ENGLISH NEWS.

Bruce Herald, Volume VI, Issue 380, 16 August 1871, Page 2

ENGLISH NEWS.

Sixty Roman Catholic professors of"; Vienna have sent an address -of adhesion to Dr Dollinger. ■.??., M.essrs Chapman ?& Hall are" about to issue the works of the late Charles Dickens in penny numbers. i''Xy---ixxxA

Since Tuesday Anderton's wonderful model of Lincoln Cathedral, constructed of upwards of a million of old corks, has been exhibited in Fifeshire, along with three other similar works of art. Large numbers of people ha\e visited this exhibition.

By the English mail, we learn that Mr H. Richardson, formerly stage manager in the iPrincess Theatre in Dunedin, has arrived in England ; that Stephenson, captain ef the first team of cricketers who visited Victoria, retires from the field tliis season ; and that Mr C; Rees, captain of the Dunedin fire brigade; had recently to do brigade duty on. his pvyn premises in London, which took fire, but were saved by his own exertions. Holding the Mirror up to Nature. In illustrating the fact that medicines have the same efivct on monkeys as on man, Mr Darwin describes some baboons, who, having drunk to excess, on. the morningafter their debauch turned away with disgust from wine or beer, but relished the juice of lemons ? — surely a touch of fine humanity — while an American monkey, after getting drunk on brandy would never touch it again, and " thus was wiser than many men." A mechanical curiosity, in the shape of a steam buggy, is on exhibition in New York. The inventor claims that it can be driven, with two persons in it. 150 miles a day, upon common roads. It is light and strong, and can be managed better than any horse, and can be driven faster than any person dare to ride. The owner say? he will match it against any trotting horse in the world.

Among theatrical gossip by the mail; we nojics that Lady Don is very ill, with, it is said, dropsy • and her agent, Mr H. Wilton, is, or was recently, suffering from disorder of the brain. Julia Matthews is playing the Grand Duchess at the Standard. George Fawcett Rowe has made a hit at the Theatre Royal, Manchester, as Mike Lambourne.

Near Jacksonville, on Saturday, John Buchin got into a quarrel with his son Paul about where -some corn should be planted. The old man flew into a rage, procured Ids shot gun and fired directly into his son's face, killing him instantly. Buchin was arrested. The plea of insanity will be entered in his defence, as he has been crazv on several occasions heretofore.

The * Scientific American ' says it is now impossible to construct a burglar-proof safe, for the thief, with his cylinders of compressed hydrogen and oxygen, can in a few seconds burn holes of any size in the hardest meial — his fire-drill enabling him in a few minutes to work his way into the strongest safe that ever was constructed. Cannibalism v. Tobacco. —The -following- Rii»cdote confirms the truth of the physiologist's assertion that persistent indulgence in inordinate smoking results in the absorption of the actual essence of tobacco into the very tissues. Captain Wilkes, in an exploring expedition, interrogated a native of ihe Fiji Islands as to the fate of the crew of a vessel whose shattered hull still lay upon the beach. " All kill," replied the savage. " What did you do. with them ?"' asked Captain Wilkes. "Eat 'em. Good," retor'ned the cannibal. " Did you eat them all ?" inquired the balf-sick Captain. " All but one," holding up a finger. "And why did you spare one ?" " Cause him taste too like tobacco ; couldn't eat him no how." —• The Food Journal.'

A Novel Suit.- -Fifteen years ago Miss Susie Evans, of Guilford, N. Y., sold a gold watch-key to Curtis Cooper for a ewe Inmb and its increase un'il she was twentyone years old. The girl has reached the age specified, and as it was contracted that the increase of the lamb was to lie ewe lambs, by birth or exchange, Miss Evans would he entitled at the enclof fifteen years to T8,064 ewe lambs. These Mr Cooper does notjiappen to have about him lo pay up with, and he is sued fbr the amonnt.

Death of Pablo Fanque, the Equestrian.— Pablo Fanque, a well known equestrian, died in May last. * Deceased was a man of color, and was born at Norwich in 1804; he was consequently 6? years of age. He served" his apprenticeship under the celebrated Batty, and was only nine yes»rs of age when he gave his first performance. He made several successful tours through Europe, America, and Australia, and came into possession of L4OOO about four years ago, on the death of a son in Australia. His remains were interred at Leeds, and at his special.request, the funeral was attended by members of the profusion, including his celebrated performing; pony, Wallet.

