English Extracts.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume XI, Issue 1127, 21 May 1856, Page 3

English Extracts.

The Herald states that, in consequence of the probalflity of peace, an older has been alreadv issued prohibiting naval officers from wearing moustaches while on full pay. ° M. Alphonse de Rothschild has been reccived by the Sultau. He purposes, it is said, to establish a bank at Constantinople. The Session of the Diet of Denmark Proper will terminate on the 20th February. That of the General Diet of the Danish Monarchy will open on the Ist March. The Russian Gazette de Commerce announces the formation of a company for furnishing the Lower Dnieper with steam navigation from Alexandria to the mouth of the river in the Black Sea.

Miss Thornhill, the wealthy- ward in Chancery, whose attempted abduction by Captain Chichester, some time since, involved that gentleman in serious difficulties, and led to his committal by the Lord Chancellor for contempt of Court, has bestowed her hand upon Captain Clarke, lately returned from the Crimea, son of Mr. Thomas Truesdale Clarke, of Swakelev. near Uxbridge. Preliminaries are arranged, and have met the approval of the Lord Chancellor. The marriage will take place very shortly.

It is said that Lord Dundonald has at last obtained a settlement of Ins undeniable claims at the bands of the Mexican government, and that he is to receive a sum of £30,000 down, and an annuity of £2OOO a year. The accouchement of the Empress of the French is expected to take place between the 15th and the 25th of March next. This is authentic. Her Majesty’s health is excellent. There are, within 2 miles of Gloucester, in a small hamlet, consisting of only six cott'a°-es, now living 6 aged individuals, whose united ages amount to not less than 530 years.

The Tribunal of Correctional PoliceofLyons recently tried a public-housekeeper, named David, of the Ci oix Rousse, for having outraged religion, by attaching a medal of the Virgin to his deg’s neck, and making the animal run about the streets with it on two several days. I he man, who “is a noted red republican and socialist, and who wore a pointed Tyrolean hat of extraordinary height, and an immense red cravat," was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment and 300 f. fine.

The Slow Poisoning Case.—At the Durham assizes the trial of Mr. Joseph Smith Wooler, forthe murder of his wife, Jane Wooler, commenced on Friday, the 7th instant. The prisoner, who had been brought up to the medical profession, lived on his property at Great Bu>don, near Darlington, andthecharge against him was that he destroyed the life of his wife by a revolting system of slow poisoning. Mr. Edward James, Q. C., prosecuted, and Mr. Sergeant Wilkins and Mr. Overend, Q- C., defended. The case occupied the court the whole of Saturday, and onlv terminated on Monday, when the jury relumed a verdict of “ Not guilty.’’ Singular Presentiment.—Grimaldi had a profound dread of the 14th day of the month. At its approach he was always nervous and disquieted; directly it had passed, he was another man again, and invariably exclaimed, in his broken English, “ Ah 1 now I am safe for another month.” Yet he at length died on the 14th of March. He was born, christened, and married on the 14th of the month. A Thorny Couch.—One morning last week, as a young man of Amberley was journeying homeward through the dreary waste of Minchinhampton common, his attention was arrested by seeing a heap of clothes near a gorse bush. Proceeding thither, he was startled on beholding a mysterious-looking object struggling in the midst of a thick gorse bush. On approaching nearer, to get a better view of the apparition, he found a semi-naked num— en chemise d'homme— kicking and writhing about to extricate himself from his thornv bed. “ Holloa, what doyou do here ?” inquired the young man. "Oh, dear,” responded the helpless fellow in the bush, “where be I?— where be my old 'oman ?— I be nearly starved —I cant get up.” “ Get up 1 no, I should think not,” replied the other; "how came you to get down ?” “Oh, help I out. Why, you see,” he continued, now quite aware of bis situation under the influence of the north wind, “ I had a drop o’ drink last night, and I made sure I was safe at home here, so I did strip, and got into bed. But, darn me, if I lit-e such a bed at all. Ibe tarnedly pricked and scratched. I seemed all cozy enough till towards morning, when I did dream all sorts o’ knives and vorks were adriving into me ; and I did shiver awful. Darn me, Ibe glad I be out of it,” as the other managed to help him out. “Why, you are pricked like a pincushion,” said the young man, laughing outright. Well, I be shocking,” replied the miserable object. “ What a thing a drap o’drink be, to be sure 1” His friend having helped him on with his clothes, they both proceeded to Stroud, the Bacchanalian, we hope, a wiser and a better man for his comfortless bed on a December night.— Gloucester Journal.

