GENERAL NEWS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 105, 12 February 1870, Page 3

GENERAL NEWS.

By orden the lamps at Woolwich Arsenal were extinguished during the three moonlight nights last week, which resulted in a tutai saving to the comitry of 365. — "Globe."

Monogram veils are the latest wrinkle among Xew York fashionable young ladies. Those of fawn colour and grey are most in vogue — the monogram being embroidered in colours in the centre.

The Duke of Norfolk, who is "Only in his 22nd year, and who is about to marry a daughter of the Duke of Abercorn, is said to have been promised the Garter / vacant by ".the death of the Earl of Derby. Mr. Dion Boucicault has produced in. his timo over 150 pieces, and he once stated before a Commission that he was ready to keep all the theatres in London going. He is an Irishman, and was educated by Dr. Lardner. He is said latterly to have earned £10,000 a-year. Investigations lead us to believe that in this pious city of Glasgow street prostitution exists, if not on a greater, at least on an infinitely more offensive and demoralising scale than in any city in the United Kingdom, or, for the matter of that, almost in Europe. — " N. B. Mail." A cautious itemizer tells what is the matter with a noted lady in the following terms : — "The Princess de Metternich is to retire from society for a little while, and is buying lot's of edgings, insertions, muslins, and so on, which she is making up into little garments too large for a doll and too small for herpelf." The Rev. Henry White, the chaplin of the Chapel-Royal, Savoy, stated in his sermon that a celebrated German theologian had reckoned up a thousand volumes which had been published during the present century in opposition to the doctrine of the immortality of the soul, and ten thousand containing vague speculations on the subject. A Dublin telegram in the " Herald " says :—": — " An attempt was made, by the removal of a rail, to throw off tho line to Navan a train which was conveying about 700 farmers and five priests to the tenantright meeting in that town. There is reason to believe the Fenian party were the perpetrators of the outrage, which was fortunately discovered in time." Mr. Wm. Sowerby, of the Botanic Gardens, Regent's Park, gives in this week's number of " Land and Water" a very curious and instructive account bf what is termed a natural lifeboat — that is, the leaf of the gigantic Victoria regia-, which he says he was able to load— -and is still floated — to the great weight of 426 lbs. He believes that, with care, it could b#made to float a number of persons. A Canadian young lady who had got a look at Princo Arthur, remarked in his hearing, "He's better looking than the Prince of Wales, and more of a man. I wonder who he is going to marry ? " The Prince smiled and blushed like a girl. Prince Arthur shoots with a gun labelled^ " From your affectionate mamma, Xmas, 1868." " Philadelphia Ledger." The "Irish Times" tells the following strange story : — Archbishop Trench gave a visitation dinner to about fifty of the clergy of Kildare, and there was, of course, the usual toast-drinking. " The Queen," we are told, was received in " solemn silence, and not more than onc-thii-d of the clergy di;ank it. " The Prince of Wales found quite as little favour, while Lord Spencer, in his capacity of Lord-Lieutenant, was absolutely hooted from his accustomed place in the list of loyal and patriotic toasts." A terrible story is told from Wolverhampton. Some spirits of tar caught fire in a manufactory in that town, and two workshops were fired. Of the work-people engaged three were burnt to death. One of them, a woman, was seen vainly strug.gling in the midst of the flaming spirit. Help could not be given to her, and the onlookers saw her struggle and heard her shriek till merciful death came. Another woman, trying to escape, leaped into a sea of burning spirit, and was destroyed. A death has occurred in Huntly under somewhat singular and painful circumstances. Isabella M'William, daughter of Mr. James M'William ? Torry-street, while picking her ear with a knitting wire, accidently allowed it to penetrate too tar, and bled the inner part of her ear. She thought little of the circumstance until three "days afterwards, when it became very painful, and medical assistance was called in. She died shortly afterwards, suffering great agony.

The editor of the "Utah Reporter," Corinne, Utah Territory, has been beaten almost to death at Brigham City, it is surmised, on account of articles in his paper against polygamy. Her Majesty has been graciotisly pleased to confer the honour of knighthood on the Sheriffs of London and Middlesex j and of C.B. on Colonel Fraser, chief commissioner of the City police. It was reported in the Spanish Cortes that the insurgents in the eastern portion of Cuba had been defeated by the Government troops, leaving 250 dead on the field of battle.

At a meeting at Newcastle, to consider the bill promoted by the Corporation affecting the rights of freemen, while the first resolution was being moved, sulphur and Cayenne pepper were heated in the room, causing a chocking sensation, and entirely stopping the proceedings. An extensive fire at the New Sharlstorie Coal Company's pits, near Wakefield* has been causing great damage for some days past. A vast stack of coals, said to contain several hundred thousand tons* ignited about a fortnight ago. A large quantity of coal was " removed \ but on Friday it was estimated that something like ten thousand tons were still on fire.

Messrs. C. Koopmanschap and Co., the great importers of China* men, New York, have contracted with the Texas Land Company to supply them with 5,000 Chinese labourers, or emigrants, to be employed upon their lands, which are situated along the line of the Houston Central and Bed River Eailroad. The company intend to establish towns and settlements along the line of the railroad, and they will give to each. Chinaman, who will locate himself permanently in Texas, 20 acre* of good tillable land.