English Extracts.

New Zealander, Volume 1, Issue 11, 16 August 1845, Page 4

English Extracts.

The London Gazette contains a Treasifry warrant fixing the postage of lett ci s to and from India and our southern and eastern colonies, at the uniform 1 ale of 4<Z. The Gazetttt also' contains notices from the Horse Guards and Admiialty, that officers of the army and navy need not wear any other mourning with their uniforms than a black crape round the left arm. The Chancellor of tho Exchequer stated in] a debate in the House of Commons on the window lax, that he could not consent to relinquish it. i The Queen of Spain has recently presented to Queen Victorian beautiful Andalusian horse. j The Dean of Westminster is to be the new Bishop ol lily. A number of cases were landed at the Customhouse from Cronstadt; they contained presents from the Emperor Nicholas to Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, Sir Robert Peel, the Duke of Devonshire, the Duke of Buckingham, and others ; all of great value. The Queen has icceived some superb malachite vases, conjectural ly estimated at £10,000. The Rev. John Smith a Wesleyan Minister, having in October last been refused admission into a Military Hospital to visit Sergeant u member of the Wesley an Society and a patient in the hospital, addressed a very properly-indited letter to his Gi ace the Duke of Wellington, Com-mander-in-Chief of the Ajrmy. To this letter Mr. Smith received a very promptand satisfactory reply (through the Adjutant-General Sir John Macdouald), wherein the following passages are deserving of especial record : — " 1 am commanded to assure you. that theDukb of Wellington anxiously desires, that soldieis should have the benefit oi the spiritual assistance of Clergymen of their own persuasion, whenever the) may require it, and that Commanding Olßrers of Regiments are fully apprised of the perfect hbeiaJity of his Grace's views on that subject ''As ipgaids, however, the visits of Clergymen to soldirr» in Hospital, the established rule is, that every soldier is at liberty to choose his own Pcistor, with this simple understanding, .that he shall notify his wish, through the regular channel to Ins Commanding Officer, who will give immediate direction for tlie admission of the Clergymen w horn the soldier may have chosen as his spiritual adviser. "Hud Sergeant conformed to this rule, (which it appeals he did not;, you would have met with no impediments in \our visits. •< The Duke of Wellington has commanded me to enter into the above explanation for your futura guidance, and to prevent \ our being, upon these occasions, subjected to any disappointment." The largest power loom Shed in the World.— Messrs. Ainswoith and Son," cotton spinners, of this town have now nearly completeu and h'ued their most extiaordinarj and extensive power loom shed. The building coveis one and thtee-eights of an acie of giound, and will hold liioO loomte, winch w ill lequiru 825 hands losiiperiutend them, and seventy-iive horsepower . to di lye them. The shafting connected with this ' monstrous shed is now finished; its length is G5OO feet. When the whole cf the looms aie in motion, they will lequueij.onO feet of strapping. There are 3000 feetofgas piping, and <-25 lights will be required. The roof contains 340 windows or skylights, and is supported by 325 pilld'rs. When the wholeofthe looms are in motion, they will turn off 50 yards of cloth per minute.

FORTIFICATIONS, &c., IN PROGRESS. The following is a list, ( just issued by order of the Commons' House of Parliament), of important works in progress under the engineer department, showing the amount of the original and supplementary estimates, and the amount [already granted, also of contemplated works :—: —

The contemplated works are a new battery and site at Liverpool, to cost £27,000 ; increased barrack accommodation at Newport, in Wales, to cost £19,800 j cells, to cost £5000 ; increased accommodation to new barracks in the Manchester district, to cost £25,000 ; a new barrack at Portsmouth, to cost £10,000 ; and new stolehouses and offices at Dover, to cost £4171. To the foregoing account of ioilifications in various parts of the world in progress, we may add that of this colony. New Zealand —Fort Ligar — Original estimate, unknown, — and pet fod of completion, as well as amount of expense, —■uncertain.

CoLONiALBrsHoPRics -—The next see erected by the committee to whom has been entrusted the appropriation of the Colonial Bishopric's Fund will be that of Ceylon. Theßev.J. Chapman, M. A. formerly Fellow of King's College, Cambridge, Rector ot Dunslan Wallet, Essex, will be the first bishop of the new diocese.

The American Frigate, "Chesapeak.' The old well remembered American Frigate the "Chesapeak," -vhich, between thirty and forty years ago, when under the command of Commodore Laurence, was captured by Captain Broke, then commanding his. Majesty's frigate the " Shannon," duiingthe American war, has been broken up for in my years past and at the present time forms the constituent portion of a flour-mill, situate upon a stream which runs near the small town of Botley in Hampshire. A few days since, the woikinen, whilst engaged in repairing the mill, had occasion to remove certain parts of the timber fabric, and found the wood of the old vessel to be as sound aud as ftesh as the clay on which she was first launched. Several curiously disposed peisons have purchased sundry pieces of the craft with a view of having the wood turned into snuff boxes and other fancy articles of turnery.

unginai ana A i rpa .i v Works in Progress. Supplementary „ ' Estimates. S ranteai Nova Scotia-Citadel at Halifax . . £175,863 £163,153 Gibraltar, New Woiks 225,000 75,000 Kingston, Foitilication 22,000 80,000 Corfu,— Completion of Woiks, Port Neuf and Citadel 100,500 69,840 Jamaica, Permanent Barracks, at Newcastle — 30,000 Biistol, New Banacks 55,000 15,000 London, Impiovements ami Banacks at the Tower 60,000 10,000