ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume III, Issue 130, 2 July 1853, Page 4

ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

We extract from the Melbourne papers sundry items of home news. The debate on the admission of Jews to the House as members did not possess any very novel or striking features, except the speech of Sir R. Peel, which was filled with illiberalities towards that class of persons. Lord Monk defended the Jews with a great deal of point and force. Sir R. Inglis was violently opposed to the intoduction of any such bill. Other speakers followed, and upon a division there appeared a majority of 29 for the Bill, a smaller majority than has yet been taken upon the question.

Upon a question relative to the Peace movement, Lord Palmerston observed of the Manchester Peace Society, that he looked upon them as a set of well-intentioned fanatics, much too good to be entrusted with political functions in this wicked and sinful world.

The Maynooth Grant was affirmed on being again brought before the house by a rather narrow majority of 30—Mr. Scholefield's amendment to exclude all Parliamentary grants for religious purposes not having been put as the house advised.

In the Lords, the chief matter has been the second reading of six Law Bills relating to Bankruptcy, Lunacy, and Chancery, together with the first instalment of the Digest of the New Criminal Law; also a debate on the Canada Clergy Reserves, a review of recent Railway accidents by Lord Malmesbury, and a discussion upon the question of Foreign refugees. In the first of these the Bishops of Exeter and Oxford indulged in a little warm sparring ; the former accused the latter of stating not only what was not the truth, but directly opposed to truth. This induced the Oxford Prelate to demand an explanation, amid the general laughter of the House, upon which his Lordship assured the Peers they need not apprehend a hostile meeting. No explanation was, however, given by Exeter. With regard to the rumour current that Austria had demanded the expulsion from this country of Foreign refugees, Lord Aberdeen denied that such was the case, and said that Government would at once prosecute any parties committing a breach, of our laws by plotting against foreign powers.

It appears that the reforms in the Board of Customs have already commenced by the reduction in number of the Commissioners. A committee is to be appoiuted to enquire into the important question of limited liability of partnerships.

The first vessel of the Australasian Steamship Company (Panama to Sydney), about to commence operations in New York, will, it is stated, be a new one just completed, called the Golden Age. She is of 2884 tons burthen, and has capacity for 1200 passengers (200 first cabin, 200 second, and 800 third), with 1200 tons of coal, and 500 of cargo. Her frame was originally intended for the Adriatic, the fifth ship of the Collins line, and she has since been completed with special reference to the passenger trade in the Pacific, so as to secure room and ventilation for the largest possible number of persons. According to the calculations in the prospectus of the Company, it is expected that she will enable the passage to Australia to be completed within 35 days from New York and 50 days from England. We are happy to be able to state that the subject of a cheap and uniform rate of postage between Great Britain and her dependencies has been for some time under the consideration of Government, and that negociations are going forward with the legislatures of those colonies that have the control of their postal arrangements in their own hands, for the establishment of a reduced single rate of postage, to be applied to the whole of the dependencies of the kingdom. The plan contemplated by Government was very fully and frankly explained by Lord Canning, to a deputation of the Inter-national Postage Association ; and may be thus briefly described. It is proposed that the postage of all letters from and to Great Britain, India, and the Colonies shall be 6d. the half-ounce, 4d. of which to be for the sea carriage, and Id. inland postage each way for transmission and delivery. When the packets belong to the mother country, the 4d. for sea carriage to be paid to the home revenue, and vice vers&. The uniform rate of postage on newspapers to be Id. By this arrangement a letter dropped in any post-office in

