ENGLISH NEWS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume II, Issue 77, 26 June 1852, Page 4

ENGLISH NEWS.

A terrific catastrophe had taken place at Hohnfirth, in Lancashire, from the bursting of an immense reservoir. The particulars are not before us, but the Daily News has this paragraph:—" Whatever the cause, this Holm firth disaster —this destruction not merely of a whole town, but the uprooting by bursting, roarings impetuous, irresistible floods, of a whole district —this sweeping away of great factories, carrying off and down the inundation huge pieces of machinery, as if they were but the branches of trees, or the hurdles from a sheepfold—this floating upwards of 80 human beings into eternity —has certainly not produced one-half the consternation of the ' Amazon' disaster, though it wants but few of its tragic mournful incidents, and has terrible features of its own of even deeper interest. The surrounding towns of Manchester, Huddersiield, and Sheffield have, to be sure, hurried to see the terrible scene ; for to them Hohnfirth and the valley in which it stood was a daily reality, a seat of congenial industry and activity ; there lived their neighbours, their friends, their acquaintances, their business connexions ; curiosity, too, took hundreds on Sunday to the afflicted spot, as if on a railway excursion to Alton Towers or Castle Howard. But here, at a distance, where the very name of Holmfirth—despite its great productive capacity and energy—was comparatively unknown, the newspaper accounts of the catastrophe have not made a deep impression."

The Arctic Searching Expedition.—A decisive step towards the renewed search for Sir John Franklin and his companions has at length been taken, by the appointment of Sir Edward Belcher to the command of the Arctic Expedition.

The speculating mania seems to have taken the " Mining Company" form just now. In the papers before us we find prospectuses of the following companies:—Central Australian Gold Mining Company, Victoria Gold Mining Company, Australian Mutual Gold Mining Association, Australian Gold Diggings Company; Australian Freehold Gold Mine, Melbourne Gold and General Mining Association, and several Californian Companies. All these look like bubbles, and some of them are evidently so. The strike of the Manchester engineers still continued. Twenty thousand men were out of employment in consequence.

Notice is given, that all goods which the owners have neglected to remove from the building of the Exhibition in Hyde Park, and which are found remaining there after the 31st of January, will be disposed of as Her Majesty's Commissioners see fit, and if sold, the proceeds will be carried to the general funds of the Exhibition.

> An English architect, Mr. Clark, is occupied in building a winter haven at Pesth. It is to be made large enouge for 1080 vessels.

The Protestant Bishopric of Jerusalem, founded ten years since, under the protection of England and of Prussia, having become vacant will now be filled by a prelate chosen by the King of Prussia, M. Valentiner, a Schleswi°ecclesiastic. °

The Austrian Lloyds Company, at Trieste, have sent to England to buy five new steamers for their service. Baron Bruck, the enlightened ex-mimster of Commeice, is the chief director ot tins company.

On the 10th Feb. Mr. Justice Patteson, took leave of the Court of Queen's Bench, on his retirement from the bench. He will be succeeded by Mr. Lompton, the newly appointed jud°- e IRELAND.-Attention has been called to the remarkable contrast between the state of the northern and southern counties at the present tune. Thus, while in Armagh, Louti and Monaghan, bloodshed and every species 0 f agrarian outrage stalk abroad i„ open day, and call for the special interposition of the s ron<, arm of the law, ,„ Clare, Limerick, and Tipp°- eiary all is peace, order, and quietude. The social condition of the people of Kerry is no less satisfactory. A similar state of affairs prevails in the county of Waterford. Mr Bel sonett, the assistant barrister, after congratulating one of the grand juries upon the van - htyof the district, as evidenced by the 1 gl . ness of the calendar, told them that the counVy m general was in a state of transition bit there was a glimpse of hope that the worst had

