ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 266, 16 February 1848, Page 3

ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

It is a gratifying proof of the increase of the commerce of Liverpool, even under unfavourable circumstances, that the town dues show an increase of £12,000 on the year ending Autjust 31, 1847, in compaiison with the preceding twelvemonths. They have this year produced £92,000 (in round numbers), whilst last year they only produced £80,000. The late Mr. J. T. Betts, formerly distiller, of Smithfield-bars, late of Broomfleld-house, Clap!>am, Surrey, died possessed of personal property valued at £GO,OOO. His business he had relinquished to his four sons at a valuation of £20,000. A return of the number of passengers and the receipts on railways in the United Kingdom, for the year ending the 30tn June, 1846, has been issued. The total of passengers was ! 43,790,383§ ; of receipts from passengers, £4,725,215 I Is. Bfd. ? goods, cattle, &c, £2,741,200 16s. 6d. ; total receipts, £7,466 416 9s. O^d. The amount paid by secondclass passengers was nearly two millions ; first-class passengers, less by nearly £300,000 while the third-class receipts were over a million.

Large Sum for the Copyright of the Posthumous Works of the late Dr. Chaimejis. —The late Dr. Chalmers has left a large number of unpublished manuscripts, among which is a Commentary on the Scriptures, as far as the Book of Jeremiah. The comraentaiy, we understand, differs in its plan from the commentaries of Poole, Henry, Soott, and Clarke. Among the manuscripts fully written out, and in a fit state for publication, are also the series of lectures which he, as professor of divinity io the University

of Edinburgh, addressed to the students. There has likewise been found among the | correspondence which D-. Chalmers carried on with nearly ai: the distinguished men of the present century, a numbers of letters of a deeply interesting nature, sufficient to make, with a memoir of himself, four large octavo volumes. The whole of the reverend gentleman's manuscripts have been bought by Mr. T. Constable, brother-in-law of Mr. Cowan, the new member for Edinburgh, and son of Mr. Constable, the friend of Sir Writer Scoit, and publisher of all his works. Mr. Constable has given £10,000 for Dr. Chalmers manuscripts. The largest amount ever given, under similar circumstances, was £4,500, which Mr. Murray gave to the sons of Mr. Wilberforce for ris " Life and Correspondence." The extensive tradt of Wild heath, in Lancashire, known by the name of Tarletou Moss, is gradually being brought into a state of cultivation, and now exhibits a surface studded with rural dwellings, surrounded by heavy crops of corn and potatoes. In a very few years the heath and grouse will have entirely disappeared, and the land will be contributing Us quota of food towards tie human support, A. rag and bone dealer, at Shrewsbury, in a railway compensation case heard last week, declared that he did business to the amount of £1000 a week. «, A letter from Vienna, of the 2nd instant, mentions a report that Baron S. de Rothschild had obtained permission from the government to found a majorat for his family. No such privilege had ever before been accorded to a member of the Jewish religion. Tom Thumb is said to be building a splendid mansion in Connecticut, with the view of retiring from public life. The personal property of the late Admiral Sir Byam Martin has been valued at £130,000; that of Admiral Stopford at £40,000 Mr. Cunard has entered into a contract with the British Government to run a line of steamers from Halifax to Bermuda, and to place a steamer on the route between Halifax and St. John's, Newfoundland. The contract has no connection* direct or indirect, with the British North American Royal Mail Company. It is rumoured that Mr. Lumley has secured Jenny Lind's services for the next year, at a salary of £15,000. In one day, during the election proceedings, 87,500 letters passed the Glasgow Post Office. Cheap biographies of O'Connell, in French have been published in Paris. A school for destitute Jewish children has been established at Rome. The Legal Observer makes out a list of thirty-six barristers and seven solicitors in the new House of Commons.

