ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 28, 4 November 1842, Page 2

ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

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(From the Times)

The Spitalfields Ball.— The effect of the patronage by her Majesty of the production of British silk manufactures has tended to create an extraordinary improvement in the silk trade. It may not be generally kn.own that the object of the Spitalfields weavers’ ball is for the purpose of raising funds toward the erection of the building where the children of the Spitalfields weavers may be educated, in order to promote the invention of designs for the fabrication of silks. Already, however, has appeared an entirely new style of silk-weaving, the patterns of which will be displayed in the dresses which will be worn by several of the nobility at the ball to-morrow evening. Her Majesty’s dress will consist of the most splendid silver lace, over a pink and white slip. The dresses of the maids of honor will be of a similar style, but of a different pattern. The Duchess of Buccleuch will also wear a most magnificent dress of Spittalfields manufacture. There have been about 200 looms' employed upon the present occasion, and in which some of the most splendid specimens of silk weaving have been made. The consequence, it is expected, will be to give an increased demand for this branch of trade, and should success attend the objects on which her Majesty’s patronage has been bestowed, an impulse will be given to the production of silks

that has not occurred since the introduction of tlie manufacture into this country. The committee which has been employed in bringing the arrangements of the ball to completion, and which committee includes several noblerrfcn, have been indefatigable for several weeks past. The expenses will be about 2,000 Z. It is, however, hoped that there will be a large surplus. About 2,000 tickets have been already issued, and her Majesty has given 100 guineas. The whole of the boxes are also engaged, but from the number 21 have been taken in order to form the pavilion which is intended for her Majesty, Prince Albert, and their suites. I?hc Duke of Sussex and the Duchess of Cambridge, with Prince George of Cambridge, will severally have separate boxes. It is intended that the doors should be opened about 9 o’clock, but it is expected that the admission will not be at that exact time, in consequence of the short period that the workmen will have to effect tlie necessary alterations, as the whole body of the theatre will neaily have to be remodelled.

Royal Etiqette.— A letter from Munich of the 15th of May, which has been communicated to us, says, that amidst the enthusiasm which is everywhere manifested to relieve the sufferers by the fire at Hamburgh, it may seem surprising that Bavaria shows no sign of sympathy. The sole cause, says the writer of the letter, is the absence of the King, who is so jealous, that no person can venture to propose a subscription, however urgent the necessity may be, without his previous permission. “I am persuaded,” says the writer, “ that as soon as the King is informed of the disaster of Hamburgh, he will be as generous as the other German princes, and will allow his subjects to follow their charitable inclinations; but he is in Sicily,, and the delay which will result from this circumstance will deprive those acts of generosity of the promptitude and spontaneousness which constitute a great part of their merit.”

Lord Chandos op Sudeley. —lt is rumoured that a claim will shortly be preferred to the honours of the ancient barony of Chandos of Sudeley. This peerage has lain dormant since the year 1789, when the death of'the eleventh baron and third Duke gave rise to the celebrated enquiry in the House of Lords, touching the right of the Rev. Edward Tymewell Brydges to assume the dignity, which terminated in 1803 in a decision fatal to his claims. The case of the Rev. E. T. Brydges rested on a doubtful descent from Anthony, third ron of John first Baron Chandos ; the present claimant aspires to the barony as lieir-male of the body of Robert, son of William, fourth son of the fourth Lord, who was the second son of Edmund, the eldest son of the stirps. Owing to tlie temporary obscurity of this branch of the family, it has hitherto been generally concluded, in the absence of direct evidence,“that the above-mentioned Robert Brydges died without issue-male. The title thus deduced from the eldest son of the grantee, supposing it to be substantiated, would of course make to the exclusion of any descendant of Anthony, and it would appear that no fewer than the last, four barons, being descendants of Charles the second son, held the dignity in derogation of the right of the ancestors of the present claimant. (From the Hampshire Telegraph.)

The Gold Coinage. —A royal proclamation regarding the gold coin, bearing date the 3d instant, has attracted, general attention. This document sets forth that large quantities of light gold coin are in circulation, contrary to the proclamations of the Prince Regent in name and behalf of his Majesty George 111., dated Ist July, 1817, and of another, dated February 6, 1821, by his Majesty George the IV. and there being, reason to believe that attention has not been paid to the weighing of gold coin, nor to the acts of Parliament now regarding deficiency in the same; and as to the breaking and defacing of such of the said gold coin as may be found of less weight than the weight specified in the last of the said proclamation, every gold sovereign of less weight than 2 penny weights grains, and every half sovereign of less weight than 1 penny Veight 13-2-grains, shall not be allowed to be current, nor to pass in any payment whatsoever; and her Majesty, with the advice of her Privy Council, ordains all persons accordingly to attend to and abide by the regulations in the various acts of Parliament now in force, with respect to the cutting and defacing such of the gold coin as shall be deficient in weight; and all sovei eigns and half sovereigns of the weights above^, specified are ordered to pass current as lawful money of the United Kingdom. The operation of this Privy Council law will be attended with great injustice to the public, many of whom never heard of the acts of Parliament or proclamations on which the present order is founded. About one-third, perhaps, of the gold circulation is under weight, and yet passing current without let or challenge. A large proportion of light gold has been issued from the Bank of England, who have refused to issue sovereigns of full weight when the exchanges were unfavourable, and their bullion stores at a lo\v ebb, to prevent further exportation for profit.