FURTHER SEARCH FOR SIR JOHN FRANKLIN. Dr. Shaw, the Secretary to the Geographical Society, read the following interesting communication from Capt. Beatson, proposing a new plan of search for the missing expedition :— " Moorgate-street, Jan. 12, 1852. v Sir, —The subject of search for Sir John Franklin having been so frequently discussed by the members of this scientific society and others well acquainted with the navigation of the Polar regions, I think it would be presumptuous in me to attempt an explanation of my reasons for commencing the search from the north-west of Behring's Straits. I believe that many are of opinion that a high northern latitude may be reached through the open water seen by Wrangel, and that subsequently an eastern passage may be forced by a screwsteamer. I may, however, be permitted to mention that this is no hasty idea of mine, but one which I have had in contemplation for above two years. On my arrival from Africa at the close of •1849, after the return of Sir James Ross, I began to think seriously of the probable causes of Sir John Franklin's detention, and while in Russia last winter, in speaking upon the subject with some officers of the Imperial navy who had been in the Arctic Seas, I found that their opinions were exactly the same as mine, namely, that Sir John would pass to the northward of the Parry Islands, and never think of turning back till in the meridian of Behring's Straits. They were also of opinion that when he arrived thus far he would be prevented getting to the southward by a chain of islands extending far to the westward, a continuation, in fact, of the Parry Islands. Supposing now, Franklin to have succeeded in getting so far to the westward, and being stopped there, it cannot be imagined that he would relinquish the attempt to go through this last barrier to all his hopes, and the realization of the passage into the Pacific, to retrace his steps from a point which may have taken four years to reach. What would a brave man do in "such a case ? Certainly not to retreat in two or even three years, particularly if, as we hope, they have met with sufficient animal food to support them. I believe Sir John Franklin to be somewhere to the north of Behring's Straits, and certainly not far to the eastward; and in that belief I wrote to Lady Franklin in October last, stating my plan and soliciting her assistance, which I am happy to say, was immediately given. I have since then exerted myself in selecting a suitable vessel, which I have purchased, and which is now in dock undergoing the necessary alterations. She is a schooner of nearly 200 tons, but capable of carrying a much larger quantity. I intend fitting her with three separate engines of eight horse power each with separate boilers, by which arrangement I can effect an immense saving of fuel by only working one or more engine as circumstances may require. In addition to this, I take a steam launch, with an engine of five horse power. My crew will consist of only 15 men and myself.' I shall,- by a careful selection of provisions be enabled to take enough for five years. The whole of these arrangements I expect to have completed and be able to leave England by the end of next month, and to proceed direct to the bandwich Islands, whence, having filled up with coal, &c, to push on for the Straits, which i hope to be able to enter by the middle or later end o July. When there, of course I must be guided by the condition of the ice. If there is a possibility of getting to the north, on or about the meridian of the Straits, I shall do so ; otherwise, I intend pushing my way to the northwest till I arrive at the open water seen by Wrangel, when, perhaps, I may be able to get to the north and then to the east. Should I not succeed in getting so far along the coast this year, I might employ the spring (before the breaking up of the ice) in an attempt to reach that land seen by Captain Kellett from Herald island, and thus be enabled to form one part of the scheme proposed by Lieutenant Pirn. I would next in the spring push away to the north and east, in which direction I believe I shall eventually find some traces of our missing ships._ I consider it would have been desirable (and m fact it was my first intention) to have had another smaller screw steamer as a tender, and of far greater power. I am sorry to say that I am not able to accomplish this, but am,

nevertheless, det^naT^^S^ "I have the honour to be, " Your ohedient humble servant, "Sir R. Murclnson, PresMeuT* BEATS'°Sof the Royal Geographical Society." Captain Fitz Roy, Sir Woodbine Park!, „ President, and Mr. White, addressed2^ servations to the meeting, in all of whioi i was expressed that FranMin and°^atfe of his brave companions might still l, e al ast The plan of Captain Beatson was m 'f, vourably received, and a resolution was uiiii" mously adopted, « That his generous and 3" ofe^c£y e?' edtheCOUme"a,lCeand^n It was announced that a subscription list in aid of Captain Beatson's undertaking would ]l opened at the Society's rooms, and that hand some contributions had been made by fori Ellesmere Admiral Beaufort, Mr. Barrow and others. The chief cost of the enterprise will however, fall upon Captain Beatson himself '