France. —An accident, fortunately a slight one, but which might have been attended with the most distressing resu'ts, happened to the Duke de Nemours on the Bth instant. The duke was shooting with a large party, amongst whom were the Prince de Joinville and the Duke d'Aumale. The prince's gun went off by accident, and part of the contents struck his brother. One grain of shot lodged in the duke's face, the rest fell harmless on his mit and bushy hair. The Duchess d'Aumale wis delivered on Saturday of a son, who is to take the title of Duke of Guise. Madlle. de Luzzi was interrogated on the 14th instint by M. Broussais, juge d'jnstruclion. It is said it w<js only then tliqt she learn <d from that magistrate :he deaih of the Duke de Praslin by poison. The intelligence caused her a violent nervous attack, The Seb.ast ani family, it js said, have just obtained from the government the u&e ot the Pengouin, steamer, to tr«nsport to Corsica the remains of the unfortunate Duchess de Praslin. — Atlas. A French surgeon asserts, that by exposing m#n and animals to a galvanic current from Claike's niagnelie-electric apparatus, he has succeeded in making them as insensible to pain as if they bad inhaled sulphuric ether. The citizens of Bologna have just oiganised an immense factory for flax-spinning, indignant at the so-many thousand tons of raw commodity being exported and returned to them from Belgium and elsewhere in tissues of every sort. At a late dinner of a provincial Law Society* the president called upon the senior solicitor present to give as a toast the peison whom he considered the best friend ef the profession, " Then," responded the sly old fox, " I'll give you Tke man who makes his own will," The ehjef of the Scotch clan Maenab has lately emigrated to Canada, with a hundred clansmen. On arriving at Toronto, he called on his n&wjy illustrious namesake, Sir Allan, and left his card as " The Maenab." Sir Allan returned his visit, leaving his card as " The other Macnab."

Tahiti. — The following extract is from a letter, under date November 29th. " I am happy to have it in my power to say that Governor La Vaud is doing all in his power for the comfort of his people, and for their moral »nd intellectual improvement. His pre leressor had encouraged the native dances to any extent the people were inclined to enjoy them, and as they cart enjoy no pleasure with moderation, the mas 6 of them were so given up to the (Idiices, that they cdnld mind nothing else. The present Governor has restricted them lo two days in the week, and the performances are not to commence before eight o'clock in the morning, nor "to continue after three o'clock in the afternoon. He has forbidden also the importation of all spirits and strong winesi to prevent if possible the drunkenness which was rapidly on the increase. This may not be the best method of preventing it, for both settlers and buyers are determined to have them, yet the object Is gdori, and so far we Cannot but approve. He has publicly expressed his wish that all the childreu shall attend school. The restrictions! however, which he is placing on pleasure has turned many of his officers against him, and the merchants heartily wish his removal, in. cousequence of restrictions in business, and of the changes which he is making in the weights and in the value of the coin.- He has also issued an order that from the first of January all coasting vessels shall be sailed either by French subjects, natives, or foreigners who have married natives, and are settled iv the country. As far as the mission is concerned, we have nothing to complain of at present, except of the awfully depraving effect which the habits of the French have upon our young people ; when I say that there are scarcely to be found in connexion with our schools a girl or a boy above sixteen years of age unless they are married, our condition may be fairly inferred. Still, while we are not restricted in the use of means for their recovery, we have no complaint to make."

Anticipated Emeute in China. — We extract, the following from Le Mauricien of the Ist November last : — By the la'est new» from China there is much reason to fear that the British government will again have to interfere to protect the Europeans at Canton, Excesses are of continual occurrence. A party of residents at Canton, six English, one German, and one American, proceeded up the river in two boats ; when about two miles from Canton they were^saluted from the shore by the vociferations of a mob of a thousand persons, and immediately afterwards" by the discharge of three pieces of calibre ; the party attacked prudently retired although well armed. The following day was more disastrous. Messrs. Reynvaan and Vauchej the former at the head of the Dutch house of Reynvaan and Co., the latter a Swiss, em." barked in the evening in a fast boat, intending to proceed to Hong Kong, When they were at a place called Dutch folly, not a quarter of a mile from the British Consulate, they were aroused from their sleep and attacked by thieves, who attempted to fire the fast boat, and they were nearly stifled with the firepots used by the wretches. Mr. Yaucher was killed in the affray, it is supposed by a blow or blows on the head, as his body when found in the water had no incised wound, Reynvaan was dangerously wounded. It was reported in Canton that the Mandarins had been defeated in an attpmpt to disperse the mob, who proclaim their intention of burning the Pluto war steamer and then sacking the factories.

