the part of Government.]

In describing the recent doings at Hamburg, the Court Journal says:—" A melancholy circumstance has happened at Hamburgh. A Frenchman who had been playing for some time with the usual luck of all gamesters, put down his last Napojeon, and" lost it like the rest. He drew a pistol out of his pocket and blew his brains out while sitting at the fatal trenie et quaranle table. The people that are generally in attendance threw a cloth over his face and carried the wretched man out, life be. ing quite extinct, and the game proceeded as if nqlhing had occurred. Monsieur G.racia, a Spaniard, now at Homburgh, has losA j 4pG,OOOfr, at tl\© gaming table. I^is \jlfry which he sjtiJl continues, is, obljgejj *r i now, on a more moderate scale,,, &•'' jbe his temper. His rage is. sOj^ jt not so that befor.e the crou^jep dat at losing, monejj. he takes. &•• p an T3 ke in the trim, whi^ \t;U i ap , and throws it at %'vr- ..appens to be gold instead ■tf&' .. not a pleasant wa ? ot being ?K. He always insists on smmg next :me croupier, who is the dealer ot the. »rd . The consequence is, that when tig know aSSSaSsr