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Lyttelton Times, Volume II, Issue 99, 27 November 1852, Page 5

The San Francisco Whiff of the 17th July has the following account of a duel between an Alderman of that city, and the Editor of the San Francisco Herald, which gives such an extraordinary picture of life in California, that we cannot resist publishing it in ex fenso .•—"At an early hour of yesterday, we quite unexpectedly found ourselves in the midst of a large party on hoard the ferry steamer, E. Corning, for Contra Costa, and for the first time learned that the preliminaries of a duel had been arranged between John Nugent, editor of the Herald, and John Cotter, alderman of the 4th Ward. The causes which led to this encounter are well known to the community, and need no repetition. The principals had gone to Contra Costa the evening previous. The surgeons, seconds, and numerous friends of both parties were on board the steamer, which arrived at the wharf about half-past eleven. The hour for the duel was fixed for twelve. Immediately after the landing, a scramble ensued for horses and carriages, and in a few moments nearly two hundred persons were in full gallop for the field, which was understood to be about two miles distant. At five minutes before twelve, Mr. Cotter and friends were on the ground, but owing to some misunderstanding, Mr. Nugent did not airive until half-past two o'clock. As soon as Mr. Nugent arrived, the ground was selected, distance (ten paces) measured, pistols loaded, and preliminaries arranged. Mr. Nugent was dressed in a black velvet cap, closely buttoned black frock coat, and black pants. Mr. Cotter was in his usual dress—hat, dress coat, closely buttoned, and grey pants. The seconds of Mr. Nugent won the word. At ten minutes before three, the first shots were fired, but without effect, and were simultaneously discharged. At the second discharge, both evidently endeavouring to reserve, Nugent fired first, missed, and unbending to cock his pistol the third time, received Cotter's second ball in his left thigh, producing a compound fracture of the limb. Had he hot thrown this leg from the line, the shot would have passed by without effect. On receiving the ball, Nugent fell, and was at once in the hands of the surgeons. Each party displayed all the coolness, nerve, and bravery, that men could Upon such an occasion. The ball was extracted, and the wounded party brought into the city. Whatever we may think of duelling, we can but regard the use of Colt's pistols as unfit weapons for occasions of this kind. The revolver ball inflicts a most severe wound, and it often happens that one party labours under disadvantage from disarrangement of the weapon in failing to revolve, though nothing of the kind occurred upon this occasion." Audi Alteeam Pakxem.—A letter in the Daily News, signed " Amelia Bloomer," puts the following pertinent question :—" May Ibe allowed, in your columns, to ask why the British public are so horrified at the idea of women dressing in trousers, seeing that they have for many years tolerated a number of men (from the North of the Tweed) in wearing pettidoats —and shockingly short petticoats too 1" [

The famous Georgei, who broke up the Hungarian war by an act denounced as treason by his compatriots, has published at Leipsic a defence of his conduct in two volumes, Mem Leben imd Wirken [My Life and Acts, &c] Enough is known of the author's part in the Hungarian War of Independence—enough has been said of his conduct at its close —to cause a general stir of expectation on the first hint of his " rising to explain." He has done this at great length, in a precise, elaborate manner, with no small ability. His tone is emphatic; his confessions wear an aspect of candour and boldness, becoming only in one who feels himself above reproach. The narrative, indeed, is as much an indictment of Kossuth as chief of the separatist party, including more extreme republicans like Perczel and Guyon, as a vindication—apology it cannot be termed —of Georgei's own conduct: which he maintains to have been from first to last based on adherence to the old constitution of Hungary, against the revolutionary doctrine of her total independence as false in principle and fatal to the practical issue of the conflict. The confidence with which this attitude is taken—the energy and bitter sarcasm which point the writer's strictures on the character, designs and behaviour of Kossuth—the plainness with which he speaks of the military events of the war, and of the conduct of troops and officers engaged in it— will enhance the sensation which any narrative from his pen would have produced. If this be acting, it is like Kean's—" terribly in earnest." That it will provoke anger and denial in many quarters is certain : by none can it be otherwise received than as an ex parte representation. But it is in any point of view an important historical document; remarkable as well for the ground taken as for the subtlety and force with which it is applied to the whole series of transactions 'in which Georgei was concerned.— Home News.