Mexico. — The Cambria, which left' Boston on the 2nd instant, has brought the usual mails, Very little progress has been made in Mexican affairs. The New Yoik'Sun says; — " The most discouraging results have Jollowed the late efforts of the American Preijj* potentiary, Mr. Trist, to negotiate peape, Neither Santa Anna nor the Congress would take the responsibility of authorising the ne-» gociation. Nor would Congtess giant the Dictator the instructions necessary to an intelligent reply to the overtures ol peace'presented by Mr. Trist. On receiving this intelligence General Scott abau.loned his procrastinating policy, and ordered an immediate march from i'uebja towards the capital," The accouuts from General Scott's army at Puebla, which however ar"e not official, are dated 6th August; — u On the next day General Scott's advance and? r General Twijggs was positively to take up its line of march for the capita!. All the reinforcements under Cadwatlailer, Pillow, and Pearce, had joined General Scott, add would r swell his numbers to something like 14,0.00 &r 15,000 men ; bat one-third must be deducted for necessary garrisons, aud tor' sick au'd disabled so thajt the marching column will, not e*£eed, 'if it' number, 10,000 men. But'H will be a formidable army, tbougl? «ot iiuraerically large, well equipped, well provided, and well led. Its success we look upon as beyond peradventure. Wte ought to have later intelligeucs from the seat of hostilities, but the communications are infrequent an l insecure by reasoa of guerillas spread aloug the route from tks

interior. General Taylor makps no movement in the direction of Potosi, and possibly may not make any." A considerable sensation had been excited by the news that General Paredes had returned to Mexico under an assumed name. He arrived at Vera Cruz on the 14th of August, in the British steamer Teviot, from Southampton. Landing in a small boat, with the aid of friends on board the steamer and in the city, he was soon beyond the reach of the American authorities. His love of monarchical government, and the enmity existing between him and Santa Anna, lead to the belief that his arrival will be the signal for another revolution at the capital, should he arrive there before General Scott. Canteens. — We have seen, with great satisfaction an announcement of the intention of Government to prohibit for the future the sale of intoxicating liquors in the canteen. If this regulation should be carried out, it will be found one of the best that ever was adopted for preserving the character and contributing to the happiness of the British soldier. Hitherto the canteen has offered him ready opportunities for contracting habits of dissipation and idleness, which, indeed, he must have found it very difficult to avoid ; for being isolated from worthier means of occupying his leisure, drinking became almost of necessity his only resource. It argues a long and culpable indifference to the respectability and comfort of the lower ranks o! the army that they should have been until now abandoned to such a debasing employment of their time when off duty as a taproom could afford. No care was taken to supply them with any better indulgence than that of ministering to a ruinous propensity, which proverbially brings every description of vice, as well as the utmost misery, in its train. By the regulations heretofore existing, the privilege of tempting the soldier to turn drunkard is a matter of contract between the Government and the keeper of the canteen, who, having purchased his right, felt himself at lull liberty to make the most he could of it. The sale of intoxicating liquors was of course the most profitable part of the trade, for a habit of drinking is rapidly acquired, and when once it seizes its victim, it speedily absorbs all his.means. Thus the soldier was encouraged in a vice which was sure to transfer every farthing be possessed to the pockets of those by whom the materials for gratifying this degrading propensity were supplied. We think the Government will have acted most properly in prohibiting altogether the sale of intoxicating liquors ; for any regulations that might be prescribed in order to allow it under certain conditions, would almost certainly be abused. While, however, the soldier is deprived of a direct temptation to idleness and dissipation, the service rendered him will be very incomplete unless it is accompanied by some provision for the employment of his Lisure, by which l:e may be at the same -time occupied and improved. When the means of degradation are taken away, their place ought at once to be filled up by something of a more salutary kind ; and reading rooms, which we believe have been already introduced in some barracks, suitably provided with the means of instruction and amusement, would form a wholesome as well as acceptable addition to the new canteens. We are convinced that the change suggested would work a wonderful reformation in the army, (or its ranks would be filled by better men, who would, as a matter of course, be better soldiers. There would be an end for ever to the force of the argument, so degrading to the military character, that in consequence of its brutal insensibility to moral influence, the punishment of the lash is required. The steps recently taken towards improving the moral condition of the soldier are proofs of a desire to repair those errors which have placed him in some respects below the level of bis fellow citizens. By showing him that his moral condition is cared for by the Government, he will be made careful of it himself ; and the disuse of corporal punishment, added to the introduction of the means ot mental improvement, will render ihe army no louger the refuge for the vicious and desperate, but a class to which it will be of itself an honour to belong Times, Sept. 16.