THE LATE ATTEMPT. ON HER MAJESTY’S LIFE

The effect of the recent atrocious and cowardly attempt on the life of our beloved Sove-

reign is, we regret to say, but too plainly perceptible in her Majesty’s countenance and demeanour when in public. Distinguished as is the Queen for calm fortitude, and more than womanly courage, her Majesty must indeed be more than human, were she altogether superior to those apprehensions which a second dastardly attack upon her life would excite in the stoutest heart. We regret to state —and we do so on information derived from those who have frequent opportunities of observation —time in place of the former cheerful and confident demeanour of the Queen when taking her accustomed drives, there.is a manifest perturbation a hurried and anxious cast of countenance, which pourtrays too plainly that the calm flow of happy feeling which the presence of the assembled groups of her people formerly created, has sustained an interruption, and that apprehension of danger excites almost involuntarily vigilance to detect its possible approach. In these feelings of anxiety, lest a recurrence of Monday evening last should be made, it is evident that Prince Albert and the Duchess of Kent also participate. These indications of alarm were especially visible in the Queen’s manner on Sunday, on her Majesty’s progress from Buckingham Palace to the Chapel Royal. The attendance of two . equerries on each side the royal carriage, in place of one, as formerly, showed that the remarks we were led to make on the absence of proper precautions on the part of those to whom such matters ought to be an object of incessant care, after the premonition of danger supplied by the attempt of the Sunday preceding—had not been made in vain. The Chapel Royal was crowded to excess. Not merely did the entire household attend to join their royal mistress in thanksgiving to Heaven for her renewed deliverance from death, but a very large number of the nobility were also present. The Bishop of London preached a most impressive sermon on the occasion ; in the course of which he alluded to the attempt on the Queen, and to her merciful deliverance, which he ascribed to the immediate interposition of the Deity. The fogn of thanksgiving ordered to be read on the occasion was joined in by the assembled congregation with marked fervour —a feeling winch was too strongly marked to escape observation in the metropolitan churches, in which it was generally read. The Ministers of the different denominations of Dissenters also alluded to the event in their prayers, with marked and emphatic gratitude.

The Arms of the Chinese. —The weapons of the mandarins consist of a sword similar to that used by the ancient Romans, with a short straight blade, the scabbard being ornamented according to the fancy of the bearer. This is invariably carried on the right side, in order to prevent that weapon from getting entangled with the slings of the quiver for arrows, which is fastened round the waist by a handsomely embroidered belt, and hangs on the left side. The quiver is made of leather, appropriately ornamented, and has generally a species of sabretache attached to it, in which the bow is placed; some of which I have seen with a hinge in the centre, to admit of being folded up into a smaller space. The arrows are of various lengths, some armed with a ball at the end perforated with holes, which in their progress through the air causes a whistling noise, and is supposed to strike terror into the hearer; the points are barbed, hooked, and broad-headed, while the butt is generally decorated with bright coloured feathers, those of the Tartar pheasant being most esteemed, and used by the mandarins only. The only kind of armour is a round cap, made of rattan, painted with a huge pair of eyes, and well calculated to ward oft' the blow of a sword ; sometimes the soldiers wear a cap similar to that of the mandarins, without any button. Tne shields are of different sizes, made also of rattan, containing a ring inside sufficiently large to pass the arm through, and, a little farther in, a bar to lay hold of. They are generally painted with a devil’s, or some such fascinating animal’s face, intended* to intimidate the beholder. These shields are not bullet-proof to a close shot, but no sword can either pierce or cut through them. The matchlock is as nearly as possible the old European weapon of the same name. It is not held in such estimation by the Chinese as the bow, from its danger to the bearer, in consequence of the liability of the match either to ignite his clothes or to blow up his pow.der pouch, which is carried round the waist in a cotton or leathern case, containing fourteen or sixteen wooden tubes, each holding a loose charge. This pouch is adorned with a representation intended to resemble a tiger’s face, and from the careless manner in which the powder is carried, the probability of the wearer blowing himself up is extremely great. Their spears are of all kinds, sizes, and shapes, with which, in coming to close quarters, we found that they inflicted most horrid wounds. The favourite pattern of them is a long broad blade. They also use pikes, and a species of straight scythe, with a ’handle very short in proportion to the length of the blade.

Birth. —On Monday, the 24th October, at Waiwetu, Mrs. Shand, of a daughter.