Scinde.—When the second camp was pitched, a knowledge of the prowling warfare and ferocity of the robber warriors induced Sir C. Napier to order that no man should go beyond certain precincts. But always a certain thoughtless negligence where personal danger is involved, characterizes young British officers and soldiers. Captain John Napier, the General's nephew, McMurdo, his son-in-law, and Lieut. Byng, his aide-de-camp, seeing a small band of the hillmen assembling on a rocky height in front, as if to save the distant herds, went towards them. As they approached, fearing an ambuscade, Byngwassentbackfor some cavalry, but the two others soon had occasion to acknowledge the prudence of their general; for round a rocky knoll came galloping a gallant robber mounted on a small mare of great activity, himself of a fine presence, clothed in a wadded armour, and bearing a matchlock and two swords; he had a fine courage also, or he would not have hovered so close to the camp with such a pageantry of weapons immediately after defeat. McMurdo fell upon him sword in hand ; some time they faught, wheeling in circles and closing without advantage on either side, save that the mare was wounded. Napier looked upon, too chivalric to interfere in so fair a fight; but at last McMurdo, who had already ridden the same horse sixty miles, said, " John, I am tired; you may try him." The other, of a slight make, but with as bright and clear a courage as ever animated a true English youth, advanced, and all three were soon at full speed— the Belochee making a running fight. Suddenly the latter turned in his saddle and aimed with his matchlock, being then only a horse's length in front; it missed fire, and Napier as rapidly discharged his pistol. McMurdo, a man of ungovernable fierceness in combat, thinking the report was from the matchlock unfairly used, dashed pistol in hand past his comrade, who in vain called out not to kill, and shot the daring fellow as he was drawing his second sword. Then ensued a scene singularly characteristic The young men alighted, McMurdo reproaching himself for using a pistol when they were two to one, and both with great emotion tried to stop the blood flowing from their dying antagonist ; while he, indomitable, clutched at his weapon to give a last blow ; he was unable to do so and soon after expired. From the camp now came succour, for the two officers were in danger from_the vicinity of the dead man's prowling comrades; but to view the body of the fallen Belochee was all that remained to be done."— Sir Charles Napier's Administration of tSoinde.

A soldier of the 67th depot, quartered at Dover Height Barracks, while confined at the guard-house, confessed to the sergeant of the guard being the murderer of Lord Norbury, in Ireland, some ten years since, at noon-day, in. his paik. The man stated that he shot the unfortunate nobleman, and gave a detailed account of the murder (which the sergeant very properly committed to writing in presence of two men of the guard), and as he comes from the locality in which the murder was perpetrated, there is a probability of the truth of his admissions. He adds that he entered the army after committing the deed. The man is retained in close custody, awaiting the result of inquiries in Ireland. Mad. Wagner.—So much interest has been excited by the proceedings in Chancery respecting the rival claimants on the hand of Madlle. Johanna Wagner, that we presume our readers will not be incurious to know something about her history. Madlle. Wagner is the niece of the chapel-master of Dresden, Richard Wagner, whom Liszt has recently made known to the world as being, in his opinion, the greatest composer of the present day. In early life, her parents having a professional engagement at the theatre at Wurzburg, in Bavaria, Johanna's place of residence was in that town. Whilst here she was at times cast as the representative of the good spirit in fairy spectacles, in each of which, especially as she advanced in age, she is said to have displayed declamatory powers of no common order, and the result was that, at 15 years of age, she was selected to sustain the character of Abigail, in " Le Verre d'Eau," which was produced at the Ballenstadt theatre. She then essayed, with undisputed success, in " Esmeralda," as Preciosa, and as Cordelia, in " King Lear." It was about this period the parents of the youthful Johanna discovered that she possessed a beautiful voice; whereupon they, being professors of the vocal art, "got her up" in the Page, in Meyerbeer's " Huguenots." From this moment there was an almost daily perceptible advancement in the art, until at length she made her debut in the part of Caterina, in Halevy's " Reine de Oypre." The success which this performance achieved led Madlle. Wagner to transfer her principal studies from the legitimate drama to opera. Upon this her uncle Richard expressed a wish that she should pay a visit to Dresden; but, before she complied with that wish, she accompanied her father to Paris, where she remained under the instruction of Manuel Garcia for six months. Manuel Garcia is the brother of the lamented Malibran and of Viardot; and Jenny Lincl was one of his pupils. From Paris Johanna, with her father, proceeded to Dresden, where she received an engagement for live years, and succeeded Madame Schreeder Devrient. She first made an impression on the minds of her hearers in the characters of the Agatha of Weber, then in Beethoven's Fidelia, and afterwards in various other parts. From. Dresden she went to Hamburg, in consequence of the political strife of which the former place became the scene. Here it was that she undertook the arduous character of Fides, in the " Prophete," and it was her powerful delineation in this opera which caused her reputation to spread from one end of Germany to the other. Subsequently to this Mademoiselle Wagner held engagements at Berlin and Vienna; and it was in the former city that she succeeded Viardot in Fides. The great triumphs she achieved resulted in her being- engaged at the Berlin theatre for ten years upon far higher terms than had hitherto been given to any prima donna in that country. Permission, however, was reserved to Madlle. Wagner to absent herself for six months during each year—hence her present visit to England. In personal appearance, Madlle. Wagner is more than usually prepossessing; about 5 feet 6 or 7 inches in height, fair complexion, with light hair, and a. pleasing expression of countenance, which fires up with much effect in the more impassioned scenes of her performances. Her age may he rather under 25; and her voice is a powerful mezzo-soprano, capable of producing vast effects. Bell's Life says that a member of one of the leading clubs in London, and a master of foxhounds, will back a young lady for from <£*2000 to £5000, to ride against any other lady in England, as follows, viz.: to ride from London to Birmingham in twelve hours, using two horses ; to ride four miles over Newmarket course ; to a lour mile steeple chase over Hertfordshire ; or to hunt the Hursley foxhound?, and to kill a fox with them.