any part of England, India, or the Colonies, will be delivered in any other part of our dominions for the single fixed charge of 6d. The plan possesses all the advantages of uniformity and simplicity, and its claims in the way of cheapness will be appreciated, when it is remembered that the present average rate of Colonial postage is Is. 2d. Nor is it likely to rest here, as it is not at all improbable that, after some experience of its operation, a still further reduction may be adopted. But upon this point Lord Canning could not be expected to speak out with confidence. As soon as the answers shall have been received from the Colonial Legislatures with whom negotiations have been already opened, Government will be at once prepared to act upon them. Those colonies whose postal arrangements are under the control of the General Post Office in England, will be next embraced in the scheme ; and when they shall have, been all placed on the same basis, the plan will be finally extended to India. Lord Stanley has placed at the disposal of the Mayor of Lynn, a donation of £1000, for the purpose of establishing a town free library. The explanations given in Parliament of the pacific termination of the negotiations between Austria and Tnrkey, are satisfactory for the present. It is, however, quite a different question as to whether this settlement offers any valid guarantee for the future. Hostilities are still going on in Montenegro, and three Russian corps are advancing on the frontier. The return of Count Leiningen to Vienna, with the full assent of the Porte to the demands of his master, may have had the effect of depriving Austria of any immediate ground for menacing the Sultan, but it certainly has not been attended by any further ameliorating consequences. Turkey maintains the same attitude j in Montenegro ; and until hostilities shall have absolutely ceased, it is not easy to form a conjecture. The entire shipments of the precious metals from the kingdom for the first week in March amounted to £717,000, making an excess over imports of between .€840,000 and £650,000. Amongst the gentlemen lately admitted to a degree of Bachelor of Arts at Cambridge, was C.ummell, a man of colour ; his father, we believe, was a slave in the United States. He is in holy orders, having received episcopalian ordination in America, and has officiated for some time as Curate of St. Stephen's, Ipswich. He is about to proceed to Liberia. Chinese gongs are advertised in the London papers. One for 40s. will effectually frighten a thief, one for 60s. will appal a burglar, one for 80s. will alarm the country for miles round. A fire, involving a vast destruction of property, occurred in the extensive premises belonging to Messrs. Pawson and Co., Warehousemen, of St. Paul's Churchyard. The Bishop of Lincoln, Dr. John Kaye, had died, Yardbury House, in Devonshire, one of the oldest mansions in the country, has been burnt to the ground. Captain Penny, the Arctic navigator, has at length succeeded in forming a Company for the purpose of carrying on whale and other fisheries, and founding a permanent settlement in the Arctic regions,—a scheme which has occupied his attention for many years. _ Lady Franklin has received various subscriptions in aid of her project for sending the " Isabel" screw steamer to Behring's Straitt. fsj A large village in Wiltshire has been almost depopulated by emigration. Lieut-General Sir W. S. Whish, K. C. 8., of the Bengal Artillery, is dead. The Right Rev. Dr. William Grant Broughton, Bishop of Sydney and Metropolitan of Australia, died on Sunday, the 20th February, in the 64th year of his age. His Lordship arrived in England a few weeks before by La Plata, (known as the fever ship) having previously, by letter, announced to the Rev. Earnest Hawkins, the Secretary to the Society for the propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, his intention of visiting his native land, in the following terms:—" The course by which lam to proceed is first to Callao (Lima); thence by steamer to Havauna; and, finally, by West India mail to London I wish to appear in South America as representing the cause of the Church of England. It has never, in fact, had any representatives there except the bishop and clergy of Guiana, who are cut off from intercourse with the western coast. I have made some ineffectual attempts tp opeu a com-

munication with any clergyman of our Church who may be residing and officiating in Peru, but have never been able to ascertain that there is any one so placed. Yet I know that there are numerous families of English there. My presence, therefore, will enable me, to inquire, to administer the holy sacraments, to confirm, and to preach ; and if I may, under God's protection, remain there a few weeks, I trust that the appearance of an English bishop in the capital of the Incas may lead to consequences which the society will feel an interest in hearing of." While Dr. Broughton held, many years since, the Chaplaincy of the Tower of London, the Duke of Wellington offered him the Archdeaconry of New South Wales, which, he accepted—hence his connection with the Colonial Church. Seventeen years ago he returned to England to be consecrated Bishop of Sydney.

The first saloon of the Marco Polo, which now lies in the Sal-house dock, Liverpool, undergoing internal alterations, is being fitted up with stained glass panelings, alternating with, mirrors. Transparent paintings on glass represent picturesque portions of Australian scenery, as well as the castles and old baronial halls of England. Transportation.— The Admiralty have chartered a vessel for the conveyance of 300 male convicts to Freemantle, Western Australia. Irish Poverty.—At the Waterford guardians board, Mr. Carroll said—" Although there is a famine in the country among the poor, and many farmers barely existing, still in Waterford no less than £1200 was paid last year for Macassar oil, for the nourishment of the curls and whiskers of the ladies and gentlemen of the city." The Clare Grand Jury have ignored the bills against the military in the six-mile Bridge affair. Mr. George Hudson who was recently condemned by the Master of the Rolls to refund certain moneys the produce of shares in the York and North Midland Railway, to the directors of that Company, has determined under advice from eminent counsel to appeal from that decision to the Lords Justices. It is said that the amount involved in this suit, will not be less than £100,000. Camps are being laid out in various parts ot the country preparatory to reviewing and drilling the militia and troops of the line during the coming open weather. One large camp is being'surveyed on Ascot Heath for the reception of 7,000 troops, whilst others are in course of preparation on Hounslow and Bagshot Heaths. The present actual state of affairs in the Turkish dominions has induced our Ambassador, Lord Stratford, now on leave in England, to return immediately to his post at Constantinople. Dr. Layard, of Nineveh celebrity, accompanies his Lordship, and has published an address to the electors of Aylesbury, which borough he represents, begging their indulgence for a season. The Boomerang, screw-propeller, invented by Sir T. L. Mitchell, late Surveyor-General of New South Wales, is atout to be tested, by Messrs. McKean, McLarty and Company, of Liverpool, on some of their ships, especially on one of large tonnage. The government is said to be about to test the efficiency of the invention on a ship-of-war. A leading commercial paper at New York, affords a pretty significant hint of the quality of American flour usually sent to the colonies, in the following passage: " GW.. brands are rather lower ; but for brands fit for shipment to Australia or California, holders are firm." It is very pleasant thus to learn that we get the inferior article at the higher (proportionate) price 1 Considerable transactions in flour are taking place in this market for shipment to Australia. The brands were chiefly best Southern, say at an average of 5 dollars 75 cents per barrel. Freights for this species of merchandize vary from 3 dollars to 3 dollars ; 50 cents per barrel. The total cost, therefore, is at the outside not more than 9 dollars, including insurance; and as, at last dates, the article was selling at the most exorbitant prices at Sydney, there is but little doubt that a handsome profit will be made, always providing that the flour keeps sweet till it arrives there.— iV. Y. Express.

