ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 13, Issue 1053, 1 June 1869, Page 3

ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

(Prom the "European Mail.") The Prince of Wales in Egypt. — The special correspondent ofthe Times, writing from Edfsu, on the Nile says : — lfc.is well for many reasons thafc the Prince of Wales should come here. lam not going to write politics or to indulge in any envious remarks respecting the influence of our gallant allies, bufc I may say that ifc is quite as well to let it be seen that Great Britain takes some interest in Egypt, and, although fche Prince of Wales' visit is purely personal, it will do good here in many ways. The people scarcely, as a rule, understand anything about us. We have let Egypt ' go to the run,' as sailors say. Ministers and statesman and politicians can take our measure pretty well and estimate our strength, but all that Egypt afc large sees of Europe is essentially French. The English travel — so do the Americans ; but the men who get on in Egypt, who are in office, who control great public works, and who are present to the eye of the people, are not English or Americans. They arc French ; and, if anything were needed to show the extent of their power, it would nofc be the French uniforms and customs of the army, but the great jealousy entertained by all true Turks here and in Turkey of our allies settled in Egypt and of the control they have in the management of affairs and in the development of its resources. When the people — all of whom may be said to live on the Wile — see the great respect paid to fche son of the Queen of England — when they behold Pashas, Beys, Mudirs in commotion afc his coming — when they know thafc for the last six weeks thousands of men have been on the look oufc for the flotilla which bears him — they will readily apprehend that the country represented by the Prince of Wales musfc be of no ordinary importance and power." Relic of Nelson. — One of the most interesting relics ofthe abovenamed gallant admiral consists of a small golden pyramid composed of eighty-four guineas, found in theadmiral's escritoirwhen he so gloriously fell in fche arms of victory afc the memorable battle of Trafalgar, October 21, 1805. After Nelson's death these, coins became the property of an intimate friend of the hero of the Nile, and who, as a mark of lasting respect to his gallant friend, caused this pyramid to be constructed oufc of the coins in a quadrilateral form, each side containing the complement of twenty-one guineas. (Guineas were withdrawn from circulation in 1817 — the intrinsic value of fche relic is therefore considerable.) Some j years afterwards the relic under consideration was sold by auction, aud the golden pyramid adverted to was afc thafc period purchased by a relative of its present possessor. With ifc are four large volumes, printed on vellum, elegantly bound in purple morocco, containing the whole of Nelson's despatches, with original pen and ink sketches by Pocock, and beautifully illuminated with drawings of all Nelson's decorations, &c. &c. ; the only other copy of this work was in the possession of the late eminent collector of antiquities, Mr Beckford, of Fonthill Abbey, and is now, we believe, in the British Museum. It is to be regretted that so unique a relic as the above, and one possessing so national an interest, should not find a place in some j public institution, and what more appropriate locale than the Grand Hall of Greenwich Hospital ? It would prove a worthy addition to the other objects of interest appertaining to one whose extraordinary naval achievements are the glory of old England. The Prince Imperial. — A special correspondent says the Prince has grown very much of late, and is very intelligent. Evory morning at seven, when he goes into lhe Emperor's library to say bonjotcr, lie passes through the cabinet of the private secretary, who confided to me that he asks such very puzzling questions that he (the secretary) thought he should again have to go under the hands of a tutor. You know it is a bore when a child asks you a question wbich you feel you ought to be able to answer, but cannot.-— A few evenings ago the Prince Imperial went to the Op.ra Comique to hear " La Dame Blauche," which amusement was the result of an innocent ruse. Having conspired previously wifch his companions, young Conneau and Espinasse, they all struck up, before the Empress, the pretty trio of "La Dame Blanche vous regarde." The Empress understood, accorded the permission solicited in the song, and the three friends were to be seen enjoying themselves the next night at Boieldieu's opera.