An American State Paper. — The legislature of Missouri recently passed resolutions, calling upon the Governor for particular information relative to his expedition to the eastern cities last summer, for the purpose of selling state bonds, and his charge for expences. It seems he ouly sold six bonds, amounting to 3000 dollais, and that for expenses he charged the 6tate 625 dollars. Thus runs a part of the Governor's official reply :—": — " In the next place, with due respect to the honour* able mover, the answer is, that the expenses of the executive were various, numerous and too tedious to mention. His breakfast, his dinner o£ tea, when be has the time and appetite to eat it ; an apple, or an orange, a lemonade or a sponge cake, a piece of cheese or a cracker, a glass of brandy or some old rye (whisky) when, from hard travel, much fatigue, and great want of sleep, he was too unwell to take

more substantial food ; or else, from rapid travelling, had no time to stop anil get it ; the blacking of his boots, or brushing the dust out of his coat, or hiring a servant to hasten his dinner, instead of forcing him to eat through a series of regular courses — hack hire and omnibus hire, porterage and drayage, stage fare and railroad fair, steam-boat fare on the lakes, and bays — all these and various items, multiplied many times over, making perhaps thousands in the trip of 6000 miles, makes up the expenses of the executive." — Correspondent of the Morning Chronicle.

The Viper Cure. — Italian doctors are generally over-timid, but there are exceptions. Signor Zanetti, one of the leading men in the faculty here (Florence), tried, the other day, an experiment which would startle us in England. A man had been bitten by a rabid dog, and the worst symptoms soon followed. It was suggested, the case being apparently hopeless, to try the effect of infusing a different saliva into the system. Viperine venom was fixed upon, as heing powerful enough to secure a counteracting affection ; and nine live vipers procured from Prince Napoleon Jerome Buonaparte, who keeps a menagerie of those animals for philosophical purposes, were made to bite the unhappy sufferer. The sequel was shocking ; hydrophobic symptoms disappeared, but the^man died of the vipers' bites. Hereupon as they succeeded in quelling the original evil, the fs/tulty maintained that their remedy was good, only the dose administered was too large a one. Signor Zanetti conducted this operation : he is a quiet intelligent man, but feais nothing. The police, however, hold prevention to be better than cure, and they adopt a summary process. All dogs found unmuzzled are immediately knocked on the head. At night, also, a gratuitous distribu'ion of poisoned suasages takes place in certain streets for the express benefit of hungry tykes. In this way they contrive to get rid of a good many. — Francis 1 JSotesfrom a Journal.

The Art of Dress. — We are inclined to think that the female attire of the present (Jay is, upou the whole, in as favourable a state as the most vehement advocates for what is called nature and simplicity could desire. It is a costume in which they can dress quickly, walk nimbly, eat plentifully, stoop easily, 101 l gracefully, and, in short, perform all the duties of life without let or hinderance. The head is left to its natural size — the skin to its native purity — the waist at its proper region — the heels at Their feal level. The dress is one calculated <to bring out the natural beauties of the person, and each of them has, as far as we see, lair play. In former days, what was known of woman's hair in the cap of Henry the VII I. 's time, — or of her forehead under her hair in George lll.'s time, — or of the slenderness of her throat in a gorget of Edward the I.'s time, — or of the fall of her shou ders in a welt or wing in Queen Elizabeth's time, — or of the shape of her arm in a great bishop-sleeve even in our own time ? Now-a-days, all these points receive full satisfaction for past neglect, and a woman breaks upon us in such a plenitude of charms that we hardly know where to begin the catalogue. Hair light as silk in floating curls, or massive as marble in shining coils. Forehead bright and smooth as mother-of-pearl, and arched in matchless symmetry by its own beautiful drapery. Ear, which for centuries had laiu concealed, set on to the side of the head like a delicate shell. Throat, a lovely stalk, leading the eye upward to a lovelier flower, and downwards along a fair sloping ridge, undulating in the true line of beauty, to the polished precipice of the shoulder ; whence, from the pendant calyx of the shortest possible sleeve, haugs a lovely branch, smooth and glittering like pale pink coral, slightly curved towards the figure, and terminating in five taper petals, pinker still, folding and unfolding " at their own sweet will," and especially contrived by Nature to pick your heart clean to the bone before you know what are about. In this age, the male costume has been reduced' to a mysterious combination of the inconvenient and the unpicturesque, which, except in the light of a retribution, it is puzzling to account for. Hot in summer — cold in winter — useless in either for keeping off rain or sun — stiff, but not plain — bare, without being simple — not durable, not becoming, and not cheap. Man is like a corrupt borough; the only way to stop the evil has been to deprive him of his franchise. He — we mean the man of civil life — the militaty are not at present in question — the pekin is no longer even allowed the option of making himself ridiculous. Not a single article is left in bis wardrobe with which he can even make what is called an impression — a conquest is out of the question. Each taken separately is as absurd as the emptiest fop could have devised, and as ugly as the stauT^chest Puritan could have desired. The hat is a machine which an impartial stranger might impute a variety of useful culinary, purposes to, but would never dream of putting en his head, his stock looks like a manacle with which he has escaped from prison, or his