Iron Shipbuilding. — It is highly gratifying 1 to hear ihat tbe Aberdeen ship-building-yards are likely to exhibit more activity during the next two years than ,theyhave done fbr some considerable time past. Iron is rapidly faking: the place of timber fbr nearly every description of vessel, and the builders here are now doing all that lies in their 1 power to secure a fair share of the new style of work fbr the port. Hitherto it has almost been confined to the premises of Messrs Hall, Russell, & Co, but other firms are directing their attention ro the ru'iject, aid we understand that the clinking 1 of rivets will sood be an ordinary occupation in most of the

a ds. There are already s ■•■ e- eight or ten iron ships contracted 'for, and others are spoken of as likely to follow. Several are of large size. It is stated that tlie Harber Commissioners have been asked to give facilities for the launching of big iron vessels into the tidal^ basin, and it may be readi'y believed that they will show themselves perfectly willing to render every aid in thiir power.

A monjEp top^itemsi bt iht,ejJigence not noticed'i^lie English telegr^nfj-; there is one to iMW^^^^^J^Q^^tiiitiohs by the Duke pf^-^^gpM^^^ the pur:chase of the Suez Canal nave been brought 1 to a successful issue.

Miss Brown, aged 40, a first hand milliner at Tunbridge Wells, has been award

ed £250 for breach of promise from a bailiff in the vicinity, who is 60 years old and a widower* J

A new building Society, to be called the " National Provincial Permanent " has just been established in London, which in its operations will introduce some new features i'n the practice of building societies. It contemplates offering to borrowers many advantages ; amongst others it purposes to give mortgage deed free of expense to the borrower; and at the same time to abolish all entrance fees, redemption fees, premiums; auction and ballot, and to make advances on applications setting forth the particulars of the, property for which the advance is fought, which, il proved, the arcount^ applied for will be immediately paid in full free from all deductions. The society proposes to issue guaranteed debenture shares at 51. per cent interest payable half yearly, and aiso realised shares with interest at the same rate Hnd a participation of. the bonus, which together, it is believed, would average on the full term of fourteen years from seven to ten per cent. The Society as shadoved forth in the prospectus is to" be established bn a broad basis, and contemplates doing a large business, not only in London, hut in the provinces. Apart from special advantages to the general public, it is intended to render aid in the building of churches, chapels and schoolrooms, and thus- to enable small or comparatively poor communities to. avail themselves of the provision -of the new Edy/ja'ifrnAcT.

The notorious Barnum, who has once more taken to the ft show" business, has just sent over to England by the steamer City of Brussels, which arrived at Liverpool on May 2, a number of human curiosities, who will doubtless excite a gieat sensation in London during the ensuing busy season. The show includes a giant and giantess, both nearly eight feet in height, but the chief curiosity is a rival to the Siamese twins, in the persons of two negro girls of about nineteen years of age, who have been physically joined back to back from birth. They have been visited by a number of pentlemen in Liverpool, who found these wondrouslynnited creatures to be clever, intelligent, and accomplished. They are not only pleasing iu appearance, but they sing, dance and conversn with graceful ease and polish of manner.

It is now stated that the Tichborne case is likely to last until the month of September, and ihe cost has been calculated as likely to amount to the enormous sum ot Llos,ooo. The Solicitor-General received 1000 guineas with his brief; Mr Hawkins, L7oo> and Mr Giffard, L6OO. They each get 50 guineas a day.

'- New applicatien of Vaccination. — R - ferring to the epidemic among cattle, Admiral Fleuriot de Lang-le writes that, during his travels in Africa he noticed the following fact. When the disease breaks* out in a herd tbey take a small drop of virus which is found in the lungs of a diseased animal and ioocculate t his virus iu the tails of the animals which are still sound. In every case, without exception, this sort of vaccination has preserved all the remainder of the,, herd.— * Levant. Times.'

A Journalistic Millionaire.-— The 'New York Herald,' the leading American journal, has recently been givan by its owner, to Mr James Gordon Bennett, jun. The father is probably the most successful, living American journalist, while the son, who has for some time past managed the ■ Herald , with vigor, enterprise, and success, inherits all the marked journalistic qualities of his father. The 'Herald' is now, with the exception probablv of the ' Philadelphia Public Ledger/ the daily newspaper of the largest circulation in America. It is said that Bennett, the elder; retires with a fortune of ten million dollars.

