HOME MISCELLANY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XIII, Issue 755, 1 February 1860, Page 3

HOME MISCELLANY.

(From the »English Mail.;) '• m,* will of the late eminent engineer, Robert l on MP was proved in London on the S oTootoher"; "The personalty was sworn under S 000 To his cousin, George Robert Stephen- £ i'X< bcauoathed all his interest in..the loooson;- Sim Xtory at Newcastle, under the firm Tl'obert Stephenson and Company, and.his. in;----0 in Swibstone Collieries in Leicestershire, Hm, was left to him by his father; also bequeaths i • hi- leasehold residence in Gloucester-square, t0 i 5,i furniture pictures, statuary, plate, library, a"d nnc o her effect*, also to Mr. George R. r 6| »«on • lew of £50,000, to Mr. Charles p!fi £10,000, to Mr. George P. Bidder £10,000, Wtf CuWmpnny has just contracted with ,r , XTflnipv. of Glasgow, lor the construction of Me?r;,nldle steamer of 4,000 tons, with corres-iX^trse-power. She is to be named the E Z and will be in every way larger and more bC vf, tini the Persia, which is of 3,500 tons. PT nr^i^aid to be formed, of-which the M ; q iorCl'anJos andQant. Huish are the cluir,l deputy-chairman, for tho purpose pf layri Ues from the Post-oflice to Eustpnwe !i on for the rapid transmission of the SCb spheric presiure. ■*.**»* be ?J__ to nil para of London. What next ? 6XA cor etpondint of the < Builder ' suggests that fi,o Westminster Palace clock might be wound up f W action of the tide, the machinery being ar--3 id to operate at every tide or at stated periods. "The inhabitants of some parts of Swansea were a S troubled last summer by mosqmtos. f?,^ disagreeable insects have been brought over i„ considerable numbers in vessels coming from Ctt Tetters have been written to the papers strongly ndrocatino- Mil'ford Haven instead of Liverpool as the nlaceV arrival and departure tor emigrant

Sh 0n the 27th October the Dean of Carlisle delivered at the Athenanim in Carlisle, a lecture upon "Tobacco : its influences, physical, moral, and religious." In the opinion of the Dean the weed produces nothing but evil. THE GREAT EXHIBITION IN 1862.

At the opening of the 100 th Session of the ; Society of Arts on Wednesday evening, the 16th; instant the Chairman, Sir Thomas Phillips, in the, course of his address, spoke of " the Great Exhibition in 1862" as follows :—The war in Italy having terminated, the council has anxiously resumed the consideration of this important, subject, and notwithstanding the present aspect of continental affairs, which they do not regard as the most favourable to arts, manufactures, or commerce, it is nevertheless the intention of the council, interpreting arWit, as they believe, the feelings of their countrymen, to originate measures for carrying into effect an international exhibition of works of art and industry to be held in 1862 (applause); and they propose to invite the "manufacturers, merchants, public companies, and other capitalists willing to promote such an exhibition, to unite in raising a guarantee fund, not less in amount than £250,000, to be vested in trustees whose ; position, character, and qualifications will secure the confidence of those capitalists who are prepared to share the responsibility of the uudertaking. The trustees will doubtless seek the assistance of Her Majesty's Government in order the better to obtain the friendly assistance of foreign Governments, and secure the co-operation of foreign exhibitors, and otherwise promote the success of the exhibition of 1862, and will also apply to the Royal Commissioners for the Exhibition of 1851 to grant a convenient portion of the ground purchased at Kensington out of the surplus funds of the Exhibition of 1861 for the next and future exhibitions. THE VOLUNTEER MOVEMENT. The rifle movement progresses, and one of the best proofs of the depth of the patriotic spirit in ! this respect is, that it has been .deemed necessary to get up a ' Volunteer Service Gazette,' or special orgau of our national Landwher. It is stated in the "Manchester Guardian" that the volunteers now enrolled throughout the kingdom amount already to 20,000.

The Glasgow Rifle Corps is making considerable progress in drill. The oath of allegiance has been administered to.the..4th,-7th, and Bth companies of of the northern division of Lanarkshire .Rifle Volunteers.

The volunteer rifle corps formed at Birmingham numbers 229 members.

The two companies of the sth and 6th West York Rifle Volunteers, enrolled at Bradford, hold their meetings for drill with great regularity, and the corps is every week becoming more popular. The names of 120 volunteers have already been placed upon the effective lists of the corps which is being formed for the town and neighbourhood of Burton-on-Trent. The firms of Bass and Co. and! Allsop and Sons have each subscribed £200, towards the expenses. Steps are being taken at Cambridge for the formation of a battalion of volunteers out of the club established there, and nearly 300 gentlemen have enrolled their names. ;

The company at Chelmsford has now sixty members enrolled.

At Colchester the company has now about fifty members. '

The Halifax Rifles have been drilling with wonderful diligence since June. Their captain considers that they have now attained such perfection that constant attendance is no longer necessary. The members of the Ipswich corps have met at Lanclguard Fort for the purpose of practising at long range. The formation of a company is proposed at North Walsham, in Norfolk. .

The Exeter Rifle Corps met a few days ago and elected their non-commissioned officers. "At Daw-. hsh a public meeting has been held for the purpose of forming a corps. The Earl of Devon presided. The Nottingham corps is progressing satisfactorily^ and numbers nearly 500 members. A rifle corps is about to be formed in Mansfield. The movement at Skipton, in Yorkshire, for the formation of a volunteer rifle corps, is receiving considerable support. The subscriptions amount to £500. .:.

The enrolment of members in the London Rifle brigade proceeds with the utmost vigour. A vigorous 'movement is now being made'in favour of the formation of a corps for the Inns of Uurt. A meeting of the committee was held on the sth Nov., which was attended by influential members of all the inns. ;

The Bristol corp3, now numbering nearly 650 men, was paraded for drill on the sth Nov. An adjourned meeting of those favourable to the formation of a rifle corps in connection-with the Glasgow press was held on the sth Nov. Seventytwo ordinary members have been already enrolled. •pjTh Le formation of a second Citizen Company at Mmburgh is making favourable.progress. '• The Coventry, or Second Division of the Warwickshire Volunteer Rifle Corps are progressing very satisfactorily with their drill in the paradeground at Allesley-park. The commanding officer of the Ist Surrey Rifle, volunteers has authorised .the formation of a company, for Clapham and the neighbouring district. The Bath Rifle Corps musters more than 150. Ihe formation of a fourth company at Norwich has been determined, on. This will raise the strength of the Norwich Volunteers to 400.