A Keeper killed by a Cobra de Capello.—An inquest was held in London, on the body of Edward Horatio Gurling, the keeper in the zoological gardens, Regent's Park, who lost his life from the bite of a cobra de capello, which he had received in consequence of his own drunken imprudence. From the reports in the London papers it appears that the body presented no very unusual appearance, not being swollen or otherwise disfigured, and the mark of the serpent's bite being indicated only by a slight discolouration on the bridge of the nose. From viewing the body the jury proceeded to the gardens and examined the spot where the accident happened. It occurred in the serpent house, which' is fitted up in such a manner as with the most ordinary precautions to insure perfect safety from casualties of the kind. By means of an iron rod, at the end, and inserted through the small aperture at the top of each compartment, the reptiles are easily removed into the compartment next their own, and made secure there, while the keepers place food in and clean out the empty one. Visitors are enabled to see the serpents in perfect security through the thick glass fronts of the compartment, and nothing can be better than the arrangements of the society in this portion of their display, the keepers having the strictest orders never on any account to lift the glass slides or to attempt doing anything in the compartments without first removing their occupants. The cobra which inflicted the fatal wound is that found in India, Ceylon, and the adjacent islands, and' differs from the African cobra, a specimen of which is placed beside it, in having its skin marked with Tings of a dirty yellow colour. It seems much more lively than its companion, and took refuge from the gaze of the jury in a small water tank, with which the compartment is provided. Dr. Burder deposed that deceased was brought to the hospital in an insensible and dying condition. Artificial respiration and galvanism were used without producing any beneficial effect, and he sank and died in an hour. Witness observed six punctures on one side of the nose, and four on the other. Witness had performed an autopsy. There was nothing peculiar internally or externally, except a lividity. Death was produced by poison. Witness had never met with such a case before, nor did he know of any particular remedy for its treatment. Coroner : The only chance to save life is to suck the wound immediately,aud extract the poison. If I had been present I should have done so, and there is no danger in doing it.—Edward Stewart, a keeper in the gardens, admitted that he had been out with the deceased the night preceding the melancholy catastrophe, and that they had drunk freely. They went to their duties in the gardens in the morning, when witness accompanied Gurling to the serpent house. The deceased took a serpent from its cage and •wound it round him, saying he was inspired. He put that serpent back in its cage and took out the cobra de capello, which he held up in his hands, when it immediately darted at him and bit him in the nose. Witness instantly rushed out of the bouse and gave the alarm, and when he returned he found that the cobra had been replaced in its cage.—Morice Edmunds, a helper, said he was passing the ser-pent-house on the morning in question and saw the deceased and the last witness intoxicated and playing with the serpents.—James Philips, engineer to the gardens, stated that the deceased rushed into the engine-house, bleeding from the nose and frantically exclaiming "I have been bit by the cobra—send for the surgeon." Witness immediately got a cab and deceased was conveyed to the hospital.—Mr. Mitchell, the secretary of the society; Mr. Alford, the surgeon ; and Mr. Thompson, the superintendent, proved that there were strict regulations for the discharge of any keeper found intoxicated during duty, and that every possible precaution was adopted against accidents.—The coroner summed up at great length and the jury returned the following verdict: —"Deceased died from the mortal effects of bites inilicted by a serpent called the cobra de capello while he (the deceased) was in a state of intoxication ; and the fatal occurrence was attributable to his own rashness and indiscretion." We learn that at the end of February, there were no less than 78 vessels loading for Melbourne at London, 44 at Liverpool, and 19 at the Scottish ports. To these must be added several vessels loading at the same time at Southampton, Plymouth, Bristol, &c.