It is admitted that the management of one successful and high-class theatre has sinned deeply in the past, having issued as many as due thousand orders nightly. Unless this be an exception, whicb is doubtful, then at least ten or twelve thousind persons have paid nothing for their places every evening in London theatres. With this fact present to our minds, we cannot wonder that so many theatres are always crowded, and so many of their proprietors always in difficulties. Apparently the- first step towi-Hs the Court of- Bankruptcy is to scatter free admissions broadcast. — " Daily News." .The consumption sf opium generally is, by all accounts, increasing at a very rapid pacp, and the more the native drug is put within the reach of the la boring elasseg the more they aro likely to avail themseWes of it. We are told that in Szpcfcuen a man can buy enongh fbr a day's consumption for 20 cash, ahd that the use of the drug is universal, even among the peasantry. The popular belief is, that already eitrht men out of every ten, and one-half of the women- smoke. The spread of the habit seems to be exciting alarm among the wealthy classes, for we were told that a reaction was setting in among tlipm, and that they began by their ex ample tb discountenance the use of the drug. — "Report of the British Consul at Hankow.'

The representatives of the press in America have proved too " cute " for rhe Hi_rh Joint Commission ; and the Senate, instead of discussing the T e.»ty, has been engaged %r two days considering a, reso lution to punish those newspaper correspondents who obtained and published the Treaty surreptitiously. A prosecution of this nature, it may be irnay-inpd, would not be very popular with the American people.

; Agricultural prospects in Ireland are reported m6st' Satisfactory; All kinds of crop's 100k 1 well) and herbage is luxuriant. ' ■ The number 1 of, Volunteers in Great Britain in 1870 was 193,893j of whom 170;<371 were* A buraber of Durham and Northumberland miners have been engaged to proceed to China to open pits in tbfe newly-dis-covered coal fie 'is there. A serious explosion of fire-damp occurred in one of \ lie Clydesdale pits, recently-, by which seven of the workmen irere more or less injured. Mr Ashbury has resolved to challenge, with his new schooner yacht, Livonia, 280 tons, any American yacht to compete for the cup of 1 85 ly won by ths celebrated schooner America. , The 'Gaulois' says :— Here is a piece of good news. M. Louis Blanc will shortly quit France. When the session of Leg r* lative Assembly is closed^ M. Louis Blanc intends going to America, where he will give lectures on the seige of Paris. It is said that the Crown Prince of Prussia is very soon/expected on a visit to Earl Vane, at Seaham Hall. A correspondent says th at, Prince Bismark will aecotir* pany the Crown Prince. The Great Liquor Inte r est.— Ac scording to Profrssor Leoni Levi the amount of capital invested in the liquor ti'ades of Great Britain- is £117,100,000, as compared with £85,300,000 in' cotton, £22, 200,000 in wool, and £25,300,000 in iron manufacture. The number of persons employed in liquor trades is 846,000, of including their dependents, 1,500,000. There are 100,000 persons occupied in bottling and coopering-/ 66,000 in rnnltinjf and brewino, nearly a similar number in the production of barley, and 12,000 ia hops, 6,000 in distilling and rectifying, and 2,000 in bottle and cork making. It is std.fed by " A Match-making Firm'* that the current wholesale price of the best matches is 2s 61 per gross, or 2|d pet doz«n boxes. The rerailseller mtist, therefore, get a '.'.very good profit indeed. . Longevity op the Rroughaj* Family.— Lord Brougham . was hv ing only four years ago^, yet he haa conversed with a -person who had conversed with, an eye witness of the execution of Charles 1. "I have heard (he says) ray grandmother, being at the time 1 refer to about 90 years of age, relate all the circumstancpg of the execution of Charles 1-, as they had been told her by an eye witness who stood opposite Whitehall; and saw the king upon the scaffold." He a,d*ds,— *• My grandmoiher was born in .Queen Anfti^S reign, bo that I hiive conversed with a person who was alive 11 0 years Ago, and who might have heard her relaiive, Ann Bvouybam, who lived to the age of 106) spvak otevents that happened inEliisabeth's tinie."— "" Life and Times of Henry; Lord Brougham." • '.■.■"'' : "v ; ■