The U.-e of Arsenic. —It is sad, bui nevertheless true, that the use of arsenic is becoming 100 general amongst the women of the Eastern States. A St. Louis paper stales that two ladies of that city, wealthy, fashionable, and beautiful, died very suddenly. “Their dearest friends say that they were ‘ arsenic eaters,’ ” and that they diet! from an overdose of the deadly drug. It is said that arsenic does all that is claimed lor it. It increases the capacity for enjoyment—it makes the pulses full and bounding —it gives a lustre to the eye, a roundness to each limb, and blends lhe rose and lily of the cheek. But what is the penally ! Death—hor. rible — terrible—agonizing. To produce the effects mentioned, they who use it must constantly increase lhe dose. Even supposing we commence with lhe one-thousandth part of a grain, lite point will soon he ariived at when the increased dose will kill, and the failure to take it will be as certain torture and death—sure and inevitable. M. Montigny, French Consul in Cliina, says that the Chinese mix arsenic freely with the tobacco which they smoke, and those who do so are described as “ stout fellows, with lungs like a blacksmith’s bellows, and as rosy as cherubs.” This statement lias called out a letter from Dr, Londa, who announces that some years ago, in lhe course of a discussion at the Academy of Medicine, on the agents to be employed to cure tubercular consumption, lie told the assembled doctors that be bad found but one means of combating this dreadful disease, viz , the smoking of arsenic, and the doctor re-affirms liis commendations ol that remedy. The practice ol eating arsenic is very common in Hungary.— American paper.

Chinese Customs. —A Chinaman in San Francisco was recently observed with one side of bis face painted sky blue, whicli presented a most ludicrous and grotesque appearance, in contrast with the dirty yellow on the other side. A gentleman passing stopped him, and asked the reason be painted litmself so singularly—The Chinaman, in broken English, told him it bad been done by a creditor whom he was unable to pay.—When asked why he did not wash it off, lie replied “ so long as no payee money, so long no washee lof,” apparently resigned to the punishment the custom of bis country imposed on him.

All the civil inhabitants of Sebastopol who 00 part in the defence, women included, are to receive the commemorative medal instituted by ukase of November 27th, 1855. Ihe importation of seaborne coal into London, in January, 1856, amounted to 361,370 >°ns: same period, 1855, 212,150 tons. The quantity of coal brought into London bv railway and canal in January was 123,707’t0ns ; same period last year, 61,889 tons; showinan increase of 61,889 tons.

A new Ocean Steam Navigation Company—the Franco-American—are about to commence operations in France, whose principal terminus will be Havre, whence lines will radiate to different portions of North and South America.

yKGETABLEs From Algehia.—Vegetables begin to arrive in the Paris Market from Algeria. Asparagus, artichokes, and green peas have been among the first articles offered for sale.— English Paper. The latest letters from Persia state that Mr. Murray is on his way to Bagdad. It is true that the Shah had ordered all the Persian authorities to treat him with everv passible civility on his route, but at the same time had written to him in a tone which makes reconciliation at present entirely impossible. According to advices from St. Petersburg, the firm tone of the Queen’s Speech on the opening of the British Parliament had created some feeling of discouragement in commercial circles in that city. The exchange on London ruled rather lower in consequence. It is stated that Russian journals will shortly be allowed to enter France, as before the war.

The Queen of Spain has nominated General Bosquet a Grandee of Spain of the first class. It is the custom of the Emperor of the Brench to receive, after mass every Sunday, all the general officers of the army present at Paris without-letters of audience. It appears that this feeling has excited envious feelings amongst members of the Senate and Legislafive Corps, and that the latter have addressed some respectful observations to the Emperor, soliciting to be admitted to a similar privilege.

The news of lhe peace appears to have been received with great rejoicing by the Russians. Three days before the departure of lhe corvette Tom Kinburn an extraordinary courier from St. Petersburg bad brought to Odessa lhe news of the acceptance by the Emperor Alexander of the Austrian ultimatum. This intelligence had produced the greatest sensation in the entire popuhdon of the city. In the evening, with the authorization of Count Strogonoff, GovernorGeneral of Southern Russia, all the bouses hatf been illuminated, and on an immense transparency placed over the front of the Exchange were inscribed these words : —“ Long live the Emperor Alexander 11. ! He enjoys lhe affec■inn and giatitude of his people.” From Odessa die news spread like lightning throughout thcountry, and was hailed everywhere with similar satisfaction. It was particularly grateful to the country people, who stand so much in need of peace and tranquillity. At the wint r fair ol Aleschki, near Cherson, one of the most important in the country, and which usually lasts three days, lhe moment the event became known, provisions of every description which the day before found no buyers, were eagerly inquired after, aid the market closed at a rise of thirty per cent, on the opening prices. Those symptoms prove that lhe resolution of the Emperor meets with the approbation of the people. Previously to the arrival of the St. Petersburg courier, an order bad been addressed to all the authorities ol Southern Russia to suspend the levies of recruits, and that order was generally regarded as an indication of peace.