cravat, like a lasso, with which he has been caught in the act. His shirt-collars may be entitled to their name of vater-modern (or father-murderers) in Germany, (from the legend of a student who returned from the university with such a stiff pair, that on embracing his governor they cut his throat ;) but certainly never did any other execution there or elsewhere. His coat is a contrivance which covers only half his person, and does not fit that ; while his waistcoat, if a straight one, would be an excellent restraint for one who can contentedly wear the rest of the costume. Each article, in addition, being under such strict laws, that whoever attempts to alter or embellish only gets credit for more vanity than his fellows, and not for more taste. — Quarterly Review.

A Wild Beast Figiit in Oude. — We were conducted to a gallery which commanded a view of a narrow court or area beneath, inclosed by walls and palisades. This was the arena in which the spectacle was to take place. Unfortunately the space allotted to the spectators was so narrowed by the great number of European ladies who were present, that we could only find indifferent standing room, where, in addition to this inconvenience, the glare of the sun was very oppressively felt ; but the drama which began to be acted in our sight, in the deep space below, was such that every discomfort was forgotten in beholding it. We there beheld six mighty buffaloes, not of the tame species, but the sturdy offspring of the Arnibuffalo of the hill country, at least four feet and a half high from the ground to the withers, with enormous widely spread horns, several feet loDg. There they stood on their short clumsy hoofs, and, snorting violently, blew out their angry breath from their protruded muzzles, as if they were already aware oi the nearly approaching danger. W hat terrible powerful brutes — what vast strength in their broad and brawny necks. It would have been a noble sight had not their eyes the while expressed such entire stupidity. A rattling of slicks and the cries of several kinds of bestial voices were heard, to which the buffalos replied with a deep bellowing. On a sudden, from an opened door, there darted forth a huge tiger, certainly from ten to eleven feet in length and four feet in height. Without much hesitation he sprang with a single long bound right amidst the buffaloes, one of which, winding his body out of <he reach of the formidable horns, he seized by the neck with both claws and teeth at once. The weight of the tiger almost overthrew the buffalo. A hideous combat now takes place. Groaning and bellowing the buffalo dragged his powerful assailant up and down the arena; while the others, with their heavy, pointed horns, dealt the tiger fearful gashes to liberate their fellow beast. A deep stillness reigned amongst the puMic ; all the spectators awaited with eager suspense the issue of this contest between the tiger and the buffaloes ; as well as the fate of some unfortunate asses ; which latter, to increase the sport, being made perforce witnesses of the sanguinary action, at first looking down upon it from their poles with inexpressible horror, and afterwards, when their supports were shaken by the butting of the buffaloes, fell to the ground as if dead, and, with out-stretched limbs, lay expecting their fate with the greatest resignation, without making a single effort to save themselves. Two other tigers, of somewhat less stature, were now, with great difficulty, driven in, while the main struggle was still going forward. But no efforts could induce them to attempt an attack of any kind ; they shrank down like cats, crouching as closely as possible to the walls of the enclosures, whenever the buffaloes, who still continued, however, to butt at their enemy with the utmost desperation, approached them. The great tiger had j at last received a push in the ribs which lifted him from his seat. He came tumbling down, and crawled like, a craven into a corner, whither he, was pursued by the buffalo, maddened by the pain of his lacerated neck, and there had to endure many thrusts with the horns, at each of which he only drew up his mouth with a grimace of pain, without making the smallest motion to ward off the attack. — Hoffmeister's Letters from the East Indies.